(A/N) I'm alive! *coughs up dirt* sorry I went on such a long hiatus without informing anyone. I truly did try and write during this time but life hasn't been easy. I'm not going to provide excuses, but for those who want to know, I'll leave the explanation at the bottom of the chapter. In the meantime thank you all for all the love and support you have given me and my work! Special shout-out to my friend Silenthorse for sticking with me and continuing to be my beta reader! I hope you enjoy!
"Come on Izuku, you got this! Just a little more!" Izuku heard his mom yell. Izuku felt exhausted, but the encouragement drove him to dig deeper. What was he doing? Well he was doing an obstacle course as part of his training…. A 3km obstacle course….. While shooting targets as he went. To say this was a challenge would be an understatement.
Apparently this training was to simulate prolonged combat. This was actually his fifth time doing this course, but he has yet to complete it before collapsing from exhaustion. Even though he was told that it was common for trainees to fail the first few times, it still frustrated him to no end, especially since the entrance exam was only eight days away.
He absolutely hated failing. Not for the sake of pride, but because it made him feel like he was just wasting all the effort everyone put into helping him. He was no fool after all; he knew that if it wasn't for all the help he received, he wouldn't be anywhere near as fit as he is today. The U.A. Staff's and All Might's specialized training. Lunch Rush's Nutritional expertise. Recovery Girl aiding in his muscle recovery. It had turned a malnourished teenager who was nothing but skin and bone and on the brink of death, into a physically fit young man in just a year and a half.
He had to be reminded constantly that despite how much healthier he is now, he still wasn't fully recovered. His body was a wreck after all, and they had to fast track his recovery. That means if he ever pushed himself too far it could cause him to backtrack, rather than make progress. It was a challenge for those helping him since he couldn't shake his feeling of inadequacy, but they happily took the challenge.
"Push Young Aizawa! You're doing great! You're so close!" Encouraged Yagi.
Izuku could feel his body giving out on him, screaming at him to stop. He had already surpassed his record, but he refused to give up now. Not when he is so close. He desperately wants to prove that none of the effort put in to help him was a waste. He just has to dig deeper.
As he pushed himself harder, he thought about the people who helped him get this far. Feeling his hold on One for All loosen, he instinctively thought of the day he obtained it.
That's right, he had already received the number one hero's quirk. And while it was useful, receiving it had almost been more of an ordeal than the training to be able to handle it.
2 months ago*
"Uuuggghhhh" groaned Izuku as he laid, sprawled out on the floor of gym gamma. Every one of his muscles ached.
"I told you, you shouldn't have pushed yourself so much yesterday." Shoka said with a smug but loving grin next to him.
"I know, but I was so close to being done cleaning up that trash heap of a beach. I wanted to get it done." Retorted Izuku.
"Yeah, but now you have to suffer the consequences of that decision." Shoka shot back.
"Eh. No regrets." Said Izuku with a stiff shoulder shrug.
Shoka couldn't help but laugh. She loved seeing Izuku like this, it showed he was really coming into his own. He was still a nervous kid with a lot of mental health issues, and only acted this way with people he was extremely comfortable with, but he was getting better.
She could also tell that Izuku finishing what everyone assumed would be a ten month task in just eight was a massive boost to his confidence. When Shoka and Yagi went to Dagobah to check on Izuku's progress, they were stunned and impressed to see it spotless. They were also amused to see Izuku standing on top of a huge pile of trash screaming his heart out in victory.
The amusement quickly turned to concern when Izuku began to topple over. Thankfully, Yagi was quick to buff up into her All Might form and catch him. After making sure he was ok, the two of them exclaimed their pride in Izuku.
All Might then gave a short heartwarming speech about how Izuku had earned One for All, before she plucked a hair from her head and told Izuku to eat it. When Izuku and Shoka shot her disgusted looks, she was quick to explain how the transfer worked. But just as Izuku was about to grab the hair, Shoka stopped him, much to his confusion.
Shoka explained how they should wait for tomorrow before the transfer. Knowing what the quirk could do to someone not in good enough physical shape to handle the power, Shoka was adamant on not letting Izuku receive the quirk when he was so exhausted. She refused to allow any unnecessary risks. So they decided to do it in gym gamma, at least there it was in a more controlled setting.
Walking to the side of Izuku, she stuck out her hand. "Come on, I'll help you stretch and work out some of the kinks. Yagi will be here soon." She offered, only to laugh again as Izuku let out a playfully exaggerated groan.
"Fiiiine." Exclaimed Izuku as he grabbed hold of his mom's hand and shot her a grateful smile. "Thanks."
"Anytime. Now let's get started, today's the day." Said Shoka with a smile of her own as she helped her son to his feet.
Izuku couldn't help but feel nervous. Today was the day. The day he'd receive One for All. He wasn't sure if he was truly ready, or even capable of handling the responsibilities that came with the quirk.
But apparently his feelings showed on his face as his mom put her hand on his shoulder with a concerned look. "You know you don't have to take it. It's not too late to say no." Said Shoka.
Izuku gave his mom a worried smile, but was still brimming with determination. "I know, but I refuse to back down. I want to save as many people as possible, and One for All will allow me to do that."
Shoka just gave a smile and nodded before continuing the stretches. But what Izuku didn't notice was Yagi, Nezu, and Recovery Girl entering the gym, smiling proudly after hearing Izuku's words.
"That's an outstanding conviction young Aizawa. And I know you will be a truly fantastic hero. With or without One for All." Spoke Yagi, startling Izuku in the process. Izuku's only response was to blush and give an appreciative smile. Yagi proceeded to buff up into her All Might form. "Now I believe it's time for you to receive what you have worked so hard for." She said as she plucked a hair and held it out to Izuku.
Izuku slowly reached out and grabbed the hair before staring at it. "You aren't good enough for such a powerful quirk. It would be wasted on you." Spoke the voice in his head, but he refused to listen. As he rolled up the hair and tossed it in his mouth, he grabbed his water bottle to help swallow.
After checking to make sure the hair didn't get stuck in his mouth, he stood there waiting for something to happen. Only to be confused when he felt nothing. He checked over his body, seeing if maybe it affected him physically. The quirk did allow All Might to buff up after all. But nothing was different. "Did it not work?" Asked Izuku.
All Might let out a bellowing laugh before she shrunk back down. "It will take a couple hours for the transfer to happen as you have to process the hair first." Yagi explained.
"In that case, let's do some quirk training, and a light workout. Nothing major, just enough to loosen up your sore muscles." Said Shoka.
"Right!" Exclaimed Izuku, ready to get started. His mom wasn't kidding when she said light either. It was just enough to keep his body loose and warm. Even his quirk training was simply control exercises and target practice.
He was actually in the process of working on rapid fire accuracy when he suddenly started hurting again, only this time it mildly felt like his muscles were trying to burst. The pain wasn't enough to normally bother him considering he had experienced so much worse, but remembering how All Might explained early on that if his body isn't prepared for the quirk that his limbs could shoot off, he was a little concerned.
It seemed that Izuku's sudden reaction garnered the worry of the others, as they quickly ran over to check on him. "Izuku! Are you ok? What happened?" Asked Shoka worriedly.
Izuku didn't say anything as he experimentally flexed his fingers and moved his arms. It was honestly a bit difficult. Nothing felt right, and while the pain wasn't going away, it wasn't getting worse either. It's just that every part of his body felt heavy. Turning to his family he could see the extreme worry clear on their faces. He didn't want to worry them, so he decided to omit part of the truth. "I don't know, I think One for All finished transferring, but my body feels heavy."
Unfortunately the half truth didn't do much to deter Shoka's Momma bear tendencies. She quickly rounded on Yagi with a death glare. "What did that quirk do to my son?" She asked in a tone that promised pain.
Yagi quickly raised her hands in surrender. "I-I don't know! This didn't happen to me when I received One for All!" She quickly explained, though it didn't seem satisfactory to the enraged mother.
"Eraser!" Called out Nezu in a slightly demanding tone. Shoka looked like she was about to ignore the principal, but reluctantly turned her attention towards him. "This wasn't outside the scope of possibility. There is no exact science to this quirk, especially since One for All is more powerful now than when Yagi obtained it. We can only make educated guesses. And my current guess is that Izuku's still healing body is able to retain the quirk, but is still straining under the power." Explained Nezu. Shoka seemed to reluctantly accept the answer. Seeing that the mother was placated for now, Nezu turned his attention to Izuku, looking concerned. "How are you feeling Izuku? Anything else we should know about?"
"I'm fine. It's nothing I can't handle." Izuku answered. He felt bad for not being completely honest, but firmly believed that this was just something he'd have to deal with for the time being as he got used to the quirk.
Despite how good of a poker face Nezu had, Izuku could tell his pseudo uncle knew he wasn't speaking the whole truth. And for a moment, worried that he would reveal that fact. But he merely nodded his head. "Ok then. For now, it might be best to conduct a small test. Perhaps using it will help your body adjust." Suggested Nezu.
Shoka was about to argue against the idea, but a look she received from the small mammal told her she needed to tone down the protectiveness for now. "Fine. But I'm using my quirk at the first sign of something going wrong." She firmly stated.
Nezu went back to his usual cheerful self. "Of course! I expected nothing less. Now Yagi, go ahead and explain how to use the quirk." He said with a clap of his paws.
"You ready to get started, young Aizawa?" Asked Yagi with a kind, determined smile.
"Yes!" Eagerly exclaimed Izuku.
"Good. To access OFA, feel the power deep within you." Instructed Yagi, watching as Izuku closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "When you find it clench your buttcheeks, and scream from the depths of your heart, SMASH!!!" She dramatically exclaimed. It took her a second to realize the room had gone unnaturally quiet, as everyone stood still before slowly turning to look at her simultaniously. "What?"
Aizawa was the one who decided to state what was on everyone's mind. "Really?" She asked blankly.
Yagi scratched at the back of her head, giving a sheepish smile. "It's how I was taught to do it by my master. Though admittedly, she did have a flair for the dramatic." She admitted. It wasn't lost on her when everyone gave her a 'and you aren't?' look.
Aizawa stared at Yagi for a few more seconds before letting out a sigh. "Fine. It's worth a shot I guess." She said before turning to Izuku and giving him a nod in encouragement.
With a nod in return Izuku closed his eyes again and felt around for a power that wasn't from Incubus. When he found it, he followed Yagi's instructions. He was honestly surprised when he felt the power course through him. It made the ache he already felt much worse, but this time he was ready for it and didn't react. He let out a chuckle when he heard his mom groan and express her disbelief that Yagi's method worked. Opening his eyes he looked at his arms and noticed green electricity and colorful veins all over them.
"Good." Spoke Yagi. "Now, be careful. You may have molded your body into a proper vessel, but it was done in a hurry. The backlash of OFA can be intense."
"How intense?" asked Izuku
"I honestly don't know given how much it's grown. But I wouldn't be surprised if using too much would break your bones." Informed Yagi.
"Ex-fucking-scuse me, what?!?" Yelled Shoka, as Izuku's eyes shot open and looked worriedly at Yagi, who seemed unfazed by Shoka, probably having expected that reaction.
"That's why we are going to take this very slowly, as of right now your control is extremely limited, and it's either all or nothing. I honestly would have rather waited another couple months before passing OFA onto you, but we need to get you used to it before you start at UA. Otherwise, you could accidentally use it in a moment of high stress during training." Yagi explained.
Izuku could see from the corner of his eye his mom calm down, seeming to see the logic. And honestly it was pretty sound, afterall, his first few uses of Incubus was accidental as it usually is with all quirks. "Understood. Where do we start?" Asked Izuku.
Yagi smiled, seeing the determination in Izuku's eyes. "Let's start with you simply moving. Try slowly lifting your arm."
Flashback end*
The pain Izuku felt that day was excruciating. And the most he did was walk with OFA active. He didn't break any bones, but each movement made him feel like his body was being torn to shreds.
It was decided afterwards that Izuku would need a different type of training to start off. After some discussion they settled on meditation in an attempt to gain enough control to adjust the output.
It was simultaneously easier and harder than Izuku expected. He started by getting a feel for both of his quirks and finding any similarities that could help him. He found that Incubus felt like a well containing the attar that fueled his power, but was unable to feel a bottom to it. He would desire to draw a certain amount and it would just flow through him like it was going through some sort of piping. It felt clean and smooth, and was easy to control due to the output starting at the bottom.
OFA on the other hand was like an overfilled water balloon, ready to burst at the slightest touch. Whenever he would try and activate it, the balloon would just pop, and all the power would pour out. Thankfully deactivating it was just like flipping a light switch, he turns it off, and it's contained again.
The really odd part was that when he got a feel for them, he noticed that both quirks seemed like they were fighting each other. It was like OFA was trying to absorb Incubus, but Incubus was fighting back. It took him a couple weeks, but Izuku did manage to get the two to stop. And while he wouldn't say it was harmonious, he would come to find out both quirks worked quite well together.
After getting the two under control, he was still unable to draw upon OFA without the balloon bursting. It frustrated him to no end. But one day Yagi was able to give him some advice. Water Balloons are weak, so try to change the feel of the container, or reinforcing the balloon. Izuku wanted to facepalm after hearing that, it seemed so obvious in hindsight. Finally, a month after receiving OFA, he was able draw on it, rather than it just bursting forth. He still needed to concentrate on imagining it as a steel container that he can slightly open, but hopefully it'll one day be instinctual.
When he first learned to control the output, he was going to attempt to use 5%, but was stopped by Yagi. She suggested he start off lower as a precaution, something his mom agreed with vehemently. It actually hurt his confidence when even 1% made his muscles ache after just one attack, but everyone refused to let it get him down. After some more testing, he was only able to use .5% of OFA for an extended period of time, but through some more training, he's currently able to use 1% without hurting. It was slow progress, but the encouragement of those around him helped so much.
Fortunately, all the training he's put in also made the pain stop. Though he honestly didn't know how to feel when he realized he didn't notice the change at first. He was able to operate and sleep just fine despite the pain considering he had spent so many years feeling so much worse.
"Wooooo, you're kicking butt Izu!" Screamed Mei.
"Show this course who's boss Izu!" Encouraged Kinoko.
In his exhaustion, Izuku didn't even know his girlfriends had shown up. Girlfriends. It was still weird to think about despite the fact that the three of them had been dating for a few months now. And it's not even like things have gotten weird between them, in fact it's pretty much the opposite. The only thing that has really changed between them is how much more affectionate the two have become with him, which he didn't even think was possible. And he had to admit, he loved when they showered him with kisses. He still has difficulty initiating kisses with them, but did what he could to push through his apprehension and show how much he loved the two. Thinking back, it was actually their first date that he initiated a kiss for the first time.
Flashback*
"… So then she pulls out this oldish trench coat, and before a word could be said, both my mom and aunt Mic said no with the sternest gaze I've ever seen." Regaled Izuku, as he walked through the botanical gardens with his girlfriends, holding both of their hands.
It has been a fun date so far, Izuku had done what he could to make this date adhere to both of his girlfriends tastes. Even keeping the agenda secret to give more of a wow factor. They visited a museum that had both a tech exhibit featuring old hero support gear, and a botanical exhibit with an extensive mushroom section. Afterwards they visited a cafe for some food that had a steampunk theme that Mei absolutely loved. The botanical gardens were the size of a large park, with many different exhibits. It even had several areas to hold events of different sizes. This was their final stop for the night, but there was more to it than either girl expected.
"Why was Midnight suggesting a trench coat for your hero costume?" Asked Mei with a laugh as she looked around at all the unique looking flowers. While this place was more Kinoko's speed, she had to admit, this place was amazing. It had so many pretty and unique plants and flowers, some of them even giving her ideas for new baby's.
She wasn't blind to how much she had changed since she met Izuku. Before she would spend as much time in her family workshop as possible and pull many all-nighters. And while she still spent all her time in the workshop when she wasn't with Izuku or Kinoko, sometimes even when they were around, now she spent more time doing other things. Things she didn't imagine herself actually enjoying before.
That's not to say she regrets how she spent her time before, or that she changed for the better, just that she loves how things have turned out for her. And loves those who've come into her life.
"I have no clue. The moment I even tried, mom and aunt Mic gave me the same stern look and just said 'No.'" Izuku said with a laugh.
"Knowing Midnight, there was probably a provocative reason." Giggled Kinoko. She was having a great time on the date, to the point that she couldn't stop smiling. It felt like a dream finally being in a relationship with her two best friends. The two people that changed her life. She would openly admit her life was a bit dull beforehand, and suffocating whenever her dad was involved.
Now she felt like she was truly living her life, doing things she never expected to do. She loved helping Mei work on her babies, and sometimes having to pull her out of her manic episodes (which she had to admit was kinda hot.) And Izuku's infectious excitement whenever they went out to do things she used to take for granted. Sure she had fun doing some of the activities before, but Izuku brought about a newfound appreciation. Yes it broke her heart understanding that Izuku's excitement comes from having such a horrible childhood, but she still loved seeing that smile of his whenever they went out to have fun.
Izuku groaned and tried to put his face in his hands, only Mei and Kinoko refused to release them, so he just ended up with their hands in his face. While it did fluster him a bit, he still couldn't help but mentally chuckle. "Please don't put that image in my head."
Mei playfully bumped into Izuku with a giggle. "Come on, she's a beautiful woman. You can't tell me you haven't thought of her that way before." She teased.
"I mean kinda, it's hard not to with a personality like hers, and it was only in ways she presented. But that was before she became my aunt. Now it just feels wrong. I know we're not blood related, but I still view her as family." Izuku explained with a slight blush.
Mei and Kinoko could only giggle at Izuku's slight exasperation, which caused him to pout. This only made the two giggle more, finding it adorable. Both ended up kissing him on the cheek, causing Izuku's blush to deepen, but smile nonetheless.
"Today has been wonderful, thank you Izuku." Said Mei affectionately as she leaned on Izuku while they walked.
"Yes, thank you, I've been having an amazing time." Spoke Kinoko, mimicking Mei's actions.
"I'm happy to hear that. Not gonna lie, I was pretty worried, so that does give me some assurance that you'll like what comes next." Said Izuku, sounding relieved.
"Oh? There's more? What is it?" Asked Kinoko.
Izuku smirked playfully at the question. "Well, let's just say there is a certain event going on today that I think you'll enjoy." He said.
Both Mei and Kinoko looked confused for a moment, before Kinoko's eyes widened. Quickly pulling out her phone she checked the date. "Wait, you don't mean….?" She asked. The smile Izuku gave her was all the confirmation she needed. Beaming a huge bright smile she started jumping up and down in excitement. "OMG! OMG! OMG! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! You are the best Izu!" Squealed Kinoko as she jumped on Izuku, giving him a deep kiss.
Mei couldn't help but laugh at the scene, especially when Kinoko pulled away from the kiss and Izuku started sputtering with a huge blush. "Is someone gonna fill me in, or am I just going to be left in the dark?" She asked between chuckles.
Kinoko jumped over to Mei, still smiling broadly. "There's a new rising idol playing here! She is amazing and is quickly becoming very popular! She uses her quirk "Light Show" to make the most beautiful images and visual effects! Last month she made what looked like a miniature aurora borealis spread out from the stage!" She gushed before turning to Izuku, her face radiating excitement. "And if I'm right….." She started, but stopped as she saw Izuku reach into his pocket and pull out some folded pieces of paper, handing them to her.
Kinoko wasted no time taking them and unfolding them to inspect. She let out a massive squeal and hugged them to her chest as she jumped up and down when she confirmed they were indeed tickets to the very show she mentioned.
Izuku stood there smiling happily as he saw his girlfriend so excited for his surprise, and was surprised himself when Kinoko grabbed his face, pulling him down to her level and started smothering him with kisses. Izuku was too stunned to even notice how much his attar was skyrocketing.
When Kinoko was done kissing every inch of Izuku's face, she still was brimming with excitement. Wasting no time grabbing both Izuku's and Mei's hands and started dragging them. "Come on, let's go! I want to get a good view!"
Mei couldn't help but laugh at her girlfriend's enthusiasm. "Do you even know where the show is?" She asked.
That question stopped Kinoko in her tracks, her face going red from embarrassment. "Heheheh, not exactly." She laughed nervously as she rubbed her arm.
Izuku chuckled as well at Kinoko's antics, "come on, let's find a map. Her show is at the Rose theater." He said as he took both girls' hands again, almost tripping when Kinoko plowed into him, hugging his arm happily. One thing he appreciated about his quirk was how good receiving attar felt, and the more he received, the better the feeling. And right now, he was receiving a lot from Kinoko.
It didn't take them long to find a directory and make their way to the event. All three were stunned by the view, the stage was at the end of a shallow decline, so the attendees would be standing or sitting on the grass. On either side of the stage was a myriad of rose bushes of many different colors. All in a strategic location so the colors softly went from one to the next. The stage itself wasn't huge, but big enough that Izuku wondered if they also held plays here.
The three of them decided to be more in the middle, as neither Izuku or Kinoko wanted to be in the front where more of the rambunctious fans tended to be. It was a good thing Kinoko suggested getting there when she did as the venue started to fill up pretty fast.
"Izuku? Mei? Kinoko? Is that you?" The three heard, immediately recognizing the voice.
"Nejire!" Yelled Mei and Kinoko as they rushed to give their friend a hug which was happily returned.
"I guess you're here for the show?" Asked Kinoko.
"Yup yup, I'm here with three of my friends!" She exclaimed as she gestured to a couple guys and a girl standing right behind her.
Izuku stiffened for a second at the realization that he would be interacting with people he didn't know, but quickly regained his composure when he reminded himself that they were friends with Nejire, so they had to be good people. Though he was still apprehensive since he didn't know how much they knew about him.
Despite the fact that he tried to hide it, the 4 newcomers were able to pick up on Izuku's discomfort. So in an attempt to help him out, Nejire grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug, and when she broke it still kept an arm over his shoulders. "Let me introduce you guys. Aizawa Izuku. Hatsume Mei. And Komori Kinoko." she said, gesturing to each one in kind. "This is Togata Mirio." She said, gesturing to a tall muscular blond guy who Izuku couldn't help but think looks like the vault boy from the Fallout 17 game he started playing recently. "Amajiki Tamaki." Said guy had black hair, elf ears, and looked like he has a harder time managing his anxiety than Izuku does. "And Haya Yuyu." The only other girl had short spiky light pink hair.
"Hey, nice to meet you three." Said Togata with a wave of his hand, before using it to grab his chin as he donned a thoughtful look. "Aizawa….. hey, are you related to the teacher Eraserhead?" He asked.
"Um, yeah. Sh-she's my mom." He said somewhat shyly.
This actually made Togata's brain stall for a second. He could have sworn Eraserhead was too young to have a kid of Izuku's age. Let alone he didn't even know she even had a kid. A quick glance at Nejire who gave him a slight shake of her head told him to not ask questions. "Oh cool! It must be awesome having such an amazing hero as a parent! Though she can be pretty strict and scary." He said smoothly continuing the conversation, though worried he might have just put his foot in his mouth with that last comment. But he was relieved when Izuku chuckled.
"Y-yeah, I've been told by aunt Mic and aunt Midnight how she is in the classroom, or anywhere else besides with me for that matter. She has a good heart, and I know she does what she does out of concern for her students." Said Izuku, his love for his mom shining through.
"That's fair, most underground heroes do tend to be more caring than those in the spotlight. I just wish she didn't threaten expulsion so much. Don't get me wrong, it's an effective tactic in teaching heroics, but she once threatened me for being too loud." Said Yuyu with a lighthearted smile.
"Let me guess. You woke her up from a nap?" Asked Mei, looking very amused. Everyone laughed at Yuyu's somewhat guilty expression.
"So how do the three of you know Nejire anyways? I don't think I've seen you around campus." Asked Togata. It wasn't lost on him that Nejire was far more focused than her usual scatterbrained self, which only happened with stuff she really liked.
"Well, my mom asked her to help me with my quirk since we both have resource quirks. I don't think I'd be as far with it as I am without her." Izuku explained.
Nejire gave Izuku a big hug with a huge smile on her face."Awwww, you're so sweet Izuku!" She said, and while Izuku couldn't, the others could see her blushing. Mei and Kinoko smiled at each other with knowing looks.
"So tell me, what are you three here for? You seemed awfully chummy earlier." Asked Yuyu with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Izuku's face exploded in red as he started rubbing the back of his head nervously. "W-well you see…. We're…." Started Izuku. He knew it was more than just his innate shyness that was preventing him from talking, but he didn't want the girls to think he was ashamed of their relationship.
Thankfully Kinoko picked on his anxiety so she decided to help him out. "We're here on a date. Izuku being the sweetie he is, got us tickets." She said with a big smile and a blush.
"Awwww looks like you 2 have a keeper. Come on Nejire, let's let the love birds get back to their date." She said a bit teasingly, though she was giving Nejire a look that told the blunette to listen to her.
Nejire hesitated for a couple seconds before giving Izuku a squeeze. "I'll see you during our next training session Izuku." After she released Izuku she said goodbye to Kinoko and Mei with hugs as well. As the three of them got back to their cuddling, Nejire looked back at them longingly, before following her friends.
The show itself was spectacular. In fact, it blew Izuku's and Mei's expectations out of the water. Neither knew much about this idol except from what they heard from Kinoko, she was fairly new to the scene after all. So when she started using her quirk and it looked more like a hologram than a simple light show they were awestruck. She was amazing to watch as she seamlessly controlled it while keeping up her dance routine. And the level of control she had was inspiring. She was able to stick to the theme of the garden and made it look like rose petals of multiple colors were raining down all over, made small fountains of water all around them with rainbows included, and towards the end of the show, made elaborate fireworks.
But what stuck out to Izuku the most wasn't the show itself. It was the happiness his girlfriends showed that captivated him. Mei's expression was more subdued than when she was working on one of her babies, but she was still awed by the show. Her eyes would always follow what the idol's quirk was doing, no doubt giving her new ideas. While Kinoko on the other hand was very energetic, constantly bouncing in excitement. A wide smile hadn't left her face as she marveled at the skill of the idol.
Izuku felt so at peace, so happy that he could bring such joy to his girlfriends. But there was still a small gnawing feeling in his heart. He felt bad that he was unable to tell the others they were on a date. Worried that he might have upset one or both of his girlfriends. He knew he was just being paranoid, but he wanted to show them how much he loved and cared about them. He couldn't tell you what happened, what exactly drove him to what he did next, but before he knew it he put his hand on Kinoko's cheek, gaining her attention. As soon as he had it, he slowly leaned in.
Kinoko could easily tell what Izuku was doing, and it made her heart absolutely flutter. Knowing Izuku's difficulty in initiating affection made this moment feel even more special to her, so she let him close the gap. As soon as their lips touched, she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck, diving deep into the kiss without a moment's hesitation. The sparks they felt dwarfed the fireworks.
It didn't take Mei long to notice what was happening when Izuku shifted. When she saw him initiate the kiss, her grin threatened to split her face. This was a huge step in their relationship, and she had every intention to keep the momentum going. Once the two split she gave them a few more seconds before tapping him on the shoulder to gain his attention. She couldn't help but giggle when Izuku jumped, having obviously been lost in the moment. "So do I get one?" She asked with a slightly mischievous smile.
Izuku stalled for a second, his mind still on what just happened. After his mind caught up he gave Mei a loving smile and started leaning in. Like Kinoko, Mei wanted Izuku to start the kiss, but as soon as she felt even the slightest contact, she grabbed his face and quickly deepened it. Izuku couldn't say with absolute certainty that he didn't use his quirk, but they both felt like they were flying.
While these weren't the first kisses, they felt just as magical. When the kiss was done, Izuku felt on top of the world, enough so that even his lingering anxiety was drowned out by how happy he felt in that moment. When the three of them went back to cuddling and watching the show, Mei and Kinoko noticed he was holding them closer than before.
End flashback*
That day was a turning point in their relationship. Izuku had started feeling more comfortable in initiating affection. Even occasionally pulling one of them onto his lap to cuddle as they relaxed.
Since then they have gone on several dates, each one making Izuku feel more and more comfortable in the relationship. So comfortable he was glad he made a deal with Yagi, that when he received OFA he was allowed to tell who he wanted as long as he had trusted in them. So he told them as soon as he could after receiving the quirk. Heck, he even told them before he told his aunt Mic and aunt Midnight. He hated having to lie to anyone about OFA, so he knew it would kill him to have to lie to them. After all, it killed him to have to lie to Nejire.
Speaking of the blunette, during their next training session Nejire told him that they were at the show as an attempt to get Togata and Amajiki together. She told him that it was extremely obvious they liked each other, but neither would make a move. Izuku did tell her that maybe a crowded place wasn't the best place for that with someone like Amajiki, that maybe a gentle talk individually about their feelings would be better. Nejire followed his suggestion, and not long after Togata asked Amajiki out.
With Izuku's and Shoka's permission, Togata, Amajiki, and Yuyu even started helping out with his training. Togata would spar with him, both without their quirk to give Izuku more experience in case he ran out of Attar in the middle of a battle. In fact, Izuku hasn't even seen Togata use his quirk in battle yet and doesn't know how he uses it to fight, but he still couldn't land even a single hit. Yuyu would help Nejire in quirk training, even helping him come up with some ideas for his quirk, most of which Izuku never would have even thought of. It was weird how accurately she could guess what Izuku's quirk could do. According to Nejire it's because Yuyu is very creative and perceptive, allowing her to pick up on a lot from very little. Amajiki took a little while to come around. To this day he still gets a little flustered around Izuku, but is still able to communicate and assist. He actually proved to be the most helpful of the three. Something Izuku never noticed was there was a slight delay in when he desires to use any of his abilities to when they actually happen, and what's worse is that his reaction time wasn't all that good. Him and Togata were quick to instill into Izuku that you can't waste even a second in battle. So Amajiki helped teach him how to use his quirk on instinct, including using it at small pinpoints to minimize attar use. Turned out their quirks actually were similar in how they drew on the power, but Amajiki used to have to fully concentrate on keeping it active. Thankfully Amajiki's training was a huge boon in training OFA as well. Izuku still has a ways to go as changing the feel of the quirk was no easy task, but the progress he made showed.
Even outside of training the three were very nice to him. Turned out they knew who he was as well, and were just as accepting as Nejire. So it became more common for them to join Izuku and Nejire when the two hung out. It took some time, but he would definitely count the three of them as friends.
It always astounds Izuku how much his life had changed in just a year and a half. He has a family, friends, girlfriends, and is working towards his dream. He had to pinch himself every morning to ensure that this wasn't all just a dream.
When Izuku turned the corner to the last obstacle, it wasn't his burning muscles, or the fact that his lungs felt like they were about to burst that made him shed tears. No, it was that he was able to see that everyone was there cheering him on. He was so focused on the course itself that he failed to notice the whole U.A. staff and his friends had shown up to support him.
Maybe it was adrenaline kicking in, wanting to show off, or just the overwhelming support he was getting, but Izuku wanted to finish the course off with a bang. His muscles were screaming at him not to, but he refused to listen. When he reached the fifty meter tall wall with nothing but a rope to climb up, he was glad he was conservative with his attar. Just before reaching the wall he grew his wings, put some attar in his legs, and even was able to access OFA and leaped over the wall without using the rope. He barely noticed the two targets, one on the side of the platform hidden from view, and one just on the other side of the wall, probably to hide them from fliers like him. He quickly launched an attack at each, before gliding to the finish line. Izuku barely had enough energy left to even smile, but the cheers he was getting while he was descending gave him just enough strength to give them one of his sunshine smiles.
Due to his lack of energy, the moment Izuku's legs hit the ground, he immediately started to topple over as his legs gave out. His mom, seeing how hard he was pushing himself predicted this, so was easily able to catch him. "Good job. You did amazing." Shoka said softly.
Izuku didn't have the energy to respond, but did his best to give an appreciative look. His attention was drawn to where he heard a familiar sigh.
"You youngins, always acting so reckless. I'm proud of what you accomplished, but you better rest after this. As in no training for at least a couple days." Recovery Girl lightly scolded, emphasizing her final sentence with a slam of her cane, but her caring smile took away any fire.
"Yes *huff huff* grandma." Forced out Izuku.
Recovery Girl's smile grew slightly. While she wasn't the biggest fan of being reminded of her age, being called that by Izuku always melted her heart. "Good. While I love to see you, I'd rather not see you in my clinic." She said affectionately.
Izuku didn't have a chance to respond as Mei gently yoinked him out of his mom's arms, wrapping him in a hug. At first it was a tight squeeze, but once she heard a pained squeak from him she quickly relaxed her grip. "Sorry, I'm just excited to see you complete the course!" She said, emphasizing her point with a kiss on the cheek.
Kinoko quickly hopped next to them and gave a kiss as well. "You did amazing! You finished the course before we even became students!" She exclaimed happily, resisting the urge to hug Izuku so as to not hurt him.
"Ok girls, let's let him sit down, we don't want him collapsing on us." Said Vlad King with a chuckle. It was surreal to the teacher seeing how far the boy had come. When he heard about Izuku and his condition, he expected it to take another year or two before the boy would be healthy enough to even attempt the entrance exam, let alone complete the obstacle course. But the boy had exceeded his and everyone's expectations. While he completely understood the circumstances, he wished he could have helped more, and he knew the rest of the staff felt the same. After all, after Izuku was comfortable enough with each one of them and allowed them to help, he became like family without fail. But each and every one of them will do everything they can to help him going forward.
Mei and Kinoko both assisted him to the nearby seats that were setup for this exact reason. Izuku was so tired, if it wasn't for the soreness, he would have fallen asleep the moment he sat down. Though he didn't have much of a chance either because shortly after sitting down, his head was pulled into something soft. His face went crimson when he realized it was Nejire hugging his head to her chest. "Omg omg omg, you were awesome out there! How were his results?!" She asked excitedly.
Nezu walked forward, chuckling and holding a tablet. "Well it looks like Izuku here finished with a time of 1 hour, 23 minutes, and 47 seconds. That's just under a minute faster than the average first time completion time. He also managed to take out 62% of targets, which meets the average. All in all, a very good showing for someone not even in their first year. You just love to exceed our expectations, don't you Izuku?" Said Nezu, his chipper voice full of pride.
Izuku's first instinct was to be upset about his performance. He wanted to do better, but as he looked around and saw all the proud, happy looks he was getting, he knew he was setting an impossible bar for himself. "Well, I wouldn't have gotten this far without everyone here's help. So I'd say this was everyone's accomplishment." He said with a smile, still breathing hard.
"That's not quite true young Aizawa." Said Yagi as she started to ruffle Izuku's hair, holding back a grimace as she quickly realized it was soaked from sweat. "None of this could have been accomplished without your drive and hard work. It's not the trainer that achieves their students' feats."
"I still want to at least acknowledge the guidance and help you have all given me. So thank you, all of you." Said Izuku with a grateful smile, earning caring smiles in return. Izuku couldn't help but think that just a year and a half ago, he was all alone, on the verge of dying, and at such a low point that death seemed preferable. But one moment, one decision changed the course of his life so drastically. He knew it could all be lost in the blink of an eye, it's happened once before after all. But he'd defend it and everyone he loves till his dying breath.
(A/N) and there we have it! Hope this chapter at least somewhat makes up for my absence. In regards to what happened, during my time of writing the previous chapter I worked for an exploitative and terrible company. Things like giving more responsibilities with less pay, putting more work on my shoulders and still expecting it done in the same amount of time, making terrible excuses to give tiny raises, that kind of stuff. Well the stress from that job was killing me (I'm not joking or exaggerating) so I finally quit. Well it took time for me to get healthy again, but the time there really took a massive toll on my already poor mental health. Well about a month and a half ago I finally started getting treatment for my depression and previously undiagnosed ADHD. While I'm still healing, I am doing a lot better now, including working at a much better job. So my drive has returned to me ten fold. So I do hope to be getting more chapters out soon. In the meantime, anyone suffering from either poor circumstances or mental health issues, know that I support you and hope you receive the help you need. Just suffering through it isn't necessary, so please seek out help. I love you all! See you next time!