Chapter 3

Izuku had his head down, as he walked home, tears in his eyes he had decided it was best not to wait for Kacchan anymore after class was over. Not that he really thought Kacchan cared anymore for the most part, he knew why he was doing it after all. He'd been telling him since they'd found out he was quirkless, but Izuku didn't want to listen. He wasn't fragile, he could hold his own, and he didn't need a quirk.

The boy wiped his tears away then, "Maybe if I wasn't such a cry baby Kacchan would listen." He mumbled to himself but still the tears didn't stop. Kacchan was just being so mean recently, and the others were even worse.

He knew what he was doing though, he knew to not listen and defend himself, only when the time was right. He tried to stay on the lower radar, out of everyone sights, and it worked sometimes. Yet of course, as much as he loved her and knew what she was trying to do, she always seemed to make it worse. Always. And from the corner of his eye he saw her running for him.

"Izu! Wait up." Iria called loudly as she ran over, by her twins side after a few seconds, he hadn't stopped walking. In fact, he started to move faster, Izuku didn't want to talk to her then. He still hadn't stopped crying. As soon as she was by her brother's side she looked at his face that was still looking at the ground and Izuku felt her rage.

"What happened now Izu?"

He was silent.

"Izu, common just tell me and I'll go tell them off. Was it Tsuki again, that jerk, what's your guys deal anyways? You were just fi-"

"It doesn't matter," he cut off quickly bringing his backpack closer to his back, "I can handle it." And the boy wouldn't move his eyes from the floor, forcing back heavy tears in his eyes. He really hated that he couldn't stop crying, he wanted to, but they just didn't seem to stop. He steaded faster again, in hopes that his sister would simply leave him alone. Fruitless. Iria didn't give in, she didn't bend like he did; the true yang to his yin which was embarrassing. She got what she wanted, and she wanted Izuku to spill his guts like usual.

"Izu, you can't handle it, those videos your learning can only teach you so much. And your not even trying to defend yourself anyways!" Stopping Izuku in his steps by walking right in front of him and not letting him get around her either.

"That's because they haven't been hurting me." He countered strongly at that stopping begrudgingly, and he couldn't help notice her pleased smile at that. Her and Kacchans last fight probably what was keeping him at bay after all. When sensei got involved, when Iria had almost taken out Kacchans head with a rock bigger than the size of her palm.

"If there being mean, just tell auntie you know she'll shut him up."

"Would you tell auntie?" He countered and she scrunched up her face at the question that clearly annoyed her. She simply sucked her teeth and rolled her eyes, "Your not me Izuku, I can handle him. I don't like this. I don't like how he's treating you, and if it doesn't stop I'm gonna tell. No matter what you say. I'm telling mom and Auntie."

Izuku was silent for a moment, "He just wants me to be strong, I-I think, I don't know."

"What says you're not?"

The boy just made a face and she shook her head, every one cared though didn't they. Except for her.

And everyone treated him like something was wrong with him; like he either needed to be handled like glass, or smashed out of the way. Like he was weak. Maybe he proved it to them because he was quick to cry, reluctant to talk or fight back, his stutter that got worse whenever he was anxious or scared.

Kacchan was the one who wanted to shatter him right now for one reason or another and he couldn't be sure why. While Iria-

"If you tell mom I won't tell you anything anymore," Izuku threatened with confidence he didn't know he had then, "I don't need you to always take care of me Ria, you say I'm strong right. Let me prove it."

And that was when he easily side stepped his sister and continued his way home. She followed behind him slowly, but didn't go to stop her brother again.

~~~~

It had been a month since Aizawa Sensei had been at the park to help Izuku, though he didn't like being called a teacher he was doing a very good job of being one. From the basics he started with while watching the online videos they had long strayed from mixed martial arts and Izuku was learning a style more suited to his strengths.

Aizawa said it was called Muay Thai, and it would serve him well for his size, even if that fact did embarrass him a little. He wasn't that much shorter than the other boys in class, and he still had time to grow. Sensei didn't seem too convinced.

He also learned bits of judo, though he could not throw Aizawa Sensei he still learned the motions. He even tried it on Iria once and knocked the breath out of her. The worst part was she wasn't even mad, demanding he teach her too, and wanted him to do it again so she could defend. His sister was insane, and though he taught her the move he wasn't practicing it on her again without a mat. She pouted for a week about it.

They spent an hour every day, from six till seven, even when the days became longer with the summer approaching. He begged Aizawa for more time, but the man refused every time. He didn't want to 'overwork him' as if he didn't spend the rest of his spare time practicing. He hardly ever hung out with Kacchan anymore, not that he was even sure the other boy wanted to hang out. Iria was always with her own friends, and it was easy to spend his time simply training. Learning how to fight could be one of his first steps to being a quirkless hero, just like Iria said he could.

Aizawa and him had been sparring on the last set of formations and combinations he learned through the last week. Making it all come together very nicely for him, and sensei never went easy on him. He wasn't rough or cruel either in fact, he hardly even had any bruising from training with him, which made it more frustrating for Izuku. Aizawa was hardly trying and Izuku was always shut down.

The boy was on the floor finally after being pushed away and gave a low moan of disappointment. He was so close to getting a hit in and Aizawa's flick of the wrist had him on his back.

The man looked down at him with a smile of approval , one he didn't give often and Izuku couldn't help but to smile back. That means he did something right, though he didn't know what yet.

"You're improving very quickly Midoriya, you should be proud." He encouraged slow and soft as he always spoke before bending at the knee to be at the exhausted boy's eye level.

"A class would only make your skills increase, practicing with kids your own age would do you good." Aizawa encouraged again as he had for a while, he was more than willing to keep teaching the kid as he excelled. Still with others at his skill level around the boy, learning with him. Would not only be a more encouraging and engaging atmosphere, but also open the door of fighting different styles and people. Having the same sparring partner for too long could soon prove to be more of a hindrance than helpful.

Still it was impossible.

~~~~

"I told you already Aizawa sensei, my mom would never let me join a dojo. They're really expensive...and well, she really doesn't like it when I fight." He sat up then bringing his knees to his chest at just the thought.

Aizawa sighted at that answer and never really pressed the boy, he did feel a little guilty about teaching a seven year old boy martial art without his mother's approval. Still he'd rather have an angered mother on his back then watch yet again that kid humiliated and hurt by his peers.

Did he have a soft spot?

Probably.

Still it seemed like he had to do it if no one else would. If he couldn't help one little kid from getting beat up after school what kind of heros was he?

"Does she know your situation, really know Midoriya? Don't you think she might change her mind if she knew what was going on." Aizawa knew it all, the boy hardly spoke of it, but he knew what quirkless kids went through in school. Children were assholes, and he absolutely hated them, but this kid was one of the unlucky ones. One who didn't have the luxury of being like the others.

"W-well I-I mean, sh-she does kinda-"

"What did we talk about Midoriya?" He asked back, cutting the boy off pretty easily but his words staying kind, the boy was getting pretty good at losing the stutter.

He watched the boy take a deep breath then, and count in his head as he was taught. A month ago he had to count to ten to control his anxiety induced speech impediment, now Midoriya only needed to get to three to calm his nerves.

Slowly this time he started again, "She doesn't know how bad it is Sensei, and even if she did she'd just go to the school or Aunty about it." He said through the grit teeth of shame, and Aizawa held no face of pity. Simply listening intently.

"She'd make it worse, and Ria… Ria would get in trouble too for not saying anything. And her and Kacchan would just fight more and-." Izuku stopped himself then, he was starting to talk too fast once again, "I need to prove to Kacchan that just because I'm quirkless doesn't mean I can't fight. We've been friends forever, he just doesn't want me to get hurt. Not really. And I don't want him to get into trouble for it." Izuku said stubbornly and the man sighted.

Most children were assholes, but all of them were stupid with no doubt.

"What about your father, maybe he would be more understanding?" Aizawa asked back diplomatically then and Izuku shrugged his shoulders at the thought before getting up finally to stand. Standing away from him.

Clearly he hit an unintended nerve, and pretty much knew the answer before Midoriya said it.

"Can't ask someone I never met." He replied sheepishly, and Aizawa made a face then of slight regret before he went to stand up right himself. Both hands going into his pockets then. He didn't apologize, he didn't even feel all that awkward as some people would after hearing those words. He and Midoriya were very alike in many ways, probably why he felt the need to be there. At first he wondered what drew him to the kid so much, every day the reason was becoming crystal clear.

"So what then, your just waiting for the chance to beat up your friend and prove yourself then?" Aizawa asked finally to break the silence between them, "there are better ways to try and resolve your issues. And even with my help, three quirks on one quirkless will be hard to overcome."

The boy shook his head then, "I know all of Kacchan's moves, and Tsubasa's and Yamamoto's. I just didn't have any way to stop them before, besides once Kacchan sees me fighting back he'll want to fight me alone. He's too proud." He was very precise with his words and very confident even, something Aizawa was slowly seeing more and more come from the kid. And he didn't doubt the boy's words either, Midoriya picked up things alarmingly quick. Had he not been medically diagnosed quirkless he would be sure the kid had an analyzing quirk or some kind. Midoriya didn't copy the moves Aizawa taught him, he dissected and worked through them. Why every motion was important; from the foot work, to hip placement, shoulders alignment, fist, elbow and finger positions. Everything.

"I don't want to beat them up," he finally looked back at the man then with a smile on his face, "but Kacchan is gonna learn i can't be pushed around. I don't need Ria to protect me, or him, just because I don't have a quirk doesn't mean I can't fight. And I can-!"

His words wavered then, Aizawa noticed Midoriya passion, anger and determination all boiling up before falling back down again. As if turning off the heat to an over boiling pot, deflating as fast as he worked himself up.

"You're a pro hero-" The boy said softly

Aizawa knew what this was leading too, he'd spent some time with the boy. He knew his goal. And he knew why Midoriya's asshole 'friends' were mean to him, it wasn't only because he was quirkless.

"I don't know yet kid," the man said evenly, "just like I wouldn't know for most of you kids."

It was clear to him, he had stumpt the kid in that moment and he couldn't help his smirk.

"Being a hero isn't just about strength, as young as you are to keep up with the pace I'm teaching you is pretty incredible." Aizawa praised them evenly, "but just because you can learn to fight, to be strong doesn't mean anything. What you do with it, with any strength, shows if you can be a hero."

It was clear to him that Midoriya was still stumped, but the man didn't need to spell everything out for him. He simply looked to his watch before walking over to his sweater at a bench.

"Simpler words for the simpler minds, I'd say….your further ahead at the possibility right now then blondie." Aizawa couldn't help the small smile at that giant grin that spread across that freckled face. Maybe sounding it out would do the boy some good, confidence would do him some good.

He put on the sweater then, and let down his long hair.

"Times up for today."

The hour was getting shorter and shorter it seemed, but Aizawa couldn't take too long with him. He already knew Midoriya was practicing as much as he could in his own time, if he piled on too much at once the kid would work himself to exhaustion. Maybe during the summer break when he knew the boy had more time.