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After a year of feeling utterly useless and miserable, Katsuki decided he had to do something about it—anything, whatever it took or cost.
He went to see All Might when he couldn't stand the look on Izuku's face anymore. Anytime they gathered around a meal, Izuku would ask about Katsuki's daily hero work with an excited tone, but his facial muscles were tense, and there was a hollowness in his eyes.
All Might listened to Katsuki vent, sporting a look of pity the entire time. When Katsuki asked why they couldn't just get Izuku an armor like the one he'd worn to fight AFO, All Might smiled sadly. He explained that it had cost him most of his fortune and that he didn't have nearly enough left to fund such an endeavor again. Katsuki, ready to pay anything, ruin himself if necessary, asked for the price. All Might answered in a gentle tone that did not soften the blow. Katsuki's face fell, and his hopes died almost instantly.
For the next few months, he was utterly miserable. When he visited Izuku, he felt the weight of his failure. Izuku would look at him with longing, wonder, and infinite sadness while Katsuki talked about hero work, trying to make it sound as mundane as possible.
Eventually, Katsuki reached a breaking point. He couldn't stand his conversations with Izuku or his meetings with All Might, where he vented his frustration, met only with pity or sympathy. These meet-ups reminded him of their old discussions centered on Izuku and OFA, making his absence all the more felt.
His frustration turned to agitation, and he could no longer bear to sit by and watch Izuku live without hope of achieving their dream. So, he went to Hatsume with an offer and a plea. She accepted his terms and demands excitedly and set to work. She sent Katsuki on all sorts of errands that took most of his free time outside of hero work. The tasks were tiring but rewarding, especially when Hatsume beamed at the new parts he brought, setting to work without even thanking him. These errands also kept him from seeing his friends, including Izuku, who sent invitations Katsuki had to decline with a heavy heart.
This continued for four months before Hatsume called him to her lab without a mission. She announced, gravely and sadly, that she couldn't do it—not with so few resources and funding. Katsuki offered to pay more, whatever she needed, willing to drain the funds he'd been saving for his agency. But she told him he still did not have nearly enough.
Katsuki spent the next couple of months sulking in his apartment and drowning in the usual hero work. His ratings fell significantly for the first time, his bad mood evident on the field.
He visited Izuku more often, with suddenly this much more on his empty hands. Izuku seemed to notice something was bothering him, but Katsuki avoided his questions, his heart sinking when he thought about how he'd let Izuku down without Izuku even knowing.
One day, All Might came to Katsuki's apartment. After taking one look at its pitiful state and not making a single comment, he sat next to Katsuki and said he'd thought long and hard about it. He promised to help Katsuki achieve his new dream, whatever it took. He told Katsuki that his U.S. contact, who had made his suit for the war, had agreed to work on the project if the necessary funding could be secured.
So, Katsuki started bleeding his bank account dry, for a fraction of what was required for the project to even lift off.
Katsuki was stressed and irritated, and it showed in his work again. He lashed out at innocent civilians for insignificant things, like standing a little too close. When Uraraka remarked on his behavior one day, he broke down and told her everything about his project. Sheshe accused him of keeping everything for himself, and told im she would help fund it, sparking a new idea in Katsuki's mind.
He went to Kirishima next, who also agreed to help. Then he approached Todoroki, Iida, Tsuyu, and the rest of their graduating class from UA. Not a single one declined, giving Katsuki renewed hope.
Hatsume, connected with All Might's American contacts through the man himself, assured Katsuki she would keep him updated on the project's progress.
Several months passed until Izuku graduated. When they met up to celebrate over an old All Might documentary, Izuku excitedly announced he'd been offered a spot to teach at UA, recommended by their old homeroom teacher, and he had accepted. It was the first time in three years that Izuku had looked genuinely excited, with no trace of regret or melancholy.
Katsuki himself smiled genuinely for the first time in what felt like an eternity. He couldn't imagine a better place for Izuku than teaching the future generation of young hopefuls, aside from the number one spot in the hero rankings.
Seeing Izuku so happy made Katsuki greedy for more. He wanted to forge a lasting smile on Izuku's face, so he became more invested in his side project, which Izuku still knew nothing about. It also lifted his mood enough that he began climbing the hero rankings again.
A bit over two years later, Katsuki was invited to the U.S. lab overseeing the project to inspect the first prototype they had developed. All Might accompanied him. Though the prototype consisted of only loose parts, it looked promising. Katsuki got to be one of their test dummies and tried it out.
Given his closeness to Izuku, the lab wanted his insights on the former OFA user's Quirks to mimic them accurately. All Might had asked them to recreate Izuku's Quirk as closely as possible, to truly give him back what he'd lost.
For perhaps the first time in his life, Katsuki initiated a hug. All Might, taken by surprise, took a moment to reciprocate the bone-crushing embrace.
Upon his return to Japan, Katsuki had a new mission: to get Izuku's measurements for his future suit to fit him perfectly.
Taking advantage of his rising popularity that led to the prediction that he would make the top five this year, and the upcoming ranking ceremony, Katsuki invited Izuku as his plus-one and suggested they should wear matching suits. Izuku was delighted by both offers and eagerly agreed.
Katsuki's parents were sent on their own top secret mission. When he told them what he'd been working on in secret for over five years, his father burst into tears and hugged him tightly. His mother gave him a soft smile brimming with a fondness that he’d never seen coming from her before. They promised not to tell Inko, who wouldn't be able to keep the secret.
Katsuki placed fourth in the poll, and Izuku beamed at him all night, proudly telling everyone about the exploits of his childhood friend and exclaiming different variations of “Kacchan sugoi!”.
The prototype was finally finished, and Katsuki returned to the States, this time with Hatsume, to do more testing and oversee the design process. They brought with them notes courtesy of his parents and old sketches Katsuki had inconspicuously managed to acquire from Izuku's sketchbooks.
With the prototype completed, all that remained was to create the suit of armor Izuku would actually wear.
Katsuki was given the final cost estimate and again sought funds from those willing to help make the dream of the greatest hero to ever live come true.
Katsuki's parents, now in on the project, contributed generously. A few of their former UA teachers also participated. All the former members of Classes A and B, along with Mirio, Nejire, and Tamaki, also chipped in with the best they could offer. Some Pro heroes and ex-Pros who recognized Izuku's efforts and sacrifices during the war, contributed as well, including Endeavor, Hawks, Gran Torino, and Best Jeanist. Katsuki's rising ranking and the raise in salary that came along with it allowed him to invest more into the project.
Through some miracle—and repeated, graphic, and entirely serious death threats—Katsuki managed to keep the entire project secret from Izuku and his mother.
The secrecy was initially intended to avoid raising Izuku's hopes in case of failure. Now, everything was kept secret because All Might had told Katsuki he wanted to be the one to announce the news to his former mentee. Katsuki couldn't refuse when he pictured the expression on Izuku's face when his favorite hero, and the most important person in his life told him that even quirkless, he could be a hero.
The day finally came to hand Izuku a briefcase that would change his life. The briefcase lay on Katsuki's low coffee table, All Might having brought it that morning. They both stared at it like it might explode, or contained a treasure beyond their wildest imaginations.
"When are you planning to give it to him?" Katsuki asked, his throat tight, trying not to feel emotional and embarrass himself.
"Today," All Might said simply, like it went without saying.
Katsuki swallowed and nodded, his heart pounding. He placed a hand on his sternum absentmindedly, over a faded scar.
"Good," Katsuki said. "I don't want him to have to wait any longer. He's waited long enough."
Katsuki had waited long enough.
"Young Katsuki," All Might said after a moment. Katsuki met his eyes, which crinkled at the corners, glinting in the dim light of the apartment. "I meant to ask you, my boy."
Katsuki waited.
"I want you to come along to give him this," All Might pointed at the briefcase. "I don't think it would be right for you not to be present. You’ve been an important part in making all of this happen. You’re an important part of his life."
Katsuki wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, and one of All Might's big hands squeezed his shoulder.
"Yeah, whatever..." Katsuki answered.
--
"Let's go, Deku."
Izuku smiled wide, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.
When he opened them again, they landed on Katsuki's outstretched hand.
He didn't hesitate before taking it.