Midoriya Izuku nervously sits in his kindergarten's room, alone and isolated by the other children as they have Quirks and no one wants to befriend the Quirkless kid. Then the teacher, Miss Shiozaki, comes back and a familiar face stands beside her, "Alright, children~! Today we have a new friend~! This is Uzumaki Naruto and he just moved here~! Say hello, Naruto-kun~!"

Izuku perks up, realizing that Naruto would have joined his kindergarten since this is the closest kindergarten to their apartment. The girls coos at Naruto's mutation Quirk, eyes zoning in on the boy's tail and ears. Naruto just gives them a bright smile, flashing his fangs at them and they starts squealing. Realizing that she have a class to run, Miss Shiozaki quickly settles the class down before looking back at Naruto, "Alright. Naruto-kun, where do you want to sit?"

The girls immediately starts making space for him besides them, even pushing some of the other kids to make space. That is just mean. But Naruto simply walks straight for Izuku, surprisingly the broccoli. As Naruto curls his tail over his lap and sits down, he pats Izuku's back with a friendly smile, "Hi!"

Izuku starts trembling from emotion, smiling back, "H-hi!"

The whole class falls silent at the easy if somewhat nervous, on his part, interaction. A girl asks Izuku, "You know him, Midoriya?"

Naruto answers, "I'm his neighbor and we're friends, dattebayo!"

Before the class could start erupting with questions, Miss Shiozaki quickly have them return their focus to the front of the class. Meanwhile, Izuku wonders if Naruto will stay his friend during recess. Surely the other cooler kids with their cool Quirks will be more interesting? Izuku isn't anybody special. And the other kids find him annoying with his mumbling...

Naruto keeps a sigh to himself. Izuku is mumbling again but this time Naruto let him. It gives him a better insight of the class and their social structure. He takes a glance at the 'most powerful kid' in class, Bakugo Katsuki, and an apparent favorite to be a future Pro-Hero. Izuku seems to idolize Katsuki as they were close childhood friends...until Izuku was diagnosed as Quirkless and suddenly "Kacchan becomes mean" but the broccoli still believe that the boy is good because "he wants to be a Pro-Hero". But Naruto have seen the burnt mark on Izuku's wrist when he spent a day helping Naruto settling at his new home the other day. It almost resemble cigarette burns. Izuku said nothing about it and Naruto had wondered in his mother knew.

Recess finally arrive and Naruto grabs Izuku's hand by the wrist, having seen the interested looks sent his way, "Come on! Training!"

Izuku stumbles after him, "T-training?"

He nods, "Yeah! You need to run fast, don't you? So let's go run around!" The playground might not be big and Izuku have yet to be introduced to free running. But it will have to do, "Come on!"

Izuku, having nothing to do since none of the other kids want to play with him, chases after Naruto, "W-wait!"

That recess, for once, Izuku doesn't have time to think about the unfairness of the world and his sadness towards Katsuki's sudden meanness towards him. He doesn't understand what changed between them. But Naruto is making him breath through his nose and teaching him how to keep a pace as he's not letting Izuku rest until Miss Shiozaki tells them to eat their lunch. By then, Izuku is drenched in sweat like he just took a rain shower.

Naruto makes Izuku sit close to the teacher, purposefully keeping the boy busy and away from Katsuki who is glowering at them. Izuku might still hold on to their 'brothers' code of honor, or something, and stayed silent about the burns on his arms but that doesn't mean he needs to stick around Katsuki. And to keep Izuku distracted, Naruto asks about this and than Pro-Heroes and causes the broccoli to ramble on and on about this and that Quirks until recess end. After that is nap time and Naruto keeps Izuku close, hugging his tail as he naps.

Only to wake up in Minato's arms as the man explains to Miss Shiozaki about his Quirk making him act more like a fox, thus a nocturnal, so he might nap longer than the other kids. Naruto frowns and twists his body to find Izuku. But the boy is probably already home as he can't find him.

Minato confirms this by saying, "Are you looking for Izuku, Naru-chan? His mom was just here and she already took him home, so don't worry, okay?"

Naruto pouts at that. He really need to get a handle on his napping habit. Sure, his Quirk effects his mannerism but his naps really shouldn't be getting in the way to make sure that no one cook that broccoli. Izuku doesn't want to tell the adults and Naruto have a feeling that adults either doesn't know or they turn a blind eye on Katsuki because he's a favorite for Pro-Hero career. They probably just want to brag about having been part of a Pro-Hero's childhood. Freaking fame.

That night, Naruto starts making a training plan for Izuku. He have to keep reminding himself that Izuku is just a normal kid. No chakra. No Quirk. Nothing to make him special. He's weaker than even Rock Lee because even if Rock Lee can't circulate his chakra well, he can still use it to walk on walls and water though no Ninjutsu for him. Even so Izuku can't do either. He have no chakra whatsoever.

Naruto huffs, slumping on his bed.

Minato got mad at him when he said that Izuku can be a Hero. Something about false hope. But Naruto honestly think that if Izuku work harder than everyone else, he can be a Hero. He is already smart. Unfortunately, the rest of the world only believe in flashy Quirk and thought of Quirkless people like Izuku as helpless and unable to contribute. Not that Naruto doesn't understand. He would probably think the same if not for Might Guy and Rock Lee. They beat the odd despite everyone thinking of them as failures just because they can't use chakra. At least not enough to use flashy Ninjutsu. Then Might Guy was declared the Strongest Taijutsu user by Madara.

And Naruto is trying to replicate this with Izuku.

The next day, he repeats the run around the kindergarten with Izuku. His aim is to build Izuku's stamina and leg strength. Kids bounce back faster than adults, anyway. Something about rotting by 25? Unless they have a certain Kyuubi in them.

Meanwhile, Izuku is gasping for air behind him. The broccoli is doing his best to keep up. But this is just the second day and the muscle pain of yesterday have yet to disappear. He ends up stumbling, "Ow!"

Naruto stops and rush back towards him, "You okay, broccoli?"

Izuku grumbles, "Stop calling me that,"

Naruto hums, "But you look like a broccoli?"

Izuku pushes himself up, "Why do you want me to keep running, anyway? What's the use?"

Naruto says, "Because you want to be a Pro-Hero, don't you?"

Before Izuku can answer, someone laughs followed by a few other laughter. They look to see the crowd of children laughing though a few looks uncomfortable. Izuku flushes red at the mocking laughter. But it is even worse when Katsuki joins in, "He's a useless Deku! What makes you think he can be a Pro-Hero?!"

Naruto frowns, "Why can't he?"

Katsuki sneers, "Don't you know? He's Quirkless!"

The children starts laughing again due to his remark. Izuku stands up but his face is down, the color now drained of red. Clearly Katsuki's words means a lot to him. He is still hoping that deep down, they are still friends. Still, it hurts when he gangs up on him like this. Does being Quirkless really change things for them?

"Will you shut the fuck up!!"

The playground falls silent at the snarling shout and the bad word used. Izuku turns to see Naruto with a growl in his throat and, even more, when his tail splits into more than one. They dances behind him even as his ears pinned down to his skull. His blue eyes sharp and angry. Izuku staggers back, shocked by the change. Even the normally pencil thin marks like whiskers on his cheeks grows thicker and more feral.

Naruto growls, "So what if he's Quirkless? Even a legless person will run on their hands if they want too! And he's completely healthy! And he'll be a Pro-hero one day, dattebayo! I'm going to see to that personally!" He then points a thumb at himself, "And Uzumaki Naruto never turns back on his word!" He then glares at Katsuki, "Unlike a certain someone,"

Katsuki's palms explodes like fire crackers, "What was that?! You want to go?! Deku is a shitty liar! I keep my words! He didn't!" He glares at Izuku, "You'll never be a Pro-Hero, Deku! You are useless and worthless! Your place in life is beneath me-!"

The playground gasps as Katsuki falls to the ground, his nose bloody. The boy looks at Naruto, fist still forward in a punching position. Naruto then cracks his knuckles, grinning like a hungry beast, "Stop barking and start punching, you fucking mutt!!"

Katsuki snarls something just as feral and lunges for Naruto. But while the crowd is expecting a typical child showdown, that isn't what they are getting. Izuku watch, mesmerized, as Naruto dance around Katsuki. He keeps using Katsuki's own attacks against the explosive blond. Like a master martial artist. Katsuki on the other hand looks like a fool as he stumbles around as his punches and kicks misses Naruto.

He screams, his hands crackling like fireworks, "Stop running around!!"

Naruto taunts him, "Not my fault you stumble around like a dumb drunkard!"

"You piece of shit!!"

Well, that might look like a graceful Taijutsu to the kids but personally for Naruto, he needs more training. This body lacks the muscles that can really bring out the full strength of his moves. However, the teachers of the kindergarten soon hears the commotion and rushes out to break the fight. Distracted, Katsuki jumps on Naruto and starts punching for his face, though the crossed arms guard gets in the way, "I'm going to teach you, you fucking loser!"

He grabs at Naruto's arms with crackling hands. The explosion bites onto the fox's arms and the smell of burned flesh hits Naruto. Then, Katsuki falls off of Naruto. Naruto looks to see Izuku standing over him, "Stop that, Kacchan! You're hurting him!"

Katsuki screams at him, "Get out of my way, shitty Deku!!"

At that moment, the teachers finally reach them and grabs Katsuki with a scold, "Enough!"

Miss Shiozaki kneels down next to Naruto, "Are you alright?"

Naruto sits up, "I just got bitten by a dog. You might want to check for rabies cause he sure look like he have them, dattebayo,"

Katsuki shouts at him, "You fucker!!"

The other teacher grabs him, "Hey! No bad language!"

Katsuki argues, "He started it!"

Miss Shiozaki sighs, her expression full of disappointment, "I'm going to have to call your parents,"

When Minato and Katsuki's mom, Mitsuki, shows up at the kindergarten, Izuku nervously stands nearby while the Headmaster of the kindergarten explains the situation to the parents. He feels bad and his stomach is cramping from how bad he feels. After all, Naruto got into a fight with Katsuki because of him. Because he's Quirkless and a Deku. Maybe he should just be alone. That way, Naruto will not get in more troubles...

The next day, after a long lecture from Minato about starting a playground brawl and breaking a fellow classmate's nose, Naruto seeks out Izuku. But Izuku avoids him and in class, pretends to not see Naruto beside him, and disappears during recess. Annoyed by the strong feeling of guilty coming from the broccoli, Naruto ambushes him at home by coming straight for his house with some...fruits...as an excuse.

Inko greets him at the door, "Oh, Naruto-kun...uhm...what is it?"

Naruto hands her the fruits, "Here...where's Izuku?"

Inko sighs as she accepts the fruits, "In his room. Why don't...why don't you go talk to him?"

Naruto smiles, "I was planning just that, actually,"

As he steps into their home, he can immediately tell which is Izuku's room from the despair coming from one of the rooms inside the apartment. Also, All Might's stickers on the door. Opening the room with an almost violent bang, he shouts, "Oi, Izuku! You're not escaping my training plan for you that easily, dattebayo!"

Izuku shrieks, "Na-Naruto?!!"

His tail splits into 9 as his shadow stretches from the living room's light into Izuku's dark room, wiggling behind him in a threatening manner, growling, "Why are you avoiding me, you broccoli?"

Izuku pouts, "Don't call me that,"

Naruto glares, his eyes reflecting light in the dark like a predator, "Answer my question, broccoli,"

Izuku looks down, "You're getting into fights because of me. They'll isolate you too, you know. You should just be like the others and make other friends-," A tail smacks him lightly on the mouth, "Bwah?!"

Naruto hisses, "You don't make decision for me, Midoriya Izuku! I decided that you're my friend and that is that! Even if the whole world thinks that you're an enemy, I will still see you as my friend! So don't look down on me, dattebayo!"

A certain Uchiha can attest to that.

Izuku blinks at him, his water work is already dripping, "Really? Even if I'm Quirkless?"

Naruto rolls his eyes, "So what if you're Quirkless? Don't listen to Bakatsuki! What does he know?" He steps closer to the other boy and presses his knuckles on the boy's chest, "Sure, maybe you won't make it to Pro-Hero like he said but having a license doesn't mean you can't be a hero. You already have the heart of one! And if you are still aiming for that Pro-Hero license, then you have to really work for it, dattebayo! Not sit around and mope! Besides, if Bakatsuki won't keep his promise to be Pro-Hero with you, then I'll be that partner! And unlike him, I won't leave you behind! Even if you can't go on the field, you can still help me with that big brain of yours! Besides, you told me, didn't you? Not all Pro-Heroes Quirks are flashy like Bakatsuki! But they train hard anyway and use their big brains to make it!"

Izuku sobs, "But I can't be in the Top 10 without a Quirk,"

Naruto shakes his head, "Those top listing is dumb. I mean, are you sure that some of those Pro-Heroes deserved to be on the list? What if they bribe the people making the list? If you want to be a real hero, Izuku, you got to show it with your action. Sooner or later, people will acknowledge you. Not because of your Quirk but because you are a real one! Someone who did what he did because it's the right thing to do, even if it's hard!" He pats his friend's head, "So let me help you get a leg in the game. With or without Quirk, if you work hard enough then surely one day you will make it. And even if you didn't, you can still smile because you give it your all,"

Those were words Naruto wished some told him as a child dreaming for the hat. Someone who believed in him even when he haven't done anything great. Proving himself was a matter of life and death because that was the world he grew up in. But there were times, as a child, he wished that someone will look at him and told him; yes, he can be Hokage if he work for it. No sugarcoating stuff. Just directly say that he can be Hokage if he work really, really hard. And even if he never made it, he will still fall among the stars while aiming for the moon.

Izuku burst into tears more than he ever did when Naruto first told him that he can be a Pro-Hero. Though it came with the ominous reminder that he will have to train to death. But no one ever supported him. Naruto didn't just tell him what he wanted to hear but also what he needed to hear. He grabs the fox and hugs the stuffing out of Naruto, crying into his shoulder. Naruto's tails become one once more as he calms down from his own charged emotion.

Outside the door just out of sight, Inko is kneeling with a hand over her mouth and nose as she cries for her son. She had felt horrible for not being able to support his dream. But how could she support him when she could be sending him to his death? As a mother, she couldn't do it. The children only see the glam and excitement of the Pro-Hero world. But an adult like her have seen the darker aspect. The injuries. The trauma. The accusations. The pressure. She cannot imagine her son in the hospital with injuries because he can't get away fast enough. She cannot imagine his nightmares when he couldn't save someone. She cannot imagine the world turning in on him because he failed at saving a life. She just couldn't. She's not that strong or that brave.

Still, to hear someone else support his son in way that she never thought of is both humbling and relieving. She smiles to herself, thanking Naruto privately in her heart.

Later, when Naruto returns home, he found Minato cooking in the kitchen. Though the man is still sad and mourning his wife's departure, the mundane business of life keeps him distracted. And the starting anew away from where the incident happened probably help. Musutafu is very peaceful, after all, with few Pro-Heroes patrolling due to lack of criminal activities. He certainly calms down a lot since moving. Minato looks at Naruto upon his entry, "Naru-chan! Wash up before dinner, alright?" He then asks, "Also, have you seen my fruits? I'm sure I bought them last grocery run..."

Naruto makes his way to the bathroom, conveniently ignoring his second question, "Okay~!"

Falling into the childish persona of Little Naruto is easier as he spends more time around children of 'his age'. But Hokage Naruto sometimes shows up now and then. However, his emotional control is certainly less as proven when he punched that jerk Bakugo. He sighs, wiping his face and then looking at himself in the mirror. He doesn't really get why he's so worked up about Izuku. Maybe because the boy reminds him of himself?

Well, before he decided to take on the prankster persona, anyway.

He becomes invested in the broccoli's dream to the point he's making body conditioning plan and dietary plan for the boy. Or maybe he's just distracting himself from the big Bijuu in the room; being reborn in another world. He honestly thought that he will go to the Pure Land and reunite with people he longed to see.

The thought of failing to confess to her weighs heavily on his heart...

Since then, Naruto continues to help Izuku with his training. Izuku is still very young so Naruto only have him train his stamina and some core strength training. Of course, he remember to make it fun so that Izuku will not even notice the time. Most of the time, it is tag around the apartment block. It is also the best way to teach Izuku free running. Obviously, no rooftop jumping. No need to give Inko a heart attack.

Katsuki is still a headache and they still ends up scuffling. The number of times the teachers have to pull them apart are countless. It soon become a thing to keep Katsuki and Naruto apart. Though hearing Katsuki calling Izuku names and Naruto as 'shitty extra' will always be replied with 'dumb reject' or 'noisy mutt' by Naruto have slowly become a thing too. What annoys Katsuki more is that Naruto never take him seriously and more often than not, ignores him. This drives the explosive boy up the wall.

Not that Naruto cares.

One evening, Minato asks, "Naruto,"

Hearing his full name, Naruto looks at him from his admittedly boring alphabet worksheet, "Yeah?"

Minato sits with him at the coffee table, a show about Pro-Heroes playing on the television. Turning that off, he looks at his son, "Do you...want to be a Pro-Hero?"

Naruto nods, "I made a promise with Izuku. Why?"

Minato sighs and pets his ear, "Nothing. I just...I don't really like the heroes of today. All Might is admirable but the other Pro-Heroes, they..." He falls silent, a complex expression on his face.

Naruto know why he's against the idea of Naruto becoming a Pro-Hero. When the Villain attacked their old town and his mother got caught in the crossfire, the Pro-Hero that was in charge of the area was busy doing a side gig. Even worse, the apology the Pro-Hero had given at Kushina's funeral was more for show than sincere regret. Due to this, Minato have certainly lost faith in the Pro-Heroes and doesn't want Naruto be like the people who failed him. But will explaining all this to Naruto be the right thing to do? Will Naruto even understand?

Naruto puts his pencil down and climbs onto the man's lap to give him a koala hug. Minato sighs and hugs his son back, "I want to support you...I do. I think you'll be a great hero, Naruto...it's just that..."

Naruto hums, "You don't want me to be like the other dumb heroes?"

Minato snorts, "Something like that,"

Naruto nods, "Okay. Then I won't. Promise! And Uzumaki Naruto never go back on his words, dattebayo!"

Minato burst out laughing at his verbal tic, "What does that even mean?"

Naruto chirps, his tail wagging, "It means 'Believe It'!"

Minato rubs his ear, "Like a catchphrase?"

Naruto nods, bobbing his head, "Yeah!"

It is easy to be Little Naruto in Minato's arms. It is as if the small orphan of Konoha finally found a family to heal his childhood loneliness. So he just purrs as Minato pets his ears, wagging his tail happily. Embracing the warmth of family. He will protect his father in this life. Minato will never have to sacrifice anything ever again.

He promise!