[A/N: MASS RELEASE TOMORROW! HERE AND ON PATREON.Thanks for the support. ✌️ Peace ]
They left the classroom together, merging into the stream of students filing through the halls. The building felt different now—less intimidating, more familiar. Sunlight poured through the windows as they stepped outside, the late afternoon air warm and calm.
For a moment, they walked in comfortable silence.
"Now that I think about it," Izuku said casually, scratching the back of his head, "I never really introduced myself properly. I'm Izuku Midoriya. You can just call me Izuku, though."
She smiled, brighter this time. "Oh—yeah, you're right. I'm Ochaco Uraraka." She paused, then added, a little shy but firm, "Since I'll be using your first name… please do the same for me."
"Cool," he replied easily.
They passed through the campus gates and into the city, walking side by side along the sidewalk.
The streets were busy with students heading home, cars passing by, and the distant hum of everyday life continuing like nothing extraordinary had happened.
They talked as they walked.
About where they were from.
About how unreal it still felt to be at U.A.
About teachers they liked—and ones they were already wary of.
Ochaco laughed easily, hands moving when she spoke. Izuku listened, occasionally chiming in, surprised by how natural it all felt. No pressure. No expectations.
Just two classmates walking home together after their first day.
Before long, the streets began to thin out, the noise of the city softening as they entered a quieter residential area. Apartment blocks rose on either side of the road—old but well-kept, laundry fluttering from balconies, the faint smell of dinner drifting through open windows.
Ochaco slowed her pace and stopped near one of the buildings.
"Well," she said, turning to him with a small, warm smile, "you can drop me off here."
Izuku nodded. "Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, then."
He gave her a quick, playful wink before turning around and starting down the street.
Ochaco froze for half a second.
Her cheeks warmed almost instantly, and she nodded a little too quickly. "Y-Yeah… tomorrow," she murmured, watching his back as he walked away.
She stood there longer than she meant to, thoughts racing.
'He's strong. Calm. Kind. And somehow… really easy to talk to.' Her fingers curled against the strap of her bag. ' U.A. might actually be fun…'
With one last glance down the road, she turned and headed inside.
---
Izuku walked on, hands in his pockets, the city lights beginning to glow as evening crept in.
His mind replayed the day in fragments.
The tests. The stunned faces. Bakugo's glare. Kirishima's laughter. Ochaco's smile.
'I made friends on the first day,' he thought, a faint smile tugging at his lips. ' That's nice '
He'd topped the class in the Quirk apprehension test—without a Quirk. That alone would shake things up sooner or later. And yet… instead of feeling tense or on edge, he felt oddly relaxed.
'Pretty good day,' he concluded as he continued toward home.
Above him, the sky darkened into deep blues and purples, the first stars peeking through.
Tomorrow would be another day at U.A.
And for the first time in a long while, Izuku was looking forward to it.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps rushing up behind him.
Izuku turned his head instantly.
Katsuki stood a few meters away, shoulders tight, fingers cracking loudly as sparks snapped faintly across his palms. His eyes burned with something sharp—anger mixed with disbelief.
"You've got a Quirk, don't you, Deku?" Katsuki snarled, voice shaking with restrained fury.
Izuku stared at him for a moment, unreadable.
"I don't have any reason to answer that," he replied calmly, already turning away as he continued walking.
That was the wrong answer. Katsuki exploded forward.
His palm ignited, blasting him across the pavement in a violent burst of force.
BOOM!
The ground cracked beneath his feet as he rocketed toward Izuku, arm cocked back.
"Tell me!!" Katsuki shouted.
Izuku turned.
In one smooth, effortless motion, he caught Katsuki by the neck.
The impact Katsuki expected never came.
Instead, he found himself lifted clean off the ground, feet dangling uselessly in the air. Izuku's grip was firm—but controlled. No strain.
"L-Let me go!" Katsuki choked, thrashing violently. "Or I'll kill you!!"
Izuku looked at him quietly. Just… assessing. Then—an idea sparked.
He released him.
Katsuki hit the ground hard, barely having time to gasp before rage took over. He lunged forward instantly, explosion already forming—
Thunk.
Izuku placed two fingers against Katsuki's forehead.
And stopped him cold.
Katsuki froze mid-step, teeth clenched, muscles screaming as he tried—and failed—to push forward even an inch.
"What—?!" he growled.
"Let's make a bet," Izuku said calmly.
Katsuki blinked, confusion cutting through his fury. "A… bet?"
"There'll be a Sports Festival soon," Izuku continued, voice steady. "Whoever places first gets to make the other do whatever they want."
For a moment, Katsuki just stared at him.
Then he laughed.
A sharp, unhinged sound.
"Huh?" Katsuki sneered. "I want you out of U.A." His grin widened, feral. "You sure you wanna do this?"
Izuku removed his fingers from Katsuki's forehead and stepped back.
"Sure," he said lightly. "But you'd better get ready to do what I want."
He turned and walked away, hands slipping back into his pockets like nothing had happened.
Behind him, Katsuki stood trembling, fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms.
"You're dead meat, Deku!" he shouted, a wild chuckle escaping him as he turned and stormed off in the opposite direction.
Izuku didn't look back.
'Sports Festival, huh…' he thought calmly as he disappeared down the street.
'Guess I'll have some fun after all.'
...
Izuku arrived home just as the sky began to dim, the first hints of evening settling over the neighborhood.
The front door had barely closed behind him when a familiar pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders.
"Incoming hug!" Inko announced cheerfully.
Izuku laughed softly as she pulled him into a tight embrace. "Hey, Mom."
She pulled back just enough to look at his face, eyes scanning him like she always did—checking for injuries, exhaustion, or anything out of place.
"So?" she asked eagerly. "How was school?"
Izuku paused. He smiled.
"Interesting," he said honestly. "To say the least."
Inko blinked, then chuckled. "That doesn't sound reassuring."
"I'm good," he added quickly. "Really. I'm just gonna get changed. See you at dinner."
Before she could press him for details, he darted up the stairs, calling back, "Don't worry!"
She sighed fondly, shaking her head. "That boy…"
---
Inside his room, the door clicked shut behind him.
The space was quiet—comfortingly familiar. His bed neatly made. His desk organized. And along the far wall…
Izuku's gaze drifted upward.
Medals.
Gold, hung carefully in neat rows. Between them were plaques etched with records. Proof of a path he'd walked… and left behind.
He stared at them for a long moment.
'Why did I even do track again?' he thought. 'I never really felt excited. No thrill. No challenge.'
Winning had been easy. Too easy. He looked away.
Changing quickly into workout clothes, he tied his shoes with practiced motions and slipped back outside. The cool evening air greeted him as he started jogging down the street, pace steady, breathing controlled.
Even now—after everything—Izuku trained.
But because stopping meant stagnation.
His footsteps echoed softly against the pavement as the city lights flickered on around him. Muscles warmed. Mind cleared.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges. And Izuku Midoriya intended to be ready.
TO BE CONTINUED