Archive of Our Own

Izuku Midoriya had become the name associated with the cautionary tales told to quirkless children at night. Whispers of the boy who disappeared just after he was five years old haunted the nightmares of small children in Mustafu. He had never been found. A body never recovered. No leads. He’d simply vanished. Dropped off the face of the earth to never be seen again, leaving his mother, his best friend, and his best friend’s family shrouded in grief. The boy had radiated sunshine. Now dark clouds hung over them, with no sun to chase the shadows away.

A decade passed with no word or sign from the missing boy. He was declared legally dead just a few months before. The obituary was posted on a newspaper that was tugged along the sidewalk by the wind. It wrapped around his leg, practically glued to him. He picked it up, reading over the obituary and studying the small black and white picture of the kid he used to be.

Izuku’s eyes watered and he swallowed thickly. It was better this way. Maybe his mom had moved on. He shook his head, clearing the thoughts away. He couldn’t afford to be distracted now. His father was waiting for him after all. 

Descending the stairs in an alley, Izuku let down his defenses, the familiar walls and smell of mildew enough to bring him comfort. No one would find him here. He was safe. 

“Izuku? Back already?” His father’s voice spoke up from down the dim hall.

Izuku quickened his pace, clutching the plastic bag of groceries he’d been out to grab from the nearby pharmacy. His father had been in poor health for as long as he could remember, it was only right to get medicine for him. At the sight of his father, Izuku smiled. His father lacked eyes and a nose, twisted by scarring. His grin though was warm and inviting. Izuku dug into the bag, “I brought the creams you asked for. Hopefully it’ll help.”

A loving hand cupped the back of Izuku’s neck, but a chill ran down his spine. Something was pressing at his mind but he couldn’t quite remember whatever it was that was trying to resurface. “Good boy. I was hoping you’d come back sooner rather than later. I have a task for you.”

Izuku hoped his father didn’t see his spine straighten and his muscles tensed.

“This will be good for you,” His father patted his head, “You have to use your quirk at some point. Don’t want it building and accidentally firing now would we?”

Izuku shook his head furiously, “No, of course not.”

His father tilted his head, still wearing his usual smile, “I know you’re smarter than that. You can take a minute then I’ll brief you.”

Izuku nodded and went to his own area of the hollowed out tunnel. He lay down on his bed, tattered blankets and flat pillows cushioning his still sore muscles from the day before. His father was constantly having him train. Just in case, if anyone ever came for him, he’d need to defend himself without relying on his quirk. His father only permitted him to use his quirk on the little “missions” he sent him on. All to make the world better. Izuku sighed. He didn’t remember much from his childhood but he knew he’d always wanted to be a hero, and that’s what he was doing, right? Making the world better for him and his father, safer. If everyone could see all the good he could do, then he wouldn’t be at risk. His father constantly warned him that destructive quirks like hers, deadly quirks, the users could be prosecuted or killed. Izuku hadn’t realized he had dozed off until flashes of nightmares passed over his mind’s eye. Being taken, hauled away from his father by police. Screaming as his quirk seeped out onto the officers, watching them crumble.

“Boy.”

His father’s voice jolted him from sleep. Izuku sat up quickly, sweat on his forehead barely concealed by his curls. His father put a hand on his head, “You’ve got more white hair.” His father mused.

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek, “I didn’t notice.”

A thoughtful hum, “Your quirk is affecting you still. This little errand might be useful. Get it out of your system.”

Izuku nodded numbly, his thoughts taking on a fuzzy edge, his vision swimming in and out of focus. His feet were moving before his mind could catch up. He stood from his bed as his father began again, “It’s a simple job. Just a small corner store. I heard they’re spies, looking for children with developing fatal quirks. Take care of them. That’s all.”

There was a buzzing in Izuku’s finger tips, making his stomach clench. He nodded once and turned without a word, making his way out of the tunnel and above into the real world. He squinted against the light as he exited the alley. The sun was setting but it sat perfectly between two buildings, blinding Izuku. It didn’t do much to snap him out of his daze, walking while his head filled with cotton. He vaguely remembered a sense of wrongness when he first began doing these tasks for his father, but now he only felt hollow, quietly accepting the destruction he must wrought. Like him, his father had a powerful quirk. He could steal others’ quirks and did so to protect them both. Izuku had begged more than once for his father to take his quirk. He never would. To this day he never fully understood why. 

Izuku passed by a small shop selling TVs. All of them were turned to a news channel detailing an attack on something called UA. The name was vaguely familiar, same with the hero who was shown in the footage. Izuku’s eyes widened. All Might. He would recognize him from his posters and merchandise anywhere. His costume and his hair all incredibly striking he couldn’t be mistaken for anyone else. His father warned Izuku countless times that All Might wasn’t to be trusted. He was the number one hero, known for saving countless lives. If he found out about Izuku, about what he’d done to his father’s face, his home, he would be taken away. Fear curled in Izuku’s stomach and he tore his eyes away from the many screens displaying the symbol of peace. 

The corner store wasn’t far. He needed to keep focused. The sooner he finished up, the sooner he could go home. 

Izuku clenched and unclenched his fingers, the buzzing beneath his skin growing more noticeable by the second. His quirk ached to be released, scrabbling at the bars of the prison he locked it away in. He exhaled slowly, his heart racing and pounding against his ribcage. This would be good for him. His father had said so. 

Izuku approached the store, dread creeping over his skin. He opened the door, a cheery bell sounding. An older man stood behind the counter, grunting a greeting. Izuku swallowed thickly and he walked towards a shelf on the outer wall. His fingers found the concrete bricks making up the wall. His breath stuttered as he placed his second hand on the smooth wall, forcing his quirk outward. The effect was immediate, cracks forming, spiking in all directions. It began to crumble before his eyes, which Izuku knew would’ve taken on their red hue. He couldn’t bring himself to look back at the older man behind the counter, but heard his yelp of terror as Decay spread to the ceiling and it began to collapse. Dust and debris rained over Izuku’s head as he turned and exited the building. The ground rumbled as his quirk overtook the building. The older man must’ve escaped through a back door because he didn’t appear behind Izuku. At least, he hoped the man escaped. 

Unfortunately, a pair of heroes were on patrol, and Izuku saw the exact moment their eyes were drawn to the building and the fear that overtook them. They broke into a sprint towards him. Izuku’s veins lit up with adrenaline and he fled. 

Two sets of heavy footsteps followed behind him. They were yelling, but Izuku couldn’t hear them. His head was fuzzy again. Was he dreaming? He dragged his fingers along a building he ran past, Decay immediately taking hold of the brick. If he could lose the heroes, he could escape, get back to his father, lay low for a bit. Maybe he could bring the good instant noodles back home. He and his father could have a peaceful night. 

The simple daydream was cut short as Izuku skidded around a corner, his eyes landing on an unmistakable figure. Blue, red, white, and yellow colliding into the number one hero. He had a small crowd around him, cameras flashing as he flexed and signed autographs. He looked up but his smile never faltered. The intense stare made Izuku freeze in his tracks. The two heroes pursuing him stumbled over him from the sudden stop. Izuku’s fingers brushed the sleeve of one hero’s uniform. Horrified, Izuku watched it disintegrate, turning gray and crumbling away, spreading to the hero’s arm. Izuku turned again, running as fast as his legs could take him but All Might appeared in front of him, lightning fast. His big fist caught the collar of his shirt, pulling him backwards. 

Izuku shrieked as his movement was halted. He balled up his fists to keep from accidentally using Decay again. He could hear the hero screaming. Izuku’s eyes welled up with hot tears. That man was in pain because of him. It was just like his father warned him. He was going to die. Izuku choked on a sob, crying out to the hero, “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

All Might’s booming voice overcame Izuku’s frantic apologies, “How do we stop it?”

Izuku shook his head, globs of tears pouring down his freckled cheeks, unable to pull himself together as he watched the hero’s arm fully disintegrate. “I don’t know. I don’t know. You can’t.”

All Might shouted orders at the other hero who was supporting his injured partner. Izuku couldn’t hear him. He was screaming, unable to hold back as horror, disgust, guilt, and intense waves of unidentifiable emotions swelled. All Might would take him away to be killed, he’d never see his father again. He was a failure. 

The police arrived only minutes later. All Might handed Izuku over to them and was cuffed immediately, sniffling and sobbing, unable to look away as his quirk ate away the right side of the hero. He was shoved into the back of a police car, his view finally obstructed. Everything was too loud, too much. He could hear his father’s voice ringing in his head. This was why his mother had hated him. This was why he and Father had to run and hide. This was why he was going to be alone until they made the world safe again. 

Izuku leaned his forehead onto the seat in front of him, shaking his head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t mean to.”

His ears rang and his vision was blurry, whether from tears or the cotton overtaking his head again, he wasn’t sure. He stared blankly at the leather seat in front of him. The trails of tears on his cheeks had grown cold and sticky. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the police officer opened the door again, All Might at his side, without a smile. 

“All Might, are you sure? We don’t know if this kid-”

The pro hero shot the officer a look, “We have the equipped facilities at UA. It would be best to take him there for now.”

Izuku recognized that word. UA. What even was that? A prison? A torture chamber kids like him were sent to to be killed? His death was now on the horizon and he was powerless against it. Izuku couldn’t get all five fingers to touch the metal of the cuffs binding his wrists behind his back. Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to get far, and he wasn’t exactly jumping at the chance to use his quirk again.

The police officer took hold of Izuku’s shoulders and pulled him from the vehicle. He was escorted to a separate one, unmarked but armored. He entered without a fight, unable to shake the haziness that was slowly drowning out his terror. The car door slammed shut once he was secured with the seat belt. Izuku saw All Might leap into the air and disappear. Maybe he would be the one to execute Izuku. He certainly hoped not, since his father had talked about how dangerous he was on too many occasions to count. 

His curls had started to fall into his eyes. He could see more patches of white coming in against the usual deep green. Maybe during the stress of the escape he stockpiled Decay? Or maybe it was attacking the pigment in his hair because he wasn’t using it? God, this was exhausting. He was going to die anyway so what did it matter?

The car engine started with a harsh sputter and they set off down the road. The officer in the driver’s seat didn’t speak to him, and Izuku didn’t utter a word either. He could plead for his life, but what would that do? Maybe he could ask that they spare his father, let him take the punishment for his crimes. It was him who was using his deadly quirk. 

The drive was incredibly long, or at least it felt like it. Izuku’s head bumped against the window as he tried to lean on it, feeling too heavy to be supported by just his neck. There was a large building coming into view. Tall towers covered in glass windows. It didn’t look like a prison or some kind of executioner ring. The car pulled up to the gates and they opened, allowing them through. Izuku sought out the large signage on the building. UA. So UA wasn’t a prison, at least from the looks of it. But why would they be bringing him here?

The car rolled to a stop and the police officer stepped out of the car, opening the door and tugging Izuku out. On the front steps, Izuku found another man. Tired eyes, unkempt black hair, scraggly facial hair, and some kind of scarf draped around his neck. 

“Eraser. I trust All Might can handle the situation, but are we sure about this?” He muttered.

The man, Eraser, only grimaced. When he spoke, his voice was flat and monotone, drenched in a tiredness that Izuku wasn’t sure even sleep could fix. “We can handle it. Tell Tsukauchi I’ll be in touch.”

The officer nodded and released Izuku’s arm. He gulped at the sight of Eraser looking down at him. “Figured I should mention,” Eraser approached, taking a few slow steps towards Izuku, “don’t try to use your quirk. My name isn’t Eraserhead for nothing. You won’t be able to use it while I’m around. Got it?”

Izuku nodded. Honestly it was a relief to hear him say that. He unclenched his fists but his body still remained tense. Eraser nodded towards the door, “Follow me.”

And he did. Izuku stumbled up the steps after the man, who Izuku guessed must’ve been a pro hero, and entered the large building. There were not many people to be found, it was already well into the evening so it wasn’t a big surprise. What was surprising was that Izuku wasn’t being manhandled or even held. Sure, he had his cuffs on but he could still easily wander away. But Izuku, despite his best efforts, wasn’t ballsy enough to try something that stupid.

The pair entered the east wing of the campus, which Izuku was starting to realize looked more like a school than anything. They stopped at a door at the end of the hall, Aizawa pushing it open and letting Izuku walk in first. It was a small medical room. It had a few beds, machines, monitors, and a stout old woman. She smiled at the sight of Eraserhead, “Shouta, what brings you in so late? Who’s this?”

Eraser sighed heavily, “It’s a long story. We need to get him checked out.”

Izuku’s brows rose nearly into his hairline. He was getting a medical examination? What for? Did they want to make sure he was perfectly healthy before he was killed? Or maybe they wanted to see if he had any illnesses that would let him die slower. Izuku shuddered, shaking the thought away. 

The old woman nodded and approached Izuku, taking the cuffs off of his wrists. Izuku just let his hands hang at his sides. The woman patted the nearest medical bed, “Lay down, dearie. This won’t take long.”

Izuku slowly laid down in the bed, flinching as the woman put a heart rate and oxygen monitor on his finger. She patted his knuckles, “Mind telling me what’s going on?”

Before Izuku could question whether she was asking him or the pro hero, Eraser spoke, “All Might found him running from some newbie heroes on patrol. He activated his quirk, allegedly accidentally. I don’t know what happened to the hero, but it didn’t sound good.”

Izuku closed his eyes, forcing himself to breathe deep as his eyes stung. His chest tightened as he bit back a sob. He couldn’t stop the tears from flowing freely once again. The heart rate monitor’s beeping increased rapidly. The woman turned her attention back to Izuku, “Was it an accident?”

He nodded, his breath shuddering as he tried to find his words, “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

Eraser studied him for a moment before he said, “Listen kid, we need to figure out the facts. We can start off easy. What’s your name?”

Izuku’s eyes widened, “Midoriya. Midoriya Izuku.”

Eraser nodded and turned to the woman, “Recovery Girl is going to take care of you while we do some digging. Until we can figure out what to do with you, you’ll remain here in her care. Do you understand?”

Izuku nodded but before he could stop himself, words were already falling out of his mouth, “Why haven’t you just killed me already?”

Both Eraserhead and Recovery Girl stare wide eyed at Izuku like he just grew another head. It was incredibly unnerving. “Kill you? Why do you think we would do that?”

“What kind of nonsense movies have you been watching?” Recovery Girl questioned, a stern look in her eyes as she frowned, pulling at her wrinkled face.

It was Izuku’s turn to gawk. Surely they were playing some sick joke on him. “You know…because of my quirk?”

A beat.

Another.

It stretched on for far too long before Izuku added, “Because it’s super dangerous?”

Eraserhead and Recovery Girl exchange a look before Eraser said, “What made you think we would do something like that? You may have a dangerous quirk, but that’s what quirk counseling is for.”

“Plenty of our students here have destructive quirks, but that makes them all the more motivated to be heroes and do good with it,” Recovery Girl added.

Izuku couldn’t form words. This had to be a lie. Maybe a weird mind game. But why? Why not just kill him outright? “But my father…he’s told me my whole life that…”

“That you’d get killed for your quirk?” Eraser’s brows rose.

Izuku nodded. 

Recovery Girl gently took Izuku’s hand, “Midoriya, honey. No one is going to kill you because of your quirk. We’re just here to figure out the situation.”

Was the room spinning? Izuku felt like he’d been hit by a truck. Eraser leaned closer, “Why would your father tell you something like that?”

“I…I don’t know. He’s always told me that. Said if he was ever found out the same thing would happen to him because of his quirks.” Izuku ran a hand through his mess of unruly curls, trying to grasp whatever weird parallel universe he must’ve fallen into. 

Eraser’s head snapped up when Izuku finished, “What do you mean ‘quirks’? He has more than one?”

Izuku nodded, “Yeah. He can take quirks and transfer them to others.”

Both heroes went silent but they stared at each other for a long while. Izuku opened his mouth to question them when Eraser’s voice came out harshly, “Stay here. I’ve got to make a few calls.”

Izuku watched the man turn and leave abruptly, leaving him to gape at the door. He turned to Recovery Girl but she provided no answers. 

“Let’s finish your exam and I’ll let you rest, okay?” She tilted her head slightly, her voice coming out softer, like trying to soothe a spooked animal.

Izuku sat up straight while she listened to his heart and breathing. Once she was finished and began examining his ears did he ask, “What was all that about? Does he know my father? Can I talk to him?”

Recovery Girl clicked her tongue, “Everything will be explained when the time is right. You need to focus on staying calm.”

She was right, he knew she was, but if something was wrong and his father was in trouble he needed to know. 

Recovery Girl inspected every inch of him but found nothing out of the ordinary. “A little pale, a little dehydrated but nothing major. But we still have to keep you here.”

Izuku frowned but knew better than to test his luck. He lay back down on the bed, covering his face. Something about all of this was wrong. He just couldn’t pinpoint what. His thoughts drifted back to the hero from before. His screams of terror, how his arm had turned gray and broke into ash. Nausea swept over Izuku. It took all of his strength to quietly ask, “Did I kill him?”

It took a moment for Recovery Girl to follow and she pressed her lips into a fine line, “I don’t know. All Might will probably have the answer to that. I don’t doubt that he’ll swing by to talk with you.”

It wasn’t a confirmation, which Izuku didn’t know if it was worse or not. Surely they would have to throw him in prison if the hero died. Izuku wouldn’t even blame them. The guilt was eating away at his nerves and his stomach, making it cramp impossibly tight in his abdomen. Recovery Girl spoke again, “It’ll be alright, Midoriya.”

He wanted to believe her, but he knew what he had done was unforgivable, even if the hero survived. For now, he’d just have to wait to see what they would do with him. 

-

When Eraserhead returned, he was not alone. All Might stood at his side, filing in after his colleague. Izuku hadn’t been able to rest much. When he dozed off it was fitful and packed with dreams he didn’t want. Memories and feelings that made him cry out, waking himself up. He stopped trying after a little while, which Recovery Girl chastised him for. Izuku shrank in on himself when he saw the number one hero. He was missing his signature grin. It was replaced with a toothy grimace. 

“Midoriya,” Eraserhead spoke up first, “We looked into you. You went missing ten years ago. You were pronounced dead just three months ago. And you were filed as quirkless.”

Izuku’s eyes widened. He had known the first two things but the last? “But…I’m not quirkless?”

“You said your father could take and give quirks?” All Might cut in, his deep voice incredibly serious with no hint of the usual hero persona. 

Izuku nodded, “I asked him to take mine back a million times. I was always breaking things as a kid.”

“Could you describe your father for us?” Eraserhead prompted, “His physical appearance if you don’t mind.”

He froze. Should he mention his scars? It was no secret to these heroes what his quirk could do, but admitting to scarring his own father? His stomach wrapped itself in knots, “He’s- He’s bald. Pale. He doesn’t…he has a lot of scars on his face.”

“What kind?” All Might pressed.

Izuku clenched his fists, “He lost his eyes and his nose…because of me. I don’t even remember it. He said it was an accident from when he took me. We had to escape from my mom’s house, she hated me and what I could do.”

All Might and Eraserhead lock eyes for an intense few seconds. All Might nodded once, grimly. “Can you tell us your father’s name, Young Midoriya?”

Izuku paused. “I…I don’t know. He’s never told me. It’s been me and him for as long as I can remember so I never heard anyone say it. He always stayed at home while I went and got things for him. His injuries always cause him issues.”
“Does he need a ventilator?” Eraser asked.

Izuku’s brows rose, “How did you know?”

A sigh. Eraserhead elbowed All Might who reluctantly spoke up, “Young Midoriya, we have reason to believe that your father is the infamous villain All For One. He’s been alive since the dawn of quirks. I thought I had defeated him many years ago, but it seems he survived our battle and has been hiding with you. Using you.”

The silence that followed was thick enough to choke on. Izuku stared blankly. These two men were trying to tell him his father was some evil mastermind from hundreds of years ago? This had to be a set up. His father may be strict and…strange at times but a villain? That was impossible. Izuku didn’t get the chance to speak before Eraserhead jumped in, “We believe he gave you that quirk after he took you. He was using you, Midoriya.”

Izuku swallowed audibly. “That’s not…that can’t be true.”

Recovery Girl shook her head, “He told you that you would be killed because of your quirk. He wanted to keep you under his control.”

No. No. It wasn’t true. That was his father. He cared for Izuku. Izuku cared for him. All they had were each other. Izuku was crying again, his hands clumsily trying to wipe his eyes dry, “You’re lying to me. He’s my father. He did it to keep me safe.”

All Might put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder, to which he flinched away from the touch. The hero wasn’t discouraged however, “It is true. We found your mother. Given the word, the police will tell her you have been found.”

Fear coursed through his veins and Izuku straightened, “You can’t! She hated me and my father. She said it was too dangerous to have us around.”

“She’s been looking for you for years,” Eraser said, his tone flat but not uncaring.

All Might nodded, “I remember hearing about your disappearance. Your mother made sure all of us were constantly giving our all to find you.”

Izuku’s entire body began to tremble. What else had his father lied about? Was he even his father? Was he really given this quirk on purpose? Is that why his father refused to take it back even when it caused Izuku so much pain? 

“We know this is a lot,” Eraserhead continued, “and we will give you time to adjust, but you need to tell us everything you know about All For One’s whereabouts.”

Alarm bells were blaring in his head. The heart monitor was beeping rapidly. He couldn’t breathe. Nothing about this made sense. Except it did. The secrets. The mysteries. Everything his father never told him or let him do. It was making sense. Izuku wanted to scream. His life, everything he knew was a lie. It was wrong. He clutched his shirt above his heart and Recovery Girl immediately jumped into action, “Back off both of you! Breathe, sweetheart, breathe. Deep breaths.”

Izuku couldn’t hear her. Was any of this real? Was he real? His head was spinning and the clouds and cotton were coming for his thoughts and honestly, he wanted them to. His breaths slowed to a more reasonable pace as Izuku stared at nothing in particular, his eyes unfocused. Recovery Girl was there, he knew that much because she was touching his arm, saying something. It felt like he was underwater, but at least he could breathe again. 

“Midoriya? Midoriya, come on. Answer me,” Eraserhead grunted his frustration while All Might stood, his uncertainty clear in his body language. 

Sound came back slowly and Izuku shook his head, “I don’t believe it. I can’t.”

“It’s going to take time, but you have to trust us. We’re going to help you,” Eraserhead assured him, his stare intense.

Recovery Girl checked the time and she sucked in a breath through her teeth, “We can continue this conversation in the morning. He’ll still be here.”

Izuku couldn’t protest before Recovery Girl was shooing the heroes out. She flashed him a quick, reassuring smile, “I’ll be back to check on you. Try to get some sleep.”

The door was closed, leaving him in darkness. Alone with the knowledge that his life was an elaborate lie. That he was a pawn. His father could’ve taken Decay back but he didn’t. He wanted Izuku to have it, to cause destruction and pain wherever he went because it suited his needs. He laid on his side, trying to push the thoughts back, to focus on anything other than his entire worldview being shattered in the matter of hours. Despite his stress, he was exhausted and it didn’t take long before he found sleep.

-

There was the sound of muffled voices on the other side of the door as Izuku stirred. Sunlight poured in from the window, signaling that they were well into the morning. He sat up, rubbing sleep from his tired eyes. The hushed voices sounded frantic, argumentative. Two female voices. One sounded like Recovery Girl, the second was unfamiliar. Izuku nearly leapt out of his skin as the door opened a crack, Recovery Girl still keeping her voice down until she saw Izuku staring. 

“Midoriya. You’re awake. You have a visitor,” Recovery Girl said, but she didn’t mask the tinge of reluctance. 

The woman that stepped into the room bore a striking resemblance to him. She was short, a bit chubby, with big green eyes and the same green hair, without the wild curls. Izuku sat frozen in his place. He didn’t remember his mother. Flashes of her in dreams occasionally but nothing substantial, but he immediately knew that this woman was his mother. Her wide green eyes immediately filled with tears as she rushed over to him, pulling him into her arms, “Izuku! Baby! You’re okay!”

Her entire body was trembling, wracked by sobs as she clung to him. Izuku couldn’t speak, glancing at Recovery Girl for some kind of assistance. She only offered a sympathetic shake of her head. Izuku carefully returned the embrace, keeping his fingers off of her back. She didn’t appear to notice, only holding him tighter. “They told me you were gone. Oh, my baby. My Izuku. You’re safe. You’re alright.”

Izuku gulped and mustered enough strength to mumble, “I’m okay.”

His mother pulled away enough to cup his face in her hands, a gesture he was wildly unfamiliar with and his confusion was written all over his face. She flinched away like she’d been burned, “Did I scare you? I’m so sorry. It’s alright, baby. It’s just me.”

Izuku didn’t have the heart to tell her his memories of her were slim at best. Plus what his father- no- All For One had told him, he’d always pictured his mom to be a hateful, cruel woman. The woman in front of him was nothing of the sort. 

“I- I have so many questions,” She stuttered, not breaking eye contact and keeping her hands on his shoulders. “Where were you all this time? Were you hurt at all?”

Izuku shook his head. “I’m fine.” He supplied lamely. 

Recovery Girl cleared her throat obnoxiously, getting the woman’s attention, “Ms. Midoriya, need I remind you that he still needs space and time to readjust. He’s not the same five year old boy you knew.”

At that, Izuku’s mother began to sob again, “I know. I know. I’m sorry, Izuku. When I heard they found you I nearly lost my mind.”

Izuku bit his lip but he cautiously pulled his mom back into a hug, “It’s…it’s okay. I’m not upset. It’s fine.”

His mom smiled into his shoulder, “Just wait until Katsuki hears about this. He’ll be over the moon.”

Katsuki? The name sounded so familiar. Izuku couldn’t stop himself before the question tumbled out, “Who?”

Izuku’s mom wiped her eyes, chuckling to herself, “I guess you wouldn’t remember him by that name, would you? You always called him Kacchan.”

A spark of recognition, something pulling from the back of his mind. Memories, fuzzy, but there, of a small blonde boy with a ferocious smile. Izuku remembered pure, unabashed adoration. They played together constantly, they were always at each other’s houses. The more he dug, the more he remembered. Kacchan was his best friend, his entire world. He watched Kacchan’s hands spark with tiny explosions when his quirk manifested. When Izuku and All For One fled, Izuku remembered missing his best friend, crying for him. Just how much had he forgotten? Just how much had he shut out to keep himself from feeling the grief? Izuku’s heart lurched in his chest, “I remember him.”

At this revelation, his mother beamed. “That’s wonderful. I’ll tell Mitsuri the news. You boys will have so much to talk about.”

Izuku stiffened. Another person from his past was going to come here? He could barely keep himself together for his mom. 

“Don’t get too hasty,” Recovery Girl spoke up from her place by the door, “He still needs to rest and bombarding him with visitors is not productive for rest.”

His mom nodded, sniffling, “Yes. I know. I’m sorry, I guess I got excited. Whenever you’re ready for other people, Izuku.” She turned to Recovery Girl, “When can he come home?”

The old woman sighed, “He is still under investigation at this time and is needed to locate his kidnapper.”

Izuku flinched, wanting to retaliate to say that his father wasn’t a kidnapper, but caught himself. He tried to smile, to reassure his mom, “Don’t worry. I’ll be here.”

“You’ve been away for ten years, Izuku. You deserve to come home,” Inko cupped his cheek.

“And he will,” Recovery Girl assured her, “If everything clears up. For now he needs to stay here for observation.”

His mom nodded and she tried a wobbly smile, “I guess it makes sense. I heard you got a quirk.”

Izuku winced. “I did.”

She tilted her head, her green eyes full of concern, “What’s wrong? You always were so excited to get a quirk. My heart broke for you when we found out you were quirkless, but here you are now.”

Izuku took a shaky breath, “Just not everything I was expecting I guess.”

Inko leveled a soft smile towards him, “I’m sure you’ll find a way to use it right. Do you still want to be a hero?”

The question stung. Izuku glanced down at his hands, “I…I don’t think I can. Not when I’m only capable of hurting people. That’s not what a hero is meant to do.”

“Oh Izuku…” Inko’s eyes watered. 

Before she could continue, Izuku mumbled, “I should talk to All Might and Eraserhead, find out what they know. See where to go from here.”

He didn’t miss the hurt that crossed his mother’s face but she nodded, wiping her eyes, “Yes, I’ll leave you to it. I don’t live far so if you need me, don’t hesitate to have them call me. Okay?”

Izuku nodded, “I will.”

Inko pulled Izuku into a long hug, kissing his forehead gently, “I love you, baby.”

A pit opened up in Izuku’s stomach. This was the part where children were meant to say it back, right? But would it be a lie? Izuku didn’t know this woman, not really. He did when he was young, but she could be completely different now. What if she saw through him if he said it back? But what if he was being ungrateful or unappreciative if he didn’t? He didn’t get to decide before Inko released him and slipped out of the room briskly, hiding her blotchy, red face.

Recovery Girl was quiet for a moment before she studied him, “Are you alright?”

Izuku bobbed his head once, unable to tear his eyes away from the door. His mother. There was an odd feeling in his stomach, not unpleasant. Light and airy, lifting him up. Hope. He couldn’t wait to get to know her again. 

-

It was late afternoon when Eraserhead and All Might returned to Recovery Girl’s ward. Izuku had been detailing as much as he could to the old woman about his life, what his father had told him, trying to determine what was actually real. At least it had settled in his mind that he wasn’t going to be executed, which was a significant weight off his shoulders. But there was still one big question he kept coming back to. How hadn’t he known? If his father truly was some evil reincarnate wouldn’t he have suspected something sooner? 

“We got news from the hospital about the hero,” Eraser said, immediately sending a frantic wave of panic through Izuku. 

“Was he okay?” Izuku’s voice raised an octave.

Eraser didn’t answer right away, only serving to make Izuku’s heart pound faster. “He’s in a medically induced coma. They had to amputate his arm, or what was left of it. He lost a few ribs and part of his lung. He’s stable, but they’re keeping him under for the time being to give his body time to heal.”

Izuku gulped, digging his nails into his palms. “He’s going to live, right?”

All Might’s deep, commanding voice came out softer, compassionate, “Yes, Young Midoriya. He should live. He’s very lucky in that sense.”

It felt like Izuku could finally breathe. He exhaled, tension falling away from his muscles and he let his face fall into his hands. The relief was so strong it made his head spin. “Oh thank god.”

“But we still have a few things we need from you,” Eraserhead stepped in again.

Izuku looked up at the two heroes, nodding, “Anything you need.”

All Might puffed up his chest, “I spoke with Principal Nedzu and he agreed that it would be best to keep you here for monitoring and quirk counseling. You’re going to be enrolled into the UA Hero Course so Aizawa and I can keep an eye on you.”

Izuku’s mouth fell open, “The hero course? You’re sure? I…I don’t think…”

“Nonsense!” All Might cut him off. “We’re going to train you to use your quirk like a hero. While also making sure you don’t break anything else.”

Izuku cringed as he thought of the small corner store. He really hoped he could make it up to the older man. His quirk wasn’t good at fixing things, but maybe he could try to help rebuild it? He’d have to ask about it later. 

“And because you had such a close connection to All For One, we still need you around for whatever information you can give us regarding him,” Eraserhead, or Aizawa as All Might had called him, explained further. 

“What about my mom?” Izuku found himself asking before his thoughts caught up, “She wants me back at home.”

Aizawa’s ever present scowl twitched, “Once we see it fit, we can reevaluate you staying at home and commuting. For now, Nedzu is letting you use an empty office to stay in.”

Izuku had no place to argue. He considered himself lucky to even be out of prison so he would take staying in a vacant office if it meant he could continue to live somewhat normally. Although this would be a new kind of normal. None of the sneaking around or running to the pharmacy for medicine for his father, or ‘errands’ of using his quirk for their secret mission to better the world.

“Thank you,” Izuku lowered his gaze. “I don’t know why you went to the trouble to do all of this, but I appreciate the gesture.”

Aizawa smirked, “Seems the old bastard taught you manners. At least he did one thing right with you.”

Izuku tried to smile but it didn’t reach his eyes. “If it’s all the same to you, could I see the room myself? I’ve been in here for forever.”

Aizawa’s gaze slid to Recovery Girl who nodded her approval. He cocked his head towards the door, “Follow me then.”

“I’ll leave you two to it!” All Might beamed and rushed out of the room in a cloud of steam. 

Izuku raised a brow, opening his mouth to ask but Aizawa sighed, “I couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to. He’s always been that way.”

With that, Aizawa silently led Izuku out of the east wing of campus, instead heading north. 

“The teachers' dorms are over here as well,” Aizawa said as they entered an elevator, the hero pushing the button for the third floor.

Izuku cocked his head, “Are there student dorms?”

Aizawa peered down at him, “Nedzu has been mulling it over but a decision hasn’t been reached just yet.”

The thought of dorms for a high school was out of place to him, but he’d also been living under a rock, literally and figuratively, for most of his life. Izuku kept quiet until Aizawa stopped at an unmarked door. He gestured for Izuku to open it and step inside. Izuku’s hand curled around the handle, keeping his pinkie from touching the cool metal, a precaution he found himself taking much more frequently. 

Inside, the room was already fitted with a small bed, desk, and drawers for clothes, not that Izuku had brought any. He hesitantly stepped inside, scanning the place. It was only a few paces until he reached the far wall which had a window. Izuku peered out of it, looking down over campus. He tested the mattress, sitting on it and stifling a yelp as it bounced under his weight. He went for the drawers next, pulling them open to find already neatly folded school uniforms inside. He looked up at Aizawa who blinked lazily, “Those are for when you attend classes. I figured we should start right away, first thing tomorrow morning.”

Izuku bit the inside of his cheek but he gave a firm nod, “Tomorrow. Where should I go?’

Aizawa sighed, rubbing a hand over his tired face, “Down the elevator and turn right. That will get you to the right area. Look for a door with a sign above it that says 1-A. You’ll be in my homeroom.”

A small bit of his anxiety was quelled, loosening the knots in his stomach. At least he wouldn’t be surrounded entirely by strangers. He wouldn’t go as far to consider Aizawa more than a stranger, but at least his face was familiar to him now. The corners of Izuku’s lips turned up a fraction, “I look forward to it.”

“You seem like a good kid, Midoriya,” Aizawa droned, “Just behave, don’t use your quirk, and keep your head down until tomorrow and you’ll be fine.”

Izuku’s fingers twitched at the mention of his quirk. He tried to ignore the buzzing beneath his skin. “Yes, sir.”

“I’ll come by later with some dinner. Just relax until then,” Aizawa was already moving away from the door. 

Izuku nodded one last time before the door was shut, leaving him alone. He found himself drifting towards the window again, resting his head against the glass and staring down at the grassy lawn of UA. There weren’t any teachers or students, all probably still in classes for the day, but he tried to familiarize himself with the view. This was his temporary home and he needed to get comfortable. Besides, the less anxious he was, the less likely he would accidentally use his quirk. It would be humiliating if he used Decay and destroyed his bed after the heroes had gone to so much trouble to prepare the room for him. He curled his hands into fists and laid down on the bed. He wasn’t particularly tired, but there wasn’t much else to do until Aizawa returned with dinner, which would be hours from now. So Izuku closed his eyes and tried his best to quell his worries writhing in his stomach.

-

The next morning came by far too quickly. Izuku had barely slept and it showed. His curls were a mess when he woke up and tried to rub sleep from his eyes. He slipped on the school uniform he was given, which fit perfectly. Whether that was convenient or terrifying, Izuku couldn’t tell. He didn’t have time to linger. He fiddled with his tie, hoping he’d done it right but it was small and bunched up. He shook his head, focus, Izuku.

He slipped on his shoes and practically flung himself out of his room. As scary as the situation was, he couldn’t help but be excited too. He wasn’t too optimistic he would actually turn out a hero, but if he could train his quirk to keep it from slipping out to prevent more accidents, he would jump at the chance. He followed Aizawa’s instructions, taking the elevator down to the first floor and following the hallway to the right. There were classrooms all along the hall but it wasn’t until he reached one of the last ones that he found it. The room marked 1-A. Izuku poked his head in and found other students already inside. 

“Don’t draw on the desks! It isn’t heroic to deface school property!” A young man with glasses scolded, moving his hands like he was chopping an invisible enemy. 

The boy he was talking to had electric yellow hair with a black lightning bolt pattern on the side, “It’s not defacing if I can erase it!”

“It’s too early for you guys to be arguing already,” A girl with pink skin and wild curls whined, flopping her head on her desk. 

“Shut the hell up extras. You’re giving me a headache.”

Izuku’s eyes found the source of the last voice and his heart leapt into his throat. He knew who it was immediately. He looked exactly the same. Older, of course, and very handsome. A strong jaw and narrowed eyes, but his hair was as unruly as ever. Izuku blinked rapidly. Should he go inside? Would Kacchan even recognize him? What if he did? He wasn’t sure if he was ready for that kind of reunion right before class. 

“Excuse me.”

Izuku nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked behind him, finding another boy, one with split red and white hair and a blank face. He didn’t appear annoyed but he gestured that he was trying to get into the room. Izuku’s face reddened, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.”

The stoic boy said nothing as he passed. Behind him was a girl with rosy cheeks and brown hair, who smiled widely when she saw him, “Hey! I’ve never seen you around before. Did you get lost?”

“Oh- I- no. I’m…this is Eraserhead’s homeroom class right?” Izuku squeaked out, wanting to bury himself into the sand for being unable to talk normally. 

The girl didn’t seem to notice as she nodded, “Yeah, you’re here. What do you need Aizawa-sensei for?”

Izuku gulped, trying to keep his composure as his heart raced in his chest, “I’m joining the class.”

Immediately, the girl brightened, “Really? Oh my goodness! Aizawa said we might be getting another student since a spot opened up but I thought it would be after the Sports Festival!”

“A spot opened up?” Izuku couldn’t help but ask.

She nodded, “Aizawa expelled this guy named Mineta. He was really creepy and was trying to sneak photos of girls under their desks.”

Izuku and the girl shuddered. “I…I’m glad he’s…he’s not here to bother you anymore.”

Her smile returned, “Me too. My name is Ochako Uraraka. It’s nice to meet you! You’re going to love everyone! They’re all super friendly except for…well except for Bakugou but he’s been like that since the beginning of the semester.”

Izuku’s brows rose. He remembered Kacchan being a bit of a brute as a kid, but he guessed he never grew out of it. Uraraka stepped in front of him, “Are you going to come in?”
He was unable to refuse her. Izuku followed after her, his face warming as he tried to hide himself behind her. Kacchan’s desk was on the other side of the room but he looked up once the pair entered. His red eyes were locked onto him. Izuku froze. Uraraka was asking him something, but he couldn’t hear her. It was like the world faded and left only his childhood best friend. His expression was unreadable, flickering between furious and confused and something else Izuku couldn’t place. His lips parted just as Izuku’s attention was brought away as Uraraka studied him with concern, “You okay?”

Izuku tried his hardest to reassure her with a smile, “I’m okay, just first day nerves, I guess.”

The students went quiet and it took a moment before Izuku realized Aizawa had entered the classroom. Izuku scrambled to the nearest open desk, the one directly in front of Kacchan’s. Izuku could feel eyes boring holes into his back as Aizawa stood at his podium, clearing his throat. “I’m sure you all noticed we have a new student joining us. I don’t want any one of you crowding him or being obnoxious while he settles in. Everyone got that?”

There was an array of nods and mumbled agreements as eyes found Izuku. Maybe he could crawl back into the tunnel he and his father lived in and never come back. Aizawa’s eyes joined the rest of the class’s, “Want to give a little introduction?”

Izuku’s ears burned. He stood from his desk, hoping his voice was actually coming out as he said, “My name’s Izuku Midoriya. I…I’m not sure what else to say.”

Aizawa was about to speak before the pink girl raised her hand excitedly, “What’s your quirk, Midoriya?”

Yeah, crawling into the ground was the best option. Surely they’d all hate him once they realized his quirk was as destructive as it was. But then again, maybe not. All Might, Eraserhead, and Recovery Girl told him that he could be a hero. He wasn’t going to be punished for his quirk. Maybe these guys wouldn’t hate him.

“I’ve always called it Decay,” Izuku began, fumbling with his fingers, “I have to touch something and it begins to crack and disintegrate and break apart.”

A spiky red haired boy grinned a toothy grin, “Sounds super manly.”

“Thank you? I think?” Izuku replied, his eyes finding Kacchan’s again, who was staring daggers at him. 

Aizawa stepped in before anyone else could fire off any unexpected questions, “Midoriya doesn’t have much experience with his quirk so for now, he will just be observing your actual hero training.”

Izuku sat back down in his chair as Aizawa began the announcements. Izuku couldn’t listen. Kacchan was behind him. He was angry, he could tell that much. How was he even going to explain all of this? He needed to apologize for acting like nothing was wrong. Without time before class to talk, he was forced to sit and bear the weight of the death glare on his back.

The lecture began and time slowed to a crawl. Izuku, while enamored by the information, was itching for a moment to escape, to explain. It took far too long before Aizawa dismissed them for lunch. Izuku immediately stood, whirling around to face Kacchan, who was already reaching for him. 

“Kacchan.”

“Deku.”

There was venom in his voice, saying the old nickname like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Izuku winced. “I can explain everything, I promise, just hear me out.”

Luckily the classroom had already been emptied as Bakugou shouted, “Hear you out? Are you fucking kidding me? You disappear for ten fucking years and then you waltz in here like that never happened?”

Izuku could do nothing against the tears already forming in his eyes, “Please just let me explain. I was kidnapped. I never meant to just disappear and leave you- everyone behind.”

“But you did,” Bakugou spat, “And got yourself a fancy new quirk.”

“That was forced on me,” Izuku argued, balling his fists. “I was taken away and brainwashed. When I was brought to Recovery Girl I was convinced they were going to kill me. Do you understand that? I was afraid for my life because of my quirk.”

Bakugou finally paused. His angry expression faltered for a second before he scoffed, “What the hell does that even mean?”

Izuku dragged his hands down his face. “It’s a lot. Long story short I was taken by someone, someone even All Might couldn’t defeat entirely. He gave me this quirk, intending to use me to gain his power back.”

“A villain that can’t be defeated by All Might? Did you lose half your damn brain while you were gone? No one can beat All Might,” Bakugou sneered.

Izuku shook his head, “I didn’t say that. I just said that he wasn’t defeated entirely. All Might thought he was dead, but he survived.”

“But what about you then? Did you even try to come back or were you too focused on getting a strong quirk that you didn’t need anyone else?” Bakugou’s crimson eyes narrowed further, his nose wrinkling in a deep scowl.

Horror drained the very little color from Izuku’s face. “I was five years old, Kacchan! He told me he was my father. He told me my mom hated me, that it would be better for everyone if we went away.”

“And you believed that load of shit?”

“Yes!” Izuku shouted, breathing heavily.

The pair stared at each other silently for what felt like an eternity. Izuku could practically see the gears turning in Bakugou’s head. Izuku unclenched his fists, tears flowing freely from his eyes, “I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble for everyone.”

Bakugou remained quiet, unable to maintain eye contact. “What about your mom? Does she know you’re alive?”

Izuku nodded, “Yeah, she does. She came to see me yesterday.”

“She looked for you.”

Bakugou’s voice was barely audible, so fragile and quiet Izuku almost thought he imagined it. 

“What?”

Fierce red eyes locked onto Izuku’s. “Your mom. She looked for you for years even when the police stopped trying. She spent a lot of time at our house. Called her my aunt as a brat.”

Izuku’s chest felt like it might collapse. “She did?”
Bakugou nodded. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” Izuku’s voice wobbled.

Bakugou turned his head away, mumbling, “It’s not your fault your dumbass got kidnapped. You were just a kid.”

Izuku bit his bottom lip as it quivered violently. “You were the thing I remembered most.”

That sparked his attention. Bakugou looked up, suspicion in his gaze. 

“As a kid. I remember asking my fa- the man who took me if I could see you again. I remember how much I missed you and playing at your house. When my mom came to see me, she mentioned you. I don’t have many memories of her that stuck but from what I can remember…it’s always been you.”

Silence. Pensive, but not uncomfortable. They couldn’t break their eyes away from each other. Bakugou’s eye twitched, his voice coming out strained, “What the hell am I supposed to say to that?” 

Izuku’s mouth fell open. Tears were being held back in Bakugou’s eyes. “Nothing! You don’t have to! I- I just…I needed you to know that I never forgot you.”

“Well neither did I idiot!” Bakugou shouted. “I always heard your stupid voice. Always following me around, mocking me, telling me how great I was to shove in my face that I needed to be stronger. And I still couldn’t get you out of my head.”

Izuku’s hands trembled, feeling heavy with no place to rest, “But that’s not what I meant! Ever!”

“Just shut up and listen to me!” Bakugou pressed. “I never forgot about you either. And for the longest time I-“

He went silent, looking away from Izuku. Izuku’s brows knit together with concern. “What?”

“I thought it was my fault, okay?” Bakugou snapped. “I wasn’t strong enough to keep you safe and no matter how much I tried I couldn’t stop caring or worrying for you.”

Bakugou put a hand over his mouth, his face going red, forcing himself to stay quiet and not embarrass himself further. Izuku reached for him, his hand hovering in the space between them but he didn’t move it further, “Kacchan.”

Tears looked foreign on Bakugou’s cheeks. He hid his face in his arms. Izuku bit his lower lip and took a step closer. When Bakugou didn’t pull away, Izuku closed the distance, pulling him into a hug. Bakugou’s arms wrapped around him as he tried to stifle his sobs. “You tell anyone this, Deku, I’ll kill you.”

Izuku chuckled quietly, “I won’t.”

Bakugou paused before he mumbled, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

A smile pulled at Izuku’s lips, “Me too.”

They stayed like that for a few moments longer before Bakugou wiggled out of the embrace. He furiously wiped his eyes and nose. “We’re not going to be able to eat if we don’t go.”

“You’ll have to lead me there,” Izuku admitted sheepishly, “I haven’t had time to get familiar with the school.”

Bakugou rolled his eyes but there was no heat behind it. “Follow me, nerd. You need the food more than I do, you look like a stick.”

Izuku’s cheeks flushed, “I do not!”

“Fine, a twig,” Bakugou smirked.

“Kacchan!”

“Deku.”

Izuku huffed and followed behind him, knowing his childhood friend wasn’t going to let this go. 

On their way to the cafeteria, Izuku said, “I’m looking forward to seeing you during heroics. I can only imagine how much you’ve improved since we were kids.”

“You’re going to shit yourself since that’s the last time you saw it,” Bakugou snorted, his grin upturned on one side, in a slightly maniacal but charming way.

Izuku pouted, “Don’t be gross.”

Bakugou scoffed, “I’m joking, Deku.”

-

Lunch went as smoothly as Izuku had expected it to. He got dragged along behind Bakugou and met his friends. He also got to talk to Uraraka a bit more who noticed he continued to grab his bowl of miso without his pinkie touching the rim.

“Does your quirk need all five fingers to activate?” She tilted her head, curiously observing him.

Izuku nodded, “It does. I can still touch things without activating it, it’s just to prevent any accidents.”

Uraraka smiled, “Well if you ever need help I’ve got a few tips!”

A grin split across his face, warmth spilling throughout his chest. “Yeah. Yeah that would be nice.”

Kirishima had wanted to show off his hardening quirk but Iida was on them in an instant, scolding them all for trying to recklessly use their quirks. Izuku couldn’t suppress a smile. Everything here seemed so much more carefree and relaxed compared to before. It was…nice.

He even managed to get a few words out of Todoroki, which was the boy with the half white and half red hair. Despite his quiet and almost cold demeanor, he seemed nice enough, if only just quiet.

Soon enough it was time for Heroics. Izuku hadn’t been permitted to participate, but he couldn’t deny the growing excitement in his stomach at the premise of seeing the others show off. Since he didn’t have a hero costume to change into, Izuku changed into a gym uniform and met Aizawa inside one of the gyms. His teacher wore a bored expression, not bothering to acknowledge Izuku’s presence, though he didn’t mind much.

The hero course students began to enter the gym, their flashy hero costumes on full display. Izuku’s eyes immediately found Bakugou amongst them. His eyes went wide, barely containing his excitement. He clearly took inspiration from the drawings they did as kids. He had gauntlets on his wrists shaped like grenades and some spiked head piece mimicking an explosion. Izuku caught the puffing of his chest and pride rolling off of him. 

“Today I want you to start off sparring in pairs. Quirks are allowed but keep damage to a minimum,” Aizawa addressed the class, aiming his final note and a glare towards Bakugou, which Izuku didn’t miss. “You’ll go until I say stop.”

The pairs were decided by Aizawa. Izuku studied each match up, but without knowing the details of all their quirks and their fighting styles, it was impossible to make predictions on who would win. Bakugou had been paired up with Iida. Izuku might be biased but he was more curious about how that matchup would go. Aizawa gave them the go ahead and the sparring began. 

The first thing Izuku noticed was that Iida was fast. The engines on his legs must be his quirk and enhance his speed. But Bakugou was also fast. He took the offensive, swinging his gauntlets like weapons themselves, firing off explosions next to Iida’s head to disorient him. But his helmet must be rather protective because Iida remained strong. They each landed a few hits and Izuku had been curling his nails into his palms so hard they were sure to leave marks. 

Bakugou spun Iida around, firing an explosion into his back and sending him to the ground, climbing on top of him and pinning him with a knee to the spine. Izuku beamed. Kacchan’s amazing.

Aizawa hadn’t stopped them yet so Bakugou moved off of Iida, who stood up. Izuku couldn’t hear what they were saying from where he stood but Bakugou seemed rather impatient. Probably telling his other classmate to shut up and get on with it. He’d have to work on that temper. Izuku could think of a few ways.

The sparring carried on for quite a while. Aizawa must be brutal when it comes to training. Everyone looked sweaty and out of breath but he didn’t call it for another twenty minutes. Once he did, he had them run laps around the gym, unfortunately for Izuku, this was something he could participate in.

The laps seemed to make him dizzy, but he was able to keep up with the class. Bakugou was in first, of course, not counting Iida who was inhumanly fast even without relying on his quirk, and Izuku wasn’t far behind. He caught up, grinning, “How long will Eraserhead torture us?”

Bakugou rolled his eyes indignantly, “You call this torture? This is nothing!”

Izuku’s lips twitched upward further, “Yeah? So you could go faster if you wanted to? Maybe beat Iida?”

“I could beat that extra any day!” Bakugou shouted, increasing his pace for a short burst.

Izuku laughed, trying to keep up with him, but grew content to watch him from behind. It called upon many memories just like this. Izuku was always chasing after Bakugou, his back turned, not looking back at him. He ignored his existence after he got his quirk. Izuku wouldn’t mind staying in that memory for a while, chasing after his childhood best friend for the foreseeable future.

A gasp escaped Izuku’s parted lips. Bakugou had turned his head, looking back at him with his hand held out, “Come on, Deku! I know you can go faster than that!”

Adrenaline coursed through him like fire, lightning overloading him. Izuku’s smile turned prideful as he pushed his legs as fast as they would take him, clasping onto Bakugou’s hand to pull himself forward enough to match him. 

They kept running even after Aizawa called time.

-

After class, Izuku was pulled aside. He waved and gave Bakugou an apologetic smile before following Aizawa outside to what appeared to be a sports field. 

“Quirk counseling is a must for you,” Aizawa began, examining a baseball throwing machine and pulling one out. “With your kind of power, we can’t afford slip ups.”

Izuku’s heart plunged into his stomach. He swallowed, pushing back any thoughts of the hero he'd hurt. “Got it.”

“Can you isolate it to just one object or will it automatically spread?” Aizawa leveled a hard glance at him.

He paused, thinking. Izuku hadn’t had too much practice with his quirk. He just touched what needed to be destroyed and it broke. It did spread, like how it did on the walls of the corner store and the ceiling. But the floor had been untouched as well as the shelves. So maybe there was a way to control it. “I’m not entirely sure how to keep it from spreading, but I can try.”

Aizawa tossed the baseball, which Izuku fumbled a bit before catching it. He looked up at his teacher, “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Use your quirk on it, but only half of it,” Aizawa explained flatly. “It’s fine if you don’t get it right the first try, we have plenty.”

Izuku nodded, eyeing the ball in his palm. He bit his lip, focusing on the dim buzzing in his fingers, pushing it outwards. The ball turned gray and cracked, falling away into ashes. He sighed, bursting off his hand.

Aizawa was silent as he threw another ball towards Izuku. “What does it feel like when you activate your quirk?”

“Like the tide coming up the beach. Something heavy and powerful,” Izuku murmured, “A force that can’t be stopped.”

“Throw that bullshit mentality out the window.”

Izuku’s eyebrows shot up into his hair line, “Huh?”

Aizawa’s expression remained the same, “It is something you can control. A lot of it is about your mindset. Instead of thinking of it as a wave, think of it like a small stream. Calm and slow.”

Izuku looked between his teacher and the baseball. He squinted, focusing on the sensation in his hands. Instead of pushing it all out of him, he tried to relax, easing it from his fingers, coaxing it out like a spooked animal. The baseball cracked and crumbled in a few places, but it stayed whole. Izuku beamed, holding it up for Aizawa to see, “I did it!”

“I told you to only use your quirk on half of the ball,” Aizawa scolded but his tone softened, “But that was a good start.”

Izuku’s eyes lit up. “Really? Was it? Now if I can just hone in Decay a bit more to smaller more manageable levels. Then it would be safer.”

He was mumbling, rambling on to himself. Aizawa frowned, “Don’t get ahead of yourself. You’re still a problem child until you perfect it.”

“I- I will! I’m going to!” Izuku straightened. 

A small smile appeared on Aizawa’s lips, “Good. Then let’s go again.”

-

Izuku returned to his borrowed room exhausted. From the physical exercises from Heroics to the metal strain from quirk counseling with Eraserhead, he was spent. Izuku flopped face first into his bed, leaving enough time for him to kick off his shoes. 

The day, while incredibly stressful and new and would take ages to get used to, Izuku found himself smiling as he lay on his back. He stared at the ceiling once he tucked himself under the covers. The lessons and new information stuffed into his head was giving him a headache, but he still smiled to himself, giddy.

I wonder what Kacchan will think when he gets to see me use my quirk for the first time. The thought kept bouncing around in his head, especially after he was finally able to use Decay on only half of a baseball. If he wanted to catch up to Bakugou and the rest of his new classmates, he’d have to work extra hard to get his quirk under control. Without All For One to hold him back, or whisper festering lies into his ears, Izuku could have a fresh start without fear. Well mostly. Aizawa was still pretty intimidating and he’d heard rumors that Principal Nedzu was even more so. 

Still, Izuku could only think of his tiny, five year old self. The little boy who dreamed of being a hero, who was crushed when he was told he was quirkless. The spirit of him. He would be proud of what Izuku had done so far. Just the progress he’d made today was enough to feel like he was flying. Who knows where he’ll be in a few weeks? 

Decay had always been a curse. A curse that weighed on Izuku like lead chains, keeping him from truly living and connecting. Fear had controlled him with an icy grip around his throat for far too long. Maybe the heroes were right and Izuku could do something good. The possibility of it didn’t seem so impossible now. Izuku studied his hands, holding them up against the dim light. He’d been so afraid, he still was if he was being honest with himself, of what he could do, of the hurt he could cause. But a kitchen knife is only dangerous when handled improperly. 

He’d have to aid in the investigation to find All For One, learn to control his quirk better, and readjust to life away from his father. As well as live and reconnect with his mom when the time was right. The weight of it all was imposing but Izuku thought of Bakugou’s face as he reached out to him, urging him forward. He had so much to look forward to now. It would be a shame to waste his chance.