Chapter 28

"So," Izuku asked in between bites of rice. "How's it going?"

The silence on the other end of the phone was telling. Izuku winced and shuffled a little bit further away from Iida just in case the Kacchan explosion was loud enough that the other could hear. It was their second day patrolling and Harri had left the two of them in a sheltered alleyway to eat lunch while she dropped the villain she had captured that morning off with the police.

"He's not teaching me anything." Kacchan grit out. "It's all just crap about my appearance and my personality and dealing with the public."

"Well," Izuku considered, punctuating his point with a flick of his chopsticks and ignoring the fact that Kacchan couldn't see him. "Image is important. In some ways, as a hero, you are your own brand, and the more popular you are the more merchandise you can sell, the bigger your hero agency grows."

Kacchan huffed angrily through the phone and then there was the distinctive beep indicating that the call had turned to video. Izuku flipped the phone round to see.

His face spasmed and Izuku could almost feel the muscles in his cheeks tearing with the force it took not to laugh. Laughing would not be good.

"Go ahead." Kacchan snarled. "I can tell you want to. It's a joke."

Izuku winced. Behind the anger there was that slight hoarseness that meant that Kacchan was hiding pain. And why wouldn't he be? He had scored an internship with the number four hero, Best Jeanist. And, to Kacchan's mind, Best Jeanist was treating him like a joke.

Very careful to moderate his tone Izuku asked, "So, why do you look like Best Jeanist?"

Kacchan sneered. "He said I was too threatening. That he only took me on because he wanted to smooth out my rough edges and sort out my anger problem. Then he got his lackeys to do this."

Izuku winced again. Kacchan had worked so, so hard to win the Sport's Festival. Izuku had watched him train. He had been so proud of himself for that internship. He'd been glowing for days when he found out. Now, to learn that he hadn't impressed anyone…

"Well, that's just stupid." Izuku huffed, the bite in his voice sharp and deliberate. "Put him on the phone, I want to talk to him."

Kacchan quirked an eyebrow. But he didn't pass over the phone. "What are you gonna say? I'm not passing the phone over so you can try an intimidate B.J. I've told you before – you're not scary."

"I can be scary." Izuku mumbled. Relishing in the hint of the grin on Kacchan's face at the old argument. "Anyway. He's an idiot. He wants you to start manufacturing your hero persona, so he's completely changed who you are!" Izuku threw his hands in the air. "The best thing is to accentuate certain traits that the public will like. But the thing is to use traits that you actually have! Not just slick your hair back and pretend you're the secret sixth member of the backstreet boys!"

"The who?"

"Never mind." Izuku muttered. "Obscure boy band from the last century."

"Okay." Kacchan said, relaxing backwards. The tips of his hair were starting to flick up despite to copious amounts of gel and Izuku imagined it wouldn't be long before the hairstyle was destroyed. "How would you do it then?"

Izuku shrugged. "You're protective. You never leave a person behind. You may be abrasive, but that's the kind of thing that sticks with people, that determination. People can relate to it or aspire to it. You always push yourself to be better. And yes, you are strong. There are people who rank heroes just on that. You're also kind. Not polite, or nice, but kind. Even if you are rough. People like that. They like to feel like someone is genuine. Be a bit more polite in public, and a bit less aggressive and I don't think you'd have to work hard to build up an image."

"Sap." Kacchan scoffed, ducking his head to hide the pleased blush painting itself scarlet across his cheeks.

"Hard-arse." Izuku countered.

There was a shout though the phone and Kacchan sighed heavily, "Better get back."

"Yeah." Izuku pouted. "See you."

Izuku snickered and flipped the phone closed. Iida was staring at him again and Izuku ignored him, polishing off the last of his sandwich and tossing the wrapper in the direction of the bin. He crowed triumphantly, thrusting his fists into the air in imaginary triumph.

Iida was staring again. His gaze was so piercing that Izuku was half convinced that it could catch on Iida's glasses and start a fire. Then, the tension broke. Iida drew himself up to his full height, and blurted:

"Why do you never give an exact explanation of your quirk?"

Izuku blinked. That wasn't the question he'd expected. He was a Time Lord, so, he didn't do anything as telling as freezing in place. But this was only because he was very, very careful not to.

"How do you mean?" Izuku asked, cocking his head to the side in feigned curiosity.

Iida tapped his fingers together, a nervous tick that Izuku had never noticed before, and then somehow found an extra centimetre of spare height for him to draw himself up to. "You never give an exact accounting of your quirk – strengths, weaknesses, what exactly it allows you to analyse? I understand that it gives you some ability with machines, but is that not an invention quirk rather than an analysis? I am sorry to be blunt, but I have been your classmate for some months now and I am still not entirely aware of what you do."

Izuku did not wince. He was very careful about that. I don't know." He shrugged carelessly. "I guess I just never really saw my quirk as anything impressive, not like everyone else in class. I guess," Izuku rubbed the back of his head with a feigned sheepishness. "It's a bit like … did you ever see that old English detective programme? 'You see but don't observe'? I just pick up on all the everyday bits that people see but dismiss."

"I see." Iida nodded, returning to his half-eaten sandwich.

The silence between them felt awkward, even as the sounds of the city bubbled into it – cars driving past the alley they were sat in, the chatter and clatter of passing pedestrians. The faint hum of electricity buzzing at the very edge of his senses and the fell of the earth turning gently beneath his feet.

"I didn't know you were interested in quirks." Izuku blurted out, leaning over to get a better view of Iida's face.

"Oh, yes." Iida agreed. "I have always found them quite interesting. Particularly quirks with a physical component." He gestured at his legs.

"I guess that makes sense." Izuku relaxed, finally back on safe ground. "Like, mutant quirks – I've always been interested in how they worked on a genetic level. People get a bit funny when you're looking into quirks, like I know about the quirk factor and the toe joint – but take Harri for example. One of her ancestor's must have had DNA similar to a bird's, one must have had DNA similar to a snake – for such a complete mutation surely they must be altered down to the chromosome level – yet somehow they were genetically compatible? And the offspring is viable! I mean, Horses and donkeys have to have more in common, but their offspring is sterile! Harri mentioned it being back in the line."

Izuku waved his hands wildly to punctuate his point, Iida was staring at him and Izuku became dimly aware that he might have gotten carried away.

He blushed furiously, sinking back down into himself and covering his face in an attempt to hide the burn in his cheeks.

"Sorry," He muttered from his ball of humiliation. "That was weird. Was that weird? I got a bit carried away."

"Ah," Iida nodded. "There is no need to be embarrassed. Your enthusiasm is commendable. My family have always been interested in quirk physiology. Take Ururaka for example, her quirk is located on her fingertips and does not affect her physiology otherwise. Asui however has an entirely unique biology."

"Exactly!"

"My family has always been interest in the biology needed to maintain quirks, take ours for example. There is far more to our quirk than merely the engines."

"I knew it!" Izuku crowed. "The extra muscle mass – right? Particularly around the neck and shoulders – your muscles are stronger or denser or something to prevent whiplash at high speeds?"

Iida nodded, smiling. "I am surprised that you noticed." He placed a hand against his stomach. "We also have an additional organ next to our liver which extracts the ingredients necessary to create our motor oil."

"Do you have scans?" Izuku blurted before he could stop himself. "Have you ever compared the chemical structure of the oil to actual motor oil? Are there any foods that you can't digest?"

"No, No and yes, myself and my family are unable to metabolise alcohol." Iida said.

"That makes sense," Izuku agreed. "Ethanol can damage engines, so I imagine something in your body objects to it."

"Intense muscle cramps and an inability to use our quirk for days." Iida commented, idly shifting in his seat.

Izuku pulled a face. "Pity."

"My brother was distressed at his inability to 'Party'." Iida said, small smile flickering across his face before it dropped away into a far more solemn expression. "His companions at UA once convinced him to try a…I believe it was a Yaeger bomb?"

Izuku winced and Iida chuckled.

"Yes." He said. "My brother maintains that it was the worst experience of his life. I spent my childhood learning to make sure that I treated the other children with adequate care. My parents were very clear that if I ever collided with someone at full speed, or moved them too quickly they could be seriously hurt."

"Yeah." Izuku mused, kicking his feet out in front of him and examining the buckles of his rocket boots. There was some wear already. He'd have to make sure to fix that. "Kacchan used to have to put his PE kit in a specially made hazard box because it technically counted as an explosive."

Iida laughed again, this time higher pitched, and tapped his fingers together in that exact same nervous tick. "Yes," He said. "The thing is Midoriya…" Iida paused and shot Izuku a look, face pale beneath his shiny helmet. "I am very aware of what the human body is and is not able to handle. I requested that my parents record the sports festival so that I could go over it later and…that crash you had. That isn't normal."

Shit. Izuku frowned and scratched at the band of his goggles. "What do you mean?"

Iida shifted uncomfortably, his metal plates clanking together. "The force with which you went into the podium. You should have had some injuries. You weren't even bruised."

Double shit. Izuku laughed, rubbing at the back of his neck ruefully. "Yeah, mum told me off about that. She said she couldn't believe how lucky I was. I guess I didn't really think of that, I was just so focussed on getting to the finish line." Please buy it. Please, please buy it.

Iida's face was still shadowed, his eyebrows furrowed beneath his glasses and his mouth cut across his skin in a grim line. He didn't buy it.

"Baby-Boss! After-My-Own!" The voice echoed from the mouth of the alley and Izuku and Iida almost clattered into each other trying to stand up as Harri appeared. She had her hands on her hips and a satisfied grin on her face as she waited for them to reach her.

"I spoke to the police and it turns out that that guy that we brought in has been causing trouble for a while. Good job on spotting him, After-My-Own. And an excellent take down by Baby-Boss."

She ruffled their hair, a task made slightly difficult by the goggles perched on Izuku's head and made very difficult by Iida's full helmet.

"Come on, you two. If we can catch another two badduns before the end of the day, Cosine loses the bet and has to buy us dinner."

"Right." The two agreed, falling into step on either side of her.

Izuku was very careful not to catch Iida's eyes.

Xxx

"And that is the last one." Harri declared cheerfully, her knee pressed against the back of a struggling villain as she looped a pair of cuffs around his wrists. "Cosine owes us dinner. I hope you're in the mood for something ridiculously expensive, because I sure am."

Izuku snickered. They had only just made the deadline. The sun was starting to set, and they were due to head back to the office. He shot a glance at Iida, but the other boy had his helmet down. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Harri stood up and stretched, keeping her foot on the villain's back, her feathered hair stretched with her, fanning out around her head before smoothing back down.

"Right, I vote we head down to the –"

Izuku stared. She was still talking. But he couldn't listen. Something was wrong. Something was – Someone was screaming.

"Get down!" He screamed, lunging forwards and tackling Harri around the waist. The villain grunted at the weight on him and Izuku winced as claws scraped against his back – only the metal weave hidden in his coat preventing his skin from tearing as easily as the fabric.

"What?" Harri spluttered, twisting out of his grasp and rolling onto her back before swearing loudly. "What the fuck is that thing?"

Izuku didn't need to look. He could tell what it was from the screaming. He looked anyway.

He wasn't the only one. Around them civilians were looking to the skies and screaming.

He couldn't blame them.

The creature had large wings, and leathery skin in an ugly mottled grey colour. It was hovering above them, brain exposed, and odd metal gas mask welded to its upper face. Izuku fought the urge to gag. This things mind was just as twisted as the other ones, mindless unbearable screaming.

Iida skidded to a stop beside them, taking up a defensive position and radiating protective wariness.

"That's the same kind of thing that attacked us at the USJ, right?"

"Yes." Izuku stated grimly, "The Nomu."

"That's the thing that attacked UA?" Harri asked.

Izuku wasn't surprised she'd heard of it. The break in at UA had been top of the news for weeks.

"No, not that one. Just something like it."

"Right." Harri said, narrowing her eyes and tugging two long, emerald green feathers from her head. "In that case, you two need to leave."

"What –"

Harri continued over Izuku's startled protest. "This could be a continuation of the UA attack – targeting students on their internships. You need to get back to the Headquarters. I'll deal with this guy."

"You can't," Izuku protested, grabbing for his batons. "It took All Might to defeat the last one, besides, that thing can fly."

Harri sighed, flinging her feathers at the Nomu like knives. The creature shrieked and flapped higher to dodge, body ungainly and awkward in the sky. She looked past Izuku, dark eyes firm. "Get him out of here."

An armoured hand closed around his arm. An arm wrapped around his waist. Then Izuku was moving.

"Wait, wait, wait." Izuku yelped as the world blurred past in a sickening swirl of colours. "Wait, we have to go back."

Iida skidded to a stop, putting Izuku back on his feet but not letting go. "We can't." He snapped. "She told us…"

Izuku shrugged out of the grip. "We have too!" He snapped, grabbing hold of the lip of Iida's breast plate and yanking him closer. "She's not even a fully licenced hero, and she's on her own, and she's fighting one of those, one of those… things!"

Iida winced. "I know. You think I don't know that! Right now, our task is to return to the Ingenium headquarters and so that is what we are going to do! We can send backup from there."

"Typical."

The gravelly voice came from somewhere in the depths of the alley. Izuku and Iida moved lightning fast, twisting round to face the voice and angling their backs to the other in a defensive position, Izuku's hands on his batons, Iida's engine rumbling into standby.

Gravel shifted as a heavy boot stepped forwards, a flash of crimson and silver in the darkness. "Abandoning a side-kick to her fate because the battle isn't sure to be won. Leaving the people who need you to cower in a dark alley while your comrades die."

The owner of the voice finally stepped forward out of the shadows. Bandages covered his face, wrapping around a pair of wild, angry eyes. "You were already on my list, but after today, this is going to be a genuine pleasure. Ingenium."