Hello readers and welcome to my new chapter (First chapter published in the new year). So, I want to thank everyone (Both in Fanfiction dot net and AO3) who answered my question regarding how you felt about quirkless hero Izuku and the arguments against it. Always good to know that you're not crazy for thinking a certain way. And it tells me that the arguments against Izuku being quirkless just doesn't hold up with an inspecting eye. In fact, if you think about it, those arguments can be used as character/story plot points for Izuku.
A quirkless Izuku would never become a hero like All Might or Endeavor, sure; would not be at the power level to face the likes of All For One, Muscular, or Gigantomachia just by himself. But he still could've become a rather effective hero by himself; possibly even a symbol separate from All Might.
Anyways, let's get to the chapter. Here, we'll have some more fluffy moments between Izuku and the kids, as well as glimpses as to how the constant adoptions are shaping Izuku's life. I hope you enjoy.
Note: If you like what I write, and have a few dollars to spare each month, I would appreciate it if you donate to my Pat account. Link is on my Twitter page, with the link to that being on my fanfic bio. Thank you.
Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia.
Chapter 7: The New Everyday
"You can open your eyes now, Haruka."
"B-But, Mr. Izuku, y-you're still in front-"
"Don't worry. I'll be fine."
"I don't want to hurt you! Please, move."
"Trust me. These'll work."
"A-Are… do you promise…?"
"I promise. Trust me, I don't want to be hurt, just as much as you don't want to hurt me."
"...O-Okay…"
Slowly, hesitantly, Haruka opened her eyes.
And what she was met with was the smiling face of her savior.
For a moment, she merely stared, her eyes now fully opened. Then she looked at her hands. Then around the living room they were in. She saw two girls, about the same age as her; Eri and Typha. She saw a TV. She saw the couch they were on.
All of it was red.
But none of it was exploding.
"I can see…" Haruka muttered, awe clear in her voice. "I can actually see!"
A huge smile broke through her face. Sure, everything was red, but that beats everything exploding! "My eyes are open, and nothing is exploding! No one is getting hit with my lasers!"
"Congratulations!" She was suddenly glomped on by one of the girls sitting by her. Typha, if she remembered right. "I'm so happy for you sis!"
Sis. Sister. She has a sister now. Two new sisters. A new family. One that accepted her! And helped her!
"These glasses will keep your quirk under control from now on." Her savior, Izuku, spoke up. Getting her attention back on him. "They're made to stick to your head, and not easily fall off, so you don't have to worry about accidents happening so easily. Plus, they're made to be very tough, so no worries over breaking them either."
The glasses created for Haruka were a pair of narrow-shaped red visors, with a black frame holding the narrow lenses. From what he gathered, not only do these visors have quirk suppression tech that keeps her lasers back, but can also control the strength of her quirk. With a press of the button, the lasers can shoot through the lenses, with the lenses acting as a dampener; and the strength of those lenses can increase/decrease by a twist of the small knob across the rim.
Izuku have mixed feelings about the fact that these visors were designed for combat, considering the fact that quirk use without a license was illegal; along with a sinking suspicion that someone was subtly pushing Haruka to hero work. However, he knew that she would need to train with her quirk; and these visors would significantly help with such training. Plus, if Haruka ever finds herself in a place where she would need to use her work, this'll make it more doable.
Thus, the quirkless teen had a few spare ones in hand, in case Haruka's current pair gets broken or lost. Not likely, but adopting three OPCs in under two months was even more unlikely, so it wouldn't hurt.
Haruka remained silent, staring at the teen intensely beneath her new lenses. The silence caused Izuku to have a small, worried frown. "Haruka, are you- ah!"
This time, the small redhead glomped on him, startling him and causing the teen to fall on his butt. "Thank you…!" She said with as much sincereness as possible, her voice muffled from his shirt. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! For saving me! For taking me in! For these glasses!"
Izuku's startled look turned into a softer looking one, with him returning the hug. "It's no problem…" He told her, smiling. "Welcome to the family, Haruka."
Family. This was her new family now. That fact filled Haruka with a happiness that was almost overwhelming. A feeling she hopes remains for a long time.
XXXX
The adoption of three OPCs changed Izuku's daily life by a lot.
For one, he's getting up much earlier. It was so that he could find time to exercise, continue cleaning up the beach, and learn and practice whatever martial art he can discover; all this, right before making breakfast for his adopted sisters.
He also took to homeschooling the three. Due to all the trauma the three developed from their past abuse, none of them were inclined to leave his side anytime soon; and Izuku wasn't sure if it would be the wisest idea to have overpowered children be supervised by regular teachers, at least for the time being.
He wants them all to have normal, that's for certain. But he can't ignore that they all have uncontrollable quirks, and that can cause a lot of trouble for whoever's watching them.
He took to studying up on quirk counseling, but considering that analyzing quirks was practically a part of him at this point, it wasn't really that much of a change. Only difference was that his analysis was now being put to use.
Finally, and just overall, much of his time was spent with his three sisters.
"C'mon Haru, you can do it! Win, win!" Typha cheered from the far end side of the couch.
"I'm trying! I'm trying my best here!" Haruka growled beside her, frantically pushing the various buttons on her controller.
Izuku merely chuckled, pressing the buttons on his controller at a more controlled pace. Beside him, and at the other end of the couch, was Eri, who was silently watching the game he and Haruka were playing together.
As for what they're playing? Heroic Combat 2, a fighting game filled with several pro-heroes, both new and old; from Kamui Woods to Best Jeanist to even All Might. One of Izuku's favorite games to play, and one he spent hours playing whenever he got the chance.
However, with his re-commitment to becoming a hero, along with Eri and Typha coming into his life, it was a while since he last played it. However, Haruka saw his console and the games beside it, and almost instantly became eager to play. Which led to where they were now, with Izuku playing as Edgeshot while Haruka chose Endeavor.
"K.O!" And with one final finishing move from Edgeshot, Endeavor was defeated.
"Grrrr! Another lost…!" Haruka growled childishly, crossing her arms with a huff. "You're way too good at this game, Izuku!"
"Well, I have been playing this for a while…" Izuku replied with another small laugh. Honestly, he would go easy on her, and at least give her a few wins; but when he tried one time, Haruka noticed, and was adamant that he doesn't hold back on her. She wanted to face him, and beat him, at his best.
"Hey, you're getting better, Haru…!" Typha reassured the laser user, hugging her from the side. "First few times, you couldn't even get a hit in! You were able to get some of his health down this time!"
"...Yeah…" Haruka conceded, despite still looking pouty at her loss. A moment later, she shook her head and straightened up, her eyes likely glinting in determination beneath her lenses. "Another round! Won't stop till I get better, and get a win!"
Her determination earned a smile from the quirkless teen, a small proud one. "Alright." He then clicked out of the post fight screen, and back to the character loadout. "With determination like that, you'll definitely get better at anything you do, Haruka."
With his focus on the screen, he missed the small blush from the young girl, as well as the little smile that sprouted. However, she quickly shook off any embarrassment, and focused her visor back on the screen.
The two continued playing for a bit, with Typha cheering Haruka on while Eri silently watched throughout. Idly, Izuku made a mental note to buy a few more controllers, so that everyone can have the chance to play. While Typha and Eri haven't expressed any interest in playing as of yet, it wouldn't hurt to give the option later in the future.
Eventually, after another round (Him as Gang Orca while Haruka played as Miruko), he decided to end it there. "Alright…" Izuku placed the controller down before getting up and stretching. "I'm gonna stop for today. You can continue playing with each other if you want."
"Already…?" Haruka questioned, a small pout of disappointment across her face.
The quirkless teen smiled apologetically at her. "There's a few things that I need to get done before it's time for bed. We can play more tomorrow if you want."
"Don't worry! We can play together if we want!" Typha offered, grabbing the controller with a bright smile. "I can help you practice so you can beat Izuku next time!"
That seemed to sober up Haruka. The crimson redhead gave an accepting nod before aiming a fiery look at Izuku beneath her lenses. "Tomorrow, you better prepare for a rematch! Understand?"
"I will." Izuku assured her, patting the girl's head. "And I look forward to seeing how you improve."
With that, he headed to his room, leaving the three girls to play with one another.
XXXX
"That's so cool…!" Haruka squealed, her visors getting noticeably brighter. Beside her, Typha gave a rapid nod of agreement while Eri was merely staring in amazement. The thing that got their undivided attention was Izuku, up atop one of the piles of junk at Dagobah beach, his magnetic gloves keeping him up there.
What brought the four at Dagobah beach? A request made by Haruka, when his support gear was brought up by Typha during breakfast.
"Izuku has his own hero gear?!" Haruka exclaimed in shock, standing up from her seat.
"Haruka, sit down please…" Izuku ordered her, his tone a bit firm.
"Sorry…" Sheepishly, the redhead sat back down, before quickly getting back to topic. "But do you really have hero gear, Izuku?"
"Er, yeah…" His stern look was now replaced with a more bashful one, a blush adorning his cheeks. "Kinda made them all myself…"
"Why didn't you use them on the bad guys that had me?!"
"I… didn't have them at that time." Izuku explained sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. He definitely plans on keeping his gear on his person 24/7 from now on.
Sure, none of the support gear probably wouldn't have helped in that situation; but better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it, as the old saying goes.
"One of those gears is a pair of gloves that can stick to things!" Typha, the one who spoke of the support gear, mentioned excitingly. "Also boots that can boost him high in the air! And Eri, you mentioned that his hoodie can make him invisible, right?"
"Um, yes…" Eri confirmed with a small nod.
Brief glows from Haruka's visors gave a clear tell of the girls' excitement. "Can I see them?" She asked Izuku eagerly. "Pleaaase?!"
Despite his embarrassment, Izuku couldn't help but smile in amusement and fondness. "Later in the day, okay?"
That led to where they were now, with the teen showing off his support gear to his three sisters.
"You should've seen him move around with it!" Typha told Haruka excitedly. "He was like a ninja, hopping from one pile to the next, hiding from the bad guys!"
"That sounds so awesome…" Haruka whispered in amazement, imagining that scenario.
The quirkless teen then hopped down from the pile, landing in front of the girls. "And here are my boots. With a few clicks of a button, I can jump high in the sky." Tapping a few things on the monitor, Izuku bent down slightly before jumping up, sailing three feet in the air. He did a backward flip before landing, knees bent and one hand on the ground to steady himself.
His little trick earned him more vocal amazement from his sisters. "And you really made all of them yourself, Izuku?" Haruka questioned.
"Like I said, kinda." Izuku replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "All the gear I managed to build came from here, at the beach. Whenever I can, I sometimes come across thrown away gear, and fix them up."
"You build all your gear from this beach?" Typha spoke in surprise, looking around the junk-filled beach. "You didn't tell me that! Only that you are cleaning up the beach!"
Izuku gave an apologetic look in response. "Sorry. I guess it slipped my mind."
"Does… does that mean you plan on becoming a hero, Izuku?" Haruka asked, eyebrows furrowed as she put the dots together. "Is that why you're exercising by cleaning up the beach? Making hero gear yourself? And is that why you decided to rescue us? To be a hero?"
Izuku blinked for a moment, surprised she came to that conclusion herself. Granted, it's not terribly difficult to figure out, but for a seven year old to make the connections that quickly? It told him that Haruka is a smart one.
"Y-Yeah. Being a hero… it's always been my dream. Ever since I found out about heroes." Izuku confirmed, a small, melancholic smile entering his face.
That smile had the girls frowning in concern, all of them recognizing it as a sad looking smile. But why is it sad? Why does their brother look sad when he's talking about his dream? Is there something wrong with it? But that doesn't make sense. Being a hero should be an amazing thing, right?
'Is he worried that he could be like those jerks?' Typha thought, remembering the two heroes that scolded Izuku. But Izuku would never become like them! He's too nice to scold anyone for saving others!
"Though I didn't save you three because I wanted to be a hero. Or at least, that's only part of it." The quirkless teen corrected, drawing the girls out of their thoughts. He kneeled down as he gave them a warmer smile. "I did that… because all of you needed help. I couldn't just leave any of you alone."
His words touched his three sisters hard, with each of them tearing up in varied emotions. And Typha, the most open and affectionate of the three, did not hesitate to jump to her brother. "Izukuuuu…!" She wailed out.
The teen caught her effortlessly, with the green girl wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in her shoulder, Midoriya-level tears pouring out. 'Is this what mom and I look like to others…?' Izuku idly wondered.
Haruka and Eri joined the group hug soon after, both being careful not to touch Typha's skin. The rewinder dug into his other shoulder, her tears silently streaming; and Haruka was at the middle, head laid above his chest and the tears beneath her visors barely held back.
"You're gonna be a great hero…!" Haruka stated confidently, her small grip on him tightening. "One of the best! I know it!"
"Mhm-hm!" Both Eri and Typha nodded their heads in agreement, their heads not leaving his shoulders.
That declaration, along with the agreements to it, caused Izuku to tear up. "Thank you…" He said sincerely, his voice cracking slightly. "It means a lot that you think I can do it…"
And he meant it. In a world that thinks he can't become one, it means a lot when there are those who say otherwise.
Still… a small, timid, part of his mind, one created by this very world, couldn't help but wonder… would they, Haruka and Typha, still say the same if they knew he's quirkless?
XXXX
"Ssshhh. It's okay. It's okay. You're home. You're not with Overhaul anymore…"
Izuku shushed the crying Eri softly, as the girl shook in his arms. The two were at his bed, the day long over, and in their pajamas. Both have been previously asleep when a nightmare woke Eri up, one where she was back at Shie Hassaikai's Yakuza base, being torn up and put back together by Overhaul.
It's a nightmare the rewinder has from time to time, fearing that this was all a dream and that she's still under the custody of Overhaul. At first, they appeared often, which was one of the reasons she often slept with Izuku. But they thankfully decreased as time passed, especially when Typha came into their lives.
Unfortunately, there are still times where those nightmares do appear. Hence why Izuku was comforting her now.
"He said… he said that you would never rescue me…" Eri whimpered, her grip on him tightening. "That he would hurt you, like he hurt me if you tried…"
"He's wrong." Izuku said softly, yet firmly; patting her hair to soothe her. "You are saved, you are here and safe. And Overhaul won't be able to hurt anyone anymore."
It took a bit more time, but eventually, Izuku was able to soothe her; at least enough to where the two can sleep. The two then laid down onto bed, blanket covering them and both ready to go back to sleep.
"Izuku…" But before they could, Eri decided to speak up. A question pressing on her mind. "Why did you… look sad when you talked about being a hero?"
The teen stiffened, having not expected that question; it's honestly a reminder of how observant kids can be, memories from his own childhood passing through his head. However, he didn't stay stiff for long, and relaxed some. He already told Eri much of his past, from his quirklessness to the bullying he went through. They would simply be an add on to what she knew.
"...It was one of the reasons I was bullied." He told her softly, his eyes aimed at the space above her head. "Because I'm quirkless, people don't believe I can be a hero. So people my age would laugh and mock me; sometimes even hurt me. I've been told countless times that I couldn't be a hero, not without a quirk."
"...They hurt you for wanting to be a hero? For wanting to save people?" Eri questioned, a mix of confusion and sorrow in her tone.
"...It's like I said before; many see quirkless people as useless." Izuku said sadly, patting the top of her head. "So for a quirkless boy to want to be a hero, to be something that's known for their strength? …Some can't help but laugh."
"...And that's why you look sad talking about being a hero." Eri concluded, tearing up. "Cause it reminds you of the times people hurt you and bully you?"
"..." Izuku stayed silent this time, tears gathering in his own eyes.
The silence was enough of an answer for Eri. "They're wrong. You're not useless." She refuted; attempting to comfort Izuku like he comforted her. "You saved me. Saved Typha. Saved Haruka. And… heroes are people that save others, right…? That means you already are one."
"Wha-...? Eri…" Was all Izuku could say, a tad stunned by her words.
"Since you saved us from bad guys, that makes you a hero, right?" Eri continued, looking at him with her tear-filled eyes. "So they're wrong. They're all wrong. You're… you're our hero. My hero…"
Her words caused the tears to fall from Izuku's eyes. "Thank you, Eri…" He choked out, wrapping the girl in a hug; one that she returned as best she could, her own tears falling down. "It… it means a lot that you feel that way. I'm happy to be your hero. You, Typha, and Haruka."
It was honestly something he didn't think about too much; the fact that he's likely a hero to these three girls. Much of his focus was on saving them initially, then caring for them later on. But Eri's words reminded him that he did save all three of them.
He may not be a pro-hero, at least not yet; but for these three little girls, he became their hero.
Eventually, the two of them cried themselves to sleep, while still holding on to one another. If anyone were to come in, or if Izuku would've been awake, they would've seen a very small, but noticeable smile across Eri's lips.
And that's the end. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and it was suitably fluffy enough for your guys' taste. Next will likely be the introduction of the fourth child. Review, favorite, and follow and I will see you guys later.
