Chapter Text
Chapter One: Merrily we fall out of line (out of line)
“Hey, look! It’s the useless quirkless loser!” One of his classmates sneered, raising his eyebrow in his direction as other children glances in his direction, their emotions varying from disgust, amusement, and apathy.
Izuku’s lip quivered, forcing himself to tug his lips into a smile. He can feel his heart pounding to his chest, looking down to avoid their gazes, “I-I’m not useless…” he whimpered, clutching his All Might plush in his hands.
His peers laughed, clutching their stomachs and falling to their knees as if they just heard the funniest joke. “D-Deku–” one of Kacchan’s lackeys blurted out in a snort, “–thinks he’s useful! What a joke!” he snickered.
The poor boy’s body shook, pursing his lips with tears tempting to fall his chubby, rosy cheeks. “Papa always said I’m not useless, I can still be a hero!” he tried to defend himself, only to be greeted with erupting laughter once again from his peers.
“Deku! You, a hero?!” Kacchan roared in laughter.
Izuku’s smile cracked, widening his eyes ever so slightly to hold back his tears, refusing to be ridiculed any longer. Nothing was making sense in his pure, innocent, child-like brain. He and Kacchan were going to become heroes together. Why can’t they be heroes now? Why can’t he become a hero?
“But Papa–”
“Left you and Auntie Inko!” He flinched, stumbling back from Kacchan’s sudden outburst. “Why are you still mentioning that asshole?! He left you when the doctor said you’re quirkless!”
He clutched his plush closer to him, his tears finally set free, falling from his cheeks to his chin. “Papa still calls–”
Katsuki grabbed his shirt aggressively, his eyes glowing red from frustration towards his former childhood friend, “We all know he stopped doing that a year ago! He left you because you’re useless!” he yelled, punching Izuku in the face.
“So what makes you think you’re worth anything?! What makes you think you can become a hero?!” Katsuki growled, pushing Izuku to the ground before continuing to punch his cheeks left and right.
“K-Kacchan! It hurts! Stop!” Izuku cried out, trying his best to push Katsuki away on top of him. His cheeks burned from the bully’s pre-active quirk.
His mouth tasted like iron, it wasn’t supposed to taste like that. His vision slowly darkened with each blow he took, he was hurting. He doesn’t like getting hurt, his mother wasn’t here to kiss the pain away.
Please, somebody, help me, Mama–
“Bakugou! Midoriya! Stop fighting!”
He felt Katsuki stand up away from him, the weight from the blonde finally lifting off between his chest and stomach
He gasped for air, he could finally breathe. He closed his eyes shut. He focused on the ringing sound coming from his ears, “–doriya–hear me–” he couldn’t understand what everyone was saying.
He was hurting, he wasn’t supposed to be hurt. Heroes can’t be hurt–
“Mama…” he called out, feeling somebody wrap their arms around his body. He winced, the way the person carried him was cold, uncaring of his injuries.
Everything was hurting, from the burning sensation from his cheeks to the aching feeling he was feeling from his chest. He was hurt, he was confused.
He gripped at his All Might plush that remained in his side, All Might said from his interviews that anyone can be a hero. So why is everyone saying he can’t?
“Hero…” he murmured, allowing the darkness to take him over.
It was unfair.
—
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was that it was dark. He looked outside the window, the moon was up and everything was dark.
He looked up to his mother, “Mama? Where are we?” he asked, tilting his head in confusion. He wasn’t supposed to be here. He was supposed to be at school.
His mother didn’t speak.
He frowned and touched his cheeks instead, wincing when his finger made contact with a bandage on his cheek, “Ow…” he whimpered.
“Izuku, dear, don’t touch your injuries,” Inko finally spoke.
He glanced up, making eye contact with his mother for a split second, “Okay, Mama,” he responded. He hugged the All Might plush beside his seat, counting the trees they come across.
They were quiet. The sound they could only hear was their car moving and the rustling of leaves and woods their car came across.
Izuku found comfort in their silence, but Inko was biting her nails in discomfort. He was once again confused. His mother always remained calm, she would always begin their conversation about school and how both of their days went.
“Mama, is something wrong?” he spoke, reaching his hand out to hold his mother to comfort her, to ease her trouble as she always does for him—
“Don’t touch me!” Inko yelled, halting the car to a stop.
Izuku was pushed forward, but he was still secured in his seat thanks to the fastened seatbelt across his shoulder to his side.
“Mama?” he questioned, ignoring the pain across his chest and the All Might plush he lost grasp to, allowing the plush toy to fall to the ground.
Tears were streaming down Inko’s cheeks, removing her seatbelt to hug her sweet, kind, baby boy. “Mama’s sorry, Izuku. I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that,” she apologized, chewing the inside of her cheeks as she felt her son wrap his tiny little arms around her.
His arms were so small, so kind. Full of affection, love, and kindness.
She could only weep, the world doesn’t deserve her son.
“It’s okay, Mama,” he smiled, kissing her cheeks to reassure her, “I’m not hurt, see!” he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her tighter.
He was lying. His chest hurts and his injuries were aching, but who was he to tell her that?
“Izuku, will you listen to Mama?” his mother asked, and he quickly nodded.
Papa told him to always listen to Mama, so he would! He would protect her, too, and comfort her as long as she needs it! As long as she needed him, as long as she wanted little Izuku to stay.
He smiled fondly when she cupped his cheeks, so careful, so loving from a mother to her child. “You know that Mama loves you right?” she asked. He nodded, leaning his head to his mother’s touch.
“A-And you know when Mama makes difficult decisions because Mama loves Izuku so very much, right?” Her voice was starting to waver, Izuku noticed.
“Mhm,” he answered, his chest suddenly feeling heavy. Something was wrong, but Mama wouldn’t tell him.
What’s wrong Mama? He wanted to ask.
“Then, could my b-baby boy stay here in the car and wait for Mama?” she asked again.
“Okay! I’ll wait for Mama!” he smiled, holding her mother’s hands. His hands were so soft, so gentle– Inko broke down.
“Alright, stay here, okay?” She smiled, her face drenched with overflowing tears. She kissed his forehead, “Mama will come with you later, forgive Mama okay?” she whispered, and before she could let Izuku speak, she pulled something in between in the car. Izuku didn't pay too much attention to it.
She stepped out of the car, Izuku fastened in his seat with the same seatbelt. The car was moving ahead.
Izuku frowned, turning back to see his mother on her knees, weeping for something he doesn’t know. Not yet.
Something was wrong, he should’ve asked– His eyes caught the All Might plush that dropped earlier.
“There you are!” he grinned, removing his seatbelt to grab the plush toy. He slouched, leaning forward to grab the fallen toy.
Once he grabbed it, he smiled, “Got you!” he chuckled, returning back to his sit. He was happy, playing to himself, laughing to himself as he pretends to play with the number one hero.
But not for long.
The moment his eyes came back to view the window, his laughter died in his throat.
He screamed, bracing himself with the All Might plush he just grabbed.
The car fell off a cliff, bringing Izuku Midoriya, a poor, sweet child along with it.
In the middle of the forest, a crash was heard.
Inko wept. This was all she could do for her baby boy.