*A/N: so I just realized how badly I messed up the timeline, but please go along with it anyways, sorry!

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I turn on to my side on the futon Kurogiri prepared for me in the backroom of the bar, looking out the small window in the corner of the cramped room. It's about two in the morning now and the moon's still shining brightly. I wasn't able to fall asleep after last night, the excitement was just too much.

I'm finally here-- a place where I don't feel like a total outcast. Admittedly, some of the people here are a bit weird, but I think I've just about become accustomed to everyone's characteristics.

Toga's absolutely obsessed with blood and I've chalked that up to be related to her quirk somehow. Twice acts as if there are two people in his head, opposing every idea he comes up with. I don't particularly know what to make of that yet...

I'm aware of Kurogiri's warping quirk, though I don't know it's official name or the limitations and prerequisites of it— with a quirk as spectacular as that there must be some.

I'd thought that, due to his lizard-like appearance, Spinner would have a quirk that gave him the abilities of a lizard or some other reptile. But when he thought the League was in danger by my arrival, he'd pulled out a huge sword, one that could kill me with just a small poke. But then again, that could've just been a support item instead of it relating to his actual quirk...

I have absolutely no idea what Magne's quirk could be. She didn't do anything in particular when I'd come in via Kurogiri's warpgate-- just took a fighting stance. Either she felt she wasn't in any real danger or she'd been using her quirk in that instant. Whatever it may be, I can tell it'll be pretty cool.

Assuming that his villain name has anything to do with his quirk, Mr. Compress can squeeze items into other things of some sort... but he never specified.

Shigaraki didn't really talk much after he'd openly opposed my being here. He just skulked to one of the rooms in the back and stayed there the entire night. A total mystery to me, and no one really bothered to explain.

I've gotten to see Dabi's fire quirk in action and, despite how amazingly awesome it is, I suspect that it strains him to even use it. He expelled the flames from his hands with astonishing speed, but I think I saw him flinch from doing so. ... Maybe this has to do with his burn scars? Does he use his fire quirk so much that it burns his body and gradually raises his internal body heat to almost fatal, unnatural levels... ? 

All he'd need is some support item to cool him down at regular intervals, or maybe just helpful advice to not use his quirk as often. But I highly doubt the counsel would be followed, especially if he might have to use it daily as a villain...

So much information and theories, I need to write this down, I think, instinctively reaching for my left, only to feel the cold, wooden floor. I quickly sit up from the temporary confusion.

Right... my notebook isn't here.

I must've torn it up in my room a few months back. That day when Mom found me on the floor and she sang to me like she always did when I was little.

Laying down and tucking myself in, I wonder what she would think of all this. She must be worried like crazy right now. Or maybe she hasn't noticed yet.

I didn't tell her where I was going when I left at around 11:30 at night, not a note or anything. For all I know, she could still be sleeping peacefully in her room, thinking that she'll see my face again in the morning.

... She'd be disappointed in me, right? She'd be upset that I ran away without telling her, and I don't even know how she'd react when she finds out I'm not coming back.

I restlessly turn on my side.

Mom's all alone now. She's all by herself from now on. I hope she won't feel the same as when Dad left to take that work post abroad so long ago. As much as she tried to hide it, I could tell how miserable she was, raising me on her own, no one to help her or just be there for her.

All I was to her was a burden... everything that's happened until now has been all my fault. The guilt she's felt, the regret...

I made the right choice. She's better off without me.

I look out at the moon again. Its bright radiance flows into the small, dark room and yet, it looks a bit duller to me.

      ____________

The entire night I'd stared at the moon, waiting for it to set so the sun could come up. Then, I could finally stop self-pitying myself and do something productive. My feet were restless, yearning for a midnight walk, but I was too afraid to wake anyone.

I'm not sure who sleeps where-- Kurogiri had forced me into bed after three rounds of apple juice, right before everyone left for the night. I think Shigaraki also sleeps in one of the back rooms and Kurogiri might too.

I suppose everyone could've just gone home, it's possible if their identities as civilians are unknown...

Either way, it was Shigaraki I was mostly scared to wake. He doesn't trust me, which is totally understandable, considering how we met just yesterday, but he doesn't remotely like me either. He might've just killed me then and there if he found me lurking around in the middle of the night. I'm not willing to risk that.

But I can't avoid him forever. Toga and Twice said he was the boss around here... I have to get on his good side somehow...

Changing into a white shirt and sweatpants that someone must've left on top of one of the spare cardboard boxes and combing through my messy green hair with my hands, I creaked open the door and peeked outside.

The waft of food caught me off guard, involuntarily luring me to the bar counter where Kurogiri was drying a glass.

"Good morning, Midoriya," Kurogiri greeted. I simply nodded my head in reply, trying to figure out where this sweet breakfast smell is coming from. I hadn't noticed how hungry I was until now since I hadn't eaten anything for about a day. 

Taking a seat before Kurogiri, still sniffing the air, he whisked to another backroom, came back with a plate and placed it in front of me.

"Pancakes... ?" I asked.

He gave me a fork. "A growing boy needs his nutrition, doesn't he?"

I looked back at the dish. Three flapjacks stacked on one another, all drowned in syrup and powdered sugar. He even took the time to include fresh strawberries and blueberries. My heart warmed; I haven't had a breakfast like this in a while.

"Thank you, Kurogiri," I smiled softly. About to happily dig in, I noticed how unusually empty the bar was with just the two of us. "Where is everyone?" I wondered aloud.

He sighed, picking up another platter to clean. "They've all either been given missions or just staying home for the day. Everyone here has the freedom to do whatever they wish, as long as they don't jeopardize the safety of our league. I do suspect that Toga and Twice will be coming in though. They always do." He turned to me, eyes narrowing. "And as for you, Midoriya, I've been chosen responsible for you, as I was the one who recruited you in the first place."

He wiped the tray clean with a rag. "We must begin your training."

I nearly choked on my pancake. "My what?"

"I need to assess the capabilities and limitations of your quirk, along with your overall strength with and without it. One can always improve; you won't be of any use to us if you don't."

I dropped my fork, just now realizing what I said. "Oh, of course! Sorry, that was so rude of me to just question you like that after all you've done!!" I fumbled around.

"Think nothing of it. I suppose it was rather rash of me to not ask you this beforehand, but what's the quirk you possess? And demonstrate it as well to start off."

My heart dropped at the question. The thought hadn't come to me yet-- that they might feel the same as All Might and reject me as he did. If they kick me out, then I really will have nowhere else to go...

"My quirk..."

A quick knock came at the door, accompanied by a familiar voice whispering, "The password's love...!"

"Come on in, Toga," Kurogiri sighed, finally finished with all the plates.

She opened the wooden door and stepped into the bar, smiling widely. Her pale, blonde hair was styled into two messy buns and she wore that same high school uniform, her tan sweater as oversized as ever, as her golden irises met my green ones.

Toga blushed madly and ran up to me, linking her arms around my neck. "Good morning, Izuku! I didn't know you were already awake, I would've come earlier if I had!"

My face had a similar effect as I laughed nervously, positive that I looked internally broken to the two of them.

"Might you know where Twice may be?" Kurogiri asked.

"Hmmm," Toga stood behind me as she ran her fingers through my hair with me trying to stay as still as possible, covering my mouth with my hand, "He said he'll be in soon, he has something to take care of."

She took a seat next to me, propping her head up with her palm. "I hope I didn't interrupt the two of you, what were you talking about?" Toga grinned wildly.

"I was just saying how we need to prepare Midoriya for the future battles ahead. Fighting style, villain costume, villain name--" he listed off.

"Right! It all comes back to his quirk-- what's your quirk, Izuku?" Her eyes held the most exciting, eager look. It reminds me of my younger self.

I looked down, gripping my sweats tightly. How... how should I say this... ?

"Izuku... ?" she said.

"Um, I don't..."

Now Kurogiri leaned in, "What's the matter?"

I guess the best way is to just spit it out and hope I don't have to repeat myself.

"I don't have a quirk," I bit out.

Toga sat back a bit, surprised. So did Kurogiri.

"You don't have a quirk?" he repeated.

They're gonna kick me out, aren't they?

I didn't have time to prepare myself for this. How didn't I think of this possibility sooner? How can someone as powerless as me ever hope to become someone worthy enough to take down the Symbol of Peace, the hero system? How did it not occur to me that I'd just be dead weight to all of them? I'm slim and weak, pathetic and useless. I can't do anything...

But suddenly, Toga's eyes lit up like the sun as she stood up. "Wow, that's so cool, I've never met anyone quirkless before! Imagine that-- a quirkless villain! We'd be climbing up the ranks in record time!"

What... ? Did she just...

"Yes, that is very true," Kurogiri chuckled. "Not an ideal situation, but nothing I can't work with. We'd have to build up your physical strength first, of course, then we could propose a few weapons you could work with." He mused aloud.

I stared at the two of them, completely lost.

"Wait... really? You're not kicking me out?"

Kurogiri looked back, confused by my question. "Why would I do that? I brought you here, it'd be counter-productive of me to just kick you out."

"No, it's just that... everywhere I went, no one really accepted me. They all hated me." An image of Kacchan swept through my mind. "I was nothing to them." I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly cold.

Toga sat back down, smiling, but it was more of an understanding one this time. "That's what everyone in my life was like when they found out that I'd been faking this whole act I had going for a while. I tried to fit in, I acted the way they wanted me to." Her smile fell, "But it got boring. So I just decided to do what I wanted.

My quirk is Transform, so I can turn into whoever I want as long as I drink their blood. How long I stay like that person depends on how much of their blood I ingest. Everyone thought it was a creepy quirk and they wanted nothing to do with me until I started acting like the rest of them. I hated it. I didn't get why I couldn't live my life the way I wanted to.

Her face returned to that grin she always wears. "I always liked my quirk because it meant that I could be more like the people I love! And coming here let me do that!"

"This league was made for those who don't feel they belong in this hero-dominated society. Your short-comings don't matter to Toga and I, nor will they matter to anyone else here. If you are honest and truly wish to rectify this false idea of saviors--"

"I do!" I exclaim, "I really do."

Kurogiri smiled in approval. "Then we will help you to achieve that goal with us by your side, Midoriya."

And in that moment, when they'd told me that I wasn't as useless as I'd believed my whole life, that I maybe wasn't entirely pathetic and hopeless, that there was a chance I could actually accomplish something... I thought that the two of them shined brighter than the moon that previous night.

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Thanks for reading! We should be getting into more action-paced chapters soon, but for now I really just wanna work on Midoriya's mindset so I can get it to an ideal place!

Please vote and don't hesitate to leave suggestions for me!

Have a good morning, afternoon, or night !! :)