After waving goodbye to Shouto and Fuyumi, Izuku headed into his apartment building and up the many flights of stairs to the apartment of the Japan bound Midoriyas. A path he knew well having walked them since he had learned to walk himself. The apartment was small, just two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen/dining room. But it was home. The only one Izuku had ever known.

It didn't take him long to reach the right floor and take out his key to unlock the front door. Stepping inside and closing the door, Izuku called out to his mom to announce he was home. She greeted him in return from the kitchen and bid him to get changed while she continued making dinner. He nodded in agreement even though she couldn't see him as he took off his shoes.

On sock padded feet, Izuku walked down the hall to his room. The same hallway that he had walked down thousands of times over all the years they had lived there as a family of three. Now it was just his mother and him since his dad had left to work in the US and couldn't return due to medical reasons.

I miss him. I wish he were here right now.

If Hisashi had been there, he would have seen how much his son had grown with his own eyes instead of through a screen. Izuku was still on the shorter side compared to other boys his age like Hitoshi or Iida who towered over the greenette. But he had still grown as the marks and dates of his varying heights stood as evidence on the frame of his bedroom door.

Hisashi also would have seen all that Izuku had accomplished in the last year. Among the family pictures was the article of the cleaned beach that Inko had framed that was hung proudly on the wall. Along side it was his acceptance letter to UA to show all his hard work had paid off. His mother would most likely find some article or other about him winning the Sports Festival to add to their growing gallery.

Most of all, the man would have found himself with his arms full of an excited son happy to see his father after so long. It had been five long years since Izuku had seen his dad in person. More or less. He knew why Hisashi had left and knew why he couldn't visit anymore. Knew that he was working to provide for them and was medically incapable of traveling. He knew this and accepted it but he still missed him physically being there. Because video chats and phone calls only helped so much.

It was hard at first when his dad had gotten injured and the visits suddenly stopped. Having no friends growing up, Izuku had cherished the time he spent with his parents. As well as Auntie Mitsuki and Uncle Masaru whenever they came over to visit. They were the only ones that seemed to actually care about him. So, yes, he cherished his time with them even if none of them really believed or wholly support his dream to be a Hero. Not since he was diagnosed as Quirkless.

'It's not going to happen.'

Izuku shook his head to get those harsh words uttered long ago out of his mind as he entered his room. Sure, they were still true that he had never developed a Quirk, but he had long associated them to his desire to be a Hero as well. Not now though. Now that he was this close.

He placed his backpack on his bed and reached inside for the proof that he had what it took. The coveted first year UA Sports Festival first place gold medal. His newly scarred and bandaged fingers found the metallic round disk with ease and pulled it out. Only to be surprised to see that it was not a gold medal in his hand, but a silver one instead.

Eh? What's Hitoshi-kun's medal doing in my backpack?

The greenette didn't think that Hitoshi would misplace his medal like this. Not after everything that he had gone through today to earn it. Izuku figured that his friend would be excited to take it home and show it to his family. But then he remembered the brief solemn look and tense body language he had seen coming from his friend. Flickers of sadness and unease at the mentions of homes and parents. Something he had never seen on his friend's face before.

Again, concerned thoughts arose in Izuku's mind for the other boy. Of his homelife. Wondering if he was safe. He was surprised that it wasn't until today that he even thought about that before. But now that he did, he realized that Hitoshi had never talked about it. No mentions of family. No offered visits to go to his house. Nothing. As if he didn't want them to know.

I'll have to ask him about that when I see him next, Izuku thought, feeling it was a conversation better held face to face. Please be safe, Hitoshi-kun.

Placing the silver medal on his desk, Izuku then reached back in his bag, took out his own gold one, and put it down next to the other. He took out anything else he needed and then set his backpack on the floor. Moving to his dresser, he took out a change of clothes. Opting for a comfy pair of grey sweatpants, a white t-shirt that said 'plain', white socks, fresh underwear, and a striped green housecoat.

A hot shower was just what he needed after a long day such as this. The steam cleared his head and the heated water relaxed his aching muscles. The calming atmosphere left his mind to wander as he washed away the sweat and grime of the day. Memories surfaced of his parents' words on that day he had found out he would never get a Quirk. Remembering the question he had desperately asked his mother as his favorite video of All Might played on the computer in that dark room.

'Do you think…I could still be a Hero, too?'

'I'm so sorry, Izuku. I wish things could be different.'

His mother, Inko, had cried and apologized over and over as she had held him in a crushing hug. The Hero's iconic laughter filling the air as the two greenettes sobbed into each other's arms.

Mom. Back then. That wasn't what I needed to hear.

At the time, Izuku's world had been crumbling. His dreams of becoming a Hero had seemed to be shattering around him. Each bark of laughter from his idol felt like a hammer to the nail in his dream's coffin. All the tears and apologies weren't helping. That wasn't what he wanted to hear. What he needed to hear.

'Yes'.

One simple word of encouragement was what he wanted. Needed. Something. Anything. Any proof that someone other than himself believed he could do it. Become a Hero. To know that he wasn't the only one that still believed in that dream. But that was not what he got. Only the words of tearful apologies.

Then his father had come home. Came into this very room where mother and son had cried together in the dark room only illuminated by the glow of the computer screen. Had come in and helped him calm down from the growing panic attack caused by his world ending around him. Had asked him what was wrong. To which Izuku had asked his own question in return in his shaky tearful four-year-old voice.

'Papa, do…do you…e-even if I don't h-have a Quirk, do you th-think I can still be a H-Hero?'

At first, Hisashi's response had been a question rather than an answer, asking his son if he could be direct with him. Which Izuku appreciated as his father was always honest with him. Even with sharing his differing opinion on Heroes with the boy but never pushing it on his son. Something Izuku also appreciated as he loved Heroes and what they did to help people. While his father never held a high opinion of them.

A young Izuku had only nodded in answer as he had been too upset for anything else. A gesture that his father had accepted with ease as he was used to his son answering as such. After all, being a Midoriya meant that Izuku was as emotional as his mother and the stuttering only got worse as the tears flowed and emotions were high. So, sometimes verbal responses were too much to get out.

Hisashi had spoken his honest opinion as he always did with his son. Pointed out a fact that Izuku knew well with all his research into Heroes. That since the emergence of Quirks and Heroes thereafter, there had never been a Quirkless Hero. Not one. A fact that caused the flow of the boy's tears to begin anew.

His father had then taken him in his arms, shushing his son as he had tried to comfort the boy. Turned out, his dad hadn't finished yet. Instead, Hisashi had kept going and said that yes, there had never been a Quirkless Hero before. That much was true. But that didn't mean there never would be.

It hadn't been the 'yes' Izuku needed, but it hadn't been a 'no' either. 'Maybe.' That was basically his dad's answer. That sure there was no precedent but that didn't dictate that would be true forever. At the time, it had been enough of an answer to push Izuku to keep going. Keep believing in his dream. Keep striving to be a Hero. To just try.

So, he had.

While ignoring the jeers of his peers, Izuku had trained. On his analysis for his mind and self-defense for his body. Unclear of how he would become a Hero exactly, but training as he did was better than doing nothing. Taking inspiration from those Heroes like Eraserhead and Sir Nighteye who had non-offensive Quirks and relied on other means to fight. That was how he had carried on for most of his childhood.

That is…until him.

Hero Killer Stain. The Villain. Akaguro Chizome. The man. The first one to ever, in his at-the-time fourteen years of life, believe in his dream to become a Hero. To see the potential to do good inside of him. To look past the Quirkless label and see the Hero within. The person.

Izuku still couldn't believe he had even ever met the man. As if it was a twist of fate decided by some author writing a story. Because how else could he have met the Villain. Whatever it was though, he was grateful. Because the words that Akaguro had given him that day were the ones Izuku had needed to hear for so long.

'It won't be easy and you will need to find something to give you an edge in a fight, but I believe you can become a Hero!'

A 'yes'. In more words than he ever expected but a 'yes' none the less. The answer he had needed. The confirmation Izuku had longed to hear since that fateful day. Proof that his own belief in his dream was right. Justified. That he did have what it takes to be a Hero, a Quirk be damned. That all Izuku needed was to find his own 'edge' that others were naturally born with.

So, he did.

Izuku had made the decision to clean the beach which led him to meeting Mei. His first friend after so long. From whom he was then able to learn about Support and inventing that became his 'edge'. Using his analysis and growing skills in assembling new technologies, he was able to apply to the Support Course at UA and eventually be accepted. As well as meet Hitoshi who shared in his dream while also having a less than supportive childhood experience. Who became one of his best friends along with Mei as they spent more time and grew to know each other better.

Together Hitoshi and Izuku had trained, gaining support from Aizawa and Yamada along the way. As well as Nezu for Izuku's analysis. Practicing and pushing themselves in preparation for the Sports Festival where they would prove themselves to others and show they had what it takes. To tackle every obstacle and take every fight head on. To come out on top in proof of their skills and their suitability for the Hero Course.

And they did. He did.

Through a series of all those happenstances, here he was. Back home after the prestigious UA Sports Festival as the holder of the golden first place medal. A symbol that served to prove he was one step closer to his dream. His and Hitoshi's. They held up their end and placed in the top two. Now it was in the paws of Principal Nezu and whatever his chimera mind decided. All they could do now was rest and wait.

Izuku finished washing up and rinsed off before turning off the shower. He quickly changed and went back to his room. The greenette placed his dirty clothes to be washed in the laundry basket and hung up his uniform as he hadn't worn it that much today. Then he grabbed his gold medal, leaving Hitoshi's behind, and left his room to join his mother in the kitchen. As he closed his bedroom door, Izuku looked up at the small All Might themed plaque with his name on it.

'The life of a Pro Hero is one of risk and danger. Without a Quirk, can one become a Hero like me? It pains me to say this, but I must say no, I don't think it's possible.'

Izuku still admired the man despite what he had said that day on that roof over a year ago. Still respected him as a Hero. But All Might had ultimately told him 'no'. That without a Quirk he couldn't become a Hero. To keep his dreams attainable. But he had been wrong.

See, All Might? I may not have a Quirk, but I won. I'm the one that beat all of those with Quirks. The strong, the flashy, and the subtle alike. Out of all of them, me, Quirkless little me, am in first place. Not Bakugou, not Shouto-kun, not Hitoshi-kun. Me.

Maybe…just maybe the Number One Hero could believe what he believed. Could see what even a Villain could see.

I did it, Akaguro-san. I hope I made you proud.

The man had said he'd be watching. That he would lay witness to all his hard work in training his body and mind. Of using the edge that Akaguro had tasked him to find. Or in this case, build. His Quirk Replicating Support Items had worked even better than Izuku could have ever imagined.

Or at least had until Bakugou got to them.

Izuku grimaced at the thought but brushed it off as having to rebuild was only a minor setback in the grand scheme of things. Because they had worked. Every challenge placed before him succumbed to him and his Support Items. Showing everyone that you don't need a Quirk to succeed in life. Even if not all of them believed it, but Izuku had no issue in working hard to prove them wrong.

After all, I've gotten this far, haven't I? What's a little while longer?

Izuku made his way down the hall to the kitchen where he saw his mother bustling away with practiced ease. Inko was as at home cooking as Izuku was analyzing Heroes. She was deft of hand when cutting vegetables and preparing pieces of meat. Sometimes seeming like a miracle worker when it came to combining ingredients to make a wonderful meal. A skill that Izuku thought would be a good one to learn has he had often joined his mother in the preparation of a meal. With a fond smile, Izuku placed his medal in his jacket pocket and moved to stand beside her.

"Hey mom," Izuku said as he approached.

...

Inko turned around and a beaming smile spread across her face at the sight of her son. The green haired woman placed the knife she had been using down and turned to envelope him in a big hug. Which he gratefully and enthusiastically returned.

"Welcome home, Izuku," the mother said as she pulled back to look at him. "I saw your fights. Even managed to get your father on a video call for a bit. You did so well today. Congratulations on placing first."

"Thanks, mom," Izuku said with a warm smile, sniffling slightly as the happy tears threatened to fall.

"Oh, don't you start that now," Inko scolded with a smile and a pat of her hand on his arm. "If you do, you know I won't be too far behind."

"Heh heh, sorry," her son chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head with his hand, willing the tears to stay inside.

"So, how did your day go?" she asked as she turned back to the cutting board.

As the mother continued to prepare their dinner, katsudon of course as it was his favorite, Izuku recounted his day. Described all he had done during the Obstacle Course and the Cavalry Battle. Talked about the students he had met and possible new friends he had made. By that point they had finished cooking and moved to the table to eat. Izuku continued between bites with a play-by-play of the one-on-one matches of who fought who and how they used their Quirks with intermittent questions and theories of other possible uses for them.

During those recounting tales they finished eating, cleaning up, and moved over to the couch. As they cuddled together, the son confided to his mother the new developments between Shouto and him while not mentioning what he had learned about the other boy's homelife. He skipped over what happened with Bakugou to avoid that topic of discussion for as long as possible. Finishing by recounting his fight with Hitoshi of what they did and what they said. The fact they had traded jokes in the middle of a fight earned a giggle from the mother.

"It kind of became like when we spar," Izuku recalled. "We didn't worry about who won. Not really. We were just enjoying the moment. The only difference is I had a trick up my sleeve to break out of Hitoshi-kun's Brainwashing."

"How did you do that?" Inko asked curiously.

"Do you remember that very first invention I made by myself months ago?" he asked to which the mother gave him a 'so-so' gesture to say she remembered it vaguely. "It was this small black disk that is basically a timer that buzzes when the time runs out. Just enough to snap me out of his Quirk."

"Wow, that's impressive," she said with a look of awe. "To think your very first invention would help you win the Sports Festival. Though, I have to ask, why did you only have that in your last match? The announcer mentioned that you had some 'issues' with your Support Items before it."

One would assume they would gain wear and tear in a competition like that, but her son's inventions had stood up well to the challenge up until just before the finals.

"O-oh, um, well…there w-was an incident before m-my fight with Hitoshi-kun," Izuku answered hesitantly, lowering his previously animated hands. "I, uh, was getting ready f-for the match when, um, B-Bakugou showed up."

She had a feeling it would involve Katsuki in some way. That she could guess from the call from the school she had received asking if she could attend a meeting in the morning. They had mention they would be discussing Izuku's future in UA as well as another 'issue' that had happened involving her son and him. But that wasn't what made the mother look at her son in surprise.

Bakugou? Not Katsuki?

Inko had noticed her son had stopped calling the other boy by his childhood nickname since around the time Mei had entered their lives. That he still held the memories and the familiarity built up over the years despite the years of mistreatment. Still held the blonde to some level of esteem enough to call him by his first name. But apparently not anymore after whatever 'issue' they had.

"What happened with him, sweety?" the mother asked, unsure if she should use the explosive teen's first name either. Not if this was her son's reaction to whatever he had done.

"H-he came to the waiting room I w-was in," Izuku recounted as he fiddled with his hands. "He was yelling a-and angry at me. Accused m-me of cheating because I was u-using Support Items. Which doesn't make sense b-because the rules clearly say I can as a Support Course student. But apparently that d-didn't click in his mind as he continued to try a-and put me down. Like he always does."

Inko had suspected that there was still bullying occurring outside of her circle of control. Not anything physical against his person as she would have noticed that. She was a mother after all and a mother always knows. So that meant it had to have been verbal which her son's last statement confirmed.

"What did he say to you, Izuku?" Inko asked, watching her son in worry.

"He said I h-had no right to be there b-because I'm Quirkless," Izuku replied as tears starting to well. "Th-that the festival was a competition where o-only the 'strongest of Quirks a-are destined to win' as he said. That s-since it was how people get scouted b-by the Pros that he believed o-only the Hero Course students sh-should have been able to compete."

"But it's supposed to be for everyone," Inko commented.

"I kn-know that but apparently Bakugou d-didn't think so," the son stuttered out, tears starting to trickle down his cheeks. "We a-argued some more a-and then he…he…"

His voice died down as he was overwhelmed with the emotions his memories evoked. His hands, one of which was bandaged, formed into fists in his lap.

"And then he what?" Inko prompted, placing a comforting hand on her son's knee.

"…h-he broke them," Izuku confessed in a whisper, tears now flowing freely. "A-almost all of my Support Items. Starting w-with my right glove."

They both glanced down at his bandaged hand but Inko had no chance to comment as Izuku continued.

"He t-took them and exploded th-them one by one right in f-front of me. All my hard work…j-just gone."

"Oh, my poor baby," the mother said, drawing her son into a hug.

The boy clung to her as he sobbed into her shoulder enveloped in the comforting arms of his mother. She ran her fingers through his freshly cleaned hair as he cried, whispering consoling words into his ear. Giving him all the time he needed to let out all of the anguish within him. A few minutes passed before he was able to speak again.

"I s-snapped at him," he said, pulling away slightly but still remained in his mother's arms. "C-called him out on h-his bullshit."

Inko knew her son cursed sometimes. He did grow up around Katsuki after all with that sailor mouth of his. But it still surprised her that Izuku would say one in front of her. Showing how upset he truly was.

"I've t-tried to be his friend for s-so long," her son continued, sniffling slightly. "O-or at least be friendly t-towards him. We b-both want to become Heroes s-so I thought we held the same g-goals. But after wh-what he did, I came to realize th-that I didn't know h-him anymore."

That explains calling him Bakugou.

"I a-asked him why he seems t-to hate me so much. Why he t-treats me the way he does. Turns out h-he thought I was looking d-down on him the whole time."

He left out a solemn chuckle at that ridiculous thought the other boy had of him for so long.

"Why would he think that?" Inko asked, confused as to how Katsuki could have possibly believed such a thing.

"You g-got me. I have no idea," Izuku replied, letting out another short sad laugh while shaking his head. "But I t-told him he was wrong. That I actually l-looked up to him. That I had always s-seen his potential to be a Hero. But he didn't act l-like a Hero today. I told him a-as much. He d-didn't like that."

Izuku grew quiet with pursed lips. As if there was more but he didn't want to say it.

"What else did he do?" the mother asked, knowing that was the case.

"He, uh, he a-attacked me," Izuku let out in a hesitant whisper.

"He what?!" Inko exclaimed, grabbing his shoulders and searching him for any other injury besides his hand.

"Don't worry, mom!" Izuku insisted, gesturing placatingly with his hands. "He only m-managed to hit me with one explosion."

The mother gave her son that look only mothers could do.

"Izuku, one explosion is already one too many," Inko said with a serious tone and a pointed glance at his hand.

"I-I know, but I didn't even f-feel it because my under-armor p-protected me," Izuku defended, taking hold of her hands and moving them to their laps. "Plus, Aizawa-sensei a-and Yamada-sensei came in and b-broke it up right away."

Thank goodness for those two.

Inko had gained more and more respect for the two Heroes. Especially Aizawa as he had been the one to bring Izuku's analysis to the principal's attention. They had both taken her son, along with Hitoshi, under their wing and helped them more than any other teacher had done for Izuku before. From the tales she had heard of their training, Aizawa was a tough but fair teacher. Dealing out punishments where they seemed fit. This case being no exception.

Wait…

"Izuku, aren't there rules about attacking other students outside of a match?" Inko asked, wondering why she had seen the boy who had attacked her son on the third-place podium.

"Um, y-yes?" he answered though it sounded more like a question. "They g-get disqualified."

"Then why was Katsuki on the podium for third?" she inquired further with brows furrowed in confusion. "Shouldn't he have been disqualified?"

Or with the principal to discuss his punishment at the very least.

"O-oh, about th-that," he replied hesitantly. "I m-may have sort of asked them not to?"

What?!

"Izuku, why?!" the mother demanded to know, gripping her son's hands in concern but also carefully as one was injured. "He needs to be punished for what he did to you!"

"I know that!" Izuku snapped. Not in anger but in exasperation. He took a breath to calm down as he didn't mean to yell at his mom. "I know that. A-after all these years, all he's done, all he's said…Bakugou deserves to be punished."

'Said'? What else as he said to my boy?

"Then why, Izuku?" Inko asked, planning to ask about that later. She let go of one of his hands to tuck a stray green hair behind his ear.

"Because I know Bakugou," Izuku answered, earning a confused look from his mother. "I don't understand his m-motives or if he really is someone who c-can be a Hero after what he did today. But I do know h-how he would have reacted i-if they had disqualified him."

The mother nodded her head, gesturing for him to explain.

"Bakugou has n-never really had to face the c-consequences of his actions before," he continued as she took his hand again, rubbing her thumb across his skin in comfort. "I kn-know you tried to help in the p-past back when I couldn't d-defend myself. That the t-teachers didn't really listen o-or do anything about it despite a-all your pictures."

Inko let out a tired sigh as she remembered the countless parent teacher conferences that had led to nothing. She nodded again in conceit prodding for him to go on.

"Everyone has always t-told him he would be a g-great Hero," Izuku said, looking at their joined hands rather than into his mother's eyes as he talked. "Could see the p-potential I saw with his Quirk. B-but the faith in and praise of h-him was too much and it went to Bakugou's h-head. Inflated his e-ego as the years passed. Every compliment, every allowance, every slight s-swept under the rug to keep his ch-chances for a bright Hero future…it was a-all too much."

The mother continued to run her thumb along his skin as he talked. Providing the silent comfort not wanting to interrupt.

"Bakugou d-doesn't see his actions today as wrong. No teacher has ever stopped him o-or punished him before. This would be the first time a-anyone had ever told him he was w-wrong. That what he did was s-something bad. If he was suddenly punished l-like everyone else, he wouldn't actually learn what he d-did was wrong. B-because he has gone so many years t-treating me the way he does a-and no one said a word. Other than you and papa. And auntie and uncle too."

It was true. A sad truth but still true. Inko had done her best to defend her son but the bureaucracy of the school had prevented her from doing anything. Hisashi would have helped but he had already been working overseas by the time it was bad enough for her to intervene. She didn't want to burden him with all the responsibilities he had already. Having to work in another country to provide for them was burden enough.

So, she hadn't told him about it. Had gone to conferences on her own to talked about how the other children were treating her son. Had even talked to Mitsuki in regards of Katsuki. The fellow mother did her best to talk to her son as well, but both Izuku and Katsuki had said nothing was wrong. So, there wasn't much they could do.

"I have a feeling th-that any kind of punishment that d-deals with taking something away w-won't work with Bakugou," Izuku said, finally looking up at his mother. "I think…I think wh-what he needs is to be told what he did w-was wrong. Needs to be p-punished with words, not actions."

The one pair of green eyes looked into the mirrored pair, silently pleading for her to understand. It made sense. Katsuki had always been one to prefer actions over words growing up. As evident that Mitsuki had tried to talk to him, in her own way, but he had never listened to her because those at school had never done anything to stop him. Not even Izuku had done anything to stop him past stopping anything physical. But the blonde had apparently continued to push Izuku down with his own words. Ones that no one had stopped him from saying before.

Until now.

"I think you're right, Izuku," Inko relented. She reached up to cup his face with one hand, wiped away a tear before letting go. "I think you know Katsuki better than anyone else. Well, if he didn't get disqualified, how is he going to be punished?"

"That's wh-what the meeting with Nezu-sensei i-is partly about tomorrow," Izuku said, sniffling a bit. Inko passed him a few tissues so he could blow his nose and wipe away any stray tears. When he finished, he looked up at his mom with a smile. "That's why they a-asked you to come. That, and possibly a-about Hitoshi-kun and I transferring i-into the Hero Course."

Inko looked at her son in astonishment as she said, "Do you really think so?"

"We d-don't know for sure," Izuku said with a shrug and a small chuckle. "But Aizawa-sensei had this c-certain look in his eye when he told us about the meeting. So, hopefully yes. We certainly placed high enough for consideration."

"I'd say so," Inko replied.

They both shared a chuckled before Izuku gasped out, "Oh, here!"

As if he had just remembered, he reached into his pocket and took out his gold medal. Izuku presented it to his mother with a proud smile. The object that marked his achievement. With an awestruck gaze and slightly shaking hands, Inko took the medal from her son and looked it over as if to see it was real. Suddenly, she started crying and threw her arms around Izuku to pull him into another hug.

...

"M-mom?" Izuku stuttered in surprise as he wrapped his arms around her.

For a few minutes, she said nothing. Merely crying as she held her son close. Blubbering into his shoulder as he ran his fingers through her hair in comfort. Returning the favor as she had done for him not even ten minutes ago. Eventually she spoke though it came out as more of a whisper.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, Izuku," the mother cried, holding him tight.

"S-sorry?" Izuku asked as he pushed her away to see her face. It was red and blotchy with rivers of tears flowing down her cheeks. "Mom, wh-what are you sorry about?

"I-I've been a t-terrible mother to you, Izuku," Inko said, uselessly wiping the emotional droplets away as more inevitably took their place. "I n-never fully believing in your dream. I was afraid that w-without a Quirk you wouldn't be a-able to protect yourself."

Mom…

"But now I see it. Why you w-went into Support," she said, wearing a watery smile of pride. "Others are born with power, but you…you make your own power. You showed the world that you didn't need a born gift to fight. You made your own power and plan to use it to forge your own path. And I'm so so proud of you."

"Mom…," Izuku gasped, a new wave of tears building.

"You fought so hard today, baby," the mother said, caressing his face as his eyes began to leak. "You used your own self-made power a-and fought your way to the very top. If that principal of yours doesn't offer you the opportunity to transfer, I have half a mind to enroll you in a different school that would. I would stop at nothing until someone realizes the potential in you."

She would go that far? Uproot our lives just for that?

"B-because I really think you have what it takes, Izuku," Inko said with a proud determined smile. "I believe that you, my baby, can be the Hero you've always wanted to be."

The son sucked in a shaky breath as his mind reeled at those words. The words that he had longed to hear from his mother for so long. Words that overpowered all the negative words from all the nay-sayers over the years.

'It's not going to happen.'

'I'm so sorry, Izuku. I wish things could be different.'

'I know what I said to you that day was harsh, but with how dangerous the Hero profession is, it was a truth you needed to hear. I'm glad you found a more attainable dream, young Midoriya.'

'Somehow you have made it this far, but that crutch of yours will only hold you up to a certain point. Which is now. Fight my Shouto and allow him to use you to show his superiority.'

'The only reason you are here, Deku, is because of your shitty gear. Take that away and you are nothing. Weak. Useless. Quirkless. Deku.'

Those who doubted him, judged him for his lack of Quirk, were wrong. Their words were overpowered by the sheer number of people he had to support him now. His best friends like Mei and Hitoshi. Like Shouto. Friends like Kirishima, Ochako, Iida, and Tsuyu. Even potential friends like Monoma, Tokoyami, Kouda, Yaoyorozu, and Jirou. The latter's words in particular brought a smile to his face even if he only truly met her in passing.

'I think it's really cool that you want to be a Hero. Seems you're already acting like one though. Keep up the good work.'

Not only did he have friends now who supported him, but also the teachers. Maijima helped him train in Support. Aizawa and Yamada helped Hitoshi and him train physically. As well as Yamada teaching him JSL. Nezu helped him train mentally. And just today, Shuuzenji offered to train him in first aid. The most adults other than his and Bakugou's parents to ever actually care about him.

And then there was Akaguro…

'You're doing well, Little Hero. Even now when you are still a little fledgling, you have already shown me you are worthy. I look forward to seeing what kind of Hero you will become.'

The words from the man meant so much to him being the first to ever confirm his own beliefs in himself. He would always treasure those words despite them coming from a Villain. Because he didn't act like a Villain towards Izuku, but like the person that he was. But to hear the 'yes' he had desperately wanted to hear for years finally come from one of the people he loved most, his mother, meant the world to him.

'I believe that you, my baby, can be the Hero you've always wanted to be.'

That's all I needed to hear from you, mom. That you believed in me.

In a green blur, Izuku surged forward and enveloped his mom in a tight hug. He whispered numerous 'thank you's and 'I love you, mom's into her neck as he cried into her shoulder. Overwhelmed with emotions once again. Minutes passed as the two Midoriyas sat on the couch comforting each other.

"I am so proud of you, Izuku," Inko whispered into his ear, one arm squeezing her son firmly while the other carded through his hair. "Forgive me for not believing in you before. You can and will become a Hero. No matter what."

"Thanks, mom," Izuku breathed, holding her tight.

He soaked up a few moments more of supportive affection. Feeling the buildup of stress, worries, and fears melt away with the touch. Hugs were magically in that way. Made all your problems seem far away or disappear entirely.

"Oh, I was able to get your father on the phone earlier," Inko piped up, drawing them both out of the hug. "We watched your last match a-and…the Award Ceremony."

"R-really?" he asked hesitantly, nervous as they had seen how the crowd had reacted to his Quirk status. "What did he say?"

"That's he's proud of you," the mother replied with a warm smile. "That no matter what they say, you've proven yourself to those that matter. He plans to call tomorrow."

"He is?" Izuku gasped, excited to talk to his dad earlier than their scheduled one.

"Mhm," Inko assured. "He wants to congratulate you himself."

"I can't wait!" Izuku chirped, smiling brightly. Then he remembered what he had wanted to ask. "Oh, speaking of tomorrow, do you think it would be ok to hold a sleepover? I invited Mei-chan, Hitoshi-kun, and Shouto-kun but told them I had to ask you first."

"That's alright with me," Inko answered, easily allowing the hang out. It made her happy to see her son happy and spending time with his friends. Then she realized something. "Wait, 'Shouto-kun'? When did that happen?"

Izuku blushed at her pointing it out all of a sudden. "Y-yeah, um, we really bonded today and decided to call each other by our first names. Oh, and with Ochako-chan too though you haven't met her yet."

"That's my baby, making so many friends," Inko grinned, ruffling his hair.

The son playfully swatted her hand away and they laughed at each other's antics. The pair settled back on the couch and decided to watch a movie to relax. They had just finished having an emotional discussion with their emotions running high then low then back up only to drop down again like a rollercoaster. The two were both emotionally exhausted at this point and spent the rest of the evening winding down with a good movie and good company.

When the credits started to roll, Izuku let out a yawn and Inko announced it was time for bed. Izuku didn't protest in the slightest as they would have a very busy day tomorrow. He hugged his mom one last time before retiring to his room. However, despite being exhausted from both the day's events and the talk with his mother, he didn't go to sleep. Because, if he assumed right, his day wasn't over yet.

...

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Notes extension: post/644575498950819840/chapter-57-better-late-than-never