Archive of Our Own ^beta

Izuku is seven years old when he walks out of his hom- out of his house alone, on his birthday, and simply goes wandering.

He doesn't even realise he's crying until he gets three streets away, having taken a left rather than the right turning towards Kaachan's house two streets back (Kaachan doesn't like him anymore, let alone love him, and Izuku still doesn't quite understand what he did to deserve too-hot scars in place of his brother's warm hugs) and he doesn't know where he's going but maybe that's okay? Nobody knows he's gone after all, so he can't told off for going somewhere bad or anything, and he knows about stranger danger and he can analyse Quirks almost as quickly as he can run, so it's not like he's probably going to get hurt. Not that Mama would care though. Or at least, she doesn't care when he comes home with scraped palms and cuts from fingernails and bruises from teachers dragging him around or burns from Kaachan's Quirk. Izuku used to think the popping heat was so pretty too! But now it just seems too-bright and ugly.

For a second, Izuku is jerked out of his head but the though that it's started raining on him. It must have, because his face is wet, except his clothes are still dry and there aren't any puddles, which is weird, because rain shouldn't be that localised unless it was the effect of a Quirk but that doesn't make sense either-

Oh. He's crying. Normally when he cries it's with big, heaving sobs that hurt his chest and make him go all red in the face because he can't quite get enough air in - oxygen, actually, he learnt that in school last week - so when there are just tiny trickles of tears down his cheeks, he doesn't know quite to do. He doesn't even feel sad, not really. He's used to nobody wanting to spend time with, or hug him, and so why would today have been any different? (It was different, because Mama deliberately put the food up in the high cupboards this morning so he wouldn't be able to reach them, but Izuku had managed to drag a dining chair over and stand on his tippy-toes; Dada hadn't rung the house because he can't anymore, and Kaachan had given him a present but then it only had worms in it and normally Izuku likes worms but not when they're all dirty and dropping on his desk and in his lap and then the teacher told him off for making a mess even though it was Kaachan that brought them into school-)

But now Izuku's crying and he can't get him to stop, even though his chest is just hollow, empty. It reminds him of skies and seas, the ones he used to visit with his parents when they liked him, and they were so big and scary and empty, so different to everything he knew, and he just feels grey now. Like- like storm clouds. The big, rumbly ones that feel threatening but never actually rain or shoot bright bolts of lightning down. These, these are the far away storm clouds, but they're still grey and sad and there. Izuku isn't quite sure how to make them go away.

And it's with this knowledge, with this vast nothing inside, that Izuku keeps on walking. He thinks he might be looking for something, but he's not really sure what because there's not much out there for a Quirkless kid like him, but he carries on moving anyway because if there's one thing Izuku knows, it's how to not give up. Not give in, stop, falter, when it comes to things that feel so big and beyond him yet squeeze themselves into his little chest anyway, things like knowing he wants to help people, and knowing that he needs, right now, to get somewhere. Anywhere that isn't his empty house.

But then his feet meet warm light. Red shoes are lit up by golden warmth, bright and soft and welcoming, and Izuku stops without even meaning to. Turns his head, daring to look up even a little.

It's a café. Or it looks like on at least, with big fancy writing proclaiming it to be "Ota's Coutroom" and lots of posters on the inside of the door, one showing off hero-themed sweets in bright colours and even more fancy writing. There's a Miruko one, and Midnight, and Present Mic, and Hawks and even Eraserhead! There's not All Might or Endeavor, and the fact that Izuku's favourite hero is missing kind of makes him want to be sad again, but the rest look so cool and tasty and the designs are actually authentic to the actual hero's costumes, which is super cool! Most shops, even merchandise shops which are Izuku's absolute favourites, often miss out little details or accidentally put together different versions of costumes which is always so silly of them, really, because it's not hard to research things, and Izuku should know, because he turns seven today and he knows how to do that so really the adults-

"Hello there, love, are you alright?"  A lady with a funny accident and lots of brown hair is smiling down at him from the now-open door, freckles bright even though the light is behind her, and Izuku squeaks in startled confusion.

"Uhm, uhm, I- I'm sorry, I'm fine Miss, thank you-"

"Hey, kid, if you want somewhere to sit for a minute, you're more than welcome to come in. It's my café, okay, I'm Ota, and it's a safe space for anyone that needs it, don't you worry. Of course, you don't have to!" She tacks on, laughing a little, sheepish in how she rubs a hand through her hair,
"But if you need or want somewhere warm for a minute, come and make yourself at home, alright?"

"I- Are you really sure, Ota-san?"  She smiles again then, even brighter, eyes glinting softly,

"Of course. Come in, darling."

And so it's with wide eyes and dried tears that Izuku steps forward, Ota letting the door swing shut behind him, and he's completely surrounded by warmth, it feels like a blanket, and he notices that there's a massive mounds of exactly that in the middle of the room, although it looks like lots of the tables and chairs and little sofas have been pushed all around the edges of the room. And in those blankets are lots of people, all tangled up with hair and limbs and smiles. Some of them are humming quietly, some look like they're asleep, and it looks so comfortable but makes Izuku so sad-

"Fire, love- oops, never mind, May and Saturn have you. Intro, would you help me make a quick drink for this one?"  Izuku watches on, still trying to figure out all of the thoughts and feelings muddling through him, as one person levers up from their place sprawled on the edge of cuddle pile, holding hands with someone, their brown hair up in a bun, and she walks past Ota, their shoulders brushing gently, and Izuku wishes he had that sort of affection still. He- he just doesn't understand why his Dada left and Mama doesn't like him anymore and it's his birthday but nobody wants to be with him, or at least not in a nice way, and all of these people look so soft and happy, bathed in enough golden light that it feels like a sunny day despite it being so dark outside, and he doesn't really know how to think about that. 

He's pulled out of his swirly mind though, Ota-san's voice sneaking in, and Izuku peeks up at her through his eyelashes, watching on as she rounds the counter to join the taller brunette, bopping the other girl's bun affectionately, glancing back at him shuffling his feet by the door.

"I- If I'm not b-being annoying or- or stupid?"

"You're absolutely not!" One person notes from within the pile of people, short flaming hair but kind eyes, and Izuku wonders if everyone here is kind.

"Fire's right," Ota reiterates, and a lot of the others, or those that are awake at least, nod along. There are so many different people here, Izuku notes, varying skin tones and sizes and hair, and yet every single one looks so gentle. They're all wrapped around each other, and a few of them have braids in their hair, tied off with plush-looking hairbands - scrunchies, Izuku thinks, because he remembers Auntie Mitsuki used to put them in Kaachan's hair - and there's soft toys strewed amongst them too, a giant Pikachu and cats and snakes and lambs and it's all so cute. There's one little bunny, a green one in fact, that Izuku can't help his gaze catching on, albeit he doesn't dare try to pick it up, even though it's on the edge of the people-pile and not being cuddled by anyone.

"You can have it, if you want."  The woman who had been asked to make a drink by Ota - Intro, he thinks? - comments, tone kind, and a blonde from the cuddle pile, who had been moving a few half-full drinks away from shifting feet, nods, nudging the bunny towards Izuku.

"Keep it! We have lots, plus that one suits you," the blonde adds on, and Intro hums a soft agreement as she rounds the counter, a hot chocolate cradled in her hands, glasses glinting in the warm light,

"Saturn's right. And here you go, would you like me to add any cinnamon in?"

"N-no, thank you."  He still doesn't take the bunny though, not quite daring to, even as he accepts the hot mug with chilly, trembling hands, and instantly feels like his freckles are brighter, his fingers steadier, and less like his heart is frost-shivering in his chest. Oh. He isn't sure he ever wants to leave here.

With this ringing in his mind, the sweet sounds of a wind chime rather than a clanging alarm bell, Izuku settles down right at the edge of the cuddle pile, slipping off his shoes but keeping his socks firmly on because the last thing he wants is for these wonderful people to start hating him for his Quirk status, and he takes a hesitant sip of the hot chocolate.

He nearly gulps the whole thing down on the spot, because it's so tasty, all rich and thick and chocolatey, even more so than that special chocolate he got given for Christmas last year and-

"It's Lev's recipe, they have one for lots of things. Cream stew is a speciality of theirs."  Izuku registers the words, understands them, but doesn't really care, not when he's got something so delicious to drink!  Around him, there's laughter, but it's all good-natured, and by the time he's halfway through the mug and listening to the hushed conversations throughout their cuddle pile, the green bunny toy has found its way into his arms, and he's almost ready to fall asleep. He really... he just feels so safe here, so warm and content and welcome, and he hopes that he can come back another time.

(What Izuku doesn't know, is that this café will become his safe space. There are birthdays and anniversaries and sometimes bad days too, but the people of Ota's Courtroom are there for him regardless, and never falter in their soft voices and kind touches. He'll visit right up until he starts at UA, will join cuddle piles and snack on ever-healthier foods and the occasional particularly-sweet treat once he begins his training diet, and once he begins learning at the school of his dreams, once he makes friends of his own age that are good and kind and true, he will bring them with him, to meet the people that have become his second family. There's nothing more wonderful.)