Midoriya Izuku was born Quirkless. The world abhorred him for it. His father hated him for it. His best friend turned against him because of it. His mother apologized for it.
Midoriya Izuku was born Quirkless and his brother loved him in spite of it.
So, in return, Izuku loved and adored his brother. His brother who was tall and strong and who smiled like the sun, wide and soft and beaming all at once. His brother with his wild dark hair, his expressive red eyes and his kind, but calloused hands.
His brother who was known throughout Japan as Spitfire, the Vigilante who saved the little people that the Hero Commission and all their pretty limelight heroes ignored and abandoned.
Midoriya Izuku is seven and he is surrounded by children who view All Might as the pinnacle of heroism, as the greatest hero to live.
Midoriya Izuku disagrees. To him, All Might is loud and popular, true, but he doesn't hold a candle to Akatani Mikumo.
Akatani Mikumo who is chased by the Police, Akatani Mikumo who is painted as a villain, Akatani Mikumo who is the pinnacle of what it means to be a true hero.
Still, Izuku loves heroes, even those in the limelight. Even those that are chasing after his brother, though none know the vigilante Spitfire has a family, know that Spitfire is a son and brother.
Everything changed when Izuku is fourteen. Everything changes when All Might and Endeavour, the Top Heroes of Japan finally catch Spitfire. Catch him in the midst of saving children from a burning building.
He is twelve, watching from the outside of the building, having snuck off to watch his brother work. He watches with glee as he saves all the children and even works together with the Top Heroes.
He continues to watch with continuing horror as All Might, one of his heroes and Endeavor turn against him, try to arrest him. He watched as his brother tries to get away, peacefully, before Endevour's flames light up. He watched as his brother begged the two heroes, begging them not to start this fight.
He remembers them not listening.
He remembers his brother's wild emerald flames come to life. His Quirk, Amaterasu, emerald flames from the pits of hell that cannot be extinguished without the permission of the user.
He remembers, even with that fearsome ability, his brother no match for the combined might of the Symbol of Peace and the Flame Hero. He remembers his brother pushing and pushing and pushing until his own flames were turned against him, reducing his beloved brother, the fearsome Spitfire, to ash.
As the crowd cheered for All Might and Endeavour, as the media interviewed them, as the entire world cheered for the death of his brother, Midoriya Izuku, a diehard fan of All Might and Hero Society was dead.
In his place, Akatani Izuku was born. Akatani Izuku who swore he would bring justice to the broken world that killed his brother.
In the shadows of that great tragedy is when Akatani Izuku awakens Amaterasu, the emerald flames his brother wielded. His brother's Quirk's was strong, but Izuku's was dangerous, incredibly so.
Akatani Mikumo wielded the flames of Amaterasu. Akatani Izuku not only wielded the black flames, but had the ability to attract, pull and push all flames, a mutation of his mother's Quirk, undoubtedly.
Twelve year old Akatani Izuku leaves the alleyway he watches from on that day, the black flames entering his body, his emerald orbs cold and angry.
It is a week later that it is announced that Spitfire, discovered to be Akatani Mikumo, passed away as a result of an unfortunate accident when facing All Might and Endeavour.
Izuku is in all black, sitting beside his brother's coffin. His hand, scarred from his new training regimen, placed on the casket.
The service is sparse with people.
No surprise. Izuku thought grimly. With the news that Mikumo was a vigilante, though the media would say Villain, all neighbors would not want to be caught mourning a criminal with that criminal's family.
"Izuku dear." His mother approached, her eyes soft. "It's time to bury your brother. The pastor is here." She said, nodding towards the elderly man who seemed to be annoyed by being here.
Izuku barely acknowledged the man, looking at his mother who looked as if she had aged years.
"Hm." He grunted. "Give me a second." He said, observing Katsuki in the background, seeming unnaturally solemn.
His relationship with Bakugo Katsuki, once Kaachan, was odd these days. He didn't join the bullies, and didn't stop them either. There was a begrudging respect between them and Izuku knew that Katsuki respected Mikumo.
"There is no more time, boy." The pastor chose to interrupt, his old face twisted in an expression of disdain. "We have a schedule to follow."
"I'm sorry, Pastor, but please give him a few more minutes." Inko bowed her head towards the Pastor.
Izuku felt his anger rise at the sight of his mother bowing to this insignificant pest standing before them.
By the grimace on Katsuki's face, he agreed.
"Midoriya-san, enough time has been wasted with this...display." The old man grimaced, looking towards Izuku and the casket.
Even his mother seemed annoyed, arching an eyebrow at the man.
"Display?" She wondered.
"Indeed." The self-important prick nodded. "While it is sad that you have lost a family member, it is not so prudent to mourn a criminal in such a way."
That was the last straw.
As fast as a coiling snake, Izuku's emerald flames danced at the man's neck, an inch away from turning him to ash, Izuku's eyes wide and angry, flecks of red appearing in his normally emerald eyes.
"My brother is not a criminal." He hissed, ignoring the gasps of his mother and even Aunt Mitsuki.
"Th-this is against the law!" The pastor shouted, sweating but not moving from his spot, having heard of the famous Akatani Quirk.
"It is." Izuku's voice was as calm as the ocean. "My brother was not a criminal...but I can and will be if you continue to open that cunt mouth."
"Izuku!" His mother shouted. "Please stop now!"
"Oi brat, that's enough!" Aunt Mitsuki told him, though her glare on the pastor said she wished she acted first.
Katsuki's wild grin revealed his stance very well.
Izuku sighed and pulled his flames back into his body, watching as the fat old man fell to the ground, sweating and panting.
"Y-you will be punished for this, Midoriya Izuku!"
"Akatani." Izuku declared. "Akatani Izuku is my name." He announced to the entire room for the first time. "Midoriya belongs to that sperm donor that I have been forced to call father."
"Right, Ma?" Izuku grinned.
Inko was silent for a long moment, before smiling.
"That's right, Izuku."
Izuku dispassionately observed the man run out like he was being chased by demons.
"Well, we best get going, Inko." Aunt Mitsuku said, hugging his mother. "Again, sorry for this whole shitty situation." She said, "Fucking heroes." She grunted, glaring at the mirage of All Might and Endeavour in her head.
"Come on, brat!" Mitsuki told her son who stood still, observing Izuku's seated form.
"Huh?" Katsuki arched an eyebrow. "Oh yeah! One sec, old hag!" He growled, approaching Izuku, missing the intrigued look his mother was sending him.
"Oi, nerd."
Izuku turned to him.
"Katsuki? Do you need something?"
Katsuki was silent for a moment.
"Just now...Aniki would have been proud." He said before turning around, handing in pockets, as he walked away.
Izuku was surprised before a soft smile curved at his lips. It was rare the shorter boy would ever give anyone, even his own blood, such a compliment.
Mitsuki and Inko shared a smile at the interaction.
As the Bakugo's and his mother left him alone, Izuku placed his forehead on his brother's casket.
"I promise, Mikumo, that I will become the greatest hero this world has ever seen. I will fight for all who cannot fight for themselves. I will surpass everyone, especially All Might and Endeavour." He grinned. "If he is the Symbol of Peace...I will become the Symbol of Hope."
Tears slid down his cheeks.
"I swear this to you, big brother."
[Musutafu Police Station]
"Do you know why you are here, Akatani Izuku, was it?"
Izuku arched an eyebrow, looking at the handcuffs around his wrists.
"I have a good enough idea, Tsukauchi-san."
Tsukauchi Naomasa sighed deeply.
"Kid, you have quite a few things against your favor right now." He said. "You have unlicensed Quirk usage, bodily threat of a pastor, attempted physical assault, and you showed use of an unregistered Quirk."
Izuku, of all things, grinned toothily.
"Sounding like a real criminal, eh?" Izuku laughed. "Up until last week, I was Quirkless, Officer. Haven't had the time to update my Quirk." He told the man sitting in front of him.
"Hm." Tsukauchi grunted. "Okay, that is one problem out of the way. How are you going to explain the other, very real crimes?"
"I'm not." Izuku said simply. "I did what I did, knowing what the punishment would be, and I do not regret it in the slightest."
"Kid, you really aren't helping me out here." Tsukauchi. "I really don't want to have to send you to juvenile detention right now."
Izuku smiled.
"I am going to be a hero." He said calmly.
"A hero?" Tsukauchi blinked. "H-how do you expect to do that if you have a record?"
Izuku merely shrugged, saying nothing.
Tsukauchi almost banged his head against the wall. This kid…
He wasn't a bad kid, Tsukauchi could see that much. When he had heard of Spitfire's brother being arrested, he had assumptions about him, especially with Toshinori being involved in Spitfire's death, but the kid's grudge against Toshinori and Endeavour did not seem to create a hate against heroes.
He was just a bloody hellion. All flames and teeth and ruthless ambition.
Who could reign in a kid like this?
Tsukauchi suddenly felt a smirk curve at his lips.
Izuku arched an eyebrow. What was the Detective thinking?
"One second, kid." Tsukauchi said, pulling his phone out, dialing a number and putting it on the loudspeaker.
It rang. And rang. And Rang.
Click.
"Eraserhead speaking."
Izuku's eyes almost popped out of his head. Eraserhead? Like the underground hero that his brother sometimes worked with?
That Eraserhead? The Eraserhead who Izuku thought was the coolest dude for being almost Quirkless and a hero?
That Eraserhead?
"Hey, Eraserhead." Tsukauchi greeted.
"Hm? Oh, Naomasa, what did you need?" His voice, if nothing else, seemed...softer?
And Eraserhead called the Detective by his first name? What the hell?
"I'm on loudspeaker with a young delinquent, let's say."
"Please don't tell me you found another Problem Child." Eraserhead's voice seemed both annoyed and amused.
"Something of that nature." Tsukauchi said. "So, have you heard about Spitfire?"
Izuku narrowed his eyes.
"Uh..yeah." Was that a crack in Eraserhead's voice? Just how close was the Underground Hero and his brother?
"Well, this Problem Child is that Problem Child's little brother."
A moment of silence.
"The Little Flame?" Eraserhead asked suddenly.
Izuku flushed at that old nickname.
"The Little Flame?" Tsukauchi asked, amused at the brat's blush.
"H-how do you know that name!?" Izuku finally spoke, shouting.
"Huh. So he really is the brat's brother." Eraserhead was amused. "Your brother always spoke about you like that, Problem Child."
"Uh, really?" Izuku asked shyly.
"Yeah." Eraserhead said. "So, you're just as troublesome as that brother of yours. How'd you get arrested, brat?"
Izuku mumbled and Tsukauchi smirked.
"Hm? What was that?" Eraserhead asked.
Izuku mumbled again, flushing.
"Speak louder, Problem Child." Eraserhead grunted.
"I threatened to burn that shitty pastor for talking shit about Mikumo, okay!?"
There was a long moment of silence. Then, a long suffering sigh, mumbling something about Problem Children.
"So, can you come pick him up, Eraserhead?" Tsukauchi asked with a smirk, observing the sound of surprise both Eraserhead and Izuku made.
"Pick him up?" Eraserhead asked, Izuku repeating the question.
"Hm." Tsukauchi confirmed. "You either pick him up, take him under your wing for the new three years or he goes to juvenile detention for the same amount of time."
Izuku was stunned at this favour Tsukauchi seemed to be trying to do for him, not used to the positive help of an adult.
Eraserhead was silent for so long, Izuku wasn't sure if he was still on the line.
"...I'm coming." He declared.
Izuku's eyes widened, looking like a deer in headlights.
"Okay then, I'll see you soon, darling." Tsukauchi smirked, enjoying Izuku's wide eyes and Eraserhead's coughing.
"Yeah. Okay. See ya."
And he hung up.
"You and Eraserhead?" Izuku's eyes were wide, mind blown. "You and Eraserhead?" He asked, bumping his two fingers together. "Seriously!?"
"Indeed." Tsukauchi said, smiling. "Eraserhead is my husband."
"Wait, is it okay to tell me that?" Izuku asked, suddenly nervous. He blinked when Tsukauchi ruffled his dark green hair.
"It's fine." He said. "You're a good kid. I trust you."
Izuku blushed slightly, oddly flattered.
"So now we wait for Eraserhead?" Izuku asked, excited to meet one of his last remaining heroes after All Might all but destroyed his hope in a lot of heroes.
"Now we wait for Eraserhead." Tsukauchi nodded.
