Chapter 5: Screams and Cries
Izuku woke up slumped against his desk, his head resting on a thick sheet of paper with a hand resting under his hair. A soft hum emitted from the back of his throat as he pushed himself up. Dopey eyes stared ahead of himself for a moment.
What was he doing?
It took Izuku a momentary pause before he came to where he was, realising he must have fallen asleep at his desk. A slight scowl fell over his face - he thoroughly enjoyed the comfort of his bed. His eyes - now considerably less dopey as he rubbed away the sleep - glanced down to the drawing at his desk.
He smiled as his finger lowered to the smooth paper and wiped away at a few shavings of the pencil. So, he may have gone a tiny bit overboard last night in his detailing. A blatant lie, he completely went overboard.
The last picture he had worked on was a piece of only himself and Uraraka, he had one with himself and Iida too at a football game stadium. The one of himself and Uraraka was a little more detailed however, it focuses on the two of them in the middle of the page back to back and in a motion of descent.
They were coloured on a grey scale however, their surroundings were not. Pouring out from behind them was a little bit of everything: Buildings, vehicles, trees, mountains, water, fireworks, robots. He may have gone a little overboard.
However, it was rare he had people who actually liked him to draw. Most - correction all - of the students from Aldera hated him, avoided him, and were scared of him. So two people who endeavoured to spend time with him? Yes, it was technically one day - was the cause of celebration.
…
He had made his way for breakfast with ample time that morning, his mother had already been awake, ready for work roughly at the same time he was ready for UA too. "Did you sleep okay?"
A curt nod fell from him as he struggled to straighten his tie in the mirror with steady hands, especially keen to make sure he resembled some form of apparel for the day following. The class schedule had them doing 'heroics' training, which - whilst what he expected to learn in a hero course - was kind of an unknown to him.
Whatever heroics was, it did sound fun at the very least which was always a bonus in any situation. "Do you need to dispel any energy?"
His eyes glanced over to her as she looked at him with a slightly worried gaze, he offered a resemblance of a smile and shook his head. He was doing a rather splendid job of keeping his mouth shut and not using his quirk.
"Even better, will you be okay to leave by yourself, I have to get to work early this morning," she quickly clasped onto a black messenger bag.
He gave another nod as she wrapped around her arms to him for a hug, "that's my special man, I'm sure today will go brilliant," she pressed a kiss to his temple, ruffling his hair slightly. "I'll see you this evening then, anything you want for dinner in particular?"
With another shake of his head his mother smiled, "Okay then, I'll surprise you," she laughed softly, "you have a good day, I'll see you this evening. Oh and that Mr Yagi had something he wanted to speak to you about when you get to UA."
And now the apartment grew quiet, grew cold, grew empty. He fumbled with his pockets as he quickly sought out his throat medicine, he may have grown a slight dependence on the substance. It wasn't so much an addiction - as it was just a soothing syrup - more so a comfort.
A child wasn't addicted to their favourite blanket, but there was a dependence, a comfort to sleeping with it. The same applied to Izuku - well he didn't sleep with the throat syrup of course. However, there was a comfort to it, the same as his mask.
He glanced back to his reflection, his tie now straightened, well hopefully today would be a good day. Also, what did All Might want? And why was he talking to his mother?
…
"Young Midoriya," All Might happily greet him as he stepped foot into the small office. It was more of a teacher's lounge really but the placard on the front door listed it as an office. Trying to communicate with the lady at the reception had been difficult so he had ended up writing down the question for her after a few minutes of back and forth.
He gave a curt nod as he glanced at the office.
Tall walls of a muted red were interlaced with picture frames of different faculty members, he recognised a few from some heroes he had seen the previous day. Some he didn't know though, so they must have retired a while ago.
At the centre of the room was an L-shaped red settee that surrounded a small coffee table, a table consisting of a small tea set. Izuku shuffled beside it and took a seat at the smaller length of the L. "So, Young Midoriya, today's lesson will be taught by myself."
He looked at All Might with eager eyes, a lesson taught by All Might? That was amazing, being taught by All Might himself - forgetting he was All Might's private student at this moment. "However, I wanted to make sure it was okay with you, it's a battle trials lesson you see, heroics fighting. Now, we can completely understand if you don't think you're ready to be using your quirk around others, truth be told we should have sorted you out a private entrance exam, which I can only apologise for. So, are you up for it? If not, we can easily accommodate some rescue training for you whilst I teach the rest of the class."
Izuku paused in thought for a moment, his eyes wandered to the tall windows opposing him. They looked out onto expansive fields and tracks. The only break of plain green was a small tree line before hitting a tall wall of a battle arena.
The problem was, that he wanted to learn these kinds of lessons. He couldn't hide away forever, but then, at the same time, people could get hurt. However, they'd always get hurt, that was just a matter of his quirk.
Learning control at the moment seemed like the best motivator for the problem and he had self-control. Surely, whoever he was to combat or be near was sensible enough to quickly vacate the area. Looking back to All Might with a new determination his eyes lit up, and he gave a shake of his head with a practised grin.
He was going to be a hero, and a hero took no shortcuts.
"Oh, and your mother and I had this prepared for you." All Might pulled out a briefcase by his feet - an object he had completely missed, Izuku took the case with welcoming hands, "your hero suit. Why don't you get changed whilst I greet the rest of the class."
All Might then pressed a hand to Izuku's shoulder with a grin.
…
He stood in front of a tall mirror in a private changing room, it was a connective room of the support course section of UA, which was extremely noisy. The costume, he loved it.
The teal green that covered his body in matching trousers and jacket. A red belt was wrapped around his waist that matched his face mask. It was red too with a large 'grin' painted on it. It was another fabric design, yet far thicker than usual and stood upright by itself fully. A zip could be pulled horizontally across too for access to his mouth as the mask seemed not to be able to be pulled down.
His hands rested on his knuckles slightly, they exposed under pads to his palm and fingers but the top was protected by a plastic casing. A small smile spread on curved eyes, he looked like a hero, an actual hero.
Glee overcame his mind as he looked back at the mirror. Izuku Midoriya - the silent hero. "You ready kid?"
The voice startled him as he quickly set his bag to the side and pressed open the door. Standing on the other side of the door was the support course teacher, Power Loader, he seemed kind of lacklustre with energy, and he hadn't even used his quirk yet.
"Not bad, really." He poked at Izuku's arm, he just narrowed his eyes at the hero, "sorry."
"Well then, you'll be at Arena B, or do they go by Beta by now? Can never remember." He scratched the metallic 'skull' over his head as he stalked back off to the door, "good luck kid, and if any problems arise with that costume do feel free to ask yours truly, I want to get a look at that one, it's good quality."
Power Loader soon turned left as Izuku turned right down a lighter hallway which led towards the battle arenas. He wondered what other people's costumes would look like, he could draw some of those too. That sounded like fun.
With a silent gait - the usual - he made his way outside and into the plains of UA. The long grass fields ploughed forward carrying whispers of the wind amongst them, soft leaf rustles, and voices of people far away. It reminded him of the meadow he liked to frequent. Except UA was far more plain.
...
He soon made his way to Arena Beta, although it was empty. He aimlessly wandered around, wondering if he was at the wrong place. "There you are, Young Midoriya," a voice caught his attention as he twisted around to see All Might walk into the small street he found himself standing in, he was hoisting a box underneath his arm and carrying a clipboard under the other arm.
"The others are still changing into their costumes so we will have to wait upon their arrival, however, your costume looks well." All Might placed the box and clipboard onto the ground and grinned at Izuku's costume, "does it fit okay?"
He gave a polite nod as he outstretched his arms, All Might chuckled with a grin, "wonderful, your mother and I were worried that the sizing may be slightly off."
'How did you contact my mum?' he signed, his eyes narrowed slightly.
All Might gave another laugh, "Yes, the costume took some time to make, we had it planned just after the entrance exam." That didn't answer his question at all.
It took another five minutes until everyone arrived, with varying costumes and designs. He smiled as he made his way into the conversing crowd. "I love your costume," Uraraka was behind him causing Izuku to spin around.
He offered an eye grin as he pushed his thumb up, 'I like yours too.'
"It's okay," she sheepishly grinned, "They made it a little too tight from what I was asking though." Her eyes moved to her arms which she raised in front of her.
Izuku didn't think so, he thought it looked nice, and practical too.
…
After the gathering of students all mulling over their hero costume, and a few asking him where he was and receiving an answer they didn't understand, they soon all stood around All Might as he explained the lesson.
It was a heroics lesson using a basis of a battle trail - that much he knew. Students were to be paired up and would face off in those pairs as heroes or villains. He waited in eager anticipation as he was selected to be a part of pair A, soon after, Uraraka was also chosen to be a part of pair A. So the pair was himself and Uraraka.
That made things so much easier, he had been increasingly worried about working with anyone else, for there would certainly be a communication barrier, and that wasn't to say he could flawlessly communicate with Uraraka, she still wasn't perfect with sign language, she was just the best out of the class so he could simplify the phrases and speak to her. It still amazed him she had gone through the effort of learning it.
"It's like fate!" she happily declared, although as Izuku took a passing glance to All Might he wondered if he had planned this to happen, rigged it ever so slightly to pair him up with Uraraka. He mentally thanked his mentor.
He smiled in response to Uraraka's excitement, feeling such excitement the very same. It had been pleasant to spend time with her last night so more time with people who were nice to him was always a welcomed event.
Such pleasant thoughts ended the moment the teams were paired to fight. Team A: himself and Uraraka, versus Team D: Iida and Bakugo.
Fighting Bakugo made him break out into a cold sweat, and made his mind run at a hundred miles per hour. Could he do it? Was it possible for him to fight Bakugo? They were both scared of each other, of course, Bakugo's fear came first.
He wasn't going to chicken out though, this was the perfect opportunity. Prove to Bakugo that he could be a hero.
This was his opportunity, the start of his journey. Izuku could do it, he could be a hero, All Might said so, his mother said so, and Uraraka said so. And, hopefully soon, Bakugo would say so too.
"Start! Indoor anti-personnel battle training!" All Might's voice was powerful over the speakers as Izuku and Ochako swarmed the front of the building, he was rapidly signing words but guessed Ochako might miss half of the words.
Long plan short, he was detailing to stay weary of Bakugo.
…
"So, he's always been afraid of your quirk?" she asked, twisting a leaf in her hands. His eyes returned to the grass beneath his feet and gave a nod in response, "I can't even begin to imagine how that felt, for those around you to be scared of you."
His eyes met hers and she moved her body around to face and took his hands in her own, "I promise you, together, we'll make sure everyone knows you're a hero, I'll need some help myself too, after all, we can be heroes together!"
Izuku may have only just met Uraraka, but, for such a small instant, it was like she was something he had missed his entire life, someone to believe in him, to make him feel better with no bias. Someone to care. Someone to further himself.
…
The kick from the hallway corner caused Izuku to freeze, pushing himself back and stepping in front of Uraraka on instinct. A sneak attack. With a pounce forward Bakugo grabbed onto Izuku's shoulder throwing forward as he stepped between himself and Uraraka.
"Get out of here, now!" Bakugo had his back to Uraraka as Izuku fell to the ground in a heap.
"N- no!" she shouted back whilst Izuku staggered up like a newborn animal. His gaze met hers with a nod, "Midoriya-"
Bakugo snarled again as he stood up, Izuku's hand slowly rose to his mask zip, pulling it open ever so slightly but not enough to reveal his face. 'I'll be okay, just go,' he signed again to Uraraka.
She waited in a pause before running past him, "Good luck," she whispered as she dashed ahead. Bakugo smirked as he took a step forward, meanwhile, Izuku lowered the mask opening to provide access to his mouth fully.
"Now you're all alone, with no one to help you, just a lonely villain!" he smirked with evil intention. He could prove Bakugo wrong though, he knew he could, but he had to prove him wrong. "Go on then, use that damned quirk! Show everyone what you can do."
He waited, biding his time. The best method to beat Bakugo like this was small bursts of his quirk made the best bet to neutralise the explosions. Of course, he'd have to time it right and make sure to end it quickly, otherwise prolonged exposure to his quirks and effects could knock him out, that wouldn't be a great way to convey his point.
Maybe Bakugo realised he wouldn't attack first, maybe he grew impatient. Either way, with a grunt forward his hand, sparked with explosions, drove to his face. His fist clenched as it dove forward, just as Izuku was able to dodge it, coming alongside the fist he opened his mouth and for the tiniest second made a small sound.
It was nothing more than a monotonous hum at the back of his throat for a split second but the lights overhead flickered violently, the explosion fell in a second and Bakugo stumbled forward as Izuku fell to the side, a bubbling sensation fell down his throat.
"Damn nerd," Bakugo grumbled as he twisted back around with a dash forward. What next became a spectacle of tiny noises, Bakugo shouting, and Izuku dodging. Punches threw left and right as Izuku dodged up and down.
With each thrust of his fist, with each jab of his arm, Bakugo got even angrier. His eyes were a fiery blaze, despite the fatigue already plaguing him. Izuku's own body began to burn too soon. His throat was a static drowning sensation.
"Stop dodging and fight back!" he threw a punch left, "you really think anyone cares about you?! You only got into UA as a fucking pity party, you think any of these extras care about you? They're scared, they've been damn told to keep you in check!"
Izuku tried to tune out the words, the doubts cementing in his mind. "Bakugo, please desist from these insults, that is not the purpose of the exercise," All Might's voice blared over the loudspeakers.
Bakugo snarled as he ignored the message and took a stance ahead of him, "Your own damn mum doesn't even care for you, you ruined her life, because you're a villain, with a disgusting quirk and even more disgusting face!"
His words caught Izuku off guard completely, phasing him frozen. It wasn't true. Bakugo didn't know anything, yet at that moment, Bakugo was mirroring in his words, so many of those which plagued his mind. Plagued his worries and anxieties.
The split break of thought gave Bakugo the opportunity. Izuku caught the move at the last second as Bakugo clicked off the clips on his gauntlets. The grenades stored sweat fired, point blanc, at Izuku directly.
The following explosion rocked the very hallway and sent Izuku hurtling back, tearing through his main costume. Searing pain shot through him, and a cry fell from his lips as a plethora of energy fell into his open mouth before he crashed back.
"That's it! Go on, show everyone, show them what you really are!"
"Bakugo, that is enough, decease now," All Might's second warning went ignored by the blond once more.
Bakugo stalked forward with a smirk, "Just like how you almost killed those kids at middle school, you'll do the same here because that's what villains do. It's up to me, a hero, to stop monsters like you!"
He pushed forward, levelling another punch to Izuku with an explosion. Just as Izuku startled back before he could even stand, Bakugo grabbed onto his shoulder, and his knee shot into his torso, again and again, and again. "Worthless. Fucking. Villainous," he shouted insult with each hit of his knee.
The assault was too much as Izuku cried out, watching in innate fear as Bakugo fell dizzy, yet continued the assault.
His knee once again met with Izuku's torso in searing pain forcing Izuku to stagger back further, a foul taste reaching the back of his throat from the previous abuse. "That's all you are!" Bakugo cried out, "A damn quota to fill in a minority report, just plain fucking funding." He placed a hand on the wall for support, "do you truly believe anyone- and I mean ANYONE believes you can be a hero? You worthless, villainous bastard!"
Izuku's leg strained as he stood up again, his stomach burning too. Just as his legs mounted his body, Bakugo sent a fist straight to Izuku's face causing him to cough out again, and more energy drained into Izuku's body. Just as he fell back, Bakugo grasped onto Izuku's mask and ripped it off, "Now let them all see the face of a villain!"
Hands quickly fell over his face as he fell back to the floor after another kick, his breath fell out of his mouth in increasing gasps causing Bakugo to falter. "Yes, go on! Show them, show them all what you really are," he fell to the wall again, his hand barely supporting his weight, "A disgusting, scarred villain who can only hurt people, you think you can save anyone?!" He spoke threw muffled gasps.
The saddest fact was Izuku could end this at any moment, it would take one word and this would be over, he'd be safe. But, then. Bakugo would get hurt, he'd be even more scared, and he didn't want that. He could end it so quickly but it cost him his very goal to do so, so he had to endure the assault, the pain.
"Bakugo! I have said enough, cease now!" All Might's voice fell through the louder speakers.
"You think they actually care for you Deku?" he charged again, his leg kicking Izuku in the under the chin, hurtling him back again. Izuku's hands stayed wrapped around his mouth. It seemed Bakugo was now completely ignoring All Might.
Fresh tears rolled down his face as he glared up at Bakugo who fell to the wall in a slump - yet still awake - somehow. "I've seen you do it before, only I know, only I am a hero here! I'll sacrifice myself to prove it! You will never be a hero."
"You will never be anything more than what you are now, a villain, on the floor at my legs. Cowering in fear, because you're too weak, too pathetic to control your quirk!" A grin spread across Bakugo's face which looked glassy through tears as he staggered forward, "and now, now everyone will see who you really are!"
At the moment he took another step forward two figures appeared ahead of Izuku. He gulped as he cowered in his arms, only catching a glimpse of Uraraka and Iida. "That is enough Bakugo!" Iida declared as Izuku bury himself further into himself.
"How can you say that?" Bakugo shouted, "look at what he's done. The effects are already working on you two nerds! He's a danger!"
"No, he's not, you provoked him!" Uraraka shouted back, "You can't keep attacking people, he didn't even fight back!"
Bakugo scoffed, "and look what he's done already! Now, move out of my way, or I move you both!"
"You would hurt a fellow hero? I thought your morals were to protect people?" Iida spoke aloud. Izuku rose his eyes nervously to look at the scene. Iida was standing ahead of all three of them, Uraraka crouched by him with a hand on his shoulder, it was numb after the punch from Bakugo.
"You aren't a fellow hero," he tensed his legs, "you're just a damn extra, NOW MOVE DAMNIT!" he jumped forward. Just as Iida's body moved to a side angle a blur shot past them both, in a mirage of red, yellow, and blue Bakugo went flying with a loud shock wave.
"That is enough! The trial is over!" All Might's voice boomed with anger as he stood ahead of them whilst a crashing sound rattled the building as Bakugo fell into a heap with a cage of rumble surrounding him.
Izuku had never heard such anger, such fierce commands. It wasn't like All Might at all, it was kind of scary. Was this how villains felt, how that man who gave All Might his injuries felt?
"Young Iida, please call in recovery girl for us," All Might direct Iida as he crouched down to Izuku.
Izuku wrapped himself smaller, "Sir?" Uraraka asked.
"It is okay, Young Uraraka. Please make sure you are well enough, if so please make your way to the command centre, I shall take Young Midoriya to Recovery Girl." Uraraka seemed to motion for a second before walking off, leaving only All Might and himself in the hallway of rubble.
"Young Midoriya can you hear me?" he asked, Izuku nodded his head which was wrapped by his arms tightly, trying his hardest not to make any noise or cry anymore. "I'm going to pick you up, okay?"
Large hands slowly fell under his trembling form, and slowly rose him off the ground. A sniffling weak frame fell into his arms.
Chapter 6: Pool of Tears
A soft hum and beep filled the room as Izuku surrounded himself with the thin sheets of the small hospital bed. He had failed, again, failed to prove who he was going to be, failed to prove how good a hero he would become.
All Might had left soon after Recovery Girl had made her way to his bedside to return to 1-A.
…
"He'll be okay?" All Might frantically ask the elderly women as Izuku groaned on the bed, his throat burning in pain and stomach bubbling.
"Yes, he'll be fine. Hopefully, his body will use up that energy for stamina to heal himself, then you get rid of that and heal him, I can only do so much though Toshinori for radiation and heat burns," she coolly remarked beside him.
All Might gulped, "they aren't bad though?"
"Not as bad as what he's already faced, besides, you're a tough young one, aren't you?" She looked at him.
…
It had been a few minutes since Recovery Girl had left him alone in the bed, so in that time he had retreated into the cocoon of blankets. Would they kick him out now? From UA, for inciting violence? He didn't mean for it to end like that, it wasn't his choice.
"Here you go kid," a soft heap fell on his bed. He slowly looked up to Recovery Girl, grasping the bed sheets over his mouth and neck, although, she might have already seen them.
On the corner of the grey sheets were a small set of clothes, the same physical education ones he had worn the previous day. He slowly rose his gaze to hers as she gestured to the clothes, "can't stay in your costume now, can you?"
He nodded in response as she turned to leave, "I'll give you some privacy, get changed and rest. I'll check on you again soon." She closed the curtain back over and, after waiting half a minute, he crawled out of the hospital bed and shuffled over to the clothing.
The entire front of his hero costume was torn, would All Might be mad? He removed the strays of fabric and tears of plastic and slowly pulled it down his body, noting the red marking along the burns on his stomach.
His old costume fell at his feet below him and spooled around his feet. With quick movements, he quickly fixated his trousers on, sorely pulling them up each leg with a halted effort. He felt smaller, at that moment, as his hands ran down the marks on his face, they trailed down below his chin and onto his neck. He felt weak.
With a lean over, he grabbed onto the shirt, pulled it over his head and straightened it out with a hiss as it passed his arms. An adjustment of his collar and he was at least dressed enough to look suitable to anyone who passed.
As there was nothing else to do, he fell back onto the frame of the bed, the thin mattress compressing under his weight. He rose his hands into his lap and slowly rasped them over one another, a wave of nausea passed over him.
Probably not a good sign.
…
It was around half an hour later when the class bell rang, "you sit down young man," Recovery Girl's voice called from across the room, he had made no plans to move in any way. It was also, a little after the only noise Izuku had heard for the entire half an hour that the door ahead of them burst open.
"Izuku?" a familiar voice called to him, Izuku quickly turned around to the voice of his mother.
"First curtain on the right," Recovery Girl called out again, as soon as she had finished speaking his mother was already there, wrapping Izuku in a hug, her arms tightening around him.
She smoothed her hand over his hair, "are you okay?" she muttered into his ear.
He was able to relinquish a nod as he was kept in a tight barrier from the world. "So then, Young Midoriya," Izuku peered over his mother's shoulder and saw All Might standing there, "If it's any comfort, you did technically pass the last test, congratulations."
Another faint nod allowed him to answer, or at least give a semblance of a reply to All Might. "So then, he's to come home?" his mother pulled away, sitting beside Izuku on the bed, looking to All Might.
"Yes, if it's best for the two of you, Young Midoriya may return home for the day, we understand what happened can be stressful, and we promise, we will get this sorted out. I am so sorry I wasn't there sooner."
He didn't want All Might blaming himself for this at all, that wasn't fair. "Thank you," Izuku looked up to his mother, "for looking after my boy."
"It's no problem at all, honestly, there is no need to thank me, Young Midoriya is an excellent pupil to teach, and UA wishes to help him in any way they can."
…
He stood at the entrance of his bedroom door with a solemn expression, his body was healed for all intents and purposes, but his mind still reeled from Bakugo.
'A disgusting, scarred villain who can only hurt people, you think you can save anyone?!'
'You really think anyone cares about you?! You only got into UA as a fucking pity party, you think any of these extras care about you? They're scared, they've been damn told to keep you in check!'
They weren't true, his words, they weren't. So why did he believe them so much? Why did they make sense, align with his own worries? Why was he listening? Did they truly want to be his friends? Where they scared, where they all scared.
His mother's life. Did he ruin it? Was he that much of a burden? His father was already gone because of him, his birth ruined his parents' marriage, so, Bakugo's words weren't far off…
In a haze he stumbled into his room, slowly sitting down on his bed. Burden, Disgusting, Scarred.
Burden.
Disgusting.
Scarred.
He was more than those things, than those words, he had to be. They couldn't define him, they couldn't choose what he became, but, if it was his actions that spoke words, why did Bakugo still fear him?
How could he prove to Bakugo that he wasn't a villain, a grotesque villain who hurt people? His hand crawled over his bed and grasped onto a pillow, it snaked its way back to Izuku and he wrapped his body around it, the pillow staying at his chest.
It was around 10 minutes later that his mother made her way into his room, knocking at his door first, and settled beside him, passing him a cup of warm tea. "Izu, do you need anything sweetie?"
His gaze cast down. 'Am I a burden?' he signed with slow hands, although they were slightly pushed into the pillow.
"A burden? Of course, you're not Izu, look at me," his eyes rose lazily to her, "you are my son, and I love you. You would never burden me. I love you and would do anything for you. Everything I do is out of love, I'll always be by your side."
She wrapped her arms around him, "you rest up, if we need to, I'll take you to the forest later on, does that sound okay? Remember, Izu, I love you, nothing you can do or will ever do will make me change that."
He nodded softly as his mind slowly came to calm.
…
Izuku couldn't remember when he fell asleep, it must have been very quick as he could only remember his mother leaving. With tired limbs, he pushed himself up from his bed, noting that he'd fallen asleep atop his bed covers and was still wearing his jacket, feeling the comforting feeling of his mask around his mouth.
As soon as he sat up, voices startled him. He couldn't make out who it was, however, undoubtedly one was his mother. He listened carefully, unable to tell who it was, there seemed to be three voices though if he could hear correctly. Which, hopefully, he could.
With steady steps he made his way to the mirror, making sure he looked in a state of apparel. He smoothed his hands over his hair and corrected his mask, he should probably change out of the school sports uniform.
He quickly made his way over to his wardrobe, grasping onto an already matching outfit - a pass time from when he last got bored. Quick hands made work of quickly changing his outfit, adjusting the high collar once more so to properly cover his face - not intent on giving anyone a chance to see it that day.
Although he was curious about who was there, his mother rarely had visitors, after all, his worst worries were someone from UA, and that he was in trouble. Did he hurt Bakugo too much? He hadn't meant to, after all, he just didn't want to get hurt himself.
And to prove to Bakugo that he could be a hero.
Look how that had turned out…. Awfully, with a lot of injuries and worries. Way to go Izuku.
He pushed open the door slowly, opening it without a squeak as he strained his ears to hear who was talking. Still nothing. Was his hearing going? Maybe. Not great. Muffled voices soon filled his ears as he stood ahead of the living room.
Then, the familiarity hit him, surely not. Why were they here? And how long had he been asleep?
His hand faltered at the door handle, his lips pursing and pouting to stay closed. Why was he nervous? It would be fine, he wasn't in trouble, so why feel nervous?
'You really think anyone cares about you?! You only got into UA as a fucking pity party, you think any of these extras care about you? They're scared, they've been damn told to keep you in check!'
Bakugo was lying, of course, he was, he had to be. UA wouldn't go that far, would they? But, then again, he'd make friends that quickly easily, but would Uraraka and Iida. That would explain how Uraraka knew sign language, she was taught it by someone from UA to get close to him-
No, he mentally scolded himself. He was overthinking this. Bakugo was just trying to get under his skin.
With a newfound determination, he twisted the handle down and walked into the room. Seated around the table, three figures all turned to face him. He felt red at the attention. He gave a kind of pathetic wave.
"Izu, sweetie."
"Izuku, you're back!"
"Ah, Midoriya, welcome back."
Wait, did Uraraka just call him Izuku? That felt nice, it felt right weirdly. He gave another nod with an awkward expression, "your friends came to visit once school was over, I've just been entertaining them whilst we waited for you," his mother smiled.
Slowly, Izuku took a seat next to his mother - thankful for the four-person table they had. He offered a smile to his friends as his mother suddenly sat up, "I'll get some more tea."
As soon as his mother left both of them leaned forward, "Are you okay? No one was allowed to see you after the heroics lesson, we were all so worried, everyone in 1-A was."
They were? He felt fine all things considered, well, physically anyway. 'I'm fine, Recovery Girl helped me get better, used the energy to heal me.'
"What does a radio have to do with this?" Iida asked. Both himself and Uraraka turned to face him with equally puzzled expressions, "I am correct to believe I understood him wrong?"
Uraraka giggled, "yes, just a little bit. He said that Recovery Girl-" she looked to him and he gave a nod, "helped me, also using the," she signed, "energy as well."
He gave another nod as Uraraka proudly smiled, Iida then presumed to pull out a notepad and write something down. Although, Izuku did have one immediate question. 'How did you know where I live?' he looked to Uraraka - Iida might get confused again.
"Oh, well you see,"
.
"Please, Mr Aizawa, can't we at least check to see if he's okay!" she pestered their teacher alongside Iida. The lesson had carried on and yet, no word on Bakugo or Midoriya had been given to them, she'd probably punch Bakugo if she so ever saw him again.
"You are both rather adamant about seeing another student you've met all but three times before," he spun his chair from the front desk, glancing up at them, "besides, he's not at UA anymore."
WHAT?! "What do you mean, surely Midoriya hasn't left UA?" Iida asked with a worried expression. A mask she wore in the same sense.
"Oh- no, you miss understand me, he's simply gone home, went so soon after Recovery Girl dubbed him well enough."
Well, that was a relief, "well, is there any way we can visit him there?" she asked.
Mr Aizawa pursed his lips, "Again, you met him two days ago."
"Is there?" she ignored his remark.
"It is against regulation to give students another student's address or personal information," - she went to protest but stopped - "however, I store all information on students on the form here on my desk, and I'm long overdue for another coffee," he smirked slightly, "do be well behaved, no rooting at all."
Mr Aizawa then slid out of his chair, pushing it back, and made his way over to the door, taking a step out now. "It seems our attempts were for nought," Iida solemnly spoke, it felt more of a monologue to himself.
"What do you mean?"
"It is against regulation for us to look up student information, we will have to await tomorrow."
She sighed with a roll of her eyes as she scrambled to the desk, ignoring the complaints of Iida behind her who she feared might faint if she took too long, then she saw his name - perfect.
.
Izuku was surprised they went through so much effort for him, it seemed too much for him. He turned a muted shade of red from their consideration, giving a faint 'thank you,' signed that even Iida understood.
…
It neared half an hour of them being there when Iida had to head home, "thank you so much for visiting, you are welcome any time," his mother wished him well, Iida bowed so straight that Izuku hoped he could get back up.
"It was a pleasure for you to allow me to enter your home with so little courtesy from myself," he quickly spoke.
"Oh, it was nothing really, I'm just happy Izu has people to care for him- so thank you, Iida."
With that exchange and a little more, Iida left for home, something to do with his brother coming back home, "Will you be staying for dinner, Uraraka?"
"I- I don't want to impose-" she shyly replied.
"It's not a problem at all, if you want to stay for dinner, it's perfectly fine, you're our guest," his mother smiled at Uraraka.
She played with her fingers, "well, if it's okay with you both."
"Of course, it is," his mother replied as Izuku nodded his head adamantly, "Izu, why don't you show Ochako your room, I'll call you when dinner is ready."
He gave a smile as he ushered Uraraka to follow - namely by taking her hand which was followed me an audible 'eep,' for some reason. He didn't know why she did that, and when he turned back she had fallen a shade of pink.
As he approached his room he quickly opened the door, kind of unsure of what he did next. Did he walk in first? Maybe that would look rude, but if he walked in afterwards it might look like he was trapping her inside.
Maybe she didn't want to go in, maybe they should sit in the hallway. No, that was dumb. He should just ask her, right? He paused in motion and looked at her, just kind of stared. "Urm, Izuku?"
He nodded, expecting some kind of intelligent response.
"Do you not want me to go in?"
He shook his head.
"Right, so you do want me to go in?"
He nodded his head.
"Why did you stop then?" she giggled. He shrugged his shoulders, not really sure what he planned to accomplish anyway.
…
It took some time, mainly because Izuku kept ushering Uraraka to walk on forward before him and then they'd fumbled over their own feet. He left his door open - after staring at it for thirty seconds deciding on what to do with it. Would closing it feel rude?
"These drawings-"
Oh.
Oh no, oh, no no.
He scrambled forward, forgetting all courtesy he had been following beforehand, as Uraraka looked over the drawings on his desk. He had completely forgotten they were there. "They're really good," she held one up to the light from his open window.
Mimicking her so often, he turned a shade of red. "You drew these?" she turned to him, holding a drawing of the three of them. He nodded faintly and averted his eyes, biting the side of his cheek."Could you teach me?"
He perked up at her comment. That sounded nice.
The rest of the evening before dinner was spent, sitting on the same chair, his hand guiding hers over the paper and drawing together. During the entire time, Izuku forgot about the words Bakugo had said. For, at that moment, he was happy for the company, no matter the reason or cause.
When she smiled or laughed or when she bobbed her head. Izuku realised, he really liked having friends.
He liked being around her, and that was good enough for him.
Chapter 7: Punishment and Peace
Katsuki growled as he awoke in a frenzy. His body on high alert, that damn fucking villain? Where was he? It took him a short moment - fuelled by anger - to realise where he was. Well, where he wasn't was the better descriptive.
For, he was no longer at battleground beta, but, instead, in some kind of enclosed room. The walls were a hue of yellow that made up panellings. The door - despite almost merging into the walls - was clearly visible due to its subtle jut-out and handle latch.
Behind him, in the room was a small bed with clean grey sheets. He did not need to take a nap or sleep, but he realised this room was at least something proper, and not the confines of his mind or something like that.
He sprinted to the door opposite the bed, "Hey! Hey! Let me out!" he shouted, banging on the door - which turned out to be wooden.
What had happened? His memory was hazy, he was fighting, and winning. Then those two extras got in his way, the same as yesterday. Who did they think they were? Damn extras protecting that shitty villain.
Then- then. He loudly growled in anger, smacking himself on the forehead, "remember, stupid! Remember!"
It - then - occurred to him. He had been punched. That was it, someone had sent him flying through a goddamn fucking wall! Thankfully, due to the explosion he had built up from preparing to attack Four Eyes, he simply blasted against the wall, so he must have fallen asleep after that, well knocked out.
So, why, that begged the question, why was he in this shitty room?
Well, time to return to the - no doubt - fruitless endeavour of banging on the door.
…
It was around half an hour later that someone finally arrived. Who the hell did they think they were?
"You're awake?" the door fell open causing Katsuki to shuffle backwards. It was the damn homeroom teacher, what was his name? Aiz- no, Azi, No! Oh, wait, he didn't care.
"Damn right I am, what the hell am I doing here?" he demanded to know.
The teacher stared at him for a moment, was that disgust in his gaze? What was his damn problem? They should be thanking him! "Follow me please," his teacher commanded of him.
What was his fucking problem?
They walked - in complete silence - for several corridors and it was safe to say Katsuki was kind of lost. In both the physical sense - every damn corridor looked the same - and for the fact, what had he done wrong?
Maybe this was just some kind of precaution, a standard procedure for heroic students. Honestly, all he was doing was what a hero would do. He'd sacrifice himself to save the nerd, but how did he punch him so hard? Some kind of new move?
He didn't see Round Face or Glasses move so he had to have been the damn villain. Oh well, injuries came standard with the job no doubt. He could endure them well enough.
It took them some further time, with no comment from the shaggy black-haired teacher before he stopped at a door. He spoke but a single word, "In." Strange, it was like he was being shunned by the man. For reasons, Katsuki knew not.
With a glare and slight snarl from the back of his throat, Katsuki headed to the door.
It was an oaken brown and looked the exact same as every other day in the damn school, except for the placard which read 'Principal'. Congratulations from the principal, they must really have hated him there and wanted him gone. Ha, deserves them right to thank him, idiots, for letting him into UA at all.
He slugged open the door handle, pushing the door open with a confident gait. Katsuki Bakugo, the most heroic student of 1-A. It seemed about right, his prowess must have saved hundreds back at shitty Aldera. Just another accolade to add to his collection.
Who was going to thank him next, All Might? He smirked at the thought.
"Ah, do come in, and please, shut the door." The chair of the principal was faced away from Katsuki, not the most welcome for a hero, oh well, they'd learn manners soon enough. To look up to their betters.
He shut the door behind him, giving a passing glare to the shitty teacher who brought him here. The principal's office was pretty gloomy. As in, the lights were dim, creating a gloomy atmosphere. Ahead of him was a large white desk, it seemed to be made of wood with a sheen coating over it, but, Katsuki couldn't be sure, and in all honesty, he didn't care.
"Please, take a seat." He eyed the two leather round chairs, blue in colour. He took the left one, no particular reason in mind. His legs parted slightly - taking up the entire space of the chair - and he slouched ever so slightly.
He had some questions he'd like to ask, mainly, why the hell he was locked in that room!
"So, then, Mr Bakugo, could you please retell me the events of yours and Izuku Midoriya's alteration earlier today." The chair spun around, showing the principal. It was a rat, or maybe a bear, or a dog. Rodent seems generally fitting.
The rodent's hands fell onto the table, sliding over to a teacup, a part of a larger tea set on the desk. "Where do I start?" he smiled.
"Wherever you may wish, whatever is relevant will do." The rodent sipped on its tea with its beady eyes focused on him.
Now, whilst this was a rodent, it was A - talking to him, and B - the principal of UA. So, surely, it was intelligent. He best phrase himself carefully, he knew how these sorts worked. "Well, I'd say it's when he got his quirk, that's the moment I realised he was a villain."
The rodent leaned forward with a nod, "I knew something like that, it existed to kill, to hurt others. I mean, that's no hero. I took It upon myself to save others, to protect them from this villain. Because, that's what he'd be, a damn villain."
He carefully phrased himself as he guided the rat through the many heroics of his childhood. Saving his friends from the villain, showing the world he truly was. How he made that villain kneel, how he protected other people.
"So, what did he actually do for him to be a villain, losing control of your quirk isn't villainous." The rat spoke aloud and Katsuki stared. What was it implying?
That he was in the wrong here?
No, there was no way. The teachers of Aldera praised him, the kids revered him as their protector. The boy who kept the cold away. The fear Izuku held was outshone by himself. By his way of protecting those, of making sure he remembered who he was. A villain.
"Protocol C-16, article 14 of the HPSC states the unknowing or accidental use of a quirk is not villainous and those who do so cannot be charged with it as such," he pushed over a piece of paper, "So, how are Mr Midoriya's actions villainous?"
"If he was a hero, he'd go into hiding, live in the damn wilderness, not around people!"
What followed after was a back and forth between a highly intelligent creature and a damn rodent. This rat-like menace was actually on the nerd's side, he was siding with the villain. What had UA become where they sided with villains?
"Heroes don't hurt ordinary people." He leaned forward, a blanket statement over everything.
The rat smiled, "and what determines that Mr Midoriya isn't an ordinary person? To me, he sounds like an ordinary boy who got into a heroics course, so, by your own definition, you are a villain, are you not?"
What?
WHAT?!
How- how dare he?! How fucking dare that damn creature say that to him?!
"You weren't there, you can't decide that on what he is or isn't!"
"The police aren't there for every crime."
"And that's how villains like him escape!"
"So you want to become a vigilante?"
"No! But if a hero has to breach what the system wants, then so damn well be it!"
The rat laughed, "I'll be honest with you Mr Bakugo, the board of investors wants you expelled for this ordeal." They want to expel? The- they? They wanted to expel him?
His ears rang and his mouth went dry.
Expelled. Expelled from UA.
"However, I don't think that's right, I feel like you still have a future," he looked to the rat, "just not in the heroics course."
…
Katsuki idly walked into the heart of the city. He passed by criminals and vigilantes. Drugs and thieving. His mind hadn't really pieced the puzzle together yet, it was still reeling from the rat. How was he getting punished for this?
Tall grey buildings surrounded him as dark clouds gathered beyond them. The sound of breaking glass shattered from a window somewhere above him, a woman crying in the alley to his left. The roads were littered with rubbish, it was a craphole, however, if he kept himself to himself, he'd be able to clear his head at least.
"Oi oi oi, hey there kid!" some man appeared from behind an alley. Katsuki - with his hands buried in his pockets - stared at him. Nevermind to the peace. He wore a zipped-up jacket and navy cargo trousers. In his hand, he wielded the most pathetic knife he'd ever seen.
His face was more circle than face, with sweat falling from his piggy features. His hair only sporting a few glimpses of hair. He lazily stared at him. "What?" he tilted his head to the side.
"Hahaha, you're pretty young to be out here on your own you know?"
Oh brilliant, he was some kind of budget option criminal. Katsuki sighed as he cracked his fingers, one by one. "You look pretty fucking ugly, so fit right in around here."
"Hehe, you got a mouth on ya, not bad," his voice was basically a snort. Katsuki had already dubbed him Pig. "You know what, I'll let you keep your wallet, just hand over your cash and I'll be gone."
Katsuki smirked, Pig seemed to be someone who could take some serious hits. "Of course, do wait a minute," he complied with fake intentions. Slowly, he opened his wallet and paused. What was the point?
Why carry on?
Hell, why not let this man just stab him…
No, no, he was going to show everyone. He'd do it, no matter if they put him into mainstream education even.
He scrambled the notes out of his wallet and scrunched them into one hand, "you want these?" he asked with a sly smirk.
"Yeah, that's money kid, or are you fucking stupid?"
Suddenly, he exploded his hand. A laugh fell from his lips as the notes turned to ash, they fell into the open air as he opened his hand, "Oh no- my hand slipped. And now, oh fucking hell, now you've seen my quirk, so now you'd know who I am."
The man took a staggering step back as he swaggered forward, his hands exploding. A grin fell over his face. Such fun!
He leapt forward, his hands wrapped in explosions and hit the man in the face, and then again. Then his torso, his stomach, his arm, back to his face. Over and over. And he laughed, he laughed as he did it.
His stress dispelled away quickly.
…
He stumbled home that night with an expression of nothingness. He now felt nothing. An improvement if anything over his previous mood. He was being punished for something that wasn't his fault.
His punishment was also pretty fucking dumb: The Support Course.
Basically, UA wanted to make the best student they'd ever get into a fucking guinea pig!
On top of that, he'd been banned from any exercises for combat or cross-class activities. What a damn joke! It got worse and worse.
His mother had berated him the moment he got in, he simply ignored her. He didn't care what she had to say, she was another extra who was on the villain's side. She always had been, and it really fucking pissed him off that his mother would side with a villain. It seemed so many were. If he were an idiot, he'd think it was a conspiracy.
He lay in bed that night, with no thoughts, nothing.
He felt empty.
It wasn't fair, he did nothing wrong.
If UA had actually done something about him then perhaps this wouldn't have happened.
They'd treat him like some kind of animal, like a criminal, a villain. They'd punish those who protected others, they'd judge him, and look down on him. What a fucking joke!
A knock at the door downstairs caught his attention. Only the light from the hallway illuminated his room and said door was pushed shut - however it couldn't close because he'd broken it. His desk was darkened, only a thin strip of light falling onto it.
"Oi, brat!" his mother called up from the base of the stairs, "it's for you!"
For him? Why? Perhaps it was the police coming to arrest him for the beating crap out of someone who'd mug a kid. Probably with this fucked up system.
He spat complaints as he grabbed his jacket from his bedpost, he grumbled as the light from the hallway blinded him slightly, damn thing. Slowly, making his way downstairs he looked to the door, he glared at his mother as he stepped outside.
"Coming to arrest me?" he slyly remarked as he shut it behind him. The cold evening air greeted him alongside the chirping of insects.
"Well, I have no reason to, unless you give me one." His eyes looked to the man before him. He wore a neatly tailored black suit, his face was overcast by a shadow from a tree. He wasn't police then.
He stanced himself, "who are you?"
"That doesn't matter, what matters is who I represent and what we can do for you."
Intrigued Katsuki asked for more, "who do you represent?"
"What do you know of the HPSC?"
Chapter 8: Baby Tears
He ate breakfast with a levelled gaze whilst listening to the radio's song in their kitchen. The sunlight poured from the open window by the oven, where pots bubbled and fill the room with varying smells of wonder.
It was at times like this that Izuku felt the most immersed in the real world. The smell of food, the birds squawking. The sunlight as it spread across the colourful table cloth, the feeling of the cool metal on his hands.
The knocking at the door.
It was all peaceful. Wait. He looked over to the door and then his mother, "I'm not expecting anyone," she commented before setting down her shoulder bag, "you keep eating sweetie, I'll be back in a moment."
He nodded and returned to look at his bowl. He had finished anyway. With a steady hand, he pulled his mask back up around his face and headed to the kitchen sink, appreciating the warm water as it covered his hands. Another sense he enjoyed.
Being quiet all your life did allow you to enjoy these moments in their entirety. Sure, he'd rather be able to speak and lose such thoughts for those senses, but he was always looking for a silver lining. They were just getting rarer and rarer nowadays.
Truthfully, he was just finding ways to distract himself from the day ahead. It was entirely possible that Bakugo would want revenge, or the rest of the class would now agree with him. All in all, it was safe to say his levels of anxiety were at their peak. Well, actually, they were far from his peak.
So, he looked out of the window at the tall tree and how its leaves rustled in the wind. How pretty.
"Izuku, it's for you," he heard his mother call from the hallway.
For him.
Was it Bakugo?
No, no it probably wasn't. His mum knew what Bakugo was like. She wouldn't him there. So maybe it was All Might? He was guessing to stall himself further.
In a half haze, he made his way to the front door, passing by the sofa. "Hey Izuku," the girl gave him a wave.
He blinked in response looking at the opened door where Uraraka stood. Ah, wait, why was she here? Did she leave something behind yesterday, he didn't think so. He gave a wave back as his mother walked past him, "I'll leave you two alone."
"T- thank you Mrs Midoriya!" she smiled before looking at him - Izuku was just confused about what she had left behind last night. "I was wondering if you'd like to walk to school together?"
Oh, that made sense, he supposed. 'I thought you had forgotten something.'
She rubbed the back of her neck, averting her eyes, "Haha no, just, just wanted to see you. Only if you wanted to or anything, I realise I could have messaged you now I think of it," she nervously chuckled, "did you want to walk together?"
How he could refuse, well he probably could, but he didn't want to. He nodded his head as he leaned over to grab his bag.
…
As they soon approached UA Iida joined them too, waiting at the turning to cross a road, where the signalling light was already blaring. Izuku wondered if he had been waiting for them. "Midoriya isn't it a most pleasant morning!" he cheerfully called to him as he approached, "fancy seeing you here."
He wanted to comment it was very likely they'd see each other, on the way to the same school from the only route there, but held his tongue- held his fingers. Mainly, because he doubt Iida would understand what he was trying to say.
So, instead, he gave him a nod as he carried on walking. Truthfully, Izuku wasn't sure why they were both here, from what he could tell, they left earlier than him to get to UA, Iida certainly did, and to get to Uraraka's apartment, it was a half an hour walk in the wrong direction.
They - well Ochako was the translator - were enthralled in conversation as they approached the gates of UA, where a large group of journalists stood around eagerly pouncing onto students as they walked past, "I wonder what they want?" Uraraka asked.
Izuku found himself quickly securing his mask and pulling it as high as it would go to cover all the way up to his nose and neck. Not letting any camera see anything for the press to remark on.
'Scarred face boy destroys town, injuring heroes!'
'A mass murderer in the making?! Horror strikes seaside town!'
He shook his head, no, they were gone. They had been hidden, the chance of someone having one of those was slim nowadays. Not even Bakugo had found one of those. Oh, now he was thinking of Bakugo again.
Wonderful. More worries for him to mule over. His day got even better.
"Are you okay?" he flinched slightly as Uraraka's hand fell onto his shoulder.
He stiffened slightly, 'okay,' he sloppily signed, his fingers felt cramped at the moment, and his muscles betray him.
"Are you sure, we can wait for them to leave, I'm sure Mr Aizawa won't mind," she glanced at him, it seemed the presses latest victim was Mineta - the boy with what looked like grapes for hair - who enjoyed the attention from a female who spoke to him.
A nod of his head - also stiff - was his answer. It was better to get it over with. Well, that was what he kept telling himself, truthfully, he felt as if his throat was about to close and seize up, and his eyes were about to turn bloodshot red with fire.
His mind slowly fell into raw emotions, an unprocessed static rang in his ears and the cold numbness at the back of his head. Was it just him or were those cameras getting increasingly louder? And those birds and that person breathing.
His breathing felt heavy, it felt difficult. No, no he was fine.
He was fine.
There was nothing wrong, they weren't here for him, not this time. What if they were here for him? Yesterday has happened, someone had told the press, Bakugo told them? They were interviewing his classmates for information on him.
He quickly looked around behind him, praying no one was there. No one.
Was he safe? No, maybe that's why Uraraka and Iida had arrived, to make he went to UA today, making sure the press had a chance to speak to him, to interrogate him, corner him, shame him.
'You really think anyone cares about you?! You only got into UA as a fucking pity party, you think any of these extras care about you? They're scared, they've been damn told to keep you in check!'
It made sense, what Bakugo had said. For all his faults - of which there were many - he was attentive to his surroundings. Maybe it was obvious. Was Izuku's own stupidity to blame this time? Had he allowed this to happen, then that would have meant Bakugo had given him a chance.
And because he was so against Bakugo he had ignored it, a subtle hint. Now it made sense.
It all made sense.
He took a cautionary step back as the centre section of his vision seem to vanish, he could only see out of the corner of his eye. "Izuku?" Why was she calling him that? Wait, she'd do that last night, had she?
His memory was barely tangible right now.
Why did she call him that then yesterday? Was it to lure him in? Another step back.
"Excuse me!" a loud voice caught his attention, however, his vision was too blurry to see anything, "you're preventing my students from entering," a teacher, which one? Their homeroom teacher if he remembered correctly.
He paused as sounds drowned out in his ears, what was he thinking? He was being an idiot.
Logical options and innate fears battled in his mind. "Kid,"
It didn't make sense for UA to trap him.
"Kid!"
And Uraraka and Iida were nice to him, they wouldn't have bothered coming around last night if they didn't have honest intentions.
"Midoriya?"
Also, Bakugo always lied, he'd always try to get people to turn on him.
"Izuku, what's wrong?"
He shook his head as he snapped to the voices. He looked around and was greeted by a group of nervous-looking faces. And pale white walls. What?
His eyes glance at the navy blue carpet, and the posters of hygiene. The panelled ceiling and long lights on the tall ceilings. He was inside, he couldn't even remember getting there.
'Nothing,' he quickly signed, looking to Uraraka.
"You can tell us if something's wrong, the press are gone, Mr Aizawa scared them off," she smiled at him, her hand over his.
"Well, I more advised them to leave UA property alone and then reset the security system than scared them," Mr Aizawa countered. Izuku just watched them both in a confused state, how had he gotten into UA?
"I have to go prepare for today's lesson, stay with him please, and if he needs to go to Recovery Girl just come back afterwards, I don't mind either way."
So, he spent the next five minutes alongside Iida and Uraraka in relative silence trying to calm himself down. Slowly, he pieced together the same conclusion he came to the previous night, so what if they were meant to be keeping an eye on him? He liked them being around.
After the five minutes were over, Uraraka's hand left his own, he missed its warmth.
He was just being stupid, he was just being stupid.
…
"So, yesterday's battle trails went a little over the top," Mr Aizawa stood at the front of the class talking to them all. No one had said anything to Izuku as he walked in, although Izuku had noticed Bakugo was nowhere to be seen. There were only 19 students there.
Where was he?
"Now, I won't make any specific comments, but as a general notice, everyone in this room has the potential to be a hero, it's why we chose you from the entrance exam. You and Class 1-B were not the top 40 scorers, you were the ones with the most potential, the most amount of drive to become heroes. That is why you were chosen, if you have a problem with it, do us all a favour and leave, as that means I chose poorly."
Mr Aizawa's stern threat was met with absolute silence, you'd be able to hear a pin drop if one had a pin to drop.
"Excellent, now onto homeroom business. I am sorry for the sudden announcement, but today you'll pick a class president."
That was surprisingly normal to do. It was expected, UA was still a normal school, but it felt odd considering all the heroics lesson they had done yesterday, well, most of them had done yesterday. Izuku had pathetically failed.
Hands rose across the room as students all leaned forward, trampling past Izuku who just scooted away from the group of students, "Midoriya, correct?" he looked to a girl who was standing beside him.
He couldn't remember her name. She had long black hair and onyx eyes with a stern gaze. Nope, he didn't have a clue of her name. He nodded his head as he looked at her, "Okay, I thought I heard your name right, I just wanted to say, yesterday, you did really well, most of the class agrees, if you wanted to go for class president, I'm sure most of the class would vote you."
Izuku was completely shocked, people generally were impressed with him? For what? What did he do to deserve that kind of respect, get beaten up? Cling to the floor in tears like a pathetic wimp? However, he didn't want class president either way. That wasn't something he'd want to do.
Firstly, he could talk to three people in that room at the moment, and one of them often made mistakes - he internally apologised to Iida - and the rest of the class wouldn't understand a thing. So, instead, he pointed to Iida and Uraraka, a few seats away.
"You think Iida and Uraraka should be class president?" she asked with a caring tone, she seemed nice.
He nodded. "Okay then, thank you. I think I'll agree for them."
From there, Iida supposed the idea of a vote, of which everyone agreed - even if Iida posed it like they were set to vote in the next president of the United States - despite clearly being in a Japanese classroom.
…
Izuku looked to the board with raised eyes, happy with the results. Six votes to Uraraka, five votes to Iida, four to himself - he had asked people not to vote for him, he supposed they didn't understand, and another four votes for Yaoyorozu - the girl who had asked him if he wanted to become class president.
So, with a gleeful acknowledgement, Uraraka and Iida became class president and vice class president a piece. He felt kind of proud they had become class president, sure his word - signing and pointing - probably hadn't meant much, but he did wonder who listened. And who voted for him?
Such thoughts didn't matter as he walked away from the group of children as they approached the canteen, "We'll see you later Izuku," Uraraka waved to him as she stood beside Iida with a bright smile on her face.
"Yes, do enjoy your lunch, we shall endeavour to speak to you later, apparently we have another announcement later this afternoon, keep haste!" he cheerfully exclaimed, his arms moved like a robot, he was probably trying to sign something, Izuku just didn't know what.
He gave a nod as he left down the hallway towards All Might's office, his eyes lingering on Uraraka's smile longer than Iida's as he walked away. The office happened to be the lounge-style area he had been in the day earlier. The hallways leading there felt more cramped than the expansive ones which ran along the classrooms.
They had more turns, more pictures and side lights. "Come on! Where are you?" a voice caught his attention.
He gave an intrigued look as a pink-haired girl ran around the corner before stopping directly in front of his face. "Oh, hello!" she cheerfully smiled.
Her hair was a wild tangled pink which was pulled back by a pair of large goggles. They had different frames and what looked like handles coming off of them. Her uniform was also certainly not up to standard. A black tank top, and black overalls which she tied around her waist.
She was a little shorter than Izuku but due to her close proximity, it was harder to tell - as Izuku also walked with a slight slouch, a habit to make himself look a little smaller. He gave a small wave to her with a confused look, basically to convey why she was there.
"Have you seen my babies here at all?"
Her what? Did she lose her child? Wait, she had a child? Who took a child with them to UA?
Cautiously, he shook his head, he had no clue what her child even looked like. Was it a literal child? "Damn! Hmm, I see, say, can you help me look? You aren't busy are you?"
Well, he did want his lunch, but, he didn't mind helping. So, he shook his head.
"Awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I really don't want Power Loader telling me off again, it was only one time it exploded, you get me right?"
No, no he did not get her.
…
They had spent the last ten minutes looking for her baby, which he now gathered wasn't an actual child, due to the fact it could - apparently - explode. Also, she seemed to have a lot of these babies, because the entire time she had been talking:
If that was about her baby, calling out to said baby, or other babies. On occasion, she had asked him if he wanted a baby, which she then passed as her advertising her services. All in all, Izuku was thoroughly confused.
However, his freedom was earned when he found a small metallic ball on the floor, it had claws left on four opposing angles. He picked it up and stared at the copper surface. He didn't know what it was, but it was heavy.
He sat up from where he had crouched down, it had rolled behind a large trophy and he had only caught a glimpse of it as it shimmered from the sun.
With a tap on her shoulder, the pink-haired girl quickly span around, "Hello!" she shouted as she came face to face with him. Slowly, he rose the small object, glancing to his side as a way to confirm if it was her baby.
A grin spread over her face as she looked to it, "You found it! Quiet, you are now my favourite student here!" Oh, that was nice, another friend, "Quiet, if you ever need support gear, you can ask me, Mei Hatsume, the best inventor in our school!"
Oh, she was from the support course. Class 1-H, if he remembered correctly was the support course class, wait, were there others? He hadn't really looked into them before. "Now I won't get punished! Thank you so much! So, do you want to see what it does?"
He didn't know, she did mention explosions earlier. But, he had spent ten minutes looking for the baby, so why not. He nodded his head again, "Perfect, okay then, prepare to be amazed!"
She pushed one of the legs into the ball, it made a clicking noise as a cog started to turn inside. He waited in anticipation as they both crowded the small ball she held in her palm.
Around thirty seconds later it did nothing, "Hmm, maybe it's not working. Oh well, next time we meet I shall show you this baby Quiet!" Wait, was he Quiet? Well, he was quiet, but was he Quiet?
With that she made a dash down the corridor and disappeared around the corner, muttering about how she was going to be late for her stuff. Izuku nodded to himself as he turned around, "Oh, one last thing Quiet! Do you know where classroom 1-A is? I got lost and made my way here."
He just wanted to eat his lunch… And why did she want to go there?
…
With a now rumbling stomach - thanks to his lack of ability to say no to Hatsume - he was back at 1-A. "Ahh, I see. This is so much closer to the main entrance of the school, that's a relief I suppose," - he hadn't been told why they were at 1-A yet - "shall we go in?" she grinned.
He couldn't exactly speak to her, she didn't know sign language, he had asked and she thought he was playing some game called charades. He was not.
She opened the door in an exaggerated fashion, "Hello 1-A!" she exclaimed to an empty classroom. "Hmm, it's empty."
Well, it was lunch. Suddenly a loud blaring caught his attention, it rang throughout the entire school. It was obnoxiously loud and hurt his ears in equal measure. It caught Hatsume's attention as her eyes - which he only realised now had small lines in them, a quirk no doubt - drifted to a speaker in the classroom.
"Security level three has been breached," a security threat? "all students please evacuate in an orderly manner."
"That doesn't sound good…" Hatsume commented as the blaring rang again, it was really loud. He was half-tempted to use his quirk on the speakers to shut the thing up. However, the urge to possibly hospitalise people was overwritten by the fear of a break-in.
Someone had gotten into UA? That also meant everyone was in the canteen still, everyone with the main exception of himself and Hatsume. "Do you know where the exits are? We weren't told on our first day?" she asked him.
He shook his head again, for he wasn't told on his first day either. "Well then, I suggest we stay in here?"
Stay in the classroom? He raised an eyebrow, "Oh my sweet Quiet, think about it, whoever has invaded the school will probably go after the large group of students, not the two of us in the classroom. I'll even be leaving my babies behind, my poor innocent babies!" she then went on a tangent about her babies and how they'd be defenceless and any would-be villain would revel at a chance to use them.
Now, he didn't doubt she was good, but the last one had done nothing, highly the aim of a high-profile villain attack. "Hey! I don't suppose you're good at cards?" she pulled out a pack of Hanafuda cards from her overall pockets.
Well, they had the time.
…
Eventually, the alarm stopped blaring, and the distant shouting calmed down. And He and Hatsume had remained in the classroom. He had wanted to go find Uraraka and Iida but Hatsume assured him it was wise to stay here.
Well, she'd more pulled the card that she'd need protecting due to her intelligence being too much of a risk to be stolen, so he had become her bodyguard. As such, he was no duty bound to protect her during the attack.
With heavy reluctance, he had agreed to stay behind and 'protect her' by losing at the game badly.
The door soon opened and his and Hatsume's attention was pulled to the students at hand, "Oh hey Midoriya!" a red-haired boy waved to him, "and an odd-looking girl I've never met," he commented as he looked at Hatsume.
"You have a name?" she looked at him.
Well obviously he did, "Yeah, he's Midoriya, like our class mascot!" Mascot? When did that happen, today was just fraught with questions. How did he become a mascot?
"I see, I think I prefer Quiet actually, suits you better," - wasn't it just a descriptive term of him really? - "Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm your new classmate!"
Oh, that's why she was here? The final confirmation of it was nice at least.
Izuku liked her at least, a large improvement from Bakugo. That was probably the announcement for later.
-=-
His hands shook as he rattled through the files, slipping past the barrier - by decaying - may have been a little extreme, but when obstacles got in your way, your power move was always the best play. And the other NPCs around him didn't care, they were too busy with fear.
Hero society was laughable.
He had already grabbed the timetable file, noting the Symbol of Peace's lessons to teach which excited him beyond belief, a boss level!
As a precaution, he looked through the files of the class he'd be teaching, 1-A. First years, low-level rookies in the grand schemes of things.
One file took his attention though. ' Izuku Midoriya ' was a file with a lot of blacked-out text. The text that wasn't painted a very sad picture, a picture all too familiar to him. Mistakes with his quirk, hurting people. Fear and judgement from those around him.
How did this kid stay a hero? He sounded like someone Sensei would have taken in a heartbeat. He was just like him.
He looked back to the sad eyes of the green-haired boy and his mask. It made him feel a little sad too. He shouldn't be here, he wasn't a hero.
He was like him…