Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Izuku was born, he screamed and screamed and continued screaming until the nurses had no other choice but to give him to his mother quickly, blood still soaking him, or else they were scared of any problems that might arise from the continued stress. Already the small child looked far too fragile, his screams the only strong thing about him as his small face contorted, looking almost purple in color. His mother, sweaty and tired and barely awake but glowing, had accepted him into her arms readily, thankful for the chance to hold her son so quickly as she rested his small head against her breast.

Her husband, once fidgety and filled with tremors at the sight of his wife in so much pain, couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the baby; No, of his son, abruptly becoming quiet once he was in his mother’s embrace. The small child was small and fragile and looked like a speck in the arms of his equally small wife, but his screams had showed the world that he was there, they were enough to show him that his son will make his presence known. 

He would not lie, he had secretly been hoping for a girl. A cute little thing that looked everything like her mother, a baby girl that he would dote on alongside Inko and make into the little princess of the palace that they had built together.

Yet at the sight of the baby boy, with green hair almost identical to his mother, with only the added shades of black here and there that had resemblance to his own dark ebony hair, and form so small and pink and fragile, so so very fragile, as fragile as the arms wrapped around him and the body he was pressed against, Hisashi knew that he would dote on this boy just as much as the girl of his dreams. Instead of a princess, he welcomed the prince that his wife had gifted him, and with it he let himself open up to one more person. He let himself extend his heart towards the child that his wife had wanted and loved before he was even born.

“Come Hisashi, take a closer look at our beautiful boy.” Inko murmured, eyes glazed with pain and exhaustion, but still shinning with happiness and endearment as she gazed down at the small baby in her arms. Her boy was so very small, she was almost afraid of squishing him by accident in her light embrace. He was certainly smaller than most infants, yet that was to be expected. Her son didn’t seem to want to wait in greeting them, coming to them one full month earlier.

Still she couldn't help but coo at him, eyes shining with complete love and something close to worship in her gaze as a breathtaking smile spread across her lips. Her arms trembled slightly, as if afraid that the small miracle would be taken from her embrace as tears once more started to shine in her eyes. Her hopes and dreams were finally within her grasp, the little being in her arms encompassed everything that she had fought to make into reality. He was simply a treasure. 

Her husband seemed to be having a similar thought process, for when he came closer, he oh so very gently touched their son’s small fisted hands with his own much larger, callused fingers in a featherlike touch, almost as if the small miracle in her arms was made of glass. His face was slightly contorted in worry, as if thinking the simplest mistake would shatter the image in front of him. His hands, scarred and calloused and almost larger than life, were now trembling against the small head as they gently touched the soft sprinkles of green hair atop the head. 

Inko smiled with such love and adoration, it simply exuded from her. Trust Hisashi to be gentle, even with his own large stature and brawny features, the man was the definition of a gentle giant. She wished she could give the small baby to his father just to see how the man would react, but knew that the newborn was currently far too small and weak to act upon such thoughts, so she let it go until her small miracle grew a little stronger. 

“What should we name him?” Hisashi asked, breaking Inko from her inner thoughts. She paused for a moment, thinking and thinking with a small frown pinching her brow. Then, a light seemed to shine inside her eyes. Her gentle gaze turned mischievous as she gave her suddenly nervous husband a smirk, looking slightly vengeful. 

“Izuku.” She said, causing her husband to flinch as the smirk became more prominent on her features. Hisashi hissed out a breath, eyes narrowing playfully as he huffed, pouting slightly at his now silently laughing wife.

“Great, now I only need to utter my own son’s name to be reminded of my past mistakes. That is most ideal.” He replied sarcastically, though there were no venom in his words, just acceptance and slight amusement. He knew that while Inko had forgiven him for his past transgressions, he will still have to wallow and grovel further, even just to show that he was actually regretful. His wife was as kind and beautiful as a saintess, but by no means was she a pushover. At times she would be petty in her actions.  

He loved her more for it. 

Inko huffed a smile, looking down at her adorable green sprout as she kissed the top of his head. “I told you from the beginning dear, I can hold a grudge.” She said with a cute little glint in her eyes, her smirk reverting into a smile now as she gazed at Hisashi with pure love and acceptance. The same look that had caused all of his misgivings to crash down as he knelt before the woman with devotion in a past so distant now. The same look that had made him realize that she was there and will always be there. 

Eyes ever so slightly glazed with unshed tears, Hisashi could only laugh at her statement, setting down on the chair besides her bedside as he brushed a finger against the top of little Izuku’s head. He pressed a quick kiss on his wife's still sweaty forehead as he looked at the small family he was able to gain. The small paradise that once seemed impossible for him to ever achieve. 

“Well, since he is taking your last name along with me, he might as well have my kanji to make up for it.”

Before his wife could respond, the doctor returned. “I apologize for interrupting your conversation Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya, but my staff and I must continue with the diagnosis that we had been unable to accomplish on your son. If you may please hand him to me, we will try to make sure your child is healthy and safe.”

Inko looked pained at the prospect of once more having her baby taken from her, but she knew that the medical staff was antsy about running further tests on Izuku. Her baby was born far too early, and all they wanted was to ensure that there will not be any dire consequences of this happening. Thinking this, she too wanted to make sure that Izuku was as healthy as needed for a newborn, more so if possible. The small baby in her arms was smaller and, while he had made a strong entrance with his screams, he now looked far more fragile while sleeping in her arms. She was almost afraid to see the small rise and fall of his chest stop at any moment. 

With that harrowing thought, she promptly handed her baby to the black haired doctor, who smiled in thankfulness as he gently cradled the small infant in his larger arms. Making sure not to jostle him too much in the exchange, the doctor once more reassured them that he would make sure Izuku was well looked after. He then left with Izuku towards the other nurses; they quickly walked alongside him, hushed whispers too far away to make sense of them.

Hisashi sighed, but before anything could be said, another nurse came in, a bright smile on her lips and a calmness exuding from her presence alone. “Hello Mr. and Mrs. Midoriya, I am Nurse Naito. If you are not too tired, would you be willing to answer some questions for me?”

Both husband and wife looked at each other, and they knew that this would be a long day. Still, the glow didn't leave the new parents as they smiled at the nurse, attentively answering every and all questions that she gave them. 

It was not an easy few weeks for the Midoriya couple, while the doctors assured them that Izuku would most likely not die as an infant, they were still concerned about his premature health and weight. Wanting to not take any chances, they promptly placed the small child in a inhibitor with an IV full of vitamins in order to stabilize Izuku's health as much as possible before his eventual departure from the hospital. While the Midoriya couple were horrified by the fact that they were barred from touching their one and only child, the doctors citing worry over the infants lack of a stabilized immune system as to why contact should be restricted for now, they knew that if they wanted to give their child a fighting chance, they must remain resolute.

So they remained strong, gazing at their poor child behind a glass windows as the doctors pumped him full of vitamins, and just as they felt their resolve start to wane, the doctors gave them the best news, Izuku was ready to go home. 

The couple were advised to give the boy slightly more food than usually necessary in order to promote his growth, and a special formula to take alongside his mother’s milk (Inko had been adamant about breastfeeding her baby). Inko was startled at having to give what could be seen as medicine to her baby, Hisashi only just barely able to keep her from panicking too much at the idea that her child was in such unhealthy conditions. 

Still, they managed to persevere and after a grueling 3 weeks, the newest addition of the Midoriya household finally came home. Their house was a quaint two-story house, with a small but comfy interior and a backyard that was big enough to play in and maybe have a pet or two. Inko always wanted a large family, and now that Hisashi had experienced having Izuku around, he would be lying if he said he didn’t feel the same way. The small baby was like a drop of sunlight, shining a bright light towards the couple's future as he looked forward at what is to come. He could already picture the time ahead, the sight of Izuku laughing as he ran with other faceless children, playing alongside his younger siblings as Inko stood to the side, smiling her brightest smile as she gazed lovingly at her children. At the happy family that she had created. 

Izuku had been everything yet nothing like he had expected him to be. The dark green hair with black qualities that managed to capture both his and Inko's coloration in a perfect combination, though he was surprised to see what looked to be the beginning of curling on the edges as what was one sprinkles of hair started to grow out. Inko had been over the moon at the sight, exclaiming she had hoped that their child would replicate Hisashi's fluffy curls instead of her straight locks. The once dull green eyes of an infant slowly started to shine brighter as the days passed, capturing Hisashi’s heart the more he gazed at them because they were an exact replica of Inko’s own emerald, shining with innocence that Hisashi wanted to protect by any means.

Izuku was so small, so fragile and soft that Hisashi had been terrified the first time he held him in his large arms, hoping beyond hope that he wouldn’t hurt the precious treasure by accident. Inko's twinkling giggles had bounced against the room's wall as he tried not to fumble with the small baby in his arms, his face stricken with panic as he tried not to shake more than he already was. Izuku, as if sensing his father was under enough stress, had remained silent and still, merely gazing at the panicked man with curious eyes before toothily smiling at him. 

Hisashi had fallen in love with him then and there. 

Inko was also happier now, the glow he had seen in the hospital still present now in her smiles and coos as she held their child against her, almost as if afraid to let him go. He always tried to make his most beloved happy, but he now saw that she had been missing the little life in her arms more than anything. He knew that nothing he could have ever done for her would bring her as much joy as the being that she held cradled in her embrace. 

He couldn't say that he blamed her. 

The days went by in a blur, and before they knew it Izuku had turned one and a half. Hisashi never knew his happiness would possibly be able to increase, but Izuku had a knack for creating miracles, with his birth he now had two reasons to look forward to the end of work rather than one.

He smiled in pure bliss as he unlocked the door, entering his paradise as he looked around, used to his wife greeting him in the entrance while embracing their son. Something about Izuku missing him through the day. Hisashi had laughed the first time she had done so, smirking at her and asking if it was only Izuku who had missed him. Times like those, he enjoyed the way he was able to evoke a reaction from his wife. Him and only him. 

Today was going against the slowly building tradition though, as neither his wife or child were there to greet him. He tried to push down the disappointment, it would do him no good to act childishly at his age. Walking towards the nursery, having a feeling that was were his two precious treasures were at, he was met with a smiling wife in front of the nursery door, but no infant in sight. The only thing keeping him from panicking was the knowledge that Inko would never leave Izuku unattended unless she knew for a fact that he was safe. He trusted her.  

"Hurry, he's waiting for you." Shye said teasingly, a loving expression on her face.

Hisashi was confused to say the least, giving his wife a quick peck in the lips as he usually did when he came home, he then walked into the nursery. Making his way to the cradle, he was shocked by the sight in front of him. Izuku, his small little prince, laughed happily while clapping his hands, asking to be picked up with bright emerald eyes. The sight of the small mint green jumper he was wearing, with the words "Best big brother" printed in dark black on the front, made a startled laugh escape him. He happily took his first son in his embrace, causing the small baby to chime in laughter as he turned to his wife with love and tenderness in his eyes, the same look being given towards him and their child in her eyes.

The next few months were filled with her joyous laughs as late night talks consisted of various names that they could choose, how she hoped that this child would take after Hisashi more because oh wouldn’t red eyes be just the most adorable on a baby. She would mumble about future pets and hope that there wouldn’t be allergies and oh right they have hairless cats, right?

Hisashi merely laughed at her excited ramblings, holding his first born against his chest as Inko walked around the house in a rush, placing this and taking down that and adding more pictures on the walls because honestly Hisashi it looks like nobody even lives here!

Looking down at Izuku’s inquisitive face, the way the young baby fisted Hisashi’s black shirt, his lips wet from saliva as he stared at his mother with what looked like curiosity in those beautiful green orbs, freckles starting to dust his cheeks much like his own. Hisashi felt even more excited at the prospect of having another child, another treasure that showed his utter devotion to his wife. Another addition to the utopia the two had built, away from the darkness that they had escaped. The hell his angel of a wife had saved him from, and the demons he in turn fought off to protect her.

Though secretly, smiling down at Izuku as he gently wiped the trail of saliva from the side of his mouth, Hisashi once more hoped for a girl, one that would look even more so like the woman he loved. Another bright light to the new future he was trying to build.

They did not think that it would happen again, it was almost like a cruel joke on the universe’s part. They should have known, Izuku should have been warning enough, the doctors themselves had said that it had been a near miracle he survived, and with relative good health at that. 

He should have been enough, his survival a blessing as well as his near death a warning from the universe to not hope for more. To be happy with what they were able to save. To not be too greedy.

So, when Inko once more came into labor, this time 2 months earlier than what was expected, Hisashi had a traitorous feeling that they wouldn’t see a miracle this time around. That they had pushed farther than they should have ever tried to. 

Thinking the truth and knowing the truth were two far different things. They saved Inko, that he would forever be grateful for, because he wouldn’t know what to do if she was ripped out of his life. They saved her, but they hadn’t managed to save their second treasure. The new light in their bright future had gone out before it was able to shine in this bleak world. 

The baby was far too small in his hands, far too small and far too cold. If he thought Izuku had been like glass, then this child was much like a butterfly’s wing, and this one had not been able to weather the storm that had come. The membrane had been shredded, and there was nothing he could do to fix it. It's existence had been far too small, far too fragile, it had not managed to break free from the chrysalis of fate.

It was another boy, this one with the whisper of black hair atop a mostly bald head, and he didn’t have to look to know that he had red eyes, crimson like his own.

The irony of it all, that the baby that most resembled him, was the one to bring forth the tragedy around him.

The being that had taken more of him than of his wife, was the one to rip their dreams apart.

When Inko awoke, the first thing she asked was for her baby, give her baby to her now. Her eyes showed desperation as tears ran rivers down her cheeks. She looked almost manic in her search, her eyes glazed and her whole body trembling. There was a hint of resignation there though, as if she knew the outcome but was forcing the world to be wrong. Was forcing the truth to be overwritten. 

Hisashi was the one to break the news to her, breaking away the fantasy that she had tried to shroud herself in. He didn’t want the impersonality of the nurses to be the ones to tell Inko that their baby had not made it, that the child which she had so many hopes and dreams for had left the world before it could even take its first breath. He held her close in his arms as she sobbed and sobbed, crying out in agony as she asked whoever was out there why, why her son?

Why did tragedy never seem to leave them?

It was only hours later when she asked to see the body, and the sight of her lifeless baby only caused her to break down in sobs again. She couldn’t help but think, while holding him, if he would have screamed much like Izuku had, if things had been different. If he would have made as much of a strong entrance as their first born, sadly he wasn't able to break against the restraints of fate.

She cried like never before, tears flowing in never-ending rivers down her eyes as she held the cold still corpse against her chest. A part of her desperately wishing to feel the rise and fall of a small chest much like she had felt when Izuku was first given to her. She sobbed and sobbed, her crystal tears dropping against the pale corpse of the baby taken from them too early. Hisashi could do nothing but hold her against him, his own tears flowing down his cheeks as he stared at the peaceful baby held tightly against his wife’s chest, its still features making it look almost ethereal.

“Mikumo.” Inko suddenly whispered, her words washing over the small body as she brushed the small black hair with careful finger, black hair that now that Hisashi had a closer look to, was highlighted with dark green here and there. This made him want to laugh at the mockery. If he had been given the opportunity to live, Hisashi knew that there would be an almost uncanny similarity between Izuku, twins more so than brothers. It was almost as if Izuku had taken all that was Mikumo, there could not be a world with both of them it seems.

And that was it right? Mikumo, three clouds for the fourth one has left them behind. The small cloud that could have been had failed to form, leaving behind the three remaining ones in the otherwise empty sky. 

Three clouds continue to travel forth, leaving behind the mirage of the would be fourth addition.

He held on to both this unformed cloud and his most precious being and hoped that this was all the wrong that would be done to them.

This pain had to be enough.

The universe seemed to not be done with their misgivings towards the Midoriya couple. After the doctors have been able to take the body, all that was left of Mikumo, they brought even more bad news to the couple.

This time, it seems, the miscarriage had brought even more complications than could be resolved. In order to save Inko, and an effort to save the young baby that had ultimately been fruitless, they had removed her uterus. Due to the stress of the surgery, they had placed hormonal blockers and the procedure was irreversible. She would never be able to bear children again.

The future once looked upon as utopia was fully and irreversibly shattered. 

Inko had been crushed, as this put her chance of having the large family that she had hoped for up in flames. She had cried once more, this time screaming for Izuku, bring her baby to her, don’t take her baby away from her too. Don’t take him away. Please leave him to her. Don't take any more, please she don't leave her alone. 

Due to her hysterics, the nurse had no other choice but to inject her with sedatives. Soon, his precious wife was asleep, and Hisashi could do nothing but cry at the pure distress that was visible in her features. Yet, even though this had caused her grief, he could not help but feel relief at the revelation that she would no longer be burdened with pregnancy. He couldn't help the selfish part of him that was happy with the fact that he would no longer have to worry if the next time would be the last. 

He had almost lost her once in the pursuit of a miracle, he did not want to chance it again. They already had their one treasure, a treasure that looked almost identical to her. While he would now no longer be able to hope for the girl that he had long since wished for, he was happy. He was happy because he could keep what was truly precious with him.

He could no longer be too greedy. Not again.

The next time Inko had awoken, Hisashi had made sure to have Izuku with him. His wife had broken down once more at the sight of her one and only child, holding him in her arms as she cried and cried, showering his dark green curls with tears.

Izuku had been startled, tears also forming in his own emerald orbs as soon he cried alongside his mother, small arms wrapping against her as he buried his head against her chest, scared because never once had his mother ever shown distress in front of him. The child was confused, not even a full 2 years old but already trying his best to comfort the woman who had given birth to him, to help his precious mother who was in distress in front of him. 

At the sight of his son trying so hard to comfort his beloved wife, Hisashi was even more sure that this was enough. It had to be enough.

Hisashi sat down next to them, enveloping both in a hug against him as he buried his head on top of his wife’s hair, her shaking form causing prickles of heartbreak to form inside of him. He promised himself that he would do anything to keep her from ever experiencing this pain again, he had promised her happiness the day they married, he was dead set on achieving this promise.

He would not let her break, not while he was still there.

The weeks that followed her miscarriage, Inko would not leave Izuku out of her sight. The cradle that was once to be Mikumo’s along with all the new baby clothes were promptly given to charity. Izuku's "Best big brother" jumper was hidden away in a closet. In the same closet the blanket that had once wrapped around the still body was also hidden inside, wrapped around a picture of the ultrasound Inko had taken. All the items were hidden away, but not discarded, creating a ghost of what could have been and what would never come to fruition. 

Izuku was rarely allowed to be away from his mother’s arms, any injuries that he caused himself while taking steps or crawling around the house were promptly taken care of and soon the floors were covered with fluffy carpets in order to keep him from hurting himself too badly. He was rarely allowed outside of his nursery, where Inko was more than secure in the fact that there was nothing that could hurt her precious baby. 

Hisashi knew that his wife was hurting, he also knew that this behavior was not healthy. She would not even sleep on a different bed than Izuku, the boy no longer slept in his cradle at night, but rather shared the bed with Hisashi and Inko as she held her precious child against her. She followed around the child as if afraid that he would disappear if he was out of her sight.  

He knew that this should not go on, but he would be lying if he said that he wanted to change it. He had seen the distress that his wife had gone through after Mikumo’s death, and the funeral that had come after only served to further destitute her. Izuku, their precious treasure, had been the only thing that brought life back into her eyes. The doctors had told him to keep them together, but to also limit their interactions as mothers who miscarried tended to form unhealthy habits towards their surviving children. Some would become neglectful towards their surviving child, while others would become overly protective to an unhealthy degree.

He knew this, but if he had to choose between and obsessive Inko, and a depressed Inko, he would choose the former in a heartbeat.

Hisashi put his wife first and foremost, and if that meant that Izuku’s safety was a priority over his development, then so be it.

When Izuku was three, he was able to form more and more coherent sentences. Hisashi was proud, his son seemed to be more of his mother than he could have ever imagined, having also inherited her deep intelligence. The boy would clap in delight every time Inko would bring an object or another towards him using her quirk.

Izuku would also always love to see the small shows that his father would put with his own fire breathing, green eyes wide in excitement and amazement at the small display of power, though Inko would make absolutely sure that he was a safer than necessary distance from the flames. As much as she loved her husbands’ beautiful flames, she would rather not risk her son to the still dangerous embers.

Hisashi would slowly form the same mentality as her, making sure that the small treasure would be safe from the dangers of the outside. Something that took so much after his Inko had to be protected, for both were fragile things.

Fragile things that could not been blown away, not again. Not under his watch. 

When Izuku was three and a half years old, he stared in wonderment as black ink would slowly from in his mother’s forearm, neat and crisp writing forming words of endearment as they form sentences against the whole expanse. He traced the kanji, eyes wide in amazement at the magical words forming on her skin. 

“It’s your father Izuku.” Inko whispered, happy as she also traced the writing with endearment and love in her gaze. “He is overseas right now, but he says that he misses us, and that he can’t wait to be back home.” Izuku looked at the kanji, nodding his head as he saw some of the kanji that he understood, and some that he didn’t.

“How?” Was all Izuku could say, or rather ask, looking at his mother’s arms in amazement. This was the first time he had seen the writing, or rather the first time he had noticed. 

“Your daddy and I are soulmates, we were meant for each other since the day we were born. We don’t know it yet, though, until years later when our souls are strong enough to connect with one another. Some people’s souls take longer than others to connect, but when they do, any marks on your body will reflect on theirs. It’s almost as if our souls, which were once one, are trying to connect our bodies as well.” While explaining this, Inko grabbed a green marker from the large quantity in the box of colors Izuku used to doodle.

“Here, why don’t you send a message back to daddy.” Izuku nodded, gently taking the marker and writing a wobbly “Love daddy” on his mother’s arm. “When a Mark appears on your body, your soulmate will feel it, kind of like a tingle filled with warmth, on their own body. Your daddy should be seeing the message soon.” Inko patiently explained. She smiled brightly at Izuku, looking at his wobbly writing with endearment as she wondered how Hisashi would react to the fact that their child had written to him using their beloved bond. She wished she could see it, the pain of his not being there only healed by the sight of Izuku in front of her. Of the representation of their love in her hold.

Soon, as if answering her thoughts, words once more formed on her palm, a “I love you too” visible, a drawing of a heart in the bottom. She showed it to Izuku, who giggled happily while tracing the words, booping the heart causing Inko to giggle at his actions. “I want a sol'met!” Izuku exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement and happiness. “I be hero! n' protect them!”

Inko’s eyes misted slightly, though she forced a smile on her lips all the same. She did not wish for her child to pursue the hero career that he had for some reason taken a liking to a few months ago. He had seen them on the news, and after that had said again and again that he wanted to be a hero that would protect his mommy and daddy and everyone in the world.

Inko dearly wished that this was merely a phase, the last thing she wanted was her precious treasure to be in constant danger all his life. Izuku was but a flower, a fragile little thing that would easily be ripped apart by the awfulness of the world.

Gritting her teeth, visions of black hair and a small pale body far too small and far too cold pressed against her. Too young too fragile, blown away before it would truly show its beauty to the world.

No, her baby could not go into a world like that. He cannot be blown away; she will not allow it.

When Izuku turned 4 and was old enough to go to nursery school, Inko put her foot down and denied it. Izuku was too small, too fragile, he could not go out like this! What if the other boys did something? What if he got hurt? What if he got too cold and got sick!? Due to being born so small, Izuku had a weak constitution, he would not survive the outside world!

At first, Hisashi wanted to try and send Izuku to nursery school. His son needed to socialize, and most of all Inko needed a break from being a mother. Yet, the first and only time he managed to convince Inko to send their boy to nursery school, he had been hit with trauma.

That day, as Izuku spent his time in nursery school, Inko had been destitute. She would do nothing more than look at the window near the kitchen in a blank state, almost as if her soul was sucked out of her body. She would jump at the slightest of noises, her hands fidgeting together as her eyes looked unseeingly at the world around her.

He tried to engage time with her, taking the day off work in order to try and watch movies with her, talk with her, even go to the park with her. Throughout this, she was barely responsive, it was almost as if he had taken the life out of her. 

As if her very reason for living was gone.

It wasn’t until this day that Hisashi saw just how much Izuku had truly come to mean to her, and with that revelation he did not hesitate to go to the nursery school and take Izuku out early. The young boy had been slightly confused at this, waving goodbye to the kids he had managed to meet as he ran into his father’s embrace, carried home like always.

When Inko saw her baby come back to her, she quickly got up from the sofa that she had been silently sitting on, sobbing as she looked over her precious treasure, tutting at the few scratches he managed to get from playing with the boys he had met and hugging him protectively against her.

After that day, Izuku never returned to the nursery school, instead all of his teaching were looked after by his mother in their little nursery room. While Izuku was sad that he could no longer see the kids he had managed to meet the first day of school, he never wanted to see his mother cry like that again. So, he stayed with her, learning in a quick pace as he let her hug and cuddle and play with him.

Izuku loved his mother, and if that meant that she and daddy were to be his world, then so be it.

It was a rare occurrence when Inko deemed it safe to take him out of the house. One such day, a few days after Izuku turned five, Inko was surprised to see they were low in groceries. While Hisashi usually took care of bringing home groceries due to knowing Inko's dislike over bringing out Izuku (and secretly in order to also protect Inko from the outside), he had forgotten to bring back condiments, and Inko would rather not cook food without flavor. She prided herself in cooking delicious food for her dear husband and son, she would not have them eat anything but the best. With Hisashi busy with work, and her not trusting Izuku's care with anyone else, Inko reluctantly knew that she would have to do this shopping trip with Izuku. 

It was slightly worth it though, as she was able to witness the excited happiness from Izuku as he happily gazed around the streets. Inko felt a pang of guilt at his expressions, but she tried to push it away as best she could. It couldn't be helped, the world was still too dangerous for someone as young as Izuku, as small, as fragile. 

Maybe when he was older...maybe...

It had been a week before his fifth birthday when they had gone to a check up, Inko was happy to find that Izuku was growing up healthy like regular children, though the doctor had confided that Izuku would most likely be on the short side. Inko didn't care as long as he was healthy, and secretly she was happy, for it meant that he would remain her little boy. Hisashi was a big man, much taller and buffier than most men, while she would have loved Izuku either way, and she loved the way that he resembled her husband in certain features, she had been hoping he would skip her dear husband's buffier features. She knew Hisashi thought the same, having heard him mumble about how cute Izuku was and how much he hoped he would continue to resemble his mother and "please don't grow too fast".

And he says she is too doting with their child, he should look at a mirror more often. 

While she had been a bit nervous at the fact that her child hadn't developed a quirk, thinking that it could lead to health complications. the doctor had reassured her that even if Izuku didn't manifest a quirk, he would still be healthy. It just meant that he didn't have the required gene mutation to manifest a quirk, nothing more. After hearing that, she was over the moon. For the past two years she had been agonizing over the fact that Izuku had wanted to become a hero, maybe if he didn't have a quirk...

Shaking her head, Inko tried to banish her thoughts away. She had seen how distraught Izuku had been at the thought that he might not develop a quirk. It was heartless of her to be happy over such a distressing fact for her son. 

Still...

Izuku happily observed the world around him, taking note of all the new sights and smells that intrigued him. He had not been out of the house since the doctor's visit, and they hadn't had such a long stroll at that time. He was happy to once more be out and about, while he should be used to it by now, it was still at times suffocating to be in the house for so long. He had hoped that after turning five and finally manifesting his quirk, his mom would finally let him out more, maybe he could even make a friend or two...

It was for naught though, as his birthday came and passed, yet there was no sight of a quirk to be had. He was quite sad at the fact, so sure that his fifth birthday would be the day. Most children manifested their quirks at four, but Izuku hadn't gotten his even after another year passed. 

Still, he wouldn't let this stop him. He would be a Hero! Quirk or no quirk. He would protect those who were precious to him, he would show the world how strong he was!

Maybe then he wouldn't see his mother silently trembling on the side of the bed, while she thought that he was asleep, mumbling a word that he could never quite decipher.

Then she would know that he was strong, strong enough that he could go outside without her looking on in worry. 

That he was not weak.

As they continued walking, Izuku held on to his mothers’ shoulders, looking at the world around him with a curious gaze. His parents for some reason never let him walk alone, instead they carried him either piggyback or in their arms. Izuku didn’t mind this too much, he loved being held by them, and he also loved smelling his mother’s floral perfume or his father’s musky cinder scent against him. 

It was just supposed to be a normal grocery trip, while it was rare for him to participate in those trips, he had done so a handful of times, and all of them had been mundane and without risk.

It was supposed to be normal, yet the universe seemed to not be done torturing the Midoriya family.

They had no longer been too greedy. Still, it was not enough.

A large explosion rang out as people screamed in the streets, fire could be seen engulfing the place as people all around ran for their lives. Izuku held on tight to his mother as she also turned to run, frantically pulling Izuku in front of her as she held him close to herself. He could feel her ragged breathing from atop his head, her heartbeat erratic underneath his ear.

Something in the back of his head told him that this was a fight between a Hero and a Villain. He wanted to see it, but at the same time he had seen in the news when his mother wasn't there to shut it off, how much destruction a lot of the fights brought to everything around them. This was especially true in public fights, and something told him that they needed to get away. 

His mother, seemingly thinking the same thing, tried to hurry her pace. Izuku almost wanted to tell her to let him down, that he was slowing her down, that she should escape. He didn't want his mom to get hurt, much less because of him. He needed to protect her, like his daddy had told him. 

Why couldn't he protect her.

A huge explosion caused by a burst of hot fire made the world around him to shake as his mother fell, but before she did she threw him forward and away from her. Hitting his head from the fall, Izuku cried out as he hazily saw his mother being knocked down by pieces of falling building debris. The only thing he could do was whimper pitifully as darkness came in and out, leaving him with no strength. 

No, he couldn't let himself fall here. He had promised his daddy that he would always protect his mommy. He would not let himself fail, would not let himself be weak in the face of disaster. He would be a Hero, he had to be strong. 

“Mama!!” Izuku screamed as he found the strength within himself. He pushed himself up, fighting through the dizziness that almost overcame him as he blinked back the dark spots forming in his vision. 

He stumbled towards his mother's form, seeing her barely conscious as she smiled towards him. He cried bitterly as he managed to get to her, debris trapping the bottom half of her body as she raised a bloody hand, gently cradling his cheek. "I'm...so glad...you're okay...baby." She managed to utter out, joy and pain in her gaze as she lost strength, her arm going limp. Izuku grasped at her hand, eyes filled with tears as he gazed at the woman that had given him everything, that always looked at him with adoration and devotion. 

One half of his whole world. 

 Flames suddenly started spreading all around him, looking as if the apocalypse was descending upon them. He cried, standing up as he tried to push away the debris. He tried to free his mother, to help, but he couldn't do it. 

"Izuku...baby...leave...please, survive..." That was the last words he managed to hear from his mother before she fell silent. Looking towards her, Izuku saw that she was unconscious, and red blood was starting to form under her. He knew that was bad, because even when a small amount of that red liquid escaped Izuku's body, his mother got really scared. 

He needed to get her out, she was in danger. He needed to save her!

Suddenly, something inside of him felt warm and strong as a pull like force seeped out of his body. With all of his might, Izuku stretched his hands in front of him as he willed the cement to move.

What looked like transparent green tendril like hands formed around him, grabbing some of the cement and making it move. It wasn’t enough though, it would never be enough as his small body was wracked with pain and exhaustion from overusing his newly developed quirk. He felt something trickle from his nose as exhaustion overtook him, he tried to force more of the tendril like hands to grab the cement, but it wasn't working.

His last thoughts before the world went black was that he would never be enough.

Hisashi Midoriya was a calm man, most would joke that his personality was completely opposite from his quirks, cold words and biting remarks contrasting the heat that he could create with his fire. What the world didn’t know though, was that most of that heat was saved for a certain person.

Inko Midoriya was Hisashi’s world, his other half, the soulmate he once rejected but who had given his idiotic self a second chance. She was his light, and all the fire, all the passion, would only ever be directed at her. She was his goddess, his utopia, all of the warmth and light in his world was ever directed towards her.

His everything, his very being, was here only for her. His very soul was hers.

Hence, when he received an urgent call to his work office about both his wife and son having been caught up in an incident regarding a hero, Endeavour was his name, trying to capture a villain and causing major destruction in the process, he was more than manic. He had felt the tingle of marks appearing across his body, but at that time had though of it as nothing more than his wife leaving discreet messages, as she had done in the past when she missed him. Now, as he looked at the mirage of scars littering his body, Hisashi found that it was anything but. 

He forced himself not to think about just how many marks littered his body. How his weak wife was suffering through so much hurt.

Your wife is in critical condition, the person on the phone said, she is currently undergoing intensive surgery, it went on, probability of pulling through is near minimal, it finished.

Numbness started to overtake him as the temperature in the room suddenly rose, causing others to exclaim in surprise by the heat coming off of him in waves. Hisashi paid that no mind though, as the person on the phone continued to drone on, only hearing the direction of the hospital that his precious treasures were in before the phone snapped in his grip, cutting the call short as he stood up abruptly.

The whole world seemed to crash down on him as he ran out of the office, not caring for the startled gazes he acquired as he ran to his car, quickly driving to the hospital speeding limit be damned.

It was a miracle he didn’t get pulled over, and he hoped more than anything that more miracles would be accomplished today.

He arrived in front of the emergency room after nearly screaming at the nurses to please tell him where his wife was for the love of everything good. He didn’t want to waste any more time to be by her side but was quickly stopped by the doctors. He couldn’t be at her side right now, they said, she was in too much risk at the moment, he needed to stay outside. He didn’t understand, why where they keeping him from his wife, didn’t they see that he needed to see her now?!

He couldn't breathe, the heat seeming to almost take over as the world continued to spin, without his knowledge smoke filled with lightly sprinkled embers started to escape his lips. 

But one word from the nurses that held him back brought him back to his senses. Izuku. Oh.

Numbness once more took over as he stared at the frantic nurse in front of him, not hearing everything she was saying. He cut her off with three words. "Where is he?"

She looked glad at his question, quickly telling him the room number to his only son as Hisashi quickly walked over to his son's room, though not as frantic as he had done with his wife. 

Izuku needed to be okay as well, Izuku couldn’t be hurt. Inko would become depressed when she got out of surgery, how could he forget, Izuku needed to be okay for his wife to be okay.

The nurse had talked about something that sounded like 'overused quirk', but that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that Izuku was okay, that he had survived. 

Inko would never leave their son alone. She would make it through. She had to.

The cruelness of fate is something everyone knew, causing people with intertwined souls to be born, only to find that they will not be together unlike what was seemingly promised.

Forever wasn't an option, for nothing could ever last forever. Time was a thing many lacked, and no matter how much was given, it would never be enough.

Hisashi stared in shock, tears streaming down his face as he tried to understand what the doctor had just told him.

“No.” He whispered out, voice croaking as he fell forward, his knees scraping against the tiled floor as he wailed into his hands. This was not real; this reality was wrong. He would not believe the words that had just been uttered at him.

But it was true, his wife. His beautiful and kind wife…was dead.

Whispers of happy laughs, of pouting lips and discontent nagging, haunted his mind. Of bashful smiles and mischievous eyes, of warmth and love and care as the one and only person who had ever looked at him and seen him, had seen a man rather than a monster, left. Disappearing like the whispers of smoke from a dying flame.

He cried then laughed and looked up as he wondered at the sky above the hospital ceiling. Mikumo must have wanted to meet his mother, a manic part of his head whispered in his mental haze, he really had turned out to be more like him than first believed.  

You should have taken me too.

Izuku is five-almost-six years old when he realizes that everything good in the world comes at a prize. Something as pure and eternal as intertwined souls wouldn’t exist without a price to be paid.

And what happens when one soul ends before the other? Well, one part of a piece cannot exist without the other. Not everyone finds their happy ending, and those that do don’t always get their ever after.

Hisashi was a man dedicated to the love and support of his wife. His beautiful wife, who didn’t care about his background or the blood in his hands. His fragile wife who had wanted nothing more than a big supportive family. The woman with whom he had tried to build the utopia she had promised him that one dark night in a past better left uncovered. The woman who no matter how small had been like a strong hurricane that had brought all of his walls crashing down. 

The half of him that he loved. His better half, his most beloved existence. The one that made him live. 

So now, here in this cold white room, where the heart monitor was finally disconnected after having stopped, there was no longer any will left in him. He had finally been able to see her when he calmed down, before she would be carted away to the morgue. He took one look at the pale exterior that was his wife and was once more reminded that not all good things last. Wails once more left his lips as he crumbled against the cold body that was Inko, knowing that he would no longer experience her gentle fingers caressing his hair, or her bright smile that seemed to light up the whole world.

He would no longer be filled with warmth. Would no longer look forward to another day in her presence. 

He no longer saw a future ahead. His hopes and dreams came crashing down, the delusion was finally over, it was time to wake up.

Unknown to anyone, the scars that once littered the whole of his bottom body, the ones that had first shown him the true wrongness of the situation, disappeared from existence.

He was no longer blessed with the mark, for he was no longer connected to his other half. 

Izuku was five when he lost his mother, and the belief in the goodness of soulmates.

Once Izuku was finally discharged from the hospital, it was to an empty home. His father had taken to working more and more, not even bothering to visit him in the hospital after his mother was pronounced dead. The caring and loving father that had once been Izuku’s other half of the world seemed to have died alongside his mother. In his place was a numb man, with cold eyes and a rigid form.

His father seemed to no longer care about anything, instead spending his days either at work, or the few times that he was home, he spent them in the living room, a glass bottle on his hands, or a syringe stuck into his veins, as he held a picture of his mother in his other hand.

His once booming laughter, his discreet smirks as he sneaked Izuku candy behind his mother's back. His twinkling eyes as he got on his hands and knees and let Izuku climb on top of him, Izuku giggling in glee as he then let Izuku ride him like the horse in the movie his mother had put on.  

His whispered words of love towards Izuku and his mother every night before bed, cuddling against his warm side at night while his mother slept in his other side.

That man was gone. 

Izuku had taken to always hiding in his room when his father was there, because when his father saw him, all he would do is cry and scream and rage that “it was your fault” until both of them were crying and Izuku stumbled into his bed, the words following him like a ghost.

He was right, and it killed Izuku to know that it was his fault. He was no hero, he couldn't even save his own mother! He had practically caused her death!

Still Izuku could just not leave things to rest.

He took to learning how to cook, if only to help his father, groceries where taken care by him as well, gabbing the money that his father left on the table before he went of to work. Maybe that was the reason he couldn't give up just yet, because even if done almost uncaringly, it was proof that his father still cared. It gave him hope.

His faint memory of his mother cooking while she watched in the back of his head, what he couldn't figure out he searched up on the family computer, his mind trying to make sense of the recipes and the steps because that was all he could do to not give up and crash as well.

His father though, never cared for the food. His voice biting as he denied the nutrition that his son was trying to give him as he once more ordered Izuku to his room.

And so, Izuku stayed most of his time in his room, his days spent remembering the happy times with his mother as he floated items towards him using the tendrils that he had gained that day, in remembrance to how his mother used to pull little trinkets towards them in an effort to make him laugh.

He never showed his father his quirk, for it was too familiar to his mother’s own, and he did not wish to distress him with more remembrance to the loss that he had faced thanks to Izuku.

And so, Izuku continued to spend his days fruitfully alone, silent and concealed as he tried to make his existence unknown.

Izuku was seven when he found out that everyone would leave him at one point or the other.

Hisashi was just too lost without his wife. So, he decided to leave the world and be once more with her.

Izuku had gotten enough of their time, it was time for the Midoriya couple to meet their other son.

That was how young Izuku soon found his father, bloodied arms spelling out “I want to see you again” and “I can’t live without you” in an effort to reach the one he had lost, bottles of alcohol around him as a syringe stood out of his vein.

When Izuku stumbled upon the sight, he lost control, everything in the room start to levitate up before being pushed away, crashing against the wall. He screamed and screamed, his quirk going out of control as more of the things outside started to levitate everywhere, crashing here and there. As if a hurricane came through and caused everything to crash around him. 

Perturbed neighbors, not knowing the cause of the sudden mess, called in the authorities. What they found, the midst of the wreckage, was the dead body of one heartbroken Hisashi Midoriya, and the now unconscious body of Izuku Midoriya, his nose bleeding and his hands shaking.

Izuku was seven years old when he found out he will never be enough.

Chapter Text

Izuku was seven years old when he felt his first tingle of his soulmate bond on the top left corner of his face, it felt foreign, but not completely off, it was warm and felt right, as if it was something he had been missing without knowing. When he looked in the mirror, he saw a burn mark splayed on his face, starting from the left top corner of his face and ending just below his eyes. Then writing started to appear on his arm, and for the second time in his life he knew, fate was a cruel mistress.

Shoto! Are you okay!

I’m fine, training accident

Sho tell me the truth

Toshi, leave it alone

His soulmate, or rather soulmates, already know each other, though one of them seems to be in trouble. Izuku stared at his arm with a blank expression, not really knowing what to do. Seeing how easily they wrote on their skin and talked with one another, something in him told him that they had formed the soulmate bond a while ago. So...then why did he only just come into the equation?

He wished there was something he could do, the burn mark on his face did not look anything close to an accidental injury, but his hands were tied. A part of his head told him that he could take a marker and write, ask what was going on and try and help. 

...But he couldn't, he couldn't take that step, couldn't let them know that he was there. 

He couldn’t just barge into their already formed bond. Anyways, everyone always left him in the end. Izuku didn’t think he could survive another heartbreak.

A week later Izuku sighs in relief at the news that he read on his skin.

We managed to leave him

I’m so happy!

It’s thanks to you and your dads, Toshi

It was a good thing that your mom managed to get him to agree

It was either that or a court hearing, he didn’t want this to ruin his career

I can’t wait to see you again Sho

Me too Toshi

Whatever they were talking about, it seemed that ‘Shoto’ was out of the situation that he had been in. See, they didn't need him. Izuku smiled ever so slightly as he sat in his room. A small place with dust everywhere showing how little use it had. He was currently in his aunt’s apartment, down in the seedier side of Masutafu.

It had come as a surprise to find out that his mother had a sister. He had never met the woman, and his mother had never mentioned her, actually neither of his parents ever mentioned any family members. His mom and dad were the only people he had ever come in contact with, and at the time that had been enough. 

After the...incident though, the police had managed to track down what he now knew was his last remaining family member. They had been hesitant over leaving him with her, what with her...less than fit state. Still though, it was either her or the orphanage, and such institutions had long ago reached capacity. The rise in quirks also brought the rise of child abandonment, especially when a less than desirable quirks (usually quirks deemed villainous) where found in a child. So, once his aunt had for some reason agreed to take him in even without ever having met him, Izuku was promptly shipped to her front door with nothing more than a "good luck" from the social services employee. 

His first meeting with his aunt was...interesting to say the least. 

She was a skinny dilapidated person, much like the apartment they lived in. What once was a beautiful face was now downcast and stretched almost as if there wasn’t enough skin to fill her whole face. Her lips were always pursed in a slight frown and her skinny fingers where always tap tap taping on any surface they could find, almost as if she was waiting for something.

She always wore baggy clothes, every inch of her covered, but Izuku would sometimes see her scratching at her arms, and see the scars littering the whole expanse of her arm. Scars that never seemed to heal. Or rather, she always made more before the old ones went away.

The day Izuku had his new mark on his face, his aunt had frowned, emotion making itself known on her face for the first time since he had met her. A sneer then graced her lips as she grabbed Izuku roughly by his chin and tutted, “Seems like you weren’t able to escape the curse either.” She smiled then, a crooked, fragile thing as she grasped at Izuku’s hair, tugging it up roughly to take a better look on the new mark that had been given to him. The mark that now showed he had more to lose. 

“Soulmates” she growled, “are like parasites, they take and take and feed off you until you are nothing more than a husk of what you once were, and when they are done, they discard you and find something better.” She sneered, “Don’t believe what others say about true love or happily ever after, there is only ever heartache and destitution.”

There were days where his aunt would ignore his very existence. Those days he would lock himself in his room like he had done…before and breathed and wrote and read from books he had taken from the library because he needed something to keep the voices in his head silent, something to keep him from looking down at his body and seeing the proof that he wasn’t needed.

Then there were days where she decided to impart some knowledge onto him. Those days she would be holding a cup of strong-smelling alcohol, bottles strewed around the room as she beckoned him to sit down next to her. Her breath smelled rancid, yet Izuku said nothing as she chuckled and then laughed and then cried as she held him close, long nails clawing at him as if he were to disappear any minute. She held him like he was the last thing left in the world, and he almost saw a whisper of his mother in her. The very thought caused nausea to fill his stomach. 

Those days she would ramble, much like how he used to do when he was a kid. She would talk about the love of her life, a handsome young man she had met in her teens, when he had responded to the writing on her skin. He wanted to go further in life, and she had wanted to support him. She followed each and every one of his instructions, painting her once beautiful green hair brown to not stand out too much, not wearing makeup because she was too busy working the odd jobs to bring him though college, her once stylish clothes switched to more demure styles as she continued working, fighting, showing her love to him.

He would barely write back when she left small messages of love on her skin, they barely saw each other due to her constantly working and him not making the slightest of efforts in helping her.

When he finally graduated college, top 10 in his class, he had finally achieved his desire to work in a good company. She had been ecstatic, finally all her hard work had paid off. He had promised her, once he made it, he will support her, they would finally be together.

She crackled at that, an ugly breathless sound that seemed like something had been stuck in her throat. She would trace the scars on her wrist then, a faraway look in her eyes before she took a long chug of the alcohol in her glass. “People lie,” she says then, “people like us,” she pointed at Izuku then at herself, “we will never be enough.” She gave him a genuine if small smile then, her eyes showing pity and what could also be seen as gentleness as she then lightly traced his own burn scar. 

He moved up in ranks, and she continued working because he never told her to stop, never even tried to contact her even as she continued writing words of love and devotion on her body, her very soul.

Then, finally, in front of her doorsteps there he was. The one for her, the one and only man that was meant for her. She had smiled, invited him in, love shining in her eyes as she made him his favorite passion fruit tea, sat down next to him and tried to keep her elated heart silent and calm.

The words that fell out of his lips, as he pushed the tea away, were ones that would forever scar her very soul, much like the scars that now marked her body.

He couldn’t do this anymore, he had said, he was not in love with her. They weren’t mean to be, there had been some mistake.

Then the four words that broke her whole world apart, I love someone else.

He had met her, a nice young lady that started working in the company just a few months ago. She was a pretty little thing, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. She dressed cutely with an innocent air around her. He fell in love, he said, and he will be proposing to her soon. So please, he continued, stop writing to him.

The news broke her, as a young girl she had grown up hearing the love stories of soulmates, the happily ever after, the great loves that they held.

She screamed at him, begged, asked what she did wrong, promised to do better. She couldn't lose him, she couldn't give up at her last chance to be happy.

Then she saw the look on his face, one filled with such disgust and contempt that it completely shut her down. He left then, not even looking back as he once more told her to leave him alone, to never contact him again.

She had been destitute for days to come, until one day, the first day of many, a sharp object made its way to her hands. Then came the slashes; one, two, three. Again, and again as she cried and bled and screamed as she tried to get through to him, hoping beyond hope that he would see the damage and come to her, to hopefully find out that he cared.

He never did, never came no matter how many times she slashed and sliced and bled onto her floor.

She wanted to die, but at the same time didn’t want the marks that showed he still belonged to her, that he was meant for her, to disappear. Once one soulmate died, the marks that they made on the other mates will disappear. So, she persevered, if only to continue to remind him that she existed. To remind him that at the end of the day, his soul belonged to her.

“Don’t let them fool you,” she said then, pocking his chest harshly, “take care of your heart, for your soul is already broken.”

Izuku looked into his aunt's teal eyes, filled with grief and pain and sadness and regret. Looked at her covered arms and baggy clothes covering the rest of her emancipated body. Looked at her stretched out hollow face and the thin strands of hair that came down to her waist, still painted a dark brown that seemed to still beg to be acknowledged, that whispered of devotion and blind acceptance.

Dread and anxiety filled his insides. 

As Izuku sat on his bed, looking down at the loving words scribbled on his arms, he came to a revelation.

Goodnight Sho, love you!

Love you too Toshi ^-^

He knew, his soulmates already found their other half. Thinking back to his aunt’s scarred body, her dull eyes and her tapping fingers, he felt fear strike at his heart.

No, he would not break. He will not fall down the same path his family had gone.

Not for the first time since that day the image of a broken and bloody body made its way to his mind, syringe stuck in a vein with bloody words marring the expanse of the arm. He knew, he could never give his all to someone, he just couldn’t risk it.

His heritage seemed to be filled with bad endings when it came to soulmates, almost as if his very bloodline was cursed to never be happy when it pertained to a soul bond.

His very existence was a curse.

They deserve better anyways, he thought as he wrapped his arm with bandaged, making sure that his hair was parted so that the scar on his face wasn’t visible. He could never be that person for them, he just knew, he had nothing left to give.

He had been left barren.

There were days where Izuku didn’t like the bottles, didn’t like the faraway look on his aunt's eyes, didn’t like how she continued to drown and drown and drown in the alcoholic ocean. Those days she didn’t feel like imparting knowledge onto him, rather he knew to make himself scarce or else he will be the victim of her throwing random things across the house. 

It as as if a switch was flipped, as if all the hurt and suffering that she had gone through had finally overflown inside of her and had no option but to escape outwardly, anyone in the vicinity be damned. He should be glad that she kept it within close doors, he was sure social services wouldn't be all too forgiving towards his only guardian being taken to jail after causing a public disturbance, especially when they hadn't been impressed with her credentials to begin with. 

He had been left horrified when she had first displayed her violent outbursts.  

Mania would overtake her, screaming to the world the wrongs that had been brought down on her as she slashed and slashed at her arms. Blood dripping from her body as she laughed in pain, speaking words of woe as she begged he who would never come to see her pain. To acknowledge her exitance, to not continue to deny the bond they so obviously held. He could hear the desperation in her voice, the way that she broke further and further as hysteria made its home in the cracks. 

In a perverse sort of way, he was happy by the loud outburst. It showed life, it showed a will, it showed that she would not so easily succumb to the cracks. Unlike the silence, the voiceless crying, the quietness of giving up. The wordless goodbye as they faded away. 

It didn't mean that he always glad over such outburst, especially when he was unsuccessful in escaping from the danger. 

On one of those occasions, he had been hit on the head with a glass, leaving a huge bump across the side of his head, bleeding ever so slightly. He had hoped beyond hope that neither of his soulmates found out about him as he nursed the bleeding bump quietly after sneaking into his room, leaving his aunt to tire herself out until she finally stopped in a complete daze before falling asleep.

He was just happy that the mark had been done on his scalp, hidden away and most likely not registered by his soulmate as it was not a visible mark.

From that day forward, Izuku knew to make his existence unknown in the small apartment. Almost like a ghost, he quietly lived his life moving forward, trying in vain to ignore his equally ghostly past as he learned that silence was a virtue. 

Izuku was 8 years old when he finally went back to school, he was more likely than not left to his own devices being the loner that he was. It had been interesting, having his aunt suddenly drop off what looked like a uniform onto his desk along with a backpack filled with what he later saw was the material for the year. She had said a simple "Social services" before leaving Izuku, not bothering to explain further.

Izuku was then promptly left off in the front of his new school by his slightly disgruntled aunt the next day, her mumbling something about him having to visit the office first before leaving off to one of her many jobs. It was a harrowing experience, especially since the last time he had been at a public institution such as school had been more than a few years ago, and that had been one day that he barely even remember as he had been around 4 at the time. His father had barely even registered his existence after his mother's death, much less registered him to a school. It looked like his aunt had done so because of a demand from Social Services in order to fulfil her guardianship, though as he looked at the run down school with less than ideal school children and parents walking about, he was pretty sure they had merely done so due to propriety and not looked too into his actual living situation.

Not that he minded, he rather preferred their continued oversight. 

The time spent with his father and then consequently his aunt left him a ghost of his former self. Curiosity still overtook him, and he still loved learning about quirks and the acts of heroes around him, but now he didn't show the same enthusiasm that he once did. He no longer cared about forming friends or making new relationships, a part of himself warning against such an act. He would always be abandoned in the end, might as well save himself from the pain. He didn't need friends, didn't need relationships that would only burden him in the end. 

Sometimes, solitude was the best strength one could have.

The few children that still tried to make friends with him were quickly put off by his dull eyes and silence. Soon they started calling him a freak, someone who believed themselves above them, worthless, teacher’s pet for always getting the higher scores in class, nerd, weirdo.

It was funny really, such childish insults were nothing to him, he had been called worse. Had done worse. 

They would shove him, throw things at him when the teacher wasn’t looking, not like they would care since the school he went to was filled with delinquents and kids that would likely than not end up anywhere in life. The teachers left after those with brighter futures and greater care were weeded out by the pure vile that filled this school, were ones who didn't care about teaching anymore; rather they were there just here for the paycheck and for the lack of real work to do.

His classmates would try to goad him into using his mother’s quirk, only for him to ignore them. He would not use his quirk for their pettiness’ sake. Hence he was soon labeled quirkless, the name sneered at him with pure disgust. A title that he cared nothing for, because to be honest he would rather be quirkless than always have the reminder of all that he had lost within him. 

What good was his quirk, if it hadn't been able to save her.

He would quietly suffer through days in class only to finally be let out. His aunt would usually not be home by the time he made it to the apartment, working some odd jobs here and there to try and support her and her new burden. Izuku would usually do some homework until night finally fell. Then, as his aunt barely made it home with exhaustion pouring out her every pore, she would go to her room to rest, not bothering to check on him.

He would look at the dark sky and wonder why it was that he still pushed through, why it was that he couldn't just let himself give in to the inevitable.

The pained last words that his mother had given him, 'survive', made its way in the forefront of his mind as he flinched back. 

Blinking back his tears, Izuku sighed, walking towards his bed as he laid down, wishing for the darkness to overtake him and hoping that his night was not riddled with nightmares. 

He knew such hopes would never come true. 

He was 10 years old when he finally found out what could bring his life actual meaning.

Making sure his aunt was asleep in the room a few feet away from his, Izuku quickly put on a large hoody and some red sneakers. He sneaked out the window and, using his tendrils, managed to move towards the top of the roofs of buildings, soon managing to jump across the buildings as he looked for those that might need his help.

That was how he spent most of his night, running around his neighborhood, making sure to stick close to the shadows as he looked for people that were hurt or needed to be saved. Some days when he took to the alleyways, he would be confronted by a mugger with a knife, wherein he would pull his knife away with his quirk and push the person against a wall hard enough that he would usually hear something crack, but not so hard that they would die (That had taken a lot of calculations and risks on his part). He managed to tie the man with a rope before using the nearest payphone to call a police officer to the location of the man. When asked for his name, he hanged up and moved on. 

There were days were he would help people who are being mugged, usually using the same tactic but this time having the person call the police themselves, there were others where he would come upon an injured person, such days he was thankful for the bandages he carried. He had become quite adept at taking care of someone’s wounds well enough that they would be able to make it to the nearest hospital. If not, he had built up enough stamina and strength that he could carry most people closer to the nearest hospital, if not opting to call the police to their location. 

Each time he would find himself using his oversized hoodie to hide his face, using a facemask to hide the bottom of his face. What he was doing wasn’t exactly legal and he would rather not be found out. It didn’t help that his height caused many to do a double take, though that didn't stop most of them from being thankful for his interference. 

After his patrols Izuku would go home with a burning headache, blood practically dripping from his nose as he sighed. He would try to clean it up before falling unconscious on his bed, his head continuing to thump from the repercussions from overusing his quirk.

You don’t get something from nothing, that Izuku knew from the very bottom of his soul.

The words of the doctor that had looked after him when he had woken up after…that day started playing in his head.

“That’s a mighty strong quirk you have there little guy, but you have to be wary, quirks like those don’t come without their weaknesses. We did a brain scan, and that quirk causes a lot of damage on your person if used to much, you are practically shaving years off your life. Listen closely Midoriya Izuku, use caution, because this quirk might just cause irreversible side effects.” Death was left unsaid, but even as young as he was, Izuku had already become accustomed to the term.

He didn’t deserve soulmates; he couldn’t have them. He will not cause that type of pain to someone else.

Because Izuku will help people, he will become a hero, he will use his quirk, he will fulfill his dream.

Or die trying.

Chapter Text

Izuku was 11 years old when he stepped in front of a boy who was using his quirk to bully another in a playground. He was screaming something about a “quirkless shit” as he laughed and laughed at the world, seeming to be unstoppable.

In his place Izuku saw his aunt, who laughed and laughed her pain away, but unlike her who took her pain out on herself, the boy instead took it out on others. Almost as if desperate to have people look at him, to have all attention on him. He needed to show them that he was above them, for that was the only way for his existence to be validated. 

Izuku knew then, that the boy was screaming for help, instead of laughing he was crying. Izuku, though, didn’t know anything about helping others emotionally. He only knew about helping them physically, and right now that boy was hurting another with such lack of empathy that it caused Izuku to do something he swore to himself that he wouldn’t do.

He got marked.

He stepped between the victim and his aggressor and blocked the explosion heading towards the trembling boy. The blonde boy, who was the aggressor, widened his eyes in shock as the explosion hit Izuku squarely on the arm. Izuku had been ready for the pain to hit him, but for some reason his arm didn’t burn.

That was the day he found out about the second side of his quirk.

Instead of being burned, Izuku felt the flames from the explosion being absorbed into his body, and the headache that had been throbbing since last night seemed to almost completely disappear. He felt refreshed, far more than he did even with a full nights sleep. Almost like his mental limit from his quirk had been reset. 

Izuku blinked in wonder as he looked down at his sweater, which now had the sleeve burned off, to see marked skin the color red, but no pain. It didn’t even look like a burn mark, more like if he just painted red over his skin.

The boy backed up a bit, his red eyes widening at the anger showing on Izuku’s eyes as he seemed to radiate killing intent, but then he growled, snapping his teeth at him like some kind of animal. “What do you want weirdo! What? Playing hero?” The boy yelled out, eyes frantic as he yelled towards Izuku, something told him that the boy was not used to having something stand up against him, more than that someone being able to put off his attack without getting hurt.

He must be used to lording over others with his powerful quirk. That wouldn't work on Izuku though. 

“You shouldn’t use your quirk on others, you could get in trouble for it.” Izuku said, sidestepping a swing from the boy. Izuku was a hero fanatic at his finest, he studied heroes and memorized and learned because that was all he could do to not think about anything else, so while he wasn’t professionally trained, he was coordinated enough to not be beat by a kid who only cared about how powerful his quirk was. That, and now he could actually think instead of having his head constantly thumping from his usual headaches.

He was used to dealing with muggers and small time villains who used their quirks against him, a child had nothing on him. 

The boy tried to turn around quickly, but Izuku merely tripped him and caused him to fall to the ground, he thought about using his quirk, but he could already feel the headache from the effort. Instead, he hopped back a few steps, seeing that the victim had managed to escape in the time that Izuku gave him. 

“If you don’t want to find yourself in trouble for tormenting a kid with your quirk, take this opportunity to call it quits. Can't become a hero with a record.” That seemed to have brought the other boy to a full stop, glaring angrily at Izuku but otherwise not making any more efforts to attack him.

Seeing the boy had stopped his attack, Izuku then turned around and left quickly, hoping his aunt had calmed down at least see how it was that he was unharmed but marked.

I don’t know Toshi, I don’t know why there is this weird mark on us

It’s so weird Sho, what if-

Izuku stopped reading the messaged, instead deciding to once more cover his arm with his bandages.

The fact that he could keep his quirk from hurting him too much by using flames was useful, but marks would be left behind, and he couldn’t have that, he couldn’t leave marks behind.

He already unknowingly burdened them with his mere existence, the least he could do was have them be oblivious over his being there. 

It didn't help that the thoughts of flames brought up childhoods filled with happiness, of smoke filled lips and the smell of burnt oakwood. Of happiness and fire shows and the bright red that would make swirls while he paid witness in the warm arms of she who loved him like the world. 

Then there was the deep anger and sadness that overcome him. The though of the bright red inferno that brought hell around him. The burning heat as the world around him came crashing down, as it burnt to ashes.

The thought of his own father's flames going out, never to be seen again after that day.

It was too much.

He couldn't be marked, couldn't be pushed back into a relationship that would only end in pain and regret. 

Izuku couldn’t have them learning it was him.

He just couldn’t.

Not even three months after, Izuku was once more marked.

He should have seen this coming, it was a miracle it had taken a year for him to be marked in one of his patrols. 

He didn’t know that the mobber that he was going against had a hidden partner, whose quirk seemed to be longer sharp nails. He managed to knock her out, but not without deep slashes on his side. He sighed, knowing his soulmates would see it, and decided to go home early after checking on the victim that he had managed to save. They looked quite worried over his bleeding side, but Izuku managed to calm them down enough for them to call the police, giving him time to leave, though only after making sure that the villains were fully incapacitated using some wires he found in the dump.

When he went home, he ignored the tingled warmth in his arms, instead looking at the deep slash marks on his side. Sighing, Izuku knew that he couldn’t go to a doctor, so instead he bit his lip and bandaged the cut, quietly opening his drawer.

He was bleeding on from his nose, and his head spun so much he could barely tell left from right. He had gone on for longer in this patrol than he normally did, and the over usage of his quirk was coming back to bite him. 

He looked down at the lighter, but just as he was about to turn it on, when a deep fear and pain took hold of his chest. He looked away, placing the lighter back in his drawer. He wouldn’t cause more marks than necessary, even as his head ached for release and his nose continued to lightly bleed from the effort, he laid down in bed.

He needed to be careful, he couldn’t fail this time.

For two more years he gets more marks, and so he becomes adapt at taking care of his own wounds because there is no one else to do so for him. Using his local library to check out books about first aid and using up most of his allowance to purchase said kits. His aunt, as always, never notices his actions as he slowly learns how to stitch himself back up and how to take care of any injuries he gets, with the added benefit of being able to also give first aid to any hurt victim he managed to save. 

In those years he never once uses that lighter, even as his head throbs and he ends up fainting for numerous days at times, he doesn’t break. Even as red liquid spills from his nose and sometimes comes flooding up from his mouth. His resolution doesn't falter. His fear doesn't negate. 

His soulmates don’t need any more marks from him than necessary.

He became adept at ignoring the warm tingles of his soulmate’s writing on his body.

Izuku is 13 when he saves this strange individual. He had blonde hair brighter than that of the boy who gave him his first mark, he was skinny and dilapidated much like his aunt was but worse with a sort of sickness that hangs over him.

Izuku saved him from a low-levelled villain trying to get his wallet using what looked like hands transformed into guns, must be his quirk.

The hero-worshipping part of Izuku couldn’t help but think it was such a waste of a good quirk. Images of a a hero he knew was named Snipe made its way in his head, though he guessed human nature made it so that there would always be those who cared more about taking than giving. 

The man he managed to save stared transfixed at Izuku; his bright blue eyes wide as he exclaimed a whispered “so young” when Izuku’s oversized hoodie was blown off by one lucky bullet the villain had managed to shoot at him before being taken down. His face mask not doing much to hide his young looking face.

Izuku cursed, knowing this was the end of the line for him. Though that didn’t stop him from worrying over the man when blood started spilling out of his mouth. Once he made sure the man was okay, he ignored his pleads to stay and ran away.

He ran all the way to the house that was not home and through his window to his room. There he managed he pulled out a bullet that had made a lucky hit on his right shoulder, a rag stuffed in his mouth to keep his screams of pain muffled. Panting and sweating from the pain, he managed to use his limited supply of off the market anesthesia (he would rather not think about where he got this little trinket) as he then sewed the skin back together, ignoring the tall tell warm tingles forming in parts of his body. He gave a silent apology to his underserving soulmates as he then wrapped the wound, absentmindedly seeing that his stitching had gotten better. 

He laid back onto his bed, groaning at the horrible night. 

He was found out.

Izuku couldn’t risk going out for the meantime, instead he used the time to study and study and look up self-defense videos on the crappy but useful phone that his aunt had begrudgingly bought him. She had used a bit of what his family had left for him, he had been surprised to see that she never used that money for herself, something he knew to be true because she still worked almost every day and only ever seemed to go into the safe that held some of his inheritance when Izuku himself asked for something. 

She seemed to have noticed his mental question, a slightly amused smile forming on her lips as she tilted her head ever so slightly. "I wouldn't touch that money for myself if I was dying in a ditch." Something that looked like pain filled her eyes as she looked at Izuku, gazing into his emerald eyes before looking towards his darked but equally green hair, something that looked like longing hinted into her eyes before being squashed by her usual delirious if sardonic gaze. 

“My sister was a fucking angel, the light of our parents’ lives, the only time that she went against them was to marry that good for nothing man. She never did let me see you.” Here his aunt will laugh hysterically, looking at him with contempt. “Always worried that I would be a bad influence, I was always the messed up one, even while being the oldest she was always better than me. Hah, she got her happily ever after with her soulmate, but look how far that took her! What more with a man like that…” At that his aunt stopped. She would never go into too much detail about his father, but Izuku go the feeling that there was something about his father he wasn't aware of. 

A dark secret that he never knew. 

Still, hearing how his aunt talked about his mother made his chest sting and his throat constrict until it took all that he had not to scream back at her. He couldn’t agitate her, not if he didn’t want to end up in the streets or in those overcrowded orphanages.

So Izuku stayed silent, glassy eyes showing no emotion as his aunt continued to crackle away.

She then stared at Izuku’s gloved hand, his covered arms and his parted hair that hid the burn scar his soulmate had first gifted him. Izuku sometimes even took to bandaging his whole face due to the fact that his soulmates had taken to writing on their own faces, things like ‘Is anyone else there?’ and ‘Please if you can see this respond to us.’

His aunt had looked at him with something akin to pride, the look of twisted satisfaction. “At least her offspring seems to have understood the message.” She said with another cackle, chugging at another liquor bottle before making her way to her room.

That day Izuku looked at his bandaged hands and cried, cried until there were no tears left because he knew that she was right. That he could never just give himself to someone he didn’t even know. Couldn't let himself show weakness to others, to let down the walls and allow others to enter and see his broken self. 

The reminder of his father’s bloody arms, spelling words of woe, screaming at the sky that the universe has wronged him. Of his aunt’s tapping fingers, her arms scarred beyond belief as her emancipated face stretched into a twisted smile.

Then came himself. Letting the tendril-like invisible hands come out of him, grabbing as many items as he could at a time, his bed being one of those, and lifting them until he felt his limit break and blood pour from his nose as a headache started aching in his head. Still, he did not let go of the items until he almost felt like blacking out. Finally, he let go of all the items as his head felt like splitting open. The tendril hands managed to stay in a semi materialized state visible only to his eyes for a few more seconds before disappearing. 

Looking towards the drawer he knew contained the lighter, the one thing that would make him feel better, Izuku grimaced as he looked away. His soulmates knew of him, that was something he had not wished. Their continued persistence to contact him would have thrilled him in another life. Would have given him delusions that there was someone out there that still needed him, that still wanted to know Izuku and be with him. That he wasn't fully undesirable to others.

But now, in the dark cramped room, with blood dripping down his nose and a splitting headache thumping against his head, Izuku knew, he could not be there for them. He could not be enough, and he knew, he could not take anyone else leaving him. He couldn’t just rush into an already formed bond and taint them with his reality. He wouldn't survive abandonment a second time. 

Soulmates completed each other’s souls, but Izuku couldn’t help but think he didn’t even have one. Why else would his soulmates have already been able to contact each other before him. Maybe it was a fluke, a glitch in the system. His lack of soul causing him to accidentally be shifted in their bond, not really belonging and nothing more than a leech.

If nothing else, Izuku will work hard to protect their happiness, and to do so he would make himself scarce.

He was used to playing the part of the unseen ghost. 

Izuku was bleeding out from a stab wound right below his lungs and above his stomach, just barely avoiding any important organs. When fighting against a villain who managed to get the drop on him, he had been stabbed with what looked like a pointy stick. He had managed to use his quirk to incapacitate the villain, but couldn't do anymore more as blood freely flowed out of his wound. He didn't say anything to the panicking victim that he had managed to save, the young woman asking if she could get him help only for him to forcefully use his quirk to escape the scene. Now he was sitting on the ground, feeling like death was about to take him as he stared unseeingly in front of him.

He had known this day was coming, he just didn’t think it would be so soon. At least, he thought, his mark would finally no longer taint the bodies of those he didn’t deserve. Maybe now, he could finally be free from the world of pain and broken hope.

Maybe now he could leave this world and be reunited to the two beings who truly cared for him. 

He saw a blurry figure walking towards him, he felt the pain of his wound as he was lifted up carefully, the last thing he saw before the world went completely black was concerned ebony eyes.

For a second, the dark black eyes shined red as a whisper of the person who once cared haunted his mind.

When Izuku came to, it was to a hospital room. The nurses were quick to try and talk with him, asking him questions about his condition and slightly glancing at his other scars. Izuku felt dread fill him at the thought of them having seen the writing, the thought of anyone becoming privy to the writing his soulmates left on him made him panic. For some reason, the thought of anyone becoming aware that he had writing, that he had soulmates, made it all the more real.

When he was finally able to calm down, police came into the room. He was told that he was found in an alleyway by an underground hero, and that he was in critical condition, his blood loss almost causing him to die. Thankfully he managed to pull through, now it was time for the questioning.

It didn’t really take long to have the police believe the fact that he was just some kid who was walking down the alleyways after a night out in the convenience store before he got shanked by an unknown person and ended up half-dead in the alleyway. It was a common occurrence where he lived by, so the police let him go with a warning to be more careful next time and to not walk alone at night anymore.

Izuku sighed, only to almost jump out of his skin when a hand poked him in the side of his head. “You were lying.”

The green haired boy looked over to see an unkept homeless looking man, with an unshaven beard and shabby long hair. He had yellow goggles around his neck along with a scarf. Izuku remembered those dark eyes, he was the same man from the alleyway.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“There have been rumors around that a short vigilante was running around in a hoodie rounding up criminals and saving some people in the seedier side of Masutafu. Imagine my surprise when not even a few blocks from the last sighting there is a young boy matching the description bleeding out in the alleyway, right when the latest victim claims that the vigilante got hurt.”

Izuku felt himself still at his words, biting his lip, the younger boy looked down as he sighed in defeat. “You going to bring me in now?” He asked, already knowing his fate. The underground hero, on the other hand, shook his head as a sarcastic smile spread across his lips, though it held some warmth in them, unlike the usual smiles he received from his aunt, which were always cold and biting.

“Well, that depends, will you stop this whole vigilante thing?”

“I want to help people though!” Izuku exclaimed, that’s all he ever wanted to do, help people, be someone that could stop the hurt of your soulmate disappearing without notice.

“Become a Hero then.” The man said as if it was as easy as breathing. Izuku stilled, gulping as he looked down. Hero, that was a dream that he had since he was young. He always thought he would become one, but lately he had come to terms that being a vigilante was most likely all he would ever amount to. He was content with the thought, but not truly happy.

“Could I really…?” Izuku replied doubtfully, looking down at his hands, the same hands that couldn’t save his mother from dying in that destruction, the same hands who couldn’t stop his father from killing himself, the same hands that couldn’t stop his aunt’s hurt. Could these hands help others, if he couldn’t even help the people closest to him?

“I’ll tell you this, you have some potential. Don’t let that potential go to waste by being marked as a villain.” Izuku’s eyes widened, looking back at the man, but he was already leaving through the door.

“I’ll be expecting you at U.A.” Was his departing words, Izuku couldn’t help the tears that dripped from his eyes. That was the first time someone actually believed in him, and it came from an absolute stranger.

Eyes shining with newfound strength, Izuku looked towards the door with determination. “I’ll be there”. He responded to the empty room.

It was two months later, and Izuku is in a garbage filled beach somewhere by the ocean. He had been looking for a remote but still accessible place where he could practice his quirk, and he was happy to see that there was a section of the beach that he could claim to not only practice his quirk, but maybe even help clean up a little.

Living in the seedier side of Masutafu, filled with gang fights and garbage filled alleyways as well as unkept abandoned buildings, Izuku wanted to see the beautiful sight that once was Dagobah beach.

That, and not only did his quirk need improving, but so did his physical strength. Knowing the backlash that his quirk gave him, Izuku found that he would have to work on his physical strength, especially in a situation where his quirk would only hindrance him.

That was how one man found him, the same man that he had saved in the alleyway that fateful day.

Izuku was carrying quite a heavy TV when he saw the man standing a few feet in front of him, looking as wide eyed as Izuku.

“It’s you!” He exclaimed, just as Izuku dropped the Tv in front of him, barely missing his foot as they both continued to stare at each other.

A few minutes passed, then the man finally coughed lightly, Izuku was thankful that there didn’t seem to be any blood present unlike the last time he saw the man. “Young man, you didn’t give me the opportunity to thank you that time, though I have to say, it’s very dangerous for a child like you to be out there at night.”

Izuku sighed, picking up the Tv as he continued his way to the pile he was making. “I already heard everything I needed to hear, don’t worry sir, I stopped going out at nights these days.” Izuku grunted as he spoke, managing to barely throw the Tv on the forming pile of garbage as he sighed, stretching his sore muscles. He had been here since the morning, and it being almost evening he thought that this should be enough for today. He usually tried to head back to the apartment before it was night, seeing as he knew a part of himself would revert back to old habits and try to patrol again. 

After leaving, Izuku read a note the hero that had rescued him had left on his hospital bedside, it said that he would be patrolling Izuku's regular spots more often now, and that Izuku didn't have to worry about any more victims at least in that area. It also didn't help that he had slightly threatened Izuku if he saw him during a patrol. 

That managed to put the fear of god into Izuku, especially when as the hero had been leaving his black eyes glowed a dark red, causing an instinctual part of Izuku to follow his instructions. He tried not to think of the reason why the sight of the red eyes caused his absolute obedience. 

Trying to shake from his inner thought, Izuku then turned to the blonde-haired man, a smile on his lips. “Figured I wouldn’t be able to help anyone behind bars.”

The man looked at him silently for a moment, then he asked something that no one ever asked Izuku before. “Why do you do it though?”

Izuku stilled for a moment, then he looked down at his gloved hands, turning to his arm that was once marked with red but has since faded. Izuku found that the mark of the explosion faded after a few days, but he never took the chance to actively mark himself with fire to test the theory that it was temporary. Even when the pain of his head made it seemed like death was close by. Izuku was nothing if not stubborn.

“I…I don’t want anyone to go through the pain of losing someone who is precious to them. The first time it was because my legs moved on their own, and from then on it just became a habit.”

Izuku remembered the first time he saved someone; he was a man being mugged in the alleyway close to his home. Izuku’s aunt had been having one of her violent episodes, and Izuku had no choice but to leave the house else he risked being marked by her. That was when he found the man curled in the alleyway, another man in front of him demanding he give him his wallet. Before he could even think, Izuku had already used his quirk to push the man away from the victim and made him hit the wall hard enough that he was unconscious. Izuku had been alarmed at what he had done, to the point that he was off running without checking on the person he had saved.

That was the first of many encounters, from then on they were no longer considered incidents but rather Izuku actively running into danger. He too questioned himself over why exactly he was saving these people, why he was risking being marked for them. In the end, he never got his answer, only the deep need to help.

“Do you have someone precious to you, young man?” The man asked, most likely indirectly asking Izuku if he himself had a soulmate. While rare, there were cases where people didn’t get a soulmate. Most of the time it was because their soulmate was not born yet, or their soulmate died before their souls could connect with one another.

While they weren’t as discriminated as quirkless people, people who didn’t yet get their soulmates were seen with a sort of sympathetic light. They were seen as incomplete, people who didn’t have the other half of their soul. It didn't help that many of them were known to be left by their partners when they themselves got a soulmate mark. Giving up your soulmate for someone who wasn't was a rare if not almost unheard of occurrence. 

Children who got their soulmate marks early were seen as blessed, because they were given their other half of their soul early on. Having more than one soulmate was rare, but it did happen in occasions. Though there have never been cases like Izuku, who connected with his own soulmates while they had done so earlier.

Usually, soulmates would connect all at once, further making Izuku think that his was more of a fluke than anything.

On the other hand, older people who didn’t have soulmates to boast about were seen in sympathy, treated like fragile glass. They were at times seen as ghost, for in many cases they weren't long for death. Rarely did people think that they just never got the chance to connect with anyone. 

People who lost their soulmates through death usually followed behind them soon after. The image of Hisashi, dying slowly day by day until he finally couldn’t take it anymore and left the world in pursuit of his other half came into Izuku’s mind.

Izuku thought back to the scars littering his aunt’s body, to the bloody words on his father’s arms, left unanswered. He thought back to his own burn mark, hidden behind long bangs.

Finally, Izuku smiled, looking at the man straight in the eye. “No sir, I don’t have anyone like that.”

He saw it then, not the sympathetic gaze he was anticipating, but rather a sort of deep understanding, understanding Izuku never thought would be directed at him. For some reason, he felt that the man knew he was lying, but at the same time knew why he did so. “I see.” The man said, then he turned and left.

The man comes back here and there, giving Izuku pointers about different exercises he could do in between cleaning the beach.

Soon the ‘sir’ turns into Yagi-san which then turns into Toshinori-san. Toshinori gives Izuku proud looks and easy smiles when he manages to learn a fighting technique. He tutors Izuku in basic combat, though Izuku is adamant about never fighting against him. Toshinori, while holding quite a bit more strength than he looks, still had a sort of sickly frailty to him that it caused Izuku to never want to raise a hand against the man.

His thoughts continued to be as such even when Toshinori made it clear that he could wipe the floor with Izuku on a bad day. Hence, Toshinori merely helped Izuku with his posture and his exercises.

Soon Toshinori asked which high school Izuku was going to apply to. When he heard Izuku respond U.A. he gave the younger boy a bright smile.

“Great choice, my boy.”

My boy, that was the first time, ever since his parents’ death, that anyone had ever addressed him so gently, so intimately. Izuku cried that day, Toshinori shocked by the boy’s sudden show of fragility, panicked over Izuku’s crying form, patting his back and asking desperately what was wrong.

That was the first time in many years Izuku let out a bubbly laugh. He knew that he would hold that day precious for the rest of his life.

Chapter Text

Izuku was 14 years old and he was 10 months away from his U.A. admission test. He was walking through town, looking to see if any heroes were out and about fighting villains. He had taken to writing about the different ways heroes used their quirk to fight against villains. It helped with critical thinking, so that if he ever met a villain who he had to defeat or a hero he had to support, he was well practiced in already analyzing their quirks to fight against or aid.

It was a habit that turned slowly into an obsession as Izuku continued to write and write, soon one notebook turned into 15. While his aunt was none too pleased with the waste of money, she still used his parent's inheritance to give him a small allowance a week. He had been surprised at the fact, looking at the substantial pocket money as she gave him a dispassionate gaze. "So that you don't have to bother me every time you need to buy something, but I won't give you more than this a week." He had a feeling that she had done so for his sake, helping him learn to manage his money while at the same time letting him buy what he needed.

Not that she would ever tell him so.

Times like those Izuku knew that his aunt wasn’t truly a bad person, just a bit broken.

After the introduction of an allowance, Izuku started taking care of the residence, making meals and cleaning the apartment when he came home, even going grocery shopping. Some days a whisper in the back of his head told him that this would have been his life, in an alternate time if things have been different, he would have been tasked with the same in order to earn his pocket money.

He fought to ignore such thoughts. 

When taking care of the chores, he always made sure that he was careful when cooking, especially around flames. He couldn’t let himself be marked, not anymore. Not when it was unnecessary.

His aunt never acknowledged what he did, but the fact that she ate his food was more than enough for him.

Flashbacks to a time where his food was thrown at him, almost hitting his younger self as his father shouted and screamed at him to just leave him be, to disappear, made his aunt’s easy acceptance of his efforts warm him inside.

He found that if he cooked something she particularly liked, she would give him more pocket money than the previous weeks. He smiled at that.

His aunt would still drink, she would still have those days where she just couldn’t take the hurt inside of her so she had to express it outwardly. Those days Izuku would see red red red as she slashed and slashed at her body, crying at the world to see her hurt as marks upon marks appeared.

Those were the days Izuku would go out of the house, usually taking to going to the park, or if he saw the gangs by there, just walked the neighborhood, hoping that he could not be disturbed. He had even taken to going to Dagobah beach, which had long since been cleaned. He tried not to let the part of him that wanted to once more walk the shadows, to look for those that needed help and screamed at him in disappointment over his lack of helping. Izuku had made a promise, if he didn't even have his word what was left?

One day when he decided to visit Dagobah beach after having semi-cleaned all the dump (seeing as he didn't have any vehicle, he had tried to just pile everything big in a mountain and throw away anything small enough into the trash), he had seen the pile of large garbage that he had left behind in a semi-neat mountain gone, and he knew it had everything to do with Toshinori-san.

Hence, soon the beach became his usual hang out spot. Staring into the ocean, the sparkling white sand shining from the sun's dying rays, Izuku couldn't help but dream. Dream of another world, were a younger him would be splashing in the water, a happy green haired woman smiling at his younger form while telling him to be careful with the waves. The boisterous laughter of his father on the bank, his dislike of water due to his quirk causing him to be none too eager to weather the ocean's currents. His mother teasing his father's cowardice in light amusement until he finally gave in to her and made his way towards them in the water. 

He dreamed and he stayed until the cold night air broke him out of his delusions and he knew that he had to leave. Had to wake up. 

He couldn’t always escape his aunt’s manic episodes at times, shown with the bruising he sometimes had on his body. The one and only time he had used his quirk in front of his aunt, she had laughed and laughed and cried as she slashed at him.

He had accidentally activated one of his tendrils to catch a bottle that she had thrown in his direction, unable to drop the bottle fast enough as she noticed the floating item in front of him before it came crashing to the grown, breaking upon impact.

He didn't have time to question the sudden silence before he saw her sprint towards him, the knife she used on herself previously now used to slash at him for the first time as he could do nothing more than try to protect himself by raising his arms up in defense. 

He bled from the deep slash mark traveling from elbow to wrist on his right arm, his blood dripping to the floor as she straddled him down, her skinny form showing strength that he never thought she had. After she slashed him she had slammed her body against him, bringing him down to the ground as the shattered glass of the bottle his quirk had dropped dug into his back, causing pain to prickle all over his body as his aunt forced him to stay in a laying position on the ground.

“So, you got it, like mother like son I see.”

That was the first time Izuku knew the real reason why his aunt was left behind by the love of her life. Why it was that her parents never really saw her as anything more than below her sister. Why she took her pain away with alcohol as she slashed and slashed at her body.

“You see, quirkless people are seen as disposable, as less than human. We are treated like the scum of the world, not even our soulmates love us. You boy are lucky. You gained the blessing that was denied to many others.”

She laughed hysterically then, tears dripping down on his own face as his hoodie became soaked not only by his own blood but by hers as well. She grabbed his hair then, pushing it away to show the burn mark on his left side. He had always wondered over the burn, what the cause could have been, but never had the guts to read his soulmate’s messages to try and find out the cause.

Though Izuku knew one thing, it had been done purposefully.

“There are people out there who see a powerful quirk and think, their quirk can be advantageous. Don’t be fooled by niceties my dear nephew, you are nothing more than the power that you hold within.”

She looked at his bleeding nose then, he had been overworking his quirk since last night, and having used it now again, even on such a small item, had broken the dam once more. She sneered at him, touching their foreheads together as Izuku’s eyes widened.

“Nobody would want a dysfunctional item like yourself, you will just be pushed and pushed until all that is left of you is a corpse. If you want to walk that path, be my guest.” Here she grabbed a fistful of his hair, causing him to yelp in pain as she pulled his head to the side, pushing the bandages around his neck down as she saw something, most likely the writing of his soulmates if the tingling on his neck meant anything. He wanted to fight back then, wanted to push her away before she saw the writing that was left on his skin. He didn't want anyone to see the writing, anyone to see his vulnerability. 

He couldn't do it though, all he could do was whimper as she pulled the bandage down and made him bare before her, exposing him and all his pain and longing.

She smiled then, chuckling with a cracked voice as she finally got up, grabbing a bottle of strong liquor. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She sang out, voice chipper than he had ever heard her as she walked back into her room, leaving him alone in the living room.

Izuku stayed laying there for a moment, wounds still bleeding on the floor as tears escaped his eyes. He struggled not to make a sound as he cried and cried on the living room floor. Finally, once he was able to stabilize his emotions, he took care of the wounds now littering his body, having to stitch the slash mark his aunt had left him. Afterwards, he looked in the bathroom mirror to see exactly what his aunt had seen.

The message that had caused his aunt to laugh, written in bright red, were the words, “Please, we just want to help.”

Izuku had laughed then too, a broken twisted laugh reminiscent of the ones he had heard from his aunt again and again.

Help. There was no way to help him.

Izuku stopped laughing as he rebandaged his neck, ignoring the tingles appearing across his body as he got more bandages, bandaging his whole face as he felt the tingles starting to appear there.

Nobody could help him.

When Izuku heard an explosion not so different from the explosion that had given him his first mark, he knew that he had to go there.

So he ran quickly to the scene, only to see the same blonde boy who had irreversibly changed his life throwing explosions everywhere, a gooey substance surrounding him and keeping him captive. Heroes were all around him, but nobody could do anything to help as their quirks were ill equipped to deal with the slime villain.

‘Quirks aren’t everything.’ Izuku thought to himself, looking around him and seeing only helplessness in their expressions. He looked back at the boy and knew that he couldn’t hold on much longer.

His explosions were weakening, and Izuku just knew that the slime villain had cut off his airways. When their eyes met, Izuku could see the scream for help inside them.

Izuku did the one thing he told himself not to do again.

He ran in.

His mind a mess, he quickly threw the notebook he always held with him directly into the villain’s eye. The villain let out a scream as his hold on the blonde decreased. Izuku took the chance to grab hold of the blonde, discreetly using his quirk to give him an extra pull as the hand like tendrils grabbed on to the struggling blond boy and pulled him out of the slime's embrace, continuing to push him towards the awaiting heroes.

The slime villain wasn’t done though, as he used that split second to grab hold of Izuku himself and pulled him into his slimy embrace.

Izuku struggled to keep away, his nose being filled with the some sort of foul substance as he tried again and again to pull away from the villain, his quirk trying to grab hold of the villain, but the villain’s gooeyness made it easy for him to slip from Izuku’s hold, even as his quirk tried its best to push away the slime that was covering him. 

Slowly Izuku was running out of air as he knew that there was no way to escape this. He closed his eyes shut. Dread filled with acceptance taking hold of him.

Suddenly the image of bright blonde hair and warm blue eyes. Of messy ebony hair and trusting black eyes that seemed to shine red at times.

Izuku's own green eyes snapped open, its once dullness now bright with determination.

No, he couldn’t give up. Not yet.

Izuku used everything he had inside of him and pushed.

Multiple tendrils reaching the tens of numbers appeared as they worked together to push away the slime from his body.

The tendrils managed to push the slime away, his quirk cutting through the slimy substance as Izuku felt his head trying to break. Suddenly, strong arms grabbed a hold of him as a huge force pushed back in front of him.

He looked up to see that he was in the arms of All Might, who had used his smash to not only fully destroy the slime villain, but even seemed to have changed the weather.

Izuku sighed in relief, a deep part of him fanboying over his favorite hero. He couldn’t celebrate for long though, as his nose once more started bleeding from his little stunt.

The hero became flustered, asking in his deep voice “Are you alright young man?!”

Izuku blushed, looking away as he took out a handkerchief, he always kept handy in his hoodie pocket. “I’m okay.” He managed to say as All Might slowly set him down. The headache came to bite him in the ass once he was standing up, but years of having to deal with such occurrences made it easy for Izuku to hide his discomfort.

“Thank you for saving me All Might, sir.” Was it just him, or did All Might seem to almost wilt when Izuku called him ‘sir’? Must be his headache playing tricks on him.

Izuku was quickly escorted by the heroes, who were both praising the blonde for his strength while scolding Izuku for almost getting himself killed. This caused Izuku to raise an eyebrow, but he said nothing at the lack of acknowledgement. Hero work was a never ending uphill battle, where heroes were always trying to put their name out there and be welcomed with popularity and worship. Heroes who didn't manage to make the ranking either fell in retirement early, became underground heroes, or ended up in obscurity as they tried in vain to make others know of their feats.

Hence Izuku jumping in and being able to do something that the other pro heroes were unable to do was bound to bruise some egos. They would rather acknowledge All Might, a fellow pro hero and someone many had accepted would never be brought down from his throne in the 1st ranking, than admit to be showed up by some kid who wasn't even a registered hero in training. 

Izuku though, knew that he couldn’t last any longer and so he pushed down his need to berate the other heroes for their lack of movement as he would most likely faint if he stayed here. Quickly bowing his head in order to show a bit of the politeness the other heroes seemed to be missing, he did the thing he knew best, he ran away.

Heroes and news crews both yelled after him as Izuku deftly walked around civilians, expertly getting lost in the crowd as he made his way to an abandoned alleyway.

Izuku felt more blood tricking from his nose as his vision started to get wobbly. He managed a few steps more before he tripped on his own feet. Just as he was steeling himself for impact, he was caught by strong yet skinny arms.

Looking up, he came face to face with none other than Toshinori.

“Wh-what are you doing here Toshinori-san?” Izuku asked, his head still hurting but he managed to get a better hold of himself. He couldn’t show weakness, not in front of someone else. That just wasn’t who he was.

“Are you alright my boy? Should I take you to a hospital?”

Izuku managed a weak looking smile, his face hot as he knew a fever would soon come over him, something that happened whenever he pushed his quirk too much.

“I’m all right, just caught a bit of a cold recently. Seems like the symptoms are acting up.” Izuku managed to lie easily. Toshinori didn’t look convinced, but seeing Izuku’s clear eyes, he had no other choice but to accept what was said.

“Still, I should take you to a hospital…”

“No! I just need to get home and rest; my aunt is more than equipped to help me.” Izuku said, cringing internally as the lies piled up. His aunt was at work and would most likely not come around until later that night. Even if she came home, she never checked up on Izuku, and he didn’t think today would change. Still, Toshinori again accepted his lies as he grabbed a firmer hold on Izuku, carrying him in his arms like a baby.

“To-Toshinori-san!”

“I can’t let a sick patient walk around like this, let me at least take you home.” Izuku sighed but accepted, his head hurting far too much to try and fight back.

As Toshinori carried him to the address Izuku had told him, the young boy couldn’t help but reminisce of days when he was carried much like this. Those days, his parents for some reason never let him walk, so both usually carried him everywhere he went, mostly his father more so than his mother.

While he couldn’t smell the same cinder scent that his father once had, or his mother’s floral smell, he couldn’t help but think that Toshinori, even while smelling a bit like blood, smelled like coming home again.

Izuku didn’t notice he had dozed off until Toshinori gently woke him up, telling him that they had arrived. Izuku managed to convince the taller man that he could make it to his apartment room by himself, but not until they had exchanged contact information and the older man made Izuku promise that he would text him once he was feeling better.

With that Toshinori walked off, and Izuku couldn’t help the bit of longing that he felt. The wish that he could stay in the man’s warm embrace and let the world leave him.

He couldn’t help but think the way that Toshinori had held him was every bit as warm as his own father’s embrace.

Catching his own thoughts, Izuku frowned as he shook his head, later regretting it as the action caused him to quickly become dizzy enough to want to throw up.

He needed to get his shit together, he couldn’t possibly become a burden to Toshinori.

The thoughts of his father’s cold body, the words “it was all your fault!” ringing in his ears, Izuku turned around as he walked back to his apartment and into his room. He couldn’t cause anyone else pain, not again, not ever.

When Izuku’s fever finally receded, 2 days had passed, and he had received countless texts form Toshinori. Izuku, not wanting to ignore the man, sent a quick text saying that he was feeling better and that the man didn’t have to worry about him.

The following text was one that asked for him to meet again in Dagobah beach. Izuku, feeling a bit hesitant, but not wanting to deny the man, accepted and got ready to go out.

Over the years, even when never having made plans beforehand, the two sometimes caught sight of each other while in Dahobah beach. Even when the encounters were minimal, Izuku had unconsciously made more constant trips to the beach, even when not needing to run from his aunt’s outbursts.

His aunt didn’t acknowledge him as he went out, merely watching the Tv lifelessly as numerous cans of beer surrounded her. Izuku quickly got his favorite red shoes on as he walked outside, making his way to the beach.

Once he made it there, he was met with the sight of Toshinori, who looked at Izuku with a sort of deep contemplation on his face. “I’ll be honest with you, my boy, I have no idea what to make of you.”

Izuku was caught off guard by what the man said, his eyes wide as he tilted his head ever so slightly. “What-what do you mean?”

“The first time I met you, you stepped in front of me and a man with guns, you put yourself at risk for a complete stranger and I can’t help but think that wasn’t the first time. Then, just as I was beginning to think you finally calmed down and learned to value yourself a bit more, you go and change places with another person, putting your life at risk to again help someone else.”

“Wait, you were there!?” Izuku exclaimed. He hadn’t seen Toshinori near the scene, though to be fair he hadn’t really made it a point to look around before he sprang into action. That, and he should have known it was too much of a coincidence that Toshinori had found him in that alleyway when he was hurt from his quirk’s backlash.

“Yes I was, and once more I ask you young Izuku, why?”

Izuku looked away, feeling the pressure from Toshinori’s gaze beating down on him as he bit his lip. “I…I just don’t want anyone to feel what it’s like to lose someone you love.”

Toshinori squinted, that answer again, why did it feel like he was missing something.

“My boy, what about those that care about you? You need to value yourself a bit more.”

The smile that Izuku gave him was one filled with so much pain and hurt, of self deprecation and loathing, that Toshinori feels dread fill his insides. The next words made something inside of him shatter.

“Don’t worry about me, I don’t have anyone like that.” With those words, Izuku turns around and leaves, his back showing such a lonely and tormented figure, Toshinori couldn’t help but see himself in the other boy, and that thought killed him.

“What’s wrong Yagi-san?” Naomasa asked, it wasn’t every day that Toshinori came into his office in civilian form. Most of the time the two would share a drink or his All Might persona, though rarely, would show up for some official matters. This was the first time though, that ‘Toshinori’ came to him outside of personal meetings.

Toshinori quickly walked up to Naomasa’s desk, looking like a man on a mission.

“I need you to look up someone for me, Midoriya Izuku. Anything relating to his past and his current living conditions, relatives, incidents, anything you can find. Please Tsukauchi.”

Naomasa was struck by how pleading Toshinori sounded; this person must mean a great deal to him. “Why are you asking me this? You know I can’t just invade someone’s privacy like that.” Naomasa was a stickler to the rules, and even if Toshinori was one of his most important friends, he couldn’t just break the rules for him. Though the panicked voice that his friend talked about the other individual made him almost willing to go against his morals, if only to make sure the other was okay.

“I have come to know the kid for some months now, and I get the feeling that there is something terribly wrong. Please Tsukauchi, I need to know.” It was a child, further alarm filled the detective at the information.

Looking at his friend’s desperate form, Naomasa couldn’t help but give in. He sighed as he looked at his longtime friend, nodding his head. “I’ll try to find as much information as I can, I hope your gut instinct is right on this one.” At the same time Naomasa wished desperately that his friend was wrong, that he wasn't about to uncover skeletons in a closet of a young boy.

The following three days, Naomasa managed to find very little of Izuku’s profile, most of it was limited by how little the teen actually went out as a child, and later seemed to almost disappear from records once older, only coming up in a mugging incident that has since been looked over due to where the kid lived.

What little he could find though, made Naomasa sick to his stomach, now he understood why Toshinori was so adamant about there being something wrong, the kid had been through a lot in the short life he had.

When he gave the information to Toshinori, the blonde couldn’t help the tears that appear in his eyes. “He was only seven years old when his father…” He couldn’t even finish the sentence. It wasn’t uncommon for soulmates to commit suicide when the other died, rather it was usually what ended up happening due to the great amounts of suffering a soul bond being broken caused. Though, to have the parent of a young kid do such a thing made Toshinori’s stomach twist.

“Yagi-san, there is one last thing you need to know. Izuku’s quirk…”

Naomasa stopped, hesitating over the information. The medical records he had in his hands were given by Social Services after the boy’s father had died and his quirk was better investigated. Such records should not be made available to anyone but those who had the required clearance, causing him to wonder if it was really okay to reveal its contents even if his friend truly seemed to care for the young boy.

“What? What about his quirk?” Toshinori asked, his eyes filled with worry over the young boy as he looked at Naomasa. The detective sighed, knowing he couldn’t hide this from his friend, but at the same time knowing that he had violated the privacy of the child. Still, if his friend was adamant about helping the boy, he needed to know this.

“Based on writing from the doctors, his quirk is quite powerful, but it has disastrous effects on the boy’s neurological health…”

“You mean…” Toshinoru bit his lip, his time as a hero and the numerous lectures he had gotten from Chiyo over the years made him aware that the neurological system was one for he most important parts of the human body. It was also the easiest to disrupt, and the one that caused the most trouble to heal.

“The more the boy continues to overexert his quirk, the more damage he does to himself. There is a chance he might…” Naomasa couldn’t finish the sentence, but they both knew what he meant, such quirks weren’t unheard of in their superhuman society. The stronger the quirk, the more backlash it had to the user.

He looked at Toshinori, who looked so broken by the news that it killed Naomasa inside. “He wants to be a hero…I need to stop him!”

“Would you stop?” Naomasa asked the man, pointedly looking at Toshinori’s wounded area, they both knew the answer to that.

“But he’s so young…” Toshinori choked out, looking pained. Naomasa sighed, patting the hero on the shoulder. He tried not to think that Toshinori had been young as well, when the world had been practically placed on his shoulder. Brought into a millennia long fight without truly knowing what he was signing up for.

Naomasa tried to push those bitter thoughts away. They wouldn’t help the situation now.

“It’s not our call to make. If you really care about this kid, be there for him, but don’t try to contain him. If what you’ve told me about him says anything, it’s the fact that the kid will do anything to make his goals come true.”

Toshinori nodded at that, but his hunched back told Naomasa everything he needed to know.

Miles away, Izuku managed to make himself float using his quirk as support under him, moving his quirk much like a spider would. He found that he could travel much faster like this.

The consequences though…

Feeling another throbbing headache attack him, Izuku quickly wiped away his bloody nose.

Finally, when he felt he could not take it anymore, he let go of his quirk as he fell on his knees. He struggled to his bed, thankful that he thought to practice this in his room for now.

He found the the more he used his quirk, the longer it took his quirk to backlash against him later on. By now he could float around for around 6 minutes before he had to stop else, he fainted. That meant he took quite a bit of time to recuperate after every lesson, and there had been an instance where he ended up choking out blood rather than the usual bleeding from his nose.

Seems like the doctor was wrong in one factor, his quirk didn’t just affect his brain functions, but also other parts of his body if used for too long, woohoo.

Though to be fair, he wasn’t really all that knowledgeable about anatomy, so maybe his neurons also affected his other body organs?

Smiling at his morbid thoughts, Izuku decided that the facts didn’t matter, even if his body slowly broke because of his actions.

Izuku couldn’t give up. Even when he ended up in a coma on his bed for days on end and it took everything in him just to get up once he managed to regain consciousness. He persevered.

Because it was the only thing that kept him moving forward. The only thing that made living worth something.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s 15^th birthday passes without much fanfare. His aunt works like usual then drinks herself to oblivion, though thankfully doesn’t have a manic break.

The only noteworthy thing was that Izuku had found a different part of his quirk, one that he had touched upon during the slime incident but has since looked more into.

Throwing the empty juice container in the air, Izuku used his quirk to slice through the object. He did this with various pieces of garbage around the house, though he always made sure his aunt was out of sight and locked inside of her room when he tried this. He still shuddered at the first and last time he had used his quirk in her presence.

Opening his notebook, Izuku started to write down more facts about his quirk to the details that he had already written.

His quirk was sort of hand like tendrils that came out of his body, they were invisible to anyone but him. They mostly came out from his back, and were quite strong and were able to grab hold of and carry objects, recently he found out that they were also able to slice through objects.

With some practice, he found that he could use the tendrils as extra sets of hands, being able to make more precise movement like writing or opening things, though this took much more concentration and he could only do so with a maximum of two tendrils. The coordination was also currently still wonky, with more precise work like writing ending up being more sloppy. He might have to work on that further in the future.

Izuku quickly learned that the thicker the object he tried to slice, the more strain it put on him. That and the maximum number of tendrils that he could let out at the moment was 7. The more he let out though, and the more strain it put on him, so he usually only let out two or four, that time with the slime he hadn’t thought of how many he had let out, but the number seemed around 13 or more. It quickly caused him to almost lose consciousness there and then, and made him have a fever right after, so he wouldn’t be trying that around others again if he could help it.

Right now, the maximum distance that his tendrils could go is around 5 meters, though that caused him to quickly become unwell due to the backlash, the more comfortable distance for him is around 2 meters.

He had also discreetly practiced this at night, but he could also use his tendrils to push himself towards a location, moving almost as if he were flying. It put a great strain on him though, so he couldn’t do it too many times, and the greater the force that he pushed himself, the more hurt he came out.

Before he closed his notebook, Izuku suddenly thought for a moment. Sighing, he ended up writing it down.

Fire=Recuperation?

Shutting the notebook, Izuku decided that it was prime time to test his limits again. Steeling himself for the pounding headache he was about to subject himself to, Izuku walked towards the door and out in the night air.

Soon, weeks passed by and it was the time for the entrance exam.

Izuku tugged at his bandaged face, the bandages a discreet black instead of white in case he ended up with a nosebleed, which was more likely than not. He let a gap on his nose so he could wipe away any signs of blood and also so that he would be able to breath and not be clogged by the building up of blood.

Walking towards the UA exam entrance, Izuku suddenly found himself dodging as someone came at him in full force. Turning around quickly, quirk at the ready, he didn’t think he would come face to face with none other than the same blonde boy he had saved from the slime villain.

Narrowing his eyes, Izuku quickly dodged an explosion as he decided not to use his quirk, this guy wasn’t worth the headache. “You do know we are in front of the UA entrance exam, you could be disqualified because of this stunt.”

Izuku said calmly, dodging another one of the guy’s punches. This seemed to finally make him stop, as the blonde gritted his teeth. “Don’t think you are so high and mighty! That time I didn’t need your help!” The blonde screamed out, though it seemed he didn’t intend on fighting him anymore.

Sighing, Izuku nodded his head as he looked away. “Okay, good to hear.” The blonde was instantly angered by his show of indifference, though soon he could not say anything as a red-haired boy walked quickly towards them.

Looking at the similar scar mark right above their right eye, Izuku guessed they must be soulmates.

“Katsuki! You need to calm down bro.”

The red-haired guy said, looking exasperated as he then turned to Izuku, an easy grin on his face. “Sorry about this guy, he has a bit of an explosive temper.”

“You shut up Shitty Hair!” The blonde yelled back, though Izuku could see how he seemed to relax ever so slightly at the sight of the red head. Yep, definitely soulmates.

“Anyways, my name’s Kirishima Eijiro! It’s nice to meet you…?”

About to answer the question, Izuku was interrupted by the blonde-haired boy grabbing the red head, Kirishima. “You don’t need to know this extra’s name! Let’s get inside already.”

Just like that, the duo left. Izuku breathed out a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to be marked again by the same person twice, that and he wanted to save the headaches when he needed his quirk.

Just as he thought this, he noticed a girl about trip and fall. Acting on instinct, Izuku let out one of his tendrils, grabbing hold of the girl and keeping her from falling.

She let out a gasp of surprise, as Izuku quickly righted her and took his quirk back, not wanting to use it more than necessary.

“You okay?” Izuku asked, walking towards the girl. She had brown bobbed hair and what looked like a permanent blush on her face. She was short, and quite cute in a subjective sense. She smiled, wide and bright that Izuku almost wanted to close his eyes.

“That was you? Thank you so much! It’s bad luck to fall on the first day.” She said, eyes shining. Izuku merely nodded, seeing as she was okay, he turned around and walked towards the entrance. He needed to hurry if he didn’t want to be late.

The written exam was quite exhausting, four hours of nonstop exam taking. Izuku, who spent most of his days as a child and later teen reading nonstop just to take his mind off anything and everything, knew that while he wouldn’t be considered a genius, did well enough on the exam to at least pass.

Two days later, it was time for the would be hero students to take the physical exam.

“What’s up UA candidates! Thanks for tuning in, I’m your school DJ! Come on and let me hear ya!” Present mic yelled out, Izuku looked around as nobody said anything, though that was to be expected, students were probably overwhelmed over having an actual Pro-hero monitoring their exam. Either that or they just wanted to act cool.

At the silence, Present Mic merely continued his presentation, seemingly not bothered by the lack of input from the would-be students. “Keeping it mellow huh? Fine I’ll skip straight into the main show!”

With that Present mic started talking about the types of robots that they would soon face, counting from 1 pointer to 3 pointers. While listening, Izuku had taken to checking his stuff, UA let them bring items as long as they were approved first by the staff. Izuku brought extra bandages and a bottle of painkillers.

While the painkillers didn’t help too much, it did take the edge off from the backlash of his quirk.

“Excuse me sir, but I have a question!” A guy suddenly said, Izuku tilted his head as he checked that his bandages were on right, and as tight as he could have them. Wouldn’t want them to come undone during the exam, he didn’t want anyone to see his marks, as far as anyone knew, he didn’t have a soulmate.

Izuku was thankful that at the age of quirks, outfits that would once have raised an eyebrow now were seen as common place. Heck he saw a guy with what looked like 4 arms walking around with a face mask, he would be damned if someone questioned his use of bandages. 

Suddenly, as the blue haired boy was talking about the fourth robot that was left unannounced, he suddenly turned his sights on Izuku. “And you, the boy with bandages, if you care so little about paying attention and show such disregard, then do us all a favor and leave this exam!” Izuku stilled, tilting his head as he looked up. Was this guy for real? What the hell did Izuku do to get on his bad side?

“I don’t see how my lack of attention as you say has anything to do with you.” Izuku said, narrowing his eyes as the audience laughed. Either at Izuku or at the blue haired boy, he didn’t really care.

Izuku hated attracting attention, and in most cases he would have ignored the other boy and stayed silent. But the pending exam and his soon to be use of his quirk caused his nerves to be flayed. He was not in the most patient of states at the moment, and the slightest of altercations would be able to set him off like a pack of hungry wolves.

Just as the guy seemed to be ready to go on another tirade, and Izuku was contemplating if shutting the other boy up by discretely covering his big mouth with one of his tendrils would be worth the trouble, Present mic quickly stepped in. “All right all right, examinee number 7-1-1-1, thanks for calling in your request.” Present Mic then started talking about the zero pointer, merely a robot that had no purpose other than to be a distraction from the goal.

Izuku sighed in relief as the presentation soon ended, and they were being escorted towards their designated physical exam route. He didn’t think he could take more sitting while his nerves were so hyper and the anxiety inside of him almost took over his thoughts.

They were taken to a huge gate that led to what looked like a small city. Izuku was quite surprised at the amount of money and manpower UA was willing to spend for a mere test. He didn’t know whether such was a good or bad thing.

Tightening his bandages, Izuku breathed out as he closed his eyes, mentally preparing himself for the backlash that he would soon face.

Opening his eyes, he saw the blue haired boy from before making his way towards him with purpose. Izuku wanted to groan out loud, getting ready to face what he knew would be another tirade of unnecessary words from the too uptight guy. Didn’t this guy know when to give it a rest?

Just as Izuku was getting ready for another source of headache, his saving grace came in the form of an angel called Present Mic. Izuku swore if he ever managed to save enough money, he would build the man a shrine, limited edition merch and all.

“What are you waiting for! Get moving, there are no countdowns in real battles!”

Present Mic yelled out as the doors suddenly opened towards the battlefield. Izuku didn’t have to be told twice, deciding to run for now as he quickly made his way inside the miniature city.

He encountered a 1 pointer quickly, and deciding that he needed to conserve his energy, he merely used his quirk to slash the robot’s wheels off, causing the robot to come crashing down. He hoped that this was enough to count as taking the robot down.

Izuku sighed, one down, now to do the rest.

Izuku took to using his quirk to either rip the heads off the robots, or slashing them completely apart, though the latter took way more effort than the former. The three pointer was a pain, but thankfully Izuku managed to pull through.

He still bled quite a bit from his nose, but the constant use of his quirk through the years has made him quite resilient from the affects. The headache still took a strain towards his movement and overall judgement, but he was able to push off a bit of the affects by taking a few painkiller pills here and there.

After using his tendrils to grab hold of a one pointer and throwing it towards a 3 pointer (no he wasn’t showing off, what ever are you talking about?) he felt a trail of blood flowing down his nose as he wiped most of the excess with a handkerchief he kept handy. After what seemed like hours, he managed to accumulate what he counted as around 54 points, not amazing, but good enough.

He took a bit more effort than others to accumulate points due to the fact that he ended up saving some examinees from almost being crushed, either from robots or from collapsing buildings. A part of him knew that UA would most likely not let anyone get seriously hurt, and that they must have counter measures against injuries, but years of saving others made it so that he couldn’t simply look away.

Sighing, Izuku decided that he took a long enough rest and that he should probably get back into the groove. Looking around, he was about to run off in search of more robots to destroy, only to feel the earth suddenly start to vibrate.

He looked towards the sound of metallic feet stomping only to come face to face with a huge ass robot.

“I did not sign up for this.” Izuku muttered, thankful that he didn’t have to face that. He would be comatose for weeks.

Just as Izuku was about to say adios to the monstrosity that was the zero pointer, he heard a scream from the direction of the zero pointer. Finding the source of the scream, he managed to spot a girl stuck under rubble, the same girl he had saved from the falling during the written exam.

Seeing that all examinees were running away from the robot, a huge nope practically hovering over them, Izuku knew he wouldn’t be getting any help in rescuing the girl.

Whatever, he was used to it. Izuku was more of a solo player anyways.

With those thoughts, Izuku let out two tendrils as he used them to push himself in the direction of the zero pointer. The girl was too close to the zero pointer, by the time that he got to her and managed to pull her out he would either be too overworked to move, or the zero pointer would be on them before they could get away.

With those thoughts in mind, Izuku put as much mental strength as he could in his tendrils, feeling them sharpen as he started spinning around (something that did not do wonders to his headache) while materializing 4 more tendrils as he rammed straight through the zero pointer, slashing though its head and taking out most of its mainframe. 

The zero pointer suddenly stopped, slowly shutting down as Izuku barely managed to grab a hold of its still body with two of his tendrils, sliding down leaving behind what looked like a hand-made dent on the side of the zero pointer.

Just as he was about to make it to the ground, Izuku felt his quirk flicker out of existence as the pain from his head got too much for him. Huh, that never happened before.

Closing his eyes and steeling himself for impact, Izuku felt something slap his shoulder hard as his tired body didn’t manage to make impact to the merciless ground. He could do without the nausea inducing floating though.

”Release.” He heard the girl say breathlessly, his body now landing on the ground in a less maim worthy manner. He heard puking from the direction of the girl, he was about to ask if she was okay but before he could, blood made its way up his throat as the copper taste filled his mouth.

Pulling his bandages apart a bit from his mouth area, he just barely managed to cough out blood on his handkerchief, he knew that his nose was most likely than not overflowing with blood right now.

Thankfully, Izuku had the foresight to dye his bandages black, else he would most likely get concerned looks due to the blood now covering part of his bandages. Such as the look he was getting from the girl he just saved, looking towards him in worry. Oh good, she managed to get out of the rubble, the delirious part of his brain made note.

“Good to see you’re okay.” Izuku muttered, grabbing a handful of painkillers and a water bottle he had in his pouch, quickly drowning the painkillers down.

It wouldn’t completely rid of his headache, and his stomach was going to kill him for taking so many at once, but hopefully it would take the edge off.

“Are-are you okay?” The girl asked, worry evident in her face.

Izuku gave her a fake smile, bringing up a thumbs up. “Sure am, thanks for the support in the end, would have been a human pancake if it weren’t for you”.

Before anything more could be said, recovery girl suddenly made her appearance.

“Nice nice, good work all around! You’re all heroes in my eyes.” Izuku turned to see the famed Recovery girl walking towards them, a smile on her old face as gentleness and warmth seemed to exude out of her. Izuku quickly placed his bloody handkerchief away when he saw more of the examinees making their way towards them, he would rather not everyone be privy to his weakness.

“Are you hurt young man?” Recovery girl asked, walking right in front of Izuku. He had made it a point to study the quirks of all the teacher and employs under UA that he could get his hands on (if some of the sources came from less than legal means, well nobody had to know that tidbit), so while he knew that Recovery Girl was one of the best healers one could ask for, the part of her quirk that took away life energy from the patient was less than ideal, as it could be a death sentence to Izuku. While he wasn’t fully aware of all the nuances about his quirk, something told him that taking away more energy after usage of his quirk wouldn’t end well for him. 

Hence, no healing for him sadly. Which sucked, he would so love to be rid of this headache at the moment.

The greenette smiled a true smile for once though, he just couldn’t help it, Recovery Girl was a hero that seemed to be enveloped by warmth and care. “No thank you Recovery girl, I’m quite alright. The girl over there though, she seems to have either sprained or broken her ankle.”

Years of being a vigilante made it so that Izuku could see injuries from others, even when they tried to hide it. Hence, even while he had been less than fully attentive at the happenings around him due to the shit show with the zero pointer, the part of his mind that always needed to save had taken note of the girl’s limping and favoring of one leg.

Recovery girl seemed to analyze him for a moment, and Izuku was once more thankful that his bandages covered most of his face, else she would see how red his face really was. He knew he only had a bit of time before his body would give out, but he would preserver. He couldn’t go and faint in front of would-be heroes and pro-heroes alike, they would most likely laugh at him as they carted him away to his aunt’s apartment, saying things like “with that weak body of yours, how could you possibly become a hero.”

In what seemed like hours when in actuality it was just a few seconds, Recovery girl nodded her head as she passed him some gummies. Thanking her for the treat, Izuku stood up and forced himself to be steady. He couldn’t falter, not now, not when he was so close.

Walking towards the exit with purpose, he ignored all the stares directed at him. Ignored the shiver up his back as the part of him that was used to hiding, to being one with the shadows away from the spotlight, cringed at the lack of obscurity.

As if on cue with his departure, Present mic announced the end of the exam, letting all the examinees know that UA’s decision will be sent out in an envelope by the next week.

This was all garble to Izuku though, as he put his attention on merely putting one foot in front of the other.

Just as he made it to the exit front he main exam building, Izuku couldn’t take it anymore as he slumped against the wall in what he made sure was a place in UA far from the main entrances or exits, breathing heavily. He was sweating under his bandages, and his vision was starting to get blurry.

“Just a bit more, you stupid body just a bit more.” Izuku almost sobbed, his weakness making shame burn inside of him.

Suddenly, he was met with a presence in front of him. Izuku hadn’t even noticed that two others had made their way to his weakened body as his eyes met mismatched eyes, one blue and the other grey. That wasn’t the thing that made Izuku freeze though, rather it was the burn mark that was imprinted in the boy’s left side of his face, exactly the same as Izuku’s own.

“Are you okay?” the heterochromia eyed boy asked, though Izuku couldn’t find his voice.

Suddenly the mark on his own face started to burn.

“What’s wrong Sho?”

Another boy suddenly came right next to the boy who had walked up to Izuku’s slumped form, he looked towards Izuku as concern flashed through his purple eyes. “Hey, you okay?” He echoed the other boy, his mark also a copy of the other boy’s own mark. Of Izuku’s own mark.

Izuku felt something within him ache, as if calling out to the boys. He quickly squashed that feeling down though, steeling himself, Izuku stood up, slightly unsteadily, as he gave them his famous fake smile. “I’m all right. Sorry for the bother, just a bit exhausted from the physical.”

Izuku then turned towards the exit, ignoring the part of him that wanted nothing more than to show both boy’s his own marks, to tell them that he was theirs.

No! He couldn’t walk down that mental path. He couldn’t break, not now, not ever.

So Izuku continued walking, not looking back to his soulmates as he made his way to the train station.

Just a few steps more, he told himself.

A few more steps away from his destiny.

It took a week of being comatose and the following week of constant headaches and sudden nausea episodes for Izuku to stop feeling like his head was about to break in half. He managed to go to school after the first week, but it was a lost cause to even pretend to pay attention. Thankfully, their teacher didn’t really care for their education, so most of the time she merely gave out a few worksheets before letting them do what they pleased.

It didn’t help that every other hour he felt like puking his guts out, seems he really did push his quirk over the limit this time. His nose would also start bleeding randomly, causing students to throw disgusted expressions towards him. Izuku ignored them though, merely wiping away the blood as he laid his head down, trying to pretend nobody else existed. 

He just barely managed to finish those worksheets, not his best work but it will have to do for now. He knew that he could just not do them, his grade enough that this was merely just busy work at this point. Still, the goody too shoes part of him couldn't help but make him do these benign work.

Once he did the useless worksheets though, he took the rest of the class as his personal sleep day, ignoring the rumbustious classmates all around him as he tried to get through the days in one piece.

By the end of the second week after the exam, Izuku was met with an envelope from U.A.

He didn’t tell his aunt about his decision for high school, all she had said when Izuku mentioned high school exams were “that’s your problem not mine.” Izuku worried a bit for the cost of schooling but decided that he would cross that bridge when he got there.

UA was known for giving kids that extra bit of money they need through scholarships depending on their performance (cough quirk cough) on the exams if the person came from a background that needed as such (if they were worth the trouble).

The last thing Izuku wanted was to get a part-time job. UA was clear on their part-time job policies, prohibiting it, consequences of violating these rules will be the termination of the student’s enrollment.

Hah, look at him now. Thinking of all of this when he doesn’t even know if he got in. Izuku sighed as he walked into his room, opening the envelope to see a device of sorts. Huh, again Izuku wondered over the amount of money UA had laying around.

The device suddenly powered up in a bright blue light, causing Izuku to almost drop it as he scrambled to hold the device steady.

Suddenly a hologram popped up in front of him. Izuku sweat dropped, UA really did go Plus Ultra huh.

“I am here as a projection!” Izuku winced at the loud voice, his head starting to throb as he rubbed his temple with one hand, the other still holding on to the projector. What the hell was All Might doing in the result video?

“You might be wondering why it is that I am being shown here, and no this is not some advertisement schmick that UA asked me to do. I will be one of your many teaching staff this year!” Ah that explains it, jesus the number one Hero as a high school teacher? That’s going to be a chaotic year.

“I congratulate you, Young Midoriya, for passing both the written and the physical exam with flying colors!” So he got in? A sort of relief swept over Izuku as he felt himself relax.

“That isn’t all thought!” Izuku widened his eyes as the projection changed from All Might, switching to see the girl from the exam, she was looking quite nervous as she bit her lip, walking up to Present Mic.

“Excuse me, I was wondering if there was any way for me to give some of my points to the bandaged boy who helped me the last time, the one with long green curly hair? I just…I feel like I owe him, since he saved me and didn’t even get anything in return. He even got hurt because of me, so please, even if he probably gathered enough points on his own, let me show him my gratitude!”

Izuku’s eyes widened, feeling himself choke up a bit. He should be used to it by now, seeing as that many of the people that he saved in the alleyways showed him gratitude one way or the other. Never in his life though, has anyone wanted to do something for him. Ever since his mother’s death and his father’s downfall towards misery, it was always Izuku giving and giving until he had nothing left to give.

Feeling tears well up in his eyes, Izuku shook his head.

“Don’t worry little listener! His actions won’t go unnoticed!” Present Mic smiled a secretive smile.

The video cut off there, with All Might once more appearing on the projector. “Your actions spurred someone else, not only did you save this young lady, but you took the time to save others in the exam as well.”

Pictures of Izuku using his quirk to stop a building or robot from falling on an unsuspecting student, him getting hurt in the place of a student, though unseen from under his bandages, made Izuku blush. It was almost as if All might was here, telling this to him in person.

“The exam is not one that ignores heroic deeds! Hence, there is a secret point system, one called Rescue points!”

Izuku’s eyes widened, rescue points? There was such a thing?!

“Young Midoriya, you accumulated a total of 52 rescue points and 54 villain points, bringing your total points to a whopping 106 points. The highest score ever recorded in U.A. History. Welcome Midoriya, to your Hero Academia.”

He did it, Izuku actually made it into U.A.

Tears spilling from his eyes, Izuku bit his lip as he held the projector close to chest.

I'm sorry mom, your son is going to be a hero. I'm sorry dad, I promise to remember the sacrifices that got me to this point.

Rubbing his teary eyes, Izuku smiled.

He will do everything to make his dreams come true. Izuku will become a hero, and this is the first step towards that goal.

Chapter Text

When the elementary school found out about the fact that Izuku had made it into U.A, it is an understatement to say that they were shocked. None of his classmates or teachers really paid mind to him from the beginning of school, only knowing him as the smart loner kid who actually paid attention in school. Who actually turned in the throw away worksheets, causing more than one teacher to grumble at actually having to do work. Now here he was, the first ever student in this rundown delinquent school to ever get accepted to a high-profile school, much more the top hero school of the country. Hell, most kids in this school ended up being the villains the school was made to apprehend.

During the last few weeks of school, Izuku was met with jealous gazes and curious stares. Some student tried to get friendly with the hero-to-be, only to be put off by his silence and lack of interest. They soon remembered why it was that Izuku ended up being labeled the loser loner kid. His lack of reaction to anything and everything they said or did causing more than just a few bruised egos.

Of course, that didn’t stop them from trying to catch said interest. From writing him love letter to confessing to telling others they had been friends to sitting with him during lunch and crowding around his desk during class.

Though the one and only time someone tried to grab a hold of his personal space, they understood not to cross the boundary. That was the first and last time he had demonstrated his quirk in front of others in this school.

A girl, seeming to think herself above the rest due to always being complimented by her looks, thought it wise to try her luck and grab a hold of Izuku’s arm intimately.

This ended with her floating in the air because of Izuku’s tendril, shrieking to be let down, only to be put down a considerable distance away from a visibly angry Izuku.

Izuku hated physical contact, especially contact from those he did not truly trust, it always made him think of broken promises and crystal tears. He didn’t want to feel the touch of someone who didn’t truly care over his broken pieces, rather they would shatter them further.

Hence, while people still crowded him, they learned quickly to keep a certain distance from the quiet boy.

Soon people would talk behind his back, more so than before, since he was “thinking he was too good for them.”

They couldn’t do much about it though, since the teachers now paid more attention to him than ever, more likely than not due to the principle now wanting to use his image to better the school. Here is a school that has an accepted UA student, send your kids here and they might also have a shot at the country’s top school. Izuku sighed, he hated how much politics being a hero meant, and how much your background and most of all, quirk, means in the scheme of things.

Izuku knew that he was blessed with a powerful quirk, even if it was slowly killing him most would take that over having no quirk.

Images of his aunt, bloody and broken, crying against a sake bottle as she slashes, and slashes came into Izuku’s mind as he tried to shake it away.

He couldn’t dwell on that; he would use his quirk so that people like his aunt will live a better life. He would protect as many as he could, he will try and save all the little children suffering form the claws of fate, he will save people from having to feel the heart shattering feeling of your marks disappearing.

With those thoughts in mind, Izuku continued to study, to train, and to fill his every pore with conviction.

When Izuku’s aunt found out about his acceptance into U.A. She looked amused. A light chuckle escaped her lips as she looked at Izuku with contemplation. “Hisashi must be rolling in his grave.” She mumbled out with mirth dripping from her every word.

Izuku was quite shocked by this reaction, a frown pulling at his eyebrows as he looked at his amused aunt.

He had been ready for indifference, hell backlash against his choice even, but not the amused and almost, dare he say, content look that his aunt gave him, content that was directed towards himself.

That wasn’t all though, before Izuku knew was happening, he felt a semi gentle touch atop his head. His aunt slowly patted the top of his messy curls, an amused smile still there as she then turned around and made her way back into her room.

Izuku stood there in shock, eyes wide as he slowly reached up to touch the top of his head.

Soon, tears started pouring from his eyes as Izuku clutched at the top of his head, his other hand trying to muffle his soft sobs.

That was the first time in years that the Midoriya household was filled with something akin to warmth.

Finally, it was the first day of U.A. Izuku made sure that all his bandages covered the rest of his body. He decided to come with his face covered by bandages, he had met his soulmates last time in the exam, and so he didn’t want to take any chances of any marks showing up in case they ended up being accepted into U.A. Hence, now he had to get used to wearing his bandages for a longer period of time.

So here he was, standing before the unnecessarily big door that led to Class 1-A. Izuku took a deep breath in, calming his growing nerves as he bit his lip.

Opening the door, Izuku walked in, only to be met with the sight of the two people he never wanted to meet again.

The blue haired boy who had spoken out against him for no reason on the day of the exam, and the blonde boy who had given him his first (now erased) mark. Well shit, this wasn’t going to be as good of a year as he had thought.

His thoughts of going in silently were thwarted as both boys turned to see who had opened the door.

Izuku raised a bandaged hand, giving them a fake unseen smile as he nodded his head at them. “Morning”. Act cool Izuku, hopefully if he was distantly polite towards these two headaches they would ignore him?

Izuku wasn’t ready for the blue haired boy to suddenly march up to him and and gesturing wildly with his hand in front of Izuku’s face.

“My name is Iida Tenya from Soumei junior high.” Izuku inched back a little, head pulling inwards like a turtle from the sudden positive energy the boy showed towards him. Well, he wasn't expecting that reaction...

“Midoriya.” Wait how in god’s name did he know his name? Last time he checked the boy had been too busy being the epitome of stuck up smart-ass to let introductions be exchanged between them? “I must say that you surprised me! To think that you were able to uncover the hidden objective of the practical exam, and to think you came in first place! I must say I am impressed by your ingenuity!”

Having heard that he came in first place, the blonde boy seemed to puff up, glaring at Izuku with his lips pulled back in a growl. “You damn extra, you actually think you could show me up that easily!” Just as the boy was about to launch himself at Izuku, and Izuku was getting ready to dodge (hell no was he going to be using his quirk so early in the morning before class) a red head poked his head in the room.

“Katsuki! This is where you were, I swear I told you to wait for me in the entrance!” The red head, who he now recognized as Kirishima, said with fond exasperation.

The once volatile blonde seemed to have all the steam suddenly leave him, tsking as he looked away with what Izuku could almost say was a cute pout on his face, though something warned him against saying that tidbit out loud.

“You were taking too long shitty hair.” The blonde mumbled grumpily, relaxing further when the redhead made his way towards him, slightly leaning at his side.

Seeing Izuku, Kirishima perked up as he smiled brightly. “Ah Midoriya, you’re in this class too?”

Wait what the actual hell was going on here? How the heck do these people know his name?

Seeing the questioning if slightly perturbed look on his face, Kirishima laughed kind heartedly as he grinned at the confused boy. “Didn’t you see U. A’s page? They put the top scoring people in there, you came in first followed by some guy with red and white hair, then its Kats.”

Hearing his name coming up as third, Bakugou seemed to become even more irritated as explosions came out of his hands. “Shut up Shitty hair! These extras just got lucky this round! They wouldn’t be able to beat me in a one on one if they tried.”

Hearing the description of the second-place student, Izuku suddenly felt himself grow pale. If he didn’t remember incorrectly, he had red and white hair. That meant that at least one of his soulmates managed to enter U.A. By the sounds of it he was also quite powerful, having gotten second place in the exam.

As if the devil himself called him, suddenly the white and haired boy also walked in. He looked around indifferently, before walking towards a desk, taking a seat and promptly ignoring them. Izuku felt cold sweat at his back, his face turning worryingly pale under his bandage. Once more his mark seemed to burn.

Trying his best to ignore the feeling, Izuku quickly took a seat.

Iida had taken to talking to Kirishima, Bakugou glaring at them from the side as if angry that someone was taking away his soulmate's attention. Soon more classmates started appearing, among them being the brown haired girl he had saved in the exam. Meeting his gaze, her eyes seemed to light up as she quickly walked towards him, grabbing his hands intimately. Izuku was surprised by the action, but didn't even think to pull away or retaliate over the invasion of space. Rather, her warm hands atop his bandaged ones brought the feeling of security and kindness within him.

“It’s you!! I wasn’t able to properly say it but thank you much for your help during the exam! My name’s Uraraka Ochako by the way.” The girl, Uraraka, said with a smile, a permanent blush on her face as she tilted her head. Izuku couldn’t help but think the words ‘cute’, almost reminiscent of a baby seal.

Smiling, though hidden by his bandages, he responded, “It’s no problem, you also saved me towards the end. I’m just happy you were mostly unharmed.” Ochako grinned at that, but before more could be said, suddenly a man in a sleeping bag closely resembling a caterpillar came through the door.

“Go somewhere else if you’re just here to make friends.” The black-haired man said, his voice emotionless if a bit sleepy. Izuku suddenly sat up straighter at the sight of the man, it was him!!!! The man that had convinced Izuku to no longer be a vigilante! The one who practically provoked Izuku to join U.A's entrance exam.

To think that he would end up being Izuku’s homeroom teacher, something within Izuku brightened at the thought. “Everyone take a seat. Now.” The man grumbled, before sipping on a energy pouch.

All the standing students quickly seated themselves in the closest desks. Aizawa went towards the teacher’s desk, sighing as he looked at his new class. “It took you guys eight minutes to notice my presence and stop being rowdy, you will have to work on that if you want to at least be a competent hero. If I had been a villain, you all would have either been killed, or your objective would have been compromised.”

The class stilled at that, disturbed slightly by the teachers harsh words. “Grab your gym uniforms and get changed, we will be going to the training grounds in order to test your quirks.”

Seeming not to read the atmosphere, the blue haired guy, Iida, suddenly spoke up. “But sensei, aren’t we required to attend the U.A. opening ceremony as new students?” And there it was, the smart ass know it all that had gotten on Izuku's nerve during the exam. Izuku wondered how the guy had the guts to question their teacher like that, especially a presumably pro-hero (which he knew he was, just an underground one). 

Aizawa suddenly grinned sarcastically, looking at Iida before passing his gaze towards the rest of the class. “Something you should know about U.A. is that it gives teachers the ability to choose their own teaching styles in their class, the school rarely if at all get in the way of the teacher’s own curriculum unless it’s too dangerous or unfeasible. Hence, I have the right to overlook any events I see as unnecessary for your education, this case being the opening ceremony. Now will you be following what I say, or should you be the first to be expelled.”

Iida became stupefied by what Aizawa-sensei said, he quickly shook his head as he bowed his head and gave an apology for his unnecessary actions. Oh that was priceless, Eraserhead (don't ask how he found out the name) was slowly fighting with All Might over #1 spot in Izuku's favorite heroes list. 

With the scene that had just transpired, the students were not willing to get in the bad side of their new homeroom teacher, hence when told once more to get their gym clothes, they all followed orders without further delay. They quickly grabbed their gym uniforms and proceeded to the changing rooms.

Izuku was thankful he decided to wear bandages all over his body under his clothing, he didn't have to worry about any of his skin and consequently, his marks, showing to the rest of his classmates. Though it did get him some strange glances from his fellow classmates. Trying not to look towards where he knew his soulmate was changing, knowing that he would see a spitting image of his own body marks, Izuku tried to hurry up in his changing. Ignoring some of the stares, Izuku quickly put his gym uniform on as he then proceeded to walk out of the changing rooms and towards the training grounds.

He was quickly joined by fellow classmates, as they then stood in front of Aizawa. Their new teacher gives them a deadpanned look, seemingly unimpressed. “You took 10 minutes to change, you will have to work on that if you don’t want civilians dying at your expense.”

The class cringed at that; their teacher really had a way with words huh.

Aizawa singled out Izuku right away, “Midoriya, you scored first in the exam. What was your score for the ball throw in middle school?”

Izuku thought about it for a bit. “Around 30 meters.” Izuku mumbled, not really paying attention to stuff like scoring, unless it was tests. Mostly because his gym teachers also didn’t pay it much attention to it, only going through the motions. Most of the time, gym was just free time.

“Okay throw it with your quirk now.” Aizawa said without much preamble, causing the others to whip their head towards their teacher in shock. Seems like they forgot that this was a quirk assessment, seeing as quirk usage had been something they had been cautioned against for almost all their life, especially in a school setting.

Izuku inwardly sighed, hoping that he had the mental fortitude today to make it through without becoming comatose once more.

Taking a deep breath, Izuku threw the ball upwards, letting out one tendril, he pulled back as much as he could, before throwing the ball as far as he could with his tendril, putting as much mental strength behind that throw as he could without overworking his brain too early.

To the eyes of the others, it looked like the ball floated around Izuku before going off flying. Amazed gasped were heard as the ball rocketed across the sky.

Aizawa held up a motion detector, showing the class the result, showing the class the numbers ’802.4’.

“This is the potential of your quirks, today you will show the potential that you have by being able to use your quirks, in turn showing what your true scores are.”

One girl, seeming to get ahead of herself, suddenly yelled out, “This is going to be fun!”

The class stilled at that, feeling the oppressive aura that their teacher was leaking out.

“Fun heh, okay then, the last person in terms of scoring will be expelled from U.A.” The class glared at the girl, who shrunk back.

Izuku sighed, guess that meant he will have to go all out, tightening his bandages, Izuku willed himself to be calm. He could do this.

The following tests went as so, Izuku was beat out of being the strongest by a guy with multiple arms, but he was close second. He was beat in the marathon race by both the girl, with a creation quirk and his…. the ice quirk guy as well as the Iida and Bakugou, since he couldn’t use his quirk for long distances without getting overworked, hence he could only use it for short burst of speed.

He won the short distance race being able to fling himself to the other side of the racetrack in no time at all.

He didn’t do all that well in the side-by-side hop, again because he couldn’t really use his quirk for such a duration and hence had to do the exercise quirkless. Same with the push-ups or squats. Thankfully he did decide to tone his body in order to ready for U.A. He still only did average since he focused more on his quirk than his body, something that he would have to work further on when he had the time.

He topped the distance jump, once more using his quirk to fling his body farther than anyone, the only one close to his score was the girl with the frog quirk and again the create girl.

Finally, it was the ball throw test, since Izuku already did it, he didn’t have to participate. This meant he could take a much-needed rest.

Trying not to show how truly uncomfortable he was, Izuku discreetly nursed a migraine as he wiped away blood from his nose, trying to swallow back some blood. He had really pushed himself this time, though for him it was more than worth it. If only to show Aizawa and anyone looking at he deserved to be here, that he wasn’t just a waste of resources, that he could help.

Snapping out of his thinking, he saw Bakugou starting to curse loudly about not being able to beat that, “damn green haired extra’s score.”

He smiled at the sight of Uraraka getting an infinity score. Her quirk really was something else.

By the end of the scoring, Izuku ended up getting third place, just behind… Todoroki and before Bakugou. Instead of yelling out like he thought the blonde would do, Izuku was surprised by the usually loud blonde being serious and quiet for once.

Still, he couldn’t really focus on that. Izuku’s vision was slowly starting to blur, and he just knew, he had pushed the limit today.

In the end, a purple haired boy who had been creeping on the girls for some time now ended up being expelled. It seems like Aizawa hadn’t been joking about this.

Sweat dropping at how easily a student had been expelled, Izuku silently decided not to get in the bad side of his new teacher. Who knew if it will be him next?

Soon, the class continued with the syllabus being passed around and the normal first day routine before class was dismissed.

Izuku ended up being the last one out of the school gate, since he had to take a breathed in the bathroom for a few minutes, trying his best not to faint while at the same time puking some of his much-needed blood out.

Taking an iron pill as well as drinking some tomato juice, Izuku sighed as he wobbly walked his way towards the entrance. Only to be stopped by none other than the blonde-haired boy who gave him his first mark.

Now Izuku really wanted to cry, why the hell of all days did he have to deal with the literal personification of narcissism at its finest?

Wanting to ignore his now classmate, Izuku sidestepped him and proceeded to walk.

“I just want you to know, I’ll beat you! Not only you but that creati bitch and icyhot, I’ll beat all of you and show you that I am the true number one hero!” The blonde exclaimed, grabbing Izuku’s arm and spinning him around forcefully.

This did nothing good to Izuku’s headache, as the sudden jarring caused his vision to go white for a moment as he instinctively grabbed hold of Bakugou with his quirk, pushing him away from himself.

This was the last drop in the bucket to cause it to overflow, as Izuku coughed out blood, some of it dripping down from his now wet bandages.

Bakugou was disturbed, looking at the teenager he saw as a rival, now seeming to cough out blood out of nowhere.

Izuku sighed, grabbing a napkin as he wiped the excess blood, though there was nothing to be done for his now wet bandages, seems like he will have to wait till he got home to change them.

Looking at Bakugou with one last glance, Izuku crumpled the napkin as he then turned, walking away from the still blonde.

All that could go through Bakugou’s head at this moment, was ‘what in the actual fuck.”

Chapter Text

The next day of school, Izuku had been ready to receive ridicule form his classmates. He had been ready to have his teacher call him in front of the class and expel him for his weakness.

This though, didn’t happen. Rather, when he walked into his classroom, thinking it would be the last time, he was met with the smiling face of Uraraka. He wasn’t met with any disdain or worse, pity.

Looking towards Bakugou’s seat, Izuku 's green eyes clashed with glaring red eyes. They locked eyes for a second, before Bakugou snorted and turned around, instead paying attention to what his soulmate was saying. 

It would be an understatement to say that Izuku was confused now, he was so sure that either today was going to be his last day in the school, or the rest of the school year would be hell from the judgmental gazes both teachers and classmates would send his way. While Izuku should have been used to it through his time in elementary school, something about this class made him not want to be isolated again.

Izuku was tentatively thankful to Bakugou for not spitting out his condition to the rest of the school when he had the chance to, but he was still cautious against the blonde. Izuku didn’t believe in kindness for no reason, and he was perturbed at the thought of Bakugou holding this over his head and using it as blackmail against Izuku.

Hence, Izuku decided to hold caution, but not make a huge deal over the issue. He would wait and see what Bakugou did with Izuku’s weakness. This caused a big part of Izuku to feel insecure, he hated having his weakness exposed to others, especially strangers he didn’t trust. Sadly though, it looked like he didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter.

“Are you excited to see All Might here!? I can’t believe he will be teaching us this year!” Uraraka suddenly said, turning Izuku away from his inner thoughts and towards a conversation with her. He was inwardly thankful at the distraction, especially when the subject was one of his most favorite heroes.

Smiling, though unseen under his bandages, Izuku couldn’t help but nod energetically in agreement. Izuku was a hero fanatic at heart, and he practically worshipped a few of them, one of them being All Might.

The man was the one thing that stayed consistent in Izuku’s life, the hope for a better future, the drive to help those in need, the need to be better. All Might was everything Izuku wanted to become and more, so when Izuku found out his childhood hero was going to teach in this school, well it was an understatement to say that he was ecstatic. It was true that at some point he had a bit of nervousness at the thought of such a high class hero being their teacher, especially since it most likely meant further spotlight from others, but the fact that he would be in close proximity to All Might soon trumped all his misgivings. 

Before they could continue with their talk (cought fangirling cought), suddenly Aizawa walked through the door. One look from the man had the class quickly running to their seat in less than a minute. The expulsion of the purple haired boy form yesterday still fresh in their minds.

Nodding in content at the fast response time if looking sadistically pleased with their outward show of fear, Aizawa took a sip from the pouch in his hand before roaming his eyes across the classroom. “Today you guys will be starting your regular classes, schedule for today is English, Math, Literature, science, History and by the end of the day Hero course. Any questions?”

To the surprise of nobody, Iida was the first one to raise his hand, posture straight with a confident expression on his face. Did this guy have the guts of a dragon? or was he just dense?

Aizawa seemed to close his eyes for a moment, as if willing himself to keep patient, as he then signaled to Iida to talk.

“Why would Hero course be last, wouldn’t students be tired by the end of the day decreasing productivity in one of the core classes? This is a major oversight from U.A. administration.”

Again, Aizawa seemed to close his eyes in a silent prayer to whatever god would listen, before giving Iida a deadpanned look as he wondered to himself whether to take the question seriously. After some thought, Aizawa decided to humor the wise guy kid.

“Hero courses tend to cause the students to become injured due to the nature of the training, that or exhaustion from the overly physical activity. Due to this, U.A. found it better to have the students finish the school day with the training course, so that if the student becomes injured they may be able to go to recovery girl and rest without having to worry about missing a class, that and if a student has a class after physically exhausting themselves, they tend to either not pay attention in class, or merely fall asleep. We have also come to the conclusion that doing hero training after a long day of classes would be further training, as most heroes have to spend most of their times in an office setting before being set out to do patrols or hero work. Now does that answer your question?”

Iida seemed to flush slightly, most likely not having thought of that. Which is much like him, but slowly Izuku was starting to find the guy a bit likeable. There was something about his pure desire to learn and his straightforward if rigid mindset that made people want to try and push his buttons or protect his innocent look on the world. It was also funny to see how dense he could be at times, but he didn't seem malicious in his actions, unlike what Izuku had believed at first.

“Now if nobody has any more questions, we will start with roll call.”

Nobody even tried to raise their hands after that, Aizawa seemed to give off an aura that said any more stupid questions, and they would be meeting their maker. Yeah, not even Iida questioned him further after that look.

The rest of the period went off without a hitch, which was good, with Iida thankfully not pushing any more of Aizawa's buttons. Izuku smirked at that, he wondered how the rest of the year would go with those two as student and homeroom teacher. One thing was for sure, it wasn't going to be a boring year.

Now let's just hope Iida's action didn't come back and bite all of the class in the ass.

Izuku spent the rest of the day writing as much notes as he could, while his memory was fairly good, having overworked his quirk yesterday caused him to still be nursing a slight headache, which in turn made it a little more troublesome to memorize things. It was as if the energy he needed to think was used instead to compensate the energy he used to fuel his quirk. He should probably do some tests on the weekend over this, after doing his homework of course, the nerdy student living in his brain amended. 

Before Izuku could continue with this thought process, he was poked from the side with something. Looking down, he was met with the blunt end of a pencil. Looking towards were the pencil led to, he was met with the nervous look of Uraraka.

Now that he was paying attention, he saw that all the class were looking at him with curious stares. He looked towards the front of the class, where he was met with Present Mic’s questioning eyes. “Little listener, are you a’ okay over there? I called you over five times now.”

Now one thing that should be noted, Present Mic was one of if not the loudest and most eye catching of heroes, so he usually is able to get other’s attention quickly. Izuku must have really been out of it if he hadn’t heard the literal voice hero.

Blushing behind his bandages, Izuku quickly stood up from his seat and bowed his head ever so slightly in a show of regret. “I apologize Present Mic, I was too deep in thought just now.”

“That’s okay little listener, just don’t make it a habit. Now why don’t you repeat this paragraph in English if you can.” Izuku would be forever thankful that his lapse in thought was done in Present Mic's class, the man was known as a overall understanding teacher who wasn't overly strict and could be very understanding towards students. He shuddered to think what would have happened if he had done this in one of Aizawa's periods. He would rather not find out thank you.  

Shaking his head to purge any more thoughts from filling his head, Izuku looked down towards his text and was met with English writing. While it hurt Izuku to think about it, his father had been a business man who would travel across the world for his work, one of the places he visited the most was America along with England. Hence, Izuku managed to grasp a bit of English when his father was…whole and later managed to learn a little more through reading books his father had left behind that he himself had used to better understand the language. This was done in an effort to feel closer towards his deceased father.

So, while Izuku wasn’t exactly fluent in the language, he was good enough to read a few passages with passable pronunciation.

After reading the passage with minor mistakes here and there, Present Mic was happy with Izuku’s show of skill. After giving out some compliments, along with some pointers here and there about how to pronounce certain words better, he continued with the rest of the class.

Sighing slightly in relief that he wasn’t punished for his lack of attention, Izuku focused his head on class and pushed back all other throughs inside his head. He could think about them when classes were finished and he was once more locked inside his small room, where only his thoughts could fill the void like silence. 

Lunch came sooner than he expected. Izuku was prepared to spend his lunch alone, hidden in the corner of the cafeteria, or maybe seeking refuge outside in the plentiful of benches that U.A. had.

What ended up happening, though, was Uraraka and Kirishima grabbing either side of his arms, Bakugou grunting in anger at being pulled along hand in hand with his soulmate, as they practically rushed to one of the few larger tables in the cafeteria. This was how Izuku found himself sitting in the middle of Uraraka and Kirishima, with Bakugou sitting next to the red head. Iida was sitting in front of Izuku, right next to Asui who was in front of Uraraka and turned out to be the girl’s own soulmate. On the other side of Iida sat both Kaminari and Sero, with Mina sitting on Bakugou’s other side.

The table was rowdy to say the least, with everyone laughing and talking over each other, though it didn’t seem rude but rather it was entertaining as if they couldn’t help but want to put their own two cents in. It was one of the rowdiest tables in the cafeteria, which was saying something as other tables also had other students talking loudly in excitement with each other. 

Izuku was overwhelmed at first, hunching into himself at the sudden positivity that was surrounding him, but little by little with both Kirishima’s and Uraraka’s gentle leading, Izuku ended up part of the conversation at times. Though most of the time he was merely listening, content to bask in the atmosphere that surrounded him.

Feeling a tingle in his skin, Izuku had the sudden urge to turn around. Looking behind him, he saw Todoroki and the purple haired male he had seen before. Both looked to be smiling at one another, Todoroki had a pen on his hand, looking to be writing on the purple hair’s own arm with a glint in his eyes.

Izuku had the sudden urge to rip his bandages off, to see what it was that one of his soulmates was writing on the skin of his other, wanting to be in some way part of their bond, even if in vain.

Biting his lip, Izuku turned around, mood visibly a little more down as he tried to push the ugly dark feelings inside of him that cried that he wanted to be there too, he wanted to sit in between the two and enjoy their presence without worry.

He shut those thoughts up as much as he could though, instead he focused his attention back on the conversation the group was having, ignoring the continued warm feather like feeling running across his arm, marking is very soul.

Lunch couldn’t have ended sooner.

It was the end of the school day, and time to finally meet their hero course teacher, All Might.

Feeling both excited yet nervous over getting to meet the number one hero once more, Izuku nervously played with the edge of his bandages as he sat in his seat, the rest of the class was conversing excitedly over the fact that the number one hero was going to be teaching their final class.

Suddenly, the door opened as a huge man marched through quite awkwardly, proudly proclaiming, “I am here! Walking through the door normally.”

You called that normal? Izuku could not help but think inwardly. The number one hero was quite a character least to say.

“Oh my god, he’s wearing his silver age costume!!!” Kirishima practically squealed. His favorite hero was Crimson Riot, but being soulmates with Bakugou caused him to also gain quite a healthy amount of Hero worship towards the number one hero, that and practically no one in Japan couldn't say they held even a bit of respect towards the #1 Hero. Hell, some villains also looked up to the man.

That said, Izuku’s eyes were practically shining. He tried his best to keep his own cool, not wanting to make a fool of himself in front of his role model.

“Now, why don’t all of you guys try out the Hero Costumes that you so meticulously put together.” All Might said with his ever-present smile, soon after the wall behind them opened up the containers inside them, showing off different suitcases that held their hero costumes.

Getting their costumes based on class number, soon everyone was heading to the changing rooms to put on their hero costumes.

Izuku had gone for a low-key look for his, black cargo pants with a red utility belt around his hips and a hooded dark green cargo jacket. They of course were fireproof as well as made with quite resistant material, making it a bit harder to rip. He was sure to wear a bit of under armor beneath this, images of his many close encounters in his vigilante time making him more cautious about any pointy objects near him. His set up was glaringly more darker and obscure than the rest of his classmates, which caused some of his fellow male classmates to secretly raise an eyebrow.

Izuku ignored this though, he wasn't planning on even trying to be a ranked hero, hell he was already set on being an unknown Underground hero. Like Aizawa, who's own hero name wasn't even mentioned in any official capacity for the most part. 

Izuku had been able to get special access to bring headache medication, thankfully backlash towards quirks wasn’t that uncommon. There was already a student in his class, Aoyama, that suffered from indigestion and stomach pains if he overused his quirk as well. The school merely told him that he would be required to get a checkup within the month from recovery girl just to make sure everything was okay.

This caused Izuku to panic a bit, from the last time that he went to the doctor (that being when he was seven years old and having just witnessed his father’s death), overuse of his quirk will cause not only neurological complications but would also cause his organs to slowly degrade over time (the actual reason why was lost to him due to all the medical jargon that had gone towards the explanation).

Closing his eyes, Izuku gripped the bottle of medication under his jacket before letting out a sigh. He would just have to cross that bridge when he got there.

For now, Izuku merely made sure everything else was put on well before walking out with some of his other classmates.

Arriving outside, he met up with a slightly less happy than usual Uraraka. She had on a pink space suit-like costume, which looked quite a bit too form fitting and uncomfortable to wear. Izuku saw that she looked a bit nervous, fumbling with her fingers as Asui stood next to her, whispering something to her.

Izuku contemplated waking towards them, but before he could make the decision, Uraraka saw him and grabbed Asui’s hand, running towards him.

“Midoriya! Your costume looks nice!” She beamed out, though he could still see that she was forcing it.

“Your costume looks good too, I like the space theme.” Izuku said awkwardly, Uraraka blushed in mortification, biting her lip as she huffed. “I told them to make it a bit bulkier, but I guess with growing themes now a days about female heroes, they took the design into their own hands.”

Asui gave her a comforting squeeze, looking down at her own form fitting suite. “Let’s walk over to the support department tomorrow morning ribbit, they shouldn’t be able to push through their own agenda against our wishes.” The green haired girl said blandly, Izuku couldn’t help but think of Aizawa with her form of deadpanned speaking. He liked her right away, he personally disliked those who spoke around in circles, rather he preferred to be spoken to in a more straightforward way, he could care less for fake niceties.

Before more could be said, All Might made his presence known in front of the now gathered class.

“Okay then, today we will be forming groups of two’s. One group will be the Hero group, the other will be the villains. The Heroes must infiltrate the villain’s lair and safely extract a bomb that the villains have placed in the hideout, the villain’s job will be to hide the bomb in one of the floors and protect it from the heroes until the bomb ‘detonates’. If the heroes either manage to capture both villains, or safely touch the bomb, they will be the winners. If the villains are able to keep the heroes from capturing them and coming in contact with the bomb when the time limit ends, they will be the winners. Any questions?”

To no one’s surprise, it was Iida who was the first to raise his hand, All Might smiled his ‘hero smile’ as he nodded his head at Iida. “Yes young Iida?”

“How will we be able to go into teams of two if there is an odd number of people in the class?”

“You have a point there young Iida, there will be one hero that goes against two villains.” All Might responded, seeming to have already thought of the solution, merely waiting for the class to point the fact of uneven amount of students out.

“But, but that isn’t fair!” Mina said in mortification, seeming to forget their teacher’s identity in her shock.

“Something you have to understand, you embryos, is that the hero world is anything but fair. Trust me when I say that as a Hero, there will be times that you will be faced with difficult missions, you may even have to fight a group of villains many times more powerful than yourself. In times like those, you have to understand, you will have to put your life on the line for the lives of innocents.” All Might was still smiling, but his smile eerily reminded them of Aizawa’s own smile, even though it didn’t show any sarcasm, it was still more tense and pressuring than his usual smiles which he showed to the public. It was like it had a force in on itself, bringing a physical pressure down towards the class.

This certainly shut any further discontent up, not having thought that the number one hero would be so strict. One fact they must have overlooked though, and the thought that came into Izuku’s head at that moment, was that the man in front of them had more than 3 decades worth of experience as a hero, much more he was one of the longest standing number one hero in all of history. Hell, he was practically the reason the ranking became so popular, being the main pillar in Japan's hero society. One wouldn’t be able to reach such a position without having met with disaster and difficulties.

This brought Izuku’s mind back to the very first video he saw of All Might, his back carrying the weight of numerous hurt civilians, a smile ever present on his face as soot covered his whole being.

“Don’t worry, because I am HERE.” For the first time in his life, Izuku felt that he had gotten closer to understanding just exactly what those words stood for.

“Now then, choose your roles form these papers I have prepared beforehand.” All Might suddenly interrupted the class’s tense atmosphere, bringing out a box out of no where with what looked like torn pieces of folded paper inside. Izuku suddenly had a sense of a kindergarten teacher holding a random raffle in front of their young students.

The thought was humorous enough that the pressure from before completely disappeared.

Everyone relaxed ever so slightly after that announcement, as they all formed a line in front of All Might like the good little students they were and put their hand in the box, picking up a single folded paper from inside.

Soon, everyone was finished with choosing, and All Might proceeded to smile as he announced the groups that would be fighting against each other.

After 3 or so groups being called, Izuku felt dread fill his stomach at the announcement of his own grouping. 

“Villain team: Bakugou Katsuki and Todoroki Shoto vs Hero team: Midoriya Izuku.”

Now Izuku knew, fate really had a fucked-up way of showing him who was boss.

Chapter Text

Millions of thoughts filtered through Izuku’s mind as he looked at the man he had idolized his whole life.

All Might looked as if he had bitten a sour lemon, face pinched and eyes wide as he seemed to reread the paper.

The face of his new teacher made Izuku’s own face pinch in worry, why was his response like that? The hero had been so confident and self-assured earlier, now though, he looked to the world as if he wished to swallow back the words that he had uttered.

Izuku shook his head, his mind was frayed right now at the thought of facing not only the guy that knew his deepest secret, but also the soulmate that he had been trying to avoid since he met him. 

Izuku knew that he didn’t have the best of luck, his childhood could attest to that, but right now he was really contemplating a third part of his quirk, one that made his luck truly bad. There was no way in hell that the mystic forces or whatever were so keen to get him otherwise, either that or he killed freaking GOD in his past life.

He was taken out of his inner monologue by Iida, bless the boy he was really growing on him now, as he cleared his throat, looking at the still frozen hero.

“I apologize for sounding presumptuous All Might-sensei, but are you okay?”

The number one hero seemed to come out of whatever daze he had been in. He opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something, but then shut it close with an audible click. Contemplating something, he nodded to himself before showing the class his usual brilliant smile.

“Quite alright young Iida, I was just thinking about the safety procedures needed for these three’s quirks, now the next competitors will be…”

The class didn’t even question the man, they had all seen the destructive capabilities of said three competitors. It wasn’t even a question over the fact that those three had the most volatile of quirks out of everyone in the class, and hence they could understand the teacher’s worry over how a battle between the three power houses would be like, especially in terms of the pure chaotic destruction that would follow.

They automatically grimaced at the thought of Izuku who, in their opinion, had the weakest of the quirks. While they had all been impressed by the ball throw, they had also witnessed the true destructive capabilities of the other two. Hell, one had literal explosions coming out of his palms. The other could form actual ice bergs with his quirk.

Yeah, their green haired classmate was done for. Those were the thoughts of the majority of the class.

That was of course, apart from both Iida and Uraraka. Not many knew of the fact that the young boy had literally destroyed the zero pointer. While the green haired boy’s quirk seemed tamed when compared to the other two’s, they were sure there was more than meets the eye.

All Might on the other hand, was truly wishing he could go back in time and slap himself before uttering the words that had left his mouth. He had gone on a whole tirade over the fact that Heroes needed to be prepared to face multiple adversaries at once, which now truly shot him in the foot when he saw his little pupil (something that he had started seeing Izuku as, much to the green boy’s obliviousness) in peril.

He tried to think of any reason he might be able to pull for the boy to not have to face two opponents alone, hell he was even thinking of a way to pull the boy out of the training all together.

He was stopped though, by the knowledge that he had no plausible reason other than the boy’s health, which he shouldn’t even be aware of. The school has yet to officially ask parents for the signature to be able to look at student’s medical background, quite idiotic if he had to say but it was told that the school board had gotten tired of going through all the paperwork only to usually lose quite a few students after the first few days. This was usually due to inability to keep up with curriculum or the inability to show qualities needed for hero society. 

They merely asked parents to disclose any important or dire medical needs that a student might need on the first three days of school. Quirks weren’t always without their drawbacks, and so parents were free to give the teachers any needed advice if there was such a health complication. All Might had skimmed through all the reports to find if young Izuku’s guardian might have added any of his medical needs on the paper, but all he found was a sheet with only the words ‘mild headache’ written on them.

All Might had grown frustrated, he knew that he wouldn’t be able to even contest the need to see the health reports unless the situation asked for it, which he was dreading. 

Over the years UA had gotten even stricter about the students and their joining the hero course. They wanted to be the best, and if that meant weeding out the unneeded to fill it in with students with much more potential but not the right quirk in the beginning, then they would.

Hence, why go through the process before they really knew to invest? Not only that, but All Might should not be privy to said health issues until being cleared to know by both the nurse and the guardian. The only reason he knew of Izuku's less than stellar health, was his dear friend sticking his neck out for him. That was something he would rather have nobody else privy to.

So, while he wished nothing more than to pull the child out of the mess that All Might had pushed him towards, he had no option but to sit on the sideline and hope that the reckless child didn’t endanger himself.

So, with a heavy heart, All Might then walked towards the surveillance room, not without giving the unknowing Izuku a regretful and guilty look.

They were lead into a high tech surveillance group by All Might soon after they were divided into groups, the multiple monitors in front of them currently off.

The class sweat dropped as All Might suddenly took out some flashcards, seeming to skim over them before turning to them.

“The building that we will be using for practice is covered in cameras, we will be using this surveillance room in order to judge the teamwork and attack power as well as defense of the teams that will be going against each other. It is common for heroes to be randomly paired with others in a mission, hence it is an important quality to be able to…” Again he looked back at the card, slightly killing the somber mood that was starting to build.

Izuku couldn’t keep the soft smile from his face at the hero’s effort to be a good lecturer. He knew of the saying that not all experts were great teachers. Just because someone was good at a skill, that didn’t mean they would easily be able to teach said skill to someone else. There was a reason why a lot of the heroes teaching in U.A. were not all that well known.

“-build on each other’s weaknesses and analyze the quirks of not only your adversaries but also your allies.”

Shaking his head, All Might promptly put away the cards as he looked over at them. “I will be grading you not only on your use of quirk, but also on how you are able to use your environment and your opponent’s weakness to win. Now, let’s begin.”

The first group was Iida and Uraraka (hero) against Ashido and Shouji (Villains). Ashido was able to stop Iida from getting to close thanks to covering the floor around them with her acid, Shouji providing great support with not only his ability to know their location using his quirk, but also providing brunt power. Still, Iida and Uraraka managed to work together in order to come out triumphant.

Uraraka made many of the items in the rooms float using her quirk, not only causing them to fall in intervals towards their opponents, but also hitting them towards the other team causing them to have to dodge the flying projectiles. While she was distracting them using the random items as airborne weapons (something that he was secretly geeking out about due to her genius use of her quirk), they didn’t notice that she had also made Iida float, then promptly threw him towards the bomb (he heard his class snicker over that move, Iida looked similar to a flying robot from the older pre-quirk movies with his outfit).

By the time the opposing team found out their plan, it was too late and Iida had sailed directly into the bomb, hugging it while looking incredibly sick. Note to self, never have Uraraka do that to him if he had overused his quirk beforehand. He would never recover.

Izuku shivered at the thought of the one and only time Uraraka had used her quirk on him, while he had been mostly floating stationary, the backlash had caused enough nausea that he had firmly placed it in the avoid if at all possible category.

The next fight was Yaoyorozu and Ojirou (villains) against Kouda and Aoyama (hero). It was an overwhelming victory for Yaoyorozu and Ojirou, with both working together with Yaoyorozu using her quirk to make traps keeping the team from attaining the bomb, and Ojirou finishing them off with his martial arts attacks and agility letting him dodge any attack directed towards him.

Before he knew it, it was his turn.

Izuku breathed in, the restlessness giving way to calm waters as his mind stilled, pushing away all of his anxieties to make way for analytical thinking. This, Izuku was familiar with, the use of pushing his disquieted mind aside in order to focus on the bigger picture.

From the quirk tests that they had on the first day thanks to Aizawa, Izuku knew that Todoroki had a sort of ice quirk that let him make creations of ice, usually in way of the floor covered in ice so that he could skate on it or large glaciers of ice.

His quirk was controlled, while filled with power it looked like he had complete control over his creations, every piece of ice placed exactly where he wanted.

On the other hand, Bakugou had an explosion quirk. One that commanded some type of secreted liquid that allowed him to explode it using innate fire from within. It seems he could only use the explosions from his palms, as Izuku hadn’t seen him make explosions from anywhere else in his body, like say his feet.

His quirk, unlike Todoroki’s, was more willful and seemed much wilder in comparison. It was an explosive fire that he created but had no control over, merely giving it a nudge to the general direction that he wanted it to go towards.

Now this seems like the worst combination anyone could possibly come up with, while both were powerhouses in their own right, their quirks were so opposing that it seemed almost impossible to see them work well together.

At least that would be most people’s assessments. Izuku rather through that their combination would be almost perfect, they would be able to cover for the other’s weakness, controlled ice that would be able to hold the enemy down with uncontrolled fire that would finish them off. Or the other was around with fire bringing the enemy down enough for the ice to overcome them. They were the perfect powerhouse team, using brute force to bring any villain down while they begged for mercy.

The enemy would be overwhelmed with the show of both forces going against them, the fire would be quelled by the ice and given a better path, while the fire would be able to keep the ice from taking over and giving it more finesse.

This though, would be all for not if the two heroes themselves were unwilling to cooperate. The quirks were opposites enough, so if the people themselves were of equal contradiction, then the thought of working together in harmony was merely a fever dream.

Such seemed to be the case for this team, as both Bakugou and Todoroki moved away from each other, not even sparing the other a glance as they went inside the building in order to hide the bomb. Izuku sighed, slightly mourning the team that could have been, but at the same time extremely thankful that they would be unable to use their quirks together. Izuku didn’t like his odds all that much as they are, so the thought of fighting a coordinated attack from their combined quirks was something that he would rather avoid.

This brought him to the knowledge that he would have to find a way not only to thwart Bakugou’s attacks, but also to do so in a way that would leave him unmarked. His soulmate was literally here! Izuku knew that if he even got slightly marked, the gig would be up. His soulmate would know it was him and they would try to talk to him and then they would understand how truly fucked up Izuku was and not want anything to do with him, only proving everything that Izuku knew inside right and kill the last bit of hope that he had that his soulmates might actually love him.

Wait, no, stop. He had no time to have such fanciful thoughts. Breathing in through his nose, Izuku sighed as he stretched his body, taking mental note of the things he had in his disposal. He had a bottle of pain killers, some bandages, and a bit of steel wire.

Groaning, Izuku wanted to cry at the thought of the limit that had been placed on them when they were allowed to choose their hero costumes and support items. Something about a trial period and there being limited supplies for newbies.

At least his outfit was fire resistant, now here is to hoping that it can take a certain volatile blonde’s angry tantrums.

He was still not feeling 100% after yesterday’s use of his quirk, but if Izuku was really planning on a life being a hero, he had to get used to pushing through his quirk’s setbacks. One little headache shouldn’t cause him to become useless.

Now plan. Try to keep off the floor, ice is a perfect capture weapon, if anything thankfully his quirk could slice and break things.

With Bakugou…he had the perfect plan for him…

Hiding a smirk, Izuku was soon taken out of his inner thoughts by All Might’s voice.

“Time to set up is over! Hero team Izuku Midoriya you are authorized to infiltrate the villain’s hideout and obtain the bomb without setting the bomb off. If possible, try to detain the villains, but the main objective is securing the bomb within the time limit. Now, Begin!”

Izuku gave himself one final moment to breathe in slowly before running towards the building. It wasn’t even two seconds of him going through the door when ice covered the whole floor from underneath him, wrong move.

Two tendrils came out as he used them to break apart the ice, keeping him from being frozen over as he used them to keep him above ground, the ice trying in vain to grab hold of him. Izuku smirked slightly as the ice stopped moving, thankfully his jacket kept him a bit warm in this weather.

Letting himself fall back on the ground, else he would overwhelm himself too early, Izuku let his tendrils stay semi-formed. If he didn’t put too much thought in them forming, he wouldn’t use as much mental energy. They only caused him more strain when they had a physical form. If they stay in its metaphysical form where they phases through things, they don’t cause him as much mental stress.

Trying to push the thought of his quirk slightly behind his mental walls, Izuku closed his eyes as he tried to listen to the world around him, he heard a loud curse as two sets of footprints came up to him.

Quickly activating his quirk's physical form, he managed to use one tendril in order to move away quickly from the blonde who threw himself at him, using his other tendril to push Bakugou against the wall. Hard.

Hearing a set of curses followed by a groan, Izuku didn’t get to celebrate his temporary victory.

Ice formed around him, but it gave away to his quirk quickly breaking through it, only managing to freeze parts of his pants and hands. Izuku tried to close the distance between him and the multicolored haired teen in front of him (oh the irony), but Todoroki just threw more ice towards him. Okay, this was starting to get old.

It seems like Bakugou agreed to this, as he threw himself back into the fight, explosions going off towards Izuku.

Izuku couldn’t keep the satisfied smile from his face. His explosions were noticeably weaker, almost the size of crackers rather than his usually larger explosions. Looks like his theory of the quirk being activated through a secretion, most likely sweat, was correct. It also looks like because of the ice causing the temperatures to drop, Bakugou’s quirk was rendered almost useless.

Grabbing Bakugou with his quirk, Izuku quickly threw him towards Todoroki before the weight became too much for him.

Now here’s the thing. Izuku knew that they didn’t work well together, hell he knew that they were the worst two people to put in a team ever. That, though, didn’t prepare him for what happened next.

Izuku actually chocked on a laugh as Todoroki instinctively used his ice on the object that Izuku threw in his direction. Said object being Bakugou.

The blonde was encased in a block of ice that covered his whole body, leaving only his neck and head exposed. Izuku secretly hoped that the fire within the blonde would keep him from catching hyperthermia. 

Todoroki blinked in surprised, seeming to just catch up to what he did.

Izuku swore he could hear the rest of his class laughing from this.

Bakugou, though, was not as amused by this, screaming to be let out, struggling against his ice incasing. Since the whole bottom side of his body (including his palms) were frozen he couldn't activate his quirk, stopping him form freeing himself. Izuku knew that Todoroki would be getting an earful from the teen when this was over.

Todoroki quickly went to try and release Bakugou from his accidental hostage position, but before he could get too close Izuku used his quirk to push himself towards the colorful teen, using his tendril to protect him from the continued onslaught of ice.

Izuku knew that he was running out of time, knew that the best thing he could do at the moment was count his winnings and go look for the bomb while Bakugou and Todoroki regrouped.

But he couldn’t. This was the closest he has ever gotten to his soulmate. His soulmate was actually interacting with him. He was seeing him. For some reason Izuku couldn’t give this feeling up. They continued with their game of evade and attack, slowly getting away from Bakugou and his screaming as they danced around each other.

Izuku slowly felt blood start to drip down his nose, that was his cue. He needed to end this now.

Pushing his quirk towards Todoroki, Izuku pushed past limited distance as he tried to grab hold of Todoroki’s left side.

Just as his grabbed a hold of Todoroki using his quirk, Todoroki’s eyes widened.

That was the only warning Izuku got before the world burst in red.

Without even thinking, Izuku used his quirk to push himself away from Todoroki as far as he could, away from the sudden burst of flames.

Breathing heavily, Izuku just barely managed to get his panic down as he checked himself over, confirming that he didn’t get caught in the flames.

Finding no sign of burn marks, he looked back at Todoroki, who had an equally shocked and dare he say panicked look on his face.

Izuku couldn’t even concentrate on the voice screaming form the earpiece as Todoroki’s panic look turned into a mixture of determination and rage. That was when the world turned white.

Izuku knew that this might be the most idiotic thing he had done so far, but he didn’t even think as he enveloped himself in his tendrils as they materialized around him, completely breaking his self imposed limit. Letting the ice encase him as his tendrils kept a tight circular globe around him. Soon the ice subsided as the world was silent, then Izuku, barely conscious, pushed against the ice incasing and managed to break out.

He heard a noise of shock come from in front of him, most likely Todoroki, but he was far too gone to truly take note of it. His body was going towards auto drive as he pushed one tendril towards the slightly frozen Todoroki (looks like his quirk had its own drawbacks) as he used it to shove the other teen roughly against the wall. Todoroki didn’t even get the chance to retaliate before another hand tendril promptly encased his wrist in the cuffs Izuku was given by All Might to capture the villain team.

Not done yet. Almost there, just one more step.

Izuku tried to take a step towards where he knew Bakugou was located, but before he could his legs gave up on him. He came crashing to his knees.

He barely managed to hear a “You okay?” from a few feet away, most likely from Todoroki.

Almost like a sick recap of their first meeting.

Izuku opened his mouth, fully intending to say yes, only to choke on his blood as it made its way out his throat. Most likely meaning some internal bleeding, his nose was also bleeding continuously, great.

Izuku couldn’t help spitting some of the blood onto the floor, causing another shocked noise to come. Great, another person knew. This was turning out fucking fantastic.

Deciding to do what he did best, ignoring his problems, Izuku instead managed to get to his feet as he walked towards Bakugou. Using his quirk (he was really pushing it today) to break through the ice holding the blonde's hands, he didn’t even talk to the irate teen as he cuffed his hands together.

It was then that he finally caught what was being said on his earpiece. “If no one responds in the next 5 seconds I will be forced to intervene. The ice has caused the cameras to go offline, one more time what is the situation.” Huh, he didn't even notice before, but the area all around him was deeply incased in ice, looking almost as if they were inside an ice cave. 

Pressing against the talk button, Izuku mumbled a “mission successful, villains captured” before he slumped into the floor next to Bakugou, uncaring at the moment of his image. The blonde had already seen him puke out blood and had said nothing, so seeing him slump into the floor wasn’t the worst thing.

Rummaging through his storage belt, Izuku managed to grab a few painkillers before dry taking them, making a face at the slightly frozen pills as they traveled down his throat.

Breathing out, Izuku closed his eyes as he tried to get his headache under control. He felt like he was going in and out of consciousness, and he just knew that what was visible of his nose was completely red with fresh blood.

He would have to change his bandages before going back into the surveillance room, while the black kept the blood from being visible, the same couldn’t be said about the smell. Blood covered bandages also weren't the most comfortable to wear for long periods of time, especially when the blood dried.

Bakugou was blessedly quiet for once, merely watching Izuku with a constipated look in his face. Izuku ignored his silent question as he tried to get back up, only for his legs to give up halfway making him fall back on his butt.

Bakugou flinched forward, as if wanting to catch him, but he was still slightly frozen and hence unable to move fully. Even with his palms exposed, Izuku had a feeling that his sweat hadn't built up enough for him to use his quirk just yet, especially with the room being as cold as it was.

Inwardly, Izuku winced at the blonde's less than ideal outfit for the cold as he prayed that Bakugou wouldn't catch a cold after today was over.

While thinking these slightly manic induced thoughts, Izuku managing to get to his feet as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand, wrinkling his nose at the sight of the blood.

“Sorry I can’t release you, might faint if I try to push it any more today.” Izuku said, painfully honest as he looked the blonde in the eye. Bakugou merely grunted in response, looking away and continuing to be impressively silent.

Izuku heard movement as Todoroki made his way towards them, silent as well. Izuku didn’t even think as he released the multi colored boy from his cuffs, the brush of his hands against Todoroki’s cold skin causing him a minute flinch before he pushed past it as he released the teen.

“Thank you.” Todoroki mumbled as he then walked towards Bakugou, seeming to breath in and gather his bearing before placing his left hand against the ice, melting the ice and unfreezing Bakugou.

So, his soulmate had a fire quirk, that was priceless.

Wanting to do nothing more than to scream into the void, Izuku instead made the semi-conscious choice to turn around, fully intending to leave the scene before any unnecessary questions were asked. This would have worked, if not for his legs giving up on him for the third time that day.

Closing his eyes waiting to make a fool of himself in front of the two boys once more, Izuku felt coldness envelope him as he fell into someone’s cold embrace.

Snapping his eyes open, Izuku froze in shock as he looked into the heterochromia eyes, blue and grey looking into green as he felt his face flush more than it was already, thankful beyond words at the fact that his face was fully covered.

“Thanks for the catch.” Izuku practically choked out, trying to get out of the teens (his soulmate’s) arms, but only felt the arms tighten around him.

“You’re not feeling well, I’ll help you into the surveillance room.” Todoroki said instead, his voice firm with no room for defiance.

Izuku felt weak for another reason at that, wanting nothing more than to melt into his soulmate’s arms and stay there, never leaving again.

No, snap out of it, he couldn’t let himself be this weak, this hopeless, in front of anyone, even less his soulmates.

“I’m heading to the bathroom to change my bandages.” Izuku said in response, wanting to try and dislodge himself from the firm hold, but he was far too weak to put up much of a resistance. Either that or his soulmate was unfairly strong, which caused another form a heat to fill Izuku.

“I’ll take you there.” Before Izuku could once more deny the help, he felt himself swept into cold arms.

Knowing his face was burning now, Izuku will deny the squeak that left his vocal cords to his grave as Todoroki ignored his wiggling, settling Izuku’s smaller form into his arms in a more comfortable position before walking towards the exit. He was princess carrying him god why him?!

Izuku didn’t even notice that he had instinctively wrapped his hands around the other’s neck to keep balance, far too horrified at the fact that he was in such close proximity to one of his soulmates. He almost covered the left side of his face out of habit.

Burying his face into the cold shoulder in mortification at the event that was happening, Izuku will forever deny the sigh of relief at the comforting coolness that radiated out of Todoroki, cooling down his overheated body.

And if this was the most comforted he had ever felt in years, well nobody but Izuku had to know.

Chapter Text

Izuku didn’t notice he had fallen asleep in one of his soulmate’s arms until he was awoken to the feeling of being placed on a fluffy surface. He didn’t notice the whine that escaped his mouth until he snapped his eyes open, catching Shoto’s blushing face and Recovery’s Girl’s amused smile.

Wanting to do nothing more than bury his face in the pillow he was laying on and try to suffocate himself from sheer embarrassment, Izuku tried to clear his throat to cut the silent awkwardness. Instead, due to his dry throat he ended up with a coughing fit.

Grabbing the glass of water that was quickly presented to him, Izuku pulled down his bandages slightly in order to drink the water. Unknown to him blood covered the skin around his mouth, hence it was quite a shocking sight to see for both Shoto and Recovery girl.

Due to his black bandages, the true extent of bleeding was kept quite lowkey, so seeing his blood covered mouth really unsettled the two to say the least. Tutting slightly, Recovery Girl gently pushed Todoroki aside to get a better look at Izuku.

Not knowing any better, Izuku turned to look at her, a questioning look on his face as he tilted his head slightly. He was a bit out of it at the moment, his whole body was heated up to the max and a horrible headache was throbbing on his head. He wanted nothing more than to cry and snuggle back into the cold embrace that had been covering him beforehand, but years of pushing back his discomfort had him able to act seemingly normally.

Recovery Girl though, was quite used to idiot teenagers trying to seem perfectly healthy but were actually in deep pain. Well teenagers and childish adults she amended. The mental image of two certain individuals, both being teachers here, made it into her head. Wanting to grumble at the pure stubbornness that she was subjected to in an almost daily occurrence, Recovery Girl tried to place her palm against Izuku’s forehead.

Almost on pure instinct, Izuku flinched back from the contact, dodging Recovery Girl’s hand. This surprised both of them, though Recovery Girl seemed to silently understand something as she turned to Todoroki. “Leave this young lad to me Todoroki-kun, you should scurry off to class.”

The taller boy seemed to want to reject that statement, but with one stern look from Recovery Girl he nodded his head. Sparing one last look at the bedridden Izuku, Todoroki made his way outside of the infirmary and walking towards his class. Though he couldn’t help but look down at his arms, the feeling of Midoriya in his arms was one that he couldn’t place his head on. He usually hated any contact that wasn’t from his soulmate, so it perplexed him that Midoriya was different.

Shaking his head, he decided to push this thought to the back of his head as he more purposefully made his way back to class.

Izuku on the other hand, was suffering under the intense scrutiny of one Recovery Girl. Wishing he could just run away from the situation, Izuku merely lowered his head as he started playing with his hands.

“Am I to understand that you would rather not take off the bandages at this time?” At the mention of removing his bandages, Izuku couldn’t help the pure panic that consumed him.

No, they couldn’t find out. No one could find out that he was just a defective product of the world. They couldn’t let his soulmates know about the fuck up that the universe had deemed they would have to deal with. They would hate him.

Images of scarred wrists and broken crying, of bloodied floors and empty bottles.

Or worse, he would lose them once he gave himself to them.

Bloodied arms spelling a story of woe, syringe stuck deep into a blood vessel as a man far too gone finally departed to where he would no longer suffer. To where he was once more whole.

Izuku didn’t notice he had gone into a panic attack until he heard words of comfort. His vision was blurry, and he couldn’t really concentrate on anything until the gentle words managed to carve a path into his harried mind. “That’s it, now breathe in. One, two, three. Breathe out. One, two, three. Can you hear me now Midoriya?”

She hadn’t made any move to touch him, but he could still feel presence next to him, her voice had a pleasant sound to it, almost as if it was embodied by warmth and caring. Taking another deep breath in, Izuku nodded his head to her question as he rubbed his watering eyes, thankful that he at least didn’t start bawling.

Recovery Girl gave him a small but soft smile, nodding her head as she placed her hand next to him in bed, but again not fully touching him. He tentatively placed his hand next to hers, making slight contact, as if to tell her that her touch was accepted.

He usually hated contact with others, but the older woman before him exuded comfortability and safety. He didn’t mind her touch as much as he did others with more polluted intentions.

“I apologize for scaring you like that Izuku, I will tell you know that your comfort is something that I take serious, and unless it is inevitable under dire circumstances, I will not remove your bandages unless given explicit permission from you.”

Izuku calmed down quickly after that admission, the last thread of panic leaving him.

“Now I will have to do some preliminary scans, this is to make sure that you are okay, and no further damage was caused by the fight. Todoroki informed me that you were bleeding slightly during the end even when you had not faced any physical damage.”

Izuku groaned but knew there was nothing he could do about this. He remembered one specific rule/law that he had come across during his wish to become a hero and held on to this knowledge for dear life.

Silently agreeing to her words, Recovery Girl took to taking his blood pressure, after which concern flickered in to her eyes before being quickly hidden. She then proceeded to check his breathing and heartbeat, not making any comments during the whole process. She did a few more tests before frowning. Seeming to find something, she asked him to lay down before feeling into his stomach and then chest. Looking into his eyes, she frowned further before sighing.

“I will need to do further tests later; class should be over so you can choose whether to rest a bit more or go back home.” Izuku knew that she had noticed something, but he didn’t really want to open that can of worms when he wasn't explicitly told to. Deciding to take her dismissal as it was, he thanked her silently before leaving the room.

He made his way back into the classroom, which was empty now that classes had ended. Grabbing his stuff, he took a few more pills before downing them with water from a water fountain. Closing his eyes and wishing for his headache to leave him, he suddenly heard a commotion from the end of the hall.

“I can’t believe they let villains like you into this school, U.A has really brought down its standards.” A guy with red hair said, sneering at the person in front of him.

“Why do you think he didn’t make it into the Hero course, they knew he would never be a hero, so they just let him into General Education as a sort of pity move.” Another student, this one a girl with blue hair said. She was glaring at the purple haired student in front of them, the sight of who made Izuku’s heart skip a beat.

He was tempted to run away, but seeing the red headed boy start to grow some horns and the girl have liquid forming around her, he knew that this would turn ugly.

Just as the girl grabbed the purple haired boy by the collar, the other boy smirking at this, Izuku quickly rushed towards them. He let his tendrils out as he grabbed both of the students, pressing them against the walls.

The boy seemed to have two red horns peaking from his head now, but no other alteration. The girl had small balls of liquid around her, but again it didn’t seem to do any more than float around her. Deeming them a none threat at the moment, as they struggled slightly but didn’t cause him too much trouble, Izuku glared at them with so much venom that they quickly faltered in their effort to escape their invisible shackles.

Once he made sure they wouldn't be escaping his quirk's grip any time soon, Izuku looked back at his other soulmate, only to see that his cheek was slightly red and bruised, it looked like one of the students in front of him had punched him before Izuku made it to the scene. This caused Izuku’s emotions to skyrocket as the tendrils pressed harder against the students, making hand-like red mark appear on their exposed skin.

“I distinctly remember bullying to be an expulsion worthy offence in UA, so now pray tell why I find two students cornering another in the middle of the hallway, stupidly harassing them even though UA has a high-tech security system stationed throughout the school.”

At the mention of security cameras, both students stopped their newfound struggling as they paled. They seemed to have forgotten in their high and mightiness that they would most likely be taped by cameras in the hallways.

Feeling liquid starting to spill from his nose, Izuku brought them forward before slamming them hard against the wall, causing them to let out a pain filled yelp. Afterwards, letting them go, making them fall against the floor as he had pulled them up a few feet above the ground, which in hindsight might have been overkill but he was pissed and they should be happy they would be getting away with this with only some bruises. “I would recommend leaving before a teacher gets involved.”

The two students glared at Izuku, the girl snarling out a “How could you possibly defend a villain like him!?”

“What did he do to you to make him a villain?” Izuku responded, glaring right back.

This time the red hair student retorted, “He can control people with his quirk!”

From the corner of his eye, Izuku saw his purple haired soulmate cringe, snarling at the thought of their words hurting him, Izuku retorted back. “What does that have to do with your harassment, unless you tell me that he used his quirk to do anything illegal or harm another, this does not constitute hurting someone. Rather in my eyes, people like you who bully others due to preconceived prejudices are the true villains meant to be purged." 

The three students gaped at his words, but before anything else could be said, the air around them started to become colder. Izuku instinctively knew who exactly had caused this change in temperature. Turning to see his other soulmate walking towards them from the opposite hallway, Izuku felt his flight instincts kick in.

Swallowing down his building panic, Izuku took a step back as Todoroki walked towards them, stepping protectively in front of their purple haired soulmate.

Seeing his bruised cheek, ice started to thinly form around them as the two other students cowered into each other. “May I know who did this to my soulmate.” Stressing the soulmate part caused both students to gasp quietly, seeming to look between the red scar against both of the boy’s left eye. Izuku felt sadistic pleasure at the sight of their horror filled expressions at the find.

Before anything more could be done, "Toshi" took Shoto’s hand and squeezed it, causing the temperature to drop slightly. "It’s fine Sho, just let them go.”

The two other students took this as the cue to run away, tripping over their feet as they ran towards the exit. Izuku was about to also run as well, wanting to be as far away from this interaction as he could possibly get, but was stopped by the soulmate he had just saved walking up to him. “Thank you for standing up for me…and for your words.”

Blushing under his bandages, Izuku felt his throat constrict not allowing him to construct a reply. Nodding in acknowledgement, Izuku gave both boys a tense wave before walking towards the exit.

All he wanted to do after today was lay in bed and forget the day had even occurred.

Those thoughts didn't stop the butterflies that seemed to be making chaos inside of his stomach. Or the newfound warmth inside of his chest.

All Might had been bombarded after class by a few students, asking him questions about certain high-profile fights and other questions and comments. It wasn’t until he felt his internal time limit start to reach its end that he told the class as well as a few other students that have made their way towards him after their own classes that he was needed elsewhere and promptly ran towards an unoccupied staff only bathroom. There he proceeded to pop like a balloon back to his sickly-looking self, sighing as blood clogged his throat, trickling down his mouth.

He was horrified at the thought of what could have happened to Izuku after his fight, the only thing keeping him from canceling the rest of class and running towards the young teen was the thought of unexplained questions that would most likely plague him.

Hence, he had no choice but to go by what Todoroki said once he mad it back to class, that Izuku had looked fine, and that Recovery Girl was looking after his health.

Thankfully the following fights had not been as hectic, and many of them ended with minimal if no harm to the students.

Walking out of the bathroom, Toshinori walked towards Recovery Girl. He cared not for any questions that she would have about his presence, he needed to know that Izuku was doing okay.

It seemed another had the same idea. When Aizawa found out that Izuku had to be taken to Recovery girl with seemingly no external injuries but still bleeding and the inability to walk well, he couldn’t help the inner feeling that he had to make sure his newly dubbed ‘Problem child’ was okay. It was like a voice inside his head was forcing him to look more deeply towards the always bandaged boy, something that had never happened to him before.

The two teachers/heroes bumped into each other right in front of Recovery Girl, both surprised at the sight of the other. Aizawa could honestly say that the #1 hero’s secret had caught him by surprise, especially over the fact that he was looking for a seeming prodigy in their school while teaching. He had mixed feelings over the fact, especially since his teaching methods were anything but sound.

The hero had too much pull though, and both the school board and Nezu had given him the green light, so there was nothing that Aizawa could possibly do in this situation. It was well above his paygrade.

Toshinori was about to speak when the door slammed open, Recovery girl glaring at both of them as she impatiently tapped her foot. “Well are you going to come in or do you need an invitation?” She said almost venomously, both teachers looked slightly chastised as they made their way into the room, sitting in the visitor chairs in front of her desk.

“I have an idea of who you guys are here for, and while I am against the thought of breaking patient-doctor confidentiality, I believe that this case can be made into an exception. Especially since you will be his teachers for the following few years.”

Toshinori cringed at her wording while Aizawa looked completely perturbed if confused at the speech. Before either could say anything in response, Recovery girl took out a folder from within her desk. “I asked for an exception from Nezu to get records of Midoriya before they are required by the school. Thankfully there is a clause in the acceptance of attending UA that if there is any cause of concern for any student’s health while in attendance of the school, it is up to the school’s discretion to pull medical files of the students from their public records.”

Recovery girl pulled out what looked like a doctor’s report, an image of a brain was right next to them. “While looking into Midoriya’s past records, I discovered that he has a drawback to his quirk, one much more deadly than most. When activated, his quirk causes some neurological strain in order to use his telekinetic abilities. This can be attributed to using his neuron’s electrical and chemical signals to control his quirk, but that causes a sort of disruption to his body’s own signals causing some complications. The stress this causes the body makes the heart work faster due to some of the signals becoming skewed, in turn causing his blood pressure to increase exponentially which in turn results in nose bleeds. When I took Midoriya’s blood pressure, the numbers I got back would have caused any other person heart failure, though it seems that Midoriya’s quirk also made his body slightly more durable than the normal human body. This can be the reason why he is relatively okay, and why his body is able to mostly heal after some rest from using his quirk.”

Aizawa was frowning in thought at this sudden exposure, on the other hand All Might looked one step away from having a heart attack at the information. It was much, much worse than he first believed when reading Izuku’s medical report. While the doctor did slightly allude to his health problems, he didn’t go into as much detail as recovery girl.

“From what little I was able to see in the impromptu exam I did on him, Midoriya's organs are also strained due to the use of his quirk. I do not fully understand his quirk, as the only explanation that I was able to find about it was ‘a telekinetic type quirk that can move objects within a certain distance from the user’, what I do know though is that it is a miracle the boy has gone so long using it without either going into cardiac arrest, or having his body shut down on him from the sheer stress. This in turn caused me to believe that his body has another way to recover.”

Seemingly to be finished with her analysis, Recovery Girl gave a measuring stare to the two adults before her. Both looked perturbed, Aizawa had a furrow in his brow as he glared at the floor. Toshinori looked like a nervous mess, his hands fidgeting as he slightly bit his lip in worry.

“He should be pulled from the program.” Toshinori all but muttered out, suddenly looking serious as he looked towards Recovery girl and Aizawa for validation. Both sighed, shaking their heads.

This time it was Aizawa who spoke. “That is impossible, not only did he get first place in the Entrance exam, but he also has given us no reason to expel him.” Just as All Might was about to interrupt, most likely to say his health was a valid reason, Aizawa held his hand up. “The hero safety committee made it so that a law was passed giving heroes with quirks that have certain health related drawbacks to still be able to participate in hero society as long as their quirk didn’t cause permanent death towards the user right away. This was because of the increased numbers of heroes who’s quirks will cause mortal risks to regular people still be okay after using their quirks or they would become hurt but still remain alive.”

This time, Aizawa stared pointedly at Toshinori’s side, where the hero had informed some trusted teachers and faculty that he had been injured. “Without this law, heroes with quirks that could transfer injuries towards themselves, quirks that cause them bodily or mental harm, or heroes with health concerns from fights, would be unable to continue with their careers.”

The same law that had kept All Might able to continue with his hero work, is also the reason that Izuku could continue his studies into being a hero without worrying about being kicked out of the school due to his drawback. The reason he could continue with his path down self destruction without worry of being forcefully stopped.

Seeing the defeat in All Might’s face, Recovery Girl sighed as she walked towards him, patting him on the shoulder. “All we can do now is make sure that Midoriya-kun has all the support that he needs, if his quirk pushes him too far into the brink, I will be sure to talk to Nezu about any preventative actions that could be taken. You must understand All Might, if Izuku is taken out of UA, with his powers he will be looked for by others with less morality. If not villains, then those who exploit others for the benefit of the greater good.”

The knowledge of the Hero Safety Committee and their ways weighed on them like a heavy bag of bricks. While in the surface it looked like UA was in accordance with them, it was better to say they had a tentative alliance with slight fighting from both sides.

They knew that if UA gave up Izuku, the HSC would swoop in and take him with promises of making him a hero, while caring less over his condition. Izuku would be exploited to his death.

Knowing firsthand how much the boy wanted to be a hero, and having the knowledge that he had gone as far as the be a vigilante to try and make his need to save people come true, All Might knew there was virtually nothing he could do to help him but let him continue on his path with at least the support of UA and its staff by his side.

Gritting his teeth, Toshinori could do nothing but nod at his fellow staff as he stood from his seat and left the room. He had a lot of thinking to do.

Chapter Text

Izuku Midoriya was not a happy camper. He had barely managed to get up today, his head throbbing like some sort of sick reenactment of a hangover. He wondered if he should tell his aunt that he could in some way relate to her with said side effects, but the thought of bringing up his quirk in front of her put a halt to any amusement over the subject.

Instead, he decided that a fistful of the strongest painkillers he could get without a proper doctor’s prescription was the way to go. He then went through the usual daily routine of getting ready before taking the train to the school.

He was hoping, no rather he was praying that today would be an easy day. He had enough excitement the past two days to last a lifetime thank you very much. He was sure that one more overuse of his quirk and he would be off to nirvana. Hence, when he got off the train and managed to walk towards his school without much fanfare, he dared hope.

Said hope was squashed before it fully blossomed into being. He was suddenly bombarded by people from all sides. Reporters screamed at his face questions upon questions about All Might to the point that he could just feel his eardrum rupture. The only thing that kept him from truly losing his mind was the fact that they at least merely caged him in, not touching him in the slightest. Maybe they were afraid of the law that protected minors who were not licensed heroes from being badgered by reporters? Whatever it was, it kept them from being thrown back by Izuku’s quirk, and also kept Izuku out of jail.

Just as Izuku was planning a way to fend off the unwanted attention, one of the reporters seemed to have gotten a closer look at him. Eyes widening, he looked just like a hungry hyena looking at his first meal in months as he came uncomfortably closer to Izuku.

“Hey kid, aren’t you the first year who got the highest score in the UA entrance exam in history?”

This question seemed to have caught the attention of the other reporters around them. Soon Izuku was further caged in by even more reporters as he felt his patience starting to trickle down.

His head was starting to spin as more and more noises surrounded him. Cameras were flashing and microphones were pressed dangerously close to him, asking for a comment or an answer.

Izuku wasn't an attention seeker, quite the opposite really. He hated attention, hated being in crowds with attention focused solely on him as everyone hanged at his every word, analyzing him and trying to find his weakness. Trying to find the best way to break him all in pursuit for selling one more magazine. 

He didn’t notice a hand coming too close to grabbing him until he heard an undignified yelp behind him.

Looking back, he was met with the sight of both his soulmates, along with Uraraka, Bakugou and Kirishima all pushing away reporters and coming towards him. Before he knew it, he was surrounded once more, but this time he didn't feel suffocated like he had been before.

He took note of Todoroki letting go of the hand of one reporter, who had been gearing up to grab hold of Izuku. “I believe it is against the law to report on an un-consenting minor, much less try and physically touch them.” Todoroki said with a voice as cold as the quirk he possessed.

Toshi said nothing next to him, but his tall presence and the dead look in his eyes was more than enough to cause others to be put off by him. Before he knew it, he had both his soulmates on either side of him, his smaller structure making it possible for them to practically hide him between them. Hell, he was practically dwarfed by the two, as they were a bit more than a head taller than his short stature.

Izuku had never been so thankful for being so short, yet so horrified at the events happening around him.

Then, before he could get his thoughts in order, his head seemed to go on reboot mode as his soulmates grabbed one of his hands each, leading him towards the entrance of his school as his other classmates helped in keeping the hoard from coming too close to him. He heard a distinct, “Isn’t that Endeavor’s kid?” from behind him as they managed to pass through the gate without any more interruptions, the high security system stopping any of the reporters from being able to follow.

Izuku only managed to get his head back in working condition when his soulmates finally let go of his hands, a sense of longing taking their place as Izuku stared blankly at them, his face flushing heavily behind his bandages. Oh gods he had never been more thankful to have his face completely covered.

“Looks like we are even now.” The purple haired one said, a smirk making its way into his perfect face. “Oh, by the way, name’s Shinso Hitoshi.” He said almost as an afterthought, not knowing that his name caused literal shivers to go down Izuku’s spine. He finally knew his other soulmate’s name; he didn’t know whether to cry in joy or in agony.

Before he could say something that he would regret, their little moment was interrupted by Bakugou clearing his throat sarcastically. “Now that we are done with these unneeded introductions, let’s head to class you useless extras. I swear not being able to even bear with some stupid paparazzi…” The volatile blonde grumbled, his red eyes looking at Izuku with what he now could tell was fake anger in them.

“Don’t forget you lost to such a person, Baka-gou.” Uraraka said with a wicked smile, eyes shining as she took Todoroki’s place beside Izuku, wrapping her arm around his own arm with a smile.

Izuku didn’t mind her touch, didn’t hate it like many others that have tried to come close to him. Maybe it was the fact that she did so with no real meaning behind it, merely a sort of innocent form of camaraderie. She didn’t expect anything from the physical connection, it was just a show of her friendship.

He could admit that he liked it.

Izuku didn’t notice the burning looks form two certain males at the contact that Uraraka had made. Rather he allowed himself to be pulled along by her as she took hold of her own soulmate’s hand, bringing them both inside with a laugh as she ignored a yelling Bakugou behind them.

Said blonde was screaming profanities to any who would listen, shocked at the lack of respect the puny brunette had towards him. Only he could make degrading nicknames of others!!!

“Chill out Baka-gou, she does have a point.” Ashido couldn’t help but say, bringing down Bakugou’s wrath on herself as she also ran inside, barely managing to escape the explosions behind her.

Class 1A caught the attention of others at their show of rowdiness, many looking at them with a look of pure concern. Many upperclassmen could only hang their head and pray that this class wouldn’t birth a group as destructive as the Big Three.

Oh, if only they knew.

Just as Izuku thought the day would finally calm down, Aizawa deemed it time to bring a metaphorical bomb into the class.

“Class president?” Izuku mumbled, looking at the rest of his class as he stood in front of them, a classmate he had yet to fully meet, Yaoyarozu, standing right next to him. Though had had heard about her near perfect analysis during the hero class, something that had peaked his interest when Uraraka had mentioned it offhandedly. A fellow analyst, now if only he could find the courage to bring up conversation with her, that would be great.

Still, even if it brought him close to a fellow analytical mind, he wanted nothing more than to go back in time and kick Iida before he could even think of putting the choice up as a vote. Izuku though, couldn't find a good enough excuse except 'I don't want to' in order to escape this new burden brought on his shoulders. 

He hated attention, hated having eyes pointed towards him. He didn’t need validation, didn’t need acknowledgement for his actions. All he wanted was to make sure those he could reach were safe and nothing more. So why in the seven rings of hell was he chosen as the Class President?  

“You were able to beat two of the most powerful students in our year all by yourself. Sorry to tell you this, but we were all banking on your defeat.” Ashido-call-me-Mina said, a smile on her pink lips as her gold eyes surrounded by black stared excitingly at Izuku.

“She’s right you know, even Yaoyarouzu thought that you were a goner.” Kaminari-just-call-me-Denki added in, both answering Izuku when he questioned the group over the decision when lunch came around.

“I was sure you were dead when the cameras were frozen over.” Sero elaborated further, grinning at his other two soulmates. When Izuku found out they were traid soulmate bond, it was not wrong to say he felt a pang of jealousy. They were perfect together, seeming to just belong with one another. He wondered if things that been different…

Pushing the train of thought away, Izuku huffed as he pushed his food around. “That doesn’t prove anything.” He couldn’t help but mutter, causing Yaoyarouzu to perk up from her place beside Jiro, huh they really did have a lot of soulmates gathered in this class, he wondered if it was in some way done on purpose.

“That’s wrong, sorry if it comes off a rude, but by putting down your accomplishment, you are also looking down on the power of both of your classmates. Humbleness isn't just a slight against yourself, its also a slight against those that gave it their all against you.” This caused Bakugou to perk up, looking at Izuku with burning red eyes.

This admonishment caused Izuku to take note that almost half the class was gathered around him, not only that but they had to put together two tables in order to make room for all of them. What the actual hell.

“It takes a lot of planning, both before and during the fight, to have brought forth your victory. While I will agree that Bakugou and Todoroki don’t make the best of teams, not many of us in this class can confidently say they would be able to take even one of them in a fight, much less both together.” Iida further put his two cents in, giving Izuku a side-eye as he then took a bite of the meat in front of him.

Izuku wanted to do nothing more than groan, thankful that his soulmates had gone off to who knows were together rather than stick around and hear this mess, even if the fact that they weren’t here with him did cause a sharp sting of pain to hit his heart.

“Okay, okay I get it. It wasn’t as great as you all say, I did end up having to go to the infirmary you know.” Shit, Izuku needed to really keep his big mouth shut. The rest of the group seemed to be still at this as they all turned their eyes at him, inquisitive stares penetrating him.

“Why did you need to go to the infirmary anyway? I can never tell if you got hurt with all those bandages.” Denki voice, causing Mina and Sero to both slap him in the back of his head for his ‘lack of tack.’

It didn’t help though that most of his classmates had been thinking the same thing, even before Todoroki had frozen the cameras Izuku had not gotten hurt even once in his confrontation between him and the two others. He also didn’t seem to have more bandages other than the ones that he usually wore. It was hard to tell if he had even gotten hurt physically.

“Don’t go trying to get into other people’s business Pikachu, it doesn’t fucking concern you.” Bakugou suddenly yelled, angry eyes staring down Denki as the blonde slightly yelped and hid behind his two soulmates. Izuku felt gratitude towards Bakugou as he sent him a thankful look, which caused the temperamental boy to snort pointedly.

Seeming to catch on that said question was off limits, Uraraka managed to take the conversation in more friendly territory, making Izuku further cement the idea that she was secretly an angel, most specifically his guardian angel.

Sighing, Izuku let the lull of the conversation take his mind away from any more troublesome thoughts as he looked around at the students in the cafeteria.

That was, until the world exploded around him.

Sirens started blaring as alarm took hold of everyone around them. Students panicked as people started running around the place, hitting and pushing one another in an effort to escape.

Just as Izuku was thinking of leaving and finding out what was causing such a mess, he was grabbed by Iida.

“Midoriya, I need a favor from you. I can’t find Uraraka so I need you to use your quirk to levitate me above everyone. That way I can get everyone’s attention and stop this commotion.”

“Wait a moment four eyes he-“

“Okay.” Izuku interrupted Bakugou, who was standing right next to him along with Kirishima. The blonde looked at him with shocked eyes as Izuku nodded his head in determination. It was true that it would be far more dangerous to go and try to find out the situation outside. More so, it looked like Iida already had a plan.

“Idiot, what are you thinking?” Bakugou screamed out, outrage in his features as he grabbed Izuku’s shoulder angrily, the blonde was really smart, seeming to have figured out that overuse of his quirk caused him to become hurt. Kirishima looked confused towards the two, wondering what the problem could be as Izuku sighed.

Grabbing hold of Bakugou’s hand, which was a painful grip on his shoulder, offhandedly hoping that the grip didn't leave a mark from habit alone, Izuku smirked behind his bandages as he forcefully pushed his hand off. “It’ll take more than this.”

The other two had no idea what this meant, but Bakugou understood as he merely growled at Izuku, his glare venomous.

Taking a deep breath in, Izuku looked towards Iida with determination as he nodded. “Try to not move too much, I’ll try to get you as high as I can.”

Before Iida could respond, Izuku steeled himself as he manifested his quirk, two tendrils coming around him and grabbing hold of either side of the blue haired classmate before him.

Pushing more mental strength towards the tendrils, Izuku pushed away the pain in his head as he pulled Iida upwards, making him float above them. Knowing this was a bad idea, but being a master at choosing bad ideas, Izuku then pushed past his limit as he made Iida levitate above where most of the students were causing a commotion.

“Everyone! This is a false alarm! The security was triggered by reporters! Everyone calm down and remain in your place!” His yelling and the fact that he was levitating above their heads caused most of the students to stop at their tracks. So Iida had found out what had set off the alarms, Izuku was thankful that he had listened to Iida rather than ran off in vain by himself. 

“As future Heroes hold yourself with better dignity! Now everyone go back to your seats and await further instruction from our teachers!” As if magically manifested, the door was slammed open as Aizawa took one look at the floating Iida before sighing, looking to the world as if he was counting his last remains of sanity.

“This was a false alarm, the reporters managed to get into the school. Go back to your lunch.” With that dispassionate speech, Aizawa shot one last look at Iida, seeming to contemplate something, before shaking his head as if saying 'I don't want to deal with it', instead turning around and leaving.

The students all calmed down at that, many were dumbfounded at the news and more were feeling embarrassed at their overreaction.

Just as Izuku could feel his mind starting to go blank for the overexertion, Iida waved at him to finally let him down.

Trying his best to place Iida down as fast but as gently as he could, Izuku just barely let Iida’s feet touch the floor before his quirk could no longer hold its form. Tendrils going back to intangible forms, Izuku turned and walked away with as much steadiness as he could away from the group.

He didn’t know that just as others were going to follow after him in concern, Bakugou pushed them back and told them to leave him be. It was only later that he knew and would forever be thankful for the blonde’s continued help.

Instead, he walked further away, a destination not in mind other than to get as far away from the general populace as he could.

He didn’t know how he was still standing, didn’t know how his mind had still not gone black. All he knew was he had to keep walking, had to go farther away before they found out.

Suddenly he heard a gasp, looking up, he was met with the sight of his two soulmates standing in front of him in an empty clearing, what looked like a picnic blanket filled with an assortment of food behind them.

Oh, they were having a picnic.

How he wished he could join them.

That was the last thought that passed through his head before the whole world finally went black.

Chapter Text

Shoto could admit to himself that he wasn’t the best at expressing his emotions. To quote his beloved soulmate, he was ‘emotionally constipated and a total social dunce.’ The only person he really got along with was his soulmate and only his soulmate, Hitoshi.

He had a slight remembrance of happy smiles and easy laughs a long time ago. He could hear the voice of a child asking what he would like to do today, the shine of bright white with a hint of red that were both similar and a strange sight. The smiling face of a child that filled him with such love and warmth that it filled him with brilliant joy.

He didn't seem to remember the bandaged arms as much. Being pushed behind a slightly taller trembling form of a young teen in front of him. He didn't fully remember being hugged tightly against a warm chest as words of comfort filled his ears, promises of protection and love.

All he could remember was feeling warmth heat against his side, blue light flickering behind his eyelids as screams of delight erupted from him. Almost as if the happy memories took president over the bad ones.

The happiness didn't last, as coldness suddenly took over, the burning heat on his left eye the only warmth in the deep coldness that had taken over. His mother’s last words before she was taken away, promising him a better future as they were driven to a place away from heartbreak and sorrow.

His grandparents, unlike what their quirks would lead one to believe, didn’t lack any familial warmth. They took one look at the trembling Todoroki kids and opened their home to them. Shoto had always wondered what would have possibly possessed his mother to leave such a home for the sake of a man who only loved his ambition.

How she could leave it all behind for a man who wasn’t even her soulmate.

He could never ask though, because before they even made it inside the house, they were informed of the fact that their mother would not be able to be here with them. Without even consulting anyone over the fact, she had checked herself into a psychiatric facility, not even giving them the time to say their goodbye before she too was gone from their life.

Their father, or rather might as well call him Endeavour now that it showed that was everything he really cared about, had tried to get them back. The only thing that managed to stop him was the combined efforts of both Aizawa and Yamada along with many of the hero acquaintances they had.

Endeavour, while a high-ranking hero, had shot most of his comrades in the back in his pursuit for power. Hence, while the civilians admired him for his strength, most other heroes had less than good feelings for him. It did not help that his oldest son had seemingly gone missing and was practically pronounced dead some time ago under mysterious consequences. Bring in the less than ideal state Shoto had been found in, and he had no leg left to stand on.

This in turn made him begrudgingly give up his fight for custody before it even began. It was the first night Shoto was able to sleep without fatigue crashing into him, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought that he no longer would have to mar the precious skin of his soulmate due to the bruises Endeavour would give him during his pseudo training sessions. 

The first true betrayal he ever faced was when his 18-year-old sister decided to abandon the new family they had made and return to the man that had ruined everything.

That day he had run all the way to his soulmate’s home and stormed inside, crying into his most beloved’s arms as he cried and cried, wondering why it was that everyone he always loved left him.

Then, as time trickled down and he could feel fatigue start to fill him, he became aware of the arms holding him close, the soft humming above him as gentle fingers caressed his hair. It was then that he knew, for certain this time, that his soulmate would be the one person who would always be there for him.

It didn’t matter who left him, if he had Hitoshi by his side, it was all that he needed.

That might have been the true beginning to his coldness, his lack of interest in anything and anyone that didn’t have anything to do with his soulmate.

It was the reason he didn’t care even when his brother decided that he would rather move into the dorms instead of staying in the once more broken home.

The reason he was able pull through even as he sat through his grandfather’s funeral.

The reason he didn’t mind that his grandmother no longer held his hand close or gave him the gentle smile she had rewarded him with the first time they had met. Instead being a husk of her former self. He didn't begrudge her for it though, he would react the same way if his soulmate left him. Rather, he looked up to her strength to keep going even after the loss.

It was the reason he could live through the once more cold home as he lived his days merely studying and spending what time he could with Hitoshi.

His heart would only melt for Hitoshi, he felt nothing unless it pertained to his soulmate.

So why then, did the sight of a certain green haired teen’s crumpled form, blood dripping from his mouth and nose, cause him such anguish.

Why was it that when he saw Midoriya almost fall, he went forward and caught him? Why was he able to touch someone else that wasn’t his soulmate? The act alone with anyone else had caused his skin to prickle and nausea to form.

Shoto could not make sense of any of these feelings, not the warmth he never thought he would be able to experience from another person’s body, not the deep anger that he had felt when that person had been grabbed on by someone that wasn’t him, not the regret that he had felt when he wasn’t able to invite him to join them in their impromptu picnic. At the loss he felt when they weren't with him, when they weren't placed between him and his other loved one. 

Just as he was trying to push all these thoughts away, write them off as delusions, he was met once more with the sight of the boy who now took half of his thoughts.

Hitoshi and he were just about to leave their picnic, wondering about the alarm that had turned on only to be promptly shut off once more. There had been no announcements, so they had believed it to have been turned on by accident, hence they were in no hurry to leave just yet.

They were not prepared for the sight of Midoriya walking in their directions, his steps unsteady as something seemed to drip down from his face.

Standing up, Shoto was able to see the sight of red liquid as green eyes met his own.

Midoriya’s eyes were a beautiful emerald green, even while unfocused they shined like the brightest of stars.

He couldn’t help but think such thoughts as the emeralds closed, the boy falling over and landing on the ground just as both Shoto and Hitoshi were running to try and catch him in vain.

Making their way to him quickly, they were able to see exactly what his condition was like, and it caused something inside of Shoto to break.

His face was covered by bandages like always, their dark color making it difficult to see his true state but judging from the dripping blood from his mouth and nose areas, Shoto knew that his condition wasn’t anything good.

Hitoshi grabbed hold of Izuku’s head, hugging it close to himself as he looked down at the shorter male with a pained look on his face.

Shoto had a feeling that maybe he shouldn’t like the fact that his soulmate was holding someone else close, and if it was anybody else, he would have forced Hitoshi to let go their physical state be damned, but the fact that it was Midoriya changed all of that, he just didn’t know why that was.

Just as he was contemplating this fact, mindlessly brushing at the hair that had fallen in front of the other teen’s face, he didn’t notice he was about to uncover the other’s left eye which was covered by most of the teen's long hair, before he felt a hand clasp against his own.

Izuku felt danger fill him as his hair was brushed further and further aside. Just as his left side was about to be uncovered, he instinctively grabbed hold of the hand even when he knew that his bandages still covered that side, opening his eyes weakly as he made sense of the situation. He was lying on someone’s lap, their body heat comforting him as his blurry eyesight just barely made sense of white, red and purple. He groaned, feeling his head pounding more than ever before as he clutched at his head.

He had never before felt such pounding pain before, must be the continuous use of his quirk the last few days without any respite. This the the most he had ever used his quirk, and the most he had ever pushed his limits, even while being a vigilante. Izuku bit back a groan as he nestled himself closer to the heat above him, not being conscious enough to understand exactly what he was doing.

He felt the light touch of someone caressing his head but didn’t fully compute the cool hand he was holding gentle moved towards his forehead. The coolness relieved some of his pain as Izuku couldn’t help the soft mewl that left his mouth, clutching at the cool hand as he held it close, wanting to feel more relief as he sighed.

Without even knowing what was happening around him, Izuku let go of his consciousness once more as he gave up on any thought of awareness. The feeling of safety letting him show vulnerability as he once more found respite in the land of darkness.

“So, what do we do now?” Hitoshi asked, knowing his face was redder than a tomato now as he felt Midoriya’s hair under his fingertips, not noticing that he hadn’t stopped stroking the soft green strands.

He looked towards his soulmate, whose hand was currently being clutched by the green haired boy, as he stared dumbstruck at the boy who had seemingly fallen back asleep, his face equally as red.

Histoshi had a feeling that he should be feeling a form of jealousy at the moment, but all that he could really think was what an adorable sound the boy in his lap that released. He didn’t know where these feelings came from, rather all he knew was he didn’t really feel the need to stop his soulmate from touching the green-haired boy, rather he would rather all three of them stayed in their position for as long as possible.

He didn’t know what it meant to be feeling this, but he was aware enough to know that it was unprecedented.

People with interlocked souls were known for their possessiveness, they saw each other as part of themselves, and many times saw the other as a treasure, reason why many died with the other. It was rare for soulmates to end up with someone that wasn’t their bonded, usually because they could not bear the sight of their other half being with anyone but themselves. This was especially true with soulmates that were as interconnected as Shoto and Hitoshi.

Hell, before this the duo had never let anyone even so much as glance at the other the wrong way. They were extremely possessive over the other and had many times brought destruction to any who tried to get between them.

So then why…

Why was this case so different.

Begrudgingly, knowing that it was detrimental to Izuku’s health to remain unchecked in his current state, the two high schoolers finally agreed that Izuku should be taken to the nurse office. With that thought, Hitoshi grabbed hold of the smaller teen and carried him in his arms towards the nurse, Shoto next to him.

He was surprised by the lack of weight that the smaller boy had, especially seeing as that while Hitoshi was training his body to compensate for his non-combat quirk, he wasn’t exactly overly strong per say.

The thought of wanting to feed Midoriya until he was bloated made its way to his mind, only for him to shake it out of existence. What in the hell was going on with his head recently.

The duo made it into the nurse office without much fanfare, thankfully most students were still in class and didn’t cause any commotion at the sight of them carrying a sleeping student down the halls. Though, while they were given curious looks from some students that were passing by, it wasn’t completely uncommon in a school centered around hero training to get injured during practice.

As they entered, they walked in on Recovery Girl and, much to their surprise, a skeletal man with blonde hair talking. Hitoshi had never seen the blonde adult before, but thought nothing much as he gently placed the sleeping Midoriya on the bed, half listening to Shoto explaining the situation.

“-he was bleeding from his nose and mouth area, so he might have used his quirk again recently. He fainted before we could ask, so we brought him in order to make sure that he was okay.”

Hitoshi didn’t sense someone making their way over to him until a shadow appeared on the other side of the sleeping Midoriya. Looking up, he was me with saddened blue eyes as the skeletal blond man looked down at the sleeping teen, looking almost as if he was about to cry.

Just as the man was going to place a thin hand atop the sleeping teen’s uncovered hand, Hitoshi didn’t know what overcame him when he blocked the man’s attempt to touch Midoriya, a glare forming on his eyes as he covered Midoriya with his own hand.

It wasn’t until shocked blue eyes stared into his own that Hitoshi finally realized what he had done. Blushing, he quickly took his hand back as he bowed his head slightly in apology. “Sorry about that.” He mumbled, feeling incredibly awkward over his unwarranted actions.

The man before his merely smiled gently, the sadness still not leaving his eyes, but his smile was completely genuine. “Its quite alright, this young man is a sort of pupil of mine, thank you for being such a good friend to him.”

Hitoshi stared at the man mildly perplexed, wondering how a man who looked like the wind could blow him away be able to teach someone else about Hero work. He had also never seen this man in any hero magazines, even the more discrete ones. 

The man seemed to understand the thoughts Hitoshi was having about him, as his sadness was slightly covered by mild amusement.

Before Hitoshi could question the man further, Recovery Girl seemed to have gotten what she needed form Shoto. “You youngsters better make it back to class, I’ll be sure to take of Midoriya-kun.”

Feeling reluctant to leave, but knowing he had no choice on the matter from the tone that Recovery Girl had taken, Hitoshi could do nothing more than give one last longing look towards the sleeping teen before walking towards his soulmate, both holding hands as they left the infirmary, feeling a sense of loss as they walked away.

“I swear this young man is going to be a pain just as you were Toshinori.” Recovery girl mumbled, looking at the younger teen with a huff as she walked towards the sleeping greenette. Taking note of his condition, she couldn’t help but sigh in relief when she saw that his condition was thankfully not critical, still she would need to put him on IV to make sure that he can regain the fluids he had lost.

Mumbling about idiot heroes and their students, Recovery Girl proceeded to busy herself to get everything ready as Toshinori merely stared down at the teen, heartache filling him as the sight of familiar blood on slightly uncovered lips made something within him break.

He wondered if this was what his old teacher felt, when he had seen him coming back from one fight after another after his injury, bleeding from the mouth as coughs racked his form. He wondered if this was the reason Gran Torino had pleaded with him again and again to find a successor, to give up being a hero and finally rest.

He wondered if this was the reason his teacher could no longer look at him, why his visits had slowly declined over the years until he never saw him again.

He wondered if he already knew what he had been putting his teacher through, but had feigned ignorance in order to protect his own selfish actions.

Suddenly, he saw clear liquid starting to fall onto the pale hand under him, shock filled him as he touched his cheeks, meeting the liquid slowly falling from his eyes as his form started to tremble. He wanted nothing more than to punch his stupid younger self, wanted nothing more than to apologize to the people around him for the hurt he had caused them as he selfishly put his own ideals above their concern.

He wondered if this is what Karma felt like.

Chapter Text

Izuku woke up feeling as if he had just been resurrected from death, his headache throbbing against his head in an unforgiving rhythm as the world around him blurred in his eyes, causing it to be to be hard for him to make sense of anything in front of him. For the first time the bandages covering him felt tight and suffocating to his oversensitive nerves. The room was too bright, too white as the sight caused pain to his eyesight forcing him to keep his eyes closed until he was able to acclimate to the brightness.

He groaned, pressing his palm hard against his thankfully still bandaged forehead as he tried to slowly count from 1 to 10; trying to get his thoughts back in order. He wished to do nothing more than lay back down and close his eyes, leaving the world once more as he tried to ignore the incoming regret and shame that would hit him once he was fully sober.

He didn’t even acknowledge the feeling of loss, the wish that he was still in the presence of those who he had always secretly coveted. He tried to push away the sorrow at the fact that they had left him alone. That they didn’t decide to stay.

No, stop. This was not the time. There was no use for such notions.

It seemed like he couldn’t run from his problems for much longer though, as a large but gentle hand was placed on his shoulder causing Izuku to jump at the unknown contact. He instinctively knew that this hand didn’t come from the soulmates he had just been wishing for. It was far too large, far too thin even with the strength that it held. Looking to his left, where the hand originated from, he was met with the sad blue eyes of one Yagi Toshinori.

Questions painfully obvious on his face, Izuku tilted his head as he tried to make sense of the image of what he slowly saw as the one good adult in his life sitting next to his bed. His mind couldn’t exactly compute why it was that he was seeing Toshinori on his bedside, especially as he was more than positive that he was currently in U.A.’s infirmary. Izuku wondered for a frightening second if he had accidentally called the man when he was not fully conscious of his actions, reason why the man had come to him.

Toshinori smiled, looking at Izuku with a gentle gaze as he gently patted his shoulder, as if afraid of putting too much strength behind his pats. He answered Izuku’s questioning look promptly, not leaving him guessing for too long, for which Izuku was grateful, he didn’t think he could survive from the anxiety that he had unconsciously burdened the man more than he already had in the past.

“I forgot to mention I’m what you could call an on-call substitute staff in U.A.” Toshinori said with a laugh in his voice, smiling sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with his free hand.

Izuku was stunned at the thought of the man that had helped him so much was also stationed in the school of his dreams. He now understood why the man was so excited at the fact that Izuku had divulged that he wanted to attend U.A.

While he felt a bit apprehensive over having Toshinori near him for much longer than before, especially since he wanted to spare the man from having to see his penchant towards self-destructive tendencies, he couldn’t say that he was fully against the notion of being able to indulge in his presence for longer that he could in the past.

Due to school and his lack of energy remaining after having to use his quirk in a higher capacity than what he was used to, Izuku hadn’t been able to visit their meeting point in the beach recently. He had missed the man, the last time he had seen him was the disastrous meeting after he had overused his quirk to meet Bakugou.

He would deny it, but the main reason he hadn’t met the man was that he had been ashamed at his response towards his question. He had felt like he was showing weakness in having answered that he had nobody that held him in a high regard, that he had nobody that cared. It had felt as if he split open his chest, leaving his heart bare towards the man, burdening him with Izuku’s own faults.

Ever since then, even if not fully conscious over the action, Izuku had refrained from even walking near the beach to save himself from being more vulnerable towards the man. From sharing further and in some way revealing all that Izuku had done, all the wrong that he had caused and all the pain that he had brought upon the only people who ever cared for him.

The fact that he didn’t really deserve to be a hero, even though he stubbornly carried on.

Just as he felt his thoughts starting to spiral out of his control, he was broken out of it by Toshinori’s next words.

“Now my boy, why is it that you are currently in the infirmary room, not waking up until today’s last period.” Izuku’s eyes snapped open in shock at the revelation, not having thought that he would be indisposed for so long. Though another part of him was thankful that he hadn’t gone comatose for longer. His backlash really was slowly lessening, maybe instead of trying to keep himself from pushing his limits so much, he should try to push it farther sooner to quicken his recovery time?

Izuku secretly believed that Toshinori had some sort of mind reading quirk, how else would he have known what thoughts were going on inside Izuku’s head.

“You better not make this a habit, my boy. I will be sure to stop by Chiyo-san more often to make sure that you don’t visit her too often due to quirk overuse.” After thinking for a moment, Toshinori’s eyes then narrowed threateningly as he gazed sternly into Izuku’s own emerald orbs, causing a shiver go down Izuku’s spine.

“If I also find out you still overused your quirk and decided to skip going to Recovery Girl in order not to be found out, I will be talking with both Aizawa and All Might to see if we could put consequences for doing so.” This caused Izuku to wilt, feeling thoroughly reprimanded. The nagging didn’t annoy him though, rather it caused warmth to bloom in his chest as his heart started to beat faster in happiness.

It almost reminded his own mother’s nagging, as she tutted unhappily at his small bruises and scratches from his mischievous childhood era. How she had threatened him with less computer time if she caught him trying to jump off his cabinet to see if he had gained a flying quirk. How, even when she looked angry towards him, it wasn’t anger filled with vexation, rather it was a concerned sort of irritation.

It was anger borne from love.

Images of a different anger, one more volatile as it beat into Izuku’s heart, causing pain to coarse through his system as venomous words reprimanded him for the tragedy that had been all his fault.

This was anger born from pure hate.

Izuku looked into the bright sky-blue eyes in front of him and saw no such hatred, rather he instead was met with gentleness and concern. He was met with actual tenderness. Toshinori hesitated for a second, seeming to think over the action he was about to partake in, before gently enveloping the smaller boy in a hug, projecting his movements in slow motion as to give Izuku enough time to deny the contact. 

Thoughts screeching to a halt, Izuku’s eyes widened as he felt the warmth slowly start to envelope him from the thin yet strong arms holding him close, not even thinking about dodging the arms of the man before him. He could feel the soft beating of a heartbeat from the chest against the side of his head, the continuous rhythm making him relax as he finally let himself indulge in the first embrace he had received since his tender years. 

Izuku closed his eyes and allowed himself the respite.

Izuku buried himself into the thin yet strong form of Toshinori, feeling like the man’s taller body was a pillar there to support his own completely exhausted body. Izuku couldn’t even bother to try and listen to the voice in his head that warned against relying so readily on the other man, a man he had known not even 2 years. His damaged soul was far too hurt and tired to even try to continue building up walls against the man, against the one person who could hug Izuku with such warmth, who could look at him and see something that was worth protecting.

Izuku didn’t even know he had started to cry, not until Toshinori released him from the impromptu display of affection and gently rubbed the tears from the sides of his eyes. Izuku blushed brightly, thankful that the bandages caught the tears and soaked them up, the only signs of his show of weakness the bright teary red eyes and the stray tears clinging to dark green eyelashes.

“Remember my boy, the staff in U.A are here to support and help you in any way we can. We will not stop you from trying to achieve your dream; but if you continue to push yourself as bad as you have done so far, you will not be able to save yourself, much less anyone else.” This struck a chord inside of Izuku, the words ringing inside his head as he stared back at Toshinori, who looked equally as pained by his own words. It was as if he was not only saying this to Izuku, but himself as well.

“The only way you will be able to save others in need, is to live long enough to find them.”

A shiver ran down Izuku’s spine, the images of the numerous people he had met during his short-lived patrol. Their cries for help and their wish for someone, anyone, to be there to rescue them.

If Izuku had given up, had followed his parents if not for his mother’s will beating down on his conscious, would those people have followed him in death without him knowing. Was he preventing the rescue of others, due to his own selfishness to see the finish line faster.

He had a feeling that if fate and destiny had a human face, they would be grinning down at him, laughing at his thoughts in amusement.

Still, this didn’t stop the hope that started to build up inside of him. The newfound wish that he was actually needed.

Izuku didn’t even try to stop the fresh new tears falling from his eyes as he once more leaned into Toshinori’s form, burying his head into his chest as his shoulders shook from his silent sobs.

Something close to understanding formed between the two. Toshinori only hoped that this would be enough.

It had to be enough.

The following day found Izuku standing in front of his class, for once looking confident in the attention being paid to him as he squared his shoulder in determination.

He had done a lot of thinking after the emotional day yesterday, tossing and turning as he reviewed the day’s finding in his head and thought of how he should proceed.

The answer shined in his head like a bright beacon, bringing him resolution and understanding. Izuku knew that he needed to be better, knew that if he ever wanted to be stronger and more useful, he had to learn to not fall under the pressure of leadership.

He couldn’t do so just yet though, he was still not strong enough to fight off those demons, those thoughts that laughed into his ear that he would get everyone around him killed.

Hence, the choice under such circumstances was obvious.

“I apologize but I cannot accept the position of Class President.” Just as the rest of the students were gearing up to argue, Bakugou looking ready to practically explode at Izuku, the other boy raised his hand in a sign to remain silent. He wasn’t finished yet.

“While I understand the reasoning behind most of your decisions in choosing me, and I am always going to be grateful for your belief in me” no he really wasn’t, rather he would hope they never do something like this again, but niceties weren’t always truthful, “I am in the belief that battle analytics and tactics aren’t everything that is important in a leader. Rather, I think that a leader is someone who can think on the spot, someone who can rally others behind them and isn’t afraid to speak out or is too egoistical to not know when they are wrong. A leader is empathetic to those under them, they can talk with others and form trust and support, someone who is able to use everyone’s skills to reach a resolution. Someone who can see not only their strengths, but their faults as well.”

Izuku didn’t comment that all he saw within himself was fault after fault, barely anything that he would categorize as a strength. He was still socially adept enough to know such words would open a can of worms he would rather not share out loud.

“For this reason I would like to nominate Iida, and if everyone believes my judgement well enough to vote me into Class President status, I hope that you believe in me enough to know that my nomination is correct.”

The class stayed silent for a moment, as if trying to digest all of what he had said, before Kaminari blessedly shrugged, breaking the frightening stillness that had taken hold of them. “I agree with Iida being a Class President type student, the man is practically the embodiment of the Honor Student stereotype.”

The tension was broken as the rest of the class started to laugh at that. Izuku let out a sigh of relief as more people started to agree with the ideas.

“He did stop the whole cafeteria from becoming a danger zone, man literary floated up above our heads like a Messiah bringing down god’s testament.” Mina added in, snorting at the last part as Sero started laughing at her nickname.

“A Messiah as Class President, that has a good ring to it.” Uraraka snorted good naturedly, winking at Izuku when he shot her a grateful look. 

Soon the whole class was in agreement, and a flustered Iida was soon placed in front of the class, right next to a now standing Momo. He gratefully accepted his position, about to start off on a, what Izuku instinctively knew was an inauguration speech, but was quickly shot down by Aizawa. This caused much disappointment; the class had quickly warmed up to the teen’s dramatic if amusing spiels.

“Well, now that we are done with this farce, let’s get back into more important topics.” At that he glared towards the two still standing student, eyes shining a faint red. Both Momo and Iida didn’t need further prompting as they quickly made their way back into their seats, with Iida shooting Izuku a grateful smile. Izuku gave him a thumbs up, his eyes crinkling from his own smile as he settled into his seat, more relaxed than he had been since the unwanted appointment.

Well, that was one crisis averted.

He didn’t notice two colored eyes staring in contemplation towards him, doubt and wonder in their gaze as they continued to sneak glances at him for the rest of the class period, much to the greenette’s obliviousness.

As homeroom continued, Aizawa decided that today was ripe enough to continue keeping them on their toes by announcing yet another big event. Izuku severely wished that Aizawa would make things easier for their mental stability and make all the announcements necessary all at once.

Once happy enough to see the shocked faces of class, Aizawa released them to their following classes as the students quickly came out of their shock, excitement taking its place.

“I can’t believe we are going to be traveling for a Rescue exercise, have you guys ever heard of the USJ?” Uraraka asked their group while they were at lunch, a smile on her lips as she leaned against Asui in a show of intimacy. Izuku had started to notice more and more that the brown-haired girl was one that didn’t shy away from intimacy.

The fact would have made him weary before, as he was never one for physical contact. Though, after getting to know her and her quirks, he had come to look forward to her small show of friendly affection.

Everyone gave their denial, which wasn’t surprising. While a lot of things in UA were made public in order to promote the school, Hero training buildings were usually kept in a need-to-know basis. Safety was a big concern in Hero schools, especially against villains who would love to do nothing more than get rid of future adversaries before they fully blossomed their potential.

Their table was once more filled with students, the amount starting to gain the attention of the rest of the students in the cafeteria. Especially since they have now made it a habit to join two tables together causing the others to look towards their large group in amusement.

Uraraka had once more taken a seat on one of Izuku’s side, sitting on his right with Asui next to her. Though now, instead of Kirishima sitting on his left, the red-haired teen had instead strong armed Bakugou to sit on Izuku’s other side, a glint in his eyes as he smiled toothily at his growling soulmate. He then promptly took his place next to Bakugou, looking quite pleased with himself.

Izuku would have been perplexed at the act, not understanding why it was everyone was looking at the two in great amusement, but instead he was almost shaking in pure panic at the sight in front of him. Sitting nonchalantly, looking as if all was right in the world, were both Todoroki and Shinsou?

What the hell was going on? Izuku had been deathly still ever since the two had taken their seats at their table, acting as if all was right and natural as Hitoshi gave Izuku a small wave with a whisper of a smile on his lips.

Todoroki was a bit cooler in his greeting, face emotionless as always as he gave him a small nod in acknowledgement.

It took all his self-control not to choke on his drink when they had taken a seat in the table, having thought that they would go off on their own as they had always done.

He tried to deny the warmth and excitement at the sight of them sitting with him.

“So, Mr. Class President, always wanted to ask. Why is it that you want to be a Hero?” Kaminari asked, his teasing tone fond as he leaned onto Mina. Sero grinning at his soulmate’s question, leaning into Mina’s other side.

The girl in question only smiled in exasperation at her boys’ act, shaking her head but otherwise allowing them to continue to press themselves against her.

It was painful looking at their interactions, so Izuku always tried to not look in their direction, else he was afraid of the look he would most likely have in his eyes. He also wanted to spare himself further suffering.

“Well, I come from a family of heroes. My parents were well-known heroes, but due to some unfortunate circumstances they had to retire earlier than they wanted to. They had made it their life mission to help others through different means, but their heroic stories lit a fire within both my brother and me. I just hope that one day, I will be able to live up to their legacy.”

Izuku tilted his head, now understanding why Iida was uptight at the best of times. He was someone who grew up always knowing that he wanted to be a hero, pushed forward by the support of his family. Izuku couldn’t help but feel a deep pit of envy at the fact but pushed it away with disgust. Iida was his friend, or well he hoped the other boy would see him as such. He should never envy a friend’s good fortune; he wouldn’t allow himself to go down that road.

“Cool! We’re in the same boat, though my mom is the only hero in the family. Dad’s a huuuuge tech nerd, he’s a support agent in mom’s Hero Agency.” Kaminari grinned at Iida, who in turn gave the boy a thumbs up.

“Isn’t your dad the hero Endeavour Todoroki? Damn, there is a lot of hero kids in this class.” Sero asked with a grin, voice filled with enthusiasm.

The temperature seemed to drop at that moment, and Izuku distinctively remembered what his first mark had been. A burn mark.

The writing that followed was one that gave insight at a not so happy family home, and Izuku was also aware that Endeavour was rarely if ever seen with his kids, hell the man never even mentioned them in recent times. The thought of what that might entail made him sick to his stomach.

“What made you want to be a hero, Momo-san?” Izuku butted in, taking away the attention from Todoroki and bringing in the Deputy Class President. She gave him a gentle smile, one of Jiro’s earphone jacks adorably wrapped around her upper right arm.

“When I was younger, I was kidnapped by some less than savory group in order to make my parents pay them ransom in order to get me back. At that time my parent’s business was facing troubled time, and they couldn’t get all the money asked for. A hero was able to save me before the group were able to do more harm; ever since then I wanted to be a hero too.”

The table was quiet at the response, Jiro leaned in closer to her soulmate as the mature girl smiled. “It happened a long time ago, so no need to be too tense about such things. I promised myself since that day that I will study hard and be strong enough to help anyone ever in such dire situations, just like someone had saved me at that time.”

As if looking to lessen the suddenly tense atmosphere, Yaoyorozu turned to Bakugou, looking at him with a glint in her eyes. “Well then Mr. Future Number One, what is your reason to be a hero?” Bakugou grinned at this, a fire burning in his eyes.

“That’s easy, I’m the best and will always be the best. I’m going to be the #1 Hero one day and will have everyone know that I really am at the top.” The class cringed at this, Asui looking at Bakugou in thought whilst tapping her chin.

“Welp, I saw that answer a mile away.” Izuku couldn’t help but mutter out sarcastically, though his eyes shone with a smile as he glanced at the blonde. He quite liked Bakugou’s response, while it might have seemed like it was more selfish in design, it was still filled with much conviction and promise. Izuku liked that about Bakugou, the feeling of unapologetic self-assurance which Izuku wished he could mimic.

“Well then Nerd,” Bekugou had started calling him that after Izuku had mentioned to the group about the quirk analysis he liked to do in his free time, “Why do you want to be a hero?” He said with an aggressive tone, a smirk on his lips though there was a curious light in his bright red eyes.

Izuku stilled at the question, something inside of him withering as he felt his palms start to get sweaty.

“I want to protect the bonds that others have.” The answer made its way out of his mouth before he could fully stop them.

This got everyone’s attention, looking towards Izuku’s direction with confusion. Thankfully though, before he was asked to explain his answer, the bell rang, lunch ending for the day.

That quickly made many sitting at the table try and shove the last remains of lunch they had left; many having ignored their meal due to the conversation. Kaminari shoved one too many Takoyaki in his mouth, causing him to choke as Mina quickly hit him in the back, Sero sighing and complaining about the blonde’s idiotness.

Throwing away his leftovers, Izuku didn’t even notice the smile that slipped on his face when Uraraka walked by his side, Asui next to her, with Iida talking animatedly at all that they had found out about their schoolmates.

He didn’t even question the feeling of belonging that encompassed him as he happily nodded along with Iida’s excited spiel, hand waving up and down to show his joy.

He let himself have this moment. Let himself indulge in the sense of friendship and community that was starting to build around him.

He tried to push away the question of how long it would last.

Chapter Text

The early morning sun beat down on them as the students of Class 1-A gathered around in front of one of many side entrances within the UA campus. While USJ is far from the main building that houses most of the classes, it is technically still part of UA. Sometimes, Izuku wondered how big U.A really was, though he was also afraid to actually find out the answer.

Some things were better left unknown.

Though while USJ could be considered part of U.A., it was built as an “off-campus” ground, hence they had to take a bus to get there. Izuku had a feeling there were many bus rides in his future, U.A. had a weird fascination towards throwing money at architecture and making it their life’s mission to make every training exercise “plus ultra”.

Shaking his head to dislodge the weird direction his thoughts had taken, Izuku looked around at the rest of the class gushing about being able to travel to a “field trip” so early on and “do real hero work”. Izuku understood their excitement, he also couldn’t wait to be able to participate in actual hero work, even though he technically did those things while being a vigilante. Something about having all of this sanctioned and overlooked by actual pro-heroes made it all the more intense.

It made it feel like he was truly moving forward in his quest to become a true hero.

Izuku checked his bandages, he then made sure he had more bandages stored away in his many pockets and the ever-present bottle of pills. He also asked for a bit more wires from the support department, you never knew when you needed some extra-strength wires, he certainly made use of comparable material during his short time as a vigilante.

“Mido-kun!” Izuku turned towards the person calling him, slightly surprised by the use of a nickname. He was met with the sight of a smiling Uraraka, her right hand waving towards him as her left hand held Tsuyu’s hand. Knowing he was blushing but having it thankfully hidden by his bandages, Izuku smiled as he waved back at Uraraka, walking towards her.

“Hey Uraraka, I’m happy to see that the support department made the changes you wanted.” Izuku said happily, giving her and then Asui a quick once over.

Uraraka’s new hero costume was a bit more battle ready, though built more for speed than hard-hitting. It fit her wish to be a rescue hero more so than a fighting-oriented hero. They changed her high heeled boots (to which Izuku thanked whatever deity answered the call) to combat boots that were pink, hence they still fit the color scheme. Though the combat boots were better suited for all sorts of terrain that she would have to traverse for her rescues. Instead of just wearing spandex, there was a padded vest covering her chest and a bit of her stomach. She also had metal-like guards on her thighs, shins, and arms bands per Izuku’s recommendation to add a bit of protection, with the support department being able to find the least heavy material while still retaining durability. She also added a utility belt on her outfit, ready to carry medical supplies that would be useful when rescuing civilians and hurt heroes alike. 

Her outfit still had a space-theme to it, but it looked more battle ready than the playing hero get-up she had originally, for that Izuku was thankful. He had seen many heroes fall victim to being defeated by a well-placed stab or hit in an unprotected part of their costume, many caring more about their look rather than their safety. They paid heavily for that overconfidence.

Asui made less changes to her costume, her being a hero that will more likely than not need to be water-based making her need for a more spandex-like hero costume understandable. Though he did get her to agree to adding a little more padding on her chest as well as arms guards in case she ever needed to block an attack. He also recommended her to add a bit of webbing to her shoes to let her swim better, which she did.

Overall Izuku was happy to see his dear friends were more protected. Looking over to both Kirishima and Bakugou, Izuku cringed but tried not to think about it too much. Something told him trying to convince either of the two “macho men” against exposing their whole fucking chest was going to be a lost cause. They hopefully knew what they were doing, if not then hopefully Izuku would be around with his ever-surplus number of bandages.

At least Bakugou had metal knees and arm guards, Izuku tried to comfort himself.

“Okay fellow classmates, I have made a chart with the order in which we will be sitting in the bus. It will be based on class numbers.” Iida said, waving what Izuku knew was a meticulously sketched seating chart in his hands.

Izuku watched in amusement as he saw Iida try to corral a class of hyped and chaotic hero-to-be teenagers. “I’m happy Iida was able to be class president, he really fits the role.” He comments to the two girls next to him.

His two friends nod in acknowledgement, though he misses the concerned look Uraraka sends over to him, too caught up in the act of watching Iida yell towards his classmates to make two straight lines, Momo trying to be helpful but seeming to be mostly happy letting Iida continue with his actions.

Just as the class was entering the bus, Izuku couldn’t contain the abrupt laugh that left him at Iida’s shocked and distraught face, gazing upon the bus’s open floor layout.

Poor Iida, Izuku thought as he tried to contain the laughter behind his hand, some of the others in the class doing the same except Kaminari, who saw no problem laughing his ass off on the side of the bus at Iida’s slowly depressing form.

Once they had settled in the bus seats, with Izuku finding himself sitting next to one Shoto Todoroki and wishing that the floors would come up and eat him whole, the class was happily chatting with one another, Iida sitting on the other corner of the bus and still pouting over the fact that the bus had destroyed his meticulous planning.

Izuku wasn’t sure how he ended up sitting next to his soulmate, quite frankly the last person he wanted to sit next to. After Iida’s sitting chart went down the drain, it was a free for all as the students rushed into the bus, Momo now being the one trying to calm the sea of over-eager teenagers as they quickly sat down in the closest open seat.

The ending left him here, wishing for nothing more than a restart.

“So do you have any Midoriya-kun?” Izuku perks up at his name, his mind pulling away from the mental downspiral at the fact that he was sitting next to the one guy in class that he should not be sitting next to. Said guy who was now staring at him intently for a reason he was not aware of but was getting him close to a panic attack.

“Wh-what was that Asui-san?” Izuku asked tentatively, trying to not look back at the very soulmate who was staring a hole on his head. Nope, he wasn’t there. There was nobody sitting next to him right now.

“I told you to call me Tsu.” The greenett said with a slight glare, Izuku smiled in apology towards her. He always ended up reverting back to calling her Asui here and there, but he made an effort in calling her ‘Tsu’, he knew that it was comforting for her to have friends call her so. Izuku always felt a warmth fill his chest at the fact that he was included in such a group.

“We were talking about how there was a high number of soulmates in Class-1A, most of the class is soulmates with one another. There is me and Ochako, Kaminari with Mina and Sero. Bakugou and Kirishima are also soulmates, Momo and Jiro as well.” With that Tsuyu put a finger to her lip, looking slightly concerned but then determination filled her eyes.

“I’m pretty blunt most of the time and have been told it is to a detrimental degree, but I wanted to ask how you would know if you had a soulmate if you were covered all the time, so I thought you must know who your soulmate is by now.”

Izuku stilled at this, barely listening as Iida reprimanded Asui for ‘asking something so personal’ and the curious glances he was now getting from the rest of the class. He tried to keep his breathing even as he tried to contain his composure at the unexpected questioning.

He very carefully didn’t let his eyes wander to the person sitting next to him, who he didn’t see was now staring more closely at him, gauging his reaction.  

“No.” His voice slipped out of him more forcefully than he intended, shaking his head to try and gain back control, Izuku tried to look more casual as he stared at Asui evenly. “I don’t have a soulmate.”

His answer seemed to shock a few of his classmates, many taking their gazes towards his bandages as they clearly had a question there. “But then how will you know if you have a soulmate by keeping yourself covered?” Kirishima asked, a frown marring his face.

Izuku couldn’t help the sardonic smile that took over his face, so reminiscent of the ones that have been shown to him every time the topic of soulmates was brought up, though most of it was hidden by his bandages. “If I ever had a soulmate, which I highly doubt will happen, I feel like it would be for the best if neither they or I ever found out. Both for my sake and theirs.”

Just as silence hit the bus, everyone taken aback by his claim, the silence was interrupted by Bakugou, who he now noticed was sitting only two seats behind him.

“That’s a load of bullshit.” For once his voice wasn’t overly loud, but it rang throughout the deathly silent bus.

Before anything more could be said, the bus abruptly stopped as Aizawa stood in front of the entrance of the bus. “Quiet down everyone, time to exit the bus.” Izuku was pretty sure his hooded eyes lingered on him for a moment longer than others, but he was too busy trying to ignore the glare his soulmate was now burning on the side of his head.

He quickly got up and exited the bus once Aizawa let them go ahead, nervous over how the rest of the class would now treat him after his revelation.

Him and his big mouth, he was going to freaking regret his answer, wasn’t he?

As they made it inside of the USJ building, he saw that while Uraraka, Asui and Iida were all close to him, they were more silent than usual. He tried not to break from the thought that he had irreversibly damaged the one real relationship with people his age he was ever able to form.

It wouldn’t be the first time he fucked up something too good to be true.

Trying not to let his emotions take over, the ever present burning behind his eyes a telling sign of his current emotional distress, Izuku tried to keep himself steady as Thirteen made their presence known in front of them.

They were in their zero-gravity space suite, their voice cheerful and hand movement dramatic as they presented to the class. The introduction of the well-known pro-hero broke through the awkwardness that had taken over the class as everyone started to gush about the pro-hero known to have rescued thousands of people from disasters. Said to be the best rescue-hero of their generation.

“Oh my god, Thirteen is my most favorite Pro-Hero!!” Uraraka whispered-screamed next to Izuku, clutching Asui’s hand in excitement at the sight of her role-model.

Izuku smiled at that, he also held a soft spot for the rescue hero. Someone who had saved many lives, who had used what could be considered a deadly quirk for good. They were someone who deserved all the praise given to them.

“I can’t wait to show you guys inside. I’m embarrassed to say, but this place is my, for lack of better words, child. I designed it myself using past experiences to create the best possible simulation for future rescue missions you guys might need to participate in.” As they entered, Izuku was surprised at the sheer size of the training grounds. It was so big it was hard to see the other side of the grounds, he could see a section filled with literal large buildings and what looked like indoor rain in the distance, a huge body of water a few miles away as well. Right in front of them there was a large water fountain, he wondered if it had a purpose or was just there for decoration purposes.

“I thought All Might was supposed to be here.” Izuku caught Aizawa quietly asking Thirteen, the rest of the class too busy gushing over the training grounds and the sheer magnitude of the things inside of it.

“He was held up, something about stopping crimes on the way to school. He said he would be able to make it towards the end of the training.” While they said this, Izuku saw Thirteen hold up four fingers, he wondered what that meant.

Before he could contemplate the conversation further, Thirteen suddenly turned their attention towards them.

“Okay, before the start of the simulation I have one thing to say, well maybe two…okay change that to three…or actually four things…maybe five…”

Seeing their deadpanned faces, Thirteen seemed to blush even while not visible behind their huge space helmet as they rubbed the back of their head sheepishly.

“Well anyway, as you all probably already know, I have a very powerful quirk called Black Hole. It lets me pull anything I want towards it and turn it into dust.”

“Yes! I’ve seen videos of you using your quirk to save people stuck in buildings or under rubble.” Kirishima said excitedly, Izuku noticed that Uraraka was also nodding her head excitedly next to him. He smiled at the sight of her so happy.

“Yes, while it is true that I use my quirk to save people and help them escape from unfortunate circumstances, I never forget the fact that my quirk could easily be used to harm others.” The sudden change of tone caught everyone off guard. The class stood silently as Thirteen gave them all an even stare, looking way more serious than they had beforehand.

“The quirks you guys have may very well be used to help others, but never forget that the power you guys hold can just as easily cause harm to others, many times against your own wishes. We must always make sure that we have full control over our quirks, and unless under severe circumstances such as facing villains, never turning them against another, especially innocent civilians. The act of harming a civilian as a hero, even by accident, using your quirk can very well end your hero career. As a hero, first and foremost your job is to ensure the safety of others. Your quirk’s only purpose isn’t only to fight others, no matter what it is, but to save those who need help. To save the lives of those who rely on you and your power. Being a hero, first and foremost, is being a Protector.”

Everyone was captivated by the speech given to them. Izuku noticed the way that Bakugou frowned in pain slightly from the far-right corner, his hands clenching into fists as he looked away. He wondered about that, but his attention was brought back to Thirteen as they gave a slight bow. “Thank you for listening to my speech, now let’s start with the training lesson!”

Just as the class was starting to become once more energized over the soon to be training exercises, Izuku frowned as he felt a shift in the air. The hairs on the back of his head seemed to stand up as he scanned the ground around them, suddenly noticing the slight distortion slowly forming in front of the water fountain he had noticed beforehand.

“Aizawa-sensei.” Catching his teacher’s attention, Izuku pointed towards the now purple distortion in front of the water fountain, slowly forming bigger and bigger.

“Is this part of the exercise,” he heard someone, maybe Sero, say but Izuku was too busy getting into a fighting stance, forming four of his tendrils behind him but keeping them in their non-physical state. He placed himself more in front of Uraraka and Asui, who were both staring at the forming what now looked like a portal in shock.

A hand suddenly broke through what was now confirmed to be a portal as a man looking to be in his early twenties walked out, a hand shaped accessory covering his face while other hands were places around his body.

“Everyone get back, villains have broken into the training grounds.” Aizawa said, his voice stern and loud as he quickly put on his goggles. Izuku felt dread fill his insides at the acknowledgment of his fears, they were facing real villains now.

The portal continues to spew more villains as Izuku quickly realized they were far outnumbered in their current state.

“Why aren’t the alarms going off?” Momo asked, her eyes wide with panic as she stared at the villains slowly making their way over to them.

“The villains knew we were having a class at this time; they most likely have something masking their presence right now in order not to alert the rest of the campus. They have an objective in mind, the question is what exactly they are after.” Shoto responded, determination in his gaze as he looked towards the villain with a calculated stare.

Izuku was too busy trying to see what exactly the best solution was in this situation. The class was grossly outnumbered, and they only had two pro-heroes to rely on. He didn’t like the odds they were under, they had to find a way to contact the main building at U.A. if they wanted a fighting chance. He also didn’t like the look of the huge villain with a brain exposed the aurora around him was one that screamed danger to his instincts.

“Thirteen get them out and alert the main campus. I’ll hold the villains back.” Izuku’s eyes snapped towards Aizawa when he said this. He noticed that Shoto did the same.

“Your fighting style is not fit to fight in the open and against a group like that.”  Izuku couldn’t help but say, fear eating at his insides at the thought of Eraserhead getting hurt. He would rather not have that become reality.

“One doesn’t become a pro without a few tricks up their sleeves.” With that Aizawa ran into the fold, quickly dispatching villains as they started to attack him.

No, Izuku wanted to say. No, you can’t fight them all by yourself. You are outnumbered and there are villains there whose quirks you will not be able to erase.

He didn’t say this though, he knew now that Eraserhead knew how outmatched he was. He put on a bravado face not for his own benefit but for the benefit of his students. He wants them all to feel safe in the knowledge that he was there and that he would keep them safe.

Izuku knew such acts, he had done so many times as he was almost bleeding out from stab wounds and bullet wounds and the one time, he almost died from a stab that had gotten far too deep in the wrong place for comfort. In the fact that even while he was years younger and less experienced than the ones he was facing down, he still did so with false confidence in his step as he promised the people he was saving that he was strong enough to protect them.

He knew that Eraserhead would die before he let them come to any harm if he was able to stop it. Looking towards his classmates, all of whom now looked more relaxed in the false notion of safety, Izuku once more was reminded of what made one a Hero.

What made one a true savior.

Shaking his head, Izuku narrowed his eyes as he took note of his classmates. “Kaminari, try to use your quirk to contact UA. If I remember correctly, you put a communication device on your hero outfit. Iida, if necessary, you must use your quirk to run towards U.A. You are the fastest of us, you need to get help.”

Just as Kaminari started trying to communicate with U.A., Iida opening his mouth to likely try and say that he would not leave his classmates behind, a portal formed in front of them. A villain shrouded in what looked like purple fog appeared in front of them.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my name is Kurogiri. We are the League of Villains. I apologize for dropping in unannounced in what most likely was an invigorating class time for you guys, but you see, we were in opinion that we would be seeing All Might today during this class period. Imagine our quandary at the fact that he is nowhere to be seen, hence our plan to end the reign of Japan’s Number One’s existence has been tarnished. No fault of yours, though it is in my belief that once we start killing a few of you, we will be able to get him to come to us.”

Just as Izuku saw Thirteen pop one of her glove’s fingers open, he also saw that Bakugou and Kirishima rushing over. Gritting his teeth, Izuku mentally berated the idiot thunderheads as he pushed his quirk forward, his tendrils forming a physical presence as he grabbed the back of both Bakugou and Kirishima, cursing at the effort it took to hold them back as he screamed over to Thirteen.

“Now Thirteen!” That was all the cue that the Pro-Hero needed, their signature black hole quirk forming as the smoke villain started being pulled into the black hole, eyes wide in shock.

The class cheered as the villain tried to escape the suctioning of his being, Thirteen holding their own as Izuku quickly let go of Bakugou and Kirishima, who both now looked a bit sheepish at the fact that they almost ruined the Pro-Hero’s actions due to their intervention.

Just as Izuku thought everything was going well, he saw a portal form behind Thirteen. Eyes widening, Izuku pushed his quick forward once more as Thirteen’s black hole quick formed behind them, destroying some of their backside as they yelled out in shock and pain. Izuku ignored the headache that now formed in the back of his head as he grabbed hold of Thirteen, their words of how dangerous their quirk was in the back of his head as he quickly pulled them away from being more damaged by the quirk.

“Bakugou create a huge explosion.” Izuku quickly called out, a plan quickly forming in his head as he pulled the now injured Thirteen as gently as he could towards Mina and Momo.

“Momo make bandages or any cloth-like material and try to wrap their injuries.” Izuku quickly said, believing in his classmates’ actions as he then turned his attention back to the threat in front of him.

Bakugou listened to his words as he started to make huge explosions, disorienting the villain. “Uraraka, I need you to make Iida weightless.” Uraraka’s eyes widened as she caught on to his plan.

“I am not leaving you guys behind!” Iida yelled out, eyes wide and panicked but determined as his hand ever so slightly trembled in fear.

“You’re not abandoning us Iida, you are saving us. You are saving Thirteen. You are saving Aizawa, he isn’t going to be able to last long. Please Iida, we need you.” This seemed to get his acceptance as Iida hesitated for a second before nodding.

Izuku nodded back as he saw Uraraka quickly make Iida weightless. “Momo, make a smoke grenade or something equivalent if possible. Sho-Todoroki, when I throw Iida close to the door make an ice glacier big enough to block his visage.”

Looking to see both Bakugou and Kirishima suddenly being teleported somewhere, heart at his throat and eyes burning but breathing surprisingly calm, Izuku looked towards his new adversary with determination as he walked forward.

“Now!” He screamed just as the villain said, “I just about had enough with this farce”.

Grabbing the smoke grenade from Momo with one tendril, Izuku quickly threw it to the villain causing him to exclaim in shock as his vision was suddenly obstructed once more. Grabbing hold of Iida with his other tendril, Izuku used his full strength to throw him towards the door, just as he made it to the entrance, Izuku felt his vision start to go blurry as he turned to Todoroki, “Now Todoroki!” Just as the villain saw what they were doing, turning towards Iida to most likely portal him back, Iida’s form was once more covered from sight, this time by a huge ice glacier forming in front of him, covering him from view as Uraraka pressed her fingers together and Izuku heard as Iida activated his quirk and ran out the building.

“We did it.” He heard Uraraka nearly sob as he tried to get his headache under control. Now was not the time for weakness.

“You will pay for that.” Was all he heard before the ground under him opened up, Izuku could do nothing more than let himself freefall as he crashed down into the cold ground. There was nothing but rock around him as he paid witness to the fact that he was alone.

Well, that was until five villains walked up to him. “Aww, seems like this one was put here by himself. Let’s get rid of him quickly guys.” He heard the man with steel-like fist say. The girl next to him had spiky hair, the glint on them making Izuku think it was sharp metal-like material. One other villain had whip-like arms, with another girl holding what looked like red hand-scythes. He couldn’t see any physical representation of what the last guy’s quirk was.

Narrowing his eyes, Izuku took a calming breath as he let the fear and worry for his classmates take the backseat in his head. His classmates were powerful, more so than these third-rate would-be villains. They could handle themselves.

With those thoughts in his head, Izuku grabbed hold of the wire he had in his jacket as he let his tendrils manifest once more. Grabbing hold of the girl with sharp hair, he would rather not be stabbed again thank you, he threw her hair-first towards the man with steel fist, her hair quickly piercing his otherwise exposed skin.

The man screamed in pain before pushing the girl away, steel hands causing what looked like damage as the girl also let out a pained yell, grabbing her most likely bruised chest. The other man used his whip arms to try and hit Izuku, Izuku quickly grabbed the whip with one of his tendrils, pulling the guy off balance as he then used the whip to wrap around the girl waving the red scythes towards him, trying to cut him.

She cursed, using her scythes to try and cut through the guy’s whip arms, but failing to do so. Izuku felt danger hit his instincts as he threw himself to the side, barely managing to dodge an earth spike from piercing his body.

The last guy could control earth, that wasn’t good.

Knowing that the guy was the most dangerous right now, Izuku quickly pushed his tendril towards him, the hand-like tendril grabbing hold of the guy and pulling him forward catching him off guard. He heard the guy exclaim in fear, but before he would retaliate any further Izuku threw him against one of the many rock formations around them.

Hearing the ‘crack’ from the guy’s skull meeting rock, Izuku let the guy go as he slumped down onto the ground.

Try and true method that was.

Seeing the woman finally free herself from the whip, using his momentary distraction with the earth villain, she rushed towards Izuku in coordination with the other woman, who was now holding what Izuku knew was two spikes of her hair. So they were weapons.

Quickly using his tendril to push himself away from the scythe, Izuku leaned backwards as a whip once more tried to wrap around his neck, proceeding to let himself fully fall backwards and then roll away as the guy with the steel fist once more joined the battle as he tried to hit Izuku’s unprotected form.

Grabbing the steel wires, Izuku quickly wrapped the guy with the steel fist, obstructing his movement before using his tendril to whack him on the back of his head, causing the guy to quickly fall unconscious.

Not being able to enjoy his new victory, Izuku quickly flipped to the left as the girl with the red scythes once more tried to wound him but was too late to dodge the other woman with the hair spikes.

Gritting his teeth in pain, Izuku quickly wrapped a tendril around her neck before pushing her towards the guy with the whip. They crashed into each other as Izuku used their disoriented appearance to then hit them on the back of their heads with his tendril as well, rendering them unconscious.

The girl with the scythes tried to use his focus on the others to try and get another hit on him, but Izuku was done with this encounter. Quickly grabbing her with his tendril, he then threw her against another rock formation, hearing the following ‘crack’ and seeing her slump down to the ground, Izuku knew it was over.

Breathing heavily in exhaustion, Izuku made sure the five were unconscious before grabbing the wire and wrapping them around the five, making sure that if they were to wake up, they would still not be a threat.

Feeling his nose being stuffy, Izuku sighed as he wiped it with the back of his hand, seeing the blood there. Damn.

Grabbing his headache pills, these more potent thanks to Recovery Girl, he was about to pour a few on his hand. He was stopped though, by the noise of someone making their way towards him.

Turning to check on who it was, Izuku was shocked to find that it was none other than Shoto. He was breathing slightly heavy, ice slightly covering his right side from what he presumed to be using his quirk as he looked at Izuku in question.

“Are you hurt?” He then asked, Izuku was slightly surprised at the fact that he had asked him such a question.

“No.” Izuku quickly denied, not turning to look at his shoulder. To see the wound. To know for a fact that the same wound was currently but unknowingly etched in Shoto’s own shoulder.

“You’re bleeding.” The teen said, deadpanned as he glared at Izuku, as if daring to deny such a fact.

“Not my blood.” Izuku tried to fib. Looking at Shoto’s unbelieving eyes, he knew that the lie was seen quickly.

Turning around, not wanting to continue to be in his presence and in some way be found out, Izuku started walking forward. “We need to move, Aizawa-sensei can’t last long against so many villains. I am especially cautious over the villain with the exposed brain. Something about them was…uncanny.”

This seemed to snap Shoto out of whatever mood he was in as he nodded, walking next to Izuku. Izuku knew he shouldn’t do it, but he couldn’t fight with an open wound like that. So even when he knew that the act would come back to bite him in the ass, he grabbed a roll of bandages and quickly wrapped his shoulder.

He didn’t turn to see Shoto’s knowing eyes, instead he took three pills (Recovery girl had threatened him quite scarily over what she would do to him if he took more than three at a time) and quickly dry-swallowed them. Trying not to make a face at the taste, Izuku pocketed the pills as they continued making their way to where they left the rest of their classmates and especially Aizawa-sensei.

When they finally made their way to the man, Izuku’s eyes widened as he was met with the big villain with the exposed brain holding Aizawa down, one arm twisted grotesquely as some of the arm looked like it was almost disintegrated, blood flowing around him with skin gone exposing muscle and even some bone.

No, not Aizawa. Nonononononono.

Izuku saw white as pure rage filled him. In front of him was the first ever man who told him he could be a hero. Someone who looked at him and saw worth. Someone who didn’t see the broken, beaten boy and pushed him down further.

He will not let him die.

With that thought Izuku didn’t even listen as Shoto exclaimed in shock, didn’t listen as he distinctly heard other classmates call out in worry as he pushed everything he had in his quick and pushed himself forward.

Putting as much strength as he could in the tendrils and more so after that, Izuku tried to grab hold of the villain holding Eraserhead.

No, it didn’t work. He couldn’t pull the villain.

Izuku felt hot tears start to form in his eyes as he knew that he wasn’t enough why why couldn’t he save him why was it not working why, not again please don’t let this happen again.

Images of a green haired woman stuck under concrete filled his head. Of saddened emerald eyes wishing for him to live as he pushed and pushed at his quirk, but the concrete would not move.

NO.

Izuku screamed as he pushed everything that he had in his tendril, willing the monster to move.

The green tendrils seemed to glow a bright green as he heard exclamation from behind him. He didn’t pay notice though, all he cared about was the newfound strength as he wrapped five more tendrils around the monster and pulled.

The monster went flying away from Eraserhead, thankfully not taking the hero with him as Izuku then used what remained of his strength to wrap his tendrils around Eraserhead’s broken body, bringing him over to his side as more tendrils formed behind him and wrapped around Aizawa as they continued to carry the man towards Izuku.

“You meddlesome child!” He heard a scream in front of him, he didn’t even notice the villain that had been standing not even a few feet away from where Aizawa and the monster were originally at, having been too busy trying to save Aizawa.

The man rushed forward; his arms stretched forward as he readied himself to touch Izuku’s face.

Izuku remembered back to the way that Aizawa had some of his skin disintegrated, he instinctively knew that had something to do with this villain.

Izuku though, couldn’t form any more tendrils, and he couldn’t risk pulling any from Aizawa and causing his injuries to become further jostled.

Closing his eyes and waiting for the pain to come, Izuku felt the fingers brush against his face, but nothing happened.

Opening his eyes in wonder, Izuku was met with the villains’ smirk. “Aizawa you’re so freaking cool.” Snapping his eyes towards the still floating Aizawa, who he had stopped bringing towards him to keep him away from the villain, Izuku saw that his teacher was staring towards the villain, eyes red with the activation of his quirk.

Izuku used this opportunity to kick the villain away from him. He then quickly moved further away from the villain, bringing Aizawa closer a little faster before letting him down gently, away from the main battleground, quirk now free to be used.  

Feeling liquid in his eyes, Izuku tried to ignore it along with the burning in his eyes and the beating headache against his skull. Compartmentalize. Now was not the time for weakness.

That didn’t help the cough that suddenly wracked him, blood spilling from his lips as he tried to swallow most of it down. Push Izuku, push forward. Now was not the time.

Aizawa made a noise next to him, but Izuku ignored it, he couldn’t take his eyes away from the villain and the returning brain-exposed villain.

Feeling the sudden burst of energy slowly starting to leave him, Izuku tried to further feed it more energy even as he felt his head start to burst as the tendrils spread out around him, seeming to obscure the sight of Aizawa behind him.

“You are a nuisance. Nomu, get rid of him.” Just as the Nomu thing was running towards him, an ice glacier formed in front of Izuku, he looked to his left to see that Shoto had made it closer to the scene and had managed to block the Nomu’s attack.

“Damn it more glitches, this isn’t how the game was supposed to go.” The man started ranting as he scratched at his neck, his eyes wide with mania as he muttered to himself.

“Nomu! Kill all of them! Now!” Just as Nomu was making his way to Shoto, most likely to get rid of the one that was blocking his way, Izuku felt fear hit him at the thought of Shoto being in the same position that Aizawa had been in.

Ignoring the headache, swallowing back more blood, Izuku grabbed the wires he didn’t get to use and quickly used his tendrils to push himself towards the Nomu.

Using the wires to wrap around the arms of the monster and then the legs, Izuku tried to trip up the monster, but his efforts were in vain as the monster quickly broke the wires. Izuku frowned as he tried to dodge the hit from the villain, still it managed to graze his side as Izuku felt the incredible strength, causing him to go flying back as he hit the ground hard, causing blood to drip down his mouth as he groaned in pain. He saw ice once more trying to obscure the Nomu but it was quickly broken by it as it continued to make its way towards Izuku, fist raised.

“Midoriya!!!” He heard multiple people scream as the Nomu was quickly going towards him, fist at the ready.

Izuku looked at the thing, knowing this might be the last thing he saw, but feeling nothing more than happiness that at least it wasn’t going after Aizawa or Shoto. At least they were safe for now.

Just as he was about to close his eyes for the last time, Izuku felt air pressure in front of him as the attack never landed. Instead, he opened his eyes to see the ever imposing back of one red and blue clad All Might standing in front of him.

“Worry not everyone, for I am here.” Izuku felt his eyes burn more as his chest caved in with relief. Warmth filled his chest as he felt the happiness that filled him.

They were safe.

Or so he thought. But looking at All Might, form slightly sagging, his slight trembling from the force of blocking the attack, Izuku knew that something was wrong. That All Might wasn’t fully there. That he was…. incapacitated in some way.

Filling dread once more fill him, Izuku forced himself up as he gazed at All Might’s once imposing form, now seeming less bright, a little wilted, just the barest hints of weakness.

Izuku hoped that his observations were wrong…

He knew they were right.

All Might…was not at full power right now.

Chapter Text

Looking towards the monster named Nomu, seeing the way it was unresponsive even after the attack was blocked, Izuku knew this would not be an easy fight. The monster was more powerful than Izuku had ever seen, seeming to not be able to feel pain or take damage.

“That’s thing seems to be able to absorb attacks, be careful.” Was all Izuku said, knowing that he couldn’t let the classmates he now saw making their way over to them know that they were still in danger. That even with All Might here, they might not be safe.

“Thank you Young Midoriya, but worry not, I’ll take care of this villain.” Izuku merely nodded, he saw that Asui and Sero had made their way over to Aizawa and were now looking after him. Relief rippled through his being at the knowledge that he no longer had to split his attention between taking care of Aizawa and helping All Might. Trying to keep his voice confident even with the turmoil stabbing at his consciousness, Izuku proceeded to give them instructions.

“Guys take Aizawa to the others, make sure him and Thirteen are all right.” Protecting them if villains try to get to them was left unsaid, but by the looks of determination shared between the two, Izuku knew that his hidden message was understood. Their teachers had protected them even at the cost of themselves, it was their turn to make sure they were hurt no further.

Knowing that it was a risk to use his quirk right now, Izuku instead took the risk to turn away from the villains as he grabbed some of his bandages and tossed them towards Sero, the boy thankfully catching them. “Use this to bandage their wounds and try to stabilize their condition for now, if Momo is there have her make more and see if she could create a splint for Aizawa-sensei’s arm wound.”

No further words needed to be exchanged, all of them knew that right now action was more pertinent to unneeded words. Seeing as Izuku had given them all the instructions needed, both Asui and Sero promptly grabbed hold of either side of Aizawa, Sero grabbing his upper body while Asui stabilized his lower body. They made an effort to keep him from being jostled too much and further aggravating his injuries, Asui’s eyes were slightly misted from forcefully withheld tears, but she pushed through as only resolve could be seen in her form. At their resolute forms, Izuku knew that he could trust his classmates to keep their teacher safe, the knowledge shaved off a bit of the worry that was plaguing him.

“You should leave with them too, Young Midoriya.” All Might said, though he never took his eyes off Nomu. There was a bit of pleading in his voice, his body tense with trepidation.

Izuku shook his head, though unseen by the hero. Now that he knew that Aizawa-sensei was safe in the hands of his other classmates, he had less of a reason to stay away from this fight, and more of a reason to stay around and provide support to All Might. Though, Izuku prayed that the hero wouldn’t need it, for it meant that dire circumstances would have to take place for his intervention to be necessary.

“No, I’ll stay here. I promise not to get in the way of your fight.” Unless you need me to was left unsaid, but Izuku got the feeling that All Might understood his hidden meaning. If only for the way that the hero flexed his hands into fist ever so slightly in response, almost as if to stave off nerves.

The man said nothing though, he gave Izuku a look that he couldn’t quite decipher before turning around much more resolutely. Fist at the ready, All Might threw himself towards the Nomu, beginning his fight.  

It was like a clash between two titans, something that Izuku couldn’t even begin to believe he could be a part of, the thoughts of helping in such a fight between two super-powers were almost laughable at this point, but even with the sizable gap in power, Izuku was determined to stay and help in any way necessary. He let his tendrils momentarily become intangible but still formed, knowing that he had to save his energy for the worst-case scenario. He bit his tongue as more coughing fits threatened to wreck at his form, but he pushed it down. He didn’t even bother trying to unclog his nose, merely wiping it with the back of his hand to try and get the excess out to keep some of his airways free.

All Might seemed to try and hit the villain with a powerful punch, but it seemed to have no effect on the monster. The punch rippled through the villain’s stomach in a show of how much power All Might had put behind the hit, but even then, it didn’t seem to even make a dent on the monstrous being, the attack absorbed with nigh any effort in the villain’s part.

This though, didn’t stop All Might as he continued to throw punch after punch, not giving the villain any respite against the continuous assault as the bird faced villain was slowly pushed back by the overwhelming power the Number One Hero was putting forth in this battle.

All Might was slowly getting the upper hand, even with what looked like the villain’s shock absorption making most of the damage null, the never-ending attack on All Might’s side seemed to slowly chip away at the villain’s defenses. Just as All Might was going to slam the Nomu to the ground, most likely in an effort to trap the villain and continue his onslaught of attacks with less resistance, his efforts were disrupted by mist suddenly appearing under the form of the monstrous villain, quickly creating a portal under the Nomu and letting the monster appear on the other side of All Might’s bent over form, two monstrous hands clenching on either side of his lower torso.

The villain must have grabbed on to some sort of weak point, All Might didn’t so much as gasp in pain, but his face contorted to show that he was in agony. Izuku felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach as he just barely noticed blood starting to appear on All Might left side where each finger from the Nomu dug deeply.  

“No!” Izuku screamed, noticing that the warp villain was slowly pulling Nomu down the portal and in turn taking All Might with him. He wanted to trap All Might, most likely making use of his portal to incapacitate the hero, or worse, mortally harm him.

Just as Izuku was ready to run to the hero’s side, Bakugou came out of nowhere and beat him to it. The blonde boy bulldozed into the scene in a show of explosions, hand stretched out in front of him as a wild grin stretched across his face.

“Out of my way!” The blond screamed in determination, eyes wild as he then grabbed hold of what looked like a metal contraption around the mist guy, what seemed to be the only tangible part of him, all while letting out explosions from his palms. Slamming the warp villain against the ground, Bakugou was able to immobilize him enough for the villain to no longer pay attention to All Might, and in turn stopping him from further trying to pull the hero into his warp.

Shoto made his appearance then, proceeded to freeze both the mist guy and the Nomu down, trapping them both and stopping Nomu in his tracks. Their coordinated movements were nothing like the time they had been forced to face Izuku in their first training exercise. Izuku couldn’t help himself the small smile that managed to cross his features, he had been right, they were a powerhouse of a team when they managed to work together.  

Wasting no time, Izuku used this opportunity to use his tendrils and cut through the arm that was painfully digging into All Might’s left side, uncaring of the strain it put on him. Once this was accomplished, he used three tendrils to wrap around All Might, pulling him away from Nomu’s grasp and a few feet away from the now trapped villain as it screeched, its hand falling to the hard ground.

“How could you let this happen Kurogiri.” The villain with hands all over his body practically whined, his voice raspy as he stared at the fallen villain, Bakugou’s hand against the metal enclosure wrapped towards the upper part of his mist form. The only part of his body that was tangible, as far as Izuku could tell at least.  

“He got careless, when Thirteen was pulling his body towards the black hole, he was trying real damn hard to keep the metal piece from being disintegrated. That’s when I knew the mist was hiding his real body, which was most likely kept safe by this metal encasing. Attacks don’t work unless you hit this weak point.” It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Bakugou had such deep insight, while many took one look at his over-the-top attitude and wrote him off as a muscle brain, Izuku had always seen the deep intelligence in the blonde’s gaze more than once. Though that didn’t stop the hero-to-be from showing off his sadistic side in order to prove his point, explosions escaping the palm pressing down the warp villain when he noticed the villain trying to wiggle out of his grasp, Kurogiri gasping out in pain as his movements seized completely.

“If you keep moving, I’m going to blow you up to tiny little pieces so small it will take weeks to clean it all up.” Bakugou threatened with a wide smile on his face, eyes showing vindictive anger as he then gazed back towards where Izuku knew some of his classmates were protecting their fallen teachers. Izuku’s gaze softened, knowing that the blonde’s show of violence in this case was more as retribution to their hurt teachers.

Kirishima seemed to understand this as well, he merely snorted at the comment, looking at Bakugou with exasperated fondness.

Forcing his gaze from his two classmates, Izuku instead focused back on All Might and the Nomu villain. While All Might tried to look nonchalant, he could see a slightly tilting in his body language, favoring his right side more so than his left side. He had been hurt more than Izuku had initially guessed.

“I apologize Shigaraki, it seems I underestimated the kids. The fault lies in me.” The warp villain said, tone even as he revealed to Izuku the silver-blue haired villain’s name. Shigaraki.

The man only laughed, hand accessories still covering his face as he scratches at his neck roughly, leaving harsh red marks among the scars that were already there. “Kids these days are something else, glitches the lot of them. Not one was able to be killed, what are the fucking odds.”

Izuku could see Shigaraki’s eyes on him then, bright red and filled with amusement and a speck of irritation as well as something close to…interest? As he gazed at Izuku.

“One even went toe to toe with my Nomu and didn’t die. You guys really are making us look like a bunch of chumps. Now we can’t have that, can we? Time to unlock the Boss level.”

With that Izuku felt a chill run up his spine as Shigaraki’s aurora seemed to shift, while before he had a sort of relaxed stance, suddenly it shifted to one that was darker in quality, deadly with promise of blood and pain.

“First, we need to unlock our safe point and rescue our way out. Nomu.”

As if waking up from hibernation, the monster started making a weird noise as it released itself from the portal, most likely given easy access by Kurogiri. Then, much to everyone’s shock, it broke the left-over ice that Shoto had encased him with causing both his remaining arm and one of his legs to break off along with it. Just as they were questioning how exactly the villainous monster was going to continue its fight while incapacitated to such degrees, everyone let out a startled gasp as its injuries instantly healed, its arm that Izuku had managed to chop off instantly growing back in seconds along with the other arm and leg.

Just as everyone was reeling from the fact that the monster seemed to have more than one quirk, the seeming leader of the raid spoke once more, uncaring of the shock he had given them as he steadily gave his next order, sounding almost bored while doing so.

“Save Kurogiri.” Was all that the villain commanded before the monster took off, form nothing but a blur as Izuku watched in slow motion as it sped directly to Bakugou’s still form.

Both Izuku and Kirishima screamed as Izuku pushed his tendrils forward, knowing in the back of his head he was not going to be fast enough but willing that thought to be wrong.

Just as all hope seemed lost, there was a crash as dust and debris filled the air around them. Izuku, Kirishima and Shoto were pushed back by the mere force of the attack. Izuku felt dread fill him but before it could take root, he saw that Bakugou was safe and sitting right next to him.

“Wha-?” The shocked sound escaped him before he turned his attention to where the crash had sounded, he looked on with dread at All Might’s more battered form, his side bloodies as he glared at the villains with pure hate, the look on his face one that Izuku had never seen the hero make. Not in any of his past fights, the once ever-present smile on his face gone, replaced by an almost snarl as he stared at the villain as if looking at something vile and rotten.

“They’re just children, and you were ready to hit them with the intent to kill.” All Might all but spat out, derision in his tone as he seemed to almost look down at the villains with glowing blue eyes looking ominously at them.

Shigaraki seemed to care not at the look he received from the livid hero, merely laughing at All Might’s words with pure amusement. His voice crackled horribly, sounding like nails against a chalk board. Izuku cringed as he glared at the villain, willing at least two of his tendrils to stay physical as he readied himself to help.

“You heroes and your petty platitudes over right and wrong. Just because I am labeled as a villain, every action I take is seen as wrong. Same with Heroes, just because they claim that they are doing it for good, any destruction or hurt they cause is seen as necessary. Death is seen as collateral damage. Don’t make me laugh. Your hypocrisy has built up a house of cards where only heroes who are seen as worthy are able to stand on top, but sooner or later someone is going to wake up from this delusion of safety and justice brainwashed into their beings, and when that happens those cards will finally fall.”

At those words Izuku stilled, memories he had kept hidden within for years rising within him as the words his dad said one night filled his head, the real reason he couldn’t help but feel deep guilt for continuing his dream to be a Hero.

The reason his actions were a betrayal.

His mother had been killed by a fight between a hero and a villain. Her death was seen as collateral and all they got in return was petty money seen as compensation for her sacrifice.

His father had gazed down at him days after his discharge from the hospital, the ripped up posters his parents had indulged him in buying of the different popular heroes at the time in tatters around them as his hatred filled eyes bore down at Izuku in disgust. No longer was there any feeling of adoration he had once been gifted as the burning shame beat down into his very soul.

‘See here those who you looked up to, they are the very ones who killed her. She loved you with her very soul, and you would rather tarnish her memory with the continued support of her killers.’ His father had then laughed, tears streaming down his face as he blocked his hate filled eyes with his hand, his laugh tapering off into chuckles as he turned away from Izuku’s silently crying form. Izuku’s glazed eyes stared unseeingly into the ripped posters in front of him, his soul feeling as if it had been ripped apart along with them.

‘It makes sense though, for both of you are equally as guilty. You truly are meant to be a Hero.’ What once might have been seen as acceptance, as a belief in his strength and power, were now words that only made him feel as if a void took over his heart. Cracks appeared within his very being as he was branded the ghastly words of Hero-to-be, now tainted with derision as the very words that once would have made him feel like flying, now beat him down to the very depths of hell.

The ever-present feeling of self-hate filled him as it bubbled up like acid within him, his soul felt like it was screaming as burning red eyes filled with resentment seemed to almost manifest around him, watching him like a god gazing down unto a sinner as Izuku tried to push back the feelings of disgust, the feeling of hopelessness.

Izuku felt his eyes burn as he glared at the silver-haired villain. Glared and gritted his teeth as he tried to push away the part of him that agreed. No, not all heroes were the same. He screamed to the heavens, begged to the red eyes to see. To understand. To Forgive.

There were some that cared. He practically sobbed within. He had to believe that.

That was the very reason why he never tried to find out the name of the hero who had been the cause of the tragedy, a sort of obliviousness that took away from the feeling of guilt. A sort of self-imposed blindfold marked with the words of Treachery.  

“Don’t make me laugh, you are merely just trying to cover your actions with false notions of justice. You don’t truly believe in such convictions; all you want is to leave chaos and destruction in your wake. If we are talking about hypocrisy, you villains are not far behind.”

All Might’s words seemed to pull Izuku’s form from the depths of guilt and derision that he had fallen into, almost as if saving him from drowning as he grasped on to them, letting them keep his head afloat and stop him from further choking on his own guilt. The self-deprecating thoughts were pushed aside as All Might’s words brough back the burning sense of determination that marked Izuku’s very being, Izuku managed to stay afloat once more in the surface, keeping away from the deep void that continued to tempt him into giving in. As long as there were heroes like All Might, like Aizawa, like Toshinori, he would never truly lose hope.

He will continue to believe.

The villain laughed again; a grin just barely being seen behind the hand covering his face as he looked at All Might with manic amusement. “Seems like there is no use trying to guilt trip you, it was worth a shot though. Now, why don’t we put an end to this game. Nomu, finish this.”

All Might smiled with a sort of grim determination, his fist forming as he got into a battle stance. “Times like this, calls for the true meaning of Plus Ultra.” With those parting words, he took off in a dizzying speed as he met Nomu’s attack in the middle.

The following fight was one that would forever remain ingrained in Izuku’s memory. The villain and All Might moved in an inhuman speed, causing such damage in their wake that the very ground under them shook, air blasts keeping not only the students but also the villains in place for fear of being blown away from the sheer force.

Izuku saw everyone watch in awe as All Might fought against the monster, Izuku just barely managed to remind himself to keep the other villains in his field of view, even if they looked equally as incapacitated from the fight’s shockwaves.  

Soon, just as Izuku was beginning to think that All Might was going to run out of strength, the man seemed to break through some sort of awakening as his hits started going faster and stronger until the Nomu could do nothing more than take hit after hit from the Symbol of Peace.

With one final battle cry, All Might seemed to put what remained of his strength into the last attack, sending the Nomu flying with a well-placed punch on his upper stomach. The punch was so strong it ended up blasting everyone a few feet back from the sheer force of the attack as the Nomu went flying out of the Simulation grounds.

Izuku watched in awe, staring at the heavily breathing form of the Number One Hero as he wiped the side of his mouth with the back of his hand, looking worse for wear but shining with the light of victory.

“I must really be getting on in age, back in my hay day I would have ended that fight in 5 hits instead of the 300 that it took.” The man deemed it time to joke, his signature grin finally forming on his exhausted face.

Izuku felt himself choking out a weak laugh as his eyes continued to burn. They made it.

It was too early to celebrate though, as the presence of the remaining villains was revealed with them staring at All Might with a hint of trepidation. Yet they didn’t leave.

This wasn’t good, Izuku could tell that All Might was exhausted. A voice inside of him said that he would not be able to move, much less fight in his current state.

“You should leave now; else I will have no choice but take you in.” All Might said, voice forcefully strong as Izuku saw through his bravado act, he prayed to god the villains were none the wiser.

His prayers, as always, remained unanswered as Shigaraki gave a wide grin at All Might’s words. “Bullshitting doesn’t look good on you, Mister Symbol of Peace.” With those words, Shigaraki pushed himself forward as he ran through a warp, appearing a few feet in front of All Might’s still form, hand spread out in front of him with the readiness to cause damage.

Seeing the hero remaining in place, Izuku knew that his earlier observation had been correct. Gritting his teeth, Izuku pushed what remained of his strength in the remaining two tendrils he kept formed on his back.  

Once more he was met with yells of surprise and fear as he pushed himself towards All Might, standing in front of him and facing Shigaraki, almost as if reenacting the scene before All Might had made his entrance.

Izuku was too exhausted to form another tendril, and with Aizawa out of commission and All Might equally as exhausted, he didn’t think he would get another lucky escape.

Glaring in determination towards the villain, Izuku gazed directly into the man’s eyes, showing no fear only resolve and enmity. His gaze spelled out three words.

Bring It ON.

He would not waver.

The villain’s eyes shined with something Izuku couldn’t place, but before the scarred fingers touched him, they were once more stopped, this time by the sound of a gunshot as a bullet struck the hand coming towards him before it could make contact.

Izuku couldn’t help the smile that formed on his face as his body relaxed at once. Iida had done it; he had gotten them reinforcements.

Everything happened quickly after that, Shigaraki quickly returned to Kurogiri as he then proceeded to walk into the portal but didn’t leave just yet.

“We may have failed today, but the game is far from over. I’ll be seeing you in the next level, and at that time, I will kill you All Might.” The villain paused, seeming to contemplate something before turning to face Izuku, who was still standing protectively in front of All Might, shielding him even with his smaller form as he gazed at the villain with a burning will in his eyes.

“I hope to see you in the next level as well, Player 2.” With those parting words, Shigaraki left just as the others made it to the scene, just barely escaping two more shots that got caught by the purple mist of Kurogiri. The hero’s effort to try and stop the villain’s retreat was in vain as the two disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

Reinforcements seem to quickly run all around, trying to contain the last remaining villains while also rescuing the other students from the various locations they had been scattered in by the warping villain.

Izuku felt the last dredges of adrenaline leave him as pain like never before hit him full force. He gripped his head in pain as his body bent forwar due to the debilitating pain.

He distantly heard people call out his name in concern, but he was too focused on the burning from his eyes as his head felt like it was fracturing. He couldn’t stop the tears that escaped his eyes, only as they dripped towards the ground, he saw that his tears were red in color. His eyes were bleeding. Recovery Girl was going to kill him.

He felt his throat burn as he coughed, feeling all the backlash he was pushing back during the fight hit him all at once as blood dripped from his mouth, spilling on the floor as he found himself choking slightly from the amount that escaped his throat, leaving him in puddles like never before.

He felt All Might stumble towards him, grabbing his form just as his legs fully lost the strength to keep him standing, and holding him close. He was saying something, but Izuku couldn’t hear it from the buzzing slowly filling his head. All he could make out was the desperate tone in his words, almost pleading in nature as his strong arms trembled while holding Izuku.

Izuku wanted to say something, wanted to tell them man that he was okay, but all he could do was let the large arms support him as the strength steadily left his body.

He was barely able to make sense of the concrete that formed around them, shielding them from the students that were quickly running towards All Might and Izuku. He could distantly hear yelling outside the suddenly made structure and could just barely make sense of his name being yelled out in constant intervals with what sounded like desperation in their tones. He wished he could comfort them, just barely catching Uraraka’s pain filled voice within the yells, but he could only stare up at the form holding him as smoke seemed to escape All Might before his form almost seemed to shrink.

Left behind, blue eyes gazed at him. Bright blue eyes that he knew. The eyes that once belonged to All Might but now belonged to Toshinori, who had taken the hero’s place as he held Izuku against him, whispering something frantically at him with eyes filled with grief and despair. The trembling in his arms was much more prominent as he then proceeded to try and wipe at the sides of Izuku’s eyes desperately, as if trying to wipe his injuries away.

Izuku opened his mouth, trying to say something even though his brain was pretty empty at the moment, but the only thing that came out was a choked cough as more blood dribbled out from the side of his mouth.

Something seemed to break inside of Toshinori as tears started to form on the corners of his sky-blue eyes, pain shining in them as he shushed Izuku gently, once more saying something but again Izuku could not make sense of anything.

Feeling Toshinori gently cradle him more fully against his now frailer body, Izuku couldn’t help but think that it was warm in his embrace. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to close his eyes for once, to rest for a moment. It was the most comfort he had ever received, and while there was something inside of him that cautioned him about closing his eyes, he couldn’t drudge up any care.

It was fine if he rested, it would only be a moment.

They were safe.

Those were the last words that formed inside of Izuku’s fragmented mind before his thoughts were no more.

o~O~o

Toshinori didn’t care that he was reduced to his civilian form as he stumbled towards Cementoss quickly, still clutching the body of an unconscious Izuku in his arms as he tried to rush past the hero, only to be blocked.

It took all the self-control inside of him not to snap at the other hero when he blocked his exit, the only thing keeping him sane was the rise and fall of Izuku’s chest against him. Toshinori prayed that the rise and fall will continue.

“You can’t leave just yet All Might, there are students around that might see you.” The cement hero said patiently, though he looked in worry at the bloodied form of the student All Might was currently carrying.

“I don’t give a damn who sees, he needs medical attention. Now.” Toshinori said with an almost manic look in his eyes, heart beating painfully against his chest as the world seemed to almost tilt around him. He could tell that Izuku was currently worse off than any other time. The words of Recovery Girl, the fact that if pushed too hard Izuku could…no, he would not allow such a thing to happen.

He will not lose him.

Glaring at Cementoss, Toshinori almost tried to forcefully push against the man, only to be stopped by the entrance of another hero, Midnight. “We secured another exit route away from where the students are currently being escorted, follow me.” She said in an uncharacteristically serious voice, eyes trained on the unconscious form of Izuku in Toshinori’s arms.

“Here All Might, let me carry him.” Just as Cementoss was about to try and grab hold of Izuku, Toshinori quickly turned away, dodging the man. “I’ll take him.” He said forcefully, and the other hero said no more.

Toshinori quickly walked, practically ran, to where the other exit was, thankful over the fact that an ambulance was awaiting them. “Take us directly to Recovery Girl.” Was all he said, not looking away from Izuku as he placed him on the stretcher inside the ambulance, sitting on the side as the paramedics quickly did a preliminary check over Izuku while the ambulance quickly drove towards UA.

At the sound of their shocked responses and the side eyes filled with worry and guilt, as if already apologizing for the soon to be loss, Toshinori felt his heart start beating more erratically as his nerves were raised exponentially. He felt dread fill his system as Izuku was quickly placed on IV, monitors coming to life all around his small form as the two paramedics loudly called out numbers to one another.

It was a stress induced ride, thankfully Izuku’s heart didn’t stop even once, which Recovery Girl had commented to him was the worst-case scenario in terms of his particular quirk backlash. His blood pressure was still dangerously high, if he managed to catch what the paramedics were saying well enough. There was some grumbling over the fact that they were taking Izuku to the school clinic rather than a hospital, but All Might trusted Recovery Girl to save Izuku far more than he did doctors in a hospital.

Finally, they made it to the school. Izuku was quickly escorted towards the emergency infirmary, which had the most advanced medical equipment. It was one built with the purpose of taking care of emergency cases for both Pro-heroes and students alike.

Izuku was quickly placed on one of the patient beds there, the paramedics continuing to call out different numbers and medical words that Toshinori had no way of knowing the meaning of. Instead, he stared at the heart monitor Izuku was plugged onto almost religiously, the heart rate was dangerously high. The beeping too continuous to be seen as healthy. Still, as long as the beeping continued, Toshinori was okay.

It was only when the beeping of the heart monitor stopped that he would lose his remaining hold on sanity.

The world around didn’t feel real, his vision seemed to darken around him with the visage of the heart monitor and it’s beeping the only thing that he could truly see and hear. He didn’t even notice as the paramedics suddenly moved away from Izuku, making room for Recovery Girl as she took control of the situation.

The healing hero was calm even when giving stern instructions, a needle in her hold as she quickly administered it to Izuku. The medicine seemed to do the trick, the beeping of the heart monitor quickly slowing down to less life-threatening numbers, though still dangerously high for the average person.

It wasn’t until hours later, when the flurry around him ended and Recovery Girl was before him, eyes staring into his own unfocused one, taking his attention away from the beeping monitor, that Toshinori was able to come back to himself.

“Izuku…” Was all he was able to force out, his voice somewhere between a question and a sob as he clenched his fist. The world was still spinning, his heart thundering against his ears as the visage of the still boy before him, his blood staining Toshinori’s clothes, continued to play out in his mind.

“He is out of danger at the moment, though he will have to be under supervision for now. He has a dangerously high fever right now, but I was able to bring down his blood pressure enough to prevent heart-failure.” Recovery Girl explained patiently, looking at Toshinori with worried eyes, for once not lecturing the man even when he himself was also injured.

“You should go get checked out Toshinori, you are injured too.” At her words, Toshinori seemed to snap out of his trance fully as he shook his head. His eyes were wide, hands trembling as he gave Recovery Girl a gut-wrenching gaze filled with heartbreak and anguish.

“I…I can’t leave him.” He sounded so broken, younger than she had ever seen him even when having known him from his teen years. He looked almost lost, as if not knowing what to do next, what were the next steps to take.

Recovery Girl sighed, knowing that it would be a lost cause to try and separate the man from the young teen he seemed to have imprinted on. If she didn’t know any better, Recovery Girl would think Izuku was truly Toshinori’s.

Shaking the thought from her head, Recovery Girl forced herself to show more sternness as she stared at the hero who was once more staring at the sleeping boy with a single-minded obsession. “There is an extra bed in this infirmary, go lay down there while I look you over.”

When she noticed that the hero before her was about to open his mouth, most likely to deny the need to be looked after, Recovery Girl glared at him, automatically causing him to snap his mouth shut at the familiar sight.

“Either you allow yourself to heal, or I will ban you from entering this room until you are fully healed.” At the threat, Toshinori looked down with a glum air around him, but nodded in response to this threat. Glancing once more at Izuku, he then made his way to the bed a few feet away from the teenager, laying down in it and awaiting Recovery Girl to proceed with her healing. It was the most obedient she had ever witnessed the hero to be, too bad it had come at such a cost.

Recovery Girl sighed; she wondered what she would do with these two idiots.

o.O.o

Shoto felt his heart seize in his chest as he paid witness to Midoriya stepping in front of All Might, the quickly running form of the silver-blue haired hero nearly reaching him as the spread-out hand almost made contact with Midoriya’s face. Just as Shoto forced his ice forward, hoping it would reach in time, hearing other classmates call out in worry at the villain quickly closing in on their classmate, he heard gunshots ring out as the hand that was just about to reach those emerald eyes were blown away by bullets.

Relief filled his bones like lead, thankfulness bloomed within his heart with the knowledge that Midoriya was safe, even after putting himself in danger, again.

Shoto, along with Bakugou and Kirishima, had been relieved when the heroes had intervened and stopped Izuku from becoming injured. That relief, though, was short lived. Bakugou, Shoto and Kirishima were the closest to Midoriya and All Might, and in turn they were the ones who were able to better witness the green haired classmate suddenly cough out blood and collapse, the only thing keeping him from hitting the floor being All Might having managed to catch him and hold him close.

Todoroki could distantly hear himself along with the other classmates around him calling out Izuku’s name in both shock and fear as they all rushed towards the downed form, only to be stopped by a large wall made of cement. Shoto had half a mind to create his own ice path in order to get to Midoriya but was stopped by another pro-hero and teacher who made their way towards them, Snipe.

“I’m glad you guys are safe; we will be meeting with the rest of your classmates now and get you all to the nearest hospital to treat any injuries acquired today. Please follow me.”

Uraraka had suddenly run up to the group while holding hands with Asui, both most likely having seen Izuku collapse in the distance, if only by the sight of her frightened and worried gaze towards the cement and what laid beyond. Her eyes were wet with tears, but there was a stubborn glint in her eyes as she glared at the pro-hero, Shoto felt a faint respect towards the usually jovial and easy-going classmate, who now looked as if on a war path.

“What about Izuku!? Why can’t we see him?!” She practically screamed out, voice a few pitched away from being hysterical as she clutched at what Shoto faintly remembered being her soulmate’s hand, a slight tremble in her form.

“Your classmate will be fine; we will be getting him emergency medical support as he seems to be the most injured from our preliminary scan of the situation.” Of course he would be the most injured amongst his classmates, Shoto had a faint feeling this wouldn’t be a one-time experience, he desperately hoped the feeling was wrong.

“I want to see Midoriya.” Shoto tensed, hearing the practical growl from Bakugou behind him as he slightly turned to look at the seething form of his blonde-haired classmate, red eyes ablaze with promise of pain and retribution as he glared at the pro-hero in front of them before moving his gaze towards the cement. “I am going to fucking see that nerd and I am going to kill him.” The teen practically snarled, his hands flexing by his sides as if wondering if his explosions would be able to destroy the cement walls and get him to Midoriya.

For once, Shoto was hoping the blond would act on his impulses.

“As I have said, Izuku would be taken separately to better treat his injuries. For now, you all will follow me as we escort you and your classmates to the ambulances waiting outside. We have already contacted a hospital nearby and they are ready to see to you.”

“Will you fucking listen dipshit! We aren’t the ones injured here, now let us go together with that idiotic wannabe-martyr or I will fucking blow that wall into pieces.”

“It’s too late now, we have already escorted your classmate along with All Might to a separate exit.” A new voice joined them, the form of Ectoplasm walking towards them. Shoto gritted his teeth. “When will we be able to see him.” He practically growled out, startling Kirishima who peered at him with a thoughtful look.

Shoto ignored him, gazing at the dark-dressed hero with narrowed eyes. The hero seemed to think about something, before tilting his head slightly. “Once you have all been checked by the hospital, I will be sure to tell you about your classmate’s condition.” It was a bribe, but they had no choice but to accept it as they otherwise had no way of being able to hear Izuku’s condition. Feeling a burning sort of anger biting at the back of his throat, Shoto tried to swallow back the feeling of indignation as he merely gave the hero a short nod to show his acceptance, the others following suit, though Kirishima had to hold down Bakugou in turn, who looked ready to just fight the teachers himself to get the answers he wanted.

In the end, all of class 1-A were split into small groups, escorted by police and paramedics in turn as they were quickly taken to the nearest hospital and looked after by the medical staff there. While it was true that there was no one grievously injured, Shoto could hear murmurs about some of his classmates being lightly hurt, many of them due to quirk overuse or a villain managing to injure them slightly. Of course, from the altercation the only grievously injured ended up being Izuku, Aizawa and Thirteen.

Shoto had been tempted to head towards Aizawa’s bedside, worried for his soulmate’s father, but after an inquiry he was made aware that Hizashi was at the man’s bedside looking after him. He thought better of intruding upon the soulmates, Hizashi needed time to make sure that his husband and soulmate was okay before visits were welcomed. He worried about Hitoshi’s reaction towards his father’s injury, he dearly hoped that Aizawa was going to be okay in the end.

The thought of Hitoshi for some reason brought up the thought of Izuku and his still not disclosed condition. He was placed in a room alongside Uraraka, Asui, Kirishima and Bakugou. Iida had quickly made his way towards their room after some time, it seemed Uraraka and Asui had filled him in on the situation as the class president sat on a chair between the two girl’s bedside, uncharacteristically silent as tension pressed down on his form.

They were all silent, even Bakugou was merely glaring down at his clenched fist as they waited for the promise they had been told to be fulfilled.

Bakugou had a few bandages from injuries he gained while fighting the warp villain and escaping the Nomu, Kirishima was mostly unscathed but was lathered with a sort of muscle relaxant after having overused his quirk, his arms bandaged from being slightly injured by a villain who was able to slightly break through his defenses through continuous attacks.

Uraraka and Asui were also mostly unscathed, only a few injuries from some villains they had faced.

Shoto was the only one not injured, but he had been forced to take a cup of hot tea from the nurses and had been wrapped by warm blankets when it was found that his temperature had dropped bellow normal levels, a side effect after using his quirk more than usual.

Just as the tension in the room seemed to be ready to snap, the door finally opened, the form of Ectoplasm walking inside. “I am here to fulfill the promise that I made beforehand. What I am about to tell you will later be revealed to the rest of your classmates, currently Izuku is facing some complications from the fight that have caused grievous injuries post-battle. Due to patient confidentiality and the fact that I cannot obtain Midoriya’s permission to disclose his full condition to others, all I can say is that while his condition is still under preview it is believed that he will be able to recover soon.”

Dread filled with room at the things left unsaid, Izuku had been hurt enough to be considered critical, he was still not fully recovered, and his condition was still not stable. Even Aizawa, after all his injuries and broken bones, was already pronounced stable and slowly recovering, having regained consciousness briefly after being placed in hospital. Midoriya hasn’t even regained consciousness yet.

Shoto gritted his teeth, pain throbbing in his chest as his hand clutched at the tea he was holding, barely stopping himself before he accidentally breaking the glass mug.

“When can we see him?” Uraraka finally broke the silence, tears silently running down her eyes as her gaze penetrated the teacher in front of them.

“Once his condition further stabilizes and he regains consciousness, Midoriya will be able to receive visitors.” That was Ectoplasm’s final words to them before turning and leaving the room.

Shoto ignored the silence that filled the room, instead only being able to stare down at the green stillness of the tea in front of him.

He wondered why it was that his heart was hurting so much.

O.o.O

Shoto barely made it out of the room, his classmates right behind him, before his form was knocked back against a strong force. Arms wrapped around him in a tight embrace as Shoto tensed before feeling the familiar presence, quickly relaxing and sagging into the arms wrapped around him.

He laid his head against a broad shoulder, hearing Hitoshi mumbling something he couldn’t quite catch but finding himself uncaring as the only thing on his mind was letting the presence of his soulmate in his arms heal the last bits of despair inside him.

Suddenly, just as he was further burying himself in the warm embrace, he was pushed back roughly as Hitoshi stared deeply into his eyes. Before Shoto could question him, or rather whine at the lack of contact if he was honest with himself, he felt himself grow red as Hitoshi pulled at the side of Shoto’s shirt roughly all of a sudden.

“Wha-!” Shoto exclaimed, eyes widening as red colored his cheeks and ears. Hitoshi was not much into showing overly physical affection in public, so it was an understatement to say that Shoto was shocked at being manhandled as such.

“Shut up, I need to check your injury.” Hitoshi said gruffly, eyes pained as his hands trembled from where he was pulling his shirt aside from his neck, stretching the material but not seeming to care.

“But I didn’t get inju-.“ Just as Shoto was going to finish that sentence, his eyes widened at the sight of a dark mark against his skin, just below his right collarbone and right next to his armpit. It looked as if something had pierced him there, it looked quite fresh and if he had really been the one hurt, it would most likely be bleeding, though this was not the case as the mark was a mere imitation of the original.

All thoughts screeched into a halt inside of Shoto’s head as he stared at the wound there. He stared and felt his mouth dry up as his eyes widened in shock at the sight.

Hitoshi frowned, checking over the seeming injury but as he placed his hand over the injury his own eyes widened as well. He felt the smooth surface and knew just as Shoto did that it did not originate from the soulmate in front of him.

It had been a few months since the last time they had felt an injury that was not their own, both had prayed beyond hope that it was a sign that they who’s marks they have been receiving had finally managed to escape the situation they had been in. The only thing keeping Shoto and Hitoshi sane from the constant non-answers from their presumed third was the fact that the many marks they had gathered from them were still present in their bodies, even while hidden from the outside by clothes. It was proof that their third was still alive.

Shoto hadn’t noticed the mark appear, most likely not paying attention due to the attack and fighting off villains while keeping his focus on the world around him rather than his own condition. The mark must have shown up around that time without him noticing, he was usually keener in noticing marks, not only in hope of their third responding to them, but also to be on alert if Hitoshi was ever hurt.

Hitoshi though, had noticed, and had presumed that it was Shoto who had gotten hurt, which further proved that it had appeared while the attack was ongoing, could there really be such a coincidence.

Suddenly, Shoto felt his thoughts once more halt as his eyes snapped back at the mark that glared back at him, prominent against this pale skin. He felt dread and hope and grief fill his insides as his eyes bore deeply into the mark, breath coming out in short erratic puffs as thoughts ran rampant inside his head.

“No…” He couldn’t help but whisper as shock coursed through his system, his eyesight tunneling until the mark was the only thing in his sight.

Flashes of the events leading to the final battle, walking up the standing form of one green haired classmate after paying witness to him defeating the final villain he was against, four others scattered around the terrain unconscious as the form seemed no worse after having defeated five opponents by himself.

He remembers having meant to ask Midoriya if they should head back and reconvene with the rest of the class at the entrance, only to be stopped in his tracks at the sight of what looked like red dampness on his left shoulder. Even against a black jacket it was still visible under the glaring sun if just barely.

He remembers asking if he had been injured, only for Midoriya to deny it and walk away before more could be discussed.

He remembers Midoriya wrapping the same stop, bandaging it with his signature black bandaged before heading straight into battle.

Oh god.

“Shoto? Shoto what’s wrong?! Why are you reacting like this?” He faintly heard Hitoshi’s frantic voice ask, Shoto forced himself to look back into his soulmate’s lilac eyes, gaze wavering as his mouth open to reply, to reveal what conclusion he had just come upon.

Yet before he could force the words out of his suddenly dry mouth, a memory broke through him as Shoto stilled.

Midoriya, eyes looking glazed but determined, had denied ever having any soulmates. Shoto knew, he knew that if he was really their third, he would have received the near constant messages Shoto and Hitoshi have littered across their bodies, their full names almost constantly being in a discreet place from outside perspective but hard to miss on one’s own body.

He remembered the boy’s constant use of bandages, his body never displayed even the slightest bit. How he had reacted when Shoto had reached out to him that day when the alarm had gone off in the school and he had collapsed.

Then his words on the bus, the words that for some reason had stricken Shoto when he had said them.

“If I ever had a soulmate, which I highly doubt will happen, I feel like it would be for the best if neither they or I ever found out. Both for my sake and theirs.”

A deep agony filled Shoto within at the reminder of those callous words, the way that Izuku had said them with an emotionless tone in his voice as he threw away the belief of soulmates.

As he threw away Shoto and Hitoshi.

Greif and slight anger filled Shoto as he looked back at Hitoshi, who’s gaze was filled with worry and sadness as he continued to ask if he was okay. He looked back at his soulmate, remembered all he had gone through, all the pain he had faced, the rejection he had once gone through, and made his decision.

“It’s nothing, let’s go and check on your parents Toshi.”

The lavender haired teen looked ready to argue, but something in Shoto’s gaze must have stopped him as he merely nodded, gently grabbing his hand and pulling him along, ignoring the other classmates behind Shoto who were staring curiously after them.

Shoto though, couldn’t find it in him to care.

The only feeling within him was the deep pain of grief and hopelessness.

If what he was thinking was true, Midoriya was their soulmate.

And their soulmate didn’t want them.