All Might: *bursts into the author's notes heroically* I AM HERE! To announce the new chapter!
Me: Very dramatic entrance there...
All Might: Thanks *thumbs up with brilliant smile*
Tigerlily: *puts shades on* the sheen of his teeth is blinding
Me: Be nice TL
Tigerlily: I was... I could have told him that he's totally overcompensating for a small—
Me: Aaaaand let's get to the chapter!
Tigerlily: Spoil sport
also, I am sorry for the long delay of an update, but life kinda got in the way, however, I made sure to make up for it by creating my literally longest chapter ever written! Enjoy!
**note I reread and reread through the chapter to make sure I corrected any grammatical errors, but I'm still human soo yeah, hope you enjoy nonetheless!
Name, Age and Quirk Reminder List
Izuku - 14 - Quirkless
Katsuki - 14 - Explosions
Pan - 16 - Summoner
Tigerlily - 14 - Shapeshifter
The dinner with the Bakugos was interesting.
Mitsuki had Katsuki apologize to Izuku after a solid smack across his head and a threat of a serious beating. Even then the apology wasn't really heartfelt and was stated through a clamped jaw and clenched fists she still accepted it and Izuku did too, if only to stop the adults from pressuring his childhood friend to be more sincere.
Katsuki then turned his red eyes on the two he did not recognize. He sized them up first. The other male was obviously older than they were, and the girl was probably around his and Izuku's age, they looked like a couple of punks and it made Katsuki bristle with anger that they were even there.
Katsuki's parents went with Inko into the kitchen and left the kids to themselves as the parents discussed what was to be done.
"Who the fuck are these extras, Deku?" he growled out.
Izuku's shoulders tensed for a moment before glancing over to his two friends, "Oh, um, this is Pan and Tigerlily,"
Katsuki scoffed at the names, "Tigerlily? The fuck kind of name is that?"
Tigerlily placed her hands on her hips and rose an eyebrow at the other, "You got a problem with my name, Sparky?"
"The hell did you just call me?" he stomped over to the girl and towered over her in height.
She did not yield though, in fact she held her ground and stared right into those angry red eyes, "Did I stutter? Or do you just have a problem with your hearing?"
Izuku's eyes were as wide as saucers as he looked from his bully to his newest friend and back again. He had discovered that she was quite outspoken, but he wasn't expecting her to be this bold. He worried about Kacchan though, his childhood friend seemed to be ready to explode and had such an intense staring contest between himself and the feisty girl before him. No one ever had the courage to stand up against Kacchan like this and it terrified him what was going to happen next if he didn't defuse the situation quick.
Katsuki clicked his tongue in what Izuku had to guess was annoyance judging from the pulsing vein near his temple and the subtle eye twitch. She wasn't backing down from his intimidation attempt though and he began to worry an actual fight was going to break out especially when he noticed that Kacchan was flexing and unflexing his hands in attempt to gather sweat.
"TL," Pan's voice broke into the tension. "That's enough. We're guests here and we wouldn't want to cause any inconvenience to Inko-san. No matter how much I would enjoy watching you make him eat dirt." he stated to Tigerlily. "Plus, Izu looks like he's ready to have a heart attack."
It seemed to do the trick. She narrowed her eyes at the blonde and gave a smirk as she turned from Katsuki to stand next to Pan.
"Ah? You think that she'd hurt me? You damned extras don't hold a fucking candle next to my skills! You're fucking lucky that we're here otherwise I would have kicked both of your useless fucking asses,"
"The only thing that you truly excel at is cursing, even then it's still mediocre," Tigerlily commented boredly.
The sound of crackling pops and sizzles could be heard from the blonde's hands and a feral sounding growl came from the blonde after that comment.
However, the situation was defused once again when they heard Inko call for the girl. So, as she began heading to the kitchen, she gave Katsuki one last look and grinned, "If you want, we can meet at the park and see who's got the bigger dick," she snipped at him which actually left the blonde speechless as she continued to walk passed him.
Pan couldn't help it, he laughed, the look on Katsuki's face was priceless to say the least. Red eyes glared into Pan as he tried to compose himself. "Sorry, but she's got a mouth on her and she doesn't hold back. Shit, you should see your face." he laughed.
"Kac-chan..." Izuku began to stutter only to jump when Katsuki growled at him.
"Shut the fuck up Deku!" he threatened a step toward the smaller teen but was immediately blocked.
"Keep your distance." Pan warned sobering up rather quickly. "Izu might be willing to forgive you, but I'm not the forgiving kind." Pan's gaze held nothing back, the look of murder was there specifically for Katsuki which made a foreign sense of fear tingle down the blonde's spine. Instead of showing it however, he masked his fear with a sneer of distain.
Tigerlily called to them after the table was set and they all gathered for the meal that Inko had lovingly put together. Katsuki sat between his parents while Izuku sat between his mother and Pan.
The blonde watched as Izuku made idle conversation with him. The smiles and giggles that were produced by Izuku because of this other teen made his stomach twist and he didn't understand why. He tore his attention away from them and took notice of the other girl again. She was in conversation with both his and Izuku's mothers and she just seemed so casual and polite to them. A complete opposite of what he had experienced not too long before. Their eyes connected and his breath hitched for a second at being caught staring. She breaks the eye contact and instead focuses back to Inko praising her for the wonderful meal. There was something achingly familiar about her, but he couldn't place where exactly, at least not yet.
Once everyone was finished Pan was the first to stand and he started picking up the plates. Katsuki glowered at the action and instantly went to his feet yanking the plates from the other's hands, "I fucking got this," he stated irritably, but in his rush to not have the other outshine him a dish slipped, tumbling to the floor.
"Got it!" Izuku exclaimed as he moved quick even with his apparent injuries and caught the dish before it met with the unforgiving floor. Inko let out a sigh of relief, but then scolded Izuku when she noticed he had reopened a wound on his bandaged arm.
It was then that Katsuki really took notice of Izuku. The smaller teen peeled back his jacket as Pan set the first aid near him. The blonde stared at the wounds that were unveiled after the older teen unwrapped the cloth around his arm. He had done this to him, he honestly never stopped to think about the consequence of his actions since no one really made him question it. He did those things to get his weaker friend to see that quirkless people can't be heroes, that they can't go around fighting other people with dangerous quirks. After all they were all taught that quirkless were weak and useless.
His red eyes landed back to the older teen, this 'Pan' kid. The way the guy treated his Izuku infuriated him, the gentleness behind his touch, the soft comments made to keep the younger calm as he worked to clean the wound. The look that Izuku gave to Pan, that look of admiration and reverence. He should be getting those looks from Izuku, just like before, not this stranger that made him burn with anger.
The rest of the visit was the same after that. When Pan started to do the dishes Katsuki would push him out of the way and do it himself. When Pan offered to do something Katsuki would be there to take it over. They all noticed these things, even Katsuki's parents.
"I think the brat's jealous." Mitsuki commented as she watched the four teens leave the apartment and to the park across the street. "Serves him right though." She huffed before turning her attention to Inko, "I honestly had no clue my punk of a son would go that far Inko, I'm so sorry." she added to with true remorse in her voice.
Inko let out a sigh as she watched her son, "I know Mitsuki..." she replied. "Izuku wouldn't tell me the extent of the bullying he was put through nor who it was even though I knew. It was his new friend, Pan, who insisted Izuku to tell me everything last night." she explained then turned to her oldest friend, "It's just as much my fault for not coming to you any sooner to address my concerns."
"You know you didn't have to act like that Kacchan." Izuku spoke out finally as they reached the park. The blonde turned on his heels to glare at Izuku and it made Izuku miss a step.
"I know I didn't have to stupid Deku!" he yelled.
"He feels threatened Izu, that's the only reason." Pan stated having perched himself up on the top of the playground stairs.
"FUCK OFF YOU PRICK! I'm not threatened by you, I'll kick your ass and show you just how much better I am than some god damned street rat!" He then points angrily towards Izuku, "The fuck are you doing hanging around the quirkless wonder anyways? He's useless at everything, a fucking loser with no quirk and no fucking future!" he yelled letting his anger take over.
Pan's gold eyes seemed to glow from the setting sun's light as he watched the explosive blonde. Izuku looked crushed at his bully's words. Tigerlily just stayed quiet, she knew Pan wouldn't like a comment right then.
"Quirks don't make the person." Pan spoke firmly. "Izuku has qualities in him that you find threatening. He's intelligent, kind, brave and thinks of others before himself naturally. That's why you keep knocking him down isn't it? What exactly are you afraid of for him?" he questioned making Katsuki's jaw tighten, barely containing himself. Pan jumped down to the soft sand of the playground to approach the blonde and continued, "Izuku tells me you want to be a hero, the number one hero at that. If that's so, you need to fix that broken attitude of yours. A hero is supposed to build others up, not break them down."
Katsuki let out a yell; his quirk going off as he sprinted like a rocket toward the target of his aggression. Izuku was about to jump in when Tigerlily held him back; not wanting him to get more injured than he already was. She knew this fight would happen eventually, the angry fluff ball could only take so much, and she also had a good feeling of who was going to win this scuffle.
Pan readied himself for the first impact. The enraged blonde swung his fist at his face but missed as the other took a step back then tucked under his swing. Using the momentum, the elder landed a solid punch into the blonde's ribcage then swept his legs from underneath. Katsuki got back to his feet quickly and rebounded with another punch which Pan blocked but was pushed back by the force of his explosion. The sand kicking up around them as the two continued to exchange hit after hit. Katsuki looked practically feral his anger continued rising, he was doing everything in his power to bring this other teen down, but it seemed to be having the opposite effect. Katsuki realized much too late. Pan was skilled and knew how to fight. He knew how to use an opponent's body to his advantage, this was something that Katsuki registered was engraved in the teen. This fight was a mistake. After a good half hour Katsuki was met with a heavy roundhouse kick to his abdomen. Sending the angry teen skidding across the ground face up. He wasn't getting back up this time except he did not take the defeat easily.
Pan approached the downed teen thinking he would at least help the other up and was about to offer a hand. He was met with a surprise attack by the blonde's explosion quirk. Before Pan could feel the burn or even the impact of the attack there was a sound equivalent to a 'poof' and suddenly he was across the playground as the explosion went off. There clinging to Pan's side was a small figure hidden behind a hood.
"Tootles, heh, just in time," he gave thankful praise as he placed a gentle hand on the top of the kid's head ruffling the hood as he did.
Tootles, as Pan called him, appeared a lot younger than any of them. Though his features were mostly hidden because of baggy jeans and a big hoodie, they could tell he was just a little boy. Only the kid's hands could be seen and were grey in color and he had a long thin tail that wrapped around Pan's leg. Tootles nodded and pressed himself closer to Pan like a child would to their parent. Pan's attention went back to Katsuki would had fallen back to the ground after his failed attempt of landing a critical hit to the elder teen.
"Done with your temper tantrum yet?" Pan questioned as he and Tootles walked over to a very livid Tigerlily and concerned Izuku.
"Fuck... you..." the blonde growled as he panted heavily. Sitting up with quite some difficulty as his body now racked with pain. He spat out blood and wiped his mouth. He's never lost a fight and he hated the feeling.
Pan shook his head at the teen's sour attitude, "I don't normally swing that way." he joked casually hearing his friend giggle in the background and cursing the fact that Pan made her laugh when she wanted to stay pissed off at Katsuki.
Before Izuku could question about who this new kid was his mother and Katsuki's parents were crossing the street quickly.
"YOU ARE IN A SHIT LOAD OF TROUBLE KATSUKI!" Mitsuki swore as she stormed over to her son.
He flinched at his mother's screech and scowled, "Shut up you Old Hag!" SMACK "AAH! DAMN IT! THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?"
"FOR YELLING AT ME YOU LITTLE BRAT! NOW GET YOUR ASS UP!"
As the two Bakugos went at each other verbally Pan leaned over to Izuku, "I'm starting to see where he gets it from." he commented feeling a bit bad for Mr. Bakugo as he tried to calm his two explosive family members down without getting his own head bitten off.
Izuku laughed awkwardly, "Y-yeah"
"By the way. Izu, this is Tootles," Pan introduced the boy who still hid behind him. "Tootles, say hello," he coaxed the boy stepping out of the way. Izuku watched as the boy shifted back and forth once his protection wall was gone. Looking over to Pan he said nothing more and waited for 'Tootles' to introduce himself.
His grey hands reached for his hood and hesitantly pulled it back. Izuku blinked in surprise at the kid's appearance. His ashy grey skin tone made his pitch-black hair stand out, soft waves framed his face which resembled a feline with his high cheekbones and pointed features. The same with his eyes, almond shaped with his sclera a luminous yellow and his irises just as black as his hair.
"H-hello..." he muttered so softly he could barely hear it. Izuku smiled, the boy was absolutely adorable. Even as timid as the boy seemed, he hoped that they would become good friends too.
"Hi Tootles. You're teleporting quirk is really amazing! You were able to get Pan out of harm's way in less than a second!" he commented in awe; Tootles just smiled and blushed at the attention that was given.
Tootles and Izuku were both startled when Katsuki let out a grunt to indicate that he was standing there. Tootles quickly hid behind Pan. Katsuki glanced to the new kid for only a moment before his red eyes locked with gold ones. His lip twitched with annoyance and if he wasn't already feeling like shit from that fight in which he lost; he would have chosen not to talk to Pan right then. However, his parents and his Deku were watching so he needed to be a man and suck it up.
"You piss me off." he stated bluntly, this wasn't exactly how he wanted to start the apology and it was obvious from everyone's expression they weren't expecting him to say that either, but that was just how he was and expressing any real sign of weakness was not. "I know I have a lot to learn." he added bitterly then took a deep breath and his gaze filled with determination. "And that's why I'm gonna go to the best fucking school; to become the number one hero, even better than All Might." he spoke his eyes flicked over to Deku before going back to Pan. "I'll get stronger and next time, you'll be the one on the fucking dirt! Got that?!" he declared.
The elder teen blinked a few times as he processes all that the blonde said. A crooked smile crossed his features, "Heh, challenge accepted." Pan replied having better understanding of the enigma that was Katsuki Bakugou.
The next few days after that Izuku really didn't get bothered by Katsuki. They'd share silent acknowledgement, but other than that the last week of jr high went by rather peacefully. Pan had made sure that Izuku healed enough before he would start up his training again, but they would still hang out practically every day after school. Either they would meet at the park near his home, go to the arcade or the skate park even if he would just sit and watch Tigerlily mainly show off her skills. She promised to teach him a few tricks, but he wasn't too sure he'd be any good. He also got to know Tootles better as well.
The kid was nearly ten years old and hardly spoke even on a normal day, but was very sweet, affectionate, observant and really attached to Pan. The elder said it was because Tootles had no one else to look up to. That when they had found him two years ago, he was an orphan who ran away from the boarding house he had been placed in and was not in the best health. As Tootles was nursed back to health Pan had apparently made an imprint on the kid and he's been his makeshift father figure from then on.
The thought alone made Izuku smile, he could totally see why the kid saw him that way. The ever-present leader of this group of street kids whose presence gave the 'family' comfort and protection and intimidated anyone who dared mess with his kids. Even Izuku was inspired by this streetwise vigilante.
He was told of the other six members of the Lost Boys, mainly their codenames, but at least it was something. It still made him curious who they were and what their quirks are. He also decided that he needed to dedicate a whole notebook for them alone, 'Hero Analysis for the Future: The Lost Boys Edition'. This particular notebook was kept hidden, tucked away in his room so only he knew where it was, and it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands.
He also wondered if he would get a cool codename like the rest of them did. They only called him by his first name and he still didn't know theirs, not that he was bold enough to pry. Technically he wasn't really a member of their group anyways. More like a tag-along really, a groupie even, at least that's what he thought. Izuku found himself observing mostly while he healed especially when Pan and TL would tussle or full on spar both of them made sure to teach him verbally the techniques they used as they sparred since he couldn't participate. Pan also made sure that Izuku knew everything about the Lost Boys, even when he reiterated the fact they were still labeled as a vigilante group which were illegal, Izuku accepted it. At this point Izuku couldn't care less what the world thought of his friends, to him they were real heroes. He was practically at Pan's side whenever he was able to hang out with them learning what he can from him.
"Hey Izu," Pan spoke up one-night walking Izuku home.
"Yeah Pan?"
Pan's gaze was fixed up at the sky as he mulled a thought over in his head before speaking again, "My actual name is Lee."
And that's Chapter 4!
I hope everyone loves Tootles as much as I do! Yes he's a selective mute and there is a very big reason for it and yes, he was only eight years old when Pan and the Lost Boys took him in.
Let me know what you think :) I love reading the comments and it motivates me to do better in updating quicker!