Work Text:
Izuku gently held the block of wood he had been shaping for weeks now. The activity soothing in his aching hands.
The half-formed figure of Uraraka in her hero suit looks up at him as he slides the knife down.
Even if he needed a bandaid or two, he chuckled.
He really enjoyed this, the silence of just him, a Hero theory podcast and the slow careful movements. He bobs his head as her boots take form, the details coming to life. He holds it up and smiles at the finished carving. He'll probably paint it when he's able to get some.
Humming he puts it into a box with other wood figures, eyes of All Might, Kacchan, Eraserhead, Eri and Shoto looking up at him as he opens it. The half of the box holds the imperfect ones, he never liked giving something that didn't look just right.
Izuku liked giving, it made him feel good to see smiles and the joy it brought others, to see his work take form.
Sliding the box back and he taps his chin as he takes stock of his tools and supplies “hm. Definitely need pink paint, gloss is almost out, maybe a bigger thing.” His mumbles carry on as he enters the kitchen.
Yeah, he liked giving and he's excited to finish the class of wood carvings.
Emerging from behind Izuku through the hallway leading to the kitchen, Ashido whistled to herself. She made a beeline for the coffee machine nestled on the counter and reached for a coffee stirrer. As she used the coffee stirrer to push back her cuticles, Ashido smirked in Izuku’s direction.
“What’cha doing?”
Izuku chuckled. “Did you just quote Phinneas and Ferb? That pre-quirk era show?”
“Who’s to say?” Ashido shrugged. Heading over toward the kitchen table, Ashido placed her elbows on the surface and her chin on her curled fists. “So what’s in that fancy box you were fussing with in your room? Oh! Let me guess.” She pressed her eyes together in deep thought. “All Might figurines!”
“Um…”
Well, Ashido wasn’t entirely off the mark.
Going pale with panic, Izuku wished he’d closed the door to his room while working on his wood carvings that day. Having a bit of a draft pass through his room had been refreshing though. Sure, his classmates finding out about his project early wouldn’t be the end of the world – but if he had a say in it. He wanted the gifts to be perfect first.
He had to show Kacchan how much he appreciated the sparring matches that pushed both of them further as aspiring heroes. And let Ochako know what it meant that she’d turned his childhood nickname into something that symbolizes hope. He wanted Eri’s wood figurine to capture that day when she’d finally smiled again.
Ashido grinned to herself. “Woah! I’m great at this whole guessing dealio.”
“Well, there’s only one All Might figurine in there.” Izuku laughed awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head.
With Ashido's inquisitive dark sclera lingering on him, Izuku evaded her gaze and instead focused on fishing his phone out of his wallet. Scrolling through the craft supply website, Izuku frowned to himself.
“Aww, looks like the site is out of the shade of paint.” He looked toward Ashido. “You don’t happen to have pink paint, do you?”
“You’re not just asking me that because I’m pink, are you?”
“No. Of course not. I would never be one to assume –”
“Chillax. I’m just pulling your leg,” Mina snorted. “But yeah I don’t have any paint. Arts and crafts aren’t really my self-care go-to.”
Izuku let out the breath he’d been holding onto for dear life. Thank goodness he hadn’t inadvertently offended his classmate.
“No worries,” Izuku said.
“But you know who could get you some?” Mina winked. “Our resident human 3D printer!”
“I wouldn’t want to cause any trouble for Yaoyorozu though.”
“Oh please, she’d be happy to help.”
“If you say so.”
Mulling over the idea of reaching out to Yaoyorozu, Izuku approached the refrigerator. He was a little parched after being too laser-focused on the task at hand he had forgotten to hydrate. Just as Izuku reached for the handle, Uraraka’s cheery voice echoed through the kitchen.
“Hey, Deku!” She raised a brow. “Are those wood shavings stuck in your hair?”
Izuku jumped, his hand falling away from the handle as he spun around to face his other classmate. “Oh, hey, Uraraka.”
Then her question registered. Not another one… how many people are going to almost find out today?
Attempting to maintain an air of normalcy, he ran a hand through his curls, trying unsuccessfully to dislodge any stray shavings. “Yeah, I might’ve, uhh…” he trailed off.
Mistaking his panic for embarrassment, Uraraka smiled at him. “It’s fine, you don’t have to tell me what happened,” she reassured him.
Relief washed over Izuku, and he released a small breath. Thank goodness.
“Do you-”
His attention snapped back to Uraraka. She hesitated. “Do you want me to help get the wood out of your hair?”
He nodded sheepishly. “Sure. Thanks.”
Opening the refrigerator door, Izuku finally grabbed the ice water he’d come for before following his friend to the living room floor. As she took a comb and brushed out his curls, tiny bits of wood fell in a shower to the floor. I didn’t realize there was that much, Izuku thought. I must’ve looked like I got in a fight with a woodchuck.
Quiet footsteps signaling the arrival of yet another classmate made them both glance up toward the entrance, where Yaoyorozu stood. “Hello Uraraka, Midoriya,” she greeted them. “Midoriya, I heard from Ashido that you were in need of some supplies?”
Izuku hesitated. “Yeah, I was wondering if you could maybe make some pink paint?”
He did feel a bit bad to ask Yaoyorozu to use her quirk, she must be tired of it by now.
“Of course, it's not a problem.”
“Izuku..” Uraraka said with a pause. “Are you making something?”
Izuku panicked inside.
Uraraka must have mistaken that panic as confusion as she said “Well, you had a lot of wood in your hair.. and you asked for paint so..”
Izuku tried to come up with anything to say. The slight pause made Uraraka think she made him uncomfortable. “S-sorry if you don't want to answer you don't have to.”
This broke Izuku out of his thoughts. “No, no it's not that. I am making something, but its-s a…. surprise.” Those last words just came out without him thinking. Most likely the small part of him that was excited to finally show his class his work.
“If it is not a problem, could we ask what it is?” Yaoyorozu asked, sitting down next to them, and handing a small bottle of pink paint to Izuku.
Izuku, while taking the bottle and bowing his head, was trying to think of a way to not ruin the surprise.
He really didn't want to reveal it before he had a figure for everyone and they were perfect. It would feel unfair and someone could feel left out. But at the same time this was his friends, people he trusted and liked to spend time with.
He let out a breath that had been building in his chest for a few minutes now, and said “Well, it's kind of a surprise for everyone in the class. I would really appreciate it if you could maybe keep quiet about this for now? Sorry if i'm asking for a lot after i already asked for help from you with supplies and..”
“Izuku” Yaoyorozu voice snapped him out of his mind. He didn't even realize he had gotten quieter the longer he talked and was slowly sinking into himself.
“It's alright, you don't have to say sorry for asking me to use my quirk. I like helping my class.” Yaoyorozu said with a smile.
“Yeah, and don't worry we won't tell anyone.” Uraraka shipped into the conversation.
“You, you're not curious what it is I am making?” Izuku asked.
“Yeah, but it would be rude to ruin it, but if you want help don't be afraid to ask someone.” Uraraka said “I might not be able to make supplies but I have learnt how to distract mina.” The last part she said jokingly with a smile.
“Yeah, if you need anything or any supplies just ask,” Yaoyorozu added.
Izuku’s small panic turned into embarrassment, had he really been too afraid that his friends would not help him.
It took three weeks of careful carving and one cut thumb to finish them all. Gloss and paint carefully applied as he lets them dry.
Many times over those weeks he had help without needing to ask. And he would do the same for them he mused as he places each figure in front of their doors in bright boxes. He paused in front of the mostly unused room for Aizawa. He tucks it in his bag to leave it on his desk
As the morning comes he smiles brightly at the sudden explosion of happy exclamations and gasps. Momo,Mina and Uraraka all look at him and have a grin of their own.
A small plush rabbit is dropped into his hands. A gift of his own.