Chapter Text
For Izuku Midoriya, it was going to be the typical day for him. Get up, get dressed, maybe eat, and head off to school, or should he say– hell. Why was it hell? Because of his so-called childhood friend, Katsuki Bakugo.
At first, when the two met as just babies, they seemed inseparable. Playing together at the same park every chance they got. Begging to see each other. But the day Bakugo got a quirk, it went downhill for Midoriya.
Since he was little, he’s been getting bullied. At first, it was light. Then, it got worse. He got beaten, called things he slowly started believing. Why? Because he didn’t have a quirk. Midoriya strived to be a hero– to be like All Might. It was his dream. But since he didn't have one, he felt worthless.
The walk to school every single day felt like him walking through glass. Walking through those gates felt like walking through a wall of fire. As soon as he had stepped inside, he looked up and locked eyes with Bakugo, who began walking over to him.
Bakugo grabbed him by his collar and sharply pulled Midoriya towards his face.
“I hope you’re not thinking about that goddamn entrance exam, Deku.”
The U.A. entrance exam, he was referring to. The entrance exam to the most prestigious and high tech hero high school. Where all Pro Heroes had gone before they went Pro.
Midoriya, meekly choked out–
“W-well.. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a shot..”
Midoriya knew how Bakugo would get. Yet sometimes, he was stubborn.
Bakugo scowled, before shoving him into a wall.
“You’re so fucking lucky I can’t beat your ass right now. Apply and you’ll be dead and dumped into a ditch before you can even fail.”
Bakugo shoved him to the ground, spat on him, and kicked him in his abdomen before walking off, his friends laughing and taunting.
Midoriya had the wind knocked out of him, clutching his stomach and using his other hand to stabilize himself before he completely laid on the ground.
After a long day of school, taunting, and end of the year exams, Midoriya was about to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He thought it was a teacher, until he realized how warm the hand was, and a familiar scent of caramel radiated off of it. Midoriya turned his head, and saw Bakugo.
Midoriya swallowed hard, before asking.
“Uh-uhm.. What do you need, Kacchan..?
Bakugo grinned. Definitely not a friendly one.
“Nothin’, just wanna chat, Deku.”
Before Midoriya could react, he was already being pulled by the back of his collar to a not abandoned, yet unused playground. The spot where he was always beaten to a pulp by him.
“W-wait! Is this about what I said earlier!? I was lying! I-I-I won’t apply– I swear!!”
Unfortunately for him, Midoriya had to limp over to the Nurses Office about five minutes later, and made up an excuse so she wouldn’t be suspicious, although he was pretty sure she knew he was getting beat up, she just didn’t know by who.
Despite what Bakugo was doing to him, he didn't want to rat on him. If Midoriya told, he could ruin Bakugo’s future. Yes, Bakugo was a prick to him, but Midoriya still cared about him.
As Midoriya was roaming around, waiting until sunset before he’d head home, he bumped into a man as he was lost in thought. The man reeked of weed.
“Ah- Sorry!”
Midoriya bowed down before starting to walk past him.
“Hey, ya look like you’ve had it rough recently. you okay?”
Midoriya, taken aback, looked behind him. Nobody. Nobody but his own mother had asked him if he was okay since Elementary school.
Midoriya looked down at his hands.
“Well.. it’s kind of a long story.. But I’m used to it.”
Before Midoriya knew it, he and the man were sitting beside each other while Midoriya ranted. He told the stranger about Bakugo, about how he didn’t have a quirk, how his life has been a nightmare since the day he found out he wasn’t going to ever develop a quirk.
The guy, who was a bit too young to call a grown man, but too old to be called a teenager, listened to every word.
“Damn.. I’m sorry to hear that. Midoriya?”
Midoriya looked surprised.
“How do you know my name?”
The man gestured to his notebook that he had been holding.
Midoriya scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
“Oh– right.. May I ask your name?”
“Just call me Taiko. Do ya smoke?”
“Smoke..? Like.. cigarettes?”
Taiko snorted and waved his hand.
“Nah, cigarettes are ass. Tears up your lungs for no reason. I'm talking about weed– let me be more specific. Do you vape?”
Midoriya shook his head.
“No.. why?”
Taiko reached into his bag and pulled out a box.
“Here, try this. It’ll make ya feel better.”
Midoriya took the box. It read: “Muha Meds, Blue Slushie.”
“THC..? What’s that?”
“Weed. Are you taking it?”
Midoriya thought. This could either make his life heaven or hell.
I will not get addicted. He thought.
“I.. I’ll take it. How much do you want?”
Taiko smiled.
“I don’t charge minors. But– you are limited to 1 a month.”
“Oh, thank you..”
Midoriya returned the smile, before he looked up, the sun was coming down.
“Crap! I need to go!”
Taiko looked up at him as Midoriya stood up and scrambled to shove the box in his bag.
“Midoriya, Just so you know, don’t take too much. Leave a window open or smoke outside, mkay?”
Midoriya looked at him, before he smiled and nodded.
“I will, thank you!”
They both exchanged a wave before Midoriya sprinted home.
That night, when Midoriya made sure that his mother, Inko Midoriya, was snoring, he pulled out the box from his bag and went outside.
He read the instructions, turned it on, and gave it one last look, before he took a small hit.
He coughed.
He coughed so hard he felt like he’d cough a lung out.
Nothing happened.
“Just be patient..”
Patience works wonders, because by the time he was back home, he was laying in his bed, wrapped in his blanket, staring at nothing, yet happy, floaty, and calm.
He swore he’d never become addicted, but he had lied to himself.
The lie was just as big as the lie he told himself. That he could be a hero, even without a quirk.
His cart was there through everything. Sure, he did take tolerance breaks, but that was it.
During the ten months of training with All Might after inheriting One For All, he used it.
Entrance exam, he used it.
Training camp, he depended on it.
By second year, he couldn't live without it.