"He is no friend of yours, young one," the man said suddenly, prompting Izuku to look up in confusion.
It was the night before the UA entrance exams, and Izuku was in his Sire's apartment, cramming like his life depended on it for the written exam. Which it kind of did.
"W-who?" Izuku asked slowly, putting down his pen as he saw the solemn look on the man's face.
"The Bakugo child," Sire said calmly, "He is no friend of yours."
"Kacchan?" Izuku blinked, "B-but we've always been friends? Ever since we were little."
"And you believe that that is still the case?"
"I…I don't know," Izuku muttered, looking down, "I just…I still want to be friends with him. He's so cool! And strong! And-."
"Violent," Sire cut him off, "And aggressive. Unnecessarily so. Do you truly believe he can be a real Hero like that?"
"A real…? Of course! Kacchan has a cast iron sense of justice! He'd make a great Hero!"
"But not a true Hero," Sire sighed, "Do you remember my words from the day I followed you? The words I spoke to the Bakugo child?"
"The words…?" Izuku hummed, closing his eyes for a moment, "Y-you said that…that Heroes protect the weak. And that Kacchan wasn't doing that."
"Good, you were listening," Sire hummed, a slight smile on his lips, "And what I said was true. That boy, no matter how strong he is, is not fit to be a Hero. Not as he is now."
"Not as he is now?" Izuku repeated.
"There is still room for him to change, for him to, for lack of a better word, grow," Sire continued, "Just as there is for you."
"R-really?"
"I do not doubt that he will make it into UA, their standards have dropped drastically over the years, at least in my own opinion," Sire sighed, "As have the standards for Heroes as a whole. Though that is a discussion for another time."
"But what do you mea-," Izuku started, stopping when his Sire held up a hand.
"Another time," the man repeated, "As of now, we are discussing your relationship with the Bakugo child. Now, remind me, what is your reason for wanting to be a Hero?"
"M-my reason?" Izuku squeaked, blushing slightly as he looked away, "I…I just want to help people, that's all."
"And it is a fine reason," Sire said calmly, "Now, tell me, what do you think the Bakugo child's reason for being a Hero is?"
"Kacchan's?" Izuku blinked, looking back at the man, "I…I don't know. He's always talking about being the best, so maybe that?"
"But the best what?" Sire asked, "The best Hero? The best at defeating Villains? Is that all being a Hero truly is? Beating down those weaker than them?"
"No!" Izuku almost shouted, shaking his head vigorously, "Heroes save! They bring hope and comfort! They…they help people."
"And do you think that the Bakugo child is helping anyone?" Sire asked slowly, watching as the gears began to turn in Izuku's head.
"N-no," the teen whispered, "He's…he's not helping. He's…he's just…just…"
"Being a bully," Sire finished for him, making Izuku start, "And from what I have gleamed from our past conversations, he has been a bully for a long time."
Izuku stared blankly ahead, memories rushing through his mind of all the times he'd tried to help Bakugo, the blond having turned him away, usually violently, each time. Izuku thought of all the times he'd had to step between Bakugo and someone else, defending them from the explosive attacks, resulting in the network of scars that had once covered his body. He thought about the last time they'd had a real conversation that wasn't Bakugo throwing insults or threats at the green-haired boy, back when they were still kids, before Izuku had been diagnosed quirkless.
"Kacch-…Katsuki, he acts almost like a Villain, doesn't he?" Izuku whispered, shivering at the thought, "But he wants to be a Hero. How? How can he act like that but still think he can be a Hero?"
"I am glad you have realized this," Sire said softly, suddenly beside the boy as he patted Izuku gently on the back, "It is often hard to see abuse when it has been happening for so long."
"A-abuse?" Izuku squeaked, "But Kacchan hasn't abused me! He's just…just…hurt me…and insulted me…and…"
"Abused you, young one," Sire said softly, "I am sorry that you had to realise in this way."
"Don't be," Izuku muttered after a moment, his eyes hardening slightly, the man smiling as he saw the determination flare back into them, "I'm not the same as I was before. I can do this. I'll prove Kacch-, I'll prove Katsuki wrong. Just you wait and see!"
"I look forward to it, young one," Sire smiled as he stood, "Now, I believe you need to return to studying."
Izuku breathed out, his breath barely causing a tiny cloud in the cold morning air as he looked up at the massive gates of UA. He could do this. All he had to do was walk through the gate, take the written exam, pass the practical and he'd be able to become a student at the most prestigious Hero school in Japan. And he was terrified.
"Get the fuck out of my way, Deku!" the shout made him jump as he turned to see Bakugo standing behind him, "I'll kill you if you make me late!"
"Kacc- Katsuki," Izuku said, swallowing as he took a deep breath, noticing the way one of the blonde's eyebrows quirked up at the use of his real name, "I'm going to pass."
"Yeah fucking right!" the blond spat, "If I see you in the practical exam, I'll kill you! You got it?!"
"Y-yeah," Izuku squeaked as the boy shoved past him, stomping his way towards the exam building.
"Well, that was rude," the unfamiliar voice made him jump, spinning around to see the brunette glaring at Bakugo's back, "What's his problem?"
"Oh…uhm…N-nothing!" Izuku squeaked, his face lighting up in a blush as he stepped backwards, his heel catching on a loose paver as he began to fall.
The hand shot out, tapping him on the chest as he braced for the impact, blinking when he felt himself suddenly become weightless.
"Sorry!" the girl said, "I just used my quirk on you, it would be bad luck for you to fall right before the exam, wouldn't it."
"Y-yeah!" Izuku barked as she grabbed him and set him back down on the ground, before pressing her fingers together.
"This sure is nerve-wracking, huh?" the girl asked, smiling at Izuku as the teen stuttered madly.
"Y-yeah!" he managed to push out.
"Well, good luck to us both! See you around!"
"Okay!" Izuku said as he watched her run off, a silly smile inching over his face.
"I…I talked to a girl!"
The teen jumped as the five-minute warning bell suddenly rang, Izuku running with the rest of the students towards the testing building.
"Welcome to today's live performance!" Present Mic shouted as he strode confidently on stage, "Can I get a "YEAH!"?"
Silence echoed through the auditorium as the man held his hand to his ear, before continuing as if he hadn't just been denied, "What a dignified bunch! Anyway, onto the explanation!"
"Oh my gosh, that's Present Mic!" Izuku muttered under his breath, a habit that his Sire had been trying to get rid of for a while, with little success, "I listen to his radio show every week!"
"Shut the fuck up, Deku," Bakugo hissed from beside him, the two seated next to each other in the packed room.
Mic continued to explain the exam loudly, pointing out the different locations and the fact that they would be split up so kids from the same middle school couldn't help each other.
"Tch," Bakugo clicked his teeth, "You get to survive another day."
Izuku flinched at the comment, turning back to look at Present Mic again as he explained the mock Villains they'd be facing.
"EXCUSE ME!" the voice was accompanied by a hand as a bulky boy with dark blue hair suddenly stood, "But you said that there would be three robots! But the handouts clearly indicate four! Is this an oversight by UA? Also, you there, the pale one with the curly hair!"
"M-me?" Izuku squeaked as the boy glared at him.
"You've been muttering this whole time, it's distracting. If you think this is a game, then leave!"
Izuku shrunk into himself slightly as Bakugo smirked beside him, several other students around them laughing quietly.
"Nice catch, Examinee 7111!" Mic suddenly shouted, "I was about to explain that faux Villain right now!"
Izuku hunkered down as the explanation finished, his face dark red as he held his hands over his mouth to keep himself from muttering. The room cheered as Present Mic wished them luck and quickly began to empty towards the changing rooms.
"SO BIG!" "Woah, UA really has a bunch of these on campus?" "So cool!"
The other students shouted as Izuku hurriedly chugged down his thermos of blood, looking around nervously. He blinked as he spotted a familiar head of auburn hair, recognising the girl from the entrance.
"I should go thank her," He muttered, beginning to walk stiffly towards her.
"That girl seems to be doing some form of meditation," the deep voice said, a hand landing heavily on Izuku's shoulder as he flinched, "Who are you? Are you planning to interfere?"
"M-me?" Izuku squeaked, glancing behind the blue-haired boy from the introduction to see the other examinees grinning and laughing at him, "N-no, just nervous!"
"Nervous?" the boy grunted, looking at Izuku in confusion, "Well, you certainly seem it. Why? Are you not confident in your quirk to help you through the exam? That's not very Heroic."
"Heroic?" Izuku blinked, staring at the boy as he felt a spark of annoyance light within him, "What do you think a Hero is? Just a quirk?"
The boy blinked in surprise, looking at Izuku in confusion for a moment.
"Of course no-."
"AND START!"
The shout startled everyone, Izuku hesitating for half a second before his training kicked in and he twisted out of the blue-haired boy's grip, darting towards the entrance of the fake city.
"WHAT ARE YOU ALL WAITING FOR?" Mic shouted from his viewing platform, "THE EXAM HAS BEGUN! THAT GUY HAS THE RIGHT IDEA!"
Izuku sprinted forwards, his legs carrying him over the tarmac of the faux city as he ran. He blinked, looking behind him as he realised that he'd ran straight past a few of the one-pointer robots, about to turn around to get them when the wave of other students barrelled into them.
"Target acquired," the robotic voice said as Izuku turned back around, staring at the scorpion like robot that was standing right in front of him, "Initiating combat!"
The machine didn't even get time to raise its tail as the clenched fist smashed through the camera on its head, ripping out several wires as it began to twitch, before collapsing.
"Fighting 101," Izuku muttered to himself, "Go for the weak points. The eyes are always a weak point."
Izuku panted in the hot sun, his mind drifting to Bakugo, the blond probably loving the extra sweat the heat was producing. Shaking his head, he forced himself to think of his current dilemma, namely, the four three-pointer robots surrounding him. He could maybe take out two with the blood he had left before they could open fire, their heads clearly visible on top of their blocky and heavily armoured bodies, but the other two would be able to get him after that. Suddenly, a blast of light smashed through one of the robots, the other three turning to look at the sparkling blond boy who was standing in a ridiculous pose. He had his stomach thrust out as he grimaced, the belt on his waist smoking slightly.
Izuku took the distraction in stride, darting forwards and climbing up onto the first of the robots, feeling his dwindling supply of blood boil away inside him as he ripped off its head and threw it as hard as he could into the head of the one beside it. The final bot seemed to deliberate who to go for, before turning its autocannon on the bigger perceived threat. Izuku.
"Oh no," the green-haired teen mumbled, ducking behind the body of the robot he'd ripped the head off, the bullets slamming into the thick armour.
"HEY!" Izuku shouted to the blond, who was quickly staggering away, "A little help?"
"Pardon, monsieur," the blond called back, clutching his stomach, "But I have too much of a tummy ache to assist you any further!"
Izuku was about to curse when he heard the loud shout, looking up as the shadow loomed over him.
"AND THERE'S THE ZERO POINTER, KIDS!" Mic howled, "MAKE SURE TO AVOID IT!"
Izuku watched as the monstrous robot slammed a hand down on the building just next to him, sending rubble cascading down, and directly on top of the robot that had had him pinned. He took off running the moment the bullets stopped, heart beating in his ears as he charged away from the behemoth.
"Ow!" the weak cry made him stop, the teen spinning on his heel as he looked back, his eyes going wide at what he saw.