Chapter Text
“I'm going to be Number 1, got it Deku!” Katsuki declared, “So donʻt even think about getting in my way!”
“Okay Kacchan!” Izuku chirped.
A dumbfounded expression crossed Katsukiʻs face, his perpetual scowl momentarily replaced by confusion. It was barely a second, but Izuku had known the explosive boy his entire life. There was no fooling him.
“You were right, I'd never be able to become a hero.” Izuku explained, trying to alleviate the other boy's confusion.
There was a poignant pause between the two of them, the world shifting on itʻs axis.
In another world Izuku might have clung on to his dream, getting relentlessly bullied and mocked for it all the while. But his heart of gold and determination to hurl himself into dangerous situations on account of the useless adults surrounding him would be enough to catch the attention of a physically deteriorating man who held the entire weight of the world on his shoulders. By gaining a power (EAT THIS!!!) that existed for centuries he would trot off to happily become a child soldier and his lack of personal regard for safety would be fully realized as he breaks bones like KitKat's only for it all to not mean anything in the end when he has to sacrifice his power to kill a man who existed out of brotherly spite for way too long and made it everyone elseʻs problem. In another world maybe.
But in this world Izuku had quickly outgrown the childish desire to become the Number 1 hero. No, his desires were replaced by something far greater. The desire to make money.
Izukuʻs declaration finally seemed to register with Katsuki as he yelled, “WHATEVER SHITTY NERD, I DONʻT CARE.” hands sparking with explosions as he stomped off.
Izuku stared at the spot in which Katsuki had been just a moment ago, ears still ringing from the volume of his friends’ yelling. He really didn’t want to go deaf, and he was so young too…
Shrugging off the encounter, Izuku began strategizing. He had more important things to attend to, like how he was going to start getting that moolah.
After all, one was never too young to start chasing their dreams.
ONE WEEK AGO...
Izuku was freshly 5 and still as determined as ever to become a hero. But it was hard, especially seeing all of his classmates developed quirks, all of them unique yet equally interesting.
There was a clear divide between Izuku and the rest of the kids after it became known that he was diagnosed as quirkless.
Most jarring of all though was the dynamic change between Izuku and Katsuki. Katsuki wasn't soft by nature; he was brash and easy to anger. But there was something- had been something special between them. They had been friends before.
Now though, Katsuki didn't even bother hiding his annoyance and irritation towards Izuku. Always quick to remind him that he was just a Deku and all he was doing was standing in his path to greatness.
He would be a great hero, with his determination and strong quirk it was practically guaranteed and Izuku couldn’t wait to see that happen. But, he was equally determined to be able to stand at Katsuki’s side. Not willing to give up on his dream due to a shitty hand dealt to him by fate.
He would become a hero, he would.
He watched every hero fight he could, devoured any knowledge he could get his hands on about quirks and fighting styles, anything he could do to eventually gain an edge in such a cut-throat industry was something worth investing time into. His interest in heroes slowly turned into an obsession.
His favorite hero by far though was All Might. Izuku would watch and re-watch his fights every day, as he was doing now. This one was a recent fight, taking place this morning and involving a man with a mackerel quirk wearing one of those straws that looked like glasses.
It was a fascinating watch.
Obviously All Might would win, and Izuku would cheer him on while he kicked major ass and took minor names.
Mackerel Manʻs quirk was interesting though, Izuku couldn’t help but attempt to analyze it as the villain tried (and failed) to fight All Might.
Izuku’s pencil flew across his notebook (when did he even take that out?) as he watched the fight.
How did a mutation quirk that centered around an aquatic dwelling creature function so efficiently on land? What was the deal with the straw glasses? And why did he keep calling out the names of different sub-species of mackerel?
His concentration broke when he heard a loud thud coming from the kitchen, Izuku quickly got up, alarmed. Anxiety was churning as he made his way to the kitchen.
“Mama?” Izuku asked hesitantly.
“Mama!” Izuku called out more urgently, upon seeing his mom on the ground, shaking with silent sobs, her hands covering her face. He ran over to her to hug her. “Mama, are you okay?”
Inko looked at him, a quivering smile making itʻs way on her lips despite the tears still streaming down her face, “I’m okay baby, I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“What’s wrong?”
Inko hesitated, “It’s sad news baby, come sit down with me.”
Izuku plopped down on the kitchen tiles next to her, holding his breath anxiously as he waited for her to speak.
“You know how Daddy lives in America?” Inko started. “For work, so he can send us money?”
Izuku nodded slowly, they only ever spoke over the phone, but he was a good dad. Always asking how Izuku was doing, encouraging him, and even sending him exclusive American All Might merchandise.
Though he didn’t know him well, Izuku loves his dad.
“Well,” Inko said slowly, “There was a villain attack-”
Izuku’s heart sank, his dad must have been injured really badly for mama to be so sad.
“-and papa passed away during it.”
The words churned around in Izuku’s head, not able to comprehend. His dad was dead?
“But what about the heroes?” Izuku asked, the words felt hollow.
“It was too late, they couldn’t get there in time honey, they couldn’t save daddy.”
The world came crashing down around Izuku, it was a good thing Inko had urged him to sit down, he likely would have collapsed from the sudden feeling of the world pressing down on him. They were supposed to save everyone, the heroes. But at the end of the day, they couldn’t even…
Izuku began to cry.
Loud, ugly sobs poured out of him with no signs of stopping. Inko gathered him in her arms, rocking him against her as they cried together, grief washing over them.
“What’s going to happen?” Izuku managed to choke out.
Inko shut her eyes tight, willing the tears away, she needed to be strong for Izuku. She was the only one he had left now.
“You don’t have to worry about anything baby.” Inko told him firmly, “Mommy will take care of everything. I have to get a job and we might not have enough money for a little while-” her voice cracked, and she had to take several deep breaths before she could continue, “-but mommy will take care of it all.”
Izuku still wanted to save people, to become a hero. But... Kacchan was right though, trying to become a hero was already difficult for a quirked person, and the heroes schools, the exams, the training, the support items, it was all incredibly expensive. It would be an nearly impossible feat for him to accomplish as it was and he didn't need to put any additional financial strain on his mom.
Mind made up, Izuku's tears subsided as his grief was replaced with determination. He would save people, just in a different way than he originally envisioned.
He would work hard to save his hero, his mom. He never wanted to see her cry again.
“Mama I’ll get a job too so I can help you!”
BACK TO THE PRESENT…
Inko had vehemently struck down Izuku’s plan.
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"You are my child Izuku, you should not have to be the one to take care of me. Besides, you're too young to even get a job."
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She was right of course, he couldn’t get a job until he was 15—12 if his mom gave him permission, he doubted she’d sign off on anything like that though—but he couldn’t just wait 10 years! All that potential money to be earned, just gone.
Izuku shuddered at the thought.
It would be hard to get things started with his family's limited funds, but Izuku would make due with what they had.
And so his plan was born, a plan that he was about to set in motion.
A smirk curled on his lips as several of his classmates started frantically asking around for stationary, panic clear in their eyes.
Ah perfect, unsuspecting prey~
And the teacher wasn’t even in class yet so there would be no one to get in the way of his plans!
Izuku made a show of grabbing his pencil bag and folder out of his bag, the zipper making a noise loud enough to draw everyone's attention towards him.
Seeing the bounty of stationary Izuku had, a swarm of unprepared children descended upon him.
“De- I mean Midoriya-kun could I use your pencil?”
“Your hair looks really nice today!”
“Hey buddy… we’re buddies right?”
“Please help us Midoriya-kun, you’d be our hero!”
Izuku looked at his classmates surrounding him, hope shining in their eyes.
He sighed a very put-upon sigh. “I don’t know guys, I really like my pencils.” The faces around him fell, people starting to shuffle back to their seats in defeat.
“But-” he let the word hang in the air, drawing everyone's attention to him once more. “-I might be willing to part with them, for a price of course.”