[Izuku Midoriya ~ 03]

A/N: Okay. I've made my final decisions regarding how to represent different forms of text. I changed a bit in the last two chapters to reflect this, if anyone's wondering. But in any case, here we are.

Thoughts are italicized. | Audio through an electronic medium will be surrounded by en dashes (–). | Things Izuku hears through his quirk will be surrounded by the greater than / less than signs ( ).

Hopefully this wards off any possible confusion in the future!

"Hey kiddo, I noticed a minute ago that you're still in your bed." A crackle, followed by the sound of running water. "Are you getting up soon, or am I going to have to go in there and wake you myself after I'm done here?"

Izuku shuffles a bit in his bed, his mind gradually rousing itself due to the voice. It's a much more pleasant and tranquil morning greeting than the one of a few days prior, and Izuku's in no hurry to lose his current feeling of peace.

"That new All Might figurine isn't going to pick itself up from the store, you know," the voice says, somewhat muffled by the flowing water that surrounds it. "And remember that it's Saturday; the comic store closes early today. If you sleep in you'll have to wait for your gift tomorro— Gah! Soap in my eye!"

Izuku's eyes shoot open at the statement. I forgot entirely!

Izuku jumps out of his bed near instantly. He zooms out of his room and into the hall, moving towards his parents' room in haste. He falls into place in the doorway and yells out loud enough for his father to hear, his voice carrying past the closed bathroom door and the sound of the running shower.

"I'm up!" Izuku exclaims. "Thanks for waking me, Dad!"

"Of course," Midoriya Hisashi mutters, his voice betraying his ongoing pain as he continues to wash out his eyes. "Just start getting ready; hopefully I'll have breakfast prepared once you're done!"

"Alright! I'll be quick!" As Izuku turns and races down the hall, his newfound smile never leaves his face.

Yay! A whole day with his Dad!

Unlike his wife and son, Midoriya Hisashi dons a much more conservative hairstyle, a professional crew cut of black hair taking up his topside features. Near always, his colleagues find him dressed up in a plaid suit commendable and appropriate to his occupation as an project manager working Hokkaido's growing biomedical scene. His approachable and yet strict attitude makes him popular amongst the workers, a key factor that contributed to his current position.

But off the clock, Midoriya Hisashi would not have been recognized by those he worked with one bit. Rounded glasses take the place of the contacts that he usually wears, and his dress consists of a much more comfortable set of khakis and a polo.

After all, there wasn't a need for the dependable, hard-working project manager he was known as

for when he was over a thousand kilometers away from the island of his work. In the here and now, as Hisashi calmly sits in his car as it stands still in traffic, all he cares for is spending the day with the son he very dearly loves.

"It's a shame that your mother had an early shift today." Hisashi looks at his son through the rear view mirror. "The three of us could've spent the afternoon wandering Kiyashi to our hearts' desire!"

"We still have another month before you go back to work!" Izuku exclaims, his glee palpable through his words. "And tomorrow's still Sunday! We can still do something since I won't have school!"

Hisashi rubs his chin in thought. "You make a valid point, kiddo! Any clue as to what we can do?"

Izuku mimics his father's gesture. "Hmm… How about—"

"Not the Tokyo Hero Museum though!" Hisashi interjects. "I heard from your mother that you went there last Saturday. You need to explore new avenues; it'll be fun!"

Izuku pouts at the jab to his interests. "I need to think about it then."

"Plenty of time to do that," Hisashi says. "Doesn't look like this traffic's letting up anytime soon." He looks back through the rear view mirror. "Actually, Izuku. Any idea what the hold up is?"

Izuku blinks, unsure if he's understanding what it is his father is saying. "Are you asking me to check?"

Hisashi smiles. "It's not like anybody's going to know, you being in the car and all. I'm willing to wait for you to do your magic, and considering the noninvasiveness of your quirk, well…"

Izuku pumps his fist into the air. "Yes! Okay, okay. Just give me a second then while I check."

The reins of Izuku's quirk reach out to his distant surroundings, taking in all there is to hear. Izuku sits still for a few minutes as he takes care to gradually drown out the obvious things he needs to avoid — car horns, bird chirps, and the like — until he finds exactly what he's looking for.

"Hmm… Rocks? Moving downwards from giant piles? No, that's rubble. A lot of fire too… And sirens! There's a villain fighting up ahead then! But who— Oh!"

Izuku's head jerks to face towards his father, turning away from the direction it had subconsciously gravitated to as Izuku lost himself to his hearing.

"Turn on the radio Dad!" Izuku nearly jumps in his seat as the words come from his mouth. "Tune it to Present Mic's station! "

Hisashi raises an eyebrow at that. "Present Mic? But isn't his show usually at night?"

"He'll be on since it's Saturday!" Izuku explains. "Present Mic always holds two shows on the weekends! And it's the only way that I'll get to know what's happening since I can't watch!"

Eventually, Hisashi does as he's told, sighing in the process. It doesn't take long to see why.

–Hello listeners! Welcome back to today's installment of the Saturday Morning Funsies! It's your host, the one and only Present Mic! Oh YEAAAH!–

Hisashi winces, moving his hand and turning the volume dial on the radio down. "Still can't believe that you like this guy, Izuku."

"He's cool!" Izuku retorts in defense of the hero. "He balances being a provhero and a radio host at the same time!"

Hisashi shakes his head. "Way too loud for my tastes."

–First topic of the day: Fire in the streets of Musutafu! But what's this? No, it's not some skyscraper bursting up in flames, it's Japan's very own Number Two - Endeavor! A whole street has been cordoned off and evacuated because of the incident! Apparently this villain is a slippery one folks! So keep an eye out!–

Hisashi takes a moment to look back at his son.

Izuku, sensing the gesture, gives his father a reassuring smile. "We'll be fine. The fight's near the edge of my range."

"Oh?" Hisashi muses. "So nearly a kilometer out then? I suppose that I can live with that."

–And yes, before anyone asks, it is true that normally I'd be heading over to see if anyone needs help, radio show or not. But… Well, how do I say this? Long story short, I've kinda been grounded from heroing for the weekend. Apparently, I was taking too many risks on my Friday patrol. Which is not true! I was just a bit tired! But Midnight wouldn't take no for an answer! As if she can read my mind. You don't know what you're talking about in this case, N!–

The sound of a phone ringing interrupts Present Mic's rant midway.

–Oho! And with that, we our first call of the day! Let's see who Hayato patched through to me this time, eh?–

The sound of Present Mic clearing his throat is audible through the radio before he answers the call.

–Well hello! And just who might you— Midnight? Yeah I— What? No! I didn't… Umm. Back to the break! Stay Tuned! YEAHHH!–

The sound of music filters through the radio as Present Mic signs off. Miraculously, the switch matches up just in tune with the traffic starting to clear up.

"Wow!" Hisashi laughs. "What perfect timing."

Curious, Izuku shuts his eyes, funneling his attention back to where had previously heard Endeavor's voice.

"Hmm…" Izuku hums. "Yeah. It sounds like they're done. Endeavor's telling everyone to wrap up."

Izuku opens his eyes to find his father grinning like a madman. "What?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just your quirk. It's really something, you know? In my opinion, you'll be a hero in no time — easy."

"You really think so?"

Hisashi eagerly nods. "Absolutely. In fact, I even have proof!"

Izuku tilts his head. "How can you have proof for something that hasn't happened yet?"

"Simple; we look to the past. You see, this has to do with my father — your grandfather, rather. You never got to know him; he died before you were born. But from what I've seen so far, it looks like you have the same quirk as he did!"

Izuku is barely able to contain himself in his seat by this point. "Really?! Is that why I don't have you fire-breathing or mom's telekinesis?!"

Hisashi nods. "That is how genetics work sometimes. And if that's the case, I say that you'll do fine as a hero! After all, your grandfather was well known for aiding heroes and the police in scouting out known villain bases."

"Wow!" Izuku's feet are swaying back and forth, hitting the bottom part of his seat in all of his excitement. "So cool! What was his name? He's in the public records, right?! Are there videos of him? I need to see! What could he do that I haven't thought of yet? Maybe—"

Hisashi lets out a sigh, a small smile lingering on his face. And there he goes again muttering off about quirks, he thinks to himself. Ever the curious and inquisitive kid. Heck, seeing him like he is now, with his enthusiasm and steadfast nature combined…

Hisashi lets out a mental laugh. He's destined to do great things. I just know it.

With all the traffic clearing up, it wasn't long before Hisashi and Izuku reached their destination. The Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall is as busy and crowded as it would be any day, with masses of people weaving their ways through one another as they move in search of whatever they need.

The father-son duo is no different, with Hisashi having to pay extra attention to ensure his son doesn't wander off ahead due to his excitement. He keeps his grip on Izuku's arm tight, pulling back whenever Izuku tries to speed up.

"We're going to get there on time Izuku," Hisashi berates. "There's no need for us to push our way through the crowd. Let's just go with the flow, yeah?"

"But Daaad!" Izuku cries, continuing to pull on his father's arm. "What happens if the store decides to close early? Or what happens if we get sidetracked and we don't get there on time? Or what happens if I trip and fall and then we have to get first aid and then we end up getting late?"

Hisashi represses his urge to laugh. "The latter possibility is more likely to happen if you keep rushing this, kiddo! We still have an hour." He tilts his head. "Maybe… we can pick up a hot dog on the way if you want! With the unexpected traffic we did miss lunch while we were getting here, after all."

Izuku's stomach rumbles involuntarily at the idea. "Food?" He scratches his head. "But the store! And food places can get crowded at the mall!"

Hisashi smiles, kneeling down to Izuku's eye level. "How about we head to Might Food, hmm?"

Izuku's eyes brighten with unsaid glee. "Might Dogs! Might Dogs! Might Dogs!"

Izuku bobs his head side to side as he listens to the theme song from the All Might anime playing on the overhead speakers. He hums along, replaying the scenes he recalls from the show in his head. He's currently sitting at one of the tables at Might Food, patiently waiting as his father orders at the counter. He's content in basking in the environment, letting himself sit in such a heavily All Might-fashioned establishment.

And that's the type of mindset that Izuku normally would have on a normal day. But that all changes when he hears something at the edge of his range. It leaves his awareness near instantly, but it catches his attention nonetheless for being so out of place.

It sounded like… a blast of fire?

Izuku looks to his father and finds that he's still paying for the food. After a moment, Izuku then looks back towards the direction of the noise he had heard.

It'll be fine if I just check for a little bit, right? I'll be just outside.

Izuku slides out of his chair, taking another look back at his father before he leaves the restaurant as stealthily as he can. He reenters the shopping center at large, blending into the mass of people traversing the walkway.

And as it turns out, the added distance is just enough for Izuku's goals. Based on his rough handling of his quirk, the sounds Izuku hears point towards several fires going off nearly half a kilometer away. There are cars honking, people screaming, and… Endeavor?

I swear! When I get my hands on Scorcher for letting this guy out of his sight, he's going to regret waking up today!

Endeavor! Calm down!

Calm down?! Know your place! I will not calm down! Not when this damned villain escaped from our containment!

But sir—!

Ah! Plasmic tracked him down! The villain's heading straight for—

An explosion rocks the building, plumes of smoke and rubble cascading inwards from the far end of the shopping center. Cries of fear and panic arise from the present crowd, and suddenly Izuku finds himself trapped in a wave of people, stuck as he's forced to go along with the stampede attempting to escape the chaos.

Seconds go by with Izuku being pushed and shoved, bounced between the oblivious and terrified populace. And yet, despite the disorderly bustle and all the overwhelming noise, there is one thing that stands out to Izuku's quirk.

Izuku takes a second to glance back behind him, and he easily catches glimpses of a black-and-brown blur. It bounds up and across the walls and ceiling, morphing into a seemingly amorphous blob all the while. It stretches and bends in unnatural proportions, mowing through civilians as it lets out a series of monstrous roars.

With all the carnage, there's only one thought that fills Izuku's mind. I need to hide.

He finally begins to force himself through the crowd, taking care not to trip or to get trampled by the running mass of individuals. His small form does little in his favor as he's pushed around like a pinball, but Izuku doesn't care. All he wants is to get out.

Eventually he breaks free, falling to his knees as he breaks away from the rushing current of people. He takes a second to look back, trying to pull in his ragged breath as he watches the stream of people continue on their way.

Eventually he turns away and starts to scurry across the ground. He moves down a stray hall — one of those dingy and mistreated ones that lead to the restrooms — and hides himself behind a trash can big enough to conceal his form.

He places his hands over his mouth and nose to quiet his own breathing, closing his eyes to ground himself. He pulls in his quirk, limiting his range to his normal hearing to keep out the sounds of viscous screams and crumbling rubble.

Eventually, everything goes quiet. But Izuku doesn't risk even trying to move. He can't risk whatever's out there hearing him. He doesn't have an escape route planned. And his legs… he can't move his legs.

And then.

He can hear it approaching, even without his quirk. The thundering of aberrant footsteps stomping their way on the ground, the distant screams of the main crowd growing farther away as they make distance from the scene.

The villain. He's nearby. I'm close to him. Where's Dad? Is he okay? Am I going to be okay? Why is he here? What does he want? Has he killed anyone? Endeavor's nearby. He can help. I just need to wait. Wait and—

"I… smell… you…"

Izuku flinches at the voice. It's raspy, and Izuku almost wants to say that he can physically sense its hostility. To best compare the feeling, he finds himself feeling akin to a mouse hiding from a swooping owl, doing its best to keep it out of the grasps of death.

"Child… Child… Where are you?"

Izuku gulps. The footsteps are getting closer. The breaths of the man are basically brewing down his neck—

"There you are, you villain!"

Izuku's eyes shoot open at Endeavor's voice, a sense of relief filling his bones. But then his vision is suddenly engulfed with the orange-red glow that abruptly basks the walls and floors, an intense aura of heat tingling against his back.

The villain lets out a howl of pain, and Izuku watches his writing shadow dancing across the wall.

"There!" Endeavor yells. "I finally got you, and now you're missing one of your arms! Do you still think that your speed will save you?!"

Izuku yelps as the heat increases, a blast of fire rushing past his hiding place and colliding with the wall across from him. He can almost feel the flames brushing against his clothes, threatening to consume him.

"And there you go dodging again, you coward!"

"Endeavor! Platform's going down!"

"Wha— Burnin! I told you to get Kido in here!"

"But sir, what about the area?! Civilians?! Did you already—"

"I already checked! Now go!"

A rumbling sensation befalls Izuku's whole body, and it isn't long until he recalls what the woman — Burnin — had called out to Endeavor.

Izuku turns and grabs onto the trash can, gripping onto it with all he has. He closes his eyes as the sensation of falling fills his senses, air rushing past his ears before he collides with the ground with a harsh thud. He instantly sputters, coughing out the dust and smoke that had entered his lungs in the fall.

"Oh?" Endeavor rumbles. From what Izuku can gauge in his injured state, the hero isn't far off from his own position. "You haven't run off yet? Finally deciding to stop dodging like a coward?"

A beat.

Endeavor's presence, his voice, the mere aura he emits… Izuku can't help himself. He slowly peeks out from his hiding place to catch a glimpse of what's happening before him. And when his eyes fall upon the scene before him, he can't help but gawk in awe.

The villain is only five feet away, his bubbling brown skin littered with jagged spines and dark craters. Digitigrade legs and three gangly arms make up his extremities, attached to a narrow torso topped by an inhumanly bulbous head.

And right across from the villain… is Endeavor. Izuku has to look in between the villain's legs to catch a glimpse of the hero, inching himself further out from his cover.

But in that moment, seeing one of his idols is all he can think of. And the sight… His crown of flames, his flaming facial hair, his enormous jumpsuit… It's unlike anything Izuku's ever seen or felt. It's hundreds of times different from the still images on the Internet or the videos of the #2 on the daily news. Before him is an actual hero. And he gets to watch first hand the hero in action.

Izuku spies movement.

It's Endeavor, suddenly scowling as he eyes down the villain. "I'll raze this whole area if it means I'll get a good shot at you! So I'll only tell you once! Surrender. Yourself."

The villain's fingers drum across his side, his head tilting over to the left. An unnatural scratching sound fills the air. Izuku can't tell what it is, but Endeavor's expression tightens at the sound.

Something only he can see, then.

Endeavor huffs. "So be it."

There isn't a warning. The gout of radiant flame streaks forth with enough power to maim, or even kill. The villain's body curves, morphing around the oncoming cylinder of flame effortlessly.

Izuku's body tingles in excitement at the display.

But as it flies past where the villain once was, it's only then that Izuku realizes something: he's directly in the path of the incoming flames.

His body freezes up, the prospect of death halting his functions.

"Izuku!"

Suddenly, a bodily mass is in front of Izuku, standing tall with eyes of steel. Midoriya Hisashi lets a torrent of fire spew forth from his mouth, colliding directly with Endeavor's flames. When the two forces collide, everything seems to stop.

But only for a second.

The overwhelming force of Endeavor's attack cycle's around Hisashi's counterattack and breaks through, albeit with less intensity than before. It still carries the potential for imminent death. It still has enough potency to ensure that it's target will burn. But it won't go any farther than that. And for Hisashi, it's enough.

The fire engulfs him.

But it doesn't continue past him.

As Hisashi takes the brunt of the flames, the wide-eyed, shocked-still Izuku behind his flaming form is safe and sound.

But Hisashi can't stand in place forever. Eventually, he falls, tumbling backwards towards his son.

Izuku can only watch as his father succumbs to his all-encompassing burns, the smell of seared flesh filling the air. The relieved smile on Hisashi's face is the last thing Izuku sees before his father crumbles to ash and smoke.

"DAD!"

A/N: And there we have it. As for Hisashi, I didn't want him lingering around considering the role I had planned for him. As a result, you've all been introduced to him and have seen him killed in just one chapter!