Shinsou wasn't having the best day.

School went as it usually would. People avoided him like the plague, whispers, and rumors passed around about his latest accomplishment as a future villain.

His quirk was brainwashing, after all. With a quirk like that surely you would end up as a villain, right? It didn't help that Shinsou's only wish in life, the only thing he truly longed for, was to become a hero.

After school, as he was making his way back home, a couple of boys from his school decided that now was the best time to confront him.

Probably a bet, to see who had enough guts to take down the future villain. And that's how Shinsou ended up cornered in a dark alley by his three classmates.

The tallest one, Derek. His memory provided. Had a quirk that could turn part of his leg's skin to lead and oh how it hurt to be kicked by said person's leg. However, Shinsou was determined to tough it out. He wouldn't use his quirk on them, that would just prove their point.

He would just get through this and maybe survive another day of this hell he was living.

He hissed in pain as the boy next to Derek, some third-year middle schooler he didn't know, used his claws to cut his arm.

He vaguely noticed Derek moving his leg and braced himself for the inevitable pain to come. Oddly enough, nothing happened. He opened his eyes hesitantly- now only realizing he had closed them in the first place –only to see a short kid with green curly hair standing between him and his tormentors.

"Hey! What the heck do you think you are doing? Stay away from him!" "The boy spoke up. Tone determined but the waver in his voice betrayed his resolve.

Derek's eyes studied the boy for a couple of seconds looking surprised before hiding it behind a face of cold indifference.

The boy with the lizard mutation spoke up "What's it to you? All we are doing is making sure this future villain doesn't try anything stupid."

Izuku let out a snarl, "Who are you to judge someone on whether or not they will become a villain?"

The third guy- who has been quiet till now- flinched back at the rage in his voice prompting the lizard kid to speak up, "What the hell dude? What's your problem?"

Izuku snapped back, "My problem is that you are bullying someone who clearly isn't doing anything to harm you! That you are judging him because of his quirk. What the hell is your problem?"

"Do you even know what this bastard's quirk is? It's a quirk that only a villain would have! Yet he thinks he can become a hero with it? What a fucking- "

The teen was cut off as Izuku pushed him away from the purple-haired teen. He was just so mad. All he could think about is what happened to him growing up, how people judged his worth based on his quirk or lack of one that is.

Izuku swore that he would prevent someone from feeling this pain. This feeling he got every time someone told him he couldn't be a hero. He swore he would never stand idly by as someone was hurting. If he could do something to prevent it, he sure as hell will try.

Izuku let out a shout of rage, "That is no excuse for bullying someone! Why the hell should you care! It is his quirk, not yours! You can't decide how he will wield it, only he can! It is not the quirk that determines if someone is evil or not, but it is how they use it! So, get out of here, because the last time I checked, quirk usage on another person was illegal and I would love to tell the cops how you guys were having fun with yours" Izuku knew he was bluffing but he needed to get them to run, he had to try.

The other teen looked at him with disdain and a hint of shock but were quick to begin moving. Smart.

"Tsk. Suite yourself idiot, don't come crying when he brainwashes you"

A minute later, they were gone. Izuku let out a sigh of relief. He was glad that it was over. Now, it was time to check on the other teen.

Izuku turned to the other boy and asked, "Are you okay? I'm sorry for jumping in like that. I just can't stand seeing anyone being bullied, no matter what the reason is."

Shinsou blinked at the green-haired teen that stood in front of him but was quick to get over his initial shock. He tried to get up so that they'd speak properly but the pain quickly erupted on his abdomen. He found himself falling to the ground again.

"Oh, you're hurt! Here let me help you! I'm sorry I should've stepped in sooner. The tall guy's quirk must have really hurt, I could see his feet turning to some kind of metal, and the other guys- "Izuku dissolved into his usual fit of muttering but was cut off by the purple-haired kid

"Why." The kid asked, voice barely audible

"Why what?" Izuku's brows scrunched in confusion.

"Why did you help me? Aren't you scared?" The kid asked, voice low and hesitant. As if Izuku's actions were unheard of as if the boy couldn't comprehend why on earth someone would help someone like him of all people. Izuku couldn't have that. His eyes brimmed with determination as he decided that he would make this kid believe in himself again.

"I couldn't just stand there and watch someone get hurt while I could do something about it, and I am not afraid of you. I know you won't hurt me. You had plenty of chances to hurt those kids but you decided against it and I can't help but respect you for that. I believe you will be a great hero purple-kun"

Izuku's face went red as he realized what he had just called the other teen "I'm- I'm sorry, I just kept calling you that in my head and it just kind of slipped out" He blushed as the kid's eyes met his

"It's okay… I guess. Thank you for helping me, my name is Shinsou Hitoshi" The purple-Shinsou said with a small, hesitant smile on his face. He got up and winced when a wave of pain erupted again from his abdomen

"Here Shinsou-Kun, let me help you" Izuku offered as he lifted the boy to his feet, steadying him by the shoulders "You're pretty beaten up, my house is a couple of blocks from here, I can help you get patched up… I mean if-if you want to, that is"

Shinsou blinked owlishly at the timid teen helping him up, gone was the kid who had just shouted at his tormentors, and before him stood a shy, timid green-haired boy.

"Sure… but I wouldn't want to intrude"

"No don't worry about it, my mom will be out of town for a couple of days, it's no bother"

They strolled in silence as the boy helped him walk, he realized that he still didn't know his name even after he had provided his own, he was about to ask when the boy spoke up

"We're here. Just let me get my keys" Izuku went up the steps and fished a keychain from under the doormat, gingerly unlocking the front door and gesturing for the other to come in.

As Shinsou walked in he couldn't help but notice the broken shards of glass that were scattered on the floor near the entrance. Was that the reason for the greenette's bandaged face?

"Oh, don't mind that I had a little… accident earlier don't worry about it. Let's go to my room I have a first aid kit in my closet." He followed the teen up the stairs and into a room that was quite bland, except for a few books and some workout material, it lacked any personal touch.

"The room's quite boring isn't it?" A sad look flashed in his expression. Izuku had always wanted to decorate his room with hero merchandise and put on his favorite All Might posters, but his mum would always get angry if she saw him having anything hero-related. The countless beatings over his analyses notebooks were proof of that. She even burned his old all Might posters once. He quickly erased these thoughts from his mind while focusing on the task at hand.

"Wait here a minute." Izuku quickly ran into the bathroom and came back with some gauze, alcohol, and bandages. Having recently patched himself up, he didn't have a lot left in the kit. He ushered Shinsou onto his bed and began working on the boy's arm. Rolling up his sleeve and applying alcohol on the cut. With practiced ease, he patched up the wound. He had spent most of his life tending to his own wounds after all. Tending to someone else was easier.

Shinsou could only stare at the boy knelt before him. The teen was focused on bandaging his arm. He couldn't help but notice the small scars that adorned the boy's face and the bruises that were barely visible under his collar. Why was he hurt? Did something happen to him? How come he was so good at bandaging his wounds?

Many questions swirled in his head but were promptly interrupted from his musing by the sound of a door opening downstairs, the bang resounding through the house.

He could feel the boy before him tense, eyes going wide in… fear? Why was he afraid? The boy quickly got up, body stiff and expression urgent. He was terrified.

"You need to go." The boy whispered, "Please, before she sees you." He added voice panicked and breathing speeding up.

"What? Why?" Shinsou asked, "What's happening, why are you so afraid?" His eyebrows were scrunched in worry and confusion, why was this boy so scared? Who was this newcomer?

"Please just go, I can't explain" The boy urged him to get up "Please, trust me I'll be okay but you need to leave. There's a fire escape near the window, get out from there before she comes" Footsteps resounded through the house as someone made their way upstairs

"Okay- okay but first, are you sure you're okay?" The boy nodded vigorously but he was in no way okay and Hitoshi could see that.

"YOU BRAT! I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO CLEAN UP YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT, ARE YOU THAT EAGER FOR ANOTHER PUNISHMENT" A woman shouted, her voice harsh and stern.

"Please just leave!" The boy whispered as he hastily began to usher the purple-haired teen towards the window.

Like a puzzle, all the pieces seemed to fall into place. It all made sense now, the cuts, the bruises, the broken glass, this woman was hurting him. This boy, the nicest and most genuine person he's met was being abused by who he guessed was his own mother. No way he was going to leave now.

"Please if she finds you here I don't know what she'll do, I'd end up back there again. Please, I need you to leave" The boy urged him out, expression alarmed and on the verge of tears.

Shinsou half-heartedly went out the window and onto the fire escape as the other teen closed the window behind him.

Shinsou's heart clenched at the thought of leaving this kid. One of the nicest and bravest people he'd met. The only person to ever look at him and see something more than just a future villain. This amazing person was being abused and hurt.

He went down the fire escape. Making a promise to save the teen as he saved him that night. He would find a way to get this woman away from him, he would find a way to repay him, he would work hard that one day he'd be his hero.

Six months had passed since the day he met the boy, and he had given up trying to go to the authorities about what he found out that day. Some had just outright ignored him, given the way they were wary of his quirk. The ones that did listen, told him that they couldn't do anything about it without proper evidence.

Shinsou's frustration began to rise as he realized how hopeless the whole situation was. How could he ever be a hero if he couldn't save the one person that was nice to him?

UA entrance exam would be in two months and he had to get ready, maybe he could ask a hero to help him there? He hoped the boy would be okay until then.

Bit by bit, the beach horizon clears. Trash and junk and litter gave way to the white sand beneath, and for every heavy bag of garbage and broken appliance, Izuku hauls away, the next gets lighter. He can barely remember how it feels to wake up in the morning without sore muscles, but it gets easier.

Now, nearly eight months since Izuku began his training, Izuku is standing on one of the loading trucks, staring at the cleared beach, the training All Might had put him through had paid off, his body was now made of pure muscle and strengths. His abdomen, where he once could see his ribs were now made of firm abs, his whole form had become more defined and bulkier, the small protein lunches that All Might had him eat every day also did wonders for his health given he wasn't being borderline starved anymore. he screamed his lungs out trying to vent the frustration that had been welling up inside of him. He did it. He actually did it! It didn't even take him ten months! His feet swayed as his body caught up on the exhaustion he was feeling. His legs gave out and he fell but was promptly caught by two strong arms.

"All Might!"

"You did it, my boy! You cleared the beach in eight months no less! You exceeded my expectation young Midoriya. I can proudly say that you have earned this power." He set Izuku down on the sand and gingerly plucked out one of his own hairs "Now, eat this."

"Huh?"

Izuku woke up the next morning feeling slightly different, the only thing that had changed was this feeling he had, faintly, beneath the surface of his skin, he could feel a quiet thrum of something. Power. Energy.

All Might had warned him that using his power now might cause him to injure himself, his body wasn't supposed to be ready for the backlash of One for all.

This was different than what the taller man had said, Izuku could feel the energy coursing through him constantly.

He got up from where he sat on his bed and tried to make his way to the bathroom, his legs seemed to have other plans if the way he ran there at impossible speed was any indication, the rush he felt left him speechless. Is that what it felt to be powerful. He couldn't help but think that maybe this was all a dream, that he'd wake up and find himself back to being useless quirk less Deku.

He shook away those thoughts in order to marvel at the green lightning his body was emitting when he tried activating his quirk. His quirk. This was even weirder to admit.

He quickly got dressed and ran to the beach as soon as he made sure his mother was still asleep, he sure as hell won't let her ruin his day, he finally had a quirk, he couldn't stop himself from wondering if maybe she would love him now. He shook away the thought. Of course, she wouldn't. What was he even thinking?

He arrived at the beach, having already texted his mentor to meet him there. As soon as the tall figure came into his field of vision, Izuku ran towards him at full speed, but with his excitement over his newfound ability, he forgot the fact that he didn't know how to stop. The end result was his full-on collision with the unsuspecting symbol of peace.

He scrambled to his feet, apologizing profusely for his unprompted actions but was cut off by his mentor's booming voice.

"I can't believe this!" Midoriya flinched back at the loudness, he knew All Might wouldn't hurt him but years of abuse made him on edge whenever he made a mistake or did something wrong. His mother made sure of that "How is this even possible!" the older man continued, eyes shining with something that keenly resembled pride.

"I don't know All Might but I just woke up with this feeling, it felt like power was just constantly flowing through me, but you said that I should experience some sort of backlash… I even have these weird green lights that appear on my body, like lightning bolts surrounding me, whenever I used it." Izuku quickly dissolved into one of his signature mumbles fits about what this outcome would mean for his future training and so on.

"Well I don't know how you're doing it my boy but this saves us from quite some troublesome experiences." The hero stated, looking rather pleased with the thought. " Now we have time to get into the practical part of training. Teaching you some fighting skills and helping you learn how to utilize that quirk of yours. The exam is in two months, my boy. you're going to show them what you're made of."

Izuku's eyes lit up at the thought of finally being able to prove himself, the exam was in two months and he was going to make the most of this time, by studying hard, training even harder, and making sure he would not let this chance slip away from him.

He was going to show the world he could be a hero.