...

Izuku was led out of the classroom and to an empty room. Tsukauchi moved to stand so that he looked out the window while Nezu gave Izuku plenty of room by sitting at a desk. Despite their attempts he still felt trapped.

Another glance was given to the detective before he focused his full attention on Nezu who said, "You are a very interesting child, Izuku Midoriya."

"Surely not," Izuku quipped back without thinking, "I'm just a kid with an analysis quirk."

"Are you?" Questioned Nezu even as Tsukauchi gave him a sharp look.

What was his... Oh fuck he forgot about Tsukauchi's quirk. And he just lied about his quirk to Nezu.

Izuku slipped his foot back entering a more ready stance. If they were going to come after him he needed to be ready to fight them. Nezu would be easier to stop physically but there would be trouble. Tsukauchi would be harder to stop especially injured as he was.

Nezu asked his onyx eyes narrowing at Izuku, "What are you hiding, Midoriya?"

"Why are you looking into my secrets?"

The two squared off. Vigilante and hero.

Tsukauchi muttered quietly, "You lied about your quirk. Why?"

"You wouldn't believe me," he answered, "Now what do you want?"

"Quite rude for a child," quipped Nezu, "You act like don't trust us."

"I don't."

Tsukauchi stared at him. His dark eyes were searching his face. Izuku kept his composure not allowing his real feelings to show.

The detective said, "Why not? We haven't done anything to you. In fact it's Hero Week. I would think you would be excited to have Nezu here taking an interest in you."

"And what would that do for me?" He laughed sardonically, "You will be here for a week at best and then I will be left alone. Again. To face this damned school. So why should I trust you?"

The two adults shared a look between them. Izuku felt the urge to enter Zero Hour and escape their attention. It would be so much easier than being here. To do so would only draw even more of their attention. Between them, Tsukauchi and Nezu would be able to figure out at least partially what he was hiding.

Tsukauchi asked softly his eyes showing his concern, "Are you safe here?"

Izuku snorted, "Safe? Who can tell, Detective? I'm doing what I need to do to survive."

Nezu stepped in that moment, "You believe that we would allow you to be hurt," it was not a question.

"Wouldn't you?"

The three once more stared each other down. There was a darkness in the green eyes as he tried to stand his ground.

Tsukauchi sighed, "We did not come here to argue over this. Even if it's important. Nezu..."

Nezu stared at Izuku for a few seconds longer before he said, "I wanted to meet someone who has better analysis skills than any I have ever seen. Your skills rival my own."

That wasn't what he was expecting.

Tsukauchi continued, "Skills like yours should be nurtured."

Izuku glanced between them his green eyes narrowed with suspicion. Biting his lip he contemplated his next words. He didn't realize how hard he was chewing on his lip until he tasted the metallic taste of blood.

"That's where I come in," interrupted Nezu, "I want to nurture your analysis skills."

Izuku's mouth went dry with his realization, "You want to pick me for Hero Week?"

Nezu gave a terrifying grin that sent a shiver down Izuku's spine, "Yes and if you're agreeable you'd be able to help Tsukauchi."

Izuku glanced at the detective and Tsukauchi nodded. Carefully he questioned, "Why?"

Nezu answered calmly, "As I said you interested me. Not only are your analysis professional level but you're not afraid to stand up for yourself. The bully from earlier," Izuku flinched, "It's not the first time he's acted like that. Is it?"

"And if it wasn't?"

Tsukauchi scowled, "Then I will deal with it. They will end up with charges and I'm sure Nezu will have them blacklisted."

Izuku snorted, "It'll never stick. Everyone says that he has the perfect heroic quirk. You might bring up charges but within a few weeks he will have them dropped. Because he is the the perfect candidate and I'm just someone with a mental quirk."

The sharpness in Tsukauchi's eyes returned. Damn it. There was his quirk again and Izuku couldn't back track otherwise he risked giving more away.

Nezu caught the sharpness and he asked, "What is it, Tsukauchi?"

For a moment he didn't answer but eventually he said, "It's nothing Nezu. Now what do you have to say, Midoriya?"

Izuku wasn't stupid so he replied, "I want everything in a contract. You could say one thing and do another. So if I'm going to agree we need to have it written out in a contract."

There was another exchange of looks between the two. Then they agreed saying they would come back tomorrow with it. Izuku was then released to return to class. Hateful glares from teachers and students alike greeted him as if nothing had changed.

...

After the boy left Naomasa stood by the window overlooking the grounds of the school. It was a warm day and it showed in the activity outside. Students of differing grades could be seen but none were the boy's class.

Nezu asked quietly, "What did you think of him today?"

"He's hiding something," answered Naomasa bluntly without looking at Nezu, "It's his quirk. For whatever reason he was lying about it. Why would someone lie about their analysis quirk?"

"I don't know."