Chapter Text
Izuku sits quietly in class staring down at his desk, while everyone else talks excitedly with their friends. He looks at the words written on it in pencil and marker and he feels sadness as well as anger well up inside him. “Useless”, “quirkless”, “kill yourself”, and “ waste of space” are only a few of the words written on the desk.
Izuku hates it, he hates Aldera. He hates how he’s treated by staff and students and how all his complaints are ignored. Why couldn’t he just be normal and have a quirk and be like everyone else?
“So... as third-year students, it's time to start thinking seriously about your futures and what you want to do with your lives. I could pass out some career aptitude tests. But...Why bother? I know you all want to go to the Hero Track!” Tuska-Sensei, an average man with blonde hair and a receding hairline, states as he enters the class, breaking Izuku out of thought. The class breaks out into cheers, some kids even going as far as to flaunt their quirks.
“Yes, yes, you've got some very impressive Quirks but no power usage allowed in school. Get a hold of yourselves…” Tuska-Sensei starts with an eye roll.
Hey, sensei… Don't lump me in with this bunch of losers. I'm the real deal but these guys will be lucky to end up as sidekicks to some busted D-lister. Ha!” Kacchan interrupts with a cocky smirk. Izuku rolls his eyes at that statement.
Sure Bakugo has a strong quirk but his personality is a total flop. He’s an asshole to everyone and has a huge superiority complex. Izuku understands that some of that comes from his quirk but the rest is all from his just growing up being put on a pedestal.
“Oh yeah, Midoriya.” Tuska-Sensei begins dragging Izuku back to the present. “Don’t you want to go to U.A. too?” He questions with a judgemental tone that Izuku hates. Izuku feels embarrassment flood him and red rush to his face when the whole class starts laughing.
“Midoriya you’re kidding?” One kid asks while giggling.
“There’s no way of getting into the hero course without a quirk!” Another states looking at him with the same disgusted look he’s used to getting from everyone he meets.
“W-well actually they got rid of that rule I could be the first one!” Izuku speaks up bravely, feeling like he just wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Izuku feels his blood run cold as a familiar yell pierces through the laughing. The next thing he knows there’s an explosion that smashes his desk and forces him out of his seat from the force behind it.
“Listen up Deku!” Kacchan says, grabbing him by the collar. Deku. Izuku hates that name, the word itself means useless, and it’s what he’s always been told. He hated that name more than anything in the world and wishes more than anything to never hear it again.
“You’re even worse than the rest of these damn rejects, you quirkless wannabe. You think they let someone like you in when they could have me?” Kacchan rants. Quirkless. Another word he hates. The word itself makes people look at you in disgust or like you have a disease or worse like you’re some fragile breakable thing. He gasps quietly when he finally fully processes the words.
“No way! You've got it all wrong. Really! I'm not trying to compete against you. You gotta believe me! It's just that...I've wanted to be a hero since I was little. I may not have a quirk...But I can still try my hardest, can’t I?” He responds, trying not to seem like he was challenging Kacchan in any way.
“You'd never be able to hang with the best of the best. You'd die in the exams! Defenseless Izuku! The school’s already crappy, you really wanna embarrass it more by failing so hard?” Kacchan states which makes Izuku wince and go bright red. This was so embarrassing. Why did he have to be called out like this in front of everyone? The rest of the day passes in a blur of going through classes.
“Better write some notes down before I forget anything,” Izuku mutters to himself while packing up.
“I don't know what you think you're doing Deku, but we're not done,” Kacchan speaks up, coming from behind Izuku and snatching his notebook out of his hands.
“What ya got, his diary?” One of Kacchans goons asks with a smirk.
“Huh? “Hero Analysis for the Future”? Seriously? Hahaha!” Kacchan reads and laughs.
“J-just give it back Kacchan!” Izuku pleads.
Kacchan just sets off an explosion in the hand the notebook is in with an evil grin.
“Hey! That’s mean!” Izuku states to which Kacchan laughs and tosses the book out the window. He then grabs Izuku's shoulder and slowly uses his quirk to heat up his hand till it’s burning through Izuku's uniform.
“Most first string hero’s have stories about them from their school days. I want the shine of being able to be called the only student to make it into U.A. from this mediocre city junior high school. I mean I am a perfectionist.” Kacchan states as his hand starts to get hotter. “So don’t apply to UA!” Kacchan states the underlying threat not being spoken but being implied.
Izuku feels the burn on his skin and instinctively he tries to pull away from the grip. Tears start to rush to his eyes from the pain but the next minute the hand is gone.
“That’s just sad. I thought you would at least have some fight in you.” One of the goons say pushing him to the ground.
“He finally gets it; he'll never be a hero!” Another states while grinning at him.
“Better to find out now instead of later I guess,” the first one says again with a shrug.
“You know if you want to be a hero so badly there actually might be another way...” Kacchan trails off, getting a dark look on his face that makes Izuku feel uneasy. “Just pray that you’ll be born with a quirk in your next roof and take a swan dive off the roof of the building!” Kacchan finishes and grins evilly while his goons laugh.
Izuku feels himself shrink at the words. Did Kac-Bakugou his name was Bakugo. He doesn’t deserve the childish nickname that he was given. He just told Izuku to kill himself. Who does that? All because he doesn’t have a quirk, he can’t control or change that.
Izuku looks up from where he was staring at the ground to see that Ka-Bakugou, Bakugo it’s Bakugo he’s got to stop calling him Kacchan, and his cronies left. Izuku picks himself and some of his belongings off the floor then he leaves the classroom. On his way out he gets some glares from the leftover teachers. He can’t help but feel relieved when he finally feels the fresh air hit his face.
He hurries over to the fountain where the notebook landed and shoos the fish away. He picks up the soggy notebook and feels anger kreep into him. The nerve of K-Bakugou, he destroys his stuff and then tells him to kill himself and burns him for something he has absolutely no control over. He stuffs the still soggy note book back into his bag next to his lunch box and hurries home.
He decides to take a shortcut through a tunnel by Dogobah beach as it was a shorter way home and a good way to avoid Bakugo and his cronies' usual hangout spot. He walks quietly thinking about Mt. Lady’s debut earlier that day. Her quirk was powerful; it literally made her giant but were there other things it could do.
Like could she shrink or only grow a certain amount or did she always have to go giant? Was it harder to see from that height or was her vision slightly enhanced? If it was harder to see then she could use special clear goggles that worked like binoculars to make her be able to reduce the chance of stomping on someone or causing more damage.
His thoughts are interrupted by something he sees in the corner of his eye. It’s a murky green color that resembles vomit and was crawling out of the sewer. We’re the sewers overflowing again? Or was that a person's quirk?
“You’ll make a perfect skin suit for me to hide in, kid!” The thing-person-quirk states. So he was right about it being a quirk-WAIT SKIN SUIT? Does that mean that this is a villain? Izuku starts to scream but it’s muffled by the sludge starting to engulf his mouth and the rest of his body.
“Don’t worry, I’m just taking over your body. It’ll be easier for the both of us if you don’t fight back. It will only hurt for a minute, you’ll feel better soon.” The villain reassures with a manic glint in their eyes.Izuku starts to scratch at the sludge as tears roll down his face. He can’t breathe!
“Scratch all you want kid my body’s made of fluid. Thanks for the help. You’re a real hero to me, kid. I didn’t know he was in the city. I gotta get out of here fast, before he tracks me down.” The villain monologues as Izuku scratches more frantically. Izuku can feel himself becoming weaker with every minute he’s denied air.
Is this the end he asks himself as dark spots begin to cloud his vision. He doesn’t want to die yet despite the bullying and constant hell he has to live through everyday. Please help someone please he silently pleads as his vision begins to go dark. He feels himself fade into unconsciousness as he hears the Villain gasp and the words I am.
“HEY!” He hears someone yell and tap his face. He opens his eyes to see…IS THAT ALL MIGHT! OHMYGODALLMIGHTSAVEDMEOHMYGODIGETTOMEETALLMIGHT! Izuku's mind starts running miles a minute and everything just jumbles together.
“Thought we lost you there!” All Might states loudly with a smile. Izuku lets out a startled yell and scoots away from the All Might who was right in front of his face.
“Well, looks like you're moving around all right. Sorry about that back there. I didn't mean to get you
caught up in my justice-ing. Usually I pay more attention to keeping bystanders safe. But it turns out this city's sewer system is pretty difficult to navigate!” All Might apologizes. Anyway, you were a big help. Thank you! I've captured the evil-doer!” All Might states with a laugh.
Wait, I need to get an autograph! This could be the only chance I’ll ever get and he’s the most amazing hero one the world. I know I have a pen somewhe-Ah! Izuku thinks as he opens up his now burned notebook to see All Might's giant signature.
“T-Thank you so much.” Izuku stutters politely.
“Well I’ve got to get this villain to the police so they can take care of him. Stay out of trouble, see you around.” All Might states holding up a….bottle? Full of- wait that’s the villain! Why would he stuff the villain into a bottle that’s not very secure. He’s already leaving? Shouldn’t he take me to a hospital? No, I got to ask him this is the only chance I’ll probably get. Izuku thinks, very confused.
“Wait, you're leaving already?” Izuku asks.
“Pro heroes are constantly fighting time as well as enemies.” All Might excuses weakly looking even more anxious. “Now stand back, I’m taking off.” All Might states turning around.
He has to ask him but when he opens his mouth All Might is already getting ready to jump. So Izuku grabs onto his leg. The next thing either of them know they're in the air and All Might has just noticed him holding onto his leg.
“Hey hey hey what do you think you’re doing? Let go I love my fans but not this much!” All Might states trying to shake him off.
“No! We’re flying if I let go now I’ll die!” Izuku shouts looking panickedly at the hero who is no longer trying to shake his hold.
“Oh that’s a good point.” All Might answers dumbly. Izuku zones out mentally freaking out about the situation they’re in. He thinks All Might is talking about something but he’s not paying too much attention. Before either of them know it they land onto a roof. They both stand there for a minute and then All Might speaks up.
“Well what did you need?” All Might asks with a bright smile.
“I-uh well Is it possible to become a hero, even if I don't have a Quirk? I'm a normal kid without any powers. Could I ever hope to be someone like you?” Izuku asks, rubbing the back of his head nervously. Then All Might grunts and then there’s….SMOKE COMING OFF HIM?!
“People think I don't have a chance. That not having any powers makes me some kinda weakling. My classmates like to make fun of me. But you know what? That makes me wanna prove them wrong. Ever since I was a kid, I've thought that saving people is the coolest thing you can do. I want people to see my fearless smile and feel safe. And be the kind of hero everyone in the world looks up to. Just like you!” Izuku mumbles as he looks up at All Might and screams.
Where did All Might go? And who is this twig man? Izuku thinks as he freaks out.
There standing in All Might's place is a man who is more of a twig than a man. I help but stare how could this man, be All Might. “I- Wait what happened, you deflated! Where’d All Might go? You! You’re a fake! An imposter!.
“I assure you I am All m–” The fake All Might begins to say but izuku can’t help but cut him off, “impossible!” The imposter looks at him and sighs.
“You know how guys at the pool are always suckin’ in and flexin’ and tryin’ to look buff? I’m like that” he says, a million thoughts swarm through Izuku’s head but one is the most persistent, why? Why is this happening, nothing is going his way and could it be possible he just got kidnapped by a fake All Might?
“No..I’m dreaming..All Might’s a giant of a man who saves everyone. He defeats all obstacles, and wins the day with a fearless smile.” Izuku says, he secretly pinches his hand double checking that this is in fact a dream. But to his disappointment it wasn’t a dream..All Might let out a small sigh,
“There's plenty of fear behind that smile. I’m counting on you to keep your mouth shut. Don’t go talking about this online or to your friends.” All Might states. Izuku was so confused and didn’t know what to say the only sound that can escape his mouth is, “Huh..?”
The imposter All Might lifts up his shirt, izuku gasps at the sight of the giant hole in his chest. Izuku can’t even form words, everytime he opened his mouth nothing came out.
“Pretty gross, right? I got this in a big fight five years back. My respiratory system was basically destroyed. I lost my whole stomach. All the surgeries have pretty much worn me out. And it can't be fixed. Right now, I can only do hero work for about three hours a day. Rest of the time, this is what I look like.” All Might said, Izuku couldn’t believe it, his hero is quirkless half the time.
But then that means..Yes! Izuku still has a chance, as long as he tries his hardest he can be a hero! “No way... Five years ago? So does that mean it was the fight with Toxic Chainsaw?” Izuku asked.
“Wow, you know your stuff. But no. The punk may've landed some hits, but he couldn't bring me down. Most of the world has never heard of this fight. I did everything I could to keep it under wraps. I'm supposed to be the guy who's always smiling, right? I'm the Symbol of Peace. People everywhere have to think that I'm never afraid. But honestly, I smile to hide the fear inside. It's just a brave face I put on when the pressure is high. This job isn't easy. Pro heroes are always having to risk their lives. Some villains just can't be beat without powers.” Allmight states. No, this can’t be happening, he still has a chance..Right? “So, can you be a hero? Not without a Quirk.” All Might says, This can’t be real. This man is quirkless most of the day but can stand here and tell him that he can’t be a hero.
“I see…'' Izuku says, he then goes completely silent after those words leave his mouth. It hurts, Like physically hurts. Izuku can feel a lump in his throat getting bigger if he doesn't get off of this building soon, he might just break down in front of the symbol of peace.
He looks back up at an image of all Might blurred by his tears that's slowly standing up, “If you wanna help people, there are plenty other ways to do it. You could become a police officer. They get crap because the heroes capture most of the villains. But it's a fine profession”
Izuku just stares dumbly at his idol letting the man’s words fall on deaf ears all he can hear is “Not without a Quirk.” Repeating in his head like a mantra. Izuku vaguely hears the screech of the rooftop door as it opens and then closes behind All Might's retreating figure.
“I can’t be a hero….without a quirk….” Izuku mumbles to himself. He feels a weird burning sensation start to build in his chest. It’s not like he’s hurt or on fire it’s…anger. It consumes him and he doesn’t try to fight it; he doesn't even want to fight it now.
Who was HE to tell him he couldn’t be a hero? All Might is just a hypocrite half the time the man himself is quirkless, so why couldn’t he be a quirkless hero?
He couldn’t be a hero just because he didn’t have an over glorified power. If All Might didn’t think he could be a hero then….he has to prove him wrong.
He needed to stop being a weakling and needed to grow up. He has to become strong enough to prove all of them wrong! All Might. Mom. Kacchan. His teachers. The other kids. They were all wrong, he’ll become better than all of them. He’ll be a hero! Maybe not the number 1 hero but he will be a hero. With those thoughts and a renewed determination Izuku leaves the roof.
The roof where his dreams were destroyed, where his idol told him he wasn’t good enough, where it was proven that heroes couldn’t be trusted. Where his old dreams and hopes died and new ones were born. Izuku contemplates burning this place to the ground and leaving his disappointment there to burn with it. He could so easily just disappear and no one would look.
Izuku is broken out of his rage filled thoughts by explosions.
He can’t help but flinch at the familiar noise that is always followed by pain. Izuku gains his bearings then grabs his bag and runs down the street. Then he runs a few streets over and he sees it. It’s the….sludge monster?
The same one that attacked him earlier, All Might caught him so why is he free now? Maybe All Might screwed up? Izuku tries to see who is in the sludge and freezes once he gets a good look at them. It was….ka-Bakugo.
He was trying to use his quirk on the sludge villain but it is ineffective and he looks pleadingly into the crowd. Izuku notices some nearby pro heroes who are saying they don’t have the right quirks for the job. How could they just stand there and not even try? Sure Kac-Bakugo isn’t the nicest but he doesn’t deserve to die.
Before Izuku’s brain can even register the movement he’s running straight for Bakugo and the monster. Izuku uses all the strength he can muster to throw his backpack straight at the sludge monster's eyes. The monster roars in anger, getting distracted by the bag and looking wildly in the crowd for the culprit.
Izuku uses that moment of weakness to attempt to pry k-Bakugo from the creature's grip.
Before Izuku can finish pulling Bakugo from the things clutches, it notices Izuku. It then attacks him with its sludge and he feels his anger and hopelessness from a few minutes earlier bubbling to the surface. Then he faintly hears a familiar voice shout, “I AM HERE!”.
Then there’s a huge gust of wind and they're free. Izuku wastes no time snatching a very stunned Bakugo’s wrist and dragging him over to the heroes.
It turns out the gust of wind was All Might coming to save the day once again. At least he cleans up his own messes. Izuku grumbles glaring at All Might's back. Izuku just stares voidly at the ground as the heroes tell Bakugo how brave he was and then reprimand him for doing something so stupid for someone with his “disablity”. They only cared about the color of his damn shoes, not if he was okay. Izuku feels burning start to fill his veins and he meets the eyes of Kamui Woods who was reprimanding him. It seems almost like all the years of ignorance, over concern, and abuse flash before his eyes and he just snaps.
“ITS NOT LIKE YOUR WERE DOING ANYTHING! YOU HEROS JUST STOOD THERE WATCHING A 14 YEAR OLD ALMOST DIE AND DID NOTHING. I MIGHT NOT HAVE AN OVER GLORIFIED POWER LIKE YOU ALL BUT AT LEAST I'M NOT USELESS !” Izuku yells staring dead into the eyes of the hero. All Might having left everyone’s attention even the news crews fell onto him.
“Kid tha-” Kamui Woods starts but Izuku interrupts.
“You did nothing to save him NOTHING! I, a quirkless 14 year old, stepped in before you “seasoned” pro “heroes” did. Just think about how messed that is!” Izuku exclaims putting air quotes around the words seasoned and heroes. He picks up his discarded bag and leaves the stunned audience and heroes behind.
Izuku walks down the street grumbling.
Even after he let it out his anger doesn’t leave. It clings to him and settles into his chest. It makes Izuku a bit uncomfortable at first, feeling so out of the norm but it only takes a few minutes to settle and get used to the newer feeling. The anger and resentment have been building up since he was first diagnosed as quirkless so it’s pretty reasonable one interaction wouldn't quell it.
Izuku walks down the street taking deep breaths to try to calm down. That's when he sees a familiar stick-like figure. “All Might?” Izuku asks blandly.
“OH! Hello there my boy!” All Might exclaims.
“You come to chew me out too?” Izuku said, looking down at his shoes and All might knelt down.
“No, Young man. I came here to thank you. And also to discuss your question from earlier.” All might said putting a hand on Izuku’s shoulder, Izuku winced under All Might's touch, a stinging sensation flowing through his arm because of the burn. “Huh?” was the only word Izuku could bring to his lips.
“If you hadn't told me about your life... If you hadn't run into that fight... ...I would've been a worthless bystander watching from the crowd. So thanks.” All might, smiled but Izuku couldn’t smile back, he was in pain mentally and physically, his brain running a mile a minute. Then it stopped, went blank, and then he forced out the only words he could in this total mess.
“Oh, no. It was my fault he was there to begin with. I got in the way of your hard work. I wasted your energy. And... not to mention your time.” Izuku said, looking down again. No, what is he saying?! Why is he apologizing to this man? He was the man who viciously destroyed his dreams and didn’t even feel the slightest bit bad?! “No actually I actually don’t mea-”
“ I'm not done. You told me you didn't have power. So when I saw this timid, Quirkless boy try to save a life. It inspired me to act, too.” All Might said as he cut Izuku off.
“What?” Izuku asked dryly feeling nothing but resentment bubble under his skin.
“There are stories about every hero and how they became great. Most have one thing in common, their bodies moved before they had a chance to think, almost on their own.” Izuku’s eyes watered at that, not because of what All Might said no.
But what his mom said which echos in his head everyday, “I'm sorry, Izuku. I wish things were different.” That sentence blocked out whatever crap All Might was saying. Back on that roof, that’s not what he wanted to hear, what he needed to hear was…
“Young man! You can be a hero!” Izuku’s eyes shot up, tears streaming down his face.
“W-WHAT? OH SO NOW…NOW I CAN SUDDENLY BE A HERO?! WHERE WERE YOU AN HOUR AGO?!” Izuku practically screamed in between hitched breaths.
All Might jumps and looks taken aback, “Young man! I have deemed you worthy of inheriting the glorious power of All Might!” All Might says, obviously trying and failing to calm the situation. Izuku takes a few deep breaths, and tries to stop the tears from rolling down his face.
“And what makes you think I want the ‘power of All Might’?” Izuku says, tears still streaming but less angry. His voice sounds strained and his eyes are red. And he’s angry, he’s just so angry. This man told him to give up, that being a hero is a lost cause. But now all of a sudden because he acted on instinct, and he saved someone when those so called heroes didn’t he was worthy.
“Why wouldn’t you? Don’t you want to be a hero?” All Might says looking confused.
“Yes, I have always wanted to be a hero. And I will be a hero. I don’t need your power to do it, I don’t even need a quirk at all, maybe I won’t become a limelight hero like you. Maybe I’ll never be number one, but I’ll be better than you! I’ll be a better man and greater than you could ever dream to be. Izuku says beside himself. His head is spinning and although he feels horrible seeing the horrified look on All Might's face makes everything better somehow. He couldn’t decide if he was happy, angry, or sad or all of them at the same time but it didn’t matter. He stood up for himself for the first time in his life. For the first time he didn’t feel powerless or useless, he felt strong.
“Kid, I don’t think that’s possible, I’ve never seen a hero fight quirkless you need one to survi-” All Might starts to say but gets interrupted.
“Eraserhead” Izuku said blankly without hesitating.
“Excuse me?” All Might asks.
“Eraserhead, he fights quirkless.” Izuku states with a blank face.
“No, Eraser has a quirk.” All Might states matter of factly.
“Yes but he can’t fight with it. He erases their quirk when he can and uses martial nad training to fight them” Izuku says as he backs away from All Might but is stopped when All Might grabs his arm
“Young man, I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings and you’re right but it’s still-” All Might starts to lecture but Izuku rips his arm free from the skeletons hold.
“Shut up, I don’t want to hear anything from you anymore.” Izuku states with a dead look in his eyes.
“But you said I was your idol just let me help you” All Might tries to reason.
In all honesty it’s kind of pathetic watching this man gravel at his knees, it’s obvious no person before has ever talked to All Might in this way. Well of course they haven’t, everyone looks up to this hypocrite. But Izuku has finally realized what All Might, what all the heroes are, children…they are all children who want all the attention they can get and when you don’t give it to them a full tempertantum awaits.
“Keyword there All Might, ‘was’. You were my idol then you crushed my dreams, no sugar coating just the cold hard truth, so shut up and go give your power to someone who actually wants it” Izuku states.
“You have no hope of becoming a hero without my quirk! That’s a death sentence, young man!” All Might states looking angry.
“I’ve grown quirkless, I’ve lived through all the pain and hypocrisy of others. I’ve been told to kill myself more times then I can count. You think I’ve gone on this long to take an easy way out? You think I’m going to give in to everyone who's ever hurt and admit I’m nothing without a quirk? No way, I’ve struggled through my life and death sentence or not I’m going to become a hero. I either become a quirkless hero or I die trying.” Izuku rants angrily.
All Might is too stunned to speak and after a moment of gathering himself Izuku walks away. He felt bad at first he’ll admit but now he just feels relieved. All Might deserved this for what he said and if no one else was going to say it he had to be the one to take this hero off his high pedestal.
Who cared what All Might or Bakugo or his mom or the teachers thought? He didn’t not anymore. If they wanted to give up on him, fine, but he wouldn’t give up himself, not now when he’s almost going to UA. Sure he’d have to work ten times as hard as anyone else there, he’d have to destroy every limit his body had in order to become a hero. But he’d prove them all wrong.
He makes his way home with new determination. He gets home and his mother runs up to him. “IZUKU!” Inko yells.
“Yes,” he asks.
“How could you run into danger like that? You’re quirkless and you could’ve died!” Inko reprimands. Izuku feels the same anger from earlier ignite in his gut.
“I’m fine, I’m going to my room.” Izuku states pushing past his mom. He couldn’t deal with her over concern and lectures on how he needed to be more careful and not bring attention to himself and how he was impaired. For god's sake he was quirkless, not terminally ill.
“IZUKU! Don’t speak to me like that, I’m just worried and with your condition I have a right to be!” Inko states angrily.
“MOM FOR GODS SAKE I’M QUIRKLESS NOT DISABLED OR TERMINALLY ILL! I'M NOT WEAK JUST BECAUSE I HAVE AN EXTRA TOE JOINT NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!” Izuku shouts well passed fed up with their conversation.
“H-How can you say that to me Izuku?” Inko asks, starting to cry. Izuku starts to feel bad and goes to apologize but then every single time she’s brought him down or ignored his injuries because he was quirkless and he shouldn’t cause a fuss. How she refused to go to the school to report his bullies and never brought up a fuss when the school refused to do anything when he reported them. All she ever told him was to not ruin anyone else’s future because he didn’t have one.
He hated it….he hated her. Izuku stops in his tracks. He couldn’t hate his mom; she did so much for him! How could he be such a horrible son? But a part of him resented her and hated her because she was never there for him when he needed her. She was never home and when she was she was always babbling on about how he shouldn’t do this or shouldn’t do that because he was quirkless.
“I can’t do this mom not right now just leave me be,” Izuku states. Inko looks helplessly down at the floor still crying. Izuku starts to walk to his room when she starts to speak up again.
“Where did I go wrong with you? I gave you everything I could, I just want to protect you.” Inko states. Izuku stops but he doesn’t turn to look at her. How could he?
“That’s the problem. All you care about is what you call protecting me, but you’ve never protected me. You never protected me from my bullies or my teachers' prejudice. You only care when I do something you think I shouldn’t be able to do. I’m not helpless, maybe I have a bit of a disadvantage but I’m not helpless.” Izuku responds, and continues on his way.
He doesn’t look back and he doesn’t stop even when he hears his mother call out to him to come back to the living room. He goes into his room and then closes the door behind him and locks it. He needed to be alone, now more than ever. Izuku laid on his bed swallowing the lump in his throat.
He didn’t want to cry, not because of his mom. He didn’t want to believe that she hurt him, after all she didn’t mean to. Izuku took a deep breath and reached for his phone. The sludge villain was in every single news headline, nothing about him or Bakugou. He assumes the “heroes” don’t want people asking questions.
He goes into his camera roll deleting any picture of All Might he can find then he comes across a familiar video, one he’s watched since he was five. It’s the first ever video about All Might. It shows him saving injured people from a fire, this is the video that made Izuku look up to him in the first place. His finger hovers over the delete button, finally he presses and drops his phone onto his bed and lets out a deep sigh.
He was done with the fake heroes. He was done with All Might. Izuku puts his phone down and just lays there staring at the ceiling. After a while he hears his mother call him for dinner but he just ignores it when she knocks on his door he just says that he’s not hungry and after another argument she just finally leaves him alone.
He doesn’t remember drifting off or sleeping at all, maybe he didn’t even sleep, the next thing he knows his alarm is going off. Izuku sighs and pushes the covers off then he gets out of bed and heads to get changed. He grabs his now clean but still burnt school uniform that was on his chair and heads into the bathroom across the hall to shower.
Izuku knows he didn’t clean it so he just assumes his mom did. Izuku quickly showers and changes and then rushes into the kitchen to find it empty. It’s not usually a rare occurrence for his mom not to be home in the morning but she usually started later on Fridays. Izuku just shrugs off the sinking feeling in his gut. She’s not ignoring you Izuku or avoiding another conversation she just had to go in earlier today! He tries to reassure himself.
He would honestly rather stay home but that's another fight he is not in the mood to have with his mom. On his way to school he couldn't shake the constant feelings of fear, no fear wasn't the right word anxiety maybe. He knew today would bring more bullying and that today he would stand up for himself but he was still afraid.