Hello! New story time! It's Ace centric, which I hope is refreshing since my other ones have all been mostly Luffy. This fic is different from all the others so far because there are no villains. Just Ace stumbling through his complicated and stressful life. It was really fun to write, and I didn't do much research on housing laws and shit in Japan, so his living alone is based on US law. And I know some financial things are off, too, but don't focus too hard because it doesn't really matter.

No romance, but tons of bromance/best friendship between the four. Enjoy!

Ace sighed, resting his forehead on his desk in front of his tablet. He was exhausted. He'd had to go grocery shopping, clothes shopping, shopping at the department store, to the bank, all after he was done at school. And now he had to work on his next drawing for that week. He turned on the lamp as it was getting dark outside and no natural light was filtering in anymore.

He looked at the time on his tablet screen. Midnight. And he still had homework to do, too. He would work on the drawing after he was done with his homework. Why did he put it off so long? He should have spent time at lunch doing it. But he wanted to socialize with his friends at least sometimes. Well, acquaintances he got along with. Not Sabo.

He saved his work - another NSFW drawing since those made the most money - and got his backpack, working on his math and history homework in the silence. He closed the curtains first so nobody saw into the rooms from across the street.

He was making more than enough money to move, but it was such a hassle. He should buy a new couch soon, too. He was tired of the futon. After he was done with his homework, it now being 12:40, he returned to the drawing, and finished it, also saving the PSD files and stopping the recording.

Still, he had to do the voice over, which was always a pain and took forever. Living on his own was exhausting. He had to be himself and go to school like a normal 14 year old, but he also fooled the world by pretending he was an adult, and sustaining himself on his own. He got money for his drawings and other attachments so he could afford rent, utilities and other things like food.

It was much better than being homeless, like he was before. He had started living this way when he was eleven, and had to be forced to grow up to keep up with his chosen lifestyle. He'd rather live on his own than with somebody he didn't know. Even though it was tiring, he was proud of how he could sustain himself while also going to school.

His quirk made it more than easy to do this kind of thing. When he went out or met other people, he was an adult woman. That way nobody would suspect he was just a boy fooling the world. He was able to manipulate his body however he wanted. Whether it was his face or body, he could mold himself into anything he wanted. Human or animal. He could also create his own creatures. On his own, he'd practcied turning into a dragon. It was fun, and he loved his quirk. Nobody else knew about it, as he didn't want anybody to be suspicious of him. It was unlikely anyone would suspect his situation, but better safe than sorry.

It was 1:20 by the time he got into bed, putting the alarms on his phone. His bed was nice and big, and he slept and moved about his home as his own body, not the adult woman. He wondered what his friends and teachers would think. They'd no doubt disagree with his lifestyle, maybe try to get him to live like a normal child.

He couldn't imagine changing his life after living like this for years. He'd gotten used to it long ago. He didn't want to live like others, though he was lonely sometimes. Used to it, but still a bit lonely, being the only person he knew of his family. Ace was all alone and didn't know if he even had any living relatives.

He woke up six hours later, and took a shower before dressing. He turned off the lights of his house, turning the airconditioning down and opening the window, since he was on the fifth floor of the apartment building. Best to save money on the utilities as he could. He looked down at his phone when he got an alert. That month's money had been put in his bank account.

The boy grinned. $4,960 this month. Last month it was $400 lower. Maybe he was building a bigger audience. Payday was always the best. He was definitely buying a new couch. He should go shopping soon. He put his backpack on and left the apartment through the window as a small bird and fle to school, his belongings shrinking into his appearance, too.

He landed in the bushes on the street across from the school, and transformed into his true appearance, running to the campus, finding Sabo there, his best friend.

Even though they were close, Sabo didn't know about Ace's situation. Nobody did. He went to Sabo's home on the weekends sometimes, and the blonde never went to his home. "Sabo!" he said, waving him down.

"Yo, Ace. You're late," Sabo said with a smile. Ace smiled sheepishly. He had gotten distracted on his way to school. Sabo had no idea where Ace lived or how he got to school. He'd caught on to not ask Ace questions about his life. He used to be offended and irritated, but now was used to it. The blonde no doubt knew Ace didn't want to talk about everything for a good reason.

They went inside, and were both excited for summer to come. They still had a month of school left, and then it was vacation. Then highschool the next year. They were both considering their options carefully. Ace hadn't told him yet, not sure when he should. He should do it soon in case Sabo wanted to apply as well.

Ace knew one way to make a lot of money on top of his account. To be a hero. And his quirk was so versatile it could be used for anything and everything. Getting places quickly, being a spy, undercover, rescue, he could do so much. He felt he'd be very useful. Sabo could be, too. He could control and create clouds.

He had the capacity to create any type of cloud, including rain clouds and thunder clouds. They headed inside to class, and Ace sat down in his seat by the door. He wished he had the seat by the window, but he wasn't that lucky. Sabo sat next to him, and in front of him one of the most annoying kids he'd ever come across.

The brat was violent and testy all the time. All he did was complain and bitch about things when he wasn't bragging and being obnoxious about his quirk. It was completely destructive and seemed to be useless other than in combat. His quirk was just making explosions. And he used it to bully the more timid students in the class.

He used to make fun of Ace, thinking he was embarrassed of his own quirk, which was why he never used it, but when the freckled young teen had just showed he was unbothered by the insults or jabs, he'd been left alone. He wasn't fun to bother since he was never triggered by his outbursts, and not fearful of his quirk.

The teacher handed out the slips of paper that they would write their top three school choices on. High school was coming fast. Ace was both excited and apprehensive. Surely high school would take up more time doing things than junior high. Would he have time for other things? Well, he didn't need much sleep, he got five or six hours and was fine usually.

He deliberated for a long time, tapping his pencil on his knuckle. He finally wrote down his top three schools, all hero schools. Looking to the side, it was obvious Sabo was having trouble choosing, too, until he finally scribbled the three schools he preferred.

Ace had noticed he never brought up the high schools, too. Maybe he didn't like where he was applying either. Or he didn't want Ace to know for some reason. He didn't take it personally, he knew Sabo cared about him when nobody else did. During the lunch break, Ace went to Sabo and asked the schools he chose hesitantly. Maybe they should have talked before about it. Ace didn't want to be separated.

Well, the two could always change their minds. Sabo looked bothered. "I know we've never talked about it, because you don't use your quirk, but I kind of want to go to a hero school. I'm sorry I didn't say anything. I just don't want to be separated, but you don't use your quirk, you don't want to talk about it. Why are you smiling?"

Ace chuckled, and said, "I sort of applied for hero schools, too." Sabo was surprised, and then asked where he applied, sounding hopeful. Ace named the three top hero schools, and Sabo grinned. They'd applied to the same places!

"But you don't like your quirk," Sabo pointed out in light confusion and curiosity. Ace said he didn't dislike it. He just didn't use it for another reason. "You're so weird. What is it, anyways? You know mine…" he pressed cautiously. Ace grinned. He could tell others were listening in. some hypothesized that he was quirkless, but hid it, unlike the only quirkless one in the class, Midoriya.

Poor guy. Ace couldn't imagine life without his quirk. He could not live how he did. He was very lucky, and glad to be smart and mentally mature. "I can shapeshift," Ace said simply. Sabo raised his brows and asked into what. "Whatever I want," Ace replied. Other students were side eyeing them. Bakugo wasn't in the room, or he'd blow up and not believe him.

Ace got an alert on his phone, and saw it was a list of new s. He had sixty more in one day! "What's up?" Sabo wondered. Ace closed the window, feeling great, but said he just got an email from an art website. Sabo knew he liked to draw, and was pretty good at it. Though it was always on paper and none of it was what he posted for money. He didn't exactly enjoy drawing NFSW, but it was what paid the most. "So, anything?" Sabo asked, back on the subject. Ace nodded. Sabo didn't make the connection about him changing human forms, luckily.

He saw Midoriya looking bothered, sad and staring down at his desk. The other freckled teen was close enough to hear easily. Maybe he was upset that he was really the only one in the class that was quirkless. Ace really felt for him. Before he started this stressful and busy life, he had been colder, meaner.

After going through the struggles and daily up and downs in this life, he had become more understanding to others' problems. He felt like he was a better person now, kinder and more patient. Just all around a big improvement. Leon approached Ace, a nice kid in the class with the power to turn into a stone statue, and asked to see his quirk.

Ace didn't want to show anybody, really. But everyone in hearing range were curious. "I'll show everyone at the end of the semester," he promised. It was only a few weeks, they could wait. Nobody seemed to surprised he'd declined. Some of these kids he'd been classmates of before junior high, and he'd never mentioned it before. So it was not anything shocking for him to decline.

Bakugo came back in, and sat, putting his feet on his desk. Ace got an alert on his phone that his phone bill had been charged. He closed the app and listened as Bakugo bragged about being the only one to apply to UA. Well, that wasn't true, but nobody felt like bursting his bubble. Though it would be surprising for Ace to apply when he never used his quirk in front of others. He used it daily, though.

Ace listened to Bakugo's bragging with a sigh. When class resumed, the papers were collected by the teacher, though they weren't due that day. Students could take them home and bring them back the next day to turn in, so they had some time to decide or talk to their parents.

After school, Ace went around the corner of the brick wall surrounding the school, and turned into a bird, landing on Sabo's shoulder. "Wow, that's awesome!" Sabo said, and Ace rested on his hand. "Can you talk as another animal?" he asked excitedly.

"Yup. Tell me what to turn into and I will," Ace promised. Sabo did so, first a cat, then a horse, then a hummingbird. And then a lizard. He was amazed and impressed. But he didn't understand why he hid it all this time. It wasn't something to be embarrassed about or ashamed of. Ace didn't give him the real answer, though.

He did feel bad for lying to his best friend all the time, but it was for a good reason. "I just don't want a lot of attention on it when it doesn't matter. When I go to a hero school, then I'll be using it all the time, though," Ace said. Sabo asked if he could turn into anything big enough for him to ride. "Totally," Ace said, beaming. "I could take you on a flight sometime," he offered.

"Awesome!" Sabo gushed. They then parted, Ace going to the field behind the school and changed into a bird, flying home. When he got there, he changed back into the adult form and went through the open window. He flopped onto the couch, the uncomfortable couch. He'd go shopping that weekend.

The fourteen year old went to his office, the second bedroom, and got on his computer, and designed the costume he wanted. He knew that you submitted the costume requests before school started. Long beforehand. Ace wanted to have some sort of way to carry things with him. Like a backpack or compartment. Maybe a belt or something.

He didn't worry about the costume not changing with him. Technically, he could change his clothes as well. That's how he changed into a woman easily, wearing normal clothes and not some for teenage boys. Only when he took them off they reverted to their original appearance and sizes.

Once the costume was done, he put the size dimensions. He was proud of the finished product, and then went to do his homework, planning on going to bed at a more reasonable time that night. He got a text from Sabo, a short video. It was in his backyard, as he lived in a nice house with his brother.

It was a black cloud, that shot down a bolt of lightning that accidentally lit the grass on fire as he screamed and dropped the phone to get a fire extinguisher. Ace started laughing, and Sabo admitted that was a bad idea. "I won't lose to you."

Ace texted back that he was sure going to a hero school would help him fix it. Why didn't you use a rain cloud to put it out?

… Crap. I didn't think about that. Ace smiled and put his homework back in his binder and changed into comfy clothes. He opened the curtains and closed the windows, as it was getting hot.

-x-

Ace was at the furniture store that weekend, looking for a new couch and kitchen table, even if he never used it. He bought a nice sectional couch that was moved for him. It looked nice. He did wish he could invite Sabo over, but it was risky. So he enjoyed the comfort alone. He looked up at the ceiling, slouching down on the couch until he was laying on his back.

Frowning, he looked at his phone. He rolled onto his side and sighed. Maybe he could get a pet or something. But would he be able to take care of it anyways? He didn't know, didn't want to risk getting a pet only to neglect it. Who knows?

-x-

Bakugo cornered Ace in the bathroom the next Monday, and demanded to know if he actually had a quirk. "Yeah. I've never said I was quirkless," Ace said, and went to move around him. "Are you seriously trapping me in the bathroom?" he asked in slight annoyance. Bakugo scowled, and asked him why he'd never shown it. "Why should I have to?"

"Because you should! Why would you ever hide a quirk if it's not totally stupid?" Ace asked why he cared. It had nothing to do with him. It wasn't like he'd use it against him or anything like that. Bakugo was just frustrated Ace was unafraid of him. "Where did you apply to school?" Ah, he was expecting this question.

Ace honestly replied, "UA, Shiketsu, Ketsubustu." Bakugo scowled. "There are four people in our class applying to UA. You're not the only one. Besides, it's not like you're unconfident in your quirk. We won't affect your ability to get in." He'd rather not get into a fight with Bakugo about this. It wasn't like he could force Ace to reconsider.

Bakugo was always irritated with Ace's reasonable replies. "Who else is going?" he demanded. Ace was a lost cause in intimidating. He was surprised that Bakugo didn't know, though. Ace listed himself, Sabo and Midoriya. "Deku?!"

"Maybe he's been hiding his quirk, too," Ace said, and pushed past the teen, walking back to class. Sabo was never bothered by Bakugo either, but he didn't talk to him like a reasonable adult. He got annoyed with him more easily. Maybe it wasn't a good thing to say Midoriya was going, as Bakugo stormed off and told everyone in the class. The seemingly-quirkless kid was laughed at by everybody.

Ace pitied him. "So, did you choose your costume?" Ace asked his friend, leaving the tense class. He didn't like people being rude. "If you get accepted?" Sabo nodded as they ate their food. Ace had a good lunch box he made himself. He cooked for himself, of course, and prided on how well he felt he could cook.

Sabo nodded. "What about you? I had trouble designing mine." Ace offered to draw his for him. "Really? Thanks! But why don't you ever show me? You love it, but no one ever sees it," Sabo said, his voice almost sad.

"I just don't want to… I'm sorry I keep so many secrets. I want to try and tell you more about myself. I'll show you one day, promise," Ace swore. Sabo smiled and said he was his best friends regardless of any secrets. He asked if he'd drawn his own costume. "Yeah." He brought out his phone and showed it to him.

"Wow! This is great! I didn't know you did this on the computer," Sabo said. Ace blushed at the praise. Since he never told anybody, he was never praised for the talent. It felt nice. Other than the horny guys on talking about how hot the characters were. Gross. Well, money was money. Ace nodded. "You're blushing," the blonde teased.

Ace mumbled, "I've never shown anyone before, so they don't praise my work…" That wasn't true, but he hadn't even shown anyone in person. It was different than online.

"Well, I want you to show me your art sometimes, okay? I'll definitely tell you what I think," Sabo vowed. Ace grinned and nodded. They went back to class, and got to work. Ace felt happy he told Sabo something, trivial though it may be in the big picture. Sabo hadn't asked if Ace's family never knew about his art. Thankfully, because Ace had no real reason or excuse, and he didn't want to lie even more, now.

-x-

Ace helped Midoriya to the nurse, him having burns from Bakugo for saying he wanted to be a hero. Ace didn't usually go out of his way to help others besides his best friend, even if he wanted to, but Ace truly felt bad for the guy being dogged and made fun of for following his dreams. He sat on the chair as he was treated. The burns were minor, but still had to sting.

"I think it's cool you're applying even without a quirk," Ace said suddenly, surprising the other freckled teen. Ace had more freckles across his nose and cheeks, as well as on his shoulders. Midoriya only had a few on his cheeks. He looked down and at his hands, looking ashamed.

"Thanks… I was sad, when I heard you had a quirk. I always thought you were quirkless, too. And I wasn't alone," the green haired teen said honestly. Ace nodded, assuming that was how he felt. "How'd you know?"

"You looked sad when everyone heard I do have a quirk. I think being quirkless would have been easier if you didn't let their teasing get to you," he said. He wasn't trying to shame him, but it was the truth. "But you also shouldn't give up. It's your dream, right?" He nodded. Ace smiled. "Then never give up on it!"

Ace really did admire his perseverance in being a hero, even if it would be very hard without a quirk. "I always hoped I'd develop a quirk of my own late." Ace nodded, understanding that. He honestly said he hoped Midoriya made it into UA, his dream school. "Wouldn't I just be a waste of space? Get in everyone's way?"

The black haired one frowned. "I'm sure you wouldn't be a waste of space if you made it in. They would accept you, and that would prove they thought you had potential. We don't know if any of us will get in, though. It's not just you, I don't have a guarantee I'll make it. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Midoriya smiled at him, a real smile, and nodded. "Do you have a costume in mind? If you make it in, don't we all have to request an outfit?" Ace asked. "I can draw it for you, if you want. I did my own and Sabo's. Maybe getting it before the entrance exam would be motivation or something."

The other smiled, and asked if he could see them. Ace nodded and got them on his phone, and showed him both of their outfits. "Wow, you're talented." Ace smiled sheepishly, still enjoying the praise for his hard work. "I don't really know what I want yet, though. When I have an idea, will you still be open?"

"Yeah, it'll be a $50 fee, though."

"Oh…"

"I'm kidding. I'm not an asshole like that." It was after school, and Sabo already went home. Ace had been on his way home when he found Midoriya, beaten up, on his way out. So he helped him. He didn't want to walk right past him like he was garbage not worth helping. They left the nurse's office, and walked to the entrance.

Midoriya got picked up by his mom, and Ace waited until he was alone to fly home. Maybe he could be better friends with him. The kid was nice, but a pushover completely. He was also smart. He had no friends, though, because he was quirkless and everyone else made fun of him.

When they had thought Ace was quirkless, he was never affected by the teasing because he knew he wasn't. But Midoriya was quirkless, so the insults and jeering had no doubt really shattered his self-esteem. Maybe getting into UA would make him feel better. He texted Sabo when he got home.

I found Midoriya all beat up behind the school and helped him out. Poor guy.

Yeah. I hope he's not getting his hopes up about UA, only to be crushed if he's not accepted. :(

Me too. I want him to make it to spit in everyone's faces, who have all been making fun of him for so long.

Yeah. Hey, do you want to come over tomorrow? I want to see more of your quirk so bad!

Okay! I'll come over after lunch.

Yay!ヽ(oo)ノ

The hell is that?

I found a bunch of weird emojis on my phone that I never knew were there before. Ace snickered.

Yes, Ace draws porn as a side job. Smartest thing for him to do as an artist to make money. Sex sells lol. See you next time!