Chapter Text
A normal luck quirk.
That's it: the power to be ranked around the MIDdle in anything Izuku does.
It's got nothing to do with breathing fire or pulling small objects telekinetically, it's just being MID.
For an ability legally registered as MID? purely because the naming process works on a separate, but worse version of copyright? it does exactly what it says on the tin.
But in such a demanding industry? in arguably the hardest country to become what he never stopped dreaming to be? he just can't be MID. Not even as a 4 year old.
Every hero earns and keeps their places among the pros by getting their licenses.
Getting their licenses means learning the ropes and jumping through hoops, within their final 3 years before turning 18.
Learning the ropes and jumping through the hoops means proving themselves, as many times as humanly possible, to others who already know what to expect.
Where can they do all that? high school.
How can they do all that? by being the best of the best of the best.
As baffled as the adults became over how this quirk works? as dismissive as the kids became of this dream? Izuku just knew he had to do whatever it takes, to make sure being MID won't be the reason why he never makes it as a pro hero.
He already has biology standing in his way, he refuses to allow society to do the same.
Good news: being MID proved to be better than being quirkless in getting Izuku access to gyms and dojos throughout the past 10 years since getting medically diagnosed with MID.
Bad news: it still didn't guarantee he'd make it into UA like Katsuki.
One gets all the attention and praise for having a terrorist's wet dream of a quirk, while the other gets lost in the background among the nameless faces both teens never cared to remember.
No prizes for guessing who's who.
Izuku didn't distance himself from Katsuki overnight, it happened over time.
Days of agony became weeks.
Weeks became months.
Months became years.
Even though they both made it to a decade of abuse? at least the delusion of friendship stopped.
Granted, Izuku still has no problem at all admitting Katsuki's been the best among them for 14 years. Undisputed.
If necessary? he's willing to get down on his knees and suck the skin off his former best friend. Until nothing but bones remains. Until he's made what everybody else should expect clearer than anybody else can. Until diseases develop, and he can blame either/both parents as the cause of the state of their own child.
Just as long as he continues benefitting from it, no strings attached.
But it's still not enough to stop him from applying to UA too.
The rationale couldn't possibly be any simpler: being MID among the best of the best of the best can still get Izuku where he wants to be, where he needs to be.
He only has to be the most MID student the best high school for heroics ever bothered to teach.
Because of the way being MID works? he's neither going to be the best nor the worst. Ever. Which permanently traps him in a bubble separating him from the best and the worst at all times.
As long as he does whatever it takes to reach the upper echelons of MID? he's still going to be very powerful.
However, judging by the explosion Izuku barely managed to dodge? and the damage Katsuki just inflicted upon his desk? somebody obviously has issues, especially with the idea of a 2nd ever UA success story from Aldera happening at the exact same time as the 1st.
"WE'RE REALLY DOING THIS SHIT AGAIN, DEKU?" Katsuki mocked, already getting in Izuku's face. "YOU'RE WORSE THAN THE REJECTS!"
Katsuki kicks Izuku's chair out of the window, but as per usual? nobody tries to stop him. "YOU'RE MID!"
The chair barely had enough time to hit the concrete below before Katsuki declared "THERE'S NO WAY A BITCH LIKE YOU EVER DESERVES TO MAKE IT!"
With both of Katsuki's hands still smoking, Izuku decides now's the time to pretend he's about to piss himself in front of anybody and everybody watching.
"No- wait, Kacchan!" Izuku pleaded, literally retreating to the walls behind him, if only to sell the act. "I'm not trying to compete with you or anything like that!"
With Izuku's back against the wall, he begged for his life with feigned panic. "Believe me!"
Looking away, Izuku mixed things up with some honesty. "It's just... this has been my dream, ever since I was little."
"And, well..." Izuku stuttered, allowing his shyness to show. "There's... no harm... in trying..."
"THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY?" Katsuki growled, buying the act without fail, as his hands began popping. "IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU DO FOR FUN!"
To make the scene perfect, Izuku looked down in shame, while the students continued giggling.
"WHAT CAN YOU DO?" Katsuki barked, even as the teacher finally started dragging him back to his seat. "YOU'RE MID! YOU’VE BEEN MID OUR WHOLE LIVES!"
For about 71.4% of Izuku's life? he's been failed by everybody around him.
It's not as if he wants to be so performative around his bully, he only does it on a needs basis. Because who can he actually be around to be himself?
Family? Hisashi's the name for the checks keeping the lights on, Inko's counting down the time until he's 18 to leave him too.
Friends? Katsuki. The very same person who suggested taking a swan dive off the roof of a building less than an hour ago.
Sometimes, Izuku finds himself wondering: what would All Might think of Katsuki?
Both of them grew up worshiping the symbol of peace, who single-handedly formed their career aspirations. He'd like to believe the no. 1 hero wouldn't approve of suicide baiting, but he's never going to bet on it.
Between the 2? fortune clearly has a favorite. Spoiler alert: it's not him.
While Katsuki thrived at the top? Izuku languished in the MIDdle. Trying to be less MID doesn't exactly come easy, especially when he's been growing up MID.
He tried laughing every step of the way to make it all hurt less, but as things stand? it's only gotten him in the clutches of a sludge villain currently penetrating him nasally and orally.
"Don't worry, I'm just gonna borrow your body." The sludge villain reassured, talking as if he's not already forcing himself onto a minor without consent. "Calm down. It'll only hurt for about 45 seconds, you won't feel so bad afterward."
If Izuku could still use his words? he would’ve already pointed out he’d be dead by the time the tentacles actually stops hurting.
His only silver lining in this situation? the fact that his eyes and ears remain untouched. At least for now.
"You'll be fine soon enough." The sludge villain remarked, while the hot, thick liquid continues dribbling down Izuku's throat and blocking his lungs.
With tears already forming, piss and shit soon to follow, Izuku began clawing at the sludge villain's appendages desperately. 'I. CAN'T. BREATHE.'
Unfortunately? it's doing nothing to help.
"Didn't you learn a thing in science class? you can't grab fluids!" The sludge villain mocked, inserting himself deeper inside of Izuku. "But I appreciate your help, buddy. You're my hero."
Kicking aimlessly in the air, Izuku felt his hands go limp. Everything in sight began fading to black, and whatever the sludge villain just said became muffled.
'I... can't... do it...' Izuku thought, as he tried to focus on his damaged notebook. 'I'm... dying? I'm... dying! I'm... dying.'
'Please...' Izuku begged, while closing his eyes and allowing it all to drip. 'Somebody... help... me...'
MIDway through the dying process? the slime suddenly went still. Not long after? Izuku felt air pump into his lungs again.
Daring to open his eyes a bit to see who saved him from certain death? he could only see a rough shape of his savior, before falling unconscious.
Whoever said "never meet your heroes" might just be the wisest person to ever live.
The moment Izuku opened his eyes again, to see exactly who's slapping him awake? he's met with a sight most fans would kill to experience for themselves.
All Might. The symbol of peace. The no. 1 hero. With the sludge villain contained in 2 separate 2 liter plastic bottles, and Izuku still alive to thank his childhood idol for saving him.
The dude even gave his autograph on the next 2 blank pages of the damaged notebook, without being asked.
But Izuku just couldn't let go. He had to know the answer, to a question that'll decide his fate.
Can somebody with a MID quirk become a hero?
It's something Izuku's been thinking about. For as long as the doctor revealed his diagnosis, for as long as he's known a word like "MIDdle" can be used derogatorily.
As crazy and stupid as grabbing onto All Might's leg and literally getting launched back into the heart of the city may be? he had to hear it for himself.
Izuku never expected All Might to deflate.
He never expected All Might to be missing a lung and a stomach.
He never expected All Might to get reduced to a mere 3 hours of being his usual self.
He never expected All Might to actively hide fear.
"I can't just say you can become a hero with MIDdling abilities." All Might replied, devastating Izuku to the core. "To do what I do? for as long as I have? you must never stop striving to be the best, no matter what you're doing."
There lies the problem: how can he possibly become the best, when reality itself refuses to allow him to rank among the best or the worst at anything and everything?
As he experienced for himself not so long ago? villains don't play nice. If even All Might could bleed, what chance does he have?
Getting back up, All Might began to walk straight for the door to the stairs. While he did so? he at least tries to minimize the emotional damage.
"If what you're saying's true? then being a hero's not the only way." All Might noted, while Izuku's still trying to process the fact All Might confirmed exactly what he's always known. "Be a police officer or something. As much as people laugh at them for having villains delivered to them? it's still a way to help others, without putting their lives at risk, just to prove a point."
Swinging the door open? All Might spared a final moment to provide Izuku a conclusion.
"You're allowed to dream." All Might advised, without looking back. "But you also have to be realistic about what's possible."
As the door shuts, and the sound of All Might's steps fade? Izuku could only stand there, and allow All Might's words to weigh on his heart.
So much had been said. Yet? only one word sticks out: realistic.
Like he spent so much time on something impossible. Like he deluded himself into believing he had just as much of a chance to be enrolled in UA and graduate as Katsuki does.
Before he could imagine how he'd have fared as a vigilante or a villain? an explosion and clouds of smoke could be seen and heard from a distance.
Just as quickly as Izuku found himself running towards the door to alert All Might? he stopped.
While he knew where All Might's coming from? the truth still hurts.
He could open the door, yell at All Might to look out the window, and hope the echoes reach him? but knowing what All Might can do? there's a realistic chance he's already on his way over.
So, Izuku closed his eyes, kept his head down, and walked slowly.
On the way back to the way back home? Izuku found himself idly flipping through the pages of his damaged notebook, not bothering to look up, unless he's about to cross a road.
Nobody had to see him trying not to cry, they won't even hear the years of memories mixing together to taunt him mercilessly.
"He's on the wrong side of his 3rd year in junior high,'" Some random student commented, while he followed Katsuki out the door. "But he still can't face reality."
"It's time for you all to be serious about your futures." Some random teacher lectured, while he accidentally waved around his resignation letter for the rest of the class to see. "To decide what you all really want to do for the rest of your lives.
"You're allowed to dream." All Might advised, without looking back. "But you also have to be realistic about what's possible."
Finally putting the chapter to a close, Izuku dared to let his eyes linger on the charred remains of what's supposed to be the cover.
He's on his 13th volume of analysis for the future, it's not even completely filled, but the future has already become his present.
It's 1 thing for him to vow he'll make it, no matter what, as a child. It's another thing to actually reach the point of no return, and choose whether or not to keep going, as a teen.
'Even a top pro said it.' Izuku thought, bringing his hand up to his nose to wipe away the mucus. 'Don't cry! didn't you always know? the reality.'
The reality being: he's been walking down a narrow road his whole life.
Gyms and dojos didn't exactly present routes to a career in sports science or professional fighting. Analysis didn't exactly present routes to a career in support items or quirks science. Not when he'd been dead set on sending vigilantes and villains behind bars since a young age.
'You knew, that's why you've been so desperate to make your dreams your reality.' Izuku scolded, as if kids aren't allowed to dream. 'You did everything not to see reality for what it always has been.'
Another explosion momentarily forced Izuku from sinking any further. Looking across the road, he sees a crowd, watching the scenes unfold before them.
'Is this where the explosion earlier was from?' Izuku wondered, with bags still weighing down his eyes. 'Hang on, did I just come out of habit without noticing?'
Previously? when the lights turned green? he ran towards the danger to watch Death Arms, Backdraft, Kamui Woods, and Mt. Lady work.
Now? when the lights turned green? he stood still.
Izuku's 14 now, he can't afford to keep doing what he's been doing over the past 10 years anymore.
It's time to be realistic: he's seen it all before countless times. Different pros, same situations.
Unless he's planning to run into the flames, when it's all burning, on his own? with no prior experience in doing so? it's time to put it all behind him, and move forward with his life.
Instead of turning right? Izuku left it to the pros to deal with.
He may not be the best version of himself at the moment? but he chose to keep going, regardless of what Katsuki and All Might had to say about it.
With renewed conviction? he jogs his way back home to a hypothetical father and a neglectful mother as a son of a bitch ready to do whatever it takes to make his dreams his reality.
Even if he dies trying? there's no way he'll ever allow himself to feel as helpless as he had been back in the tunnel. Never again, if possible.
Katsuki nearly died trying to free himself from the sludge villain, while the supposed heroes stood by, observing, waiting, doing nothing, letting it happen.
Not even vomiting out the sludge stopped him from letting the pros know exactly how he felt, and he made sure it all got caught on the cameras, for all to see.
They genuinely waited until All Might showed up to save him, when the bastard has a pair of eyes and a mouth for them to work with.
Excuses of waiting for somebody else with a more suitable quirk fell flat, especially when his explosions achieved similar results to what Backdraft's water, Kamui Woods' branches, and Slugger's bat would've gotten. If they tried.
He knows how it'll look. The moment Masaru and Mitsuki press charges against them all? the Bakugos would be paid fortunes in compensation faster than he can scream "DIE!" to every single hero there, at least once. Except for All Might.
As much as Katsuki hated the idea of being helped? he didn't mind the fact he made All Might's job easier by freeing himself and getting out of the way.
Which brought him to a random residential back alley, with nobody around, except for himself and All Might.
If not for the fact he personally witnessed the guy punch the bastard hard enough to change the weather? he wouldn't believe he just got saved by All Might.
Deflated? 1 lung? no stomach? 3 hours of being All Might? actively hiding fear? it couldn't be.
Whatever All Might said afterward fell on deaf ears. Until Katsuki heard him say something that'd change his life forever.
"You moved, when most wouldn't have done a thing." All Might declared, certain of the decision he's made. "For this reason? you are worthy to inherit my power."