Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The snap of latex against skin cut through the droning hum of the broken LED.

“Scrubbing in?”

“I’m half an hour into a ten hour shift and I already have two emergency appendectomies,” Izuku groaned as he scrubbed his arms, “Not to mention we got an extra assignment in English today so I’ll only get around three and a half hours of sleep tonight. If I’m lucky. You getting off soon, Ito-san?”

“Ten minutes or so,” Ito Junichiro grinned, shrugging off his pink nursing scrubs, “I have some paperwork to file on this last patient before I can go, but I’ll leave the mess for Michi-kun to deal with.”

“Poor Michi-san,” Izuku curled his lips into a smirk, “what is it this time?”

“Minor case of intestinal parasites, no biggie but I’d stay out of exam room three until Michi-kun gets in there with the Lysol.”

“Fun,” Izuku grimaced, “well enjoy your evening.”

“Oh yeah, Chinese takeout and five hours of sleep here I come.” Ito-san gave Izuku a jaunty wave before heading towards the door, “by the way, the shop is going to start selling a new limited time All Might promotional poster tomorrow, I can pull one aside for you if you want.”

“Have I ever said no to limited edition All Might merch? If I didn’t get into UA, I’d probably be gunning for your job just so I could get the employee discount.”

“Hey! I work two jobs for the price of one, I deserve my Mighty Tower gift-shop discount.”

“Not right now you don’t. Your shift ended 40 minutes ago. Go home and sleep. I’ll catch you during my double this weekend.”Without checking to see if Ito took his advice, Izuku shook out his hands and pushed into the operating room.

While the room was spotless, the overhead light flickered ominously, and the checkered blue floor tiles were cracked. All of the surgical equipment lined the far wall: a tray with an array of scalpels, forceps and clamps; a monitor connected to an old lapriscopic camera which tended to flicker and blur when overused; a ring light jerry rigged to an umbrella stand; and an old bypass machine that had clearly seen better days. Most surgeons would consider the room’s equipment archaic, but Izuku lovingly referred to it as 21st century vintage.

In the center of the room was a metal gurney turned operating table, with the patient- an older, slightly overweight, man with thinning gray hair- sprawled out on top of it. An IV hung from his limp arm.

“Ah good, Zuku-Sensei,” Yoshida Nanami, a young nurse chirped from next to the patient, “I’m afraid it’s just the two of us today. We were supposed to have Subaru-Senpai with us, but she was called away to exam room two, apparently the patient had an allergic reaction to their antibiotic and since she’s the head nurse on call…”

“It’s fine,” Izuku shrugged, “it won’t be the first time we’ve had to operate shorthanded. Not ideal but given everything its honestly a miracle we have the staff we do. Patient info?”

“Hirota Shigeo. Male, 51 years old. 152 kg. Quirkless, obviously since he has an appendix for us to remove. Blood type A-. Came in complaining of vomiting and acute abdominal pain, and was seen by Todoroki-Sensei who after an ultrasound diagnosed the patient with appendicitis. Patient was admitted for an emergency appendectomy and was administered 76mg of Propofal two minutes ago, with automatic bolus doses every 3 minutes. All surgical tools have been accounted for.”

“Great. Please hand me the number three scalpel and turn on the voice recorder.”

“Good to go.”

“Excellent. I will begin by making a small incision under the patient’s navel.” Izuku didn’t hesitate as he made the first cut into his patient’s abdomen, “I need a verres needle, a Kelley, and two towel clips. Thanks.” Izuku inserted the large needle into the incision. “Beautiful. Ok, I need an s-retractor and a trocar.” Yoshida pressed a curved metal strip in the shape of an s and a small plastic port into Izuku’s hand. Izuku used the s-retractor to hold the incision open as he gingerly slid in the port, “great. The first trocar is in. Lapriscope. Thanks. Allright, I’m feeding the lapriscope into the initial trocar…and, there! Now let’s see what we’ve got.” Izuku turned his head to look at the monitor.

“That’s not too bad,” Yoshida hummed, “only moderately inflamed and low risk of post-operative peritonitis.”

“We should be able to do this in three incisions, easy. Can you handle the suction while passing me the trocars?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Not particularly, no.”

“Then sure, no biggie.”

“Right,” Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Oy, no teenage affectations in the OR,” Yoshida chided. Izuku made eye contact before slowly rolling his eyes again.

“Have a trocar ready. I’m making the second incision now.” Izuku bit his lip as he slowly pressed his scalpel into the patient’s skin, slicing through layers of skin and subcutaneous fat, “trocar. Alright, and now the third incision. And the last trocar please? Great, thanks. Need…”

“Needle driver and adson pick-up? Way ahead of you boss.”

“Thanks. Alright, I’m beginning to amputate the appendix. Come on…gotcha. Alright I’m done with the suture loop. Scissors?”

“Straight right?”

“Yup,”

“Here you go,”

“Ok, just a small snip and onto the fun part, squeezing an enlarged appendix through a 2.5 cm incision.”

“Only you would think that’s fun, Zuku-Sensei”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m a nerd, we know…easy now…alright. Suture kit? Now, let me just close Hirota-san real quick, and done! That’s tonight’s first appendectomy done with. Tool count?”

“Gimme a sec here, we can’t all be geniuses like you.” Yoshida grumbled, “all accounted for.”

“Great! Have whoever’s available take Hirota-san to recovery and wean him off off his anesthetic. He should be ready to discharge in a few hours. Standard appendectomy recovery procedures.”

“No worries I can take him right now.”

“Nice try Yoshida-san,” Izuku huffed, “as the operating nurse you get the honor of disposing Hirota-san’s appendix in the biowaste receptacle and sanitizing the OR.”

“Ugh, I bet you doctors get your jollies by forcing us poor nurses to wipe up guts all day.”

“You say that like I didn’t spend years of my childhood doing just that. Plus, if anyone takes enjoyment from that it’s Ito-san. Poor Michi-san can never catch a break.”

“I mean, fair. But that’s just cause he’s the new guy. He’ll figure out how to get Ito-kun back soon enough.”

“You keep on believing that. Anyways I have another appendectomy in twenty so I need to clean up. See you in a few?”

“No thanks, I think I’ll find a nice sprained ankle instead. No blood, minimal cleanup.”

“Well good luck with that. You’ll have to race Michi-san for it. Ito-san stuck him with the clean up for that intestinal parasites case in exam room three.”

“Oh yuck. Now shoo, didn’t you have another surgery?”

“Yeah I’m off,” Izuku grimaced, exiting the OR into the dressing room and tossing his bloodied gloves in the biohazard waste bin “no rest for the weary.”

“Oi, Zuku-kun.” A cheery voice called from across the dressing room. “Finished up?”

“Hey Natsuo-sempai,” Izuku grinned at his friend, “just cleaning up now. What’s up?”

“Things slowed down a bit so Takahashi-sensei is covering your second appendectomy. I’m about to go on break, but I have a patient with a moderate staph infection secondary to psoriasis in two who had an allergic reaction to vancomycin just over an hour ago. We switched him to daptomycin which he’s responding well too, but he’ll need a final look-over before discharge if you have a moment.”

“Yeah sure thing. Enjoy your break.”

“I wish. My biophysics midterms are coming up so cup noodles and studying for me.”

“Natsuo-kun. You literally moonlight as a doctor in a very busy, only mostly illegal, ER. Somehow I think you’re going to do fine on your biophysics exam.”

“Yeah but Zuku-kun, I don’t want to be a shady unlicensed underground doctor. I want to be a shady, licensed, underground doctor. And apparently medical students are expected to pass biophysics in order to get their licenses, despite the fact that we will literally never use it in practice. Ergo, studying.”

“Sometimes I wonder about you.”

“Fuck you green bean.”

“No thanks, I’d rather fuck your brother.” Natsuo snorted.
“Yeah like that’s gonna happen. Shouto is the literal definition of a virgin. I had to give him the talk a couple weeks ago because Fuyumi realized dad probably never did. Kid didn’t believe me when I told him where babies come from.”

“Where did he think babies came from?” Izuku asked in confusion, “you know what, knowing Shouto-kun I don’t want to know. I’ve seen his conspiracy board.”

“Oh no, if I had to suffer through this conversation you have to suffer through this conversation. Apparently Shouto thought that the term ‘delivery’ meant that children were ordered online from hospitals and then shipped to their parents.”

“Wait, what? But he knows about genetics and stuff- I know because he’s talked about your parents’ quirk marriage.”

“You know those DNA testing companies that send you those kits to test your saliva?”

“You’re kidding. Please tell me you’re joking.”

“Nope, he had this whole bullshit process outlined and everything.”

“Maybe I should leave an anonymous note for Aizawa-sensei suggesting that UA does some basic sex-ed. I mean I know Shouto-kun is unusually sheltered, but better safe than sorry especially since we all live with each other now.”

“I mean I’m all for comprehensive sex-ed in school. Of course, that means you have to sit through it too- and what do you want to bet that Midnight volunteers to teach it?”

“You know what, you were right earlier, fuck me.”

“Well I’ll leave you with that horrifying thought. Tsutomu-kun has the paperwork you need.”

“Great, thanks. Best of luck with your studying.” Izuku quickly finished changing and washing his hands before heading out to grab his new patient’s chart.

“Yo, Tsutomu-kun, heard you got a patient for me?”

“Sure do, Zuzu-bean- and he’s a real cutie too.”

Matsumura Tsutomi had a…large personality. If asked, Izuku would describe him as flamboyant. Natsuo would probably use the words, “flaming gay.” He stood at over six feet tall with bulking muscles and a shaved head. His hand tie-dyed scrubs served as a bright contrast to his dark skin, and he was liberal with his application of make-up in various luminescent shades.

Tsutomi-kun served as the night shift administrator, meaning he handled the front desk and patient intake. He was a natural with the patients, but his supernatural ability to get the doctors to turn their paperwork in on-time was his most impressive skill, if Izuku didn’t know better he’d say it was his quirk.

“Yeah because a facial staph infection is real cute.” Izuku snorted, peering at the file handed to him. Izuku froze, eyes widening.

“Something wrong, hun?”

“Let’s just say I have a history with this patient. It would be a conflict of interest for me to treat him.”

“Really? You strike me as the type who would treat your enemies on the battlefield. Well, luckily you’re not going to treat him, you’re just going through his discharge paperwork with him.”

“You’re right, I swore when I took this job I’d take care of all who walk through our doors equally no matter who they are, and I meant that. It’s his reaction I’m worried about. Maybe if I wear a disguise? No that’s weird, what about a surgical mask and cap? I could pretend to have a cold…”

“Zuzu-bean you’re mumbling again.”

“Oh sorry, don’t worry about it- I think I figured it out. Just leave it to me, yeah?”

“Alright, hun if you’re sure. In that case, I bestow upon you this most important quest! Harken for I, Matsumura Tsutomi, do charge you to wield this mighty weapon known as paperwork and discharge the patient!”

“I accept this quest, verily, and will set off at once!” Izuku laughed, grabbing the file from Tsutomi-kun and marching off towards exam room two. On his way, Izuku snagged a surgical mask, cap, and pair of gloves from a medical cart, which he put on. He then removed his ID from his chest and slipped it into a spare pocket. Standing in front of the door, Izuku took a deep breath before knocking twice.

“Come in.” Steeling his nerves Izuku entered the room.

“Shigaraki Tomura-san?” Izuku asked in a low tone, already knowing the answer. Inside the exam room, Shigaraki sat perched on an exam table, Kurogiri-shifting ominously in the chair next to him.

“Yeah who are you, NPC?”

“I’m one of the doctors on staff, I’m here to go through your discharge paperwork with you.” Izuku replied, purposefully withholding his name.

“About time. I was supposed to be back at the ba…back to my home base hours ago!”

“I apologize for any inconvenience but it is hospital policy to keep you a while for monitoring in case you have a recurrence of your allergic reaction. Normally we’d like to keep you for four hours rather than two, but unfortunately due to our quasi-illegal status we just don’t have the resources. You seem to have responded well to the epinephrin injection and new anti-biotic, but I’m going to send you home with an epipen just in case your allergy symptoms come back. Have you ever used one before?”

“No,” Shikaraki grumbled, “and my HP is fine. I don’t need it.”

“Now Tomura,” Kurogiri interrupted, “I am aware of your distaste for needles, but sensei would be most pleased if you perished while he was indisposed.”

Izuku grimaced under his mask, if he let Shigaraki leave without his epipen then he’d be a pretty terrible doctor. On the other hand, if Shigaraki wanted to leave against medical advice and had another allergic reaction it would prevent him attacking UA anytime soon. Izuku sighed, why did he have to have morals?
“Shigaraki-san, you like gaming right? Think of it as a gather-quest. You have to find all the knowledge and prescriptions and put them together like a riddle. When you do, you’ll get a health buff.”

“A health buff, huh?” Shigarki hummed, “fine. Where can I find this ‘epipen’?”

“The administrator wearing tie-dye at the front desk has your prescriptions. But first you must…er, receive my blessing?” Did that sound like something an NPC in a game would say? Eh, close enough.

Kurogiri discretely gave Izuku an encouraging thumbs up from behind Shigaraki. And wasn’t that something, getting encouragement from the villain who gave him weeks of nightmares.

“And how, do I get your blessing?” Shigaraki ground his teeth.

“You must listen to my information and complete your discharge paperwork.” Izuku demanded, “Now let me show you how to use an epipen.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“And remember, due to you’re at higher risk for staph and other skin infections which sap your HP, so wash your hands frequently and your face twice daily. And for the love of god try not to scratch!” Izuku ranted.

“Yeah, yeah,” Shigaraki sighed, “can I go now?”

“I mean it. File down your fingernails, play with fidget toys, put a cold compress on your neck, whatever helps. But scratching is a one way ticket back here. I don’t want to see you around here if I don’t have to.” And wasn’t that the most honest thing Izuku had said all night? Izuku waited for Shigaraki to nod in understanding before continuing, “Alright, that concludes this leg of your quest. Next you must venture to the front desk and trade in this paperwork for your prescriptions.”

“Finally. Come Kurogiri, let’s get out of this dungeon.” Izuku waited for the door to shut behind the too before peeling off his face mask and slumping to the floor. Holy crap. He almost couldn’t believe Shigaraki didn’t recognize him, it was probably only the fact that no-one would expect a hero-student to be working in a quasi-illegal underground clinic that saved him.

There was a knock on the door.

“Zuku-sensei you in there?” Yoshida-san’s voice rang out from the other side.

“Yeah,” Izuku groaned. Yoshida opened the door.

“Someone just came in with a compound tibia-fibula fracture. We’ve managed to stem the bleeding, but it’s going to need to be set surgically.”

“Lucky me,” Izuku pulled himself off of the floor, “well no rest for the weary. Let’s go.”

“By the way, Zuku-sensei, I head you did a great job with your last patient- the one with the staph infection? I overhead that guys who looks like he’s made of mist, who I guess is his dad or something, talking to Tsutomu-kun. Apparently he’s never seen a doctor that was able to connect with his kid or get him to comply so well. He mentioned that he was going to bring the kid here from now on, just to see you.”

Was this shift cursed or something? And Izuku still had another seven hours.

“Fuckity, fuck, fuck, fuck.”

Chapter Text

Izuku rubbed his eyes blearily as he made his way towards his homeroom. His shift had run an hour late when it turned out that his patient, in for a small bowel resection, had an undiagnosed bleeding disorder leading to complications during surgery. Izuku had managed to save the patient, but they still weren’t fully stabilized by the time he had left. At least practical heroics wasn’t until the afternoon. Maybe Izuku could sneak a nap during second period biology? 

“Dude you look like hell,” Kaminari whistled, “did you stay up all night playing games or something?”

“Or something,” no, better to wait until lunch. 

“That was very irresponsible of you,” Iida chopped, “as a future hero in training it is of the upmost importance that you get adequate rest.”

“Easy dude,” Kaminari put his hand on Iida’s shoulder, “I think it’s super manly that Deku was able to unwind and have some fun. He’s always working so hard!”

Izuku wondered if he should correct his classmates. Meh, he was too tired to deal with it. 

“Yeah, Deku works the hardest of all of us,” Uraraka grinned, “speaking of, how was your shift at the internet cafe last night?”

“Long,” Izuku groaned, “So many pa…customers, I will have nightmares from all the paperwork.”

“Is that why you didn’t sleep?”

“Mm.”

“I sincerely apologize for my earlier assumption!” Iida bowed. 

“Don’t worry about it. How about you Uraraka-chan, didn’t you have a shift at the convenience store?”

“Actually, my schedule was rearranged so now I do food delivery for that ramen shop just off campus on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights.”

“I don’t know how you manage three part time jobs with your hero studies,” Kaminari interjected, “I’m ready to pass out after class everyday. I barely have energy for homework.”

“It’s super manly!” Kirishima agreed. 

“I don’t know about that,” Uraraka shrugged, “it’s just that UA is really expensive.”

“Plus it’s good practice!” Izuku added, “These days lot’s of pro-heroes work multiple jobs. All of our teachers work at least two, and PowerLoader-Sensei and Mic-Sensei work three! And then there’s Best Jeanist who is a licensed youth counselor, Uwabami who does all that modeling, and Fourth Kind who is a civil servant, and Lunch Rush owns a restaurant chain and…”

“Deku-kun, your fanboy is showing,” Uraraka laughed. Izuku blushed a deep red.

“It’s true though,” he mumbled, “the reality is that heroics pays by rankings so a lot of lower-ranked heroes have second and third jobs. Not to mention depending on the job, having a second job can be an important part of one’s hero work. Like Mic-Sensei’s talk show, which helps share important safety information and advice for people who are struggling. His call center which handles the call-ins to his show also doubles as an emergency help-line!”

“Is that why you applied for a part time job?” Iida asked

“Actually I’ve been working at my job since I was eight,”

“Isn’t that really young?” Shit. 

“Oh, I wasn’t really hired until I was older, but I spent a lot of time there as a kid, the manager would watch me while my mom worked, so I used to volunteer to help with chores and such. Once I was old enough they started paying me.”

So it was fudging the details a bit, but Izuku couldn’t tell his friends that he spent a large portion of his childhood in an illegal hospital because he was beat up by bullies for being quirkless and was refused treatment by regular doctors. There was a reason his future-hero classmates thought he worked at an internet cafe (there was an overnight internet cafe next to the clinic but Izuku had never been inside.)

“That’s so sweet,” Uraraka squealed, “I can just picture a mini-Deku trying to help out!”

Izuku wondered if she would still think it was sweet if she knew that his ‘helping out’ as an eight year old was mostly mopping up bodily fluids and washing soiled scrubs and linens. It wasn’t until he was ten that he was trained in and allowed to preform basic first aid on patients, and he didn’t start his medical training in earnest until he was twelve. 

“Enough talking. It’s time for homeroom.” Aizawa interrupted. “Just as a reminder, you will  have a special heroics practical class this afternoon. Remember to bring your costumes, you will not be allowed to go back to the dorms if you forget them. Now, onto other matters. Since you all just moved into the dorms, for homeroom this morning I will be checking in with each of you to make sure you’re settling in and to address any problems and concerns. Koda, you’re first. If anybody needs me I will be just outside in the hallway.” Aizawa then abruptly turned and headed out of the 1-A classroom. 

Izuku promptly face planted his desk, desperate to catch even a few moments of sleep. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Oi, useless nerd, Aizawa says you’re up.” Bakugo shouted as he re-entered the classroom. 

“Thanks Kacchan,” Izuku groaned as he tiredly pulled himself up out of his seat. He had been having such a nice nap too. 

“Midoriya,” Aizawa began neutrally once Izuku entered the hallway. “I have something I want to talk to you about. Before that, do you have any issues or concerns regarding how you are settling into the dorm.”

“Actually sensei,” Izuku responded, “um, don’t tell him I told you this, but I recently found out that Shotou-kun thought that babies are shipped to parents by hospitals? His brother gave him the ‘talk’ last week, but he might not be the only one and now that we all live together…”

“He what?” Aizawa interrupted before sighing heavily, “Never mind. I’ll talk to Nedzu about it and we’ll figure something out. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Anything else?”

“No sensei.” 

“Ok then. If anything does occur, know that there is always at least one teacher on-call overnight. Now, I was on call last night, and I noticed you didn’t return to the dorm until 3:30.”

“Um, I, that is- I have a job?”

“Yes Midoriya, I am aware that you have a part time job. What is unclear to me is why that means you are getting only three hours of sleep a night.”

“Five hours actually,” Izuku interrupted, “there was an incident last night and my shift ran an hour over, and I usually sleep for an hour during my break.” 

“That isn’t much better. Your sleep schedule isn’t healthy or safe. Normally we would trust the students to be responsible enough to manage their own time, but by not sleeping and being overtired during class you are putting both yourself and frankly your classmates at risk.”

“You’re one to talk sensei,” Izuku snapped back defensively, “there’s no way you get more than three hours of sleep at night.”

“No I don’t, but I am neither growing nor in training. Plus, I only teach three classes meaning that I am able to get plenty of sleep during the day. If you are going to be a hero you need to learn to take care of your health first. It’s only logical.”

I would be a pretty crappy doctor if I didn’t already know that, Izuku snarked internally, its just that doctors tend to be hypocrites. 

“I’m fine Aizawa-sensei. You don’t need to worry, I know what i’m doing.” Aizawa frowned lightly. 

“Is everything ok? If it’s a financial issue I’m sure we could work something out.”

“Nothing like that,” Izuku didn’t even get paid for his night work, “last night was just a bad night. That’s all. I promise I get enough sleep.”

Aizawa gave Izuku a long look, “I’ll let you go for now, but I will intervene if this continues.”

Shit. Izuku was going to have to be much more careful when heading back to the dorms. He only lived on the second floor. Maybe he could start sneaking in through his window? 

“You won’t have to,” Izuku promised, because you won’t catch me. 

“Very well,” Aizawa sighed, “You’re free to go. Could you send out Mineta?”

“Sure,” Izuku headed back into the classroom, “Mineta-san you’re up.”

“Oi Deku, you were out there for too long. What is fucking going on.” Bakugo snarled as Izuku took his seat.

“It’s fine Kacchan,” Izuku brushed it off, “I just had some questions about going to visit Kaa-san over the weekend.”

“Fine, nerd.” Bakugo leaned back in his seat. Mineta came back all too quickly, followed by Yaoyorozu who was last. 

A few minutes later, Motojiro-sensei entered the room and started their science class.

“Now then allow me to announce the theme of today’s science unit,” Motojiro-sensei cackled, “Human-Anatomy up-close!”

Izuku smiled, at least this unit would be an easy grade. He was an expert in human anatomy ‘up-close.’

“We will start with the brain, a scientific marvel. Even happiness is just a simple signal in the brain. Can anyone tell me what the lobes of the brain are? Yaoyorozu-san?”

“The frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes,”

That’s wrong. 

“Care to elaborate Midoriya-san?” Izuku froze. Had he said that out loud? He really was overtired. 

“It’s true that the brain is traditionally divided into the four lobes Yaoyorozu-san mentioned,” Izuku began, “but there’s actually a fifth lobe, the insula lobe, sometimes called the insular cortex or Island of Reil. It’s a part of the cerebral cortex and is buried pretty deep within the lateral succulus, and isn’t very well understood, which is partly why it gets left out. As far as medical researchers can tell, the insula has a wide range of functions including a variety of sensorimotor processing functions, social-emotional processing functions, and cognitive functions. What we know about its role in emotional subjectivity and empathy is truly fascinating. It’s my personal hypothesis that a large number of so called ‘empathy quirks’ are actual insular mutations. Of course it is difficult to see on brain scans given how deep it is so we can’t actually prove it, but…” 

“The fuck nerd?” Bakugo barked, cutting Izuku off. 

“Could someone repeat that in Japanese please?” Kaminari asked. 

“Er, I mean, its a very small very lobe deep in the brain that we don’t know much about but probably does a lot of important things in our bodies like control the way we experience emotions?” Izuku offered. 

“Very good Midoriya-san, oh the possibilities for experimentation the true expression of science’s beauty. Now, can anybody tell me the function of the Cerebrum?” Izuku sighed. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to try and sneak a nap during class. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“I believe I’ve mentioned this already,” Aizawa began their heroics lesson, “but your main focus this summer is obtaining provisional hero licenses.”

“Yes sir!”

“Do not take this lightly. A hero license means that you’re responsible for human lives.”

So same old? Izuku thought with a touch of dark humor. 

“You can imagine that the exam to receive one is very difficult.”

Again, not seeing much difference here. I mean to be fair, I did skip out on the whole med school thing and practice medicine mostly illegally. But if I did that for heroics I’d be labeled a vigilante and hunted by the police. Holy crap I’m a doctor vigilante! A vigilante doctor?! Wait, no, class now, freak out later. 

“Only fifty percent of students pass the tests required to get these permits each year.”

“It’s that hard to get a provisional license?” Mineta interrupted. Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the intrusion but continued his lecture. 

“In order to prepare, today you’ll concentrate on creating something new.” The classroom door suddenly slid open, revealing Midnight, Ectoplasm, and Cementoss, “two ultimate moves.”

“Ultimate moves?!” Kaminari and Kirishima asked.

“An exam is a normal school thing,” Mina added.

“But this is total hero work!” Sero concluded excitedly. Izuku sweat dropped, that was way too dramatic. Why were his classmates like this?

“When we say ultimate, we mean a move that will ensure you win against your opponent.” Ectoplasm explained. 

Cementoss continued, “an action so unique to your identity that no other person can hope to copy it. Simply put, you must learn to lean into your strengths.

“Your moves represent who you are,” Midnight added, “these days most pro heroes have an ultimate move. Those who don’t are fools.”

Aizawa once more took over the lesson, “This may sound abstract, but we’ll explain more as the class goes on. For now, change into your costumes and meet in Gym Gamma.” 

Once the class had changed and reassembled in the gym Aizawa continued, “Gym Gamma, also know as the ‘Training Dining Land’ or TDL.”

“Huh?” Uraraka interjected. Izuku couldn’t help but agree, what was will UA’s obsession with unnecessary acronyms? USJ, TDL, it was almost as bad as the clinic’s diagnostic codes, and those were a nightmare and a half to deal with. 

“This facility was my idea,” Cementoss started to raise a concrete structure from the gym floor, “we can prepare unique terrains and obstacles for each student here. Here you will learn to ‘serve up justice’ hence the name.” 

Izuku groaned internally, that was beyond cheesy. Iida stiffly raised his hand into the air.

“Please allow me a question! What is the advantage of having ultimate moves for our provisional exam? May we know your reasoning!” 

“That’s two questions. Calm down.” Aizawa sighed tiredly, “The job of a hero is to save people from all sorts of dangers. Crime, accidents, and natural or man-made disasters. Of course the licensing exam analyzes how well you’re able to deal with such things. It won’t just be fighting. Your ability to gather information and make quick decisions will be judged in addition to how well you communicate, cooperate, and lead others. Every year a new test is used to evaluate these qualities.”

It sounds like the exam may have a rescue element, Izuku mused, I should inventory my first aid supplies, and see if I’m missing anything I may need. I may even be able to access some better quality materials through UA. The stuff the clinic gets can be iffy.  

“One thing is especially important. If you want to be a pro hero, you must be able to prevail in battle. If you’re prepared, you won’t have to worry. And those of you with an ultimate move will have stronger results.” Midnight explained. 

Cementoss picked up where she left off, “You’re circumstances should not dictate the results of your future battles. Learn to be consistent and you will be a great asset on the front lines.”

"Your ultimate moves don’t have to be an attack. Take Iida’s Reciproburst, for example. This sort of temporary boost in speed is valuable enough that it falls into the category of excellence we’re looking for.” Ectoplasm finished. 

Izuku hummed to himself. Maybe there was some way he could incorporate his medical knowledge into his move? Izuku knew how to manipulate the human body better than most. 

“You mean I’ve been doing an ultimate move all along?” Iida cried out in shock.

“So it’s basically our secret weapon,” Sato mused, “something that gives us the edge so we can win no matter who or what we’re facing.”

“There’s a smart boy,” Midnight winked, “for example, how Kamui Woods is able to use is Lacquered Chain Prison to capture opponents in an instant. That’s exactly what we want to see.”

“The training camp was interrupted, but the practice you did get in to develop your quirks was part of the process needed to create these defining abilities. Now that you’re caught up, you’ll be working hard to develop powerful moves of your own for the next ten days or so. This is how you will spend the remainder of your summer term.” Aizawa declared, “In addition you should think about how you can improve your costumes, especially now that you have a better understanding of your quirks. I expect each of you to go Plus Ultra. Do you have it in you?

“Yes sir!” The class chanted, before splitting up into their various zones. 

Izuku frowned. Where should he begin? He couldn’t afford to damage his arms any further, especially since he needed such fine control of his hands for surgery. Perhaps he should switch to a leg based attack style in order to protect his arms? Just because he had the same quirk as All Might didn’t mean they had to have the same attack styles. He could also look into additional support equipment to help brace his arms, in case he did need to fall back on them in a future battle, it couldn’t hurt to be prepared just in case. 

“Yo young Midoriya!”

“All Might! What are you doing here? You should be resting, you’re still injured!”

“And miss this? What are you thinking about?”

“I can’t afford to injure my arms anymore, so I was considering whether it would make sense to switch to a leg-based attack style. I know it’s not exactly like yours but…”

“My boy, don’t worry about imitating me. You are your own hero, figure out what works for you.” All Might put a hand on Izuku’s head before turning away, “Hey Kirishima, let me lay some wisdom on you.”

All right then, Izuku decided, let’s begin.

Chapter Text

“All right night shift listen up!” Takahashi Shiori, the second shift attending called, “we just got word of a mass casualty event from one of our friends in Emergency Medical Services, we have ten incoming trauma cases arriving in about twenty minutes.”

“Ten?” Izuku gasped, they only had four doctors and six nurses on shift. 

“Quirkless support group rented a bus for a day-trip and were t-boned by a nearby villain who had gotten into a car chase with the police. The driver had a quirk and was sent to Musutafu Memorial. We were lucky that one of the EMTs was an ally of ours and knew to send the quirkless patients to us. They were able to gather a couple volunteers to drive the patients here.”

“Twenty minutes is a long-time to wait before treating that kind of trauma, would it have been better to let them take their chances with the hospital?” Michi wondered. 

“No way,” Natsuo crossed his arms, “you’re quirked and still relatively new here so you wouldn’t be expected to know, but Musutafu Memorial has a blanket policy of refusing all quirkless patients, emergency or not. All that would have done is waste more precious time,  and we don’t have time to waste. Do we have any more info on what we’re looking at?”

“As of ten minutes ago we had two red tags, five yellow tags, and three green tags. Of course that could change during transportation so be prepared for as many as seven red tags. As of this moment, we’re putting the clinic on bypass,” Takahashi ordered, “Matsumura, put all of our current patients on a hold and do your best to keep them happy. Direct all incoming non-emergent cases to our sister clinic in Hosu. Incoming emergencies should be logged and tagged based on the field triage system.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” Matsumura saluted, “you got it.”

“As for our nurses, Harada, you’re on patient intake. Umeda, Azuma, and Aoiki exam bays one, two, and three respectively- be prepared to move quickly when our patients arrive. We will try to direct no more than one red-tag patient to each of your stations to avoid overwhelming you but no guarantees.”

“Yes sensei!” Umeda Subaru, Aoiki Michi, Harada Eito, and Azuma Mari chorused. 

“Yoshida-san,” Takahashi began, “chances are we’re going to have surgical patients. Scrub into the OR now. If for some reason we don’t need an operating team you will be a float.”

“On it!” Yoshida responded determinedly.  

“Wh..what about me?” Kuwahara Hanako asked timidly. She was the youngest nurse at just 13 and specialized in pediatrics. 

“You’re on medication dispensary and lab orders. Use a triage system. We have sparse resources, make sure that all restricted medication orders go to those who need them the most and that no supplies go missing or get wasted. That goes for all of you, if Kuwahara-san says she can't fill your prescriptions then you damn better well listen and figure something else out. We’re expecting a new shipment of meds tomorrow afternoon, until then we make do with what we have.”

“Right!” 

“Now onto our doctors. I will be taking exam bay 1, Todoroki take bay 2, Sakuma you’re on bay 3. Midoriya you are in the OR. As soon as you are done with any emergency operations take over bay 3 so that Sakuma can switch to psychiatric rounds. If psychiatric intervention becomes necessary before you are finished, Todoroki and I will cover bay 3. Does everybody understand their assignments? Good. ETA is now ten minutes. Break.”

Izuku didn’t waste any time rushing to the ER and scrubbing in.

“You ready for this?” Yoshida asked as they pushed into the OR. 

“Nobody is ever ready for this,” Izuku said grimly, “We don’t know what is coming through those doors. However, statistically speaking, the most common emergency surgeries after traumatic car accidents include craniotomies and other brain surgeries to repair skull fractures and brain bleeds, spinal fusions and disectomies, and cauterization of internal bleeds.”

“So nothing too difficult right?” Yoshida offered a wan smile, “and just think! Once we’re all done here we’ll likely have some nice easy fractured bones to reset.”

“There is that. Plus I refreshed my cranial anatomy knowledge in biology class this morning.” Izuku joked before turning sullen, “Let’s just hope I don’t have to use it.” 

Their pagers simultaneously beeped.

“They’re here.”  

——————————————————————————————————————————

Central ER 21:43

“What have you got for us,” Harada demanded as one of the volunteers rushed in with the first patient, who he promptly placed on the awaiting gurney. 

“According to his ID his name is Yasui Chiasa, 32 years old. Severe respiratory distress, suspected broken ribs, and a moderate laceration. He’s conscious but not lucid.”

“Alright, take him to bay one.” 

“I’ve got him,” Takahashi called, pressing an oxygen mask to the patients face as she and the volunteer rolled the gurney, “Yasui-san can you hear me?” 

The patient only groaned in response. 

“I need 300 ccs of Lactated Ringer’s stat.” The trio quickly vanished into their assigned med-bay. 

“Incoming! Bay 2,” Harada called. Natsuo ran up to the doors with Azuma. An EMT, their probable hero of the day, rushed in with a young woman in his arms whom he placed on the nearest gurney.

“Jane Doe, probably in her 20s but I can’t be sure. She’s non-responsive but her breathing and heart rate are stable. Compound tibia-fibula fracture in her right leg.” The EMT promptly reported, “she has a moderate abrasion on the back of her head. I’ve already controlled the bleeding.”

“Thanks. Madam can you tell me your name?” No response, “Can you open your eyes for me?” Once more patient didn’t respond to Natsuo’s question. After waiting a split second Natsuo began to apply pressure to the patient’s finger tip. Her eyes remained shut. Natsuo grabbed the patient’s left trapezius muscle and squeezed firmly. The patient jerked their shoulder away. 

“GCS 7, we’re taking her straight to CT,” Natsuo ordered, “Azuma, 100cc of iodine contrast.” 

After the patient was wheeled away the EMT turned towards Harada, “We should have one more red tag, four yellows, and three greens coming in. The yellows are in two transports while the greens are sharing a third.”

“Thank you,” Harada noted down the numbers, “any chance you could stick around? We’re extremely short-handed at the moment.”

“Sorry,” the EMT shook his head, “I wish I could but I’m on the clock right now. I’ve already been AWOL for just under an hour and my captain won’t be able to cover for me much longer.”

“I understand,” Harada answered, “I won’t keep you any longer. Thank you for everything, you’re a real hero.”

“I couldn’t just leave them there. Let me know if they’re ok? Takahashi-sensei should have my number.”

“Of course.”

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Med-Bay 1 21:45

Takahashi checked the oximeter on the patient’s finger. “He’s tachycardic, pulse of 145, Oxygenation is at 79% and isn’t rising.” She pressed her stethoscope to the patient’s chest.

“No breath sounds on the left side. Probably a pneumothorax. We’ll need to do an ultrasound. Unbutton his shirt.” 

“Alright, here you go sensei,” Umeda handed over the ultrasound and gel. 

“Sorry, this is going to be cold.” Takahashi warned before squirting the gel onto the patient’s chest. The man groaned slightly in protest. “I really don’t see any lung sliding on the left side there. I was right, it's a left-side pneumothorax. We’re going to have to aspirate.”

“I’m fairly certain we’re out of pleural drainage kits,” Umeda interrupted, “what do you want me to do?”

 “Get me 4 cc of 2% lidocaine, an 18G cannula, and a spinal tap kit stat.”

“On it.”

“Sir, the reason you are having trouble breathing is that your left lung collapsed. Basically, the trauma from the crash caused air to leak into the space between your lung and chest wall. We are going to insert a needle into this space to release the air and allow your lung to expand, which should return your breathing to normal. I will use a local anesthetic to numb the area before hand. You should only feel a little pinch. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” the patient wheezed.

“Do I have your consent to proceed?”

“Yes!” 

“Alright, let’s begin,” Takahashi pulled on pair of nitrile gloves, before sterilizing the area with an alcohol swab and placing a drape over the procedure area. “I’m going to insert the needle with the Lidocaine now. You’ll feel a small sting. There, done. Now I’m going to do the same thing but I’m going to go a little deeper with it. Ok?”

The patient grunted in response. As she injected a little bit of the Lidocaine, Takahashi slowly moved the needle up and down to release some of the air from the pleural cavity.  When she was finished she filled the cannula with the remaining lidocaine an inserted it at a ninety degree angle into the second intercostal space on the midclavicular line.

“Umeda make sure the cannula doesn’t kink,” Takahashi ordered removing the needle from the tubing, “alright you can attach the three way tap to the top of the cannula and the 50ml syringe to the tap.”

“Roger that,” Umeda responded before proceeding, “everything looks good.”

“Alright, have you done a pleural aspiration before?”

“Only once,” Umeda admitted.

“Alright, I’m going to walk you through it. All you need to do is slowly and steadily draw the air out with the syringe. Stop once you start to feel resistance.” 

“Ok,” Umeda took a deep breath before starting to pull the syringe plunger, “what do I do if the syringe is full but I’m still not feeling resistance?”

“Not to worry, I expect that it will happen several more times. Let me just turn the stopcock here and you can detach the syringe and empty the air. Make sure you don’t lose any of the Lidocaine.”

“Right. Ok I’ve reattached the syringe.”

“Rinse and repeat.”

—————————————————————————————————————————

Central ER: 21:49

The EMT had barely left when the next patient was rushed in and dropped on the awaiting gurney. 

“Adachi Kou, 47, he’s lost a lot of blood. He was awake when we left the scene but lost consciousness en-route.” 

“He doesn’t have a pulse and isn’t breathing. Code blue!” Sakuma shouted before pulling herself onto the gurney to begin chest compressions. Michi rushed over, dragging a crash cart with him. 

“Give him 1 cc epinephrin. We don’t have time to establish an IV line so it’ll have to be an intracardiac injection.” Michi pulled the requested needle and dosage from the cart before injecting it into the patient’s heart. 

“Take over for me while I bag him,” Sakuma ordered, before switching places with Michi, “Harada, leave intake to Kuwahara and get the patient hooked up to a monitor.”

“Yes sensei!” Harada shouted.

“He’s bagged.” Sakuma reported, “Harada are you done?”

“Almost, gimme a second, there!”

“You handle the bag. Looks like fine VFib. Michi, give him another dose of the epinephrin. I’m going to start up the AED.” Takahashi pulled the yellow plastic AED case from the crash cart as Michi re-injected the patient. 

“Watch your hands, I’m cutting off his shirt,” Takahashi warned before proceeding to slice through cotton, “damn it, we’re going to need to shave him. I’ll do my best to work around you, but you’ll have to pause CPR for a few moments.”

“Just give me the heads up.” An ominous crack accompanied the next compression, “and I definitely just broke this guy’s rib.”

“Good. That means you’re doing it right. Better a broken rib than dead.” Takahashi replied as she quickly shaved off as much of the patient’s chest hair as she could. “Pause so I can get the last spot.”

Michi stopped his compressions, “here, I’ll help you attach the pads.” Together the two of them hooked the patient up to the defibrillator. 

“Clear,” Takahashi ordered, pulling away from the patient. Harada dropped the air bag and took a large step back.

The patient’s body contracted with the electric shock. 

“Still nothing on the monitor, resume CPR and breaths. Alright Michi, give the next dose of epi.”

“Done.”

“Clear.”

The body convulsed again. 

“Shit. He’s asystolic. Resume CPR.”

“He’s not going to recover,” Harada noted sadly.

“We have to try. Even with CPR, we have fifteen minutes from Asystole to brain death due to oxygen deprivation.”

“Takahashi-sensei, swap I with me- I’m not going to be able to keep doing this much longer.”

“Right. One, two three, swap.” Michi breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed his arms. Two minutes later Harada swapped in. 

“Still nothing. Give his next dose of epi.” Takahashi ordered. The team continued to swap out with each other, giving additional doses of epinephrine every three minutes. By the time fifteen minutes had passed Michi was doing compressions once more.

“Michi, it’s been fifteen minutes. I’m calling it.” Michi froze, looking like he was about to argue, before nodding slowly and climbing off of the body.

“Time of death 22:13.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Imaging Room 21:47

“Ready to lift her into the machine?”

“On the count of three?” 

“One, two, three lift.” Natsuo and Azuma heaved the patient into the CT scanner. 

“Alright,” Natsuo firmly ran his finger from the bottom of the patient’s foot to the top. The toes reflexively fanned out, “positive Babinsky so there’s that. Let’s see what the CT can tell us.” 

Natsuo started up the machine and an image loaded onto the monitor.

“Shit, we need to get her to Izuku now.” 

——————————————————————————————————————————

OR 21:49

“Epidural Hematoma, it’s small, only 20 cubic centimeters, and 15 centimeters thick.” Yoshida announced, “caused by a skull fracture tear of the middle meningeal artery. But she’s GCS 7 so we need to operate.”

“A craniotomy then.” Izuku concluded, “do we know anything about the patient?”

“Young Jane Doe,” Yoshida shrugged, “I’m guessing she weighs around 55kg. I’ve given her the loading dose of Propofol, and hooked her up to a 330mg infusion set to a 60 minute infusion rate.”

“Ok. Secure her head to prevent movement, while I shave her head.” Izuku ordered, selecting a razor from a surgical cart. 

“It’s a shame,” Yoshida commented idly as Izuku began to shave the patient’s hair, “her hair was so long and pretty.”

“Well if we do this right she’ll hopefully have a chance to grow it back.” Izuku responded, “Alright done. Hand me the marker?”

“Here you are.” Izuku took the marker from Yoshida and drew a large arch over the location of the hematoma. “This is going to be a long procedure- what kind of music are you in the mood for?”

“Hm,” Yoshida pondered, “classic K-Pop?”

“21st century?”

“What do you take me for, a heathen? Of course 21st century.”

“Sounds good. Hand me a scalpel before going to turn it on.  

Izuku cut along the mark, pulling back the soft tissue to expose the patient’s skull. Just as he finished the incision, BLACKPINK’s “Shut Down” began playing on the overhead.

“I will never get over how cool the human body is,” Yoshida exclaimed upon returning.

“Well at least you know you’re in the right field. Hand me the drill.” Very carefully Izuku drilled four small holes in the patient’s skull, creating the shape of a square, “bone saw.”

“Here you go boss.” Yoshida handed the saw over. Izuku began sawing between each of the holes, “be ready with a sterile container for the skull fragment once I remove it.”

“Already have one prepared,” Yoshida responded. Izuku hummed in acknowledgement and continued to saw. A while after he freed the section of bone, dropping it into the container Yoshida provided. 

“Look at that,”

“Wow,” Yoshida whistled, “Now that’s nastier than it looked on the scans, it’s no wonder she’s a GCS 7. That clot must be putting a ton of pressure on her brain.” 

“Luckily we can fix that. Suction.” Izuku gingerly placed the suction tip against the large blood clot and began the painstaking process of removing hematoma. It took well over an hour before the clot was fully removed. “Damn it! She started to bleed again. Cautery pen?”

“Trade you,” Yoshida exchanged the pen for the suction tool. Izuku gently pressed the pen to the bleed, using an electric current to seal the wound. 

“Ok that should do it. Her bleeding should be fully stopped, so we should be good to replace the skull flap without a drain. We’ll just need to keep a close eye on it for a few days.”

“Alright I’ll make sure the nurses know.”

“Thanks. Hand me the anchors and screws one at a time?” Izuku put the bone fragment back in place, and attached it to the rest of the skull with the metal anchors and screws. “Page Natsuo to come get his patient. All that’s left is to suture her up.”

“Got it.” Yoshida sighed, “and then lemme guess, clean up duty?”

“For both of us.” Izuku nodded grimly, “I’m sure we’ll barely have time to grab a protein bar and cup of coffee before our next procedure.”

“I bet we all could use some coffee by now. Maybe I should page Matsumura-kun about starting a pot?”

“He’s probably busy, but you can ask.”

“Matsumura-kun, any chance for some coffee?” Yoshida spoke into her pager. A minute later her pager beeped with a reply.

“I gotcha girl.” 

“Did you hear that Zuku-sensei?” 

“I heard, and good timing too, we’re done here.” Izuku stepped back from the patient. Just then there was a knock on the OR door.

“We’re done, you can come in.” Izuku replied. Natsuo pushed the door open. 

“Everything go well?”

“Yup,” Izuku replied with exhausted cheer, “just keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t start bleeding again in the next couple days. The hematoma was worse than it initially looked on the scans so I can’t say for sure what her prognosis will be. We’ll take her off the anesthetic, and you should have a better idea if or when she wakes up.”

“Thanks man,” Natsuo smiled grimly, “Giving you a heads up, it turns out that Takahashi’s red-tag has significant abdominal bleeding and will need surgery stat. We’ve already put it off for too long due to understaffing.”

“Shit.” Izuku cursed, “Is anyone available to sanitize the OR? Yoshida and I need food and coffee if we aren’t going to screw this one up.”

“Azuma-san can handle it.” Natsuo responded, “all of our patients are stable now.”

“Thanks,” Yoshida breathed a sigh of relief, “how many patients do you have?”

“Our Jane Doe here, who was our red-tag. An young woman with a closed arm fracture and a moderate concussion, and an older gentleman with some minor abrasions and a broken wrist.”

“That’s not as bad as I feared,” Izuku offered. 

“I had it easy. Sakuma’s red tag was DOA.”

“Well shit.” 

“Anyways, go change and grab your food. The ER will be ready for you in 15.”

“Thanks again,” Izuku smiled at Natsuo, before pushing out of the OR. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

Waiting Room 11:50

The entire waiting room was awash in the din of discontent patients by the time Izuku arrived.

“We’ve been waiting her for four hours,” a woman cried, gently bouncing a distressed infant in her arms, “Karu-chan needs to see a doctor.”

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Matsumura placated the woman, “as I’ve said before, we’re currently dealing with a mass casualty event. All our doctors are currently tied up with patients in imminent danger of losing their lives. While Karu-chan’s health is very important, he is not in any immediate danger.

“What about that one,” the woman pointed wildly at Izuku. 

“Hey, it’s a doctor!” One man shouted.

“I’m next in line!” Another chimed in.

“No you aren’t we were here first!”

“Well I’m sicker!”

“Shut the fuck up, you’re fine. My sister is way worse off!”

“Everybody please calm down,” Izuku shouted, the crowd hushed. “I just got out of a three-hour brain surgery and am stopping to grab a cup of coffee so that I am alert for my next emergency procedure. We will see you as soon as we are able, but you must understand. We are a volunteer operation, the doctors are pulling twelve hour shifts for no pay so that you can receive care. We are severely understaffed and are dealing with patients who are dying. We’ve already lost one person tonight. So please, please be patient and kind to your doctors. We are struggling too. I know it is hard to wait when you and your family feel sick, but know that we are doing the absolute best we can. If you want to help speed things up, I know that we could use some volunteers to help with basic tasks like cleaning, sorting through patient’s personal belongings, changing sheets, and making food.”

“Anybody who is healthy and willing to help, can come talk to me.” Matsumura announced, “thanks, Zuzu-bean. Your coffee is behind the desk.”

“We really need a designated staff room.” Izuku responded tiredly. 

“With what space?” Matsumura snorted. 

“Maybe we could work out some kind of deal with the internet cafe?”

“It’s not a bad idea. I’ll bring it up with Takahashi-sensei.”  Izuku nodded taking a deep sip of his coffee before heading back into the makeshift ER, “Hey Izuku?”

“Hm?”

“You’re going to be a great hero.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Central ER 12:00

“Hey Harada-san, what’s the situation.” Izuku asked the weary looking nurse.

“Currently we have one red tag- your abdominal bleed in room 1. Came in with a pneumothorax which Takahashi-sensei treated, then started displaying signs of blood loss with a distended abdomen. We’ve been transfusing him while we waited for you. There are four yellow tags of various severity, the worst off is a patient in room 3 with some sort of spinal injury. We have a couple of compound fractures but it looks like those will have to wait for the next shift at this point. We were able to get in contact with a handful of people who agreed to come in early, they should be here in a little over an hour. We sent our three green tags to the waiting room. Now that the Jane Doe is out of surgery we’ll ask someone to identify her.”

“That’s great news. Speaking of the waiting room, I got Matsumura to assemble a bunch of volunteers to help out with basic housekeeping tasks. Hopefully, we’ll get enough people to take the edge off.”

“And that is why you are our resident genius,” Harada sighed, “that will be a huge help. Now if you’re done with your coffee, go have your abdominal bleed patient sign his consent forms.” Harada pressed a patient chart into Izuku’s chest.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going,” Izuku sighed, pushing back the curtain to bay 1. Izuku glanced down at the chart. “Yasui Chiasa-san?”

“Yes?” The middle-aged man on the left-most bed responded.

“I’m Midoriya-sensei, and I am going to be your surgeon today. I want to go over the procedure and some paperwork with you if that’s ok?”

“Yeah sure,” the man coughed lightly, “sorry. My breathing still isn’t completely normal.”

“I see you had a needle aspiration earlier for a pneumothorax. It’s not uncommon to feel some effects for a few hours after the procedure. Now essentially what we’re going to do is an exploratory surgery in your abdomen to locate and cauterize any bleeds.”

“Cauterize? You’re going to burn me?”

“Not exactly, we use a small electrical current to heat the tissue and seal off the wound. You’ll be under general anesthesia so you shouldn’t feel any pain during the procedure. The big issue is we won’t know exactly where you’re bleeding until we start the procedure. Depending on the location and severity of the bleed or bleeds we may elect to remove the whole or parts some of your organs.”

“My organs?”

“I understand that this can be scary to hear, and we will do everything we can to prevent that outcome, but it is a possibility.”

“Which organs could I lose?”

“We can’t really say for sure. The liver tends to be the most commonly damaged organ from abdominal trauma, but it’s not one we can remove. If your liver has sustained severe damage we will need to talk about next steps after the surgery. Another area of concern due to its location is the spleen, and it isn’t unheard of for surgeons to need to remove very small sections of intestine in cases like these. Please know that it is highly unlikely that we will need to remove any of your organs, but we do need to inform you of the possibility.”

“I understand but that’s…” The man sighed, “do I really need the surgery? Aren’t the transfusions enough?”

“Sir, without the operation you will bleed out. You need it to survive.”

“Yeah I thought you’d say that.”

“Look, I can’t say things will go perfectly, but this surgery, while significant, is relatively low-risk. You face a greater risk if you refuse treatment than if you proceed with the operation.” 

“Alright, I get it. I’ll get the operation.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Now I need to go through these consent forms with you, certifying that we talked about the risks of the operation and that you are electing to proceed with full understanding of these risks.”

“Just show me where to sign, I want to get this over with.” Izuku handed the papers to the patient and pointed at the signature line. 

“Alright. A nurse is going to stop by to prep you for your surgery and administer anesthesia. I’ll check in with you on the other side.”

“Thanks Midoriya-sensei.” Izuku walked out of the bay, pulling the curtain shut behind him as he did. It was time to scrub in. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

OR 1:30

“And done,” Izuku sighed, wiping his brow, “looks like he only had the one major bleed.”

“He’ll be happy when he wakes up with all of his organs,” Yoshida laughed, “anyways I’ll start clean up here if you want to change and take the patient back to bay 1.”

“Thanks, you’re an angel,” Izuku smiled at his friend before rushing into the changing room to divest himself of his scrubs.

“Hey Zuku,” Natsuo poked his head in, “just change into your civvies. Shift 1 is here early to relieve us.”

“Oh thank All Might,” Izuku breathed a sigh of relief, “this was the shift from hell.”

“You’re telling me. Do you want a lift to UA?”

“I won’t say no if you’re offering.”

“Great, I’ll be waiting in the Central ER.”

“Thanks Natsuo.” Izuku wasted no time taking a quick shower and changing into sweats. He grabbed his bag from his locker and made his way to meet with Natsuo. 

“Izu-kun, I heard you had a rough night!” Ito Junichiro greeted cheerily as Izuku entered. Izuku just glared.

“Since you seem so eager to foist off your cleaning duties on Michi, why don’t you clean the OR? We just did an exploratory surgery for electro-cauterization and there is plenty of blood to share.”

“See if I ever offer you my Mighty Tower Discount again,” Ito huffed acknowledging the irony, “well I guess I’m off to the OR.” Izuku turned towards the Nurses station in the center of the room, where Obi Kozue, the shift one head nurse was shuffling through paperwork.

“Hey Obi-san,” Izuku greeted, “do you have an update before I go?” She gave a slight hop in surprise, her kangaroo mutation quirk making the jump go higher than it would normally. 

“Hey Midoriya-sensei, thanks for your effort tonight,” she said cheerily, “Thanks to you we don’t have any more red-tag patients. Our Jane Doe was identified by one of her friends as Ogawa Minako, a special education teacher. She hasn’t woken up yet, but she’s showing increased brain activity which is a good sign.”

“I’m really glad to hear that,” Izuku said, relieved. "Could you check in with my abdominal bleed patient when he wakes up and let him know that I'll come see him tonight? I promised I'd check in with him, but he hasn't woken up yet." 

“No problem. And you don’t need to worry about us. We’ve managed to treat all of our non-surgical crash patients, and the only surgeries left are a couple of compound fractures which Uemura-sensei can knock out in a couple of hours. We’re already starting to work on our patient backlog, and we’ll be able to take the hospital off bypass in the next few hours.”

“Thanks Obi-san.”

“Oi, Zuku! I’m leaving now if you still want that ride!”

“Coming!” Izuku jogged after Natsuo, “By Obi-san!”

They quickly reached the car, and Izuku slid into the front seat with practiced ease. Only a few moments later, Natuso was pulling out of his illegal parking spot in an alley and onto the main street. 

“Ugh, Aizawa-sensei has been getting on my case about working late so I’m going to need to sneak back into the dorms tonight.” Natsuo frowned.

“Are you going to be alright?”

“Should be. Aizawa usually keeps watch in the common room. I’m wearing dark clothes, and I left my bedroom window open so it should be easy enough to climb the tree outside and slip in.”

“You had a long night, don’t do anything stupid.”

“I won’t,” Izuku promised, “but you know better than anyone that I can’t cut back my hours at the clinic, and I can’t tell Aizawa why its so important that I work late at my totally legal part-time ‘internet cafe’ job. So this is what I’m left with.”

“You could quit hero school and join me as a med student? No one expects med students to sleep anyways. We’re all too busy studying.”

“Nice try, but I’m going to be a hero.”

“I know.” Natsuo sighed, “is it bad that I sometimes wish you didn’t develop your quirk? Like, I’m proud of you just the way you are, but it would be nice to have a quirkless hero. And I think you really could have done it.”

“You know, you’re the only one whose ever said that to me? I wish I had heard that years ago,”  Izuku teared up. “And I may have a quirk now, but in many ways that matter I’ll always be quirkless. I will always be part of the community by virtue of our shared experiences. And I will always be a hero for people like us. Sure I won’t bring the kind of main stream quirkless  representation that a fully quirkless hero would, but I can still be a hero for our community. I want kids like you and me to see my red shoes and know that there is a hero that is safe.”  

“I know.” Natsuo smiled, “your going to be better than everyone who came before. And one day, when some kid asks if a quirkless person can be a hero you will be there to say yes and to support them.”

“I hope so,” Izuku smiled. 

“Well on that somewhat heavy note, we’re here.”

“Good night Natsuo, get some sleep.”

“You too, don’t get caught.”

“I won’t.” Izuku unbuckled his seatbelt and made his way onto UA’s campus. He didn’t run into anyone as he headed back to the dorms, scaled the tree by his window, and slipped into his room. Before long, Izuku was snuggled in his bed, eyes heavy with sleep. 

“Tonight wasn’t so bad after all,” he murmured into his pillow as he drifted off into his dreams. 

Chapter Text

Izuku bent over his desk with a frown, madly scribbling on the numerous notebooks sprawled out in front of him.

“What are you up to Deku-kun?” Uraraka questioned, peering over his shoulder from behind him. 

“Hm?” Izuku murmured absently. 

“Deku-kun?” Uraraka poked him gently on the cheek, “anyone home?” Izuku startled. 

“Ack! Oh, hi Uraraka-chan. I didn’t see you there.”

“I noticed,” she giggled lightly, “what are you working on there?”

“I’m brainstorming costume changes,” Izuku bit his lip, “the provisional exams sound hard and it seemed like a good idea to follow Aizawa-sensei’s advice and change my costume before the actual exams.”

“Oh same!” Uraraka replied, “I was thinking of heading down to support later today to ask about it. Want to go together?”

“If I finish planning my changes in time,” Izuku agreed, “I’m still figuring some stuff out.”

“That makes sense. Well I won’t distract you any longer. See you later Deku-kun!” Uraraka waved cheerily before heading to her own desk. Izuku gave a short wave and turned back to his notebooks. The most important thing Izuku needed to figure out before the provisional exams is what medical supplies he needed and how he was going to acquire and carry them. Sighing Izuku snapped his notebook shut and headed over to where Aizawa-sensei was pretending to sleep. 

“Sensei?” Izuku asked.

“Hm?” Aizawa rolled over in his signature yellow sleeping bag, cracking an eye open, “what is it problem child?”

“I was thinking, for the provisional exams that is, it might be a good idea for me to bring some basic first aid supplies- nothing too complicated,” Izuku assured, “but given how often I get injured and the fact that the exam seems like it may have a rescue component…”

“It’s a good idea kid,” Aizawa sat up, “We don’t usually cover emergency first aid until later this year, but most heroes carry at least a small kit.”

“Great,” Izuku smiled in relief, “I am going to support to see about getting more pockets to carry supplies, but I was wondering who I should talk to about acquiring the actual medical supplies?”

“I’m sure Recovery Girl would be more than happy to talk you through what you may want and how to get it. I’ll write you a pass.”

“Thank you Aizawa-sensei!”

“It’s my job problem child,” Aizawa huffed softly, handing over a quickly scrawled hall pass, “now let me go back to sleep.”

Izuku grabbed the past and practically ran to Recovery Girl’s office.

“Recovery Girl-sensei?”

“How on earth did you manage to injure yourself? You haven’t even had practical training today!” Recovery Girl threw her arms up in exasperation. 

“No, no, I’m completely fine,” Izuku hastily waved his arms in front of him, “I actually had some questions for you if that is ok?”

“Hm. Alright, what did you want to ask me?”

“Thanks! Ok so, basically, the provisional licensing exams are coming up. I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a rescue component, and even if there isn’t, given my…propensity…for injury, I figured it would be a good idea to incorporate some basic medical supplies into my equipment.” Recovery Girl raised an eyebrow.

“Well now, it isn’t often hero students come to me about that. I fully approve. Come sit down and we can talk about options.” Izuku followed Recovery Girl to her computer and took a seat on a nearby, plastic chair. Why were the chairs in doctors offices always so uncomfortable?

“I actually made a list of what I think I may need, if you want to look at it?” Izuku offered shyly. 

“Pass it over here sonny,” Recovery Girl stuck out her hand. Izuku obliged, opening one of his notebooks and passing it over. Recovery Girl’s eyes grew wider the further she read down the list. 

“Um, is it ok?”

“A portable oxygenator? NC Tubing? Nalaxone? This goes way beyond basic first aid. Do you even know what all of this is?” 

“Um,” Izuku grimaced, he had known this could lead to questions but he had been hoping, perhaps naively, that Recovery Girl would just go along with it. Izuku decided to offer a half truth, “yeah I do. I know you know about how I got my quirk, and that I was quirkless before. What do you know about medical care for people who are quirkless?”

“I know how to preform an appendectomy if that’s what you are getting at,” Recovery Girl offered.

“Not exactly,” Izuku rubbed the bridge of his nose, “what I’m trying to say is that quirkless people don’t have access to traditional medical care. No one will treat us. Allegedly it’s due to a lack of expertise on our ‘unique needs’ and liability issues , but the reality is that they just don’t want to waste precious beds and supplies on people who they assume won’t have a quality of life anyways.”

“I wish I could say that surprises me,” Recovery Girl frowned, “but it doesn’t really. So the only place you can get care then is in an ER?”

“If only. No, Musutafu Memorial has a blanket no-treatment policy for quirkless patients, even in emergency situations. When I say no one will treat us, I mean no one.”

“What do you do then? If anything being quirkless means you probably need more access to medical care than the average quirked person, both due to the unique biological features of your bodies, like the appendix which is known to rupture, and due to the level of harassment that quirkless people face.”

“We learn to do it ourselves,” Izuku offered, “If you can believe it, I got injured more frequently and seriously during middle school than I do now. I learned to treat my wounds from a very young age. When I started making friends in the quirkless community I learned to treat their wounds too. Not only do I know what NC Tubing is, I’ve had to use it on friends before.”

“That’s illegal,” Recovery Girl frowned.

“Yeah, but the law didn’t really give us any other choice. Quirkless people are the only ones willing to treat other quirkless people, but unless you come from a very powerful family, who somehow isn’t abusive, it is almost impossible for quirkless individuals to get emergency first aid certification, let alone a medical license.”

“Why can’t you get first aid certification?”

“Because courses are only open to those with healing or otherwise medically useful quirks. It’s easy enough to justify how pretty much any quirk could be useful in an emergency situation, but it precludes quirkless people from being able to sign up.”

“I see. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Recovery Girl sighs, “but I do need to evaluate your skills and certify you before you can have access to restricted supplies, including drugs like Nalaxone, and I just don’t see how we will have time before the exam.” Izuku paused. It was beyond risky, but maybe….

“I may have a way,” Izuku said slowly, “but it’ll be late at night and I need to know that you really won’t tell anybody, even if you think it will help. Not Aizawa, not Nedzu, not the police.”

“Is it something illegal?”

“All I can say is that if word of this gets out, in any capacity, lives will be at risk.”

“Ok. If that is really true, I promise I won’t breathe a word. If anyone asks I will claim patient confidentiality, since you are my patient. However, I am a mandatory reporter. If people are being hurt I will absolutely tell the appropriate authorities.”

“I understand, that’s all I can ask for. Thank you,” Izuku offered Recovery Girl a sunny smile, “I have to ask someone for permission, but if you’re available please meet me at UA’s gates at 15:15.”

“I’ll need several hours to evaluate you.”

“That won’t be a problem.” Izuku assured.

“In the meanwhile, let’s talk about your list. While you may not be able to use everything yet it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead. You’ve done a very thorough job, but there are a couple of things you probably won’t need, and others you are missing.”

“Oh?”

“The sting pads were a nice thought, but you are highly unlikely to encounter a person with more than very minor sting wounds which can be treated by somebody else. If the wounds are major then sting pads would not be very effective anyways. On the other hand, I strongly recommend that you carry a set of ampoules for sample collection. As a medical-support hero, I can say that it saves a lot of time down the line to collect samples at the scene, and they’re also useful for criminal investigations.” 

“That’s a really good idea!” Izuku enthused, “I wonder if the support department can get some that won’t break easily. I know glass is better for preventing contamination but I need something that won’t shatter or crack while I fight.”

“I can supply you with some field grade ampoules, like the ones I use, which don’t shatter easily.”

“Thank you very much!” 

“Now, I would go talk to Power Loader about ways to carry the supplies you want.”

“I was planning to do that anyways,” Izuku agreed, “thank you for all of your help!”

“I will see you this afternoon sonny.” Recovery Girl smiled, “and don’t stress too much about the evaluation, I can always teach you whatever you don’t already know.”

“I’m not worried,” Izuku said seriously, “any ways. Thank you again and I”ll see you later.” Izuku left the infirmary and leaned against a wall, pulling his phone from his pocket. 

The Nightingales

Green Giant is typing…

Green Giant: Hey guys, so…I kind of did a thing, and if she promises not to arrest us 

can I bring someone to work tonight?

Still on Call: What did you do this time?

Public Enema #1: Lol, ur so dead (˃̣̣̥▽˂̣̣̥)

Green Giant: Fuck u Natsuo. I didn’t do anything… yet. 

Green Giant: Basically I need my EMS certification for an exam at school but there isn’t 

time to take the required practical tests. 

Shrinky Dink: So you want the examiner to watch you on shift instead. 

Green Giant: Essentially.

Public Enema #1: U go 2 a hero school. 

Shrinky Dink: So that’s what you meant by promising not to arrest us.

Still on Call: Wait you want to bring a hero to our (mostly) illegal clinic???

Public Enema #1: I stand corrected. Now ur dead （*ｘ_ｘ） 

Green Giant: Well when you put it like that. But Recovery Girl did promise she wouldn’t 

tell anyone, and I trust her.

Still on Call: Wait, Recovery Girl?? THE Recovery Girl??? 

Green Giant: Um…yes??

Still on Call: OMG, I need to wash my scrubs stat. Do you think she’ll sign my 

stethoscope for me???

Public Enema #1: Trust Zuku to get out of trouble by appealing to the boss’ inner hero 

fan girl.

Still on Call: I am not a fan girl! This is purely professional admiration!

Shrinky Dink: Uh huh…and tell me, how does that make you feel?

Still on Call: Fuck you.

Public Enema #1: I’m dying ( ಡ艸ಡ) 

Green Giant: So does this mean I’m good to bring her?

Still on Call: I’m ok with it, but I’ll put out a poll. If anyone isn’t comfortable she can’t 

come.

Public Enema #1: And @Still on Call will spend the rest of the shift moping in the 

supply closet. 

Still on Call: It’s Recovery Girl, ok? I admire her professionally. Sue me. 

Still on Call created a new poll

Public Enema #1 voted

Still on Call voted

Shrinky Dink voted

Still on Call: @CodeBlue, @Nurse Next Door, @Always-the-Quiet-Ones, @Bedpans and 

Tube Sticks, @KPOP_Qween, @The Literal Child, @TheDoctorWhisperer

Bedpans and Tube Sticks: Wait, why are we voting on if we want to invite Recovery 

Girl to the clinic?

Shrinky Dink: Scroll up

Bedpans and Tube Sticks voted

TheDoctorWhisperer voted

KPOP_Qween voted

Code Blue voted

Izuku sighed. It would probably be a while before everyone voted. He may as well head over to the support department while he waited. He shot off a quick text to Uraraka letting her know and made his way towards class 1-H. 

“Hey Deku-kun,” Uraraka shouted from the other end of the hallway, Iida close behind, “you ready to talk to the support department?”

“Yup,” Izuku agreed, “you coming too, Iida-kun?”

“Yes I am,” Iida answered emphatically, “I wish to discuss options for a cooling system for my legs.”

“That’s a great idea,” Izuku agreed easily. Before he could say anything else there was a loud blast and the support department doors flung open, billowing black smoke pouring out. Izuku sighed. He had a feeling about what had caused that explosion. 

“AH!” Uraraka screamed, looking terrified. Iida just blinked slowly at the destroyed remains of the support department.

“Quick, we must go inform one of our teachers.”

“No need,” Izuku sighed, “I’m pretty sure this is a normal occurrence.”

“What?”

“Just watch.” Suddenly voices could be heard from inside the exploded room.

“Ouch!”

“You know, you shouldn’t try to mix everything you can find in the lab together like that.”

“He, he, he, failure is the mother of invention, Power Loader-sensei! Thomas Edison said something like that once.” The voice broke off and started coughing, “heh, even if I make something that doesn’t work like I envisioned it, that doesn’t mean it’s a waste of time!”

“You almost blew up the entire design studio! Will you please open your ears and listen to me for once? Hatsume!” The smoke cleared to reveal a girl their age with pink dreadlocks.

“You know you should listen to him Mei-chan,” Izuku interrupted, “you of all people should know how important chemical safety is.”

“Zuku-kun!” Mei cheered, “It’s been forever!”

“Well you know how busy my schedule is, you’re always welcome to come visit me at work, you know that.”

“Let me know when there’s something interesting to do and I will.” Mei winked. Izuku sighed, Mei had constructed a good chunk of the clinic’s newer medical machinery from scraps. These days she only came down to the clinic when something was in need of major repair.

“Do you two know each other?” Iida asked. Izuku and Mei both froze. 

“The three of us paired up in the second round of the sports festival, remember?” Uraraka interrupted. 

“Right,” Mei responded, “that’s where I know Zuku-kun from. We totally became friends at the sports festival.” Izuku resisted the urge to face-palm. 

“Anyways, I actually came here looking for you Mei-chan. I have some costume and equipment change ideas I wanted to run by you.”

“Yes! Let’s make babies.” Mei cheered. 

“Mei-chan, I know you like messing with people. But Iida-kun looks like he may explode.” Izuku sighed.

“He, he.” Mei giggled, “Sorry Iida-san.” Power Loader gave Izuku an unrestrained look of awe.

“How? How do you get her to listen to you? Teach me your secrets I’m begging you.” This time Izuku really did facepalm.

“Mei-chan, stop terrorizing your teachers. If you don’t behave, I’ll tattle to Matsumura-san.” Mei’s eyes grew wide. 

“You wouldn’t!” 

“I absolutely would.” Izuku smirked. While Matsumura-san was normally an absolute teddy bear, when he got angry he was beyond terrifying. There was a reason he was so good at getting the clinic doctors to fill out their paperwork on time. 

“Traitor.”

“Behave.”

“Fine.” Mei pouted. “Now come on, let’s design your babies.” 

“Everything gets approved by me first,” Power Loader interrupted.

“Of course sensei,” Izuku agreed at the same time Mei asked,

“Do we have to?”

“If you’d rather, I can just make a quick phone call and…”

“Yes, sir Power Loader-sensei, sir!” Mei saluted.  The two headed into the support department, leaving three shocked figures in the hallway. 

“What just happened?” Uraraka asked. Iida just shrugged. 

“Midoriya is my new favorite hero,” Power Loader motioned as of wiping a stray tear off his mask.

“Hah??”

—————————————————————————————————————————

“Alright so essentially I’m looking to make three improvements.” Izuku turned his notebook to show Mei across the work bench. “First, I need something to help stabilize and protect my arms. My quirk has injured them badly, and you know how important my hands are as a surgeon.”

“Easy peasy,” Mei replied making a few quick notes, “arm braces are not uncommon for heroes with punch-based fighting styles who want to protect their arms. It shouldn’t be too hard to modify one to provide medical grade support, especially given my experience with mobility aides.”

“That sounds great,” Izuku grinned, “I’m going to try shifting to a kick-based fighting style, but until I master it I will likely still need to fall back on my arms a lot.” 

“Do you have any preferences in terms of design?” 

“Hm, that’s tricky. On one hand, I think it would be a good idea to have something bright and reflective on my costume for emergency response and rescue situations, and the arm braces would be a great way to do that. On the other hand, that will significantly impair my stealth.”

“Hm. Good point. Have you thought about using color changing fabrics in your costume?”

“That’s a thing?”

“Yup, though it’s not very popular among daylight heroes because the color changes mess with  marketing. Essentially we weave a bunch of micro-wires through the fabric which are programed to conduct a low electrical charge. This causes the special pigments in the threads to heat up, changing the color of the fabric. I can program it to have up to four colors.”

“That’s perfect!” Izuku shouted excitedly, “could you do a suit with three? My normal green, a very dark green for stealth, and a neon green for rescues?”

“No problem. I probably won’t have it ready before the provisional licensing exam, but I should be able to get you the arm bracers in time. Is there anything else you need for the exam?”

“I was hoping it would be possible to get a pair of cargo pants to go over my body suit. I’ve decided it’s high time that I start carrying medical supplies with me so I’m going to need the storage to carry them.”

“I was wondering about that when you submitted your original design,” Mei grinned, “Izuku without a small hospital’s worth of medical supplies? The horror.”

“I’m not that bad,” Izuku protested. 

“You absolutely are. Luckily I planned ahead and already have some designs. How does this look to you? I also added more pouches to your utility belt.” Izuku looked down at the design.

“It’s perfect!”

“Great, you said you had one more thing?”

“Yeah. You can tell Power Loader that Recovery Girl has already approved it, but I was wondering if you had a way to design a compact portable oxygenator? The smallest ones on the market are about the size of a lunch box, which is too big for me to lug around everywhere.”

“Interesting!” Mei’s eyes lit-up, “that would also be an excellent commercial product!”

“I know it’s not an easy thing to do, and I probably won’t need one before the licensing exam, but the sooner I can get it, the better I’ll feel.”

“Leave it to me. Hatsume Mei never backs down from a challenge!” Mei beat her chest with her fist. 

“Thanks Mei-chan, I’ll look forward to it.”

“You know you can always come to me,” Mei said, suddenly serious, “whether it be for the clinic, your hero work, or anything else. You’re my friend and I want to help you.”

“While I probably won’t be as much of a help to you, I am also here for whenever you need me.”

“Izuku, you’re a surgeon, let’s hope I never need you,” Mei laughed, “but I get what you’re saying, and thank you.”

“You know, you really should stop by the clinic more often. Everyone misses having you around.”

“Of course they do, I’m fabulous,” Mei flipped her hair dramatically. “But maybe I will. I miss everyone too.”

“Just not tonight,” Izuku interrupted.

“After all that? Seriously?”

“So, Recovery Girl may be coming with me to the clinic tonight? Not that she knows what it is, and I don’t want you caught in the cross-fire if things go badly.”

“Are you kidding me?” 

“I need my emergency medicine license before the exam, and I couldn’t think of another way to get the practical done in time.”

“So you invited a hero to your shady illegal underground clinic.”

“Mostly illegal,” Izuku protested half-heartedly.

“Ok, but the part you do is illegal.”

“I mean…I can’t really argue with that? But she promised not to arrest me!”

“Izuku, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you can really be an idiot sometimes.”

“It’s a calculated risk!”

“Yeah no, nothing about this is calculated. You probably just opened your mouth before your brain could stop you and now you’re stuck with the situation.”

“Yeah ok, you can stop now.” Izuku sighed. His phone buzzed in his pocket. 

Always-the-Quiet-Ones has voted

Nurse Next Door has voted

The Literal Child has voted

“Well it looks like everyone agreed to let Recovery Girl come anyhow,” Izuku clicked the power button on the side of his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. 

“I am not paying your bail.” Mei responded immediately. 

“I’m not getting arrested,” Izuku rolled his eyes, “Recovery Girl promised she wouldn’t arrest us as long as we weren’t hurting anyone, and we’re good enough at what we do to do more good than harm.”

“Ok, but here me out, maybe you should take some extra babies with you to work tonight? My Fusion Powered Jet Pack Baby is great for escaping in a pinch.”

“Right because walking around wearing a giant nuclear jet pack isn’t suspicious at all.”

“What’s suspicious?” Izuku whipped his head around at the sound of Uraraka’s voice. Luckily it didn’t seem like she heard much.

“The fact that it’s been half an hour since Mei-chan exploded anything.” Izuku responded dryly. Mei just cackled madly in response.

“Right, well Iida-kun and I are done talking with Power Loader-sensei if you want to run your stuff by him. It’s almost 15:00, so I’m going to head to the dorms and grab my uniform for work.”

“Ok, thanks Uraraka-chan,” Izuku smiled, “Mei-chan and I are almost done. I’m going to be a couple of minutes late today so I won’t be able to walk with you.”

“No, worries Deku-kun! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“By Uraraka-chan,” Mei waved, still fighting off the remnants of her laughter. Izuku turned back to Mei.

“Ok, let’s run everything by Power Loader-sensei,” Izuku started gathering his notebooks, “I have to meet Recovery Girl soon.”

“Oh Power Loader-sensei,” Mei practically sung, “I have some babies I need you to approve!”

“How is it that I can hear the emoticons in your voice?”

“It’s a talent,” Mei smirked. 

“Alright, what have you got?” Power Loader asked as he walked over to their workbench.

“In the short-term I have this design for arm braces, this design for cargo pants, and this for a bigger utility belt.” Mei handed over three renderings.

“This is fairly simple, looks good to me. You mentioned this is only for the short-term?”

“He, he,” Mei rubbed her hands together, “I have two plans for the long-term. First, is to remake Zuku-kun’s entire suit out of color-changing fabric in order to give it stealth and rescue modes.”

“Remake the suit? I mean it’s not a bad idea, but that’s a major change. I’ll have to send it in for approval.”

“That’s fine. The design shouldn’t change at all, only the material,” Izuku added helpfully, “I want to do a mixture of daylight, rescue, and underground work so having a suit which can change colors depending on the situation would be very helpful!”

“I see. Well I will see what I can do. You said two plans, so what else?”

“I will be creating a new baby!” Mei exclaimed with a flourish, handing over a page of notes.

“A portable oxygenator? Why would you want something like that?”

“I should be getting my EMS license in the next few days. In a rescue situation, having an oxygenators available saves a lot of lives. Normally, we can’t get them to a field until the ambulances get through due to their size, but if there’s a way I can carry one, it means that I will be able to respond quicker and prevent avoidable deaths. If it helps, Recovery Girl has already approved of my request.”

“Alright. I’ll check in with Recovery Girl. You are welcome to start working on it,” he informed Mei, “especially since it also has commercial applications, but Midoriya can’t have it until I hear from Recovery Girl.”

“Fine by me!” Mei was practically vibrating, “I have so many ideas! Where’s my drafting pencil?”

“It’s behind your ear,” Izuku chuckled.

“Right, thanks!” Mei grabbed the pencil and began to scribble on her sketch pad, “now shoo. Don’t you have a, definitely not at all a bad idea, appointment to get to?”

“Shit! Er, shoot. I’m late!” Izuku stood up abruptly and gave a short bow, “please excuse me Power Loader-sensei.” 

“It’s fine kid,” Power Loader waved it off, “just don’t get into any trouble.”

“I won’t,” Izuku promised, “I’m actually meeting with a teacher. Thank you for everything!” Izuku gathered up his books and booked it out of the support lab. 

“Right on time, sonny.” Recovery Girl greeted as Izuku approached the gates.

“Sorry. I meant to be here earlier, but I got caught up in the support lab. It’s a bit of a long walk so we can take the bus if you prefer?”

“I may be old, but I am still a pro-hero. A little exercise won’t hurt me.” Recovery Girl smiled, “now are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

“You’ll see,” Izuku frowned grimly, “just remember your promise.”

Recovery Girl just gave a short nod, and the two started the long walk towards the clinic.

Chapter Text

Recovery Girl frowned as they approached the nondescript alley. A worn out red awning over a set of heavy steel double doors was the only indication that there was something within. Across the street the neon sign for an overnight internet cafe flickered and hummed. 

“This isn’t a very safe neighborhood,” Recovery Girl commented. 

“Of course it isn’t,” Izuku shrugged, “you’ll see when we get inside.”

“Is this your part-time job? I thought you worked at an internet cafe?”

“Well I can’t tell anyone what I actually do for my part time job. When I was asked I panicked and remembered that internet cafe across the street there. It’s a little seedy but my coworkers and I go over there to unwind and play games every so often. They make a mean cup noodle.”

“So what is it that you actually do?” Izuku let a wide grin spread over his face.

“Follow me and I’ll show you.” Izuku turned to the door, which despite its appearances was unlocked, and pulled it open. 

“Oh good, you’re here!” Izuku was immediately bombarded by his Shift 1 counterpart, Uemura Asahi-sensei, “I’m late for my date tonight.”

“Let him in the door Uemura-sensei,” Sakuma-sensei interrupted, “we have a guest.” 

“Huh?” Uemura looked confused before noticing Recovery Girl, “No way! Is that? I am so terribly sorry Recovery Girl-sensei, please pardon my rudeness and welcome to our humble clinic.”

“Clinic?” Recovery Girl hummed, stepping into the bright lights of the central ER.

“You still haven’t told her?” Sakuma raised a disapproving eyebrow.

“Yeah well it’s not like it’s easy to go, oh hey by the way I work at at a semi-illegal underground clinic. Please don’t arrest me!”

“You just did,” Uemura stifled a laugh. Izuku froze.

“Um, that is.”

“Don’t worry sonny,” Recovery Girl gave a rare smile, “I figured it would be something of the sort from the context. I may be old but I’m not an imbecile. You were dropping enough hints that All Might could have put it together.” Izuku blushed beet red.

“Hey, now that’s uncalled for.” He pouted.

“Anyways, despite the illegality of the whole thing, I think it’s wonderful that you found a way to help your friends in a supervised setting. I half feared you were doing medical procedures on your own. Now that I know you’re a nurse at a clinic with professionals to watch over you I feel much better.”

“Nurse?” Uemura mouthed at Sakuma. She just shrugged.

“Er, right…” Should Izuku try to correct her? Not only was Izuku not a nurse, his supervisors weren’t exactly what the general population would call professionals. Well she would figure it out eventually. If he was going to spill his deepest, darkest secrets he might as well have fun doing it. “I should probably scrub up.”

“Go ahead. Oh, and the patient from last night- the one with the abdominal bleed- he’s been asking for you.”  Sakuma added, “he was very pleased to know that all of his organs survived surgery.” Izuku smiled.

“I’m glad to hear it. I’ll make sure to check on him first thing. Is he still in recovery?”

“Curtain number 2,” Sakuma confirmed. 

“Awesome, while I get changed could someone fill Recovery Girl-sensei in on what we do here?”

“Coward,” Sakuma snorted. Izuku shrugged unrepentantly.  

“Me, me, me, me,” Takahashi-sensei ran into the room, “something about Recovery Girl? I volunteer!” Izuku almost choked at the one-eighty from her usual serious countenance. Sakuma just sighed.

“She’s right over there you doofus,” Sakuma gestured at a bemused looking Recovery Girl. Takahashi bowed lower than Izuku had ever seen her bow before.

“Recovery Girl-sensei, it is an absolute honor. I am your biggest fan.” She began, “My name is Takahashi Shiori-sensei, and I am the attending on shift. Please sign my stethoscope!”

Izuku face palmed.

“It’s very nice to meet you dear. I’d be happy to.”

“Takahashi-sensei,” Izuku interrupted, “I’m going to get changed. Would you mind telling Recovery Girl about the clinic while I’m gone?”

“It would be my pleasure,” Takahashi enthused, “now the first thing to know is that even though we call ourselves a clinic we function as something between a community health center and ER…”

Leaving them to it, Izuku left for the staff locker-room.

“Hey Zuku,” Natsuo greeted, half-changed, as Izuku entered the room, “seems like you had an eventful day.”

“Shut up,” Izuku groaned, “I just witnessed an energetic Takahashi-sensei and my whole world view is shattered.” Natsuo just laughed.

“By the way did you get caught sneaking into your dorm last night?”

“Nope,” Izuku grinned, “the whole thing went smoothly. Then I had to run my mouth and now Recovery Girl is going to spend the whole night scrutinizing me, and if I mess up I could be arrested.”

“Sucks to be you,” Natsuo ruffled Izuku’s hair.

“Oh, and get this. She somehow is under the impression that I’m a nurse?”

“Wait what? And you didn’t correct her. Oh this is going to be good. I can’t wait for your first surgery tonight!” Izuku smirked.

“What’s the point of sharing a deep secret if you can’t do a dramatic reveal?” He joked.

“I can believe I thought you were a sweet little green bean when I first met you. Turns out you’re a massive troll.” Natsuo rolled his eyes. 

“Guilty as charged.”

“Anyways, I’ve got a patient in three who needs a strep test. Catch you later.” Natsuo gave a lazy wave as he exited the locker room. 

“See you,” Izuku quickly changed into his scrubs before heading back out to Recovery Girl.

“Took you long enough,” she clicked her tongue.

“Sorry sensei, I met a friend in the locker room. I’m guessing Takahashi-sensei had to go take care of a patient?” Izuku asked, noticing that Recovery Girl was alone.

“Yes, nice girl. Something about a coma patient waking up.”

“For real? That’s great,” Izuku let out a laugh, “I’ll have to check in on her later. Anyways, I have a patient I need to talk to and then I should be good to do some intakes. Is there anything in particular you need to test me on?”

“How long is your shift?”

“Ten hours. You don’t have to stay the entire time of course!” Izuku rushed to explain. 

“Then you just take care of your patients as normal sonny, and if there’s anything we still need to test by the end of your shift I can come back tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Izuku agreed, “follow me, the patient is in the recovery room.”

“What happened?”

“Traumatic car accident. The patient suffered significant abdominal bleeding and needed exploratory surgery. Everything went well, he just needs to rest and let his body heal itself now. He was really nervous before the surgery and he hadn’t woken up before the end of my last shift.”

“I see,” Recovery Girl made a note on a clipboard which she seemingly pulled from thin air.

“Where?”

“An old women is entitled to her secrets,” Recovery Girl smirked.

“Anyways, here we are.” Izuku led Recovery Girl to the post-op room and pulled back the second curtain. “Hey Yasui-san, how are you holding up?”

“Hey,” the man waved back tiredly but with good cheer, “much better now thanks to you! I even have all of my organs still!”

“I’m aware,” Izuku smiled, grabbing the patient’s chart from the foot of the bed, “and I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to check in with you before the end of my shift last night like I promised.”

“No worries,” Yasui chuckled, “you must have been exhausted trying to take care of all of us. Obi-san told me what happened and Ito-san kept me plenty of company. That boy’s a hoot!”

“He is rather known for his sense of humor around these parts,” Izuku smiled wryly, “well according to your chart you’re healing up nicely. We may even be able to start you on some solid foods tomorrow.” 

“Seriously?” Yasui cheered, “That is the best news I’ve heard all day. Now I’m sure you have plenty of patients, no need to waste time on an old man like me. I’ll be just fine.”

“I’ll come back and check on you in a few hours. I’m sure you already know, but don’t hesitate to page a nurse if you need anything.”

“Yeah, yeah, go be a hero,” Yasui smiled, “I want to take a nap.”

“Alright, I’ll leave you be then. Sleep well Yasui-san.” Izuku gave the man one more smile before leaving and pulling the curtain closed behind him.

“You’ve got a good bedside manner,” Recovery Girl commented.

“It’s easy when there’s good news,” Izuku shrugged, “Yasui-san was incredibly lucky. The car accident he was in was a mass casualty event and despite having a collapsed lung and severe internal bleeding he got off the easiest of all of our red-tag patients. We ended up losing one of them.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that. If their injuries were that bad, why didn’t they go to the Hospital?”

“They’re all quirkless,” Izuku shrugged, “about a quarter of our clients are quirkless. Another quarter have faced significant quirk discrimination because their quirks are seen as villainous.”

“And the other 50% of your patients?”

“Half are people who for one reason or another can’t access medical insurance, immigrants, people with pre-existing conditions, the homeless, and so on. The remaining half are people who come to us because we won’t ask questions.”

“Villains,” Recovery Girl inferred. 

“Occasionally. They’re mostly actually people with substance use and mental health disorders who fear they could lose their jobs if anyone found out. We offer full service and discreet psychiatric care. Sakuma, who you met earlier, is one of our Psychiatrists. Sometimes we also get vigilantes or the odd kid who did something stupid and doesn’t want their parents to know.”

“But you have treated villains,” Recovery Girl pushed.

“I have,” Izuku agreed.

“And after everything that’s happened this year at UA, that doesn’t bother you?”

“Of course it bother’s me,” Izuku responded, “but I’ll always treat them anyways because they are people in need of care.”

“Good,” Recovery Girl made another note on her clipboard.

“That was part of the test?”

“Takahashi-sensei already explained all of that to me. I wanted to know what your take on it was. I’m glad to see you have your head screwed on straight.”

“Of course she did,” Izuku groaned, “well I’m glad you approve. At least it saves me the worry that some recognizable villain was going to walk in while you were here.”

“Does that happen often? I thought usually the big name villain groups have their own medical care?”

“That’s true,” Izuku hummed, “but since All for One was arrested I’ve somehow ended up as Shigaraki’s primary care provider. I’m still not sure how that one happened, and trust me I am less than pleased.”

“You what?” Recovery Girl choked.

“Not that they know it’s me.” Izuku reassured, “I was wearing a surgical mask and cap at the time, and I guess nobody expects a hero student in a shady underground clinic like this.”

“You don’t say,” Recovery Girl said wryly. 

“Speaking of, is there something besides your hero name I can call you when introducing you to patients? Not everyone would be comfortable with the presence of a pro-hero here.”

“Not to worry. You may call me Chiyo-sensei.” 

“Great, thanks. Anyways, here’s intake and our waiting room. Recovery Girl-sensei this is Matsumura-san, our administrative coordinator and the only reason this clinic is semi-functional, Matsumura-san meet Recovery Girl-sensei.”

“Hey Zuzu-bean,” Matsumura greeted warmly, “It’s nice to meet you Recovery Girl-sensei.”

“You as well Matsumura-san.”

“Got anything interesting for us?”

“Oh yeah, you’re going to love this. Patient in one.” Matsumura handed over the patient file. Izuku flipped it open and promptly choked.

“Seriously?” He gasped, “this has to be a prank.”

“Nope. Have fun.” Matsumura winked.

“This better not be surgical.” Izuku grumbled, “let’s go.”

“Can I see the file?” Recovery Girl asked as they walked towards the exam room. Izuku handed it over to her.

“Oh my,” Recovery Girl raised a brow, “now that’s not something you see every day.”

The two soon found themselves in front of exam room one. Izuku wrapped his knuckles sharply against the door.

“Come in,” a feminine voice replied. Izuku opened the door and stepped inside. Recovery Girl followed and shut the door behind them. 

“I’m Midoriya Izuku, and I’ll be taking care of you. With me is Chiyo-sensei, an experienced doctor who is observing me today. Would it be alright with you if she came in with me?”

“Yeah that’s fine,” a male voice responded gruffly.

A young woman with blond hair and violet skin sat in one of the room’s blue chairs. Across from her, on the exam table and dressed in a floral patterned hospital gown was a man with fiery red hair and a full beard. 

“What brings you in today?” While Izuku listened to their reply, he made his way over to the sink and washed his hands, snapping on a pair of gloves when he was done. 

“Um,” the hue of the man’s face was starting to match his hair, “that is…honey would you mind?” The young woman sighed.

“I’m Fukuhara Poko, and this is my boyfriend Kojima Sadao. We were, erm, experimenting in the bedroom and lost our candle.”

“You didn’t have to tell them that part Poko-chan,” Kojima hissed, “couldn’t you tell them I fell on it or something?”

“Please, because they totally would have bought that,” Fukuhara rolled her eyes, “face it, they were going to know.”

“No need to feel too embarrassed, you’d be surprised by what we see here on a daily basis. A candle is hardly the worst impromptu sex toy we’ve dealt with around these parts. Is it safe for me to assume that by lost it you mean in Kojima-san’s rectum?”

“Yeah,” Kojima deflated like a balloon. 

“What kind of candle are we talking about?” Izuku asked, making a note on the patient chart and heading over to the patient. 

“Um, like one of those big round ones?” Kojima tried to answer.

“They’re called pillar candles,” Fukuhara sighed, “it was probably eight centimeters across and sixteen centimeters tall.” Izuku paused.

“Oh my,” Recovery Girl murmured softly. That was significantly larger than either of them had bean expecting. 

“Right, ok. And how long ago did you lose the candle?”

“Last night,” Kojima folded his arms.

“Because someone was too embarrassed to go to the emergency room until it started hurting.” Fukuhara huffed. Izuku paused.

“It hurts? How bad would you say the pain is on a scale of one to ten?”

“Maybe a four?”

“Ok. Well according to your chart, your heart rate, bp, and breathing all look good. The first step in any case of a rectal foreign body is a basic digital exam. If we’re lucky that’s all I’ll need to be able to remove it. Now I understand that this can cause you to feel embarrassed and vulnerable. If you would like, I can have everybody but us leave the room. However, if you are willing, I would like Chiyo-sensei to observe.”

“Digital exam?” the Kojima questioned. 

“He’s going to stick his fingers up your bum, you dummy,” Fukahara responded before Izuku could.

“What?!”

“Please calm down,” Izuku interrupted patiently, “I know it sounds embarrassing, but it is a very common procedure. It’s just like a prostate exam.”

“Oh, that makes sense,” the man let out a relieved sigh. 

“Now, before I proceed I just want to feel your abdomen for any signs of infection, especially since you are reporting pain. Is that ok with you?”

“Sure.” The man agreed.

“Ok, please lie down. I apologize if my hand are cold.” Izuku gently pressed his hands against the patient’s abdomen and started to apply pressure, “let me know if anything hurts.”

“Ow,” the patient winced as Izuku pressed over what seemed to be a mass in the abdomen. Izuku quickly removed his hands from the patient.

“On a scale of one to ten, how much pain was that?” 

“Probably a six.”

“And how would you describe your pain?”

“Kind of sharp? No, more like a really bad cramp.”

“Ok,” Izuku responded, “well aside from the clear presence of a mass in your abdomen, which is most likely the candle, your abdomen seems to be fairly normal. I didn’t notice any unusual tenderness or rigidity. Given that you don’t have any abnormal vital signs I think it’s safe to rule out peritonitis.”

“Peritonitis?”

“It’s an acute infection which can occur due to abdominal perforation and requires emergency surgery. Luckily for you, it doesn’t look like the candle has broken through the wall of your GI tract.”

“Oh that’s good,” the patient responded, somewhat dazed. 

“Now, I’m going to proceed with the digital exam. Would you like anyone to leave the room?”

“Poko-chan, would you mind?”

“No worries, I get it. I wouldn’t want you watching my c-pap either. I’ll be in the waiting room right outside if you need me.” Fukuhara gave the patient a light kiss on the cheek before exiting the exam room.  

“Alright, could you please turn over for me? Thank you. So basically, what is going to happen is I’m going to insert a lubricated finger into your rectum in order to feel for the candle. You may feel a little bit of discomfort or pressure but there shouldn’t be any pain. I know it’s hard, but just do the best you can to relax.” 

“Alright,” Kojima made a noticeable effort to unscrew his face. Izuku wasted no time in beginning the procedure. A few minutes later it was all over.

“Ok, so I couldn’t feel the candle at all, which means it’s wedged in fairly deeply. I won’t be able to pull it out with my hands.”

“What does that mean for me?”

“Well first things first, I think it would be a good idea to get an x-ray of your abdomen. After that I’ll have a better idea about next steps.”

“Ok.”

“Great, I’ll call in one of our nurses, Azuma Mari-san to take you to imaging. She’s got a magic touch for the cameras,” Izuku joked, “I’ll come back and check on you once we have the results.”

“Thank you,” the patient replied.

“No worries. In the meantime, if you need anything just press this button over here and one of the nurses will come check on you. If you’d like we can also send you girlfriend back in here.”

“That would be great, thanks!” Izuku shot the patient one last smile, before leaving the room, Recovery Girl in tow.

“You’re not going to do the imaging yourself?” Recovery Girl asked as soon as they left the room.

“It’s not usually my area in cases like this,” Izuku shrugged, “like I said, Mari-san has a real gift for the x-ray machine. Of course CT scans and MRIs are a different story.” Recovery Girl sent Izuku an odd look. The two entered the patient waiting room.

“Fukuhara-san? You’re welcome to go see your boyfriend now. He’s in the same exam room.”

“Thank you!” The violet skinned woman jumped up and rushed back towards the exam rooms. Izuku nodded as she passed, and then turned to where Matsumura-san was flipping through a fashion magazine. 

“Slow night?”

“Compared to yesterday, sure.” Matsumura-responded without looking up, “top file. Patient’s complaining of a headache. Bay three.”

“Thanks, Matsumura-san. Page me when the x-rays for the patient in one get back?”

“Sure thing kiddo.” Matsumura flipped the page. Izuku led Recovery Girl back into the central ER, which was much busier than it had been earlier in the shift. Izuku noticed Recovery Girl staring at a group of nurses hanging out at the central desk. 

“What?” Izuku asked, nodding at the nurses.

“There’s nothing about wearing pink to be embarrassed about.” Recovery Girl motioned at the Nurses’ pink scrubs.

“I’m aware,” Izuku responded, smirking. So she still hadn’t realized he was a doctor yet? Before he could say anything else, Natsuo interrupted. 

“Yo, Zuku! Heard you had a fun one!” He teased, “what did they claim happened? Fall naked onto it? Sat on it by accident?” Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Shut up Natsuo. They were perfectly upfront about the situation, and you shouldn’t take so much joy out of our patients’ embarrassment.”

“Oh come one, take all my fun why don’t you.” Natsuo whined, “We have to laugh at these types of cases or we’d go mad on nights like last night. Did you hear our coma patient woke up?”

“I did, glad to hear it.” Izuku agreed, “Now introduce yourself, you’re being rude to our guest.”

“Ah yes, you must be the lovely Recovery Girl. I’ve heard lots about you from my little bro.”

“You have a brother Midoriya?” Recovery Girl raised a brow.

“You jerk,” Izuku hissed at Natsuo, “who’s the troll now? Stop trying to confuse her! No, I’m an only child. This idiot here is Todoroki Natsuo.”

“Todoroki?” Recovery Girl repeated in surprise.

“Like you’re one to talk Zuku,” Natsuo shot back, “and yes, at your service. I’m the pediatrics specialist on shift, though we all also practice general emergency medicine.” Natsuo tugged at his lab coat lapels proudly. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Recovery Girl responded, “I have to say, I’m surprised to see you here. I gather your father doesn’t know?” Natsuo’s face darkened. 

“No, and I’d like to keep it that way if you don’t mind. That bastard has no right to dictate any part of my life.” Recovery Girl frowned but gave a curt nod. 

“Of course. I already promised Midoriya that I would keep anything I see here confidential.”

“Good. Anyways, I have a colicky infant in room two that needs my attention. Have fun with your rectal foreign body case,” Izuku made sure to give Natsuo the middle finger as he walked off. 

“Tachibana Kayo-san?” He asked, as he pushed back the curtain to bay three, “my name is Midoriya Izuku and I’ll be taking care of you today.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“That was a beautiful needle stick,” Recovery Girl complimented Izuku as they made their way back towards exam room one. 

“Thanks, I’ve had a fair amount of practice,” Izuku offered dryly. “Anyways, let’s see what this x-ray has to tell us.” Izuku knocked on the door for the second time that night before entering.

“Hey,” Kojima greeted as the two walked in, “is that my x-ray?”

“It is indeed,” Izuku replied, clipping the x-ray to an available back light and turning it on. The x-ray illuminated showing the silhouette of what was presumably a large candle pressed slightly past the rectum into the colon. Kojima paled significantly. 

“That’s inside me?” He squeaked.

“It’s actually not too bad. Barring any other complications, I should be able to remove this non-surgically.”

“Great,” Kojima sighed in relief. 

“Essentially what I’m going to do is insert a tool called an endoscope into your rectum. The endoscope is like a long tube with a camera on one end that should allow me to see the candle. It has a lasso attached to it, so all I need to do is hook the candle and pull it out. It can be painful so I’m going to give you an epidural which will take care of the pain and help your muscles to relax.”

“An epidural? Isn’t that for pregnant women?” Fukuhara-san asked.

“An epidural is an analgesic inserted into the lower spine. It is commonly used for women in labor but it is also used for plenty of other procedures.” Izuku explained.

“That makes sense,” Kojima hummed.

“Do you have any other questions or concerns about the procedure?”

“None at all, just go ahead and do it. I want this out of me as soon as possible.”

“I understand.” Izuku agreed, “I will be right back with the tools I need.” As he left the exam room, Izuku grabbed Umeda-san who was walking by. “Hey do any of the nurses have a few minutes? I need an epidural in room one.”

“Sure thing,” Umeda agreed, “I can take care of it. Just give me a minute to drop off this file.”

“Thanks so much,” Izuku smiled widely, “I’m going to grab an endoscope. Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Umeda raised a brow.

“Rectal foreign body?”

“However did you know,” Izuku imbued as much sarcasm into the statement as he could. Umeda laughed lightly. 

“Well, go on then.” 

“See you in a few,” Izuku responded as he and Recovery Girl made their way to the supply room, “endoscope, endoscope, no that’s a laparoscope, ah here we go! Endoscope!” Izuku cheered as he pulled the flexible tube from its storage box. 

When he returned to the exam room, Umeda was already inside. 

“Hey, I’m just finishing up the epidural.” She greeted softly, “Alright, we’re all done. Do you need me for anything else?”

“No that should be it. Chiyo-sensei can help out if need be. Thanks Umeda-san, you’re the best.”

“Just doing my job,” she blushed lightly, “anyways if you need me, I’ll be doing pharmaceutical inventory.”

“Can I express how glad I am that I’m not the head nurse here?” Izuku joked. 

“Like you could do half as good a job as me,” Umeda teased, “you’d get too excited nerding out about how cool all of the patients’ histories are and forget to do your job.”

“Yeah that’s probably fair,” Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “anyways, have fun with your inventory.”

“I’m sure it will be more fun than your endoscopy,” Umeda shot back as she exited the room. 

“Well are you ready Kojima-san?” Izuku asked, turning back towards the patient.

“I’ll leave the room again,” Fukuhara-san offered, standing up to leave.

“No it’s ok,” Kojima grabbed her hand, “I want you here. Maybe just don’t watch me during the procedure?”

“Sure, I can distract you by talking about our date plans for next weekend.” Fukuhara agreed easily, turning her chair so it faced away from the exam table.

“Alright Kojima-san,” Izuku quickly washed his hands, lubricated the endoscope, and hooked it up to the nearby monitor “if at any time things become to painful just let me know, ok?”

“Yeah alright.” Kojima agreed nervously. 

“So I was thinking we could try this new mazesoba place in Hosu that’s getting rave reviews,” Fukuhara began chatting as Izuku started feeding the endoscope into the patient’s intestine, “apparently their pork chashu is to die for.”

“Sounds great,” Kojima winced in discomfort.

“There’s also a pastry shop next door that apparently makes a mean yuzu cheesecake. I know how much you like yuzu. I figure we could grab our food to go and have a picnic outside. What do you think?”

“There it is,” Izuku murmured to Recovery Girl, being careful not to interrupt the stream of chatter currently distracting his patient. Izuku pressed a button on the handle of the endoscope, releasing a thin wire lasso. It only took him three attempts to get the loop around the base of the candle. However, as Izuku pulled, the lasso sliced cleanly through what was now obviously soft wax. 

“Oh that’s not good.” Recovery Girl hummed.

“Shit,” Izuku cursed, “this isn’t going to work.  His body temperature must have caused the wax to soften into a semi-melted state. The only way we’re going to be able to get this out is surgically.” Izuku sighed, unhooked the endoscope, and removed it from the patient.

“Is it over already?” Kojima asked, interrupting his girlfriend who had started to talk about a local fireworks festival they were going to visit.

“Not quite. Unfortunately it looks like the wax has started to melt, meaning that we were unable to grab onto it with the endoscope. We’re going to have to remove this surgically.”

“Surgery?” The patient asked in a panicked voice. 

“It’s a relatively standard and low-risk procedure called a laparotomy.” Izuku soothed, “essentially, all I will be doing is making an incision in your abdomen, and pulling out the candle.”

“Will it hurt?”

“We’ll put you under general anesthesia so you’ll be asleep the entire time. You will probably feel some soreness and tenderness in the area for up to a week after the procedure.”

“That’s not too bad,” Fukuhara said positively.

“Is this the only way to get it out?” Kojima bit his lip.

“It’s the safest and most efficient. I could try to continue to remove it with the endoscope, but I likely won’t be able to get all of it, and unfortunately since we’re under resourced I don’t have access to other specialized tools like vacuums which could be used to remove it.”

“Alright then, I guess I have no choice.” The man sighed. 

“You have a quirk right?” Izuku asked, “if you’d like I could release you to the care of a full hospital. They may be able to remove it non-invasively.”

“We don’t have insurance,” Fukuhara explained, “we wouldn’t be able to afford a regular hospital.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Izuku sighed heavily, “I’ll have a nurse come in to prepare you and go over the consent forms.”

“Thanks,” Kojima gave a nervous smile.

“And here I was hoping I wouldn’t need to scrub in today,” Izuku complained as soon as he and Recovery Girl were in the hallway, “at least this is a fairly short procedure.” The two started walking towards the OR.

“Do you regularly scrub in on surgeries?” Recovery Girl asked.

“That’s my primary job,” Izuku responded, “Like Natsuo mentioned, due to staffing shortages we all practice general and emergency medicine, but many of us also specialize.”

“I see. Wouldn’t you be glad to have a surgical case then?” Recovery Girl asked.

“Normally, perhaps. However, last night’s shift was intense surgery after surgery. In addition to the patient you met earlier who needed exploratory abdominal surgery and electro-cauterization I had a difficult craniotomy.”

“The coma patient?”

“Got it in one. GCS 7 and a deceptively bad epidermal hematoma. I was hoping I could get a break this shift, but this is just my luck. Anyways, these are the locker rooms. There’s a door on the far end leading into the OR. You know the procedure for scrubbing in?”

Recovery Girl just raised an eyebrow in response. 

“Sorry, stupid question. Anyways there are spare scrubs in the locker on the far right. Scrub in and I’ll see you in the OR.” Izuku pushed into the men’s locker room and made quick work of changing and sanitizing himself. After he tied on his surgical cap and pulled on his gloves he entered the OR.

“Zuku-sensei!” Yoshida cheered already inside, “how’s it hanging.”

“Hey Yoshida-san,” Izuku greeted warmly, “I’m doing alright everything considering. You?”

“Peachy,” Yoshida made finger guns, “do you know what our case is today?”

“Laparotomy,” Izuku replied, “patient has a candle wedged in his rectum which has started to melt and can’t be removed with a transanal approach.”

“Fun,” Yoshida wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Just then Recovery Girl entered the OR.

“Hello dear, I’m Chiyo-sensei. What’s your name?”

“Recovery Girl!” Yoshida’s eyes rounded, “wait no that’s your name. My name is Yoshida Nanami, I’m a surgical nurse. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

At that moment Azuma Mari pushed into the OR, with Kojima sedated on a gurney.

“Here’s your patient,” she said in her usual monotone, “I have him on 70mg of Propofol with automatic bolus doses every three minutes.”

“Thanks Mari-chan,” Yoshida chirped, “we’ll take it from here.”

“Have fun.” Azuma turned and promptly left.

“I can never tell if she’s joking or not,” Yoshida commented as she pushed the patient to the center of the room.

“Ok, are we ready to begin?” Izuku asked, reaching for a scalpel. 

“Wait!” Recovery Girl shouted. Izuku and Yoshida froze. “I can’t believe the two of you. You should wait for the surgeon before starting the procedure, this is unacceptable.” Yoshida blinked in confusion.

“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean?”

“The two of you are very good nurses, I am sure, but I know for a fact that Izuku isn’t even certified. You absolutely should not be cutting into a patient without a trained surgeon present. I shouldn’t have to explain this to you.”

“Nurses?” Yoshida repeated, “Um…”

“My bad,” Izuku let a wide grin stretch under his surgical mask, “I don’t believe I have formally introduced myself yet. My name is Midoriya Izuku-sensei, and I’m the trauma surgeon on shift.”

Chapter Text

Original Plans

Clinic Floorplan:

Izuku's New Hero Costume:

Character Designs 

--------------------------------------------------

Shift 2 (Night Shift) Clinic Staff

---

Name: Midoriya Izuku 

Nickname: Green Giant 

Clinic Position: Trauma Surgeon (Day Job: Hero Student) 

Age: 16

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: One for All (Formerly Quirkless)

Likes: Katsudon

Dislikes: Singing 

picrew credit: @CATA_DIOPTRIC 

---

Name: Takahashi Shiori 

Nickname: Still on Call

Clinic Position: Shift 2 Attending (Day Job: McRonalds Manager)

Age: 34

Blood Type: A

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Panda Bears

Dislikes: Natto 

picrew credit: @#anoko_maker 

---

Name: Todoroki Natsuo 

Nickname: Public Enema #1

Clinic Position: Pediatrics Specialist (Day Job: Med Student)

Age: 19

Blood Type: AB

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Sashimi

Dislikes: Christmas 

picrew credit: @Nase_Nikyuu

picrew credit: @extraA 껍질-미리깐 메이커

---

Name: Sakuma Reiki 

Nickname: Shrinky Dink 

Clinic Position: Psychiatrist (Day Job: Customer Service Rep)

Age: 35

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Tranquilizing Touch 

Likes: Horoscopes

Dislikes: Alchohol

picrew credit: @気怠げな白衣の女を作れちゃうメーカー

picrew credit: @smile paint 

---

Name: Umeda Subaru 

Nickname: Nurse Next Door 

Clinic Position: Head Nurse (Day Job: Nursing Home Aide)

Age: 20

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Tennis

Dislikes: Perfume 

picrew credit: @弱ってる子メーカー

---

Name: Aoiki Michi 

Nickname: CodeBlue

Clinic Position: Nurse (Day Job: IT Support)

Age: 23

Blood Type: AB

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Insomnia 

Likes: Dogs

Dislikes: Sports

picrew credit: @弱ってる子メーカー

---

Name: Harada Eito 

Nickname: Always-the-Quiet-Ones

Clinic Position: Nurse (Day Job: High School Student)

Age: 15

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: He/Him/His 

Quirk: Nail Growth 

Likes: Yakitori

Dislikes: Riddles

picrew credit: @너로 정했다

---

Name: Azuma Mari

Nickname: Bedpans and Tube Sticks 

Clinic Position: Nurse (Day Job: Janitor)

Age: 57

Blood Type: A

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Green Tea

Dislikes: Loud Noises

picrew credit: @マショメ masyome

---

Name: Kuwahara Hanako

Nickname: The Literal Child 

Clinic Position: Pediatric Nurse (Day Job: Middle School Student)

Age: 13

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Bunnies

Dislikes: Bugs

picrew credit: @あかまぐが〜るメーカー

---

Name: Yoshida Nanami

Nickname: KPOP_Qween 

Clinic Position: Surgical Nurse (Day Job: Receptionist)

Age: 20

Blood Type: A

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers 

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Action Movies

Dislikes: Clowns 

picrew credit: @五百式全身メーカー

---

Name: Matsumura Tsutomu 

Nickname: TheDoctorWhisperer 

Clinic Position: Administrative Coordinator (Day Job: Daycare Worker)

Age: 25

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: He/They 

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Sequins 

Dislikes: Small Spaces 

picrew credit: @DJARN

-------------------------------------------------------

Shift 1 (Day Shift) Clinic Staff 

---

Name: Tone Hotaka

Clinic Position: Shift 1 Attending (Night Job: Veterinarian) 

Age: 45

Blood Type A

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Cold Hands

Likes: Heroes

Dislikes: Ghosts 

picrew credit: @extraA 껍질-미리깐 메이커

---

Name: Uemura Asahi 

Clinic Position: Trauma Surgeon (Night Job: Taxi Driver)

Age: 18

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Qurikless

Likes: Hugs

Dislikes: Spiders 

picrew credit: @Nase_Nikyuu

---

Name: Nishida Toshiko 

Clinic Position: Pediatric Specialist (Night Job: Radiologic Technologist) 

Age: 27

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: She/They

Quirk: X-Ray Vision

Likes: Board Games

Dislikes: Horror Movies

picrew credit: @気怠げな白衣の女を作れちゃうメーカー

---

Name: Kiyabu Genta

Clinic Position: Psychiatrist (Night Job: Convenience Store Clerk)

Age: 31

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Snakes

Dislikes: Birthdays 

picrew credit: @Nase_Nikyuu

---

Name: Obi Kozue

Clinic Position: Head Nurse (Night Job: Quality Control Compliance)

Age: 18

Blood Type: AB

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Kangaroo 

Likes: Manga

Dislikes: Rain

picrew credit: @桐嶋式女子メーカー

---

Name: Ito Junichiro

Clinic Position: Nurse (Night Job: Mighty Tower Gift Shop Clerk)

Age: 22

Blood Type: AB

Pronouns: He/Him/His

Quirk: Quirkless 

Likes: Pranks

Dislikes: Ice

picrew credit: @マショメ masyome

---

Name: Miyazaki Ai

Clinic Position: Nurse (Night Job: Emergency Dispatcher)

Age: 30

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Staring Contest 

Likes: Punk Rock

Dislikes: Crowds

picrew credit: @もちもちめ～か～

---

Name: Fukuhara Emiko

Clinic Position: Nurse (Night Job: Lounge Singer)

Age: 26

Blood Type: A

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Hypersonic Hearing 

Likes: Electric Guitar

Dislikes: Perverts

picrew credit: @Street_Fashion_Girl_Maker

---

Name: Saiki Chihiro

Clinic Position: Pediatric Nurse (Night Job: Laundromat Attendant) 

Age: 19

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Strawberries

Dislikes: Meat 

picrew credit: @Street_Fashion_Girl_Maker

---

Name: Arita Yuuto

Clinic Position: Surgical Nurse (Night Job: Line Cook)

Age: 27

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: They/Them

Quirk: Quirkless

Likes: Bubble Tea

Dislikes: Trains

picrew credit: @香椎男子

---

Name: Sonoda Utano

Clinic Position: Administrative Coordinator (Night Job: Night School Student)

Age: 17

Blood Type: B

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Hover

Likes: Rollercoasters

Dislikes: the Beach

picrew credit: @Street_Fashion_Girl_Maker

-------------------------------------------------------

Other Clinic Staff

---

Name: Hatsume Mei

Clinic Position: Tech Support (Day Job: Support Course Student)

Age: 16

Blood Type: O

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Quirk: Zoom

Likes: Steam Punk

Dislikes: Deternat 

picrew credit: @BAYDEWS

Chapter Text

The silence hung heavy in the OR, creating a tension that draped along Izuku’s back like a blanket. Izuku didn’t dare speak another word. 

“So are we going to pull the stick out of this guy’s ass or what?” 

Or not. 

“You’re the surgeon?” Recovery Girl grit out between pursed lips. 

“I am,” Izuku confirmed.

“How long?”

“I’ve been a full surgeon for just over a year. I started at the clinic as an eight year old. At that age I mostly helped wash soiled linens and cleaned up messes. At ten I started to study emergency first aid and by twelve I had more training than your average EMT. At that point I started studying surgery under Takahashi-sensei. At fourteen I was allowed to conduct actual surgeries under supervision. About a year later I was approved to serve as a fully independent surgeon.”

Recovery Girl took a deep breath. 

“Ok, I can’t say that I approve of this. However, the patient clearly needs emergency surgery. As I am an experienced, licensed, surgeon I will oversee your procedure. If at any point I feel that you are unable to handle it, I will take over the operation.”

“You can’t do that!” Yoshida shouted at the same time that Izuku responded,

“Fine by me.” The two turned to face each other. 

“Zuku-sensei, you can’t really be going along with this?” 

“I don’t see how this is any different than normal,” Izuku shrugged, “I have faith in my abilities as a surgeon.” Yoshida bit her lip but gave a short nod.

“Fine. But so you know,” she spun around to face Recovery Girl, “Zuku-sensei is an amazing surgeon.” Izuku interrupted before Recovery Girl could reply. 

“Alright then. Let’s begin the procedure. We don’t want our patient under anesthetic any longer than necessary. Number ten scalpel?” 

“Here,” Yoshida careful plucked the number ten from the row of razor sharp blades laid out on the tray next to her.

“Thanks. I will begin with the initial incision.” Just as Izuku was about to press the blade to the patient’s abdomen Recovery Girl stopped him. 

“What type of incision should you make and why?” So that was how she was going to handle it? Well, Izuku had played that game before. 

“I will make a Pfannenstiel incision, about five centimeters superior to the pubis symphysis in a curved transverse fashion. This will allow me access to the patient’s pelvic cavity, where the candle is currently lodged.” Recovery Girl let out a short hum. 

“And what is the greatest risk of this incision?”

“The potential to accidentally perforate the bladder.” Izuku answered promptly.

“Very well. Proceed.” Izuku nodded, and pressed the edge of the scalpel laterally to the space between the patient’s stomach and genitals. Steadily he pressed down and cut a slightly curved line about 8 cm long. 

“Retractor,” Izuku commanded.

“Gotcha boss,” Yoshida passed a wide malleable retractor, which Izuku inserted between the patient’s bladder and the joint connecting their left and right pelvic bones. 

“What is the next step?” Recovery Girl crossed her arms.

“I will deepen the incision using electrocautery until I reach the superior border of the joint. I will then use my fingers to manually expand the dissection laterally along the superior pubic rami in both directions. On that note, I would like the cautery pen please.” 

Yoshida silently handed the pen to Izuku, who immediately began to deepen the incision. 

“And next,” Izuku cut Recovery Girl off. 

“I will now identify the rectum and palpate for the candle. Yoshida, because of the candle’s semi-melted state we will need to be extra careful to remove all of the wax. There isn’t exactly a handbook on how to do this so we may need to be creative. Be ready with the laparoscope to make sure we get it all.”

“Right,” Yoshida furrowed her brow in determination. 

“Recovery Girl, would you mind passing me tools in the interim.” Izuku asked politely. 

“Very well,” Recovery Girl agreed, moving to position herself between Izuku and the tool cart. 

“Great, thank you. Alright, I’ve identified the rectum and am feeling for the candle now. There it is! Number 10 scalpel?” Recovery Girl pressed the blade into Izuku’s hand. 

“Thanks, ok I’ve made the incision.” Izuku placed the blade down, “Obstetric forceps?” 

“Here.” Recovery Girl handed over the forceps to Izuku. 

“Thanks. Alright, I think I’ve got the majority of the candle.” Izuku used the forceps to slowly pull the bloodied candle from the patient’s abdomen, dropping it onto the surgical tray with used tools, “Yoshida, scope?”

“On it!” Yoshida carefully inserted the scope into the incision and turned on the light at the end. Izuku turned to face the monitor.

“That actually looks pretty clean,” he hummed, “there’s a small piece to the left there from where the endoscope cut through the wax but otherwise it looks as if the candle was merely softened as opposed to melted. Keep the scope there while I remove that last bit.”

“Here are your forceps,” Recovery Girl offered the tool to Izuku.

“Thanks,” Izuku grabbed the forceps, and keeping his eye on the monitor inserted them into the incision, “and gotcha. You can remove the scope now Yoshida.”

“Aye aye captain,” Izuku dropped the remaining piece of candle next to the original and placed down the forceps. 

“And now we just need to close him up. I need two suture kits, one polydioxanone and one polypropylene.” 

“I’ve got them,” Yoshida responded, grabbing the kits from a nearby shelf. I assume you want the polydioxanone first?”

“You know me well.”

“Why polydioxanone?” Recovery Girl asked primly.

“Because it's absorbable. Should dissolve in about 90 days. It’s also less likely to scar and less prone to infection than gut sutures, and it’s cheaper since it’s synthetic. Money is always tight around here.”

“And the polypropylene?” 

“Since the initial incision of the abdominal wall is a simple incision wound, we should use a monofilament non-absorbable suture, either polypropylene or nylon. Since it’s synthetic the polypropylene, as with the polydioxanone, is less likely to lead to infection and is cheaper.”

Izuku careful opened the first suture kit and began to sew up the internal incision. Once he was finished he removed the retractor from the patient’s abdominal cavity and began using the second kit to close the initial incision site.

“Very even,” Recovery Girl commented, eying the stitches,“not bad sonny.” 

“Thanks,” Izuku grinned, “alright that’s a wrap. Tool count?”

“Give me a moment,” Yoshida began counting tools on her fingers, “all accounted for.”

“Great, then let’s page Mari-san to take our patient to recovery and wean him off his anesthetic. Yoshida,”

“Clean up. I know,” she groaned, “you always leave me with your messes.”

“You love me anyways,” Izuku teased.

“I love this job,” Yoshida scrunched up her nose, “heavens knows why. At least I get to blast K-Pop while cleaning.”

“Benefits of being the OR nurse,” Izuku grinned, “Recovery Girl, let’s clean up and we can chat on my break. We don’t have a break room, but we can go to the internet cafe across the street for some privacy.”

“Very well,” Recovery Girl agreed, “We most certainly have a lot to discuss.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku carried two cups of steaming instant noodles to the small table where Recovery Girl was seated.

“Here you go,” Izuku passed the pink seafood flavored cup over to her.

“You know this stuff is terrible for you.”

“What can I say, I’m a doctor. We’re the worst at taking care of our own health, and we make terrible patients.”

“You can say that again sonny,” Recovery Girl chuckled, “you are one of the worst patients I’ve ever had.”

“I’ll take that as a complement,” Izuku smirked, taking a large slurp of his spicy chicken ramen. 

“You should. You may be a pain in my neck, but you’re a good doctor.” Recovery Girl said softly, “Don’t get me wrong. I do not approve of an unlicensed child, and don’t interrupt me you are a child, conducting unsupervised surgeries. If it wasn’t for the fact that there seems to be literally nobody else able or willing to do the work, I’d remove you immediately. However, you were competent and careful. And I suppose it’s better that it’s you as opposed to some random kid I’m not able to teach or keep an eye on.”

“That’s fair,” Izuku sighed, “ if it helps, I’ve done a lot of surgeries. Some of them have been incredibly high-risk and difficult. I mean, I did a craniotomy yesterday. I’ve successfully performed a thoracic aortic dissection repair. Sure, I’ve lost patients on the table before, everyone has. Some of them may have lived if they had access to a more experienced surgeon. I know that. However, I have never lost a patient to avoidable medical error. Trust me if my patients were able to access a licensed surgeon, they would. Unfortunately I’m what the clinic can get, so all I can do is my best.”

“That’s all anyone can ask from you,” Recovery Girl put down her cup noodles with a sigh, “I may disapprove, but even I can recognize that you are doing good work here.”

“Thank you,” Izuku replied softly. 

“So that’s why we’ll just have to continue to train you up deary,” Recovery Girl offered Izuku a warm smile, “I’m going to recommend you to take the national preliminary examination for medical practitioners as part of your provisional hero licensing exam. You will then undergo a one year practical training apprenticeship with me, which will consist of my supervision of your normal clinic duties, after which you should be eligible to take the national licensing exam. You would then be required to complete a two year residency, which again would just mean two additional years at the clinic.” Izuku spit out his noodles.

“What? Seriously? I thought you had to be a foreign licensed practitioner to take the preliminary exam?” 

“There’s a little known clause that lets certain medical practitioners, those who have received the necessary qualifications from the Japanese Ministry of Education to be allowed to take apprentices, recommend their apprentices for the preliminary exam. I happen to have these qualifications. You wouldn’t be the first apprentice I sent through the exam.”

“Oh wow. Ok then.” Izuku blinked slowly, “Natsuo-kun is going to be beyond jealous.”

“Todoroki?”

“He’s currently slogging through his second year of medical school.”

“So I’m guessing none of the clinic doctors are licensed then?”

“The day shift attending is a licensed veterinarian if that counts?”

“You know what? I’ll take it,” Recovery Girl chuckled, “We should be getting back to the clinic, I still have most of a shift to observe. Now you better prepare properly for your exam next week. There’s only so much you’ll know from practice.”

“Shit,” Izuku cursed, “what are the odds that the exam covers biophysics?”

Recovery Girl just smiled. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

The next morning saw Izuku bent over his desk in 1-A, scribbling frantically into a study guide which Recovery Girl had printed for him. A pile of Natsuo’s biophysics books were balanced precariously besides him.

“Oh man,” Natsuo had laughed uproariously upon Izuku’s explanation, “good luck with that. Let me know if you need a tutor kohai-kun.” 

Izuku finished his current question and moved on to the next one.

5) Your brain consumes about 22 W of power, and avocados have been shown to  promote brain health. If each avocado contains 310 Cal, and your brain was powered  entirely by the energy from the avocados, how many must you eat each day?

“This is stupid,” Izuku moaned, slamming his head against the desk, “who powers their brain entirely by avocados? It wouldn’t even work!”

“Ooh are we talking about avocados? Avocado sushi is my favorite! Do you think Lunch Rush would make some for me today?" Uraraka’s cheerful voice interrupted Izuku’s griping. 

“Right,” Izuku lifted his head just enough to see his friend, “it wouldn’t be my choice right now.”

“Anyways, we have ultimate move training today. You should eat something with adequate protein.” Iida tacked on sternly.

“Ah yeah, I guess that’s true,” Uraraka placed a finger on her chin, "but avocado sushi is so yummy. Maybe if I order tuna with it?" 

That was right. Izuku still had to come up with two special moves in addition to studying for both his heroics and medical provisional exams. 

“Have you guys come up with any move ideas yet? Aside from your Reciproburst of course, Iida-kun.” Izuku asked. 

“I’m not sure,” Iida replied, “my family has a move passed down through generations which I’m hoping to replicate, but I haven’t quite figured out if I’m physically ready for it yet.”

“That’s fair,” Uraraka commented, “I’ve been experimenting with combining the martial arts skills I learned on my internship with my quirk. How about you Deku-kun?”

“Well I’ve decided to switch to a kick based fight style to protect my hands, but I wouldn’t really call it a special move. Maybe something which has long distance attack power? I’m not really sure yet.”

“That’s ok,” Uraraka grinned, “we just have to keep playing around with it until something clicks. We still have some time to figure it out.”

“That’s true,” Izuku hummed in agreement. “I should probably take a break from studying for the written exam anyways and head over to the TDL for some practical training. You guys interested in coming?”

“Thank you very much for your offer,” Iida bowed stiffly, “however I have a prior engagement concerning my costume in the support department.”

“No worries. Uraraka?”

“I’m going to grab some lunch first, but I’ll see you there after. I think most of our classmates are already there anyways.”  

“Ok, have a nice lunch,” Izuku packed up his books and headed to the locker room near the gym to change into his gym uniform. 

“Right,” Izuku mumbled to himself as he made his way to his individual training area, “just play around until something clicks.” The sounds of battle noises and training reverberated through the gym. 

“Midoriya, back for more practical training?” Aizawa greeted him with his usual deadpan stare.

“I needed a break from studying from the written exam,” Izuku shrugged, “I’m really not sure how to proceed here though.”

“I’ll spar with you, hand to hand. Perhaps you will think of something while we fight.” Aizawa offered, settling into a guard stance. 

“Yes, sensei,” Izuku bowed quickly before positioning himself to match his sensei. 

“Begin.” 

The two immediately clashed blows before jumping apart, Aizawa expertly blocking Izuku’s side kick. Aizawa was quick, and good at anticipating Izuku’s movements. Izuku could hardly get more than a glancing blow off of him. Then again, he was a pro hero for a reason. Izuku would have to fight smart against an opponent like Aizawa, not just hard. 

“Ouch,” Izuku hissed as he caught a particularly nasty blow with his shoulder.

“You’re going to have to do better than that if you want to beat me.” Izuku just grimaced. 

Aizawa wasn’t using his capture scarf, but his fighting style focused on reach, meaning he was relying primarily on his arms for defense and his legs for attack. That meant that Izuku was most easily able to touch Aizawa’s arms when attacking. The ulnar and radial nerves ran through the upper and lower inner forearms, and were good points for Izuku to target. There was also a pressure point between the thumb and index finger which became vulnerable when making a fist. If Izuku could put pressure on any of these vulnerable spots….Izuku dodged a kick aimed at his head and launched his own in return. Aizawa ducked underneath it.

“Damn it, if I could only hit you!” Izuku groaned. Aizawa was too fast for Izuku to be able to grab onto his pressure points with any real strength. Izuku would be lucky if he could lightly tap him. If only there was a way for Izuku to add force to those light touches. Wait. Izuku let out a wide grin and lit up with green electricity.

“Now you’re getting it,” Aizawa smirked, “but you still won’t be able to hit me.”

“Watch me,” Izuku took a deep breath and gathered 1% of One for All into his fingertips. He lashed out with a punch and Aizawa lifted his arms to block. Time seemed to slow down. Izuku aimed his fingers for Aizawa’s ulnar nerve and as his fingers brushed Aizawa’s arm he released the stored up power. 1% wasn’t enough to cause significant damage, not with such little contact, but it did cause Aizawa’s arm to light up in pain before losing sensation.

“Aaugh!” Aizawa shouted, jumping back and grasping his limp arm with his other hand, “what the fuck problem child.”

“I aimed for your ulnar nerve and released 1% of my quirk when I touched it. I didn’t put in enough power to cause permanent damage, you should have full use of your arm back in a minute or two.” Aizawa took a calming breath. 

“Right. And you just happened to know where to hit?”

“I had an anatomy phase as a kid,” Izuku shrugged. It wasn’t even a lie. “There are dozens of major nerves and pressure points on the body which I can target. And look, the power build up was so minimal that it didn’t even strain my fingers!” The fingers on Aizawa’s injured hand started to twitch, either Aizawa's arm was regaining sensation or he was irritated.

Likely both, Izuku decided. 

“Well problem child, I guess you’ve found your first ultimate move.” Aizawa grinned, “you won’t get me with it again.”

“We’ll see,” Izuku smirked, “you don’t even know where you need to protect.” 

“What will you call it?”

“Hmm. I mean I'm not planning on shouting out its name in battle or anything, but what about Numbing Touch?”

“Sounds about right.” Aizawa agreed, flexing his hand, “now, let’s keep sparring. I want this to be second nature to you by the end of the day.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku made his way towards Recovery Girl’s office, hair still dripping from his post-training shower.

“Ah there you are sonny,” Recovery Girl greeted warmly as he entered, “I have your supplies ready.”

“Trade you for this morning’s review sheet?” Izuku offered, pulling the physics study guide from his book bag. 

“It’s a deal,” Recover Girl took the packet from Izuku, smoothing out the wrinkles from when Izuku had shoved it into his bag earlier. “The supplies are in the neon green bag on my desk.”

Izuku walked over to the desk where, as promised, he found a neon green nylon bag with thick black shoulder straps. Izuku unzipped the bag, eyes widening at its contents.

“Everything’s here,” he gasped, pulling out a 5ml bottle of Naloxone.

“You proved yourself last night dear. I trust you not to misuse the equipment I’ve given you. Of course, you’ll have to wait for the oxygenator from Power Loader but there’s an ambu bag in there which should be an adequate substitute in the interim.”

“I can’t thank you enough,” Izuku said earnestly. 

“Like I’ve said, you earned it sonny. You also did fairly well on this physics sheet. You missed two questions, but overall not too bad.” Recovery Girl looked up from where she was grading Izuku’s work.

“That’s good?”

“Keep studying and you’ll do fine on the exam. You won’t get a perfect score, but you’ll pass and that’s all that matters.” 

“Right,” Izuku winced. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d gotten less than an 85% on any test, “I just need to pass.”

“Do you have another shift tonight? I still need to see you successfully intubate a patient and perform a needle thoracostomy before I can issue your emergency medicine certification.”

“I have a shift every night except Sunday. I pull a double on Saturday.”

“Ok then. Well, let your attending know you need these procedures and see if you can’t get them done in the next few shifts. Have someone at the clinic take a video and send it to me.”

“The intubation will be no problem, it’s a common procedure. I’ll see what I can do about the thoracostomy. It’s not something we see too often.”

“Worst case scenario, I put in the request to have you show me on a cadaver at Musutafu Medical College, but I’d prefer if I didn’t have to. The Dean is a rather unpleasant fellow.”

“I’ve heard complaints from Natsuo-kun,” Izuku offered a sly smile, “apparently his mustache quivers during lectures. I’m told it is very distracting.”

“Quite right,” Recovery girl let out a few chuckles, “the man is one of the most self-important individuals I’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting. He places a great deal of pride in that mustache.”

"Anyways, I have to leave soon. I’ll see what I can do about the thoracostomy.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow sonny. Say hi to everyone for me and make sure to keep a clear head.”

“Will do. Thank you Recovery Girl-sensei.”

“We are going to be spending quite a lot of time together dear. Just call me Chiyo.”

“Yes, Chiyo-sensei. I’ll see you tomorrow!” Izuku hefted his new supplies over his shoulder and started climbing the stairs. He had one more stop before heading to the clinic.

“Yo, Zuku-kun!” Mei greeted exuberantly as Izuku entered the support lab, “guess you didn’t get arrested then?” 

“Nope, though I think Chiyo-sensei nearly had an aneurysm when she realized I was the surgeon.”

“Chiyo-sensei huh? Tell me everything!”

“I don’t have time for all the details now.” Izuku warned his friend.

“Ugh, fine. Just give me the highlights and I’ll grill you later.” Izuku shuddered slightly in justifiable fear.

“Right, so essentially Chiyo-sensei has a way to let me take the national preliminary exam for medical practitioners which will be tacked on to the written portion of my provisional hero licensing exam. If I pass, I will have a one year apprenticeship with her before I take the full exam.”

“So you’ll be a real licensed surgeon?”

“Hey, I am a real surgeon,” Izuku elbowed Mei playfully, “but essentially yes.”

“That’s amazing Zuku-kun! Natsuo-kun will be so jealous!”

“That’s what I said,” Izuku laughed, “actually now that I think of it, I could use some help with studying for the biophysics part of the exam. Natsuo just dumped a bunch of text books in my arms and laughed maniacally.” 

“You’ve come to the right girl!” Mei proudly pointed her thumb at her chest, “I happen to be an expert in physics. I’m sure biophysics isn’t that different from regular physics. The body has to follow the same laws as the rest of the universe after all.”

“Thanks Mei,” Izuku shot her a relieved smile, “I have all this practical knowledge, but that will only take me so far on this kind of written standardized test.”

“Never fear, for Mei is here!” Mei proclaimed in a deep booming voice.

“Please,” Izuku begged, “never do an All Might impression again.”

“I’ll have you know I do excellent impressions.”

“You really don’t,” Izuku sighed, “anyways, I do need to be heading out soon. I just wanted to check in and see if you had a timeline for my support gear yet before heading to my shift.”

“Good news! We got the go-ahead on the oxygenator from Recovery Girl. It will take a while for me to figure out, but I embrace the challenge. In the meanwhile, I should have your pants and tool belt ready for you tomorrow.”

“Thanks Mei, you’re a life saver.”

“That’s what I’m here for.” Mei winked, “Now go, you’re going to be late for your clinic shift. And remember, you owe me details. I will be holding your pants hostage until you fess up.” At that moment, Power Loader walked into the lab.

“I don’t even want to know.” He spun around and promptly walked right back out. 

Chapter Text

“And done,” Izuku sighed, stepping away from the patient, “did you get that?”

“Crystal clear,” Natsuo waved the phone he had been using to film the procedure, “that’s the intubation down. What else did you need?”

“Thoracostamy,” Izuku winced. Harada and Michi descended on the patient as Izuku and Natsuo exited the medical bay. 

“Oof, good luck finding a patient for that.”

“Gee thanks,” Izuku peeled off his gloves and tossed them into a nearby disposal. “Is it just me or has it been quiet tonight?”

“Sh!” Natsuo looked around furtively, “don’t say the ‘q’ word, you’re going to jinx us!”

“That’s just a silly superstition,” Izuku rolled his eyes, “on another note, my test is the day after tomorrow. I’m taking the night off tomorrow to make sure I get enough rest, and depending on how the test goes I may take that night off as well. I should be able to get your textbooks back to you once I’m back.”

“No worries,” Natsuo waved his hand, “take as long as you need my little kohai.”

“You do know that I’m going to get my license before you? Doesn’t that make you my kohai?” Natsuo froze.

“Wait, what? No, that’s completely unfair. I refuse.”

“Don’t worry Natsu-kohai,” Izuku smirked, “I’ll work hard as your sempai.”

“I’ve been working as a doctor longer than you.” Natsuo pouted. 

“By a month. It barely counts. Face it kohai.” The two approached the nurses’ station.

“Hey Mari-san, tell Izuku-kohai that he’s not my sempai.” Natsuo leaned over the desk.

“Sorry to break it to you, but he’s going to get his license first. He is totally your senpai.” Mari chuckled, winking at Izuku as the two slapped their hands together in a high five. Yoshida, who was seated next to Mari behind the desk let out a giggle. 

“Traitor.” Natsuo grumbled.

“Please tell me some new patients came in while we were busy?” 

“Just a guy with appendicitis. Takahashi-sensei and Kuwahara-chan are taking care of him now. They'll do the surgery too. Kuwuhara-chan needs the experience.” Umeda replied from Mari’s other side as she flipped through files. 

“Ugh, what I wouldn’t give for a patient.”

“Slow night, eh?” Sakuma joined them at the desk. 

“You too?”

“I had a pre-scheduled group therapy session and some prescription refills, but no emergencies. I have another session in about ten minutes.”

“Geez, I don’t think we’ve had a night this quiet in three months.” Yoshida mused.

“Shhh!” Natsuo sputtered in indignation. Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Natsu-kohai here is superstitious about the ‘q’ word,” Izuku made air quoted with his fingers.

“Q word?” Yoshida asked, her finger on her cheek and a mischievous glint in her eyes, “oh you mean quiet?”

“La, la, la, la, can’t hear you!” Natsuo covered his ears in protest. Everyone else cracked up.

“You really are a complete dork,” Umeda wiped a tear from the corner of her eye, “but that’s why we love you.”

“Well that and my dashing good looks,” Natsuo preened jokingly. 

“Ah of course,” Izuku dead panned, “oh Natsuo-kun, you are the hottest man I've ever met. Your white hair glistens like ice in the moonlight. Swoon.” Mari snorted.

“Did you just say swoon? You’re just as much of a dork as he is.”

“I take that as a compliment and will wear it as a badge of pride,” Izuku grinned cheekily, “anyways since we have nothing to do….” Before Izuku could finish his sentence the desk phone rang shrilly.

“Nurses station, this is Umeda,” Umeda held the phone to her ear. There was a brief pause, “Alright, I’ll send Izuku-kun out. I think he might be bored.” She whispered the last part conspiratorially. 

“Patient?” Izuku asked hopefully. 

“No, fair. I want a patient.” Natsuo pouted. Umeda put a finger to her lips.

“Thanks Matsumura-san, you as well.” Umeda hung up the phone and turned to Izuku.

“Someone just brought in a vigilante who was hit with some kind of intoxication quirk. They’re conscious, high as a kite, and currently zooming around the waiting room in a wheelchair while singing pre-quirk show-tunes.” Izuku blinked.

“Ok then. Well this ought to be fun. Mari-san, want to come with?” 

“Not really.”

“Mari-san,” Umeda sighed.

“I’ll go,” Yoshida volunteered.

“Except that you’ll just join in singing with the patient.” Izuku sighed.

“Well I mean…”

“Fine, I’ll go,” Mari sighed, “I hate show-tunes.”

“Blasphemy,” Natsuo gasped dramatically.

“Alright, well see you guys later,” Izuku and Mari made their way towards the waiting room. As they approached they could hear a gravelly and distinctly off-key warble.

“🎶-I am the very model of a modern Major-General; I’ve information vegetable, animal, and mineral; I know the kings of England and I quote the fights historical; From Marathon to Waterloo in order categorical; I’m very well aquatinted, too, with matters mathematical...”

Mari shot Izuku an exasperated look, and the two entered the waiting room. Izuku could clearly see the back side of a figure dancing in a wheelchair. Clearly they were the patient.

“🎶-I understand equations both the simple and quadratical; About binomial theorem I am teeming with a lot o’ news; with many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse!” The patient switched from singing to humming loudly.

“Yo, Zuzu-bean, over here!” Izuku turned away from the patient and headed over to Matsumura at the front desk. A nervous looking man was stringy grey hair was fidgeting nearby. “This is Yamagata Masaru-san. He found the patient and brought them in.”

“Great, it’s nice to meet you. Thank you very much for bringing in the patient. I’m Midoriya-sensei and this is Azuma-san, one of our nurses. What can you tell me about the circumstances you found the patient in? Any information would be of great help.”

“Well I was walking home, I’m quirkless and I don’t exactly live in the nicest part of town, and this guy starts shaking me down. I think he had some sort of mutation quirk? His skin was this shiny khaki green color and he had these clusters of warts along his jaw. I was about to hand over my briefcase when this person jumps from the sky and gets in between us.”

“🎶-I’m very good at integral and differential calculus; I know the scientific names of beings animalculous; In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral; I am the very model of a modern Major General,”

There was a split second of silence.

“Just ignore them. What were you saying?”

“Right, like I said before this person just drops from the sky. I’m pretty sure they’re quirkless because as far as I could tell they didn’t use a quirk at all during the fight. I think they’re a vigilante, didn’t really look like a hero. Anyways, they were fighting hand to hand with the mugger when the mugger sprayed some sort of mist from his mouth into the vigilante’s face. The next thing I know, the vigilante is stoned and the mugger got away. I carried them here after.”

“Thank you. This is very helpful.” Izuku made a quick note on a pad he kept in his pocket, “Sounds to me like the mugger may have had a toad mutation quirk. It would explain the shiny skin and the warts. Additionally, some toad species secrete a venom which acts like a psychedelic when inhaled. I know you’re not experiencing any symptoms, but you should get checked out as well while you’re here. Better safe than sorry.”

“Ok,” the man nervously tugged at the hem of his shirt.

“Azuma-san, could you take him to exam room two? Have Natsuo check him out. I’ll take the other patient to bay three.”

“Sure thing. Follow me,” Mari gently led the man out of the waiting room.

“Now for our music man,” Izuku sighed, heading towards his new patient, “excuse me? I’m Midoriya-sensei and I will be your doctor today.” The patient franticly spun around in their wheel chair.

Izuku blue-screened.

“No, no, no, no” Aizawa mumbled, “no problem children after school. Only cats.”

“S..s..sensei?!” 

“Wait, what?” Matsumura dropped the book they were reading with a resounding thud. 

“It’s too green,” Aizawa groaned. Izuku shook his head to snap himself out of his shock.

“Sensei, are you ok?” Aizawa let out a couple of giggles. Aizawa…giggling…it was so wrong.

“🎶-I can write a washing bill in Babylonic cuneiform; And tell you ev’ry detail of Caractacus’s uniform; In short in matters animal, vegetable, and mineral; I am the very model of a modern Major General,”

“I know this is probably incredibly distressing to you, but you’ve got to admit it’s impressive that he’s managing to get all those words out in something resembling a melody.” Matsumura grinned. 

“Hey, hey, heeeey problem kiddo,” Aizawa slurred, as if to deliberately spite Matsumura, “wanna tell my hubby bout the modern Major General.”

Izuku short circuited again.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Wheeeeeeeeeeee!” Aizawa cheered as Izuku rolled him to the med bay.

“Alright sensei, I need to take your vitals. Can you stay very still so I can put this on?” Izuku lifted a blood pressure cuff to show Aizawa who didn’t seem to be paying attention.

“I love all the boys and all the boys love me,” Aizawa responded dreamily.

“Right then,” That was something Izuku never needed to know. Maybe one of his co-workers knew someone with a memory erasing quirk? Izuku face palmed before attempting to wrestle the blood pressure cuff onto his resistant patient. Aizawa flung his arm up and smacked Izuku squarely in the nose. “Ow!” Izuku winced. Aizawa-sensei hit hard. That was definitely going to bruise. 

“ּBad problem child,” Aizawa scolded.

“Bad problem sensei,” Izuku muttered snarkily. 

A few minutes later, Izuku managed to wrap the blood pressure cuff around Aizawa’s left arm.

“Well your vitals seems stable. Heart rate is a little high but not so much that I’m worried about it.” Izuku made a note on Aizawa’s chart, “The only thing we can really do is give you fluids and keep you under observation until you sober up. I’m going to be right back sensei. I’m just going to grab you a bag of fluids.”

“Orange juice.” Aizawa pouted cutely. And wasn’t that a phrase Izuku never thought he would think. 

“Not that kind of fluids,” Izuku sighed, exiting the bay. “Hey Umeda, keep an eye on him, would you?”

“Sure thing. You look like you took a solid hit to the face. Everything alright?”

“You mean aside from the fact that the patient is definitely my homeroom teacher and a pro-hero?”

“Wait, what?” Yoshida choked, “Man. Dude’s gonna be embarrassed when he realizes you saw him high.”

“That’s not my biggest worry right now. I’m totally going to get expelled from UA.” Izuku groaned. 

“Well, better make the most of it. If you take enough blackmail photos and videos maybe he won’t expel you.” Izuku just shook his head in exasperation. 

“I go to a hero school, and blackmail isn’t exactly heroic. If anything that will make him want to expel me more. Anyways, I need to go grab a banana bag. Could you get the IV set up?”

“Sure thing,” Yoshida chirped. 

“When you’re done you should take care of your nose. It looks painful.” Umeda added softly.

“Will do.”

Izuku made his way to the dispensary where he snagged an IV bag. The yellow tinted fluid sloshed inside. It kind of did look like juice. Now there was an idea. Before heading back to Aizawa’s room, Izuku decided to make a quick pit stop in the waiting room. 

“Hey Zuzu-bean, how’s it going?” Matsumura gave a lazy wave. His eyes widened at the sight of Izuku’s swelling face.

“About as well as can be expected given the situation.” Izuku’s voice was getting more nasally by the minute. Izuku walked up to the vending machine, “Do you have some spare change I can borrow? I can pay you back once I get a chance to head to the locker room.”

“Sure thing, here.” Matsumura handed Izuku a bill, “what are you getting?”

“Aizawa-sensei is asking for orange juice,” Izuku fed the bill into machine and pressed a button. 

“Aw, you’re such a dutiful student.”

“Aizawa-sensei has done a lot for our class, including risking his life to protect us. It’s the least I can do.” A bottle of juice clattered to the bottom of the machine. Izuku bent down to retrieve it, and snagged a straw from Matsumura’s proffered hand. That was Matsumura, always anticipating everyone’s needs. “Anyways, I should get back to him. Page me if you need anything.”

“Will do beanie-baby.”

“Aizawa-sensei?” Izuku asked as he re-entered the med bay, “I brought you some orange juice.”

“Orange is a good color,” Aizawa responded solemnly.

“Er, right.” Izuku set the juice down on a tray table and unscrewed the cap. He pulled the paper from the straw and stuck it in. “There you go.”

“Juice.” Aizawa grabbled the bottle and began to drink greedily. Izuku hung the banana bag on a nearby IV stand and washed his hands. When he was done he pulled on a pair of clean gloves and opened the IV kit which Yoshida must have left for him.

“Ok, sensei. Could I have your arm please while you drink?” Aizawa nodded slowly and proffered his arm. “Thank you very much, sensei. Now this may be a little tight.”

Izuku grabbed a thick rubber strip from the kit and tied it tightly around Aizawa’s upper arm. Once he was done, he felt around Aizawa’s forearm for a vein. Izuku frowned when he didn’t feel a good candidate.

“You really have tricky veins sensei. You should drink more.”

“Orange juice!” Aizawa agreed. 

“Exactly. Orange juice.”

“And coffee!” 

“No, not and coffee. Coffee is a diuretic, it dehydrates you.”

“I like coffee. And jelly.” Aizawa informed Izuku gravely. “Zashi doesn’t like jelly. He’s a big meanie. Makes me eat vegitanles…vegibitals…green stuff.” Was his sensei always this much of a child? 

“I see. Ah found one! Now this may be a little cold sensei.” Izuku gently wiped Aizawa’s forearm with an alcohol swab. While the skin was drying, Izuku removed the tubing from its packaging and took off the needle cover. Without warning Izuku inserted the needle until a small amount of blood pooled in the needle hub. Izuku fed the tube into the vein. He released his makeshift rubber tourniquet and removed the needle. 

“Ow.” Aizawa winced, “you’re a mean, mean probleeeeem child.”

“It’s all over now,” Izuku dropped the used needle into a sharps disposal bin, “let me just secure the line with a bandage.” Izuku grabbed a clear adhesive patch and fixed it over the cannula. When he was done he connected the end of the tubing to the IV line and started the drip. “Hopefully this will help you to sober up.”

“I don’t wanna. I wanna sing. 🎶-It’s a world of laughter a world of tears; A world of hopes and a world of fears…” Yeah there was no way Izuku could handle listening to that all night. He had to do something, and fast.

“Hey Aizawa-sensei,” Izuku interrupted, “you wanted me to contact your husband? Could you tell me about him?”

“Zashi!” Aizawa sat up animatedly before falling back into bed with a huff, “too bright.”

“Do you want me to turn down the lights?”

“Not lights. Zashi, too bright,” Aizawa paused before tacking on, “and loud.”

Aizawa’s slurred description of his husband seemed somewhat familiar to Izuku. Someone named Zashi who was bright and loud…could it be?

“Hey sensei, by any chance is your husband Yamada-sensei?”

“My hubby. You can’t have him.” Aizawa replied petulantly. Izuku took that as a confirmation.

“I don’t want to take him,” Izuku soothed, “I want to call him so he knows where you are and what happened to you. Do you have his phone number?” Aizawa didn’t reply, opting instead to return to humming under his breath. “Right. Well, I suppose I could always call his agency. I’m going to call Yamada-sensei for you. I’ll be right back.” Izuku slipped out of the bay and headed to Umeda at the nurses’ station.

“Hey, can I ask you a favor?”

“Sure, what is it?” Umeda looked up from her paperwork.

“I need to contact my patient’s husband to let him know what’s happened. However, getting his number may be difficult and I could use some help.”

“Alright,” Umeda pulled out a memo pad, “what’s their name?”

“Yamada Hizashi, but you’d know them better as Present Mic.” Umeda dropped her pen.

“Sorry?”

“He’s my English teacher, but I don’t have his number.” Izuku added unhelpfully. Umeda blinked slowly before shaking herself out of her shock.

“Right. Do you have Recovery Girl-sensei’s number? She works at UA so she probably has access to all the teacher’s emergency contact information.”

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Izuku slapped his face, and ow that was not a good idea with his currently swollen nose, “I’ll call her right now. I just need to get my phone from the locker room.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the patient while you make your calls,” Umeda offered, “and please get a cold compress for your nose. I know you’re worried about your sensei but your health matters too.”

“I will. Thanks Umeda.” Izuku bolted to the locker room and dug his phone out of his locker. He hit number three on speed dial. The phone only rang twice before it was picked up.

“Midoriya? Is everything alright, deary?”

“Hi Chiyo-sensei,” Izuku replied, “I’m fine. Well I may have a broken nose but that’s not the point. I’ve got Aizawa-sensei here in the clinic and I need to let Yamada-sensei know what’s going on, but I don’t have his number and Aizawa is refusing to give it to me.”

“He is? That’s quite unlike him, especially since he evidently told you about his marriage in the first place.”

“Aizawa-sensei is currently high. Like really, really high. Singing pre-quirk show-tunes high, and can I just say I could have happily lived my whole life without hearing that. He inhaled a psychedelic from a mugger with a toad mutation. So far the most lucid statement I’ve been able to get out of him is ‘Zashi too bright.’ And don’t even get me started on some of the other things he’s been spewing. You wouldn’t happen to know anyone with a memory erasing quirk would you?”

“Oh my,” Recovery Girl was clearly trying to stifle her laughter, and failing, “I’ll text Hizashi’s number to you sonny. In exchange I want the rest of the dirty details tomorrow. I am Shouta’s primary care physician after all.”

“Anyone who thinks you're just a harmless sweet little old lady has clearly never met you,” Izuku huffed in amusement, “deal. And thanks.”

“No worries sonny. I just sent you the phone number.” The line disconnected. Izuku quickly jotted down the number Recovery Girl gave him and made his way back to the nurses’ station. Izuku picked up the desk phone and dialed quickly. After the fourth ring, someone picked up.

“Hello, could I speak to Yamada Hizashi?” Izuku asked.

“Who is this?” Yamada replied warily. Izuku was a little surprised his sensei didn’t recognize his voice, but then again his swollen nose did make him sound different. Well if his sensei didn’t figure it out on his own, Izuku wasn’t going to tell him. 

“I’m calling from the Musutafu Community Health Center. We currently have an Aizawa Shouta in our urgent care center, and he informed us that you are his emergency contact.”

“Sho? IS HE OK?!?!?!” Izuku winced and pulled the phone away from his ear, apparently his sensei’s quirk did work over phone lines. 

“He’s fine. He inhaled a psychedelic substance while on patrol and is currently intoxicated. A witness brought him in.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“In other words your husband is currently stoned.”

“I…was not expecting that.” 

Yeah me neither, Izuku grumbled in his head. 

“You said he'll be alright?”

“He will be just fine. He is currently stable and receiving IV fluids. We would like to keep him under observation until the effects of the drug wear off, just in case, but it is unlikely that there will be any complications.” Yamada breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s good to hear. In that case, I’ll be over in a couple of hours if that’s alright? I’m supposed to record my live radio show in about half an hour. Sho would be pissed if I skipped out on work when he’s not in any real danger, even though I’d really rather be with him right now.”

“No worries,” Izuku reassured, “we’ll take good care of him in the interim. Does this number accept text messages?”

“It does.”

“Great, in that case I will text you the clinic address and phone number. If you have any questions or concerns before you get here please feel free to call us.”

“I will. Thank you very much for taking care of my husband.”

“You’re very welcome, we are happy to help.” Izuku pulled the phone from his ear and hung up. He quickly shot off the promised texts.

“Hey Zuku-kohai,” Natsuo walked up from behind Izuku, “how’s it going with the singing patient?” Izuku rolled his eyes.

“You mean you haven heard Natsu-kohai? Our patient is none other than Aizawa Shouta, pro-hero Eraserhead.”

“Wait, I know that name. Where do I know that name from?” Izuku just gave him a deadpan stare.

“Seriously? He’s your brother’s homeroom teacher? And mine? The one who almost died protecting us in the USJ? Heck your brother fought him for his final exam.”

“Oh right,” Natsuo tapped his chin before freezing with wide eyes, “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh. I have seen things tonight that no child should ever have to see.”

“I mean to be fair you see a lot of things that children probably shouldn’t look at. How old were you that time when you when had to pull maggots out of that one guy? Ten?”

“Thank you, I absolutely needed that reminder.” Izuku groaned, “Anyways I need to get a cold compress for my nose.”

“Yeah, that looks nasty. What happened?”

“Aizawa-sensei hit me while I was trying to take his blood pressure.” Natsuo started laughing.

“Only you would get slugged in the face by your stoned teacher.”

“I don’t even want to justify that with a response. How was the guy who brought sensei in?”

“Fine. We just finish checking him over and he’s gone home.”

“That’s good.”

“Izuku-sensei?” Umeda called from Aizawa’s med bay.

“Yes?” Izuku rushed over.

“I’m sorry but he’s started crying and I don’t know what to do?”

“Um,” Aizawa crying? Could this night get any weirder? “Right, I can take it from here.” 

The answer was yes, yes it can. 

Izuku was immediately bombarded by his sensei’s tearful proclamations upon entering the room. He didn't see Umeda smirk and pull out her phone behind him.

“My problem child is just so cute,” Aizawa sobbed, “the cutest problem child. He’s all green and fluffy and he has these little freckles on his nose.” Aizawa paused to blow his nose harshly into a tissue. 

Izuku flushed bright red, “Um, sensei?”

“And he looks so squishy and I just want to cuddle him and keep him safe and warm and pile cats on him.” Aizawa sniffled.

“S..s..sensei?!” Izuku stuttered out, somehow managing to turn even redder, “I’m right here.”

“My cute problem child. I have the cutest students, it’s not fair.” Aizawa blew his nose again. The tears slowed. “I know! I must kidnap my problem child and give him cats!” Aizawa suddenly tried to get out of bed.

“Sensei, wait!” Izuku rushed to hold his sensei down, “I’m right here, you don’t need to get out of bed.”

“Need more cats.” And there was the crying again. 

“Er…you already…um…gave me cats?”

“I did?” Aizawa looked at Izuku tearfully.

“You did.” Izuku lied.

“That’s good.” Aizawa blinked tiredly before promptly rolling over and falling asleep. Izuku froze for a moment in shock as Aizawa’s soft snores filled the room.

“Oh man, that was priceless.” Natsuo wheezed, doubling over in laughter. Izuku spun around in shock. In the doorway, Yoshida was leaning against Natsuo, trying to stay upright, and giggling uncontrollably. To their left Umeda and Mari stood. Umeda was holding her phone out like she was filming him.

“Did you film that?” Izuku shouted, turning an even deeper shade of red.

“Sorry, it was too good to pass up,” Umeda shrugged sheepishly, the corners of her mouth betrayer her by twitching into a smile.

“Give that here so I can delete it!” Izuku reached for the phone but Umeda passed it to Mari who held it high out of Izuku’s reach. Why did he have to be so short?

“Look on the bright side,” Yoshida gasped out, “I don’t think he plans on expelling you.”

“I’d wait until he’s sober before saying that. Aizawa-sensei is notoriously expulsion happy.”

“But you’re his cute little problem child,” Natsuo mocked, “your hair is so fluffy and green and he wants to give you cats.”

“Fuck you,” Izuku gave Natsuo the finger. 

“Now, now no need for language like that. We wouldn’t want Aizawa to hear his student being so un-cute.” Natsuo laughed, dodging a swat from Izuku. Yoshida started laughing harder.

“All of you suck.” Izuku informed his coworkers.

“We know,” Umeda shrugged, “that’s why I didn’t feel that bad about sending the video to Recovery Girl-sensei.”

“You WHAT?!?!”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Chiyo sat in her office, All Might, skeletal form resplendent in a hospital gown, was perched on an examination table. 

“Well Yagi-kun, everything looks as normal as it gets for you. Like always make sure to eat iron rich foods and continue to exercise to up your red blood cell count. You are still very anemic.” 

“Right,” All Might agreed, standing up.

“You can go change in the bathroom. I’ll have your supplement refills by the time you’re done.”

“Thanks Chiyo-sensei.” And then Chiyo was alone. Just as she was starting to fill All Might’s prescription her phone buzzed.

“I wonder if that’s Midoriya again?” Recovery Girl paused what she was doing and checked her phone.

When All Might came back he was greeted by the sight of a red Recovery Girl, tears streaming down her face as she cackled and clutched her stomach.

“Chiyo-sensei!” All Might shouted in alarm, “Are you alright?”

“Oh I’m fine,” Chiyo wheezed between bouts of laughter. Eventually her laughter slowed and Chiyo was able to properly get words out. 

“Someone just sent me a funny video of my grandson,” she explained, wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. “My I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in over ten years. I'll have to save if for if he ever gets married.”

“You have a grandson!?” All Might’s mouth dropped open in shock. Chiyo began laughing again. If only he knew.

 ——————————————————————————————————————————

“Izuku, you still haven’t treated your face.” Umeda scolded after everyone had calmed down, “come with me. We’re going to take care of that now.”

“Right, I just keep getting distracted.” Izuku allowed Umeda to lead him to an empty examination room. 

“Ouch,” Izuku winced as Umeda prodded at his nose.

“You’re lucky. It’s definitely swollen, and you have some internal bleeding. There’s going to be significant bruising around your nose and under your eyes, but I don’t think it’s broken. I’m going to get you a cold compress and some pain relievers to help you sleep tonight. They’ll make you drowsy so you should probably just go home and call it a night.”

“I can’t!” Izuku protested, “Aizawa-sensei needs me here!”

“Natsuo can take over Aizawa’s care.” Umeda replied sternly, “I’m sure he’ll be fine to teach class tomorrow. You’ll be able to check on him then. The most important thing is that you take care of yourself. Don’t forget, your licensing exams are coming up.”

“But what if you get more patients and need my help?”

“We might, but it’s been a pretty slow night. And even if we do we can make do. We've done so before. Plus you look like you just got into a bad fist fight, all you’ll do is end up scaring the patients. Go home and take your meds.”

“Fine, but keep me updated tonight ok? I’ll put my phone on silent so it won’t wake me up before morning. That way I can still get an update on sensei before class.”

“Can do. Now will you head home or do I need to get someone to escort you?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Izuku waved his hands, “I’ll go home myself. I just need to change first.”

“I’ll know if you don’t, and you won’t like the consequences.” Umeda promised darkly. Izuku felt a chill go through him.

Nurses were way scarier than doctors. 

Later that night, as Izuku swallowed his pills and pulled himself into bed, his last thought was that tomorrow would probably be his final day at UA. 

Chapter Text

Aizawa hefted a small sigh as he rubbed his temple. Whatever he had been hit with the night before-he thinks someone had said something about toad venom- had left him with the world’s worst hangover. Of course if he was able to teach in a full body cast after the USJ then a headache wouldn’t be too much of a hardship. So here he was, wrapped in his sleeping bag on the floor of classroom 1-A, tinted goggles pulled over his eyes to block out the sun. Groaning Aizawa pulled himself up from the floor.

“Sensei, are you feeling ok? You seem a little off today.” Yaoyorozu asked worriedly upon seeing her sensei’s pinched face. 

“You do seem even paler than usual.” Uraraka tapped her chin.

“Aizawa-sensei, you must take care of your health. It is of the upmost importance for a hero.” Iida chopped. Aizawa’s lips tugged down. Usually his problem child would have added something to the conversation. Instead, Midoriya looked almost despondent in his chair as he pointedly didn’t look at his sensei. A flash of green passed behind Aizawa’s eyes. 

“I brought you some orange juice.”

But that hadn’t been his problem child, but the green haired doctor at the clinic.

“Problem child!” Aizawa sat up with a gasp.

“Sho, I’m so glad you’re awake!” His husband had responded with joy.

“Where’s Midoriya?”

“What are you talking about?”

“The problem child was here…”

“Oh you must mean the doctor,” a kind looking nurse with cropped brown hair and kangaroo legs entered the room, “it’s after shift change so he’s already gone home. I know he looks young but I doubt he’d appreciate being called a child.”

“But he’s a still a student, he’s in the hero course at UA.”

“You must be mistaken,” the nurse shook her head, “the doctor who took care of you was quirkless.”

“Maybe they just looked alike, Sho.” Yamada ran his finger’s through Aizawa’s hair, “From my understanding you were fairly intoxicated.” Aizawa blinked.

“Wait, I don’t…where am I?”

“Sensei? Sensei? Do you need us to call Recovery Girl?” Aizawa was abruptly shaken out of his thoughts.

“Apologies, I was just lost in thought. I am fine. Anyways, listen up 1-A. Today’s our last day of training before the provisional exams tomorrow. We are only going to do half a day, so that you all have time to rest for the test. However, before we head to the gym we are going to have a special joint homeroom class with 1-B. It has been brought to my attention that certain elements of your education may have been lacking. We will be rectifying this today.”

“But sensei, we cannot all fit in one classroom.” Iida interrupted. 

“I was just getting to that. Girls you will be heading to 1-B. Boys should stay here. You have two minutes.” There was a sudden scrambling. Shortly after all the girls had rushed out the door, the 1-B boys filed into the classroom. 

“Uhg. Why must we share classes with that detestable 1-A.” Monoma groaned as he entered the room.

“Hey, we can hear you, you know!” Kirishima shouted back.

“Quiet,” Aizawa clutched his head in pain, “it is illogical to squabble. Now your teacher for this lesson should be here any moment. I’m going to take a nap.” Aizawa made to leave the room. As he did All Might walked in. 

“I AM HERE…to teach you Sex-Ed!”

“WHAT?????????” Aizawa smirked and slipped out of the classroom. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Sho!” Yamada greeted, looking up from his grading as Aizawa entered the staff room, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. Just going to take a nap.” Aizawa answered, lying down on the sofa with his head in his husband’s lap.

“Good idea,” Yamada agreed, resting his hand on Aizawa’s head and idly running his fingers through his husband’s tangled hair. Aizawa hummed contentedly as he drifted off to sleep. 

“You’re at the Musutafu Community Health Center. My name is Obi Kozue and I’m the head nurse on shift. It seems as if you had a nasty run in with a toad venom quirk while on patrol last night.” 

Aizawa took a minute to look around at his surroundings. It did look like a hospital room, but…

“This place seems run down for a health center.”

“Sho!” Yamada scolded.

“It’s alright,” Obi-san smiled, “it is run down, but it can’t be helped. You see this health center treats those who cannot access treatment elsewhere. As a result we don’t have much in the way of funding. The person who brought you in assumed that you were quirkless from your fight and so brought you to us.”

“I don’t understand.” Aizawa frowned.

“Don’t you? You’re an underground hero right? I’m surprised you don’t already know. In today’s society there are certain groups of people who cannot access medical care: the quirkless, people with certain mutation quirks, those with ‘villainous quirks’ and others who for one reason or another may not have access to treatment. The purpose of this clinic is to treat these people. I say clinic but we actually function more like a hospital.”

 “But why can’t they go to an actual hospital?”

“Did you know that Musutafu General has a blanket policy of refusing treatment to quirkless patients? Even in emergency situations?”

“They what?” Aizawa growled.

“They claim it’s because they don’t have the training to handle quirkless bodies and so it’s a liability issue, but the reality is they just don’t want to waste precious resources on people who they consider to have no value or future.”

“That’s horrible.” Yamada cried.

“That’s life.” Obi replied primly. “It’s also why this clinic exists. We treat every patient equally, no matter who they may be or where they come from. We are a safe place for them to go when they are weak and vulnerable. As such, I ask that you do not tell others of this clinic.”

“Even other heroes?” 

“Especially other heroes. We treat and serve as a safe haven for anyone who asks. The people who come here have had hard lives and many are not looked favorably upon by the law.”

“You treat villains.” Aizawa said darkly.

“We treat people,” Obi countered, “Medical care is a basic human right, no matter who you are or what you may have done. The vast majority of our patients have done nothing illegal, and we see a fair few more vigilantes than villains, but we turn no one away. It only works so long as everyone who comes here is both welcome and safe.”

“And no hero has ever found out about this?”

“Of course they have,” Obi scoffed, “Recovery Girl was here to observe one of the doctors only a few days ago. They simply have kept that knowledge to themselves because they know that we do more good than harm.”

“Wait, Chiyo-sensei was?” Yamada blinked.

“Feel free to ask her yourself. Anyways, I need to do a physical if you ever want to be discharged. Can you touch your nose with your finger for me?”

“Sho, wake up..” Aizawa blinked sleepily. 

“Huh?”

“Homeroom is more than halfway over, and you mentioned you wanted to stop by Chiyo-sensei’s office before going to the TDL.”

“Right. Thanks Zashi.” Aizawa pulled himself up. “Heh, I wonder how the brats are handling their surprise lesson?”

“A better question may be how Yagi-san is handling it.” Aizawa sweat dropped.

“You may be right about that one.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“I AM HERE…to teach you Sex-Ed!” 

Izuku blinked in shock as his classmates cried out. He knows he was the one to suggest this, and he’s glad the boys don’t have to deal with Midnight-sensei, really, but Yagi? There’s no way this was going to go well. 

“Sex-Ed?” Kaminari gaped. 

“Yes. Today zygotes we will learn all about the reproductive system, and, er,” Yagi blushed a deep crimson, “the…ah…appropriate way to protect yourselves as you, that is…” Izuku face palmed. This was already a disaster. 

“I see,” Shoto responded in his usual monotone, “If this is about where babies come from I am not in need of this lesson. I learned this from my brother last week.”

An awkward silence fell over the class. 

Izuku slammed his head against his desk. He loved his friend, dearly, but why did Shoto have to be so awkward? And this was coming from the king of awkward. The second hand embarrassment was killing him! 

“Right, um,” All Might coughed harshly, “where babies come from is certainly part of it. But there is more.”

“Um, sensei? Why exactly are we having this class? I mean we’re all in high school, shouldn’t we know all of this stuff already?” Sero asked.

“Just because you know this stuff, doesn’t mean everyone here does.” Izuku interrupted irritably, “something which should be clear given the last few minutes.”

“Exactly Midoriya-shonen!” All Might spat out a spray of blood, “and now that everyone is living in the dorms together the principle decided it was better to be safe than sorry. Now does anyone have anymore questions before we begin?”

“Are we going to get to see pictures?”

“What exactly will we be covering in this class?”

“Are we only going to talk about straight relationships, or are we covering gay relationships too?”

“Are the girls doing this too?”

“Do I have to?”

“Do you have any kinks All Might-sensei?”

And the awkward silence was back, along with All Might’s blush. 

“Now, now, to answer your questions one at a time. Yes, Mineta-shonen, I have prepared a wonderful diagram of the male anatomy.” Izuku almost snickered at Mineta’s disappointed face, “I have a syllabus which I will be handing out in just a moment. We will be talking about both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. Yes, the girls are with Midnight in 1-B. Yes you have to. Now let’s begin.”

All Might was not at all subtle in dodging that last question. 

“All right this is going to be so manly,” Kirishima cheered. Everyone turned to stare at him. 

“What?”

“Er, Iida-shonen, if you wouldn’t mind passing out the syllabus?”

“Of course All Might-sensei!” Iida agreed, jumping to his feet.

“Great thank you. Now we will begin with a basic overview of the male anatomy. As you can see in the attached diagram the major parts of the male reproductive system consist of the the testes, scrotum, spermatic ducts, male accessory glands, and penis…” 

Izuku let All Might’s lecture fall into background noise as he discreetly pulled his phone out from under his desk. 

The Nightingales

 

Green Giant is typing…

 

Green Giant: Guys All Might is trying to teach Sex-Ed rn 😭 😭 😭 

 

Public Enema #1: Lol 😂 

 

Public Enema #1: You brought this upon yourself my dude.

 

CodeBlue: Could be worse. At least it’s not Midnight?

 

Green Giant: Honestly, Midnight may have been better. All Might is so awkward. I am going to die from second hand embarrassment. 

 

Shrinky Dink: Lol Hound Dog may find he has some new patients. I’m so glad that’s not my job. 

 

Green Giant: No, you get to deal with me 😇 

 

Shrinky Dink: So mean 😫

 

The Literal Child: What’s Sex-Ed?

 

Public Enema #1: Shit. 

 

Public Enema #1: Can I get an F in the chat?

 

Shrinky Dink: F

 

Code Blue: F

 

Green Giant: F.

 

The Literal Child: Jk. Lol I can’t believe you guys fell for that. I’m a nurse, of course I know what sex is. 

 

Code Blue: Ur a demon is what u r. 

 

The Literal Child: 😈 

 

“Midoriya-shonen?” Izuku’s head shot up.

“Yes, All Might-sensei?”

“I’m sure that whatever is on your phone is very important. However, I do ask that you give me your full attention.” Izuku blushed scarlet.

“Sorry sensei,”

“Not to worry my boy, we’re all a little uncomfortable here! Ha, ha, ha!” All Might boomed with an awkward laugh. “Now, where was I?”

“You were about to demonstrate the proper way to put on a condom sir,” Iida replied as formally as ever.

“Joy,” Monoma groaned.

“Ah yes! May I present my trusty banana!” All Might whipped a suspiciously phallic looking banana from thin air. Izuku slapped his face into the palms of his hands. Could this get any more embarrassing? 

He shouldn’t have asked. 

“Yes, lube can come in many varieties and is essential for your partners’ comfort! Some of it’s even flavored. Me? Well I have always been partial to strawberry…”

“B..b…b..dsm??? Perhaps that topic is a little advanced for today’s lesson? Well, if you insist, I did have this friend in the US who…”

“While many find it, er that is, um, pleasurable, I must caution you all about quirk use in the bedroom. Why once when I was around your age or maybe just a little bit older…”

The Nightingales

 

Green Giant: I have heard things that can never be unheard. 😳

 

Shrinky Dink: Spill the tea. 

 

Green Giant: Strawberry has been ruined for me forever.

 

Public Enema #1: But you are a strawberry!

 

Green Giant: Oh god 🤢 

 

Green Giant: Guys he’s handing out condoms and bananas…

 

Green Giant is typing

 

The Literal Child: Lol sucks to be you

 

Shrinky Dink: So cliche  

 

Public Enema #1: Bets on how many kids are secretly making condom balloons?

 

Shrinky Dink: My psychiatrist senses are tingling. 

 

Code Blue: This should be good.

 

Shrinky Dink: Based on how you’re currently projecting onto Green Giant’s classmates, it’s fair to say you made a fair few condom balloons yourself in your youth. The way you phrased it implies that you consider condom balloons to be an agitator of authority. This leads me to believe that as a child, you regularly played with condoms in an attempt to gain your father’s attention by making him angry.

 

Public Enema #1: Low blow

 

Code Blue: Played with condoms lol you make him sound like a child deviant.

 

The Literal Child: Obviously he was a child deviant.

 

Public Enema #1: Like you can talk. You literally spend your nights doing illegal shit.

 

Code Blue: Yo Mido, you still there?

 

Midoriya: I am suddenly very grateful that I suggested this class to Aizawa-sensei. That is not how to put on a condom.

 

Public Enema #1: You know what? I don’t even want to know

 

Shrinky Dink: I do!

 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“I hear you had a rather…interesting shift last night.” Recovery Girl greeted as Aizawa slunk into her office.

“Pardon?”

“The clinic staff did inform you that I am in the know, right?” Recovery Girl spun around on her chair, “It was such a wonderful surprise to get that video from Umeda-chan.”

“Video?”

“Mhm. You just say the darnedest things under the influence of drugs.” Aizawa paled, “It really was thoughtful of that girl. Now I have the perfect tool to make you rest when you’re injured or ill.”

“That’s blackmail.”

“Pish posh. It’s merely a mild disincentive.”  

“And people forget you and the rat are friends.”

“Do they? I can’t imagine why? Nedzu-san is a delightful partner for tea.”

“You would say that. Anyways, it would be illogical to continue this conversation. I have to return to my class shortly.”

“What can I do for you then?”

“What’s the deal with this clinic. Is it legit?”

“I assume they gave you the spiel?” Aizawa nodded shortly. “Right, well I suppose that depends on what you mean by ‘legit’ as you say. Are they legal? Not really, no. Most of them are not licensed to practice medicine.”

“The-,” Recovery Girl held up her hand, silencing Aizawa’s interruption.

“However, they do good, ethical work. I’ve personally supervised a shift there and am training one of their trauma surgeons in my spare time. They give better medical care than most hospitals and with less than half of the resources.”

“I don’t understand,” Aizawa growled, “they treat villains.”

“That’s what you’re caught up on?” Recovery Girl scoffed, “Medical Care is a human right. I’m sure they told you the same thing. They’d be piss poor doctors if they didn’t care for anyone and everyone who walks through their doors. Even if I were to accept your premise that they are somehow perpetrating harm by treating villains, for every villain they treat they treat a hundred more innocent people. People who, I may remind you, are completely unable to access traditional medical care.”

“Still,”

“Shouta, imagine you’re on patrol and you find a bleeding quirkless child in the street. Let’s say he has an open fracture. His injuries are far too severe for you to treat yourself. What do you do?”

“Take him to a hospital,” Aizawa replied immediately before pausing, “oh.”

“Yes, oh. Without the clinic that child has no chance. Nor does the shop clerk with the ‘scary’ mutation quirk, or the illegal immigrant couple with a sick newborn. They even have a pay what you can system in place for those who can’t get health insurance. The only reason the clinic is illegal is because we made it so they had to be. Do I wish they were all actually licensed doctors and nurses? Of course I do. But I also recognize that they are in an impossible situation, and have managed to create something incredible. Something that saves lives. To stop them would be by far the greater evil.”

“I understand.” Aizawa sighed, “If their medical practice is as good as you say, even though they’re not licensed, I’ll let it go. I’ll keep their secret. I’ll make sure Hizashi does too.”

“Thank you Shouta,” Recovery Girl smiled warmly, “Now here. Have some gummies for the hangover I’m sure you’re nursing.”

“Thanks Chiyo-sensei,” Aizawa gratefully accepted the handful of sweets. Even without the hangover he would never turn down Chiyo-sensei’s gummies. Though none of his students would ever guess it, Aizawa had a massive sweet tooth.

“Of course deary,” Recovery Girl turned back around, “now off with you. I don’t want to see you hanging around in my infirmary any more than absolutely necessary.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Aizawa stuffed his hands into his pockets and slunk out of the room. He had brats to wrangle. Idly, he wondered how traumatized his students would be when he saw them next. After all, All Might and Sex-Ed were perhaps the two most awkward things Aizawa had witnessed in his life. And he had once been a middle schooler. It really was the perfect opportunity to torture both his students and most annoying co-worker.

"Hehehe," Aizawa giggled, oblivious to three nearby students staring at him in abject terror. Maybe today wasn't so bad after all. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

Omake:

Meanwhile with the girls in classroom 1-B…

“All right girls,” Midnight cracked her whip, “listen up!” 

“Yes, sensei!” 

“Don’t have sex, because you will get pregnant,” Midnight paused dramatically, “and die.”

“Um…sensei?”

“Don’t have sex in the missionary position, don’t have sex standing up, just don’t do it! Promise? Ok, now everybody take some rubbers.” 

“…”

“Now at your age you’re going to be having a lot of urges. You’re going to want to take off your clothes, and touch each other. But if you do touch each other…you will get chlamydia. And die.”

“Is sensei just quoting pre-quirk era movies?”

“Yes, yes she is.”

Chapter Text

Izuku had no idea why Aizawa-sensei hadn’t expelled him yet, or even confronted him, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. It was the morning of both exams. If Izuku could just pass his preliminary medical licensing exam, maybe he’d be able to stay in UA. Izuku shivered slightly in the early morning breeze, yellow backpack slung over his back and a case with his hero costume in his left hand.

“Good, you’re on time.” Izuku spun around to face Recovery Girl.

“Chiyo-sensei!” He bowed lowly, “thank you very much for volunteering to drive me to the test site early.”

“It’s my pleasure, deary,” Recovery Girl smiled, “do you have your schedule?”

“Yeah. My medical exam starts at 6:00 and my hero exam should start 9:30. I should have a half hour between them, and I brought snacks!”

“That’s good. It’s important to keep your energy up during long tests. And these couldn’t hurt either,” Recovery Girl passed Izuku a small pouch of her signature gummies with a wink.

“Thank you,” Izuku gratefully accepted the candies and stuffed them into his backpack.  

“Now we should be on our way. We wouldn’t want you to be late. My car is parked in the faculty garage across the street.” Recovery Girl started walking.

“Right,” Izuku rushed to catch up with her. “Speaking of, has Aizawa-sensei said anything about expelling me?”

“Why ever would he?”

“Because he found out I’ve been illegally moonlighting at a clinic where I treat villains?”

“Did he?”

“What?”

“Did he find out?” 

“Um…yeah? I was his doctor remember?” 

“But does he?”

“What do you mean?”

“Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t he drugged to the gills at the time? And you weren’t there when he woke up. All your co-workers would need to do if he remembered is say he must have been mistaken and confused you with the green haired quirkless doctor who works night shifts. Shouta wouldn’t even think to question it, especially since you clearly have a quirk.” Izuku’s eyes widened, he had been so panicked about his imminent expulsion that the idea had never occurred to him. 

“You’re right. I’ll text Obi-san to confirm, but he would have expelled me by now if he knew, wouldn’t he.”

“He would have tried,” Recovery Girl agreed, “but you needn’t have worried. If he ever did that I’d stop him. Can’t let him expel my only apprentice, now can I?”

“I’m not your apprentice yet Chiyo-sensei,” Izuku blushed shyly. Recovery Girl just laughed.

“You will be after your exam this morning,” 

“I may not pass,”

“Child, you have more medical know-how than many licensed doctors. You will pass just fine. Anyways this is my car. Hop in the passenger seat, I’ll need you to read the directions to the testing center.” 

Izuku should have been surprised by the 21st century vintage, pepto-bismol pink Volkswagen Beetle, but somehow he wasn’t. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Um, excuse me,” Izuku mumbled nervously, “I’m here to take the preliminary exam for medical practitioners?”

“Midoriya Izuku I suppose,” the tired blonde man at the desk grumbled, “what a pain, I’m too tired for this. ID please.” Izuku fumbled as he rushed to hand it over. 

“Fine. Please go to testing room 2.” The man yawned widely, “Leave all of your things here except a scientific calculator and two number two pencils.”

“Yes, sir.” Izuku drew the supplies from his backpack and passed the yellow bag over to Recovery Girl.

“I’ll see you when you’re done sonny. Good luck,” she smiled as the tired man led Izuku to the testing room. 

“Ugh. You ready?” The man asked after Izuku sat down at an empty desk. Izuku nodded. The man pulled a sheet of paper from a folder and began to read in a deadpan monotone,“Good morning. As you know, you are here to take the National Preliminary Exam for Medical Practitioners. Congratulations on taking this important step towards your career goals. My name is Mera Yokumiru and I will be your proctor today.” Mera let out another large yawn.

Izuku winced, the man couldn’t have sounded less enthused if he had tried. 

“Before we begin the test, I am going to read some instructions. This should take about twenty minutes. Please listen carefully and raise your hand if you have any questions. Remember, my role is to make sure you have the best opportunity to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. If you are using printed directions please open the booklet I am about to hand you and follow along as I give instructions.” Mera tossed Izuku a thick packet.

“Thank you.” Mera simply grunted in response.

“The following are forbidden and will result in your dismissal from the testing site: giving or receiving help of any kind; looking through the test book before time starts; looking at sections other than the one we are currently on; marking or changing answers after time is called; attempting to remove test materials from the testing room; possessing a mobile phone or any other unauthorized testing aid either during testing or during breaks; possessing an answer key or sharing answers with anyone during or after the test; attempting to take the test from someone else; eating or drinking without an approved accommodation to do so; causing a disturbance; and failing to follow testing procedures. Basically don’t cheat,” Mera concluded tiredly. 

Izuku nodded firmly in response.

“These policies help make sure your testing experience today is fair and that you can focus on your own test without distractions. By this time you should have turned in all phones and any other electronic devices. If you still have an electronic device of any kind, including a smartwatch or fitness tracker, please disable any alarms, power it off, and turn it in to me now. It will be returned to you at the end of the test.”

“I don’t have anything,” Izuku bared his wrists for the proctor.

“Right. From this point on I will dismiss you if I see a phone, smartwatch, or other electronic device. Thank you for paying attention to these instructions. I will take a moment now to make sure you are using an acceptable calculator. You may not share or exchange calculators at any time.”

“Here,” Izuku handed his calculator over to the proctor.

“I am way too tired for this. I haven’t slept in a week.” Mera complained, “this is fine. Here is the answer sheet you will be using on the test.”

“Thank you.”

“Your answer sheet should have a label and/or printed and bubbled information on it. Please check that you have the correct answer sheet by making sure it shows your correct legal name and date of birth. Raise your hand if you have the wrong answer sheet or if you find any errors on the label.”

“It’s correct Mera-san,” Izuku replied after quickly checking his sheet over. 

“I will now distribute your test books. Do not open them until I tell you to.” Mera handed a book to Izuku, “Now read the back cover. It has important information about marking answers and scoring. When you are finished reading, please look up.”

Izuku turned the booklet over and scanned the instructions. It seemed to be a pretty simple multiple choice test with a bubble answer sheet. Izuku had taken plenty like it before. 

“Are there any questions about what you just read?” Izuku shook his head. “You will begin the test in just a few minutes after I read a few final instructions. During testing keep your answer sheet and test book flat on the desk. If you find something wrong with your answer sheet or test book, such as a missing page, raise your hand. Answer sheets and test books must never be removed from the testing room. You can only work on one section of the test at a time. You are not allowed to move to the next section until you are instructed to do so. Once the test has ended please stay seated and don’t leave the room until I dismiss you. If you have any questions you may ask them now.” 

“I don’t have any questions,”

“Very well. The test is broken into six half hour multiple choice sections with thirty questions each. The first half of the exam will cover your knowledge of science. Section one will cover anatomy, behavioral sciences, biochemistry, biophysics, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology. Section two will cover interdisciplinary sciences including genetics, quirk science, aging, immunology, nutrition, and molecular and cell biology. Section three will cover epidemiology, medical ethics, and law. The second half of the exam will test your clinical knowledge. Content areas may include: internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, preventative medicine, psychiatry, surgery, and other areas relevant to provision of care under supervision. Do you have any questions?”

“No sir,” Izuku responded.

“Great. I’m going to take a quick nap. Don’t cheat, I’ll know even if I’m sleeping. You may begin.” Izuku hurriedly flipped over his exam book.

A 28-year-old man with a minor telekinesis quirk comes to the office because of a 1-year history of pain with urination that has increased in severity during the past moth. He also has had episodes of blood in his urine during the past 5 years. He lived in sub-Saharan Africa until he came to Japan 6 months ago for graduate school. Temperature is 38.0°C, pules is 80/min, respirations are 16/min, and blood pressure is 110/84 mm Hg. Physical examination shows suprapubic tenderness. Laboratory studies show:

 Hemoglobin:               12.3g/dL

Hemocrit:                         37%

Leukocyte Count:                 13,400mm ³

Segmented neutrophils:     65%

Bands:                         5%

Eosinophils:                    5%

Lymphocytes:               22%

Monocytes:                   3%

Serum

Urea nitrogen:          75mg/dL

Creatinine:                     3.8mg/dL

Urine:

Blood:                           3+

RBC:                               200/hpf

WBC:                               100/hpf

RBC casts:                  absent

WBC casts:                absent 

Imaging studies show bilateral hydroureter and hydronephrosis and foci of calcification in the region of the bladder. A biopsy specimen of the bladder shows marked chronic inflammation with fibrosis and scattered granulomas. Which of the following best explains the biopsy findings?

       (A) Exposure to a chemical toxin

       (B) Interstitial cystitis

       (C) Malacoplakia

       (D) Schistosomiasis

       (E) Vesicoureteral reflux

The patient definitely had an infection. The white blood cell count was off the charts. The hemoglobin and hemocrit was low, but not alarmingly so. The creatinine was scarily high, indicating kidney failure. The patient also had a fever. The fever suggested that a chemical toxin was unlikely. Interstitial cystitis, a chronic bladder condition, likewise didn’t usually cause a fever and is more common in women. Additionally it couldn’t explain the creatinine levels, and the patient hadn’t reported frequent urination. Malacoplakia, a rare inflammatory condition, couldn’t be diagnosed with the available information. The the labs showed evidence of renal failure so it could be a possibility, but it usually occurs in older individuals making it unlikely. Additionally, the patient wasn’t immunodeficient, which is the biggest risk factor for Malacoplakia. Vesicoureteral reflux is usually a childhood disease and wouldn’t explain bloody urine. The bladder wall calcification was unusual, and combined with the history of traveling to Africa probably implied Schistomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by blood worms. Izuku quickly filled in the bubble for D. He could do this!

——————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku could not do this. The exam had been brutal, and while Izuku was confident he got his answers correct he hadn’t been able to finish a single section in time. Now he was beyond exhausted and about to be thrown into the provisional hero licensing exam. 

“How did it go?” Recovery Girl asked sitting on a bench outside the exam hall, handing Izuku half a sandwich and a sports drink.

“My brain is melting out my ears,” Izuku complained, “and I wasn’t able to finish a single section in the allotted time.”

“So you passed?”

“Probably,” Izuku sighed, pausing to scarf down his food, “the real challenge is passing the hero licensing exam given how tired and brain dead I am.”

“Drink and have some of your gummies,” Recovery Girl commanded, Izuku complied and took a long sip, “you still have half an hour before your next exam, and your classmates won’t be here for another fifteen minutes. You even have time for a quick cat nap.”

“That sounds good,” Izuku agreed tiredly, positioning his backpack to serve as a makeshift pillow, “wake me up when it’s time?”

“Of course deary.”

Izuku was barely able to fall into a light sleep when he was woken by a raucous noise.

“All right! I can’t wait to be a heroic chicken!”

What.

“Let’s call out the usual, guys. On my mark. Plus…”

“Ultra!!!” Wait, Izuku didn’t know that voice…

“You know, it’s pretty rude to barge into other peoples huddles like that Inasa.”

“Pardon me. I am,” bang, “So,” bang, “Extremely Sorry!!!”

Izuku groaned and cracked open one eye.

“Wha??”

“Hush deary, everything’s fine,” Recovery Girl soothed, “try to get a few more minutes of sleep.”

“Hmm.” Izuku squinted and shut his eyes again. 

“Who is this guy? I do not trust his enthusiasm,” Kaminari cried out.

“Hey look at their uniforms,” Jiro added.

“They’re from that famous school on the other side of Japan.”

“UA in the east, Shiketsu in the west.” And that was Kacchan. Izuku sighed. Well there went his last hope of sleep. Izuku sat up tiredly. The voices he didn’t know must belong to students from Shiketsu High. 

“I wanted to say it just once. Plus Ultra!!!!!! See, I really love UA high school. I am extremely honored to compete against such incredible students! I’m so looking forward to it!” Well, that was earnest. Izuku kind of liked the guy.

“What?” A girl with long brown hair asked.

“Let’s go,” replied a purple haired boy.

“Inasa Yoarashi,” Aizawa deadpanned, and now that was a surprise. 

“Do you know that guy Mr. Aizawa?” Hagakure questioned. 

“Indeed. He’s strong,” the class gasped in unison. Aizawa never exaggerated. A compliment like that from him was a big deal, “He’s the same year as you all. And received the top score for students admitted through recommendations, but for some unknown reason he turned down his acceptance to UA, and went to Shiketsu.” 

Now Izuku was wide awake. If he had the top score for recommendations it meant that he had beaten Shoto in the exam. It was unlikely that anyone in 1-A could take him head on. And they were competitors in this exam. It was very likely they would meet as enemies on the field. What could his quirk be? How could Izuku counteract him?

“Great to meet you UA students, please excuse me.”

“Hold on, is anyone else confused here?” Sero wondered aloud, “this guy says that he loves our school, but he turned down his chance to enroll when it was offered?”

“Yeah,” Mina agreed, “what a weirdo.”

“Maybe, but he’s the real deal.” Aizawa warned, and that was more terrifying than anything else Izuku had heard about him. Aizawa was just full of praise for the guy. “Keep an eye on him.” 

Izuku walked over to his classmates. 

“Hey guys,”

“Deku-kun, where have you been? Aizawa-sensei wouldn’t say anything!” Uraraka launched herself at him.

“Heh, sorry,” Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “something personal came up that I had to take care of this morning, so Recovery Girl-sensei brought me here separately.”

Uraraka opened her mouth to ask another question but was interrupted by a chipper voice.

“Eraser??” Aizawa flinched hard, startling the class. Whatever could make their teacher look so scared must be terrifying. “I’d know that scowl anywhere! I saw you on TV at the sports festival, but it’s been a while since we were this close in person!” Aizawa’s eye started to twitch.

“Wow, I’ve never seen someone get a reaction out of Aizawa-sensei like this before,” Uraraka whispered. Izuku flashed back to an image of his drugged teacher, crying about his cute students and cats. Still, eliciting this type of emotional response from their teacher while he was sober was impressive. 

“Let’s get married.”

“No.”

The class broke out into a cacophony of gasps and squeals. Wait, wasn’t Aizawa-sensei married to Mic-sensei?

“Hahaha, you’re a real laugh riot buddy!” The woman doubled over in laughter. 

“As usual, you’re impossible, Joke.”

“Oh, that’s Ms. Joke the smile hero,” Izuku mumbled. Still, Izuku didn’t think that the marriage joke was funny. Especially since it clearly made Aizawa-sensei so uncomfortable. 

“Come on, imagine it.” Joke continued, “If I was your wife you’d have a life full of constant laughter!”

“That sounds like an actual nightmare.” Aizawa deadpanned. Joke started laughing again.

“It seems like you two are close,” Tsu observed. 

“Our agencies were near each other. As young heroes striving to make a difference in the world, a mutual love bloomed!”

“No it didn’t.”

“I do miss your quick retorts!” Joke shot finger guns, “You’re my favorite person to tease future husband!”

“So Joke, if you’re here, then that must mean…”

“That’s right! Over here everyone!” A group of teens approached from behind her. “This is UA!”

“Oh woah, it really is class A,” a boy with black eyes and spiky hair replied.

“It’s so amazing!” The blonde girl next to him squealed, “I’ve seen them on TV before.” 

Shit. Izuku had forgotten about the sports festival. This was going to put them at a serious disadvantage in the exam. 

“Second years, from Ketsubutsu Academy,” Joke introduced, “this is class 2. They’re my students.”

The boy who spoke early grabbed Izuku’s hands.

“Hey, I’m Shindou. Seem’s like UA’s had a lot of trouble this year. Must have been tough.” Izuku narrowed his eyes. Shindou’s pulse, which he could feel against his wrist, was rapid, quicker than his speech. His hands were clammy and his eyes dilated. He was either extremely nervous or lying. Maybe he had a touch based quirk and was tagging him?

“What are you trying to say?” Izuku responded cautiously. 

“But even so you’ve worked hard to become such great heroes despite those hardships.” Shindou moved to Kaminari and Jiro, touching both of their hands, “it’s wonderful. Hearts full of fortitude!” 

Well that was a load of baloney. The guy was practically sparkling he was so fake. 

“I believe that’s what every hero in the world needs to have! And Bakugo,” Oh no. This was not going to end well, “it must have been hard for you, what with that whole kidnapping incident.”

“Huh?”

“You have an especially strong will, don’t you? Today I’m gonna do my best to learn from you. I really hope you don’t mind.” Bakugo slapped Shindou’s hand away. 

“Stop pretending. What you say doesn’t match the look in your eyes.” 

“Hey man don’t be so rude! Sorry he’s just like that.” Kirishima shouted. Izuku sighed, so Bakugo saw it too, but it looked like the rest of 1-A was swept up by Shindou’s act. 

“It’s fine. It proves how tough his heart is.”

“Tch,”

“Hey, Todoroki!” The blonde girl called, “can I have your autograph? You were so cool at the sports festival.” 

“Uhh…”

“Seriously?” A boy with long dark hair replied, “stop fangirl-ing.”

“Hey, get your costumes and head to orientation. There’s no time to waste.” Aizawa commanded. 

“Yes, sir!” The class responded. Izuku rushed back over to Recovery Girl.

“Thanks for everything Chiyo-sensei,” Izuku bowed.

“I’m happy to help dear. Now make sure you take a couple gummies before the start of your exam. You need the energy.”

“Yes ma'am.” 

“I’ll be off then sonny. Good luck, don’t do anything to reckless.”

“No promises,” Izuku grinned cheekily and joined the rest of his class. The grin quickly slid off of his face. His classmates seemed to have inflated heads after the praise from the other two academies. 

“Guys, there’s no room for your egos in this exam.” Izuku scolded, “it doesn’t matter if you’re famous or not. Those other classes will be our enemies during the exam. Stay on guard, you are not better than second years because you were on TV once.” 

“Harsh dude,” Kirishima whistled.

“Yeah way to rain on our parade,” Kaminari complained, “let us enjoy it for once.”

“The nerd’s right,” Bakugo scoffed, “it’ll be your funeral.”

“Let’s go guys, we’re going to be late.” Yaoyorozu called out. 

The class soon found themselves in a packed auditorium. There were way more examinees than Izuku had been anticipating. This was going to be tough. Mera was hunched over on the stage, looking even more tired than he had been that morning. 

“Ugh. Ok then, lets do this exam thing. I’m from, uh, the Hero Public Safety Commission. Name’s Mera. My circadian rhythm is so screwed up.” 

Izuku chuckled quietly. Looks like Mera had unsuccessfully tried to nap too. 

“Oh man. I’ve been swamped lately and I haven’t gotten any rest,” Mera let out a large yawn, “we’re too short staffed. I’m so tired.”

“Is he ok?” Uraraka asked softly. 

“He’s just like that,” Izuku smiled wryly, “he could probably use a few days of vacation but what can you do?”

“You know him?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. We’ve met before.”

“With that confession,” Mera slapped his face, “I’ll begin orientation. So about the content of this license thing. Basically 1,540 examinees compete in a free for all exercise or whatever we’re calling it this year.”

“Seriously that’s not a lot of info.” Sero complained.

“Just give him a minute,” Bakugo growled. 

“See, we’ve got a lot of pros around. And since Stain was arrested many people have expressed doubts about the status of heroes in society. But, when you really think about it, getting paid makes sense. If you’re going to risk your life to save someone, why shouldn’t you ask for a reward. Huh? That’s just the way the world works.”

Well that wasn’t wrong but it was certainly an uncomfortable way of putting it. 

“God I could use a coffee. Anyway, whether they’re in it for compensation or our of a sense of duty, we’ve got too many heroes working together in the streets these days to keep villains at bay. Honestly, the time between when an incident begins and when its resolved is ridiculously short. You are all here trying to receive your provisional licenses, so you’ll be swept up in this tiresome mess yourselves pretty soon. Those of you who don’t have the speed, frankly just won’t cut it. Which is why that’s what you’ll be tested on.”

A large number 100 appeared on the screen behind Mera.

“The first 100 students to fulfill the requirements will pass today.”

“There are over 1500 people taking this test!” Yaoyorozu exclaimed, “I though they said that about half of us would be passing?”

“This means it’s actually less than 10% who’ll get a license,” Tsu added. 

“Oh man, I’m getting way more nervous!”

“Well the world can be pretty crappy,” Mera interrupted the murmurs of the crowd, “I suppose I should say something about luck. So, anyway, here are the basic rules. The examinee will but three of these targets,” Mera held up a circular disk, “on his or her body. They can go anywhere you want as long as it’s an exposed area. So no soles of the feet or armpits. Each of you will also have six of these balls. The targets are programmed to light up whenever they’ve been touched by the ball. If all three targets light up, you’re out. Oh, and the person who lights up your third target will get credit for your defeat. You get through this round by taking down two people. Got it? Good.”

Izuku frowned. This was going to be difficult. They were given exactly enough balls to pass. Examinees would probably need to steal balls and “kills” from each other. Speed would be key. He could place one of the targets on his neck protector. It’s an area that he would reflexively defend. Similarly Izuku could place one on his forehead, and the final target on his chest which he could easily guard with his arms while fighting with kicks. Better to not have any targets on his back. 

“What else? Ah, I guess we will start passing out the targets and balls. Then you’ll have a few minutes to get situated after we open.”

“Open?”

The walls and ceiling of the auditorium suddenly pulled apart, to reveal a large arena. With a mock city and various terrains. It was more excessive than anything at UA, which was saying quite a lot. 

“I’m sure each of you has various terrains that you like or want to avoid. Use your quirks well and do your best. Or not. Whatever.” 

The arena was large, but there were too many examinees. Stealth would be difficult. 

“This is so unnecessary.”

“Yes, I know. Makes for a great reveal, doesn’t it. And for what,” Mera slapped his face again, “so much sleep loss for this. Hopefully some of these kids are fast and we can get this over with. Until then, I’m gonna rest my eyes.”

Class 1-A started running into the arena. There was no doubt in Izuku’s mind that this was quickly going to become a group fight, class against class.

“Everyone! Stay close together! We’ll fight them as a group!” Izuku shouted. 

“Yeah.”

“Got it!”

“Yeah right,” Bakugo sneered, walking away, “this isn’t a field trip.”

“Idiot! Wait up!” Kirishima rushed after him. 

“Kacchan!” Izuku shouted.

“Kirishima!”

“I’m going on my own too,” Todoroki declared, “it’s hard for me to use my powers safely when a big group’s around.”

“Todoroki!”

“There’s no time, let’s go.”

“Right. I don’t think it’s a good idea for them to go off on their own though. Think about it. Everyone already knows our quirks.” 

“They did research?” Uraraka asked.

“I see,” Iida replied, “the sports festival!”

“The other schools have probably figured out the same way to win that I have. This is going to end up being a battle between schools. With that in mind, first it’s likely they’ll gang up against quirks they know.”

“Does that mean?”

“Don't tell me,”

An alarm suddenly blared out. 

“The first test will now begin.”

Out of nowhere a dozen people suddenly sprung out to attack 1-A.

“Shit. I knew it,” Izuku cursed.

“I saw you on TV,” Shindou smirked, “that power of yours also destroys your body. Can’t say I’m above taking advantage of that!” The balls suddenly started flying. Izuku dodged as he ran closer. As he approached he launched into a kick, shooting out a ball while blowing those coming towards him in a gust of wind. 

The battle had begun in earnest. 

Chapter Text

The only word to describe the first exam was chaos. As Izuku suspected the other schools ganged up together to attempt to crush UA. Class 1-A; however, had somehow managed to survive by the skin of their teeth. Even those who had recklessly split from the rest of the group had managed to squeeze past the finish line. Now the hundred examinees who passed were corralled together into a waiting room.

“You okay Deku-kun?” Uraraka asked worriedly, noticing Izuku staring out into space. 

“Yeah I’m fine,” Izuku sighed, “there’s just something about that Camie girl that’s bothering me.”

“You mean like how she went full on psychotic and scratched you?”

“I mean yes, but it’s more than that. She just felt wrong. Did we ever find out how her transformation quirk worked?”

“No idea,” Uraraka shrugged.

“I’m starting to wonder if it may have been blood based, hence why she scratched me. And that worries me.”

“What do you mean?”

“She retreated immediately after drawing blood. It doesn’t make sense. If she was using some kind of blood based quirk in the exam that should have given her the advantage. But she didn’t attack. It worries me that she may want and have my blood for some other purpose.”

“She’s a hero student, I doubt she’s up to anything nefarious.” Uraraka laughed. 

“Maybe you’re right,” Izuku smiled sheepishly. But he couldn’t shake the heavy pit in his stomach. 

“That marks the end of the first exam,” Mera’s voice boomed from an overhead loudspeaker, “for those of you who passed the test please turn your attention to the screen.”

Izuku swirled around and noticed a large projector screen descending from the ceiling. 

“Huh, it’s a test arena,” Mera mocked dryly, “What’s gonna happen next?”

“Why?” Sero pondered. 

“Wait does that mean?” Tenya added.

“There’s only one more round of the exam,” Mera revealed, “Your goal is simple. Undertake rescue exercises and save the bystanders who are trapped in these disaster sites. A rescue mission.”

Izuku let a large grin spread over his face. Now this was in his wheelhouse. 

“Save the what now?” Ashido questioned.

“Bystanders,” Hagakure replied, “We learned about them in class remember? They’re people at a disaster scene, or innocent civilians on a street.”

“Use this time to show us how you will carry out successful rescue procedures once you receive your provisional licenses. Treat this as it were the real thing. Rescuing,” a series of images depicting civilians appeared on the screen. Mera let out a sarcastic gasp, “little kids and old people?”

Izuku immediately recognized the figures. These were actors for Help Us Co. In addition to serving as fake bystanders for hero rescue scenarios they helped train medical professionals in simulations. The Clinic had never hired them, given their dubious legal status, but Natsuo had worked with them at medical school and had plenty of stories to share. Apparently the actors had a wicked sense of humor and liked to prank trainees. 

“That’s so dangerous,” Mineta protested, “why are they here?”

“These specialists are trained professionals. Let me introduce you to the ‘Help Us Company’” Mera drawled, “The HUC bystanders have dressed up like injured victims and will be located throughout the disaster site. We’ll be judging you on how well you keep them safe. Oh, by the way we’ll be scoring you on a point based system. If you have more points than the benchmark at the time the exam ends, then you pass. We’ll start in ten minutes. Take care of any necessary preparations now.”

Like before, the walls suddenly collapsed, revealing a city scape disaster site not unlike that of Kamino Ward. 

“All right,” Izuku shouted, “we should use this time to plan ahead.” Unfortunately for Izuku none of his classmates seemed to be listening. Mineta, Sero, and Kaminari were giggling perversely in a corner and sending weird looks Izuku’s way. Bakugo, Kirishima, and weirdly Todoroki seemed to be arguing with a kid from Shiketsu. Uraraka was trembling nervously while Ashido and Hagakure tried to console her. 

“I don’t think anyone heard you-kero,” Tsu mused. Izuku sighed heavily and gave a sharp whistle. The entire test area quieted.

“Oi,” he shouted after getting everyone’s attention, “we need to use this time to prepare wisely. This isn’t like the last test. We aren’t competing against each other anymore. We need to work together to launch and effective rescue of this scale.”

“Who made you boss?” The kid from Shiketsu, Izuku thought his name was Mora, sneered.

“Yeah, you UA kids think you’re so tough!” Someone in the crowd shouted.

“I can’t force you all to cooperate,” Izuku agreed easily, “but we shouldn’t be thinking of this as a simulation. The most important element of being a hero is saving people. If this were a real natural disaster, would you still refuse to work together to rescue the bystanders?” The crowd broke out into quiet murmurs.

“He’s right,” Iida piped up, “it is disgraceful for us to act this way as future heroes.”

“I agree,” Yoarashi boomed, “this advice is passionate to the extreme!”

“Er, right.” Izuku scratched the side of his face, “anyways who’s with me here?”

The crowd broke out into grumbling again but everybody stayed put.

“Alright, we don’t have the exact situation yet but regardless as to what it is we should break down the test site into a quadrant system and search designated areas in small teams. Creati, could you make a communicator for each team?”

“Sure, no problem,” Momo agreed.

“Alright then,” Izuku smiled, “you’re on mission control. Please work to direct and coordinate all of the teams.”

“Roger that,”

Before Izuku could continue any further he was interrupted by Mera’s voice over the loud speaker. 

“Villains have performed a large scale terror attack spanning all of Insert City Name Here.” Izuku face palmed. Could Mera be any lazier? “Since most of the buildings collapsed there are many injured. Due to heavily damaged roads, the first responders have unfortunately been delayed for the time being.”

“Shit,” Izuku cursed. He’d need to give a quick crash course in field medicine and triage to his classmates. 

“Until emergency services arrive, the heroes in the area will lead rescue efforts. Your task is to save as many people as you can and help the injured. And with that begin.”

“Alright everyone,” Izuku shouted again before anyone could start talking, “who here is trained in field medicine?” About twelve second and third years from various schools raised their hands. “Ok, two of you need to come with me and Creati to set up a designated medical treatment and mission control area. Everyone else, form ten teams, make sure each team has one medic. Creati, could you hand out the communicators? I’d also appreciate it if you could give each team a set of triage tags.”

“Right,” Momo agreed, “I’ll also make a drone so we can get an aerial view of the disaster site.”

“Nice thinking.” Izuku shot her a smile, “Alright everyone. This is a mass casualty event, so we will be using a basic triage system. If someone is able to walk on their own please give them a green tag and direct them to the medical treatment area. If they are too injured to walk but not so injured that they are likely to die please give them a yellow tag and bring them to the treatment area yourselves. If they are so severely injured that they are untreatable or unmovable give them a red tag and leave them where they are. Dead bodies should receive a black tag.”

“What?” Several people cried in outrage. 

“We can’t just leave seriously injured people to die,” Mina shouted, “I can’t believe you’d say something like that!”

“Yeah,”

“What she said,”

“How can we call ourselves heroes if we don’t save them!” 

Izuku leveled the crowed with a stoney glare, which caused them to quiet.

“It sucks but the reality is we can’t save everyone. Our time and resources in this situation are severely limited. By wasting them on lost causes we are condemning people who we actually had the ability to save. This is the professional standard used by first responders and emergency room doctors. We don’t have time to quibble over ethics right now. Everybody on a team, spread out and start searching. This will be mission command and the medical treatment area.”

With a few last grumbles the crowd dispersed. 

“Here,” Momo handed Izuku a communicator, “you should have one of these too.”

“Thanks. I just hope they listen to my warning,” Izuku sighed, fixing the device to his ear “now we need to set up. How are you on your fat stores Yaoyorozu-san?”

“I have protein bars which I can use to replenish if I need to. What do you need?”

“We need to set up a sterile treatment area. A tent and a couple of stretchers would be great if you can manage it. Maybe a spinal board or two. Given the number of collapsed buildings I suspect we may see some severe crush injuries.”

“No problem, but I’m probably done for a while after that.”

“I understand,” Izuku spun around to face the two third years who stayed behind with him.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Midoriya Izuku from UA. Hero name, Deku. My quirk is super strength. I don’t look it but I’m actually apprenticed to Recovery Girl and have several years of advanced medical training.”

“I’m Awata Emi,” the first, a young woman with pale blue skin and fins for ears answered, “Hero name Hydros. I’m a third year at Isamu Academy High School. My quirk is Scald, which allows me to produce hot water. I took an emergency first aid course over the summer.” 

“Wow your quirk will be a great help for first-aid treatment! Can you control how hot the water is? Is it hot enough to sterilize our tools? Have you practiced using it to wash out wounds?” Izuku started rambling. Awata just chuckled.

“I can make the water temperature anywhere between a hot bath and boiling, so yes I am happy to help sterilize things and wash wounds.” 

“I’m Yagihashi Ryota. Hero name Scimitar,” A boy with dark skin, white hair, and an obvious goat mutation added, “I’m a third year at Seijin High School. My quirk is Goat. Pretty self-explanatory. I’m a certified EMT.” Izuku had tons of questions about his quirk but clamped down on them. Now was not the time. 

“Nice to meet you. What do you guys have in terms of medical supplies?” 

“I’m well stocked with a basic first responder’s kit,” Yagihashi replied.

“I only have some bandages.”

“Alright. In that case, Hydros you can handle our intake and green-tag patients. Scimitar and I will take care of our yellow tag patients and green tags as we have time.”

“Sounds good to me,” 

“Right-o,”

“Hey, Deku, the tent and stretchers are all set up.”

“Great! Thanks Creati.” Izuku paused as voices came over his comms device, “We’re about to have two patients incoming. Everybody to your stations.” Izuku spun around and headed into the newly erected medical tent. Not a minute later the first two patients had arrived, brought in by Uraraka. Another five minutes in and they almost had more patients than they could handle. 

“We have a yellow tag here. An older gentleman who was crushed under a building.” Awata announced, “the second patient is his grandson and a green tag. Suspected minor head injury. 

“Thanks,” Izuku shouted, rushing over to the grandfather, “Sir, I’m the hero Deku and I’ll be taking care of you today. Can you tell me your name?” The man groaned before rasping out.

“Todashi,”

“Very good Todashi-san. Can you tell me where you are?” Before he could answer Uraraka interrupted. 

“Deku-kun, I’m heading back out.”

“Thanks Uravity. If you find someone else with a suspected spinal injury please don’t move them. We’ll send someone to you with the proper materials.”

“Alright,” Uraraka made an ok sign with her hand before running off. 

“Mister, is my grandpa going to be ok?” The actor playing the green tag patient tugged on Izuku’s pants.

Izuku bent down and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Don’t worry. I promise I’m going to do my very best to take good care of him.” The actor’s eyes sharpened as he broke character.

“Not bad. You didn’t make any promises you couldn’t keep.”

“Of course not. All that making empty promises will do is open me up for a medical malpractice suit.” The actor barked out a short laugh.

“You’re not wrong.”

“Anyways, I need to focus on treating your grandfather right now. Sir, on a scale of one to ten how bad is your pain?”

“An eight?”

“And where does it hurt.”

“My back you idiot!”

“Ok. I’m going to touch you now. Can you feel when I press here?” Izuku prodded first his left and then his right hand.

“Yes,”

“And here?” Izuku moved to the feet.

“Yes,” 

“Excellent, can you wiggle your fingers and toes for me? Wonderful. Luckily it doesn’t seem like you have any serious neurological damage. However, your spinal pain does worry me. We won’t be able to know the extent of your injury until we can get you to a hospital for x-rays. I’m going to secure you so that you can’t move and risk injuring your back any further. If you would like I can also give you some medication for the pain. Is that ok?”

“Just do what you need. I don’t need the pills, I’m just acting after all. You know your stuff kid. I would have docked points if you hadn’t gotten my consent for treatment.”Izuku nodded and began to secure the man to the spinal board. 

“Ok, that should do it. It looks like I have several other patients I need to attend to now. The emergency responders should be here soon to take you to the hospital.”

“What about me mister? I have an ouchie too,” the actor playing the grandson pointed to his forehead. 

“I see. You were very brave to wait so long. Could you keep being brave for me and wait just a little bit longer? There are some very hurt people who need my help even more than you do.” 

“Ok mister,” the actor agreed, smirking, “nice deflection.” Izuku merely laughed and moved on to his next patient. 

“Deku,” Awata-san shouted, “over here. Woman mid-thirties with a compound humerus fracture. She’s losing blood quickly.” Izuku rushed over. Obviously the actor didn’t actually have a compound fracture, but the prosthetic she was wearing to mimic it was surprisingly realistic. 

Fake blood? Izuku mused, I wonder where it’s coming from.

“Ma’am? My name is Deku and I will be taking care of you today.” Izuku introduced as he pulled his pulse oximeter from his pocket and attached it to his patient’s finger. The readings were, of course, normal. “Can you tell me your name?” The woman just stared blankly, breathing rapidly. “Shit, she’s in shock. Help me lay her down and elevate her feet.” 

“Sure thing,” Awata agreed, helping Izuku to move the woman, and stuffing some towels under her feet. 

“Ok, the first thing we need to do is stem the bleeding.” Izuku ordered as he pulled a couple of sterile bandaging pads from his first aid kit, “please use these to apply pressure to the wound. Be very careful not to touch or jostle the exposed bone. While you do that I’m going to tourniquet the arm.”

“Right,” Awata grabbed the bandages from Izuku. Izuku pulled off his belt and wrapped it around the patient’s upper arm using 1% of One for All to pull it as tight as possible. 

“Ow,” the actor winced, “watch it. I’m not actually bleeding her ya’know.” 

“I’m aware,” Izuku answered calmly, “but nonetheless I will treat you exactly as I would an actually injured patient. Nothing I will do will actually cause you any harm. You have my assurance.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” the actor rolled her eyes, “I guess I can’t argue with that. We are grading you after all. Still, could you loosen this thing? I promise not to dock you for it.”

“Alright,” Izuku agreed, loosening his tourniquet. The actor breathed a sigh of release. “I need to ask, should I assume that you are still in shock?”

“It’s fine, you clearly know what you’re doing,” the actor waved off, “go help someone else. You pass in my book.”

“Are you sure? I haven’t splinted your arm yet.”

“It’s fine. Go on.”

“Thank you then,” Izuku bowed his head. “An ambulance will transport you to the emergency room for further treatment once the first responders arrive. If your condition starts to worsen please be sure to let one of us know.”

At this point the tent was practically overflowing with patients. 

“Hey Scimitar, how may yellow tags do we have?”

“About ten, some idiot also brought in a couple of red tags.”

“Of course they did. Go give them pain medication- I mean not actually since they’re not really injured- but mime it anyways. Otherwise, for now, we need to leave them. If they’re still alive after we handle the yellow tags then I’ll see what I can do. Lets each take five. When you see her please ask Hydros to start treating green tags. We need to clear up space in here.”

“Rodger that,” Yagihashi offered a lazy salute. 

“Right,” Izuku turned to his next patient who had some kind of major head trauma, “here we go again.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“That green kid of yours isn’t half bad,” Ms. Joke chuckled from the observation bleachers, “he just took charge immediately and got everyone to work together.” Aizawa narrowed his eyes as he peered down on his most troublesome student. 

“He’s got charisma, though he doesn’t know it.  I’m not surprised he convinced everyone to work together as a team. But taking charge like this is highly unusual behavior for him. He usually strikes me as more of a follower, and our class has yet to do any real rescue focused coursework, so I am unsure where the problem child is getting his confidence from.”

“Problem child eh, I didn’t take you as one to play favorites,”

“Shut up,” Aizawa hid his face in his scarf to cover his blush, “I don’t have favorites. I just call it like I see it. He is the height of being a problem child.” Ms. Joke just burst out into rambunctious laughter. 

“Well it looks like your problem child has the makings of a fine hero.”

“Like I said, this is unusual behavior for him. He is usually more…timid.”

“I mean it doesn’t look like he’s going to do any heavy lifting. He’s staying put while everyone else is heading out. Maybe he’s mission command?”

“That’s even weirder,” Aizawa frowned, “I’ve never know the problem child to not recklessly dive in head first. Plus his quirk is super strength, it’s perfect for this kind of rescue work.”

“Wait. Looks like ponytail girl is Mission Control.”

“That makes sense. Yaoyorozu-san has a good head on her shoulders.”

“High praise coming from you.”

“Nothing of the sort. Like I said, I simply call it as I see it. Wait, did the problem child just enter the medical tent?”

“Yup. Guess he must be on first aid then.”

“But we haven’t covered any first aid yet. Surely that’s something that the older students would handle.”

“You haven’t? Weird. Maybe he has training from outside of school?”

“Not that I’m aware of. I mean he did ask permission to carry a basic first aid kit, but I’m sure I would know if he knew anything more advanced than applying bandages.”

“Well, I don’t know what to tell you. I wish we could see what was happening inside.”

“They’re recording everything using drones. I’ll look back at the footage after this is all over.”

What are you doing in there problem child?  

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Mission control, this us Deku can you hear me? Over.” Izuku asked into his comm. 

“Deku this is mission control. I hear you loud and clear. Over.” 

“We’re running out of clean bandages and disinfectant. Any way you can make us some? Over.” 

“Sure thing. I’ll need you to come here though to grab them. Over.”

“No problem. Thank you. Over and out.” Izuku pulled his hand away from his comm, “Oi, Hydros. I’m going to grab some more supplies from Creati. Can you take over for me?”

“Yeah sure thing,” Awata shouted back, “come back quickly though. We’re being overrun.” 

“Rodger that,” Izuku gave a short nod and a grin before exiting the medical tent for the first time since the exam had started.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Oh look, your favorite student finally left the medical tent.”

“I told you I don’t have favorites.” Aizawa grumbled. 

But Ms. Joke was too busy cackling to listen.

“You’re just too easy Eraser.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Hey Creati, I’m here for the-,” but before Izuku could finish his sentence an explosion shook the testing grounds.

“What?” Yaoyorozu gasped before speaking rapidly into her comm, “This is mission control. Does anybody have a visual of that explosion. Over.” 

Izuku felt his stomach sink. He had just had an awful thought. 

“Hey Creati? You know, Mera-san never did say that the terrorists had left the scene in this scenario…” he offered softly. Yaoyorozu’s eyes widened. 

“Mission control to all teams. Be aware that there may be hostiles on the scene.” Suddenly Mera’s voice crackled over the loud speaker. 

“A villain has completed another large scale attack. The terrorists have appeared and are beginning to sweep the area. Hero candidates at the scene should continue their rescue efforts while also suppressing the newly arrived villains.” 

“Fuck,” Yaoyorozu cursed, startling Izuku. Suddenly she stopped and pressed her comm.  “This is mission control. I hear you loud and clear. Over.” Yaoyorozu paused before gasping loudly, “What? Gang Orca?” Izuku’s eyes widened. 

“Sakamata-sempai?” he whispered under his breath. And then Izuku saw him, perched on top of a mountainous pile of rubble, teeth bared. 

“Tell me wannabe heroes,” the whale themed hero boomed loudly, “Can you rescue people and fight at the same time?”

Chapter Text

Izuku tearfully cradled his limp wrist against his chest. The room he was in was creepy. Izuku didn’t like it. The overhead florescent lights flickered ominously, drawing strange shadows on the cracked wall tiles,  and everything smelled like chemicals. This was Izuku’s third time at the clinic, but it was his first time alone. 

Usually Izuku would just hide the blisters and burns left on him by Kacchan. If Izuku worked super hard at hiding them four a whole week they would disappear all by themselves. The human body was sooo cool like that. But today Izuku had made Kacchan extra angry and the burn was too big to hide. 

Izuku didn’t wan’t his mom to get mad at Kacchan, it wasn’t his fault his quirk gave him an explosive temper. So Izuku had left the school and taken the bus on his own for the very first time, all the way to the other side of the city where the Quirkless clinic was. A strange sort of creaky banging sound came from the walls, causing Izuku to flinch.

“You have to be brave,” Izuku sniffled to himself, “heroes don’t get scared.”

“Now who told you that?”

Izuku spun his head around to look at the teen who spoke. 

“Whoa mister, you’re quirk is so cool! Does it let you hold your breath from a super long time? Are you a super good swimmer? Do you get cold in the winter???” The teen, who clearly had an orca whale mutation, let out a hearty laugh.

“Easy there squirt,” he grinned, bearing a set of wickedly sharp teeth, “I’m surprised you’re not scared of me.”

“Huh? Why would I be scared of you?” The teen laughed again.

“You’re right, I’m not scary at all. And to answer your earlier questions, I can indeed hold my breath for a very long time. I am an excellent swimmer. However, I do, unfortunately, get cold in the winter.”

“So cool,” Izuku had stars in his eyes. The whale man frowned briefly.

“How old are you squirt?”

“I’m Midoriya Izuku and I’m four years old!” Izuku tried to hold out four fingers, but pain shot up his arm. Izuku winced and pulled his injured wrist back to his chest.

“Nice to meet you Midoriya-kun. I’m Sakamata Kuugo and I’m fifteen years old. Are you here alone?”

“Uh huh.”

“Where are your parents or guardians?”

“Kaa-san is at work.”

“Does she know where you are.” Izuku shifted nervously, “I’ll take that as a no.”

“I can’t tell her about Kacchan,” Izuku defended.

“Can you tell me about Kacchan?”

Izuku hesitated.

“Do you promise not to tell?” He whispered, scooting closer to Sakamata-san.

“I can’t promise that kiddo,” the cetacean teen smiled sadly, “I have to tell someone if you or someone you know is in danger. But how about this, I promise i will talk to you before I tell anyone else.” Izuku pondered that answer for a moment.

“I dunno, I don’t want Kacchan to get in trouble. He’s going to be an awesome hero one day.”

“How about I tell you a super cool secret in exchange?”

“What secret?”

“If I tell you, you have to promise to tell me about Kacchan.” 

Izuku wiggled on his seat in consternation, brows furrowing. But he really, really wanted to know the super cool secret. 

“Fine, I promise.”

“I’m a hero-in-training,” Sakamata whispered to Izuku. Izuku’s eyes went wide. 

“Really? So cool,” he gushed, “what hero school do you go to? What kind of hero are you going to be? Whose your favorite hero?”

“I go to Shiketsu Academy. I’m thinking of becoming a limelight hero, though I may choose to focus on rescue work. My favorite hero is Selkie.” 

“So cool. I love Selkie too! When he uses Selkie Punch he’s all like wham and bam!” Izuku shook his uninjured fist in demonstration, “my favorite hero is All Might. All Might isn’t ever scared.”

“Not true,” Sakamata wagged a finger, “all heroes get scared, even All Might.”

“Nuh uh, because All Might always saves everyone with a smile.”

“And why does that mean he isn’t scared?” Izuku paused, furrowing his brows.

“Because smiling is a happy face. A scary face looks like this,” Izuku scrunched his face up.

“Scared face,” Sakamata corrected, “That’s true, people do smile when they’re happy. But they can also smile when they’re not happy.”

“They can?”

“You betcha squirt. You want to try?” Izuku hesitated. He didn’t feel like smiling right now, his wrist hurt and he was scared. But if All Might could do it…

“Ok,” Izuku took in a big breath, and smiled.

“See you did it squirt, just like All Might.”

“But why does All Might smile when he’s not happy?”

“I’ll tell you another secret. All Might smiles, even though he’s scared, because it helps him save people.”

“Huh?”

“Hm. Let me put it this way. All Might is super strong, right?”

“Uh huh, he’s the strongest,” Izuku gushed.

“So if he made a scared face while rescuing you from a villain how would you feel?” Izuku pondered that for a moment.

“I’d be scared.”

“Why?”

“Because if the villain is strong enough to make All Might scared he must be super duper scary and strong.”

“Exactly. That’s why All Might smiles, it helps reassure the people he saves.”

“Re-a-shure?”

“It makes them feel better.”

“Oh like when Kaa-san gives me hugs! Kaa-san gives the bestest hugs in the whole world. One time she hugged me for a whole entire hour!”

“Exactly like that,” Sakamata agreed, “now it’s your turn. Can you tell me about Kacchan?”

Izuku shuddered. He didn’t want to. Talking about Kacchan was scary. What if Kacchan got in trouble, and couldn’t be a hero anymore, and so someone he was supposed to save got hurt? What if he got mad at Izuku? Izuku took a deep breath, and smiled shakily. All Might wasn’t there to re-a-shure him so he’d have to smile for himself. 

“Kacchan is, is my best friend?” Izuku tried to find the words. “Our Kaa-sans are best friends so we play together a lot. Except sometimes,” Izuku pressed his fingers together, “sometimes I get hurt when we play.”

Sakamata opened his mouth to interject, “Wha-,”

Izuku cut him off, “It isn’t his fault. His quirk makes him do it.”

“I’m sorry what?”  

“Kacchan’s quirk is explosion. It’s super cool! He sweats nye-nye- explosive stuff,”

“Nitroglycerin?”

“Yeah Nye-tro-gly-pherin, and makes explosions from his hands.”

“Ah, I see how that could cause accidents,” the teen agreed. Izuku let out a small sigh of relief. If Sakamata-san thought that Kacchan hurt Izuku by accident, Kacchan wouldn’t get in trouble. 

“Midoriya Izuku? The doctor can see you now.” A pretty nurse with black hair and a clipboard entered the waiting room.

“By Sakamata-san. Thank you for making me feel better.” Before Sakamata could reply, Izuku slid off of his seat and followed the pretty nurse.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Sakamata-san!” Izuku waved cheerily at the other teen. After their first meeting a little over a year ago, the two had continued to cross paths at the clinic.

“Squirt, what did I say about calling me Sakamata-san?” Izuku grinned impishly.

“Sorry Sakamata-sama.” Sakamata levied a half hearted glare at Izuku, “Sakamata-dono?”

“Sakamata. Say it with me. Sah-ka-mah-tah.”

“No way. I know! You’re a hero student, and I’m gonna be a hero student. That makes you my sempai!”

“You know what, I’ll take it.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Ne, Sakamata-sempai?”

“Yes Izuku?”

“How come you’re always coming to the clinic if you go to hero school? Don’t you have a nurse?”

“Hmm. So you know how people treat you badly because you’re quirkless?”

“Uh huh,”

“Well sometimes people treat me badly because I look scary.”

“But you don’t look scary? You look like an Orca Whale. Orca Whales are so cool! Did you know that Orcas are actually dolphins? They’re the largest dolphins in the whole ocean! And they’re super fast! They can go 54 kilometers per hour in the water! And their dorsal fins can grow up to two meters tall!”

“I did in fact know all that squirt,” Izuku blushed, “but Orcas are also known as Killer Whales because they are large predators.”

“Predators?”

“They eat other animals.”

“Oh like lions!” Sakamata wrinkled his nose and muttered something that sounded suspiciously  like mangy cats under his breath. 

“Right, and because Orcas are so big they eat really big animals and have really big teeth.”

“And that scares people?”

“Right. The nurse at school is scared of my teeth and makes me feel bad when I go visit her, even if she doesn’t mean to.”

“But everyone here is super nice!”

“Exactly, squirt. Plus there are some things that a school nurse just isn’t equipped to handle. I require highly specialized dental work.”

“Dental work?”

“Medicine for your teeth and mouth.” 

“Oh, like how Kaa-san makes me brush my teeth for foreeeeever every night.”

“Got it in one,” Sakamata ruffled Izuku’s hair. 

“I don’t like brushing my teeth. Toothpaste is yucky.”

Sakamata-sempai just laughed.

—————————————————————————————————————————— 

Izuku staggered under the weight of the laundry basket, the teetering tower of laundry inside blocking his vision.

“Oof,” with a crash the precarious pile toppled and scattered across the hall, “I am so sorry!”

“Squirt?” Izuku blinked and looked at the figure he had crashed into.

“Sakamata-sempai!”

“Whatcha up to kiddo?”

“I’m helping!” Izuku informed his cetacean friend proudly.

“You are, are you?”

“Uh huh, Obi-san and Tone-sensei said I could if I wanted! I’m helping with the lawn-der-ey,” Izuku carefully pronounced.

“Wow, that’s very impressive,” Izuku preened at the praise.

“And Tone-sensei said when I get bigger I can learn to be a doctor just like him! So cool!” Izuku’s eyes sparkled.

“I thought you wanted to be a hero?”

“Yup! I’m going to be the bestest hero! Just like All-Might!” Izuku cheered.

“Best,” Sakamata corrected, “so you’re going to be a doctor hero? Like recovery girl?”

“Uhuh, I’m going to be a super-mommy-astronaut-doctor-hero!”

“Wow!” Sakatamata had to hold himself back from cooing at the cuteness, “that’s so cool! Well Mr. Hero, let’s pick up that laundry together.”

“No!” Izuku stomped his foot stubbornly, “I want to do it. It’s my job!”

“Okay, okay,” Sakamata raised his hands in surrender, “well I have to go to my appointment.”

“Bye Sakamata-sempai!” 

“Hey squirt,” Sakamata gave Izuku a toothy smile, “proud of you.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku, now seven years old, bit his lip in concentration.

“Good, now what bin do we dispose of the pad in?” Tone Hotaka-Sensei, a middle aged doctor  with a full beard asked.

“The red one,” Izuku answered. 

“Correct. It’s called a biohazard bin, and anything that has any bodily fluids or may be contaminated goes in it. Could you give me another example?”

“Umm,” Izuku thought hard, “bandages? Or used needles?”

“Correct, again!”

“You’re so smart squirt,” Sakamata-sempai complimented from the patient chair where Izuku was just cleaning a wound on his arm, “and my arm looks much better now.”

“I still need to bandage it,” Izuku frowned, “you’re lucky you don’t need stitches.” 

“You’re sounding more and more like a doctor every day,” Sakamata chuckled. 

“Hold still,” Izuku frowned, “I haven’t done this on a real person before.”

“Bit of pro-advice,” Tone-sensei chuckled, “don’t tell your patient you don’t know what you’re doing. It makes them nervous.”

“Sorry,”

“Hey, it’s ok.” Sakamata-sempai replied, “I am honored to be your very first patient.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku slurped his cup noodles noisily. That was one benefit of the clinic. His Kaa-san never let him eat cup noodles. She said they were unhealthy. The clinic usually didn’t either, but they made an exception for today. 

“Alright kid,” Tone-sensei entered the room, “you’re going to need to stay here overnight this time, so we need to call your mom.” Izuku paused his eating.

“Do we have to?”

“Yeah kid we have to. This is serious Izuku-kun. If you hadn’t come to work today, and we hadn’t caught the fact that you were sick, you would have died. As it is your fever isn’t going down and is worryingly high. If you don’t respond to medication you could be here for a long time. Your mom needs to know. Plus, I think you need your mom too.”

Izuku started tearing up.

“Yeah,” he agreed quietly, “I just don’t want her to worry.”

“It’s a parent’s job to worry kid. It’s ok if you’re not ok sometimes. I’m going to call your mom. In the meantime you have a visitor.”

“I do?” Izuku perked up.

“You sure do kid. Obi-san will be here soon with more fever reducers.” With that Tone-sensei walked out of the room, and a familiar figure walked in.

“Sakamata-sempai!”

“I hear you were sick squirt. How you holding up?”

“Well they got my fever down to 39.4 and I’m breathing a little easier now.”

“What.” Sakamata did not look impressed, “Be honest squirt. Just how sick are you?”

“Um, if Obi-san hadn’t noticed my fever I would probably have gone into septic shock and died,” Izuku admitted.

“What?!”

“I have something called MRSA,” Izuku paused to catch his breath, “basically I had a burn which I didn’t treat that got badly infected- probably due to contamination with bacteria here in the clinic. MRSA is usually a hospital born illness, unlike sepsis where in 87% of cases the underlying infection actually starts before hospitalization…”

“Izuku.”

“Sorry.”

“Are you going to be ok?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Luckily they were able to catch it before any organ failure, so they just need to give me medicine to get rid of the underlying infection and reduce the inflammation and fever. They’ve started me on IV Vancomyacin, which should clear it up in a few days.”

“So sorry you feel so sick squirt.”

“It’s ok. I’m learning a lot about hospital born illnesses from it!”

“Only you Izuku-kun.”

“What can I say? I’m consistent.” Sakamata-sempai snorted.

“Sure you are squirt.”

“Hey, I am too.”

“Kid, I have never met anyone more unpredictable than you.” Izuku slouched into his bed and sulked.

“Am not” he muttered into the covers.

“It’s not a bad thing squirt,” Sakamata-sempai soothed, “being unpredictable is an excellent trait for a hero to have.”

“It is?”

“Yup, it means you can catch villains off-guard.”

“Cool!” Izuku brightened up, “I’m going to catch all the villains off guard and protect everyone!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah and you can be my side-kick!”

“Only a sidekick?” Sakamata laughed.

“I already promised Kacchan to be hero partners.”

“I see, alas I guess then that I must settle for being a measly side-kick.”

“Don’t call side-kicks measly,” Izuku glared, “There are so many awesome side-kicks! Did you know that Sir Nighteye can only use his quirk once a day? And he was still All Might’s side-kick and even opened his own agency. So cool! And there’s Skycrawler. His quirk is sooooo cool. Did you see that recent hero fight where he…”

“Ok, ok I get it. Side-kicks are cool.”

“Super cool!” Izuku’s eyes started doing that thing where they sparkle again. 

“Way too bright.” Sakamata muttered.

“Izuku!” A frantic woman with her green hair tied tightly in a bun suddenly rushed into the room.

“Kaa-san,” Izuku’s eyes started welling up with tears. Midoriya Inko flung her arms around her son and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Oh my baby boy. Why didn’t you tell me you were feeling sick?”

“Didn’t wanna worry you,” Izuku’s words were muffled by the hug.

“Oh baby. It’s my job to worry. That’s part of being a mom. I love you, and I love being your mom. So please let me worry and tell me when you don’t feel good.” Izuku’s tears devolved into heaving sobs.

“I’m sorry Kaa-san!” He wailed.

“Shh, there, there. It’s ok. I forgive you. Just promise to tell me in the future. Deal?”

“Deal,” Izuku sniffled.

“Now who is your friend here?” Izuku perked up a little at the question, face still red with tears and nose running.

“That, Saka-Sakamata-sempai,” Izuku hiccuped, “He’s gonna be a hero.”

“Ah so you are the amazing Sakamata-sempai I’ve hear so much about from my son. I’m Midoriya Inko, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” If Sakamata had the capacity to blush he would have. 

“Sakamata Kuugo, I’m a hero student and a frequent patient of this clinic.”

“Thank you for being such a good friend to my son,”

“Kaa-san!” Izuku whined in embarrassment. 

“You’re not angry?”

“Why would I be angry?”

“Well, I’m a stranger who is much older than Izuku and, well, most people think I look villainous.” Sakamata gestured to his face.

“Izuku talks about you so much you may as well be family at this point. As for the rest. You may be older but you are still a child, and there is nothing wrong with the way you look. Would you judge Izuku for being quirkless?”

“Of course not!”

“Then why would I judge you for having a mutation quirk? You don’t even look that villainous. In my opinion people are much more horrible than orca whales anyways.”

There was a moment of silence. 

“Oh,”

——————————————————————————————————————————

“You’re getting good at this squirt.” Sakamata complimented as Izuku wrapped up his injured dorsal. 

“Well I’d hope so given how much time I spend here. There. I’m done. Try not to get your dorsal stuck in anymore train doors.”

“It wasn’t on purpose!”

“This is the third time.” Izuku deadpanned. 

“I mean…yeah I’ve got nothing.”

“Alright. You’ll need to come back in two weeks to get your stitches out. Until then, keep the wound clean and regularly replace the bandage. Keep the wound dry for the next twenty-four hours. No swimming until the stitches are out, and never leave a wet bandage on, that’s just asking for an infection.”

“You’re one to talk about infections.”

“Do as I say, not as I do. Remember not to scratch the sutures and avoid any further contact or trauma to the wounded area. Talk to your school nurse- no heroics until you’re healed. Come back if the pain gets worse, you notice any swelling, pus, or bleeding, the wound smells bad, or you have a fever. All of these are signs of infection.”

“I hear you squirt. You’ve learned so much.” Sakamata ruffled Izuku’s hair, “now that the formalities are over with, how have you been doing?”

“I’m good,” Izuku gave Sakamata a large smile, revealing two missing front teeth, “I lost another tooth today.”

“I can see that,” Sakamata smiled, “what are you going to ask the tooth fairy for?” 

Izuku gave Sakamata a withering stare, “The tooth fairy’s not real. Everyone knows that.”

“Right, sorry. I forgot. You’re all grown up now.”

“Uh huh. Next Tuesday I’ll be eight years old,” Izuku held out eight fingers for Sakamata to see.

“That’s right! Happy early birthday squirt. You reminded me that I have a present for you.”

“You do? But Tone-sensei says doctors can’t take gifts from patients because it’s un-eph-i-cal.”

“Unethical. And lucky for you squirt, you’re not a doctor yet, so I’m allowed to give my kohai a birthday present.”

“What is it? What is it?” Sakamata smiled at the excited kid. While he was undoubtably proud of Izuku, it was a relief to see him acting his age.

“Here,” Sakamata pulled a neatly wrapped cylinder from his backpack and handed it to Izuku. Izuku tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a poster tube. Izuku popped the cap off and let the poster slide out.

“Oh wow,” the rolled up poster unfurled to reveal a glossy image of Sakamata-sempai against a yellow background. He was wearing a hero costume that looked similar to a tuxedo. Underneath the name Gang Orca was printed in big block letters. Sakamata-sempai had autographed it with a small message.

Happy Birthday to my kohai and the best future super-mommy-astronaut-doctor-hero the world will ever see.

“So?”

“It’s so cool!” Fat tears of joy rolled down Izuku’s face, “I love it.”

“It’s the very first piece of Gang Orca hero merch ever made so take good care of it squirt.”

“I promise,” Izuku sobbed.

“Hey squirt, it’s ok, no need to cry.

“I’m sorry,” Izuku started to cry harder, “I can’t help it.” 

“Hey, it’s alright.” Sakamata-sempai rubbed small circles into Izuku’s back, “I’m happy you liked the gift so much.”

“It’s the best gift I’ve ever had,” Izuku informed his sempai through tears.

“I’m glad. And when I come back to get my stitches out perhaps we could go grab ice cream and celebrate.”

“I’d like that.”

But there was no ice cream celebration. What neither of them knew, as Izuku waved Sakamata off from the clinic door that day, was that it would be over seven years before the two saw each other again.

Chapter Text

“Sakamata-sempai?”

“What did you just say?” Momo turned around, having genuinely missed what her green hair comrade had just asked in the chaos.

“It’s nothing,” Izuku sighed. Part of him desperately wanted to go confront his former sempai to get some answers. Another part of him never wanted to speak to him again. Izuku had followed the man’s hero career closely, as he did with all of the top pros, but when he was younger he couldn’t help the feelings of sadness and slight self-loathing which welled up whenever he saw a news article featuring his friend. Former friend. Had he not been good enough for the hero? Had Sakamata-sempai decided that Izuku was a useless, quirkless freak after all and had been too nice to say anything?

As Izuku aged, and his sense of self-worth healed, that self-loathing turned to anger. He had been a child. It was not his fault. And the fact that Sakamata had abandoned a small child who idolized him, and who he knew had abandonment issues, was all kinds of fucked up. And yet, deep, deep down, a small part of Izuku hoped that there was some meaning behind it all. That Sakamata had some deeper reason which would justify the whole fiasco. Izuku knew that people were complicated. The Sakamata he knew was complicated. And he was a good hero. He wouldn’t just…right? 

“Anyways,” Izuku began, “I’m going to take these supplies back. We can’t afford to get distracted now. The villain attack probably only means we’re going to get even more patients.”

“Right. I’m recalling one of the teams to protect the first-aid station. Their medic will help you with treating patients. Keep me updated.”

“Will do and same to you,” Izuku grabbed the crate of bandages and disinfectant and raced back into the medical tent. 

“Deku, what’s happening?” Awata exclaimed the moment Izuku ducked into the tent.

“The ‘terrorists’ were still here. Gang Orca and his side kicks are playing the villains.”

“Wait seriously? He’s my favorite hero!” Izuku flinched at that.

“Not the time, we should expect an influx of patients. Creati is recalling a team to protect the medical tent, meaning we’ll get another pair of hands on deck soon. What’s our status?”

“We’ve managed to treat around half of our yellow tags. Scimitar gave pain meds to the red tags- well in theory he didn’t actually since they’re acting and all but you get the point.”

“Impressive. I was only gone for maybe seven minutes. Tell me where you need me.”

“Follow me. Patient is conscious but with altered mental status. We suspect some form of head trauma. They’re clearly in pain and they keep groaning and screaming.”

“Right,” Izuku followed Awata to the patient in question, a young man around Izuku’s age with fluffy tufts of brown hair. As soon as Izuku kneeled next to the patient, Awata turned to go treat her own.

“Hi, my name is Deku, and I’m doing to take care of you. Can you tell me your name?” The patient simply moaned and rocked back and forth, crying. “That’s ok. Do you see my finger? I want you to follow it with your eyes.” The patient’s eyes were slightly unfocused but did follow the finger. “Great! Thank you!”

However before Izuku could move on to the next test the patient slapped him hard in the chest. Izuku winced in pain but otherwise didn’t outwardly react. Izuku was fairly certain he understood the situation now but he needed to be sure.

“I’m going to need to look at your eyes. This may be bright.” Izuku pulled his pen light from his pocket and flashed it into the patient’s eyes. The patient reared back away from the light, but after a moment let Izuku look at his eyes.

“Pupils dilating normally. No sign of exterior wounds to the head.” Izuku mumbled, “Can I feel your head?” The patient groaned, but shifted closed to Izuku, “no tenderness or inflammation. Alright, thank you. I noticed you’re not wearing a medical bracelet. Do you have one that fell off?”

The patient started hitting themself in the knee.

“Woah, easy there. No bracelet then. Do you have a card?” The patient froze and pulled a medical ID card from their back pocket.

As suspected. Patient name, Fujii Ken. Diagnosis, Autism Nonverbal.

“Ok, thank you. From what I see everything is going to be ok. You’re going to need to see a doctor at the hospital, but I don’t immediately see anything life threatening. Do you know JSL?” Izuku signed as he spoke. The patient’s eyes snapped to Izuku’s hand’s.

“I didn’t think you’d notice.” The patient signed, “The others didn’t. Good job.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not surprised. I know a good amount of people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and you were showing all the classic signs of a meltdown.” Izuku replied, continuing to sign as he did. 

“Good job asking for my ID. I’d like it back though. That’s my real ID.”

“Oh, sorry! Here you go Fujii-san,” Izuku hurriedly returned the ID card.

“Don’t worry. Now I assume you have other patients.”

“Yes. Here’s a green tag, please hold on to it. Could you go over there with the people with the green tags to wait?”

“Sure.”

“Hey Deku,” Izuku turned around to face Yagihashi, “the reinforcements are here. That girl working on the patient over there with the naginata strapped to her back is our new medic. Hero name the Vanguard Hero: Lancer. Her quirk gives her a supernatural aptitude towards polearms.”

“Nice,” Izuku whistled, but before he could say anything else his comm crackled to life. 

“Deku? This is Creati. Do you copy? Over.”

“This is Deku. I hear you loud and clear. Over.”

“We need you on the field. Todoroki and a kid from Shiketsu are fighting each other instead of Gang Orca, and you’re the only person who has a chance of getting through to Todoroki. Over.”

“Shit. I’m on my way. Over and out.” Izuku turned back towards Yagihashi, “I’m needed on the field. Can you guys handle this?”

“Sure thing. We should be fine now that we have some extra hands.”

“Great,” and without another word Izuku charged One for All into his legs and sprinted off towards the battlefield. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“You think we’re the same? Don’t be ridiculous. You’re a fool. I’m nothing like him.” Todoroki growled.

“You and your father are the only heroes I can’t accept. You don’t deserve the title. Do you understand? Now move!” Yoarashi launched an attack at Gang Orca at the same time as Todoroki, diverting Todoroki’s  flames towards Shindo who was rescuing a citizen off to the side. 

Shindo had no time to react, but just before he was about to be incinerated, Izuku swooped in and pull him out of the way. 

“Damn it, are you insane? What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Izuku shouted at the two, before crashing with Shindo a ways away.  

Todoroki’s eyes widened. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

Sakamata was enraged. The two brats in front of him were really arguing with each other instead of going after the villain right in front of them? It was a disgrace to the name of heroics. The kid with the wind quirk was the instigator, but Endeavor’s son still carried a portion of the blame for rising to the bait, and not even attempting to resolve the argument or communicate. 

And then the flames were diverted, straight towards one of their allies. Sakamata took in a deep breath, preparing to launch a sound wave to divert the course of the fire, but before he could a green blur of lightning swooped in and pulled the kid out of the way. 

“Damn it, are you insane? What the hell do you think you’re doing?!” Izuku shouted at the two, before crashing with Shindo a ways away.  

Sakamata froze. That voice, the green hair. He would know it anywhere. 

Yet it couldn’t be. After all, this hero student had a quirk. And Izuku was quirkless. But he couldn’t help but wish…

Nevermind, Sakamata shook himself out of his thoughts. The kid was safe, which was the important thing, and he had a job to do. 

“No more games,” Sakamata growled, releasing the sound wave he had prepared, “First, I’ll stop the wind!” The wave hit the kid with the wind quirk, blasting him away.

“Got him!”

“That’s our boss! A total powerhouse!” One of his sidekicks crowed.

“Now it’s time to trap these do-gooders in cement!” Cheered another.

Ok, so Sakamata would need to work with his sidekicks on their acting. They were somehow even cringier than actual villains, which in its own way was an impressive feat. 

 Sakamata then turned to Endeavor’s kid, grabbing him by the neck. 

“You reap what you sow.” Sakamata threatened, tightening his grip into a choke while being careful not to permanently injure the kid.

“Hey while the boss is at it, let’s go destroy the evacuation shelter. He’ll love that!” A sidekick proposed.

“Hell, yeah!” 

They didn’t get very far. The kid who the Izuku-look-alike had rescue blasted the ground, sending all of the sidekicks flying. Sakamata decided to ignore it. His sidekicks could handle themselves.

“Now then,” he dropped Todoroki, “I’ll take down the wind user and continue with the attack.” Before he could approach the kid with the wind quirk, however, the two herolings seemed to get their act together, launching a joint fire and wind attack at him. It didn’t make up for how they were behaving earlier, but it wasn’t a bad start. Unfortunately for them, Sakamata wasn’t going to let them win that easily. Unleashing another sound wave he dispersed the tornado of flames which had surrounded him, and moved to retreat.

“Not so fast,” the green kid appeared from out of nowhere in a crackle of lightning, “Sakamata-sempai.”

Sakamata’s jaw dropped.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Izuku?” Sakamata breathed in wonder. Izuku frowned, anger boiling.

“Why are you so surprised? Oh right, you’ve only been ghosting me for the past seven years,” he snarked, “Not that it matter right now. I’m here to stop you villain. I won’t let you hurt anybody else.” 

“You, you have a quirk!” Sakamata exclaimed.

“No shit. Now are you going to fight back? Or can I take this little chat as a sign of your unconditional surrender.”

That seemed to somewhat snap Sakamata out of it. 

“We’ll be talking about this after.” He growled as he launched a punch at Izuku

“Oh so now you want to talk.” Izuku blocked the punch and returned it with a powered up kick, “Well fuck off. You had seven years of chances. I don’t owe you jack shit.”

Sakamata winced. Whether it was in pain from the kick or the verbal barb Izuku wasn’t sure. 

“You’re right. You don’t owe me anything. But I do owe you an explanation if you’re willing to hear it.”

“Whatever,” Izuku frowned, torn and angry. Shaking off his turmoiled thoughts, Izuku launched another attack at his mentor. Former mentor. 

“Yeeesh, your kicks pack some punch squirt.” 

“Don’t call me that.” Izuku grimaced, continuing to exchange blows, “now are you going to take this seriously? You’re barely fighting back.”

“Very well,” Sakamata took a deep breath and released another sound wave. Izuku punched the ground hard, creating a large gust which repelled the sound.

“Nice try villain.” Izuku flicked a series of air bullets at the hero, which were summarily dodged.  The two clashed together in an exchange of kicks and punches. Izuku tried his new special move, fingers crackling with All for One, he prodded at Sakamata’s pressure points. 

“Ouch, that stings,” Sakamata hissed, but he retained full motion of his arm.

“That should have immobilized your arms. Freaking whale blubber.” Izuku complained, “Guess I’ll have to up the power.”

“Yeah, I'm going to say no to that idea.” Sakamata pushed Izuku away with another sound wave.

“That’s what you think,” Izuku couldn’t help but fall into an ingrained pattern of banter with Sakamata, “I’ll have you know that I’m very persistent.”

“I’m well aware,” Sakamata said dryly, “you’ve swindled me into buying Katsudon enough times. You know I was perpetually broke because of you.”

“What can I say? I have a cute face.”

“It was cuter before you were strong enough to kick over a building. Now you’re more scary than cute.”

“Why thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“Yes, it was,” Izuku smirked.

“Ok maybe it was. A little. But it mostly wasn’t a compliment.”

“Whatever you say Mr. Villian sir.”

“Um, are you two going to fight, or just have this super awkward, frenemie chat?” Shoto  suddenly interrupted. Both Izuku and Sakamata froze.

“Shoto-kun! You’re up!” Izuku’s voice was a decidedly higher pitch than usual.

“Yes.” 

“R..right then! Um, you up to fighting this villain with me?”

“Todoroki and I will take him together,” Yoarashi suddenly dropped to the ground next to Todoroki, “It’s our fault you had to step in anyways.”

“Shoto-kun?”

“It’s fine Deku. We’ve got this. Go help Shindo bring the last stragglers to the medical tent.”

“Right,” with one last, conflicted look at Sakamata, Izuku blasted off towards Shindo. 

“Shindo-kun, what can I help with?” 

“We have two more civilians trapped under the rubble here. I’ve managed to get one out, but the others are in deep and I don’t dare use my quirk for fear of injuring them further.”

“Right,” Izuku nodded firmly, “can you guard us while I remove the rubble?”

“No problem.”

Izuku steeled himself and used One for All to lift a large piece of rubble off the leg of a prone woman. “Miss, my name is Deku. I’m here to rescue you. What’s your name?”

“Ami.”

“Thanks Ami-san. Do you think you can walk?” The woman shook her head. She likely had a broken leg. 

“Alright that’s ok. Do you hurt anywhere other than your leg?”

“My shoulder and ribs a little but not bad.”

“Ok. I’m going to get the last person out of the rubble and take you both to the medical tent. Can you wait here a moment for me?”

“Ok,” Ami agreed quietly. 

“Sir, this is Deku, I’m here to rescue you. Can you hear me?” Izuku asked an older man pinned under a pile of rubble.

The man just groaned.

“Ok, I’m going to get you out of here. Hold on.” Izuku began removing the rubble, revealing a serious laceration across the man’s stomach- gushing blood. Shit. Luckily the patient didn’t seem to be in shock. “Ok, sir. I’m going to need to slow the bleeding before I can move you. Can you use your arms?”

“Yeah.”

“Ok,” Izuku peeled the victim’s shirt over his stomach, and pulled his last gauze pad from his pocket, “I need you to hold this as hard as you can against your stomach.” The man did as requested, while izuku dug around in his pockets for bandages. “Damn it, I’m out of bandages. I’ll have to improvise.” Izuku activated 1% of his quirk and tore the sleeves off of his hero costume which he further ripped into long strips which he used to secure the dressing around the wound.

“Ready?” Shindo asked.

“Yeah, can the civilian you rescued walk?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, I’m going to rush this man to the clinic. Can you carry Ami? I’ll be back to help as soon as I drop him off.”

“Sure.” Izuku gave Shindo a tired grin before picking up his patient bridal style and blasting off towards the medical tent. 

“I’ve got a priority one yellow tag,” Izuku shouted as he burst into the tent, “major abdominal bleed.”

“On it,” Yagihashi rushed over with a stretcher.

“I can’t stay, there are two more civilians to transport.”

“Don’t worry I’ve got this.”

“Great, thanks.” Izuku spun around and made a beeline for Shindo, Ami, and the third civilian.

“That was fast,” Shindo raised an eyebrow in surprise. 

“It’s a helpful application of my quirk.”

“I hate to admit this, but you’re much faster than me and time is of the essence here. Do you think you can carry them both?”

“No problem,” Izuku agreed easily, “What’s your name?” He asked the third civilian, a teenage boy.

“Amuro Rei.”

“Alright Amuro-san, can you climb onto my back piggy-back style?”

“Yeah alright.” Once Amuro was secure Izuku accepted Ami from Shindo’s arms.

“I’m going to go look for others.”

“Sounds good. I’ll probably stay at the medical tent, they’re overrun.”

“No worries. See you on the flip side.”

“Yeah see you. You guys ready?” 

“Yup,”

“N..no, but I don’t think I’ll ever be,” Ami stuttered.

“Scared of heights?”

“Scared of falling.”

“Don’t worry. I promise I won’t let anything happen to you. Just close your eyes and hold on to my neck really tight ok?”

“Y..yeah.”

“Alright, here we go.” And izuku took off once more. He had barely reached the medical tent when the overhead speakers crackled to life, a loud sound like a fog horn blaring.

“Oh yeah, so at this time,” Mera’s drawling voice began, “all the HUC members who were deployed have been rescued from the disaster zone. It may seem anti-climatic, but with this, the provisional licensing exam has officially been completed. After we tally the scores we’ll announce the results here in the arena. Anyone injured should go to the infirmary. The rest of you are free to change clothes and wait wherever you’d like.”

“I guess you two were the last ones, huh,” Izuku smiled at the pair he was holding brightly.

“You can put us down. We’re not actually injured you know.”

“Huh? Oh, right!” Izuku hastily set Ami down and let Amuro climb off of his back, “Sorry.”

“No worries, you did good kid,” Ami slapped Izuku on the back. Izuku’s eyes widened at her complete 180 in personality.

“Wow you’re a really talented actor.”

“Thanks, you’re a talented hero,” Izuku blushed cherry red.

“T..thanks. Anyway it was nice to meet you. I’m going to change into some regular clothes.”

—————————————————————————————————————————

“So how do you think you did?”

“Ok, I think? Like it wasn’t perfect by any stretch but it wasn’t awful either?”

“Are you kidding? I did amazing.”

“You sucked, The HUC lady was yelling at you and everything!”

“Shut up! It’s not like you did any better?”

Izuku let the din of the locker room chatter wash over him as he quickly changed into a pair of sweats. 

“Hey Izuku,” Izuku spun around to face Sero, “Aizawa wants to see all of 1-A in the waiting area.”

“Right, thanks. I’ll be right there.”

“See ya,”

Izuku finished pulling his oversized grey sweatshirt over his head, and made his way to meet his classmates.

“Mido-Kun,” Mina sighed as he approached, “why does your sweatshirt say ‘pants’?”

“Isn’t it hilarious?”

“Um, no. I can’t even express the magnitude of the crime against fashion that I am seeing before me.”

“It’s not that bad,” Izuku pouted.

“It really is,” Hagakure agreed.

“The only person I know who has worse fashion sense than you is Todoroki,” Momo added on.

“Hey, what is this. Pick on Izuku day?”

“I think Todoroki-kun’s clothes are nice,” Mina frowned, ignoring Izuku’s protests. 

“His sister had to intervene on their fathers bequest and now picks out all of his clothing for him. He had a tendency to Hawaiian t-shirts and striped disco pants. Together.” 

“What’s wrong with that?” Izuku asked to gobsmacked faces.

“Alright, everyone for taking control of Izuku’s wardrobe?”

“Wait, what?!”

“Aye, aye,” 

“Then it’s settled.”

“No it isn’t!”

“Oi, problem class. Gather round.” Aizawa interrupted the conversation. 

“Sensei! Did you watch us in the exam?”

“Wasn’t I super manly?”

“Did I look trés chic?”

“Pipe down. Yes, I was watching the exam and I have feedback for all of you.” A hush fell over the class, and Izuku squirmed in anticipation. What would Aizawa-sensei say? Did he think there was anything weird about Izuku’s work in the medical tent? “Alright. Firstly, congratulations for completing your licensing exam. You usually wouldn’t take it for another two years, so that fact that the entire class managed to pass the first round is something you should be proud of- regardless of the outcome.”

“Aizawa-sensei is being so nice to us!” Kaminari sniffled.

“Hold your horses. That being said if you did in fact pass the test it means that you will be working as a hero, with real civilians, in real emergencies. None of you are actually ready for this, there’s a reason we don’t usually let our first years take this exam, this year’s special circumstances for 1-A aside. As a result, your training will be more intense from here on out, and you will be held to a higher standard than a first year student usually would be.”

“Man, why do I feel like this is going to hurt?” Sero complained. Aizawa simply flashed him an evil looking smirk.

“In light of this, we are currently going to review your performances during the exam. Name someone you think did well.”

“Momo-chan was amazing,” Hagakure gushed, “she successfully led the entire rescue operation, including all of the third years, in the second round!” Momo blushed and covered her face with her hands. 

“I agree,” Aizawa gave Momo a rare smile, “Yaoyorozu did an admiral job taking charge. It’s not an easy thing being the one responsible for making the tough decisions. It’s even harder when the people you are leading are complete strangers. You did very well. What are some things that Yaoyorozu could improve upon? Yes, Todoroki-kun?”

“Taking initiative. Momo was wonderful as mission command, but she wasn’t actually the leader during the second phase. That was Izuku.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” Izuku protested, “I spent almost the whole exam in the medical tent.”

“Ok, but before that you were the one to organize everything.”

“He’s right problem child. We’ll get to that in a second. Back to Yaoyorozu. I agree that taking the initiative is something to work on- you tend towards being overcautious- though that in of itself isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

“Right sensei,”

“That being said, don’t feel that you have to be the leader in every situation. I only suggest this because of your natural leadership abilities. However, I do strongly recommend that you focus more on your hand to hand combat training. You’ve become over reliant on your quirk.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Now back to Midoriya. Frankly, I’ll admit that I wasn’t able to see most of your performance as you were inside the medical tent.”

Izuku breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

“As Todoroki-mentioned you did an excellent job taking control of the situation prior to the second round. I frankly have no critiques of your decision making, though you may have been better placed in the field given the nature of your quirk. Well done.”

“Thank you sensei,” Izuku flushed at the praise.

“Now onto your fight with Gang Orca. You did well, but you kept getting distracted. I’m not sure what you were talking about, but you shouldn’t allow yourself to lose focus like that. You were lucky this was an exercise. In real combat your lack of focus could have gotten you or the people around you killed.”

“Sorry sensei.”

“Don’t be sorry. Learn from this and do better moving forward. Which brings me to Todoroki. I have to be honest, I’m deeply disappointed in you. There is no excuse for what happened when you were supposed to be fighting Gang Orca.”

“I know. It won’t happen again.”

“No it won’t. I know the results aren’t out yet, but I can guarantee you that stunt cost you any chance of passing you may have had.”

“I figured,” Todoroki sighed, “I will accept the consequences of my actions.”

“Good.”

“Guess you’re not so high and mighty anymore. Hah, half n’ half?”

“You’re not one to talk Bakugo. The way you spoke to and treated the civilians you were rescuing was abhorrent. I doubt you will be getting your license today either.”

“Hah?! What did you say?”

Izuku smiled to himself at the familiar interaction, settling in to wait for his scores.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“I can’t believe all of us passed,” Hagakure cheered. 

“Well, almost all of us,” Jiro eyed Todoroki and Bakugo, neither of whom were holding shiny new licenses. 

“Don't worry about me,” Todoroki reassured, “I deserved it.”

“I’m sure Shoto-kun and Kacchan will catch up to us in no time!”

“What did you say nerd!? Are you looking down on me?” Izuku rolled his eyes fondly.

“Um…Midoriya-san?” Izuku turned to face a tall man with an aquatic mutation quirk. Maybe some kind of eel? He was probably one of Sakamata’s sidekicks. 

“Yes?”

“I think you dropped this. It has your name on it.” The man passed Izuku an envelope which he had never seen before in his life. 

“Right, er thanks.” Izuku gave a short bow.

“Don’t worry about it, kid. And congrats on the license.” The man gave a lazy wave before disappearing into the crowd. 

“What was that about?” Uraraka wondered.

“Oh, this was a good luck note from my mom. I must have dropped it somewhere.” Izuku lied. If he had to guess, it was most likely a letter from Sakamata. 

“Aw that’s so sweet of her! Anyway did you hear about that recent villain fight in…”

——————————————————————————————————————————

Later that night, alone in his dorm with only a single lit desk lamp for company, Izuku pulled out the envelope. Carefully ripping it open, he unfolded the letter inside.

Hey squirt,

I know you’re probably furious with me, and you have every right to be, but I wanted to let you know how proud I am of you. You did good today kiddo, and you’re going to be a great hero. I always thought so, even before you manifested a quirk (which what? Can we talk about that for a moment?)

I’m not asking you to forgive me,  but you deserve an explanation for why I left. If you want it, that is. I’m not sorry I left, but I am sorry that it meant that I couldn’t be a part of your life. I doubt you’ll take me at my word, but I mean it when I say that it broke my heart to leave you. Know that I have never stopped loving you my little kohai, my baby brother in all but blood, even though I wasn’t able to be there for you. 

I also have several years of ungifted birthday presents sitting in my closet if you want them. 

If you’re interested in hearing what I have to say, my private phone number is on the back of this letter. You are also welcome to burn this letter, call me to scream at me, or otherwise ignore my invitation.

You have complete control here. Last time I made the choice for you. This time it’s your turn to get to choose. 

-Your sempai

Chapter Text

Deliberately ignoring the letter from Sakamata burning a hole in his pocket, Izuku swanned into the clinic to start his next shift. 

“Yo Izuku-sempai, how’d the exam go?” Ito shouted from the nurse’s counter.

“That’s pro-hero Deku to you,” Izuku yelled back.

“Hey guys! The green bean passed! We have a real, bona-fide, hero on staff now.”

“All hail the great and mighty Deku,” Natsuo laughed.

“Thank you, thank you,” Izuku bowed in response, “for my first act as hero I demand a tribute of celebratory cup noodles after work.”

“Nice try, but the second my shift ends, which is in three minutes by the way, I’m outta here.” Ito winked. 

“Very well, I will grant you my leave. But in return you owe me the heftier tribute to my greatness of a special edition All Might poster.” Izuku joked.

“How about an autographed one? Was planning on getting you something to celebrate anyways.”

“Wait seriously? I’ll take it,” Izuku agreed eagerly. It didn’t matter that he saw the man nearly every day. All Might was still so cool.

“Yo kid, think I can get your autograph?” Sakuma-sensei added.

“Huh?”

“It’s official now. You’re going to be a big-shot hero. My bet is that after you graduate,  you’ll debut in the top fifty. Getting your autograph now will be a great investment. Maybe ten years from now I’ll be able to use to to pay off my mortgage.” 

“I feel like I should be offended that you only want my autograph as a financial investment strategy but I’m too excited about being asked for my autograph for the first time to care.”

“Here’s the really important question.” Natsuo interrupted seriously, “did you pass your preliminary medical practitioner exam?”

“I haven’t the slightest clue,” Izuku shrugged, “the results were sent to Recovery Girl. I haven’t seen her yet since they gave us a few days off to recover from the exam. I think I did alright though.”

“Tsk, tsk. So what you’re telling me is that you are officially a hero who is committing illegal acts in the night?” Sakuma-sensei wagged her finger exaggeratedly, “well I suppose as long as the Hero Commission doesn’t find out, your autograph will still have some monetary value. Now gimme.” Before Izuku could answer they were interrupted. 

“Hey guys, we’re officially heading out. Izuku you better hurry and change.” The mood immediately sobered. 

“Right,”but Izuku was stopped before he was able to get to the locker room. 

“You really think you’re hot shit now, don’t you,” a vaguely familiar voice spoke harshly. Izuku spun around to see a lanky figure with gravity defying purple hair. 

“Sh…sh…shinso-kun?!?” Izuku squeaked. 

“Well?” Shinso tapped his foot impatiently. 

“It’s not what it looks like!” Izuku babbled, “You see, I um was looking for the internet cafe? Yeah, the internet cafe. I work there so sometimes I stop by this place to…er…use the vending machine?”

Shinso raised an eyebrow, “has anyone ever told you you’re a shit liar?”

“Hey! I happen to be an excellent liar when I can prepare! I just don’t do well with being put on the spot.”

“Relax kid,” Sakuma intervened, laying a hand on Izuku’s back. “Shinso’s cool. I should have remembered you two know each other from the sports festival. Shinso-kun used to work over at our sister clinic in Hosu. But now that UA is instituting dorms he’s transferring here. He started a few days ago while you were out.”

“Oh, that makes so much more sense than a UA student I know just randomly happening to be here,” Izuku facepalmed, “well I know it’s a little late but welcome aboard Shinso-kun. I’m the trauma surgeon on the night shift.”

“Hmph,” Shinso glared, “surgeon? You really do get everything handed to you.”

Izuku frowned in confusion, but before he could ask what Shinso meant, Sakuma interrupted.

“Easy there Shinso-kun. Sorry Izuku, he can be a little prickly but he means well. He’s my new psychiatric resident.”

“That’s great,” Izuku enthused, “Your quirk will be amazing for that. And we desperately need more psychiatric support. Not that Sakuma-sensei isn’t amazing. She’s the best, but it’s not fair to make her do so much work by herself. I means she basically runs a full service clinic and an emergency psychiatry…”

“Just go get changed. You’re going to be late,” Shinso rolled his eyes and cut Izuku off.

“Right, thanks Shinso-kun. I tend to babble when I get excited. Anyways, welcome aboard. I look forward to working with you,” Izuku gave the sullen teen a cheery wave and disappeared into the locker room to change into his scrubs. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Yo, Izuku. Your appointment is here. Exam room three.” Yoshida shouted from the nurse’s station.

“Thanks!” Izuku handed over the chart he was holding and made his way to the patient. Izuku rapped his knuckles against the exam room door.

“Kei-chan, it’s Midoriya-sensei.”

“Come in,”

Izuku opened the door to reveal a young woman perched on the exam table typing furiously into a laptop. Large bat wings protruded from her back and down her arms with a matching set of ears atop of her head. Her eyes were beady and black and the points of her fangs peeked out over the bottom of her lip. 

“Good evening Kei-chan. How are you feeling?”

“Like I’m on top of the world,” the patient gave an unnaturally wide smile, the cold light of the exam room reflecting off of her pearly fangs. She barely pausing her typing to answer.

“Well anyone would be happy at the news that they’re getting off the transplant list,” Izuku agreed.

“Hmm. Everything is wonderful now.”

“Would you mind stopping typing, and putting that away for now?”

“I’m sorry I can’t. It is very important that I finish this article. I’m inspired.” Kei spoke rapidly.

“I’m glad to hear that, but I need to do your pre-op workup.”

“Oh that reminds me, here I bought this for you.” Kei handed Izuku a gaudy looking gold chain.

“What is this? You know I can’t accept gifts from patients.”

“It’s real gold. They were running a sale and I just knew I needed to have them.”

“Them?”

“Mhm. I bought two cases.”

“Of gold chains? Kei-chan, can you afford that on your salary from the magazine?”

“It’s fine, I have credit cards. I also bought a new blender and a Gucci purse, but you can’t have those.”

“Right. Do you often go on large spending sprees?”

“Hm? When the mood hits. It’s fine. Now you were saying something about surgery?”

“Kei-chan, are you aware of how rapidly you’re speaking?”

“What are you talking about? I’m talking normally.”

“Right, well I’m going to bring in a coworker to help me with the pre-op evaluation. I’ll be right back.”

“Sure thing.” The click, clacking of the keyboard muted as Izuku shut the door behind him. Izuku pressed his back against the door and slid down, head in his hands.

“Shit, shit, shit.” Kei-chan had been his patient for well over a year, and the bubbly bat-girl had grown on Izuku. She was dying. Renal failure. Finding her a new kidney was nothing short of a miracle. She needed this kidney. But if Izuku was right about what he just witnessed she may never get one.

“Yo, Zuku-sensei, you ok there?” Izuku lifted his head from his hands and blinked up at Yoshida.

“Yeah sorry,”

“Here let me help you up.” Yoshida grabbed Izuku’s forearm and pulled him up off of the ground.

“Thanks.”

“By the way, that teacher of yours has started bringing us patients every now and then.”

“I don’t know whether I should be pleased that he’s getting people help here or annoyed that dodging him just became ten times harder.”

“Don’t worry, we won’t show him the video we took of him crying about how cute you are until after he figures out that you’ve been illegally working here. It can be your get out of jail free card. It’ll all be like, Zuku-kun used blackmail, it was super effective!”

“Gee thanks. How many times do I need to repeat that blackmail isn’t a good look for a hero student?”

“Once more as always.”

“Hey, I need to talk to Sakuma-sensei. You know where she is?”

“She’s in the waiting room.”

“The waiting room?”

“Our favorite munchausen’s patient is back.”

“Hiroshi-san? What is it this time?”

“‘Crohn’s Disease.’” Yoshida curled her fingers into air quotes. 

“Since Sakuma’s talking to him I assume he’s already been looked at?”

“Yup. He had some mild indigestion and heartburn from eating Indian food for dinner.”

“Yeah that tracks. Anyways thanks.”

“No problem. See you in a bit for the transplant surgery.” Izuku winced. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“I don’t need a shrink. I’m telling you, re-run your tests. I’m certain it’s Crohn’s.”

“Like it was Marburg’s last time and botulism before that?” Sakuma sighed.

“I’m sick.”

“Yes, you are.”

“You believe me.”

“I believe you’re sick. But it’s not Crohn’s.”

“I’m not a head case.”

“Mental health disorders are illnesses of the brain, just like how heart disease is an illness of the heart.”

“You think I have heart disease.” 

“No, I think you have Munchausen syndrome.” 

“That sounds really bad. Will I live?”

“With the proper treatment you should be fine. Shall we schedule you for a treatment session next week?”

“Is it all right to leave it that long?”

“You should be fine until then. Why don’t you talk to Matsumura-san here at the desk. He’ll get you all scheduled up.”

“You betcha deary. Now what time is best for you morning or evening,” Sakamata carefully extracted herself as Matsumura took over the interaction. 

“Nice job handling that,” Izuku whispered as she approached.

“Well I have been doing this for almost a decade. What’s up.”

“I need a psych eval on my transplant patient.”

“Shit, really?”

“Yeah,” Izuku sighed heavily, “really.”

“Alright, take Shinso. He’s at the Nurse’s desk.”

“Not you?”

“I have the Trigger addiction support group in ten and need to set up.”

“Right, ok.”

“And Izuku, good luck.”

“Thank’s you too.” Izuku gave Sakamata a wan smile and headed back into the ER. 

“Shinso-kun!” Izuku waved at the purple haired boy.

“What.” Shinso responded shortly. 

“I have a patient in exam room three who needs a psych eval. You have a moment?”

“Fine.”

“Thanks! Her name is  Jinmei Kei-san, and she’s here for a kidney transplant. However during her pre-op I noticed that she was displaying signs of mania.”

“She’s bipolar?”

“Not that I was aware of. But if she is, and depending on the severity, we may not be able to give her the kidney.”

“Yeah, lithium will burn out a new kidney in no time flat. And most alternative treatment options are just as bad. There are some meds we could try which are filtered through the liver instead, but…”

“Not to mention that the transplant committee tends to recommend against giving organs to patients with mental illness.”

“Which is total bullshit.”

“It totally is,” Izuku agreed, “but I can kind of see where they’re coming from. Don’t get me wrong, they shouldn’t be discriminating against potential organ recipients for chronic mental health conditions which can be treated like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, but given how few organs we get I can see why they would prioritize patients who are stable. And don’t even get me started on addiction…”

“Were do we even get organs anyways? It’s not like we can use the national registry.”

“A couple of places. Some of our patients donate. For kidneys we can do a paired kidney exchange where an incompatible donor-recipient pair exchange kidneys with a second pair. When we can we harvest organs from cadavers, which is where this kidney came from, and we also have some contacts working in morgues across the city who illegally sell us organs.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“We’re careful though! The organs of quirkless people are preferred for transplants because, outside of specific issues surrounding recipients with certain mutation quirks, it eliminates the potential rejection of the donor’s quirk factor. This has led to a large underground ring of organ traders who hunt quirkless people. We won’t participate in the trade of quirkless organs in any capacity, it puts our patients at risk on multiple levels and is just morally reprehensible.” 

“Yeah, that’s a hard no from me. Didn’t expect a goody-two-shoes hero student to be complicit in illegal organ trading.”

“We do get some organs through legal donations!”

“Fine mostly-illegal organ trading.”

“Oh my god, you get it!” Izuku’s eyes were shining. Shinso had to look away. It was way too late to deal with that much sunshine. 

“Get what?”

“Never mind. Anyways you should talk to Kei-chan.”

“I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Great, follow me!” Shinso quietly trailed after the green boy until they reached the patient’s room.

“Kei-chan?” Izuku called through the door, “It’s Midoriya-sensei. I also have Shinso-san, one of our new residents with me. Can we come in?”

“Sure,” a cheery voice replied, muffled through the closed door, “the more the merrier.” Izuku opened the door. 

“Hi Jinmei-san, I’m Shinso Hitoshi and if it’s alright with you, I’d like to give you a pre-op questionnaire. It would be a valuable learning experience for me.”

“Call me Kei, none of that formal stuff. And sure, I’m always happy to talk to the residents. The more doctors the better right? Hey maybe I could do like a recruitment add, but all sneaky like, in the magazine. Then you could have lots of doctors and treat lots more people, and then…”

“That’s an interesting idea to talk about later,” Hitoshi interrupted the rushed rambling gently, “for now let’s get you all squared away.”

“Right, gotta get that new kidney.” Luckily the patient didn’t see Izuku’s wince. 

“Right, now when is the last time you’ve slept?” 

“Hm, two? No three, wait make that four nights.” Kei answered rapidly, “It’s fine though, I’m not tired. I had this great idea for the next issue of my magazine and was so excited I couldn’t sleep.”

“Magazine?”

“Mhm. I’m the Editor in Chief of BEAuty and STyle Magazine.”

“You mean BEAST? The fashion magazine for people with mutation quirks?”

“That’s the one,” Kei gave a Cheshire smile, “because all bodies are beautiful. Don’tcha think?”

“It’s a good magazine,” Shinso agreed, “I’m not big into fashion myself but I’ve heard great things.”

“Aw sweetie. Don’t worry we can get you fixed up in no time. Ask Midoriya-sensei, I just got him the most glam gold chain.”

“I told you Kei-chan,” Midoriya sighed, “I can’t accept gifts from patients. It’s against the rules.”

“And I told you it’s fine. I bought a whole case, remember?” 

“Do you often find yourself going on spending sprees?” Shinso interrupted. 

“I mean sure when the mood hits.”

“Can you give me an example?”

“A few months ago I saw this great convertible car in the mall. You know how they drive the cars into the middle of the mall and rope them off? Well anyways, it was pink. I just needed to have it and it was mine an hour later.”

“And you could afford that?” Kei hesitated.

“It was fine. That’s what credit cards are for, right? I managed to scrounge up the money after the fact.”

“Ok. And how would you describe your mood when you go on your spending sprees?”

“Great!”

“And after?”

“Depends,” Kei-shrugged, unwilling to give a deeper answer. 

“In the past, have you ever had a period where you felt not just good, but better than good?”

“Oh yeah sure, I mean I’m feeling pretty amazing right now. New kidney and everything.”

“And before now?”

“It’s been known to happen. I’m a bright and bubbly kind of personality.”

“And does this increased mood and energy go on not for hours or an evening, but for days and days at a time?” Kei’s eyes narrowed.

“Wait, what kind of screening did you say this was?”

“It’s a standard psych eval we give to all of our pre-op patients.”

“I’m not crazy.”

“I never said you were.”

“It’s under control ok?”

“You already knew,” Izuku’s eyes were wide.

“About my bipolar disorder? No duh. But it’s not the kind of thing I like to talk about. Like I said it’s under control.”

“Kei-chan, you should have told me.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Actually, it does.” Shinso interrupted, “Are you on medication?”

“Not since the kidney failure started.”

“And before that?”

“Lithium, 600mg.”

“Once a day?”

“Twice.”

“It caused your kidney’s to fail,” Izuku realized with growing horror. 

“Once I realized, I got off them.”

“You didn’t get the meds here.” Shinso noted.

“I was diagnosed at a regular clinic. They were shit to people with mutation quirks, so I decided not to go back.”

“You could have gotten psychiatric care here,” Izuku protested, “we would have helped you.”

“The meds were killing me. My life wasn’t bad or anything off them. I like my manic states, they make me feel smart and vivacious and alive. ”

“And you’re depressive episodes?”

“I mean yeah, sure they can be pretty sucky. But I’d rather be depressed than take the meds. They made me boring, dull. Sucked the life out of me, given the kidney failure somewhat literally. Why would I go back on them?”

“You were probably on the wrong dosage, and there are also other meds we can try.”

“No thanks. Like I said, I like the way I am.”

“Kei-chan, Bipolar disorder is a really tricky condition. While you might feel ok right now you never know when you’ll have a mood swing or other severe symptoms. Hallucinations, suicidal ideology, etcetera.”

“I’m fine,”

Denial, Izuku frowned. Not unexpected, but never ideal. 

“How bad is your credit card debt?” Shinso interrupted. 

“I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Well I do. How bad is it?”

“Not the greatest,” Kei admitted. 

“And how’s it going at work?” Kei heaved a sigh. 

“I mean, I’m the boss so it’s all fine.”

“Is it really?”

“I may have missed a few deadlines recently, but it’s no big deal, happens to writers all the time.”

“Kei-chan, but wouldn’t your life be so much better if you could get this under control?”

“No it wouldn’t. Because, oh, getting it under control is what caused my fucking kidneys to fail, don’t want to forget that.” Kei spat. 

“God forbid,” Shinso muttered, “Jinmei-san, can I give it to you straight?”

“Wow a shrink actually being direct? Sure, knock my socks off.”

“Jinmei-san, if we don’t get this under control you will absolutely be ineligible for your kidney transplant.”

“I’m sorry, what? Who the fuck gives you the power to take that away from me.” 

Anger.

“The organ transplant board. Untreated and serious mental illness is grounds for disqualification.”

“So you’re telling me,” oh she was pissed now, “that the only way for me to get a kidney is to participate in the very behavior that shot my first one?”

“There are other meds we can try-,”

“Fuck that,” Kei snorted, “you can take your shitty meds and shove them up your fucking-,”

“Kei-chan,” Izuku interrupted, “I know this sucks. I really do, but that’s the situation. It’s out of our hands. Remember, I’m here to be on your side. Always. If I could change it I would, but you’re going to find yourself in the same situation no matter where you go. If we can get you on a better treatment plan, one that doesn’t make you hazy or hurt your kidneys, then we have a really good shot at saving your life, and in the interim we can keep you on dialysis.”

“Midoriya-sensei, people like and know you. Cant you talk to the transplant committee on my behalf and get them to make an exception or something? It’s not like being bipolar makes me dangerous or anything, and it won’t kill me. I swear they won’t regret it! So please? As my friend?”

Bargaining. 

“Kei-chan, I’m not saying I won’t talk to the committee, in fact I have to now even if you hadn’t asked, but I think it’s highly unlikely that they’ll grant you some kind of exception. It’s incredibly difficult even for people who have serious mental illnesses under control to get approval. The reality is, unless you’re on medication, your bipolar disorder predisposes you to engage in risky behaviors which would adversely effect the success of your transplant. Furthermore, if you get hit with a really bad depressive disorder, being bipolar really could kill you. I know you don’t see it right now, and I’m so sorry that I didn’t see this sooner and wasn’t able to help you earlier, but I can promise that I am doing everything in my power to help you right now.”

“This sucks,” tears formed at the corners of her eyes, “why does this shit always happen to me? What’s the point anyways. My life has always sucked. I don’t know why I thought it would be any different this time.”

Depression.

“I know things seem really bleak right now,” Shinso sighed, “even if you decide not to go on medication I would recommend scheduling some appointments with our in-house therapist to help you process.”

“Maybe.”

It’s not acceptance, Izuku sighed internally, it would take much longer for Kei to get there than one conversation. But it’s something. 

“For now, don’t leave yet. At the very least you need another round of dialysis tonight.”

“Fine.”

“Alright, we’re going to write up our recommendations for the committee now. One of the nurses will be in to start your session shortly.

“Whatever.” Izuku gave a short bow and exited the room with Shinso in tow. 

“Midoriya. Are you ok?” Shinso asked as soon as the door clicked shut.

“I’m fine.”

“And I’m an armadillo. I’m a psychiatrist, remember? You can’t fool me.” 

“I’m really fine. It’s just…sometimes this job really sucks.” Izuku hastily rubbed his eyes in the vain hope that Shinso wouldn’t notice the tears forming there. 

“Yeah. Sometimes it really does. Look, I don’t want to overstep my bounds, especially since I’m generally not the nicest to you, but if you need someone to talk to…”

“Thanks,” Izuku gave a watery laugh.

“Well I am training to be a psychiatrist. Plus its not like I actually hate you or anything, I just find you naive and annoying.”

“You find the kid who works nights as an underground surgeon in the shadiest part of town naive?” Izuku raised an eyebrow.

“Look, I didn’t know you worked here until today ok? And even so, you’re this preppy, popular kid, with a perfectly strong and heroic quirk who hasn’t had to struggle for anything in their life. I don’t need your misguided paternalistic attempts at friendship. Or your pity.”

Izuku couldn’t help but double over in laughter.

“You think this is a joke?!” 

“It..heh..its not that. Oh wow,” Izuku wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, “I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone who has been so confidently wrong in my life.”

“Excuse me?”

“Shinso-kun. I didn’t get my quirk until six months ago.”

An uncomfortable silence settled over the hallway.  

“What?” Shinso finally asked after a few minutes.

“You heard me. Until six months ago, I, and the rest of the world, thought I was quirkless. And to be honest, in some sense I still am. I may have a quirk now, but quirklessness is as much an identity formed around the shared social trauma of being quirkless in an ableist society as it is about the physical states of not having a quirk. Those experiences, that core which forms my identity, doesn’t go away just because I can suddenly knock down a building with one punch.” 

“I…”

“It’s ok, you don’t need to say anything. I’m not angry. In fact I’ve been pretty much determined to drag you kicking and screaming into friendship since the sports festival. But maybe you should think about your own prejudices a little bit.”

And Izuku walked away.

————————————————-

“Alright, I’ll call up Sotomoro-san to see if he can come tonight for the kidney.”

“Great, thanks Matsumura. At least someone will be getting a kidney tonight.”

“You holding up ok, hun?”

“Yeah. It’s just tough to have to give patients bad news, especially the ones you’re close to. I mean I try not to get close to any of my patients, but you just cant help but liking some of them.”

“Of course. You’re a surgeon, not an emotionless robot. It’s completely natural to have your favorite patients, I definitely do,” Matsumura shot an exaggerated wink at a well built young man with a rugged beard waiting nearby. 

“Those poor patients,” Izuku joked dryly.

“Le gasp! I will have you know that it is an honor to have my favor.” 

“Well it certainly makes life more convenient. Thanks for helping with my paperwork earlier,” Takahashi came up from behind and handed Matsumura a coffee.

“No problem hun, lord knows how long it would take you to do it on your own. Better to help you and have it for when I need it.”

“I mean they’re not wrong,” Izuku grinned cheekily, “don’t think I don’t know that you keep a horde of unfinished paperwork stashed in your car in the vain hope that everyone will forget about it before you have to finish.”

“Izuku! There are things which are sacred between a mentor and mentee!”

“Not anymore!” Izuku bolted.

“You traitor! Get back here!”

“Catch me if you can, I’m a hero now you know!”

“No running in the clinic!”

Chapter Text

Aizawa let out a tired yawn, the blue light of his laptop reflecting off of his thickly rimmed glasses.

“You know, if any of your students saw you wearing those they’d probably faint.” Yamada handed his husband a mug of something which could perhaps be called tea if it wasn’t mostly sugar. 

“Hm. Now there’s an idea.”

“You’re such a troll,” Yamada rolled his eyes fondly, “what are you watching so intently at this hour anyways?”

“Footage from the preliminary licensing exam. Or at least I was until this fat-ass decided to sleep on my keyboard.” Aizawa gestured to the rather rotund feline which he had pushed onto his lap. 

“You love her.”

“I tolerate her.”

“You are the only reason we have cats and you know it. If it were up to me we would have dogs.”

“Not with our schedules we wouldn’t.”

“Like I said, if it was up to me. Anyways, anything interesting on the footage?”

“It’s weird,” Aizawa grumbled taking a long sip of his tea, “remember how I told you that the problem child spent his exam in the medical tent despite having a perfect quirk for rescue work and no medical training?”

“Midoriya? Yeah, what about it?”

“He’s good. Like really good.” Aizawa turned the laptop to show Zashi the currently playing footage of Izuku treating a compound fracture.  

“Huh. He’s clearly been trained.”

“No shit. But I should have known about it if he had been. I mean he did tell me he had an anatomy phase as a kid but this is…”

“Well the kid clearly has a gift. Maybe try talking to Chiyo-sensei about it? She might know how you can support him better.”

“Was already planning on it.”

“Well great minds do think alike.” Yamada pressed a kiss to his husband’s forehead, “now I think that’s enough stressing about your students for the night. Despite what you may believe, you do actually need sleep.”

“Sleep is for the weak.”

“Yeah, nope.” Yamada scooped his husband up in his arms, “Don’t pretend that you don’t lecture your students about sleeping more.”

“Do as I say not as I do.”

“Do as I say,” Yamada corrected. Aizawa let out a few discontented grumbles before giving up and going limp in his husband’s arms.

——————————————————————————————————————————

“Chiyo-sensei?” Izuku poked his head into the infirmary, the morning sun glowing faintly against his frizzy hair.

“Oh, there you are deary!” Recovery Girl called out, “if you’ve got some time, there are a few patients who could use some help. Bit of a nasty training accident this morning.”

“Um, is that allowed?”

“Oh dear me, I really must be getting old these days. Here,” Recovery Girl pressed a thick envelope into Izuku’s hands.

“Do you mean?”

“Congrats sonny, you passed. Now you can look over your scores later. Right now there are patients waiting for my apprentice to help them.”

“Right!” Izuku grinned widely. 

“As I mentioned, there was a bit of a training accident. I used my quirk on those with major injuries, but left those with more minor wounds should heal naturally. Don’t want anyone falling asleep during class now do we,” Recovery Girl winked.

“Or becoming over-reliant on your quirk,” Izuku added. 

“Of course,” Recovery Girl agreed primly, “There’s one patient left with a more serious issue, my quirk can only accelerate natural healing after all. You’ll understand once you meet him. Can I leave him to you? The case may be surgical.”

“I’m going to legally be allowed to conduct a surgery? At UA?” Izuku’s voice took on a dreamy tone.

“Easy there, sonny. I said may,” Recovery Girl chuckled, “now here we are. Midoriya meet Togata from class 3A. Togata meet Midoriya from class 1A and my apprentice.”

“Apprentice?” Togata’s eyebrows shot up comically. 

“It’s nice to meet you Togata-sempai,” Izuku reached out his hand, “now what seem’s to be the problem today?”

“Oh er, well,” Togata flushed red, “I guess I should start with my quirk, permeation, which allows me to become incorporeal.” 

“That. Is. So. Cool!” Izuku gushed, “Do you just vibrate really fast, or are you like a ghost? Does the material you’re passing through matter? Do you need to hold your breath?”

“Ehem,” Recovery Girl cleared her throat. Izuku blushed.

“Apologies, I’m a bit of a quirk nerd. You were saying?”

“Right, so I was training the defensive aspects of my quirk this morning,” Togata continued, “one of my friends chucked golf balls at me while I ran an obstacle course, my goal was to become incorporeal in time to let them pass through me.”

“Right, and there was a training accident?”

“Actually that wasn’t me. There was a small explosion near some of my classmates. The problem is that the noise startled me and I lost control of my quirk just as the golfball was passing through me. It’s stuck now.” 

“By stuck you mean…?”

“Yup. I currently have a golfball lodged somewhere in my torso. I was a little distracted so I’m not sure where exactly.”

“This may be an ignorant question, but couldn’t you just turn incorporeal again? Wouldn’t it finish passing right through you?”

“I wish. Unfortunately my quirk doesn’t work that way. Once something is in me, my quirk considers it a part of me. Otherwise I’d lose my stomach contents every time I used by quirk. So if I use my quirk again the golf-ball will also become incorporeal.”

“I figured it would be something like that,” Izuku sighed, “Ok so I’m going to be frank with you. We wont know what we’re dealing with until we run some diagnostic tests. If we’re lucky it’s in your stomach or intestines, meaning there’s a chance you’ll be able to pass it naturally without the need for surgical intervention. Worst case scenario it’s somewhere sensitive, possibly near your heart or lungs. Though I doubt it’s in your lungs given how easily you’re breathing right now.”

“Yeah that makes sense,” Togata grimaced, “what kind of tests are we talking about?”

“The easiest option would be a fully body CT. We may need to do further tests depending on where the golfball is located. Does that work for you?”

“I mean, yeah, I would like to get this thing out of me.”

“Great. No time like the present. The whole test should take about half an hour.”

“I’ll let your teachers know that you will be absent from your morning classes.”

“Thanks,” Izuku and Togata chimed at the same time before blinking at each other in surprise.

“Both of your teachers,” Recovery Girl chuckled, “now off with you.”

“Yes ma’am!” Izuku saluted. 

——————————————————————————————————————————

“So good news, it’s not in your heart.”

“Oh good, I was hoping to avoid any heart attacks in the near future.”

“It’s actually in your left kidney. I would almost assume it was a kidney stone if I didn’t know better.”

“So is that good?”

“It’s going to require  open surgery to remove it, but the procedure has minimal risk. That being said it has a fairly long recovery period. Normally you’d need to stay in the hospital for about a week post-operation.”

“A week?!”

“I said normally. Luckily for you we happen to go to the school which employs Recovery Girl. Her quirk will probably reduce the hospitalization period by at least half.”

“That’s somewhat better at least.”

“We’ll be able to do the surgery right away. I just need to go over this consent form with you.”

“Will someone let my parents know? And Sir?”

“Recovery Girl has left messages for everyone on your emergency contact list already. I assume they are all on it?”

“Yes.” Mirio’s head flopped back down onto his pillow. 

“Great. Then, assuming you consent, we’ll be able to begin once Recovery girl returns to supervise.”

“Wait, supervise? She isn’t going to preform the surgery.”

“She’ll be scrubbed in, but the lead surgeon would be me. But let me assure you, Recovery Girl would never let me operate on a student if she didn’t have full confidence that I knew what I was doing. And just between you and me? This isn’t my first rodeo.”

“Um, what?”

“Don’t worry about it. Like I said, Recovery Girl will be there every step of the way and will take over if she feels she needs to.”

“Will she need to?”

“Hell no,” Izuku snorted.

“Well alright then,” Mirio gave a strangled smile, “you wouldn’t happen to have anything for nerves would you?”

“When Recovery Girl comes back I can give you a mix of Versed and Tylenol, street name Giggle Juice. Should loosen you up.”

“Giggle Juice?”

“It’s commonly prescribed to relax children who need to be prepped for surgery. Versed sounds scary to a five year old, but Giggle Juice? Well that sounds fun.”

“It sounds like something from a pre-quirk era comic.”

“I mean it’s been around since pre-quirk era medicine so…”

“And this stuff really works?”

“Like a charm. In rare cases, for instance if the child has a clinical anxiety disorder, we may use a little nitrous oxide too but generally the Versed works pretty quick. Plus the grape flavored liquid Tylenol makes it go down easy.”

“You know, one of my friends has a quirk that lets them manifest what they’ve eaten. I wonder… wait, why do you look like that?” Togata stopped noticing a manic gleam in Izuku’s eyes.

“So. Cool,” Izuku breathed in awe. If asked in that moment, Togata would have sworn that stars were shooting out of the young doctor’s eyes, “Does it only work on single ingredients or can he become a waffle? Does he fully become what he eats, or does he just change a part of his body? Can he control what parts then? What would happen if he accidentally ate a person? Like could he transform into that person? Though maybe not, cannibalism is generally frowned upon.”

“Right, quirk nerd.” Togata sighed, but Izuku was no longer listening. Instead he was pacing, muttering rapidly under his breath.

“I wonder how long it lasts? Like if he could turn his arm into medicine and then we harvested it would it disappear? Or is that still cannibalism?” 

“I can introduce the two of you later but you can’t do this,” Togata gestured at Izuku’s frantic movements, “he’s shy. Also don’t eat my friend.” That stopped Izuku in his tracks.

“Why would I want to eat your friend?” 

“Nevermind,” Togata gave up, “ do you know when Recovery Girl is coming back?”

—————————————————————————————————————-

“Recovery Girl?” Aizawa raised a brow as the nursed entered his homeroom.

“Aizawa. Do you have a few minutes for a word in the hallway?” Aizawa sent a suspicious glare to the motley crew of students beginning to assemble in his classroom. 

“I am stepping out for a moment. I expect you lot to behave. That means no sticking Mineta to the ceiling,”

Uraraka whistled innocently. Aizawa narrowed his eyes before turning his attention to Kaminari, 

“No sticking your appendages into electric sockets. No coating people’s chairs or personal belongings in acid, or double sided tape, or mucous. And kami help me but if even one of you ends up going out the window…” Aizawa trailed of threateningly. 

“Yes sensei,” the class collectively gulped. 

“Just sit quietly and work on an assignment or something until I get back. No shenanigans, you got that. And for the love of all that is holy do not let the problem-child get himself into any trouble when he shows up.”

“You can count on us sensei,” Iida responded primly.

“Don’t think I don’t know about the chair racing in the hallways last week.” And with that Aizawa flounced past his student’s ashen faces and into the hallway.

“Shouta, you do realize that they technically have their provisional licenses now?” Recovery Girl raised a brow.

“Chiyo-sensei, if you had seen the things I have seen,” Aizawa muttered rubbing between his brow, “they’re little demons. All of them. Don’t get me started on the pasta in the washing machine incident. They can’t be left unsupervised for even a minute.”

“Poor Shouta-kun,” Recovery Girl chuckled, “finally getting a taste of your own medicine? I seem to recall you and your friends being quite a handful as well.”

“That was entirely Hizashi and Oboro’s fault.”

“Funny. I seem to recall that you were the one who snuck in a box of kittens only for them to escape and chase after Nedzu all day.”

“They needed my help. As a hero I couldn’t leave a bunch of abandoned and starving kittens to die. Plus, I’m still not convinced that Nedzu didn’t spring them from their cage himself because he was bored.”

“Hah, you may be right there sonny,” Recovery Girl tilted back her head and let out a barking laugh, “but you were no angel and you know it. I’m sure all of your prior teachers would relish in watching you suffer at the hands of 1-A.”

“Probably,” Aizawa admitted, “now what is it you needed?”

“Ah. So we should probably have a longer conversation about this later but I’m borrowing Midoriya for the morning.”

“How did he get hurt this time?” Aizawa sighed.

“While that is a fair assumption, he’s completely fine. I just need an extra set of hands in the infirmary this morning. There was a large-scale training accident and one quirk can only do so much.” There was a brief pause.

“You saw his licensing exam footage. I was actually going to talk to you about this.”

“Actually I didn’t though I would love to if you’d be willing to send it my way since from what you’re saying it seems like I should. I’ve been teaching Midoriya. Ever since he came to me to request medical supplies for his hero costume.” 

“And I didn’t know about this because?”

“We can talk more about that later. I need to get back to the infirmary. The point is, he’s going to be tied up until lunch.”

“Right,” Aizawa sighed tiredly, “just. Come find me at lunch or afterschool or something. I will not be letting this go.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to. Now go on, I think I smell something burning coming from your classroom.

“Bakugo!”

———————————————————————————————————————

“I’ve pulled a lot of weird things out of people’s bodies, but this is a new one.” Izuku dropped the bloodied golf ball into a petri dish.

“New, but not the weirdest. Remember I was there for the melted candle sonny.” 

“That barely even qualified as weird. I once had to remove a knitting needle from a man’s urethra. The weirdest part is it wasn’t even a sex thing. The man suspected that he had bladder stones but didn’t want to go to the hospital and face discrimination for his parasitic insect quirk. He saw online that someone in early pre-quirk history had used knitting needles to break up bladder stones and so he decided to try it.” 

“Guessing it didn’t work out for him?”

“Actually he was quite successful in doing damage to the stones. He just also damaged some other things along the way. It didn’t occur to him that Claude Martin, that’s the man who successfully did the procedure in 1782, was a trained surgeon. I mean I’m a trained surgeon and I certainly wouldn’t stick a knitting needle up my…”

“This seems like an appropriate time to remind you that I am in fact your teacher." 

“Right,” Izuku flushed, “anyways it look’s like you’re done with the sutures.”

“I can take him from here. You’re on cleanup. When you’re done head on off to class. I certainly don’t need Shouta on my tail for keeping you away from your hero training,”

“It’s already been three hours.”

“Exactly, so shoo.”

“Fine, fine. Should I come back after class?”

“Not today, I need to work out a schedule for you with Aizawa. He saw your licensing exam footage you know, and he has questions.”

“I should have figured they were recording. Not that knowing would have changed anything,” Izuku sighed, “what did you tell him?”

“That you’ve been studying with me. But there’s only so far I’m going to be able to stretch the truth. I haven’t seen the footage yet. Is there anything I should know?”

“Luckily I didn’t actually perform any procedures since the injuries were all fake. The most incriminating thing was probably the fact that I took charge, but you can chalk that up to something vague like ‘leadership potential’ or something like that.”

“Did you say anything? There’s audio.”

“Shit. Um…I don’t really remember? I may have mentioned that I have a few years of training? If anything try to keep him away from my fight with Gang Orca.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Sakamata and I go way back. Like to the clinic. Then he ghosted me for almost a decade. There were some emotions during that fight and I don’t know if I let anything slip.”

“I see,” Recovery Girl pursed her lips, “you are going to explain more later but for now, class. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing. Off with you.”

“Hai, hai,” Izuku gave a sarcastic wave, hand still clad in bloodied glove.

“I mean it Midoriya. You have ten minutes to be cleaned up and to have your butt in your desk chair or I wont protect you from Aizawa’s wrath.” Izuku jolted and rushed from the room. 

“I’m going, I’m going!” 

“Cheeky boy,” Recovery Girl smiled fondly at his back before turning back to Togata, “now, let’s see about waking you up deary.”

———————————————————————————————————————-

“Alright, you owe me an explanation.” Aizawa leveled a stern gaze at Recovery Girl.

“Calm down dear,” Recovery Girl rolled her eyes, “you’re acting like I committed some sort of crime here.”

“Did you?” Chiyo slowly raised a brow.

“Right. Sorry.” Aizawa muttered. 

“Now sit down. This will probably take a while. Where do you want to start?”

“You’ve been training Midoriya.”

“I have.”

“For how long?”

“Only a few months. Do you remember when he came to me to ask about a first aid kit?”

“Vaguely.”

“Midoriya was asking for things that I couldn’t in good consciousness just hand off to somebody untrained. Normally I just wouldn’t give those supplies out, but the dear made a strong argument for why all heroes should have those things, so I agreed to give him the necessary training.”

“That doesn’t explain nearly half of what I saw in the footage.”

“Again, I haven’t seen this footage, and you should show me, but let me finish.”

“Hai, hai.”

“Midoriya had a natural talent. He was incredibly good, The dear is sharp as a tack and already had a theoretical foundation that would put some med students to shame. All I had to do was help him put it into practice. Luckily since the provisional licensing exam is a simulation his theoretical knowledge and a few weeks training were more than sufficient. It would have been such a shame to let such a talent go untrained, you know how I feel about the lack of heroes with medical licenses, and so I also offered to take him on as an apprentice. He was more than enthusiastic. I figured he would inform you but it’s understandable that he hasn’t given everything he’s needed to focus on recently.”

Aizawa sat in silence for a minute. 

“You should have told me.”

“You’re right and I apologize for that, but in my defense I only found out he had passed the requisite exam for an apprenticeship this morning.”

“We need to work out a better schedule for him that doesn’t have him missing heroics.” 

“Of course. Today was an exception. There had been a large-scale training accident and I was frankly overwhelmed. You know that I’ve been petitioning the board for an assistant for years. Midoriya is the closest thing I have. I’ll have you know the boy performed admirably.”

“Fine,” Aizawa sighed tiredly, “we can work out a schedule. It’s not an illogical idea for him to have medical training given how often he breaks his bones.”

“You’re telling me,” Recovery Girl groaned, “anyways hand over the footage. I want to see how the dear handled himself.”

“Like a pro,” Aizawa let a small smile crack across his face. 

—————————————————————————————————————————

Izuku crouched in his desk chair, arms wrapped tightly around his legs. Sakamata’s letter sat innocently on the desk across from him. 

What was he going to do? He had rarely felt so confused about how he felt. And it wasn’t like he could talk to anyone else about…

Izuku’s eyes shot open, legs falling from the chair. There was someone he could talk to. Izuku grabbed his phone and dialed quickly, heart pounding.

Please pickup, please pickup, please pickup.

“Izuku?”

“Mom,” Izuku gasped, tears suddenly spilling from his eyes.

“Honey, what’s wrong? Do you need me to come get you?”

“No,” Izuku managed to get out, “I just…I,”

“It’s ok. We can talk once you’ve cried it out. I’m here baby.”

It took several minutes from that point for Izuku to calm down enough to speak.

“I’m sorry,”

“Oh, baby. Don’t be sorry about needing me. Not ever. I am your mom and it is my job to be there for you, even if that means sitting with you on the phone for fifteen minutes.”

“Thanks mom,” Izuku cracked a smile, knowing that his mom would hear it in his voice, even if she couldn’t see him, “I think I can talk now.”

“I’m listening.”

“Do you remember Sakamata-sempai?” There was a silence on the other end of the line.

“From the clinic?” And oh, Izuku’s mother sounded tense. 

“Yeah.”

“I remember. He goes by Gang Orca now, yes?”

“He does. And he was one of the test administrators in my hero licensing exam.”

“Oh, Izuku,”

“Wait. There’s more.” Izuku interrupted his mother, “he didn’t apologize. Not really. I think he knows how badly he hurt me. But he gave me this letter. He wrote that he still, hic, loved me. And that I had a right to know why he abandoned me if I wanted to call him, and, and…” and there were the tears again.

“How can I help baby.”

“I don’t, I don’t know what to do,” Izuku cried, “I mean, what am I supposed to do, hic, with that? He just waltzes into my life after how long and tell me I have some sort of choice?”

“And that’s ok. You don’t need to know what to do sweetie. This is really hard. To be honest, I doubt I will ever forgive that boy for what he did to you. But I am not you, and how I feel has no bearing on what is right for you. Would it help if we talked through pros and cons together?”

“Maybe,” Izuku agreed. 

“Alright. What are the pros of reaching out to Sakamata?”

“Answers. Maybe. Good or bad it’s still closure right?”

“Ok, anything else?”

“Um…this is going to sound silly.”

“Nothing you feel is silly.”

“It’s a professional development thing. Like what if I have to work with him in the future? I’m going to be a hero. We’ve already crossed paths because of it once. At least if I reach out there’s a chance we can reach some sort of working relationship, even if it’s a shitty one.” Inko tactfully chose not to comment on her son’s language. 

“Alright. And what are the cons?”

“I’ll have to face him. A large part of me never wants to see that man again.”

“Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“I mean why don’t you ever want to see him again?”

“I, I mean he hurt me?” Izuku winced, he hadn’t meant for that to come out as a question, “I just don’t want to. If I ignore it, it’s entirely possible all of this just goes away.”

“Alright, let me rephrase that question. Is the reason you don’t want to reach out because you don’t want to have a relationship with him in the future? Or is it because you are anxious about doing so and would just rather avoid it.”

“Oh.”

“Yes?”

“I have to call him don’t I?”

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“Yeah, but if I do nothing that means the anxiety wins doesn’t it? I promised myself I wasn’t going to let my anxiety control me anymore when I decided to become a doctor.”

“You did.” Izuku took a deep breath,

“Ok. I guess I’m going to call him. Thanks mom.”

“Of course, Izuku. I am always here when you need me. And even when you don’t. I’d love to hear from you more often. I’m sure there are plenty of exciting things happening at school and the clinic.”

“Sorry,” Izuku gave a wet laugh, “I’ll do my best to call more often.” 

“I love you Izuku.”

“I love you mom.” And the line went silent. 

Izuku closed his eyes. In two, three, four…hold two, three, four…out two, three, four…. And then  he punched the number he had unwittingly memorized into his phone.