Chapter Text
Izuku Midoriya. He dreamed of being a hero, to save everyone he could with a smile. Then, at age four, found out he was quirkless. This news spread quickly. All eyes were on him, all pitying the poor little quirkless boy. He would be bullied by others, names and punches and kicks being sent his way constantly.
Deku. A name given by his once childhood friend now number one bully. It meant useless. The name spread like wildfire.
Deku
Deku
Deku
This one, stupid nickname was all Izuku heard, and before he realized it, it had consumed his entire being. The nickname filled his brain twenty-four/seven. Stupid useless Deku. Stupid useless Deku. Stupid useless Deku.
Izuku would be constantly anxiety-filled. His hands yanking and gripping his unruly hair in order to release all the building up stress. Eyes darting around like a fly trapped in a room as he was expecting someone to do something to him.
Izuku's home was the only place he felt safe at. It was warm, comforting, and was occupied by the one and only person he loved, his mother.
Inko Midoriya. Her smile brighter than the sun. Hair soft and smelled of vanilla. She was a short, chubby lady, perfect for hugging. She was the only one who cared for Izuku. Inko would hug her son as soon as he got home, kissing his forehead and apologizing for his classmates' actions as she tended his wounds. She'd wrap him in his blanket as the two would dinner on the couch, watching hero films until they fell asleep in each other's arms.
But…Good things never last forever, right?
Izuku remembered the day clearly. It was the first Wednesday of November. Rain poured down like bullets. His umbrella was smashed by his classmates, leaving him forced to walk ( or limp) his way home in the rain. The sound of cars passing by, rain pitter-pattering of rain on himself, and insults replaying in his head was already scream inducing. He unconsciously made his way to his apartments but stopped in his tracks, wide eyed, when he saw the scene in front of him.
Many police cars parked around the apartment alongside an ambulance with a noticeably filled body bag nearby. A bag of groceries scattered across the road and a white car close behind. Red covered the street and the front of the car, it's headlights and windshield wipers still on, taunting Izuku. Lying close to his feet, laid a pair of keys. Keys that belonged to his house. His mother's keys specifically. Tears pricked the corners of his eyes, legs feeling like they'd give out as he walked to the nearest officer to explain himself. His fear was confirmed as the officer told him what happened.
His wonderful mother walked home after buying groceries to make Izuku's favorite food, katsudon. She went to cross the street when a car, driving above the speed limit, struck her. Her life was taken in an instant. The driver was a semi-known hero who had been high off quirk enhancing drugs. He felt as though his entire world crumbled into millions of pieces. Izuku couldn’t help the loud, agonizing wail that left his body as he cried into the officers arms.
Soon after the incident, he moved in with his grandparents, leaving the once warm apartment where his only good memories took place in. It wasn't the same though, nothing would be the same after what happened. His favorite food felt bland, watching hero films would leave him in disgust, and the love from his grandparents was virtually nonexistent. He didn't know what to do with himself, becoming basically a robot and let everything happen without even a care.
Everyday consisted of horrible things up until his last day of high school.
His grandparents gave him a feast to congratulate him finishing school. As soon as night set, he packed his backpack with clothes and food and ran away. He left a note on the kitchen table, “Thank you for everything, but I must go now, yours, Izuku”
He ran away from his home in hopes to gain a better life .
And, he did find a better life.
He was out for nearly a month, sleeping in alleys and park benches. Then one cold night, while sitting against the wall of a building, a man came up to him and bent down to his level.
"You okay? You look lost, kid."
The man looked to be around 5'9. His hair was a bit spikey like kachan's, mostly black but there was a bit of white near the roots of it. He wore a loose white shirt with a long black jacket over it. The man seemed like he had lots of tattoos covering his arm, neck, and a bit of his face, but on closer inspection, it was his scarred skin holding on by just piercings.
Izuku just stared at him attempting to scoot away from the strange.
"Don't look so scared, I'm not here to hurt you." The man raised his hands, to show his peace, " You look like you've been out here for a while… I know we're strangers right now, but I have somewhere you can get all clean and feed. You just have to trust me, kid."
Izuku gulped, nervously. Could he trust this man? He looked around behind the man, only to notice more people. He locked eyes with a girl, blond hair pulled into two messy buns. She smiled and waved at him, bouncing up and now excitedly. A man next to the girl did the same, his hair blond and a scar down the center of his forehead.
Maybe it was the friendliness of those people or the grumble in his stomach at the thought of being feed warm food, but Izuku decided, fuck it, im sure it's better than my situation right now. He nodded at the man in front of him and followed close behind as they led the way to this place. The whole time, they talked to him and joked around with him.
The place, or facility, was indeed warm and comforting in a weird way. All the lights were warm and there seemed to be lots of people already there along with lots of trash lying around.
Izuku was guided by the first man he met, or Dabi which he found out during the walk, to the bathroom. He was handed an old, but soft towel and some clothes. Dabi walked over to the bath, filling it with warm water and a bit of bubble bath solution. He made his way to Izuku, who was standing at the doorway to the bathroom. Dabi put a hand on Izuku's shoulder, "Take your time in here. Yell if you need me." Then left Izuku alone to clean himself.
Izuku shedded his dirty and blood stained clothes. When he walked to the bath, he caught a glance of himself in the mirror. Izuku didn't realize it, but he was so thin. He traced fingers over the ridges his ribs left on his skin. He noticed all his scars, his freckles, everything left on his body from the past 18 years of his life. He couldn't help but tear up. Izuku missed his mom so much.
After a bit of crying, Izuku finally sunk into the bath, his muscles no longer aching from him trying to make himself small.
He lied in the bath for a while, letting the warm water soak in. After almost forty minutes of just floating in the bath, he got out, drying off and putting on the clean clothes. As soon as he had left the bathroom, Dabi approached the green haired boy. He held a medical kit in hands. Dabi tended to Izuku's wounds and gave him warm rice and curry while explaining what this place was.
" This place is a facility for the league of villains. We don't like heroes. Our goal is to take down those powerful heroes. And if you plan to stay here, you'll be one of Izuku, a villain" Dabi looked at him, waiting for a nervous or disturbed look from the younger boy. He was only greeted with a smile.
Izuku whispered, “ I don't like heroes, so I think I’m fit to be here.”
Dabi grinned back.
For the first time in a while, Izuku felt happy and safe.