The two teenagers walked hand in hand, though Izuku was understandably nervous about this. He just met this girl and was already going to meet her friends. Her hand felt so warm and inviting, but he had been kicked into the dirt, literally and figuratively, for being quirkless. He couldn't help but be weary, even if he had become accustomed to it. He had hoped it would be different this time.
"By the way, what made you want to be a hero, Midori?" Mina asked. There was no malice or ulterior motives, just friendly curiosity.
Izuku looked down at the ground. He felt powerless. Some days he just wanted to give up and cry himself to sleep. Other days, he did just that. There were days where he wanted to just end it. The tears his mother would shed was one of his main reasons for not doing so.
"Growing up… like I said… I was inspired by All Might. He looked so cool as he rescued all those people. The smile on his face as he charged head first into danger and back out again, to help people. That's what I wanted to do. When I found out I was quirkless…. My whole world fell apart, but I tried to cling to that hope. I…suppose it's silly. Still, even if it's impossible, I just want someone to tell me I can be. That maybe I can rise above. And maybe even help those who feel powerless as well. I don't know. I probably sound silly and unrealistic." The green-haired boy confessed. His fists clenched and his footsteps stopped, nearly yanking Mina like a dog on a chain. He barely looked up, worried she wasn't listening or that she had gotten bored. He had felt her grip loosen.
"S-sorry to bring the mood down. You probably don't want to talk to." The boy was stopped dead in his tracks by a hug. He was stunned and nearly cried, but slowly returned the gesture.
She spoke softly, with a mixture of sadness and reassurance. "I've seen kids get bullied before. Mostly because their quirks were considered useless or weak. I… haven't met a lot of quirkless people. I had a friend growing up…. we drifted apart over time, but we used to be inseparable. She found out she was quirkless. I saw her lose hope in herself after that. I can't say I understand what it's like, as I said. Your heart seems to be in the right place. You want to help people. I think that's a good start." Mina smiled again, offering her hand once more so they could continue their journey.
Izuku took her hand and followed her. He was happy to have a friend. One who was at least willing to listen to him and reassure him. She didn't tell him the words he had wanted to hear so badly, but they still offered him some small comfort. She was certainly different from him personality wise, but he felt like he had a kindred spirit, at the very east. Someone who wanted to help others and bring a smile to their face in the darkest of moments. The boy felt a smile creep across his face.
"T-thank you, Ashido-san." Izuku spoke, thankful for what this girl he had just met had said and done.
"No trouble at all, Midori. I want to be a hero too. Maybe we'll get there together." She grinned. The two looked away from each other awkwardly. It didn't seem likely, truthfully, but it was still a nice thought. "Also, I thought I told you, Midori. No need to be so formal." She raised an eyebrow.
"Of course. Sorry." The boy sighed.
Mina and Izuku stopped at another bench, where Mina reached into her messenger bag for some pink converse hi-tops. She took off her rollerblades and put on the shoes, making it easier to talk to her new companion without crashing into things. She was graceful enough, but wasn't exactly flawless at multi-tasking. Once she had switched her footwear, they were back in business.
"So where are we going, Ashi-san?" Izuku asked, holding onto the straps of his backpack as he walked, blushing slightly every time the girl's hands swung towards his. He still couldn't get over the fact that a girl was willingly talking to him, or that he was talking to one at all.
Mina smiled at the boy she had just met and had already started warming up to. She barely knew anything about this awkward boy with no quirk and an impossible dream.
"There are some shops nearby. My friends are there. I promise you, you'll like them. They're nicer than that guy with the blonde hair."
Izuku smiled sheepishly. He was nervous about the prospect of meeting more people. He was worried he was going to fast with whatever this was, and that they probably wouldn't like him. He didn't exactly have a good track record with friendships and already, he was making new ones. Still, the prospect was exciting. People who wouldn't treat him like dirt or look at him with pity.
"I-I can't wait."
After 20 minutes, two people came into view. One was a girl with long green hair and frog-like features, dressed in a green shirt, black shorts, with yellow shoes. The boy who was with her had black hair, sharp teeth, a t-shirt of a metal band that Izuku didn't recognize, black boots, and khakis.
"Oh!" Mina perked up. She grabbed Izuku's hand, turning him bright red as she dragged him over to the frog girl and the kid with sharp teeth. "Tsuyu, Kirishima, this is Midori. I just bumped into him."
"Wow, Mina. Just met a boy and already showing him off to your friends. Don't you think you're moving too fast?" the frog girl spoke plainly.
Mina huffed. "It's not like that."
Izuku was both relieved and deflated. He was burning up from embarrassment and the speed with which everything happened, but still a bit hurt with how quick she denied it.
"I mean, he's adorkable and has cute freckles, but I just met him. I'm not going to make out with him or anything. Not until a few weeks in at least, right Midori?" the pink girl winked. Izuku felt his soul leave his body.
"Easy, Ashido. Don't tease the guy too much." Kirishima grinned, putting a hand on Izuku's shoulder
"It's too early in the relationship for that." His frog-like companion chimed in.
"Tsuyu!" Mina pouted. The girl wasn't opposed to flirting, but still she didn't want to scare this boy off.
"Sorry." Tsuyu croaked, taking out a bag of jelly candies and snacking on them.
"Midori wants to be a hero too." Mina grinned at the boy in question. "He's got notes on hero stuff too."
Izuku had been teased before for his notebooks, his quirkless nature, his goal of becoming a hero despite that, and his habit of muttering to himself. Not in the friendly way that Mina had teased him, but rather, flat out mockery. He wasn't used to this positive attention from children his age.
"Can I see?" Eijiro Kirishima asked. Izuku shyly handed one of his notebooks to the raven-haired boy.
"Thanks, dude. Anything on Crimson Riot?"
Izuku's anxiety melted a little when he had the chance to show off his knowledge a little. He handed the rock boy a different notebook. "Page 36. It ends on page 38. He's not my favorite, but he's pretty cool."
"I gotcha. Who's your favorite?"
"All-Might. He was the one who made me want to become a hero." Izuku smiled. His face became more solemn, however. He was ready to admit to being quirkless. However, Mina saw his change of expression and decided to intervene.
"Midori wanted to learn about our quirks and fill up a few more pages. Sorry for speaking over you, Midori." Mina grinned, wrapping an arm around Izuku, a blush forming in his cheeks as he tried to regain composure.
"Y-yeah. If you don't mind. I like studying different quirks and how they work. It's part of my plan for becoming a hero."
"A bit Tower of Babel, dude, but sure. I'm down. If I get to have my name somewhere alongside Crimson Riot's, I'm all in." Kirishima pumped a fist in the air.
"Seems a bit weird, but your enthusiasm is cute. Count me in too. Gero." Tsuyu agreed.
After a series of questions, ranging from quirk limitations and implementation, to when their quirks first manifested, Izuku thanked the two and apologized for coming off as creepy. The four teens then got lunch nearby. The conversation turned to average kid stuff, like video games and music. Izuku and Mina had apparently shared taste in video games, though Izuku was more casual than his pink-skinned friend. After an hour, the party split and waved their goodbyes.
"So, what do you think, Midori? Those are my friends."
"T-they're certainly interesting. They have really cool quirks though. I already filled up a few pages on the three of you."
"Oh. Writing about me in your journal already?" Mina joked.
"W-what? N-no. It's not like that." Izuku protested nervously.
"I see how it is." The acid girl frowned, sending her friend into a panic.
"I-I didn't mean it like that either. You agreed and I"
"Relax, Midori. I'm just teasing you. We just met, dude. No worries." Her smile returned as she ruffled the boy's hair. Izuku could feel this teasing would become habitual with Mina.
Their moment was ended by the sound of a vibrating phone. Mina took out her smartphone, contained in a pink case with a xenomorph phone charm and several video game stickers.
"I've gotta get going. My mom needs me to pick up some groceries. Here." Mina takes one of Izuku's notebooks and flips to the back cover. She takes out a pen and writes in it before handing it back to the green-haired boy.
"Call me some time, Izu!" she smiled before heading out.
Izuku opened his notebook and looked at where she wrote. It was a phone number. Izuku froze in place, unsure of what to do now.
When Izuku got home, his mother was a wreck. He had completely forgotten to text her back.
"WHERE WERE YOU? I WAS WORRIED TO DEATH!"
"I-I just went out on the train to watch heroes. I'm sorry mom. I…I met some new friends."
Inko sighed. "Did you now? I'm happy for you sweetie, but please remember to call now and then. I worry."
"I know, mom." Izuku sighed, hugging his mother. "I'm sorry for making you worry."
"I know, honey. Just try not to forget again. I'm glad you made some friends. Now come on, your dinner is getting cold."
After dinner, Izuku flopped onto his bed, trying to work up the courage to text her. He had just met her. He wasn't used to this at all. After an hour and a half of staring at the number, he decided to plug it into his phone so he wouldn't forget. If anything happened, he could always delete it and go back to how things used to be.
"There." Izuku sighed as he plugged the number in. He was feeling confident in that moment. He mindlessly tapped his thumb on the screen, as if to punctuate the moment.
He accidentally called her, sending him into a panic. Maybe he could just hang up immediately and she would barely notice. He had no such luck, however.
"Hello? Who's there?" a familiar voice asked. Izuku responded tactfully.
My fumbling with his phone, letting out a loud, horrified squawk and hanging up.
Izuku was embarrassed, realizing what he had just done. He was worried he had screwed it all up. Maybe Bakugou was right, but maybe it was also for the best. Maybe he just wasn't good at making friends.
Two minutes later, his phone went off again. He received a text message.
"Midori? Is that you?"
"Yeah. Sorry. Accidentally dialed you."
"Thought so ha-ha 😊 looks like I have your number now too"
"Guess so."
Izuku was holding his phone, stuttering to himself, thanking the heavens that nobody was in his room to witness this habit of his. He managed to work up the nerve and text her again.
"So, thanks again for introducing me to your friends. They seemed nice."
"No problem, Midori. They seem to like you. If you're free next weekend, we're headed to an arcade near where you and I met. Want to come?"
Izuku paused, his thumbs frozen over his phone screen. He gulped and responded.
"yes. Sounds cool" Mina got the sense he was stuttering nervously, despite them speaking via text, which she found adorable and funny.
The two talked for hours until they both passed out holding their phones.
