"Mr. Aizawa what's wrong with being quirkless?"
It took him a few seconds to digest Eri's question. He looked up sharing nervous glances with Nemuri and Hizashi.
"What brought this on Eri?" His heart was beating fast trying to grasp an answer while she pondered his question. Judging from her worried face he couldn't help but think that something was seriously wrong.
"Well... I was asking Deku about his scars because sometimes when I go to his room I notice there is more scars... but there not fresh... it's like they were hidden during the day and then at night they popped out again. When I asked he seemed panicked and He wasn't answering me. It looked like his mind went to the place mine sometimes goes to when I think of Overhaul..." She trailed off not sure where to continue.
Sounds like he wears make up to hide his scars.
"When you have flashbacks and panic attacks?"
"Yeah..." Her face was scrunched together, eyes lost in thought.
"Eri what does this have to do with the quirkless?" He asked, his mind already piecing together the answer.
Suddenly all of the his kids little ticks played in his mind. Their existence painstakingly obvious when thinking it through. The flinches, low self esteem, his lack of trust in people. He always seems so afraid of the people around him, as if everyone is going to suddenly attack him.
His mind started analyzing every accouter he's had with Midoriya, trying to find the best answer.
No... It couldn't be...
His lack of quirk control...
No...
… Impossible...
After a few minutes of being lost in his thoughts he looked up to see Eri patiently waiting for him to give her his attention.
Instead of answering his question that he was desperate to know she continues her original line of thoughts.
"I think Deku was hurt... like me. But I don't think he's had help like I have. But... you said that I need help to heal... You said that I could only heal so much alone... And Deku hasn't had help...does that mean Deku isn't healing correctly."
Eri's words felt like a stab to his heart. How did I not realize Midoriya's pain... His smile... He covers everything with a smile... that's how. But how come no one helps him... Why would he not have help? He always help everyone else... Why would no one help someone so bright?
Eri's question played through his head.
"Mr. Aizawa what's wrong with being quirkless?"
Quirkless.
That word was pounding in his head.
Quirkless
No...
Quirkless
No...
Quirkless
No...
Quirkless
No!
Quirkless
Yes...
"Eri what does this have to do with being quirkless?" He pleaded needing to know the truth.
She finally realized he was asking her a question.
"Oh... Deku said he used to be quirkless."
All three of the teachers jumped out of their seats in bewilderment.
"WHAt!" Eraserhead's eyes flashed red, quickly erasing Hizashi's quirk before the whole school could learn about what's happening.
Looking around it was clear the other teachers had come to the same conclusion.
Eri wasn't lying Midoriya used to really be quirkless.
But... when did he get his quirk then.
The student files should give him the date of Midoriya's quirks appearance. But it's required that all files are looked over. Shouldn't he have already seen it in that case... All Might. It didn't seem like a big deal before the school year but All Might insisted he help look at student files. He only was put in charge of two files, two certain files. One of the name Izuku Midoriya and the other one called Bakugou Katsuki. He found it suspicious when All Might didn't say anything about either one of the students during the meeting meant to discuss student issues but he forgot about all of this until now. All Might probably knew Midoriya was quirkless before hand and decided he didn't need to read the file. All Might needs to have a long conversation about children and Eraserhead was definitely going to be the one giving it.
Bakugou.
The two of them seemed to have bad history but I didn't think it was that bad. Stupid. A rivalry. A fallout. Stupid. I'm stupid. Midoriya is extremely anxious anyways but especially when Bakugou's around. I'm an idiot. I should have noticed Midoriya's discomfort, instead I kept pushing the two of them together. I put the bunny in the wolves den. I've failed to make Midoriya feel safe. The fact of the matter is that Bakugou Katsuki was a bully, living under the same roof as his victim. Even if he has changed the fact stays the same. Bakugou had bullied Midoriya harshly at some point in time.
He quickly glanced at the clock remembering it was a school day.
Crap. More time passed then I originally thought. I'm already running late for class. I can't just leave this conversation on hold. Wait... Nemuri doesn't have classes until later.
"Nemuri take over my morning classes."
"B-ut..."
"Listen, I know you want to hear but I'll deal with it. We can hold a teachers meeting at lunch and I'll tell everyone what I discovered. But right now you need to go teach classes."
"Ok, but we want to help the little green bean out too."
"If I'm right Midoriya's gonna need all the help he can get."
Present Mic and Midnight left the teachers lounge with looks of worry, leaving Eraserhead and Eri alone.
"Eri, I know your worried about Midoriya and I want to help him heal but to do that you need to tell me everything you know."
And so she did. She told him everything. Everything from the start of the night until the end. The questions, the tears, Midoriya's answers, and she even told him when she noticed Deku's eyes were holding the truth locked inside, bottling it all up with despair.
"Thank you Eri. This was all very helpful."
"Mr. Aizawa will Izu-nii be alright?" He didn't notice quite when in the story she started calling him that but it was very cute sounding. His heart clenched with joy every time Eri was happy or did something cut. When she moved into U.A. he became her legal guardian. Whenever classes went home to visit family she stayed with him. She happily joined his family, loving the cats and her new brother Shinsou with all her heart. He had adopted Hitoshi after finding Shinsou's Foster parents abusing him. The two kids had quickly got used to the idea of Present Mic and Midnight being their aunts and uncles.
"I will make sure he ends up just fine Eri." Eri had walked over to the couch and started coloring quietly.
First step was to read the files that All Might apparently skipped. He ended up finding Bakugou's first. He opened it up expecting to see aggravated comments about his behavior but instead found high praise from previous teachers. The only thing useful he could find was the part about Bakugou's quirk causing hearing problems. That could help justify some of the yelling.
After reading Bakugou's previous teachers comments he could tell what kind of society he was raised in. One were he was constantly raised up and praised to think he was the best of the best. Teachers clearly very quirkest.
Wait... didn't Bakugou and Midoriya go to the same school... Dang it... No wonder he doesn't trust us his old teachers at the very least accepted the bullying, some of them most likely encouraged it or joined in.
He put Bakugou's file to the side and opened Midoriya's file. The comments all talking about him being a distraction and annoying. Everything they said didn't match Midoriya at all. They said he would try and make other students fight. It was like the teachers thought it would be funny to switch Bakugou's and Midoriya's files. They were blaming all the bullying on Midoriya causing trouble. All the scars pinned on him like he asked for them to be made.
He checked the date Midoriya's quirk came in.
The date of the entrance exam.
No...
That means throughout all of middle school he was quirkless. A target for bullies. The scars. Crap.
He flipped over to the medical section, with how much scars Midoriya apparently had you would expect there to be more listed but there was almost nothing. Probably treating everything by himself (a habit in need of breaking), unless his mom helped out but he doubted Midoriya told her.
Speaking of Midoriya's mom, I wonder how she is. I need to do a home check and make sure everything is safe. I hope it is, but most parents with a quirkless kid hurt them in one way or another. Physically or mentally.
While on the topic of mental health he decided he would check that section. What he found made him livid. A note from the school nurse, who apparently transferred to middle school with Midoriya's and Bakugou's class.
Probably high anxiety.
Most likely depression.
Highly suspected other issues with it.
It's quirkless and clearly mentally screwed up.
The note was made when Midoriya was seven and stayed the same for every year after that. Every single year calling Midoriya an it. He definitely has anxiety and probably has depression but he was never tested according to all of Midoriya's files.
"Mr. Aizawa are you okay your face is turning red?" A tired voice asked his.
He looked over to the couch to find Eri blinking sleepily. Apparently she fell asleep at some point during his research.
"I'm fine."
He checked the time and saw that it was almost lunch. He started planning a list of things to talk about with the other teachers. Soon enough the other Pro hero's started trickling in. Hizashi and Midnight had nervous faces on awaiting the news. The other teachers looked confused about what was happening. All Might was running late but they decided it would be best to start without him.
"What's this about?" Snipe decided to be the first one to speak up.
And he told them about everything he learned from Eri and the files. He told them most of his suspicions he had about this. The teachers were clearly angered by what happened to U.A.'s green bean.
"Remember we still haven't gotten Midoriya to confirm anything." Eraserhead decided to be the rational one like usual.
"Do you have plans to confront him?" Midnight asked.
"Yes, Cementoss you have him last so please tell him that after class I want to talk to him in my office." He made sure that it was clear with everyone. "I will catch All Might up so, if he asks tell him to find me."
Soon lunch break was over so the teachers started leaving shooting each other nervous glances.
Now all had to do was come up with his questions and confront Midoriya.