Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Prologue

Becoming a hero is the one thing izuku had always dreamed of. All his dreams of becoming a hero and saving citizens from crime and fighting off villains all broke when the doctor claimed,

“Sorry kiddo, but you're quirkless”

Now hold on we need a recap don't we? How could he be quirkless?

All this was to sudden. All Izuku Midoriya ever even thought of doing as a career and for the rest of his life was becoming a hero, specifically the #1 hero.

Did the universe hate him that much that the one thing he's always dreamed of won't come true? What total luck!

Not only did his best friend Kacchan start acting weird ever since he awakened his own quirk, (which not to mention izuku was most definitely jealous of). Yeah, maybe not awakening your own quirk the same age as all your other friends and almost all of your classmates is embarrassing, but he was just a late bloomer is what he told himself.

Izuku stayed convincing himself but come on! QUIRKLESS!? This is not how I wanted the story to begin.

“Listen sweetie, the news came a little shocking but hey..there are plenty of jobs you could take right? Having no quirk doesn’t mean anything! I'm sure with that intelligence of yours you'll become something greater.”

Inko Leaned in closer to Izuku and poked his small forehead lightly.

Izuku smiled and nodded. His mom always came up with encouraging words and ideas but right now it didn't really matter to him. Whatever his mom told him to help him feel less worse than he's already feeling wouldn't help at all.

How would a 6 year old take that sudden news?

He wanted a hug from his mom, He felt betrayed by the universe, Anger towards whoever was in charge.

Why? Why me? Is what he asked himself that's all he thought in those moments. He proceeded to zip up his sweatshirt and put on his hoodie, Clenching his small fists into his pockets, he held onto his All Might card as hard as possible as hard as a six year old could until the bones on his hands turned white.

Tears filled his eyes as he was trying to hold them in, “Heroes don't cry,” is all he thought.

“I'm sorry baby..”

No response.

Izuku felt a burst of emotion rush through. The walk home to the apartment was silent and emotional.

He was only a kid with dreams that would never come true.

Dreams that were crushed in an instant but what else could erupt from those crushed dreams? Maybe this was the beginning of new and bigger dreams.

Chapter Text

|Chapter 1|

(10 years after prologue)

It was another boring dreadful Monday.

The type of Monday you wake up from bed and your whole body feels exhausted.

Izuku? Well he loves mondays! You're probably asking why? - well on Mondays his mom wakes up extra early (5 in the morning to be exact) and she cooks him up some pancakes with specifically two eggs on the side with some bacon.

Inko started doing this whole routine ever since they found out he was quirkless.

She wanted him to have something to look up to every new day of the week. Sure she knew about the suicidal rates increase within the comminuity who end up quirkless.

That is exactly why she even started doing what she's been doing.

Inko loved her son.

Izuku Midoriya was the light of her life.

Without him she wouldn't imagine a life quite literally. She raised him alone since birth and ever since that day she held him in her arms, she knew she would never let him down and would love him for eternity. The kind of love that no man could ever understand. She would die for her son.

Izuku puts on his house slippers and walks out and into the kitchen.

The home they called "home" wasn't in its greatest conditions but it was still the place he grew up in.

Izuku was expecting a strong, sweet warm savory aroma to fill up in his senses the moment he walked into his so-called "kitchen” but, there was nothing.

Only the smell of cesspool and possibly a sort of black mold growing in between the walls.

He noticed a note on the fridge though he could never read his mom’s writing. He would always joke around calling it "doctor’s handwriting,” because of his inability to read it.

Izuku was a bit disappointed his mom wasn't there to make him breakfast but, he thought to himself, She probably had something urgent that came up.

Izuku enjoyed the days when he was with his mom, the late night talks with her and just being in the same presence with her healed something in him.

The feeling of loneliness and the acceptance that maybe it was possible to become something better even if he was quirkless.

She really was the only person in his life who ever cared about him and yes even though you're probably saying, “well duh he's his mother”, you wouldn't understand the love of a mother for her kid.

Who knows maybe this is the part where something super bad happens and the event changes the main character's whole personality.

Super cliche, right?

It was totally fine though!

He was already running a bit late anyways so he ran back to his room and got ready. Wearing his black uniform, the normal for his school.

Izuku was your average freshman you could say.

He always got good grades.

He always passed his exams with a score of 100% and always an A+ never under.

He always nailed his science tests and made sure to complete the extra credit assignments. I guess you could say it was as if izuku was a genius? Or maybe even a smarty pants, Who’s to say?

He was a quiet student though.

He always kept to himself and always kept a low profile, He never hung out with anybody during breaks or even socialized with anyone.

He never had many friends and if he did Bakugou would only make them turn against him. Izuku never understood the hate Bakugou had towards him? Or maybe he did but something in him sort of liked the feeling.

To him it felt like they had something special possibly or maybe it was all the stress getting to him.

He always ignored that feeling though.

It was December and the weather was not forgiving at all.

You could hear the air breathe almost like a whistle woosh faintly in your ears, Izukus ears were red as cherries and his cheeks were a light pink toned. Breathing softly in and out izuku walked down the pavement slowly kind of lost in thought.

How did his life end up so bad?

Gosh he was such a loser for letting everyone walk all over him.

Bakugou always bullying him and all the other kids joining in and embarrassing him. He was so tired of everything.

Sometimes he wondered was it really worth living?

What if he just stopped the game for a while and unplugged it, would that mean game over, Why did he become such a loser, he wondered what he did before this life to not get a chance of a quirk.

“I'm such a loser, gosh"

You could almost see the moments he exhaled, A whisping cloud would slowly form and disappear into the thin air.

Shivering and fidgeting with his tangled wired headphones all together, Izuku looked up.

The sky sure was pretty that afternoon and the stars were visible as well, The moment looked so perfect, so perfect. Izuku lifted his scarf down from his neck to his mouth and took out his cellphone and pressed "play".

He lifted his headphones from his hands finally untangled and placed them on his cold ears. The music started playing, Izuku zoned out and wandered around the neighborhood until dark lost in his thoughts once again.

"I wish i was special"

Izuku looked down on his phone, it marked 11:35 pm it was already past his "curfew" and izuku expected his mother to spam him with a bunch of missed calls.

His mom was always worried where he was. He knew she wouldn't be as worried if he had something to protect himself like a quirk.

He worked up the front door stairs and opened the door slowly creeping in hoping to not wake up his mother Nobody was there though? The small crowded living room looked the exact same as it did since the morning.

Dishes still in the sink and leftover pizza from two days ago.

Izuku was starting to worry and many other thoughts started to build up and came to his mind.

Did an accident happen? No they would've called.

Was she finally tired and left? No, that was such a stupid absurd thought, scratch that.

But seriously, where was she?

Izuku tried not to put much thought into the situation but really deep down he was majorly worried. What would he do without his only support who loved him?

He scratched his head in distress. Messing his green hair up, finding something to distract himself, Izuku grabbed the TV remote from the round stand and changed the channel to the city’s news. 

Izuku laid down on his back in a star position and closed his eyes only listening to the speakers in the background noise.

“Remember citizens of Mustutafu, buy your tickets now to attend and watch the future fights of our future heroes attending UA! Tickets on sale until—"

Izuku grumbled as soon as he heard the word "UA". He never knew when he would get over the fact he would never have the chance to try out his dream college.

He was still pissed at the world for his quirklessness. He covers his ears until they change the subject.

Izuku slowly started closing his eyes repeatedly, until his body could no longer withhold.

This morning he woke up to the birds chirping outside the small window near the kitchen, Izuku woke up strained and in pain.

His half face was planted smack on the wooden cold floor and there was a small puddle of saliva by his mouth.

Izuku woke up startled by the sound of the TV he perked his head up and positioned his body upright and got up. Looking for the TV remote the news man once again went on about a murder scene.

He never cared for the deaths and events that would happen, as long as it didn't involve him or his mom.

He always enjoyed going to the crime scenes and spectate the area. He was interested in the villain and what sort of quirk they had, did they get captured? Did they plan this beforehand or was it a quick fun murder, so many questions that weren't answered.

Sure he also knew about the hero's but what was the fun in that? All there information about there quirks and weaknesses were online.

Izuku was talking to himself out loud again until a knock on the door startled him. He walked to the door and looked at himself in the mirror, checking himself out and making sure to look presentable he looked through the peephole and saw a tall, scrawny figure.

Izuku had found it rather suspicious about why someone was knocking on his door at five in the morning on a work day. Opening the door slowly Izuku poked his head out and was shocked by who was in front of him.

All might?

The Number one hero of japan?!

Izuku was rather shocked for a quick moment and relocated his train of thoughts.

He had so many questions, The first very obvious question was what was the #1 hero doing in a trashy neighborhood?

What was he doing knocking at Izuku's front door?

Was this a miracle called from god? Forget that! Izuku wanted a signature from his idol!

"I-I'm a huge fan! Gosh i don't know w-what to say, Can i have your autograph-“

"Kid."

Sure Izuku has fantasized a bunch of different scenes where he met his idol but this? Yeah, no he wasn't ready for anything that was about to come out from his mouth.

Literally speaking. I don't know, maybe a character development is needed, no?

"I'm sorry for your loss.”

Chapter Text

|Chapter 2|

"I'm sorry for your loss. I felt like I needed to be the one to tell you."

Izuku (still in his pjs mind you), only half awake, was a bit confused at the sudden appearance of All Might, though he wasn’t complaining (secretly, he was fangirling). Shocked of All Mights presence, he still couldn’t believe who was literally right in front of him. 

Why the hell did All Might look like one of those homeless guys out in the street begging for spare change?

Swinging the door wide open, Izuku asked “What’s going on?”

Guilt.

Why? He's always done these types of confrontations; he's never felt this much pressure down his throat though.

Sure he was a hero and All hero's go through these types of situations, but this? Yeah no. This wasn't just any easy peasy slip of the mind situation. No no, he knew very much about his choices and what he did wrong. At the moment of life and death situation he felt like he made the right choice but now that he's facing his own consequences, well, you know.

Toshinori awkwardly grabbed the dark green haired boy's hands and pressed firmly into them holding them, almost in a cup form together.

Taking a deep breath in and out he lifted his head slowly, He was now face to face with the kid. How old was this kid? Damn.

"I wasn't able to get there in time to-to be able to save her, I'm truly very sorry I really—“

"Sorry, but who?"

The green haired boy looked lost?

He was obviously very confused, I mean sure let's just skip all formalities.

What was he even holding his hand and apologizing for..? Toshinori pulled his hands back to his side and cleared his throat  

“Ahem, Well. My Name is Toshinori Yagi, or as you know me All Might. I'm here to formally apologize for the death of Inko midorya, your mother-"

Stammering trying to recollect his words into a somewhat explanation?

But what was there to explain? He simply chose to save a hero rather than a citizen. Who would've guessed it would be one of our main characters?

"I-I don't understand— are you trying to tell me my mom died...?"

Looking back at All Might with an annoyed look on his face he coldly said

"Listen, I think you got the wrong person.”

The expression the scrawny man made, made it clear to Izuku he wasn't lying or mistakenly thought of him as someone else's son, convincing himself he slowly moved back from the door.

"No, I didn't get the wrong person. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this but haven't you seen the news or even noticed her missing? Your mother, Inko Midorya, died a day ago by a villain who attacked suddenly and held her and a hero as a hostage. We weren't able to save her on time son..and"

"No, I'm sorry but you definitely got the wrong person."

Slamming the door, Izuku ran back to his room.

He definitely got the wrong person. No way in hell his mom died.

He would've been the first person to know. And of course he watched the news for the past two days? Why did Almight just assume he didn't know anything? If anything he called and searched EVERYWHERE, worried as hell for his mom.

This all had to be a stupid nightmare.

Yeah, of course he would just wake up from this stupid dream and wake up to the smell of his moms pancakes.

She'd be coming back from her late shift and tell him all about gossip going around with staff. He'd give his mom one of the biggest hugs whenever she'd arrive home and they'd be laughing together in the living room.

Toshiniori stood by the door for a good minute.

Shit, how am I going to contact that kid now?

Rubbing his two arms on his back he went back to his car and took out a pen from the cup holder and a sticky note. On the note he wrote what was a phone number and one of his famous signatures.

At least a signature from an idol would probably cheer him up, maybe a little bit?

Walking back to the green headed kids apartment door he left the note on his door, hoping he'll at least be able to explain to him her death and why not maybe something else?

2 months later

"Shit shit shit”, Izuku muttered under his breath,

Dropping his backpack to the ground and making a run for it. Pulling his mask to his mouth he looked behind him back at what looked like a figure chasing him?

Sure, just another day as if he was running a marathon. He had many enemies out in the streets, so nobody specifically came to his head  to help him identify the person chasing him like crazy.

"YOU'RE NOT RUNNING AWAY THIS TIME KID!"

Wait, scratch that. Fat cop.

Can't he just have fun drawing his inspirations, all he wanted was to express himself! Ya can't blame a kid!

Checking his phone it marked 2:00.

How the hell was he supposed to outrun this human telescope?!

Pulling the string to his loose hoodie, he climbed ladders attached to the walls. Jumping from roof to roof he dropped down five feet to the ground and ran to the nearest neighborhood.

He wasn't just going to let some underpaid cop with a freak of a quirk and 20/20 vision arrest him!

Not when he had somewhere else to be right now. LIKE HELL, was he missing dinner with the Bakugous!

Feeling a vibration by his thighs he quickly took his phone out once again. It was a message from Kats.

So many things have happened in the span of three months. But where to start?

 I: Sorry won't be able to make it on time, don't wait for me. eat up :)!

Shoving his phone back into his pocket he took a left onto a dark road, and then a right.

He was lost.

He didn't know where the hell he was. But one thing was for sure, that cop was still on his ass.

Running down a narrow street he froze and looked around.

Dead end.

He muttered under his breath. Looking around the area there weren't many businesses open, most of them were closed. Other than some apartments and a bunch of land.

It was already 2:30- dinner had started 30 minutes ago! If only he wasn't stupid enough to rob a jewelry store right before dinner! Looking at his surroundings, he spotted someone in a jacket, a guy who looked like he was the same age as him. Crouching and smoking a cigarette. Probably some guy on his break.

The guy looked at the sudden movement of Izuku and glared up at him.

Scary.

"Hey, you."

Izuku, decided to ignore the guy, opting to stare at the walls instead. Was he able to climb these? There weren’t many misplaced bricks on them.

"I'm talking to you, ‘ya runnin’ from that cop aren't ya?"

Worth a try isn't it?

Izuku started stretching his legs, raising an arm onto a dented brick. Another arm onto the one on top. Leaving his legs in mid air he lifted his left leg onto another frogged brick, repeating the same process he was mid way up the wall.

This was just like jumping over a fence from Mario and Luigi adventures him and Kats always played on their Nintendo.

Easy peasy.

What is he, a spider? How the hell was this kid able to climb part of the wall??

Chuckling to himself, he started walking over to where Izuku was halfway up the wall.

"Yep."

"You need some help? You know, I'm pretty friendly with those guys."

Izuku wasn't stupid.

This guy wanted something in return. He wasn't sure what he wanted. But, trusting him or not, he was just a random guy.

"No, I'm okay thanks!—"

"Dude, You're trying to climb up an impossible, unclimbable wall. Let’s be real here!”

Dropping his cigarette down to the ground, whilst stomping on it continuously, he said

"Listen kid, you're not gonna outrun him. You're clearly in need of help. And I'm your guy. Come on..l'm a Good Samaritan I swear." Holding his arms up in the air playfully he smiled and offered his hand to the kid. 

Izuku was still indecisive.

He had a dinner to go to — well what was now dessert — but come on! Who was stupid enough to put their trust in a stranger who offers help in a dark alleyway.

Apparently, that guy was. 

Looking back at his phone tense, Izuku jumped off of the wall, taking off his mask to shake the the mysterious man’s hand. 

“ Fine! But only because I have somewhere important to be!” This guy reeked of a morbid, pungent smell!

"Sure, now why don't you go hide behind one of those crates over there and ill do the res—“

”Merlio?”

Cigarette man slowly turned around facing the cop while mumbling " well, fuck."

Izuku ducked behind the man.

How would that even help? The damn cop already saw him and will probably arrest him. How was he going to explain this whole shitshow to Mistuki—

Cigarette man tapped Izuku's shoulder from behind, signaling him to cover his ears.

Seconds later, a loud, eerie sound scratched in his ears. It almost felt as if waves of sound were hitting his whole body.

Collapsing to the ground, he felt something hard hit his leg. Looking down at what it was, he saw the cop’s decapitated head slowly rolling over to his boots. Blood splattered all over the walls of the alleyway and all over his shoes. He looked back at the man who was standing and staring with an annoyed face.

He didn’t know who or what he just got himself roped into, but he was absolutely pissed about all  of the mess.

"I didn't mean to do that, my bad." He awkwardly said, brushing the side of the neck with his hands  

"He was just so annoying, you know? He took my little brother to jail—a week later he committed"

How the hell am I supposed to reply to that?

"You just messed up my whole outfit! I had a dinner to go to?!"

Unzipping his jacket, he crouched down to the ground, using the sleeves from his jacket, he cleaned the blood off his boots.

“What’s your name? I can’t keep calling you a bunch of names like cigarette man in my head, and you’re paying for my dry cleaning bill!”

"Jacket guy in your head...What? Are you schizophrenic? And I already told you my bad, I saved your ass from getting arrested, I ain’t covering no dry cleaners bill!"

"Like hell you aren't. What's that favor I owe you now? You know for saving me from that cop?”

Izuku stood up and walked to merilo. Facing him, now inches away, Merlio gave a subtle smirk.

"Favor? No no!That was simply courtesy—No, call it a service!"

Crossing both arms together, Izuku rolled his eyes.

“Sure, whatever you want to call it. What is it you want in return?”

"You know how to drive?"

"No, but i'm a quick learner"

"Great, you're hired."

“For what?”

"Oh you know, just a simple mass murder."

Oh, you gotta be kidding me. 

Izuku looked around and leaned in closer. "Are you serious?"

"Why wouldn't I be, babe?" Leaning in closer to Izuku.

No seriously they were centimeters apart; Izuku took a step back and grabbed his jacket from the floor and tied it around his waist.

“There’s no way I’m doing that!" The walls aren't climbable and even if he tried, Sound wave freak  would kill him on the spot.

His only option he had left was distracting him for a quick second and making a run for it. Even then, he could probably kill him from yards away with those damn sound waves he used to kill that cop!

"Why the hell not?! You seemed perfectly fine watching someone else getting murdered on the spot. It'll be nothing, trust me!"

Trust him?! Izuku just met the guy 10 minutes ago! Is this man stable in the head?!

"I never asked you to do that!” Izuku had to run away from this freak, now.

If this guy had a sound quirk that somehow kills anybody he uses it on, wouldn't that mean he would also be affected by it? Maybe it wouldn't kill him but everybody has side effects when it comes to their own quirks.

His could be a temporary deafness? Or maybe blindness..? Energy waves of any sort could blind someone can't it? Come on, chemistry class wasn't so useless after all! How long would it last? 20 no-less. Maybe about 5 minutes? Did he have five minutes to run back to his house? The freak does smoke too..Smoking affects people's respiration—making it harder for them to run.

Bingo.

"Would you have rather been arrested? You know what, I don't even know why I'm arguing with you, greenette."

"Don't call me that."

"Alright, What's your name then? I haven't told you mine yet have I?"

“I’m Merilo.”

Merilo bowed in a courtesy way and quickly stood back up. Fixing his posture, he made a face that read this is the part where you tell me your name and we become best buds.

Izuku took a step back, sprinting to grab the lid of a metal trash can, taking it off, he threw it on the ground, making a loud bang as it crashed onto the concrete. Izuku made a run for it taking his hoodie off his waist, he threw it on “Merlio’s” face.

Merlio covered his ears as the sound of metal stung his eardrums. As he grabbed onto the hoodie left by the green haired boy he cursed “WATCH OUT!” trying to activate his quirk, if only he was a few feet closer to the kid, he could kill him.

But luck just wasn't on his side today. Closing his eyes faintly, he staggered backwards onto the ground. His vision blurring, his breaths shallow until he dropped fully in a heap to the ground. Merlio was at his max, overuse of his quirk always made him faint.

"I'LL BE EXPECTING THAT TO BE DRY CLEANED NEXT TIME WE MEET MERILO!”

End of chapter! <3