Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Toshinori knows he messed up the moment he leaves the rooftop.

He knows that he just completely destroyed that child's dream.

He knows because a long time ago he was that quirkless boy, telling a hero that the only thing he wanted to do was become a hero to save people.

But unlike Nana all those years ago…he didn't even sit down to talk to the boy. To learn more about him. While he doesn't know if that green haired boy could become a hero…he should have never based his ability on his quirk or lack thereof.

If the boy couldn't become a hero it would because he couldn't put in the work to become one. Couldn't get stong enough, fast enough, skilled enough. None of which Toshinori could ever be able to tell from a barely ten minute conversation.

And yet he has automatically said the wrong thing.

He's tried so hard to be link Nana. But when she had been approached by a quirkless kid about becoming a hero she hadn't crushed the hope. She had taken the time to speak with him. Learn about him. See if he had the heart of a hero.

Toshinori had done none of that.

He knows he was wrong. But he also knows it's too late for him to make it up to the boy. You can't uncrush a dream. Going back now will just cause the boy more pain.

But then he sees a crowd gathered and some heroes taking on the same slime villain he had fought.

And he almost walks away.

Almost abandons another child.

And yet…there is that quirkless boy. The one he had hurt…running past the heroes and doing what they could not.

Saving the boy's life.

And Toshinori feels that surge of heroic spirit and it gives him the strength to step in.

He knows he was wrong so once everyone is safe and he has managed to lose the press he tracks the boy down. And much like Nana all those years ago, offers a quirk to the quirkless boy who asked if he could be a hero.

And he'll be honest, he doesn't much think about quirklessnsss much after that.

Sure Young Midoriya cleans the beach completely quirkless. And sure he takes the training All Might puts him through like a champ once the adjustment period is over. But that's all to prepare for One for All.

Completely different.

And sure he was ready to fight the zero pointer without a quirk if he had to.

That's different.

They don't talk about that day on the roof. Young Midoriya doesn't mention it and Toshinori is too ashamed to bring it up himself.

And then he watches Midoriya take Aizawa's quirk test, completely quirkless except for one event.

It takes him embarrassingly long realize something even more important.

It's not until the sports festival that he realizes how wrong he was.

He watches Young Midoriya get through the obstacle course thanks to his own ingenuity. Even if the explosions had given him a heart attack. Then again in the second round.

Young Midoriya leading his team to victory in the second round as well, without a quirk.

Then his fight with the boy from Gen Ed. He had only used his quirk to escape the brainwashing. But the actual fight had been quirkless.

Young Midoriya had made it to the second round of the third event only using his quirk once.

So yeah.

It took a while but he finally realizes what he should have realized sooner.

Yes someone quirkless can be a hero.

Chapter Text

"Shouta! Shouta! Wake up, I just had a great idea!" Oboro's voice cuts through the pleasant nap Shouta was having and the dream that came with it.

It was about cats.

He's going to murder Oboro.

"What?" He hisses.

"I just thought of a great manuver you could do with Zashi or Nem!" He says and the other two nod excitedly.

"What?"

"Wrap your weapon around their waists and spin them! It'll disperse Nemuri's mist quicker and over a wider area and it'll let Zashi hit a bunch of people in a bunch of directions too!"

"No."

"Oh come on it's useful and fun!"

"It'll look stupid."

"So? What are you going to do if you're surrounded and need to attack multiple people in multiple directions?"

"Then I'll use my capture weapon on one of the villains and use them as a wrecking ball."

"Oh come on! Just try it once. I'm sure it'll look cool! And besides, we need to have team attacks if we're going to be a hero team!" Oboro says.

"No! I already have a useless quirk. I'm not going to make a fool of myself by swinging one of those two around me."

Oboro whines and flops back into Shouta's lap.

"Come on!"

"No."

"Just once and I'll never ask again. Ooooh we can have one too where you fling me on a cloud like a bowling ball!"

Shouta covers his mouth so Oboro won't see him laugh.

Laughing will just encourage the foolishness.

"One day I'll get you to try one of those moves!"

"Yeah right."

It's years later. He, Mic, and Nemuri have met up to drink away the night that should have been Oboro's twenty first birthday. They're drunk and raw. And sharing stories of a blue haired boy they all loved.

He tells of a boy who has the stupidest combo move ideas. Who just wanted to see them do it once.

It takes far less convincing than it should to get him into an old abandoned gym.

They're all drunk and somewhere in the back of his mind he knows they shouldn't do this drunk. But his brain isn't driving right now.

They end that night with broke arms and ribs.

They really shouldn't have done it drunk. But they don't mind.

Because they know somewhere a kid with blue hair and a grin like the sun is watching and cheering them on.

It isn't so bad to look dumb when Shouta can imagine that beaming smile everytime he swings Hizashi and Nemuri.

Chapter Text

Tamaki has just managed to sit down after gathering all the snacks he and Nejire had planned for their movie night when he’s nearly knocked off his feet but his bedroom door slams open.

It's only his training as a hero that he manages to avoid the door and not spill any of the popcorn Nejire had brought.

“Did you guys get it?” Mirio says coming into the room like a tornado.

“Get what?” Nejire asks helping Tamaki unload the snacks from his arms, “and apologize, you almost knocked Tamaki over.”

“Oops. Sorry Tamaki,” he says then pulls out a file folder, “did you guys get your characters for the Civil War assignment?”

“Yeah, I went after lunch and Tamaki went there before last period. Why?”

“Because I want to know who we’re all playing! This is so cool. It’s like being in a movie!”

“Yeah as background characters.”

“But Nedzu said if we came up with an interesting story line that he approves we can insert it into the simulation! So who did you get?”

“We should just tell him. Otherwise we’ll never get to watch the movie,” Tamaki says.

“I’m a receptionist as a local law firm,” Nejire says.

“I’m an attorney in the same law firm,” Tamaki says grimacing, seriously who the hell would think he makes a good lawyer?

Hopefully he won’t have actually talk to anyone.

“I’m the president of the biggest bank in the city…I went Okiwa High School…”

“That’s the school I went to too.” Nejire says.

“Same here.”

“Okay…hmmm, what could our story line be?”

“A love triangle?” Tamaki offers.

“Are we talking an actual triangle or those love “Vs” that happen in books?” Nejire asks.

“Hmm…there’s not a lot we could do with a legitimate love triangle…but the V hmmm,” Mirio hums, getting lost in thought.

Only snapping out of it when Tamaki clears his throat.

“W…what about borrowing from that movie you made us watch last week Mirio?”

“The one with the aliens?”

“No. The comedy with the assassin…”

“…who’s hired by one person to kill their romantic competition. Then hired by the love interest to kill the first person?”

“Yes. Since we all went to the same school there has been plenty of time for interest to develop!” Nejire says.

“But who would be who?”

“Mirio could be the first customer, looking to have me killed because we’re both in love with you Nejire. Then Nejire could hire them to kill Mirio.”

“I like it! But…hmmm why don’t we have you be the love interest Tamaki?” Nejire says.

“ME?” Tamaki squeaks out.

“Yeah! Mirio hires them to kill me. You hire them to kill Mirio!” Nejire says.

“I don’t know about this…”

“Think of it like training for you too Tamaki. Besides didn’t Fat Gum want you to get a sense of what sort of person Creati is? This is your chance! You could approach her with the hit!”

Tamaki regrets all the life choices that have led him to this point.

But Mirio’s smile makes him feel much better.

He feels much worse the next day when Mirio informs him that when Nedzu read their idea he started cackling and had then stamped it with approved.

Yeah that definitely makes him feel much much much worse about his idea.

But…he knows that that movie had been a recommendation to Mirio from Nighteye…and Mirio had laughed so hard while watching it, saying that Sir had always recommended the best movies.

And if playing out their own version in this simulation for the first years makes Mirio laugh like that again… Then Tamaki will get through his role in it somehow.

Because he wants to see Mirio happy.

Chapter Text

Yagi sighs as he watches Present Mic rush off after delivering the play book.

Izuku will have already started prepping the training ground for the assignment. The boy had been so considerate, letting him know ahead of time when the assignment would start so as to not affect his rest.

He'd skims the first few pages. The messy scrawl of Young Midoriya’s excitement across the page as he got more and more excited about his plans.

And some of his plans are pure genius. He’d always known the boy had a bright head on his shoulders.

But there wasn’t anything Yagi could do with it. Except give it an arena and let it run wild.

Mirai would have been a million times better mentor for Midoriya. The man planned as easy as breathing with or without his quirk.

And because of two old men, too stubborn to admit they’re both wrong…Midoriya will never get to see what Mirai could have taught him.

It's not just Midoriya either. Yagi knows Mirai. And knows that he would have been the best mentor to his side kicks. They would have gotten a wide array of experience in different fields, allowing them greater value should they decide to set out on their own.

And his student, Mirio…the one Mirai was sure would be an excellent holder for One for All.

Yagi regrets the wedge his refusal had put between them…but he doesn’t regret refusing. The boy was clearly special to Mirai. With a bright future and a devotion to Mirai that Mirai had once held for Yagi.

If something had happened to the boy because of One for All…Mirai would have never forgiven himself. Regardless of if it was because of All for One or because the quirk is just too strong for someone with an already powerful quirk.

Mirai would have blamed himself.

And even though it’s been years.

And even though Mirai is no longer a boy with idol worship. And he is no longer a sidekick but a hero in his own right…it’s still Yagi’s job to keep him safe. To protect him.

And that includes preventing him from doing something that will hurt himself.

Like getting his protégé killed.

So Yagi had taken the ire. Taken the silence and hatred because he was protecting his best friend.

And then he found a tiny wisp of a kid. Who idolized him. Who was whip smart and loves to laugh and smile.

A boy with green hair with amazing analytics skills.

And he was back to that day at his agency. The commission had insisted he take a sidekick even though he didn’t want one.

He had resigned himself to picking at random. He didn’t want one. He was probably going to drop them within a year.

The line up was exactly as he expected. Large strong men and women. With quirks that could destroy a city.

And one twiggy boy in a suit.

He honestly hadn’t known what to think of him. He definitely wasn’t like the others. But there was something in his eye that told him that underestimating him would be a mistake.

He'd settled for a two part practical test. AJ obstacle course he built himself and then a spar.

Followed up with an interview.

The boy has shaken his hand and then had made it through the obstacle course like he had built it himself.

At the end of the course that same boy had the led the assembled group to demand he demonstrate it.

Which he had. It wasn’t their faults he really didn’t want a sidekick.

It was only recently that he realized he’d been played that day.

Mirai had viewed his future, then convinced him to go through the course, so that he would see it.

Mirai was always five steps ahead.

The rest was history.

Mirai had gotten the spot as his sidekick and Yagi had planned to cut him loose after a year. A year with All Might would be enough to get him into any agency he wanted.

But by the time that year was up…he didn’t want to lose Mirai. The boy had wormed his way into his life.

So he didn’t.

Yagi sighs as a tear landing on his hand startles him out of his memories.

He hadn’t even realized he was crying.

He quickly wipes his eyes.

Then he goes over to his desk, opening the top drawer and pulling out a stack of photos. Photos of him and Nana. Him and Gran.

He flips through all of them until he finds the one he is looking for.

He looks so much younger in this photo. Which makes sense since it was taken many years ago.

There had been a car accident. Several cars piled up.

No injuries just a lot of scared and trapped people.

Everyone that day was saved. The photo has been snapped by his PR rep. He’s standing with the now freed victims. All of whom look to be in various states of relief.

And next to him is Mirai.

His hair is lighter and curlier, his face a bit chubbier with youth.

His suit is still that dull grey he prefers but his tie is reminiscent of Yagi’s suit.

It was his public debut as his and according to Mirai, the happiest day of his life.

“I wish you could have had more time,” he says and slips the photo into his pocket.

He wants Mirai to be there.