Chapter Text
It is the cruel way of the world that those who have everything are given more, and those who have nothing lose the little they do have. Izuku Midoriya learned this lesson at a young age.
When he was just four years old, his best friend gained the second coolest quirk Izuku had ever seen. A power quirk. A hero’s quirk. With that quirk came a dream that Katsuki Bakugou would be the next number one hero, greater than even All Might, and Izuku would follow as his faithful partner and number two.
When he was just four years old, that dream was ripped away from him. Sure, the doctor tried to offer alternatives, Mom tried to console him, but the painful truth remained: Izuku would never be a hero.
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Izuku and Katsuki were playing in the park, running around and pretending to be heroes. Katsuki was showing off his new quirk, making small explosions with his hands, while Izuku watched in awe.
"Isn't it cool, Zuku?" Katsuki said, grinning widely as he set off another small explosion.
Izuku nodded, his eyes wide. "It's amazing, Kacchan. You're going to be the best hero ever, I just know it."
Katsuki laughed. "Of course I will be, I've got the best quirk. What about you? When are you going to get a quirk and become a hero too?"
Izuku's smile faltered. "I...I don't know, Kacchan. I still haven't gotten a quirk yet."
Katsuki's expression turned mocking. "What, are you still quirkless? Useless, as always. You’re always such a Deku"
Izuku's heart sank. He knew Katsuki was just teasing, but the words still hurt. He wished he had a quirk too, so he could be a hero like Katsuki.
"I'll still become a hero, Kacchan," Izuku said, his voice firm. "I'll work hard and find a way to help people, even without a quirk."
Katsuki rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Deku. You'll never be a hero without a quirk. You'll always be useless."
Izuku looked down, trying to hide his tears. He knew Katsuki was right. He would never be able to be a hero without a quirk. But he didn't want to let Katsuki see him cry. He just had to wait for his quirk to come in, then everything would be fine.
Katsuki rolled his eyes again, clearly impatient with Izuku’s tears, “Look, are we gonna keep playing or what? Those stupid villains aren't gonna explode themselves.”
Izuku shook himself from his thoughts. “Yeah Kacchan! They better look out for All-Mighty Blast and The Mighty Defender!”
They kept playing heroes and villains until the sun started going down, and the sky was painted in shades of orange and pink. Izuku and Katsuki had been having so much fun that they had lost track of time, but the sound of Inko's voice calling out to them signaled that it was time to go home.
Reluctantly, the two boys packed up their make-believe gear and started walking home. Izuku's mind was still buzzing with excitement from their playtime, but he couldn't help feeling a little down. He knew that Katsuki was going to be a great hero one day, but he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to join him.
Katsuki, on the other hand, was already thinking about their next playtime. "We have to practice more, Deku," he said, his eyes shining with determination. "We need to get stronger and better, so we can take down the bad guys together!"
Izuku smiled at Katsuki's enthusiasm, feeling a surge of hope in his chest. Maybe, just maybe, he could become a hero too. He looked up at the sky, where the stars were starting to twinkle. Someday, he thought to himself, he would shine just as brightly as those stars.
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Inko looked at Izuku with concern as they sat in the waiting room of the quirk specialist doctor's office. Izuku was fidgeting with his hands, clearly nervous about what the doctor would say.
Finally, they were called in to the doctor's office. The doctor asked Izuku to perform several tests to see if he had any signs of a quirk, but each test came up negative.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Midoriya," the doctor said with sympathy. "Your son is quirkless."
Izuku's heart sank. He felt like his dreams of becoming a hero were slipping away from him. Tears filled his eyes as he turned to his mother.
"I can't be a hero without a quirk," he said, his voice choked with emotion.
Inko took her son's hand and squeezed it gently. "Izuku, being a hero isn't just about having a quirk. It's about helping people and standing up for what's right. You can still do that, even without a quirk."
Izuku wiped his tears and nodded. He knew his mother was right, but it still hurt to know that he would never have the power to fight villains like his hero, All Might.
As they left the doctor's office, Inko put her arm around Izuku's shoulder. "You're still my hero, Izuku," she said, smiling warmly at him. "No matter what."