Work Text:
Cold wet alone afraid cold Cold COLD falling, crashing down rock after boulder after ledge down ouch bash crash splat into mud too much too ow Ow OWWWW too MUCH!!!
Lashing out futile hope electric sizzle air stings huge CRASH whiting out all of everything goes away with huge ow!
Everything comes back slow slow with softer splatting mud covered rushing bump and suddenly something warm and words and nice.
Nice nice curled in cuddle nice nice nice, stay!
Saying it again, STAY!
To make it more real, she purrs, tiny and broken cause she is still muddy, owie, hurting but warm and rocking now, sleeping.
Good.
*
Playground games ‘n mean teasing from the older kids ‘n Kacchan being grumpy and CRASH of a sudden storm running running running but rain in eyes crying afraid MUMMY save me but mummy didn't and everything was so cold and wet and then something hit him.
Grabbing cause it was warm and alive and smelled like fizzy lemon lime water in his nose and it was as muddy as Izuku was but it purred like a cat gargling water but was yellow like a lemon and had a face like a mouse and Izuku didn't know what it was but, oh.....
Of course, it was his quirk!
Izuku knew all about quirks, and how some of them lived like alive things and you had to be careful and love them like super smart pets and Izuku could do that, could be loving so good and take the bestest care of it, her, him, them.
Cradling the only warm thing left in the blinding downpour he struggled to his feet and started walking, because now he was thinking again and not so a'scarded of the storm and had his quirk at last he remembered the school yard had a wall, all he had to do was find it and then follow it and he’d finally reach the gate, and the office.
Being found first was better, and they got him warm and dry and were happy about his sleeping quirk and then mummy came and got him, and he fell asleep on the way home.
*
Mummy named his quirk Pikachu, or little sparkle mouse, cause of the squeaking and springing jump it did when happy, and Izuku loved it, loved her!
Loved the quirk office where they both got tested to be sure but he had a quirk factor which just meant he had a quirk and she was made of bio-solid energy, so clearly WAS a quirk, and Izuku hugged her carefully because if he hugged his quirk too hard she shocked him.
Like the way kittens clawed if you hugged them too tight, and mummy was helping him learn how to be careful careful careful.
And the quirk people gave him a big book on living with a sentient quirk, which they said just meant living with a quirk that was like a pet or a person, that he had to convince to do what he wanted, rather than make do what he wanted the way most quirks worked.
Stroking the ultra soft fur that sparkled and gave little pops and crackles that didn't hurt at all, Izuku thought this was the best quirk anyone could ever have.
*
Going into school with his quirk riding his shoulder, Izuku felt shy at the looks he got, but happy too cause Pikachu was awesome, and clearly enjoyed it cause she was making a steady burble sound, and Izuku stood at the front of the class and said, “This is my quirk Pikachu, you have to touch her gently but only if she lets you cause if you scare or hurt her she will shock you.”
And just as he expected Kacchan lept to his feet and yelled about stupid quirks and how could THAT be good for a hero and Izuku didn't cry the way he’d been doing for the whole year he’d been four when Kacchan yelled about his quirk being late and instead said something he’d been thinking for a long time now, “My quirk’s better for heroes than yours is, an’ if you try’n hurts her she’ll hurts you back so don’ do that Kacchan, just be nice!”
Of course, Kacchan didn’t be nice and instead he grabbed Pikachu and got zapped, a HUGE zap that made him cry and got them all in trouble, even if it was Kacchan's fault!
*
Most of her person’s friends were nice, were careful, but hard hands crackling pops sharp pinches tail pulls got ZAPPED and finally all were nice, polite, good enough.
Cause they could all be good enough cause she had best Best BEST person Izuku and that was all she needed.
Izuku’s crackle surge pop was dangerous though so she kept it from hurting him, or anyone, any time she felt it get big and reach out she made him not touch anyone but her because it couldn't hurt her.
Safe and good.
Parched on his shoulder in learning place she learned too, and had fun and was gooodest of all quirks!
*
Watching Izuku playing with his quirk, Inko was so glad he got something to love him back.
Running a hand across her ever increasing belly she opened the door to the knock, her clients were here to share bonding time with her bump.
Curving a welcome smile across her face she let them make tea for her, exclaimed in feigned pleasure at the gift they’d brought, and they settled in to chat and plan for the future and their faces were alive with hope and joy and not for the first time Inko was glad at having discovered being a surrogate.
The pay was fantastic, letting her live in the comfort she preferred and setting aside two thirds for when she became too old for the job, and did all the things she’d practiced for so long.
Being human, she called it, because after the quirk accident robbed her of all emotions as a child she’d had to learn how to act well enough to fit in, which had been extra hard in the children's home she’d lived in for so long.
The accident ensured she was never adopted, even with her acting skills, but in the end it hadn't mattered.
Smiling and hugging and waving her clients farewell she ordered in dinner, sending Izuku down to get it, his little self important march with his quirk bouncing along with him, sometimes she wished to have emotions but she didn't, and wishing was stupid.
Taking the meal she dished it out, watched him bathe and dress for bed, read him a story, would have hugged him but the quirk blocked it, and she whispered “I love you baby.” as she turned out the lights.
His quirk glowed in the dark so she could watch as he curled into sleep with a tiny “Love oo too mummy.”
Heading into her office she jotted down the quirk block, because it was a mystery as to why she did that, and Inko knew her son’s parentage.
Staring at the pages of all confirmed times she’d seen his little mouse block her son from making skin to skin contact with someone, she did wonder.
Because one physical manifestation quirk was strange enough, but to have a second hidden quirk was unheard of, and for it to be lethal?
Eyes tracking her words she let herself remember Izuku’s grandfather, and resolved to never let the man know about her suspicions.
That path led only to death.
Logical, when her child's grandparent was the highest paid assassin in the country!
*
‘Izuku’s quirk is weird as fuck!’
Even if he whispered the bad word in his head so no one heard cause at school he got the naughty corner for saying words like that…. But it was TRUE!!!
Now Zuchan had a quirk it didn’t want him to have hugs!
Oh, it gave hugs, and when Izuku was happy he could have hugs but when the weird smell, rusted iron, took over the storm smell that everyone said was ozone but he knew it was lightning cause Pikachu was a lightning mouse so had to smell like lightning!
It was logic, cause he was smart enough to know shit.
Checking no one heard him think a corner word, Kacchan cuddled Zuchan’s quirk and wished he could hug Izuku too but it was a no touch day clearly, and then he got the best idea, yelling it in his head so he didn't forget as he fell asleep.
*
With the help of his yelling to himself to remember and a picture he drew at art Kacchan remembered well enough to get the best birthday prezzie ever made, cause Zuchan was turning six and everyone six needed hugs whenever they fell down so Kachan had gotten a scarf made.
One yellow like his best friends quirk, with explosions from Kacchan's quirk, and soft like a cloud and super long for the hero Zuchan liked so much who wore yellow goggles.
NOT All Might cause they didn’t like him much cause he didn't do team ups anymore, and team ups were the best!
And when he gave it to his best friend Kacchan said, voice a whisper so no one heard, “It's for when Piku don’t want you to give hugs, or gets em either, it's a hug scarf!”
From that day on it went everywhere with them, and when Pikachu didn't want Zuchan to have a hug or give one, he had his scarf, and it was good.
*
Looking at the gloves Izuku reached up and petted Pikachu who was humming a happy burble, and slowly reached for them.
Black with yellow zig zags on them, designed for dangerous five point or skin to skin activated quirks, and he didn’t want them but….
He’d killed a dog.
Yes, it had attacked him, Pikachu was playing with a toddler, chase was her favorite game and he’d been watching and laughing and then a growl from behind and he’d turned and it lept and his arm was up and it bit and it hurt but then it screamed and….
Shook hard all over and fell and died.
They blamed a quirk for its attacking him, said it must have killed the dog too but as he slowly tugged the gloves on Izuku knew he’d killed the dog.
But how did he have two quirks and how could he test the one that killed so fast?
*
Izuku still carried his stupid scarf gift, still used it, still fucking wrapped Katsuki in it when shit got bad and he was holding it now, scorch marks and all as he whispered, “You gotta train with it, Pika knows cause she’s been saving your ass for years, maybe if we go buy a chick or something?”
Cause the wet market met on each weekend and they both got an allowance, so maybe?
But no matter what, they had to keep it secret cause a killing touch would be bad for being a hero!
*
“Your son knows his quirk, and it is not just the mouse he flaunts.”
Sipping her tea Inko was once again grateful to her finger tips to have no measurable emotions.
If she did she’d be screaming in terror or begging for the life of her child!
Izuku was hers, and while she didn't love him in the traditional sense, she simulated motherly behavior well enough her son'd never yet guessed, so she wasn't going to stop now.
Yes she’d seen the gloves, he’d been wearing them for two years after all, knew he’d figured out his secondary quirk and had indeed helped him with it once it was confirmed, and helped him hide it too.
Bought live birds so he could make them dead ones, blood coagulation was niche indeed but as he got it from his direct paternal grandparent, not totally unexpected.
She’d been contracted at eighteen to surrogate for a young couple who had no idea their quirks would combine into anything other than a loving baby.
The young man’s father knew, and had shown up in the hospital when her clients had died in a traffic accident to kill either her or the infant, she still didn't know.
In the end her insistence the baby not go into care the way she had swung them living, he'd decided to wait to see the quirk expressed.
After all, it could be several different ones that might show up, only one was blood clotting.
Her baby’s luck though now had him with two quirks, so she looked the patrician figure directly in the eyes and said, “He is mine.”
“Not yours, mine, and he has not one but two quirks, and the one he shares with you is kept hidden.”
“Even if it comes out no one will ever link it to you, because you are a shadow, and he is a little boy.”
She huffed her best approximation of a laugh as she appreciated the irony, “He plans to be a hero.”
The icy facade cracked when her still unnamed guest said, “All children say that.”
“Indeed, but not all of them train for it, or start training at five.”
“He has trained for five years now, relentlessly, along with his best friend and his primary quirk Pikachu, but if all he had was blood clotting, he’d still be a hero.”
Looking at him she sighed a deep breath, “If you kill us, so be it, nothing I do or say will prevent it, yet from where I sit there is no reason for us to die, secondary quirks are rare but they do exist, even with such disparity between them, they do exist.”
“As you are already clearly watching, although not closely, watch closer, get to know your grandson, see how he is, and if you do decide death is your only option, let me finish this gestation. The clients have paid extra for a girl and I don’t want them to be disappointed.”
“They have waited a long time for this chance.”
*
Sitting in a park not much later a cold man watched children play, and wondered.
His son had died, as had his chosen mate, leaving the baby to the surrogate, who’d raised them into a loving caring sweet little boy, despite her incredible handicap.
Lose a limb and it could be replaced, have one's emotions destroyed and one is suddenly an alien living amongst a volatile and illogical species.
He admired Inko very much, and watching his grandson and his grandson's friend and the thing that was no more the child's quirk than the sky was, the assassin shook his head in amusement at how stupid his species truly was.
Yet, as Inko had said, even if the boys were playing they were doing it to a purpose, running, dodging, jumping and climbing and the electric creature was helping, sending out zaps of energy that clearly stung if they connected, even if they seldom actually managed to land a hit.
Hiding his reaction to it all until he was in private he tipped his head back and roared with laughter at how the most expensive and feared assassin on the planet had a grandson who was going to be a hero!
He didn't stop laughing for a long, long time.
*
You win, you both may live. I suggest UA as it will legitimize him more assuredly than the other hero schools and they are specialists in sentient quirks, so the electric mouse will fit right in.
Be well Inko, you have done a fine job.
Looking at the letter, knowing it would have no way to trace the note back to source, yet she knew the man prided himself in his honor and principals, even if they were to a code she herself didn't understand.
Yet if he said her son would live, then he would live, or at least die by a hand other than his own grandfather's.
Looking into the living room where Kacchan, Izuku, and Pikachu were all watching a cartoon, Inko might not feel the way others did, but she was content.
At only just ten the boys may or may not become heroes, but they were determined, and practiced daily, so they might make it.
Sitting down she set about researching UA and the best ways to train for it, because if it was recommended by that man, then that was where Izuku would go.
She’d make sure of it.