————

"Izuku you dumb brat-"

"DAD WAIT NO-"

Izuku shrieked when Aizawa pinched his ear between his fingers, tugging him down and gritting his teeth. "Getting into a fight again! What the hell!"

Nedzu smiled, still as polite as ever as he watched the father-son duo bicker- Aizawa still in a pink apron and a soup ladle in hand, scolding a pleading but unapologetic Izuku. "I knew that I shouldn't have had Bakugou take care of you. Now you have his manners!"

"But the guy deserved it! He called my friend a bitch! Just because he has a dog quirk-"

"IZUKU! LANGUAGE!" Aizawa roared, steam metaphorically bellowing out his ears and nose. Nemuri, in her Hero Costume snickered at them, stealing a glance at a mildly amused Principal Nedzu, who was seemingly waiting for them to calm down.

The principal cleared his throat after a minute or two, making Aizawa let go of his ear and Izuku falling onto the couch, groaning in pain for his sore body part- still red. "That hurt!" Aizawa snapped at him back. "As it should!"

Aizawa straightened up, a frown still on his lips with his cheeks red with anger. "I apologize, Nedzu," he grit his teeth harshly, grip straining the metal ladle- currently bending in his hand. "For my idiot son. Apparently, I've raised him poorly."

"Katsu-nii told me to kick people who bullied weak kids!" Izuku huffed indignantly. "Ah, yes, because summoning spirits to scare and scar your classmate for life is the same shit as kicking!"

"And you wonder where I get my language!"

"Raise your voice again and I'll add six more kilometers for you to run!"

———

"-and so that's why Izuku-kun will be receiving a month worth of one hour detention and campus clean-up for a week!"

Izuku groaned, slumping back before getting his head smacked by Aizawa. "It's what you deserve! Straighten your back!" He begrudgingly complied, muttering under his breath and rubbing his head.

Aizawa's eye twitched, agitated by Izuku's "teenage behavior". For fuck's sake, that's the third fight of the whole month! He knew that he shouldn't have let Bakugou near his kid! Now look at him, dirty mouthed and having such a foul attitude!

"I'll make sure he serves his detention, Nedzu," Aizawa grunted, still mildly upset about Izuku's mood swings. Hell, the kid never even acts upset in front of him!

"Great!" Nedzu clapped his paws together, a neutral smile on his face as he made a shooing motion. "Now go, both of you! I hope you have a good birthday tomorrow, Izuku!"

"Bye Nedzu-Sensei! Sorry!"

————

"Dad."

"..."

"Pssst. Daaaad. Hey. Hey."

"....."

"Look! I'm sorry!" Aizawa almost jolted when Izuku's body weight landed on his poor, old back, two hands squeezing his cheeks and trying to force him into a weird smile. Izuku whined when Aizawa rolled his eyes, typing out his documents for classes tomorrow.

"Izuku. Get off. Now."

"But..!-"

"Izuku Midoriya Aizawa." Shouta felt oddly relieved when the kid froze up at his full name. "Get. Off."

".. Fine.." He muttered, lazily rolling to the other side of the bed with a pout.

"... But I'm really sorry. Dad." Izuku tugged at Aizawa's dark hair. "I lost my stupid temper again- I feel like.. My fuse is getting shorter and shorter. What he said just made me mad and-"

"Izuku." Aizawa looked at him, taking in the dark green curls and viridian eyes filled with shame. "What they did was unacceptable- but there are other ways to do disciplinary action. You're a smart kid, Izu," Shouta ruffled his hair with a half hearted smile on his face.

"You'll work it out." Izuku smiled back, leaning closer to nuzzle his dad's bicep, closing his eyes. "Yeah. I know."

———

"Kacchan."

"Oi, Deku," Bakugou turned to him, grunting the nickname he'd given Izuku after accidentally misreading his name. "Hell are you here for kid?"

They were in Ground Zero- Kacchan's agency, precisely in the desolate break room that smelled like cup noodles and burnt out coffee and nitroglycerin. Bakugou was on break- working on his gauntlets.

Black gunk was smeared on his right cheekbone, fire preventive gloves looked black in soot and oil- as if the gauntlets has exploded again- and if it were Kacchan he was talking about, it probably did. "Just wanted to hang out with you."

Izuku smoothly slid into a metal chair, head in his arms as he watched Bakugou- the symbol of victory and number one hero (well, maybe before he steps into the field) work on his costume himself. When Izuku asked why he doesn't just send them off to Mei's repairs and building Corp, he rolled his eyes and claimed that he wanted to make everything himself.

"... You're quiet, Deku." Katsuki noticed out of the corner of his eye- snipping the red wire causing the excessive and destructive force in the gauntlet. Maybe he'll replace it later.

The kid, Izuku, was naturally one of Aizawa's problem children. He was smart, slick, dangerously manipulative and powerful. He didn't have an ego like Katsuki- his past had stomped out any of the over inflated self confidence he had and shoved some humility into his brain.

But the kid was.. One hell of a fighter. Picked a fight with a class B student when the kid poked fun of one his friend's unique physique on the first day- left the kid with a broken nose and a wound that bled profusely. He hasn't used his Quirk, back then.

After that, it went downhill. More fights. More yelling more bruises and Aizawa was frustrated. Katsuki stepped in. After all, he was familiar with the face of anger.

Izuku, he had observed, had his own issues. Took them out negatively, hence the fights. He was a ticking time bomb just like Katsuki- but god, god knows he tries. He tries so hard to be patient. He knows he couldn't be like this if he wanted to be a hero.

"Spiky bitch tried me again," he stated glumly. "Called my friend- and mind you, her quirk is literally called canine- a bitch. Got mad for her. She got mad at me and now she won't talk."

Katsuki was unnervingly silent, staring at Izuku with his eyes- softened after the years. Izuku took this as another cue as he fiddled with the toolbox.

"Makes me feel like shit. Can't control myself. And.. And..!" Izuku clenched his jaw. He won't cry in front of Kacchan- any signs of weakness was..

"I'm trying- I swear! But it just won't.." he can't find words, and he was lost.

Bakugou spoke. "It won't go away?" Izuku stilled for a moment, sniffled and then nodded. "I.. Aizawa's mad again. I tried to control my temper but the shithead kept yapping and I just wanted him to shut up!"

A thunk, and a rubber ball plopped on Izuku's lap- and the kid looked up to see his brotherly figure shrug and go back to sheering off the old, frayed wires.

He picked the stress ball up, examining it and giving it a hard squeeze. It didn't pop.

"Try that. Helped me manage and keep my shit together." Katsuki looked at him, crossing his arms with a frown on his face.

"The fact that you're trying shows that you want to be better. Your mistakes.. They don't define you. You're not a bad person kid-" he flicked Izuku's noggin. "-just a good one with a shitty past."

———

"Iida.. I swear..." Izuku squeezes the Ground Zero themed ball in his hands, glaring at his homework as if it had grown another head.

Tenya patted his head sympathetically. "Ah yes. Mathematics. Don't worry, Izuku. I'll teach you." Izuku smiled gratefully at him.

"Thanks."

————

"Villain went southbound! Deku-kun, you think you can-?"

"I'm on it, Mirio!" Izuku yelled into his earpiece, shimmying a bit- body suddenly having a full body shiver before two gnarled wings sprouted from his back, the wounds healing right back up as he jumped and propelled himself forward like a bullet train.

People. So many people. Rich poor- tall, short- in the streets with vendors. He was interning today in Togata's agency- and he'll have to go to Ground Zero's tomorrow- and he decides that having two internships is hard but manageable.

He was chasing a man who used his quirk to overload a power conductor and batted in sixteen cars, causing the streets to go up in flames. Three dead. Eighteen still unrecovered. One hundred and six alive, only two with critical injuries.

He flapped his wings wildly. The man was running. Cowardly. Frightened. He was probably trying to blend in-

Yeah! There was someone right beside an elderly woman, moving against the crowd and matching the criminal's description.

"Found you."

Izuku felt the tug in his heart, the shadows sealing his muscles as his visor blocked his eyes filling with green power. He felt himself reach out, hand pointed towards the criminal and he pulled.

————

"Good job, Izuku!" Mirio-San patted his back, and Tamaki smiled, shy as ever and whispered something that sounded like "you did really good" under his breath.

————

"Hey, you're the kid S'plody sold us about! Deku, right?" Red Riot grinned, sharp teeth on display as a big hand ruffled his curls playfully.

"Good luck in the Sports Festival!"

Izuku nodded. "I'll do my best!"

————

"Todoroki!" Izuku yelled, quite loudly as he rushed to the hospital bed, worry on his face.

Shoto smiled, softened through years working and saving kids as his hero job. Izuku was someone special, and he could tell. "Midoriya. I believe that Uraraka told me where I was, huh?"

Izuku nodded, analytical eyes scanning his broken rib, bandaged tightly.

"... Todoroki.. Why didn't you use your left side?"

Shoto tensed. His scar felt the throb of a phantom pain in his scar. ".. It's my father's side," he said, strained. "I'm not using his power."

Izuku cocked his head to the side, confused.

".. But it's yours, isn't it?"

———

"Eri!"

"Izu-nii!" The girl, a year younger than him smiled, bounding up into his arms as he grinned widely and lifted her. "I got into U.A.!"

"I knew you would! Let's tell Aizawa! He'll be happy!"

———

"Stay with me, Okay?"

Izuku felt the child squirm, uncomfortable being trapped below Izuku. The kid whimpered, the small cries made Izuku alert. His Quirk has been exhausted, any more use would burn him up and kill him from using his quirk for three days straight. The heroes had received a massive attack from every villain, the war raging on for days.

He shifted once, felt the concrete rub on his back, Hero costume torn as smoke bellowed. They were trapped between rubble, Izuku's back the only one holding everything up to keep it from crushing..

"What's your name kid?" Izuku smiled, looking at the large, terrified eyes.

Please. He had to hang on. Just.. Just for one kid..-!

"Kito, s-sir Deku.." the kid sniffled. He wasn't more than six. Izuku scanned him, arms strained. The child had no signs of serious injury, just soot in his ankles and a light scratch on his shoulder. "Well, Kito. I want you to crawl out of here when I lift the rocks, Okay?"

".. W-what.. What about you!?" The kid cried. The scream made Kito cry harder as little arms wrapped around Izuku.

Please. God. If Izuku dies here, then it'll be fine. He's only seventeen. It'll be fine. He will be fine. Aizawa's disappointed face from his fights floated around in his thoughts.

Aizawa would be.. Relieved once he dies. No more other mouth needed to be fed and other body to be kept in shelter. He'll be able to live freely without Izuku as a burden.

Izuku inhaled, before he smiled weakly.
Just this once..

Tears sprung into his eyes, and he sniffled. "Don't worry kid, I'll come out alive."

The kid nodded. He was hesitant.

"One. Two.. Three!"

Izuku lifted his torso, the rubbles shifting.

A small opening with light. The kid shuffled forward and crawled through.
Izuku sighed in relief, and relaxed, the building crumbling into his form as he was plunged into darkness.

———

Izuku lay on the hospital bed, smiling weakly.

"Hey."

"What the FUCK." "Izuku!"

Katsuki smacked him over the head, growling as Aizawa pinched his ear. His eyes were rimmed red, and his hair was a mess. "You.. You almost died!"

".. Bad thing I didn't, huh?" He tried to joke, but both of the adult's face fell at it. ".. Deku." He looked at Katsuki, humming. "You idiot.. Worrying us.."

"Deku-kun!" Ochako busted through the door, still clad in her torn up hero costume. Seeing her here..
"Fight's over?" He slurred, the fuzziness in his head made him feeling like Ochako was using her quirk.

"We won," Todoroki steppes in next, hands in his pockets. He was dressed formally now. "Man, you really worried us!" Chargebolt and.. Red Riot!?

"Guys.. w-what-!"

"Don't scare us again, Midoriya." Nedzu himself stepped through the doors, smiling blandly, and Izuku though he was gonna faint.

———

"And the Hero Deku saves the day again!" The news reporter grins, ecstatic, and Izuku shut off the TV.

"I'm proud of you, kid." The retired hero Eraserhead smirked, pinching his cheek as Izuku whined.

"You're the best dad I could hope for, anyway."