Vivid vermillion permeates a hoary handkerchief, blood seeping through the chalky cotton. The brazenly palpable blemish spreads over the cloth with effervescence. When she hacks up more of the bright liquid, a spray of red specks the fabric, further staining the white material as it sinks in. Inko holds the mouchoir close to her mouth in order to hide the glaring results of her dry cough. Her hand carries a slight tremor as she tries to force down her raspy croaks of breath.

"Mommy?", she hears her son's muffled voice traveling through the bathroom door. Further attempting to hide her ill condition, she turns the knob on the sink faucet so that the sound of water running into the drain will drown her coughing fit out.

"Just a second more, Izuku, okay sweetie?", she spits into the already sullied handkerchief before folding it over and disposing of it by flushing it down the toilet. Her saliva comes out as a sandy titian color, blood pooling with sputum as she splashes the cold faucet water on her lips. She swallows some of the liquid and gargles it in her mouth before spitting out a darker shade of claret, turning water into wine.

Inko looks in the mirror, seeing how pale her face has become. She forces a smile that'll be enough to fool her child at the very least before shutting off the sink and gathering the courage to face him. He's waiting on the other side of the door when she opens it, his pet dog clutched close to his chest in each of his arms. Pochita had earned a verdant green collar with a silver name tag dangling from it since his adoption, becoming an official member of the Midoriya family's household. The canine gazes up at her with eyes that seem to know of her illness; she hardens her stare as though she's silently telling the dog to keep quiet about it to Izuku.

Inko crouches down a bit to match her son's height, broadening her phony smile. "Yes? What is it, sweetheart?", her benign tone isn't the least bit fraudulent as she tries to sound as considerate as possible for her kid though.

Izuku holds Pochita a little tighter, nuzzling his chin into the animal's fur as he looks down to avoid her line of sight. "Um.. Are you okay?", he tentatively asks.

Inko's smile wavers, but she doesn't let it fall. "Of course I am! What would make you ask that?", she springs up like she has energy to spare while putting her hands on her hips with authority. She sometimes forgets how perceptive her son can be, especially ever since he'd picked up quirk analysis as a hobby. The crafty mother quickly brainstorms an excuse for the hacking sounds he must have heard, "It's just seasonal allergies is all", and sells the lie with a feigned sniffle before wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

"Oh, alright", Izuku accepts the fib without a second thought. Her son is so innocent that she feels guilty for deceiving him when he trusts her so much. He perks up, forgetting about his concerns for her health, and asks with an eager lean forward, "Did you call Kacchan yet?"

Inko nods, happy to tell him the truth, "You bet! Your Aunt Mitsuki said you can go over there while mommy goes out" She brushes past the boy so that she can grab her purse off her dresser.

"Yes! Hear that, Pochita?!", Izuku celebrating in the background as she prepares herself for an outing turns her smile a bit more genuine. However, "Wait a minute, but where are YOU going?", her face falls flat when she realizes that she'll have to lie to her son again.

Truthfully, she made a doctor's appointment. But she can't let Izuku know that, he'd be worried until he's sick himself. "Oh, mommy just has a few errands to run, nothing for you to fret about", she ties her long flow of hair up into a bun as she walks back into the bathroom to use the mirror.

Again, Izuku believes her without a hint of doubt. "Okay then!", he sets Pochita down before asking, "Does that mean I can be a big boy and make my own breakfast?"

Inko side eyes him, wondering where that one came from. As he's been getting older, he's oddly been requesting to do more and more for her around the house such as laundry or dishes. It's a relief on her part to catch a break thanks to some help, but she can't help but be suspicious. "No using the stove", she also can't resist her motherly concerns about the dangers or messes that he could make.

"I won't!", Izuku feverishly shakes his head so hard that his entire body moves side to side with the motion. Sitting beside him, Pochita matches the movement, oscillating his own tiny head.

Against Inko's better judgment, she decides to give it a try. "Fine", she accedes to the cute proposal based on the agreed to terms and conditions, "Then you can make yourself something to eat."

"Yeah!", Izuku cheers with a happy hop. Pochita bounces with him as though he were a rabbit instead of a dog, yapping in equal elation.

Inko shakes her head, humored by the pair. "Don't get yourself into any trouble– and don't cause Mitsuki any problems either", she gives her son a semi-stern look so that he takes her seriously. He's a good kid, probably one of the best behaved in all of Japan, but children can still be mischievous little scamps from time to time that she has to make sure she keeps him disciplined.

"I'll be good! Promise!", he bends with the downward drop of his jump to fall into a full at the waist bow. It's hard to take him seriously at his age with a short stature and All Might pajamas, but Inko hums with satisfaction knowing her son keeps his word.

"Then I'll be off", she grabs her coat and begins sliding her arms into the sleeves as she heads for the door. Izuku and Pochita trail behind, the small duo almost in sync with one another. As Inko grabs an umbrella just in case the weather changes, she casts them one last look over her shoulder, "Be back soon!"

"Bye!", Izuku waves as he bids her farewell out the door. Once it shuts and he's got the house to himself, the boy shares a look with his canine companion. His eyes peel upwards with an inclined curl of his lips, equal parts thinned as impish arches. "Heh", he's pleased with himself and can't help but have such a smug expression.

"Hey, Pochita, looks like it's a slice of bread for breakfast", the puckish pull of his mouth into such a thinly stretched smile remains as he shares his plan with his pet pal. The dog cocks his head to the side, befuddled by the boy's bathetic revelation.

It's not until Izuku gets his grubby little mitts into the kitchen that Pochita sees why the bread breakfast is such a big deal. It's not just any slice from a loaf. It's the ultimate piece of toast. The boy's mother would never allow such an unhealthy disgusting meal to be consumed by her child. Izuku slathers the bread slice with everything his mom kept stocked in the fridge and cabinets. Strawberry jam, marmalade, honey, butter, grape jelly, cream cheese, peanut butter, and cinnamon are blended together in a thick spread of sugar. Pochita's mouth hangs open as he watches Izuku actually take a bite from the appalling and repulsive childish concoction.

Droplets dribble down from the boy's chin, spilling across the kitchen counter that he's leaning over as he eats and joins all of the crumbs that broke off from the bite. Izuku moans in satisfaction, munching on the toast and savoring the explosion of flavor. When he sees Pochita watching him, he mistakens the awestruck stare and holds out the breakfast blend as an offering, "You want some too, boy?" Pochita simply turns around on the heels of his paws and goes over to the doggie dish filled with kibble, making a firm statement without saying anything at all. Izuku shrugs, unphased as he chomps down on the toast again anyways, "Suit yourself!"

The adolescent drops a few more morsels of grain as he travels from the kitchen to the home office. Whatever other residue that spills onto the carpet along the way goes unnoticed by the boy. Izuku's thoughts are too fixated on the computer that he slowly starts up, a one track mind eager to begin the day properly. Almost ritual at this point, he types into the internet search engine the name of his favorite video. The title autofills and the page loads much to the boy's anticipation.

All Might's boisterous guffaw is a resounding boom through the PC's speaker system, shaking the whole house as though the hero is actually present. The clip shows the symbol of peace making his public debut. A herculean hero catches a crashed city transit bus that's about to fall off a bridge and pulls its passengers from the wreckage; the amazing rescue never fails to inspire awe from Izuku. Pochita has to squint from how bright the boy's beaming smile is. Two distinct tufts of blonde hair atop the man's head match the peace sign All Might flashes towards the camera.

Izuku recites what the hero says verbatim, "It's alright now! I am here!" Pochita leans back, stunned by how spastic the otaku has become. The boy rocks back and forth so fast and hard that the extreme motion would cause whiplash if not for how young he is. In the kid's eyes, the reflection of the screen is a pish posh of color that acknowledges All Might's western themed outfit. When Izuku breaks contact with the monitor, Pochita is shocked to see tears threatening to spill over. The dog's owner raises and points a shaky finger towards the frozen frame of All Might. "Hey, Pochita. Do you think I could one day be like him?", his voice wobbles just as much as he retracts that same hand to dry his eyes, "That's my dream. To become a hero."

Pochita leans his head to the side as he studies the crying child. A sympathetic stare from the dog has the boy bending down to pick the mutt up. At arm's width and at equal height as Izuku holds the canine up, the two maintain that contact. The gaze lingers, each of them simply relishing in the company of the other. The boy sniffles as his sorrow dissipates and his downturned mouth lifts into a smile.

Izuku can't help but pull the dog in for a hug, holding the animal close in his arms and pressed against his chest. Pochita nuzzles into the warmth, closing his eyes with content as he listens to the boy's soothing heartbeat. The gentle embrace brings a feeling of shared solace. Izuku's dog nestles against him as he says, "I wonder what your dream is, Pochita."

They snuggle some more from that position before moving their cuddles to the desk chair. Izuku restarts the recording of All Might's debut, watching it again. Instead of cringing, Pochita watches along with him this time. They stay seated there together for what's practically a feature film's runtime as the video loops. All the while, Izuku pets Pochita as the dog burrows into his lap. The companionship brings a smile to each of their faces as they relish in the moment.

Eventually, Izuku carries his pet over to the Bakugos. With Aunt Mitsuki and Kacchan expecting him, he doesn't want to keep them waiting too long. Pochita squirms a little in his grip as he carries the dog up the steps to his childhood friend's house. "Knock it off", he whispers in an attempt to mellow the animal's mood. Except, when he rings the doorbell, Pochita only struggles even more. "Fine", Izuku groans as he crouches to let the dog slip his grip, "I'll put you down."

The door creaks open to reveal a pointy haired blonde the same age as Izuku. He glowers at his childhood friend before redirecting the glare towards Pochita. The boy's lips curl into a snarl as he asks, "What the fuck is that freak of nature doing here, Deku?"

Izuku flinches as though he's been struck across the cheek by the verbal jab. Pochita glances upwards at his owner, noting his keeper's downtrodden demeanor. It's not the first time that Kacchan rearranged the kanji in Izuku's name to make it mean 'useless', but it still takes the boy by surprise. Izuku shakes it off with the rest of his body's trembling as he tries to respond with an as wobbly voice, "A- Aunt Mitsuki said I could c- come over, s- so I thought–"

"But my mom DIDN'T say you could bring that damned misfit mutt of yours with you", the sudden shout interrupts Izuku and nearly causes him to trip as he shrinks back from the sharp spike of tone. Izuku's shoe scrapes the brim of the stair step that he's backed against, the end of his sneaker leaning over the ledge. "DID SHE?!", Kacchan's second shout pushes Izuku the rest of the way so that he takes a step down. The blonde boy looks down on his green haired neighbor from the higher ground.

Izuku meets the eyes of his childhood friend, green melted down by the burning red glare. Izuku looks down, averting his gaze out of instinctive fear. He stammers as he tries to sound unaffected, "N- No.. I- I just thought–"

"Figures a loser like you would get a pet just as shitty", but the insults keep pushing him down. Literally, Izuku is forced back another step on the staircase. Kacchan sneers as he shakes his head with contempt, "No wonder you don't have any fucking friends."

Izuku clenches the part of his chest that covers his heart, hand grabbing a fistful of his All Might themed shirt. "K- Kacchan.. I thought WE were friends", his eyes shudder in shock as he tries not to cry from how deep the boy's words cut into his feelings.

"We're fucking not!", the ashen blonde snaps viciously. Pochita winces back with Izuku before looking between each of the boys, deeply disturbed. The dog had been made acquainted with 'Kacchan' before that he knows there's a short fuse to the kid's temper, but this is a whole new level from their meeting. "When are you gonna get it through your thick stupid skull that I only let you come over because of our moms?!", the pointy haired blonde lets off a few sparks from the palms of his hands via the usage of his quirk, "And DON'T call me Kacchan!"

"B- But..", Izuku whimpers in response to the display of power as an intimidation tactic. A quirkless kid fairs no chance against someone with such a strong ability like Kacchan's explosive quirk. As such, Pochita defends his owner, growling as a warning to match the brash blonde's threat.

"Oi, you got a fucking problem?", Kacchan pivots to face Pochita and growls in return. More miniature detonations come from the boy's palms as he stomps towards the tiny animal. "Looks like your dumb dog is trying to protect you, shitty Deku", a vein buldges from the blonde's forehead when Pochita doesn't back down from the bully.

Izuku's mouth drops agape as he looks between his pet and his childhood friend challenging one another. The boy forces himself to form words from his parted lips, "P- Pochita, don't!", worried about them getting hurt. The small dog obeys, looking away from the blonde to his owner with uncertainty. The blonde bully, however, doesn't back down. Izuku sees his childhood friend winding up for a kick and shouts, "Kacchan, no!"

The punt nails Izuku in the side as he dives in the way, scooping Pochita into his arms and taking the brunt of the damage. The boy falls down the rest of the stairs, landing hard on his back. "Oi?! You damned nerd!", Kacchan's eyes widen in shock as he's stunned momentarily by the sacrificial move. He stomps down the stairs to check on Izuku's well-being while casting a glance over his shoulder to make sure nobody saw the accident, "That kick wasn't meant for you, it was meant for your dumb dog!" When he reaches the bottom of the steps and he realizes there are no witnesses though… The blonde's frown morphs into a horribly wicked grin. "But this one–", he swings his leg right into the downed boy's back, "-that one's just for you, damned Deku!"

Izuku grunts when more pain gets added to his already bruising body. He folds himself inwards, preserving Pochita's safety even more as he takes the next few hits as well. "K- Kacchan, p- please s- stop..", Izuku's desperate whine only urges the bully to continue his assault.

"I TOLD YOU TO STOP CALLING ME THAT!", the blonde stomps on the other boy. He keeps his foot in place, grinding his shoe back and forth to really drive in the pain, "We're NOT friends!" A swift kick pounds against the defensive arm barrier Izuku put up between himself and Pochita, "The only friend that you've got is that dumb dog of yours!"

Seeing that the simple beating is getting him nowhere, the bully pops a few bursts of flame from his hands with the intent to use his quirk. Before Izuku can receive burns to add to his misery though, his luck bails him out. The blonde boy's mother bellows from the house, "WHAT ARE YOU YELLING ABOUT, YOU BRAT?!"

Mitsuki's son stops short, startled by the interruptive shout. He checks around him, hoping that she isn't around the corner and that there isn't anyone else watching. When he sees that there are no witnesses to his bullying, he yells back at her, "NOTHING, YOU OLD HAG!"

Izuku peeks through half-lidded eyes when he hears his Aunt Mitsuki ask, "WHO'S AT THE DOOR?!" What he sees instead of the woman is her son's menacing scowl that tells him without words not to let her know he's there.

"NOBODY!", the young Bakugo barks back. Then, at a lower decibel that only Izuku can hear, he says it again, "Nobody" Izuku feels spat on as the blonde turns on his heel and heads up the staircase to leave him behind at the bottom.

Only after his childhood friend is gone with a slam of the door does Izuku dare to uncurl from his balled up protective form. Despite being the one covered in bruises and speaking through a busted lip, "P- Pochita.. Are you alright?", the boy's concern is for his completely unharmed dog.

Pochita mewls as he licks the blood oozing from Izuku's mouth in response. Man's best friend is the boy's only friend as the dog also licks the rest of his owner's wounds.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Oof. Oh, wait, Roblox got rid of that sound. Augh.

Let's start from the beginning. Did you know Denji's mother died from a disease that made her cough up blood? I did some light rereading of Chainsaw Man to get some creative juices flowing and I think that's something I'd like to pull over into this story. For those of you undoubtedly upset about Inko's ticking clock to death now, you should probably know that it's a better alternative than the dark intrusive thoughts I had while writing the previous chapter, cause' I thought a lot about a car crash during the driving scene and killing Inko that way. So, if you think about it, you should honestly be grateful and thank me!

I had to have little Izuku make the Anya from SpyXFamily 'heh' face. I had to somehow have the ultimate toast make a cameo. And I just HAD to make Katsuki a dick. Which may not be the best way we wanna remember him in light of recent official MHA chapters, but.. hey, he gets better later, right? ..Right?

There's not very many reviews this time, but I'm gonna always answer them even if it's just one. So, let's get to it!

To agustingaleano322:

I'm glad you're willing to be patient with the fluff and I'm especially glad to see you still reading & reviewing!

To The Alone Sage:

Thank you! I'll try and keep the good stuff coming!

Welp, that does it for now. Hope to see ya all next time! A little tease: Izuku will finally be meeting his classmates!