Izuku was surprised that Ochaco and he got along so well after their awkward first meeting. He had tried hard not to make things awkward but he also tried to keep Ochaco from feeling forced to be nice to him though once he saw her training schedule, Izuku couldn't hold back from talking about it with her.
After he finished his work, Izuku might have rushed to Mezo's apartment and spilled all of his concerns to the boy. Izuku had to give Mezo props for being so patient with him as he sobbed to the boy, Mezo was such a good friend to him.
"I don't think it was as bad as you think it is." Mezo told the greenette hiding from the world in a cocoon of his arms, Mezo wanted to practice carrying people in his arms and Izuku was more than willing to help "I spent twenty minutes ranting about her quirk!" Izuku wailed "She probably thinks I'm a creep and won't say it because her parents work for me!" He pitifully cried and Mezo sighed.
Throw Izuku at a gang causing trouble in his territory and he'd tear them a new one by the homework they were behind on, but put him with kids their age and he'd clam up then bury his head in the sand.
It was nice to know that Izuku had his flaws though, it made Mezo feel less self-conscious about himself when someone as powerful as Izuku also struggled with talking with people "She wouldn't think like that and you don't have to talk to her if she does Mido-Kun." Mezo tried to assure him as he formed sickle-like claws to crawl up to the roof of the building, Izuku had already permitted him to do so.
"But she's Uraraka-San's daughter! I don't want her to hate me! What if she stops working with me because I made Ochaco-Chan uncomfortable?" Izuku asked crying so much Mezo had to adjust his grip to keep Izuku from falling "Uraraka-San is a very reasonable adult and she wouldn't break your contract over a falling out between you and her daughter." Mezo replied trying to talk some sense into Izuku despite the boy's weeping.
"Besides, if Ochaco-San is as nice as you said she was then she'll be happy to be your friend, you're a very good friend Mido-Kun." Mezo said with a shrug now that they were on top of the building, Izuku froze in Mezo's arms and he couldn't hear any more sobs from the boy "We're friends Mezo-Kun?" Izuku whispered and the way Izuku said it made Mezo's chest tighten.
Looking over his shoulder he saw Izuku's wide disbelieving eyes, Mezo felt sheepish and his primary hand rubbed the back of his neck as he looked away from Izuku "We are... Aren't we? We talk and text often and we always hang out when you come to the South Side don't we?" Mezo questioned suddenly feeling uncertainty creep in.
Had Mezo's imagination run away with him? Izuku always seemed to enjoy his company and never seemed to mind his appearance... But was that enough for a friendship? Mezo never had friends before so maybe he was just reading too much into Izuku's kindness.
"Well, y-yeah... I-I'd love to be your friend Mezo-Kun, but I didn't want you to feel pressured because your mom works for me or read too much into things... " Izuku nervously answered his hands fiddling with the back of Mezo's shirt. Mezo felt touched at that and smiled under his mask, that was something Izuku would think and he felt grateful Izuku was being so thoughtful.
"You're not pressuring me, I like hanging out with you Mido-Kun, learning about my quirk with you has been fun." Mezo responded completely genuine. Maybe it was because his previous counselors were just bad at their jobs but he had no idea exploring his quirk could be this cool, especially like right now on top of the community center roof where he could see the lights from the city reflected on the sea along with the stars.
It was one of his favorite sights and the whole reason he could enjoy it was because Izuku inspired him to push the boundaries of his quirk that he never knew existed. The claws he used to climb up here were only discovered because he found out hedgehog quills were made of the same stuff hair and fingernails were, it had taken weeks but he eventually made claws and talons and some other things since his discovery in January.
Quirks aside, Mezo just liked to hear how Izuku saw the world, hearing Izuku ramble on about anything and everything was just nice. The boy was just so genuine in his excitement for the most obscure things it was hard for Mezo not to be sucked in along with him.
Izuku was quiet and Mezo suspected he would be given how easily flustered Izuku could be when complimented, Izuku tapped Mezo's back and he carefully unwound his arms from the boy and carefully set Izuku down on the roof, Izuku ducked his head and was hugging himself looking very conflicted as he tried to get the courage to speak.
Mezo was worried he crossed the line and he was about to ask Izuku if he was alright when Izuku found his voice again "D- Do you really want to be friends with someone like m-me?" He asked making Mezo pause. The way Izuku worded it confused him because what could he possibly mean by that?
Izuku didn't have any mutations that would outcast him like himself or anything that could be considered socially taboo "Of course, why wouldn't I Mido-Kun?" He told Izuku and Izuku guiltily avoided his eyes practically curling into himself as tears welled up in his eyes "Because I'm quirkless." Izuku argued like that was the end all be all.
Mezo was certainly surprised Izuku was quirkless, mainly because he didn't know people his age could be quirkless. Sure he knew quirkless people existed but the way people spoke about them, it seemed like quirkless people just stopped being born in his grandparents' generation.
This revelation about his friend hadn't changed much in Mezo's mind... Well, maybe he was curious if Izuku really had a second set of teeth and if he still had some of his baby teeth because he heard quirkless people had that but that wasn't the important thing right now. Mezo wanted to know why Izuku thought that was a deal breaker when it came to their friendship.
"So?" Mezo inquired and Izuku stared at him bewildered "Mezo-Kun, it's bad enough to be associated with someone quirkless. If anyone outside the district found out about us being friends it would be social suicide for you!" Izuku told him warningly but Mezo couldn't stop himself from scoffing *That's what Mido-Kun's worried about?* Mezo thought incredulously, how would that be any different from how people treated him now because of his looks?
"And?" Mezo pressed making Izuku's mouth drop open "I don't want to have friends who come with such stupid conditions. If they can't handle you being quirkless then I don't need them in my life." He confidently declared, Izuku's tears started to fall from his face and he stared at Mezo in awe.
That awe didn't fill Mezo's chest with the positive feeling he thought it would, instead Mezo found himself worrying about why such a simple declaration was enough to make Izuku cry, did people treat Izuku horribly just because he was quirkless? He could understand to a point the discrimination against mutations because they could look scary but how could anyone hate Izuku for being quirkless?
Izuku timidly stepped closer to Mezo, his hands outstretched but he hesitated with anxiety swirling in his eyes. Mezo hoping he wasn't misreading the situation opened his arms and seconds later, Izuku dove into them. Izuku's arms were small compared to his body, Mezo's heart began racing and he carefully wrapped all three pairs of his arms around Izuku.
Perhaps most would think he was overreacting but this was the first time Mezo had ever been hugged by anyone. He and his mother had tried but their multiple arms made it uncomfortable and complicated to do and no one else had ever wanted to try hugging him because of his looks so this was his very first hug and it made him feel so warm inside.
"Thank you Mezo-Kun... I, I haven't had a friend in years... " Izuku quietly muttered to him his voice rich with unsaid emotions and Mezo felt a painful tug on his heartstrings "I haven't either Mido-Kun." He confessed lightly resting his head on top of Izuku's. If Mezo was being honest he couldn't remember being friends with anyone ever, even when he was a toddler.
Then Izuku jolted almost hitting Mezo's chin with how fast his head shot up and he stared at Mezo shocked "What? Why not?" Izuku questioned catching Mezo off guard "What?" Mezo dumbly asked "What do you mean you don't have friends?" Izuku clarified making Mezo sheepish. He nervously scratched his face with one finger "I'm not exactly popular Mido-Kun... " Mezo mumbled back.
Izuku's shock didn't wane "Why not? You're really nice Mezo-Kun and you are such a great listener! Your quirk is so cool, plus you're a great hugger!" Izuku protested and suddenly Mezo understood Izuku's urge to curl up into a ball to escape from his embarrassment "Most people think I'm intimidating because of my appearance." Mezo bashfully admitted leading Izuku to stare at him.
Mezo could tell Izuku's mind was running with thoughts faster than he could hope of processing. Then Izuku took out his phone and began typing away furiously, Mezo was confused and a little concerned. He was about to ask what the boy was doing when his phone suddenly dinged. Mezo took his phone out to check it and upon opening it saw he had been added to a group chat.
[Ochaco-Chan, Mido-Kun...]
[Mido-Kun: Hi Ochaco-Chan! :D]
[Mido-Kun: I hope you don't mind if I added you to this chat, this is my friend Mezo-Kun, he needs more friends and you seemed nice. \(•ヮ•)]
Mezo's head snapped toward Izuku and stared at him stupified. Why was Izuku dragging Mezo into this!? "You said it yourself Mezo-Kun, Ochaco-Chan is probably really nice and if she isn't it, we don't have to deal with her." Izuku said and perhaps it would sound more sagely if Mezo wasn't freaking out about social interactions he was not prepared to deal with.
Before Mezo could demand some kind of answer his phone dinged and he looked back at the group chat.
[Ochaco-Chan, Mido-Kun...]
[Ochaco-Chan: Hi Izu-Kun!]
[Ochaco-Chan: I don't mind being added Izu-Kun]
[Ochaco-Chan: Hi Mezo-Kun it's nice to meet you]
Mezo felt his heart leap into his throat as he stared at Ochaco's messages, internally panicking because it was hard enough talking with Izuku and he barely managed to navigate through his interactions between himself and the greenette without Izuku bursting into tears.
[Ochaco-Chan, Mido-Kun...]
[Mido-Kun: Don't worry if Mezo-Kun doesn't answer right away Ochaco-Chan, he's pretty shy. (-\\\-)]
[Ochaco-Chan: Oh that's fine, I understand if you don't feel comfortable texting me yet Mezo-Kun but I'd love to get to know you o(ᵔ-ᵔ)o]
Mezo's guts were tied up in knots and his mouth dry as he hesitatingly began to type.
[Ochaco-Chan, Mido-Kun...]
[Mezo-Kun: It's nice to meet you too Ochaco-Chan]
[Ochaco-Chan: (oᵔ-ᵔo)ﾉ Mezo-Kun!]
[Ochaco-Chan: Izu-Kun said you were his friend right? How long have you two known each other?]
[Mezo-Kun: We met about six months ago. A couple of months after he hired my mom to run one of his buildings]
[Ochaco-Chan: Wait, your mom works for Izu-Kun too!? 0o0]
Mezo's lips twitched up into a smile as some of his unease melted away.
[Ochaco-Chan, Mido-Kun...]
[Mezo-Kun: Yeah, he hired her to run an apartment complex he had built but we didn't meet until a couple of months after that]
[Ochaco-Chan: I guess we have that in common than Mezo-Kun! My parents also work for Izu-Kun •(ᵔwᵔ)•]
[Mido-Kun: That's not the only thing! Mezo-Kun wants to be a hero too Ochaco-Chan!]
[Ochaco-Chan: Woah really!? You're going to be a hero too Mezo-Kun OoO]
[Mezo-Kun: I'm hoping to be one yeah, Mido-Kun has been supportive about it despite how hard it will be for me]
[Ochaco-Chan: Well you'll have me too now! ᕙ(｡*ω*｡)ᕗ We should totally meet up to train together Mezo-Kun!(oᵔ-ᵔo)]
[Mezo-Kun: You don't have to do that Ochaco-Chan, I wouldn't want to bother you]
[Ochaco-Chan: Nonsense! *(｡ᵔヮᵔ｡)ﾉ Any friend of Izu-Kun is a friend of mine. Training with you is probably going to be more fun than anything else, I can't wait! o(*ᵔωᵔ*)o]
Okay... Maybe Mezo could do this, as long as Izuku was there to help him. His mom would probably be thrilled if Mezo made another friend.
I got an app called Kaomoji to make the little face things because both Izuku and Ochaco would be the type to use them, unfortunately, I am either too dumb to make the them work with fanfictions format or they just can't be added because certain parts kept "disappearing" so I had to fill the gaps with what I could :'(
Good news though, Ao3 has let me keep my Kaomojis (^-^*)