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Chapter Text

Izuku suddenly jolted in his seat, flinching so violently he loudly jostled his desk and garnered looks from his- his... his classmates. They were only faintly familiar, vague faces regretfully stored in the back of his mind: he couldn't even remember their names. Except- except one of them.

The ash-blond boy with spiky hair was glowering at him with scarlet eyes, lip jutted in an ever-present sneer. His face was rounded with baby fat and there were small explosions popping in his sweaty palms from time to time. Kacchan sat at the desk in front of him, twisted in his seat to scowl at the disturbance while all the other kids tittered tauntingly.

It would've been a perfectly normal day, if it wasn't for the fact that Izuku distinctly remembered fire and pain and fear, and then sudden, blinding whiteness, and he was shoved back in his seat in school, feeling like he'd been startled awake from falling in a dream. He suddenly gasped in a breath, going to raise his hands to tangle them in his hair to ground himself, only to freeze again and see the tiny, skinny fingers and pale, unblemished skin, no scars or disfiguration in sight. There was no warm thrumming in his soul that indicated the presence of his Quirk, One for All, and a look at the uniform he was wearing confirmed that he was probably around seven years old.

“Everything all right, Midoriya?” The teacher asked, annoyance in her tone.

He clenched his hands around the edge of his desk so hard it hurt, because no, nothing was all right, he was supposed to be in his twenties fighting a villain with a powerful fire Quirk, losing against the bad guy despite his power and talent since he was more focused on protecting the many civilians, getting more and more scorched with every blast he desperately intercepted, and then he saw a tall man with a mane of wild, golden hair who was about to be hit and-

And... Izuku hadn't been quick enough. All Might was engulfed by the inferno. The young hero had thrown caution to the wind and leapt over, dispelling the flames with a kick. He'd wrapped his arms around All Might, too focused on him to notice the next attack coming. There was fire and pain and fear, and then blinding whiteness and-

“I'm f-fine,” he responded belatedly through tears.

The teacher didn't look convinced, but clearly didn't care enough to push the matter, instead continuing on with maths that was laughably easy. Izuku was thankful for the mind-numbingly simple tasks, allowing his mind to wander as he quickly scribbled down the answers, all the while trying to work out what had happened to him whilst tears dried on his freckled cheeks.

He had died, there was no doubt about that. Was this some kind of after-life? Was he punished with an eternity in his awful school days? But what about All Might? Did he survive? The phantom pains on the boy's back insisted otherwise – those flames were hotter than Shouto's. If All Might was de- gone too, where was he? Had he returned to a random moment in his past, too?

Wait... Past. He was in the past. What if... what if it was the effects of some kind of Quirk? Time-related Quirks were uncommon, and the chances of one powerful enough to send him so far back were almost negligible, but... It was possible.

“Deku, shut the fuck up,” Kacchan snapped, slamming a fist down on his desk and scorching the edge of Izuku's worksheet.

The boy didn't even flinch, too used to his friend's outbursts, and since they were on relatively good terms in the future, he couldn't find it in himself to be afraid of his childhood tormentor. He merely blinked slowly at his young classmate, both parts terrified and fascinated by the possibility of being sent back in time. Kacchan slowly withdrew his arm, expression morphing from anger to unease to contempt before he turned back around with a huff.

School couldn't end fast enough. He'd been called upon in multiple classes for muttering and not paying attention, only to humiliate the teachers by giving the correct answer without even raising his head. There was something cathartic about their reactions when they realised their attempt to embarrass the poor, pathetic, Quirkless kid had backfired.

Finally, the final bell rang. Izuku almost ran straight out before remembering his age and knowing that his overprotective mother would likely be picking him up. He decided to lurk on the school grounds, padding across the grass as he contemplated his plan of action. The grass was still a little damp from a recent downpour, and he found himself slipping and stumbling a few times, which gave him the idea of practising his fighting moves.

His body was so small and weak, and every time he threw a punch he was surprised by the minimal force behind it. It took a little while, but he eventually grew accustomed enough to his young self to be able to successfully execute a simple flip, only to skid on the grass and face-plant into the dirt, an unflattering wheeze expelled from his lungs. He rolled over onto his back and stared at the sky for a bit, getting his breath back.

All Might's agency was too far for him to travel alone while he was a kid, which was frustrating, but something he probably needed to get used to. His mother likely wouldn't want to waste money on such a futile trip, and even if he did somehow manage to get there, unless All Might was in the lobby when he entered, no-one would take him seriously. And if All Might didn't even remember him...

Izuku shook his head a little, frowning and picking himself up: thinking like that wasn't helpful.

He also wouldn't be able to get into UA to explain things to Nedzu and try to work something out, and the likelihood of running into Aizawa while the man was on patrol was slim to none. That only left one option...

*

Naomasa was having an odd day, but being friends with All Might tended to have that affect, just not... not usually to this extent.

It was a perfectly ordinary Tuesday, and Naomasa was finalising some reports he didn't quite finish the previous night. His phone rang, and since it was All Might, he deemed it important enough to answer.

“Tsukauchi-kun,” the hero sounded a little frantic- completely out of character.

“What do you need, Yagi-san?” Naomasa responded smoothly, even though he'd taken to nervously tapping his pen against the desk.

“I need, ah... would it be possible for you to look up the whereabouts of someone for me?” Yagi asked, growing a little meeker by the end of the question.

He frowned down at his paperwork before leaning back in his seat and pushing himself along to log into his computer. “A criminal?”

“Well... no...” The hero grew unexpectedly quiet before clearing his throat. “A civilian child?”

Naomasa's fingers stilled over the keyboard and he was silent for a moment. “That's... not something I can give away freely, not even to the Number One Hero.”

“I know, I know.” Frustration spilled into his tone. “I just wanted to see him, after... what happened.”

“What happened?” He inquired, worry etching itself on his features.

“Shit,” Yagi swore in English, a little faint, as if he was facing away from the phone. “I need to call you back later, Tsukauchi-kun. There's a villain.”

“Right,” he paused, then added, “Stay safe.”

The line went dead and he was left to stare confusedly at the computer monitor. He sighed and rolled back over to his reports, knowing he'd have many more to file by the time All Might was done with his crime-fighting spree.

Afternoon arrived, and he was ready to leave for his coffee break, needing the extra buzz to keep him awake. He grabbed his car keys and stepped into the reception area, glancing around and offering cursory smiles to his coworkers and wholly intending to stride right outside until he was fixed under a bright green gaze. The tiny kid pulled himself away from the front desk, thanking the receptionist and immediately bouncing over to the detective.

“Tsukauchi-san! Thank goodness. It's been a crazy day, I have so much to tell you... Could you please call All Might-san for me? I need to talk to him!” The child beamed brightly, hopping on his toes and causing his mop of green curls to bounce around his head.

“I can't do that for you, kid, sorry,” Naomasa apologised gently, feeling like he'd been shot when that innocent grin faltered. “I'm on my break right now, so if you-”

“Could you call Yagi-san instead, then? Please?” The boy stared up at him with wide, round eyes, clenching his hands in the fabric of his All Might hoodie, desperation seeping into his tone.

Naomasa paused, a jolt of apprehension curling in his stomach. Paranoia was common in his line of work, but never before had he been so unsettled by someone so young and harmless.

The kid pursed his lips, raising his small hands in a cautious surrender. “S-sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm his... friend? Yeah, I guess we were friends... He knows me. At least text him and ask him, please?”

He remembered how odd Yagi was acting - asking after a civilian child – and now there was a, presumably, civilian child knowing his real name and seeking him out. It would've been an awfully big coincidence if the two events were unrelated, and since his Quirk hadn't flared up to indicate any lies, it was worth trying. Naomasa stared down for a moment longer before grabbing his phone, obliging the kid's peculiar request.

Naomasa

There's a kid here who knows your name and wants to see you

Yagi

Green hair, green eyes, freckles?

Naomasa

Yes? You know him?

Yagi

omw

The detective raised his eyebrows. His friend rarely used texting slang, usually only when he was in a rush. He slipped his phone back in his pocket and blinked at the child, whose hope seemed to glow in his gaze.

“What's your name?” Naomasa asked, deciding that this conundrum was more important than coffee as he knelt down on the rough carpet.

“Midoriya Izuku!” He responded cheerfully, voice squeaky and soft, nothing but warmth and friendliness in his posture.

The man tilted his head with an amused smile. “You seem to know me already, but I'm Detective Tsukauchi. It's nice to meet you, Midoriya-kun. What did you need to talk to Yagi-san about?”

“A-ah, um...” He shifted on his feet, guiltily avoiding the adult's eyes. “It's a secret... I don't think I can tell you. Sorry.”

Naomasa might've been inclined to dig deeper, but the front doors burst open suddenly. He was back on his feet within a second, automatically reaching out towards the child in case there was danger, only to immediately relax as he saw his friend frantically scanning the room. Yagi's blue gaze landed on the boy, and for a moment both of them stared at each other, then Midoriya darted over to him. The man stooped down, his large hands easily cupping the kid's sides and scooping him up into the air, both of them laughing joyously.

“Put me d-down!” Midoriya spluttered out through giggles, squirming in his grasp.

“But you're so small, young Izuku!” Yagi commented with a wide grin, but complied nonetheless, eyes crinkling at the edges.

“I don't want you to strain yours-” The boy cut himself off, blinking suddenly as his gaze trailed over the man's bulky form, noticing the blond hair was curling around his face rather than sticking up. “Oh. Oh! It hasn't... you're...”

Yagi patted his left side happily. “I'm perfectly alright, my boy.”

Midoriya's expression was filled with wonder, and fat tears rolled down his freckled cheeks. Naomasa felt his heart break a little at the sight, taking a halting step forwards before realising he might be intruding on what seemed to be a personal moment. Yagi tangled his fingers in the boy's messy green curls, ruffling fondly, before lifting his glowing blue gaze and pausing uncertainly as he noticed the observer.

“This is the kid you wanted to find?” Naomasa muttered with raised eyebrows, lips curving into a smile at the sight of his friend looking so genuinely happy.

“It seems he found me. I should've expected that, really,” Yagi chuckled, shaking his head and sighing faintly as he dipped down and picked up the boy again, holding him securely against his chest. “Crybaby,” he mumbled affectionately, pressing a hesitant kiss to the kid's head.

“I d-don't understand how this happened,” Midoriya breathed, using the sleeve of his hoodie to wipe his eyes, despite more tears already spilling over.

“I don't either, but... I'm glad.” Yagi's lips twitched into a frown and he lightly rapped his knuckles against the kid's shoulder. “You're too selfless. You should take better care of yourself, my boy.”

“So should you,” he retorted with an adorable pout.

Naomasa glanced between them, mentally racking up the similarities and the unexpected closeness that could only be described as familial. “Is he... your kid?”

Both of them suddenly went bright red, stuttering out denials and trying not to look at one another. The detective pursed his lips in an attempt to keep his expression neutral, because his Quirk pinged softly a few times when they denied their father-son relationship – when people believed something enough, it could pass as the truth, which was often a pain in investigations, but currently quite entertaining.

“Right,” he said bemusedly, successfully causing the duo to sputter into silence. “Well, I'm on my break. Care to explain what this is about?”

“Yes, I suppose you should know,” Yagi responded with a sheepish smile.

Midoriya patted the man's chest to get his attention, expression concerned. “Ah, I need to get back to my mum. She's probably worried about me after I ran off to get here.”

“Oh,” the hero muttered, a little faintly, adjusting the kid in his grasp and glancing over to the doors. “She's not going to be happy.”

“No,” the boy agreed nervously.

“The sooner we return you, the better, then, right?” Naomasa prompted.

All three of them exited the precinct, stepping out into murky sunlight and overcast skies. Yagi didn't seem like he wanted to let go of the kid any time soon, keeping him carefully seated on one arm, the other wrapped loosely around his torso like a seatbelt to keep him from falling. Midoriya, to his credit, didn't seem that bothered, merely swivelling around as best he could and pointing the way with a tiny hand dwarfed by the chunky sleeves of his All Might hoodie. The hero seemed enamoured with the boy, occasionally glancing at him with the softest expression Naomasa had ever seen on him; it was usually all hard lines and dark shadows contouring his face, but now his eyes were gleaming with life and his smile wasn't the usual strained one he put on for hero work, instead small and genuine and adoring, like the child was his world.

They walked in mostly silence. Yagi and Midoriya would occasionally lean their faces close together and whisper to each other, usually coming away with secretive smiles that looked all too similar. Naomasa shook his head in disbelief, chuckling faintly. A slim woman with long green hair was standing in front of a bench, clutching at her purse with her jade gaze flitting around frantically, tears trailing endlessly down her pale cheeks. She glanced over at the sound of footsteps and visibly relaxed, rushing over and holding out her arms, holding Midoriya tightly even though he was a little too big for her to carry.

“Don't do that again,” she muttered wetly, fingers digging a little into the boy's back as she hugged him closely. “You worried me.”

“Sorry, mum,” he apologised in a gentle, soothing tone, leaning out of her grasp enough to wipe away her tears and offer a smile. “I just needed to find Detective Tsukauchi-san to contact- uh...”

Yagi shrugged at the questioning look, brushing a hand back through his unruly golden hair and offering a nervous sort of smile. “Yagi Toshinori, but you... you probably know me better as All Might.”

Now Naomasa was even more confused. It was obvious that the father-son pair were incredibly close, but why was he introducing himself to the boy's mother – surely, they knew one another already? If they didn't know one another, why was his friend so calm about revealing the closely-guarded secret of his civilian identity?

The woman's cheeks bloomed a delicate pink as she skimmed her gaze over the muscular man, clearly working out that he was telling the truth, despite the casual clothing and different hairstyle, and the last of her protectiveness flooded from her posture. She set down Midoriya with a heavy huff, but kept their hands firmly linked at their sides.

“I-it's, um, it's nice to meet you, All Might-san. I'm Midoriya Inko.” She tugged self-consciously at the hem of her blouse, but there was a certain steely strength to her that the detective couldn't help but respect. “T-thank you for looking after my son, and, um, sorry if he bothered you, y-you probably have people to save-”

“It's no problem, Midoriya-san!” He assured with a blinding grin and a thumbs-up, puffing out his chest a little and resembling his hero persona even more. “Looking out for lost children is just as heroic as defeating villains.”

“I wasn't lost!” Midoriya exclaimed indignantly, trying to look irritated but having to hide his smile behind a sleeve.

“Of course not, my boy. But I still need to look after you.” The man knelt down, making a little noise of surprise when the kid immediately leaned forwards and embraced him, causing him to chuckle and wrap his own arms around the child. “You're a lot more vulnerable now.”

“I only just got used to protecting you,” the boy mumbled into a shoulder, both of them snickering softly – Naomasa didn't even know what to think of that cryptic statement.

Yagi suddenly tensed up, leaning out of the hug with his hands on the boy's shoulders, staring at him with wide eyes. “Tomura.”

Midoriya blinked before a shocked realisation flickered across his features. “Tomura. We can...”

“We can!” The hero let out a burst of overjoyed laughter, smooth and uplifting, and in his excitement he scooped up the boy again – Naomasa's heart warmed, but the detective side of him was already trying to work out what the hell was going on between the two of them.

“Oh, um...” Midoriya caught his mother's tearful gaze. “Mum, would it, uh... w-would it be okay if All Might and Tsukauchi-san came over later? There's something important I – we – have to explain... Wait, are you free, Tsukauchi-san?”

“Yeah, I should be,” Naomasa responded with a perplexed blink, glad that his suspicions had been confirmed and something was definitely odd about the duo.

“Goodness - All Might? At our house? Um, I... Izuku... I'm sure he has lots of important things to do...” The woman fumbled, cheeks aflame once more, gazing up at her son in the man's careful grasp.

“Not more important than young Izuku,” Yagi denied without hesitation, only to clear his throat awkwardly under the astounded gazes he got in response. “W-what I mean is, um-”

“They're both going to be there,” Midoriya finished with a faint snort of amusement.

His mother looked over at Naomasa, her expression somewhat disbelieving, and he stared back at her with a similarly bewildered countenance. She seemed smart enough to finally notice how peculiar it was that the two of them seemed like they'd known each other for a lifetime already, twisting a lock of hair in her fingers and nodding slowly, uncertainly. Midoriya beamed and rummaged in the front pocket of his hoodie, withdrawing a phone with the same theme. Yagi took it with a chuckle, making sure the boy was secure on one arm and using the other to navigate the device, struggling a little to use the tiny keyboard and input his number.

“R-right. Okay. I- I guess Izuku will... text you?” She asked distantly, looking and sounding a little like she was about to pass out from shock.

“Sounds like a plan,” Yagi agreed, passing back the phone before delicately placing the child back down. “See you later, my boy!”

Chapter Text

It was a little awkward, at first. Izuku's mother wasn't quite sure how to act around someone who was her son, and yet acted so differently from him. He did everything he could to reassure her that everything was fine, constantly keeping his energy levels high and offering All Might-esque smiles, occasionally dissolving into mumble-storms and dashing off to grab a hero analysis notebook to scribble in, and after a few more weeks she'd better acclimated to the unexpected change. All Might himself started to visit at least once a week on Izuku's hopeful request, not wanting to miss out on any time with his mentor, especially now they could do so many more things since the hero was healthy once more. They sparred together when they had free time, although it took a little longer to get used to their new physical states, and soon the boy was fairly efficient with his fighting techniques.

Izuku continued go to school. He generally tried to keep his grades average, but all the work was far too easy. No-one paid attention to the Quirkless kid, anyway.

Kacchan cornered him after school on a quiet street, his two lackeys by his side, not that Izuku could recall their names. The volatile boy snapped his teeth together like a rabid dog, palms out by his sides and crackling with wordless threats.

“Oi, Deku. The hell's up with you lately? You've been acting weird as shit. You think you're better than me, huh? Useless nerd!” He lunged forward with a sparking hand.

Izuku glanced over his abysmal fighting form, picking out the many weaknesses and immediately knowing how to counter. He smoothly sidestepped and grabbed the extended wrist, using his other hand to collapse Kacchan's elbow and immediately twist around behind him to jam a knee into his spine and send him careening forwards into the wall. The boy squirmed angrily, but Izuku kept his grip firm and stance steady, keeping him pressed against the cold bricks in silence.

Both lackeys exchanged a nervous glance before they activated their Quirks, one flapping his wings and the other wiggling his long fingers. They were even smaller threats than Kacchan. Izuku nimbly ducked under a sweeping wing, whipping around with a kick that was only just strong enough to knock the kid off his feet. He let go of his friend and lithely sidestepped the hands that tried to grab him, spinning on his toes and using his elbow to jab the lackey's ribs, causing him to tumble over.

“What the fuck, Deku?!” Kacchan aggressively rubbed at his reddened nose, tears in his crimson eyes that he stubbornly blinked away. “That was just lucky, you bastard. Fight me for real and you're dead.”

“The only way to get stronger is to learn from others, Kacchan,” Izuku stated without a hint of a tremor in his tone, cracking his knuckles.

“Fuck you,” the boy snarled, blindly surging forwards again with larger explosions charging up.

Izuku lowered his stance and grabbed his friend's torso, flipping him onto his back and glaring down. “You can't always rely on your Quirk. You need to learn how to fight properly. You could spar with me, if you want.”

“Like hell I'd waste my time on a Quirkless loser like you,” he wheezed, clumsily picking himself up and going in for another hit.

Izuku sighed subtly, shifting his position and slamming his classmate down again, harder. “Really? Because it seems like this Quirkless loser is beating you right now.” He straightened up, dusting his palms off on his uniform. “Realise that you need to give help to others and receive help from them in return. The strongest heroes are those with allies.”

“All Might doesn't need to work with anyone, but he always wins,” Kacchan hissed, wincing with every movement but still getting back up, trying again and again, no matter how many times he was shoved to the ground. “You're not... better than me... Deku...”

“Okay,” he shrugged. “But I'll get stronger to beat you.”

“No, you fuckin' won't! I'll always be stronger than you!” Kacchan roared, setting off a large, unexpected blast.

Izuku barely dodged in time, waving away the smoke and grinning slyly. “Good. Becoming Number One Hero would be no fun if there was no competition.”

Kacchan stood on wobbly legs, clenching his hands into fists and sniffing violently, his face twisted meanly despite the tears in his eyes. “Asshole,” he growled, although his voice was strained. “I'm done wasting time here. Stupid Deku.”

He stormed off loudly, and his lackeys scrabbled to pick themselves up, giving wary glances to the Quirkless boy who stared them down before they scuttled off. Izuku rubbed the ashes off his cheek and rolled his shoulders, wincing at the telltale ache of a pulled muscle, but it was worth it. To anyone else, it would've seemed as if nothing had changed, however he'd known Kacchan for long enough to understand the way his mind worked, and he'd given the boy something to think about, possibly even making a start at mending their peculiar friendship sooner.

He grinned.

*

Months went by, and he settled into a good routine. He'd get up early to train with All Might, then go to school and spend most of the lessons reading heavy books far beyond his physical age, now uninterrupted thanks to Kacchan's learnt caution, and then he'd go to spar again after school, provided the hero wasn't too busy. The results of his efforts were satisfying, as he no longer had excess baby fat and clumsy limbs, but instead had the beginnings of lithe muscles that allowed him to be more graceful as he executed old moves. Sometimes he'd go to spend some time with Tsukauchi, and the man would obligingly answer the endless questions related to police work, which was always fascinating to hear about.

All Might, or- well, Yagi, became a relatively common occurrence around the house. He didn't want to visit too frequently, just in case some less-than-savoury characters noticed a pattern, but he wasn't one to refuse a delicious home-cooked meal when Inko offered. The mother seemed to appreciate the extra company, too, and the three of them quickly eased into a comfortable familiarity. It was nice.

Izuku clutched at the yellow straps of his big backpack, hooking his thumbs underneath the fabric and absent-mindedly tapping his fingers on top in a vague rhythm as he walked through the streets. He had some time to kill since All Might had to cancel after school, leaving Izuku with more free time than he knew what to do with, so he'd taken to mindlessly meandering through Musutafu, keeping an eye out for villain fights and any civilians who needed help with everyday tasks. Since it was late autumn, darkness was creeping in early, stalking through the alleys in the shape of monsters, growling and grunting in an aggressive manner and-

Wait.

He paused in his paces, frowning and slowly backing up to peer into shadowed alleyway. That wasn't night-time personified... those were people fighting. Izuku hesitated, knowing that he didn't have a Quirk to back him up in a dangerous situation, and it was highly plausible that it was just a couple of thugs beating each other up, so it would be wise for him to just turn around and slink away before they saw him-

An accessory was torn off one of the brawlers and flung to the mouth of the alley, skidding along into the faint light that revealed it to be a greyish-white in colour. It looked like a scarf made of bandages, half unravelled across the pavement with a splatter of blood across a few thick ribbons. Izuku's hands clamped harder around the straps of his bag as he raised his green gaze, peering into the darkness and making out the vague shapes of several burly people crowding around one pinned against a wall. Yellow grilled goggles glinted as the victim turned his head, and the boy mentally groaned.

What were the chances?

He rapidly grabbed his phone and sent his location to All Might before dropping his backpack and creeping, unseen, towards the discarded capture gear. Izuku bundled it up and shoved it over his shoulders, a little burdened by the unexpected weight but not deterred. The boy grabbed a strip of the tough fabric, flinging it forwards like a lasso and successfully wrangling two of the attackers, keeping them tightly wound up like flies caught in a web. They were struggling, their yells muffled, but he kept his feet planted firmly and his muscles taut, ready to react to anything.

The third attacker dropped Eraserhead, and the man immediately whipped back into action, rapidly dispatching all enemies and spitefully kicking at their unconscious forms. Izuku tugged the capture gear free, watching it all spring back into shape, draped over his squared shoulders. Eraserhead kept his posture cautious, fully prepared for another fight, despite the kid looking entirely harmless. He gently pulled it over his head, bundling it in his small arms and offering it to the underground hero with a meek smile.

It was at that moment that All Might arrived, dropping into the alley so suddenly that even Izuku startled. He quickly relaxed with a relieved giggle, stepping closer to Eraserhead and holding up the capture gear with more insistence, trying not to seem too amused by his irritated expression.

“I thought you were told to not seek out villain fights,” All Might said a little exasperatedly, his nervous hands flitting over the boy as he tried to assess any possible injuries.

“Aizawa-sensei was hurt,” Izuku responded, pointing to highlight the blood dripping down the man's face.

“Aiza-” The hero froze, staring with something akin to wonder at the person, who was visibly growing more and more uneasy by the second.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Eraserhead snapped, quickly reclaiming his weapon and backing up. “And why did you call me that, kid?”

Izuku blanched as the realisation of his slip-up dawned on him, and he immediately started bowing rapidly, spewing apologies faster than humanly possible. “Ah, sorry, sense- uh, no, Aizaw- oh, I mean Eraserhead-san! Sorry! You're just such a cool hero and your Quirk is amazing and I know you could've definitely taken all three of those villains out on your own, but you were getting hurt and I have a bad tendency to jump into danger to help people, so-”

“Young Izuku,” All Might muttered with a note of fond amusement in his tone, placing a palm on the boy's head to quiet him.

“Right. Rambling. Sorry!”

“I had it handled,” Eraserhead grumbled flatly, pulling his goggles off and letting them rest, concealed, beneath the ribbons. “You should leave it to the Pros, kid.”

“I had back-up, just in case,” he defended himself, scuffing his shoes on the ground and motioning to All Might, who offered a little wave. “Oh... right. Sorry for calling you here, too. It was just a precaution.”

“I'd much rather you call me than try to handle it on your own, my boy,” All Might assured, his ever-present grin shifting into something smaller and softer. “I should've known you'd find trouble if I let you have too much free time.”

Izuku hummed in agreement, glancing back up at the underground hero who still looked eager to bolt. “Ah, se- Eraserhead-san, um- you're hurt. How bad is it?”

“I'll live,” he responded blandly, swiping a black sleeve across his face to wipe some blood away from his eye.

The boy pouted and huffed, turning and grabbing his backpack before fishing out an All Might-themed first-aid kit, much to the hero's amusement. He grabbed some antibacterial wipes, cotton patches, plasters and bandages, collecting them up in one arm and staring up at Eraserhead expectantly. There was nothing but a withering glare and dead silence.

“Pretty please let me help you?” Izuku begged with the sweetest expression he could muster. “You're going to continue patrolling anyway, so it's important to make sure none of your wounds get infected, because if that happens then you'll be too ill to fight in future, and that's no good because-”

“God, kid. You're insufferable.”

“Thank you!” The boy beamed, only to squeak a little as large hands clasped his sides, All Might lifting him up and holding him securely to bring him within range of the underground hero. “Okay, just hold still, it might sting a bit-”

Eraserhead stepped back, his eyes glinting red and his black hair rising off his shoulders as he glared cautiously at the kid's hands. “How do I know you're not trying to attack me with your Quirk?”

“Simple!” He exclaimed happily, clutching the wipe in his palm as he finger-gunned. “I'm Quirkless!”

“And I'm supposed to believe that? Is this even the real All Might? Why would All Might respond to a random kid?” Eraserhead was closing off again, barely glancing down to make sure he didn't step on a body as he backed away, stance tense and apprehensive.

“Young Izuku is very important t-”

Crimson flashed as the erasure Quirk focused on All Might. There was a puff off steam and a small jolt, and Izuku nervously glanced at his mentor, who was a little smaller than his suit and a bit less bulky. He sported an uneasy expression, already looking around the area to check for onlookers and cameras, relaxing marginally when there was nothing visible. Both of them blinked at Eraserhead sheepishly.

The man glared for a moment longer, his gaze tracing the duo suspiciously, but he released his Quirk and loosened up. “I guess that explains the mystery of the great All Might's unknown Quirk. You his kid, then?”

“Why does everyone think that?” Izuku muttered, cheeks already burning. “He's my mentor. Do you trust us yet? Because I really have to get home to my mum before she gets worried.”

Eraserhead obligingly stepped back into range, still coiled like a spring but reluctantly accepting his fate. “Do you even know how to do this?”

“Of course! First-aid is an important part of becoming a hero,” he stated with a smile, gently wiping away the blood until a wound was visible at the hairline.

“You want to be a hero?” The man raised his eyebrows, only wincing a little as pressure was applied to his injury.

“More than anything,” he said solemnly, carefully taping a patch over the small gash.

“It's a lot of work. And since you're Quirkless, you'll need to work harder for people to accept you,” Eraserhead warned, raising a hand to poke at his covered wound.

“I know! But I also know I can do it. I'm already training to fight, and I know all the laws that apply to Quirks and heroes, and I know how to act when saving civilians-”

“You're good analysing, too,” All Might added.

“Oh, yeah! I'm pretty good at working out strengths and weaknesses of people and their Quirks.” He nodded in agreement, leaning back against the man's chest contentedly. “It's going to be tough, but I can definitely do it.”

“Well, you certainly show more promise than my idiotic students,” Eraserhead muttered with a huff, glancing skyward briefly. “Good luck, kid.”

“Bye, Ai- Eraserhead-san!” Izuku grinned and waved as the man leapt up onto the nearest rooftop, already vanishing into the darkness.

All Might's smile faltered as he looked down. “Oh. He left these villains for me to deal with.”

*

Izuku scuffed his shoes on the pavement, staring down at his phone to read hero news as he waited. It may have been creepy to loiter outside a school, but he had good reason to. He glanced up as the sound of stampeding kids got louder, his gaze already skimming the crowd for a girl with pink hair and a boy with black hair. A few students gave him odd looks as they brushed past, but he paid them no mind, far too excited to see his future-friends. Someone bumped into him and he dropped his phone, wincing as it clattered to the pavement.

Pink hands reached towards it at the same time as he did. Slowly, Izuku lifted his gaze, forcefully restraining himself from crying happily as he locked eyes with a familiar girl who had black sclera and bright amber irises. She grinned at him, picking up his phone and examining it briefly before handing it over once both of them had stood up.

“You like All Might?” She asked, head tilted a little teasingly.

He giggled, running his fingers over the hero-themed phone case before pocketing it. “Yeah, just a little bit.”

She flashed a grin before humming thoughtfully, examining his appearance. “I don't recognise you – do you go here?”

“Ah, no, I go to Aldera in Musutafu,” he admitted, slightly sheepish.

“Huh.” She raised her eyebrows. “Have some friends here, then?”

“No, I was just... wandering, I guess,” he finished lamely, cheeks heating up in embarrassment.

“Ashido, hurry-” The boy fell silent, blinking his red eyes and squaring his shoulders a little nervously. “Oh. Um. Hello. I'm Kirishima Eijirou.”

“Midoriya Izuku!” He responded brightly, offering a warm smile that seemed to put his future-friend at ease.

“Oh, I'm Ashido Mina! We were gonna go visit the park – you wanna come?” Ashido offered, holding out a hand.

“If you don't mind,” Izuku said hesitantly, not wanting Kirishima to feel uncomfortable.

The boy himself gave a shark-like grin, loosening up even more. “Nah, it's cool! Making new friends is kinda fun, right?”

All three set off down the street, weaving between other students and pedestrians. Izuku couldn't help but continually glance at them as they walked, hardly able to comprehend that these kids would grow up to be such powerful heroes.

Kirishima's hair was black and cut fairly short, although he still had a fringe that he seemed to enjoy hiding behind. He still had the tiny scar on his right eyelid that was only revealed when he swept his hair aside. There was no trace of the muscles or confidence he had in the future, seeming to prefer baggy clothing and trudging along with his head dipped a lot of the time.

Ashido, on the other hand, seemed to have a very similar personality, keeping bright and bubbly with a fun, clueless air about her. Her hair was cropped to her shoulders, wildly curly and bubblegum pink, and there were two tiny horns only just emerging from her head. She tended to do most of the chatting, easily carrying a whole conversation by herself with only minimal input from the other two.

“Are your parents nearby, Midori?” Ashido wondered as she glanced around.

“No, my mum's at work, but she's okay with me wandering,” Izuku explained, smiling a little at the spontaneous nickname he'd been dubbed.

“She lets you go this far on your own? No fair! Me and Kiri are only allowed to walk on our own because we're together.” She pouted a little.

He chuckled, patting her shoulder consolingly. “I think it's because I know how to fight, so she doesn't worry as much.”

“You know how to fight? That's so cool!” Kirishima enthused. “My parents won't let me take lessons yet, even though I want to become a hero.”

“Same here,” Ashido groaned.

“I want to be a hero, too!” Izuku added brightly, punching a fist in the air as he skipped a couple of paces. “I'm gonna work really hard to get into UA!”

“Whoa, seriously? I haven't really thought that far ahead,” Kirishima muttered before his eyes brightened. “Wait, you could teach us how to fight!”

Izuku blinked thoughtfully as they approached the park, before flashing an excited smile and nodding eagerly. “Alright! Let's do this!”

Chapter Text

Izuku glanced down at his phone, texting Toshinori a quick response before starting to hurry off for that afternoon's training. He stayed alert as he padded down the street, keeping a sunny smile on his face out of habit and practically bouncing with every step, excited to tell his mentor about-

There was a crash and a clatter in an alley. Izuku was there in a flash, hand already going to his hip where a retractable bo staff was secured, ready to whip it out at the first sign of danger as he cautiously crept towards the noise. His narrowed gaze scanned the area, locking onto shadows while he strained his ears to focus down on the... murmuring? He stepped forwards again, causing a crouched figure to tense and rapidly turn around, familiar purple eyes wide with alarm. Izuku immediately relaxed with a sigh of relief, letting his hand drop back to his side and feeling the adrenaline rush from his system.

“Hello,” he greeted uncertainly, only to pause and realise how odd the situation must've looked. “Sorry, I- uh... I heard a noise, and I know some martial arts, so if someone was being hurt I could've protected them, but it's fine because there's no villain, it's just you doing- um, what are you doing in an alley?” He blinked expectantly, slowly growing more awkward as the silence dragged on with the two boys staring at each other. “Oh, I never introduced myself, sorry- I'm Midoriya Izuku. It's nice to meet you!”

The purple-haired boy continued to glare distrustfully, coiled like a spring and frozen in place, practically emanating worry. He shifted slightly, still hunched over and crouched close to the ground, but one foot was further back, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Shadows deepened the dark circles under his tired eyes and his lilac hair curled down around his pale face instead of being gelled up like he'd stuck his finger in a plug socket. His teeth bared in a slight grimace as there was a faint meow from behind him, and a second later a small cat slunk between his legs, winding around his ankles and peering up at the newcomer with big, amber eyes.

Izuku instinctively lowered himself into a crouch, offering a hand and cooing happily when the feline crept out to sniff at him then rub its cheeks against his palm. He obligingly ran his fingers through the calico's fur, feeling a hearty purr rumble under his touch and giggling over how adorable the cat was.

“Shinsou Hitoshi,” the boy muttered.

“Does this cat have a name?” Izuku inquired, twisting around to watch as the feline skulked around behind him, almost knocking him off balance.

“I call her Dice,” he responded after a pause, kneeling down and letting the cat stretch over his lap.

“She's so cute,” he laughed, only to yelp in surprise as his phone went off in his pocket, causing him to panic and fumble as the theme to an All Might cartoon played loudly until he answered the call. “Hello?”

“Oh, you're okay.” Toshinori gave a sigh of relief. “You said you'd be here ten minutes ago, young Izuku.”

“Ten-?” Izuku checked the time and gave an embarrassed squeak. “Sorry, Toshi-san! It's just I heard a noise in an alley and I thought someone might've been in trouble so I checked it out but it was just Hi- Shinsou-kun and there's a really cute cat called Dice-chan and I love her and can we get a cat?”

“I thought I told you to not seek out trouble, my boy,” the man said bemusedly, unfazed by the brief rambling. “And I think it's up to your mother whether you can get a cat or not.”

“Yeah, I guess you're right,” Izuku mumbled with a slight pout, followed by a stifled laugh as Dice wandered over and reached up, whiskers tickling his face as she tried to investigate the phone. “S-sorry for making you worry, Toshi-san. I'll be – Dice-chan, no, that tickles! – um, I'll be there in a bit.”

“Young Shinsou is welcome to join us,” Toshinori offered, the faint sound of suppressed chuckles coming through the phone.

“D'you want to join us, Shinsou-kun?” He asked absent-mindedly, preoccupied with the cat that was trying to climb onto his shoulders.

“What?” Shinsou looked wary again, thin purple eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

“I'm training to be a hero,” Izuku clarified, getting a mouthful of tail fur and cackling as he tried to push the feline away. “Dice-chan, please-”

“Oh,” the boy clenched his hands in his lap, staring down with squared shoulders. “You just met me... why are you offering this?”

“I'd like to think I have a pretty good judge of character,” he explained with a gentle smile – the sort he'd use as Deku when encouraging people to follow their dreams, no matter how impossible. “Besides, I may be Quirkless, but being a hero isn't all about the Quirk! It's about the strength and spirit and charisma!”

“Quirkless?” Shinsou echoed, now looking up with a stunned expression.

“Yep! But Quirk or no Quirk, every hero needs to learn how to fight.” He curled his hand into a fist around his phone, raising it into the air triumphantly.

“M-my... My Quirk is... Brainwashing. I can... I can make people do anything I tell them to,” Shinsou told him in little more than a whisper, expression vaguely distraught as he shrunk down, clearly expecting a negative reaction.

Izuku perked up, lightly pushing Dice's face away from his own with a hand. “That's so cool! Imagine all the applications that could have – it's so versatile! You could talk someone out of robbing a bank, or you could stop a villain from fighting, or you could prevent someone from hurting themselves, or you could-”

“Young Izuku,” Toshinori cut in with a fond note in his voice.

“Well, um, you... you get the picture. Wanna train with us?” He got back on track, flashing a sheepish smile.

“I- I don't have any experience... and I don't think my parents would let me,” he said quietly.

“Not a problem! I have some weights and stuff you can borrow to build up muscle and I can give you a training regime to follow and I can come over to your house and teach you some moves, if you want!” Izuku beamed, blindingly bright in the gloom of the alley, Dice on his lap pawing at his shirt.

Shinsou hesitated before smiling back, nodding uncertainly. “I'd like that.”

*

“Are you sure it's a good idea to come with me?” Izuku asked with a slight frown, looking up the path at the massive, traditional house that would've been pretty if he didn't know what horrors had occurred within those walls.

“I don't want to leave you alone with him,” Toshinori stated firmly, one protective hand on the boy's shoulder. “What sort of thing were you even planning on telling him to make sure you can stay?”

“Um, you know... Just some kind of sob story. Even the Number Two Hero can't turn away a lost kid this late at night. Plus, with how adorable I am – who can resist?” He flashed the cutest grin he could muster, clasping his hands in front of his chest and blinking up at his mentor with big eyes.

“Alright, my boy,” the man acquiesced with a chuckle, visibly softening. “Those eyes of yours truly are a deadly weapon.”

“The real question is: what are you going to tell him to get both of us in?” Izuku inquired a little slyly, snickering into a palm as the hero floundered.

“Uh, um, well, you know-”

“What are you doing on my property?”

Toshinori froze up, his trademark grin morphing into more of a grimace at the unwelcome voice that was all ice and fury, not a single trace of warmth present, quite ironically. Izuku stared at his mentor for a moment before turning his face away and rolling his eyes, then closing off his posture and sheepishly trudging up to the flaming man, who glared down imperiously.

“Um, sorry, Endeavour-san, sir, it's just, we wanted-” Izuku pretended to shrink and cower under the awful hero's cold eyes, sniffling a little and rubbing at his face with a sleeve. “S-sorry, you're just- I think you're a cool hero, I mean, it must take a lot of work to stay so high in the rankings, and it's really cool that you're helping protect Japan and its people, and I just really appreciate what you do and I wasn't really prepared to meet you so soon, so I'm quite, um, overwhelmed, and I'm not really sure how to react and I'm making a fool of myself and, oh, I'm so embarrassed, I'm really sorry, you're super cool and-”

“Get to the point,” Endeavour snapped, his gaze narrowing with suspicion.

“I apologise, Endeavour,” Toshinori – well, All Might – stepped up and placed a comforting hand on the child's back. “My son wanted to meet you, and I thought, since I've heard you have a son his age, we could get together and talk. It would be a good experience for everyone, right?”

Izuku hastily buried his burning face in his hands, trying not to freak out over the fact that All Might had just introduced Izuku as his son. That was totally fine. It was just a part of the logical ruse. All he needed to do was play along; that wasn't too hard, right?

“So you thought you'd just invite yourself over and expect to be welcomed?” Endeavour practically growled, tone threateningly low and his fire blooming dangerously as he stepped forwards.

“We brought cookies?” Izuku squeaked out, taking out a tupperware and raising it hesitantly.

“My Shouto is currently training. I will not have any distractions.” The man turned with a note of finality.

Izuku tried not to panic, seeing their window of opportunity fading rapidly – but when in doubt, ramble. “Training? Like, to be a hero? That's so cool! I'm training, too! We could train together! I train with some friends, sometimes, and we've all improved so much because we're getting really good at analysing our mistakes to improve on them! I bet Shouto-kun would be able to tell me what I'm doing wrong when I fight- it would be a good learning experience, don't you think? Because when you notice mistakes someone else is making, you can ensure you're not making the same ones, right? Then Shouto-kun can be the greatest hero because he'll never ever make any mistakes, and it'll be really cool and admirable!”

Endeavour paused, gave a derisive snort, then gave a jerky motion with one hand. “Whatever. Come in, and we'll see how good you are.”

All Might cast a worried glance at the boy, but Izuku eyes blazed with determination as he confidently strode inside. He followed Endeavour down the winding halls towards the sound of heavy breathing and whirring machinery, trying to push down his fury at the sight of Shouto looking sweaty and exhausted, clearly pushed way beyond his limits but fueled by fear to continue. The boy obediently got off the treadmill when ordered, standing on shaky legs and repeatedly shooting furtive glances filled with hope at All Might, who offered a soft smile and wave.

“Hello! I'm Izuku! You're Shouto-kun, right? It's great to meet you! I hope we can be friends,” Izuku gave his friendliest grin, and despite his motormouth he was careful to keep his movements slow and his posture unthreatening.

“Nice to meet you,” Shouto responded stiffly, hesitating as he eyed his fearsome father before stepping off to the side to grab a water-bottle.

“Shouto, you and All Might's boy will fight,” Endeavour commanded in a booming voice, a little louder than before.

“Are you sure he doesn't need a break? He looks tired,” All Might said cautiously, side-eyeing the terrible hero and clearly trying to keep his fists from clenching at the prideful head shake.

“You're fit enough to fight, aren't you, Shouto?” His words held a thinly-veiled note of danger that made the boy stiffen and slowly nod, avoiding eye contact.

Izuku tensed his jaw angrily but stepped forward onto a large mat, feeling his ire drain into a fierce protectiveness as he saw his future-friend tiredly pad into place opposite him. They moved into fighting stances and Shouto made the first move, moving a little clumsily but still swinging out with a graceful fist that Izuku managed to dodge. He backed up and skimmed over the other's posture, mapping out weaknesses and likely tactics in under a second. Shouto hopped forwards and twisted his hips as he spun around with a swift kick to his opponent's side, quickly withdrawing and jolting forwards with a jab, no hesitation. Izuku grabbed his wrist and collapsed his elbow, drawing the other boy in close to bring him into a gentle chokehold, but Shouto dipped his head, using his chin to keep the arm from pressing against his throat as he struggled. The boy suddenly jumped, pushing his weight backwards and sending both of them down onto the mat, Izuku wheezing out a breath but keeping Shouto locked in place on top of him. Shouto brought his elbow down into his opponent's gut, gaining a grunt of pain, and he repeated the action when the other boy didn't relinquish his grip.

“I think we should call that a draw!” All Might hastily said, moving forwards to kneel beside them. “You really are very talented, Young Shouto.”

Izuku immediately released the boy but lightly clasped his sides, moving into a sitting position and lifting his future-friend with him. “That was really cool! You hit hard, Shouto-kun. That move where you made me overbalance backwards – so smart!”

“Neither of you are hurt too badly, are you?” The man inquired in a gentle tone, one hand on each child's shoulder as he glanced them over.

“I'm... fine,” Shouto responded slowly, narrowing his eyes a little with confusion palpable in his tone.

“I think I'll have a few bruises, but I'm okay, too!” Izuku added with a bubbly laugh, turning to beam at the boy. “Do you want to train together more often? It's always easier to learn when you're against someone your own size.”

Shouto's gaze briefly flicked over to where his father was looming furiously in the background before he looked back at the boy and the true hero, dipping his head in a nod. “I'd like that. Thanks.”

Endeavour sucked in a breath like he was ready to intervene, one foot slamming onto the ground as he took a threatening step forward. All Might and Izuku exchanged dark looks at the flinch they both noticed, and the hero stood up after a gentle pat on both boys heads, turning and successfully distracting Endeavour with a cheerful, hearty laugh before starting a conversation. Izuku lightly clasped his future-friend's warm hand in his own, giving him a moment to allow him to pull away if he wanted, and when that didn't happen Izuku flashed a caring smile and led both of them over to one of the walls where he had dropped off his backpack. Only when All Might had tactfully wrangled the flaming man from the room did Shouto relax, curling in on himself and pulling his knees up to his chest.

“Sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“I hurt you. I didn't want to,” he explained, voice strained.

“I know you didn't,” Izuku responded gently. “It's okay, anyway. I'm always getting bruised during spars.”

Shouto tilted his head, pressing his cheek against his knees and staring sideways with evident misery. “All Might... what's he like, really?”

Izuku lit up, beaming as he rummaged through his backpack for some first-aid supplies. “Oh, he really is wonderful! He's so kind and charismatic and caring – I want to be just like him when I'm older!” He pulled out a tub of burn cream, slowly leaning over and lightly smearing a coating over a shoulder wound that had been peeking out from underneath Shouto's shirt, much to his surprise. “I want to be a hero who helps people... I want to be able to smile and reassure everyone that it's going to be okay... I want to be important enough to have a voice and use it for good, to speak out against bullying and harassment and abuse.” Izuku paused, meeting the other boy's broken eyes, expression soft and heartbroken and yet filled with steely determination, warmed with a small, genuine smile. “It's going to be okay, Shouto-kun. I promise.”

Shouto froze up and let out a choked sob, incisors digging into his bottom lip as he tried to stop himself from crying, but the tears wouldn't stop falling. Izuku shifted closer and wrapped his arms around the other boy in an awkward hug, holding him with a fierce protectiveness born from years of hatred, vowing to never let Endeavour hurt this child ever again.

Chapter Text

He was thankful for his past self... future self...? Well, he was glad that he'd asked his friends about their pasts so he didn't have to persuade Tsukauchi into some less-than-legal activities to hunt the rest of them down now, so all Izuku had to do was frequent the areas his friends had mentioned and hope that luck was on his side. Kacchan was yet to take him up on his offer to spar and train, but at least the boy seemed to have cooled off a bit and re-evaluated his lifestyle. Izuku tried to meet up with Kirishima and Ashido at least a few times a month, either letting his mum or All Might take him when there were bad villains on the loose and they were worried about him getting attacked. Shinsou's training was coming along nicely, and Izuku usually went to his house at least once a week to do some gentle sparring. All Might would often drop him off to practice with Shouto, deliberately learning Endeavour's schedule and purposefully visiting whenever the horrible man was there to keep him from lashing out. He'd also managed to track down his other future-friends, marvelling over how tiny and adorable all of them were each time.

Izuku had conveniently run into Satou in a store, chatting happily with one another in a way only young kids were able to. Satou had suggested his favourite food and Izuku had eagerly bought a small cake to munch on and share as they exited the shop. The boy had clearly been elated to find someone who got as hyped over food as he was, and soon the topic switched to Quirks. Izuku had shamelessly stated his Quirklessness, gaining an awed sort of smile before they both shared their hopes of becoming heroes, exchanging contact information when they parted to stay in touch.

Hagakure was taking the same train as him, trying to hide behind a raised book but clearly aware of all the stares due to her invisibility. Izuku blinked thoughtfully before settling himself down in the seat next to her, exclaiming his love for the book series and causing both of them to get into an intense discussion over their favourite characters, completely ignoring everything around them. They may have missed their stops, but the friendship gained and Hagakure's cheerful mood made it all worth it.

Shouji had actually been the one to literally run into Izuku, but the circumstances weren't very happy. The boy was trying to make himself look small, tucking his arms tightly against his sides and dipping his head, consequently bumping into Izuku, who spluttered out an automatic apology before realising who it was and brightening up. Shouji's teary eyes widened in surprise when Izuku's first words were complimenting his Quirk, and the faint blush on his cheeks visible behind the mask was equal parts heartbreaking and sweet. After Izuku had finished rambling and subtly making sure his future-friend was a lot happier, he'd proposed they train together because Shouji's arms had so much hugging potential.

Ojirou was in a local park, sticking by the treeline as he practised using his Quirk, twisting around and slamming his tail against the tree trunks, hard enough to make the slimmer ones tremble. He didn't even pause for breath, continuing his relentless attack with angry grunts until Izuku approached and intervened. His tail was covered in scrapes from the rough bark, some cuts deep enough to bleed, and Izuku had persuaded him into sitting down and letting him patch up the injuries. Ojirou was coaxed into venting his irritations while the other boy cleaned and wrapped his tail, and by the end of it he was a lot calmer and relaxed. They promised to be sparring partners before parting ways as it grew late.

One night, Izuku had been out later than usual in hopes of finding Aizawa again, but instead he discovered a certain bird-headed boy trudging nervously through the darkness. He was clutching at his stomach and having to stop to breathe every few paces, overall looking very pale and terrified, clearly concerned that Dark Shadow would pop out and run rampant in the shadowed streets. Izuku had paused before digging a head-torch out of his backpack, sliding it on over his curls before jogging over to Tokoyami. The boy had immediately relaxed when the light cast over him, explaining his situation in cryptic, gothic prose when prompted. Izuku walked him home and gave him the torch, smiling away and insisting the boy keep it.

Tsu was struggling to wrangle her younger siblings outside the entrance to a swimming pool when Izuku approached and entranced them with tiny plushies of the best heroes. The girl bluntly stated her thanks, looking faintly relieved that her siblings excitement had dissipated enough for them to enter the building without immediately gaining irritated glances. Izuku held an easy conversation with her until they parted for separate changing rooms, but quickly returned to each other's sides in the water, happily partaking in the little games the Asui family made up. Although he could never win against people who thrived in water, he had a lot of fun, and Tsu clearly thought the same as she suggested they meet up again sometime.

Jirou was browsing through old records and CDs in a music store. She glanced over at him and complimented his taste in music, unintentionally sparking the start of a long conversation about their favourite artists. Izuku entertained her by randomly bursting into song, holding an invisible microphone and playing air guitar while she snickered into a hand. He giggled along with her, only to get excited by the sight of an All Might-themed guitar pick, which he immediately bought to add to his collection. She grabbed a couple of discs before waving goodbye as her parents called her, although she promised to stay in touch, clearly glad to have someone her age to share her favourite music genre with.

Izuku had been taking a break in a café when Kaminari and his family entered. They sat down at a table nearby. While his parents talked, the boy was growing impatient, squirming in his seat and rapidly glancing around the café until his eyes locked with Izuku, who stuck a straw in his mouth before blowing bubbles into his chocolate milk. Kaminari snickered a little at the sight, reaching towards his own drink to do the same a little too aggressively, causing bubbles to pop on his face. Izuku ended up accidentally laughing and choking on his chocolate milk, causing his future-friend to do the same until both of them were sheepishly wiping up the tables with napkins. The boy got up and sat down in the seat next to Kaminari when prompted, and the two of them spent the rest of the time chatting and not causing any more trouble, much to the relief of the other patrons.

Kouda had bought various bags and packets of pet food, but was taking his time leaving the shop to talk with the adorable animals. Izuku contentedly poked a finger through the bars of a cage, letting a particularly fat and adorable rabbit sniff at him before shifting to be pet, contentedly leaning into the touch. The other boy was watching intently with a soft smile, only to rapidly look away with an embarrassed flush on his cheeks when he was caught staring. Izuku offered a warm grin, starting up a gentle conversation in hushed tones that his future-friend clearly appreciated, hesitantly revealing his Quirk and gradually getting more confident in translating what the animals were saying. Kouda mentioned he had a pet rabbit and Izuku lit up, practically vibrating with excitement when Kouda nervously suggested that the boy come over and see his pet. They spent a few hours playing together and cooing over the bunny before Izuku reluctantly left, realising he needed to get back home, but he brightened considerably when Kouda asked if he wanted to visit more often.

Sero almost gave him a heart attack by greeting him from where he was sitting on a lamp-post, secured with some tape. Izuku stared up at him, unable to stifle the surprised giggle at the sight of his future-friend calmly settled in such a peculiar place. It seemed that was the sort of reaction Sero was hoping for as he cackled along, overbalancing and almost giving Izuku another heart attack. Sero merely slipped off and hung upside-down, soles of his feet pressed together and his elbows pointed upwards with the tape firmly wrapped around the post, striking an uncanny resemblance to Spider-Man until his face started to go red as all the blood flowed to his head. He suddenly realised he was stuck as his tape wouldn't release, and Izuku couldn't stop laughing, although he did nimbly scale the post to cut through the tape with a knife, causing Sero to drop to the pavement with an 'oof.' It wasn't a conventional way to make friends, but it certainly worked.

Aoyama looked lost and scared, a far cry from the confident, proud boy he liked to present himself as. He was glancing pitifully at the bakeries and peering into the windows to scan the pastries and cakes. Izuku's heart broke at the sight and he couldn't help but jog over, offering the brightest smile he could muster and encouraging Aoyama to share his woes in a French accent that was thicker than expected. They chatted while Izuku led them to a café he knew had some French sweet treats, and the two of them contentedly sat down together to enjoy the food and atmosphere, automatically getting onto the topic of heroes and Quirks. Aoyama shared wistful stories of France and Izuku chipped in with the memories of the time the future-hero had insisted the entire class go on a holiday together to the country, even doing his best to string together some clumsy sentences in the language. Despite the disastrous attempt, the boy seemed to appreciate the effort, giggling daintily and offering gentle corrections.

Debris clattering to the ground revealed Uraraka standing in an abandoned construction site, trembling and looking pale with her fingertips pressed together. She stooped over, one hand pressing to her mouth while the other curled around her stomach, her breaths heavy enough to be heard even from Izuku's distance. He jogged over to her, too lazy to navigate around piles of rubbish and instead opting to leap and vault over them, careful to check for sharp edges beforehand. The girl looked at him warily, one eye squeezed shut with sweat pouring down her round face. He hesitantly initiated a conversation, glancing around to search for her belongings but finding nothing. Izuku tried to stifle a fond sort of exasperated sigh as he pulled a water bottle from his backpack and handed it over, grinning crookedly as she grabbed it and took slow sips under his advisement, already regaining some colour in her cheeks. She gave him a tired sort of smile, wholly ready to get right back into training her Quirk until he insisted she took a break. The two of them found a place to sit on a bundle of wooden planks, falling into an easy conversation that made his heart swell.

Izuku was expecting it to be difficult to find Yaoyorozu, but by some miracle she and her parents were walking through a district with expensive shops. He was about to bound up to her excitedly before realising it'd probably be a bad idea without an explanation. If there was something the girl was fascinated with, it would be something entirely average to anyone below her stature. Luckily for him, he was as average as they came. Izuku hopped happily along the pavement, keeping his gaze on the ground in order to avoid stepping on any of the lines and cracks, wobbling and stumbling but never tripping. He lifted his gaze to see the girl staring at him, so he flashed a grin and a wave, feeling horribly underdressed in his All Might hoodie and a scruffy pair of jeans. They started talking and her mother invited him to walk with them, seemingly delighted by his display of intelligence and charm.

Later that same day, while wandering through the city after parting with the regal family, he spotted a familiar hero battling a villain in the street, using his speed to his advantage in order to take the villain down. Izuku easily slipped to the front of the crowd, settling next to a boy with navy blue hair and glasses who was eagerly watching the fight. Bonding over their shared love of Ingenium was a simple feat, both of them watching and cheering and wincing until the hero was finally victorious. Iida proudly introduced Izuku to his big brother once the fans had dispersed, enthusing over their favourite parts of the battle and eliciting bashful laughter from Tensei, just as warm as always. Izuku needed to get back and Tensei insisted they stay in contact, stage-whispering that Iida could do with a friend like Izuku.

All in all, it took about a year to find every one of his future classmates. He'd text them when he couldn't visit, and when he could their time spent together consisted of anything from playing to talking to sparring. Sometimes he slipped up and referenced something that hadn't happened yet, and every time it caused a new jolt of misery in his gut, but Toshinori was always there when he needed it, with arms opened wide leading to the second safest hug in the world, and his mother was more than happy to comfort him, even if she still didn't fully understand. There were odd occasions when both Toshinori and Izuku were finding it difficult to accept that they had to start over, and that led to cosy nights with all three of them cuddled up on the sofa, watching dumb movies and eating sugary foods until they passed out.

It was nice to have peace like that.

What he wasn't counting on was accidentally finding and befriending someone not in his class, since he was never overly close with any other budding heroes – they were all friends, yes, but not friends. He rubbed at his sleepy eyes, and blinked rapidly, assessing that no, this person wasn't just a figment of his imagination after he stayed up too late to read through a textbook, and yes, now he was getting sneered at after staring gormlessly for a few minutes.

“What are you looking at?” The boy said haughtily, his expression more apprehensive than the monomania Izuku had grown used to during UA

“Sorry, I'm just... a little tired,” Izuku replied slowly, glancing around the park before approaching. “Mind if I sit here?”

“Yes,” he snapped, clutching a book on Quirks and their applications.

“Thanks.” He sat down on the end of the bench, hiding a yawn with his hand. “I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way.”

“I didn't ask,” the boy grumbled, glaring sideways at him warily with blue eyes, scooting a little away.

“That book looks interesting,” Izuku commented, his lips curving a little.

“You can't have it.”

“No, it's- Quirks are really cool and interesting,” he tried, slinging his backpack onto his lap to pull out his most recent notebook. “Look, I like to do hero analysis in my free time. It's good practise for when I become a hero!”

The boy huffed, frowning a bit and raising a hand to brush back his unruly blond hair before hesitantly going back to reading his own book, still pausing every few moments to squint suspiciously at his companion. Izuku caught his gaze a few times and offered a smile, twirling a pencil between his small fingers then going back to scribbling down musings about a new hero who had debuted recently. He stuck the end between his teeth as he considered a fact, an effective method to stop him from unintentionally starting to mutter and creep out a potential friend.

“Monoma Neito,” the boy mumbled sharply after a long silence punctuated with rustling pages. “I... I want to be a hero, too.”

Izuku blinked at him, almost stunned, then he broke into a grin and rapidly sifted through the pages to find a blank one, turning to face the other with his pencil poised. “How about I write about you? I'm pretty good at analysing Quirks and finding ways to use them – that's why you're reading that book, right? You're uncertain about your Quirk?” He winced a little, scratching at a freckled cheek sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn't mean to assume...”

Monoma continued to glare for a moment, then turned back to his open book, although clearly not reading anymore. “I have a copying Quirk,” he informed in a fragile, bitter sort of tone. “Everyone says it's useless for a hero because-” he hesitated, gritting his teeth and glancing at Izuku apprehensively again with tension in his shoulders- “because I'll always need to have someone nearby to copy from, but... no-one ever lets me. They don't like me stealing their Quirks.”

Izuku paused in his sketching, hand briefly tightening around his pencil before he calmed himself and gave his best Deku smile. “You know, Quirks aren't everything. Have you ever heard of the underground hero, Eraserhead-san? His Quirk is the power to Erase Quirks of people he looks at. So many villains rely solely on their Quirks, so he takes them down easily.” He flipped through his notebook, making a small noise of triumph as he presented the page on the hero he would never cease to admire. “He obviously can't Erase physical Quirks, but that doesn't stop him! He's strong and he's incredibly good at fighting, and he's got this capture weapon to help him. And, um...” He opened it to another page, pointing at the sketched man's neck. “Present Mic-san uses this directional speaker to help him focus his Quirk to keep damages to a minimum. Snipe-san uses guns, but he's not useless without them. Cementoss-san can only manipulate cement, but has that stopped him from becoming a great hero?”

“What... are you trying to say?” Monoma asked cautiously, his voice oddly thick and his ocean eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“You can be a hero, Monoma-kun,” Izuku said in a soft tone, green gaze glowing with sincerity. “A Quirk like yours is incredibly rare and an amazing gift. Imagine all the good you could do with it – what if there was a fire, but only one hero with a water Quirk on scene? You could copy their Quirk and help douse the flames! Or maybe there are too many villains, and a fellow hero has a shield Quirk – you could copy it and focus on protecting your comrades, or keep civilians safe, or prevent bad property damage.”

Monoma turned his face away, raising a sleeve to cover his eyes, “And if no-one's there for me to copy from?”

“Then you fight.” Izuku's voice was a fervent whisper, filled with passion and intensity, commanding attention and leaving no room for doubt. “You use your wits and your strength. You can get support gear, like Present Mic-san and Eraserhead-san, and you can take the villains down, because a hero never gives up, no matter what adversity faces them.”

“Right,” he responded shakily, chest expanding and posture straightening as he took a deep breath, letting his arm fall from his face to reveal a tearful, proud, hopeful smile. “You're right. I can help so many people; I'm going to be an amazing hero. My classmates don't know what they're talking about.”

Izuku grinned, seeing that reignited glint in Monoma's eyes, feeling a burning joy in his chest at the knowledge that he gave back the boy's dreams, like he'd wished people would do for him so many times when he was younger. He turned the page, continuing to sketch out Monoma with drawing talents far beyond that of the average eight-year-old, occasionally piping up to ask for details he didn't really need about the boy's Quirk, obligingly scribbling down theories he knew would eventually be realities and frequently piping up to offer some suggestions. The heavy book was closed on the bench next to Monoma, a few inches away as he gradually moved closer to excitedly talk about his Quirk to someone who actually cared until he and Izuku were pressed up against each other, poring over the pages of incredible analysis that left him with an awed expression.

Their chatter gradually petered out as Izuku's tiredness caught up with him, forcing him to stop writing as his eyes refused to focus, although the pain in his hand insisted it was likely time to take a break anyway.

“...what's your Quirk?” Monoma inquired suddenly, frowning a little. “Some kind of intelligence Quirk?”

Izuku yawned before his face settled into a sly sort of smile, fingers deftly turning over his notebook to open it at the last page before offering it to the other boy.

“Quirkless,” he whispered – and he understood.

Chapter Text

Shouto wasn't letting go of Izuku's hand, but he wasn't complaining. He gave a reassuring little squeeze and flashed a Deku smile, beaming even brighter when he saw his friend relax a little, heterochromatic gaze going back to examining the surroundings. The social worker took a step back, content to give the boy a moment to adjust to what was going to be his home for the foreseeable future since Endeavour had lost custody.

“I think my mum's in the kitchen making us something,” Izuku informed to break the nervous silence. “We don't have to see her right now if you don't want to. We could check out our room, or...”

“Your mum's nice,” Shouto said quietly, stepping inside the apartment and letting his friend guide him through.

Inko turned around at the sound of tiny pattering footsteps, and she broke into an indescribably soft smile, drying off her hands on a towel before turning around to face them. “Hi again, Shouto-kun. How are you?”

“I'm...” He paused, blinked, then dipped his head, lips curving into the smallest of grins. “I'm fine, Inko-san.”

“That's great! I'm making katsudon and soba, since I heard from Izuku that was your favourite, right?” She tilted her head a little to the side, humming when she got a faint nod in response. “Well, you've got a bit of time until it's ready, so Izuku can show you around and help you get settled in. I'll call you when it's done, okay?”

“Thanks, mum,” Izuku said brightly, raising his free hand in a farewell wave.

The social worker stepped aside to let them pass, remaining in the kitchen to converse with the mother. Both kids headed straight for their bedroom, seeing two All Might nameplates hung up. Izuku pushed open the door and the two of them stepped inside; even though he'd helped sort out his room so there was space for two, he was still super excited to see how his friend would react to it. Shouto stayed relatively still, turning in place to take in the decorations without many changes of expression, his fingers still firmly linked with the green-haired boy's.

Two beds inhabited the room on either side, with desks next to them and chests of drawers at the end. There was significantly less All Might merchandise than before, although still more than the average person since Toshinori insisted on going Plus Ultra when facilitating Izuku's unhealthy addiction. A couple of posters were stuck on the white walls and Izuku's favourite figurine was on his desk next to a Hero Analysis notebook and several pencils. The wardrobe had been split in two, half of it nearly empty so Shouto could fill it with the minimal clothes he had deemed important enough to take with him. His half of the room was a fairly blank canvas, ready for him to fill it with unique items and allow him to express himself like a normal child.

Shouto hesitantly took off his backpack and put it on the carpet next to his bed, then climbed up to sit on the edge of the mattress, a certain sort of glow to his gaze. Izuku remained in the middle of the room, letting his friend sort through the influx of emotions he was undoubtedly experiencing. He glanced towards the ajar door, contentedly listening to the wonderfully domestic sounds of clinking cutlery, shuffling footsteps, and his mother speaking in low tones.

A sniffle snapped his attention back to his freed friend. His arm was raised to cover his face, but a tear trailed down his face and dripped off his chin, landing on his lap where his other hand was scrunched.

“Thank you,” Shouto whispered earnestly. “Thank you so much, Izuku.”

*

It had been a long recovery, but the day had finally come where Rei was fit to regain custody over her kids. Touya and Natsuo, being the older siblings, had gone to pick her up when she was discharged. Inko and Toshinori busied themselves with setting up the picnic on the grass whilst Fuyumi, Shouto, and Izuku dashed around the park to burn off some nervous energy, shifting from playing tag to just running as quickly as they could. With their frequent spars and training, the boys had a lot more stamina, but preferred to slow down and stick with his older sister.

They were so comfortable with one another that they were family in everything but blood. Izuku liked having older siblings, even if he was technically older than all of them.

Waiting always felt like an eternity when anxiety was involved. Sure, the kids had visited their mother whenever possible, but it was one thing to see her cooped up inside a bland hospital room, and it was another thing entirely to see her roaming free in her own clothes. Even Izuku had visited when the others had insisted on his presence, causing Rei to adopt him as much as Inko had adopted all the other children.

“Careful, my boy!” Toshinori called out when Shouto skidded on the grass.

He regained his balance, arms out and eyes wide for a moment before he relaxed, nodding in acknowledgement. Fuyumi let out a huff of breath, sitting down where she stood as she tried to recover from sprinting around. Izuku dropped down next to her with a wheeze, flopping backwards so he lay down and stared up at the blue sky. Shouto sprawled out to his left, close enough that their shoulders brushed, making a content sort of hum and closing his eyes against the glow of the sun.

“That cloud looks like All Might,” Izuku commented suddenly, finger pointed at a wisp of white clouds.

Shouto cracked open one eye, squinting for a moment before shifting closer to try and get a better angle and work out which cloud was being motioned to. “...It looks like a rabbit.”

“Oh,” he muttered, tilting his head. “Actually, from here it looks more like a giraffe with two heads. Look, there's the snout, and the head, and the horns...”

“They aren't called horns, are they?” The boy turned his head to frown thoughtfully at his friend, blades of grass sticking to his cheek.

“Wh... No, I don't think so... Are they antlers?”

“No,” Fuyumi chipped in, staring calculatingly at the ground before giving in and lying down as well. “I think antlers are bigger, with more prongs.”

“Huh,” Izuku mumbled, resisting the urge to raise his hand to his mouth and devolve into contemplative murmurs. “Mum, what are giraffe horns called?”

“...I don't know,” she responded with a perplexed note in her tone, voice raised so he could hear. “Any ideas, Yagi-san?”

“I'm not sure either.” Toshinori let out a chuckle. “It seems my giraffe knowledge is lacking.”

“I believe they're called ossicones,” a new voice interjected.

Fuyumi shot up with an excited gasp, whipping around to face the newcomers. “Touya-nii! Natsuo-nii! Mum!”

“Hey,” Natsuo said with a wide grin, opening his arms to scoop up his sister and twirl her around.

Shouto and Izuku were quick to get to their feet, rushing up to the woman with elegant white hair. Her grey eyes crinkled at the edges as she smiled delightedly, reaching out to embrace her youngest tightly for a tender moment before she dragged the other boy into the hug. The other kids soon crowded around and squished the three into a group hug, filled with laughter and joyous tears at the long-overdue reunion. It was getting stuffy, being trapped between so many people, but the content warmth in Izuku's chest was enough motive to keep him in place, one around wrapped around Rei and the other around Shouto. He caught his friend's gleeful gaze, another swell of affection bursting in his heart as he saw how happy and bright and alive Shouto's eyes were, and to know that Izuku was the one who helped reignite the boy's happiness...

Yeah, this was why he became a hero.

*

“Izu, are you... are you sure you need to go, too? It seems dangerous,” Inko murmured, twisting the hem of her soft jumper in his hands. “And... you're scared of him, I can tell. Do you really want to do this?”

Izuku swept back his hair with an All Might headband, swinging his heavy backpack over one shoulder, clenching the strap tightly to keep his hand from shaking. He crouched to tie up his red trainers, movements jerky and a little more violent than necessary, calming his breathing before standing up and facing his beloved mother with a determined expression.

Shigaraki Tomura was cultivated into a monster, with blazing crimson eyes that glittered maliciously, and a chilling, ragged smile that still haunted Izuku's nightmares.

Shimura Tenko was a child, neglected and traumatised, with a Quirk he couldn't control and a desperation to be saved.

“I'm scared of Shigaraki, not Shimura Tenko-kun,” he stated in a soft voice, glancing sadly at the front door but seeing a different scene entirely. “I want to save him, because I failed last time.”

Inko looked like she was going to protest but merely stepped forwards and engulfed her son in a tight hug, her entire body trembling. “O-okay. If that's what you need to do... I trust you.” She gave a final squeeze before backing up as the doorbell rang. “Just, Izuku, please... be safe.”

“I will, mum,” he assured with a Deku smile to push back the last of his apprehension, turning to open the door. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she responded in a whisper.

Toshinori stood outside, shifting impatiently but calming a little at the sight of the boy. “Thank you, Inko-san. I'll keep him safe, I promise.”

“I know you will,” she agreed, offering a fragile smile before her expression steeled. “Go on. Don't waste any more time – save him.”

The man shrugged off his jacket and handed it over, showing off his gaudy hero costume underneath. He beefed up into All Might and scooped up Izuku impossibly gently, holding him close and keeping his face tucked down safely before leaping off the balcony and shooting across the city. Izuku made sure to keep within the shelter of the hero's arms, shivering at the chilly air tearing through his shirt, cuddling a little closer whenever he was jostled upon landing.

They came to a stop, landing silently, and there was a pause before All Might set him down on slightly wobbly legs. He immediately peered around him with sharp green eyes, taking in the run-down district that seemed mostly abandoned. His expression twisted with sympathy at the ragged people doing their best to shelter on the streets, curled up under tatty blankets and sitting on flattened cardboard. It seemed like the hero and the boy were the only colour in this greyscale town.

“Let's hope Ragdoll-san was correct,” All Might muttered, large hand loosely clasped around the yellow backpack handle as the two of them started to walk with purpose down the road, ignoring the disbelieving stares. “And what if we're too late?”

“We're not going to be,” Izuku said firmly, his fingers resting on the retracted bo staff at his waist to reassure himself. “But, if we are... then we'll keep searching. We'll save Tenko-kun.”

Their paces were rapid, almost a sprint for the boy as he tried to keep up with the long strides. Both of them were constantly surveying the area, on high alert and buzzing with the effects of fear and desperation. Every noise had them tensing up, but never faltering.

All Might glanced down at his phone as it chimed, his grin shifting into a grimace. In one smooth movement, he picked up Izuku by his backpack and started running, bolting down the streets and leaving trails of dust and fluttering litter in his wake. A second later he came to a halt at the mouth of an alley, putting down Izuku who let out a startled breath but froze as he saw a small figure sitting against a wall in front of-

The hero rapidly lifted a hand to cover Izuku's eyes. Izuku hesitated before pulling it away with a frown cast up at his mentor, steeling his stomach and grabbing his bo staff to comfort himself as he strode closer to the grim scene. He deliberately avoided looking directly at the carnage, keeping his gaze locked onto the huddled boy, his crimson shoes edging around the puddles of red glinting across the dirty concrete. Tenko didn't even blink as the child came to a stop next to him, merely continuing to stare blankly forwards, eyes wide open in horror and the flaky skin around his mouth stretched into a sickened gape.

“I- I didn't mean to,” he rasped, voice raw and painful, repeated under his breath like a mantra, distressed and edging on manic.

“It's okay now,” Izuku assured in the gentlest tone he could manage, automatically sidling in front of the boy to block his view of the viscera. “Let me help you, okay?”

“I- I d-don't-” Tenko choked out, broken eyes trailing up to stare at his comforter. “I- I k-killed him. I killed f-father! I don't deserve-”

“Everyone deserves help,” he insisted, cautiously holding out a hand and wincing a little when the boy flinched back. “I'm Midoriya Izuku, but you can call me Deku, if you want. What's your name?”

“Sh-Shimura. Shimura Tenko.” He took an unsteady breath, looking up between scraggly locks of pale blue hair, some of the fear seeming to dissipate with the distraction. “W-why call yourself Deku? I-it means useless, right? Why would you-”

“It's another way of reading the kanji of my name,” Izuku explained slightly sheepishly, exaggerating his movements and expressions to keep the boy focused on him. “My friend is a bit mean and he called me it as an insult, but another friend told me it kinds sounded like 'dekiru,' which was a really nice twist on it. One day, I'm going to be a hero, and my name will be Deku to remind everyone that, no matter who you are or what your circumstances are, you can always rise above and redefine yourself.”

“A h-hero?” Tenko mumbled, only to dip his head again, his hands carefully not touching his bent legs. “I- I can't be a hero, my Q-Quirk-”

“Doesn't define you,” he cut in firmly. “I'm Quirkless, but not useless.”

“B-but I- I destroy anything I touch; I killed-”

“Tenko-kun.” Izuku's tone was low and soothing. “I want to save you. Let me be your hero.”

The boy choked out a sob, his teeth gritting together and his head tipping back against the wall. He raised his hands as if to tangle them in his hair, but left them hovering near his face. Izuku's gaze flickered to the mouth of the alley, where All Might was whispering into his phone, presumably calling police to the scene. Tenko gasped in another breath, regaining his companion's attention just in time to see him give a jerky nod of assent, red eyes glassy and desperate and hopeful, glimmering up at the younger boy in relief. Izuku gave the warmest, brightest smile he could muster, going to help the child up but reconsidering when he curled in on himself a little tighter, understandably too afraid to initiate contact. He faltered for less than a second before reaching up and tugging the bright headband from his hair and slowly leaning over, giving Tenko the choice to deny, but when that didn't happen Izuku carefully tucked the headband behind the boy's ears. It scraped a little over the flaky skin but settled comfortably on his head, pushing back the unkempt fringe and revealing more of his face.

“Young Izuku,” All Might called in a hushed tone, subtle worry lacing his voice.

The boy glanced at him with slightly narrowed eyes, trying to work out what had spooked him. Izuku suddenly froze, hyper aware of the quiet footsteps approaching from the other end of the alley, uniform and almost overshadowed by the noise of the city. He gazed down at Tenko who stared right back at him, trusting but still afraid.

“Come on, Tenko-kun. Let's get you out of here.” He tried to keep the concern out of his voice, maintaining a smile as he backed up a step.

Tenko was slow and shaky in standing up, to the point where Izuku just wanted to grab him and run, but he forced himself to remain patient. There was no knowing for sure whether the person getting closer was a terrible human being or not. Just because All for One had approached Tenko last time, didn't mean that was him right now, turning the corner and-

Okay, no, yeah, that was him. Probably. He wore a black fitted suit, and although he actually had a non-mutilated face, the terrifying aura was unmistakable. His eyes were dark and glinted in the low light as he surveyed the scene, lips set carefully neutral, but a muscle in his cheek twitched as his gaze settled on All Might who was striding forwards.

Tenko let out a low, anxious whine, looking ready to collapse again as the oppressive aura only got heavier. Izuku choked in a breath and briefly dipped his head before managing to get a hold of himself, catching the older boy's wide eyes before reaching out and loosely locking their arms together. He pulled a little to get Tenko to move, not even caring as the two of them splashed in bloody puddles, because evacuating the area was more important. All Might couldn't fight his best if there were two children nearby, which put him at an even bigger disadvantage if All for One decided to engage.

Other heroes were on call in case the two started to battle, but how likely was it that they'd be able to handle the clash of two titans?

Izuku pressed his lips together. His priority was to escort Tenko to safety. No matter how much he worried about All Might and the city, he needed to do his duty. He slowed his pace a little when he noticed the other boy was stumbling, clearly coming down from an adrenaline high and looking incredibly strung-out.

“It's going to be okay,” Izuku assured automatically, letting his gaze linger for only a moment before going back to roaming their surroundings as they made their way down the street.

“Wh-who was that man? Why was he so... scary?” Tenko hesitated, pulling their linked arms closer together until their sides bumped awkwardly. “W-will... Will All Might be okay?”

“That was a very bad villain called All for One,” he explained lowly. “Don't worry, All Might-san will be fine.” The words tasted a little bitter on his tongue, but he didn't falter. “We need to get out of here.”

“Where are w-we going?” He asked, a wobble in his tone, seeming to shrink in on himself.

“To the police-” At the sudden jerk on his arm, he paused, raising his free hand in a placating gesture, expression soft and genuine. “What happened isn't your fault, Tenko-kun. You're a victim: it's the system that failed you, okay? I promise no-one will accuse you of anything.”

His breathing was erratic and his bloody fingers were hovering cautiously over their joined elbows. “How can you be sure?”

“I have friends in high places. All Might-san knows you're innocent, too,” he insisted, holding eye contact for a moment longer before starting to walk at a brisk pace once more, footsteps loud in the empty street.

“B-but, you're... You're younger than me, aren't you? H-how-”

“Tenko-kun,” he said, all fond and exasperated. “I have a lot of secrets. I know you don't have much reason to, but for now, please... trust me.”

The boy opened his mouth before clamping his teeth down on his lower lip, expression conflicted before he finally nodded.

They only got a few more steps before an explosion knocked them off their feet.

Izuku instinctively let go of Tenko, not wanting them to land awkwardly and end up breaking bones. He hit the pavement on his front, rolling off momentum and laying in the dust for a few seconds as his head spun. His ears were ringing faintly and small chunks of debris were still clattering down around him, one piece crashing painfully onto his shoulder and spurring him into action.

A keening whimper caught his attention; Tenko was sprawled a few feet away, crumpled against some concrete steps and looking pained as he tried to move. Izuku scraped his palms against the ground and scrabbled to his feet, stumbling a little with the tell-tale signs of a head injury, but he dragged himself over to settle in front of his companion, green gaze already tracing his form and mapping out injuries. He tightened his jaw and glanced over his shoulder at the settling cloud of dust, seeing a scene of half-demolished buildings, clearly caused by something powerful.

That meant All for One wanted to engage and destroy One for All once and for all. That meant the damage was likely to get worse. That meant... Izuku had to work fast.

He swung his crushed backpack in front of him with a wince, not wasting any precious seconds as he dug around for first-aid supplies, swiftly cleaning and dressing the worst of the open wounds while assessing potentially fatal injuries. Tenko only let out the occasional whine and yelp, managing to stay still and accept the hasty medical care, although his fearful eyes were locked on the destruction where they came from.

Heroes had already been on standby just in case something like this happened, so at least they would be deployed quickly and could help secure the area. The issue was that no other hero matched the sheer power of All Might well enough to stand against All for One, and All Might himself was bound to struggle, as was evident by the missing organs in the previous timeline, and... god, how was Izuku just supposed to sit there knowing what his mentor was up against? Knowing what terrible things could befall him?

He pressed his lips together, wrapping up a bandage with softness that didn't match his raging thoughts. His gaze drifted down to the small grazes over the other boy's hands, noting bitten nails and dry skin, then withdrew some four-fingered gloves from his bag that were stored in there for this very occasion. Tenko jolted his hands away with panic flashing across his features, finally looking away from the broken landscape.

“It's okay,” Izuku assured in a gentle tone, firm and certain. “Your Quirk needs touch to activate, right? A lot of touch-activated Quirks are five-point, meaning they need all five fingers to be touching the object in order to activate. My friend has a gravity Quirk like it. The easiest way to stop yourself from accidentally using your Quirk is with gloves like these, at least until you learn how to control it. You'll feel safer without having to worry about your Quirk, won't you?”

Tenko nodded slowly, expression steeling with resolve as he offered one hand. Izuku carefully slipped the light blue glove over the other boy's skin, running the pad of his thumb over the fingertips and pausing on the exposed pinky finger, glancing up with a reassuring smile before moving to tug on the other glove.

Another rumble coursed dangerously through the ground, causing several more buildings to tremble against the force. A few chunks of debris skittered down from the walls of the rickety house they were crouched in front of, pittering across the concrete. Izuku secured his bag on his back and straightened up with a suppressed wince, offering a hand that Tenko hesitantly grasped, immediately clinging tighter when the skin remained intact. He was pulled to his feet, a small whine of pain passing his pursed lips as he straightened his spine out, but seemingly emboldened by his newfound shield against his unruly Quirk. They started at a brisk pace, pulling each other along with hands linked like chains, chased by the threat of a volcanic eruption through dismal streets that shuddered under their pattering feet.

The fight grew into a heartbeat, pulsing across the city. It was growing stronger with every hit All Might was clearly trying to neutralise. Another shudder caused a rift in the pavement, sending both boys tumbling to the ground. Izuku lay there for a moment, hazy head cushioned by an aching arm, feeling the remnants of power roll through the earth beneath him, thrumming within his ribcage like too-loud music.

There was probably a police perimeter set up somewhere on the outskirts – not too far, if they ran. Tenko caught his eye when Izuku languidly pulled himself into a sprawled kneel, the boy's flaky face taut with fear that expelled from his lungs in short gasps, shoulders heaving and body shaking in a way that couldn't be blamed on the distant fight. He was terrified, but he wasn't giving up.

Izuku toppled forwards as another tremor snarled through the ground, concrete peaking like tectonic plate movements. His forehead clashed with cement, thoughts exploding into stars that faded out with a flood of white-hot pain in his nose, metal tainting his tongue. He mumbled out a hiss of pain, tightening his grip on Tenko's hand while his free fingers scratched against the ground, a familiar agony lancing through his bones every time the quakes jostled him.

“Izuku-kun,” Tenko whispered, almost low enough to be drowned out by the grinding of architecture. “Please, get up. W-we need to go, remember?”

He shifted closer, one hand remaining firmly linked while the other slid underneath Izuku's torso, pitching him upright in a way that made his stomach roll with nausea. The look of anxiousness heightened into panic when he saw the bloody state of the younger boy's face, instantly choking in a fearful breath, crimson eyes darting over the injuries and expression nearing hysteria. God, Tenko was a child, he shouldn't have to be subjected to such horror and stress – Izuku should be able to pull himself together and help him get to safety, because he was supposed to be a hero, but-

Izuku was a child, too.

He let out a soft sigh. All Might was struggling. Worsening tremors meant it was unlikely the two boys would be able to get to safety. If they stayed and did nothing, they'd be badly wounded at best, killed at worst. After all this, Tenko deserved better.

Izuku stayed on his knees, grabbing his phone out of his bag and frowning at the cracked screen, but quickly moving to type in a phone number and silently pleading the recipient to answer the call.

“Who are you and how did you get this number?”

The boy beamed through the blood and panic and pain, already crying. “Sensei- ah, sorry, Eraserhead-san, hi – I'm Midoriya Izuku! Wait, that means nothing to you, I never told you my name, um... you remember that kid who used your capture gear and patched you up a while back? The Quirkless kid who wanted to be a hero? That's me, hello.”

“...how did you get this number?” Aizawa reiterated, although he sounded a little less paranoid.

“Aw, you do remember me,” he muttered fondly, only to let out a yelp and cuddle tighter against Tenko as the world shook violently once more. “Shit- I got your number off Detective Tsukauchi-san, sorry, but I'm glad I did. Look, I'm sure you got the memo and I don't know if you're on duty or not, but All Might-san's fighting this big bad villain and everything will be made a whole lot easier if you're here to use your Quirk, because the villain relies far to much on his.”

“Get out of there, kid,” he ordered, a subtle tinge of panic to his tone. “That doesn't seem like a hero fight you should gawk at.”

“Believe me, I know! We're trying to escape but All Might-san can only negate so much damage, and the residual power keeps shaking the streets. It's getting worse, sensei – we can barely stand,” Izuku informed rapidly, the phone pressed tightly to his ear while he wrapped his arm firmly around Tenko, the other boy doing the same. “We really need you here. Please.”

“Yeah, I'm on my way.” He paused. “Don't get yourselves killed.”

“We'll be fi-”

An untamed explosion tore through the streets, flattening both boys to the ground, desperately shielding their heads and cowering as shrieking gales shredded buildings. Chunks of debris tumbled down to earth, landing heavily enough to shake the ground. Grit scraped over exposed skin, shards sharp and drawing blood. The air was filled with the sound of crumbling architecture and people screaming.

Silence followed, eerie and cold.

Izuku's ears were ringing and his lungs felt thick with dust. He squinted through blurred eyes, hesitantly peering around him before uncurling his tense arm from his head. His other arm was crushed under Tenko's torso, fingers loosening as he realised he had been digging into the boy's back too harshly.

“T-Tenko-kun,” he choked out, voice like sandpaper in his throat and sending him into a fit of ragged coughing.

Tenko stirred and blinked slowly, blood trailing down from under the All Might headband. “De-ku-kun...”

Izuku picked himself up, ignoring the protests of his battered body. His balance was off-kilter and one of his ankles was flaring up in agony, but he stood nonetheless, a sheet of dust and rubble tumbling off his form. He stared around him, the thrum of adrenaline distancing him from the reality of the destruction: the streets were completely unrecognisable. The boy glanced down, noticing Tenko holding up the shattered remains of the phone, looking a little concerned.

“Ah, Aizawa-sensei's gonna be so worried,” Izuku muttered, grasping the shards and gazing at them hopelessly for a moment before shoving them into his bag. “Come on, Tenko-kun. I don't think we've got much further to go.”

“It hurts,” Tenko whispered, briefly squeezing his eyes shut and clutching at his ribs.

“Yeah,” he agreed tiredly, grabbing his bo staff and extending it to lean some of his weight on. “There'll be paramedics when we reach the police perimeter. The heroes have their hands full rescuing people already. I think...” He paused, looking over his shoulder and letting himself relax when no more quakes rumbled through the earth. “I think Eraserhead-san and All Might-san took down the villain. We'll be okay.”

Tenko's face contorted in pain as he took Izuku's hand and pulled himself up, but he didn't complain any more. The two boys pressed together, arms looped around waists and heavy steps taken in unison. Both were smeared with dirt and blood and covered in dust. They moved slowly, halting frequently to catch their breath before continuing, eyes exhausted and bodies weighed down. Heroes occasionally sprinted past, too panicked and preoccupied to notice them. Voices and flashing lights greeted them as they turned a final corner, followed by a flurry of activity as someone noticed them.

Izuku stubbornly refused to let go of his friend, glaring at the people who tried to split them, even if they were just trying to do their jobs. Tenko didn't seem opposed to staying together, clinging tightly, practically slumped onto the other boy as they were guided over to an ambulance.

“I need to speak with Detective Tsukauchi-san,” Izuku told them firmly with a clumsy tongue.

It took a few attempts for them to acquiesce to his request, finally giving up in trying to send them to hospital when it became clear they weren't budging. The paramedic who had been patching up their smaller injuries spoke to an officer who muttered into his radio, then informed the boys that the man was on his way. A few minutes later a car pulled up, the door practically flung open as the detective almost sprinted over, the tension draining from his body as he saw the boys and broke into a relieved smile.

“I thought the worst when Eraserhead-kun told me your call ended in an explosion,” Tsukauchi murmured, leaning against the side of the ambulance. “No-one could get ahold of you, either.”

“Phone broke,” Izuku responded quietly, scooting a little aside to let the man sit next to both of them on the back of the vehicle. “This is Tenko-kun. Please take care of him.”

“It's nice to meet you. I'm Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa. I'll make sure you and Izuku-kun can stick together, if you'd like that,” he offered with a gentle grin, glancing sideways.

Tenko nodded slowly, leaning more heavily against the other boy and cuddling down under the blanket wrapped around him. He looked ready to pass out, but too nervous to do so in the presence of so many strangers.

“How's Toshi-san?” Izuku asked, feeling a fresh twist of sickness arise in his gut.

“He's fine. Minor injuries.” Tsukauchi broke into a small smile. “Mostly worried about you two. I told him you were here, don't worry.”

As if on cue, there was a commotion, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. All Might came to a stop in front of the trio, dropping to his knees with an almost-sob of relief, arms spreading to engulf both boys in the softest of hugs, large palms splayed over their backs and his head dipped between theirs. All three of them were trembling slightly, but they were okay. They were alive.

Izuku let himself relax, closing his eyes and taking a calming breath.

Tenko was safe. All for One was defeated. Everything was going to be okay.

Chapter Text

“Deku-” Kacchan started, then bit his tongue and screwed up his face, shoulders squaring and hands plunging into pockets. “Izuku.”

“You can call me Deku,” Izuku responded automatically, chewing on the end of his pencil before scribbling something down in his notebook as he walked. “It's kinda like dekiru, I like it...”

“Deku,” Kacchan began again, his grinding teeth practically audible as he stormed alongside the boy. “Teach me.”

“Teach y-?” He lifted his head, blinking in surprise and half-tempted to teasingly ask his friend to clarify, but that would be a bad idea. “To fight, you mean?”

“And all the other shit,” he grunted in confirmation, lower jaw jutted out and his crimson gaze glaring forwards.

“You mean like... laws, first-aid, tactics, approachability-”

“Yes,” Kacchan snapped forcefully, looking like the action pained him, paces turning into stomps.

“Right- um, okay, uh-” Izuku fumbled to close his notebook, swinging his bag over one shoulder to dump both bits of stationary inside and cast a curious glance sideways. “How about right now? Well, not right now right now, but I mean-”

“Fine.”

“Really?” He could only gape for a second, although was quick to shake himself and move forward was a bounce in his step, hands clasped around the straps of his bag. “Great! First, I need to go home, so you can say hi to Tenko-kun if you want - do you have gym clothes to change into? Because we can grab a snack and then go for a run, and in the park we can practise fighting techniques together. How long are you allowed to stay out for? Because we'll be tired after sparring so we could take a break, or do some studying together if you want – oh, we got homework today, we could work on that-”

“What happened, that night?” Kacchan asked, his tone hushed and unexpectedly soft. “You weren't at school for weeks, Deku, then you come back with scars and you're prattling on about having a new brother, as if nothing weird ever happened.”

Izuku faltered for a moment, memories of fire and destruction and fear rising in his mind, but a small smile tugged as his lips nonetheless. “You know that big villain fight All Might got in? I was in the area at the time. Um... I found Tenko-kun, and we tried to run away together, but... it was really dangerous, Kacchan. But it turned out okay, anyway, so... Tenko-kun has no living family, so he was going to go into the foster system, but, well, you know what my mum is like. She went through the paperwork and legal issues and she fostered Tenko-kun, which is good, really, because I don't think he'd be as happy or feel as safe anywhere else. So he's kind of my brother now, I guess? It's nice.” He paused, side-eyeing his friend who had a frown. “Please be kind to him, Kacchan. He's been through a lot.”

Kacchan remained quiet, his narrowed gaze flicking to the other boy before he made a vague grunt of acknowledgement. Izuku opened his mouth but shut it again, not knowing what else to say. The two of them walked the rest of the way home in a sort-of-comfortable-but-not-really silence, both of them deep in thought. Inko opened the door and brightened considerably when she saw the blond, who snarled in protest as he was drawn into a soft hug but didn't make any moves to pull away.

“It's good to see you again, Katsuki-kun!” She beamed, ushering the two of them inside. “Tenko-kun's in the living room, playing that new game Yagi-san bought. I'll make you some snacks, make yourself at home!”

Izuku carefully toed off his shoes while Kacchan kicked his off, both of them practically racing to the living room, falling back into old routines of sitting on the floor in front of the sofa to stare at the TV. Tenko barely spared them a glance, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, hunched over the controller as he aggressively pressed the buttons, no fears of disintegration thanks to the light blue gloves. Kacchan occasionally shot him wary, curious looks, but eventually got too into the gameplay and started to yell commands that could be considered very aggressive advice.

“So you're Kacchan,” Tenko suddenly spoke up, his gaze not moving from the screen.

The mentioned boy stiffened uncomfortably, mouth slowly closing as he fell silent.

“From what I've heard, I don't really like you that much,” he continued in a nonchalant tone, clicking buttons punctuating his words. “You've never been very nice to Deku-kun, have you?”

“What-”

“He talks about you like you're incredible, but I think you're just a little brat, pushing everyone around just because you have a powerful Quirk? That's not nice. Don't you want to be a hero, Kacchan?” Tenko's voice grew scathing and taunting, growing uncomfortably close to sounding like Shigaraki.

“Shut-”

“Tenko-kun,” Izuku began, clenched hands pressed against his thighs, “please don't... do that. Kacchan... has made mistakes. A lot of them. But a lot of his personality has been bred from the foolishness of adults who should know better.”

Kacchan blinked, teeth bared in confusion. “What.”

“People always praised you, and no-one ever went against you or fixed your mistakes, so you never realised what you were doing was wrong.” Izuku shrugged, shifting his position and pulling his legs up to his chest to rest his head on his knees. “It's not your fault, not really. But you finally came to me because you realised you could be better, right?”

“What kind of useless hero doesn't know how to fight, huh?” Kacchan shot back rhetorically, crossing his arms churlishly and slumping back against the sofa cushions.

“I'm glad you came to me, Kacchan,” he said softly, hiding his fond smile behind the arms wrapped around his legs. “We're going to be the best heroes. Together.”

*

It was difficult to keep himself from grinning, but since his cheeks were already hurting he was trying to stop it. Izuku bustled around his room, double-checking his appearance and the contents of his classic yellow backpack before swinging it over his shoulder and dashing out. His mother engulfed him in a hug and Tenko looked up from his phone, flashing a crooked grin and unhooking something from the pocket of his dark trousers. Izuku pulled away from Inko and squinted warily at the older boy, but Tenko just grinned wider, reaching out and smoothing something over his head, letting the ends settle just behind his ears.

“An All Might headband,” he informed, snickering as the boy almost immediately teared up, letting out a surprised noise as Izuku threw himself forwards and pulled him into a tight hug. “Oh, come on, it's not that big of a deal.”

“T-thank you, Tenko-nii,” Izuku mumbled thickly, squeezing a little before backing up and wiping his eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I'm the best big brother,” he muttered bemusedly, ruffling green curls and turning towards the door. “Now hurry up, we've gotta go or we'll be late to school.”

They waved goodbye to their mother, who was sobbing uncontrollably but beaming nonetheless, and left their home. Toshinori had wanted to walk them to school, but thankfully had been persuaded out of it, because the last thing Izuku needed was people making a big deal out of him arriving with All Might himself. Kacchan met them at the train station, flashing a cocky grin and lightly shoulder-checking Izuku before they all boarded, standing alongside one another and gleaning dumb stories about Tenko and his classmates to ease their nerves.

UA loomed before them, windows glinting in the sun. Tenko spotted his friends and lightly ruffled Izuku's hair, then caught Kacchan in a headlock to give him a noogie, before the older boy dashed off with explosions in his wake, cackling almost maniacally. A low growl rumbled in Kacchan's throat but he let his arm drop, aggressively tussling his spiky hair back into style and continuing to stomp towards the front doors. Izuku bounded after him, eventually taking the lead as he guided them down familiar corridors, sweet nostalgia bringing a wide grin to his face.

“That's a creepy smile, Deku,” his childhood friend muttered, lightly shoving him into a wall.

“I'm happy to be back here, Kacchan, let me smile creepily!” Izuku retorted, pushing the other boy with a shoulder and glaring.

“If you try that again, I'm going to blast you out that window,” Kacchan warned, raised palm sparking. “But I don't want to be late on the first day.”

Izuku suddenly came to a halt, one corridor away from their classroom. The volatile boy paused a few paces ahead, glancing back with a glower, although his expression was tinged with an unspoken question.

“Oh,” he mumbled, green eyes widening with realisation and a giggle spilling from his mouth. “I befriended all our classmates, but I never introduced them to one another.”

Kacchan's mouth fell open and he rolled his eyes aggressively, hands thrown out in disbelief. “Are you fucking serious.”

“So they all know me...” He trailed off, slapping a hand over his mouth and turning around to try and hide his chuckling.

“But they don't know everyone else also knows you,” Kacchan finished, a huff of laughter hissing through his teeth. “Okay, fuck being late, I don't give a shit about that anymore. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I need to see their reactions. God, Deku, thank you for being a moron.”

“You're welcome, I think?”

The two of them leant against a wall, getting odd looks from the other students who were walking by, but luckily none of the people were their classmates. Izuku entertained himself by flipping through his latest hero analysis notebook that was almost entirely encoded, just in case it fell into the wrong hands. Kacchan jabbed a finger at one of the characters, pointing out a mistake, then returned to silently reading it over his friend's shoulder. Finally, the warning bell rung and they shared a mischievous glance before approaching their classroom, staring up at the intimidating door.

A rustle came from the floor.

“Morning, sensei,” Izuku greeted without even looking down.

“Aizawa-sensei,” Kacchan acknowledged, too busy getting out his phone and switching onto camera mode.

There was a soft, world-weary sigh. “I don't think I want to know how you managed to figure out I was going to be teaching you. What I do want to know is what the two of you are doing.”

“Filming the result of an unintentional prank,” Izuku responded, adjusting his tie and composing himself before giving a thumbs-up at the camera. “Ready, Kacchan?”

“Ready.”

Izuku reached out and pushed the door aside, a sunny smile on his lips as if he was oblivious to the chaos and confusion that was undoubtedly about to ensue. Aoyama Yuuga noticed him first, perking up and sparkling excitedly. He chirped out an effervescent 'bonjour' that alerted the other students to the new arrival, causing several heads to turn and a wave of visible joy to sweep across the classroom as each individual recognised their friend. Tokoyami Fumikage gave him a slight nod while Kouda Kouji offered a shy little wave. Satou Rikidou straightened up and Ojirou Mashirao's tail started to wag a little. One of Jirou Kyoka's earphone jacks raised in a lazy flick of acknowledgement.

“Yo, Midori!” Kirishima Eijirou exclaimed, half-tumbling off the desk he was sitting on in his eagerness to approach.

“Why didn't you tell us you got into UA?!” Ashido Mina added in a shriek, bumbling after and immediately latching onto the freckled boy.

“Oh, you know Deku-kun, too?” Uraraka Ochako inquired, her tone surprised and her eyebrows raised.

“'Zuku! Thanks for helping me study – there was no way I'd have gotten in without your help,” Kaminari Denki said with a cheerful laugh, leaning back in his chair and kicking his feet onto his desk.

Izuku beamed back, happy to know his tutoring helped. “It's no prob-”

“Yeah, thanks for sparring with me!” Hagakura Tooru chipped in, her sleeves waving in the air. “I'm super strong now, so I passed easily!”

“You sure seem to know a lot of people, Izuku-chan,” Asui Tsuyu commented, head tilted a little to the side and large eyes questioning.

“Yeah, dude, it's almost as if you know everyone in this class!” Sero Hanta joked, glancing around the room with a sharp smile that faltered as he registered the familiarity with which everyone regarded the boy. “Wait... seriously? Does everyone know Izuku? No way...”

Shouji Mezou gave a sheepish sort of shrug. Yaoyorozu Momo nodded daintily, seeming as bewildered as everyone else. Todoroki Shouto's lips quirked into a faint smile. Shinsou Hitoshi raised an eyebrow, surveying the class. Iida Tenya made a noise of affirmation, while everyone else offered their own confused agreements, squinting around at each other and looking perplexedly back at Izuku.

Aizawa took that moment to finally intervene, shedding his sleeping bag as he stepped inside with an exhausted expression. “Settle down. I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta-”

“Hey, isn't that the underground hero, Eraserhead?” Monoma Neito muttered, and the seated students erupted into excited whispers, because how could Izuku resist sprinkling in his admiration for their secretive teacher when he chatted with his friends over the years?

The inevitable hero-worship that the man despised was just a bonus of introducing them all to one of the greatest heroes ever.

Kacchan made his presence known with a snort that morphed into a snicker, stopping the recording and shoving his phone back into his bag to keep the blackmail material safe. He strode across the classroom, smacking Izuku's raised palm in a high-five before dropping down into his seat in front, lounging back with one arm leaning over the backrest. His feral grin didn't falter under the disapproving glare from their teacher. Sensing defeat, Aizawa turned his terrifying glower onto the plain boy, clearly working out that the strange child with impossible prediction powers likely had something to do with the entire class nerding out over an obscure hero. Izuku clasped his hands together on his desk and he tilted his head with an innocent smile, gaining a faintly frustrated huff before the teacher regained control of the classroom with a glint of his red eyes.

As nice as a second attempt at life seemed, it was difficult to get used to the unexpected restart.

But, hey – helping his friends and stopping awful villains before they even emerged certainly made things worth it.