No. 6: NOT REALISING THEY'RE INJURED
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms Healed Wrong "It's not my blood."
Tags: Slight mention of trafficking, bullying, panic attacks, suicidal ideation, cutting, self harm,
Shota Aizawa usually wasn't one to get involved with vigilante activities. It was a rough business, and many of them didn't last for longer than a few months.
Well, that was before Leafblade, The ("quirkless and legal!") vigilante he had been chasing after and working with for almost two years now. The guy was practically untouchable. Both times that Shota had shadowed him, the kid had followed his civic duty to a T. He'd try to diffuse the situation if he could, but call the authorities right away if he couldn't. Then he'd try to help his victim, whether it be from snatching them away, or giving them time to run. Then when he was (most of the time) hit. He'd have every right to hit back in self defence.
The kid thought he was a genius. Shota thought he was an idiot. Taking blows just to hit someone back wasn't always safe, and knowing the vigilante's track record, it wasn't ever going to be. He'd keep going until he took a fatal blow, he'd told Shota that straight to his face.
"As long as I'm alive, I'll keep saving people! I won't stop until I take a fatal blow to the head!" It made him tired just thinking about it.
This kid will be the death of me, Shota thought to himself. Hell, he didn't even know if Leafblade even was a kid!...No, he was too short to be an adult. He was at least a high schooler. But then, why wasn't he going to a hero school? The kid was so open about never using his quirk, likely to keep his identity, so why wasn't he going to any school in the area?
"Shota!" A high pitched voice said. The man wished to sink deeper into his sleeping bag. Why did that damn rat have to bother him now of all times? Nezu knew his patrol schedule conflicted with his teaching schedule, he was supposed to be napping right now.
"What do you want?" he groaned, turning over in his yellow cocoon. The rat just chuckled and trotted over to the hero, peering down at him.
"I have very important news, Shota! Stuff I think you may enjoy! Let us head to my office." Shota groaned and pulled himself out of his comfortable hideaway. He followed his boss through the hallways of U.A., smirking into his scarf as the students went white around him. He loved his job. It let him scare kids.
As he entered Nezu's office, he began to move the papers from one of the chairs. There were papers everywhere. Stacks from floor to ceiling, on the surfaces of everything, in between books on his shelves, even a bunch scattered across the floor. It was a mess. Nezu normally didn't let it get this bad. He must have been really into whatever it was he was showing Aizawa.
"What is it?" The man asked, settling into the plush white armchair. Nedzu grinned, passing him yet another stack of papers.
"Across all of Japan-"
"What the fuck?"
"There were only fifteen potential matches for that vigilante you were looking for." Nezu continued, ignoring the look he was getting. "Only four matched your description of him, if we believe that his eyes truly are green."
"I told you, there's no way he could have been wearing contacts." Shota began to flip through the information.
"I know, you've said that on every report. Tea?" Aizawa shook his head. Nezu poured himself a cup.
Shota combed through the names, reading all of the important information. Nobuhisa Hiramatsu. Quirk: light reflection. Green eyes and brown hair. Nope, not him. Second page, Nayuto Tazaki. Quirk: Heat Repellent. Not him either. Aizawa would have felt the heat radiating around him. Ayari Hamamoto. Quirk: Kiss And Tell. Nope, Leafblade's voice was too deep now. When the kid had first started, Aizawa figured it could be a girl pitching her voice a little lower, but Leafblade has been around for two years, and Shota had watched them grow a little taller, and their voice get deeper.
He flipped to the final page. Izuku Midoriya. Quirk: N/A.
"Not available?" Shota asked, looking up.
"He's quirkless."
"It can't be any of these."
"Oh? Why can't it be the last young man? You did say that Leafblade fights quirkless, after all."
"Well yes, but-"
"Are you being quirkist, Shota?" The teacher grumbled looking back at the paper. No, he wasn't, but it didn't make sense. He'd stated multiple times that while quirks could help, people who can't or refuse to use them, or people without them could still be great heroes, like himself. His eyes widened.
He was absolutely quirkless. Shota read over the paper more. Great grades, green eyes, similar height. Hell, the kid's birthday even lined up with when Leafblade came into the picture. An odd coincidence, but one that was right there. The only thing was-
"He's in middle school. It's not this Midoriya kid."
"Flip the page." Aizawa resisted flipping off his boss. He flipped the page, glancing at the photo. He looked back up, ready to argue, before he looked back down. "Aren't I so good?"
That boy was absolutely Leafblade.
"This is- this makes no sense." He says, dragging a hand over his face. His eye bags had gotten darker since he had taken on more patrol hours. He rubbed his mouth roughly. "That's a child. That's a second year in middle school."
"A very smart child. Look at this." Nezu turned his computer around, showing images of the supposed Izuku Midoriya slipping out of a window, but only slightly.
"Okay, he happens to know where a camera is."
"The angle of the camera was moving one degree to the left every day for thirty-four days. Before that, it looked like this." He pressed a button, and the images changed. The camera now looked directly at the window of what Aizawa assumed was Izuku Midoriya's house.
"The wind could have done it." Shota prompted. Nezu played the footage, and Shota watched, trying to see what was up with it. He caught it after a few seconds. "Was he throwing shit at the camera?!"
"Yes! Or at least, I assume so!" Nezu said, clapping his hands. "It was so soft and natural, even the police in the area thought it was the wind. He must have been planning for a while."
"Holy shit…" he dragged his hands over his face again. "So he's actually a kid."
"It seems so!" Nezu looked far to amused like this. It instantly put Aizawa on guard. "That's very interesting…"
"What do you want with the kid?" Aizawa said suddenly, eyes narrowing at his boss. The rat man was never up to any good when he got that glint in his beady black eyes.
"I think the boy has potential is all! He seems like a very bright student." Nezu sipped his tea, a serene look passing his face for just a moment.
"Potential in what?" Shota asked, knowing he wasn't going to be told.
"I want that boy to come to U.A. no matter what. Do you understand?"
"I-" Shota sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. "Okay, fine. If I do it, what will happen to the kid?"
"Nothing bad, I assure you," Nezu said with his placating smile. "I simply want to…train the boy. Make him into something that will better society. Even if it takes recommending him."
This piqued Shota's interest enough that the man agreed to wait outside Midoriya's school like some sort of stalker.
Oh God, would this be considered stalking? Well, not like Aizawa cared.
"Izuku Midoirya," Aizawa said, catching the boy's attention as he walked through the gate. He was leaving a little late, but maybe that was his norm. The boy froze, turning to look at who called his name. "I think you should come with me."
The kid met Aizawa's eyes, his body shaking. He looked…exactly like a kid. It was almost scary how adult the kid acted when he was in his LeafBlade persona. Aizawa understood it all too well. He'd done the same thing when he first started underground work.
"Uh, sir, I don't…know you, you might be mistaken or….or something."
"I think you do." he held out a hand, voice gruff.
Izuku booked it.
Dropping his bag, Izuku shot off in the opposite direction of the man, running as fast as he could. Thanks to the training he had done in preparation to become a vigilante, he was a lot faster than he usually was. He could even out run Kaachan!
Izuku spared himself a look behind him. Wait, where was Eraser Head?!
Aizawa felt the air get knocked out of him as the young teen tried to barrel through him. The green-haired boy fell to the ground, looking up at the hero.
"I'm sorry! Are you okay? It was an accident, so you can't arrest me!"
Oh yeah, this kid was, without a doubt, LeafBlade.
"Look, kid, you know it, I know it, just admit it and I'll go easy on you."
"I…"
"We can do this the way where I take you to the police station and we formally question you, or we do it the way where you just admit it right now."
"Fine. I'm- he's me. I'm LeafBlade."
"You're like, twelve." Aizawa sighed, grateful for the confirmation but also incredibly confused. What was all this for? Why was some literal teenager out instigating fights and solving petty crimes and helping people in need. He should have been studying, hanging out with friends himself. Not that Aizawa condoned it, but hell, go to parties!
"Please don't tell my mom!" Midoriya blurts out. "If I go to jail, that will kill her, and I still haven't done anything illegal! Technically, I cannot go to jail!"
"Being a vigilante is illegal, kid."
"According to chapter eighty-four of the Quirk Usage Act, section twenty, paragraph five, it states: No person with a quirk shall partake in any form of vigilantism, which includes the use of their quirk to apprehend, detain, or otherwise interfere with criminals or suspected criminals, unless authorised or licensed by lawful authorities, including, but not limited to police officers, heroes, and high personnel."
"How the hell do you have that memorised?" Aizawa questioned, slightly impressed.
"I have a great memory." Izuku stood up, rubbing his lower back and tailbone. "So, you cannot arrest me!"
"Can you prove you've never used your quirk?"
"I'm quirkless, Eraser Head, if I used a quirk I'd be impressed," Izuku said, slightly bitter. Shota understood why. Being quirkless was much more uncommon in Midoriya's generation than it was in Aizawa's. Aizawa himself grew up around a few quirkless people, but Midoriya probably only knew one person besides himself, if he even knew anyone.
"Look, kid, I came here because I found out who you are, and now, I want you to patrol with me."
"I understand, but-" Izuku's green eyes widened. "W-what?!"
"That's right. Someone from above wants you in their pocket, so now I'm gonna be watching you for a little bit."
"Won't that affect your hero duties?" Izuku asked, jogging lightly as he caught up to Aizawa. The man either didn't notice, or didn't care that much.
"Well, I've been doing it anyway, but now it's official." Kind of, he added in his head. He wasn't going to kill the kid by telling him something so big as "my boss, Nezu, wants to teach you".
"Oh, okay." Izuku said simply, following him. "Where are we going?"
"Your house." Aizawa grunted.
"Oh my God, Eraser Head knows my address," Izuku stumbled, but fixed himself up almost right away. "Uhm, okay! But, but you said you wouldn't tell my mom!"
"I don't think I ever agreed to that." Izuku froze. "Kid, come on."
"No, no, I'm not going with you." Izuku shook his head. "I'll run away, but I won't let you tell my mom."
"Kid-"
"No!" Izuku began to shake slightly, shaking his head a bit faster. "I- I refuse! You can't, I won't let you."
Shota said nothing, instead inspecting the kid. Midoriya was looking down at the ground, his nails digging into his palms with how tight his fists were clenched. He shook his head, his green curls swaying.
"Look at me, kid." Aizawa said quietly. Midoriya slowly looked up, and Aizawa saw pure determination in his green eyes. Izuku Midoriya was serious: if Aizawa told his mom, he'd run. Hell, he looked ready to run right now.
"Don't tell her," he whispered.
And against his better judgement, Shota swore not to.
"If you go through my window, it's unlocked." Izuku told Aizawa as they arrived at his apartment. A nice one, in a nice part of town.
"You travel far for 'work'." Shota said. It wasn't a question.
"Yeah, kind of…kind of have too." Izuku walked up the stairs and headed to his apartment, thankfully it was one of the one's on the side, so he had window access.
"Mom, I'm home!" Izuku said brightly, and shut the door. Aizawa, after making sure no one was around, scaled the side of the building and pushed up the open window, slipping into his room.
"Izuku! Welcome home, honey." Inko smiled at her boy, dressed in a pencil skirt and a nice blouse.
"Hi, Mom. You have to go in tonight?" Izuku asked. He hoped it was a yes.
"Sadly," Inko reached up and touched his cheek, smiling sadly as she looked at her son. He was growing up right in front of her eyes! It made Inko sad, but also incredibly proud. Her boy was going to become a man soon. "Figures, since I was home all day."
"Don't worry about it," Izuku smiled. "I can fend for myself for the night."
"I promise to be here when you wake up. No matter what, I'll have breakfast on the table for you."
"Thanks, Mom." Izuku kissed her cheek and held her close. "Now, go kick butt!"
Inko smiled, kissed him on his cheek in response, grabbed her bag, and left.
Aizawa heard the kid walk up to his bedroom, and busied himself looking around the room to hide the fact he was listening. Damn, that was a lot of- holy shit that's a wall of All Might merchandise.
"Eraser Head?" Aizawa looked at the kid, a look of absolute horror on his face.
"You're a fanboy."
"I can explain!"
After a half nonsensical explanation about why he loved All Might so much, Aizawa sighed and sat on the bed, unsure what to do. He was…hanging out in a teenagers room while the kid studied. He didn't know how to feel about it.
"When do you normally go out?"
"When I finish my homework, I can't get behind."
"Oh." Shota said smartly. He looked in one of the bookshelves, and found a few pieces of Mic's merch. Cute. He pulled out his phone, sending the man a text.
Aizawa Shota
16:39
Found out his identity, he's actually a kid.
Hizashi Yamada
16:39
Woah! How cool! R U with him now?
Aizawa Shota
16:40
Yeah, thought he was gonna patrol but he's studying.
Says he's gotta keep his grades up or something.
Hizashi Yamada
16:42
Whats he like? Talk to himmmmm!
Aizawa Shota
16:43
No, that's weird.
Hizashi Yamada
16:44
Going on air! Love u, ur weird, talk to him!
Aizawa sighed, putting his phone back up as he thought of a question to ask the kid. He didn't wanna distract him from… whatever it was he was typing up, but Aizawa didn't know what to do with the strange silence. He wasn't used to being around someone quiet. Even when the kid was Leafblade, even with his muttering he was still relatively quiet.
"What does your mom do?" Shota settles on. Izuku pauses.
"She's a lawyer. A damn good one. She works at Endeavours agency."
"Oh. Thats…"
"Yeah, she doesn't like it either, but the money is great." Izuku returned to typing.
"What about your dad?"
"Oh, he's in America on some business thing. I don't really know. I don't care about it that much either. I don't wanna work on a ship."
"Hm."
"Why do you ask?" Izuku questioned, not once looking up from the paper he was writing.
"Just curious. You can ask questions too, if you want." Shota prompts, trying to get the kid to open up. Nezu asked for a report, after all, and Shota was going to deliver. "Does your mom leave you alone often?"
"Not all the time. She always makes sure she's here when I wake up and get home from school, no matter what. When she was a kid, her house was always empty, and she doesn't wanna do that to me."
"I get it." Aizawa said quietly. Izuku just nodded.
"Hm, okay, who were you texting?"
"My husband." Aizawa answered honestly. If the kid was homophobic, Aizawa would be a little disappointed.
"You got married as a hero?"
"My husband was also a hero. He's Mic." Izuku finally looked up from his computer, gasping.
"Woah, WHAT?!" Izuku looked ecstatic. "As in Present Mic?! As in, host of Put Your Hands Up Radio?"
"Very one." Aizawa hid a smile in his large scarf. "You a fan?"
"Yeah! Yeah, I am! He's great. His music is pretty good too, even if it's not my style."
"What do you like, then?" Aizawa couldn't help but ask.
"Uh, it's a little embarrassing." Izuku laughed, rubbing his neck. Shota's eyes widened slightly. Everything about Leafblade was so obviously young, how had he never noticed it before?
"I like techno." Aizawa said.
"Really? With your personality?" Aizawa deadpanned, and Izuku chuckled awkwardly. "Er- sorry. Its just- I expected classical or something. You're a quiet guy."
"Can't stand classical. Too…not noisy. Makes me fall asleep."
"I get that," Izuku looked back at his paper, typing a few more things. "I like heavy metal."
"Fitting." Aizawa breathed a laugh. "Always the quiet kids."
Izuku couldn't help but laugh. They lapsed back into silence, this bout far more comfortable than the previous one. After a little while, Izuku shut down his computer with a sigh and a grin.
"Ready to go?"
Patrolling next to Leadblade was…something else. Aizawa was far more used to following ten steps behind, watching and officially apprehending the villains and criminals that the kid took down. It worked for them, especially since Leadblade never did this for fame. They only knew his name thanks to a citizen Izuku had saved.
"How'd you get your name?" Shota decided to ask. They'd gone to their normal patrol area, hopping across rooftops and sliding through alleyways. The night was surprisingly calm, though.
"That's so embarrassing…" Leafblade muttered. "I was playing pokemon before going out that night. And well, she asked for a name, and the first thing that came to mind was Haunter, but that was stupid, so I chose Leadblade."
"I've never heard of that pokemon. I'm guessing it's a grass type?"
"Yeah, yeah… a grass type move."
Aizawa didn't even bother trying to hide his snort. Leafblade blushed in embarrassment under his mask.
"So, why katana's?"
"They were cool." The teen answered instantly. "Plus, I got them on sale for… five thousand [5000] or so yen. They were in great shape."
"Who the hell… you know what, I can't judge. My first scarf was my moms."
"That's kind of cool." Izuku said, looking around. He paused for a second, pulling his black mask down to cough. It got so stuffy breathing into his mask all the time, especially with his old compression shirt now feeling so tight.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm just in need of a new outfit." Shota hummed. "This is a shirt I got in my first year of middle school, and it doesn't really fit me anymore."
The kid was right, it really didn't. The black compression shirt he wore used to be slightly big on the kid, but with two-years of semi-active training and exercise, now the shirt was far too short.
"Should cut your hair too. Just a bit. It's long."
"You can't tell, I have a hat on," Izuku argued. He scratched at his hands. Aizawa raised an unseen eyebrow. Had the kid always done that?"
"Why are you scratching?"
"Because-" Izuku suddenly went quiet, shrugging instead.
"Kid, I'd appreciate the truth, especially if we're gonna be patrol partners."
"We are? But you're a hero!"
"Underground Heroes and Fixer Heroes work with vigilantes all the time." Aizawa explained.
"What's a Fixer Hero?" Aizawa sighed, thinking of the best way to describe it. He didn't miss how Izuku scratched at his hand.
"What's the best way to put this… Alright, I'll just rip off the band aid. Fixer Heroes are heroes that are sent to eliminate high profile villains. Villains too big to just simply be put into jail. Simply put, they need to be eliminated."
"Oh. Do they always have to kill the villain?" Izuku asked quietly.
"Yes," Shota nodded. "It's the whole reason they exist. Some heroes are chosen for it, and some simply turn into a Fixer."
"I didn't know about that." Izuku admitted.
"It's not common knowledge." Aizawa looked around. Still nothing, and they'd been walking for hours. "Mic was a Fixer."
"What?!"
"Shh," Aizawa huffed a laugh. "He was selected for it right after we graduated U.A., and after a few years he turned into a 'raising limelight' hero. After a few years of that, he semi-retired."
"Woah. So that's how he does all of his radio shows!"
"Yeah, pretty much, they're his most lucrative way of making money. That, and teaching."
"He's a teacher?" They turned the corner, still searching for anything negative happening.
"Yeah, both of us are. At U.A."
"That's…that's so cool!" Izuku looked down, suddenly sombre. "I'd love to go to U.A."
"Why don't you apply?" Aizawa prompted. This was his chance to plant the seed.
"I'm quirkless, I'd fail and become the laughing stock." Izuku said, sounding far too bitter for a child as young as he was. Aizawa understood it slightly though. Being quirkless…it wasn't easy. Aizawa had experienced his own form of slight quirkism when he didn't know how to activate his quirk when he was younger. That stayed with someone, no matter how the rest of their life went.
"What if you could get recommended?" Aizawa says, voice quiet. Izuku rubbed at his hands, his nails scratching the skin. Was it scarred? Shota couldn't tell in the dim light of the alleyway.
"What?" Izuku says, looking at him. "As in, like, a free spot?"
"Partially. A recommendation student takes a test tailored to them, especially if they're considered above the regular students applying. You would be."
"I would?"
"Yes. You've already got starting skills that other people have, are clearly incredibly smart, and have experience in the field already. Look, let's discuss it later. Tell me about your hand."
"Do I have too?" Izuku sighed, knowing he hadn't pushed the man off his trail just yet. He bit his thumbnail, missing Eraser Head's eyes narrowing.
"I'd like you too, yes."
"I've got a scar on my hand. A friend of mine…used his quirk on me, and it scarred my hand up pretty badly."
"Was it on purpose?" Shota asked. Izuku's silence was an answer in and of itself. "I'm sorry that happened to you."
Izuku sucked in a breath. Shota wanted to ask what was wrong, but he could figure it out on his own. Izuku likely didn't hear that phrase often.
"Thanks, sir."
"No-" They heard a loud crash, and a scream. The duo looked at each other, before rushing from the alleyway and into the calm streets of downtown Mufatsu.
Izuku pointed at the shoe he saw get thrown, and they ran more, following the sounds of struggle.
"Just shut up, lady! You'll like it!" The man punched the girl in the head, and she passed out, going limp in the big man's grip. Izuku rushed forward, and Aizawa could have face palmed.
"Leave her alone!"
"Ugh, another fucking runt. Screw off, kid! Unless you wanna join her!" He laughed, lumbering forward. Izuku pulled out one of the katana's on his back, getting ready to face off against the man.
The big man laughed, and swung his fist wildly, which Izuku dodged clumsily. The man laughed again, swinging a punch, which hit Izuku.
Except, Shota's eyes widened, it didn't. He never heard the sound of contact. Izuku had simply turned his head like he had been hit.
That sly little bastard! Aizawa couldn't help but laugh.
"Now this is self defence!" Leafblade rushed forward, slicing with his katana. It was clumsy and awkward, the long sword obviously didn't fit the teen, but the vigilante used it anyway.
"Little kids shouldn't-" The man's shirt was sliced off, and Izuku moved quickly behind him. Aizawa moved into the scene, seeing how the criminal's chest began to bleed. The kid had great precision, even if he was lacking elsewhere.
"Freeze, Leafblade." Izuku froze. The man growled, but Aizawa had him in his capture weapon within a few seconds. "Knock him out?"
"On it." Izuke knocked the grip of his katana into the man's head, and he passed out instantly. Izuku checked his phone, and cursed quietly.
"I have to start making my way back home soon."
"Alright. I'll call this one in and say I have to follow a lead."
"But what about the woman?"
"She already ran off." Aizawa pointed at the ground where the 'knocked out' woman had gotten up and ran away while they captured the man. "Guess you missed that."
"Yeah, I think I did…"
Aizawa gave a rare smile. He really liked this kid. He was young, but still trying hard, and experienced enough to know when to admit he messed up; a rare trait in U.A.
"Let's head back, yeah?" Aizawa said, putting up his radio. Izuku nodded, and the pair began to head back to Izuku's apartment. The teen bit at his fingernails.
They arrived pretty quickly, Shota having memorised the way they had left, and Izuku climbed back up to his window, slipping inside.
"Kid?" Shota calls up. Izuku sticks his head out the window, looking down. His hair is poofy and large, despite having been pinned under a hat for hours.
"Yeah?"
"If you ever need to talk, I'll listen, okay?" Izuku looked confused. "No matter what the situation is, I'll listen."
"How do I tell my mom I like boys and girls?" izuku asked suddenly, half joking but serious at the same time. Aizawa was floored.
"Just- see her opinion on things I guess. And then tell her. Chances are she probably knows already."
"Oh. Goodnight, Eraser Head!"
"Call me Shota, kid."
"Call me Izuku then!" The teen smiled brightly before he gave Aizawa a short wave and stuck his head back into the window. Aizawa ran a hand through his messy hair and sighed.
He was attached.
"Shota!" Nezu said as the tired man entered his office. "Hello! You're back!"
"I want him in U.A." Aizawa said, his head slamming into Nezu's now clean desk. The rat just laughed and passed his employee a cup of hot black coffee.
"Tell me about him." Nezu said. It was more of a demand than a request, but Aizawa didn't care. The coffee smelled good.
"He's a smart kid. I watched him while he worked, and his mind works incredibly fast. He was writing an essay, I think. He paused like, once every few minutes and it was usually only to edit something."
"Hm," Nezu poured himself a cup of tea, the pink tea cup different from the one he had last time.
"He's also smart on the field as well. I- he's faking getting hit to attack these bastards. I never even thought he'd do something like that until I saw him do it up close. Sly fucking kid."
"I figured as such. So many hits would be obvious to his parents. Speaking of?"
"Right. Inko is his moms name, she's a lawyer at Endeavours agency, apparently. His dad, didn't get a name-"
"Hisashi."
"Er, right, Hisashi Midoriya is in America. On a boat."
"Very good!" Aizawa sighed. "And his skills?"
"They're pretty good, especially for a kid his age. He'd thrive with actual training. He needs new weapons though. A katana doesn't fit him. Too long."
"Likely. I think training him in daggers would be a good fit, once he comes to U.A." Nezu sips his tea.
"I agree, or he could do something original like dagger-axes[1] or a sica[2]. Oh, speaking of U.A., I got his opinion on doing a recommendation exam. He's a hard maybe."
"Understandable, him being quirkless and all." Nezu hums, placing his cup of tea down. "I think it's time I intervene."
"Sir?"
"When you get a chance to meet Inko Midoriya, throw my name around, won't you? I'll take Izuku Midoriya on as my personal student."
"Seriously?" Nezu nodded. Aizawa felt an uncomfortable rush of jealousy. He had found the kid first, damn it. "Oh, you'll find this interesting. On our way back to his house, he mentioned an interest in Fixer heroes."
"Which he learned about from you, I presume."
"Naturally." Aizawa nodded. "Seeing him in action too… he has the making for one. Same lithe build as Hizashi and Narumi."
"Hm, that is interesting. Are you going to see him again today?"
"Probably. I think he's being bullied at school."
"Most likely." Aizawa narrowed his eyes at the rat.
"Do you know anything about that?"
"No, but it makes sense. He's quirkless. If you'd like, I can hack into the camera's."
"Not yet. I'm not sure if he's just…traumatised by previous bullying or if it's active." Although both men knew in their hearts it was likely the latter. "I'm heading there now."
"Alright. Oh, Shota?"
"Yes?"
"Pin your hair back. You look homeless."
Aizawa just scowled.
Later that day, Izuku left school as quickly as he could, hoping to avoid Kaachan and his groupies. His hand itched something awful, and Kaachan's words were horrible. Even worse, his prized hero notebook was soaked! Some friend.
No, Izuku knew deep down they weren't friends.
"Izuku- Izuku- IZUKU!" The teen jumped. It was Shota!
"Era- uh, Shota!"
"Come on, I'm here to pick you up from school."
"Why…?"
"Why not?" Aizawa challenged. Izuku picked at his palm. His whole body ached with a familiar need, but he pushed it down. He'd be fine picking at his skin for the day. Aizawa sighed softly, patting his shoulder. "Bad day?"
"DEKU WHERE ARE YOU?!" They both heard the scream. Izuku nodded.
"Very bad day…"
"Do you…?" He trailed off. Aizawa didn't even know what he wanted to ask.
"No, let's just go, please." Shota nodded, and the pair quickly walked away from the middle school building, even running at some points.
Somewhere across the city, unbeknownst to them, a slimy man suffocated a man with his quirk and walked away with a new body to hide in until the body started to rot away.
All Might never found the criminal.
"Mom's not home?" Izuku said, noticing the door was locked. He shrugged, opening the door for both of them. They went in, where Izuku found a note. "Oh, she just went out for groceries. She'll be back soon."
"Alright." Aizawa and Izuku headed to his bedroom, and Shota felt like a damn kid. What was he even doing? Maybe it's because he had grown to see Leafblade as a friend and not just a wayward vigilante? It was all so confusing.
But, Izuku was quiet, and Shota wasn't grading papers, and Hizashi was working; that meant everything was A-okay. For the most part. Something was wrong with the kid.
"Wanna talk about it?"
"I got… I mean, my journal got thrown out the window and into the water outside. It's almost ruined."
"Oh. I'm sorry. Who did it?" Shota asked. Izuku didn't answer. "That's fine. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"Sorry," Izuku whispered, left hand gripping his thigh, his other jerkily moving his mouse. "I just- I can't."
"Is that all that happened?" Shota pressed gently. Izuku didn't answer. So something else had?
The bedroom door suddenly opened. Inko Midoriya stared into the room, her eyes wide. Aizawa felt his own eyes widen, and he stood up, ready to apologise and state his business and name, but Inko just smiled.
"Izuku? Can I talk to you really quick?" Izuku, white as paper, nodded and the pair moved to the hallway. Aizawa listened in, just in case.
"I understand your heart is good, honey, but what if that man hurt you? You should have talked to me before housing the less fortunate."
What?!
"Mom-"
"It's okay, I understand, I used to invite the homeless into my home too, back when I lived with your grandparents, but I always told them about who I was inviting in, and never when I was home alone. Now, go get that nice gentleman and tell him dinner is being made."
Aizawa backed away from the door, having to avoid laughing out loud. Finally, looking homeless worked for him! But was the woman really so kind? It made sense, knowing how kind Izuku was.
"Er, Shota, uhm…"
"I heard." He stifled a laugh in his scarf. "I'll go speak to her."
"R-right."
"Are you alright, Izuku?" Shota couldn't help but ask, still worried for the kid.
"Yeah, I am, promise."
"Alright." Aizawa closed the door, leaving Izuku inside his room. The green haired boy waited a moment, and then another, and when he was sure he was alone, he reached into his desk and pulled out a switchblade.
"Inko Midoriya?" Shota asked. The woman peaked her head out of the kitchen and smiled.
"Yes, that's me!" She wiped her hands on her apron. "How can I help you, uh?"
"Shota Aizawa, please, call me Shota." They shook hands, and Aizawa pulled out his ID, handing it to her. "So, I'm not a homeless man. I apologise if my looks deceive you. My husband says I should make myself look less homeless all the time."
Might as well test the waters for Izuku.
"Oh! A pro! Well, that makes me feel much better about some stranger in my house," Inko laughed. It sounded like Izuku's. "But what does a pro have to do with Izuku?"
Well, shit. How was he going to answer this without telling her that her son was a vigilante?
"I…saw Izuku being bullied at school while doing a daytime patrol."
"An underground husband doing daytime?" Her eyes narrowed slightly. Smart woman.
"My husband is a limelight hero. Even though he's semi-retired, he still patrols from time to time. Present Mic, you may have heard of him."
"Oh, yes! Izuku loves his show." Well, at least the woman didn't seem to dislike gay people?
"Yes, well, Izuku showed skills that normal middle school children don't have. From talking down his bullies to…escaping, so speak."
Well, at least he wasn't lying. Villains are bullies picking on a fourteen year old kid. Even if they didn't know his true age.
"What are you saying?" Inko asked quietly. Aizawa sighed and resisted running a hand through his hair.
"I think Izuku has the ability to become a hero."
"You're a cruel man, Mr Aizawa." Shota's head snapped up. "My son is quirkless, telling him he has the chance to be a hero is- is sickening! He's a quirkless child!"
"Ma'am, with all due respect, that's a horrible way to speak about your son." Inko looked like she had been slapped in the face. Shota didn't expect his words to have that much of an impact. "I've been a hero for almost twenty years, and I've had to do quirkless work half the time because my quirk doesn't work."
"But you still have one," Inko reasoned. "You'd be respected. Heroes, civilians…they'd eat my baby alive. You must stop putting such thoughts in his head! He- he finally stopped talking about it…"
Probably because your son is out illegally fighting crimes, Aizawa wanted to say. He didn't.
"Izuku can do it, Mrs Midoriya. He may have to work twice as hard as everyone else, but your son has an unseen drive to keep pushing that is unseen. He doesn't even have to become a limelight hero. I don't think he wants that either."
"He loves All Might," Inko said quietly, a tear running down her face. "He's always wanted to be him."
"Izuku accepted the fact that he won't ever be All Might. Quirkless or not, All Might is a pillar."
"He's just a boy." They heard a thud form Izuku's room, but neither paid much attention to it.
"Every child that enters U.A. enters as a child and leaves a hero. I believe that Izuku can do this, and I'm not the only one."
"He won't pass the entrance exam." She tried to reason.
"He doesn't have to take it."
"What?" She asked, voice cracking.
"The other person who believes in Izuku is my boss, Nezu. He took an interest in Izuku when I mentioned him." Also not a lie, you're doing good Shota! "He wants to take Izuku on as a personal student."
"This is…this is all so much." Inko steels herself, visibly straightening. "Is there any way I can talk to your boss?"
Aizawa slid over a card. Nezu had expected this and had made sure Aizawa was prepared.
Inko pulled out her phone and clicked in the numbers, moving to the other room with a short bow. Aizawa wasn't offended. He needed to go tell the kid the good news.
"Izuku?" Aizawa knocked on the door.
"D-don't!" His voice sounded wet. Aizawa was instantly alert.
"Izuku? Are you okay?"
"No- I mean, yes," he was crying. "Don't come in!"
"Izuku, I need to talk to you. I have good news."
"Go away," A sob. Aizawa sighed, and opened the door anyway. The kid could hate him after Aizawa made sure he was okay.
He most definitely wasn't.
Izuku was a wreck. His long, poofy hair was slick with sweat, his body shaking. He was wearing only a tank top, and Shota could see half-picked scabs leaking down his arms. Izuku held his blue pillow close, shaking his had over and over again. Aizawa stepped forward, seeing the blood dripping down Izuku's arms.
It was bright red and fresh. It wasn't slightly tinted like blood under a scab was. No, those were new wounds. Those were deliberate.
"Oh kid," Aizawa rushed over to Izuku's side. The kid was shaking. Blood stained the pillow he was holding. "Let me help you,"
"No, no you can't, it's all me, I'm sorry, I can't be a hero, I just can't, I promise. I never will, I'll never leave, I promise."
"Shh, Izuku, it's gonna be okay." Blood dripped into his hands. "You're gonna be okay."
"I don't- I don't wanna die!" Izuku gasped, shaking his head.
"I know, I know." Aizawa grabbed a tissue from nearby, slowly cleaning up the blood he could. It was soaked in seconds.
"It just- I itched so bad, I'm so itchy because of everything!"
"The scabs?" Aizawa whispered. His upper body was littered in them, big and small and all half bleeding. Though those cleared themselves up much better than the fresh cuts on Izuku's wrists.
"Yes!" He sobbed. Aizawa used his scarf to bring over the box of tissues and slowly cleaned up what he could. "It hurts so bad."
"Talk to me, Izuku," Shota whispers, cleaning his wounds with a touch so light Izuku thought he imagined it. "Why do these if it hurts so bad?"
"I've been- so many- I can't feel my arms!" He half screamed, rocking himself back and forth. It jostled his wounds, and a few of his deeper wounds spurted blood. Aizawa felt something squelch under his knee, and he almost vomited. A chunk of meat.
"You can't feel your arms?" Aizawa asked calmly, ignoring the feeling against his knee. "I get it, I do."
"It hurts, but I need it, I need to feel something."
"Is that why you pick at them all the time?" Izuku sniffled and nodded, his rocking slowly coming to a stop. He heard a gasp. Inko Midoriya.
"How'd you lose feeling?" Aizawa asked softly. He heard a sob and the sound of something being picked up. "Will you tell me?"
"School…"
"Inko, do you have bandages?"
"I do…" Inko rushed out of the room before coming back with a box of medical supplies.
"Mom…" Izuku whispered, another tear leaving his eye.
"Shh, Izuku. It's okay. I get it," Inko sat next to him, pulling the blood soaked pillow away from him. "I have some too."
"...you do?"
"I do." She laughed, a pitiful wet sound. "Just like yours."
"I'm so sorry, Mom."
"I'm sorry too, my baby." She cried softly, pressing his bloody scarred hand against her face. Aizawa cleaned the boy's wounds as quickly as possible, not missing how Izuku barely flinched as he applied the anti septic. Some of these needed stitches. Mostly the wounds that were chunks of missing flesh. They could deal with those later.
Right now, Izuku was his biggest priority.
"Hello?" A voice spoke through the phone. "I don't think everything is right, is it?"
Nezu.
"No, it's not."
Izuku is nodding off now. Good. Aizawa would call in a favour and get the boys stitches done at home, and by a professional.
"Shota?" Nezu asked.
"Do you happen to know who in Izuku's school has a fire based quirk?" Inko rubbed the scar on Izuku's hand with a gasp. "Or explosions."
"Katsuki Bakugou," Inko whispered. She sobbed quietly. "That- he- he grew up with Izuku. Me and Mitsuki grew up together too. We're…best friends."
"Nezu, what can we do?"
"Well, I think it's time I start throwing my name around." Nezu said after a moment. "Hold tight, I'll be there soon."
The phone clicked, and Aizawa sighed. A new battle had started, and Nezu expected to win.
He would. Shota squeezed Izuku's hand. Shota would make sure of it.