So there is no good reason why this chapter took so long, especially with how short it is. I'm sorry it is brief, but I have a bunch I will get to next time. I hope you enjoy this short chapter while I get my stuff together and write more.
….
Izuku never wanted to go back to Recovery Girl's office if he could manage it.
It wasn't that she wasn't awesome and a vital heroine to the Japanese hero ecosystem for decades. It wasn't that her quirk (which she hadn't used on him) creeped him out, since getting what was basically a grandma kiss didn't phase him. No, his desire to never return was to make sure he never felt her wrath again.
As soon as he explained the origin of the injuries on his feet, she had given him a firm slap on the head for his own recklessness before treating and bandaging his feet. She admonished him for not giving enough forethought in his actions, and commented that since he had gotten in on his brains, he should know how to use them. It wasn't that she was wrong, but it still wasn't an experience he was interested in repeating.
And, on a completely unrelated note, the gummy bears she gave out sort of tasted like the sugar free version, which made sense because she was a nurse. It also meant he had to be careful of how many of them he took because he would regret it later otherwise. He already had a feeling that there were a few kids in his class that might fall for that trap, but that was neither here nor there.
He was content to leave to the train station by himself since he had gone to the nurse's after class, but was mildly pleased to see Sero and Yaoyorozu waiting for him near the entrance. They had been chatting, presumably getting to know one another since he was likely their only connection. He could tell he was smiling as he walked up to them. He had underestimated them, that was for sure.
"You two know you didn't have to wait for me?" He pointlessly pointed out to them.
Sero shrugged it off. "It's not like I have anything better to do, since Honehuki caught the first train back to Tokyo. That commute has to suck!" He cheerfully communicated to Izuku's slight confusion.
"So, you aren't traveling from Tokyo? Did you get a place near here?" Izuku prodded.
Yaoyorozu interjected. "He was just telling me he was staying with his half-sister near here. She has an apartment with a spare room since her old roommate moved out and she hadn't found a new one. She is studying to get a masters in physical therapy, you said?" She asked Sero.
"Yeah, that's on the money. She said it isn't talked about a lot, but many heroes end up needing physical therapy as they get older or if they get badly hurt. So she is teasing me that I'm gonna end up paying her back all the money I owe her finally!" He joked, making it clear that in his opinion he didn't owe her much.
Learning more about one of Sero's half-sister's was interesting enough, and the idea about physical therapy was intimidating to contemplate for their futures, but all Izuku cared about was someone thought it was worth their time to wait on him! Someone his own age even! He just wanted to smile.
Better yet, it had been two people waiting for him! He returned his focus to Yaoyorozu, who was just casually chatting along about her own knowledge on the subject. Looking at her really did make him smile. Of course, Sero noticed.
"I think that sounds right, but my sister always says that every time someone makes a scientific discovery, someone else makes a discovery that says the opposite is true. I can ask her what she thinks about that. Though I don't think Midoriya is interested in this stuff. His mind seems to be focused on something else."
Yaoyorozu turned to look at him, and caught him smiling at her. He felt like a creep, and couldn't believe what Sero had done. He had been listening! "Having a good thought, Midoriya?"
Izuku quickly glanced at Sero smirking on the side before returning his attention to Yaoyorozu. "I guess you can say that. I'm just happy I found good friends at U.A. so fast." He didn't mean to, but it lingered in the air in a way that hinted he hadn't found good friends much at all in the past.
Yaoyorozu broke the linger. "I have felt the same way. Despite her initial brashness, Jirou is quite the pleasant person I can't wait to know better. And Sero here is definitely a good person. I can see why you befriended him so quickly at the entrance exam. He told me about how you met. Did Pop Step really drive you to U.A.?" She asked, interested.
So that was how the rest of their walk together went, with Izuku regaling the story of Kazuho taking him to school and the threat she had made to their mutual amusement. Sero's sister lived rather close to campus so he was able to walk there, so the two of them wished him well as he split off. The two of them made their way to the station Izuku needed to catch his train, with Izuku being slightly confused.
"I mean, from the area where you live, this station doesn't make much sense. It doesn't have any direct connections, and any transfers would be cumbersome. The one to the west of U.A. would have brought you closer to home much easier." He hadn't thought to ask with Sero there, but something didn't add up.
"Oh, I'm not catching a train home." She explained.
"You're not?" They turned the corner to see the station in view, along with a gorgeous black SUV that he could faintly see from the back was a Lexus. He had to imagine it was a very rich person's car.
"I'm glad mother listened and didn't send the limo." He turned to his walking companion.
"Is… is this car for you?" He asked, almost disbelieving. The only reason he believed it was could be was that he knew she came from a well-off family. Just… not this well off (if there was an option for a limo.)
"Yes it is. I should probably hurry over to them. I know my mother had preferred I be picked up at U.A., so I should not abuse our compromise by dilly-dallying." She picked up the pace, as Izuku followed suit.
"Wait, a compromise? To be picked up at this train station? Wouldn't it make more sense to just be picked up at U.A?" He asked the obvious question.
Yaoyorozu turned as they power walked to the waiting car and gave him a big smile before saying something that messed with his entire world. "I know, but I also know this is the train station you use to go home. And I would like to walk with you this far at least after school."
Izuku knew his face was ugly. It puckered as the ray of sunshine that was Momo Yaoyorozu shined upon him, but he didn't care. She wanted to walk with him home this much! That was beyond anything he could imagine.
"Is that weird?"
Her question broke his concentration before he vigorously shook his head. "No, no, it isn't weird. It is just, well the sweetest thing someone has done for me. I mean, maybe not the right word but you know? So it is really caring and make me feel special that someone as cool as you would want to do that for me. Wait, that sounds weird. Just, it's really nice and cool. Thank you." He felt like a dweeb as he was bowing to her slightly. He should have just tried to play it cool, but he had to go and make her feel awkward about it.
He heard a snicker and look up to see Momo with her wrist up to her face, trying to hide… a laugh? That was one of the girliest things Izuku had ever seen and it made it feel less awkward somehow. "It's fine, Greenhorn. I appreciate that you appreciate it. And I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. See you in class." She waved goodbye as she quickly made her way to the car, leaving Izuku by himself.
"See you tomorrow!" He said back, hopefully loud enough for her to hear him. He couldn't tell if she got the message as she entered the car and was quickly whisked away to her estate. Midoriya couldn't but be in a bit of a daze as he got into the station and the subsequent train home. He had hoped for something better once he got into U.A. School had been… well not the highlight of his day. He had always been the weirdo. The quirkless kid. The kid who tried too hard. But to get all of this, this quickly? That the people around him cared for him! People his age, at that (Koichi and Kazuho were the best, but they were adults. They were supposed to be more mature and stuff.)(He knew very well they weren't mature, but they maintained the illusion well enough.)
It was ten minutes into the train ride he realized that she had called him Greenhorn, and besides getting worked up enough to attract the attention of others on the train, there was nothing he could do about it. The worst part about how he didn't mind her calling him Greenhorn, since … he blushed as the reasons why he wouldn't care came to mind.
Izuku returned home to quickly notice there were visitors in his home. Very distinct visitors based on the shoes in the doorway that he knew very well.
"Please tell me you weren't trying to surprise me, because you two failed really bad on that front. Hi mom, how was your day?" He walked into the living room after removing his effectively ruined shoes (he needed another pair or three to be safe, especially after he made adjustments to them.)
"Don't flatter yourself, loverboy. How was your first day of school with your girlfriend?" His female friend teased him to his mild horror because...
"Izuku, honey, you didn't tell me you got a girlfriend! What is she like? Kazuho was saying she was gorgeous, I'm so happy for you honey!" His mom was wrapped around him with a hug. "How was your first day at school? Did you enjoy it? Everything turn out okay?"
"Hey Izuku." Koichi had the most subdued and preferable response of the three.
"Mom, it's not, Kazuho is just teasing me. Yaoyorozu is just my friend! I swear!" He spoke, wriggling in his mother's grip.
"Until your son grows a pair and asks her out." Kazuho teased him again.
"I mean, that isn't an unfair assessment." Koichi drove it in further.
"Guys!" He could understand her teasing, but why did Koichi have to add on to it?
"Girl." Kazuho snarkly corrected him, pointing towards herself. "And yeah, how did my manager do in his first day of UA?" She tacked on.
His mom finally let him go. "Yes, yes, tell us everything!" She dragged him to the couch where the other two sitting and offered him a snacking plate she had made for the visitors.
Izuku was a little exasperated but smiling at them because the truth was, he was eager to tell them about it.
"Pretty good but weird. The first thing I heard coming into the classroom was Kacchan being called a delinquent by a girl who I'm pretty sure is foreign. Then she called him a chihuahua."
"She is my new favorite person." Kazuho quickly interjected. Koichi openly snickered, while his mom seemed to hide a smirk behind her hand.
"Then she called me… well she only heard what Kacchan had called me…a 'Friggin Deku' except she didn't censor it."
Kazuho burst out laughing while his mom looked horrified.
"Oh no, please tell me you explained to her how that isn't appropriate." His mom interjected.
"I would have, but Eraserhead-sensei came into the room and immediately made us do a quirk assessment test as a physical."
He then went over the events of the previous day and the trio looked on in dismay as all the things that Izuku had wanted to stave off immediately sharing about himself were immediately shared.
"I still don't understand why Katsuki acts like that. He is a grown boy who knows better than that!" His mom commented at his stories end, which he left off with him leaving school with an unspecified group of friends.
"I mean, profound arrogance for one." Koichi remarked offhandedly in a mocking manner.
"I mean, the foreigner said it herself. He isn't a grown boy, he's a chihuahua!" Kazuho added to the insults.
His mom sighed. " Well, at least the band-aid was ripped off. Now you don't have to worry about keeping secrets from your new friends."
Izuku sighed. "You're right. I have always sucked at lying."
"I mean, besides the secret that you have feelings for Yoyo." Kazuho knew to tack on. He saw the gleam in his mother's eye and the look of sympathy from Koichi.
"Now then Izuku, you do need to tell me more about this 'Yaoyorozu' girl. She sounds wonderful." His mom looked eager as Izuku began to formulate a revenge plot against Kazuho for the future. This was going to be her go-to bit now, wasn't it.
…
After a quick discussion on Yaoyorozu and doing his best to set the record straight and a longer discussion on life in general, Koichi and Kazuho disappeared into a spare room and out emerged Pop Step and the Crawler with a bag that presumably held their normal attire.
"Well Izuku, Inko, it has been fun but we have business to attend to!" Pop Step informed them as they stepped out the door.
Crawler clarified. "We heard through the grapevine that is patrolling solo through the docks and she is a bit worried about her.
Pop Step punched his shoulder. "As if." She exaggerated rolling her eyes. "I just know that massive headache is going to miss something so we are just gonna clean up her mess before it gets too big."
"Have a good night, dears. Stay safe!" His mom bid them farewell.
"Good luck and stay safe. Make sure you stay out of Eraserhead's way tonight. He probably doesn't want to see you guys tonight." Izuku warned them.
"You totally jinxed us, great! Well, make sure you keep your ringer on when we call you from jail, Greenhorn." Pop Step did one last wave as she closed the door.
His mom turned to him. "Your sensei… he wouldn't actually arrest them, would he? He gets along with them normally."
Izuku shrugged. "Probably not, especially when he sees I'm not with them. But who knows? I really hope he doesn't though. It would make tomorrow morning really awkward in class." He joked.
Helping his mom clean up from their celebration, Izuku made sure to get a full night of sleep and woke up early. Learning from the mistakes of yesterday, he grabbed one or two tested prototypes and stuck it in his bag just in case. His journey to the school went by without a problem, and found himself the first in his class to make it for the day. However he was not alone. On the floor, in a sleeping bag, laid his teacher.
"I don't understand how that is comfortable." He said to himself as he passed by.
"I don't understand why that is your business." His sensei snarked back from him, still mostly hidden in the bag.
Izuku was embarrassed to get caught with his comment and surprised to boot. "Oh, well, I mean, I didn't mean nothing but...the ground isn't that comfortable and I was just thinking aloud and-" He kept muttering an apology.
"I don't need a novel, Problem Child. I get it. And it was good that I didn't see you last night. I would have expelled you if I had." He bluntly informed him.
"I promised I wouldn't, Eraser sensei! I mean, sensei! Do you really not trust me to follow my promises?"
There was a long pause in the air. Finally, there was a response. "Not really, no."
At this time, the frog girl Asui came into the classroom and the conversation seemed finished.
"Good morning Midoriya." She greeted him plainly.
"Oh um, g-good morning Asui." He stumbled to a reply.
She stopped for a moment, and put a finger to the corner of her mouth before shaking her head and continued to her seat.
As the minutes passed, everyone slowly began to make their way to class with Izuku especially pleased to see Yaoyorozu, Sero and Honenuki (and able to ignore Bakugou.) Better yet, no one was making a big deal about all the things they learned about him yesterday...yet.
The day felt like a very normal school day. Almost too normal. They had come back from a delicious lunch courtesy of the great lunchtime/ relief hero Lunch Rush, and had discussed with his trio of friends how much it felt like an average day from middle school. Except they all knew what was coming in the afternoon
"I AM COMING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!"
Midoriya almost passed out.