Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Kaachan, wait for me!”

Six year old Izuku Midoriya raced after his friend, trying to keep up while juggling a net and plastic container. Up ahead, Katsuki Bakugo turned back, smirking at the green haired boy. “Better catch up, or you’ll get stuck out here by yourself!”

The two were walking through the wooded parts of the park closest to their houses, enjoying an evening of catching bugs. Katsuki faltered slightly at his friend’s expression, the boy’s big green eyes welling up with tears. The blond begrudgingly slowed down.

“Thanks, Kaachan!” Izuku said brightly, speeding up until the two were side by side.

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t get used it! If we’re gonna be the greatest heroes ever, you’re gonna have to learn to move faster!”

Izuku nodded. “I know; hopefully, when I get my quirk, it’ll make me super fast!”

Katsuki scoffed. “Not faster than me,” he muttered.

The blond boy had already gotten his quirk, a combination of both his mother and father’s quirks which allowed him to create small explosions from his hands. Like the rest of his class, Izuku thought it was the coolest thing ever.

“Well, whatever my quirk is, I hope it’s just as cool as yours, Kaachan!”

His friend smirked. “Not likely, but it’ll probably be better than all the other losers we know!”

The two continued along with their bug catching, finding mostly grasshoppers and ladybugs. Katsuki saw a cool looking spider, and swung his net wildly trying to catch it. “Come here, stupid spider! DIE!”

“Kaachan be careful!”

But as Katsuki slammed his net down on the spider, trapping the insect, the rocks he was standing on shifted, and he lost his balance. The blond fell forward, landing on his knee. “Fuck!”

Izuku raced over to his friend, the sensitive boy’s eyes watering up once more. “Kaachan, are you okay??”

“I’m fine, nerd, I just scraped my knee is all.”

Izuku crouched down to look at it, seeing a little bit of blood pooling at the surface of the broken skin. He pulled a bandaid out of his pocket, one of many he carried around at his overprotective mother’s urging, and pulled off the paper, revealing the adhesive strips. The bright red bandaid was then placed on his friend’s knee, who still looked a little uncomfortable.

“And now, to make it all better!” Izuku announced grandly, before kissing the knee. Katsuki spluttered.

“That’s gross, Izu! Don’t do that!”

“But our moms do that to make boo-boos feel better!”

“Yeah but my knee is covered in dirt, and now so is your stupid face!”

“Do you feel better?”

 Katsuki glared at his friend for a second more, before sighing. “I guess…”

Izuku brightened. “Good! Now let’s go, Mama’s making katsudon for dinner!”

Neither boy noticed that Katsuki’s knee wasn’t scraped anymore, nor did the blond notice the lack of blood on the bandaid when he threw it away a day later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Yeah, that’s right! RUN AWAY YOU EXTRAS!” Katsuki yelled, throwing sparks at the bullies’ retreating figures. Behind him, Izuku sniffled.

He had been playing by himself in the sandbox, waiting for Kaachan to join him. A few older kids had noticed he was by himself, and started picking on him for not having his quirk yet.

Izuku’s mom had tried to convince him that it was okay; that some kids didn’t get their quirk until they were as old as nine! But it didn’t matter to the green haired boy: until he got his quirk, he wouldn’t get to be a hero with his best friend.

“Damnit nerd, quit crying! That’s why they like to pick on you.”

Izuku sniffled again, wiping away the tears. “Can’t help it,” he mumbled.

“Yeah, your mom’s a crybaby too.”

“Is not!”

“Is too!”

Izuku stuck his tongue out, before getting sad. “Kaachan…what if I never get a quirk? Or what if it’s not helpful?”

Katsuki snorted. “You would get stuck with a useless quirk, Deku. It’s in your name!”

“I wanna be a hero, but if I don’t have a strong quirk like yours, then…”

The blond’s eyes flashed. “Don’t say stupid crap like that unless you want it to come true! You’ll get your quirk, and it’ll be super awesome and better than everyone else’s except mine! Until then, I’ll just have to cover your pathetic ass.”

“Thanks, Kaachan! You’re my white knight!”

“Doesn’t that make you a princess, Deku?” Katsuki smirked.

“Nu-uh! Princesses wear pink!”

“Then you better get some pink, Princess Deku!”

“Quit teasing!”

The next day, Izuku came to school in a pink shirt. Katsuki laughed at him until his sides hurt.

Both Izuku and Katsuki were devastated when their parents told them that the Midoriyas would be moving.

The two families were at the Bakugo residence, having dinner. The dinners used to be a bi-monthly arrangement for Inko and Mitsuki to spend time together, the two women having been friends since before they were married. Once Izuku and Katsuki got older and closer, the dinners became a weekly affair.

“I’m sorry boys, but it’s for the best,” Inko told them, doing her best to comfort the children. “Izuku’s dad is moving back to Japan for work, but his new job is in Hosu.” Privately, Inko was thrilled to be moving; not because she hated Musutafu or wanted the boys to be hurt, but because years of her husband working overseas put a strain on their marriage, as well as Hisashi’s relationship with his son. Most days, Izuku could only just remember what his father looked like, which pained the woman greatly.

“I won’t go!” Izuku told her in uncharacteristic defiance. Inko suspected her son’s hot tempered friend was the influence behind it. “I’ll stay right here with Kaachan!”

“Yeah! He already sleeps here a lot, and he won’t have to change schools!”

“It’s not that simple boys,” Inko tried to reason with them, which only made them angrier.

“The hell it isn’t!”

“Hey! Watch your mouth, brat!” Mitsuki snapped at her son, her glare matching the boy in front of her. “You two can still call each other and write letters, and we can visit for holidays, too.”

“It won’t be the same, and you guys know it,” Izuku mumbled, his eyes getting watery. Inko sighed.

“I know, sweetie. I know.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Katsuki snarled as yet another person came up to him to ask about where Deku was, despite their teacher telling the whole class that he moved. He vaguely recognized some of the kids as extras who would talk to Izuku when the blond was in a relatively good mood, but the rest were just being nosy and didn’t actually care about the green haired boy.

Moving day had been hard for both boys, who clung to each other as their parents loaded up the Midoriyas’ car. Izuku’s dad was going to meet his wife and son in Hosu, which Katsuki took to mean the bastard was too lazy to help with moving.

“I’m gonna miss you so much, Kaachan,” Izuku cried, and even Katsuki couldn’t help but shed a tear.

Eventually, Katsuki started hanging out with the bully kids, keeping them in line with his explosive quirk. One day, as the group crossed a fallen tree that bridged a shallow stream, Katsuki stumbled and fell into the water below. He was fine, the drop only being a couple feet and the stream just barely moving. His new friends cheered as he stood back up, showing off his scrapes and how tough he was for not crying. Despite this, he couldn’t help but think how Deku would’ve rushed to him, eyes watery and concerned, and would have fished a bandaid out of his pocket and tried to kiss the boo-boos better.

At his new school in Hosu, Izuku tried making new friends, but there weren’t a whole lot of people interested. His teacher made him tell the class his name and his quirk when he first arrived and, since he didn’t know what his quirk was, most of the class thought he was weird. It wasn’t until lunch, when a loud, hyperactive girl with pink hair and yellow eyes sat next to him that he found his first new friend.

“Hi there! I’m Mei Hatsume!” The girl introduced herself, her smile wide enough to show off her missing baby teeth. “You’re Izuku, right? You moved here from Musutafu?”

‘Y-yeah, that’s right,” he replied nervously. “It’s nice to meet you, Mei!”

“I can tell we’re gonna be great friends, I’ll even show you some of my babies!”

“Babies?”

The girl’s smile turned sharp. “Yep! I make all kinds of stuff in the metal shop room! The teacher keeps an eye on me because he doesn’t trust me with the saws or the drills, but still!”

As she grabbed him by the hand and dragged him to the metal shop classroom, lunches abandoned, Izuku looked at her. She was loud, brash and passionate, but she was no Kaachan.

Still, she was a friend, and Izuku was grateful.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Keeping in touch proved difficult for the now seven year olds, as time and distance slowly pushed them apart. Neither had forgotten about each other, but juggling school, friends and activities made it difficult to schedule a phone call or remember to reply to a letter. Eventually, communication just stopped.

Izuku was happy to get to spend time with his papa, the man now taking his family to movies, museums, amusement parks and more on most weekends. Now a united two-income family, the Midoriyas could afford nicer vacations, expensive school supplies for their son and higher end gifts for one another. The play dates Izuku used to have so frequently with Katsuki now happened with Hatsume, the pink haired girl getting him into just as much trouble as Kaachan did.

One day, as the two were playing at a nearby park, Hatsume fell out of a tree she was climbing, landing on the ground with a thud.

“I’m okay,” she told her friend, who was beginning to cry as he saw all of her scrapes and cuts. “Honest, I am.”

She was being brave for him, but Izuku could still tell she was in pain. “At least let me kiss it better!”

Kaachan didn’t often let him do it, saying he was too tough to need his owies kissed, but Hatsume graciously accepted, tapping a clean spot on her cheek.

As soon as his lips connected with her cheek, Hatsume felt ten times better, her wounds disappearing before the children’s eyes.

“Holy cow,” she breathed, eyes wide. “Izu, your quirk! You fixed my boo-boos!”

And so, Izuku Midoriya found his quirk. His doctor had wanted to put ‘Healing’ on his chart, but the quirk specialist the clinic called in dismissed the idea.

“It’s possible healing is just one aspect of his quirk,” the specialist argued. “For now, we should leave the identification broad, in case it changes as he gets older.” What the woman really meant was: she didn’t want the boy’s information to get him poached for having a useful quirk, by either villains or heroes.

With that, Izuku Midoriya’s quirk was identified as ‘Kisses.’ He was thrilled.

Chapter Text

“So, you really wanna join UA’s hero course?”

Izuku and Mei were sitting under a tree during lunch, the two Junior High students absently eating while working. Izuku had his superhero analysis notebook in his lap, Mei had a new invention in hers. Izuku turned to her.

“Of course I do! It’s where All Might became a hero and I wanna be just like him, I have since I was a kid.” It was true; Izuku had been dreaming of being a hero ever since he first saw All Might on TV, the hero saving twelve people from a burning building, all at once! It was the coolest thing the boy had ever seen, and he wanted to be just like that.

“I know, but can you even be a hero without some kind of super strong quirk? I mean, yours is awesome and everything, but you’re more of a healer.” The girl’s eyes cut to him. “And you have to get so close to people to use it, how’s it gonna help against a blaster villain?”

“I’ve been taking classes! I practice judo every Friday, gymnastics every Saturday, and run track every Sunday!”

“Yeah, but you’re just good at those things, not great…” she blew out a sigh. “I still think you should apply for the support courses with me.”

Izuku firmly shook his head. “I’m not as smart as you are. I mean I’m smart, but I can’t invent stuff. Anyway, I don’t wanna be a supporter, I wanna be a hero!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The practical portion of the UA entrance exam was tough; no, it was brutal.

Izuku fought to catch his breath as the chaos unfolded around him. One close call of being crushed told him that the robots were immune to his quirk, so he found a broken pipe and was smacking one with it. It took him twelve swings to knock it down, and far too much time. He heard a cry behind him, and turned to see a tall boy with purple hair get knocked down. He rushed over.

“Are you okay?” He asked as he scanned the boy for injuries. He sensed nothing more than some cuts and burgeoning bruises, so he pecked him quickly on the cheek, much to the other boy’s alarm, and took off after the robot.

Next, he spotted a girl with pink hair that reminded him a little too much of Hatsume laying on the ground, her leg twisted unnaturally. He did the same for her as he did the purple boy, the girls leg snapping back into place. She fainted.

Huh, that’s new, he thought to himself. He heard the buzzer sound, signaling the end of the test. He had only managed to take down one two-point robot.

“Don’t worry, young man,” a voice spoke next to him, startling him. “There’s still hope.”

Izuku looked down to see none other than Recovery Girl, the healing hero. “I came out to help with the injured, but it looks like you beat me to it.”

“Yes ma’am,” he responded politely, bowing. “My quirk lets me heal people with a kiss.”

“I see. And how does that work, exactly?”

“I don’t know much, the specialist I met as a kid seems to think something about my kisses can regenerate tissue.” He turned to the still unconscious girl. “I’ve never had someone faint before; most people feel fine, or a little loopy at worst when I use my quirk.”

“Fascinating…” the woman had a thoughtful look on her face, before giving him a sweet smile. “Never mind that now, dear. Go take a rest, and try not to get discouraged. You may not have gotten the highest score, but you’re a hero if I’ve ever seen one.”

The following week was torture for Izuku, the waiting for his results driving both himself and his family nuts.

“Izuku, honey, please just sit down,” his mother said wearily. “Pacing in front of the door won’t make the mail come any faster.”

Logically he knew that, but he needed the movement to keep his mind from going into overdrive. When the mail did finally arrive, his letter from UA with it, he tore the envelope in half, a small projector falling out of it.

“Hello, Young Midoriya!” A heroic voice boomed out as a projection of All Might appeared. “I must commend you on your determination and bravery as you competed in this year’s entrance exams! As I’m sure you know, only up to forty people are selected to join the UA hero course, and we are very discerning!”

As the recorded message played, Izuku’s eyes got bigger and bigger. Surely, all of the praise meant-

“Unfortunately, with your combined hero and rescue points, plus your written exam, you were one point away from the requirement. We look forward to having you in General Studies. As always, go Plus Ultra!”

The message ended, and Izuku’s heart sank. One point. He was one point away.

He started to cry.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Moving into the school’s dorms was a bittersweet moment for Izuku. On the one hand, he was excited to be at All Might’s Alma Mater, the school he’d been dreaming of for two whole years. On the other, he was heartbroken to not be moving into the 1-A or 1-B dorms with the hero course kids. He looked wistfully as he and his parents passed the 1-A dorms, and wondered if either of the people he helped got in.

The 1-C dorms were spacious, and everyone polite, which only further dampened Izuku’s mood. He couldn’t even enjoy the kindness of the people around him and, with Hatsume in the 1-D Support dorms, he was completely alone. He found his room easily enough, and said goodbye to his parents after the boxes were put away. Once back downstairs, he bumped into a familiar face.

“Oh hey, I know you! You were in the same test group as me,” Izuku recognized, taking in the tall boy’s dark circles and messy hair.

“Oh, yeah…weren’t you the kid who kissed me?” The boy asked, eyeing him critically. Izuku flushed.

“S-sorry about that. My quirk only activates if my lips come into contact with another person’s skin.” He said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I see…”

“Anyways, I’m Izuku Midoriya; pleasure to meet you!”

“Hitoshi Shinso. I’m not interested in making friends.”

Shinso then departed, leaving a confused Izuku standing in the hall.

Chapter Text

General Studies bored Izuku to tears.

His teacher Present Mic tried to keep his lessons interesting, as did Cementoss, but it was in vain. Most of the other students whispered to each other, trading texts and giggles behind their teachers backs. Shinso kept his head down and ignored his classmates, and Izuku paid as much attention as he could each class, before giving up and working on his hero analyses.

It wasn’t until the end of his first month at UA that things got interesting.

Hatsume had hurt herself in the support lab, her teacher Power Loader chastising her for being so reckless. Izuku knew from past experience that trying to get his pink haired friend to see reason was a losing battle.

“Next time at least injure yourself during Math,” he teased, kissing his friend on the cheek. At once, her burns, cuts and sprained ankle disappeared, leaving the girl disoriented.

“Fel’ diff’rent thiz time…” she slurred, swaying back and forth.

“Oh no,” Izuku mumbled, remembering the girl from the entrance exams. “We better get you to the infirmary.”

He pulled the girl to his side, slinging her arm over his shoulder as he guided her to the infirmary. There, the two were met by Recovery Girl, a polite smile on her face.

“Oh ho ho! I was wondering when I’d see you again, dear.” The elderly woman watched as the boy helped his friend onto one of the infirmary cots. “I’m guessing this is your quirk’s doing?”

Izuku nodded, feeling guilty. “Hatsume’s gotten the most kisses from me out of anyone because she’s so accident prone, but she’s never been affected like this before.”

At the nurse’s prompting, Izuku explained everything he could, not just about the instance with Hatsume, but every time he could remember using his quirk. When he was done, the nurse regarded him thoughtfully.

“I think I know what’s happening,” she finally said.

“You do?”

“Yes. You see, my power is similar to yours in that I can heal with a hug, but I simply accelerate what the body does naturally, which can leave my patients feeling drained, and if the injury is too severe, the toll my healing would take on their bodies could kill them.”

Izuku gulped, his vision blurring slightly as his breaths became shallow. “You mean…I could’ve…I might’ve…killed Hatsume?!”

Recovery Girl didn’t laugh, but it was a near thing. “No dear boy, I don’t think your quirk works that way. When I heal someone, there’s almost always a scar or mark left behind, it’s just how the body works. In all three cases I’ve seen of your power, there is no mark; in fact, there’s no trace of damage on your friend at all! I don’t think you’re speeding up their healing, I think you’re undoing the damage!”

“Undoing the damage…” Izuku frowned. He’d tried his best to understand his quirk growing up, but the parameters needed to study it weren’t easy to come by. Having a lineup of injured people would be difficult in any setting other than a hospital or relief shelter, neither of which would want a kid with no control of his quirk there. If what Recovery Girl was theorizing was correct, then that would mean his quirk was more efficient than hers, and less dangerous for the patient.

“Regenerating damaged tissue, returning it to it’s original state…that would certainly be something,” the nurse hummed. “As for the fainting and the sluggishness, I have an idea about that too.”

Izuku gave her his full attention, motioning for her to continue. “Well, part of caring for someone who’s injured or sick is about easing their discomfort. If you worry for your patient as you use your quirk on them, you might be accidentally sedating them while healing their injuries.”

“That makes sense…sort of…”

Recovery Girl did chuckle then. “There’s no reason to look so serious, this is a wonderful gift! And I know just how we’re going to use it, provided Principal Nezu doesn’t mind.”

With that, the little nurse shooed the two students out, sending them back to class. Hatsume looked to be coming out of her stupor, so the two parted ways and met with their respective teachers to explain their absence.

Two days later, Izuku was called to the infirmary, where Recovery Girl and a small creature awaited him. The creature had white fur and a pleasant smile, and was dressed in a three piece suit without the jacket and yellow sneakers.

“Hello Izuku Midoriya, am I a bear, a mouse or a dog? It doesn’t matter, because above all I am Nezu, your principal!” The little creature spoke.

“Oh, pleasure to meet you, sir…” the boy wasn’t sure what to make of the charismatic animal, but he remembered his manners and bowed just the same.

“Recovery Girl has told me all about you, I’m thrilled to see we have such promising young students here at UA!” Principal Nezu’s voice was calm and even, but his tone gave Izuku the impression that this being was not to be trifled with. “It’s such a shame to see a gift like yours so under developed; then again, one could hardly blame you for not wanting to kiss every injured person you see.”

The freckled boy shook his head. “It’s not that at all, sir! It’s just that most of the people I know don’t get hurt much, and when they do it’s usually not more than a cut or a bruise. Hatsume’s always hurting herself in the support lab but it’s never been too serious until the other day.”

“So you mean to say you need more practice with your quirk to understand it? Well, I suppose that only makes sense. I guess we know what to do, don’t we Recovery Girl?”

Nezu turned to the nurse, who smiled indulgently. “We do indeed! Midoriya, how would you like to work here in the infirmary with me?”

Izuku blinked, not sure if he heard correctly. “You want me to work here? As a nurse?”

She giggled. “Not exactly; I want you to be my nurse aid and learn more about your quirk. Together, we can test your limits while helping students in need. There’s always an endless stream of hero students coming in with injuries, so you won’t be short on patients very often.”

“I’ve already given you clearance to use your quirk to assist Recovery Girl here in the infirmary, but you still won’t be able to use it off campus, I’m afraid. And who knows, if all goes well you may be able to do a work study here as well.”

“So, what say you, dear?”

 Izuku felt his eyes begin to tear up, his hands trembling at his sides. “Of course I’ll do it! Helping people is my biggest goal in life!”

Nezu gave another peaceful smile. “Splendid. You’ll start today; we’ll have you work mostly in the afternoons, so I’m afraid you’ll have to drop one of your electives, and you may work during lunch as well, if you wish.”

“Got it. Don’t worry sir, ma’am, I won’t let you down!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Working in the infirmary was a surreal experience for Izuku; it almost made him feel like a real nurse.

He was given a lab coat, which was a bit too large on him, as well as a stethoscope, though when he told Recovery Girl his senses would tell him what he needed to know, she just laughed.

“You’ll want to look the part, dear! It will help make the other students feel at ease.”

Recovery Girl wasn’t lying when she mentioned just how accident prone the hero students were: at least four times during his shifts he would have to care for an upperclassmen who’d managed to burn, sever, crush or break something. No one seemed to mind his kisses, and in fact many of his patients looked far happier leaving than they did arriving! It made the boy’s heart swell to see how much they trusted him.

One particular repeat patient was third year Mirio Togata, of UA’s Big Three. The smiling blonde was littered with scars from previous injuries, as well as fresh cuts and bruises each day.

“I guess I push myself a little too hard sometimes,” Mirio confided in him one day, accepting his kiss on the cheek with a smile.

“Well, at least try to be more careful,” Izuku weakly admonished him, feeling strange about scolding someone older than him. “A hero’s job is to save people, but they can’t do that if they’re hurt.”

“That’s so true, Midoriya! Man, you’re great at this stuff.”

Mirio was becoming one of Izuku’s favorite patients, and his continued approbation of the freckled boy’s abilities and advice was making Izuku just a little bit bossy.

But what was at first a lighthearted nurse’s aid job quickly became a very serious, sobering reality of hero work the day Eraser Head was rushed in, beaten, bloody and dying.

Chapter Text

It had been a normal day for Izuku at first, going to his morning classes, eating lunch with Hatsume in the infirmary, and tending to the bumps and bruises of the hero students, until the school’s alarm sounded.

The entire school was placed on lockdown as teachers rushed to the USJ off campus, Recovery Girl out like a shot as soon as she was called. Izuku waited nervously for her to return, the nurse bringing the principal, All Might and a very damaged body with her.

Izuku began to feel nauseous as he sensed the many injuries the man had sustained. “Fractures in the zygomatic bone, broken ribs, internal bleeding, damage to the right elbow, retinal damage, tearing of the optic nerve, trauma to the frontal lobe, pierced left lung…” Izuku began muttering to himself, feeling faint.

He watched with horror as Recovery Girl did what she could, cleaning and bandaging the unconscious man, his breaths shallow. When another body was brought in, wearing a clunky spacesuit, Izuku moved out of the way so the heroes had room to work.

“Put Thirteen over there,” Recovery Girl ordered, All Might obeying her swiftly.

“What…what happened…” Izuku asked meekly.

“There was a break in at the USJ,” All Might informed him. “The League of Villains held class 1-A hostage, and crippled the teachers there. They were looking for me…” The man began to tremble, and Izuku was suddenly aware that the hero before him was still just a man, who looked beside himself. “Damnit! If I had just been there, or gotten there faster…”

“It…it’s not your fault,” Izuku tried, tentatively reaching a hand out. “You couldn’t have known this would happen.” The hero didn’t meet his eyes, but he wasn’t shaking as much, which Izuku counted as a small victory.

“I’m sorry,” Recovery Girl spoke, all eyes turning to her. “But there’s not much I can do. Eraser Head is dying.”

“Eraser Head? Mr. Aizawa…” Izuku had seen the man here and there on campus, usually on his way to the faculty room or training his classes out on the field. He clenched his fists, his eyes beginning to water. “No, no he can’t die!”

“There’s nothing we can do,” Nezu said softly, his eyes glittering. “His body is giving out.”

Izuku shook his head. They may not be able to help, but he could. He raced to the hero’s bedside, ripping off the bandages. 

“What the hell are you doing, kid?!” Izuku paid the number one hero no mind, instead leaning forward and kissing Aizawa’s cheek with as much force as he could muster.

For Izuku, it looked as though the teacher’s body was reorienting itself, skin knitting back together, bones snapping back into place. Aizawa’s breathing evened out, his heartbeat steadied.

The man was alive, and he was going to be okay. Izuku let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, turning to see the group of educators staring at him with shock and awe.

“It’s a miracle,” the hero known as Midnight said softly, the others nodding in agreement.

“No,” Nezu said, smiling once more. “Not a miracle, a hero.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When all was said and done, Aizawa was left with only a small scar under his right eye. Thirteen had sustained very little injury in the attack, their suit taking the brunt of the damage. For them, Izuku and Recovery Girl cleaned the surface wounds and bandaged them, one of the nurse’s famous hugs doing the rest.

“I don’t know if you’ve grasped the gravity of this situation,” Recovery Girl said as she pulled Izuku to the side, their patients now resting comfortably in their cots. “But a man came in here on the very brink of death and, thanks to you, all he has to show for it is a small scar. Just the one! No scar tissue anywhere else, no signs of trauma, not even a scab! And here you stand, looking fit as a fiddle! I’ve never seen anything like this, Midoriya, never.”

Principal Nezu was similarly impressed. “I’ve had my eye on you for a while now Midoriya, and you haven’t stopped surprising me yet. I think it’s safe to say we here at UA should expect great things from you.”

Meeting All Might was exciting in of itself, but getting a bone crushing hug from the man was the cherry on top. “You saved my friend, Young Midoriya! You went PLUS ULTRA!!!”

But for Izuku, the most rewarding part of the day came when Aizawa opened his eyes, and gave him a smile, the man’s messy black hair pushed away from his face. “I heard I have you to thank for keeping me alive.” He said, Izuku guessing the nurse or principal had let it slip earlier.

Izuku flushed. “I couldn’t just do nothing; I had to try to save you.”

“I’m grateful. What’s your name?”

“Izuku Midoriya.”

“Izuku Midoriya, thank you.”

Hatsume couldn’t have been prouder of her friend, the two celebrating Aizawa’s health in the freckled boy’s dorm with sodas and snack cakes. “I guess you were right Izu, you are a hero!”

He grinned at her. “Thanks Mei, that means a lot coming from you.”

Days later, Izuku was called into the infirmary again to meet with Principal Nezu and Recovery Girl “I’m sure you’re quite tired of hearing this,” the principal began, “but what you did here was nothing short of heroic. You have my sincerest thanks.”

Izuku smiled. “I did my best, sir.”

“Unfortunately, your actions have brought up a rather sensitive issue we must discuss. Having you assist Recovery Girl with your quirk in regards to students of or near your own age is one thing; however, we cannot allow you to work with adults anymore.”

The freckled boy balked. “W-What do you mean?”

“It’s an issue with optics, I’m afraid, as well as ethics. Your quirk requires you to place your lips upon the skin of another, and when that other is, for example, an adult man in a position of authority over you, those lines of ethics and morality become blurred. Simply put, it is completely inappropriate to have an underage student kissing any of the staff, regardless of the circumstances.”

“B-but if I hadn’t, Mr. Aizawa would have died!” Izuku exclaimed. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing; he knew perhaps he shouldn’t have done what he did, but someone’s life was on the line!

“That’s very true; hopefully, there won’t be another situation like that here again. For now, we must implement this policy. There may be some wiggle room in the future but until then, please follow the rules.”

Izuku wanted to argue, but he knew his principal was right. “Yes sir, I understand.”

“Good! Now then, onto much happier business. I’ve consulted with your teachers, and have arranged for you to do a full week’s internship here with Recovery Girl. I want you to learn as much as you possibly can about your quirk, and I can think of no better way to do it. You’ll have to keep up with your regular studies independently, but at this point in the semester I don’t think it should be too much of a hardship.”

Izuku’s grin returned, his eyes shining. “Thank you so much, sir! I promise, I’ll be the best intern ever!”

“Of that I have no doubt, Midoriya.”

Chapter Text

Izuku’s internship couldn’t have come at a better time; after the attack on the USJ, the hero courses increased the amount of training the students were getting, which led to many more injuries than normal.

Mirio was in and out of the infirmary with his usual level of frequency, occasionally bringing his friend Amajiki in for healing as well.

“Midoriya here is the real deal!” The blond told his quiet friend one day, Izuku planting kisses on both boys’ cheeks. “He was the one who saved Mr. Aizawa, but don’t tell anyone.”

“You’re not even supposed to know that, much less be telling people,” Izuku scolded, lightly smacking the smiling boy on the arm.

Mirio just kept smiling, unfazed. “Did I mention he was bossy, too?”

Izuku also cared for second year students, as well as some first years from class 1-B, all the while taking copious notes in his patient journal, which held the names, injuries, and quirk reactions of every patient Izuku treated. 

He had started it in the beginning of his time with Recovery Girl, and his notes only grew more detailed after healing Aizawa. Through it, he was able to confirm Recovery Girl’s theory that his quirk allowed him to sedate whomever he kissed, sometimes enough to knock them completely unconscious. Mirio had readily agreed to let Izuku test this theory on him, the older boy’s blue eyes rolling into the back of his head as Izuku kissed him, before falling flat on his back. 

Most of his patients who had been sedated, whether intentionally or not, became loopy and sluggish, their expressions dopey and their words nonsensical.

“I think it’s funny that you’ve become the best drug on campus,” Hatsume teased one day, watching from her seat as Izuku kissed a 1-B student’s cheek, the girl giggling to herself as she played with her side-ponytail. The pink haired girl snickered into her bento box, while Izuku made more notes, muttering to himself. 

Aizawa continued to be Izuku’s only patient that developed a scar after healing, which the freckled boy deduced to be related to just how severe his injuries were. “That means that as long as my patients aren’t at death’s door, my quirk won’t leave a single trace of physical trauma once I’ve used it!”

Hatsume cocked her head. “Hmm, but what about psychological trauma? Your magic lips have a cure for that?”

“Maybe; I think that’s the real reason I can sedate people, or get them high or whatever. Protecting the mind while healing the body…it’s a two-fold recovery system!”

The girl just shook her head. “And people think I’m the crazier of the two of us.”

Izuku grinned. “I just hide it better.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Recovery Girl had been leaving Izuku to his own devices more and more as he worked with her, some days abandoning the infirmary for more serious business altogether, having complete faith in her intern.

It was on one such day that Izuku met the first student from class 1-A to seek treatment from him: a tall boy with spiky red hair, sharp teeth and a large cut on his arm. He was in costume, shirtless with two gears on each shoulder, baggy pants and a red sash-like belt with a prominent R emblazoned on the front.

“Hello there,” Izuku greeted him, smiling politely. “My name is Izuku Midoriya, what brings you in today?”

The redhead just stared down at him, seemingly not having heard anything Izuku said. “Uhm…are you okay?”

The boy snapped out of his reverie, his cheeks pink. “Oh! Yeah, sorry about that…is Recovery Girl here? I’ve got a nasty cut that needs looking at.”

“She’s not here,” Izuku informed him, leading the taller boy to a cot. “But I’m her assistant and I’d be happy to help!”

Izuku flashed him a warm smile, the other boy now flushing. He inspected the arm, cleaning it, before leaning over and pecking the redhead on the cheek.

He supposed he put a bit too much power into his quirk, for the boy was completely spaced out. “Oh darn, sorry! I’m not used to using the sedative parts of my power yet, I didn’t mean to give you much at all.”

But the boy was no longer listening, his cheeks flushed and his expression dreamy. Izuku let him rest for a bit, before sending him on his way, concerned about how long the effects of his quirk were lasting. 

“Patient’s laceration was of mild severity,” Izuku muttered, jotting down notes. “Yet the sedative effects of my quirk lasted far longer than usual. This could be attributed to either a lack of control of power output on my part or an increased susceptibility to the quirk on the patient’s part.”

The next students to come in from 1-A were a tall boy with glasses and a short brunette girl with pink chubby cheeks, only a day after the first.

Like their fellow classmate, they too stared at him, but were gracious enough to give him their names, as well as learn his.

“Okay, Tenya Iida and Ochako Uraraka,” Izuku chirped. “Let’s take a look at you!”

He sensed only a cut on Uraraka’s cheek, and some torn muscles in Iida’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I’ve seen worse injuries than this,” he assured the boy, who whispered ‘how?’ to Uraraka when Izuku’s back was turned. He gave them each a kiss on the cheek, Iida’s lasting a bit longer due to his injury. Both blushed hotly.

“I-that is-uh, I meant to say-“ the bespectacled boy was beside himself, at a complete loss for words as he made half hearted chopping motions with his now healed arm. Uraraka was covering her face, and began to float away.

“Is your class always this articulate?” Izuku wondered aloud. First the redhead, now them…Izuku was beginning to suspect that 1-A might be a remedial class.

After the two left, Izuku was visited by none other than Shinso, the purple haired boy handing him a packet. 

“Present Mic says this is the work you need to complete for this week,” he informed the nurse aid, arms crossed. 

“Thank you, Shinso. I’m sorry Present Mic made you deliver this.”

Shinso shifted uncomfortably. “He didn’t, I volunteered.”

“Oh? That was nice of you, but why?”

“Maybe…maybe I do want to make friends.” He muttered, his cheeks pink.

Izuku stared up at the boy, then grinned. “Oh, Hatsume is just gonna eat you up.”

Chapter Text

Hatsume did indeed enjoy teasing Shinso mercilessly, but the moody boy gave as good as he got, which made for fantastic entertainment for Izuku.

“I still can’t believe your quirk is kissing people,” Shinso commented, shaking his head. 

“What’s unbelievable is the school letting him use it on the other students,” Hatsume added, mouth full of food. “He’s kissed twelve people just today!”

“I’m helping people,” Izuku defended. He thought back to that morning, when more 1-A students had come in injured. A frog like girl had bit her tongue (which Izuku was startled to find out could be measured in feet), and a boy with a tail had two broken fingers. “It’s not like they mean anything, they’re just harmless little cheek kisses!”

“Just wait until the first groin injury comes in.”

“Shinso!” Izuku’s face turned tourmaline pink as his friends laughed at him. “I’m telling on you to Mirio,” he grumbled.

Mirio was a handful in his own way, the older boy earning the title of ‘Number One Klutz’ from his green haired friend. “I can’t help that my quirk sometimes injures me,” he told Izuku cheerfully. “It’s just part of who I am!”

“I’ve never gotten to see your quirk,” the healer accused, wrapping a blue bandaid around a shallow cut on the blond’s finger. Occasionally, Mirio would request that he not receive any healing kisses, wanting to keep some scars as ‘motivation.’ Izuku thought his friend was just strange.

“Ah. You see, Recovery Girl and the principal kind of forbade me from using my quirk when you’re here,” he admitted, his expression almost sheepish.

“Oh? Why’s that?”

“So you don’t see me naked.”

“WHAT.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shoto Todoroki was silent as he and his classmate, Momo Yaoyorozu, walked to the infirmary together. 

The two had been in basic training with the rest of 1-A and their teacher All Might, running a terrorist drill with he and Yaoyorozu as the villains. They faced off against the team of Bakugo the hot head and Kaminari the empty head, and had lost when one of Bakugo’s explosions dropped the ceiling on them.

Their training had become more intense after the attack on the USJ, with hero training now taking place two to three times a day. They had all been shaken by the attack, and were afraid for Mr. Aizawa’s life when the heroes had carried his mangled body away. They had all been astounded when the man came to class the very next day, a small scar on his face the only proof he was ever injured. Despite the miraculous recovery, Aizawa was adamant his students push themselves in training, no longer holding back.

Shoto was used to harsh training, thinking back to his cruel father and horrible childhood. He was trying to overcome his issues, and even make some friends, but it was difficult. He still only spoke when spoken to, and the friendliest thing he’d done thus far was let Ashido borrow a pencil.

As they neared the infirmary door, Yaoyorozu paused. “Thank you for helping me,” she said quietly. One of the things Shoto liked about the girl, aside from her intellect and capabilities on the field, was that she seemed to be just as shy as he was, which made him feel just a bit better about himself.

He tried to smile, but his expression remained neutral. “You’re welcome.”

As the two entered, Shoto’s eyes were immediately drawn to the green haired boy in the lab coat, his cheeks pink as an older boy said something to him. He turned as the two came closer. “Oh, hello! My name is Izuku Midoriya, how can I help you?”

Shoto counted roughly six or seven freckles on the boy’s nose, as well as a few on each cheek. His green curls looked soft and fluffy, and his eyes were a perfect green: not too blue, not too yellow.

Yaoyorozu elbowed him gently for staring, before addressing the healer. “We were injured during training; My name is Momo Yaoyorozu, and this is-“

“Shoto Todoroki,” Shoto introduced himself, bowing slightly. “It’s an honor to meet you.”

Izuku held back a laugh. “Nice to meet you both.” His eyes began scanning the two, his senses picking up their injuries. “Hm…I’m seeing mostly cuts and some bruising; Yaoyorozu, you have a sprain in your ankle.”

He moved away from the older boy, ushering the two new students to sit on the infirmary cots. “Don’t worry, you’ll be good as new in no time!” He told them brightly.

He leaned forward, kissing both students on the cheek. Next to him, Shoto saw Yaoyorozu blush, her eyes unfocused, but all the dual-toned boy could focus on was his quickly fading injuries and the sweet-faced boy who fixed them.

“You…” he breathed out, realizing the obvious. “You were the one to heal Mr. Aizawa, weren’t you?”

Izuku looked at him, wide eyed. “Oh, then you must be 1-A students. I’m sorry about what happened at the USJ, that must’ve been terrifying.”

Shoto shrugged, wanting to look tough for the cute nurse. He spared a glance to Yaoyorozu, eyes widening as he noticed the girl was now unconscious. “What-“

“Oh yeah, sometimes if a patient’s injuries are bad enough, I can sedate them while they heal. I’m still figuring it out though.”

Shoto’s visible wounds were now completely gone, and he stared at his arms in amazement. Izuku brightened. “You’re free to go back to class, but your friend will need some time to sleep off my quirk. Also, I’d really appreciate it if you don’t tell anyone about what I did for Mr. Aizawa; technically speaking, I’m not allowed to use my quirk on adults.”

Shoto nodded, “I understand.”

As he walked out, Shoto spared a glance back to the other boy. The sunlight coming in from the window hit Izuku’s curls, making them glow an ethereal green. Shoto gulped as he realized he didn’t ever want to look away from the sight, nearly slamming into the infirmary door.

Shoto saw the older student snickering at him, and blushed. Busted.

Chapter Text

Izuku stifled a yawn as he turned a page in the heavy book in front of him. He had been reading through one of Recovery Girl’s many books on medicine, wondering if perhaps knowing more about the body and how to treat it would give him better control over his quirk. Izuku had spent most of the morning learning what the hero could teach him about anatomy and physiology, his head swimming with information.

I should also look into pharmacology, to see if my sedative ability can be altered to work like other drugs, he thought to himself, pulling out his notebook and scribbling down the idea. He heard the infirmary door open, pulling him out of his musings. 

“Be right there!” He called out, placing the books down before stepping out of the office. As he passed the privacy screens, he saw four hero students in their costumes, one in particular causing the green eyed boy’s greeting to die on his tongue. “Kaachan?”

Standing before him was his old childhood friend, now older and taller, but undoubtedly him. His expression showed he was just as surprised, his red eyes flitting over the nurse aid. “Deku…fuck, what the hell are you doing here?”

Izuku had to stifle a laugh, because of course his old friend would still be crass and abrasive. “I go to school here, too! I went in for the hero course but didn’t get in, but luckily I applied for general studies…” He couldn’t help the excessive talking, or the way his eyes watered just a bit: after nearly ten years, he was finally seeing Kaachan again.

He led the group further into the infirmary, away from the door, before checking their injuries. Mirio had a bad habit of hanging around the door as well, and had been smacked with it by a student rushing in more times than the freckled boy could count. The girl with the strange earlobes didn’t have any injuries, and the pink skinned girl only had a scrape. The blond boy had the most injuries, and Kaachan only had a small cut.

Izuku swooped in before Kaachan could give him the tough guy speech, which the healer was sure was coming, and pecked him on the cheek, smiling proudly as the wound disappeared. He then did the same for the others, learning their names.

“Jirou, Kaminari and Ashido,” he repeated, scribbling the names down in his patient notebook. “It’s so nice to meet you guys! You know, I’ve had quite a few 1-A students in here recently.”

Next to him, the girl named Jirou snorted. “What a coincidence…” she muttered to Ashido, who giggled.

As he sent them back to class, eyes trained on the spiky haired blond, Izuku felt a strange warmth in his stomach. He remembered days spent catching bugs in the park, playing superhero during recess and building castles in the sandbox. His heart ached at the nostalgia.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I still can’t believe Kaachan is really here,” Izuku mentioned to Hatsume and Shinso over lunch. “I guess I shouldn’t be, considering UA has the number one hero program, but still…”

At Shinso’s confused look, Hatsume clarified. “Childhood best friend.”

The purple haired boy quirked a brow. “I thought that was you?”

“Nope! I’m the two-bit, shabby replacement,” She announced, taking a large bite out of her lunch. 

Izuku rolled his eyes. “You were my Hosu best friend, Kaachan was my Musutafu best friend, it’s not that hard to follow.”

“Am I your UA best friend?” Shinso teased, earning a saccharine smile from the greenette. 

“Nope! You’re more like a stray cat that followed me home one day.” Izuku decided, Shinso groaning at the analogy.

“You wound me, Midoriya.”

“You deserve it, Shinso.”

The door to the infirmary opened, Amajiki appearing with a pretty, silver-haired girl, both sporting cuts and bruises. Izuku sighed, turning to his friends. “If you’ll excuse me, duty calls.”

As Izuku fussed over the patients, Hatsume turned to Shinso. “He used to talk about this Kaachan dude all the time; if he weren’t so oblivious, I’d think it was a crush!”

He’s not the only oblivious one, Shinso thought, eyeing the pink-haired, half-mad inventor next to him.

“I’ve heard so much about you from Mirio and Amajiki,” Nejire told Izuku, after being introduced. “It seems like they’re always talking about you.”

“Ngh. Why’d you have to say it like that, it’s so embarrassing.” Amajiki complained, the shy boy moving to face a wall. Izuku giggled.

“Whatever you’ve heard, I’m sure they can’t prove it,” He told the girl with a wide grin, earning a laugh.

“Now I get it, cute and funny! Boy, I bet this place is packed when you’re working,” Nejire teased.

Izuku gave her a confused look. “What do you mean? Everyone who comes in is either injured or escorting somebody, except Hatsume and Shinso.” He began chewing on his lip. “To tell you the truth, I’m a bit worried for the 1-A students, they seem to hurt themselves almost as much as Mirio.”

The older girl gave him a look he couldn’t quite decipher. “Ahh, so that’s how it is. Well, never you mind! I’m sure things will settle eventually…”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At one point, Recovery Girl all but forced Izuku out of the infirmary, demanding he take a break from his nursing duties. The boy had tried to insist that he was fine, but the nurse wouldn’t budge.

And so, Izuku found himself in the school library, selecting a few books on medicine, quirk theory and the history of heroes. If he wanted to understand his power, garnering more knowledge on much older heroes wouldn’t be a bad start. He held his selections in his arms, determined to find a quiet reading nook, when he spotted Yaoyorozu sat at a table alone, surrounded by books. He walked over to her hesitantly.

“Is it okay if I sit here?” He asked her quietly when she looked up. The girl looked slightly flustered, but nodded.

Izuku took copious notes on everything he thought could be useful in his chosen tomes, both he and the dark haired girl working quietly for some time. As the period ended, Izuku carefully put his things away, neatly stacking his books to take to the checkout counter. As he stood, Yaoyorozu stopped him.

“It was nice seeing you again, even if we didn’t get to talk,” she told him.

From the little time the two had spent together, both in the infirmary and now the library, the greenette could tell that the tall girl before him was awfully shy, something he could relate to. It was with friends like Mei and Mirio and even Kaachan that Izuku learned confidence, and he hoped Yaoyorozu could learn the same.

He gave her a brilliant smile. “It was nice seeing you, too! Let me know if you ever want another study buddy!”

She gave him a soft, tentative smile. 

“I’d like that.”

Chapter Text

Izuku mostly spent the rest of his internship week helping the 1-A students, who seemed to constantly be getting hurt in their training. Kaminari, Ashido and Kirishima came in the most, sometimes with one of the others escorting them. Yaorozu, Iida and Uraraka usually took this task, although sometimes they would come in just to say hi to the freckled boy.

Todoroki also came in with alarming frequency, the boy’s right side covered in frostbite.

“I thought you told me you could control both ice and fire,” Izuku mentioned with a slight frown one day, kissing the boy’s left cheek to avoid touching the ice. “You should be able to regulate your body temperature that way.”

“I…don’t like my fire side,” Todoroki mumbled, his eyes cast downward.

Izuku hummed, collecting his thoughts. “I won’t ask, because I’m sure it’s not my business, but I will say this: Whatever it is that’s making you dislike your fire shouldn’t get in the way of your dreams. You’re a really great guy, Todoroki! And I bet your fire is just as great as you are.”

He gave the quiet boy a warm smile, like the one he often gave Amajiki when he was in a mood, before leaving to let him rest. The next day, Todoroki came in with lunch for the both of them, a story about now using his fire in basic training, and a smile. Izuku was thrilled.

“You have quite a nurturing spirit,” Recovery Girl told him one day, after watching him interact with several students. “Are you sure you don’t want to go into Support? It might be your calling.”

Izuku shook his head. “All my life, all I ever wanted was to be a hero. I spent so many years before my quirk manifested thinking I’d never get to have that dream, and it crushed me. I know I don’t have the most flashy or powerful quirk, but I know that I can make a real difference, if I get the chance.”

The nurse gave him a big smile, as if she was waiting to hear that. “Well, I guess there’s no changing your mind, is there?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku was excited to see Katsuki the next time he came in, the boy sporting some bloody knuckles. As he cleaned and healed the wound, Izuku looked at his friend. He was much larger than Izuku would have guessed, although he suspected the near excessive training was the cause of it. His face had the same sharpness Izuku remembered his friend’s mom having, though his nose turned out more like his dad’s.

“It’s been so nice meeting your friends, Kaachan,” Izuku told him after kissing the other boy’s hand. “It almost makes me feel like I’m part of the class!”

Deep down, Izuku was envious of the 1-A students, who had gotten their shot at being heroes the first try. There were still options for him, both he and Shinso mapping out every possible avenue to still get to be licensed heroes, but it would be an even bigger uphill battle than the entrance exams proved to be. 

Next to him, Katsuki scoffed. “How come you didn’t get in, anyways? Did you cry through the whole exam?”

Izuku glared, not because of what his friend was saying, but because he did get a little teary eyed towards the end of the exam. “No! I just wasn’t strong enough, I guess…” 

He knew that his friend wouldn’t want to see him showing any weakness, so he put on a happy face and tried to look on the bright side; there was still hope, after all. He ignored the tears pricking the corners of his eyes, hoping the blond would too.

Katsuki stared down at him, before giving him a small smirk. “Heh, still a princess, huh Deku?”

The greenette squawked in indignation. “Not even! And I wouldn’t exactly call you a white knight anymore either, Kaachan!”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“I’ve heard the mean things you say to the others,” he told the red eyed boy smugly, proud of himself for knowing so much about the hero students. “I also know that Kirishima calls you his ‘Bakubro,’ which is just adorable.”

Katsuki growled, but there was no heat behind it. “Who you callin’ adorable, nerd?” He leaned down into Izuku’s face, the healer unfazed. He pinched the blond’s nose, grinning victoriously as his friend balked. “The fuck was that, Deku?!”

Izuku couldn’t help but giggle, about to retort when the infirmary door opened, revealing Mirio. “Hi there! Hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Of course not,” Izuku told him, not catching what Katsuki was grumbling about as the hot head stomped out, shoulder checking Mirio as he did.

Mirio just smiled like always, moving to his usual cot. “What’s his deal?”

Izuku shrugged. “No clue.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next time Izuku saw Mr. Aizawa walking down the hall, he did a complete one-eighty turn and raced after him. “Mr. Aizawa!” He called out, catching the man’s attention.

“Midoriya, how can I help you?” 

As Izuku paused to catch his breath, he looked up at the man whose life he had saved. The teacher looked healthy, his skin a normal color and his hair holding some shine. He looked tired, but the man always did, from what the boy could tell. As he scanned him, Izuku found no new injuries or any residual physical trauma, aside from the scar under his eye. “How are you feeling, sir? Any side effects from what happened?”

The tall man shook his head, his black curls bouncing in a way that Izuku thought was much too cute for someone who was essentially a back alley hero. “Not even a little. Took me a day to shake that sedative Recovery Girl warned me about, but otherwise nothing.”

“Oh, good,” Izuku sighed. 

The greenette began to feel a little awkward as silence filled the hall, the teacher giving him a thoughtful look. “I did some research on you after you helped me in the infirmary.”

“O-oh?” He squeaked out, unsure what the man possibly could have found to warrant the look he was giving Izuku.

Aizawa nodded. “I looked at your file. Your quirk is listed as ‘Kisses,’ is that right?”

“It is, sir; at least, that’s the official registration.” At the teacher’s puzzled look, he continued. “The quirk specialist I met with as a child wanted to keep my quirk registration broad, in case my quirk changed as I got older. Originally, the doctors wanted to list it as ‘Healing,’ but the specialist argued against it.”

The man nodded. “It makes sense, given what Recovery Girl has told me about your quirk. It’s obvious your quirk works through kisses, but it hasn’t yet been determined what all you can do with it.”

“I’ve been doing some research in the library; apparently, a long time ago, there was another hero who had a kiss based quirk as well, though there isn’t much information on them. I’ve also been looking into different forms of sedatives and toxins that my power might be related to, but without a proper lab or a more in-depth quirk assessment, all I have to work with are theories.”

“Interesting…I also happened to see your entrance exam scores; you applied for the hero course but missed the requirement by a single point.”

“Yes sir…but I haven’t given up yet! I can always test into the course at the end of the year, or I can earn a spot through the Sport’s Festival. I have a friend, his name is Hitoshi, and he wants into the hero course just as much as I do, so don’t be surprised when you see our faces in your class next year!”

Aizawa couldn’t help the small smile that briefly flitted across his face at the boy’s determined expression, looking so much like All Might it was comical. “I look forward to it, Midoriya.”

Chapter Text

It was on Friday, the last day of Izuku’s week long internship, when it happened.

The boy was cleaning the infirmary, wiping down counters and organizing Recovery Girl’s supplies as Mirio walked in with Nejire, the girl cradled in his arms.

“It’s pretty bad,” Mirio told him, the usually laidback boy now serious. “One of our classmates lost control and set off an earthquake at the training grounds. Nejire was on top of a building that crumbled and she went down with it.”

Izuku urged him to put the girl on a cot, sensing her injuries. “She’s got a lot of broken bones, and some internal bleeding.”

“Will…will she be okay?” Izuku’s heart broke to see Mirio so worried for his friend. 

“Everything will be just fine,” he assured the blond, before turning to the girl. She was just barely conscious, a pained expression on her face. He leaned in, giving the girl two quick kisses in succession, gauging the effects. Just like with Aizawa, her bones snapped back into place as she fell unconscious, her features smoothing out as the sedative took hold. 

“I’ll have her rest here for the rest of the day; you can come get her this afternoon, once my quirk wears off,” Izuku instructed, pulling out his trusty notebook to record the latest use of his quirk.

Mirio nodded, his smile finally returning. “Thanks Midoriya! Boy, we’re awfully lucky to have you around!”

“And don’t you forget it!” The healer teased, smiling as the older boy left.

A few hours later, another person walked in.

He was a short boy, presumably from the hero courses judging by the costume he had on. His suit was a deep purple with yellow boots, gloves and a cape. He was wearing what looked to be a diaper around his hips, and had round protrusions coming out from the top of his head. Izuku thought he looked very strange. “Hello, how can I help you?”

“I scraped my elbow,” the boy complained, his nasally voice filling the room.

Izuku came closer to inspect it. The injury could hardly be called a scrape, it was small and shallow, with only a single droplet of blood escaping from it. “Hmm, it doesn’t look serious…”

“Of course it does! What kind of a nurse are you?”

Izuku narrowed his eyes at the boy’s tone. “The best I can do for you is a bandaid. Do you want to pick the color?”

“I thought you were the kissing nurse; you know, the one everybody has been geeking out over?”

“I only like to use my quirk on serious injuries.” It was a lie; Izuku would happily use his quirk to help anyone who asked, regardless of the injury, but something about this boy set him on edge. “I’ll be right back with your bandaid.”

He moved over to the supply cabinet, fishing out the first bandaid he could find. When he came back, he nearly dropped it in shock as he saw the boy reaching over Nejire’s sleeping form, his hand inches from her breast.

“You step away from her right now.” Izuku hadn’t known he could sound so intimidating, but it did the trick as the boy flinched and stepped away.

“I didn’t do anything! I was just looking at her, I swear!”

Izuku took a menacing step forward, his hands shaking with anger. “You are going to leave right this instant, or else I’ll be calling the principal.” 

The boy’s face paled. “I told you I wasn’t doing anything!” He began crying, a bubble of snot coming out of his nose. Izuku wanted to barf.

The boy finally turned tail and ran, almost running into Amajiki as he did.

“I came to check on Nejire,” he told Izuku as he walked in, taken aback by the usually sweet nurse aid’s murderous expression. “Did something happen just now?”

“Yes. Amajiki, could you please stand watch over Nejire for awhile? I have to go speak to the principal.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ah, I see…” Nezu said contemplatively after Izuku finished telling him everything. “Well, this is indeed a terrible situation.”

The two turned at the sound of the office door opening, Mr. Aizawa and a burly man Izuku didn’t recognize walking in. “Ah! Thank you for coming Vlad, Eraser Head.”

“Midoriya,” Aizawa addressed the greenette. “What are you doing here?”

“Midoriya was just telling me that a hero student tried to assault Nejire in the infirmary,” Nezu explained, the two men’s eyes widening in alarm.

Izuku nodded. “He came in for a bandaid and when I came back from getting him one, he was standing over her with his hands over her breast.”

Vlad narrowed his eyes. “Is she okay?”

“She is; she’s been unconscious all day, which I’m guessing is why that boy thought he could get away with it. Amajiki is with her now.”

“Did he tell you his name?” Aizawa asked, already having one in mind.

“No, but he was wearing his hero costume. It was purple and yellow and part of it looked like a diaper. He also had these strange orbs on top of his head.”

“Minoru Mineta,” Aizawa deduced, his lips curling distastefully around the name. He hadn’t given the boy permission to go to the infirmary, so he must have snuck away when the teacher wasn’t looking.

“Thank you for telling us this, Midoriya,” Nezu addressed the freckled boy. “We’ll handle things from here.”

“Thank you, sir.” Izuku gave the adults a short bow, before leaving the office. As he walked back to the infirmary, all the healer could think about was what would’ve happened if he hadn’t been there, and his body burned with guilt.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Nejire was understandably upset by the news, but thanked Izuku for looking out for her. He gave the girl a weak smile, wishing he had just dealt with the boy himself and spared her from the situation altogether. Next to her, Amajiki looked fiercer than the greenette had ever seen him, a fiery determination clear on his features.

“If you hadn’t been here…if I had walked in and saw….” The older boy was beside himself, Nejire placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“It’s no good worrying about ‘what ifs,’” she told him. “I’m okay, and that’s what matters.”

The boy nodded, leaning into her and muttering softly in her ear. Izuku figured this was meant to be a private moment, so he left the two to their own devices until Mirio came to collect them both.

As Izuku was preparing to leave the infirmary for the evening, Nezu came in to speak with him.

“I wanted to be the first to tell you that the Mineta boy has been removed from the hero course and expelled from UA,” he informed the freckled boy cheerfully. “I’ve informed Miss Nejire of this as well. Naturally, we couldn’t keep someone so unheroic in a hero training program; after all, the safety of our students is UA’s top priority.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, Principal Nezu,” Izuku replied. 

“I was hoping you had a minute to come to my office, Midoriya. Now that your internship with Recovery Girl is officially over, there’s something I wish to speak with you about.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back in the principal’s office, Izuku politely sipped the tea the small creature handed him. “I’ve always prided myself on being at least ten steps ahead in every situation. It’s all part of my quirk, you see, being able to plan and strategize for any situation.”

Not sure what to say, Izuku merely nodded, taking another sip of his tea.

“When I first came across your file after the entrance exams, I must admit nothing appeared to be all that exciting at first glance; then, Recovery Girl told me about your heroics during the exam, then I witnessed that same heroics after the USJ incident, and now this!”

Nezu smiled at the young hero across from him. “Truly, I can think of no better candidate to fill Mineta’s spot in the 1-A hero course, which is why I’m offering you the opportunity.”

Izuku’s eyes widened as he nearly choked on his tea. “S-sir, are you sure? I-I mean yes, I would love to join the hero course but-“

“Splendid!” Nezu interrupted the boy before he could begin rambling. “I’ll have the paperwork completed before you begin classes on Monday. I have complete faith in you, Midoriya, and I know Recovery Girl and Mr. Aizawa do as well.”

Izuku tried to hold the tears back as he thanked the principal and bowed, but it was no use. He cried the entire walk back to the 1-C Dorms, composing himself just slightly as he paused in front of the building. 

He turned to his right, seeing the lights of the 1-B and 1-A dorms glowing nearby. He had wanted so badly to be allowed into the hero course, and now he was finally getting his chance.

Chapter Text

When Izuku opened the door to his room, he was unsurprised to see Shinso lounging on his bed, the tall boy reading a book.

“You’re home late,” he remarked, not taking his eyes away from his book. “Out with your mistress again?”

“If by mistress you mean the principal,” Izuku groaned, flopping into his desk chair. “It’s been a long day, Toshi.”

“I’ll bet. One of the hero kids got kicked out today,” violet eyes cut over to green. “I’m guessing that was your doing.”

“It was his own doing,” the greenette muttered darkly. He told Shinso everything, the other boy’s expression hardening as he did.

“Expulsion almost doesn’t seem like enough,” he said, moving to the futon on the floor so Izuku could have the bed.

It had become a common occurence for the two, Shinso coming to spend the night in Izuku’s room when he couldn’t sleep. The freckled boy was an exceptionally heavy sleeper, which left him undisturbed while Shinso watched videos well into the early morning hours. It was rare that the purple haired boy let Izuku sedate him, but he’d happily accept his company, even if the other was sound asleep for it.

“Principal Nezu gave me Mineta’s spot in the class,” Izuku told his friend quietly.

Shinso sighed. “I’m not surprised; Nezu’s been fond of you since the thing with Aizawa.” At Izuku’s shocked expression, he continued. “Mei told me, but it’s not like it would’ve been hard to figure out.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, I know you were sworn to secrecy.”

“No, not that…I’m sorry about the hero course. I know how badly you want in, and it feels like I’m taking a spot away from you.” Izuku stared down at his hands, nervously picking at them. “Of course I wanna be there, I just wish I could bring you with me.”

The boy turned as Shinso placed a hand on his shoulder. “Izuku, after everything you’ve gone through, after everything you’ve done, no one deserves this as much as you do.” Shinso let out a sigh. “Yours is one of the most heroic quirks I’ve ever seen; you heal people, fix them…when I see people like you, I’m reminded of everything I’m not.”

Izuku knew immediately what he was referring to. It had been a cornerstone in their friendship, when Shinso had confided in him what his quirk was. Convincing the purple-haired boy that his quirk wasn’t evil just because that’s what society thought was a slow going process, but Izuku had faith they’d reach a breakthrough soon.

“You’re a good friend Toshi, and you’re gonna make an amazing hero.” Izuku told him, eyes shining. Then, he remembered something. “You called her Mei, just now…” he teased, grinning.

At the light blush dusting Shinso’s face, Izuku’s grin became sharp. “I knew it, I knew it! You like Hatsume!”

“Leave me alone…”

“But it’s so cuuute!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizawa let out a weary sigh as he trudged to the principal’s office, the sun just beginning to peek over the horizon. As an underground hero, Aizawa had spent most of his career working through the night, using the cover of darkness to his advantage. Now as a teacher, facing the daylight hours was proving strenuous, even after so many years of adjustment. 

He entered the office, taking note of Present Mic, Midnight and All Might’s presence as well, Nezu offering the group tea.

“I’ve decided to move Izuku Midoriya into class 1-A, to fill the spot left now that Mineta is no longer with us.” The principal announced cheerfully. His choice of words, joyful tone and history of sadistic behavior led the teachers to believe it best not to inquire too deeply about what became of the expelled student. 

Aizawa hummed. “I had a feeling you’d be moving him into my class sooner or later; even before the business with Mineta, we had an open spot.”

“Precisely, though I dare say still having that initial spot open will make the upcoming Sports Festival that much more interesting.”

“I’m gonna miss having the little listener in my homeroom, but I trust your judgement, Nezu! WHOOOO!” Cried Present Mic, Aizawa shooting him an irritated look.

“I’m happy for Midoriya, but is there any reason all of us are here?“ Midnight asked, the woman adjusting her long hair as she spoke. 

“There is! You see, Midoriya is still learning what his quirk can do, and needs as much training as he can get. Unfortunately, given how rigorous the hero course can be, he won’t be able to work in the infirmary any longer; as such, I would like both you and All Might to help the boy develop his quirk.”

Next to Midnight, the number one hero tensed. “Surely, you don’t mean…after all, he’s a child and we’re-“

“He’s not suggesting you make out with a student,” Aizawa snapped, the early hour and inane conversation running the man’s patience thin. “Obviously we need to send in a request for an in-depth quirk assessment for Midoriya, before we determine the best course of action going forward.”

“What a fantastic suggestion,” Nezu praised, but Aizawa was no fool; that was the little creature’s plan all along, and he was leading the four grown adults to the same conclusion by spoon feeding them information as if they were children.

As they convened the meeting, the teachers separating to tend to their own affairs, Aizawa was stopped by All Might’s hand on his shoulder. “Aizawa, a word?”

The underground hero grunted, turning to face his colleague. All Might had forgone his hero form, the blond’s naturally lanky form taking the place of his usual muscles and bright smile. “Listen, I know it’s not wise to question Nezu, but are we sure this is really a good idea? I mean yeah, the kid’s got a strong quirk, but it’s not exactly combat material. And he’s so little…I’m worried he could get seriously hurt trying to keep up with the other hero kids.”

Aizawa narrowed his eyes, arms folding across his chest. He had never much cared for All Might, thinking the man far too flashy and concerned with his own popularity. “So not only do you doubt Midoriya’s strength and resolve, but you doubt my teaching abilities as well?”

“Don’t get short with me, Eraser Head, you know what I meant.”

“Until we discover Midoriya’s full potential with his quirk, I see no reason to coddle him or underestimate him.” The man said flatly. “I’ve experienced firsthand just how great of a hero he can be and, to be quite frank, I think my others students should be more nervous of him than he of them.”

With that, Aizawa continued on the path back to his office, determined to take a quick nap before grading any papers.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku tried to contain his nerves as he walked to the 1-A classroom on Monday, his hands trembling. Shinso and Hatsume had wished him luck that morning, and he carried that with him as he walked in, all eyes turning to him. He blushed.

“Hi everyone; sorry I’m late, Mr. Aizawa, Recovery Girl needed me.” He assured the teacher it would be the last time, unless there was a real emergency.

Having been told he wouldn’t be allowed to work in the infirmary any longer had been hard, but understandable; after all, he wouldn’t be able to learn much if he was constantly leaving class to heal cuts and scrapes. 

Izuku’s eyes flitted around the room. There were some faces he didn’t recognize, but the majority were all people he had met and befriended to some extent: Yaoyorozu, Iida, Kirishima, Uraraka, Todoroki, Kaachan… He smiled sheepishly as he took his seat, an empty desk right behind Katsuki.

He blushed lightly as his old friend turned around to face him, the blond smirking. “Glad you’re here, Princess Deku.”

“Glad to be here, Kaachan.”

Chapter Text

The hero courses were both everything Izuku could have ever dreamed and nothing he could have prepared for.

In hindsight, he should’ve known how rough training would be, given how many hero students he treated on a daily basis. Aizawa had him train just as hard as the others if not harder, given his inexperience. On top of that, Izuku also had extra lessons to attend with All Might and Midnight after classes, the sessions lasting late into the evening, with the boy dragging himself back to the dorms each night.

Moving into the 1-A dorms had been bittersweet, for even though the 1-A students seemed to spend more time together as a group than 1-C had, and welcomed him with open arms, Izuku couldn’t help but feel bad leaving Shinso all alone with no one to comfort him when he couldn’t sleep.

The common room seemed to brighten as he walked in, his new friends smiling at him as plopped onto the coach, groaning softly.

“Rough day training?” Yaoyorozu asked, giving the boy a sympathetic smile from her spot next to him.

“The roughest, All Might and Midnight are committed to getting me up to speed with you guys. I’m happy to do it, I just wish I wasn’t so sore.”

“Quit your damn complaining nerd,” Katsuki half-heartedly snapped at him, before handing the freckled boy a bowl of stew. “Here. I made dinner.”

“Thanks, Kaachan!” Izuku chirped, his smile wide as he took a bite. “This is your mom’s recipe, right? It tastes just how I remember.”

Katsuki glared at his classmates, who were still largely unused to seeing the softer side of the explosive boy. “Whatever, just don’t spill any on the couch.” He took the spot on Izuku’s opposite side, silently challenging the others to say something as his arm came up to rest behind the nest of green curls.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The days seemed to fly by for Izuku as his first week in the hero course ended, the boy exhausted from the extra training. He had been spared an additional session with All Might that Friday, in favor of meeting with Aizawa to discuss his progress.

“All Might and Midnight have told me you’re a quick study,” his teacher commented, his expression neutral. 

Izuku nodded. “I’ve been doing my best, sir. The training has been tough, but I’m managing.”

“That’s good to hear. I’ve called you in to let you know that the quirk specialist the school hired will be here tomorrow, you’re to meet with them in the infirmary to get an in-depth quirk assessment now that you’re training to be a pro hero.”

“I’ll be there; thank you, sir.”

“Recovery Girl will be there to supervise, but myself or the others can come too, if you wish.”

“Thank you, but I’ll be okay, promise!”

Aizawa couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on his face. He had a bit of a soft spot for the healer, not that he’d ever admit it. Hearing from the other teachers just how well the boy was doing with his training assured him that the principal had made the right decision in transferring him. “Very well, then. That will be all, Midoriya.”

The next morning, Izuku arrived at the infirmary right at nine, walking in to find Recovery Girl chatting with a man Izuku guessed was the specialist.

“Hello, you must be Midoriya,” the man said with a polite smile, and Izuku realized just then how strange it was to be the one getting that greeting as opposed to giving it. “Come in, come in! We should really get started.”

The specialist informed him that his quirk allows him to ‘read’ other quirks, to an extent. “It’s not perfect, which is why we have a few other tests to run, but it should be a big help!”

They took a few samples of his blood, sweat and saliva, running them through a special machine Izuku had only ever seen sitting unused in the storage closet. He then took a few extra measurements to round out the physical, while checking for any mutations in the mouth and throat areas. Eventually, the specialist activated his quirk, the man’s eyes gleaming yellow as he assessed the healer.

“I see…that’s very interesting….” He muttered, unblinking as he took in the information. The man smiled as his eyes returned to normal, moving away from the freckled boy. “It seems you have an emitter-type quirk, that allows you to alter the biology of others.”

“Right, that’s how I heal people, isn’t it?”

“It is! By focusing on what physiological response you want from the target, you can stimulate the body to the desired response with your lips. If you want to heal someone, you need only to think about it and then make contact!”

“I see…” Izuku’s mind was swirling with the possibilities. He had been able to heal people with his quirk simply by wanting them to heal, but without really understanding what he was doing, he was subconsciously activating different receptors in the body, which most likely caused the sedation effects. This means that if I learn more about what kinds of bodily responses are possible, I can do more than just heal the body: cell regeneration, sedation, paralysis, hypertrophy…it’s all possible!

“Sir, were you able to find any weaknesses?” He asked the specialist, who gave him a polite smile.

“Afraid not. That’s not something I’m able to do with my quirk, so you’ll have to figure it out on your own, but that’s what schools like UA are for!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After thanking the both specialist and Recovery Girl for their time, Izuku hurried off to the library. He quickly spotted the group he was looking for and rushed over to their table. 

Awaiting him were Yaoyorozu, Todoroki and Iida, the group smiling as he sat down. “I brought your bag for you, Midoriya, you left it in the common room,” Iida told him.

“Thanks!” Izuku began pulling out his pens and notebooks, the others already set up to begin. 

“How was the assessment?” Todoroki leaned forward, heterochromatic eyes trained on the healer.

“It went well, I got a lot of information about my quirk that’ll come in handy when I train with All Might and Midnight.”

Yaoyorozu smiled, “That’s great news! You’ll be caught up with us in no time.”

“That’s if I don’t get ahead of you,” Izuku teased, giving the girl a competitive look which she matched easily. The greenette wouldn’t admit it, especially in front of the others, but Yaoyorozu was quickly becoming one of his favorite classmates.

The group began working on their assignments, quietly discussing the material and helping one another with solving problems and creating study guides. Izuku found it to be quite relaxing, working with these three as opposed to the chaotic Hatsume or the despondent Shinso. 

As they finished their session, Yaoyorozu spoke up. “I was wondering if you’d all like to share phone numbers, that way we can have a group chat to coordinate our study sessions.”

“That’s a great idea!” Izuku told her, smiling brightly. The boys gave Yaoyorozu their numbers, the girl adding them to a group chat labeled ‘The Study Buddies.’

“It’s kind of like a hero team name,” Izuku said enthusiastically, the others smiling as he began a long tangent on the importance of proper team names.

“Speaking of names, have you come up with a hero name yet?” Iida asked the boy as they walked back to the dorms.

Izuku shook his head, humming. “I haven’t given it much thought, to be honest.”

“What about your costume? Or any special moves? I don’t mean to concern you, but the rest of us have at least our costumes, and some have even picked out viable hero name options.”

“I guess I should start working on those things, now that I’m in the hero course…” he muttered, pulling out his patient journal and flipping to the back, scribbling down a few ideas.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You came to the right place, Izu!” Hatsume exclaimed, her wide grin obscured by the welding mask she had on. “We’ll have you fully outfitted within the week! Now, tell me about your quirk.”

“Shouldn’t you already know? You are his childhood friend, after all,” Yaoyorozu remarked.

Izuku had come to Hatsume to help him with his costume, and Ashido, Yaoyorozu and Aoyama had invited themselves along as well. Shinso had already been in the support lab when they arrived, the boy mindlessly twirling a screwdriver in his hands.

“I know the basics, but not enough to create a fully realized hero persona.”

“I thought I was supposed to do that part,” Izuku argued, wrinkling his nose at the pink haired girl. “I just need help with the costume design.”

“Oui, which is why you need my help as well!” Aoyama declared, striking a pose. “After all, I am the most fashion conscious person in 1-A, maybe even the whole school!”

“You certainly are dressed…lavishly…” Shinso commented, taking in the blond’s tight black pants and flowing chiffon shirt. He looks like a pirate…

“Indeed, and my dear friend Midoriya possesses the right je ne sais quoi to be just as glamorous, if he only listened to good advice.”

“Which is why I came,” Ashido said proudly. “I’ve got way more style than Mr. Bellybutton over here.”

“Ashido, your cruel words sting!”

“I came to help with the materials,” Yaoyorozu told Hatsume. “I can create any non-organic item from my body, so long as I understand it compositionally.”

“I think my quirk works similarly,” Izuku told her. “At least according to the specialist. I can manipulate the biology of others, with my quirk factor being my lips. Therefore, the more I understand about biological processes, the better control I’ll have.”

“Interesting…” Izuku could see the wheels turning in Hatsume’s head. “Then we can assume your quirk will remain more or less on the ‘not so flashy’ side of the spectrum, right? Which means the costume will have to be more eye catching to compensate…” The girl pulled out her sketch pad, creating the outline of a body before sketching in a basic suit, adding in details and short notes to accompany her ideas. 

“I can see why the two of you are such good friends,” Yaoyorozu said, eyeing the pink haired girl apprehensively as she began muttering and giggling to herself.

“She’s mostly harmless,” Izuku said dismissively, peeking over Hatsume’s shoulder at the sketch. “Mei…why does this look like something a child would wear?”

“Not a child,” Hatsume corrected, “a cutesy hero!”

Izuku blinked. “Cutesy? Since when am I cutesy??”

Shinso covered his mouth with his hand as what sounded suspiciously like a laugh bubbled out of him. Izuku frowned. “I’m not cutesy! At least, I don’t think I am…”

He turned to the others, feeling betrayed when none of them would meet his eyes.

“I hate to break it to you, Midoriya, but you’re downright adorable!” Ashido clapped a hand on his shoulder, her eyes gleaming with mirth. 

“Exactly! Just like Midnight, you need to lean into your strengths! Hers is sexiness, yours can be cuteness!” Hatsume was working herself into a fervor as she began making alterations to her sketch, blindly grabbing for colored pencils to create a color palette. “I was thinking mostly green, to match the hair and the eyes, with pops of color here and there…”

“If the utility belt is going to be white, the boots should match,” Ashido commented, leaning into Hatsume’s left shoulder, while Aoyama took the right. “Maybe pink as the accent?”

“Of course, pink! It’s brilliant!”

“Why don’t you and I work on hero stuff while they do…that.” Yaoyorozu suggested, Izuku eternally grateful to be off the subject of silhouettes and stitching accents. The two sat at the table Shinso was occupying, the purple haired boy leaning in to participate.

“Since the Sports Festival is next week, it would be a good idea to think about how you plan on standing out,” she told him. “It’s not just about showcasing your quirk, you want the audience to see what kind of hero you’ll become once you graduate.”

Izuku nodded, noting Shinso’s intrigued expression from the corner of his eye. “You’re right; this is an opportunity to make a good impression on everyone watching.”

The greenette felt a small stab of guilt in his stomach. He hadn’t spent nearly as much time as he should have preparing for his hero debut. He’d been caught up with getting into UA, then with getting into the hero program, and he’d spent almost no time thinking about the kind of hero he wanted to be seen as.

“Hatsume was right about finding something to lean into,” he finally said. “I guess if everyone thinks cutesy is the way to go, I can give it a shot.”

“It doesn’t have to be a personality overhaul,” Yaoyorozu told him kindly. “Just a difference in how you carry yourself when in costume. Midnight isn’t sexy twenty-four seven, just like Present Mic isn’t loud twenty-four seven. It’s part of their  hero persona and what that symbolizes for the people who see them in action.”

Next to him, Shinso looked to be deep in thought, no longer listening to Izuku or Yaoyorozu. Izuku hoped the conversation had helped him too, since the Sports Festival was his first real chance at getting into 1-A.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few days later, when it came time for fitting, Izuku nervously stepped out in the costume his friends designed for him.

“Oh, this is perfect,” Hatsume purred, her grin sharp and wicked.

Izuku’s costume was a form fitting dark green jumpsuit, with patches on his knees, elbows and shoulders. The original design for gloves had been scrapped and replaced with white knuckle dusters that matched his boots and utility belt. Izuku would later learn that the knuckle duster addition had resulted in an hour’s extra paperwork for the shop teacher Power Loader, as well as his own teacher Mr. Aizawa, in order to get permission to use them. Atop his head were white heart shaped goggles, and there were white kiss marks all over the suit’s arms, back and sides.

“It looks better than I ever could’ve dreamed,” Ashido sighed, as Aoyama began to tear up.

“Look, my friend, look! See how the white accents glisten with pink shimmer under the lights? I told you it was the perfect way to add sparkle and shine!”

Yaoyorozu looked proud as she gave him the once over. “I’m amazed at how well the material turned out; I created a lot of it using my quirk to cut down on costs.” 

Hatsume had thrown her arms around her green eyed friend, her excitement radiating off of her. “Well?? Tell me what you think, Izu! Isn’t it just perfect?!”

Izuku looked down at the knuckle dusters, which had ridges in the shape of a kiss mark on each knuckle. He glanced in the mirror, and grinned. “It really is! It looks cute without looking juvenile, and the theme is instantly recognizable! Aoyama, Ashido, you two would be great at hero marketing.”

“Ooh! That would make a pretty decent side gig, huh?” 

“You’re right! Why should I keep my dazzling brilliance all to myself? I could help even more fashion disasters than just Midoriya!”

Izuku pouted. He wasn’t a fashion disaster, just…a bit clueless.

Chapter Text

Izuku had a brilliant smile on his face as he got to show off his new costume during training. Since joining 1-A, the greenette had to wear the school’s gym outfit to all of the training sessions while his classmates sported their hero gear. Now armed with his costume, Izuku felt even more like a part of the class.

The others were completely silent as they drank in the sight, and for a brief moment Izuku wondered if Hatsume and the others had been too generous in their admiration of his appearance.

“Midoriya, you look incredible!” Uraraka gushed, rushing to his side. “Wow, the details in this are great and, oh! Is that pink shimmer?! This is too cute!”

“I told you, Midoriya!” Ashido chirped, she, Yaoyorozu and Aoyama wearing matching grins as they caught the sea of pink cheeks on their classmates. 

Izuku gave the group a bashful grin, studying the reactions of his classmates. The girls looked over the moon, even the invisible Hagakure giving an enthusiastic vocal response. Kirishima’s face was the same color as his hair, and Iida was beginning to stutter. Katsuki and Ojiro were doing their best to look anywhere but him and Todoroki, while impassive as always, was staring him down intensely. 

It’s really working, Izuku thought to himself, making a mental note to write down the results in his notebook once class ended.

Aizawa had no outward reaction, other than a curt nod and a ‘it suits you,’ before beginning the class. “Today we’ll be practicing sparring, so get ready to partner up.”

Izuku hadn’t a moment to think about who to choose as his partner, as Iida had come up to him immediately with a burst of speed from his engines. “Midoriya, train with me today.”

“Alright,” the greenette grinned, and the two moved to the side to watch the first pair spar. Bakugo had picked Kirishima, both boys trying their hardest, with Kirishima eventually losing the match to the hot head. Uraraka took her turn with Asui, their match taking much longer as Uraraka chased after the agile frog. Eventually, Asui managed to win, Uraraka looking slightly put out as the moved off to the side.

“Iida, Midoriya, you’re up next.”

Izuku took a deep breath as he entered the ring, eyes trained on the taller boy. Iida’s a lot faster than me thanks to his quirk, and he’s probably stronger too; but he’s bulky, which I can use to my advantage. He’s wearing his armor, which means using my quirk will be tough, unless I can get his helmet off. If I rely on agility like Asui did, I can wear down his stamina and then make my move.

Izuku readied his stance, Iida doing the same. The match began, and Iida raced forward, just as Izuku predicted. He bent his knees and shot into the air as his opponent neared, using the taller boy’s shoulder as leverage as he flipped over his opponent’s head and landed behind him. Quickly turning, Izuku managed to land three quick strikes to the other boy through an opening between his armor plates. Iida stumbled forward, and Izuku quickly set about getting his helmet off, rolling away as Iida raced to the opposite side of the ring. 

Izuku quickly tossed the helmet outside the ring, sizing up his opponent once again. The match has barely begun, so he has plenty of energy left, and with the risk of me using my quirk back in play, he’ll be anxious to end this sooner rather than later. He’ll rush me again, which means it’s now or never. 

He took in the light flush on Iida’s cheeks, and the way his eyes would flit to his face then his outfit, then away, then back again. He’s distracted, Izuku realized with a small start. He knew how he was going to win the match. He began moving forward, readying his stance as Iida charged. He made to dodge, then purposefully turned the wrong way, causing him to smash into Iida’s front.

The taller boy instinctively wrapped his arms around the greenette, hands settling on his waist to keep him from falling. Izuku took the opportunity to surge upwards, planting a quick kiss on Iida’s chin. He watched as the class rep’s eyes rolled into the back of his head before he collapsed, knocked out.

Izuku won the match.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“You did a great job today in training, Midoriya!” 

Izuku smiled at Uraraka, thanking her as he took a bite from his lunch. The two were sitting with Asui, Iida and Todoroki in the cafeteria, with the rest of class 1-A scattered about nearby. Across the way, the green-eyed boy could see Kirishima and Jirou laughing at something Mina said, Bakugo sitting stone faced between the redhead and Kaminari. 

“I’m impressed with how well you were able to move, ribbit. Iida’s normally too fast for any of us to get past him.”

“I thought the same thing,” he said, “until I realized Iida’s armor restricted his range of movement in the arms. He wouldn’t be able to grab me from above, so I used my gymnastics to my advantage and vaulted over, which gave me a good view of a weak spot in his armor.”

Izuku set his chopsticks down, continuing. “I also predicted that once his helmet was off, leaving him exposed to my quirk, he’d be more anxious to finish the match, and more likely to be caught off guard. That’s why I faked tripping.”

“You faked that?” Uraraka asked between bites of her sandwich. “It looked like an accident!”

“It was meant to. I figured he’d either try to balance me or push me out of the ring; either way, I’d have an opening to use my quirk and win the match.”

Izuku began to feel uncomfortable as he felt four sets of eyes gazing at him from around the table.

“That’s incredible,” Iida breathed. “You came up with a winning strategy, and to think of it in the heat of battle…” 

Izuku shrugged. “For most of my life, my quirk wasn’t really good for anything besides support, so I had to rely on my brains to prepare for getting into UA. It didn’t really help me out in the hero entrance exams, but still…”

Todoroki blinked. “I’ve seen your journals, you have a mind for analysis and strategy. No wonder you and Yaoyorozu get along so well.”

The freckled boy grinned. “That might be an unfair comparison, Yaoyorozu is practically a super genius.”

“That’s true, she’s the only one who’s managed a grade higher than ninety on Mr. Aizawa’s exams, ribbit.”

“That reminds me,” Izuku muttered, pulling out his phone, “Hatsume wanted me to bring her to the support labs later, something about a new invention that might help her.”

Uraraka shook her head. “That girl weirds me out. She so obsessed with those ‘babies’ of hers, and she’s always talking to herself!”

“Did you forget that Midoriya does the same thing, and is right in front of you?” Asui teased, the others laughing as Izuku pouted.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Well, don’t we look adorable,” Midnight purred, taking in Izuku’s new costume.

The two were meeting for their scheduled afternoon training, the other’s having left for the dorms after class. Izuku fidgeted.

“Yeah, Hatsume and some of the others think I should be leaning into being cute, to give me an advantage.”

“A smart strategy, if you have something that could be an asset, you must be willing to utilize it in the field.”

The greenette nodded. “I managed to win my sparring match this morning because of it. I don’t know how good of a strategy it will be long term, but it gave me a split second to act, which is all I needed.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” The hero proclaimed, brandishing her whip. “Most of the big shots like to think that bombastic quirks are what make a great hero, but that’s not the case. Take myself or Eraser Head, we both have non-combative quirks that we have learned to use offensively, when able to. Now, we have to do the same for you.”

Izuku pulled out his notebook, flipping to a specific page and showing the woman. “I have some ideas I want to try, if that’s okay.”

As she scanned the page, Midnight’s grin became sharp. “Oh, this is gonna be fun!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I came up with a fantastic idea for your quirk!” Hatsume enthused, her eyes glinting as she stepped closer.

Yaoyorozu was beginning to look a little flustered as the pink-haired girl invaded her space. Izuku had to hold back a giggle as Hatsume began pulling things out of various containers, shoving them at the taller girl.

“I remembered you saying that your creation quirk requires you to make things using the lipids from your body; well, in order to keep the amount of lipids available to you at a reasonably high level, I created these dense, macronutrient snacks that can be stored at room temperature in a compartment on your belt! That way you have a consistent fuel supply to help you with your quirk!”

“Hatsume…this is incredible, thank you!”

The inventor just shrugged, grinning. “Happy to help, Momo! Now, be a dear and eat one, we have to test them out before you can use them in the Sports Festival.”

Izuku decided to leave them to it, making his way back to the dorms. On his way, he noticed a cluster of 1-B and General Studies students bunched together, arguing with someone.

As he got closer, the greenette groaned as he heard Katsuki antagonizing the other students, Kirishima desperately trying to diffuse the situation. He spotted Izuku, and cried out to him.

“Midoriya, you gotta help! Bakubro keeps picking fights with these guys, and he’s making our class look like jerks!”

Izuku placed a reassuring hand on the redhead’s shoulder. “I’ll handle this.”

He pushed his way to the front of the group, right in front of Katsuki. “Kaachan, stop picking on these guys!”

“Hah?! They came up to me!”

The freckled boy narrowed his eyes. “I know you too well for you to try and play innocent; now come on, we have homework to do.”

Katsuki looked like he wanted to argue, so Izuku switched tactics. “Keep it up, and I’ll knock you out in front of everyone and your reputation will be ruined.”

The blond looked shocked at his normally meek friend threatening him so brazenly, before smirking. “Finally grew some claws, huh Princess? Whatever, these nerds are lame anyways.”

Katsuki shoved his way past the other students, earning several heated glares as he did.

“Thanks Midobabe, I really owe you one,” Kirishima said sheepishly.

“I’ll remember that,” Izuku said, a coy grin on his face as he made for the exit.

Before he got outside, a hand stopped him. He looked up to see Shinso staring down at him, his expression determined.

“Izuku…I just want to tell you that I won’t be holding back at the Sports Festival,” the purple haired boy began. “It’s my shot at getting into the hero course, and I can’t let our friendship get in the way of that. If we go up against each other, I’m going to do everything I can to beat you.” The healer noticed that his friend looked more rested than usual, no doubt getting as much sleep in as possible between classes and training for the event.

Secretly, Izuku hoped that his friend did beat him, as well as anyone else he needed to in order to place in the festival. Being in class 1-A was wonderful, but being in class 1-A with Shinso, who wanted in so badly it kept him up at night, would be perfect. Izuku nodded, his expression matching the taller boy’s. “I understand; I won’t be holding back either.”

“Good.”

Chapter Text

The buzzer screeched as time was called, the sound echoing through the stadium.

The crowd cheered as the second round of the UA Sports Festival came to an end, the Calvary battle leaving the arena in a chaotic state with shards of ice and rock strewn about the space.

Izuku fought to catch his breath as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead, a headband clutched tightly in his fist. It’s not enough points, he realized. I didn’t grab the ten million point headband, and now we don’t have enough points to move forward…

He grit his teeth. He’d managed to come in first in the obstacle course through quick thinking and good luck, which immediately backfired as he was given the highest point value of the contestants, painting a target on his back. Working with Hatsume was a given, but seeing as Todoroki, Iida and Yaoyorozu formed a team without him, he had to scramble for other teammates. He was a bit hurt that none of the other Study Buddies would team up with him, but he had expected as much. Both Iida and Yaoyorozu had said they wanted to beat him, and Todoroki had practically declared war on him before the festival had even begun. He knew Katsuki wouldn’t want to rely on him, and Shinso had expressly stated he wouldn’t do so either, both opting to form their own teams.

Thankfully, Uraraka and Tokoyami were willing to join him, the latter becoming their saving grace as he held up a high point headband. “I snatched this off of Todoroki while he was distracted fighting you,” the boy said proudly, Izuku’s eyes watering at the sight. He hugged his teammates, praising their hard work and thanking them for putting their faith in him.

As they moved off of the field, Izuku took note of the teams that had made it. Todoroki and Bakugo’s team had gathered enough points easily, his own team just barely getting enough points to qualify for the final round. He spotted Shinso’s team looking disoriented, shaking their heads as the purple haired boy walked away without them. Izuku frowned.

He had no business telling his friend how to use his quirk, but he was worried Shinso was making unnecessary enemies this way. After all, Aoyama and Ojiro would have readily agreed to work with him if he’d only asked. He wanted to talk to him, but a hand stopped him.

“Midoriya,” the freckled boy turned to see Todoroki staring down at him, his expression cold. “I’d like a word.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shoto was having a bad day. 

He knew before the games even began that his father would be in attendance, watching him closely and expecting him to use his fire side in battle. Thanks to Midoriya, he’d become more comfortable using his fire in training, but the thought of letting his tyrannical father win made his blood curdle. 

So he’d kept to using his ice side only, impressively displaying it in both rounds and doing well despite his self imposed handicap. During the cavalry battle, he’d naturally gone after the curly haired boy, wanting to take the top spot for himself. Midoriya once again proved his cunning, using his teammates’ strengths to his advantage and evading combat for most of the round. 

In the end, Todoroki only managed to take the headband thanks to Iida’s speed and Kaminari’s offense. When Midoriya retaliated, green eyes blazing and knuckle dusters poised to strike, Todoroki forgot himself for a spilt second and ignited his fire.

The dual toned boy grit his teeth. He’d broken his promise to himself and very nearly burned his friend, and the distraction of both of those things allowed Midoriya’s team to take back enough points to move forward.

When he finally had the greenette alone, standing face to face in a cramped, abandoned hallway, Shoto tried his best not to think about the shorter boy’s big green eyes or his many freckles or how soft his lips felt every time he healed him.

“I…I want to apologize,” Shoto began, eyes boring into his friend’s. “For a split second, I lost control and used my fire. It won’t happen again.”

Izuku stared at him for several minutes, before speaking. “Actually, I think it will.”

Shoto narrowed his eyes, but the boy continued. “Your instincts are telling you to use all of your quirk when you need to, and fighting that instinct is only going to make things harder for you.”

“I don’t care, I can overcome it.”

“But why should you?” Izuku’s voice was just barely above a whisper. The two gazed at one another, the silence stifling.

“Todoroki, you figured out that I was the one to heal Mr. Aizawa after the USJ attack, but I never told you what happened in the infirmary that day.”

The dual-toned boy’s eyes widened as his friend spoke. Most everyone in 1-A had figured out that Midoriya had been the one to heal Aizawa, but the teacher had forbidden them from talking about it, given the school’s new policy against the healer working on the adults on campus. Shoto couldn’t deny his curiosity about the incident and, despite the hard exterior he had been wearing all day, he let a little of that curiosity show in his face.

“When All Might and the others brought him in, he was…he looked awful. I could sense all of his injuries and, for the first time in my life, I was terrified. Recovery Girl was doing her best to help and All Might was blaming himself and I was just standing there, frozen. When she told me Mr. Aizawa was going to die, I just- I couldn’t let him. I knew I had to try to help, even if it didn’t work. I followed my instincts and used my quirk to save him, but there’s not a day that goes by where I don’t look at that scar left on his face and wonder what would have happened if I had acted sooner, or later, or not at all…”

“Midoriya…”

“I’m guessing you get your fire side from your dad,” The boy continued. “I don’t know what’s gone on between you two, but you’ve been cold and distant all day, and I think it’s because of him. Just because you inherited his quirk, doesn’t mean it belongs to him. It’s your power, and nothing he says or does can take it from you.”

Todoroki stood stock still, his fists trembling at his sides.

“I’m going to go get some lunch,” Izuku muttered. “And I hope you do too. You’ll need your strength.”

The greenette trudged off in the direction of the cafeteria, leaving a confused, hurt and lonely boy in his wake.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Withdraw?!” Iida squawked. “After how hard you worked to get here?”

Ojiro’s expression was drawn, but Izuku could see the anger and disappointment in his eyes. “I didn’t earn my spot, I don’t even remember competing in the match…” The blond shot a heated glare Shinso’s way, and Izuku suddenly felt very guilty not warning his classmates about the purple haired boy. One of Shinso’s other teammates from class 1-B also withdrew, with two competitors from another team taking their place.

Shinso was smirking, but Izuku knew his friend still hated himself for his quirk. It was a hard decision, but it was still a competition, and he wanted into the hero course.

As the leader of the games, Midnight had the final sixteen students draw lots to determine who would face off against whom in the first round of matches. Izuku smiled slightly as he pulled Aoyama’s name, certain that he could beat the sparkling blond. He looked up at the screen, noticing that Todoroki and Sero were up after him, meaning he’d most likely face off against the dual-toned boy in the following round.

A short ways away, he could hear Ojiro warning Ashido about Shinso’s quirk, the two hero students both stone faced as they talked. Izuku shook his head, he had to focus.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was time for the first match, Izuku facing off against Aoyama. He adjusted his knuckle dusters, before securing his goggles atop his head. He had sent in a request to get to use them in the festival, the knuckle dusters as a combat advantage and the goggles to help with his ‘cute’ branding. Across from him, Aoyama smirked.

“My sweet Midoriya, I just want to say no hard feelings! You’ll try your best but you can’t possibly outshine moi!” The blond proclaimed, his belt gleaming in the sunlight.

We’ll see about that, the greenette thought, as Present Mic introduced them to the crowd.

“Alrighty, sports fans! It’s time for the finals to begin! WHOO!!! Can you feel the excitement?!?”

Next to the hero, Aizawa grunted, regretting his decision to co-announce the games with the loud mouth.

“First up, we have Yuga Aoyama! His quirk: Navel Laser! He can shoot a high powered laser from his bellybutton! Talk about a bright student!”

Aoyama preened as he was announced, striking a pose for the audience.

“Facing off against him is Izuku Midoriya! His quirk: Kisses! He can heal any wound with just a peck on the cheek! But watch out, this kiss comes with a fist!”

Not wanting to be outdone by Aoyama, Izuku turned to face the crowd behind him, offering them a shy smile before blowing a kiss to the stands. As he turned back around, he could see Midnight smiling at him, the two having had a long discussion that morning before the games began.

“It isn’t just about being heroic,” she had told him, “It’s about being lovable! You have a quirk that easily wins you admiration from others, don’t shy away from it.”

Both boys readied their stances, Izuku pulling his goggles down over his eyes before the match began. 

Aoyama quickly fired off his laser, aiming it directly at his opponent. Izuku dodged it easily, adding in a somersault for flair as he moved closer to his target, making sure to avoid his weak shots.

He’s only using a small portion of his power, so his stomach doesn’t start hurting, Izuku deduced, calculating his opponent’s moves. I can try goading him into using more power, then attacking him once he’s weakened. Or I can go for the direct approach and hope I’m fast enough to dodge his attacks. 

He spared a glance over to Midnight. The woman had been the most helpful in his extra training; for while All Might and Aizawa could offer plenty of combat advice, Midnight could offer something just as important.

“Remember that as much as you are a hero, you are a public figure,” she told him. “You have to be able to not only do your job, but make it look as effortless and eye catching as possible. During the Sports Festival, you’ll need to be just as visually appealing as you are powerful, to make the biggest impact on the crowd!”

Izuku heeded those words, choosing the more exciting of his two strategies. He rushed forward, throwing a kick towards Aoyama who blocked it immediately. The blond began charging his laser, and Izuku slammed him with a kick from his other foot, landing softly before cartwheeling away. 

He gave a smile and a giggle to the camera, kissing his knuckles and bumping them together as he prepared to strike again. Aoyama, having recovered from the hit, fired off his laser at full power, the blast taking up most of the ring and creating a blinding light in the arena. 

Izuku got up from his spot on the ground where he had taken cover, to see Aoyama on his knees, clutching his stomach. He gave another small giggle, moving quickly over to his opponent. He held the blond’s face in his hand, tilting his jaw upwards so the greenette could lean down and place a soft kiss on his forehead.

Aoyama collapsed, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

“And the winner of the first match is Izuku Midoriya! What a mesmerizing display from both students! Eraser Head, tell the crowd what you thought of the fight!”

Aizawa rolled his eyes, but leaned forward anyways. “Midoriya relied on his agility and cunning to devise the best strategy to win, mixing his combat moves with gymnastics to make the fight more entertaining. Not the most practical approach, but it was effective nonetheless.”

“There you have it folks, a totally boring answer from a totally boring hero!!!”

Aizawa sighed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku and the others stared open mouthed as Todoroki froze half of the stadium, the ice spreading past the arena and the stands to pierce the sky.

“Geez, I know he wants to win but isn’t this overkill?” Uraraka muttered.

“Poor Sero never stood a chance,” Kirishima tutted, shaking his head.

The matches came to an abrupt stop to give the coordinators a chance to remove the ice, and Izuku used the opportunity to approach Midnight.

“You’ve been doing well so far, Midoriya,” she complimented him. “But your fight is far from over.” 

He nodded. “I’ve been thinking a lot about what you taught me, about embracing this cutesy brand and giving more of a performance, which is why I wanted to run an idea by you. You’re in charge of the games, so you’ll know best whether or not to allow it.”

As he told her his plan, Midnight’s cheeks pinked as she grinned at him. “Oh precious Midoriya, I’ve never been prouder!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As soon as Iida stepped into the ring to face off against Hatsume, wearing some of the girl’s inventions, Izuku knew exactly what his friend had planned.

He couldn’t help but laugh as the girl flitted about the ring, advertising her many inventions as Iida flailed around her, desperate to regain his composure. The rest of the crowd was gobsmacked as the girl shamelessly sponsored her creations, her smile blinding. 

Next to him, Yaoyorozu was gripping Izuku’s arm tightly to avoid bursting into laughter as well, her lips twitching from the effort. Uraraka looked concerned and, down on the field, Midnight looked close to collapsing from how hard she was laughing.

Once Hatsume had finished her presentation she graciously stepped out of the ring, leaving a bewildered Iida the winner by default. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it came time for Yaoyorozu and Tokoyami’s match, Izuku wasn’t sure who to root for. Tokoyami had been on his team and got them enough points in the second round to advance, but Yaoyorozu was a part of the Study Buddies, and had become one of his closest friends. 

In the end, Yaoyorozu was able to claim victory as she created a spotlight from her body, further weakening Dark Shadow and giving her the advantage she needed to beat Tokoyami.

“Of course, Yaoyorozu must have noticed how Kaminari’s lighting weakened Dark Shadow in the second round,” Izuku muttered, scribbling furiously in his notebook. “She was probably charging her quirk before the match even began, so she’d be able to pull out her creation right away…”

Tokoyami accepted his defeat gracefully, the two opponents walking out of the arena as friends.

When Shinso came out to fight Ashido, Izuku tensed. Ashido was a strong opponent, both in terms of her quirk and her physical strength. She was just as determined as the rest of the class to do her very best, and Shinso was months behind her in combat experience.

“If she already knows what his quirk is, it’ll be difficult for Shinso to beat her using it, unless he’s able to distract her long enough to activate it.”

The purple haired boy was wearing gauntlets designed by Hatsume, as well as a strange mask over his mouth, the silver gear gleaming in the sunlight. The match began, and Ashido immediately began firing off acid. Shinso dodged it, keeping out of range of the girl who was now skating around the ring, her acid leaving a trail burned into the ground. 

“Ashido, what on Earth are you doing?!” Midnight’s voice filled the air.

“Huh? What do you-“ Ashido was frozen as Shinso’s quirk took hold, the boy smirking behind his mask.

“Incredible! General Studies student Hitoshi Shinso disguised his voice as Midnight’s, tricking Ashido into answering him and falling under his spell!” Present Mic cried out, the crowd cheering as the pink skinned girl stood frozen in the ring.

“Exit the ring, slowly.” Shinso commanded, the girl turning heel and leaving immediately.

As he was announced the winner, Shinso looked to the stands, his gaze locking with Izuku’s.

The matches were becoming more and more intense as every student displayed an overwhelming desire to get to the top, none of whom had any qualms about clawing their way up there.

Chapter Text

Izuku placed a soft kiss to Uraraka’s temple, trying to console the upset girl as she healed. “You did amazing out there, Uraraka, everyone was really rooting for you!”

The brunette smiled weakly at him. “I appreciate the healing and the pep talk, but I think I need some time to process this.”

The greenette nodded. “I understand. Hope to see you back out there.” He turned to exit the infirmary, leaving his friend in Recovery Girl’s care. She had faced off against Katsuki, a grizzly match that had required her to push herself beyond her limits. She may have lost the match, but Izuku could tell that Uraraka had earned the hot head’s respect, a difficult thing to do. 

Just like Yaoyorozu’s match, Izuku had been torn over which friend to root for. He knew it was unlikely that Uraraka would be able to defeat Katsuki, but he couldn’t help cheering her on when the clever girl used Katsuki’s explosions to create enough rubble to use her Zero Gravity quirk, raining large chunks of debris onto him. In the end the winner was clear, though if he were to hazard a guess, Izuku would say the crowd favored the bubbly girl over the hot head, which gave him all the more reason to lean into his own sweet persona. 

As he made his way to the waiting room to prepare for his next match, he ran into the blond. “Oh, hey Kaachan! Congratulations on winning your match.”

The other boy grunted, his expression grumpy as always. “Tell me something Deku, did you come up with that desperate strategy Pink Cheeks used?”

Assuming he meant Uraraka, Izuku shook his head. “No, she told me she didn’t want my help. She came up with that strategy all on her own.” He looked at his friend, noticing the tension in his shoulders. “If that match was harder than you thought it would be, it’s because Uraraka is serious about becoming a hero.”

Katsuki merely grunted again, before shifting uncomfortably. “I…I got injured,” he muttered, holding up his arm to show the greenette a gash in the appendage.

Izuku cocked his head. “Oh yeah, hmm…better go see Recovery Girl about that.”

The freckled boy giggled as the hot head spluttered, irritation clear on his face. “Oh calm down, I’m only teasing.” He reached up to give the blond a quick peck on the cheek, the wound knitting itself closed. 

Katsuki’s face was impassive, but there was a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “Thanks…good luck with your match.”

Izuku just smiled, before turning heel and making for the waiting room, the sounds of Kirishima’s victory out on the field filling the stands above him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku made his way to the entrance of the arena, ready for his match against Todoroki. He had devised a strategy to help him even the playing field, but he wasn’t entirely sure it was enough to win.

Lost in his thoughts, he nearly ran right into Endeavor, the number two hero, as the man rounded the corner. “Oh, I’m so sor- Endeavor?”

The man looked down at the boy, his expression not unlike the one his son had worn all day. “Ah, just who I was looking for.”

The two were silent as the hero assessed Izuku, his blue eyes burning into the boy. “I must say, you have an impressive quirk; it’s rare to meet someone who can heal others, and rarer still to be able to use that skill offensively. I highly doubt you’ll be much of a match against Shoto, but don’t hold anything back either. This will be a good test to see how much more training he’ll need. My son’s duty is to surpass All Might as the number one hero, his one true purpose in life. If he’s going to do that, he needs to beat every opponent he faces.”

Izuku had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from snapping at the hero. It churned his stomach to hear a father speak about his son as if he were merely an extension of himself. He was beginning to see why Todoroki had been on edge all day. “I would never hold back, not in a competition like this, but please don’t think for a moment I do so for your sake, sir. Shoto is my friend, and I want to help him overcome whatever demons you gave him, but it’ll have to wait until after I beat him.” 

He spared the man one last glare, before continuing to the arena, his stomach in knots.

Todoroki was already standing in the ring when he arrived, the two waiting impatiently for the match to begin.

His ice power can cover a lot of ground quickly; if I don’t want to end up like Sero, I’ll have to try to weaken him before he has a chance to create too much of it. Izuku gazed at his opponent, his mind whirring. I have the move Midnight and I worked on in training; it’s far from perfect, but it just might give me the opening I need.

The two listened as Present Mic introduced them once more, Izuku giving a wiggle of his fingers to the crowd, smiling brightly. In comparison, Todoroki looked like a gargoyle: cold and imposing. The two readied their stances, and the match began. 

As expected, Todoroki opened with a burst of ice, the attack surging forward as Izuku dodged, tucking and rolling to the left. Todoroki locked eyes with him, and he pulled out his new move.

“Hey, Todoroki! Catch!”

The greenette placed a big kiss on his fingers, holding his palm up and out as he blew the kiss to his enemy. Pink mist tumbled out of Izuku’s mouth, curling upwards and billowing out like dragon’s smoke. The dual-toned boy’s eyes widened as the mist enveloped the ring, his body beginning to feel heavy.

“WHAT’S THIS?!? Izuku Midoriya has pulled out a move we’ve never seen before! But, what does it do? How will Todoroki react??”

Izuku smirked as his eyes flickered to Midnight, the inspiration for the move. The healer had hypothesized that because his quirk was activated by his lips, anything that came into contact with them could potentially cause a reaction, even the air he breathed. The idea came from Midnight’s Somnambulist ability, which allowed her to create a pheromone from her body that knocked out her opponents.

It took days to get even a small puff of mist to appear, and he had to keep focused on it to keep it from dissipating altogether. His head pounded as he concentrated on the mist and its desired effect, and it was much weaker than direct contact would be, but it was working.

Todoroki grit his teeth, sending another albeit weaker ice attack the freckled boy’s way. Izuku dodged this one much easier. “Missed me, missed me, now ya gotta kiss me!” He teased, rushing closer to his target.

The mist cleared slightly as Izuku dodged another attack, his concentration splintering. I won’t be able to hold this for long, I have to act now!

He finally reached Todoroki, throwing a few punches the taller boy’s way. Todoroki countered with more ice; the attack hit its mark, but the effort was causing Todoroki’s right side to freeze over. 

He hit Izuku with a forceful punch, sending the boy sailing through the air. Catching himself mid-air, Izuku performed a tuck as he landed on his feet, smiling triumphantly as the audience cheered. It was a neat trick, but it came at the cost of his concentration breaking, the mist now completely dissipated.

“It looks like Midoriya’s super move wasn’t enough! What will he do now??” 

“Todoroki, you have to regulate your body temperature! You’ll hurt yourself if you don’t!” Izuku called from the other side of the field.

“Humph, did my old man put you up to this? Did he bribe you to get me to do what he wants??” Todoroki’s eyes were burning, his expression so much like Endeavor’s it startled the greenette.

“Screw that guy! It’s not his quirk, it’s yours!”

Izuku was done helping. He’d said his piece, now he had to win. He rushed forward once again, mist steaming from his mouth as he prepared to blow another kiss. He launched himself forward as a torrent of ice and fire slammed into him at once, sending him hurtling out of the ring and into one of the arena walls as the elemental onslaught tore through the space.

The audience fell into a hush as the green eyed boy’s body slid down the wall, before hitting the ground with a thump.

Todoroki won the match.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shoto stared in shock as his friend’s limp body hit the ground, his feet moving before he had time to think. He raced over to Izuku, gently picking him up off the ground.

“Midoriya…I-“

His words died on his tongue, eyes widening in disbelief.

The audience gasped as the greenette’s injuries began healing themselves, burns fading and cuts knitting back together as green eyes fluttered open.

“But-but how-“

Izuku chuckled weakly, his strength slowly returning as his body healed. “Everyone in class knew I could heal other people, but none of you bothered to ask if I could heal myself.”

With Todoroki’s help, Izuku stood up straight, a beaming smile on his face. The crowd erupted once more.

In the commentator’s box, Present Mic was having a field day. “Would you look at that! Midoriya has completely healed all of his wounds and- what’s this? A kiss on the cheek for his opponent?? I’m calling it: Izuku Midoriya is the official UA sweetheart!!!” 

“That’s not a real title, and you can’t just arbitrarily give it to your favorite contestant,” Aizawa drawled.

As the two students left the arena, All Might stared at them from the teachers’ seats, a thoughtful look in his eye.

A quirk that lets the body heal itself…maybe Young Midoriya is the one I’m looking for…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the event coordinators worked once again to clear the field of the damage Todoroki inflicted, Izuku joined his classmates in the stands.

“Izu!!” Hatsume screeched, throwing her arms around her friend. “Holy crap, that was scary! Don’t you ever stop to think?? You could’ve been seriously hurt back there!”

“It’s nice to see you too, Mei,” the boy said wearily, sitting down with the juice box he got from Recovery Girl. 

“That move you pulled out at the beginning of the match was seriously cool!” Ashido told him, earning a grin from the boy.

“Thanks! Hah, and you said my quirk couldn’t be flashy, Mei,” He teased, the pink haired inventor sticking her tongue out at him.

“Are you alright Midoriya?” Tokoyami asked; he, Uraraka and Ojiro looking concerned.

“I’m totally fine! Healing myself tends to take a lot out of me, so I’m gonna rest up here while I wait for the rest of the matches to start up.”

“You say that like you’re going back down there,” Asui commented, watching as the curly haired boy fiddled with the straw of his juice box.

“Uhm, I talked it over with Miss Midnight earlier and…well, someone has to heal the remaining contestants,” he muttered, thanking Jirou as she deftly stabbed the straw into the box, handing it back to him.

“You’re crazy…” Uraraka said, staring at her friend. 

“Is he?” Hatsume asked slyly, catching onto what the boy was planning. “Or is he simply assuring that the audience gets to see him use his quirk a whole bunch, while everyone else fights for first place?”

Izuku’s grin became sharp. “Exactly.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it was time for the matches to start once again, Izuku did indeed take a spot next to Midnight, sitting on the edge of the small stage with his ankles crossed delicately in front of him.

This kid… Midnight thought to herself, smiling. He’s gonna be a handful when he goes pro.

The next few matches were simple, Yaoyorozu beating Shiozaki from 1-B and Shinso beating Kirishima. The real fight came from Bakugo and Iida, the two boys battling fiercely for a spot in the next round. Eventually, the hot head released a barrage of explosions, a new signature move of his, sending the class rep careening out of the ring, winning him the match.

Izuku hopped down from his seat, making a big show of tenderly kissing Iida’s cheek, the audience cooing at the display. He also made sure to stand on his tippy toes when kissing Katsuki, the blond muttering ‘you stupid faker,’ as he did. 

When it came down to the final four, Yaoyorozu was bested by Todoroki, and Shinso losing to Katsuki, both losers overwhelmed by the sheer power the winners held, even after so many matches. Izuku felt bad for his purple haired friend, until he realized that both he and Yaoyorozu were tied for third. He placed! Nezu is sure to let him transfer now, the freckled boy thought happily as he healed the group. 

It was down to the final two: Todoroki vs Bakugo, the crowd tittering with anticipation. 

“Before we begin, anything you two wish to say?” Midnight prompted them.

Todoroki remained silent, while Katsuki simply said “I’m gonna win,” like he had at the start of the games.

“And any words of encouragement from our young healer?” Midnight turned to Izuku, putting the boy on the spot.

Izuku gulped, before giving the audience a sweet smile. “I just wanna say: Do your best, and go Plus Ultra!!”

The crowd cheered in response, Midnight chuckling. “You’ve got ‘em eating out of the palm of your hand,” she muttered, before turning back to the match.

“Alright, let final battle…begin!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The stadium shook as Katsuki’s signature Howitzer Impact collided with a burst of fire from Todoroki, the explosion causing the audience to panic. The hero Cementoss used his quirk to create a barrier, shielding the spectators from harm, as well as himself, Midnight and Izuku down in the arena.

When the dust and smoke finally cleared, and Cementoss could lower his barrier, Katsuki stood over Todoroki’s still form, breathing heavily.

“Todoroki is unable to battle, Bakugo wins!” Midnight announced, brandishing her whip.

The audience cheered as the blond’s face appeared on the screen, red eyes blazing.

Chapter Text

The awards ceremony took place as soon as the rubble from the last match was cleared, Izuku standing with Uraraka and the others as All Might awarded the Sports Festival medals. 

The greenette smiled widely as Shinso was given his medal next to Yaoyorozu, the normally moody boy sporting a small, genuine smile. Izuku winced as Uraraka scoffed next to him, muttering about unfair quirks. He also spotted Ojiro, Aoyama and several others glaring at the purple haired boy, and he grimaced.

It’s gonna take Shinso an awful lot of work to make it up to everyone after how he behaved, he thought, concerned about his classmates’ reactions if Shinso did transfer into 1-A.

Yaoyorozu looked a little flustered at the attention, but accepted her medal graciously, a smile on her face as the crowd cheered for her. 

Next, Todoroki allowed All Might to place the silver medal around his neck, the two speaking quietly. Izuku couldn’t make out what they were saying, but it almost seemed like Todoroki was glancing at him throughout the conversation.

Finally, All Might awarded Bakugo with the gold medal, the hot head smirking at the number one hero. There was applause from the crowd, but it didn’t seem nearly as strong as it was for Todoroki or Yaoyorozu. And with that, the Sports Festival ended. Izuku made his way off the field with his friends, frowning to himself.

After the last match, Uraraka told him that Iida had to leave early due to an emergency with his older brother: the hero Ingenium. It had to have been serious for his family to call him away from the event, and the freckled boy could only pray that things turned out okay for the Iida family.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As he exited the stadium, on his way to meet with his students in the 1-A classroom, Aizawa heard some of the Business course students discussing the finals.

“That Bakugo sure is powerful, but he’s got a real attitude problem.” A short boy with glasses stated.

Next to him, a girl with pink scales on her face nodded. “Shinso from General Studies has much of the same problem. Come to think of it, Todoroki wasn’t that endearing either.”

“Well, what did you expect?” The third member of their group, a tall boy with dark hair and a crooked nose, spoke up. “How could any of them compare when Midoriya stole the show with kisses??”

“He was really cute,” the girl conceded. “And he got the crowd excited every time he stepped onto the field, not an easy feat…”

“Those flips were really something else, and the way he dodged most of those ice attacks took serious skill. He’s gonna get a lot of interest from the big hero agencies, just watch.”

“Oh? Should we run the numbers?”

Aizawa smiled to himself as he continued on his path. He had been similarly impressed with the way his student managed to keep the focus on himself throughout the games, even after he was defeated by Todoroki. Most of 1-A had some fame and notoriety swirling around them from the USJ incident but Midoriya, who hadn’t been in the class at the time, managed to make a name for himself regardless by using his quirk to positively affect his reputation at the school.

Aizawa may have thought Present Mic a fool for calling the greenette ‘UA’s sweetheart,’ but he wouldn’t be surprised if there were others who shared that sentiment. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Two whole days off!” Kaminari cheered, pumping his fist in the air as Aizawa dismissed them. “We gotta do something fun to celebrate.”

“Ooh! How about we do a sleepover tonight?” Ashido suggested, the idea piquing the class’ interest.

“We live in a dorm, every night is a sleepover,” Jirou said flatly.

“No, dummy! I meant a sleepover sleepover! We all spend the night in the Common Room and watch movies and eat junk food and play games. We can even put down pillows and blankets and sleep on the floor!” 

“That sounds like a lot of fun!” Hagakure exclaimed, Aoyama agreeing with her.

“Pass.” Katsuki grunted, walking ahead of the others.

Despite the hot head’s usual lack of enthusiasm, the rest of 1-A prepared for their sleepover with excitement. Snacks were made as games and movies were brought out, pillows and blankets and stuffed animals littered about the Common Room floor. Izuku texted Hatsume, extending an invitation to the girl which she readily accepted.

When the class reconvened in the Common Room, dressed in pajamas and ready to begin, Izuku was grateful to have had a baggy sweater and shorts to wear, not wanting to wear his usual All Might pajamas in front of the others. 

They started the evening with board games, Kaminari winning a three-game hot streak of poker, and Todoroki dominating a game of Monopoly. Ashido put on some music and taught the others her favorite dance moves, the group laughing as Izuku stumbled about like a newborn foal.

“How is it you can do all those fancy flips and twirls, but can’t learn a few dance steps?” Hatsume teased, her hips moving effortlessly with the beat.

“S’not the same,” the freckled boy pouted, his body jerking awkwardly to the music.

The boys made a hasty retreat to play video games when Ashido pulled out the face masks, the girl grinning. “Come on, guys! Skin care is super important!”

She turned to the other girls, who had managed to keep Izuku in place with Aoyama’s help. “Izuuu,” she teased, dangling a strawberry scented mask in front of the boy. 

“I don’t mind,” he said with a shrug, “but won’t it get in my hair?”

Hatsume’s grin turned sharp as the other girls giggled. “Don’t worry, we’ve got just the thing!”

The boys stared slack jawed as the girls, Izuku and Aoyama joined them, all wearing mud masks of varying colors. Izuku’s mask was a light pink, matching the several barrettes used to keep his hair out of his face.

Kirishima let out a squeak he would later deny at the sight. “Y-you guys look great!”

“Oui, and we won’t have to worry about wrinkles, unlike the rest of you,” Aoyama said loftily, his baby blue mask cracking as he smiled at them. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The group played and danced and laughed for most of the evening, with Katsuki begrudgingly making dinner for everyone.

“I told you losers, I’m not interested in your dumb sleepover,” Katsuki growled as Kirishima and Ashido tried once again to get him to join in.

“But Kaachan,” Izuku pouted, his eyes big and shining. “We were gonna watch the All Might movie next, and it’s your favorite!”

Katsuki looked to be in physical pain as he fought with himself, taking in the sweater and the barrettes and the boy’s flushed cheeks from removing his mask. He caved. “Fine! Move over, nerd.”

Kirishima, Ashido and Kaminari cheered silently as the blond plopped down next to Izuku with a huff, arms crossed petulantly. He began to relax as the movie played, letting Izuku rest his head on his shoulder. 

After the All Might movie came an old romance film that Uraraka picked, and the lights were turned off as everyone began to settle into their spots on the floor. Katsuki hadn’t moved a muscle as Izuku dozed lightly on his shoulder, the greenette looking sleepy and peaceful.

The moment was ruined, however, as Aizawa loudly entered the dorm, flicking on the lights as the 1-A students groaned. Izuku looked up sleepily as the teacher moved forward, Principal Nezu right behind him.

“Midoriya, we’d like a word.”

Izuku sat up at once, now fully awake. He climbed over the couch and followed the adults outside, their grim expressions worrying him.

“By now, I’m sure your friend Iida has told you his brother Ingenium is in the hospital,” Aizawa prompted, Izuku nodding in confirmation. “Unfortunately, his his condition is worsening by the hour. The doctors may not be able to save him.”

“That’s…that’s awful…poor Iida,” Izuku gasped, hands clenched at his sides.

“Naturally, we want to do everything in our power to help young Tensei,” Nezu added, beady eyes trained on the healer. “Which is why I’ve acquired an allowance from the Hero Commission for you to use your quirk outside of UA to help him, just this once. That is, if you’re interested.”

“I’ll get my shoes,” Izuku responded, already heading back inside.

As he pulled on his shoes, Katsuki came up to him. 

“I don’t have time to talk,” the greenette told him. “Iida’s brother is in trouble and he needs me, I’ll tell you everything when I get back.”

“Deku…Deku listen, I-“ Katsuki looked like he wanted to say something, his messy hair and concerned expression making him look so much softer than his usual scowling visage. He shook his head. “Just don’t do anything stupid, alright?”

Izuku hugged his friend, the taller boy squeezing him tightly. “I’ll be okay, Kaachan, I promise.”

Izuku joined the adults back outside, the three rushing to the car Nezu had called. As the driver made for Hosu General Hospital, Izuku could only hope they got there in time.

~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When they arrived at the hospital, Nezu gave the receptionist all of the paperwork he’d received from the Hero Commission detailing the nature of their visit. The woman gave them the room number and promised to inform the doctor of their arrival.

Izuku felt his stomach drop as the elevator reached the third floor, the doors opening to reveal sterile white hallways that carried the faint smell of chemicals. Due to his quirk, Izuku and his family hadn’t had much of a need for hospitals, except for the occasional checkup. Walking down the hall to Ingenium’s room made the greenette feel like a kid again, on his way to find out what his quirk was.

When they opened the door to Ingenium’s room, Izuku’s heart broke at the sight of Iida’s tear stricken face.

“Mr. Aizawa, Midoriya, what are you doing here?” The taller boy asked, roughly wiping away the evidence of his emotional state. Izuku supposed they looked almost comical walking in: A strange creature in a suit, a rumpled looking man, and a teenager in pajamas, all there to help.

“We’ve received a special allowance from the Hero Commission, permitting Midoriya to use his quirk to help heal Ingenium,” Nezu said calmly, while Iida’s mother eyed the newcomers warily.

“But- but how? The doctors haven’t even been able to do much, and why not bring Recovery Girl? Why bring…”

A child, Izuku thought. She wanted to ask why they brought a child to save a dying man.

“Mrs. Iida, I’m going to do everything in my power to save your son, as long as you’re okay with it.”

The woman looked to her younger son who, after recovering from the initial shock, nodded his head fervently. “Please; let him help, Mother.”

“Alright,” she finally said, nodding. Izuku gave her a small smile, before crossing the room to the patient.

Just like with Aizawa, the sheer number and severity of Ingenium’s injuries overwhelmed the healer, his head dizzy from all he was sensing. He was dying, just like Aizawa had been, but the injuries Ingenium had went far beyond anything Izuku could’ve imagined.

It’s a death by a thousand cuts, almost every inch of his body has been damaged…whoever did this to him must really hate him, or heroes in general. Such malice…it’s beyond cruel, it’s inhuman!

Izuku moved closer to the man, his head covered in bandages and a large gauze pad on his stomach. They’ve already operated on him, but they didn’t remove any organs, which is good; I don’t think my quirk would be able to regrow anything like that. His arm engines are in rough shape, but I don’t know if I can actually save them. They’re a part of him biologically, but they’re not organic material…

Izuku shook his head, he needed to focus. He leaned forward, putting as much power into his quirk as possible as his lips met the hero’s cheek.

Iida’s mother let out a cry as the sounds of bones snapping and organs shifting filled the room, a wretched cacophony of squelches and cracks. Izuku began muttering softly to Ingenium, telling him about the Sports Festival and how well Iida did in the games. 

The man’s body still looked rough, so as the healing slowed down, Izuku gave him another kiss, then another, feeling faint as Ingenium’s body regenerated as fast as possible. There were far more prominent scars on him than the single one Aizawa had, and Izuku’s stomach churned at the thought of what would’ve happened had he not been allowed to come.

After a few tense minutes, Ingenium’s breathing and heart rate evened out, a peaceful look on his face as Izuku’s sedative took hold. The greenette collapsed into a nearby chair, exhausted.

Iida rushed over to him. “Are you alright?!”

Izuku nodded weakly. “I’m fine, just really tired. I was worn out from the Sports Festival, and this was a bit beyond my limit, but I’ll be fine.”

He looked over to Ingenium’s sleeping form. “I can’t speak for his arm engines, but the rest of his body should be fully healed. The doctor will have to check, of course, but…I think he’s going to live.”

Iida’s mother burst into tears, Iida nearly doing so himself. “Midoriya…Izuku…you-I-“

The healer merely opened his arms and the class rep surged forward, hugging his friend tightly as he sobbed into his shoulder.

In the corner, Aizawa looked on in amazement. It was one thing to know what Midoriya was capable of, but to see it with his own eyes was another matter entirely. “It’s just as miraculous as the first time,” Nezu said warmly, smiling at the relieved faces he saw.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The doctor confirmed that Ingenium’s wounds were fully healed, apart from the damage done to his engines, and assured both the family and visitors that he’d make a full recovery.

“That’s an astounding quirk you have there,” the man praised Izuku. “You should consider becoming a doctor.”

The freckled boy just smiled, having heard that same sentence many times before.

Aizawa and Nezu led Izuku from the room, after receiving plenty of thanks from the Iida family. Izuku kept strong until they reached the car, where the boy practically collapsed into his seat.

“I’ve fine,” he assured his worried teacher as Aizawa got in next to him. “I just need to rest.”

Aizawa merely nodded, draping his jacket over the boy as he fell asleep. The drive back to campus was silent, only the sounds of the road and Izuku’s soft breathing could be heard. The teacher looked down at his student, who had at some point slumped over into the middle seat, his seatbelt pulling on him in a way that looked uncomfortable.

We’re finally beginning to see the limits of his quirk, the man thought. Despite being physically fine, using his power so much and so often today sapped all of his energy…We’ll have to build up his endurance once we start training again.

When they arrived at the dorms, Aizawa scooped the sleeping boy up, carrying him to the door. Izuku stirred as his teacher fumbled with the doorknob. “S’okay, I can get it…” 

Aiazawa gingerly placed the boy onto the ground, getting a sleepy smile that nearly melted his heart. “Thanks for everything, Mr. Aizawa.”

“Don’t mention it, kid.”

When the healer opened the door, letting himself and Aizawa inside, the teacher was unsurprised to see Katsuki waiting up for the healer, his expression turning steely as he took in his friend’s exhaustion.

“What the hell happened?” The blond whispered harshly, not wanting to wake the others who were sleeping sprawled out in the Common Room.

“He’s fine,” Aizawa assured him. “He just needs to rest.”

Katsuki merely grunted, leading Izuku over to an unoccupied spot on the floor, covered in blankets and pillows. Aizawa watched as the two settled in, taking note of his other students cuddled up on the floor as well.

This is becoming much more than a class, or a team… the man thought as he quietly exited the dorm. It’s becoming a family.

Chapter Text

Izuku smiled down at his phone, laughing at the text Mei sent him as the train made its way to the UA station.

After being forbidden from training by both Aizawa and Katsuki, Izuku decided to visit his parents during his two days off, the couple happy to have their son home. They had seen the Sports Festival on TV, but hearing about all of his adventures in the infirmary and in class 1-A was enough to make both his parents cry, which in turn made Izuku cry, until the whole family was sobbing together on the couch.

Maybe Kaachan was right, Izuku thought to himself, we really are a family of crybabies.

The train was fairly crowded, so it took a few tries for the man behind Izuku to get his attention. “Psst, hey! Aren’t you Izuku Midoriya? From the Sports Festival??”

At once, everyone in the train car was staring at him, the people closest congratulating him and grabbing at his shoulders. It had happened a lot in the past two days; everywhere he went, people recognized him and wanted his attention. Some wanted his autograph, others wanted to talk about UA. One man had even asked if he’d blow him a kiss, just like the one from his match with Todoroki, and Izuku’s father had threatened the man until he went away. 

Izuku tried his best to appease the small crowd, thankful when his stop came. He exited the train, frowning as he felt a few raindrops hit his cheeks. He pulled out his umbrella, trudging up the steep slope from the station to UA’s gates.

“Midoriya!”

The boy turned to see Iida, wearing a lime green raincoat, speeding towards him. He slowed down as he reached his friend, smiling. Izuku realized the raincoat was even uglier up close.

“Oh, hey Iida! How are you? How’s Ingenium?”

The greenette let the taller boy take the umbrella, holding it up to cover the both of them as they walked. “My brother is doing well, he’ll be discharged from the hospital in a few days, but he’s been suspended from hero work until he’s able to fix his engines.”

Izuku nodded, he’d expected as much. “How are you handling all of this?”

Iida looked to him, the two making their way into the building. “I’m…I’m adjusting. Tensei has been keeping his spirits up, which is wonderful, but…”

He came to a full stop, Izuku turning to face him.

“I-I keep thinking about what would’ve happened, if you hadn’t come, I mean. I would’ve very likely lost my brother…”

Grey eyes met green as Iida took his friend’s hands into his own. “Midoriya…Izuku…I’ll never be able to repay you for saving him.”

Izuku’s heart went out to the taller boy, who had suffered so much in the past few days. “Iida, just knowing Ingenium will live to see another day is payment enough for me.”

“I know. We truly don’t deserve you.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Class 1-A’s homeroom was livelier than usual as the two walked in, everyone excited over the attention they were receiving.

“Dude, it’s like our class is famous now,” Kaminari exclaimed, grinning at Kirishima. 

“I know! We totally rocked the Sports Fest, almost our whole class made it to the finals!” The redhead gloated, puffing out his chest. 

“Hey Midoriya,” Jirou said slyly, holding out her phone. “You should see this.”

Izuku borrowed the girl’s phone, sitting down in the chair Iida had pulled out for him. It was an article from a local newspaper, one that the greenette knew covered the Sports Festival every year. His eyes widened at the heading.

Sports Fest Dominated by Explosions, but Won with Kisses! UA’s Sweetheart and His Super Smooches!

“Oh wow,” he muttered, scanning the article. “Isn’t this a bit excessive?”

Jirou snorted. “That’s not the only story. Half of the press coming out about the Sports Fest is talking about you. You sure made one hell of an impression.”

“Well…that was sort of the point, I guess…” The healer said sheepishly, his cheeks pink.

“That was indeed the point, Midoriya,” Aizawa drawled, the students scrambling to their seats as the teacher entered. “In fact, just about every single one of you made some kind of impression, especially in regards to the hero draft picks.”

As the teacher displayed the number of offers each student received, the healer was taken aback at his.

“Izuku, look! You got the most, after Todoroki,” Yaoyorozu exclaimed, after eyeing her own offers.

“See? All that smooching paid off,” Ashido teased, the greenette blushing once again.

It’s crazy, the freckled boy thought to himself. I did all that extra stuff to get noticed in the Sports Festival, but I still didn’t think that many agencies would want someone with such a passive quirk…

“Now that the pros are beginning to take you seriously, you need to come up with your hero names. It’s not really my area of expertise, so Miss Midnight will be helping you with them.”

As if on cue, Midnight appeared in the doorway, brandishing her whip.

“I can’t believe the school lets her walk around with that,” Jirou muttered to Ashido, who giggled. 

Fashioning their hero names proved to be simple for most of class 1-A, though students like Katsuki and Iida seemed to struggle.

When it was his turn, Izuku moved to the front with his marker board, eyeing his classmates apprehensively. “Well, since my quirk revolves around kisses, I decided to come up with a name that relates to that.”

“Is it Smooches?” Uraraka guessed.

“First Base?”

“Make Out?”

“Hot Lips?” Midnight teased, Izuku turning redder and redder with each suggestion.

“No, no! Nothing like that!” He took a deep breath. “I’m the Kissing Hero, Pucker Up; you know, since I have to pucker up to use my quirk.”

“Hmm, it’s cute, punchy…I like it!” Midnight decided, the freckled boy hurrying back to his seat.

In the end, Iida chose to use his first name, and Katsuki was left undecided.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Is it alright if I sit here?”

Izuku looked up to see Shinso standing next to their lunch table, tray in hand. His question wasn’t addressed to his friend, but to the other 1-A students. Izuku turned to see Uraraka and Ashido giving the purple haired boy dirty looks, Kirishima looked uncomfortable, and Iida looked conflicted.

Yaoyorozu just smiled, having gotten to know the boy through Hatsume. “Of course!”

Shinso thanked her, taking the seat across from Izuku. Next to the greenette, Iida nodded. “Congratulations on ranking third in the Sports Festival, both you and Yaoyorozu fought admirably.”

“I wouldn’t exactly call what he did admirable,” Uraraka muttered, Izuku elbowing her.

“Kaachan blew up the stadium twice, Todoroki nearly made Sero hypothermic, and I shamelessly stole focus. Every one of us fought tooth and nail to try to win, and Shinso is no exception.”

Uraraka, thoroughly chided, muttered an apology, the others nodding along.

Shinso stared at her, before shrugging. “It’s fine, we’re all good.”

After that, lunch became far more relaxed, Shinso’s usual snarky comments and witty banter endearing him to the 1-A students.

“Hey, how come you haven’t transferred yet?” Izuku asked as the two made for Hatsume’s lab that afternoon. “I figured you’d be the first one in class today.”

Shinso looked to him. “Since you’re all doing internships next week, Principal Nezu decided to have me transfer the week after. Apparently, he doesn’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

Izuku made to apologize, but his friend stopped him. “It’s cool; Aizawa is gonna start training me right away, so I guess technically that’ll be my internship.”

The two entered the Support lab, unsurprised to see their pink haired friend tinkering away at some new invention. Shinso turned to the greenette. “So, have you decided on an agency to intern with?”

Izuku shrugged. “Not yet; to be honest, I don’t even know if it’s all that necessary for me to do one, since I had an internship with Recovery Girl already this semester.”

“You’ll want to get in as much experience as possible, Izu,” Hatsume reminded him, grunting as she hammered away at her latest ‘baby.’ “Especially since you’ve got so much hype around you from the Sports Fest.”

“True, but I’m also worried about whether or not Nezu will even let me do one, he’s really concerned about me using my quirk on adults.”

Hatsume looked to him. “Yeah, it might look weird for an agency to have a teenager handing out kisses.”

Shinso shook his head. “I don’t think it’s just that; remember, a lot of people watch the festival, so the likelihood of random strangers stopping you to try and get a kiss is much higher now.”

Izuku paled slightly, remembering the man who wanted him to blow him a kiss. Hatsume giggled, her expression devious. “Haven’t you heard what people are calling you now?”

“Yes, and I’m still mad at Present Mic for starting it,” Izuku huffed, cheeks pinking.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the end, Nezu offered the greenette a compromise. “Naturally, it’s in the best interests of both yourself and the school if you were to do this next internship with Recovery Girl again,” the principal began, pouring the student a cup of tea. “However, considering there won’t be any new learning experiences for you here, coupled with the lack of hero students on campus, I’ve decided to allow you to visit the nearby agencies, with Recovery Girl supervising.”

Izuku looked at the principal in shock. “So, I’ll get to use my quirk? And work at an agency?”

“Precisely. At first, I had you figured as a rescue hero, given the nature of your quirk, but after seeing your impressive combat abilities in the Sports Festival, I think it prudent to allow you time at different types of agencies, to better understand how they work. You’ll be limited in your time with them, so make sure to learn as much as you can while you’re there.”

He gave the healer a form to fill out, listing the hero agencies he’d be able to pick from. The boy thanked the creature, before heading back to the dorms.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A week later, Izuku stood with his classmates, clutching his costume case to his chest. They were at the train station, waiting for Aizawa to dismiss them to start their internships. 

“I heard Recovery Girl is taking you to a different agency every day this week,” Yaoyorozu said, leaning over to the greenette.

“Yep! We’re going to Sir Nighteye’s agency first, then tomorrow I think we’re tagging along with Uraraka to Gunhead’s agency.”

“Man, I wish my quirk let me kiss up on a bunch of hot heroes,” Ashido complained, the others looking at her incredulously as Izuku turned red.

“It’s not like that,” he muttered. Next to him, Uraraka was doubled over laughing.

“Alright, settle down,” Aizawa said as he approached, the diminutive Recovery Girl beside him. “You all need to be on your best behavior this week; remember, you’re not just representing yourselves as heroes, but the whole school as well. Don’t use your quirks unless specifically instructed to by your supervisor.”

And with that, the man dismissed them, Recovery Girl tugging on Izuku’s sleeve. “Hurry now, or we’ll miss our train!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku saw Iida walking towards his platform, his shoulders tense. “I’ll be right there, I just need a minute.”

The greenette hurried over to his friend, Uraraka joining them. “Hey, Iida…I heard your internship is in Hosu, and, well…I just wanna make sure you’re okay.” At that point it was no secret what had happened to Ingenium, the news outlets picking up the story of the hero killer Stain’s latest victim and running with it. Izuku was just thankful his own involvement hadn’t been discovered.

Izuku knew his friend to be smart, practical and a stickler for the rules, but he also knew how much he worshipped his older brother, and how protective he was of those he cared about.

The taller boy took in his friends’ expressions, giving them a forced smile. “Don’t worry, everything is perfectly fine.”

The two rushed him, hugging him tightly as they exchanged goodbyes. Izuku hurried back to Recovery Girl, the hero already tottering onto the train. As the train left the station, the healer could only hope that his friend would stay safe.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aizawa entered Nezu’s office slowly, eyeing the principal warily. “You wanted to see me?”

“I’m glad you’re here, Aizawa…tea?”

The man took the cup handed to him, staring at the brown liquid. They had a staff meeting scheduled for the next day, so whatever the creature wanted to share, it was for his ears only. “I’m guessing you have some bad news.”

“Yes, something has been recently brought to my attention, and I thought it best to tell you.” The small creature frowned, locking eyes with the teacher.

“I must warn you, you won’t like what you hear.”

Chapter Text

Meeting Sir Nighteye was a dream come true for Izuku, the freckled boy a huge fan of All Might’s former sidekick. He was a stern man, but he loved a good joke, and he had plenty of them to share.

“Mirio has told me quite a lot about you,” The hero told him as they toured the facility. “I understand you have a healing quirk?”

Izuku nodded. “Yes, sir. I can use my quirk to alter the biology of others. I mostly use it for healing, but I can use it as a sedative as well.”

“I see. Then, if I understand correctly, you can engineer many different bodily reactions if you wanted to, yes? Paralysis, blindness, pain…”

He stopped and turned to the boy, his gaze piercing into him. “And necrosis? Could you destroy tissue as easily as you repair it?”

Izuku gulped. For all his joking, Nighteye was very intense. “I-I don’t know, sir. Theoretically, it’s all possible; I’ve just never needed to try any of the things you’ve mentioned.”

The healer turned his head, gazing out onto the street just outside the agency. “But I do know that my quirk is strong; I’ve saved two people from certain death with it, so if anyone’s quirk could do those things, it’s mine.”

The hero stared at him a beat longer, before nodding, a hint of a smile on his face. “I’m almost positive you can do those things, it’s part of why I asked. In order to be a successful hero you must understand everything about your quirk: its strengths, its weaknesses, its nuances…it all must become second nature to you.”

“I’ve been studying anatomy in my spare time, so that I can fine tune my abilities.”

“Exactly the kind of thing I’d expect, you have a very keen mind.”

The two continued on their tour, stopping once they’d reached the staff room. It was a fairly large space with fairly little in it. There was a plain table with a few chairs tucked into it, a brown leather couch pushed against the far wall, and a coffee bar laden with different drink options. Nighteye’s second in command, the hero Centipeder, was there making himself a cup of coffee.

“Take, for instance, Centipeder,” the hero muttered in Izuku’s ear. “He has a mutation quirk that makes part of his anatomy very much different than yours or mine. Could you heal him?”

Izuku assessed him. Most of his mutation appeared to be from the neck up, the man’s head insect-like. He had read in one of Recovery Girl’s medicine journals that ninety-eight percent of those born with a mutation quirk still have regular human brains, with little to no mutations in the organ. The brain is the most important part, Izuku theorized. It knows what signals to send out when the body is in trouble.

“I could,” he finally said, turning to Nighteye. “Given the difference in his anatomy, I wouldn’t be able to heal his head and neck with precision without first studying insect biology. I’d heal him, but he’d most likely be knocked out by my sedative, too.”

“I see, and do you think your powers would work on a real insect?”

“It’s unlikely. Centipeder may look insect-like, but he’s still human, and that makes the difference.”

“I can already tell a mind like yours will go to waste in a school like UA. It’s a shame I won’t get to poach you for my agency until you get your provisional license.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitoshi let out a sigh as he walked through the halls leading to the principal’s office. He was planning to ask Nezu for a quirk registration form, hoping to rebrand both himself and his power into something more positive.

It had been Izuku’s idea, the greenette suggesting he have his quirk changed from ‘Brainwashing’ to ‘Hypnosis.’

“It makes much more sense,” he had told Shinso. “After all, hypnotists have to engage with the person they’re hypnotizing, just like you do. Plus, hypnotists aren’t seen as malicious or threatening, so nobody should call it a villain’s quirk after you change it!”

Hitoshi smiled to himself. Befriending the healer had been one of the best decisions he had made after coming to UA, along with befriending Hatsume. The two childhood friends were ridiculously smart, and maybe even a little bit crazy, but they were fiercely loyal to their friends, and the purple haired boy was happy to count himself among them.

He had just rounded the corner to the hall that led to Nezu’s office when he saw Aizawa’s fist connect with someone’s face, and Shinso instinctively jumped back around the corner, his head peeking out as he spied on the scene.

Aizawa’s hair was floating and his eyes were gleaming red as he held a lanky blond man by his collar. The man wasn’t fighting back, letting Aizawa shake him like a rag doll.

“How fucking dare you,” the teacher growled, and Hitoshi did a double take. He knew the dark haired man to be slightly irritable if not indifferent, it was one of many things they had in common; but he had never seen Aizawa angry, and certainly never this angry.

“Aiza-“ The blond man was cut off as Aizawa’s fist connected with his stomach, before the teacher dropped him to the ground.

“He’s fifteen,” Aizawa spat. “And you would have him take this power that’s nearly gotten you killed a hundred times over just because he did well in the Sports Festival?!”

“Young Midoriya can heal himself,” The man croaked out. “It’s a ridiculously rare power, and with it he could survive the damage One For All does to the body.”

Hitoshi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. He’d only ever heard one person refer to his friend as ‘Young Midoriya.’

“So you’d have him break his body over and over again, just because he can fix it himself,” Aizawa’s tone was cold as he continued to glare at the man, red eyes filled with outrage. “You’re pathetic.”

“I’ll need a successor eventually,” the blond replied. “And Young Midoriya would happily take One For All if it meant saving people.”

“Because he’s completely selfless, and you would take advantage of that to suit your own needs.” Aizawa leaned down, his face inches from the other man’s. “I can promise you this, All Might: As long as Midoriya is under my care, I won’t let you do a god damned thing to him. Learn how to be an actual teacher and help him control the quirk he already has.”

“I’m afraid Eraser Head is right,” Nezu said as he exited his office, walking up to the two teachers. “When I allowed you to come to UA to search for a successor, I did so with the implication that you were to choose from the older students. In fact, I specifically remember recommending Mirio Togata to you as a potential successor.”

“I know, but Midoriya…he’s the most likely to survive this power.”

“If your heart is set on him, All Might, then you’ll have to wait until his third year to ask him. And I do mean ask, since I know you can give your power to someone regardless of whether or not they want it.”

Aizawa’s nostrils flared at the mere suggestion, but Nezu cut in. “Anyways, now isn’t the time to discuss this. We mustn’t fight in front of the students.”

Hitoshi felt like a bucket of ice water had been dropped on him as he realized the principal knew he was there. He stepped out from his hiding place as three sets of eyes found him, walking over to the educators.

“A pleasure to see you, Shinso. Was there something you needed?” The small creature asked cheerfully, as if Hitoshi hadn’t just witnessed some dramatic showdown between two heroes.

“Yeah, I need a quirk registration form; Midoriya thinks it would be a good idea to change the name of my quirk.” He said, eyes flicking between the three.

“Splendid, step into my office and we’ll get you sorted.”

Hitoshi turned to look back at Aizawa and All Might, both purposefully avoiding eye contact with him as he followed the principal.

What the hell was that about…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Say Midoriya, have you ever given someone a real kiss? On the lips?”

Izuku picked his head up from his notes, looking at Mirio with wide eyes. The two were in the break room, Izuku filling out his notes from the day’s internship while Mirio sorted through some paperwork for Sir Nighteye, the hero in question in his office going over Nezu’s evaluation form with Recovery Girl.

Izuku shook his head.“Uhm, no. My quirk works just fine from a kiss on the cheek or forehead, so I’ve never needed to.”

“So you don’t actually know what would happen if you used your quirk in a full lip kiss.” Mirio chuckled at Izuku’s thoughtful frown. “We can figure it out, if you want.”

Izuku stared at his friend incredulously. “Are-are you being serious?”

“It’s okay if you don’t want to; I just figured this way you wouldn’t have to bug anyone else over it.”

Normally, the suggestion would make Izuku red and flustered, but Nighteye had told him to explore the limits of his quirk…and after all, he had kissed Mirio before, just in a different spot…

“Okay,” he agreed. “Let’s do it.”

Mirio joined him on the couch, turning to face the healer. Izuku leaned forward, head tilted up as Mirio’s ducked down to meet him. Their lips connected, and Izuku activated his quirk. Mirio fell through the couch.

“Uh, Mirio?” Izuku called out, “Was- was that supposed to happen?”

The blonde’s head poked out from the couch cushion, his body returning to his original spot. “Wow, I didn’t expect that to happen.”

“Is that your quirk?” Izuku asked. This was the first time he’d ever seen Mirio’s quirk, and his mind was racing at the possibilities.

“Yep! It’s called Permeation: my entire body becomes intangible, and I can slip through anything, even my clothes! Good thing I’m in costume today. I didn’t activate my quirk just now, so you must’ve done it.”

“Me?”

Mirio just smiled. “Well yeah; after all, you’re the one with the biology quirk. Using a quirk is just like using a muscle, so I guess your kisses can activate that muscle.”

“Fascinating,” Izuku breathed, writing down more notes. “That means it’s also possible for me to deactivate someone’s quirk too.”

Izuku turned back to his friend, his expression determined. “I wanna try that again.”

Bubble Girl had only wanted a cup of coffee after a long day of patrolling; she certainly wasn’t expecting to find her coworker kissing somebody on the break room couch. “Mirio!”

Izuku jumped at the voice, his face turning bright red. “I-it’s not what it looks like!”

“Well, cat’s out of the bag now, Midoriya. Does this mean we’re going steady?”

Izuku punched him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Izuku stumbled into the dorm’s kitchen an hour earlier than normal, desperate for a cup of coffee. He had been up late the night before, analyzing his notes on his quirk. 

The development of his power when performing a full mouthed kiss was surprising to the greenette; he knew his own lips were the key to his quirk, but what did that have to do with another person’s lips? “According to my research, most of the body is covered in approximately sixteen layers of epithelium,” he muttered, “while the lips are only about three to five epithelial layers thick. This could mean that the fewer layers allow my quirk faster access to the body, but that would also mean there’s some kind of absorbency happening as well…”

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he almost didn’t notice Kirishima sitting at the kitchen island, a steaming mug in his hands. “Morning Midoriya!”

“Oh, good morning Kiri! What are you doing up so early?”

The redhead sighed, giving him a weary smile. “Fourth kind is super strict about punctuality, so I gotta make sure I get to the agency early if I don’t want extra work today.”

Izuku nodded, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He took in his friend’s appearance, noting that his hair wasn’t in its usual spiky style yet, but instead hanging loosely around his face. 

It looks so soft, the greenette thought to himself. “Hey Kiri, your hair looks really cute like that.”

Kirishima’s cheeks flamed at the compliment, his eyes darting away from his friend. “R-really? Thanks…”

Izuku just smiled, sipping his coffee. As he grabbed a banana to eat on the train, he thought back to his notes. The lips also have a high number of nerve endings, which means a direct kiss could also be stimulating the nervous system as opposed to seeping into the skin…

The greenette turned to his friend, his mind whirring. He could ask the redhead to harden his skin, to determine if the extra layer of protection shielded against his quirk. He took in his friend’s soft messy hair and sleepy expression, and his cheeks pinked.

He could always ask him later.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Interning with Gunhead alongside Uraraka had been very beneficial, as Izuku was able to learn new combat moves that worked for someone his size. He was a few inches taller than Uraraka, but the moves Gunhead taught them would allow them to take on bigger opponents, closer to Iida’s or Shoji’s sizes. 

Uraraka was scarily into the exercise, gleefully taking down the hero’s larger sidekicks. Izuku was much more subdued, simply taking down his opponent and correcting his form when prompted.

“Isn’t this great,” Uraraka asked him as she returned from the sparring mat, having pinned a sidekick twice her size. “We’re learning how to fight with more than just our quirks!”

Izuku nodded. He could empathize with Uraraka in terms of having a non-combative quirk, and thus being at a disadvantage against opponents like Katsuki or Todoroki. He supposed the girl was imagining the explosive boy’s face every time she took her opponent down, her maniacal grin making all the more sense.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Hitoshi was waiting outside the 1-A dorms for Izuku to return, his arms crossed and his mind conflicted.

He knew the principal probably didn’t want him sharing what he saw the day before with anyone, and there was a part of him that was afraid if he did tell his friend what he saw, he might not get to join the hero course after all.

But then he thought about Izuku and Mei, who had embraced him and befriended him despite what everyone else thought about his quirk. He thought about Izuku’s hero suggestions and Mei’s support items and how they were always there for him, even when he was brainwashing his teammates and-

The purple haired boy took a deep breath, centering himself. He had made his decision: he was going to stand by his friend. 

When the greenette did finally appear, looking confused but happy to see him, he pulled his friend to the side.

“I have to tell you something,” he muttered lowly, eyeing Uraraka as she entered the building.

He tried to start several times, green eyes watching him all the while; but every time he started to speak, he could see Nezu, shaking his head and taking his Sports Festival medal from him. His throat began to close up. He couldn’t do it.

“Well?” Izuku asked, the boy beginning to fidget.

“I- uhm…I think Mei might like Yaoyorozu,” he finally said. It wasn’t what he meant to say, but he did believe it. The two girls were always getting flustered around one another, and Mei would always try to keep her face clean if  Yaoyorozu was joining her for lunch that day. 

Izuku let out a giggle. “So you noticed it too, huh? You should’ve seen them at the slumber party, they cuddled practically the whole night! Oh, sorry…you probably don’t want to hear this, considering…”

Hitoshi shook his head. “I got over my crush; honestly, I’d be thrilled if those two started dating, I think they’d make each other very happy.”

“I do too!”

As Hitoshi listened to his friend ramble on about the gossip he knew, the taller boy’s stomach began to knot up. 

He prayed he was doing the right thing.

Chapter Text

Izuku had to clap a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing at the sight before him.

He and Recovery Girl were visiting Best Jeanist’s agency for the day, having been given a tour of the agency by one of the hero’s sidekicks. When it was time to finally meet the man, he had just finished with giving Katsuki a makeover.

“Ah Midoriya, tell me something; Bakugo here is a classmate of yours, correct? Don’t you find this new look far more appropriate than his usual hero attire?”

Katsuki face was a mix of utter shock and complete outrage, his features contorted in a rather ugly manner. His hair had been trimmed, combed and styled into a neat helmet on his head. His normal tank top and fatigues had been replaced with a light blue polo and a pair of stylish skinny jeans. Izuku looked down and nearly cackled at the shiny brown loafers the hot head was wearing, the whole ensemble so opposite from his friend’s personality it was laughable.

“I think…I think you look very- very nice, Kaachan,” Izuku finally said, biting the inside of his cheek.

“Deku…if you breathe a word of this to anyone-”

“A gentleman doesn’t threaten others,” Best Jeanist reminded him, side eyeing the blond. He turned to Izuku, giving his costume the once over. “The styling of your costume is acceptable; however, there’s always room for improvement.”

Recovery Girl simply smiled impishly as the greenette was thrown into the styling chair, his makeover just beginning.

Izuku wasn’t given the complete overhaul that Katsuki was, but the stylish hero had plenty of advice to give him.

“Your image is vital to your hero work,” he said, rubbing oils and other products into the boy’s curls. “You must retain an air of gentility and decorum at all times when in the public sphere- oh dear child, curls like these must be brushed when wet only! Brush them while dry, and catastrophe awaits!”

Izuku thought that Aoyama would be the perfect sidekick for the hero, and wondered why his classmate hadn’t tried for the agency.

“I heard you’ve created quite the name for yourself at UA,” The hero continued as he began expertly placing barrettes into the styled curls. “It’s a good start, but why be only UA’s Sweetheart, when you can be Japan’s Sweetheart?”

Izuku thought the barrettes were impractical; they’d get in the way of his goggles, and they’d shake loose in combat. 

“It’s almost there,” Jeanist muttered to himself. He pulled a small tube out of a cabinet, opening the packaging and handing it to the boy. 

“Is this…lip gloss?” Izuku asked, eyeing the hero warily.

“Lip oil,” he corrected. “Your lips are important to your quirk, so you must keep them in pristine condition! The oil will soften and hydrate them, whilst adding a hint of shine for visual appeal.”

At the hero’s prodding, Izuku placed a thin layer of the product on his lips, smacking them together. Behind Jeanist, Katsuki’s hands were beginning to smoke.

“Excellent, the transformation is complete! Bakugo, do you see how Midoriya carries himself? You could learn a thing or two about manners from him.”

The hot head’s eye began to twitch, his teeth gnashed together to avoid swearing at the hero. Jeanist then had him practice genteel behavior with Izuku, both boys’ cheeks pink as the lessons continued.

“Take his hand softly, Bakugo,” Jeanist admonished. “A hero must be able to instill a sense of chivalry and security in citizens in need.”

Katsuki grumbled, but did as he was told, holding the greenette’s hand and lightly kissing his knuckles.

“Interesting… I don’t recall telling you to kiss him, Bakugo.” Despite the hero’s costume covering up most of his face, he managed to look smug.

“What the hell?! You did it to Recovery Girl when they got here!!” Katsuki accused, his face red as he dropped his friend’s hand.

“I-it’s okay, Kaachan,” Izuku assured him. “It was…very nice of you to do that…”

The blond only blushed harder, causing Izuku to blush and Recovery Girl to giggle from her spot in the makeover chair, pink rollers fixed to her gray hair. 

“What a wonderful day to come to work,” she said to herself, happily eating the chocolates Jeanist had laid out for her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku frowned as he checked his phone, noting that Iida still hadn’t responded to his last text message.

He and Recovery Girl were waiting at the station for the next train back to Musutafu, having finished the day’s internship with Best Jeanist. Katsuki had been forced to stay behind, his mentor having him clean the office as punishment for once again blowing up at the hero.

“I’m afraid Bakugo will have to learn the hard way that being a hero sometimes means playing nice,” Recovery Girl commented, rolling a peppermint in her mouth.

Izuku looked to her. “It’s true Kaachan can be…abrasive, but he can be nice when he needs to be. And besides, Kaachan may not always be a nice person, but he’s a good person at heart.”

The older lady simply smiled at him, a sweet expression that said she knew something he didn’t. Izuku turned back to his phone, frowning again.

Iida always responds quickly… Izuku thought. He didn’t want to jump to conclusions; after all, the taller boy was doing his internship, so he may be just busy. Still, the greenette was worried. 

Just then, an announcement came through the station’s speakers, stating that the train would be delayed due to damages caused by a nearby threat. Izuku could see the others waiting for the train looking to one another nervously, before full blown panic ensued as the station began to shake.

Recovery Girl gripped her student’s arm tightly, pulling him out of his seat and leading him outside. “We’ll have to call a car,” she muttered to herself, trying not to let the crowd of people jostle her too much. She turned to the boy. “Midoriya, I need you to stay close by.”

Izuku nodded, about to reply, when a monstrous creature landed near them. It had grey skin and twisted appendages, but the most frightening thing was its head: the creature’s brain exposed with two bulging eyes protruding from it.

Izuku looked to Recovery Girl for permission, who simply nodded to him as she tried to get the crowd running the opposite direction.

Pink mist began to roll through the air like fog as Izuku blew a kiss to the creature, the sky shimmering with it.

The creature continued to stare, before picking up a car and throwing it, continuing its rampage. Just then, four heroes appeared on the scene, Izuku quickly dispelling his attack.

“We’ve got it from here kid, stay back!” One hero ordered, her expression stern as she turned back to fight the creature.

My quirk didn’t have any effect on it, Izuku realized with a start. Which means I’m totally useless in this fight. 

He turned to find Recovery Girl, but couldn’t spot her among the throng of panicked civilians. As he tried to catch up with the crowd, Izuku spotted the hero Manual charging towards the fight, distantly remembering Iida was supposed to be interning with him.

“Excuse me,” he cried out, but the hero kept running, not having heard him. Izuku got closer, hearing the man muttering about somebody running off without him. 

Is he talking about Iida? Izuku checked his phone again, seeing no new messages. His blood ran cold. He’s going after Stain. Iida…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tenya let out a groan as Stain’s sword twisted in his shoulder, the villain mocking him as he did.

“Pathetic.” Stain mocked, pulling the blade out and licking the blood off of it, activating his quirk. In an instant, Tenya was completely paralyzed.

My body…why won’t it move…

“You fake heroes are all the same: you preach justice and heroism, but you’re all guided by selfish desires. You hunted me down for revenge, but haven’t once checked to see if your fellow hero is still breathing. Killing you two will make a better world, free from the hypocritical tyrants who claim to be its savior.”

The villain raised his sword, prepared to strike, when a fist collided with his jaw, sending him stumbling back. Tenya looked up to see Midoriya standing above him, his expression fierce.

“Don’t worry Iida, I’m going to save you!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku couldn’t believe he was staring down his first ever villain, and it was the same one that had nearly murdered Ingenium. The man was sizing him up, his eyes narrowed. Izuku spared a glance to his left, noticing another injured hero.

He kept his eyes trained on the villain as he made his way over, planting a quick kiss on the hero’s cheek as he raced back to Iida. “I have back up coming, you should leave now while you have the chance.”

“You’d let me just walk away? Knowing what I’m capable of? What kind of a hero does that?” Stain jeered, his face twisted into a snarl.

“My priority is the injured heroes,” Izuku replied calmly, leaning down to kiss Iida’s face. “I’ll stop you if I have to, but I’m here to keep them safe until help arrives.”

The hero killer assessed him once again. “You’re that kid from the Sports Festival, the one with the healing quirk. A rare gift, to be able to heal others. You and I are the same: we wish to cure this world of its sickness and help it to heal, only you’ve aligned yourself with the poison that plagues it.” He glared at Iida’s still form. “Your friend here sought me out, challenged me, and now I must dispose of him to rid the world of another so called ‘hero.’”

Izuku grit his teeth. He’s a fanatic, and his ideology is what fuels him, which means he’ll be more dangerous now that we’ve interfered with his ‘mission.’ I have no way of knowing if the others got my text, so I can’t assume help is actually on the way. He knows what my quirk is but I don’t know anything about his, which puts me at a disadvantage. I can try to stall for time, but I need to make sure these two are safe.

“What are those creatures you released onto the city,” Izuku asked, eyes locked on the villain who was beginning to advance. “It doesn’t fit your M.O., are they just a distraction so you can work back here in the shadows?”

“Hmph, so that damn fool Shigaraki is making his move,” Stain muttered. “Not surprising, given his callow behavior at the bar…”

Behind him, Izuku heard Iida gasp. “Shigaraki…you’re working with the League of Villains!”

Izuku froze at the mention of the league. He hadn’t witnessed the attack on the USJ, but after seeing Aizawa’s condition and hearing the stories his classmates told him, he knew they were in serious trouble. Izuku readied his stance.

“Midoriya…just run! This- this has nothing to do with you,” Iida cried out, his wounds gone but his body still paralyzed. 

“Being a hero means fighting injustice, whether it has to do with you or not,” Izuku replied, body tensing as the villain began running towards him, blades at the ready. He took a deep breath, and charged.

He slid between Stain’s legs, righting himself and shooting into the air. He used the same move he’d performed on Iida in training, using the villain’s shoulder for leverage to flip back to the villain’s front as he slammed his boots into Stain’s chest, pushing off from the impact to flip away. 

He’s fast, Izuku realized as the man recovered. But no faster than a normal person, which means as long as I continue to dodge his movements, he can’t hurt me too badly.

He barely had time to dodge the knife thrown at him before the villain slammed him into a wall, Izuku’s head making a loud thud on impact. The villain leaned in, licking some of the blood from the greenette’s wound and paralyzing him.

So that’s it, the blood is how he’s controlling us…

“Not bad kid, most false heroes are all talk, but you’ve got spirit. For that, I’ll let you live.” Stain dropped the boy to the ground, turning back to Iida. “But I have unfinished business here.”

The villain frowned in confusion as his movements began to slow, his limbs heavy and his mind clouded. “Wha-“

“You didn’t notice,” Izuku muttered, pink mist tumbling from his mouth and filling the alleyway. “When you used your quirk on me, I started using mine on you.”

The villain dropped one of his blades as he fought against Izuku’s quirk, his body becoming more and more numb by the second. “You little brat,” he growled. He turned back to glare at the greenette, when a column of fire shot towards him, the villain’s shoulder burning from the hit.

“Midoriya,” came Todoroki’s cool voice. “Next time, elaborate.”

The dual toned boy was holding his phone in his right hand, his other side engulfed in flames. 

Chapter Text

“Todoroki…”

“The pros will be here any minute,” he told them. “Including the number two hero, Endeavor.”

“You brats really think you can stop destiny?” The villain let out a harsh chuckle, the sound sharp and grating. “It’s my duty to purge this world of-“

Stain was cut off as another thick wave of mist hit him, the man choking slightly as his body grew weaker and weaker.

I have him held for now, Izuku thought, but I can’t keep this up when the others get here or they’ll be affected too. I have to be smart about this.

He vaguely became aware of sensation returning to his extremities, and the healer began wiggling in an attempt to stand back up. “The others are still stuck,” he realized. “Perhaps the more blood he ingests, the stronger the effect.” Izuku made to stand, stumbling as his vision went fuzzy and his head pounded.

No good; I’m injured, but I can’t heal myself, otherwise I might be too weak to keep up the mist. 

He watched as Stain continued to fight against his attack, the dizziness the healer felt causing his focus to slip as the mist thinned. The villain righted himself, picking up his blade and forcing his body forward. 

He’s fighting my attack, and it’s becoming harder and harder to focus. I need to try a different tactic…

Izuku let the mist dissipate and allowed his body to heal itself, groaning as the dizziness abated in a snap. He got to his feet, watching as Todoroki fought the villain off with fire and ice. Izuku crept back over to Iida and the fallen hero, checking them. “Are you alright?”

The hero looked up at him. “My body won’t move, but I don’t feel any pain anymore.”

Izuku nodded, before turning to Iida. Unless Iida was more hurt than I thought, he should be able to move by now, too… 

“Unless it’s not about quantity, but about category…Iida, what’s your blood type?”

The taller boy looked at him, his eyes wild. “Why does it-“

“Just tell me!”

“…it’s type A.”

“And you?”

“Type B,” the hero answered.

“Mine’s type O,” Izuku mumbled, before turning back to the fight. “That’s it, isn’t it? Blood typing affects how long you’re able to control someone!”

“Clever,” the villain spat, grinning as his knives embedded themselves in Todoroki’s arm. “You figured it out, but that information won’t save you now.”

Todoroki shot more fire and ice at his opponent, the narrow alley engulfed by the boy’s power. Izuku saw his chance and rushed forward, letting Todoroki’s flames singe him as he shot towards Stain.

His knuckledusters slammed into the villain’s jaw, the greenette clenching his teeth as a knife made its way into his side. 

“You stupid-“ he was cut off as Izuku blew his mist directly into his opponent’s face, punching him again. Izuku jumped to the side and Todoroki seized the opportunity, blasting Stain with a column of ice and freezing him in place, much like he had done to Sero during the Sports Festival.

Izuku let out a sigh of relief as he saw Iida break free of Stain’s quirk. There was a commotion as the other end of the alley filled with pro heroes, finally there to step in.

The greenette wrenched the knife from his side, biting back a whimper at the pain. He activated his quirk, letting his body heal itself as he fell to the ground, exhausted.

“Midoriya!”

The two other students rushed to him, Todoroki gently picking him up as Iida checked him for injuries.

“I’m fine, guys,” the healer mumbled. “Just need to rest…”

The pro heroes moved quickly, binding the villain and removing his many weapons as Todoroki melted his ice. Iida watched the others work, his expression pained.

The group made their way back to the street, where an angry Recovery Girl awaited them.

“You rushed into a fight you couldn’t win?? And with no backup?!?!” She screamed, whacking the boys with her cane. It was unclear who she was angrier with, each student equally admonished. She calmed down after a moment, checking them for injuries.

“I suppose there’s really no point to me doing this,” she muttered, eyes flicking to Izuku. “You’ll put me out of work at this rate, Midoriya.”

Todoroki lowered his friend to his feet, trying not to think about how nice it had felt to hold him.

“I’m really sorry,” the healer said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “But I had a hunch and there wasn’t anyone else around and if I’d been a second later-“

“No sense in worrying about it now,” the woman cut him off, attempting to straighten out his costume. “You’re all safe, and that’s what matters.”

A sound came from down the street as another creature came into view, the winged monster diving at them. In a flash, it had Izuku in its grasp, shooting up into the sky to make its getaway. 

The boy had no time to think, as Stain freed himself in the commotion and jumped onto the creature’s back, using his last knife to pierce its brain. The creature let out a screech, plummeting to the ground. Stain pulled Izuku from its grasp, holding the boy aloft as they crashed into the street below.

Izuku hit the ground much more softy than he’d expected to, and realized with a start that it was due to Stain taking the brunt of the landing. “You- you saved me…why?”

Red eyes that burned like smoldering coals locked onto him. “It’s just like I said, kid, you and I are the same. We’ll heal this world, each in our own way.”

Izuku watched as the man turned to face Endeavor, who had appeared on the scene and was charging his Hellfire.

“Stop! You can’t fire, he has a student!” Recovery Girl cried out, the hero hesitating as he caught sight of green curls.

“Endeavor,” Stain growled, his expression rabid. “You FALSE HERO!” 

Izuku could barely make out the things the villain was screaming at the hero, the others frozen in place as they watched the deranged man rage. Izuku stood up and, in a flash, pressed against the villain, his lips just barely connecting with Stain’s jaw.

Stain was hit with Izuku’s quirk just as the boy’s exhaustion took him, both hero and villain falling.

The last thing Izuku saw was a pair of blazing shoes in front of him, before his world turned black.

Chapter Text

Shoto watched in horror as his friend’s lips connected with Stain’s jaw, before the two collapsed. He rushed forward, only to have one of the pro heroes restrain him. 

“Let us handle it,” the hero said sternly, pushing the dual toned boy back as Endeavor reached the two unconscious figures. The number two hero lifted the freckled boy into his arms, carrying him over to the group of heroes as his sidekicks worked quickly to apprehend Stain once more.

Shoto grit his teeth as his father approached, fighting to keep the sneer off of his face. He’d chosen Endeavor’s agency for his internship to learn everything he could about becoming a pro hero, despite how much he loathed the man. If the internships had happened before the Sports Festival, the bi-colored boy wouldn’t have been able to stomach the idea, but Midoriya had given him the strength to face his mother, and she the strength to face his father.

Seeing her had been emotional and awkward, both having too much history whilst simultaneously knowing very little about one another. It would be a long road, but Shoto was confident that they would heal together.

As Endeavor reached them, a group of police vehicles and ambulances arrived, their lights flashing and sirens blaring. The paramedics took the greenette from the hero, placing him on a stretcher in the back of the vehicle.

“You and your friend should go to the hospital with him, Shoto,” his father told him. “They’ll need to look you over for the reports.”

“There’s nothing to look at,” he fired back, his tone clipped. “Midoriya can heal anything.”

The boy surprised when, instead of lecturing him or mocking the knocked out hero, Endeavor gave a curt nod. “I’ve heard the reports from Native, as well as Ingenium. He may not have the power you or I do, but your friend is strong.”

Iida and Shoto climbed into the ambulance at the paramedic’s urging, the vehicle taking the three students to the nearest hospital. Once there, Midoriya was taken to a room, the other two boys forced to wait in the hall outside as the doctor examined him. 

Iida had yet to say a word, his body hunched in on itself, as though he were trying to disappear. Shoto stared blankly at the wall in front of him, too tired to think.

“Todoroki…I- I’m sorry,” Iida finally said, lifting his head to look at his friend. “It was wrong of me to go after Stain, and especially wrong to want…I know revenge isn’t the answer, and that violence only begets more violence. I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I put us all in danger because of it.”

Shoto looked at the class rep, assessing him. He wasn’t good with words like the other Study Buddies were, and he was even worse with emotions, but he understood exactly how Iida felt about Stain.

“It’s hard,” he finally said, “living with that darkness…trying to keep it from consuming you as you try to do good. I won’t begrudge you your actions, I can’t even really say I’m all that upset. No one died, the Hero Killer has been arrested and I got to show my father I can be a great hero without him.” His eyes flicked to the door as he spoke, his stomach churning. “Though if Midoriya is seriously hurt, I will have to kick your ass.”

Iida looked at his friend searchingly. “You’re in love with him.” It wasn’t a question.

Shoto raised his brow. “Aren’t you?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Izuku opened his eyes, his mouth dry and his head aching, he noticed a middle-aged doctor hovering over him, looking relieved.

“You’re awake,” the woman said brightly. “You’re friends will be so pleased.”

The door to the hall opened as Todoroki and Iida entered the room, moving quickly to his side.

“How are you feeling?” Iida asked him softly, taking his left hand while Shoto took the right.

The greenette gave them both a smile. “I’m okay! I’m a little thirsty and my head hurts, but I’ll be fine.”

The doctor nodded to him. “I’ll have a nurse bring you some water. Your vitals are good, but you’re exhausted. You need to rest.”

Izuku felt himself dozing off as the doctor examined his friends, finding nothing wrong with them either. He roused himself to sip the water the nurse brought him as the doctor took her leave.

“You’ll wait here for now, the school has been notified and is sending someone to collect all of you.”

Todoroki winced. “Guess that means we’ll be getting an earful from Aizawa.”

Izuku gave him a wide grin. “Speak for yourself, I have an embarrassing story about Kaachan’s internship to barter for leniency.”

The freckled boy turned to his bespectacled friend, who had been silent through most of the exchange. “Iida…is everything okay?”

“No, it isn’t. I jeopardized yours and Todoroki’s life today, and for that I’m sorry.”

Izuku looked at him. The healer couldn’t agree with the way Iida connected himself, nor could he relate to the burning hatred he must feel towards the man who nearly killed his brother. It wasn’t in Izukus’ nature to seriously harm someone on purpose, but if it had been his mother in that hospital bed, or his father…

He shook his head. “I forgive you; but if you ever try something this stupid again, I’m using my quirk to put you in a coma.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Aizawa did finally arrive, he brought with him Principal Nezu and a man with the head of a dog.

This day just keeps getting weirder, Izuku thought to himself.

The dog man turned out to be the Hosu Chief of Police, and the healer tensed.

“You three acted without the permission of your mentors, hunted down a villain and used your quirks to attack him, all without a license, woof. These are serious offenses.”

“But, sir-“

“I should be putting an end to each of your internships,” he continued, “as well as fining your mentors for allowing you to be so reckless; however, given that the Hero Killer is behind bars and no one is still injured, I’ve decided to look the other way.”

Izuku breathed a sigh of relief, noticing his friends do the same. They thanked the chief as he left, before turning to face their educators.

“Thankfully, there was no evidence to suggest any of you used your quirks illegally,” Nezu said brightly. “The ash and burn marks in the alley are being blamed on Endeavor, who’s taking credit for Stain’s arrest, and Midoriya’s healing removed all traces of injury from the villain. Surprisingly, you three were able to cover up your own misdeeds without even meaning to!”

“Don’t encourage them,” Aizawa chided, before eyeing his students. “Iida, Todoroki, wait outside with Nezu. I’d like a word with Midoriya.”

The two left quietly with Nezu in tow, shooting glances at the bedridden boy as they did.

Aizawa waited until the door clicked shut, before moving to the greenette’s side. “Tell me the truth Midoriya, are you okay?”

He nodded. “I’m perfectly fine, honest!”

The teacher eyed him critically. “This is the second time in two weeks that your quirk has left you completely drained, yet I’ve seen you use it in class over and over without issue. Why?”

Izuku shifted uncomfortably. “Healing myself takes a lot of energy; before joining the hero program, I never had to heal more than a cut or a small burn on myself, which is probably why it takes so much out of me.”

“Why wouldn’t it be the same when you use your quirk on your opponents, or your patients?”

He shrugged. “I guess…caring for others is easier than caring for myself…”

The was a beat of silence, before Aizawa let out a weary sigh. “I can’t force you to, but I’d prefer it if you cancelled the internships you have planned for the rest of the week.”

Izuku’s eyes widened, but the teacher’s gaze remained firm. “It’s selfish of me to ask, I know, but you’ve been through so much recently, and I worry the toll this might be taking on your mental health. Recovery Girl told me you kissed the same man that was trying to kill you, just to protect the others; that can’t be good for you emotionally, kid.”

Izuku processed what his teacher said, mulling it over. “Mr. Aizawa…when I use my quirk to heal myself, I can’t sedate myself the way I do others. It’s good in a way, since I can’t accidentally put myself in a coma, but it means that until my wounds are healed, I feel all of that pain. I need you to understand, I don’t purposefully put myself in dangerous situations because I know I can’t always rely on healing my own injuries.”

“Midoriya-“

“Being both a hero and a healer,” the freckled boy continued, “sometimes means helping people even if they don’t deserve it. Stain is a monster, but it’s not up to me to say what happens to him. Using my quirk kept him from escaping, healed his injuries and prevented any more bloodshed.”

Izuku wanted to brush the hero off, to take on the rest of his workload for the week and do it with a smile, just like All Might would. But as he looked at Aizawa’s concerned expression, he realized the man was right: he needed to rest, to regain his strength so he could continue to lift up others. He had to care for himself first this time, so he compromised. He tentatively placed a hand on the hero’s arm. “Tomorrow I have the internship with Endeavor’s agency,” he muttered. “I’ll go, and then I’ll take the rest of the week off, I promise.”

Aizawa stared at him for a moment, before the ghost of a smile appeared on his face. “Thank you, Midoriya.”

Chapter Text

Endeavor’s hero agency was massive, the sleek building piercing the sky with a blazing ‘E’ displayed prominently on its front. Izuku had been impressed with the exterior, as well as the interior when he and Recovery Girl entered the building, taking in the high end, modern furnishings and tasteful décor. 

Burnin, one of the agency’s thirty sidekicks, gave the two a tour of the facility, paying special attention to the employee offices and the gym. “Because Endeavor is the number two hero, we’re constantly busy with villain attacks, rescue operations and patrols.”

Izuku glanced at the large double doors that lead to Endeavor’s office. The hero hadn’t been out to speak to him like the other mentors had done, choosing instead to train Todoroki in private and ignore the healer completely.

He knew logically that the only reason Endeavor offered him an internship was because of his healing quirk, and perhaps even the greenette’s performance against his son in the Sports Festival, but Izuku still found it rude to not speak with him at all.

Despite this, he learned as much as he could from Burnin about the role of a sidekick, as well as the day to day responsibilities of keeping a large agency running smoothly. 

“So, what’s it like being UA’s sweetheart?” The woman asked him with a grin, her sharp teeth reminding the freckled boy of Kirishima.

Izuku huffed. “It’s a little ridiculous. I’m glad I got so many offers from agencies because of it, and it’s helping with Class 1-A’s not so great reputation, I just wish strangers would stop calling me that when they see me.”

Burnin chuckled. “I get it, you wanna be taken seriously; but that’s the thing, I think people are taking you seriously, because you’ve been doing so much good!”

She leaned in, lowering her voice. “As far as everyone else is concerned, Endeavor saved you and the others from Stain, but most of us sidekicks saw you knock him out. Obviously we have to keep it to ourselves, but it left a pretty good impression, ya know? Once you’ve got your license, I think it’s safe to say you’ll get the recognition you deserve.”

Izuku gave her a soft smile. “Thanks.”

“Besides, I bet being so popular will get you a ton of admirers. Better get ready for a lot of love letters, kid!”

“W-wait, what?!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku waved as Uraraka and some of the others rushed out of the dorm, on their way to their internships. The greenette had stayed true to his word and cancelled the internships he had left for the week, ready to take it easy.

“It must be hard, having to watch us all rush off while you’re stuck here,” Yaoyorozu sympathized, finishing her breakfast. 

Izuku sipped his coffee, shrugging. “It’s not like this will be my only chance to intern with pro heroes, and I have all my experience from the infirmary so I’m not missing out on much.”

“What are you going to do with all of this newfound free time?”

“Well today, Hatsume and I are gonna watch Aizawa train Shinso.”

The tall girl cocked her head, earning a devilish grin in return.

“We wanna watch Toshi get his butt kicked,” the freckled boy clarified, Yaoyorozu giggling.

“That’s terrible; promise to take pictures?”

Izuku’s grin widened.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Oof, that looked like it hurt,” Hatsume commented as Shinso failed to dodge Aizawa’s kick, the impact sending the purple haired boy to the ground. Next to her, Izuku nodded.

The two were seated in the grass, enjoying the sunshine as Aizawa trained the new hero student. Shinso had a capture weapon wrapped around him, and was learning to use it in combat. Izuku was taking notes on the battle, Hatsume drafting ideas for new inventions.

“You know, you could benefit from some kind of capture tool as well,” the pink haired girl told him. “And maybe something to increase your mobility.”

The greenette paused in his note taking, turning to her. “Do you have something in mind?”

“Maybe…when that tape arms guy gets back from his internship, send him my way, will you?”

Izuku nodded, turning back to the training just in time to see Aizawa land Shinso on his ass again. “You’re doing amazing, Toshi!”

Aizawa shot the boy a look. “Don’t you two have anywhere else to be?”

“Nope!” They chirped, matching grins on their faces. Hatsume let out a cackle as Shinso fell again, Izuku whipping out his phone to take pictures.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

All Might sat impatiently in his office, his leg jiggling anxiously. 

He had received word from his close friend and Musutafu police detective Tsukauchi that the Nomu creatures linked to the League of Villains, as well as the attack on Hosu, were engineered to carry multiple quirks and serve their master without question.

The implication of who could be behind it alone was enough to make the blond’s skin crawl.

And so he had reached out to his former teacher, desperately needing advice. The older man was tough and blunt, but he’d know what to do. All Might had to refrain from jumping as the door to his office burst open, revealing the Hero Gran Torino.

He was a short man, with gray hair and a beard. He wore a white costume with yellow accents, and walked using a gnarled cane. His sharp eyes locked onto his former pupil. “So, how badly didja screw up this time?”

All Might wanted to argue that he hadn’t, but let out a sigh as he realized he kind of did. “I chose my successor, but Aizawa and Nezu are…less than thrilled with my choice.”

“It’s that green haired kid from the Sports Festival, isn’t it?”

Torino laughed at the dumbfounded look on the blond’s face. “Boy, you really haven’t changed a bit, have you Toshinori? As soon as I saw that kid fix himself after that match with Todoroki’s son, I knew you’d have your eye on him.”

“I’d like to know what you think, sir; a quirk like his is hard to come by, and it’s perfect for One For All.”

The old man eyed him critically. “You believe that because you see the answer to the problem that has plagued many of the previous users. You believe this boy won’t be able to destroy himself or burn out his body from all the extra power, but you’re wrong.”

Torino sat down on the couch, while All Might set about making him some tea. “I’ve watched you use this quirk to become the ‘Symbol of Peace’ you so desperately wanted to be, and I’ll admit you’ve done a lot of good with it, but you’ve sacrificed a lot because of it. From what I’ve heard from Nezu, this boy has his own path, and he’s doing very well on it.”

The old man gave his former student a serious look. “One for All gave you purpose in life but, from the sounds of things, Izuku Midoriya has already found his. You need to do for the next holder of One for All what Nana Shimura did for you all those years ago: give them purpose.”

All Might listened as Torino spoke, feeling guilty. “…I’ve been acting foolish, haven’t I?”

“At least you’re consistent with it,” the older man snarked. “Stop worrying so much, you’ll find your successor when the time is right.”

“But if Tsukauchi is right, and All For One is still alive-“

“Then better you face him than a kid who doesn’t even know how to control your power.”

All Might made to argue, but instead let out another sigh. “Maybe you’re right.”

“‘Course I’m right! Now, where are those pastries you promised me? It’s the only reason I came, you know.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When the week of internships finally came to an end, Izuku was excited to hear what his classmates ended up doing.

“I got to help take down a group of terrorists,” Asui said with a shrug, causing Ashido and Kaminari to stare at her, bewildered.

“Kendo and I just watched Uwabami do a bunch of commercials and photo ops,” Yaoyorozu complained.

Katsuki shot the greenette a hard look, as if daring him to bring up what he saw at Best Jeanist’s agency. Izuku pointed to his head, flattening his hair down and snickering at the blond’s angry expression.

“In any case, it’s nothing compared to what you, Iida and Todoroki went through,” Kaminari said. “You guys got caught up with the Hero Killer!”

Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku saw Iida tense up. The day after they had captured Stain, a video surfaced of the villain’s mad ramblings from that night, taken after the police had secured him for the second time. Whoever made it must have gotten to the scene late, as there was no footage of Izuku or the other two students in the video.

“It’s become a rallying cry,” Tokoyami commented after Kaminari inevitably mentioned the video. “Stain may no longer be roaming the streets, but his ideology still is.”

Iida looked to his classmates, his expression firm. “It doesn’t matter; fanatics like the Hero Killer will always exist, and it will be our responsibility as heroes to protect the innocent from them.”

“Inspiring as always, Iida,” Aizawa groused as he entered the classroom. Coming in behind him was a familiar mop of purple hair. “Shinso is transferring into our class, he’ll be studying alongside all of you from now on.”

Shinso gazed at the group of students, nodding before taking the last empty seat behind Izuku. Aizawa began his lecture, covering some of the material they’d need to study for the upcoming finals. The greenette turned to look at the purple haired boy, smiling brightly.

“I’m so glad you’re here!”

Shinso gave him a small smile. “Me too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Tada!” Hatsume said proudly, holding up her latest ‘baby.’ “I made this just for you, Izu!”

In the girl’s hands were an assortment of large pink bandaids, a red kiss mark on the center of each one. Izuku studied them: they were nearly the length of his forearm and fairly wide as well.

“These aren’t actual bandaids, are they?”

“Nope, their bindings! I made them by synthesizing the tape your friend Sero makes. They’re super tough, as well as stretchy and sticky! Think of these as your own kind of capture tool, perfectly designed to fit your brand.”

“That’s amazing, thank you Mei!”

“And that’s not all!” She pulled out two white bracers, each with an opening near the wrist. “These babies have retractable grappling wires, to help you move around big areas faster! You’ll have to get used to trusting your weight to them, but overall this should increase your mobility.”

The girl had barely finished introducing her new invention before the greenette pulled out his notebook, already strategizing different methods of practicing with them and how to utilize them in the final exams.

Maybe Toshi is right, the girl thought to herself, watching as her friend began muttering to himself. Izu and I are way too alike.

Chapter Text

Midoriya, Todoroki, you’re up.”

Izuku nodded to his partner as they entered the ring. It was 1-A’s last training session before they’d break to study for their final exams, with three days of written testing and one practical at the end of the week.

That particular day Aizawa had them sparring, but without the use of their quirks. The man had been watching so carefully and making notes so diligently, Izuku couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps they were being tested there as well.

Both he and Todoroki readied their stances,  rushing each other as the match began. Todoroki had the height advantage, as well as decent speed and strength, but Izuku had his agility, as well as the moves he’d learned in his internship with Gunhead.

The greenette dodged his opponent’s first punch, countering with two jabs to his side before jumping away. He made to lunge forward when Todoroki grabbed his wrist, pulling the healer into his chest and securing him with his arms. 

He’s got me held tight, but not pinned, Izuku assessed. I still have a chance to beat him. 

Having an idea, Izuku turned his head and planted a quick kiss on his opponent’s jaw, Todoroki’s grip loosening in shock. The greenette seized the opportunity, twisting out of the taller boy’s grasp and grabbing his wrist, wrenching it behind him as he pressed his knee into Todoroki’s back, pushing him to the ground.

Todoroki began to squirm, but Izuku held firm. Aizawa called the match.

“Midoriya wins.”

“I thought we weren’t allowed to use our quirks,” Katsuki said accusingly, glaring at the two sparring.

Izuku grinned. “I didn’t use my quirk, there was no power behind that kiss.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Todoroki muttered, his cheeks flushed.

“I knew kissing my opponent would throw him off, especially if he thought I had broken the rules, and in his surprise he loosened his hold, which gave me time to escape and counter.”

“That’s really smart of you!” Uraraka gushed. “And you even used the moves we learned from Gunhead!”

Katsuki continued to glare, before walking away in a huff. Aizawa watched him go, eyeing him critically.

The man had been tasked with creating pairings for the practical exam, choosing students who were largely incompatible with one another to gauge how well they worked together. Having his students spar before the exams gave him a better opportunity to assess them, already making most of his matchups.

The most difficult students to pair up were his newest additions, Midoriya and Shinso, as well as the others who placed in the Sports Festival. Originally, he’d planned on pairing Yaoyorozu with Todoroki, Shinso with Bakugo and Midoriya with Sero, but the shift in attitudes between Todoroki and Bakugo intrigued him.

The two had always been very competitive with one another, and even hostile on occasion, but lately things seemed to escalate. Pairing Todoroki with Yaoyorozu would make things hard, but pairing him with Bakugo might make them impossible. 

He scribbled down more notes. He watched as Midoriya chatted with his friends, a bright grin on his face. The healer had been getting better with his mist attack, which gave him decent long range abilities, but he was still a close range fighter overall. The man eyed Shinso, who was much of the same, Sero, who specialized mainly in ranged attacks, and Yaoyorozu, who could match the greenette in intelligence.

He also thought about the opponents to match them up against. Midoriya had worked one on one with each of the teachers yet to be assigned, which gave him an advantage. One would be a poor matchup due to similar attacks, and the other…

He sighed, he had a lot of thinking to do.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day of the practical final exams came, the class of 1-A brimming with nerves and excitement.

They had learned from Monoma and Kendo of 1-B that the final would involve battling giant robots, leaving Izuku incredibly nervous as his quirk was useless against machines. When they arrived at the training grounds, the greenette was surprised to see their other hero teachers awaiting them, alongside Aizawa.

“I’m sure most of you tried to gather information on what your final exam would be,” Aizawa began, his eyes sweeping over the class. “But this year, we’ve decided to change the exams. You’ll be working in teams of two, facing off against one of us.”

“We thought it best to test not only how much you’ve learned, but how well you’re able to work with one another in a stressful situation!” Nezu announced from beside Aizawa, the little creature smiling at the students.

The students looked to one another in disbelief.

“How are we supposed to beat them, they’re pros!” Ashido groaned, Kaminari and Aoyama making similar protestations. 

“We’ll be wearing specially designed weights during the exam, to give you an advantage,” Midnight informed them, holding up a heavy metal bracer. “I believe your friend Hatsume was the one who designed them.”

Izuku could only imagine the sheer ecstasy the pink-haired girl received from getting pros to use one of her ‘babies.’ 

As the groups were listed off, as well as the teacher they’d be facing, Izuku was surprised to learn he’d be paired with Yaoyorozu against Mr. Aizawa. It didn’t seem like a terrible matchup, until he gave it some thought. 

He approached the girl as the other pairs split up to strategize. “Momo, I think I have an idea for our match that I want to run by you.”

The two found a quiet place to talk, just outside of the Viewing Room.  “So, what are you thinking?”

Izuku turned to her, his gaze thoughtful. “I think our test is different from the others. You and I are both really smart, but even with our quirks we don’t have a lot of offense. Mr. Aizawa will no doubt erase our quirks and gain the upper hand quickly, so our strategy has to account for that.”

Momo nodded. “I agree; at first glance, you and I appear to be a great matchup, but limiting the usage of our quirks also takes away some of our resources if I can’t make things.”

“There’s also the issue of my mist attack: I can try to use it as a smokescreen, but there’s still a chance it might slow both you and Mr. Aizawa down. I’ll have to concentrate really hard to keep it from affecting you, which will leave me open to attack.”

“Alright, so we know what are weaknesses are, now we have to figure out how to leverage his against him.”

“Right.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The pair joined Recovery Girl in the Viewing Room, ready to watch the matches in case they learned something useful. Uraraka was already there, alone.

“Aoyama’s posing in front of a mirror,” she told them. “So I guess it’s up to me to figure out a winning strategy.”

Izuku nodded, and the three turned to watch the exams.

Kirishima and Sato failed so quickly and completely the greenette couldn’t help but feel bad for them, though he wondered why they thought a head on approach would work.

“I think the key is to recognize our weaknesses, and work together to compensate for them,” he told Uraraka, the girl nodding.

“That makes sense, both Kiri and Sato are super strong, but their endurance is pretty low. If they’d used that strength to propel themselves from the rooftops instead, they might’ve had a chance.”

“If they stuck to the metal buildings,” Momo added, thinking about Cementoss’ quirk, “then it would’ve been possible at least.” 

The three looked to each other, the reality of the challenge they’d soon face sinking in.

“Well, looks like I’m needed,” Recovery Girl announced, hopping down from her seat and waving Izuku off. “Don’t bother trying to help, dear; you need to save your strength for your own match.”

The greenette nodded, turning back to the screens as the pair of Asui and Tokoyami faced off against Ectoplasm.

I hope our strategy will be enough, he thought, glancing at his partner. I don’t want to let her down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it came time for their match, Izuku and Momo entered the testing area, theirs modeled after a residential block. 

“We’ll have to keep damage to a minimum here,” The girl muttered, eyeing the pristine homes. She turned to her friend. “Are you ready?”

Izuku nodded. “Just like we planned.”

The horn blared, and their match began. Immediately, Izuku blew out a thin stream of mist, keeping an eye on it as they moved. Momo led the pair through the streets, both keeping their eyes peeled. 

Eventually, Izuku’s mist disappeared, and the two looked up to see Aizawa above them. The teacher pounced before they could act, his capture weapon winding itself around the healer. Momo dodged the end of the scarf trained on her, before darting out of sight. Aizawa narrowed his eyes, gaze still locked on Izuku.

“So the plan is to run, now that I’m preoccupied with you? Honestly, I expected better.” 

He had begun to secure the greenette to a nearby light pole when Momo attacked, landing a strong kick to the man’s side, her heel digging into him. He recoiled, giving Izuku time to blow out a kiss, the attack creating a thick pink fog around them. 

The healer concentrated on only making the mist as thick as possible, willing the normal effects away. It seemed to be working as Momo released her partner, the girl not appearing sluggish or drowsy in the slightest. The two looked around for their teacher, their guards up.

“He’s probably retreated to reevaluate,” Izuku muttered. “We’ll need to hurry if we want this to work.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On the roof of one of the houses, Aizawa scanned for the students, noticing Midoriya’s mist had dissipated. He winced as his side stung, a small puncture wound from Yaoyorozu’s heel causing him to bleed.

It was a clever move, attacking me while I kept Midoriya’s quirk erased, but it hasn’t done much for them yet. They’ll need to be smarter than that to beat me.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the two racing towards the exit, covered in a heavy tarp. Mist was pouring out from underneath, the two no doubt using the tarp to keep Midoriya’s quirk in play.

“Got you,” he muttered, chasing after them. Aizawa shot his capture weapon at the two, the wrappings tightening as he smacked them together. The mist faded as the two figures were squeezed together, Yaoyorozu letting out a small yelp. He landed next to them, ready to end the match.

As he neared, he caught sight of their feet: Yaoyorozu’s looked normal, but Midoriya’s boots were attached to something odd. “Wha-“

In a flash, the teacher felt a soft kiss placed against his cheek, before he fainted.

When he awoke, he had been captured by the pair, matching grins on their faces. The horn blared as Present Mic announced their win, the hero sounding smug at the defeat of his colleague. 

“How?” Aizawa asked.

Midoriya’s grin widened. “It was Momo’s idea: We figured you’d come after me first since I could knock you out the quickest, so while you came after me, Momo fled and waited until you were distracted to attack. She needed to free me, but we also needed her to injure you so I could try and sense where you were based on that injury. Once we could locate you, we went to phase two.”

Yaoyorozu’s eyes were shining as she faced the teacher. “I created a jar to hold some of Izuku’s mist in, as well as a mannequin to hide under the tarp with me, to trick you into thinking we were together.”

Midoriya pointed to his bare feet. “We even put my boots on it, so you’d still think it was me until you got close. I followed you with my new grappling bracers, making sure I was far enough behind that you wouldn’t notice me; then, when you were distracted with capturing ‘us,’ I knocked you out.”

Aizawa gave the greenette a half-hearted glare as the boy pulled his boots back on. “You couldn’t have just hit me over the head or something?”

“Principal Nezu said to go all out for our exams, so I technically didn’t break his rules about kissing adults. Besides, it didn’t even hurt!”

It hurt my pride, the man thought irritably, knowing just how insufferable Nemuri and Hizashi were going to be about how he lost. Aizawa couldn’t help the small surge of pride he felt, however, knowing that his students had used their resourcefulness and cunning to devise a winning strategy.

The two removed the cuffs from their teacher, leaving the testing grounds arm in arm. 

Chapter Text

When they reached the Viewing Room, Izuku was surprised to see Todoroki standing with Uraraka and Asui.

“Todoroki, why aren’t you preparing for your match?” He and Katsuki had the biggest challenge of all: facing All Might.

Heterochromatic eyes bore into him and, not for the first time, the healer had to suppress a small shiver at the intensity. “Bakugo is refusing to speak to me, so I decided to watch the other matches to form my own strategy instead.”

Izuku frowned. He and Momo had done the same, but they did it together. 

Katsuki had been withdrawn for the past few days, barely speaking to anyone besides helping Kirishima study for the exams. When he was around, the blond was in such a foul mood no one dared approach him and, after only getting grunts and grumbles from him, Izuku thought it best to let him work through whatever was bothering him on his own.

Working together is a requirement for this exam, the healer thought. If Kaachan and Todoroki can’t do that, then they may not be able to pass.

He watched as Kaminari and Ashido entered their testing area, hoping that his childhood friend came to his senses.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As the matches went on, class 1-A appeared to be doing quite well, though Ashido and Kaminari failed their exam, just as Kirishima and Sato had.

“Such a pity,” Iida commented, having joined the rest of the Study Buddies in the Viewing Room after his own exam. “I know they were looking forward to attending the summer camp.”

“Shinso’s up next,” Asui commented, watching as he and Sero entered the testing area. “And he’s up against Midnight.”

“It almost seems unfair,” Momo added. “He joined our class just after the internships, so he’s less experienced than the rest of us.”

“That may be true, but he worked hard to get into the hero course from the very beginning of the semester,” Izuku argued. “And he tied with you for third in the Sports Festival, and worked with Mr. Aizawa during the internships.”

The greenette watched as Midnight readied herself for the exam, brandishing her whip. “Still, having to go against Midnight will be a big challenge.”

The group watched as Midnight’s pheromones knocked Sero unconscious almost immediately, the boy hitting the ground hard.

“Having to go up against any of the hero teachers would be hard, but out of everyone Midnight seems the scariest,” Uraraka said, watching hero chase after Shinso with a maniacal grin.

The healer nodded, remembering his time training with her. Like All Might, the woman often played dumb or ditzy to get her opponents to underestimate her, all the while planning a winning strategy. With only one student left to deal with, Midnight would more than likely enjoy a game of cat and mouse.

Shinso put up a fight, but eventually he too was bested by the teacher, the pair becoming the third group to fail their exam. Izuku felt bad for his friend, knowing how much getting to participate with the class at the summer camp would have meant to him.

“Guess it’s my turn now,” Todoroki muttered, turning and leaving the room without a backwards glance.

Izuku watched the screen as Katsuki and Todoroki met at the testing area’s entrance, silently cheering his two friends on.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The final match came to an end as Todoroki slid through the gate with a burst of ice, the boy beaten and exhausted but managing to pass both himself and Katsuki.

Izuku had raced out of the Viewing Room and down to the testing area as soon as he saw All Might slam Katsuki into the street, the impact creating a crater in the asphalt. The healer knew the match up of the two strongest fighters in their class against the number one hero would be messy, but he hadn’t expected the teacher to be so ruthless, especially with his own students.

“Midoriya,” the dual toned boy called out as the greenette raced towards him.

Izuku sensed his injuries: He had a few bone fractures, as well as some pretty bad cuts and more than a few burns from his partner. Izuku frowned.

It was clear that Katsuki had wanted to fight All Might, despite the obvious disadvantage he had against the hero. Izuku and the others couldn’t hear what was being said from the Viewing Room, but it seemed like Todoroki’s suggestions only made Katsuki angrier and more aggressive, his attacks often hitting his partner due to the proximity. At some point the two must have came together, as they were able to work out a winning strategy despite get pummeled by All might.

The freckled boy pecked Todoroki’s cheek quickly, satisfied when his injuries disappeared. “You go on ahead, I’ll go check on Kaachan.”

Todoroki looked like he had something he wanted to say, but thought better of it. Instead, he gave his friend a small smile before walking back to the main building.

Izuku entered the testing area, quickly spotting All Might standing over Katsuki. The healer rushed forward, eyes blazing.

“Ah, Young Midoriya-“

“What were you thinking?!” Izuku knelt next to his friend, shooting their teacher a look. “This was supposed to be an exam, not a death match!”

He scanned Katsuki for injuries, the biggest being several broken vertebrae in the spine, as well as some cracked ribs and muscle damage in the arms from the blond’s quirk. The boy was still conscious, but his eyes were unfocused and his expression pained.

“I had everything under control, Young Midoriya! As the villain in the match, I had to give them everything I’ve got to make this as challenging as possible.”

Izuku frowned. “You didn’t have to break anyone’s back!”

“Young Bakugo chose a violent approach, and was met with equal violence. As the biggest powerhouses of your class, Bakugo and Todoroki needed their strength matched. Besides, the two worked together to best me in the end and passed! That’s what really matters.”

The greenette couldn’t exactly argue that point, as from what he had seen from the Viewing Room, Katsuki was the main aggressor. Still, he couldn’t overlook the hero’s excessive force. He was a teacher first and foremost, and with his speed and strength he could have easily defeated the two without resorting to crippling them.

He leaned down and kissed Katsuki’s cheek, the sounds of bones shifting ringing out as the hot head healed. It was a testament to how capable the greenette had become with his quirk that Katsuki didn’t immediately faint as he healed.

Katsuki seemed to come to his senses as his wounds healed, his eyes refocusing as he glared at the two. “Did that bastard Icyhot manage to get to the damn gate?”

At his friend’s nod, he grunted, “Good.” The hot head stood up and pushed past  the others, stomping out of the testing area. Izuku followed.

“Kaachan…is everything okay? You’ve been acting really weird lately and-“

“Forget it, Deku,” the blond growled, speeding up.

He stopped as he felt a hand close around his wrist, tugging gently. Katsuki turned to see Izuku staring up at him, his expression determined. “Please Kaachan, talk to me.”

He stared for a long while, red eyes boring into green. Finally the blond sighed, his expression softening a bit. “I just… I got a lot on my mind, Deku. I need to figure some stuff out.”

Since they reconnected, the healer notice that Katsuki had become a rather private person, keeping most of his thoughts to himself. When they were children, there wasn’t a thing that either boy would keep from the other, their lives completely intertwined. It seemed only natural to him that Kaachan would want to regain some of that closeness, but perhaps too much had changed for the both of them.

“Maybe I could help?” Izuku offered, but the other boy shook his head, gently pulling out of the greenette’s hold.

“Gotta do it myself,” he grunted, his cheeks turning pink.

As his friend turned and walked away, Izuku tried to make sense of the churning he felt in his gut.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The class of 1-A was ecstatic when Aizawa announced that even the students who failed the practical would be going to the training camp over summer.

“You were always going to be attending,” the man said, a wry smile on his face. “After all, those of you who failed need more practice, not less; but, you will be doing extra training to make up for your failures during the practical.”

Some of the others groaned, but Shinso merely shrugged. “I figure I’d be doing the extra training even if I passed, since I’m so behind.” He smiled softly as he looked down at his desk. “I’m just grateful to be a part of all of this, and that I have the chance to get even better.”

The rest of the class, barring Izuku and Momo, stared at the purple haired boy in shock, unused to hearing him speak so openly. Kirishima sniffled.

“That’s so manly, Shinbro!!”

“Shinso’s right,” Ashido said, her eyes glimmering. “Us failures are gonna work super hard to become the best heroes ever!”

When the period ended, signaling the end of their first semester at UA, the other five students rushed over to Shinso, talking a mile a minute about how they were going to prepare, Izuku smiled at the purple haired boy, happy to see him getting closer with his new classmates.

The greenette turned to leave the classroom, before he himself was ambushed by the group, along with the rest of the girls and Aoyama.

“Now that classes are officially over, we’ve decided to have some fun!” Ashido exclaimed, her smile wide and bright. “Tomorrow we’re going to the mall, then we’re having another sleepover in the dorms! So, are you in?”

Izuku’s smile matched the pink skinned girl’s. “Totally! Sounds like a lot of fun!”

The girls smiled to one another as the freckled boy turned to talk to Shinso, a devious look crossing each of their faces. 

“This is our best shot of making this work,” Ashido muttered, the others nodding in excitement. “Project Makeover will commence tomorrow at eleven hundred hours!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day the girls dragged Izuku into the first clothing store they could find, with Aoyama joining the fray and Shinso bringing up the rear, an amused smirk on his face.

“Mei’s gonna regret missing this,” he told Momo, the girl laughing.

“She said the Support students were having their own end of term celebrations, but that she’d come to the sleepover later tonight.”

Shinso nodded, before leaning in. “Sooo, the two of you have gotten awfully close recently, haven’t you?”

The tall girl’s face turned bright red, but before she could respond the others reappeared. “Midoriya’s trying on some of the clothes we picked out, you gotta come see!”

They moved to the fitting rooms, where green eyes peeked out from behind one of the stall doors. “I don’t know about this, guys.”

“Come on, Midoriya! We wanna see!” Ashido called out, Jirou and Hagakure cheering in agreement. 

The greenette sighed, before stepping out in front of them.

Ashido had picked out a long black jersey that came in at the waist, hugging his body. Underneath he had on a pair of blue bike shorts his feet were adorned with a pair of chunky black sneakers not unlike his usual red ones. 

The girls looked positively giddy, and Aoyama’s eyes were shining as he took in his friend's appearance. Shinso turned his head away so his friend wouldn’t see him snickering.

Mei’s definitely gonna be mad she missed this, the purple haired boy thought as the girls got even closer to the greenette, fixing his hair and straightening out the clothes.

“This looks incredible!” Ashido preened, pleased with her selection. “And look! The jersey even has All Might written on the back, it’s perfect for you!”

“I like the jersey, but shouldn’t I have pants or some longer shorts on underneath?”

“No,” came the unified response, Shinso letting out a snort at that.

Izuku glared at him. “Whose side are you on, Toshi?!”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that.”

The freckled boy groaned, but allowed his friends to play dress up with him a little while longer, the amount of clothing they picked out for him growing exponentially.

Shinso got his comeuppance as the girls dumped the shopping bags in his arms, the boy spluttering in protest. 

“Sorry Toshi, but that’s what you get!” Momo called out, a cheeky grin on her face.

Aoyama left the group to join Ojiro and Shoji at the food court, and the girls moved on to a beauty supply store to stock up before the sleepover. Shinso grunted, placing all of the shopping bags on a bench, taking a seat next to Izuku. “I didn’t know clothes could weigh so much.”

Izuku sighed. “It’s nice that everyone wants to help me dress better, but I still don’t think there’s anything wrong with my clothes!”

Shinso eyed him critically, he was wearing a plain white t-shirt with baggy jeans and his red sneakers. “There isn’t anything wrong with your clothes, they’re just…kind of boring.”

Izuku didn’t even bother taking offense. “I wear a uniform most of the time, and when I’m not in our uniform I’m usually wearing my costume or work out clothes... I guess I just don’t bother to think about normal clothes that much.”

“Well, if you let the girls and Aoyama dress you, you won’t have to think about it at all.”

“I guess that’s true…”

Shinso stood up, cracking his neck. “I’m gonna go grab Iida or Kirishima, they can carry this crap.”

“Do you think they’ll do it?”

“They will if I tell them it’s for you,” Shinso muttered, too quietly for Izuku to hear.

And so the greenette waited patiently for his friends to return. He thought about texting either Todoroki or Katsuki to check in, but thought better of it. Todoroki was spending time with his mom, and Izuku didn’t want to interrupt, and Katsuki was still avoiding everyone.

He let out a sigh, just as a hand landed on his shoulder. “Hey, I know you! You’re that kid from the Sports Festival, Izuku Midoriya, right?”

Izuku turned and looked up to see a man in a dark hoodie looking down at him, blue hair falling in front of bright red eyes. His chapped lips split into a grin.

“I’m such a big fan.”

Chapter Text

Izuku blinked up at the man.

He seemed to be in his late teens or early twenties, but the cracks in his skin made it difficult to tell. He was grinning in an unsettling way, but the greenette reminded himself not to judge someone just because they looked a bit different.

“I was impressed with your performance in the Sports Festival,” the man said casually, taking the open seat next to Izuku on the bench. “I’m sure you get this a lot, but it’s really rare to meet someone with a healing quirk.”

Izuku nodded, he’d been hearing it since he was seven. “I’m lucky to have gotten into UA, because it meant I’d get to meet Recovery Girl.”

The man’s grin faded, his expression becoming neutral. “I wonder…”

The freckled boy watched as the man seemed to debate with himself. “Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with a quirk that helps people. My quirk, for example, is only good for destroying things, even my own body.”

That explains the skin, Izuku thought, feeling even guiltier for judging the man. 

“I wonder…” the man said again, before turning back to the healer. “Do you think your quirk could fix me?”

Izuku eyed the man carefully, sensing his injuries. His skin is definitely damaged, but there’s also scratches on his neck, and some wounds on his shoulder and his legs…what happened to this guy?

“I think it depends,” he finally said. “If your quirk is what’s harming you, then any healing I do won’t be permanent. The next time you activate your quirk, you run the risk of hurting yourself again.” He took a long look at the man’s face, his cracked lips downturned in a disappointed frown. “Have you tried going to any quirk supply stores? Some of them carry ointments and stuff to help people with skin quirks, I think. My friend Kiri has something he uses for his quirk, although I don’t know the name…”

“I’d be very grateful if you tried using your quirk on me,” the man said, cutting off the boy’s rant. “After seeing the miracles you performed at the Sports Festival, and then running into you here… I can’t help but feel this was meant to be.”

Izuku frowned, something felt off about the situation. “I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to use my quirk outside of school, it’s against the law. You could always ask UA’s principal if he’d permit you to come to our infirmary, then maybe I could help you.” If the man before him really was up to no good, then Nezu would certainly be able to figure it out, as well as handle it.

“I don’t see why that should stop you; after all, you used your quirk on the Hero Killer illegally, didn’t you?”

Izuku shifted uncomfortably. There was definitely something wrong… “W-What makes you think that?”

“I saw it happen.”

The man was grinning again, his eyes wild. Before Izuku could react, he heard his name being called. He turned to see Iida and Shinso approaching, their eyes darting between himself and the stranger next to him. The greenette felt a hand grab his shirt, and he turned his attention back to the stranger, who was right up against him.

His lips grazed rough skin, the man having leaned the side of his face in as close as possible right when Izuku turned, connecting his cheek with the healer’s mouth. The greenette reflexively activated his quirk, flinching back and standing as the man let go of him.

“Izuku, who is this?” Shinso asked, shooting the stranger a wary look.

The man was no longer paying attention to them, instead marveling at his reflection in the dark screen of his cellphone. His skin had become soft and smooth, the deep cracks in his face and mouth disappearing as he healed. 

“Amazing…” He crooned, his eyelids drooping as he fought against the healer’s sedative.

“Who are you?” Shinso demanded, Iida now standing protectively in front of his friends.

The man smiled dopily at the freckled boy. “My name is Tomura…and I’ll be seeing you again soon, Izuku…” His eyes rolled into the back of his head as the sedative took hold completely, his thin body falling to the floor as he blacked out.

“We have to call the police,” Iida muttered, pulling out his phone. The rest of class 1-A found them shortly after, staring wide eyed at the scene. 

“Uhm, isn’t that-“ Asui began.

“Tomura Shigaraki,” Iida confirmed, his mouth set in a thin line. “Leader of the League of Villains.”

Izuku gasped. He had only heard stories of the man, but his other classmates would have recognized him in an instant had he gone up to one of them instead. He turned to Shinso, the purple haired boy equally surprised.

“What did he want?”

“He…he wanted me to heal him. I told him no, but when you guys showed up he got close and-“

“It’s alright,” Shinso said, placing a hand on his shoulder. “The police will be here soon.”

Izuku nodded, before a thought came to him. He moved over to his backpack, discarded and forgotten in the encounter, and reached inside. He pulled out a few of the band-aids Hatsume created, handing them to Iida. “We should restrain him, in case he wakes up. It was an accident, using my quirk, so I don’t know how long he’ll be out for.”

The class rep nodded, using the capture devices to bind the villain’s arms and legs.

“Tie one around his fingers,” Asui suggested, remembering how the man nearly destroyed her face at the USJ. “So he can’t activate his quirk.”

The tall boy nodded, heeding her advice. When the police finally arrived, they stared incredulously at the group of teenagers standing next to an unconscious super villain tied up in bandaids. 

The mall had to be closed, everyone except class 1-A asked to evacuate. Most of the students were only questioned briefly, having arrived after the villain was already subdued. Shinso and Iida had more information to offer, but it was Izuku who was questioned the longest.

Detective Tsukauchi took the boy’s statement, his frown intensifying as he jotted down the details of the encounter. 

“Am I in trouble for using my quirk?” Izuku asked, nervously thinking back to the Hosu chief of police.

The detective shook his head, giving him a reassuring smile. “It sounds like it was an accident on your part, and no harm came to Shigaraki so there’s no need to press any charges.”

Izuku let out a relieved sigh, the man thanking him before releasing the students to return to their dorms. They were instructed to return to the school as quickly as possible, and to not make any unnecessary stops.

Todoroki was already in the Common Room when the others arrived, the boy eyeing them as they entered. “Did something happen?” He asked, taking note of their shaken expressions.

“Midoriya was corned by Shigaraki at the mall,” Iida told him, the dual toned boy’s eyes widening.

At once he was in front of the greenette, hands gingerly cupping his face as he gave him the once over. “Did he hurt you?” He asked softly, thumb tracing Izuku’s jaw.

“N-no, I’m fine…” Izuku mumbled, his cheeks burning at the taller boy’s proximity.

Todoroki seemed to come to his senses, as he released the other boy at once, his own cheeks turning pink. Ashido watched the scene with rapt attention, her mind racing. She glanced at her fellow classmates, the expressions on some of their faces giving her even more to think about.

“Interesting…” she muttered to herself, watching some of the others help the healer carry his numerous shopping bags up to his room.

When the group came back down, there were three new faces waiting to greet them.

“Can’t you stay out of trouble for one damn day, nerd?” Katsuki growled, checking over his friend much like Todoroki had.

Izuku ignored him, turning instead to greet the other two newcomers. “Aunt Mitsuki, Uncle Masaru! It’s so good to see you again!” He gave each of the Bakugo parents a tight hug, the two smiling as he did.

“Didn’t get much taller, did ya kid?” Mitsuki teased, ruffling his unruly curls. She chuckled as he pouted. “And why haven’t you come to visit yet, huh? All that brat ever does is talk about yo-“

“CAN IT, YOU OLD HAG!” 

“MAKE ME, UNGRATEFUL BRAT!”

“So it’s hereditary,” Uraraka mused, watching the mother and son yell in one another’s faces. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eventually the adults left, and Ashido called everyone to attention.

“We cannot let creepy, gross villains ruin our good time!” She declared, students like Kaminari and Aoyama nodding in agreement. “So everyone buckle up, tonight we’re throwing the best sleepover ever!”

There were cheers from some of the others, while students like Iida and Momo simply sighed at their classmates’ antics. True to her word, Hatsume came to the dorms in time for the sleepover, a fluffy blanket over her shoulder and a large cut on her cheek.

“We had a not so friendly game of capture the flag in Support,” the pink haired girl told them, allowing Izuku to heal her with a quick peck on the cheek. “We used a lot of our inventions and- let’s just say some of my classmates were humbled today.”

The students set up the Common Room much like they had the last time they had a sleepover, with Katsuki making dinner and Sato baking dessert. 

The boys began a video game tournament, playing a shooter game Izuku remembered Hatsume really enjoying. When the inventor joined in, she beat the others easily with the exception of Aoyama, who managed to win the tournament with a triumphant grin.

“Mon pére and I would play games every weekend,” he told his gobsmacked friends proudly. “And my dazzling characters always came out victorious!”

Then came the dance battle, Ashido and Kaminari going head to head. Izuku, who had politely refused to participate, used his quirk as a makeshift smoke machine, pink mist swirling about the two dancers.

As the sun set, the group settled in front of the television, another hero movie playing as they ate dinner. Just like before, Katsuki took the spot right next to Izuku, the freckled boy looking up at him.

“Did you figure your stuff out?” He whispered, not wanting to draw anyone’s attention.

The blond grunted but gave a curt nod, and Izuku smiled at him.

After the hero movie came a horror movie, with a small group led by Ashido splintering off to play truth or dare across the room. 

“Hey Izu, truth or dare?” The pink skinned girl called out, a teasing grin on her face.

“The nerd’s not playing,” Katsuki said gruffly, his eyes narrowing.

“Come onnnn, truth or dare??”

Izuku sighed, knowing the girl wouldn’t give up. ”Truth.”

Her smile became devious, and the greenette realized he had fallen into some kind of trap.

He gulped.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Across campus, Nezu gathered the other teachers for an emergency staff meeting.

“This is getting out of hand,” Vlad Kind grumbled, his usual frown even deeper as he looked at his colleagues. “Three separate attacks on our students in one semester, all of which resulting in the unauthorized use of unlicensed hero students’ quirks.”

“According to Tsukauchi, Shigaraki wasn’t actively seeking out the students today,” All Might informed them. “He claims to have been wandering the area and happened across Young Midoriya, then seized his chance to speak to him.”

“Even if that’s true, we simply cannot allow our students to continually be put in dangerous situations,” Nezu commented, his beady eyes sweeping the room. “We need a solution.”

“We could set a stricter curfew for the students,” Cementoss suggested.

“We could, but Shigaraki got to Midoriya in the afternoon,” Midnight reminded him. “If we’re going by that logic, it would make more sense to just not let them off campus at all. They’re due to leave for the summer next week, how can we protect them all if they’re scattered around Japan?”

“Maybe…maybe we cancel the training camp this summer,” Snipe offered, only to receive a glare from Aizawa.

“These kids need to be prepared for what’s waiting for them in the real world,” the dark haired man argued. “If anything, we should have them at camp for longer.”

“I have an idea,” Nezu announced. “I think it would be in the students’ best interest to attend the training camp, but we must take greater precautions in keeping them safe. I’ll write to their parents to let them know the students will be staying in the dorms this summer, to minimize the security risk. Perhaps if they do well at camp, we can get the Hero Commission to permit the hero students to take the provisional licensing exam early, so that they can defend themselves in public, if necessary.”

The teachers looked to one another. It wasn’t a bad plan, all things considered. They put it to a vote, only Snipe and Ectoplasm voting against the training camp.

As they filed out of the conference room, Aizawa couldn’t help but look out the window to where the dorms were, the lights he saw glimmering back at him filled him with unease.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

From the cell he was held in at the Musutafu police station, Shigaraki grinned to himself.

He was in front of the mirror over the sink, studying his reflection. Before he had come to, the officers had bound his hands in a heavy duty, quirk nullifying device, the contraption spanning from the tips of his fingers to just below his elbows. The man chuckled, as if he’d bother activating his quirk and ruining the effects of the young healer’s miraculous powers.

When the inevitable portal appeared, and his advisor Kurogiri stepped through, he didn’t so much as turn from the mirror.

“Tomura Shigaraki,” the man said, “I’ve come to free you from this place.”

Shigaraki turned to him. “No need, I’ll be staying for awhile longer.”

Before Kurogiri could protest, the villain continued. “Let those idiots think they’ve caught me, let them lower their guard now that their number one enemy is behind bars. Then once we’ve got our opening, you’ll return to free me, and we’ll finally lay waste to All Might and those UA brats.”

He studied his face once more. “Only, I think we’ll take their Sweetheart for ourselves. We could use a healer. Prepare the others for our next attack, it has to be flawless.”

Kurogiri bowed, leaving with his orders. Shigaraki continued to stare at his rejuvenated skin, preening at the difference.

He smiled.

Chapter Text

“Truth.”

Ashido smiled, she had the greenette right where she wanted him. “Alright, tell me: What’s your ideal guy?”

Izuku blinked.”What do you mean?”

“Like, what would make your perfect boyfriend?” She thought for a moment, before adding, “Or girlfriend?”

Any interest the others had in the horror movie playing instantly vanished, all eyes turning to look at the two.

Izuku mulled over her question, pondering it. “I’m…I’m not really sure. I guess I’ve never really thought about it.”

“You haven’t?” Uraraka found it a bit hard to believe, given just how much interest was shown to him by their class, as well as a good portion of the rest of the school. The girl’s eyes locked onto Katsuki, who had become tense at the current topic.

“I’ve always been kind of too busy to worry about it,” the healer said sheepishly. “Between trying to get into UA, then working with Recovery Girl, then the hero program, I’ve always had something more important on my mind.”

“Why don’t you give us a guess?” Ashido wheedled, her expression deceptively sweet.

“The nerd doesn’t have to answer if he doesn’t want to,” Katsuki growled out, his fists clenched tightly.

“It’s okay, Kaachan. I guess… I think I’d want someone who supported my dream of being a hero, someone who didn’t care that I’m more cutesy than manly. I guess they’d also have to be okay with my quirk, since I have to kiss other people to use it…”

Izuku was oblivious to the looks some of his classmates were giving him, the greenette so lost in his thoughts he paid no mind to the squeals coming from Hagakure.

“That’s so sweet!” The invisible girl gushed. “Just what I’d expect from UA’s Sweetheart!”

“So, it sounds to me like you don’t have a preference in terms of gender,” Jirou remarked, noting how Uraraka’s eyes lit up.

“Hm? Oh, I guess not…to be honest, I haven’t given that much thought either.”

Ashido seemed a bit put out; the girl had been hoping to determine once and for all who was the closest to winning her friend’s heart, but the dense boy wasn’t even aware of the competition! “Well, I guess that’s as good an answer as any. Okay, now you get to pick someone!”

“Okay! Hatsume, truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“I dare you to…arm wrestle Kaachan!”

The pink haired girl smirked. “Oh, it’s on.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, as everyone slept soundly in their respective spots on the floor, Izuku laid wide awake. 

The game of truth or dare had been fun, especially watching Katsuki nearly lose the arm wrestling match to Hatsume, the girl’s arms ridiculously strong thanks to all the heavy lifting she did in the Support labs.

Try as he might, the greenette couldn’t get Ashido’s question out of his head. He knew objectively that he found other people attractive and, thanks to his costume and the title the school gave him, that other people thought he was cute, at the very least.

But do they think I’m attractive? He wondered. He’d always thought of himself as rather plain, until his friends had convinced him otherwise. It made him wonder: had he been so focused on becoming a hero that he didn’t even know if he liked boys or girls?

He thought about Ashido’s curly hair and Uraraka’s eyes and the way Momo would smile after her first sip of tea. It made his chest feel warm, but he wasn’t sure what to make of it. He then thought about Shinso’s smooth voice, Mirio’s bright smile, the way Kaachan kissed his knuckles at Best Jeanist’s agency…

His cheeks heated up at once, his heart thumping. So boys, then. Or maybe both? If so, was there a boy:girl ratio? How could he quantify it?

The freckled boy groaned internally, turning onto his side. As he managed to finally fall asleep, he cursed Ashido for bringing it up in the first place.

The next morning, Izuku woke from his fitful sleep to the first rays of sunlight streaming through the window. He rose carefully, making sure not to wake the others as he crept to the kitchen.

Shinso was awake as well, the insomniac brewing a pot of coffee. “Good morning, Toshi.”

“Morning, Izuku.”

The greenette began preparing breakfast for himself and the others, working as quietly as possible. Shinso sat and watched him as he drank his coffee, violet eyes thoughtful.

“You look like you had rough night’s sleep,” He commented, and Izuku had to hold back a snort; if anyone would know, it would be him.

“Yeah, I had a lot on my mind.”

“Is it about what Ashido asked you during truth or dare?”

He nodded. “Do you think it’s weird that I never really thought about that stuff until now?”

Shinso stared for a beat, before shrugging. “Not really, everybody figures it out in their own time. Besides, so much crazy shit has happened to our class this semester, I’m almost surprised the others had time to worry about dating and crushes.”

That made the healer feel a little bit better, but his inner conflict remained. As the smell of cooked food wafted through the first floor, the sounds of the others waking could be heard from the Common Room. Soon enough, a cluster of half-awake faces ambled in, their stomachs growling.

Kirishima’s hair was loose around his face again, and Izuku cursed his traitorous mind for thinking it was cute. Once everyone had their breakfast, Iida turned the conversation to training.

“It’s important to keep a rigorous schedule, even though the semester is over,” The class rep told them, brandishing his fork as he spoke. “With the training camp only two weeks away, we must be prepared to give it our all!”

Izuku smiled up at his friend, noting how far he had to tilt his head to look at him. He’s so tall…

The greenette quickly whipped back to the counter, hiding his flushed face by pouring himself a cup of coffee. When he turned back around, he spotted Shinso giving him a knowing look, and he had to refrain from sticking his tongue out petulantly. 

When Katsuki came in, having woken up before anyone else to go for a run, he took the plate and mug Izuku handed him, their fingers brushing.

“H-hope you like it, Kaachan,” the greenette mumbled, praying his face didn’t burst into flames. 

The blond grunted, but stood next to his friend at the center island as he ate. Todoroki was giving Izuku one of his intense stares, and the boy quickly excused himself.

This is ridiculous, he thought to himself, willing away the blush on his cheeks. I need to stop being so weird about this, nothing’s changed! So what if some of my friends are…kinda cute…they’re still just my friends, and I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. 

As he made his way back to his room to get dressed, he tried to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it came time to leave for the training camp, Izuku felt a bit more stable. He had spent the last two weeks working in the infirmary in between training, the influx of injured hero students unwavering even in the summertime. Nezu had announced that they were to stay in the dorms even through the school break, which meant injuries due to extra training, stupid dares and even poorly supervised cooking were on the rise.

During that time, Izuku became more comfortable with his newfound sexuality, the near endless stream of students coming in for treatment, including his classmates, helping him find his sense of rhythm. 

If he still blushed whenever Mirio teased him or Todoroki leaned in to whisper something to him or Katsuki called him a princess, then it was no one’s business but his own.

The greenette smiled as class 1-B joined them in front of the school, lining up to get on their bus. When Monoma sauntered over to hurl insults at their class, Izuku hid his grin behind his hand as Kendo smacked him upside the head, dragging him onto the bus. The healer climbed onto his own bus, most of his classmates already seated.

“Sit with me, Izu!” Uraraka said from her spot towards the back.

“I’ve already saved a seat for Midoriya,” Todoroki’s clipped voice rang out, the dual toned boy patting the seat next to his.

“The nerd’s sitting with me,” Katsuki snapped, eyes narrowing at the other two. “Deku, get your ass over here!”

“Midoriya, please just pick a seat so they’ll stop,” Came Aizawa’s weary voice from the front, the man cocooned in a yellow sleeping bag, his head resting against the window. 

The greenette turned to see three determined faces staring him down, and he felt his cheeks heat up at the attention.

He took the nearest seat, which happened to be the one next to Todoroki. The taller boy smiled at him, and Izuku tried his best to ignore Katsuki’s angry grumbling two rows back.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Todoroki began, heterochromatic eyes cast to his lap. “With your quirk…is it possible to heal scars?”

Izuku looked to him, the other boy’s expression vaguely uncomfortable. “I’ve- I’ve been visiting my mom at the hospital a lot lately, and we’re becoming more comfortable around each other, but…”

The greenette stayed silent, letting his friend take his time. “When she looks at me, I can tell she’s looking at my scar and blaming herself and… I just don’t want her to be so upset when she sees it.”

Izuku mulled over what he’d just heard, choosing his words very carefully. “I think- here’s the thing: scars aren’t really injuries, which is why even though I’ve healed you before, your scar is still there.” He thought back to his notes on scar tissue, and his quirk practice with Mirio (He refused to think about how Bubble Girl had walked in on them and assumed something scandalous). It was possible…

“It’s possible I could reduce its appearance,” he finally said, “by promoting collagen production in the tissue and reducing the number of melanocytes that cause hyperpigmentation. It’d require a bit of study, but I might be able to figure it out. I should warn you, I don’t think it will go away completely; it might be that the best I can do is lighten it a little.”

The hopeful look his friend gave him was enough for Izuku to promise himself he’d do whatever he could to help. “Thank you, Midoriya.”

“I- I think you should know,” the freckled boy continued, feeling awkward. “Even if I could get rid of it altogether, your mom might still blame herself for what happened. I don’t think that kind of guilt goes away…”

He had been heartbroken when his quiet friend told him about his childhood, including what had happened with his mom. He felt conflicted, torn between wanting to fix his friend’s problems and feeling as though it was not only none of his business, but completely beyond his understanding of the world.

Todoroki nodded, far too used to bad news to feel deterred by it. “You’re probably right; still, thank you for agreeing to help.”

“We can start after we get back from training camp, if you want.”

“I’d like nothing better.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When they arrived at the rest stop, which turned out to be just a spot off of the highway overlooking a large section of forest, there was a sleek black car awaiting them. The doors opened, and two women in colorful cat costumes emerged.

“Hey there, campers! Your feline fantasies are here!” The taller of the two called out, her blonde hair swishing as she moved.

“You can call us the Wild, Wild Pussycats!” Her partner cried out, the two striking a pose.

“C’est magnifique!” Aoyama exclaimed, his eyes glittering at the display. “Such glamour, such poise!”

“This is Mandalay and Pixie-Bob, the pro heroes you’ll be working with at the training camp,” Aizawa said tiredly, still groggy from his nap on the bus.

Izuku had a sinking feeling as the two heroes pointed out the lodge they’d be staying at in the distance, both wearing matching grins.

“If you’re quick about it, it should only take you three hours to get there from here.” Mandalay told them, her grin turning sharp at the nervous looks on the students’ faces. “The Beast’s Forest is all private property, so make sure to use your quirks if you wanna make it through in one piece.”

“In one p-piece?”

“Beast’s forest?!”

Before the students could turn back to the bus, Pixie-Bob activated her quirk, sending the group careening off the cliff in an avalanche of dirt.

So, her quirk lets her control earth, Izuku thought, bracing himself as he hit the ground. 

He stood up on shaky legs, turning to help Uraraka to her feet as the others got their bearings. 

“Uh, guys?” Kaminari’s voice rang out, sounding anxious. ”What’s that?”

Emerging from the trees was a giant beast, it’s hulking form towering over them. Katsuki blasted it with an explosion, grinning madly as part of its face came off.

It’s made out of dirt, Izuku realized, turning back to the cliff. Which means Pixie-Bob is most likely controlling it.

Katsuki managed to destroy the beast as three more lumbered into view, their empty eye sockets staring down the students.

“If we deal with Pixie-Bob, the beasts should fall apart,” the greenette deduced. He turned to Sato. “Do you think you can throw me back up to the top of the cliff? If I can reach the Pussycats, I can hit them with my quirk.”

“Are you sure that’s allowed?” The bigger boy asked.

He shrugged. “They didn’t say it wasn’t.”

Sato thought for a moment before nodding, pulling a few sugar cubes out of his pocket and crunching on them. As his strength grew, he grabbed the healer and launched him high into the air, the freckled boy ignoring the queasy feeling in his stomach.

Once he was high enough to see the heroes, he shot them a wink, before blowing them a kiss, pink mist swirling around them. Aizawa wisely jumped back onto the bus before it reached him, peering out at the Pussycats with no small amount of amusement. 

“H-hey, what gives…” Mandalay slurred, her limbs growing weak. Next to her, Pixie-Bob was stumbling about, trying to fight the effects of the mist before falling to the ground, out cold.

Izuku’s victory was short lived as gravity pulled him back down, his body speeding towards the earth. “Guys?? A little help?!”

He was saved by Shoji leaping from a nearby tree, his many arms grabbing the other boy before landing safely. 

“Didn’t think that through, did you?” The masked boy teased, Izuku’s cheeks burning with shame.

“It worked, didn’t it?” He grumbled, arms crossed as Shoji lowered him back down.

“Don’t start celebrating just yet,” Iida told them as the last of Pixie-Bob’s beasts dissolved into mounds of dirt. “We still have to reach the lodge at the other side of the forest.”

The group stared ahead at the dense thicket of trees, dreading the long walk they were about to endure.

“And to think,” Kaminari complained as they trudged forth, mud caking the blond’s new shoes. “I was picturing s’mores and ghost stories!”

Chapter Text

By the time class 1-A had finally reached the lodge, it had taken them well over five hours. 

Navigating the forest had been difficult, even with Uraraka floating above the tree line to make sure she could still see the lodge, and Koda asking nearby animals which way to go.

At one point Todoroki and Katsuki, both fighting to lead the group, argued over which direction to go, the two coming to blows and resulting in the group taking sides. Momo and Izuku had given one another bemused looks, as both boys had been wrong and their respective groups had to double back.

Aizawa was standing alongside Mandalay and Pixie-Bob, neither of the two looking very happy.

“That was a dirty trick you pulled, using your quirk on us!” Pixie-Bob yelled, Mandalay frowning at the greenette as she did.

“You did the same thing!” He defended, trying not to cower at the heated glare the blonde hero was giving him. “Besides, you said we should use our quirks however we could, and I used mine to deescalate a dangerous situation without hurting anyone. Isn’t that a good thing?”

Aizawa ducked his head to hide his amused grin behind his capture scarf. “Midoriya’s right, it was a smart move. I’m more surprised you didn’t think my students capable of turning on you, considering you threw them off a cliff.”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Mina called out. “Talk about dirty tricks!”

Mandalay had the decency to look ashamed and Pixie-Bob, never one to back down, crossed her arms with a huff. “Okay fine, it was a smart move.”

Izuku grinned, before noticing the cut on his arm. He had his class line up so he could inspect them for injuries. 

“It’s just a scratch,” Asui assured him as the healer checked her leg. “Don’t worry about me.”

Izuku frowned. “If you’re sure…at least let me get you a bandaid.”

Most of his classmates were in similar situations, though Katsuki and Todoroki had some burns from their fight earlier.

“I feel like I shouldn’t heal you,” Izuku chided them. “You won’t learn your lesson if I do.”

“I’m deeply sorry, Midoriya.”

“Whatever, just heal me already!”

Izuku shot the blond a look, but gave them both a quick peck all the same.

“Oh my,” Pixie-Bob said slyly as she watched the scene. “Do my cat-like senses detect young love?”

Izuku’s face turned bright red as more than one of his classmates shot the woman a dirty look. “I-it’s not like that! It’s my quirk!”

Mandalay paused. “I thought your quirk was that weird mist.”

“Well, that’s part of it. My quirk is kisses; I can heal someone by kissing them, or knock them out with a ‘sedative.’ I make my Kiss Mist by blowing a kiss: the air passes through my lips and my quirk activates it, making it airborne.”

Pixie-Bob blinked. “That. Is. ADORABLE!!!! Ooh Mandalay, can we keep him? Pleeease?? Think how good he’ll make our team look!”

“Wanna know what they call him back in Musutafu?” Ashido asked with an evil grin.

“Ashido, don’t you da-“

“Sweetheart! He’s UA’s Sweetheart!” Hagakure finished, her pink skinned friend grinning beside her.

Pixie-Bob turned to Aizawa. “How much, Eraser Head?”

“Are- are you asking me to sell Midoriya to you?”

“No! I’m just… bribing you to look the other way.”

Izuku heard someone scoff, and turned to see a young child not far away, his arms crossed as pointedly looked away from the group. “Hey, who’s kid is that?”

“Oh, that’s Kota,” Mandalay replied. “He’s my second cousin, and he’s staying with us.”

Izuku nodded, waving at the boy. “Nice to meet you, Kota!”

The boy gave him a dirty look, before flipping him off. The greenette’s eyes widened in alarm as Shinso and Katsuki laughed at him.

“Sorry, he’s not big on heroes, or hero students,” Pixie-Bob told him as Mandalay reprimanded the boy.

Izuku paused. He knew that there were plenty of adults who didn’t like heroes, but he’d never heard of a kid not liking them.

Despite their exhausting day, Aizawa made the students unload the bus themselves, carrying their things to their respective bunk rooms as the Pussycats made dinner. 

Changing into one of the outfits Momo had picked for him when they’d gone shopping, Izuku joined the others in the dining hall, class 1-B there as well after finding their own path through the woods.

“We would’ve gotten here faster,” Kendo told him between bites of her dinner, “but Monoma kept getting lost and hurting himself.”

“He fell into a river at one point,” Tetsutetsu snickered. “Then tripped and landed in some dirt and got all muddy.”

“Hmmph, I’m sure my own injuries pale in comparison to that of the disgraceful class of 1-A!” The boy proclaimed, fighting the blush on his cheeks as Izuku begrudgingly healed his wounds. Pixie-Bob squealed at the sight. 

Out of the corner of his eye, the freckled boy watched as Kota helped with dinner, a sour look on his face. Whatever it was that made him hate heroes must’ve been pretty bad, Izuku thought, frowning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Despite having gotten in late the day before, the second day of training camp had the students of 1-A and 1-B up at sunrise, dressed in their gym uniforms and ready to begin.

Aizawa stared at the students. “Back at UA, basic training was meant to strengthen your physical capabilities, as well as your critical thinking and reaction times. Here, we’ll be strengthening your quirks. We intend on cramming a second semester’s worth of experience in this next week and, with any luck, you’ll be prepared to take the provisional licensing exam in the fall.”

And so Aizawa, Vlad King and the Wild, Wild Pussycats set about training the students, each one given a task uniquely suited to their respective quirks.

Izuku eyed his teacher nervously as the man came up to him. “We’ll be doing things a little differently for you, Midoriya.” 

The greenette spared a glance over to Shinso, who was trying unsuccessfully to hypnotize Mandalay as the two sparred.

He turned back to see Aizawa readying his stance. “I want you to use your mist attack, keeping it contained to just our space and making sure it doesn’t dissipate while we spar.” 

Izuku nodded, the pink mist already tumbling from his mouth as he mirrored his opponent’s stance. Aizawa began the match, and Izuku rushed him, only to yelp when a small rock sailed through the air and smacked him in the thigh. He turned to see Kota, armed with a slingshot and a pile of rocks, sitting nearby, his aim trained on the healer. 

“Don’t lose focus, Midoriya,” Aizawa called out as he struck the boy, before darting to safety.

Izuku recoiled from the hit, blowing out more mist to replace what had dispersed when Kota had pelted him. Dodging the flying rocks and Aizawa’s strikes all while keeping his mist up and trying to come up with a strategy to win was challenging, the greenette feeling pulled in every direction.

“You haven’t managed to hit me once,” Aizawa taunted as the boy blocked a kick, parrying with a punch that the teacher easily evaded. “Don’t tell me you only managed to pass the final thanks to Yaoyorozu.”

Izuku grit his teeth, crying out as another of Kota’s rocks struck true. He was frustrated, and could feel his temper flaring with every word his opponent said. 

“And here I thought you actually earned your place in the Sports Festival,” Aizawa continued, dodging another poorly thrown punch. The freckled boy’s mist was slowing Aizawa’s movements, but the distraction of Kota’s rocks and his own jeers were splitting his opponent’s focus, making it less effective. 

He needs to concentrate, The man thought, landing another punch to the boy just as another rock smacked his temple. 

Before the teacher could say anything else, the air around them grew heavy as the shimmering mist thickened into a dense fog, the sky above them darkening with it. At once, Aizawa’s limbs grew heavy and his vision blurred, but he kept his guard up.

He saw what appeared to be a warped and distorted version of his opponent drawing closer, mist curling from his lips like smoke. He disappeared into the mist, before shooting out of it from another angle, a strong punch slamming into the man’s jaw. As he recoiled, Izuku aimed a roundhouse kick to his side, which Aizawa only just managed to block. 

The teacher threw another punch, Izuku catching his fist in his palm and pulling the teacher forward, blowing mist directly into his face. Aizawa fell to the ground as the world around him began to spin.

“Mr. Aizawa!” Izuku cleared the mist immediately, kneeling down to look at his teacher. “Are you okay? That was too much, wasn’t it? I’m so sorry, I should’ve been more careful, it’s just you were so mean and I was angry and-“

“You did fine, Midoriya,” Aizawa cut in, his dizziness fading as the air around him cleared. “But your concentration needs work; it shouldn’t have taken you that long to land a hit on me.”

Izuku nodded, helping the man to his feet. Aizawa noted some of the wounds the boy had, both from his own attacks and from Kota’s slingshot. “Heal yourself, then get ready. We’re going again.”

Izuku blinked. “But sir, if I heal my injuries I’ll be wiped out.”

“Exactly. We need to get your body used to healing itself without draining you. In  the event of an emergency, being able healing yourself mid-battle could make all the difference.”

“Sir?”

“You told me in Hosu that it’s easier to care for others than it is to care for yourself,” The teacher muttered to him. “As your teacher and the man responsible for your well being, as well as the well being of your entire class, I can’t accept that. You need to be able to care for yourself, before you care for others.”

Izuku felt his throat close up and his eyes water, but he nodded. He could do it, he just needed to practice. He activated his quirk, unaware of Kota’s wide eyed stare as his wounds disappeared. He readied his stance, before attacking once more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When the two classes regrouped at the lodge, they were dismayed to find out they’d be making their own dinner that night. Iida quickly sprang into class rep mode, assigning duties and keeping the others on track. Izuku helped Uraraka and Asui with chopping vegetables, while Katsuki, Todoroki and Momo lit fires to cook the curry on.

“Dammit, Shitty Hair! Season the meat so we don’t barf from eating this crap!” Katsuki growled at his friend, the redhead eyeing the different jars of spices warily.

“But… how do I know which ones to use?”

“ARE YOU SHITTING ME?!”

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing at the scene, making sure the potatoes he was cutting were uniform in size. 

After well over an hour of prep and cooking, the UA hero students had created a meal that was more than adequate to feed themselves and the adults. Izuku had just prepared himself a bowl of curry and rice when he spotted Kota walking into the woods, not turning back as Mandalay called out for him. He frowned as the boy retreated, deciding to go after him.

The greenette found the boy at a nearby cliff that overlooked the forest, the view stunning. There was a cave dug into the side of the mountain, the footsteps he had followed stopping near the mouth.

“What are you doing here, go away!” Kota yelled, glaring at the intruder.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you, it’s just that dinner is ready and I didn’t want you to go hungry.” Izuku held up the bowl he had brought him, Kota’s eyes narrowed as he looked at him.

The healer wasn’t quite sure what to say to the boy. He didn’t really know why he was so vehemently against heroes, or why he seemed so closed off and sad, but Izuku knew that he could at least keep Kota from going without dinner. He pulled a napkin from his pocket, setting it on the ground and then putting the bowl on top of it.

“I’ll leave you alone now, but make sure you eat; it’s important to take care of yourself.” He said, parroting what Aizawa had told him earlier that day.

And with that he turned and left, making his way back to camp and to his friends.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When Izuku got back, he noticed some of his classmates were missing.

“The students who failed the final are in a remedial class with Mr. Aizawa,” Iida informed him as he sat down. “We were just about to decide what game we wanted to play.”

The rest of the Study Buddies were with him, Uraraka, Katsuki and Asui joining them as well.

“We could play truth or dare again,” Uraraka suggested brightly, and Izuku bit back a groan. The last time he played, he’d had an identity crisis. 

“That’s dumb,” Katsuki snapped, eyes rolling.

“Do you have any suggestions, Bakugo? Or are you just being an ass?” Todoroki asked coldly, eyes narrowing.

“THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!”

“We could play spin the bottle,” Asui suggested, both Momo and Iida balking at the idea. 

“That would be completely inappropriate, Tsu! As UA students it is imperative we maintain a level of decorum and-“

“Any other ideas?” Izuku cut in weakly.

“I still think truth or dare would be fun,” Uraraka grumbled. “Better than spin the bottle, at least! The only one here that's comfortable kissing lots of people is Izu.”

The greenette flushed at her comment, causing Uraraka to blush as well. “I didn’t mean it like that! I just meant that-“

“It’s fine, Uraraka, I know what you meant.”

“Besides, Midoriya only kisses people’s cheeks,” Asui pointed out. “It’s not like he’s been fully kissing people.”

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek, before looking up and realizing everyone was looking at him. He felt himself blush again before he could say anything.

“You haven’t,” Katsuki said lowly, eyes burning.

“Uhm, it was just the once…for quirk practice…”

The hot head’s nostrils flared, Todoroki having a similar reaction.

“Who was it, Midoriya?” The dual toned boy was giving him another intense stare, and Izuku shrank under the weight of it.

“N-Nobody important,” he muttered, his flush reaching the tips of his ears. “Honestly, it was just-“

“Who. Was. It.” Katsuki ground out, his teeth clenched.

“I-it was M-Mirio,” he told them, rushing to explain. “But again, it was just for quirk practice! I needed to know if lip to lip kisses would be more effective than cheek kisses, and Mirio said he wouldn’t be weird about it. It was just a little peck, I swear!”

He didn’t know why he felt the need to defend himself, but something in the way his friends were looking at him made Izuku’s face hot and his stomach fluttery. 

Across from him, Katsuki grunted. “So, what I’m hearing is: That smiley bastard played you for kisses, and he didn’t even do it right!”

“That’s not-“

“So really, you haven’t had a real kiss yet.”

At once, all eyes returned to him with the exception of Momo, who was looking between the others with concern, and Asui, who was looking for her phone to text the others about what was happening.

Izuku gulped. “N-no, I guess I haven’t.”

Katsuki grinned, the smile all sharp edges and mirth. “Interesting.”

The greenette was positive he’d burst into flames from the teasing. Before Ashido and her accursed game of truth or dare, he could have easily laughed it off. Now, with the freckled boy hyper aware of not only himself but every interaction he had with his classmates, he could already feel his overactive analytical mind making much more of the situation then he should.

Kaachan is always teasing me, he reminded himself. I shouldn’t be acting weird now just because I realized that I think he’s attractive.

“You know Deku, most princesses let their white knight be the one to kiss them first,” He teased, his grin widening.

“You’re right…but Iida actually wears knight armor, soo…” Whatever reaction Izuku had expected, he certainly didn’t think it’d be Iida turning bright red, Katsuki glaring and Todoroki activating his quirk.

“Uh, Todoroki? You’re smokin’.”

“Thank you.”

“No; I mean, your hair…it’s on fire…”

“Oh.”

Todoroki extinguished the flames, just as Momo leapt from her seat, grabbing Izuku’s wrist and hauling him up as well. “Well, it’s getting pretty late so we should all get to bed, right? Come on, Izuku.”

“But isn’t Midoriya going to the same room as these guys?” Asui prodded, stirring the pot. “He should be going with them, ribbit.”

“She’s right; come with us, Midoriya.”

“Yeah, you’re sleeping with us, nerd.”

Izuku bit back a squeak.

Chapter Text

The next morning, Izuku woke up to find himself face to face with a sleeping Katsuki, their noses inches apart.

The boy froze, his cheeks heating up at the proximity. Todoroki was behind him, the taller boy snoring softly. When the class of 1-A had finally retired, Izuku had attempted to position his futon as closely to Shinso’s as possible, as he knew the purple haired boy wouldn’t be done with the remedial lessons until late that night, and he was far more comfortable around him thanks to multiple sleepovers in his dorm.

Katsuki had stomped over and thrown his futon next to the greenette’s, laying down and rolling over without a word. Todoroki had joined him at some point, leaving Izuku effectively boxed in that morning, being the first to wake up. Past Katsuki’s shoulder, the freckled boy could see Shinso fast asleep on his futon, no doubt the extra training tiring the insomniac out enough to actually get some sleep.

Izuku moved as slowly as possible, not wanting to wake the two sleeping on either side of him. He let out a small sigh as he stood, relieved when the others stayed asleep. Before he could make his way out of the room, the door was thrown open, and the hero Tiger stomped in.

“TIME TO GET UP, KITTENS! WE’VE GOT TRAINING TO DO!!!!!” The man yelled, causing the students to jerk awake in alarm.

Kaminari groaned. “Seriously? We didn’t get to bed until one in the morning thanks to Aizawa’s extra lessons!”

“If you ask me, five hours of sleep in one night is a blessing,” Shinso remarked, cracking his neck.

Izuku quickly made his way out of the room while the others got their bearings, speeding over to the bathroom with his gym uniform bundled in his arms. He smacked his cheeks a few times as he got ready for the day, pulling on his gym clothes and brushing his teeth.

I can’t keep running away from my friends like that, or they’ll think I’m mad at them, he chastised himself, setting about fixing his curls the way Best Jeanist had shown him. I thought things would get easier with time, but it seems like Kaachan and Todoroki are embarrassing me more than ever!

He finished with his hair before heading out to the training area, some of his classmates already gathered there. The sun was just peeking over the mountains, casting the forest in a beautiful pink-orange hue. The air was chilly in a way that made Izuku feel refreshed and alert, and it carried the scent of pine and smoke from the fire they’d lit the night before.

They split into their respective training groups once again, with Aizawa supervising the remedial students. Izuku was paired instead with Tiger, the man giving him a wide grin.

“I’m going to crush your bones to dust!” He bellowed, before readying his stance. 

Izuku squeaked but did the same, warily eyeing Kota and his slingshot. The two sparred for only a few minutes, Izuku realizing his previous strategy wouldn’t work on Tiger.

He seems to have some kind of flexibility quirk, the greenette deduced as the man contorted his body away from Izuku’s punch, before slamming his fist into his opponent.

“Come on, show me that Plus Ultra spirit your school is known for!” Tiger boomed out, his grin feral.

Izuku rushed him again, feinting another punch to disguise the kick he sent his opponent’s way, managing to connect with his side before flipping away to avoid a counter attack.

“Nice shot, kid! But that barely hurt; you need to put some strength behind those hits!” 

Izuku grit his teeth, but charged again, this time being struck by Kota’s slingshot. He groaned.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After several hours of Tiger and Kota striking him, be it with fists or small stones, Izuku was exhausted. He lumbered over with the others to make lunch, once again on chopping duty.

“You can’t be trusted around fire Deku,” Katsuki had told him, the greenette squawking in indignation.

“I can to!”

“Can not!“

“Can-“ Izuku let out a sigh, too tired to continue arguing. “Fine, you win Kaachan.”

The blond’s face split into a smirk. “I always do, Princess,” he teased, before shooting a victorious look over to Todoroki, who glared.

Izuku brought Kota his serving of the meal once everything was finished, giving the boy a small smile which earned him a scowl in response.

“You guys are idiots,” he said, stabbing at his food. “It’s such a stupid waste of time trying to make your quirks stronger, trying to be heroes.”

Izuku wanted to argue, but then remembered something he’d overheard Mandalay saying to Pixie-Bob that morning. From what little of the conversation he could hear, it sounded like Kota’s parents had been heroes who were killed during a villain attack. It would certainly explain why the boy hated heroes, his parents had lost their lives being ones. 

It wasn’t Izuku’s place to try to parent the boy, nor was it really his job to get him to like heroes. The greenette decided it was best not to pry, to be a friend instead of a healer. “Maybe you’re right,” he said, and left it at that. 

After lunch, Tiger had Izuku train his flexibility, showing him the different poses the hero often used.

“You’ll never be at my level, thanks to my quirk,” the man said proudly, “but there’s always room for improvement.”

Izuku turned his head to look at him, his limbs beginning to tremble from the wheel pose he was holding. The hero was contorted in a way that looked incredibly painful, and perhaps even inhuman. He gulped, but continued his training without complaint.

Eventually, once Izuku’s arms and legs felt like jelly, Tiger had him practice his mist attack, using training dummies as their villains.

“Sometimes, there are too many innocent people around to use a big attack,” he told the freckled boy. “So you’ll need to work on keeping your mist contained to only the targets you mean to hit.”

It was grueling work keeping up with the man, and Izuku was almost positive this was Aizawa’s revenge for besting the teacher the day before. As another of Kota’s rocks smacked into the healer’s thigh, breaking his concentration and causing the mist to evaporate, he was sure of it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Hey, Midoriya?”

Izuku looked up from preparing the outdoor stoves to see Mandalay approaching him, a small smile on her face. He stood as she reached him, giving the woman his full attention.

“I just wanted to thank you for all you’ve been doing for Kota,” she told him. “It’s been hard on him, being stuck out here with us and with no one his age around to play with. These past few days, he’s seemed more animated than usual.”

“I think he just likes pelting me with rocks,” the greenette replied sheepishly. “But if it makes him happy, then I’m glad I could help!”

He looked over to where Kota was sitting, the younger boy glowering at the others. “I’m sure he doesn’t like it when I bug him, and he’d probably prefer it if I stopped altogether; but sometimes, just knowing someone cares about you, even if you don’t want them to, makes all the difference.”

Mandalay looked at him, before grinning. “Maybe Pixie-Bob was right, maybe we should steal you away from UA.”

The blonde sped to her teammate’s side at the mention of her name, a grin of her own forming as she did. “I told you! I even have the perfect Pussycat name for you, Midoriya: Munchkin!”

Asui and Shinso, who were performing their own dinner duties nearby, snickered at the healer’s horrified expression. Crossing over to his friend, Todoroki looked at the heroes. “I don’t understand, is Munchkin a cat?”

“Yep! They’re these super cute cats that look like babies, ‘cuz of their big eyes and little legs!”

He blinked. “Midoriya is small in general, but his legs appear to be in proportion with the rest of him, if not a little bit longer.”

“Todoroki, please,” Izuku said in a strangled voice, his face tinged pink.

“Yeah; you’re really leggy Midoriya, and that’s coming from me, ribbit,” Asui teased.

“That’s why Ashido keeps buying you shorts,” Todoroki added, glancing down at freckled thighs. “But I like the name Munchkin, may I use it?”

“No, you may not!” The greenette was mortified.

Pixie-Bob looked thrilled as her eyes flitted between the two, and Izuku was positive his face was turning the same shade as the tomatoes Uraraka was cutting a few tables over.  

Later, after dinner was finished and Izuku had been once again unsuccessful in getting Kota to smile, the freckled boy made his way to the outdoor area where the others had gathered for another bonfire. 

He had nearly made it to his destination when a hand pulled him into a hallway, just out of view of those outside. He turned to see Uraraka, her cheeks pinker than usual and her expression flustered. “Is everything okay, Uraraka?”

“Izu…I have to say this now, because if I don’t, I may not have the courage again.” Her hands were trembling, and Izuku was beginning to worry. The girl took a deep breath, before blurting out, “IreallylikeyouandIwanttogoonadatewithyouandIwannabeyourfirstrealkissandyoucanbemine!”

Izuku blinked. “Uhm, what?”

“I-I said I really like you, Izu. And…and I want to go on a date with you, and be your girlfriend!”

The boy felt as though a lead weight had been dropped in his stomach, his palms beginning to sweat.

A girl just told me she likes me, ran through his head as his cheeks pinked.

“O-oh, I see…”

Izuku was conflicted. He thought Uraraka was beautiful and kind and smart, and he considered her a good friend, but that’s all he saw her as. He told her as much, feeling awful as her expression became disappointed and sad.

“Oh…okay…”

“I’m really sorry, Uraraka-“

“Don’t be,” she said softly, biting the inside of her cheek to keep the tears from falling. “You just told me how you feel, like I did.”

The two fell silent, the air between them growing thick and awkward. “Do-do wanna come outside for the bonfire?”

She shook her head, and Izuku wanted to kick himself for putting that devastated look on her face. “I think I’ll just…go to bed early…good night, Izu.”

“Good night…”

As he watched his friend walk back down the hall, looking completely dejected, Izuku couldn’t help but hate himself just a little for not being able to help her. He made his way out to the others, standing between Momo and Iida next to the bonfire. Throughout the night he would laugh and smile, but they never reached his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

At the top of an overlook, a man with piercing blue eyes and littered with scars waited patiently for the others to arrive.

“These masks are so not cute,” a blond girl wearing a school uniform groused, fiddling with the device over her mouth. 

“They’re meant to be functional, not fashionable Toga,” A boy around her age replied, his own face covered as well.

A few of their colleagues grumbled impatiently, a large man tapping his foot. “Just let me down there, already! I’ve got some skulls to bash!”

“Settle down, Muscular,” the scarred man drawled. “We still have a few more people who need to arrive before our party is complete. You heard what Shigaraki said, none of this matters if we can’t get our hands on the healer.”

He held up a photo of Izuku Midoriya at the Sports Festival, taken just as the greenette blew a kiss to the audience.

Chapter Text

Izuku slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning until Katsuki, who had once again moved his bedroll next to the healer’s, snapped at him to lie still. When Tiger came to their room to wake them up, Izuku took his time getting ready, not willing to face the day.

“Quit dragging your ass, nerd,” Katsuki had told him, brushing past the freckled boy in the communal bathroom. 

“Sorry,” he muttered, not quite present as he half-heartedly fixed his hair. 

At breakfast, Izuku kept his eyes on the bowl of porridge in front of him, his mind far away.

“You seem chipper,” Asui commented from beside him.

Izuku turned to her, catching sight of a brown bob sitting two tables away with Ashido and Hagakure, the girls whispering to one another. He shrugged.

“I heard about what happened last night,” she continued. “I’m guessing that’s why you’re so upset?”

The greenette let out a small sigh, “I’m not upset, I just feel bad. Uraraka is my friend, and I don’t ever want to hurt her, but somehow I did.”

“Were you mean to her?”

“No.”

“Did you intentionally lead her on?”

“What? No!”

“Then there’s nothing to feel bad about,” she told him. “You were both open and honest about your feelings, which is almost always a messy and complicated thing. Ochaco maybe upset now, but she’ll get over it. If anything, this is good; it means that, once she’s feeling better, she can get out there and find the right person for her.”

Asui turned to look at the girl, who was staring at her porridge much like Izuku had been. “Ochaco is a very strong person; it’s going to take more than this to knock her down for long.”

Izuku gave his friend a small smile. “Thanks Tsu, you always know just what to say.”

The girl beamed at him. “Ribbit!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

During training that day, Aizawa pulled Izuku to the side. “I had an idea for your training, come with me.”

Izuku made to follow, but was stopped as the teacher handed him a blindfold. He raised a brow.

“Don’t give me that look, just put it on.”

Izuku wanted to argue, but did as Aizawa asked, letting the man lead him blindfolded into the forest. As they walked, Aizawa explained. 

“During the finals, you told me that you were able to determine my location by sensing my injuries.” Izuku nodded, not sure if the man saw. “It got me thinking: If you have a good range with that, and a halfway decent sense of direction, you’d be invaluable as a rescue hero.”

Aizawa stopped him, undoing the blindfold. “Someone back at camp has a moderate injury. Your mission as of right now is to find your way to camp and to  deduce who amongst the students and heroes has the injury, using just that sense. Got that?”

Izuku nodded. “Yes, sir!”

The healer activated his quirk, eyes fluttering shut as his other senses took over. The sounds of the forest quieted as his head began to thrum, before he felt something sparking faintly in the back of his mind. “I- I can’t tell what it is, but I think I know which direction to take to get closer.”

He turned to the left, facing what he thought might be Northeast, before he began moving forward, feeling for any changes in what he was sensing. From the distance they were at, it was hard to discern anything more than there was an injured person somewhat close by. As he kept moving forward, the feeling grew stronger.

“Hmm…it’s likely more than just a cut or a crape, that would be hard to sense from so far away, but it isn’t more serious than a broken bone; those feel different than this does…maybe a sprain?”

Aizawa kept silent, eyes glancing between the boy and the forest surrounding them.

Izuku was almost relieved when he could see the lodge just ahead of them, he’d have been embarrassed if he’d gotten himself and his teacher lost. When they reached the training area, Izuku paused.

“It’s a twisted ankle,” he determined, eyes sweeping over the area. His senses perked up as he spied a large tree just beyond where the others were training, the healer moving over to it. Just on the other side of the massive trunk, Iida was sprawled out in the shade, a can of orange juice in hand. “Iida!”

The class rep smiled at him. “Midoriya! Congratulations, you managed to find me!”

“Iida hurt himself in the kitchen this morning,” Aizawa told the greenette. “At first, I was just going to have you heal him, but then I realized we had a perfect opportunity to test your senses.”

Izuku smiled at him. “That was a really clever idea, Mr. Aizawa!”

“I know, now heal Iida so you both can get back to training.”

Izuku nodded, leaning down and pecking his friend on the cheek. Iida’s cheeks burned, but he smiled back at the freckled boy. 

Aizawa rolled his eyes at the scene.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Alright kittens, listen up!” Pixie-Bob called out. “We have special surprise for you tonight, a friendly competition between 1-A and 1-B!”

Any snide comments Monoma might have made were instantly silenced by a harsh glare from Kendo. Izuku wanted to be excited, but he knew the Pussycats most likely had an ulterior motive and would make the experience as unpleasant as possible.

“Make sure to work hard, so that tonight you’ll get to play hard!” Mandalay finished, grinning at the students. 

When it came time for lunch, Uraraka took a seat next to Momo, opposite of Izuku. She didn’t say anything, but gave the boy a small smile, which he returned.

“How far out did Aizawa take you, Midoriya?” Todoroki asked, having heard about the greenette’s special training session earlier that day. 

“Probably no further out than eight miles,” he responded between bites of his food. “It didn’t take us that long to get back to camp.”

“And you were able to sense my injury from that far away?” Iida asked, looking impressed.

“Just barely. If we were a few feet further out, I might not have been able to at all. Plus from that distance, I didn’t know much of anything, just that there might be someone injured nearby.”

“Still, that kind of ability would be perfect for rescue missions,” Momo told him, eating an extra helping of the meal to put towards her quirk later.

“That’s what Mr. Aizawa said, too!”

Next to Izuku, Katsuki scoffed. “Big deal; if it were me, Four Eyes wouldn’t have gotten hurt in the first place!”

“You sure about that?” Todoroki prodded, his upper lip curling.

“The fuck is that supposed to mean, Icyhot?!”

Izuku shared an exasperated look with Momo before returning to his food, ignoring the argument turned shouting match beside him.

It was Izuku’s turn to do the dishes that day, and he took care of the washing while Kota, who was ordered to help by Mandalay, did the drying.

“So is that weird mist crap actually part of your quirk,” The surly boy had asked as the greenette handed him another plate, “or do you just have really bad breath?”

“Both,” Izuku teased, blowing air over to Kota, who squawked.

“Gross!”

He reminded the healer of a young Katsuki, back from the days when they would go bug catching in the park by their houses. In some ways, Kota was just like him: moody, standoffish and just a bit sadistic. But then, Kota had experienced real tragedy, the kind that neither he nor Katsuki nor anyone in their class could possibly relate to. Kota had seen the worst of humanity before he’d even reached the age of ten and, while the Pussycats cared for him deeply, Izuku wasn’t sure he knew that he did.

“You know, I just recently found out about my mist,” Izuku commented, hading the boy a bundle of silverware. “Before that, I only knew about the healing part of my quirk.”

The boy eyed him. “Is that how you fixed yourself the other day?”

He nodded. “I don’t have to do it very often, so I’m not that good at it; but back at school, I would heal other people almost every day.”

Kota scoffed. “Must be nice, having a quirk that doesn’t screw you over,” he muttered. “If my parents could do that, they’d still be here.”

Izuku paused, debating with himself. It wasn’t his place, but…

“No one will ever replace your parents,” He finally said, treading carefully as he saw the younger boy tense. “But I hope you know that you still have a family: the Pussycats. They love and care for you, and they’ll never leave you. To them, you’’l always be family.”

Kota turned away from him, continuing to dry the dishes. Izuku heard him sniffling, but kept silent.

From just outside the door, Mandalay watched the scene unfold, a hand held to her heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that night, the two hero classes met out by the training area, the Pussycats waiting for them.

“We’ve decided to have you kittens play a fun little game that also counts as training,” Ragdoll told them, holding her paws up. “It’s a terrible traipse through the forest of torture!”

“Think of it like a scavenger hunt,” Pixie-Bob said, grinning. “You’ve all been paired up into teams of two, and each team has a tag with their names on it hidden somewhere in the forest! You’ll have an hour to find, collect and bring back your tag and, if you manage to do so within the time limit, you’ll get to sleep in an extra hour tomorrow!”

The students looked to each other; after several days of rising with the sun, it was a very appealing prize. Izuku did the math, before frowning.

“Uhm excuse me, but with six of class A and one of class B in the remedial courses, doesn’t that mean one student will have to make a trio group or go it alone?”

“I’m so very glad you asked, Midoriya,” Pixie-Bob purred, her grin sharp. “Because you won’t be participating in the hunt.”

The boy blinked. “I won’t?”

“Nope! Instead, you’re going to help make this even more challenging!”

“Eraser Head suggested having you use your mist to slow the groups down,” Mandalay told him. “That way, the others will have to work harder to reach their goal, and you’ll have to push the limit of your quirk.”

“If you can keep up your mist for the duration of the game, then you’ll get that sweet extra hour of sleep!” Ragdoll finished, beaming at him.

“Well, I guess that’s a good way to keep the groups even, and it might help the others build up a resistance to my attack,” the greenette mumbled to himself.

The teams were pre-determined, some happier than others with their pairings. Izuku watched as a few teams from class 1-A huddled together, speaking lowly and harshly with the occasional glance thrown his way.

It makes sense for them to be apprehensive, the freckled boy thought. Some of them have firsthand experience with how strong my mist can be.

Once everything was ready, Pixie-Bob started the clock and the teams rushed out into the area set up for them. Izuku tilted his head to the sky, blowing a kiss to the stars. His mist billowed up and out, creating an expansive cloud that blanketed the forest in shimmering pink. 

It was the most mist he’d ever managed to create, and his head ached from the strain of maintaining it. After fifteen minutes, he’d considered letting some of the mist drop, though he was sure the Pussycats would notice and reprimand him for it.

He was about to do so anyways, when he noticed something peculiar. There seemed to be a great deal of smoke coming from the forest, but most of it was from an area outside of where the others were meant to be. It was possible that Todoroki and Katsuki had gotten lost, but Katsuki’s explosions would have been more noticeable and Todoroki likely wouldn’t use his fire in an area with such dense foliage. 

The boy shouted to the Pussycats, turning in time to see Pixie-Bob sail through the air before being smashed in the head with a large pillar.

“Pixie-Bob!” Mandalay cried out.

Appearing next to her were two figures, one holding the pillar pressed against Pixie-Bob’s temple, the other holding a large sword comprised of many smaller blades.

Villains, Izuku thought, gritting his teeth. The camp was supposed to be secure, and yet they’d managed to find them regardless. This is no coincidence, these villains must be a part of the League. No way some random thugs could just happen upon on us.

The greenette turned to look at the blazing fires just beyond the clearing. This is strategy, they came here for something, or someone... 

With a start, Izuku remembered Kota hadn’t been at dinner, which meant he was more than likely at his hideout. Mandalay and Tiger were arguing and fighting with the villains, Spinner and Magne from the sounds of things, leaving Pixie-Bob unattended.

Izuku crept over to the hero, planting a quick kiss on her cheek.

“You!” Spinner cried out, watching as Pixie-Bob healed. “You’re the one Stain chose to spare, you’re the one we’re here for!”

The reptilian man made for the healer, only to hit the ground as Mandalay punched him. “Get out of here Midoriya, now!”

Izuku bolted, running as fast as he could towards Kota’s hideout. As he darted between trees and rocks, Izuku concentrated on his quirk, shifting his normal mist into a thick, dense fog. He focused on only the density, keeping the normal effects of his attack at bay.

The others should be able to fight at one hundred percent now, and my mist should give them decent coverage from the villains. They probably scouted the area before coming, but we’ve been training here every day for hours on end, so the others should have the upper hand.

As he reached the hideout, Izuku heard Kota screaming at someone.

“You’re the one who killed them!” The boy sounded so afraid, and Izuku’s blood ran cold. 

A gargantuan man stood over the boy, who was shaking and close to tears. The man was taunting him, threatening to kill him.

Izuku saw red.

In a flash, he was by Kota’s side, aiming an axe kick at the hulking villain. His foot met the man’s chest, doing no damage. He laughed.

“Is that really the best you can do?” He sneered, his robotic eyes whirring as it locked onto the greenette. “And here I thought you UA brats were tough.”

Izuku’s nostrils flared as pink mist tumbled from his mouth, unfurling in front of him like dragon’s smoke. “I don’t care who you are or what you came here to do; I swear, I won’t let you hurt him!”

The villain snarled.

Chapter Text

Izuku stared down the villain Muscular, the greenette standing protectively in front of Kota.

This is bad, he thought, sizing up his opponent. He’s far stronger and faster than me, and I don’t have the stamina I normally would thanks to the mist I spread through the forest. I’m not strong like Kaachan or Todoroki, nor fast like Iida, and I have next to no physical defense.

He spared a glance backwards. Kota’s eyes were brimming with tears, the boy terror stricken. Izuku shook his head.

None of that matters now, I have to protect Kota, no matter what!

“You know, you look an awful lot like that Midoriya kid we came here for,” Muscular sneered, taking a step forward. “The boss wants you alive, but I don’t think he’ll mind if I take you in with all of your bones broken.”

Izuku grit his teeth; If they were there for him, then they all likely knew what he could do with his quirk, which meant surprising the villain would be much more challenging. 

“Or maybe I should start with the kid,” the villain continued, activating his quirk. “He’s not on the list, so I can do whatever I want with him.”

“You won’t touch him,” Izuku snarled, readying his stance. “I’ll protect him with everything I have!”

Muscular charged as Izuku pushed Kota to the side, the healer taking the brunt of the hit. He felt the air leave his lungs as the man slammed into his chest, his bones creaking in protest. Muscular immediately wrapped his fists around him, squeezing him tight. “Can’t make any mist if there’s no air in your lungs, can you? Hah! And they said this would be a challenge!”

Izuku cried out as he was crushed, letting a few tears fall down his face. 

Muscular grinned, his prosthetic eye whirring in his head. “What’s this? Are you seriously crying?! Some hero you turned out to be, I guess they really are just keeping you around as a pretty face.” He brought the greenette closer, their noses practically touching. “I’m almost sorry I can’t finish you off here, that kid looks like he’s about to start bawling any second, and it’s so much more fun killing someone who’s got no hope left.”

He’s underestimating me, Izuku thought as he struggled to breathe, but I’m not quite close enough yet. I’ll need to try something else.

Izuku gave him what he hoped was a dewy, innocent look as he croaked out, “Please…don’t hurt him…”

“Aw, but I thought you were going to protect him? Guess that didn’t work out, did it little guy?” The villain turned his head slightly to taunt Kota, and Izuku seized his chance.

He strained as far forward as he could, his face screwed up in disgust as he planted a kiss to the corner of Muscular’s mouth, activating his quirk.

At once, the villain’s muscles receded into his body as his strength left him, the man dropping Izuku with a thud. The greenette caught his breath as quickly as he could, healing his wounds partially and scrambling back to his feet before Muscular could recover from the shock. 

“Wha- how-“

“Guess you don’t know everything,” Izuku spat as he landed a few punches to the villain, leaping away before he could counter. “You can enhance your muscles, but I can manipulate any and every part of your body. Your quirk is such a poor matchup with mine, it’s almost pitiful.” 

The villain roared as he charged forward, Izuku ignoring the throbbing pain in his side as he continued to fight. The glimpses of Kota’s tear stricken face, hidden away in the mouth of the cave pushed the healer on, his protective instincts on overdrive as he kicked, punched and elbowed his opponent.

He’s incredibly strong, even without his quirk. He’s fighting off my sedative and trying to call on his power. I don’t know how long my kiss will keep it repressed, so I have to finish this now!

Izuku took a deep breath, before blowing as much mist as he could at his opponent, shimmering pink swirling around him.

Muscular coughed and spluttered as he choked on the air around him. “What the hell?! They told me this crap just slows you down!”

“That’s part of it,” Izuku’s voice sounded out from somewhere out of sight, the mist obscuring the villain’s vision. “But in reality, I can do so much more with it.”

Muscular recoiled as the greenette struck him, before darting out of sight. “I can cause blindness,” Muscular’s vision blurred.

Another kick. “Muscle atrophy.”

This time a punch. “Heightened sensitivity in the pain receptors.”

Izuku appeared from the mist, stalking towards his opponent, now kneeling on the ground as the healer’s quirk affected him. Muscular was gasping for air, much like Izuku had. “I can even stop your lungs from taking in air, inflaming the bronchioles and closing off the alveoli.” He looked at his opponent, his gaze steely.

“I told you I wouldn’t let you hurt him,” He ground out, shooting Muscular one final disgusted look before landing an axe kick right on top of the man’s head, knocking him out cold as he hit the ground with a thud.

The greenette let out a sigh of relief as he dispelled the mist, groaning as his head began to pound. He turned to see Kota, the boy timidly moving towards him.

“Is it over?” He asked quietly, eyes darting between the villain and his savior.

Izuku nodded. “It’s over, but we have to move quickly. I need to get you to safety before anyone else finds us.”

“Is- is he-“

“He’s alive,” Izuku promised him, kneeling down so Kota could climb onto his back. He activated his quirk again, sensing the area for injuries. Most of what he could sense came from the center of the forest, his mind prickling as he surveyed the outlying areas.

“I can’t sense anything coming from this path,” he told Kota, “but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more villains nearby. Keep an eye out, just in case.”

The greenette was already exhausted from the training and the game they were meant to be playing, fighting a villain on his own and carrying Kota to safety draining him even further.

I just have to make it to Aizawa and the others, he thought, moving quickly and purposefully along the trail back to the lodge. The pros will know what to do. I just have to keep Kota safe…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Momo held her breath as a purple haze swirled around them, activating her quirk to create counter measures as she did.

“Wha- is this Midoriya?” Tetsutetsu asked, pulling his shirt over his nose, Kendo doing the same.

Momo shook her head, slipping the mask she’d created over her nose and mouth. “You can see Izuku’s mist over there, it’s pink in color and has a fog like consistency, this is something different.”

She created more masks, handing them to the others before covering the faces of the students already knocked out. 

Izu’s mist isn’t affecting me, she realized, which means he’s probably using it to make cover for us, just like he did during the finals. Mandalay used telepath to tell us Mr. Aizawa is letting us use our quirks, so we need to fight back and contain the situation as best as possible. Izu would say protecting the others is of the utmost importance…

She spared a glance to the others, her mind racing. “Kendo, I need you to pick up our friends and carry them back to camp. Tetsutetsu and I will deal with whoever’s making the gas, that should give the others a fighting chance.”

Kendo nodded, “Right.” She enlarged her fists, picking up the unconscious students and carrying them away, Awase joining her to provide protection. 

Momo began charging her quirk as she and Tetsutetsu ventured further into the forest, the gas becoming denser as they did. “We’ll reach the epicenter soon, so be ready for-“

The boy jumped in front of her as a gunshot rang out, his mask cracking as the bullet sliced through it. Momo grit her teeth as a boy about their age appeared, wearing his own gas mask along with a school uniform. In his hand was a revolver, the metal glinting as he waved it about.

“Well, well, looks like UA students aren’t as dumb as they look,” he taunted, purple gas pouring from his body and swirling around them. 

Tetsutetsu rushed the villain, fighting him off as best he could whilst unable to breathe. Momo charged her quirk a moment longer before releasing it, a giant industrial fan ripping through her shirt as it spawned from her back. She flicked it on, thankful to have been able to make batteries to go along with it as it whirred to life, blowing the gas away from herself and Tetsutetsu.

The metal boy slammed his fist into the villains face, breaking his mask and knocking him out. At once the gas dissipated, leaving only Izuku’s mist shimmering in the night sky.

Momo created some of Hatsume’s capture weapons, as well as a new shirt, before binding the villain. “We need to meet with the others back at camp; if they’re there, Todoroki can help with the fires and Izuku can use his quirk to knock everyone out.”

“Won’t that affect the others that are out here too?” Tetsutetsu questioned, making sure the villain was secure. 

“It will, but it doesn’t matter if we can take out the villains. Izu’s gotten much better with his quirk, so he’ll be able to wake the others fairly quickly once we’ve apprehended the assailants.” She spared a glance to the villain. “Mandalay said they’re after Izuku, but he’s so selfless I just know he’ll put himself in harm’s way if it means protecting someone else. I’ll bet that’s what their counting on, why they decided to attack the rest of us; they’re hoping to lure him out by appealing to his savior complex. We have to hurry, before he does something stupid!”

The metal boy nodded, before the two raced off towards the lodge, hoping they’d be able to reach the others in time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku began to tear up at the sight of his teacher rushing towards them. “Midoriya!”

“Mr. Aizawa!” He lowered Kota to the ground, standing back up on shaky legs. “We ran into a villain, but Kota’s fine. I need you to take him back to the lodge, I can’t protect him like you can.”

“Midoriya-“

“I know they’re after me,” the freckled boy cut in. “And I think we’ve both figured out who’s behind this.”

The man’s eyes narrowed as he nodded. “The League.”

“Exactly. Right now, our priority is getting everyone back to the lodge safely: it’s a more defensible location and will allow for you, Vlad and the Pussycats to go all out without worrying about hitting us in the crossfire.”

Izuku turned back to see black smoke billowing out of the trees, cutting through his pink mist. “Todoroki might be able to do something about the fires, but we can’t worry about that until the villains have been handled. I’ll find Mandalay and have her relay the plan to the others, but I need you to protect Kota.”

“Midoriya, I can’t let you back out there,” Aizawa argued. “You’re running on fumes, if you stop for just a moment you’ll be down for the count, and then the villains will have you.”

“I know, that’s why you need to protect Kota,” the greenette insisted. “They want me alive, but the rest of you…it’s safer if he goes with you. I’ll be fine, I can last for awhile longer.”

“Midoriya-“

“We don’t have time for this! Kota is the priority, you know that!”

“You can’t go back out there, they’ll take you!” Kota yelled, fresh tears welling in the boy’s eyes. “Why do you keep trying to save me?!”

“Because you’re worth saving,” Izuku said firmly, eyes shining. He turned back to the forest. “I’ll be as careful as I can, Mr. Aizawa, but you know what you have to do.”

He took off without another word, his shoes pounding against the forest floor as he raced back into the fray, determined to save as many people as he could.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Momo let out a cry as she and Tetsutetsu were slammed into the ground, a large Nomu bearing down on them.

“Momo!” She turned to see Izuku racing towards them, the healer looking unharmed but completely exhausted.

“Izu, you have to get out of here!”

He shook his head. “I won’t leave you!”

He told me his quirk is useless against the Nomus, the girl thought, watching as Izuku distracted the creature and kept it off of them. He’s barely awake right now, so it wouldn’t matter even if he could use his quirk. We have to save him!

The Nomu returned its attention to them as Tetsutetsu began fighting it, Izuku rushing to her side. He gave her a quick kiss, ignoring her protestations.

“I’ll be fine,” he told her. “I can still move.”

He looked up in time to see the Nomu slam Tetsutetsu into the ground once more, his metal form slipping away as he was knocked out. Izuku cried out to him, readying his mist.

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,” a voice rang out.

The two turned to see a dark haired man littered with scars coming towards them, his blue eyes burning into them. “Make any sudden moves, and I’ll have that Nomu snap your friend’s neck.”

Momo gasped, and Izuku reluctantly closed his mouth. 

“Took you long enough, Dabi,” a man wearing a full bodysuit and mask teased, joining the group. “Patience is a virtue- Just get on with it!!”

“That’s enough, Twice. Midoriya, come over here now.”

Izuku shook his head. “Only if you promise to leave the others alone.”

“Izuku!”

“I know what I’m doing,” he told Momo, giving her a shaky smile. He looked back at Dabi. “You guys came here for me, right? Let everyone else go, and I’ll come quietly.”

The villain cocked his head, debating for a moment, before tapping his earpiece. “I’ve got him. Everyone, stand down and meet me at the rally point.” He turned back to the boy. “Well, are you coming?”

Izuku took a deep breath before moving over to the villains, ignoring Momo’s screams behind him. Once he’d reached the two, Dabi wrapped an arm around him, holding him tight. “One wrong move, and I incinerate all of your friends,” he muttered lowly.

Izuku bit back a sob, nodding. “I understand.”

Momo watched helplessly as her friend was taken, tears streaming down her cheeks. The Nomu lumbered after them, brushing past her as it followed its master.

Aizawa found the girl a few minutes later, checking Tetsutetsu’s pulse before rushing over to her.

“Mr. Aizawa…I’m so sorry…they grabbed him, grabbed Izu and I- I couldn’t stop them…”

Aizawa looked up from the crying girl to the fires still raging just beyond them.

He swore.

Chapter Text

Mei barreled through the hallway, knocking into doctors and nurses as she raced to Katsuki’s room. 

Class 1-A was gathered around the hot head’s bed, the group turning as she threw the door open. “Toshi!”

“Mei,” Shinso braced himself as the girl slammed into him, hugging him tightly.

The inventor was beside herself; the news was having a field day reporting on the latest villain attack, harshly criticizing both the school and the heroes for allowing a student to be taken. Izuku’s face was splashed across every major news outlet, and the backlash was getting worse by the hour.

Mei couldn’t stand the thought of her friend being held hostage, her usual reasoning and logic abandoning her as she tried desperately to make sense of the situation. She let go of Shinso before tackling Momo, squeezing her just as tight.

“I’m so sorry, Mei,” the taller girl muttered. “I couldn’t save him. He was right there, and I-“

“It’s not your fault, Yaoyorozu,” Todoroki cut in.

“The hell it isn’t!” Katsuki raged from his bed, his hands smoking even through the bandages the nurses had wrapped them with. “It’s all our fucking fault! They only came for Deku, just one fucking person and we still couldn’t get our shit together long enough to protect him!”

“Alright, let’s all just calm down,” Kaminari tried, only to have his explosive friend scream at him some more.

“This isn’t helping anyone,” Asui commented. “Least of all Midoriya. We all want to save him, but we have to keep a level head in order to do that.” 

Mei looked to the other girl, composing herself. “You’re right; Izu’s in trouble, and we can’t help him if we let our guilt tear us apart. Izu would look at things logically, and so should we.”

“We can assume the League will keep him alive to use him as their personal healer, and Midoriya is kind and clever enough to do it, which buys us some time.” Asui continued. “What do we know about them?”

“The news is saying Shigaraki escaped from custody roughly the same time as the attack on the training camp,” Tokoyami informed them, scanning his phone. “It’s likely he stayed as long as he did to lull the faculty into a false sense of security.”

“That makes sense,” Iida commented. “Nezu and the rest of the teachers would never have agreed to let us go to the training camp if he was still at large.”

“Which means he’s been planning this for some time,” Todoroki finished, the room quieting as his words sank in.

“So, how are we gonna get our friend back?” Kirishima asked, the others looking to one another.

“We- we can’t!” Iida exclaimed. “Not only is it incredibly dangerous, but completely illegal!”

“Midoriya would do it for any of us,” Todoroki argued, shooting the class rep a cold look. “He’d be out that door without question if it meant saving a friend.”

“Or saving someone period,” Ashido added, her eyes downcast.

It was silent for a beat, before Asui spoke up. “Alright, let’s just address the elephant in the room: Most of this class has a thing for Midoriya, right?”

At once, several faces turned bright red, while Katsuki yelled and Uraraka choked on her tea. Asui shrugged. “No judgement, but it’s probably good to know where we all stand before deciding how to save him.”

Iida began to protest, but the froggy girl cut him off. “I’m not saying we should break any laws, because that would obviously be a bad thing for future heroes to do, but we’ve learned much more than just combat at UA: Infiltration, reconnaissance, hostage training… We can toe the line without crossing it, but it has to be the right team with the right motivations, so spill.”

No one spoke, so Asui started them off. “I’ll admit, I thought Midoriya was really cute when I first met him, and I can’t say I don’t like the kisses I get when I’m hurt, but for me he’s nothing more than a really good friend.”

“Same here,” Kaminari chimed in, with Jirou, Sato and Koda nodding along. “Midoriya’s great, but he’s just a friend.”

“He’s a bright and shining star, much like myself,” Aoyama admitted, “and though I may have harbored feelings for him at first, I came to realize he would never return them.”

Ashido, Hagakure, and Ojiro echoed the sentiment, before Tokoyami stepped forth.

“Midoriya and I don’t know each other particularly well,” he began, “but as with many of you, he charmed his way into my life. I’m not fool enough to believe he’d ever choose me, but I value his role in our class and am thankful to have someone like him to compare my progress to. He is my friend just as much as he is my rival.”

Shoji and Sero nodded along with Tokoyami’s statement, and Momo stepped forward.

“Izu wasn’t my first friend at UA,” she said, casting a small smile over to Todoroki, “but he quickly became one of my closest. He helped me overcome my shyness, and showed me that having a non-combative quirk can still be useful to becoming a hero.”

Shinso shot her a look. “I feel the same. Izuku is one of my best friends, and he’s the reason I’m here with class 1-A, even if he won’t admit to it. He- he was the first person to tell me that my quirk wasn’t evil.”

The others stared in shock as their normally impassive friend brushed a few tears away, composing himself. “I can never repay him for what he’s done for me. He’s the greatest friend I’ll ever have.”

Mei was in tears once again. “Izu has been my best friend since the very first day that I met him. He was just as smart as me, and he didn’t think it was weird that I cared so much about my babies. We practically share a brain some days, and he’s always been there for me when I needed him most. He’s family to me, the brother I never knew I was missing.”

The room quieted once more.

“Well, I guess that’s the end of the friendly confessions,” Asui said bluntly, and Uraraka stepped forward.

“I don’t think anyone is surprised to hear that I have a huge crush on Izu,” she muttered, not meeting anyone’s eyes. “And some of you already know that I confessed to him at the training camp.”

“You WHAT.”

“Settle down,” Momo said harshly, glaring at Katsuki.

“He let me down as gently as he could, but it still hurt,” the brunette continued. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter; Izu is my friend first, crush second.”

“I- I have a thing for him too,” Kirishima said awkwardly. “And obviously I’d be thrilled if he chose me, but I think I have a good idea who stands the best shot,” his eyes flicked to the hospital bed, “and that person has my support, one hundred percent!”

“I have to agree with Kirishima,” Iida added. “Midoriya will always hold a special place in my heart after what he did for my brother, and for me in Hosu. I admire him, I… love him, even. But he deserves better than me, someone who knows what it means to love someone else, to put his needs before their own. I pride myself on being the most responsible of us, but in this regard… I believe myself too immature for someone like him. That is why I won’t be pursuing him romantically either.”

Todoroki stepped forward, hands shaking slightly. “Midoriya…Izuku… from the moment I laid eyes on him at the infirmary, I knew he was special. He was so warm and kind and open, and I could tell right away that he is one of those rare souls that wants to heal everyone, regardless of their sins. He liked my fire, and through his eyes I was able to see it as a part of myself, and not the man it came from. Every interaction, every word, every gesture, every smile… Izuku Midoriya has enchanted me from the start, and I can only hope to prove myself worthy of his love.”

Momo was practically in tears at her friend’s declaration, proud of the reserved boy for being so forthright with his feelings. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Iida reacting much the same. All eyes then turned to the last to speak, the one whose feelings truly didn’t need to be explained.

Katsuki’s normal scowl had softened, his arms crossed defensively over his chest. “I’ve been in love with Deku since we were kids. We didn’t know what his quirk was back then, but the nerd still insisted on putting bandaids on my cuts and kissing them better. I protected him from the losers and extras that tried to belittle him, tried to hurt him just because they could! I was his white knight, and he was my princess. When he moved-“

The blond cut himself off, taking a deep breath and reigning in his emotions. “When he moved to Hosu, I was devastated; he was my only real friend, and he was leaving me. I never met anyone else who even came close to him. Then, I walked into the damn infirmary and there he was. Drove me fucking nuts knowing he was kissing all you bastards, but I tried to understand. Besides, I was way ahead of you losers since I’ve known him the longest.”

Mei was about to protest, but Katsuki cut her off. “You don’t count, Dr. Jekyll! It’s obvious you’ve got a thing for Ponytail.”

The blond ignored the way the two girls looked to each other, blushing profusely. “Took me awhile to admit it to myself, but… I love him. So yeah, good fucking luck Icyhot; Deku’s gonna choose me and you’ll be stuck watching him kiss me all. Damn. Day.”

Todoroki’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll see about that.”

“Okay, that’s enough feelings and posturing, we get the point,” Asui cut in, rolling her eyes. “It’s obvious that Bakugo, Todoroki, Iida, Momo, Kirishima and Hatsume make the most sense on this mission.”

“And why is that?” Tokoyami asked.

“Simple: Bakugo and Todoroki have the most firepower, but their quirks are incredibly adaptable. Iida has the speed to pull off time sensitive tasks, Kirishima provides good defense, Yaoyorozu can create anything that might be needed, and both she and Hatsume are geniuses; If anyone could pull off a rescue mission involving dangerous criminals and not break any laws, it’s them.”

“Some of my babies have already been registered with the Hero Commission,” the pink haired girl added. “So technically, it’s not illegal for me to use them outside of school.”

Asui nodded. “See? I have complete faith in all of you; even you, Bakugo.”

“THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?”

“I have something to tell all of you,” Momo piped up. “Before, when Izu was- before he left, I created a tracking device and slipped it into his shoe. I did the same thing to the Nomu the villains brought. I’ve already made a receiver and given it to the police, but I made an extra…I kind of figured we would try something like this…”

“So, we have a way to find them,” Mei said, regaining the twinkle in her eye. “And I have a few babies that can be used for a safe extraction. Izu’s quirk is strong enough to buy him a few minutes, if necessary, and the rest of you already know some rescue procedures. I think we just might pull this off!”

“I- I still think this is risky,” Iida told them, “but I want him back just as much as you do. I’ll go, but the second I think any of us are in real danger, I’m dragging all of you to safety. I won’t make the same mistake I did in Hosu.”

“I understand,” Todoroki assured him. “We’ll be careful, and if things look really bad, we’ll call the pros. I have direct line to the number two hero, after all.”

Asui smiled at her friends. “Then we have our plan. The rest of us know nothing about this, and we’ll be covering for you back at the dorms.”

Kirishima grinned. “Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let’s go get our Sweetheart back!”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The moment Dabi led Izuku through the warp gate, the villain’s hold on him relaxed. They were in what appeared to be a small bar, the interior warm and almost cozy despite its inhabitants. Dabi led the greenette to a chair, sitting him down before securing his hands behind his back.

“It’s just a formality,” the man told him, tightening his bonds as he did. “Personally, I think you’re too smart to pull a stupid stunt that’ll get all your little friends killed.”

His tone was flat, but the threat was there. “Besides, I think you’ll want to hear us out.”

More warp gates appeared as new faces emerged.

These must be the rest of the villains from the training camp, Izuku realized, eyes flitting over them. Muscular was not among them, so the greenette deduced they’d either not found him or purposefully left him behind. The Nomu was also missing, and Izuku was grateful for it. If he could regain his strength, he could do something about the others, but the Nomu would’ve had him beat in just about every scenario the boy could think of.

“We did it!” The woman called Magne exclaimed. “Congrats darlings, you were all magnificent!”

“It was so much fun!” A bubbly girl in a school uniform said. “Let’s do it again!”

“Now now, Toga,” A tall man wearing a flashy suit, cape and mask said. “We pulled off our trick, now we must leave our audience wanting more.”

Toga pouted, slightly put out, until she locked eyes with the bound hero. She flushed. “Ooh, it’s you it’s you! Mr. Stainy chose you, he let you live! That means you’re special, but I didn’t think you’d be so cute!!”

She leaned forward, her wide grin flashing her sharp canines. “You’d look so much better covered in blood, ooh I can’t wait! Let me make him bleed, oh please please pleeeaaase!”

“That’s quite enough,” A familiar voice rasped out, Izuku’s blood running cold at the sound. 

Tomura Shigaraki appeared from the last of the warp gates, a man made of purple mist following behind him before the gate closed.

That must be who’s making the warp gates, Izuku thought as the mist man moved behind the bar. It looks like there’s a physical body hidden under his mist, which he’s using to trick people into thinking he’s incorporeal. That’s a pretty clever strategy…

The greenette snapped his focus back to Shigaraki, who had pushed Toga aside and was undoing Izuku’s restraints.

“Is that wise, Shigaraki?” The mist man’s deep voice rang out, glowing yellow eyes watching the two cautiously.

“I know what I’m doing, Kurogiri; Izuku is our guest, and we want him to feel comfortable.” He removed the straps, lifting the healer’s chin with his thumb and index finger. “You must be tired from the fight, sweet Izuku…let’s get you something to drink.”

Kurogiri filled a glass with water, passing it to the blue haired man. Shigaraki led Izuku to a booth, setting the water down in front of him. The greenette eyed the glass warily.

“It’s not poisoned or drugged,” the villain assured him. “Why go to all this trouble just to kill you?”

Izuku wasn’t entirely convinced, but took a sip anyways, knowing he’d need his strength. “Is anyone injured?”

The other villains looked to one another, most shaking their heads, until the masked man stepped forward. “That Bakugo boy did a number on my arm, despite how damaged he was from fighting Moonfish.”

Kaachan… Izuku shook his head, focusing on the villain. He sensed muscle and nerve damage in the man’s arm, as well as a few surface burns he likely wasn’t aware of. “Yours wounds aren’t severe, but they’ll need medical attention soon to keep them from getting worse.”

Shigaraki was grinning. “Oh? And will you be the one to attend to Compress, Izuku?”

The greenette loathed the way the red eyed man used his first name so casually, as if they were friends, as if-

Oh.

“I… I can,” Izuku mumbled, eyes trained on the table in front of him, “but he’ll have to take his mask off.”

Compress looked to Shigaraki, getting a nod of affirmation from him. He gently took his mask off, revealing pale skin and hazel eyes. He had a soft, almost gentle look about him, and Izuku distantly wondered why this man had turned to crime. Compress leaned forward as Izuku titled his head upwards, his lips connecting with the man’s cheek.

Compress gasped as his arm began to heal, his eyes glassy and unfocused. Izuku had powered his quirk as much as he could, hoping to knock the man out, but he was far too exhausted to achieve it. Instead, Compress gave him a dopey grin before pulling his mask back on, a spring in his step as he rejoined Spinner and Magne in the corner.

Shigaraki looked as though Christmas had come early. “I knew you were perfect,” he muttered, leaning into Izuku’s space. “The final member of our party: a lovely paladin, graceful and strong…”

The freckled boy was no longer listening, unable to concentrate as his eyelids grew heavy.

“Yes… sleep, my sweet,” Shigaraki crooned, spindly fingers threading through green curls. “You’ll need your strength for what’s to come.”

As Izuku drifted off, his body succumbing to his exhaustion, he could only hope that his friends were safe.

Chapter Text

Aizawa held back a sigh as he trudged towards the conference room, each step a hardship as his limbs felt heavy and numb.

He hadn’t had a moment’s rest since Midoriya was taken, the man caught in a whirlwind of rescue, disaster relief, police questioning and strategy meetings. Nezu had decided the best course of action for UA was to hold a press conference addressing the situation, playing dumb for whomever may be watching and allowing the police and other pro heroes time to save Midoriya from the villains without arousing suspicion.

Aizawa grit his teeth. It was his fault Midoriya had been taken. He should have forced the healer into the lodge with Kota, should have dragged him by his hair, if necessary. 

Even that wouldn’t have stopped him, Aizawa thought morosely, adjusting his tie before following Vlad and Nezu into the conference room. That problem child of mine won’t stop until he’s saved the world, and everyone in it.

Aizawa took his seat between the other two educators, members of the press already crowded into the space. He kept his composure as Nezu issued the school’s official statement, a rather boring speech filled with baseless platitudes that had been sanitized and approved by the Hero Commission. The hero knew that the empty words would offer no consolation to the parents, nor to the public.

As they opened the floor for questions, one brave reporter turned his question into a critique of heroes and hero programs. “How can we trust schools like UA to protect and educate our children when villains have successfully managed to attack its students on four separate occasions? And further, if UA couldn’t even protect its so called ‘Sweetheart,’ how can it possibly hope to protect any of its other students??”

Aizawa stood from his chair, eyes burning. Vlad made to pull him back down, but a look from Nezu stopped him.

“The Sports Festival proved that Izuku Midoriya is not a strong combatant,” the reporter continued. “Can you be certain that he’s even still alive?”

“Let me make one thing abundantly clear,” Aizawa said, his tone surprisingly even. “Izuku Midoriya is one of the most intelligent, capable students in the hero course at UA, including the second and third years. It was due in part to the strength and adaptability of his quirk that only three students needed medical attention once the attack had ended. It is also thanks to him that a young boy is alive and well, and that the serial killer Muscular is behind bars.”

The reporters looked to one another: they hadn’t been given that information beforehand, and many rushed to write it down.  

“Midoriya is not called UA’s Sweetheart to belittle or demean his abilities,” Aizawa continued, glaring daggers at the offending reporter. “It is not a title meant to infantilize or mock him. Izuku Midoriya is UA’s Sweetheart because of his kindness and compassion, because of his nurturing spirit and miraculous power. He is the heart of UA, because of everyone who has ever stepped foot into the hero courses, he has the biggest.”

Having nothing further to say, the teacher returned to his seat and allowed Nezu to close out the press conference. As the three retired to the faculty room, joining the communications with All Might and the police, Aizawa ran a hand through his hair, freeing it from the carefully combed style he’d had it in.

The night would prove to be a long one, and the teacher tried to find some comfort in his own words as he waited for Midoriya to be saved.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku watched the television with tears in his eyes as his teacher said such kind things about him. If he could hold onto those words, he might be able to make it through his situation.

Since waking up, Kurogiri had been tending to him, bringing him a change of clothes and some food while Shigaraki and the others dealt with other business. He had overheard Dabi say that they had taken Ragdoll hostage as well, and were holding her at some other location. It made Izuku’s stomach churn to think about what they could be doing to her.

They’ve made it clear that they want me to join them, he thought, eyes trained on Dabi, Toga and Magne as they entered bar, and to act as their healer, but what could they possibly want with Ragdoll? Her quirk is useful, but she’d never turn on the Pussycats, they have to know that…

“My, my,” Magne drawled, watching the conference. “That teacher of yours sure is a looker, Midoriya.”

Toga scoffed. “He’d be cuter with a little more blood on him.”

“You’re still young,” Magne told her. “A gentleman of his caliber would be wasted on you. Now, a woman with experience-“

“That’s enough,” Dabi said, switching the TV off. He turned to Kurogiri. “The others will be here shortly. Shigaraki says he’s got some plans he wants to go over.”

“Then perhaps we should prepare a room for our guest,” Kurogiri replied, glowing eyes flitting over to Izuku. 

Dabi turned to look at Izuku, his expression blank. “Nah, he wants Midoriya here, too. Another bid for his loyalty, I’ll bet.”

“That’s never going to happen,” the freckled boy declared, eyes burning. “I’m a hero, and there’s no changing that!”

They stared one another down, before Dabi scoffed. “Everyone’s got a breaking point kid, even you.”

The others left to carry out the tasks Shigaraki had given them as Dabi stood watch over Izuku.

“I had suggested we gag you,” he commented lightly, picking at his sleeve, “to keep you from using that quirk of yours, but the boss wouldn’t hear it. He’s infatuated with you.”

Izuku suppressed a shiver at the statement. “He just wants me for my healing,” he muttered, neither one of them believing it.

Dabi’s gaze was intense, something about it lighting up the back of the healer’s mind. Those eyes…

“How exactly is it that you heal people?” The villain asked, leaning against the bar. “Every healing quirk that I’ve ever seen has to take something in order to give. How is it that you can heal dozens of people one after another without so much as breaking a sweat?”

“I- I don’t really know,” the greenette said truthfully. “Recovery Girl seems to think that my willingness and drive to help people is what powers my quirk.”

Dabi scoffed. “What a boring, flowery answer. And Shigaraki really thinks he can get you to join us…”

“It’s not really about me, is it? I mean, it’s clear he wants my quirk, and… but those things are additional, aren’t they? Taking me from UA is more about the statement it makes.”

“So you do have a brain,” the villain taunted, “I was beginning to think that head was just filled with more hair.” He crossed over to the healer, leaning against the booth the boy was in. “I wonder how badly UA would suffer if they knew their favorite student had become one of us… I bet All Might would even shed a tear as he punched the mist right out of your mouth.”

“I see, all of this is just a shot at the number one hero,” Izuku muttered, “All Might is still his big objective…”

Dabi said nothing.

“You know,” Izuku continued, “you have very interesting eyes.”

“Flirting won’t work on me, kid.”

“That’s not what I meant. Their intensity, the anger behind them… Just the flames would be one thing, but the eyes… your eyes are just like Endeavor’s.”

Izuku took the punch to the face without a sound, refusing to cry out despite the pain.

“You know what? I think I will gag you after all,” the villain decided, going back over to the bar to fetch some duct tape. 

“That won’t be necessary,” came Shigaraki’s reedy voice, the villain grabbing the roll of tape and turning it to ash. He winced as he felt that familiar itch tingling around his eyes again, a feeling that had been almost nonexistent since that fateful day at the mall. The others began to file in, eyes flitting between the three as the scene unfolded.

Shigaraki turned to the healer, who was eyeing both he and Dabi warily. “It’s not a good idea to antagonize your captors, Izuku; We want you alive, but that doesn’t mean we won’t hurt you to keep you in line.”

Izuku looked to the others, noting their gleeful expressions at the thought of hurting him. 

These are wild, desperate people; some of them worship Stain, but the rest only care for destruction. They want my quirk, but if I refuse them, they’ll kill me just so no one else can benefit from it. I have to figure something out, and fast!

“I seem to have injured myself,” Shigaraki continued, pointing to the cracks beginning to appear on his face. “You helped me by accident last time; I wonder, what will you do this time?”

Izuku stared at him, before casting his eyes downward. He could play along, and if he was quick enough… “I’ll… I’ll help you.”

Shigaraki’s face split into a wide grin. “Perfect.”

The villain crossed over to the greenette, helping him to stand and taking care not to activate his quirk. Izuku’s faced scrunched in disgust as he placed a small kiss to Shigaraki’s cheek, the effects instantaneous.

“Even better than the first time,” Shigaraki sighed, his head feeling light and fuzzy. He frowned as he felt his limbs grow heavy, his hands completely numb. Next to him, Izuku looked smug; he’d tricked him. “What is this? I thought I told you-“

The villain was cut off as a hole was blasted into the side of the bar, at the same time a cloud of pink mist filled the air. The hero Kamui Woods swung in, using his branch-like arms to secure the villains. 

“Kurogiri! Warp-“

But the mist man was already unconscious, the hero Edgeshot putting him under as Izuku’s mist took care of the rest.

“Young Midoriya!”

Izuku turned to see All Might standing before him, the hero’s signature smile on his face.

“All Might!” The healer dispelled his mist as tears welled up in his eyes. He raced forward, distancing himself from the villains as much as possible.

“Are you alright?” His teacher asked, noticing the bruise forming on his student’s cheek. 

Izuku nodded. “I’m fine; I’m guessing Momo’s tracker worked?”

The hero blinked. “You knew about that?”

Izuku shot him an unimpressed look. “She put it in my shoe, I can feel it stabbing into my foot.”

“Ah, right. That makes sense…”

The hero then turned his attention to Shigaraki, who was beginning to stir. “And you! Tell me, where is your master?”

Master? Izuku thought, watching as All Might interrogated the villain. Shigaraki isn’t the one in charge?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The streets of Kamino Ward were fairly empty as the group of UA students made its way to the first tracker location, just outside of the main shopping district. 

The were all in disguises that, by Mei’s approximation, were a poor imitation of the adults they saw around them. Momo’s nighttime sunglasses and Todoroki’s wig were especially ridiculous, but she supposed Katsuki’s biker outfit and her ill fitting pantsuit weren’t much better.

“Remember, we’re nothing more than a group of hooligans, looking to pick up some hot babes!” Iida told them, fiddling with his fake mustache.

“You don’t get out much, do you pal?” Mei teased, watching as Katsuki yelled at a passerby who bumped into him.

I think I overestimated the capabilities of the hero students, she thought to herself, dragging the enraged blond away from the drunken man with help from Kirishima. Good thing I brought my babies with me, even these dummies can press a button.

The girl had brought with her a duffel bag containing two pairs of night vision goggles, as well as her hover boots, jetpack and an updated version of Izuku’s zip line bracers. She had wanted to give them to the greenette when he’d returned from camp, but…

She shook her head; they were going to save him, no matter what.

The tracker led them to what appeared to be an abandoned building, the lights off and the weeds outside overgrown and undisturbed.

“We need to find a clear vantage point,” Momo muttered, scanning the area.

“Over there,” Mei said, pointing to a small alleyway. “It’ll be a squeeze, but we should be able to peek through a window from there without anyone on the street seeing us.”

The alley was just barely wide enough for the broadest of them to fit, but they managed to shimmy over to a window, Mei and Kirishima using the others as a boost to peer inside. Kirishima gasped.

“Those tanks…they- they’re filled with Nomu!”

“So, they create them here,” Mei deduced, looking around the inside for more clues, “or at the very least store them here. This area is remote, but it would still look suspicious having supplies or equipment brought to this building with any sort of frequency. I’m not seeing any villains, nor any signs of Izu.”

“Maybe we followed the wrong tracker,” Momo suggested, Bakugo snarling at her.

“Are you telling me your shit spy equipment took us to the wrong place?!”

“There are two trackers, Bakugo,” Iida chided him. “We followed the first, and it led us to a bunch of Nomu, which means that the Nomu Yaoyorozu bugged is probably in there.”

“So if we follow the second tracker, we’ll find Midoriya,” Todoroki chimed in, his expression turning serious.

“That’s right, we shoul-“

Iida’s words were cut off as a giant boot smashed into the building. The group looked up to see the hero Mt. Lady standing with a group of heroes, as well as a bunch of police. The heroes moved quickly to subdue the Nomu, the police helping to secure them.

“I thought this was gonna be way harder,” Mt. Lady complained, jiggling the Nomu in her giant fist. “But it turned out super boring!”

“Boring means no casualties and no complications,” Came Best Jeanist’s voice, and Katsuki had to fight the urge to blow their cover and blast the man in the face for the stunts he pulled during the internships.

“The heroes have this,” Iida whispered to the others, who nodded. “We should leave now, before we get caught here.”

Before any of them could move, a new voice rang out from the building, taunting the heroes. “I wouldn’t say no casualties, at least not yet.”

Jeanist made to attack as a masked man came into view, his eyes missing and a breathing apparatus strapped to the lower half of his face. The man raised his arm, releasing his quirk.

The building shook once more as a blast of energy slammed into the heroes, destroying the street behind them and sending the police scattered about the rubble.

The man smiled. “It’s time for my successor and I to have a little reunion, along with his new pet.”

Black sludge formed in several spots around the dilapidated building, spitting out the League members, Shigaraki and Izuku.

The freckled boy coughed and spluttered as he caught his breath, his eyes wide and fearful. The man smiled at him.

“Izuku Midoriya, the new healing hero! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“And just who exactly am I meeting?” Izuku asked him, taking a shaky step backwards.

“You can call me All For One.”

Chapter Text

Izuku looked at the man before him with trepidation, his senses tingling with the sheer numbers of injuries coming from him.

So much damage… whatever quirk he has must be strong, to keep him standing despite all of it.

The healer became aware of the fallen heroes behind him and raced over to them, ignoring the villain. Best Jeanist was the worst off, a gaping hole in his torso. He could see Mt. Lady, Tiger and Ragdoll nearby, and Izuku’s stomach churned as he sensed their injuries as well.

“You’re a monster,” Izuku spat at the villain, who merely smiled.

“I’ve been called worse.”

All for One made no moves to stop Izuku from healing the heroes, using his amplified senses to feel as Jeanist’s wounds knitted themselves back together.

“Fascinating,” he muttered. “I’m almost certain I destroyed his lungs, and yet you were able to restore them effortlessly.”

He moved closer as Izuku tended to Ragdoll, covering her as best he could with the towel she had on. “Tell me, are you reversing the damage done to them, or fostering new growth in the broken organs?”

“A little bit of both,” Izuku felt compelled to answer, wondering if this was yet another quirk the villain was displaying. The thought unsettled him. “Jeanist’s body was heavily damaged, but all the important pieces were still there. By promoting rapid cellular regeneration, I was able to get the fragmented organs back where they needed to be in order to fully heal him.”

“So, you need the right pieces to complete the puzzle,” All for One deduced, grinning. “And what about for someone like me, hmm? If I brought you a pair of eyes, could you make them part of me?”

Izuku tried not to answer, but the words dripped from his tongue anyway. “I… I can’t say for certain, since I’ve never tried, but it’s possible… surgery would be necessary to reach the eye socket, and there would still need to be the appropriate nerves and blood vessels to attach them to; even then, it’s a long shot… I’m not a doctor, and my knowledge of the human body is limited to a few months of study, but from what I can tell your body is being held together by power and malice.”

All for One let out an amused chuckle. “I can see why my protégé is so keen on you, though I must disagree with his foolish notion that you can be swayed to join us. If I’m held together by power and malice, then you’re held together by blind optimism.”

Izuku frowned, and the villain continued. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you since you saved your teacher after the USJ incident, and it’s clear to me that your compulsive need to save people is your downfall. Tell me, why bother helping Shigaraki or Compress, knowing just what kind of people they are?”

“Saving people does not mean absolving them of their crimes,” the greenette argued. “I want villains to face justice, but that doesn’t mean I want them to suffer. I’ve seen the way some heroes use excessive force to take down their enemies, and I think it’s wrong. Being a hero means protecting the innocent, not brutalizing the guilty.”

All for One’s smile widened. “Interesting. Perhaps there is still use for you, after all. I had thought to simply take your power for myself, but I suppose I can be patient and let you keep it a while longer.”

Take my power? Izuku spared a glance back to the Pussycats. “That’s why you wanted Ragdoll,” he muttered, turning back to the villain. “You stole her quirk!”

“I did; such a pity that the heroes found us when they did, I had hoped to turn their beloved teammate into a Nomu before reuniting them.”

Izuku’s blood ran cold. He had theorized that the Nomu were some kind of mutated, twisted version of a regular person, yet he had assumed that they were assembled from various body parts, spliced together like Frankenstein’s monster. Hearing that the League was taking people and heroes and twisting them entirely into the lumbering golems he’d seen at Hosu and the training camp made him sick.

If we hadn’t intervened, there would’ve been nothing my quirk could do to save Ragdoll, he realized. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside him, but before he could snap at the villain, he sensed something.

It wasn’t an injury, but a healthy, steady heartbeat. He concentrated as more appeared, six in total, coming from just beyond the far wall. Someone’s there…

Before he could react, he felt a gust of wind kick up beside him as All Might appeared, the hero scowling at All for One.

“I was wondering when you’d finally get here, All Might,” the villain taunted. “It took you seven seconds longer than I’d anticipated, is old age finally catching up with you?”

As the two adults bickered, Izuku spared a glance over to the far wall, focusing on the heartbeats. They were fast, irregular; whoever was back there was scared. Izuku debated going over there when Shigaraki stirred; he, Twice, Toga and Spinner standing up.

“That wasn’t very nice of you, Izuku,” Shigaraki ground out, red eyes burning. “We’ll have to teach you a lesson once we’ve dealt with All Might.”

“Leave this to me, Tomura,” All for One said, raising his hand and pointing it at the hero. “You need to leave with your comrades before this gets ugly.”

All Might rushed him, throwing a punch that created a small shockwave, the force of it shaking what was left of the building. Izuku braced himself as All for One returned the hit with even more power, sending the hero flying and destroying several buildings in the process.

The greenette clutched his head as he sensed dozens of injuries lighting up the block, the sheer number of them making him dizzy. It’s never been like this before…this isn’t like rescue training or helping out in the infirmary, people could die out here!

He knew he couldn’t do much, not with six villains surrounding him and a quirk that, for the most part, required physical contact to use. He’d need to be able to reach the injured to heal them, but he was still being held captive. He’d have to deal with the League first, then go aid in rescue.

The heroes I helped are still out cold, he assessed, which means I’m alone in this.  

“It’s time for you to go, Tomura,” All for One repeated, using one of his quirks to activate Kurogiri’s warp gates. “Lovely chatting with you, Izuku. We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

“I’m not going anywhere with them,” Izuku argued, readying his stance. 

“Come on kid, make this easy on us- You wanna fight, you little brat?!” 

“Oh yay! I’ll finally get to see Izuku’s blood! I’m so so excited!!”

Dabi and Kurogiri are their heavy hitters, so it’s good that they’re still out. I can’t risk getting touched by Shigaraki or stabbed by Twice or Toga, so I’ll need to be fast.

All for One returned his attention to All Might, who slammed into him with a Detroit Smash. Izuku dodged Toga’s knife, using the techniques he and Uraraka learned at Gunhead’s agency to disarm her. He leaned down and blew a concentrated puff of mist into her face, knocking her out once more. He barely had time to stand back up when Twice flew forward, the greenette flipping over his shoulder and landing a hard kick to the man, sending him staggering through the warp gate.

“Impressive,” Shigaraki sneered, Spinner stepping forward. “But that won’t work for all of us.”

Before he could respond, an explosion rang out from the far wall. Izuku turned in time to see Iida, Hatsume and Katsuki burst through the rubble, speeding towards him.

“Quick, grab him!”

Izuku dodged Spinner’s hand, countering with a roundhouse kick to the villain’s jaw. He calculated his friends’ trajectory and cartwheeled over to them, launching himself into the air as a burst of ice appeared to create a ramp. Hatsume used her bracers to fire off a zip line, aiming for the greenette. Izuku grabbed it, letting the device pull him up to the group as Iida’s engines and Katsuki’s blasts propelled them up the ramp and into the air.

Hatsume activated her hover boots and her jetpack to keep them aloft, Katsuki’s explosions controlling their flight path. 

“Are you okay?” Hatsume yelled out, holding Izuku tightly to her. 

“I’m fine, but how are we gonna land?!”

Thankfully, the strength of the hover boots and the fuel in the jetpack were just enough to get them safely down, though their landing was rougher than the girl had anticipated.

The four were a good five miles or so outside of the battlefield, the crowds bigger now due to the destruction caused by the fight. Somewhere overhead, a news helicopter was filming and broadcasting the battle, many of the televisions on the sides of the buildings showing the live footage. 

Izuku turned to his friends, just in time to be pulled into a crushing hug by Hatsume.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” she said, sniffling. Izuku felt tears welling up in his eyes as he held his friend, the two crying into each other’s shoulders. Iida was next, the normally composed boy a mess as he frantically checked the greenette for wounds.

“Where did this bruise come from? Did one of those fiends strike you?!”

“It’s alright,” Izuku tried to say, but the dark looks on his friends’ faces told him it was a futile effort.

Finally, Katsuki stepped forward, the others giving the two some space.

“Kaachan, I-“

“You’re so fucking stupid,” Katsuki growled out, crushing the greenette in a tight hug. “I finally got you back after all these years, and you go and get yourself kidnapped?! You really think I can handle these extras without you, Deku?? Huh?!?”

Izuku just wrapped his arms around his childhood friend, holding him. “I’m sorry, Kaachan.”

The two stayed like that for awhile, silently comforting each other, until the healer stepped back. “Uh, Kaachan? Why are you wearing so much leather?”

The blond huffed. “It’s a disguise.”

“Yes!” Iida exclaimed, pointing to his mustache. “We’re supposed to be hooligans, out looking to pick up hot babes!”

Izuku stifled his laughter behind his hand. “You guys look like a bad pop group,” he snickered as Katsuki started yelling.

Before he could say anything else, a collective gasp rang out from the crowd.

The four turned their attention to the large screen above them, broadcasting the fight. The villains who’d held Izuku hostage and the heroes he’d saved were gone, leaving All Might, All for One and a few newly arrived heroes on the battlefield. 

Izuku watched with the others in horror as the two pummeled each other, bones breaking and skin tearing as the fight dragged on. The greenette scooted closer to his friends, his eyes never leaving the screen. 

Finally, with a final burst of power, All Might slammed his fist into All for One with enough force to shatter the villain’s mask, knocking him to the ground. All Might stood stock still for a moment, before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

“What the hell?!” Katsuki exclaimed, the sentiment echoed by others around them.

When the smoke finally cleared, there was a spindly looking man in the hero’s place, All Might’s signature hero suit baggy on his lanky frame.

“Is- is that All Might?” Someone from the crowd exclaimed.

“No way, how’d he shrink? Was it the villain?”

“He looks so sickly…”

The murmurs ceased as the gaunt man shifted, raising his fist to the air.

The crowd paused for a moment, before cheering at the victory. Izuku turned to look at his friends, his concerned expression mirroring their own.

The number one hero had won, but at what cost?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The group managed to meet back up with Momo, Todoroki and Kirishima once the trains started up again, the students exchanging storied from the past day.

“The whole class wanted to come and save you, but that probably would’ve looked suspicious,” Kirishima told the healer.

“Either way, thank you for rescuing me, Kiri!”

Izuku was sat between Katsuki and Todoroki, the two glaring at one another over the nest of green curls that separated them. 

“What do you guys think will happen to All Might?” Kirishima asked, his voice small.

Izuku frowned. “I- I have no idea… I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like that, it was scary.”

Momo nodded. “I wonder if the All Might we all recognize isn’t his true form, but a part of his quirk that lets him enhance his body to look the way it does.”

Hatsume turned to look at the girl sitting next to her. “That could be. After all, no one really knows what All Might’s quirk is, so maybe his weaker form was kept a secret so we’d all think the Symbol of Peace was indestructible.”

“If that’s the case, then that must mean he keeps his quirk activated the entire time he’s in the public eye,” Izuku deduced. “It would take serious dedication to master something like that, not to mention the strain on the body that-“

“Anyone ever tell you nerds that you talk too damn much?” Katsuki grumbled, resting his head on top of Izuku’s. The greenette blushed at the contact.

Todoroki glowered at the blond, before an idea came to him. “Midoriya, I think I’d like to lie down.”

“Oh? Are you getting up, then-“

Izuku suppressed a squeak as the dual toned boy laid his head in his friend’s lap, a smug look on his face.

Hatsume and Momo watched in amusement as Katsuki and Todoroki began arguing, a blushing Izuku caught in the middle.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Izuku had expected the lecture from Mr. Aizawa when they returned, and had even expected the threat of expulsion after hearing about the hero class’ first day of school, but he hadn’t expected for the teacher to give him a hug.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he muttered, before stepping back. “But I mean it, any of you pull a stunt like this again without your provisional licenses, and the Hero Commission will have you blacklisted; even I can’t help you if that happens.”

They promised their teacher they’d behave, with the exception of Katsuki and Hatsume, but he didn’t look convinced.

“Is Power Loader going to be mad at you?” Izuku asked his pink haired friend.

She shrugged. “I’m in Support, no one cares what we do.”

As Izuku entered the dorm, he was nearly knocked off his feet by the number of classmates rushing him at once.

“Everyone, settle down! One at a time!” Iida told them, trying unsuccessfully to get them off of the freckled boy.

Everyone was talking at once, apologizing or crying or praising him for his bravery. Izuku just smiled, squeezing his friends tighter.

He was home.

Chapter Text

“So, you knew about All Might’s other form?”

Shinso nodded, violet eyes trained on the clouds above.

The whole of UA was on a temporary lockdown, the students unable to leave campus due to the increased security risk. With the capture and imprisonment of All for One, Izuku was sure the safety measures would relax somewhat in the coming weeks.

Currently, he and Shinso were lounging outside of the dorms, in the shade of their courtyard’s largest tree. Hatsume and Momo had been with them, until the two left to get refreshments.

Izuku was willing to bet the girls simply wanted a moment alone together, and was hoping one of them confessed to the other soon.

The greenette turned back to his friend. “Why didn’t you tell me about it? Did All Might ask you to keep it a secret?”

Shinso shifted uncomfortably, his expression guilty. “Uh, no… I saw he and Mr. Aizawa fighting the week of the internships. Well, actually it was Mr. Aizawa who was fighting, All Might was just kind of taking the hits.”

Izuku’s eyes widened as Shinso told him the whole story, his friend not looking at him once.

“I’m really sorry… I know I should’ve told you way sooner, I was just afraid-“ He cut himself off. “It’s really selfish, but I didn’t want to ruin my chances of getting into the hero course. Nezu didn’t swear me to secrecy, but I could tell he wanted me to keep it to myself, so I did. I betrayed our friendship…”

Izuku stared at him for a moment. “I can’t say I’m thrilled that you kept this from me, but I understand why you did. I- I think I’ll need to talk to All Might, and maybe Mr. Aizawa too… but I wouldn’t exactly say you betrayed our friendship.”

Shinso finally turned to look at him. “But, I did; I kept this from you, even though it sounded really important.”

“I agree, and maybe you should have told me right away, but no one is worse off because you didn’t. I’m not saying keeping things from people is a good thing, but I also don’t think you should beat yourself up over this; I forgive you.”

Shinso shook his head, a small smile on his face. “You know, you really are way too nice.”

“Besides,” Izuku continued, smiling brightly. “You’re going to make it up to me by doing my share of the dorm chores this week!”

The purple haired boy groaned, flopping backwards onto the grass. “I take it back, you’re evil.”

Izuku just giggled.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The following day, Izuku met with the principal and the detective he’d met right after the incident at the mall.

Boy, this class sure has had a lot of incidents, he thought to himself, taking a seat.

“By now, I’m sure you know better than anyone the threat the League of Villains presents,” Nezu began. “Detective Tsukauchi will be taking your statement, and we can call in the school’s appointed therapist, if you’d like.”

The healer shook his head. “I’ll be okay.”

As he recounted his story, the two adults looked to one another.

“I’m afraid that it sounds as though the League hasn’t given up on trying to take you,” Nezu said gently. “Or at the very least, take your quirk.”

Izuku nodded. “I don’t think Shigaraki has realized, but All for One must have guessed that my quirk does much more than just heal people. If he gets his hands on it, he could use my power to make more powerful, more refined Nomu.”

“Then we can’t allow that to happen,” Nezu responded, ignoring the detective’s horrified expression. “Now that we have their leader imprisoned at Tartarus, the heroes and the police will have to make short work of rounding up the remaining villains.”

“I managed to learn a little bit about some of the league members, like what their quirks are and their overall dynamic with one another; I’d be happy to share it with you, detective.”

The man readily agreed, and it was another hour or so before they finally finished.

“I was hoping you might do the school another favor, if you don’t mind,” Nezu asked the greenette after Tsukauchi had left. “The press has been hungry for an interview with you after the incident in Kamino and, while we don’t want to burden you with such tedium, it might be a good showing to have you speak at a press conference later this evening.”

Izuku looked at him. “Is that wise, sir? I thought one of the reasons we were on lockdown was to keep the hero students out of the public eye, won’t me speaking the press be counterintuitive to that?”

“Ordinarily I’d agree; the thing is, even with all of the extra measures UA has put in place, I don’t believe there’s any way of keeping you out of the spotlight anymore, Midoriya. Present Mic started it at the Sports Festival, but somehow you’ve managed to become a focal point in nearly everything that’s happened since. You were even a crucial part of the USJ incident, even if no one outside the school knows about it. And then there’s Eraser Head’s approbation of you in the last press conference to consider; having you issue a statement as a follow up may be the boon we need.”

The small creature turned to the window, gazing out onto the campus. “It’s a selfish thing to ask of you, I know, but I believe we’re coming to a turning point in our society regarding heroes. Many people have begun losing faith in heroes, yet almost everything that’s being said about you is positive; even the Hero Commission granted leniency to you and your friends after repeatedly breaking the quirk restriction laws these past few months. I believe that you and the other hero students will be the ones to restore the country’s faith in heroes, and I hope you’ll help in taking that first step.”

Izuku bit his lip. Making a public statement came with both pros and cons, not only for himself but every student at UA as well. But Nezu had a point: his school title and the nature of his quirk had been received very well by the public and, despite the trouble they’d caused, class 1-A had garnered a small following thanks to their heroics in the face of villainy. The healer knew the right thing to do would be to help save his school’s reputation, if he could.

“I’ll do it,” he told the principal, giving him a determined smile.

Before the conference began, Izuku made a quick trip to the infirmary. It had only been a few weeks since the last time he’d worked there, and yet it felt as though it was years in the past. So much had happened to and for him in his first semester at UA, both good and bad, and it made him smile to think of how far he’d come since his first day working with Recovery Girl.

All Might was in one of the infirmary beds, still in his skinnier form, talking to a small man in a white and yellow hero suit. Izuku distantly remembering Nezu saying his name was Gran Torino.

“You must be Midoriya,” the man said, eyeing him critically. “I’ve heard good things about you.”

“Nice to meet you, sir; I came to check on All Might,” he said, crossing over to the bed. He scanned the hero’s injuries, frowning to himself. “There’s some severe damage to your stomach, as well as your lungs… your muscle and bone tissue is also pretty bad, but there doesn’t seem to be any brain damage, at least.”

Torino snorted. “Just the brain damage he started out with,” he teased, All Might letting out a squawk of indignation.

Izuku turned to his teacher. “I don’t think I’m allowed to heal you, since none of your injuries are life threatening, but I could probably use my mist to help with the pain.”

All Might gave him a smile. “That’s what drugs are for, kid; don’t worry about me, I’ll be fine. Besides, this pain is penance, in a way…”

“For the whole successor thing?” Izuku asked gently. At the two heroes’ expressions, he clarified. “Toshi told me what he saw that day Mr. Aizawa punched you.”

“So, you know that I want you as my successor. How do you feel about that?”

Izuku had been torn when Shinso had told him about it: admittedly, there was a part of him that was thrilled his favorite hero wanted him to inherit his power. On the other hand, the greenette had seen firsthand how dangerous, how volatile All Might’s power could be. Uraraka had told him what Thirteen had said at the USJ that fateful day, about how a power that could help could also easily kill in the wrong hands. He didn’t want a destructive power, didn’t need it, and he told All Might as much.

The blond man sighed, “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I expected it. Truth is, handing this power off may be more of a curse than anything else.”

“The damage to your tissue,” Izuku realized, green eyes flitting over the hero, “it’s deep, and some of it is old. It’s from One for All, isn’t it? It’s been slowly destroying your body.”

All Might nodded. “With each person who wields it, One for All gets stronger and stronger, and it’s gotten to the point that a normal body can’t handle the strain. I had hoped someone with your quirk would be able to counteract the effects, but it’s only a theory… it may not work like that at all, and then I’d have handed you a death sentence for no reason.”

The freckled boy nodded. “I’m flattered that you thought me worthy of it, but I think it best that you hold onto your power, at least until the right person comes along. Once I have my provisional license, I can try to help you combat the side effects, if possible.”

The hero gave him a small, weary smile. “Thank you, Young Midoriya.”

As Izuku left the infirmary to get changed for the press conference, he thought about his favorite All Might videos. He saved people with a smile, but more often than not it was a pained one. Logically, he knew hero work was extremely dangerous and usually led to serious injury or sometimes early retirement, but the greenette believed there had to be a better way.

Maybe that’s what heroes like me are for, to show the rest a better way to save the day…

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When it came time for the press conference, Izuku took a seat towards the end of the table, in between Aizawa and Midnight. As Nezu began the conference, Izuku could feel the eyes of the reporters on him, his anxiety beginning to spike. He wasn’t much of an orator, and he could feel some of those middle school insecurities cropping up as Nezu invited him to speak.

Each step he took to the podium was stilted, and distantly the greenette couldn’t help but wonder why he’d thought this was a good idea. He stood behind the podium, taking a deep, calming breath, before beginning.

“Thank you all for coming. My name is Izuku Midoriya, and I’m in my first year at UA High. 

This past semester, I’ve learned a lot about what it means to be a hero, and about what kind of hero I want to be. Participating in the Sports Festival, doing my  internships and attending the summer training camp have helped me understand not just my quirk, but who I am. When the League of Villains came to take me, my first priority was to ensure the safety of my classmates, as well as a little boy named Kota. I gave the villains their small victory, so no further harm would come to the people I care about. Mr. Aizawa, Vlad King and the Wild, Wild Pussycats did their best to protect us, and the other pros worked hard with the police to come rescue me. I know it wasn’t perfect, and I know a lot of people were injured, scared and relocated after what happened in Kamino, but evil lost that day. 

The battle won at the training camp did not win them the next, and it won’t win them the war. I understand the public’s frustration with heroes, and I don’t disagree that change is necessary, but we can’t give up on those who give their all to protect us, not when we need them most. I guess, that’s all I wanted to say…”

The room was silent, save for the scribbling of notes that could be heard. One reporter finally stood, all eyes turning to him. “Will you be taking questions, young man?”

At the nod of approval form Nezu, Izuku opened the floor for questions.

“Best Jeanist and several other pro heroes were taken to safety during All Might’s fight with the villain All for One, can you comment on their condition?”

“I’m not a doctor, nor have I been charged with tending to them; however, I healed Best Jeanist and the others before I was rescued myself, so unless something happened to them after I was removed from the situation they should all make full recoveries.”

“And what of All Might? He’s being treated here at UA, is he not?” A woman with shockingly long eyelashes asked.

“I can’t comment on that,” Izuku told her, deciding it would be best not to paint yet another target on the school. 

“Now that the number one hero has revealed his… other form to the world, do you think their will be a new Symbol of Peace?” Another reporter questioned.

Izuku frowned. “There will never be another Symbol of Peace… All Might may not stay the number one hero forever, but his ideology is what will endure. The Symbol of Peace isn’t just about fighting bad guys or racing off to save the day, it’s about doing what we can to make the world a better place. All Might does his job with a smile on his face, because he believes the world needs a reason to smile. That’s why he’s the Symbol of Peace, and why there will never be another.”

“Are you saying that neither you nor your classmates strive to surpass him?” The eyelash woman asked, titling her head up slightly so she could see.

“I can’t speak for the others, but for myself I’ll say this: The world has its Symbol of Peace, and I strive for something different. I can fight bad guys okay, but my strengths come from healing others, not hurting them. I want to be a nurturer, not just a brawler. I don’t want to be seen as the Symbol of Peace, because…”

He smiled at the reporters, putting his Pucker Up persona on as he sweetly said. “I want to be: the Symbol of Love!”

As the room went up, reporters now talking over one another to get an exclusive from the greenette, Midnight chuckled to herself.

“The world isn’t ready for what that boy is going to do for it,” she muttered to Aizawa, who nodded. “He’s just what it needs.”

Chapter Text

When Izuku returned to the dorms, there was yet another slumber party happening.

It had become almost a weekly occurrence for the class of 1-A, with Ashido and Kaminari often spearheading the preparations for them. Hatsume was always invited, and some of the 1-B students were as well, excepting Monoma. Izuku spotted Tetsutetsu playing video games with Kirishima and Aoyama, and Kendo and Tokage over with Ashido and Momo by the kitchen.

The greenette took a seat on the couch, and was immediately joined by Todoroki.

“This came for you in the mail today,” the taller boy said, handing him a letter. It was a plain envelope, the school’s address written tidily on the front, but his name was written more haphazardly.

As he read its contents, Izuku felt his eyes water and his hands tremble. Once he’d finished reading he completely broke down, fat tears sliding down his cheeks. At once, the party died down. Some of the others, like Hatsume, Shinso, Katsuki and Momo, rushed over to him while the rest gave him looks of confusion and sympathy. 

“Are you okay, Midoriya?” Todoroki asked, completely taken aback. 

Izuku let out a watery chuckle. “I’m fine, these are happy tears. The letter… it’s from Kota, the kid from the training camp? He- he wrote to me, thanking me for saving him. He called me- he called me his hero!” There was a collective sigh of relief, the students grateful there wasn’t any more bad news.

Hatsume wrapped her arms around her friend, the others offering comforting touches as well. “Aawww, that’s so cute!”

“Better get used to it,” Ashido teased, a bright grin on her face. “We all should! After all we’re gonna be great heroes someday, so the thank you letters are gonna be pouring in, just you wait!”

“Are you really so surprised?” Iida asked the healer, giving him a warm smile. “You’ve saved everyone in this room at least once before, why should Kota feel any different?”

“I guess, cuz he always said how much he hated heroes,” the freckled boy said softly. “And, well… when I fought Muscular that night, I wasn’t really thinking like a hero. I was so terrified of what he might do to Kota, it was like something snapped. All I could think about was protecting him and the thought of something bad happening to him was making me crazy.”

“Sounds like some serious maternal instincts,” Hatsume teased, and Izuku stuck his tongue out petulantly in response.

Katsuki scoffed, turning back to the kitchen to fetch the boy some dinner. “You damn nerd, quit being so dramatic!”

“I think it’s sweet,” Todoroki told him, causing the greenette to flush. Ashido watched the interaction with a devious grin.

“All right, guys!” The pink skinned girl cried, moving to the center of the room. “Enough with the sappy talk, it’s time to have fun!” She plucked an empty bottle off of the floor, smacking it onto the coffee table. Half of the room groaned, while the other half perked up.

“No one wants to play that shit, Pinky,” Katsuki snarled, shoving a bowl of food into Izuku’s lap. Shinso wisely moved from his spot on the greenette’s left, allowing the hot head to swoop in and take it. He flushed as Katsuki draped his arm across the back of the couch, Todoroki leaning his head awkwardly on top of the healer’s.

Ashido merely ignored him, choosing instead to round up the people who did want to play. As he ate, Izuku watched in amusement as Kaminari kissed Kirishima and Jirou, Ashido kissed Hagakure and Sero, and Uraraka kissed Asui and Shinso.

The freckled boy watched with interest as Shinso and Uraraka parted from their kiss; they didn’t look giddy or flustered, but perhaps…intrigued? He made a note to watch their interactions more in the future.

He whooped and cheered with the others as a blushing Momo grabbed Hatsume’s hand and led her upstairs after their kiss, the two girls looking flustered but pleased.

“I’m so happy for them,” he told Shinso, who nodded in agreement.

The game was steadily losing players, most opting instead to find a spot on the floor to curl up. Izuku made his way upstairs to change, unaware of the two intense stares at his back. 

Izuku had just finished putting on his pajamas when there came a knock on his bedroom door. He opened it to find Katsuki standing there, his eyes trained on his feet. “Kaachan?”

The blond huffed. “You gonna let me in?”

The healer moved aside as the hot head stomped in, looking as close to nervous as Izuku had ever seen him.

“Is everything okay, Kaachan?”

When the blond’s crimson eyes finally met his, they were equal parts determined and sad. “I’ve got some shit to say, and when I’m done you can do whatever you want, but for now just listen.”

Izuku took a seat on his bed, Katsuki joining him. It was silent for a few moments, the freckled boy fighting the urge to fidget in his seat. 

“When you and Aunt Inko left, shit was hard Deku. I made other friends, but they couldn’t come close to what we had. When I was hanging out with them, all I could think of was you running over to me with your stupid bandaids, wanting to kiss my cuts and scrapes better. I… I missed you. Then I got into UA and everyone was still boring and extra, even if kicking the crap outta them was fun.”

The blond smirked, but it faded into a sad smile as he continued. “When I saw you in the infirmary that day, it was… it was like nothing had changed, and none of that other stupid shit mattered. My best friend was back.”

Izuku was fighting off the tears as he forced himself to remain quiet, wanting to hear what else the blond had to say. “I can’t even begin to tell you how fucking weird it was, seeing you kiss all those fucking losers every day. Out of every one in this damn school, of course you’d be the one with a fucking kissing quirk. Seeing you get into the hero course, and then kick almost as much ass as me, it was fucking great. It was like all that shit we talked about as kids was coming true.”

Izuku stilled as his friend grabbed his hand, their fingers intertwining. “I- I’m not great at this emotional crap; but I wanna try, for you… Deku, Izuku I… I love you.”

The greenette’s jaw dropped as he let out a small gasp. “Kaachan… I-“

“Don’t say anything, Midoriya,” Came a clipped voice. “Not yet.”

The two turned to see Todoroki standing in the doorway, his jaw set.

“The FUCK are you doing here, IcyHot?!” Katsuki ground out, his free hand smoking dangerously.

The dual toned boy ignored him, crossing over to the two and kneeling in front of Izuku. “Midoriya… Izuku, I know we haven’t known each other as long as you and Bakugo-“

“Ain’t that the fucking truth,” the blond snarked, his grip on the greenette’s hand tightening.

“But I want you to know my feelings for you are just as real and just as strong as his.” Todoroki’s words were pleading, his eyes glistening with repressed emotion. “I’ve loved you from the moment I first met you in the infirmary, loved you during our talks about my fire, during our match at the Sports Festival. I’ve loved every study session, every smile, every glance in my direction, and there isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do to earn your love in return.”

He grabbed Izuku’s free hand, kissing the knuckles. “I love you, Izuku Midoriya.”

Izuku felt sweat begin to form on the nape of his neck, his stomach churning and his skin vibrating from the nerves. Here were two of his closest friends, two people he cared so very much about, and had become painfully aware of his attraction to, and each wanted him. Both were handsome, caring in their own way and intensely determined in their pursuit; however, they differed so much… where Katsuki was brash, Todoroki was reserved. Where Todoroki was poetic, Katsuki was blunt. His heart began to thump erratically as he gently pulled his hands from both of them, scooting off of the bed and standing. “I… I don’t know how to process this.”

“I’ll tell you how, tell Half and Half to get lost!”

“Actually, I think you should both go,” he muttered, causing the others to freeze. “I’m sorry; I know both of you were hoping… the thing is, I like you both. I have for awhile, I think, and I don’t know what to do. You each mean so much to me, in different ways… I could never choose one over the other.”

“So you’re choosing neither,” Katsuki snarled, his eyes flashing with hurt.

Izuku shrugged, his eyes misty. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“Bullshit! By not choosing anybody, you’re hurting all of us, you included Deku!”

“That’s enough,” Todoroki cut in, glaring at the blond before turning sad eyes to the healer. “Midoriya, if that’s truly what you want, I’ll respect your wishes. I- goodnight…”

The greenette was on the verge of tears as Todoroki turned from him, his chest aching painfully. The dual toned boy was halfway out the door when a grumpy voice called out. “Wait a damn minute!”

Izuku looked to Katsuki as Todoroki turned back around, a confused look on his normally blank face. Katsuki’s fist were clenched, and his expression was determined. “You say you can’t choose, Deku? Fine. You’re dating us both now.”

“W-what?!?”

“I’m not following.”

The blond rolled his eyes. “It’s simple shit, morons! You’ll date us both Deku, and I’ll prove to you why I’m the better option. Then you can dump IcyHot and just date me.”

“Bold of you to assume he won’t find me the better boyfriend,” Todoroki challenged, a dangerous glint in his eye.

Izuku watched the two squabble, noting how different it was from their usual fights. It almost sounds like they want to compete, like they’d enjoy the challenge. I suppose that shouldn’t surprise me…

The greenette supposed, as unorthodox as it might be, that it wasn’t a terrible idea. Both of his admirers at least seemed open to it. He smiled nervously.

“Alright Kaachan, i-if you think that’s best, I’ll give it a shot.”

Katsuki’s smile turned predatory. “That’s my Deku.”

He shot forward, crushing his lips against the other boy’s. Katsuki kissed like he  fought: Passionate, challenging and unafraid. Izuku kissed back, letting out a squeak as he felt an arm wind around his waist. Instinctively, Izuku activated his quirk, and the blond hit the ground with a thud, out cold.

Despite the situation, Todoroki found himself smiling. “May I?”

At the greenette’s shy nod, he leaned in for his own kiss. Todoroki kissed like he spoke: Soft, meaningful and earnest. The two kissed for several moments, until Izuku became flustered and once again activated his quirk, Todoroki falling just as Katsuki did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The greenette was met with wolf whistles and cat calls as he descended the stairs, causing his freckled cheeks to burn with embarrassment.

“Alright spill, who won?!” Ashido demanded, her eyes gleaming.

“And where are they?” Uraraka added.

“Uhm, I kind of knocked them out, accidentally…” Izuku told the others sheepishly.

Shinso snorted, shaking his head. “I always knew you were a menace.”

“Izu! Stop stalling, who won?! Which class heartthrob came out victorious in the battle for your affection??” Ashido was like a dog with a bone, the gossip hungry girl inching closer and closer.

“W-well, we decided that I’d date them both, for now, and we’ll see what h-happens…” Izuku wasn’t one to envy other people’s quirks, but at that moment he’d have given anything to be invisible like Hagakure as the class stared at him incredulously.

Kaminari grinned triumphantly at the others. “Hah! And you all thought I was crazy! Well, who’s crazy now?”

“Still you!” Came Jirou’s voice from across the room, the girl grinning smugly at her friend’s expression.

“You guys…” Izuku whined, shuffling over to Shinso’s spot on the floor. The group quieted down after that, everyone settling into their spots as sleep took them.

The next morning, when Izuku woke to find himself sandwiched between Katsuki and Todoroki, he smiled. He snuggled into them, letting out a contented sigh.

And so Izuku Midoriya, UA’s Sweetheart and healer of the class of 1-A found his place amongst the hero academia; the road had been perilous and long, but he had made great friends, fearsome enemies and fell in love, and all he’d had to do was pucker up.

Chapter Text

Aizawa stared out the car window at the city, the sleek black vehicle speeding down the highway. Next to him, All Might’s gangly form was munching away on a pork bun, the blond looking happier than he had in the past few weeks.

The two had been tasked with visiting a few of the 1-A students’ families, the parents concerned about their children continuing to stay on campus after the recent attacks. Midoriya’s parents made sense, given he had been the one kidnapped, but Shinso’s and Aoyama’s parents were unexpected. 

The dark haired man caught sight of a billboard displaying All Might’s smiling face, marred by graffiti that read: From hero to zero! Our symbol has sunk!!!

“Seems like you’re no longer the big man on campus,” Aizawa muttered to his colleague. It wasn’t just him; public opinion of heroes was at an all time low, with many critics calling for the dismissal of nearly half of UA’s teachers following All For One’s arrest. Midoriya’s speech at the press conference had helped, but it seemed his goodwill and approbation of his school wasn’t enough to protect it from scrutiny.

Personally, Aizawa believed that both himself and the school deserved every ounce of criticism they got for failing their students so completely. 

All Might paused, a pork bun half way to his lips. He shrugged. “I’ll bounce back; after all, the public only has this much room to find fault because we’re at relative peace, at the moment. The next time there’s a crisis they’ll turn to us, same as always.”

“And will you be able to save the world, same as always?” Aizawa asked, eyeing his bony frame skeptically.

In a puff of smoke, All Might was in his muscle form. “Of course I will! That’s what being a hero is all about!!”

The other man rolled his eyes as the blond returned to his lanky form, finishing off his pork bun. “One For All still resides in my body; I may not be able to use it for as long as I used to, but I’ll manage.”

Aizawa spared him a glance, but said nothing.

They arrived at the Shinso home first, a small but tidy thing on the outskirts of Musutafu. The teacher’s eyes locked onto a fluffy brown cat on the porch, napping lazily in the sun. 

Once inside, Aizawa noted that his student seemed to have inherited his eye color from his mother, and most of his facial features from his father. The pair seemed inconvenienced by their visit, and the hero hoped he could resolve the issue quickly.

“I understand your concerns about your son staying on campus,” he began, “but I assure you, we at UA are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our students, including a complete overhaul of our security systems and additional hero patrols of the outlying areas.”

“That’s all well and good,” Yamato argued, his glasses slipping down the bridge of his nose, “but UA has already proven its inability to act accordingly in a crisis situation. Our son does not have a combative quirk, and with only a few weeks of legitimate training he was forced to engage with villains while the supposed heroes did nothing.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just not true,” All Might argued, once again in his muscle form. “My colleagues worked with the Wild, Wild Pussycats to shelter as many students during the attack on the training camp as possible. In fact, your son didn’t leave the safety of the lodge at all during the attack!”

The parents looked to each other, they hadn’t known this.

“Even so,” Himari said, violet eyes boring into the hero, “we have our reservations. To be frank, we don’t necessarily believe our son can be a hero, with his kind of quirk. We worry that you’re giving him false hope.”

Aizawa grit his teeth. He knew his student was self conscious about his quirk, but had believed it due to the cruelty of his peers, not the disapproval of his family.

Quirk discrimination had become a major issue in Japan, following the advent of super humans. Heteromorphs like his student Shoji or his colleague Hound Dog had it the worst, some unable to leave their homes for fear of harassment. People like Shinso, whose quirk infringed on the free will of others, were also targets for discrimination, with many facing joblessness due to the listing of their abilities on their records. Mental quirks had negative connotations, and were heavily regulated by both the Hero Commission and the Japanese government. Aizawa himself had to undergo several quirk sensitivity training sessions in order to apply for a hero license, and Shinso would likely have to do the same.

It was cruel and unjust, and hearing that sentiment echoed by one’s parents could destroy a child’s spirit. The teacher made a note to talk to the purple haired boy once he’d returned to campus.

“Your son hasn’t had as many opportunities to prove himself,” Aizawa finally said, choosing his words very carefully. “But he will. I’ve seen his determination, his drive to protect his friends… your son is a hero, even if you choose not to believe it.”

In the end, Yamato and Himari begrudgingly signed off on another semester of dorm living for their son, the two educators leaving the house as fast as their feet would carry them.

“Those two sure were bubbly,” All Might snarked, his muscle form disappearing as the driver pulled away from the curb.

Aizawa grunted, not looking forward to the rest of the visits.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Aoyama’s father was away on business, but his mother Alouette graciously accepted them into her home.

“My son is a very special boy,” she told them, her words laden with a thick French accent. “But he is not a fighter.”

“He placed high enough on the entrance exams to secure a spot in the hero course,” All Might countered in between bites of the macarons laid out for them.

“Oui, but his quirk, it burns him from the inside out. It pains me to see him suffer, but he does it to be a hero. What kind of mother would I be to deny him his dream? Even so, I worry.”

Aizawa nodded. “I understand your concern; I worry for all of my students, even the ones at the top of the class, but I know they have what it takes to succeed. Your son still has issues with his stomach when using his quirk, but he’s come a long way in controlling it. Some of the others have been helping him to perfect it.”

“You refer to the sweetheart boy, non? My son speaks very highly of him.”

“Midoriya does what he can to help the others, and he takes very good care of any injuries sustained during training.”

Alouette smiled, her eyes glimmering much like her son’s. “I can see my fears were unfounded. I thank you for coming to speak with me, garcons.”

As they were leaving, Aizawa shot All Might a hard look. “Did you have to stuff your face with all those little cookies?”

“Aizawa, you don’t know what you’re missing, they were incredible!”

He rolled his eyes.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Last was the hardest family to face: The Midoriyas.

Their home was nicer than the Shinsos’, but nowhere near the extravagance of the Aoyamas’. Rather, it had a cozy atmosphere that spoke of happy memories and loving exchanges.

Inko Midoriya was a small woman, sporting the same green hair and doe eyes as her son. Her smile was warm, but nervous. Hisashi, the boy’s father, was only marginally taller than his wife, his hair curly and his cheeks covered in freckles.

They were perhaps the cutest adults Aizawa had ever seen, the teacher adjusting his tie as he and All Might were led into the living room. Once he’d sat down, Aizawa’s eyes zeroed in on a picture of Midoriya and Bakugo as toddlers, playing outside. They were still in diapers, and Aizawa wondered if he’d be able to get a copy of it to use as blackmail the next time the blond interrupted class.

The Midoriyas fussed over their guests, offering tea and snacks which Aizawa declined and All Might readily accepted.

His stomach must be bigger than that fat head of his, the dark haired man thought, watching as the blond inhaled two cucumber sandwiches at once.

“I suppose you think we want to remove Izuku from school,” Inko began, fidgeting with her hands. “And…we discussed it, but we know it’s not an option.”

“Our son is the most heroic boy I’ve ever met,” Hisashi said proudly, his eyes watering as he spoke. “We were so surprised to find out he had a healing quirk; there hasn’t been one in Inko’s family in decades, and my own has never had one! He’s always been so kind and helpful, always wanting to make the world a better place.”

Aizawa nodded. “He saved my life, as well as several other pro heroes in these past few months.”

Inko’s eyes burned, her expression fearful yet furious. “I can’t begin to tell you just how much I hate the situation your school put my baby in; he was kidnapped by thieves and murderers, for crying out loud! If I thought it would protect him, I’d pull him out of UA and enroll him elsewhere in a heartbeat. But…”

The woman sniffled, her shoulders beginning tremble. “I- I know how happy he is there, with Mei and all of his new friends. He even told me Katsuki was with him again, and those two were inseparable before we moved! I don’t want to take that away from him, but I also want him to be safe.”

“I’m afraid transferring him wouldn’t make him any safer,” Aizawa said carefully, realizing that Inko was the more terrifying of the two. “Your son has made a name for himself, and a good one at that. No matter where he goes, there will always be people who will covet his power.”

“We know,” Hisashi said, rubbing his wife’s back comfortingly. “Even before the Sports Festival business, we knew it was only a matter of time. Healing quirks have become so rare, I’m surprised the Hero Commission didn’t try to snatch him from your school immediately.”

Aizawa perked at that comment. He’d have to ask Nezu to know for sure, but the man was right; it was exactly the type of thing the Commision would do, and if they’d seen the Sports Festival…

“I have to tell you,” Hisashi continued, “the real reason we decided to let Izuku stay was you, Eraser Head.”

He blinked. “Me?”

“Those wonderful things you said about our boy on TV,” Inko muttered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It’s obvious how much you care for him. I want my baby to be safe, and I trust you with him…”

Aizawa was grateful for his years of training allowing him to school his expression, as he was certain he’d be blushing without it. He felt responsible for losing Midoriya to the villains at the training camp, but to hear how much these parents trusted him to care for their son warmed his heart. “I- thank you, I’m honored.”

The Midoriyas signed the permission slip, both parents now sobbing. Aizawa had to bite back a smile as he realized just how much his problem child had inherited from the two.

As they left, All Might cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking…”

“Don’t set off the smoke alarm.”

The blond glared at his friend, but continued. “Young Midoriya is clearly meant for greater things than my quirk, I know that now; but, I think he will be an excellent judge of character when I start my search again.”

Aizawa looked to him. “Do I even need to say it?”

“Nope, I know you’ll kick my ass again if anything happens to him, but it’s not you I’m worried about. I’d take on a hundred All For Ones before I took on an angry Inko Midoriya.”

Aizawa chuckled, but silently agreed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

With all of the concerned parents assuaged, and All Might at least five pounds heavier from all the snacks, the two returned to campus, exhausted.

On his way back to the teacher’s quarters, Aizawa stopped by the 1-A dorms, peeking inside.

Midoriya was, predictably, the center of attention, Bakugo and Todoroki arguing about something with the blushing greenette squished between them. Hatsume, Yaoyorozu and Iida were watching the scene unfold fondly, and Ashido appeared to be making the situation worse.

Aoyama was in the kitchen with Sato and Asui, the three looked to be in the middle of baking something. The blond had flour on his cheek and his hands were covered in batter, but there was a genuine smile on his face as he laughed at something Sato said.

Shinso was standing with Kaminari, Jirou and Uraraka, the brunette in a heated discussion with the purple haired boy. Shinso locked eyes with his teacher, giving him a curt nod.

Aizawa returned the gesture, before turning from the window. He’d speak to the boy later. He was grateful to see his students so contented, and that there’d be no more objections to their staying with one another.

He hadn’t gotten far when a familiar voice called out to him. He turned to see Midoriya jogging over to him, his face flushed from exertion. “I saw you at the window just now and, well- we’re making cookies, if you want some.”

Aizawa demurred, before warning him against offering any to All Might. “That man’s blood might as well be syrup at this point.”

Midoriya giggled, before sobering. “Mr. Aizawa… I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused, I promise I’ll be a model student and hero from now on!”

Aizawa thought back to his conversation with the healer’s parents, and made a silent vow to be the best teacher and protector in Japan, no matter what. The man shook his head, chuckling as he did.

“You already are.”