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Chapter Text

The One-Shot

"Remove the hood." Tsukauchi ordered.

Izuku obliged him by taking off the hood and shaking out his bright green curls with a smile. He also took off his cloth face mask and tucked it away in his pocket to reveal freckles and his lower face. Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes, sighing, and placed a red blinking recording device on the metal table and then laced his fingers together.

"Please state your name and age for confirmation in the presence of my Quirk: Truth." He said firmly.

"Midoriya Izuku, age fourteen." Izuku said without complaint. Izuku grinned at Eraserhead, giving him a fluttering wave before he crossed his arms.

"Midoriya, do you know how serious this is?" Tsukauchi asked, y'know, seriously.

"Absolutely Detective, I believe this is… hmmm… not very serious at all." Izuku grinned, it was more baring his teeth than a real smile. Tsukauchi sighed again. "Congrats on capturing me by the way. It's cute that you worked so hard for this."

"Midoriya, can you tell us about how you became a Villain?" Tsukauchi said, ignoring Izuku's teasing as he assessed him. "You started as a Vigilante when you were nine years old, correct?"

"I guess you could say that. I got bored one day and decided to see what it was like." Izuku shrugged. "It was fun, kicking the shit out of people and leaving them on your doorstep." Tsukauchi nodded, writing something on his clipboard.

"You started killing other Villains soon after you turned eleven, dropping their bodies off at the station instead, correct?"

"Hmm, no." Izuku grinned while Tsukauchi frowned.

"Alright. When did you start killing?"

"Well I had my first kill when I was five, but it was mostly accidental."

"Can you elaborate?"

"My good Detective, I'd love to." Izuku laughed. "See, my Dad decided I was old enough to start using my Quirk. Unfortunately my first test subject had a mutation Quirk, and he didn't survive. Poor thing, his wings were torn off him in such an unpleasant way." Izuku clicked his tongue and grinned wickedly. "Unpleasant, but beautiful."

Tsukauchi was frowning, flipping through the thin folder of information they had on the Villain: Drop Off. Izuku never liked the name, but it was accurate enough; he did drop off Villains at the stations, after all. Dead or alive.

"We haven't had any reports of your Quirk doing anything like that." Tsukauchi frowned. "We haven't had any reports of your Quirk at all."

"Well that's because I kill the ones I use my Quirk on. Can't have them spilling my secrets before I'm ready now can I?" Tsukauchi frowned harder at Izuku's flippant tone.

"Can you state your Quirk for the record, in the presence of my Quirk: Truth?"

"I can. Quirk: Steal, at your service, Detective." Izuku gave a little bow, grinning wickedly as Tsukauchi went dead pale. "Aw cute, you've guessed who my father is, then?"

"Tsukauchi?" Eraserhead turned to his partner, looking at him with narrowed eyes when Tsukauchi said nothing in response.

"We're sending him to Tartarus." Tsukauchi said immediately, which made Eraserhead blanch.

"What, why? He's a child."

"His father is the most feared Villain ever, Eraser." Tsukauchi stressed, dark eyes glued to Izuku's wicked smile, "He's the son of the Boogeyman of the Underground."

"Seriously? Come on, Tsukauchi, that's irrational. There hasn't been any proof he even exists. He's a legend."

"I've seen him." Tsukauchi said as he turned to Eraserhead, taking his eyes off Izuku for the first time. "All Might went against him five years ago and defeated him. He's known as All For One."

"Oh yeah, Dad was mad about that, by the way." Izuku said, rolling his eyes. "Mama smacked him for it when he got home. Only idiots get caught by accident."

"He's still alive?!" Tsukauchi choked, making Izuku laugh.

"Duh, you think All Might actually killed him? Sorry to break it to you, but Dad's fine. Injured, yes. Inconvenienced, yes. But all you really did was ensure that my brother will replace Dad in a few years." Izuku sighed dramatically. "Dad's gonna retire which'll be so boring."

"There's more of you?!" Tsukauchi jumped to his feet and slammed his hand on the table, making Izuku blink and Eraserhead sigh. "Tell me everything. Now."

"Mmm no." Izuku said, bringing a hand up to examine his fingernails. "You're throwing me in Tartarus, which, again, would be so boring, and I am allergic to boredom. How can I collect and kill if I'm in Tartarus? A waste of my talents is what it is."

"Tsukauchi, you need to be rational. Drop off clearly has no interest in running the underworld." Eraserhead said, staring at the Detective blankly. "If what you say is true, he'd have done it by now if he was. Sit down."

"Good point." Izuku pointed at Eraser with his handcuffed hands.

"How did we even arrest you?" Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes at Izuku. "The reports say an officer just tackled and handcuffed you. How many Quirks do you have?"

"A little under a hundred." Izuku shrugged. "I'd have more, but Dad says I need to be selective because clutter gets annoying after awhile. I haven't noticed, but that's what he said."

"Why didn't you leave?" Tsukauchi demanded. "You could've just… I don't know… not been arrested?"

"Tsukauchi, he's wearing Quirk suppressants." Aizawa sighed.

"I thought this would be interesting." Izuku shrugged, answering Tsukauchi's question. "You've been trying to catch me since I was nine years old, I figured I'd give you a chance to have your fun."

"Tsukauchi if you don't sit down and do this interrogation properly I'm taking you off the case." Eraserhead snapped. Tsukauchi stilled, staring the Hero down, then sat back down stiffly.

"Fine." He cleared his throat and picked up the file again. "So your Quirk is called Steal. Can you elaborate?"

"My Quirk allows me to take the Quirks of others and use them for myself." Izuku rolled his eyes. "It's pretty self explanatory."

"Can you give back the Quirks you've taken?" Tsukauchi asked shakily.

"No." Izuku pouted, crossing his arms. "It's stupid. Dad says it's my only shortcoming, but Mama doesn't care." Tsukauchi nodded slowly but moved on.

"And how does it activate?"

"I can pull them towards me whenever I want." Izuku said, brightening happily, which made Tsukauchi stiffen, "Currently, I can pull any Quirk towards me that's within a mile radius of my position. In addition, I know any and all Quirks in that radius and can understand their uses perfectly, if I want to. Much better than Dad's Quirk, in my opinion."

"So you can feel everyone in the building?" Tsukauchi asked calmly even as his face drained of color.

"Yep. It's interesting, did you know one of your employees has a Quirk that allows him to walk on water?" Izuku asked brightly, "Such a useful Quirk. Seems useless, but if he were paired with the girl who can create water from nothing they could be a perfect duo. Imagine the girl creates a waterfall staircase, the boy can just go up it!" Izuku sighed. "You people have no creativity. Can't believe you stuck him in a lab, and made the girl an assistant."

"Midoriya–" Tsukauchi didn't get to finish because Izuku's phone rang.

"I'm sorry, it's Mama. I'll put her on speakerphone." Izuku dug around in his pocket to reveal his phone, awkwardly tapped the green button with his wrist at an odd angle because of the handcuffs, then clicked the speaker icon. "Hey Mama, you're on speakerphone, say hi to Eraserhead and the Detective!"

"Hello Tsukauchi, Aizawa." She said, clearly amused. Izuku could just imagine her eyebrows going up as they did when she was pleasantly surprised. "Izuku, I said you could spend two days at the station, not five! Your brother nearly destroyed the house when I said he couldn't kill the police officers to get you back."

"Sorry Mama." Izuku smiled, ignoring the pale Detective and sighing Hero, "I'll be home soon. Promise."

"You'd better. Don't think I'll let you keep going out if you pull this again! I gave you a curfew and you weren't back by then." Her voice was stern and it made Izuku wince.

"Sorry Mama." He said again. She huffed into the phone, perfectly portraying her disappointment; he sighed. "I'll be home before Dad notices. Okay?"

"Well hurry up. He gets back tomorrow."

"Yes Mama. Love you."

"Love you too baby. Go easy on Tsukauchi, you know his Quirk gives him migraines." She hung up then and Izuku sighed. He tucked his phone away and smiled at the duo across the table.

"I'd better go, Mama was very clear."

"You think we'd release you just like that?" Eraserhead raised an eyebrow, but then his eyes went completely colorless and blankly white "What the–?" He immediately stood with a shout, shoving back his chair and stumbling backwards with a hand over his eyes.

"Your Quirk doesn't work if you're blind, Eraserhead. I'll be going now." Izuku said, activating a Quirk called Whiteout. He then stood and easily unclasped the handcuffs. "You should've double checked, Detective. I don't approve of Quirk suppressants." Tsukauchi stood, panicked, jumping forward to grab at Izuku. Unfortunately he was a split second too late as Izuku Blinked himself away.

Izuku hated Blinking, but it was his only teleportation Quirk. He landed roughly on his kitchen floor, groaning as his back slammed into one of the cabinets. Quirk: Blink was useful, it allowed the user to teleport at will through blinking, but it made Izuku's insides feel all twisted and yucky like he was shoved through a rubber tube.

"Mama! Mura! I'm home!" Izuku yelled into the house, climbing to his feet and dusting himself off. He briefly acted Purge, which would boil any contaminants from his body. It was to make sure the tracker they'd slipped in his food was burned away and destroyed. Honestly, did they think he wouldn't notice?

"Zu!" Tomura came crashing into the kitchen, slamming into Izuku as he grabbed him into a tight hug. "Why did you get yourself arrested?? That was stupid! Now they know your stats, idiot!"

"I know, Mura, but I wanted them to." Izuku laughed, gently pulling away and grinning at his brother's glare. "They were getting bored, and I heard Tsukauchi say he was considering handing my case off because he was tired of me! Can you believe it?"

"Yes." Tomura deadpanned, earning a punch in the arm. They both laughed. "Sensei's coming home tomorrow!"

"Tomura, we've talked about this." Their mother appeared with a soft smile. "He's not a teacher, he's your dad. He's nothing like that horrible man you called a father, though, remember?"

"Yes mother." Tomura said softly, making Izuku smile. Inko gently caressed his face and then kissed his forehead. "Anyway, Dad is coming home!"

"I know! That's why I came back. Also, Mama, you're terrifying." Izuku gave her a look which made her grin at him. She may seem soft with her rounded body and innocent teary eyes, but it was a facade. She was terrifying.

"Hisashi will probably ask about what you've been up to, so be prepared. Okay?" She raised an eyebrow; he nodded quickly.

"Yep! I never went to the police station!" Izuku then paused with a frown. "Wait, I need to go out again." Tomura groaned.

"What now!? Zu!! I wanted to show you my new gaming setup! Mother bought me those Pre-Quirk lights I wanted!"

"The ones that are little and all straight in a line?" Izuku asked, tilting his head. "Those are the ones that come with the little remotes, making them change color." He remembered.

"Yes! Yes!" Tomura exclaimed, eyes slightly crazed with excitement. "What sort of side quest do you need to go on anyway?"

"You'll just have to wait and see!" Izuku said mysteriously. "Oh Mura, if I gave you a quest of your own, up for it?"

"Depends." Tomura crossed his arms. "What is it?"

"It's a hacking job." Izuku grinned when Tomura cackled in delight.

"Alright! Let's hear it." Tomura prompted.

"I want you to scrub all of the footage from every police station from the entire week. All of it. Audio, interviews, data, everything you can get your extremely dangerous hands on." Izuku laughed at the absolutely delighted look on his brother's face.

"All of it? You're not making me keep some?" Tomura's eyes were ecstatic as he grinned almost maniacally.

"Nope! Have at it. Destroy whatever you want and feel free to add whatever villainous viruses and bugs you want."

"Perfect! You never let me have at it like this." Tomura exclaimed running upstairs, "I'll be back. Mother! I'll be in my room doing very villainous things!" Inko laughed after her oldest, turning back to her youngest with a fond smile.

"You didn't have to do that." She asked, making Izuku shrug with a smile.

"I like making him happy. You know how Dad makes him do those precision jobs where subtly matters. Giving him free reign to destroy always makes his day." His mother ruffled his curls softly.

"Oh Izuku, I missed you." She pulled him into a hug. "Welcome home." He sighed, burying his freckle covered face in her shoulder.

"I missed you too. It's good to be home." Izuku pulled away with a sigh. "I'm headed back to the police station. Tsukauchi recorded the interview, so I need that recording device."

"Okay baby. Be home for dinner, alright?"

"I will." Izuku smiled at her and then activated Blink.

Izuku slammed into the hard floor of a familiar interrogation room with a groan, standing up and waving at the camera for Tomura. He then activated Chameleon and slipped out of the room. Chameleon was a complex Quirk that made his cells and small things in contact with his skin completely translucent, allowing people to see right through him without even knowing it.

Izuku took note of where everyone was using Steal, found Tsukauchi in his office, then headed down the corridor on silent feet. He went slowly, ensuring nobody heard or could otherwise notice him, grinning as someone looked right through him.

Tsukauchi was still in his office when Izuku got there, so he gently opened the door with a maniacal grin.

"Who's there?" Tsukauchi asked. When the door was fully open but there was no one for Tsukauchi to see, he shot to his feet and drew his gun. "I'm warning you. Reveal yourself."

Izuku did not do this. He instead used Psychokinesis to open the window a few inches before slamming it shut with a clatter.

Tsukauchi spun around and immediately turned his full attention to the window as Izuku spotted the recording device on the desk. Izuku snatched it up and hid it in his pocket, the device vanishing, then went completely still.

Tsukauchi turned back around and immediately noticed the missing recording device. He fumbled for his phone, eyes darting suspiciously around the room as he dialed a number and pressed call.

"Aizawa, we have a problem." Tsukauchi said before the other person on the line could say anything.

"Do I need to come back? I just left the station."

"The recording device is gone. I don't know what good your presence would do, but it's definitely a problem."

"You lost it?"

"I think someone with an invisibility type Quirk came into my office. That's the only way I can explain the door opening by itself and then the window slamming shut. I never saw anyone and I was standing right there." Tsukauchi ran a hand through his hair roughly. "I hadn't even downloaded the interrogation yet, we have no proof it happened at all."

"What about the camera footage? Interrogation rooms have audio." Eraserhead said calmly. "Think rationally, Tsukauchi. You're panicking."

"Okay okay. I'm sorry." Tsukauchi muttered, taking a deep breath. "It's just, the Commission needs to know about this. You know how they are, they won't take anything seriously unless proof is shoved down their throats."

"Call me back when you've figured it out." Eraserhead promptly hung up on the Detective and Izuku grinned. If the only proof Midoriya Izuku, son of AFO, existed in the footage and the device in his pocket, then Izuku was golden. He got what he wanted. He had Tsukauchi's attention, scared the hell out of him, and nobody had any proof he'd done so.

The best part was that nobody else had seen his face! Nobody besides Tsukauchi and Eraserhead. Izuku knew this because no one had been watching the interrogation behind the double sided mirror, and Izuku hadn't shown his face, hair, or even his eyes to anyone during the days in his cell. It was flawlessly executed, just as he had planned.

Izuku stayed only a minute more, watching Tsukauchi sit back down at his desk and try to pull up the footage that Tomura was destroying. Izuku was immensely pleased at the panic on Tsukauchi's face.

"No, no, no!" Tsukauchi exclaimed, smashing buttons on his computer in frustration. "Damn it!" Izuku laughed, making Tsukauchi stiffen and snap his eyes to Izuku, but it made no difference.

Using Blink and deactivating Chameleon, Izuku was home the next second while immediately landing on his ass in Tomura's bedroom with a defeated groan.

"It's hilarious watching you use that Quirk, Zu." Izuku looked up at his brother's grin with a glare. "Before you ask, I've ruined all police stations in a hundred mile radius."

"Excellent." Izuku laughed as he stood, brushing himself off. "Did you see me wave? I waved at you."

"I did!" Tomura cackled, "Very nice. You landed on your ass then too."

"Oh come off it." Izuku shoved his brother and made him cackle.

"Can I have the recording device?" Tomura asked, fingers twitching and eyes bright.

"Sure, here ya go." Izuku handed it over easily. Tomura pressed all five fingers to the little device and cackled as it dissolved into dust. "You've been practicing."

"Mother's been bugging me." Tomura groaned. "You're twenty, Tomura, you need perfect control of your Quirk, Tomura, no you can't just play games all day Tomura!" He playfully made his voice high pitched and bossy. Izuku burst out laughing.

"She's amazing like that." Izuku giggled, making his brother sigh. "I think it's great you're still practicing."

"Hey, I stopped disintegrating things randomly when I was twelve!" Tomura defended, crossing his arms. "Sometimes I mess up, yes, but so does everyone!"

"I know, Tomura." Izuku said, smiling. "That's why you don't even wear gloves anymore. It's proof of how cool you are!" Izuku pulled Tomura into a hug, his brother melting slightly at the affection. "Really, remember when I tried getting a hang of that Crumble Quirk?" Tomura pulled away with a laugh.

"You wanted a Quirk like mine because you said it was powerful and you couldn't Steal it." Tomura grinned, "You destroyed literally everything for a week before Mother gave you that ultimatum."

"Did you know it still stands?" Izuku raised an eyebrow. "If I use that Quirk even a little bit I'm grounded, and have to wear gloves for the rest of the week; even if I turn it off!"

"Serves you right." Tomura flicked Izuku's forehead. "Not everyone can be as cool as me."

"Too true, too true." Izuku said, nodding seriously. Tomura shoved him and Izuku laughed.

"Izuku." Both of them froze, then slowly turned to the door where their Dad was lingering in the doorway. "You've been… busy these last few days."

"H-hey Dad." Izuku waved nervously. "You're back early!"

"You're dead." Tomura whispered, earning a smack from Izuku that made him choke on a laugh.

"Come along, Izuku." Their Dad called, holding out an arm. "Kurogiri will be escorting us to my office."

"Aw, man." Izuku groaned. Tomura patted his shoulder and Izuku walked forward with resignation. He took his Dad's offered hand, his hand being swallowed by his father's huge one, as one of Kurogiri's portals appeared before them. His Dad pulled him through without delay.

"Now, Izuku, you know you'll need to be punished for this." Hisashi said, sitting down behind his desk heavily. Izuku could feel the disappointed stare, even through his Dad's mask.

"I know." Izuku said, toeing the carpet with one of his feet. "I was bored!"

"You can't keep misbehaving just because you're bored, little one." Hisashi chided, making Izuku cross his arms. "Your punishment will be a little more severe than just being grounded."

"Okay, what is it?" Izuku sighed. He just hoped his Dad didn't make him go another month Quirkless, that was the worst! He had a Quirk suppressant around his ankle the whole time; he'd gotten so bored! Yeah, most of his mental Quirks still worked despite the suppressants, but it still sucked!

"You'll be taking the UA Heroics Entrance Exam and spending a year as a Heroics student." His voice held sharp finality. Izuku gaped at him in disbelief for a solid second after.

"No!" He exclaimed, eyes widening with horror. "No, you can't!"

"Izuku, you got yourself arrested." Hisashi scolded with heavy disappointment. "Purposefully, I might add. You revealed your face and name, which put all of us at risk. A year in High School isn't the end of the world. In addition, you're only allowed to use two Quirks the entire time you're at school."

"Dad, please, I won't do it again!" Izuku cried desperately, "Don't make me go to UA! I can't do school, I can't! There's people there Dad! They'll talk to me and want to be my friend!!"

"Let this be a reminder, Izuku." His Dad said, standing. "This will be your longest punishment yet, but if you promise to be on your best behavior then I'll consider pulling you after just a few months."

"Dad, please don't!" Izuku tried again, clasping his hands together desperately. "I might not even pass!"

"Izuku." His father's voice was sharp, "My punishment is final. You will pass, and you will go to UA. You've always hated the idea of being a Hero, and now you'll have to act like one. It won't kill you, so let it be a lesson." Izuku wilted, dropping his head and nodding.

"Yes Dad." His voice shook with both anger and tears. Hisashi stood and came over to hug him gently. Izuku pressed his face into his father's chest.

When Izuku was dropped back off in Tomura's room, he immediately fell face first on his brother's bed and started screaming into a pillow. Tomura spun in his desk chair and raised an eyebrow.

"What did Dad say?"

"I'm gonna be a Hero student at UA!" Izuku cried, sitting up to whine at Tomura. "Maybe as long as a whole year!"

"Ouch." Tomura winced. He assessed Izuku's teary eyes and his shaking fists, then nodded. "Wanna go to Takoba and destroy the trash? Three days worth of dishes duty says I destroy more than you." Izuku gasped and jumped to his feet.

"I'll get my gloves! I'm gonna use Crumble, you're on!" Tomura cackled as Izuku sprinted from the room. "KUROGIRI WE'RE GOING TO DESTROY A BEACH!"

"WHAT!?"

Chapter Text

Chapter 2, The Continued Story

Izuku frowned at his brother as he crossed yet another Quirk off the list.

"Why can't I use Heave?" Izuku asked, leaning over the list. "Strength Quirks are useful!"

"You think all Quirks are useful." Tomura grumbled, eyeing the very few that he hadn't crossed out yet. "Sens– Dad says you have to pass, which means you need something stereotypically Heroic and powerful." Tomura scowled, "Dad told you that you'd be taking the entrance exam two whole weeks ago. You should've picked sooner, but you're stuck on that one stupid–"

"I'm not budging on Attract." Izuku huffed, crossing his arms. "I picked it two weeks ago and I'm not changing my mind."

"Why?! Psychokinesis is so much better." His brother threw his hands up. "Attract only brings things towards you. Specifically your hands, and that's it. Psychokinesis allows you to move things around however you want with your mind!"

"Well… Attract is like Mama's." Izuku admitted, flushing as he looked away. Tomura stared at him for a moment, sighed, then reluctantly circled Attract.

"Fine. So what else? Also, have you come up with an explanation for how you have two Quirks?" Tomura turned to raise an eyebrow. "Dad says you can pick two."

"That depends on what we pick." Izuku hummed. "They'll have to be able to pass as one Qu–"

"Izuku, you have ten minutes before you need to leave!" Inko came bustling in with a disapproving expression. "What's this?" She asked, leaning forward to examine the paper.

"Zu still hasn't picked which Quirks he wants to use." Tomura made a face. "So we wrote down all the Quirks he has and we're sorting through them because he needs to get his ass in gear. He picked Attract for one of them."

"Aw, Izuku." Inko ruffled Izuku's hair with a soft smile; he glared at the wall with his face still red. "I think Push would be a perfect secondary Quirk, it's centred in the hands too. You could call your Quirk Push and Pull, say it's based on mine. Genetics are so random it would make sense that the Quirk could mutate to be more powerful."

"I like it!" Izuku beamed, then started tapping his brother's shoulder repeatedly. "Mura, Mura, I want that one."

"Ughhh fine." Tomura circled Push with a sigh. "You'll be a little weakling of a Hero, Zu, but fine. Don't forget the new address on your way back."

"It's not new Tomura, it was Mama's apartment that Dad kept even after she moved here to be with him." Izuku corrected.

"Yeah well I say it's new." Tomura huffed. "I've never been there."

"I already told you, Tomura, you don't have to live there if you don't want to." Inko said, smiling at him. "I know you like it here, and don't really like Hisashi's Hue Quirk."

"I want to!" Tomura said immediately, "I want to. Staying here without you and Zu would be awful. I…" He looked down at his lap, so Inko bent down to hug him gently.

"I know. You're sure you're okay with it?"

"Hue isn't that bad. It just feels like being dunked in ice water briefly." Tomura sighed and Izuku laughed.

"What colours are you going to pick?" Izuku asked, "Hue only changes hair and eye colour."

"I'll keep my red eyes, but my hair's gonna match yours." Tomura said, turning to grin at Izuku. "Except mine won't look like a piece of broccoli."

"Hey!" Izuku said, reaching up to touch his messy curls with a pout, "That's so mean. Mama! Mura is bullying me." She laughed, patting his cheek fondly.

"Come on Izuku, you need to go. Kurogiri will take you to the apartment and you'll take the train from there. Okay?" Izuku nodded in acknowledgement. "Tomura and I will be moving into the apartment while you're gone. Everything should be set up by the time you get home, so don't worry too much."

"Tsukauchi should visit in the next few days. Eraserhead will see me testing and inevitably know when I pass, so make sure everything really is set up." Izuku reminded her as he grabbed his backpack. "Bye Mura!"

"Go lie your murderous little ass off, Zu." Tomura grinned. Izuku laughed and kissed his mother's cheek as he stepped into the portal that had appeared in the doorway.

He stepped out into a very empty apartment. There was no furniture, but also no dust. It was clean and polished, as if the occupants had only just moved out to make room for them. The floors were nice, clean and pretty, though bland. Izuku smiled. It wasn't home, but it would work.

Shouldering his backpack, Izuku opened the front door, then locked it behind him with the key he'd been given for his perfectly normal home that most definitely wasn't full of Villains. Nope. Duh.

Izuku sighed as he took the train to UA, already resigned to his inevitable success. The UA Entrance Exam was a test against robots, but they handed out Heroic points like candy. All Izuku had to do was destroy some robots and save a few kids and bam he's Hero material.

Upon his arrival at UA, Izuku rather immediately felt out of place. The story was that the Midoriyas were a well off, middle income family, and Inko homeschooled both her children because she wanted to keep her sons close after her boyfriend abandoned her. Because of this Izuku had no middle school uniform, so he stuck out like a sore thumb. Part of him knew nobody cared or were staring, but his anxiety said they were judging him. What, they didn't like his sweatpants and T-shirt combo?

People were grouped by school, and, since Izuku didn't have a school, he was plopped right near the front with the Nabooh City Middle School. Izuku was curious, so he activated Steal and let it spread out to feel for Quirks. It was immediately assaulting him with the knowledge of Quirk after Quirk after Quirk and it made Izuku's head spin with need. One in particular, two seats down, had a Hypnosis Quirk that could put people in submissive and mindless states that make them susceptible to the commands of the user. It sounded amazing and he wanted it.

To distract himself, Izuku began to doodle on a piece of paper. However, he quickly became bored and decided to try and turn it into a paper airplane. The folds were sloppy, and it was a little bit of a mess, but it sort of looked like an airplane. Mic was talking but Izuku didn't care.

Would his airplane even fly? Probably not, he wasn't outside where there was wind. He was also in the front row, where would he even throw it to? If he threw it up at the students in the back and used Push maybe it would work? Eh, he could try.

Izuku stuck out his tongue in concentration and then threw it as hard as he could, Pushing it up and into the air. He gasped in delight as it flew, seeing it float upwards, but then a boy stood up at exactly the wrong time. The airplane smacked right into the boy's face and bounced off his glasses. Izuku burst out laughing in the following silence.

"Did you throw that!?" The boy glared while Izuku laughed. "This is a serious Orientation! You are disrespecting UA by doing such childish–"

"Yes, it's mine." Izuku interrupted, wheezing. "Here, throw it back!" The boy glared, pushing up his glasses.

"No. You threw it at me and it's only fair you don't get it back!" Izuku frowned.

"That's rude." Izuku said, offended. He then made a grabbing motion and the plane floated out of the boy's hand and back into his palm. Izuku pouted in his seat, crossing his arms as Mic called everyone's attention back.

Izuku brought out another sheet of paper and started again, making another airplane. The second one came out better, less sloppy and the lines more crisp, he beamed at it when he was done. He was considering throwing it when the lights flicked on and Izuku looked up in surprise. It seemed Mic was done blabbering about nothing, which was good.

Izuku popped out of his seat and immediately threw his airplane happily. Unfortunately, it ended up smacking into someone again. Why can't people just get out of his way? His little plane just wanted to be free!

"Damn it." Izuku complained, scooping it up. "Aw man, the wing is damaged!"

"Don't you care about the exam at all?" Izuku looked up at the annoyed voice and came face to face with the Hypnosis user's purple eyes.

"Why would I? It's not like it's gonna be hard." Izuku frowned.

"Oh, you're one of those." The boy scowled. "You think you'll skate by so easily you don't even need to pay attention, right?"

"I mean yeah." Izuku shrugged. "Anyone could. Though, they forgot to add the secondary scoring to the pamphlet. Did Mic mention it?"

"Excuse me?" The boy looked tiredly annoyed. Izuku blinked.

"The Heroic points. Did he mention the Heroic points?" Izuku repeated slowly. "Seriously, it's like you weren't listening."

"What're Heroic points?" The boy's face was screwed up in confusion. Izuku sighed.

"They give out points to people who seem Heroic. Super easy." Izuku shrugged. "I think they're called Rescue Points? They're testing people to see if they'll prioritise destroying robots instead of protecting their fellow examinees."

"You're serious?" Izuku zoned in on the boy's face. He recognized that tone; it was a bland tone that tried to hide desperation. Izuku could see heavy scrutiny in the boy's gaze. "There's another way, besides the robots?"

"Obviously. How d'you think people with non-physical Quirks get in?" Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Look, this talk was great, but I don't do friends. Good luck or whatever, I'm sure whatever Heroic dreams you have will come true and all that. Cya!" Izuku brushed past the boy without another word and threw his paper airplane again.

Using Push and Pull (that was absolutely what his Quirk was, nothing suspicious here) he made it swish through the air away from him and back without issues. He made sure to aim above people's heads to avoid more crashes. The wing was already bent and that was just annoying!

Izuku sighed as he arrived at the testing grounds, so he threw his paper airplane one more time and Pushed it all the way up and over the wall and into the city. He smiled as it disappeared.

When a hand came down on his shoulder, Izuku reflexively reached back and grabbed the muscular arm of the person and promptly threw them to the ground at his feet.

The boy in blue went up and over Izuku's shoulder and slammed back first into the ground. Izuku dusted off his hands and bent down to glare at the boy who had the wind knocked completely out of him.

"What the fuck did you touch me for?" Izuku exclaimed angrily. "It's extremely rude to touch people without permission, idiot." The boy on the ground gasped for breath as Izuku took a step back, and he slowly climbed to his feet shakily. The people around them were staring, but Izuku didn't care as he crossed his arms and waited for the boy to speak.

"You shouldn't attack people for touching you!" The boy scolded, winded slightly. "I only meant to ask if you're taking this exam seriously!"

"You can do that without touching me!" Izuku scolded. "Seriously, ew, don't you know about consent?" Some of the people around him snickered as Izuku put his hands on his hips. "Besides, who cares if I'm taking the exam seriously? Isn't that better for you? If I fail you're more likely to succeed. Lay off asshole." Izuku then marched away and crossed his arms as he glared at the doors. He already wanted to leave.

"Start!" Izuku glanced up at Present Mic before jogging into the arena. Other people were running but Izuku just calmly jogged.

Robots burst out in front of people and Izuku reached out a hand with a grin. Using Pull he ripped the control panel right out of its chest and threw it into the street with a little of Push. Following the group Izuku randomly yanked the cores out of robots that he could, but he also occasionally Pulled people out of the way of lasers when he could. They always cried out in surprise but Izuku didn't care. Safety first and all that Heroic shit.

Izuku was horribly bored by the time the ground started to shake. He briefly considered it to be an earthquake, but his mind was abruptly changed when he saw a massive robot climbing out of the ground from between two buildings. Izuku laughed upon seeing the terrified expressions on the Examinees, and grinned at the robot. It would be fun to take down. Ahh… if only he could use Seperate. It allowed the user to turn anyone inside out with a single thought. He'd never used it, but was sort of dying to find an excuse to.

The robot slammed a fist into the ground, cracking the concrete and blowing debris everywhere. Izuku would've grinned but instead he sighed. A girl was stuck, and Izuku was a nice and perfectly Heroic examinee.

Izuku jumped off the roof, rolling as he landed, then immediately started using Push to shove the concrete blocks off the girl. Once enough was cleared, Izuku used Pull so she was yanked towards him. He caught her easily, bridal style, then gave her a pretty smile that made her go pink in the face. Considering his next move, Izuku set her on her feet.

"Go on, get to safety." He said evenly. Then he turned back to the robot and shut his eyes for dramatic effect. He put both hands up and took a deep breath as the robot closed in.

Using Push he Shoved the robot so hard it stumbled backwards into a building, then used Pull to yank its whole core out and as many electric wires as he could. It flew right at Izuku, who side stepped it, then he gently pushed the girl out of the way too. The robot collapsed backwards, slamming into nearby buildings and sending metal in every direction. To be polite, Izuku Pushed every projectile aimed at the students away with a smile. Oh how Heroic he was, look at him, he was so cool.

That was when the Exam ended. Izuku sighed as Mic yelled and started back towards the Entrance he accepted the gummies Recovery Girl gave him with a nod before leisurely heading back to the main campus.

Izuku left UA and took the train 'home', unlocking the door and stepping inside without delay. He then blinked as he shut the door behind him.

"Izuku, welcome home." His mother said with an amused inflection. He snickered as he switched to the indoor shoes he found by the door.

"Nice place we have. The pictures are real cute." Izuku raised his eyebrow at the framed pictures of a baby Izuku with a very anxious Tomura wearing gloves. The pictures were real, so were most of the others, but Tomura had green hair in every single one of them. Obviously they had been modified.

"Hisashi thought they'd make the place more welcoming and authentic." She laughed. "Oh, he wanted to give you a Quirk today, in preparation for the Detective's visit. Kurogiri will take you."

"Sounds good." Izuku smiled, barely containing his excitement. Because Kurogiri was seemingly omniscient, he appeared as if called and created a portal directly beneath Izuku's feet. Kind of him.

"Izuku." Izuku heard his father's voice as he fell through the portal and slammed into the floor of his father's office with an 'oof!' as he landed on his ass.

"Hiya Dad." Izuku wheezed as he climbed to his feet. His Dad smiled.

"The Detective plans on visiting tomorrow morning. Everything is going as planned."

"I still can't believe you officially added us to the Quirk Registry." Izuku groaned, rubbing his aching tailbone. "Spies are handy, I'll give you that."

"You put your fake Quirk on your application, and the apartment's address. Adjustments needed to be made. Identities created, families moved and all that." His father smiled. "Here, I have a Quirk for you." Izuku walked over to stand by Hisashi's desk and let his Dad put a hand on his head.

The new Quirk felt like lies. It felt like smoke, untouchable, able to slip through fingers without resistance. It curled inside his throat, as if mist and secrets spilled from his lips and leaked from his vocal chords. It tasted like protection melding with his mind; it made him shiver.

"It's an immunity Quirk." Izuku gasped as he felt the drawback slam into him in response to the new Quirk. Izuku had never been drunk, but damn did it feel like it whenever he got a new Quirk. His head was spinning and he felt like giggling like a maniac. "It allows the user to block mental Quirks. It activates manually, like a switch."

"Exactly right, Izuku." His Dad praised as Izuku shook his head to clear his jumbled thoughts. "It means, when activated, you'll be protected from analysis Quirks, search Quirks, and anything mental that can't be otherwise avoided. Now, why have I given this to you?"

"Detective Tsukauchi." Izuku blinked, "This way I can lie to him, instead of just answering evasively."

"Right again." Hisashi grinned. "Your mom had a boyfriend who abandoned her before she met me and had you, so she can imply he was your father instead of me. She has helped with Tomura's education, so she has no need to lie. She'll have to be careful, though. They cannot arrest any of you because everything you tell them will be the truth, according to Tsukauchi's Quirk, but they can arrest your mother and brother if you don't take control of the situation. Although, maybe deactivate it to lie occasionally. Nobody is always honest, it could tip him off that you're somehow tricking his Quirk."

"I got this." Izuku grinned, playing with turning it on and off.

"I would like to remind you how disappointed I am in you, though." Izuku wilted. "Showing your face to the Detective without any kind of caution or thought put us in danger, and I am trusting you to make it right."

"I know." Izuku swallowed heavily. "And I'm sorry."

"Don't fail me, Izuku." All For One said softly.

"Don't worry," Izuku smiled. "I have a family to protect."

— — — — —

"Izuku, get the door!" Inko called sweetly as the doorbell chimed the next day. Izuku climbed off the couch, abandoning the fake homeschooling papers his mother had laid out for the occasion. All part of the facade.

"Um, can I help you?" Izuku asked, frowning as if he were confused as he opened the door. "We're not expecting guests." He made sure Quirk Immune was active before he said it.

"Midoriya, we'd like to come in." Tsukauchi said with a harsh glare. Eraserhead was behind him. He had cleaned up, his hair was tied back and he was out of his baggy Hero jumpsuit. Izuku frowned harder at them.

"I'm sorry, you can't come in." Izuku said, "I don't know who you are, and strangers aren't allowed inside." Tsukauchi recoiled physically, turning to Eraser with an expression that screamed what the fuck.

"He's… telling the truth." Tsukauchi muttered to Eraserhead under his breath. They probably thought Izuku couldn't hear it, but he did; Listen In was a Hearing Quirk he'd picked up when he was about twelve to sharpen his Hearing - it allowed him to hear conversations he otherwise wouldn't he able to hear. Not super powerful, since it only allowed him to hear conversations and not all sounds, but definitely handy.

"Bye, I hope you have a nice day." Izuku went to shut the door but a hand shot out and grabbed it, preventing Izuku from shutting it.

"Wait!" Tsukauchi exclaimed. Izuku slowly opened the door wider again with narrowed eyes. "I am Detective Tsukauchi, and this is Pro Hero Eraserhead. We're here about your application to UA?"

"Oh! Are you here with my Exam results?" Izuku raised an eyebrow. "I was told they'd send a letter, and it's way too soon. Are you sure you're from UA?"

"Do you have proof of identity?" Inko appeared behind Izuku, her eyes wide and innocent. Tsukauchi nodded to her.

"Yes ma'am." He pulled out his police badge and showed it to her. Eraserhead flashed his Hero Licence.

"Well then, come on in." She smiled and Izuku stepped aside with a reluctant frown painted on his face. Izuku flopped down on the couch and started mindlessly doing the Maths that he was supposedly meant to be doing for his imaginary homeschooling. "You can sit, if you like." Izuku heard his mother say.

The Detective and Eraser came inside and sat down on the opposite couch, while Inko came to sit next to Izuku. He pretended to be focused on his work as she ran a hand through his curls and glanced at his work with an approving nod.

"So, you said you're here about UA?" Inko prompted. Izuku glanced up to see Tsukauchi looking faintly panicked, probably because he had no idea what to say.

"Um, yes. We're here to ask a few questions." He said, glancing at Eraser. The Hero sighed.

"My name is Aizawa Shota, and I'm a homeroom teacher at UA." Eraserhead said tiredly. "We decided to be more careful about selections this year and are interviewing students we have our eyes on. Sometimes they get in, sometimes they don't, however, so this isn't a guarantee for his acceptance."

"Thank you for clarifying." Inko smiled at them. "What did you want to ask?"

"Mother, who was at the door?" Tomura entered right when he was supposed to, blinking in false surprise at the two men on his couch. "Oh, hi."

"Tomura, this is Detective Tsukauchi and one of the teachers at UA." She smiled at him. Tomura's job was to confuse the officers and sell the whole 'family' thing; basically he was just distracting them.

"Did the little idiot get expelled already?" Tomura grinned, coming over to ruffle Izuku's hair.

"Hey! Mean!" Izuku said, looking up to stick his tongue out. "I did not!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did, you little menace." Tomura teased. Izuku turned off Quirk Immune for only a moment.

"I am not a menace!" Izuku stated, "I am a treasure." He then activated Quirk Immune again. Tomura laughed and grabbed one of Izuku's homework sheets and held it above his head.

"Whatcha gonna do, shortie?" He teased making Izuku jump off the couch and try to grab it. "Maybe it'd be better if you were expelled. You're so short."

"Give it back!" Izuku exclaimed while laughing, then ran after his brother as Tomura dipped.

"Boys! Oh, dear." They heard their mother sigh as they ran out.

"This quest is the best." Tomura declared as Izuku slammed his bedroom door dramatically. Tomura ripped the paper in half and cackled. "Did you see their faces?"

"No, but I bet they weren't very happy." Izuku giggled. "Come on, give me the homework. I gotta go and complain about my horribly mean older brother." Tomura snickered as he handed it over.

"Want to play Mario Kart after they leave?"

"Absolutely!" Izuku grinned. He waved to his brother and then left the room with mock annoyance in his expression. "Mother!" Izuku yelled into the house. He heard her dramatic sigh as he came back into the room with a frown. "Mura ripped up my Maths!"

"Oh baby, I'll print you another one." She used Pull to gently take the papers from him as he crossed his arms.

"He locked himself in his room so I can't even rip up his Maths." Izuku scowled.

"You know how he feels about Maths, Izuku, he'd probably thank you for it." It was true and it made Izuku huff in amusement. "Sorry, Detective, you were asking about Izuku wanting to be a Hero?"

"That's right, I want to know why he applied to UA." Tsukauchi nodded. Inko looked at Izuku pointedly and he plopped down with a sigh. Time to lie.

"Heroes are annoying, and sometimes they don't do things right." Izuku huffed, trying to decide on his fake motivation to be a Hero. "I think I can make a difference. I know I'm abrasive, and I don't like making friends, and the only person I really like is my brother, but saving people sounds sort of cool." He smiled at the two men. "Besides, I think a desk job would be so boring." Tsukauchi shuddered visibily at the word, but his mother laughed.

"You've been saying that for years, Izuku." She said, smiling. "Izuku has always said he'll never ever do a desk job. He can't stand being bored." Izuku grinned at her, then looked back at his papers as if deciding which one to do next. "Is there anything else, Detective?"

"No, I believe I have everything." He said, obviously frustrated and confused. "You'll receive the results of your Exam by the end of the week." Izuku looked up to grin at them with a nod.

As the two men left, Izuku activated Range, a more advanced hearing Quirk that he hated because it allowed him to hear any and all sounds in a hundred foot radius, even through walls; it always gave him a migraine trying to focus with it active. He shut his eyes to concentrate on the two men who shut the door behind themselves.

"He must be getting around my Quirk somehow." Izuku heard Tsukauchi say immediately. "At the station he admitted he was Midoriya Izuku! This kid… that's definitely Drop Off."

"Or Drop Off had a way around your Quirk." Aizawa sighed. "I don't see any evidence Midoriya Izuku is a Villain. He said he wants to be a Hero."

"I already said he must have a way around my Quirk!" Tsukauchi said, "They even look the same! Same face, same name, it can't be a coincidence."

"Tsukauchi, has it ever occurred to you that Drop Off might have a Quirk that allowed him to shape-shift?" Eraser responded tiredly. "It's likely he showed us a false face to throw us off. Drop Off was intelligent, cocky, and uncaring to a fault. The Midoriya we just met is intelligent, childish, and honest. You only signalled one lie the entire time, and it was when he denied being a menace to his older brother."

"But Drop Off has a brother!"

"Do you have any idea how many people in this world have brothers?" Eraserhead sounded absolutely done with life, it made Izuku grin. "Whoever Drop Off is, that's not him. The Midoriyas are innocent."

"I don't get it!" Tsukauchi said, completely ignoring Eraserhead's words. "The mother said she had a boyfriend who left her before Izuku was born. Could that have been All For One?"

"Tsukauchi, I'm serious. Drop it. You heard what Drop Off's mother said on the phone, she clearly stated All For One was still around. Clearly he didn't abandon anyone."

"But–"

"I said drop it, Tsukauchi." The footsteps Izuku could hear stopped; Eraserhead's voice was lethal. "I'll remove you from the Drop Off case if you keep accusing an innocent child. He passed your little test, and he did it with honesty. The evidence says it's not him. Leave them alone."

Satisfied, Izuku opened his eyes and turned off the Quirk. It had already given him a headache.

"So, what did they say?" His mother asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We're safe." Izuku sighed, rubbing his temple ruefully. "Tsukauchi is mad, but Eraser yelled at him for accusing an innocent family and not letting it go even after proof they were innocent. Tsukauchi will definitely still be suspicious, but Eraser is on our side."

"Wonderful." She laughed.

"What did they ask while I was with Tomura?" Izuku tilted his head.

"They just asked about your father." Inko grinned. "I told them I was abandoned by a boyfriend before you were born. They didn't bother asking how long ago it was, so I didn't mention it was when I was nineteen."

"They assumed he was my father and abandoned you while you were pregnant with me. Smart." Izuku laughed. His mother smiled fondly, then grinned.

"I'll make Katsudon for dinner for the occasion." She grinned even wider as Izuku gasped.

"Oh thank you Mama!" He hugged her tightly and then pulled back with a laugh. "I'm off to lose horribly at Mario Kart, bye!"

His mother's laughter followed him through the house and he grinned. Another day, another villainous success.

What more could he ask for, really?

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

Izuku was dragging a body to the police station, humming. He'd taken another Quirk! It was impossible to pass up.

Feature Shift allowed the user to change and mould their features however they want. Colours, shapes, everything. It was annoying it only applied to the face and hair though. Imagine the possibilities if he could add extra arms to himself! That was a spectacular Quirk.

Currently, Izuku was wearing a face that looked like Tomura's. He had a skin rash across his eyes and a scar through his lip, messy and long blue hair with red eyes and no freckles. He also changed his vocal cords a little, which was why he was humming.

In general, Izuku found the sensation of Feature Shift uncomfortable. It felt like his skin was stretched too far and yet pinched in every way, his hair felt like he'd been wearing a ponytail for too long, and his throat hurt like he'd been screaming all day. Not impossible to manage, but also not very pleasant.

As he reached the station, Izuku threw the body at the door and smiled at the satisfying thump it made against the glass. The doors didn't break, and he couldn't see through the frosted tint, but the glass always made a happy little noise.

Tsukauchi seemed to be camping by the door though, because he burst out of the police station and tripped over the body, making Izuku laugh. It felt odd with his new vocal cords, but a laugh was a laugh no matter what voice did it.

"Drop Off! You fooled Eraser but you can't trick me!" Tsukauchi yelled.

"Oh? Did you finally guess that I was the one to steal your adorable little recording device and all the camera footage?" Izuku asked, playing dumb.

"So it was you!" Tsukauchi exclaimed.

"Damn, giving myself away. Oopsie!" Izuku laughed, and then quite suddenly Eraserhead's scarf came out of nowhere and yanked him backwards. "Hey!"

Izuku activated Blink, but his hood snagged and came right off as he landed a short distance away from Eraser. He landed in a crouch, trying not to wobble too much, and then he glared at Eraser.

"Well that was rude!" Izuku pulled his hood back up and tucked his blue hair behind his ears so it didn't get in his face. Maybe he should clip his hood on? It had fallen off before…

"What…?" Izuku looked at Tsukauchi and found him staring at Izuku's red eyes in disbelief.

"I bring you a perfectly good Villain body and this is what I get?" Izuku teased, standing up from his crouched position. "How inconsiderate of you."

"We arrested you once and we'll do it again." Eraserhead said. Izuku gave him a fleeting glance and grinned behind his mask.

"I'd like to see you try." Izuku Blinked away with a grin and then landed on his ass in his kitchen. It wasn't until he'd melted his features away and hopped to his feet that he realised he'd teleported to the wrong house. Sighing, Izuku Blinked again and crashed into the correct kitchen back at the apartment.

"Oh hey Zu." Izuku looked up to see Tomura grinning down at him.

"Hey Mura." He replied. "What's u– hey!" His older brother kicked him in the shoulder and then laughed at Izuku's pout. "That was mean." Izuku sat up and rubbed his shoulder dramatically. "Mama! Tomura kicked me!"

"Don't provoke him if you don't want to get kicked!" Inko's voice rang through the house.

"I didn't provoke him!" Izuku yelled back, offended. "I was minding my own business!"

"Suuure Izuku." She called. Izuku glared at his brother who was shaking with silent laughter and a hand over his mouth.

"You're dead." Izuku grinned. Tomura sprinted away, and Izuku jumped to his feet to run after him. Tomura slammed his bedroom door, but Izuku Blinked into Tomura's room and slammed into his brother hard.

"Oof!" They tumbled to the ground and Tomura hit his elbows harshly on the floor, while Izuku landed on top of him.

"Ah ha! I have you now!" Izuku pressed his hands to his brother's chest to hold him down, but Tomura's legs twisted against his and rolled them as he grinned widely. "Hey!"

"Boys!" They both froze and looked at the door as their mother pulled it open. She sighed. "Break it up you two. Izuku, your letter is here." Inko gave them both a stern look and left the room.

"Ughhh." Izuku dropped his head in defeat, and Tomura pushed off him with his hands on Izuku's chest. "Hey!" Izuku wheezed as Tomura climbed off him, and sent his brother a glare.

"You started it." Tomura shrugged as Izuku climbed to his feet.

"I did not!" Izuku exclaimed, "You kicked me!"

"Nope." Tomura grinned, "I was minding my own business and you started chasing me."

"Izuku! Stop bothering Tomura and come open your letter." Inko called from the living room.

"I hate you." Izuku hissed at his very smug older brother. "This isn't over." Tomura just stuck out his tongue.

Izuku and Tomura headed into the living room, but they ended up having a minor shoving competition in the hallway that Izuku won when Tomura hit the wall.

"Here." Inko smiled as she handed him a thick white envelope. Izuku glared at it before he took it from her.

He opened it with an unhappy frown while Tomura grinned unsympathetically, and then all three of them blinked in surprise when a heavy disc fell out of the envelope and landed on the floor with a thud.

Then All Might's face was on their living room wall. "I AM HERE, as a projection!"

Tomura shrieked, backing up with a glare that could cut glass and clutching his hands to his chest so he wouldn't accidentally Decay something in his anger, and Izuku recoiled harshly enough to bump into Tomura with a shriek of his own. Their mother, of course, simply glared at the projection and crossed her arms.

"I came to this town to work at UA, and I am here with your Exam Results!"

"All Might's in Musutafu?!" Tomura exclaimed.

"He's teaching at UA!?" Izuku screeched at the same time. Inko shushed them both.

"You received top marks in the written exam! Excellent work Young Midoriya! On top of that, you collected 68 points in the practical exam! However…!" All Might held up a pausing finger with a grin, "There is also a secret scoring given by a panel of judges, as another basic ability we at UA look at!" A scoreboard showed on the hologram, showing 53 RP and 68 VP in first place. Midoriya Izuku was written right next to it. "Midoriya Izuku, 121 points!" All Might declared.

"I take it back, Push and Pull is completely OP." Tomura blurted. Izuku grinned.

The scoreboard disappeared to show All Might holding out a beckoning hand towards the camera with a wide smile. "Welcome, Young Midoriya. This is your Hero Academy."

"I might pass out." Izuku groaned. "Why this year? Why me? Kurogiri!! Take me to Dad, I need to ask him to fake my death!" Kurogiri materialised in a swirl of purple, but no portal opened.

"Your father sends his regards, and warns you to exercise restraint." Kurogiri said calmly as Izuku choked. "All Might is not your goal. You are to continue your punishment with no changes."

"God FUCKING damn it!" Izuku raged.

"What about me?" Tomura asked excitedly. "Can I kill All Might?"

"No."

"Can I kill All Might?" Inko asked with narrowed eyes.

"Also no."

"This is it, I'm done for." Izuku lamented as he fell face first onto the couch. "I'll die because my blood pressure gets too high from restraining the urge to use Seperate on All Might."

"Oh, Izuku." Kurogiri said, making Izuku look up from his moping. "Your father wants to compliment you on your stunt at the police station today."

"... Huh?"

"Whether it was intentional or not, Tsukauchi has now seen you wearing a face aside from your real 'Midoriya Izuku' face." Izuku blinked. Oh yeah, he'd been wearing Tomura's face… "Eraserhead is using that as yet another piece of evidence against Tsukauchi's accusations."

"Oh, fantastic." Izuku grinned. "Is it a problem I was wearing Tomura's face?"

"EXCUSE ME?"

"No, your father doesn't believe Tsukauchi will make the connection. Tomura's skin condition has improved over the years, and his hair is green at the moment." Kurogiri ignored Tomura. "However it is best if you do not use Tomura's face in front of Tsukauchi again."

"Noted." Izuku sighed, dropping his face back into the couch cushions. Kurogiri left with an audible swirl of his misty form, and Izuku let out a muffled scream into the couch cushion.

"Izuku." He felt one of his mother's soft hands start to stroke his curls. "Just because you can't kill All Might doesn't mean you can't make his life miserable."

"What?" Izuku sat up so fast his mother was left blinking in surprise. "How?"

"For one, you don't have to pretend to like him." Inko grinned. "You can insult him, ignore him, or outright glare at him as much as you want. There's plenty of people who don't like Heroes, and you admitted to Eraserhead and Tsukauchi that you believe most Heroes mess things up more than they help."

"Yes…" Izuku's eyes widened. "Mama, you're a genius."

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

"I want to die." Izuku declared, glaring at his reflection.

"I think you look good!" His mother said brightly, brushing a curl out of his face.

"No, no, I'd want to die too if I was wearing a UA uniform." Tomura said thoughtfully. "Not to mention the shoulder dots. Embarrassing."

"What's wrong with the shoulder dots?" Inko frowned, reaching to touch the single metal stud on the uniform's shoulder.

"Each Course has a different number of dots on their shoulders." Izuku sighed. "Hero Course has one, closest to their neck. General Education has one dot in the same spot and another one lower on the shoulder, and so on. You get the idea."

"See?" Tomura snickered. "Hero Course. Talk about embarrassing."

"Mura, I will hunt you for sport." Izuku snapped, making his brother laugh.

"Here I am with a present for you and you're handing out threats." Tomura let out a dramatic sigh. "I guess you don't want it…"

"Suddenly I'm no longer feeling murderous." Izuku grinned and made grabby hands at his brother. "Gimme!" Tomura laughed, and he pulled a black binder out from one of the living room tables and handed it over.

"You told me about making those paper airplanes during the Orientation." Tomura said as Izuku opened the binder. "That's paper specifically to help idiots like you make airplanes properly."

"Oh my gosh." Izuku exclaimed, beaming. "Thank you Tomura!"

"Don't mention it Zu." Tomura messed up his curls with a grin.

"You have to go, Izuku." His mother smiled fondly, looking between Izuku and his brother fondly. "Wouldn't want to be late on your first day!"

“Yes I would.” Izuku grumbled, crossing his arms. He tucked the binder away in his bag, and then he pulled the backpack on to awkwardly adjust the uncomfortable straps. Tomura grinned in amusement and Izuku stuck his tongue. "Thanks for the paper but I still hate you."

“If you die from your sulky dramatics, I’ll be sure to bury you with your Maths homework.” Tomura responded as Izuku headed for the door, “That way you can have it with you in the afterlife!”

“Screw off Mura! At least I can actually do quadratic equations, unlike you!" Izuku yelled back and then slammed the door to cut off his brothers' offended sputtering. With one last huff, Izuku headed out of the apartment building and headed for the train station.

People gave him smiles on his way. They probably assumed that if they wished him luck they could someday say they supported that one Hero, *insert cringey Hero name*, before they was popular! Gate-keeping behaviour, honestly. Too bad for them, Izuku was never going to have a cringey Hero name for them to support because he was never going to be a Hero, and they didn't assign Hero names until second year at the earliest anyway.

Izuku looked up at UA, holding his backpack straps and feeling like an idiot, and he only had one thought:

Ew. School.

Like a good child who definitely wanted to be a Hero, Izuku entered the building and headed for the 1A classroom. He'd memorised it on the map he'd been given when his uniform arrived. One thing was for sure, Izuku was not going to be one of the embarrassingly idiotic students who arrived late because they had no idea where they were going.

As expected of UA, the door he arrived at was a bajillion feet high and screamed money. It just made Izuku sigh as he shoved the door open. There were about ten people inside, half the class, and Izuku ignored them as he plopped down in his seat and pulled out the binder Tomura had given him.

Just like Tomura said, the papers had guide lines on them! They were dotted and showed him exactly where to fold the flaps. Izuku concentrated as he folded the little flaps, his tongue peeking out of his mouth as he tried his very best not to fuck it up, and when he finished he gasped in delight at the perfect looking plane.

"So you managed to make a plane that didn't look like shit?" Izuku looked up as he recognized the voice. It was the Hypnosis Quirk user.

"Yep! My brother got me airplane paper!" Izuku proudly showed off the binder full of paper. "Now I'll have a whole army of perfect little airplanes." Izuku grinned up at the boy who was staring with a raised eyebrow.

"You're insane." He commented.

"I'm aware." Izuku nodded. "Did you need something?" The boy raised a hand to rub the back of his neck with a sheepish grin that made Izuku raise an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to say thank you for telling me about the rescue points." The boy said, eyes not on Izuku as he spoke. "I wouldn't have gotten in otherwise."

"Oh sure." Izuku said, waving him off. "Heroic shit right? Sharing is caring and all that." He rolled his eyes and went back to his airplane.

"Right." The boy muttered. "Look, do you hate me or something?" Izuku looked up at him and frowned when he saw the boy's eyebrows drawn together in hurt confusion.

"Why would I hate you?" Izuku asked.

"You were sitting with my school. Did they tell you anything?"

"No, should they have?" Izuku raised an eyebrow as the boy frowned harder.

"You meant it when you said you don't do friends." The boy sighed. Izuku nodded, looking back at his desk to start on a second plane.

"Not really a people person." Izuku admitted, folding an edge carefully. "My brother's the only one who can put up with my shit."

"So it's because you've never had friends, then." Shinso frowned.

"And you have?" Izuku raised an eyebrow, again, looking the boy up and down. "You seem to be trying desperately to talk to me, which means you probably want to be my friend but don't know how to say it because you 'don't do friends' either." The boy blinked for a moment before he grinned. It was all teeth, but it seemed genuine.

"I'm Shinsou." The boy introduced.

"Midoriya." Izuku said, going back to folding his airplane. "Since neither of us do the whole friend thing, let's not be friends."

"So we're acquaintances?"

"Mmm no." Izuku denied, folding another flap carefully. "Can't we just be two people who know each other and will probably stick together because neither of us want to be friends with the idiots we have for classmates?"

"Fair enough." Izuku noticed Shinsou shrug.

"Go somewhere else if you're here to make friends." A quiet voice said from the doorway, and Izuku froze. He knew that voice. "This is the Hero Course."

He'd either been lying on the floor or sitting on the floor, because when Izuku looked towards the door, Eraserhead was in the process of standing up and wearing what looked like an old yellow sleeping bag. Odd way to introduce yourself to a class, but alright.

"Okay, it took eight seconds before you were quiet." Eraser said tiredly, unzipping and then stepping out of the sleeping bag. "Time is limited. You kids aren't rational enough." Eraser then stepped fully inside the classroom and looked around at the class. "I'm your homeroom teacher, Aizawa Shouta. Nice to meet you." Reaching into the sleeping bag, he pulled out a handful of… gym uniforms? "It's kind of sudden, but put this on and go out onto the field."

"Shit." Izuku laid his head down on his desk. "Exercise." Shinsou snorted, which did not help.

— — — — —

"We'll be doing a Quirk Assessment Test." Eraser said once everyone was out on the field.

Izuku ignored the way half the class immediately started screaming or complaining, choosing to focus on using only Pull to Attract his plane towards one hand and then the other. It was difficult, which was why he was doing it.

"You kids have been doing these since middle school, too, right?" Izuku looked up at that, because he genuinely did not do whatever Eraser was referencing because he hadn't gone to middle school. "Physical fitness tests where you weren't allowed to use your Quirks. The country still uses averages taken from results from students not using their Quirks. It's not rational. Well, the Ministry of Education is procrastinating." Then, Eraser looked right at Izuku. "Midoriya, you finished at the top of the physical exam. In middle school, what was your best result for the softball throw?"

"Uhhh." Izuku blinked blankly at Eraser for a moment. "I was homeschooled, I never went to middle school." The teacher sighed heavily.

"It doesn't really matter." He muttered, "Go into the circle and do it using your Quirk." Izuku walked forward in confusion and took the ball Eraser handed him. "Everyone, keep your own scores in mind and watch. Midoriya, you can do anything as long as you don't leave the circle. Hurry up, give it all you got."

Izuku stood in the circle, stared at the ball, and then glanced up at Eraser.

"I just… throw it?" Eraser nodded, and Izuku shrugged. "Alright." Izuku tossed the ball straight upwards, and then he flicked his fingers and Pushed it as hard as he could. The ball went flying, disappearing in seconds and zipping off into the distance. After a moment, Izuku flicked his fingers again, adding a little bit of lift upwards, and sent the ball even further. He did it again. And again. And again.

"Midoriya, you can stop now." Eraser sighed finally. Izuku glanced over at him curiously.

"Alright." Izuku crossed his arms and waited, looking out towards where the ball had disappeared, and a moment later Eraser's phone beeped.

"Know your own maximum first." Eraser said, glancing at the phone. "That's the most rational way to form the foundation of a Hero." Then Eraser held up the phone for the class to see.

16.09 km / 16093.4 m

The class exploded. People were gaping and yelling and a few were cheering, and several were even glaring. Izuku just uncrossed his arms and walked back to Shinsou, who was one of the people with their jaws on the floor.

Izuku spotted his airplane nearby, and he zipped it towards his hand with a grin.

"How did you do that?" Shinso exclaimed.

"I just used my Quirk." Izuku shrugged.

"This looks like fun!" A girl exclaimed, bouncing in place. "Did you guys see what he did? So cool!"

"Awesome!" Someone laughed, "We get to use our Quirks as much as we want! As expected of the Hero Course." Izuku watched Eraser with curiosity as his expression shifted.

"It looks fun, huh?" Eraser repeated the girl's words quietly. "You have three years to become a Hero. Will you have an attitude like that the whole time?" Izuku couldn't help but grin a little wickedly in response to the amused grin that slid onto Eraser's face. "Alright. Whoever comes in last place in all eight tests will be judged to have no potential and will be punished with expulsion." The class broke out in exclamations of shock.

"Finally, something interesting." Izuku grinned. Shinsou gave him a terrified look that Izuku ignored.

"Last place will be expelled? But it's the first day of school!" Someone yelled louder than all the rest. Ah, Izuku knew that one. She was the helpless one he'd saved from the zero pointer. "No, even if it wasn't the first day, this is too unfair!"

Eraser's face twisted at the girl's words, and he glared at the class with grave seriousness written all over his face.

"Natural disasters… big accidents… selfish Villains… Calamities whose time or place can't be predicted. Japan is covered in unfairness." Aizawa spoke softly, yet there was anger laced through it. "Heroes are those who reverse those situations. If you wanted to go talk with your friends at Micky D's after school, too bad. For the next three years, UA will do all it can to give you one hardship after another. Go beyond. Plus Ultra." Aizawa grinned, one finger beckoning the same way All Might had in the acceptance video. "Overcome it with all you've got."

Izuku shook out his hands and grinned, noticing how his classmates were finally getting serious. Oh, Izuku hoped desperately that someone would be expelled; he'd laugh his ass off if it happened.

"Alright. Demonstration's over." Eraser sighed. "The real thing starts now."

Eraser then walked off, and Izuku was the first one to walk after him. The class scrambled then, clearly surprised they were supposed to follow their teacher. Honestly, were they intelligent at all?

"How long could you have kept the ball going?" Shinsou asked as they walked.

"Hmm, indefinitely." Izuku guessed, "My Quirk doesn't make me tired. I've never had Quirk exhaustion." That was a lie, but only sorta. Steal fueled his many Quirks whenever he needed them. He only ever encountered a problem when he used like six of his Quirks at once, and that only gave him a mild headache.

Steal itself wasn't the same though. One time he'd taken five Quirks in one night and he'd passed out from the pure overwhelming euphoria he felt. He'd been more careful after that. But his other Quirks? Nah.

"Jeez." Shinsou sighed. "I'd die for a Quirk like that."

"My brother says I'm a poor weakling of a Hero." Izuku grinned. "He only changed his mind when I received my acceptance letter."

"How many points did you get?" Shinsou looked like he didn't actually want to know, so Izuku cheerfully told him.

"121." He grinned, and Shinsou actually choked. "I'm pretty sure it was 68 Villain Points and 53 Rescue Points."

"Jesus Christ." Shinsou muttered. Izuku just shrugged with another grin.

"What's that?" Izuku blinked as the class stopped. There were two tracks chalked off, a start line and a finish line for each lane, and a weird robot tripod stood at the end.

"It's the fifty yard dash." Shinsou sighed, "I'm jealous. Skipping middle school must've been amazing."

"Eh, Tomura ripped up my homework a lot." Izuku replied, eyeing the students lining up. "Tomura's my brother, by the way."

"Yeah, I'd guessed as much." Izuku didn't reply to Shinsou in favour of activating Steal to get a gauge on his new classmates.

Information once again assaulted him, and he breathed in the relief he felt whenever he allowed Steal to reach out for knowledge. It was soothing. Rolling his shoulders, Izuku started sorting through his classmates.

Speed Quirk centred in the legs, powered by orange juice. Creation Quirk with a mild intelligence boost, powered by fat stores. Tape emitter centred in the elbows… Acid secretion and immunity… Gravity altering with mild control of weightless subjects… Amphibious frog mutation… Tail mutation with minor strength enchantment… Explosions centred in the hands, powered by nitroglycerin secretion… Hardening, that's boring… Electricity generation and dispersion… Izuku stopped short, and his breath caught at the next one he felt.

"Midoriya? You okay?" Shinsou asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine." Izuku swallowed.

Ice and fire. The split ability to use both fire and ice, possible to combine them and wield them both at the same time. So many possibilities… Steal ignored everything else and pulsed, begging to take it. Izuku wanted it. He wanted it worse than he'd wanted anything. Izuku knew it would taste like snow and sunshine and he'd feel shivers across his skin and it would burn down his throat–

"Midoriya, Shinsou, you're up next." Eraser called. Izuku blinked and forcefully shut off Steal immediately, dizzy with desire he hadn't felt in years. He swallowed thickly, and he tried not to stumble as he walked towards the line.

"On Your Marks!" A robot voice yelled.

"You good?" Shinsou asked with a frown. Izuku took a deep breath and grinned at him.

"Get Set!"

"I'm going to kick your ass." Izuku replied.

A gunshot.

Izuku reached out for the boy with the Hardening Quirk and activated Pull. The boy stumbled, and he Hardened on instinct. Izuku jumped, and he let Pull yank him forward towards the boy. Izuku was propelled forward, and he deactivated Pull when he started to lose momentum. Izuku rolled, jumped to his feet, and then he was across the finish line.

"3.09 seconds!" The robot voice chirped. "6.32 seconds!" It said when Shinsou caught up.

"Okay, what the fuck was that?" Shinsou gasped as he stopped next to him. Izuku shrugged.

"Just my Quirk. Anyway, I'm gonna go thank the guy I snagged." Izuku said, "I'll be back."

"Why? I thought you didn't do friends." Shinsou accused with narrowed eyes. Izuku almost laughed when he realised Shinsou was jealous.

"I don't." Izuku answered, amused. "But I do know how to play nice with the sunshines."

Shinsou blinked in surprise, and then Izuku walked off and headed towards the very confused redhead with the Hardening Quirk.

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you." Izuku said as he caught the boy's attention, "I used you as an anchor for my Quirk. Your Hardening is super useful." Izuku left out the fact that it was also boring.

"Oh, no problem man!" The boy grinned, "My Quirk's nothing special compared to yours. It's super manly!"

"Everyone has their thing." Izuku shrugged, not bothering to disagree. If only he knew the truth of it. "See ya." He waved, and the boy sent him an enthusiastic sharp toothed grin as Izuku headed back towards Shinsou. Before he reached Shinsou, however, Eraser stopped him.

"Midoriya." Izuku turned to him and tilted his head. "How long could you have kept up your Quirk for the ball throw?"

"Indefinitely. I don't get drawbacks from using my Quirk." Izuku told him like he told Shinsou, "I could've kept it up until I got tired of standing in one place or I got bored. Why?"

"The score you earned during the demonstration was supposed to be an accurate representation of your Quirk's abilities." Eraser told him tiredly. "Since I stopped you early, and I don't think you're lying to me, I'm giving you an infinity on the ball throw."

"Oh." Izuku blinked. "Thank… you?" Eraser just nodded and turned away, leaving Izuku to just blink some more. Well, that was certainly interesting. Shaking his head, Izuku once again headed for Shinsou.

"What did Aizawa-sensei want?" Shinsou frowned as Izuku reached him.

"Apparently he's changing my ball throw score to an infinity." Izuku shrugged. "He said my previous score wasn't accurate enough." Shinsou gaped at him, but Izuku walked off to follow the group as they moved on. Shinsou scrambled after him, which made Izuku huff.

It seemed Shinsou was going to stick around, which Izuku found mildy vexing. He didn't need a lonely purple haired kid following him around like they were friends.

"Okay, so what test is this?" Izuku asked as they entered a building and looked around.

"Grip strength." Shinsou pointed as where everyone was lining up to grab little handheld devices. "We squeeze a grip tester as hard as we can and get a score based on how much pressure we can muster."

"Oh, interesting." Izuku tilted his head. He and Shinsou grabbed one each, and Izuku examined it before sliding his hand in.

"Dammit." Shinsou cursed, looking at his number. Izuku glanced over at it curiously.

63.04 kg

"Interesting…" Izuku hummed, looking back at his own device. "Now I'm wondering if suffering through the endless boredom of middle school could've actually been worthwhile."

"It isn't." Shinsou sighed, setting his device down. "Go on, be cooler than the rest of us."

"Wow! 540 kilograms? What are you, a gorilla? Oh, an octopus?" Izuku glanced over to see it was Tape expulsion yelling, grinning at a tall boy Izuku hadn't sensed with Steal. Even so, it was sort of obvious what his Quirk was. He had several sets of arms.

Looking back at the device he had in his hand, Izuku realised he was supposed to hold it at his side and squeeze it. Narrowing his eyes, Izuku had an idea.

Setting his hand in place, and holding the device at his side, Izuku squeezed and then used Push to propel the pressure plate down as far as it could go, and then the little device beeped. Izuku lifted it and then blinked at the screen. He then raised his hand hesitantly.

"Sensei?" Izuku called, "I think I broke mine." Shinsou just sighed, and Eraser headed over.

"What now?" Izuku handed over the device, and Eraser blinked blankly at it before sighing. "Problem child…"

ERROR it read, and a little infinity symbol sat next to it.

Eraser just walked away and took the device with him. Izuku blinked in confusion, and Shinsou sighed again.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5

"Can you go five minutes without being shocked at how powerful you are?" Shinsou's voice was tired, but it was also a little bitter when he spoke. Izuku frowned.

"I haven't used the Quirk much." Izuku defended, and then he paused when he saw Shinsou's confused expression. "I mean… how was I supposed to practise? It's sort of illegal to use your Quirk without a licence. I've only used it around the house, like with my airplanes."

"Oh, fair enough." Shinsou muttered. Izuku nodded, internally relieved that Shinsou had bought the excuse.

Izuku would much rather be taking his classmates' Quirks than assessing his own, especially since it was just two Quirks he'd chosen to use while he was undercover as a Hero student.

"Hey!" Izuku looked up to see the redhead heading over, and sighed. "I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Kirishima."

"Midoriya." Izuku nodded. "This is Shinsou." He added when Shinsou just glared.

"I saw Aizawa-sensei take your grip tester, what'd you get?" Kirishima asked, grinning happily.

"Infinity." Izuku shrugged.

"Awesome man!" Kirishima exclaimed, "As I said before, your Quirk is great."

"Thanks." Izuku sighed. "Look, I don't really do friends. So if that's what you want I really couldn't care less."

"That's alright, we don't have to be friends to hangout." Kirishima waved him off with a grin. "Hey, are you excited about the other tests?"

"Not really, I have no idea what they are." Izuku shrugged as he followed him and left the building, and then glared at the sun when his eyes had to adjust to the brightness of the outdoors.

"Oh yeah, you said you were homeschooled." Kirishima blinked. "Well we have the long jump, and of course the ball throw, there's also repeated side steps, seated toe touches, sit ups, and… I can't remember the last one." He gave a sheepish smile.

"It's a long distance run." Shinsou told Kirishima dryly.

"Yeah that." Kirishima grinned, completely undeterred by Shinsou's glaring. It made Izuku grin a little, seeing them interact.

"What is this?" Izuku asked as he caught sight of an area covered in sand surrounded by a little blue lip that contained the sand. There was another one of the robot tripod things on one side. Why the sand? Izuku hated sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating, and it gets everywhere. Yuck.

"Standing long jump." Shinsou supplied.

"Oh." Izuku frowned. "That should've been obvious."

The standing long jump ended up being the most boring test yet. Izuku didn't even bother trying. He just stared disdainfully at the sand, jumped only about a metre forward and stopped.

"Midoriya." Eraser sighed.

"What?" Izuku gave him an innocent look. "I hate sand."

The rest of the standing long jump was just people staring at him like he was insane. Really, they should be thanking him. Because he got last on one of the tests, now nobody would be expelled. Eraser said he'd expel 'whoever gets last in every test' and now nobody could do that. So, really, it was a public service.

Izuku did actually do the repeated side steps. Izuku did score fairly high, but only because his classmates were actual trash who didn't know how to apply their Quirks properly to solve their problems.

The ball throw was boring. Izuku had already gone, so really all he was doing was just standing around and watching his classmates throw a ball without their Quirks.

Hardening couldn't use his Quirk, Acid couldn't use hers, Tape elbows didn't use his, the guy with lots of arms kind of had to use his but that didn't count, and so on and so on. There were only two people Izuku bothered to watch, and that was the Explosion user and the Gravity manipulator.

Explosion boy propelled the ball 705 metres, which was impressive. Even more impressive was how it looked. Smoke rings and fire and a feral grin. Izuku would've been inclined to grab him and ask him to be a Villain, if the kid wasn't such a Hero. He was angry because he wanted to be the best, not because he was angry at the world and wanted it to come crumbling down. Such wasted Villain material, honestly.

The Gravity girl was just interesting because Izuku wanted her Quirk. She had a boring bubbly attitude that radiated blind faith and goodness, and it annoyed Izuku to no end. Her Quirk on the other hand seemed useful. When he'd sensed it with Steal, it hadn't been enticing. It wasn't very powerful, and the drawback sucked, so Steal wasn't all that interested. However, Izuku thought it might be fun to be able to just send someone to space and then just… let them fall.

"Midoriya?" Shinsou called from the circle. Izuku blinked back into the present.

"What?" Izuku's mind went quiet almost immediately.

"Walk into the circle." A voice spoke softly, and yet it bounced around in Izuku's ears with ominous coaxing power. Izuku melted at the feeling of the command washing over him, but it was odd that he complied despite not meaning to. It must be Shinsou's Hypnosis Quirk…. Call and response based?

"Activate your Quirk and send the ball as far away as you can." The voice coaxed. A smooth round object was placed in his hand, and Izuku briefly had the ability to choose what he wanted to do. Izuku had more than one Quirk, and his body did not know how to comply with Shinsou's command. As best he could, Izuku shoved Push towards the surface and allowed it to cooperate.

Vaguely, Izuku realised he had tossed the ball above his head, and then practically Shoved it through the air and sent it flying even faster than he had originally for his own ball throw.

"Keep the ball going as far as you can, and keep it off the ground." Izuku shuddered internally at the feeling of Shinsou's command settling, and couldn't deny the euphoria he felt from it. Steal was screaming at him, trembling in the back of Izuku's mind as Shinsou's Quirk held him in place. Such unequivocal power…

Izuku gasped as Shinsou released him, and he bent over, pressed a hand on his chest and a hand on his knee, then he realised he could move again. His head spun and his stomach lurched, but it only made Izuku more excited.

"Midoriya, you okay?" Shinsou asked it casually, but Izuku could tell how anxious he was.

"That was amazing." Izuku breathed, lifting his head so he could look at Shinsou properly. Shinsou seemed to bluescreen, and then looked extremely confused.

"You're wasting time." Eraser said, drawing Izuku's attention. "Whoever's next, get ready." Izuku took a deep breath and straightened, but he didn't move.

"Midoriya?" Shinsou asked. He'd taken a few steps forward, but he stopped when Izuku didn't follow.

"Sorry, gimme a minute. I'm half high and I don't want to fall over." Izuku took another deep breath. He probably shouldn't be so honest, but Steal was throbbing in the back of his mind and his Dad would kill him if he Stole this kid's Quirk and blew his cover.

"What?" Shinsou looked so completely baffled, it made Izuku laugh a little breathlessly. More stable, Izuku walked out of the circle and only stumbled a little bit.

"You good Midoriya?" Kirishima asked when Izuku had rejoined the crowd of classmates. "You were totally zombie-like for a while there!"

"I'm good." Izuku grinned.

"Really? Because you look like you're going to pass out." Shinsou was watching Izuku suspiciously.

"I might." Izuku acknowledged with a bright laugh, and then he sent Shinsou a pretty smile. "That was really cool." Fuck fuck he wanted it so badly fuck–

"How?" Shinsou frowned. "Most people absolutely hate it because they have no control."

"Shinsou." Izuku leaned forward and put his hands on Shinsou's shoulders. "Your Quirk is powerful and I swear to God if you insult it I'll murder you. You're lucky to have such a good Quirk." I'm really leaving this Quirk in the hands of an ungrateful idiot–

"Seriously?" Izuku saw doubt in Shinsou's eyes, but he was also blushing lightly.

"Seriously." Izuku sighed, releasing him. "Honestly, I'd love to have a Quirk like that."

"What did it feel like?" Kirishima asked, tilting his head. "Being all zombie like that."

"Alright, that's enough." Shinsou exclaimed, waving his hands a little and not letting Izuku respond. "We have to move on anyway. Next test!" Izuku laughed, but he dutifully followed Shinsou and the class to the next location with Kirishima tagging along behind him.

"Oh, this is sit-ups." Izuku said as they entered another building. It had long white mats laid out across the floor, and Izuku glanced at Shinsou for confirmation as people started picking mats. "Right?"

"Yep." He nodded. "We need partners. Pair with me?"

"Fine." Izuku grabbed Shinsou by the arm, and ignored the yelp the boy left out as Izuku yanked him towards a mat.

"Y'know I feel like we're friends." Shinsou grinned once Izuku had released him and plopped down on the mat. "Even though you don't do friends."

"Oh, we're not friends." Izuku hummed. "However, you aren't allowed to leave now because I like your Quirk too much." Shinsou just blinked at him.

"I can't tell if you're being serious or not." He admitted. Izuku just grinned at him. Shinsou had no idea how serious he was. Once he was done with his punishment at UA he was so Stealing Shinsou's Quirk as Drop Off.

"You go first." Izuku said simply, gesturing to the mat. Shinsou sighed heavily, but he laid down to do his sit ups. Izuku dutifully leaned on Shinsou's feet, but his mind wandered.

What would he do once he had it? Obviously he'd use it. Imagine how wonderful it would be to laugh at his victims and force them to do his bidding. How good would it feel to watch them walk themselves to the police station, or make them kill their own allies with their bare hands–

"Ugh." Shinsou fell flat on the mat and didn't move. "32. Better than I did in middle school though."

"Woo, accomplishments." Izuku rolled his eyes as he let go of Shinsou's ankles. Shinsou gave him a deadpan look and moved to the side so Izuku could lay down instead.

"Shit, why are your calves muscular?" Shinsou exclaimed as soon as his hands were on Izuku's ankles.

"Because while you were in school I was working out." Izuku grinned. He started his sit ups as Shinsou pressed down on his feet. Not that Izuku really needed that, but it was proper procedure and all that.

"How strong are you?" Shinsou asked with a frown. "The uniforms in general aren't very flattering." Izuku noticed Eraser walking back and forth, no doubt looking for cheating among the students.

"Hm, I'd say pretty strong." Izuku hummed in response, counting in the back of his mind. "I've been training my entire life." Literally.

He'd started training as soon as his Quirk came in. His Dad had taken one look at Izuku's Quirk and flat out asked him if he wanted a place in the Villain underworld like the one he was going to be giving Tomura; suggesting once that Izuku could even replace Tomura. Izuku had said no, but he'd asked to be trained anyway. Being defenceless wasn't really an option for the son of the King of the Underground and the brother of the future King.

"You always knew you'd become a Hero?" Hearing Shinsou's question, Izuku activated Quirk Immune before answering. He could never be too careful.

"No, but my family thought it would be a good option for my Quirk." Izuku answered semi-honestly. It was true, but not for Heroics; the exact opposite. "I've never liked the way Heroes are, especially the ones up top like All Might and Endeavor. They're sort of completely trash. So I figure I can fix a lot of stuff if I can do better than them someday." Or kill them. That'd be good too.

"... Are you just going to keep going?" Shinsou asked after a moment.

"What, talking?"

"No, the sit ups." Shinsou elaborated.

"Oh, yeah I'm still going. I'm starting to get a little tired, though." Izuku admitted.

"Jesus."

"What?"

"Everyone else is done." Shinsou said blandly. Izuku paused, but then he continued.

"Ah yes, my superiority has no end." Izuku finally started feeling an uncomfortable tiredness in his core and just flopped. "Alright. If everyone is done there's no point in doing more."

"You could've done more!?" Izuku rolled into his stomach to see literally everyone watching him, and the Electric user was staring at him with his mouth open.

"I mean, only about forty more before it started being a chore." Izuku said, pushing up off the floor and popping to his feet.

"What did you get?" Shinsou asked, standing up as well. "I stopped counting when you hit 100."

"Oh, 146." Izuku answered easily. "Which test is next?" The class finally stopped staring, and Aizawa tiredly pointed to the other side of the gym.

"Seated toe-touch. Line up everyone." People started towards the back wall, but Izuku made eye contact with someone across the room. He was looking at Izuku with narrowed eyes; Izuku could only stare back, completely frozen.

It was the fire and ice user. Izuku hadn't seen him beyond feeling his intoxicating Quirk, but he knew it was the boy staring at him. He was split down the middle just like his Quirk, and his eyes stared at Izuku with sharp ice yet burned with anger in a way that captivated Izuku entirely. It took his breath away, and he wanted that goddamn Quirk. He wasn't sure which Quirk he wanted more: Shinsou's hypnosis or the ice/fire one.

One thing was for sure. Izuku was going to absolutely ruin that boy. He was going to rip him so far apart into so many tiny shreds there was nothing left but his beautiful Quirk for Izuku to have on a silver platter. He was going to own him and have ice in his veins and fire at his fingertips–

"Midoriya?" Shinsou's voice cut through the staring match, and the fire/ice boy looked away sharply. Izuku stared after him for a moment, and then turned to Shinsou.

"Yeah?" He acknowledged.

"... Are we actually going to go over and do the seated toe-touches?"

"Oh!" Izuku blinked. "That, right. Yes." He turned and headed over, Shinsou trailing along behind him.

Everyone was lined up standing by the wall, and Aizawa was standing in front of a little wooden thing that people were stretching their fingers towards to touch.

"I actually won't be good at this one." Izuku sighed, distracting himself from his slightly murderous and obsessive thoughts that did not belong in the Hero Course Gym. He wasn't allowed to Steal any Quirks or murder anyone. Unfortunately. "Stretching has always been boring for me."

"And you only do things that are interesting?" Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

"I'm allergic to boredom." Izuku told him bluntly. "I can't stand it. If I'm bored I will immediately do something to become un-bored."

"That's what the paper airplanes are for?"

"Exactly." Izuku nodded.

"Isn't standing around while other people test boring?" Shinsou frowned.

"Actually it can be pretty funny." Izuku grinned. "Especially when people don't actually use their Quirks properly. It's interesting to watch them mess it up so badly."

"Who's messing up?" Shinsou frowned harder. Izuku rolled his eyes with a huff.

"Pretty much everyone except for Explosions, the mutation kids, and– Um, the ice one." Izuku stuttered over Fire/ice boy because technically Izuku wasn't supposed to know he had fire abilities. The boy hadn't shown it at all. It was a total waste which Izuku would remedy the moment he had the power at his fingertips. "But the Acid girl could've slid on her Acid during the first test. Creation girl could've done so much more than she did. Ironically, I'd say she has absolutely no creativity whatsoever. Okay and the sparkly one? I can't. I just can't at this point–"

"Midoriya." Izuku blinked as Eraser called his name, and Izuku realised it was his turn. He rolled his eyes at Shinsou and then dutifully headed over to do the boring stretches.

Izuku bent forward, his fingers going a few inches past his toes but not much farther, and Eraserhead marked down a number. Izuku didn't really care what the number was, so he just got up and walked to where the kids who were done were standing. Shinsou joined him soon after.

"All we have left is the long distance run!" Kirishima grinned happily as they left the building.

"D'you think Eraser would be mad if I just sabotaged everyone to win?" Izuku thought aloud.

"Please don't." Eraser's tired voice called to him, apparently having heard. "I need actual results."

"What if I just sabotage–"

"Don't make me have to start doing individual runs." Eraser sighed, "This is supposed to be a group test."

"Fine." Izuku pouted. "Spoil sport."

"Why would you need to sabotage anyone?" Kirishima asked curiously. "Aren't you already in the lead?"

"Yeah, but I don't really care about that." Izuku shrugged. "I'd much rather be losing if it meant the people around me were powerful." Powerful people were the best people to challenge because they made everything so much more interesting.

"That makes sense!" Kirishima grinned. Shinsou frowned at him, but Izuku just grinned back at Kirishima.

"Alright everyone, to the line." Eraser grumbled. "Midoriya, if you throw this test I'll expel you."

"God DAMN it." Izuku swore. "You mean I actually have to run?"

"Everyone is supposed to run." Eraser glared. "Get in line."

"Fuck, I hate running." Izuku scowled as he took a spot in the line.

"Why? Are you bad at it?" Shinsou asked, standing next to him.

"No, it's just boring." Izuku complained, "It's just running an breathing and running and breathing and then trying not to run into things while breathing some more."

"That's a lot of breathing." Kirishima grinned, and Izuku threw up his hands.

"Exactly!"

"On Your Marks!" Izuku blinked at the robotic voice, and spotted the little tripod robot next to Eraser. "Get Set!"

Izuku sighed as he bent his knees, then he took off as he heard the telltale gunshot noise. Shinsou was immediately lost as Izuku overtook the people who were just running. Speed boy and Creation girl were ahead because duh, and Fire/Ice boy was about the same as Izuku. He was breathing out frost, and Izuku vaguely wished he could know what it would be like to stand right in front of the boy and feel that frost on his skin.

Throughout the whole test Izuku was basically just running with Fire/Ice boy while Explosions angrily tailed them. He couldn't seem to keep up, and he was swearing up a storm about it. Izuku guessed Quirk exhaustion had something to do with it because Explosion boy occasionally stopped exploding in favour of running.

At the end of the test Izuku crossed the finish line a tiny bit after Fire/Ice boy, and it made him laugh with delight. The boy just gave him a cold look, and Izuku wished he could have a glare like that pointed at him more often. The power.

When everyone was finished, half the class looked just about ready to collapse or pass out. Shinsou was one of them.

"Okay, I'll quickly tell you the results." Eraser said to the gathered students. "The total is simply the marks you got from each test. It's a waste of time to explain verbally, so I'll show you the results all at once." He pressed a button, and then a scoreboard appeared.

1. Midoriya Izuku
2. Yaoyorozu Momo
3. Todoroki Shouto
4. Bakugou Katsuki

Sighing, Izuku looked at his fellow students and tried to find whoever those three were. Who had done the best? Izuku tried to remember the higher scores in each test. Uhhhh…

The Creation girl did really well. She looked smug, so that was probably Yaoyorozu. Explosion boy had used his Quirk extremely well, and he was looking between Izuku and the Fire/Ice boy with pure hatred. He was probably Bakugou. Which meant Fire/Ice boy, who had done exceptionally well with his stunning Quirk, was Todoroki. Finally, a name for the powerful person he planned to absolutely destroy.

"Thank god." Shinsou breathed out. Confused, Izuku glanced back at the board to see Shinsou had gotten second to last. Still, Izuku was confused.

"By the way, I was lying about the expulsion." Eraser drawled, and then a manic and toothy grin broke out across his face. "It was a rational deception to draw out the upper limits of your Quirks!"

"But you couldn't have expelled anyone anyway." Izuku frowned. The students who had started yelling or letting out exclamations of surprise all quieted to stare, and Aizawa narrowed his eyes. "You said you'd expel whoever came last in every test. I placed last in the standing long jump, which means no one could get last in every test because I took a spot."

Every member of the class whipped their hands back to Eraser, who was sighing. Izuku grinned.

"With that, we're done here." Eraser said, not even denying it. He then started walking away. "There are handouts with the curriculum and such in the classroom so when you get back, look at them."

"Is that why you threw that one test?" Shinsou demanded, turning to Izuku. Half the class seemed to want to know the same, so Izuku just grinned.

"We should get back to the classroom." Izuku answered. "I'd like a syllabus. Wouldn't you?" He then turned and headed for the classroom, leaving his classmates to stew in confusion.

Izuku knew the truth, though, and he really did just hate sand.

Chapter Text

Chapter 6

Izuku wanted to bang his head against a wall, but he settled on keeping a paper airplane airborne for as long as he could. Luckily for him, that meant he could literally just sit there and focus on his airplane indefinitely. Not so lucky, his teachers seemed to believe he couldn't do multiple things at once and kept trying to catch him off guard.

"Midoriya, can you answer the question on the board?" Present Mic asked, gesturing to the barrage of sentences on the chalkboard. "Which one of these sentences is wrong?"

"It's number 4." Izuku said, flicking his plane back up as it dipped over the girl with the Hearing mutation Quirk.

"And why do you think that?" Mic asked as a follow up.

"Because putting 'that' wherever you want in the smack dab middle of a sentence doesn't work." Izuku replied, Pushing the plane out of the back corner. "It should be used at the end, referring to the object of the sentence." Then his plane flew over Todoroki, which meant Todoroki glanced up and his eyes followed the plane for a moment before he refocused on Mic.

"... Correct." Mic announced with a reluctant thumbs up. Izuku just sighed as Mic moved on, and he continued playing with his airplane. Honestly, even that got boring after a while.

Izuku was thinking of using the next class period to hit different people with his airplanes to see who could ignore him the best, but then the door slid open and Izuku's least favourite Hero appeared in the doorway.

"I Am… coming through the door like a normal person!!" All Might hung off the door frame for a dramatic moment as the class gasped in apparent excitement.

"It's All Might!" The Electric user whispered with awe.

"Wow, he really is a teacher here!" Kirishima yelled with a happy grin.

"That's a costume from the Silver Age, isn't it?" The frog girl asked as All Might strode for the podium at the front of the room.

"Its style is so different," Tail boy said in response to Frog girl, "It's giving me goosebumps."

"Kill me now." Izuku sighed, dropping his head on his desk with a thud. Izuku was ignored as All Might started speaking with that stupidly proud voice and his hands on his hips.

"I teach Hero Basic Training. It's a subject where you train in different ways to learn the basics of becoming a Hero!" Well obviously. All Might's brains would get better use if Izuku plastered them all over a sidewalk. "You'll take the most units of this subject! Let's get right into it! This is what we'll do today–" All Might dramatically held up a card and yelled, "Combat Training!"

"Combat!!" Bakugou yelled. Izuku couldn't see his face, but somehow he knew the boy was grinning.

"And to go with that are: these!" Like all things he did, All Might dramatically gestured to the wall as cubbies slowly ejected themselves from said wall. "Costumes made based on your Quirk registrations and requests you sent in before school started. After you change, gather in Ground Beta!"

"Hai!" The class chorused, and then they all jumped to their feet and practically ran for their costume cases.

Izuku snagged his case once the rush was over, and he felt vaguely like throwing up at the thought of wearing an actual Hero costume. Worst of all, his Dad had designed it and hadn't showed him. Izuku had absolutely no idea what it looked like, and the thought was terrifying.

"This material is more comfortable than I thought it would be." Shinsou said conversationally as he examined his own costume. Izuku was mainly ignoring Shinsou as he tried not to blatantly glare at his case while opening it.

"Holy shit." Izuku exclaimed as he pulled out the costume.

It was literally skin tight, designed to be like a second skin. The fabric was stretchy so it would probably be easy to get on, but Izuku hated tight clothing. Was this torture part of the punishment??

"That looks cool, man!" Kirishima grinned as he glanced at the costume Izuku was just holding in his hands and staring at. "So manly!" Izuku didn't respond, wrinkling his nose and remaining silent. He was a good actor, but not that good.

The skin tight suit was charcoal black, and it had small yet visible hexagons on the fabric as a sort of fashionable texture. It fully covered him, turtleneck to toes, with the exception of his fingertips. It even had feet attached. Izuku shuddered as he put it on.

The saving grace of the horrid bodysuit were the accessories. Izuku was given black knee boots that were a deeper and darker shade of black, along with a cropped jacket in the same void-like shade. He also had a belt with lots of pouches, but it was a bright snow colored white.

Finally was the odd headpiece. It was like a sort of… circlet? It was a metal band that went around his head and had a V-shaped over his forehead with an emerald colored jewel on it that hung down on his forehead. It seemed to be designed with curly hair in mind, so his fluffy curls covered the band in the back. Basically… yeah it was a fancy and useless circlet. Why was that a part of his costume?

Naturally, Izuku hated all of it and wanted to take the whole costume off.

Izuku fidgeted with the long sleeves of his cropped jacket as he exited the tunnel, unsure why it was even there when it was open in the front with no buttons or zipper. Izuku then blinked harshly as he exited the tunnel and stepped into bright sunlight.

"Well you look fantastic." Shinsou drawled once Izuku had stopped squinting into the light and joined the group. "Did you take so long because you were checking yourself in the mirror?"

"No, it's because I absolutely despise skintight clothing." Izuku scowled. "I don't like it."

"Ah, same here." Izuku turned to face the person who spoke, and realised it was Gravity girl. "I should've been more specific on my form. Mine ended up being a skintight bodysuit too." Hers was mainly black, but it had white sections down her torso and on her biceps decorated with pink accents here and there. She also had a belt, but it seemed purely aesthetic because it framed her hips and made her waist look smaller.

"Why did you ask for it then?" Shinsou raised an eyebrow at both of them.

"I didn't." Izuku snapped. "My brother designed it." Not exactly true, but close enough. He couldn't exactly said it was his dad, since his dad had supposedly abandoned him.

"I just should've written what I wanted more specifically." The girl smiled awkwardly. "It's so embarrassing…"

"I'm not embarrassed." Izuku frowned. "I'm uncomfortable. My brother did this on purpose, and this is sabotage." Izuku wished that was the truth, because if it really had been Tomura's fault then Izuku would be allowed to complain and find a way to retaliate. But since it was part of his punishment from his Dad, Izuku was stuck being uncomfortable and didn't have a choice.

"Now, it's time for Combat Training!" All Might declared. Speed boy's hand was in the air immediately.

"Sir! This is a Battle Center from the Entrance Exam, so we will be conducting urban battles again?"

"No, we're going to move ahead by two steps!" All Might announced like skipping important steps was perfectly normal. "Most of the time, fighting Villains takes place outside, but if you look at the total numbers, atrocious villains appear indoors at a higher rate. Imprisonment, house arrest, backroom deals… In this society filled with Heroes, truly intelligent Villains hide in the shadows. For this class you'll be split into Villains and Heroes and fight 2-on-2 battles indoors."

"Without Basic Training?" Frog mutation girl asked.

"I second that question!" Izuku called.

"This is a real battle, to understand those basics!" All Might explained, further proving his idiocy. "However, the key this time is the fact that there's no robot you can just beat up."

"How will wins and losses be determined?" Yaoyorozu asked in her monstrosity of a costume. Then questions continued rapid fire and Izuku couldn't keep up with who was saying what.

"Can we beat them up anyway?"

"Will the punishment be expulsion like with Aizawa-sensei?"

"How shall we be split up?"

"Isn't this cape crazy?!"

"Hm, I'll answer all your questions!" All Might declared. Pulling out a tiny book, no doubt some kind of lesson plan, All Might started reading. "Now listen here. The situation is that the Villains have hidden a nuclear weapon somewhere in their hideout. The Heroes are trying to dispose of that. The Heroes need to catch the Villains or get the nuclear weapon back in the allotted time. The Villains need to protect the nuclear weapon for the whole time or catch the Heroes." All Might put away the book and held up a box that simply said Lots. "Teams and opponents will be determined by drawing lots!"

"They're being determined so haphazardly?" Speed boy exclaimed. He sounded a little affronted, and Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Heroes team up with other agencies or other heroes nearby if they need help." Izuku answered when no one else did. "That's how I think this exercise is set up, but All Might could've done it accidentally. He knows absolutely jack shit about team ups."

"Midoriya!" Speed boy gasped, turning to frantically chop a hand in his direction. "You should not–"

"I couldn't care less about offending All Might even if the world ended." Izuku snapped. "I'm not going to hide my distaste for him just because he's our teacher." The boy seemed stunned to silence, and All Might cleared his throat.

"It's fine! Now, let's do this quickly!" All Might held up the box, and Izuku was the first one to step forward because the rest of the class was apparently too stunned by Izuku's previous comment to move. They did move eventually though, which was sad. Izuku was sort of hoping one of them would die on the spot. Now that would be interesting.

–

Team A: Todoroki and Midoriya
Team B: Uraraka and Shouji
Team C: Yaoyorozu and Shinsou
Team D: Bakugou and Iida
Team E: Ashido and Aoyama
Team F: Koda and Satou
Team G: Kaminari and Jirou
Team H: Tokoyami and Asui
Team I: Ojirou and Hagakure
Team J: Sero and Kirishima

–

Izuku immediately headed for Todoroki, who eyed him with mild suspicion and curiosity.

"Midoriya." Izuku held out a hand. Todoroki looked at him a little blankly, his red hair and blue eye completely covered by fake ice.

"Todoroki Shouto." He replied, and fuck his voice was as cold as his Quirk.

Todoroki reached out and shook his hand. Izuku froze minutely when their hands touched, and he even stopped breathing. Todoroki's right hand was cold to the touch, and it made Izuku's blood thrum with excitement. Steal wasn't even active, but Izuku could feel it under his skin begging to be able to let out and reach for Todoroki's Quirk.

Not yet. Izuku took a deep breath, I will ruin you, Todoroki Shouto. Just you wait. One day, when you least expect it.

It was only a moment before Todoroki released his hand, and then Izuku could breathe again. He inhaled sharply and yanked his thoughts back to the present, then turned to face All Might. The worthless excuse of a Hero had one hand in a box labelled Villains and his other hand in a box labelled Heroes.

"The first teams to fight will be… These guys!" Izuku blinked owlishly at the black ball with a white A on it. "Team D will be the Heroes, and Team A will be the Villains. Everyone else, head to the monitor room."

"Hai!" The class chimed. Todoroki remained silent at Izuku's side, and they both followed All Might to a building with Bakugou and Speed boy, whose name was apparently Iida.

"Villain team, go in first and set up!" All Might declared. "In five minutes the Hero team will break in, and the battle will start!"

"Yes, sir!" Iida yelled, and then he stared staring at his map like it would speak to him.

"Young Todoroki, Young Midoriya," All Might said as Izuku started to head inside. "Try to think from the perspective of the Villains. This is pretty close to a real battle. Go all out, don't be afraid to get hurt."

"You shouldn't be encouraging children to maim each other just because we have Recovery Girl on staff." Izuku said blandly. "Not a very good teacher, are you? Huh. I wonder if there's even a single thing you're good at. You're a pretty shitty excuse of a Hero too."

Izuku stalked inside and ignored the sputtering coughs All Might let out behind him. Izuku did relax a little at Todoroki's quiet footsteps following him.

"Where do you want to put the bomb?" Izuku asked, eyeing the massive bomb-shaped object in the middle of the hallway.

"It doesn't really matter." Todoroki said quietly. Despite the low volume, his voice was firm and bland. "I can ice off the whole building for the duration of the battle."

"Bakugou has an Explosion Quirk." Izuku hummed. "He might break through, but that wouldn't be much of a problem anyway. You could just replace the ice, or I could just Push him away."

"What is your Quirk?" Todoroki asked blankly. Izuku did not think about the frozen intensity in Todoroki's eyes, he really didn't.

"It's called Push and Pull." Izuku answered, activating Quirk Immune out of habit. "I can attract or repel things using my hands." Todoroki narrowed his eyes, but nodded in acceptance.

"So where would you put the bomb?" Todoroki prompted.

"Probably the third floor." Izuku hummed. "If you completely freeze the floors below us, they'll have so much ice to get through that they might never reach us. Any higher than the third floor and you might risk freezing to death."

"I could freeze this whole building and have no problems." Todoroki said, ice in his tone. Izuku ignored the way his Quirk thrummed at the tone.

"I don't doubt it." Izuku replied, "But if we're going with my plan, you wouldn't be freezing the building and making the floors a little slick. You'd be filling each and every hallway and room from top to bottom on the first and second floors. That's a lot more ice."

Todoroki stared at him scrutinizingly, and Izuku stared back. His eyes were so pretty, and Izuku could imagine the feel of his Quirk behind those eyes. Endless ice and fire with no need for breaks because of the perfect balance and achievable homeostasis at his fingertips–

"Alright." Todoroki said, breaking the silence. Izuku resisted snapping his Quirk out at his partner when Todoroki ended their little staring contest. Todoroki headed for the door that All Might had presumably closed once they'd both entered the building. "Take the bomb to the third floor. I'll find you."

Izuku watched as Todoroki's fingertips ran down the wall as he walked, and ice spread wherever he touched. Streaks of ice formed under his right foot, and Izuku turned away as Todoroki started shooting ice in thick layers and completely covered the door in ice.

Climbing the stairs and choosing a random room on the third floor, Izuku plopped the bomb on the floor, sat down, shut his eyes, and activated Steal. Ignoring Engine and Explosions outside, Steal immediately honed in on Todoroki.

Steal reached out for the bright light in Izuku's vision, wrapping around it and wishing it could yank the beautiful Quirk away. Todoroki's fingers would be useless, no longer burning and freezing, and his eyes would no longer hold such sharp beauty. He would be utterly ruined and destroyed just like Izuku wanted him to be. Todoroki would be lifeless and empty, but Izuku wouldn't be.

Izuku would have that power. He would breathe out frost and steam, flames licking up his left side as ice crawled down his right. He would burn someone alive while their feet were iced to the spot. Izuku would be able to freeze someone's body and make little concentrated flames melt their fingers.

Steal caressed Todoroki's Quirk, skimming over it and feeling the way it shifted under the boy's skin as he froze himself from the inside out while his left side warmed the smallest bit to keep him alive. Such wasted potential. Such a beautiful talent and power, stifled by a boy who could never appreciate the beauty of a gift like that.

Izuku opened his eyes and shut off Steal, gasping slightly as his Quirk crashed back into him and fought being deactivated like it used to do when he was a child; back when he couldn't control it. Izuku took a deep breath to calm himself as Todoroki's footsteps approached, and composed himself.

"Done then?" Izuku said as steadily as he could when Todoroki appeared in the doorway.

"Yes." Todoroki confirmed. "I told you I could do it."

"I never doubted you." Izuku replied, trying to reign in his anguished awe. Todoroki just nodded.

"Now, let's start the person-to-person Combat Training with Team A and Team D!" All Might's voice boomed through their earpieces. The announcement was immediately followed by ear splitting Explosions and the sound of shattering ice.

"Do you want to protect the door or should I?" Izuku asked.

"You can do it." Todoroki said blandly. "I froze the bottom floors just like you said, so it's unlikely they'll reach us anyway."

"We'll see." Izuku pushed to his feet and stumbled a little, but he headed for the door and chose to lean on the wall in the hallway just outside their bomb room. Izuku could see the stairs, and there was a wall of ice covering the doorway.

Minutes went by where Todoroki stood by the bomb while Izuku leaned against the hallway wall, and Izuku quickly became bored.

Izuku walked towards the ice wall that covered the staircase up to them, and he used Pull to wrench a piece out. He grinned at the chunk of ice, and he retreated back to his wall so he could toss the ball up and use Push to zoom it around the room.

Leaning against the wall, Izuku spent the next several minutes watching the ice spin above his head, catching sunlight and making shadows dance as the ice shone.

Such a pretty Quirk. Much better than Shinsou's, he decided. Better than Separate, better than Izuku's favorite Quirk: Bloom. It allowed him to turn drops of blood into flowers, even blood inside people. It tasted like rust and wind and leaves, and it crept up his fingers like they were slick with blood. But this… Ice/Fire was better.

Finally the Explosions they'd been hearing the entire match grew close enough for Izuku to straighten, and then he caught sight of fire and smoke beyond the ice. Soon enough, the ice covering the doorway exploded inwards, and Izuku Shoved Bakugou backwards and sent him toppling down the stairs.

Swearing and yelling ensued, swearing mainly from Bakugou and yelling mainly from Iida, and Izuku grinned upon hearing both. Then they were back and Izuku Shoved them right back down the stairs.

"Die!!" Bakugou screamed as he reappeared, and Izuku's eyes widened as the bomb gauntlet pointed right at him and All Might's voice shrieking in his ear.

"No! Stop! You'll kill him!"

"I won't kill him if he dodges!" Bakugou cackled, and Izuku immediately dove for the doorway of the bomb room as Bakugou pulled a pin. Bakugou's gauntlet exploded and Izuku was hit with the very edge of it. He made it away from the main blast, but explosions were dangerous even if they grazed you.

"Motherfucker!" Izuku yelled as he came out of his roll a few feet inside the bomb room. "That was uncalled for." The back of his costume was smoking, but his jacket had taking the worst of it.

Bakugou had blown a hole through the entire building. The hallway Izuku had been standing in didn't even exist anymore. Todoroki froze the doorway off as soon as Izuku was inside the bomb room, and so Izuku took the time to brush off his costume and put out the small patches of his costume that were singed or actually on fire.

"You can't hide from me!"

"Bakugou, All Might said not to use that again indoors! He'll disqualify you!"

"I'm not four-eyes, shut up!"

The ice exploded inwards, sending shards everywhere, but it was a normal explosion instead of whatever the fuck had happened in the hallway. Izuku flicked Bakugou away hard, and he slammed into the far wall of the hallway outside. Izuku then continued Pushing until Bakugou couldn't move under the sheer amount of pressure Izuku was putting on him. When Iida tried to zoom through the doorway, Izuku Pulled him inside the room and then Pushed him into a wall.

"Todoroki, can you freeze him there?" Izuku hadn't even finished speaking before Iida was neck deep in ice and thoroughly attached to the wall. "Thanks." Todoroki just nodded.

His eyes seemed to be glancing between Bakugou struggling weakly against a wall and Izuku's outstretched hand. Todoroki politely did not interfere, but was paying close attention so he could freeze Bakugou if he needed to.

He didn't.

"Time's up!" All Might declared, voice ringing in all their ears. "Villain team wins!"

Izuku dropped Bakugou promptly, and the blond fell onto his hands and knees gasping for breath. Similarly, Todoroki promptly stepped towards Iida and pressed his left hand to the frozen boy's chest. Todoroki narrowed his eyes, and then Iida gasped as steam rose and all the ice melted off him. Soon the floor was soaked with hot water and Iida was free.

Steam filled the building, and Izuku could feel the heat coming off the floor and walls. Todoroki had unfrozen the entire building, melting all the ice inside with that one hand. Izuku inhaled sharply, watching Todoroki glare and grit his teeth. Why did he hate to use such a gift? How dare he be so ungrateful for such a wonderful power?

Then Todoroki was stepping away from Iida and stalking out of the room. Izuku slowly followed him with his heart beating nearly out of his chest, and he paid no attention to the trembling blond on his hands and knees in the hallway.

'What wasted potential,' was all Izuku could think for the rest of the day.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7

Izuku ran an exhausted hand through his hair and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had little bruises under his eyes, evidence of spending the weekend night out late doing very villainous activities.

"Izuku!" Inko called, "You'll miss the train!"

"Maybe I wanna miss the train." Izuku muttered. Hefting his backpack over one shoulder, Izuku left his room to kiss his mother's cheek and say goodbye.

"Have a great day today." She smiled at him, "Be good, have fun, and don't get caught killing All Might."

"I wouldn't get caught." Izuku huffed, and he looked around briefly before frowning. "Where's Tomura?"

"With your father." Inko sighed fondly, "They're doing some Underworld planning stuff today."

"Ah, of course." Izuku rolled his eyes. "Bye Mama." She waved at him as he slipped out the door and headed for the train station.

Izuku, upon arriving at UA, debated turning his ass right back around and going home. Unfortunately, his Dad would be disappointed in him if he did that. But… his Dad wasn't home. No, Izuku would be yelled at when his Dad did get home. On top of that… damn. Tomura would definitely make fun of him for chickening out over something as stupid as the press.

Actually… no, the press was terrifying.

With a deep breath, Izuku marched to the front door and tried to keep his eyes on the school as he passed through the sea of reporters. They didn't seem to get the memo or vibe of his attitude.

"You!" A brown haired lady yelled, shoving a microphone in his face, "What kind of a teacher is All Might?! Have you had a class with him?? Can you confirm he's a Heroics teacher!?"

"I only have one thing to say." Izuku looked right at the camera and leaned into the microphone. "All Might sucks."

The reporters, who'd calmed a little when he appeared to be making a statement, immediately exploded with noise. Ignoring them completely, Izuku turned away and walked past the barrier without delay.

— — — — —

"Good work on yesterday's Battle Training; I saw the video and the results." Aizawa sighed tiredly. "Bakugou, you're talented, so don't act like a kid."

"Tch. I know." Bakugou said, looking away with a mild scowl.

"Now, let's get down to homeroom business. Sorry about the late notice, but today I'll have you…" Aizawa paused, either purposefully or to check his notes, and then sighed again. "Decide on a class representative."

"I want to be class rep, pick me!" Kirishima said immediately, standing up and slamming a hand on his desk.

"Me too!" The electric user said. Was his name Kaminari?

"I want to do it, too!" Hearing Quirk raised an enthusiastic hand.

"It's a job made for me!" The one with the laser Quirk said, winking.

"I'll be the leader!" The acid one said, jumping in front of Sparkles and interrupting him.

"Let me do it! Me!" Bakugou screamed.

"God will this torture ever end?" Izuku groaned, dropping his head on his desk. If they didn't shut up he was going to risk his Dad's wrath and murder someone.

"Silence, please!" The boy Izuku had fought, Iida, called everyone's attention loudly, "It is a job with the serious responsibility of leading others. It is not a job for just anyone who wants to do it. It is a calling that requires the trust of those around you. If we want to use democracy to decide on a true leader, then we should hold an election to choose one." Despite his words, Iida's hand was ram-right straight up in a way that suggested he desperately wanted the position.

"Why did you suggest that?" The electric user frowned.

"We haven't known each other for that long." Frog mutation said. "So how can we have trust or anything?"

"If that's the case, and everyone votes for themselves…" Kirishima trailed off thoughtfully, and Izuku again resisted banging his head on his desk.

"Don't you think that's precisely why whoever receives multiple votes here can be truly considered the most suitable person?" Iida declared, becoming a robot and chopping the air. "What do you think, Aizawa-sensei?" Their teacher was hiding in his yellow monstrosity of a sleeping bag again.

"I don't care as long as you decide by the end of homeroom." Aizawa slid down and flopped onto the floor. The class blinked at him.

"Thank you very much!" Iida said finally, and then Izuku was subjected to the chaos that was nineteen Hero students trying to vote. Izuku didn't count himself as the twentieth because he wasn't really a Hero student. He did vote though.

When the votes were tallied and displayed on the chalk board for all to see, Izuku did bang his head against his desk.

"Why me?" Izuku groaned, and then stood swiftly and headed for the podium. Creation girl, Yaoyorozu, was apparently his deputy, seeing as he was the main class representative by order of his three votes.

"Then, the class rep is Midoriya, and the deputy class rep will be Yaoyorozu." Aizawa said this tiredly, and then he was flopping back down onto the floor. Izuku was starting to wonder if Aizawa patrolled literally all night, and played with the idea that he himself, as Drop Off, was part of the reason Eraserhead was so tired. The thought appealed to him greatly.

"Ah, thanks for your votes." Izuku grinned, "This should be rather interesting." Despite shuddering at the thought of being a leader for the Hero kids, it was beyond funny they thought he was the perfect example of a model Heroics student. It couldn't have been further from the truth!

"We'll do our best." Yaoyorozu said politely, bowing a little. Izuku copied her, albeit a bit sarcastically, and grinned at the class.

"That might not be so bad." Frog mutation croaked.

"After all's said and done, Midoriya can get pretty fired up." Kirishima said brightly.

"And Yaoyorozu was cool when we were going over the battle results!" Tape boy grinned.

They were all dismissed for lunch, and Izuku headed to the lunchroom promptly. Unfortunately, that meant his two tag-alongs followed him like he was the leader of their little trio. It was annoying, but it did mean Shinsou would be nearby when Izuku was eventually given permission to Steal his Quirk. Izuku would probably Steal Kirishima's too, since he was now apparently one of Izuku's followers, but his wasn't a priority. It was still a bit boring.

"Who'd you vote for?" Kirishima asked as they three plopped down at a table.

"Iida." Izuku shrugged, "He got everyone to shut up, and I was down for that."

"Ah, I can see that." Kirishima nodded happily. "I voted for you, man. You were so manly when you tossed Bakugou around yesterday!"

"I did too." Shinsou grinned, "But only because I knew you'd never vote for yourself."

"Smug idiot." Izuku muttered, which made Shinsou's toothy grin widen. "Moving on, what does a class rep do anyway?"

"Oh, it's their responsibility to advocate for the class and keep everyone in line." Kirishima explained, grinning cheerfully. "It's a leadership position, and you're basically a role model for all of us."

"Interesting." Izuku hummed, "D'you think if I bash All Might people will follow suit?" Shinsou choked on his water, and Kirishima looked briefly confused. Before Izuku could get a proper response, there was a loud voice ringing through the lunchroom.

"There has been a Level 3 security breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly." Izuku blinked, and narrowed his eyes. A breach? "I repeat: There has been a Level 3 security breach. All students please evacuate outdoors promptly."

"Oi, come on!" Kirishima jumped to his feet and beckoned them. Shinsoj looked slightly frozen, eyes wide, so Izuku impatiently grabbed his arm and pulled him to his feet so they could leave the lunchroom.

That's when things got hectic.

Izuku was promptly shoved into the person in front of him, and he found he was suddenly in a sea of bodies. There were people all around him, and he did not appreciate the elbows and knees and arms hitting him every which way, but he reached his wit's end when some random guy grabbed him by the waist as a sort of anchor so as not to be jostled so badly. Not okay dude.

"Stop!" Izuku Pushed everyone away, Shoving people against the walls and even propelling some people into the air. He glared around at them, grateful for the brief stunned silence and the wide three foot radius of empty space surrounding him he'd cleared. "Didn't you hear the announcement? It said to evacuate outdoors promptly. How the fuck are we meant to do that if you're panicking and crowding the exits like this?"

People were squirming under the force of his Quirk, but they all seemed to be processing his words properly. Then Izuku glanced over when someone gasped.

"It's just the press!" Someone yelled, pointing out the window with an arm Izuku apparently didn't have pinned. "The police are here!"

As students slowly started calming down, Izuku let up the pressure on the students he'd pinned to the walls, and Pulled the students still up in the air down to him safely. He caught them one by one by the waist and lowered them to the floor. They were shaken, but some of them thanked him or apologized sheepishly. Izuku smiled at them, even as he felt a twinge of annoyance at their stupidity.

"Oi, that was so manly!" Kirishima ran up to Izuku with a wide grin, "You had everyone under control in just a few seconds!"

"We all have our things." Izuku shrugged, and Kirishima nodded cheerfully in understanding.

"Did you have to slam everyone into the wall so hard?" Shinsou groaned, rubbing his arm ruefully as he joined them as everyone started to evacuate properly.

"Yes." Izuku said simply, "They wouldn't have listened to me otherwise."

"If you say so." Shinsou sighed, "What d'you think that was all about?"

"The panic?"

"The breach."

"Reporters, the press." Izuku shrugged, "Did you see how they were assaulting people at the gate this morning? They were desperate beyond measure."

"True." Shinsou frowned, and then he jumped in surprise when Kirishima clapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry so much Shinsou!" Kirishima said brightly, "Aizawa-sensei and the other teachers will definitely figure it out."

"Right." Shinsou was eyeing Kirishima warily, and it made Izuku laugh.

It was beyond funny to see Kirishima be completely oblivious to Shinsou's disdainful distrust, and Izuku wondered if they'd slowly become real friends. That'd be funny as hell to watch, honestly. Shinsou would definitely be against it at first, when he noticed they were edging towards friendship, but he'd cave to the sunshine.

Everyone caved to a pretty smile and encouraging words, and it would be so much more fun to kill them if they cared about each other. Maybe he'd make one of them watch as he turned the other inside out…

Chapter Text

Chapter 8

Mornings did not agree with Izuku, and it was made abundantly clear once again when Izuku got up for school. Stumbling his way out of his room, Izuku caught sight of his equally not-a-morning-person brother.

"Morning." Tomura grumbled, and Izuku returned the greeting with a small yawn.

"What've you and Dad been working on?" Izuku asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes as he and Tomura both went into the bathroom to brush their teeth at the same time.

"None of your business." Tomura mumbled, more asleep than awake. Izuku had to take the toothpaste away from him when he just continued squirting it all over the counter. His brother gave him a dirty look for it.

"Fine, fine." Izuku sighed, and he went about brushing his teeth as normal. Tomura slowly became more awake, and Izuku repeated his question when they both sat down for breakfast with their mother.

"Some of Doctor's experiments are coming along nicely." Tomura said, giving Izuku a better answer now that he wasn't as tired. "Sen– ahem, Dad has been letting me see the facility more often."

"Ew." Izuku wrinkled his nose, and Tomura snorted.

"That's why I didn't invite you, jerk."

"Hey! I was just curious."

"Don't pry so much."

"I do not pry–"

"Boys." Inko interrupted with a sigh. They both gave a chastised look before glaring at one another and finishing their breakfast.

Izuku was finally ready to leave, saying goodbye to his mother, when Tomura threw something at him.

"Here." He called, and Izuku barely managed to catch it away from his face with so little warning.

"Tomura!" Izuku complained while his brother laughed and his mother covered a snort.

"Dang, I was hoping to get you in the face."

"Jerk! You aimed at my face on purpose?"

"Dearest brother, I have cured your boredom and this is how you repay me?" Tomura turned away with a fauxly offended expression. "For shame, Izuku, for shame."

"Ha, ha, very funny." Izuku said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes, then he fully examined what his brother had chucked at his head. It was a Rubik's Cube! "You didn't!" Izuku gasped, spinning one of the rows a few times to move the brightly coloured blocks around.

"I most certainly did." Tomura grinned, "I hope you find it entertaining." Something in Tomura's expression was layered with older brother mischievous intent, which didn't bode well.

"That wasn't suspicious at all." Izuku narrowed his eyes, "If it explodes I'm telling Dad."

"I wouldn't send you to school with a bomb." Tomura rolled his eyes, "Besides, Mother would kill me."

"Yes, I would." Inko eyed him for a moment, but then she turned and smiled at Izuku. "Go on, you'll be late."

"You always say that, and I'm never late." Izuku huffed.

"That's because I tell you that before you're late." Inko laughed, "Now, off with you!"

"Bye Mama! Mura!" Izuku grinned, and then he was off.

— — — — —

The first thing Izuku noticed before Basic Hero Training (gross) was that Aizawa actually seemed to be awake when he moved to stand at the podium.

"For today's Hero Basic Training, it's turned into a class with three instructors, All Might and me, and one more person." Aizawa announced.

"Oi!" Someone threw their hand up in the air. It was Tape boy. Izuku remembered from the Battle Trails that his name was Sero. "What'll we be doing?" He wasn't even finished asking before Aizawa held up a card labelled Rescue in blue font.

"Disasters, shipwrecks, and everything in between." Aizawa said, "It's rescue training."

"Rescue?" Kaminari, the one who sucked at using his awesome electricity Quirk, said it with an odd infliction. "Looks like this'll be a lot of work, too."

"Right!?" Acid girl, Ashido, agreed readily, bouncing in her seat.

"Idiots, this is the duty of a Hero!" Kirishima cut in, as sunshine as ever. "My arms are ready to rumble!"

"No one can beat me in the water, kero kero!" Izuku was a little weirded out by the noises the frog girl made, and resolved to kill her one day. Maybe he'd take her Quirk just so he could watch her body slowly fall apart at the seams until there was nothing recognizable left as he tore the Mutation out of her body–

No! Bad Izuku, no murder at school.

"Hey, I'm not done." Aizawa grunted. The irony of just how done he really was, wasn't lost to Izuku. "You can decide if you want to wear your costume or not this time." With the press of a button, the monstrous costume case cubbies came open and Izuku resisted a shudder. "Because there are probably costumes that limit your abilities, too. The training will take place off-campus, so we're taking a bus. That is all. Start getting ready."

"Hai!" The class chorused, and they all stood to retrieve their costumes.

"Aren't you grabbing your costume?" Kirishima asked excitedly when Izuku made for the door without it. "It was so cool, man! It suits you!" Izuku was tempted to kill him just for that comment.

"Fine." Izuku muttered, then Pulled the case off the rack and into his hand.

Kirishima grinned happily.

— — — — —

Izuku ended up on the bus between Kirishima and Shinsou, which really was the best outcome compared to his other choices. At least this way he wasn't tempted to murder anyone more than usual. He was used to them by now, which was a horrifying thought.

The bus ride seemed to take forever, and Izuku was forced to chat pleasantly with his classmates as they all gushed over each other's Quirks. Eventually, it got around to him.

"The way you anchored yourself to me back at the Quirk Assessment was awesome." Kirishima grinned.

"How'd you do that, anyway?" Gravity user, Uraraka(?), asked as she tilted her head.

"My Quirk: Push and Pull, is centred in my hands." Izuku lied, clicking on Quirk Immune habitually. "When I use Pull on something heavy, or sturdy, I can either focus on pulling myself to it, or it to me. It's not hard."

"That's so cool!" Ashido squealed, and Izuku nodded along as the conversation moved on to other classmates. He was more than glad to unload when the bus finally rolled to a stop.

When Thirteen appeared Izuku pulled out his Rubik's cube so he wouldn't be tempted to Steal her Quirk: Blackhole, immediately. The thought of having such a destructive and beautiful power literally at his fingertips… too seductive.

As such, Izuku wasn't all that interested in what Thirteen was saying while he played with his Rubik's cube. He spun the rows and clicked them to different positions. Usually he was good at solving puzzles, but it just wasn't working! Something about it was off, ever so slightly! Why couldn't he get all the colours to work? It was like someone fucked it up on purpose! Wait a minute…

With narrowed and suspicious eyes, Izuku counted each square and found that he didn't have enough reds and he had extras of blue! Tomura…! Why would he murder Izuku like that?? What was Izuku supposed to do now??

Suddenly the lights went out, and Izuku looked up in confusion. That probably wasn't a good sign, but was definitely interesting. Izuku watched Aizawa tense and then whip around, and Izuku followed his line of sight to see… Kurogiri's Warp?

Ominously, a single pale hand reached from the portal and a person stepped out. Izuku couldn't see very well, but the mop of blue hair was almost definitely his idiotic and slightly murderous older brother. He was covered in hands?? Izuku also frowned at the hulking purple monster that stepped out beside Tomura. It looked dead, brain halfway falling out with blank eyes, but it was standing and Izuku didn't really like that. Probably one of Doctor's experiments that Tomura got to play with.

Izuku sighed heavily, even as his classmates seemed to recoil as a mass of Villains stepped through after his brother. Interestingly, most of them had mutation Quirks. That meant Tomura was planning on trying to take down Eraser. But why? What was the point? Izuku hadn't heard anything about a raid on UA, so he just sighed in resignation at being left out of Tomura's plans. Downsides of being the youngest, and not liking Doctor very much.

"Don't move!" Eraser yelled, probably in response to one of the babblings of Izuku's classmates, "Those are Villains." Nice job officer fuckface, you really connected the dots on that one.

"Thirteen and Eraserhead. Interesting that All Might is missing, don't you think?" Tomura's voice rang through the USJ ominously. It made Izuku blink in surprise, because his brother never spoke like that. Tomura was all wild and teasing, and down in the plaza he was speaking softly, menacingly. Was he just here for fun then, to throw everyone off and get attention? Honestly, yeah, that sounded like Tomura.

"So you scumbags were the ones responsible for the trespassing yesterday?" Eraser accused, taking a single step forward.

"Obviously, your defences really need an upgrade, Eraserhead." Tomura seemed to be grinning, and it made Izuku sigh again. "Anyway… we're here to cause trouble. How will you handle us, oh great teachers, Pro Heroes of UA?" Yep, called it; Tomura broke into UA for attention. Figures.

"Villains, no way!" Kirishima exclaimed, "There's no way they could break into a Hero School!"

"They sort of just did." Izuku deadpanned.

"Sensei, what about the trespasser sensors?" Yaoyorozu stepped forward, and Thirteen glanced backwards at her.

"We have them, of course, but…"

"Did they only appear here, or around the whole school?" Izuku turned immediately at the sound of Todoroki's soft voice. "Either way, if the sensors are not responding, that means they have someone with a Quirk that can do that. An isolated area separated from the main campus, during the time when a class is supposed to be here. They might be fools, but they're not dumb. This surprise attack was carefully planned with some sort of goal in mind." Everyone was stunned into silence, and Izuku sighed.

"Wow." He breathed, not taking his eyes off Todoroki. Izuku couldn't wait to take that beauty and destroy it, leaving Todoroki with nothing but emptiness.

"What?" Shinsou hissed.

"Did you even hear him?" Izuku asked, not even glancing at Shinsou. "He's so cool."

"Don't tell me you want to befriend him!?" Shinsou recoiled, "You said you don't do friends!"

"If you want to call it that, then sure, yes, I want him to be my friend." Izuku shrugged. "Congratulations, you're my first friend. I already said you were stuck with me on, like, day one." Despite the circumstances that were absolutely terrible, (of course, Villains, oh no!) Shinsou beamed in excitement at him. Did people really care about being friends that much?

That was hilarious, especially because it wasn't even real friendship. Izuku wanted Shinsou around for his Quirk, and Izuku wanted around Todoroki because of his Quirk. Shinsou belonged to Izuku, and Todoroki would be Izuku's greatest masterpiece when he was done with him.

Apparently, during their little conversation, Eraserhead had said something to Thirteen and the class, so they were suddenly supposed to be running away. Of course, little Hero students get traumatised by Villains, run away!

Izuku jogged with the class, Shinsou seemingly sticking with him by sheer determination, and then Kurogiri was abruptly and directly between the class and the door. Well, good luck Hero students, you're fucked.

"I won't let you get away." Kurogiri produced his yellow eyes in the looming mist, "Nice to meet you. We are the League of Villains." Izuku thought that was a horribly dumb name, and he was definitely teasing Tomura about it later. "It may be presumptuous of us, but we invited ourselves into the home of the Heroes, U.A. High School to meet everyone." Thirteen put an arm out, as if she could even remotely protect the students, and glared at Kurogiri. She was wrong, of course, but Izuku was polite enough not to outright laugh. "I believe All Might should have been here. Has there been some kind of change?" Kurogiri expanded his mist, looking sort of like a bird of prey out to get them. "Well, that is irrelevant. This is the part I am to play."

Everything about Tomura was games, and Izuku just sighed at the inevitability that he was about to be tossed somewhere random and have to beat up his brother's goons. Oh no, what a shame!

He blinked in genuine surprise as Bakugou and Kirishima both leapt forward to try and get Kurogiri, only to fail spectacularly. Izuku sighed as Kirishima taunted Kurogiri. Oh yeah, A+ little Hero student. Antagonistic behaviour really was the way to go. Not that Izuku could really talk, being the antagonistic little shit he was, but he wasn't a real Heroics student so Izuku could do whatever he wanted.

"Oh dear, that's dangerous." Izuku choked at the sarcasm from Kurogiri, and he had to wave off a bizarre look from Shinsou because of it. "That's right. Even if you are just students, you are excellent golden eggs." Mist surrounded them, blocking their vision and consuming them all, and Izuku didn't even try to fight it as his classmates screamed. "My job is to scatter you all… so have fun little Herolings."

Izuku was spat out at least a dozen feet above a massive expanse of water, and he shrieked in surprise as he slammed into it full force. That was just rude! Izuku was so burning Kurogiri's tea supply when he got home.

He looked around under the water, and glared as a sharklike Villain swam directly for him. Izuku Pushed him away, and he went staggering backwards a little. Apparently Push and Pull didn't work very well in the water, so Izuku twisted around and started swimming away with perfect and clean strokes.

Bubbles from a cry of surprise left his mouth as something wet and round wrapped around his torso, and Izuku found himself very suddenly being dragged along behind something. Reaching out with Steal, he realised it was just frog girl. He forced himself to relax, even though he was mildly internally panicking. He was only allowed to use Push and Pull at school, so he might genuinely not be able to beat the frog girl in the water.

It didn't really matter because they were supposedly on the same side, but it was a terrifying thought nonetheless.

She gently placed him on the deck of a boat, which he assumed to be in the centre of the Water Zone. They were definitely still in the USJ, which was nice of Kurogiri. He could've shipped them off to Timbuktu and been done with it. Maybe his tea supply was safe.

Frog girl climbed up the side of the boat, and Izuku gave her a hand up that she probably didn't need but accepted anyway.

"Thanks frog girl." He nodded to her.

"Call me Tsu." She croaked.

"Okay." He shrugged in acceptance, and then he tapped his chin in thought. Izuku decided he should just think of his brother's goons as real enemies, and turned to Tsu. "Well, I think the Villains are idiots or uninformed." He declared finally.

"What makes you say that?" She tilted her head.

"Well they sent you here, and your Quirk is heavily aquatic based. I'm guessing froglike mutations." Izuku said, gesturing to her… everything. Didn't need an analysis Quirk to figure that one out.

"Kero!" Tsu blinked in surprise, "You're right. If they knew that I was a frog, they probably would've thrown me into that fire zone over there." She pointed to one of the ominous domes, specifically the one covered in red and orange flames.

"Ah, yes, frogs are sensitive to temperature." Izuku nodded, "Okay, so how do we use that? Not the temperature thing, the obliviousness of our enemies."

"Well I'm more mobile in the water, but I can't take all of them at once if they surround me. Kero." Tsu admitted, placing one of her elongated fingers on her chin. They both peeked over the edge, and Tsu made a croak of anxiety as they were firmly surrounded by yelling Villains.

Izuku pulled Tsu down and away from the edge, making them both crouch on the deck so the Villains couldn't see them.

"Okay, what if I caused a distraction?" Izuku suggested, whispering slightly. "I could jump in the water and pretend I'm running for it. I'm a pretty fast swimmer, and I can use Push to shove them away from me. It's not perfect, but it might allow you to slip in the water unnoticed and take a few of them out."

"It's dangerous." She croaked quietly, tilting her head. "Let me tell you more about my Quirk." Izuku nodded in acceptance. "I can jump high, stick to walls, and stick my tongue out up to about 20 metres. I can also spit out my stomach and wash it, and secrete toxic mucus that actually just stings a little." Tsu took a moment of pause before adding, "The last two are practically useless, so you can probably forget about them."

"Okay, as I said on the bus, my Quirk is called Push and Pull." Izuku realised he still had Quirk Immune active, "I can Push or Pull things towards or away from me telekinetically with my hands." She nodded easily.

"You'd have to stop swimming to propel the Villains away from you, then, right? Kero."

"That's right." He confirmed. "Can we try it? If it doesn't work then there's no harm in just coming back to the boat and trying a new strategy. But, if you have to choose, get yourself out and just leave me behind." It's not like any of the Villains could really beat Izuku if he didn't let them, but they could definitely try.

"If I'm seen, I'll come and get you out right away." Tsu said firmly. Izuku sighed, but he didn't push it.

"Alright. Now, I'll just jump right in the water and you can climb down the side once their attention is on me." Tsu nodded firmly, and Izuku took a deep breath before standing and jumping to stand on the rail. "Oh no! We're surrounded!" Izuku cried, dramatically putting his hands on his face. "I'm so out of here!"

Izuku jumped, executing a flawless dive, and cut through the water as he landed to stroke his way away from the boat. He glanced behind him to see Villains yelling and swimming for him, completely focused on him and ignoring whatever Tsu was doing, but several had mutations that made it so they were going double the speed he was. You win some, you lose some.

Izuku tried Pushing the water away instead of the Villains, and they all went spinning backwards much more effectively. Izuku surfaced with a gasp, taking another breath and continuing to swim.

Several more swam at him, and he Pushed them back as well with a wave of water.

"Die already you stupid kid!" Izuku looked down in mild panic as a webbed hand grabbed his leg, and was sharply yanked downwards.

Izuku shut his eyes, prayed his Dad wouldn't kill him, and activated his Quirk: Water Touch. With maximum control, Water Touch moved the water as he moved his hands. Izuku swirled the water around the Villain's hand, creating little whirlpools around each finger and forcing the Villain to release him, and then sent the Villain spiralling downwards into the depth with ten times the force he could've dreamed of creating with Push. He then briefly used it to push himself to the surface, vaguely worried about the burning in his lungs.

He broke the surface with a heavy gasp, and then coughed before swimming away again a little slower than his previous pace.

"Midoriya." Izuku turned as sharply as he could in the water, and his eyes landed on the upper half of Tsu's face that peeked out above the water. "The Villains are unconscious. Thanks for distracting them, Kero, you're amazing."

"You really did all the work, Tsu." Izuku grinned, "All I did was run away." He glanced towards shore, and then looked back at his classmate. "Let's head to shore, maybe we can get back to the entrance, yeah?"

"Kero." She nodded. They swam for the shallows, Tsu politely going his pace instead of just zooming off like the OP little froggy she was, and then they waded through the shallows until they were close enough to make out the shapes of Eraser beating the shit out Villains in the Central Plaza.

Oh look, there was Tomura. Nice.

Chapter Text

Chapter 9

"Let's get a closer look." Izuku said, and he started creeping towards the edge of the Water Zone without another word. His classmate croaked, but he felt her following him. Good little Hero student.

Izuku peeked over the ledge with Tsu behind him, and he immediately fought off a sigh.

The Villain with the hand covering his face was definitely Tomura. Izuku had already known that, but the hair up close was even more unmistakable. Mop head 100%.

"Stay here, I'm gonna stall the Villain until backup can arrive." Izuku whispered, turning to Tsu, "If you try to follow me I'll just Push you away. Got it? Stay put." She scrutinised him.

"I think this is a bad idea, Kero." Tsu croaked.

"I'm not planning on fighting, just talking and Pushing the Villains away from Aizawa-sensei." He lied. If Aizawa hurt Tomura… Izuku might have to blow his cover right then and there.

"I don't like this." She told him blandly, "I'm going to get help." Then she bounded off through the water and away the next moment. Well, leaving was fine too.

Izuku turned back to the Central Plaza and saw his brother running directly for Eraserhead. Izuku really wished he could use a Hearing Quirk, because his brother seemed to be mumbling, but he'd already broken his Dad's rule of only using his two designated Quirks and he didn't want to risk it again.

Eraserhead charged as well, and Izuku held his breath as Eraser's scarf shot out. Tomura grabbed it and yanked, pulling the Hero closer, and grabbed the elbow that was thrust into his stomach. Izuku passively watched as the elbow started flaking away, and clenched his teeth as Eraserhead punched Tomura in the face.

Tomura went down, falling on his ass as Eraser leapt backwards with a crumbling elbow, and Izuku resisted jumping up to help his brother. Izuku trusted Tomura, and tried to reassure himself that brother would be fine. He was capable enough to handle one Pro.

It was satisfying that Eraser had no time to breathe, though, being immediately attacked by more of Tomura's minions. Where the hell did Tomura even find that many low-level Villains to bring, anyway?

Tomura's beast slammed Eraserhead into the concrete, and yellow goggles cracked as they flew off the Hero's face. Eraser's head was bleeding, and his arm was twisted and broken, but otherwise he was fine. Izuku sighed, climbed the ledge, and headed towards the plaza. Time to talk to his brother.

Tomura turned, and promptly laughed. Probably because Izuku was soaking wet, and his curls were dripping water absolutely everywhere. As he approached, Izuku activated Quirk: Muffle.

It didn't completely mask whatever they said, but it did turn nearby ears and Hearing Quirks away so conversations could remain private. People could theoretically hear them if they were close enough, but Aizawa was a ways away and struggling against the monster that had twisted his arm like putty in his hands.

"What are you doing here, Mura?" Izuku sighed, putting his hands on his hips, "This is a field trip!" Izuku gestured to the building they were in.

"I wanted to see you!" Tomura said brightly, grinning behind the hand. Eraserhead screamed from behind them, and they both briefly glanced back to see that Eraser had tried to Erase the monster's Quirk and gotten his other arm smashed in retaliation.

"Okay, what's with the getup?" Izuku moved on and gestured to Tomura. At home, his brother wore grey sweatpants and black hoodies. As he stood before Izuku, he was wearing too short leggings and a too loose black shirt. Not to mention the various hands decorating him.

"Dad said I needed a costume." Tomura rolled his eyes, "I said my normal hair colour would be enough, but he didn't think so. Thus my face being covered, and the extra hands are just for pizazz."

"I can't believe you just said that." Izuku facepalmed, making his brother cackle. "Anyway, why are you attacking? What's the excuse?"

"Well I wanted to see if Eraserhead was a proper teacher, and he looks satisfactory to me." Tomura nodded to the Hero who was still struggling underneath the purple monster. His arms were messed up, but he was conscious still. "But I told my underlings we were killing All Might, so, there's that. Really I'm just here to play with Eraserhead and give Nomu some XP."

"Oh, right. I'm guessing this is from Doctor?" Izuku grimaced at the creature. "You called it Nomu?"

"Oh, yeah, Doctor gave him to me." Tomura grinned, "Apparently Dad's been letting him experiment again, and he's been having Dad give these guys multiple Quirks. They're keyed to mindlessly obey us. Well, mainly me, but also you. Dad added you as an admin too, even though I'm Player One and his Successor."

"You think I want a brain dead monster?" Izuku made a face. "Yuck. You can keep it."

"Shigaraki." Kurogiri appeared next to them, and Izuku was immensely relieved he hadn't said 'Tomura' anywhere near where Eraser could possibly hear them. "Thirteen is incapacitated, and a student escaped." Tomura sighed.

"Well, I guess this level is nearly over." He turned to grin at Izuku. "Here, I wanna show you something first."

"I have a bad feeling about this, but what is it?" Izuku sighed warily. Tomura laughed brightly.

"Nomu, pick my brother up gently." Tomura ordered. In a flash, Izuku was suddenly swamped by purple arms and he cried out lightly in surprise. Nomu had picked him up, tucked him into his arms, and pinned him to his muscular and very purple chest. "See! He's OP as hell." Izuku glanced at the Pro who was no longer restrained. Aizawa was on the ground still, conscious with blood running down his face, but he wasn't really moving due to his mangled arms. He wasn't a threat, so Izuku turned back to his brother.

"Very nice Mura." Izuku rolled his eyes, squirming futilely in Nomu's grasp. "Now, if you're leaving, let me–"

Tomura, Izuku, and probably everyone in the USJ, collectively froze as the doors up by the entrance exploded inwards. Ominous footsteps rang out, and then suddenly All Might appeared from the smoke.

"It's fine now." All Might declared, making both brothers frown, "I am here." There was no bravado, no confidence, only radiating anger.

"Ah shit, you need to get out of here." Izuku said to his frozen brother.

"Izuku, I'm using you as a hostage."

"Damn it. Seriously?"

"Say 'Fucking Shit' if you're actually hurt, okay? Now, deactivate Muffle." Tomura ordered. "I know you used it to talk to me. Turn it off."

"Am I that predictable?" Izuku muttered, but he turned it off. Tomura then turned to All Might with a crazed grin.

"Oh, we're getting a 'Continue' now." He announced, "Come meet your death, trash of society." His goons were mostly standing again, after recovering from whatever Aizawa had done to them, and then they were promptly knocked down again.

All Might moved in a blur, but then he was standing still with a groaning Aizawa in his arms. He whispered something to the Hero, and then he darted back up the stairs to place Izuku's teacher safely away. Nice of him, really.

"Don't come any closer, All Might!" Tomura yelled with a grin, "I have this little green kid as a hostage!" He cackled then, probably because of Izuku's completely done with life expression.

"Oh no." Izuku deadpanned, "Whatever shall I do? Save me All Might."

"Oi, do you want to die?" Tomura turned to Izuku as if he were confused by his sarcasm.

"Nah, I just hate the thought of being saved by All Might. I mean yuck." Izuku made a face of disgust, and Tomura laughed.

"I like this one." Tomura grinned, turning back to All Might. "I'll make a deal. I'll go peacefully, leaving all your students unharmed, but... I get to keep this one."

"Never!" All Might yelled, clenching his fist. "Release Young Midoriya!" He charged, "Carolina…"

"Nomu…" Tomura murmured.

"Smash!!" Suddenly Izuku and the Nomu were between All Might and Tomura, and Nomu's arms only barely shielded Izuku from the heavy win attack.

"Jesus!" Izuku yelled dramatically, "Watch it, All Might!" The Hero backed up, metaphorical sweat on his face as he realised how deep the shit he was in was, and glared at Nomu.

"Release Young Midoriya!" All Might ordered again, gritting his teeth.

"No, I don't think so." Tomura said from behind Izuku, voice soft and dangerous. "What will you do, All Might? Let us leave with a hostage to keep, or risk killing him trying to fight Nomu?"

Izuku didn't really see the angle his brother was playing at, but the way he said it made Izuku genuinely sure Tomura had a plan. Both ways, he had an idea. Which meant there was a 50/50 chance Izuku was gonna get his ass 'kidnapped.' Fantastic.

"I'll never abandon those I can reach! That's what it means to be a Hero!" All Might yelled, "I won't let you take him, and I will defeat you!!"

"A shame…" Tomura whispered, "Nomu, fight All Might, but keep the little green boy safe, okay? I've decided I like him, but don't let him use his Quirk. Keep his hands hidden."

"Oh come on!" Izuku yelled, wishing he could stomp a foot. Then the breath was hardcore knocked out of him as Nomu charged All Might with whiplash inducing speed.

Izuku was put under the Nomu's arm, sort of tucked away in his purple armpit and pinning him there with an elbow, but the Nomu had both hands free to attack. Obviously the arm pinning Izuku in place couldn't extend fully because his elbow was the only thing keeping him from dropping Izuku, but he seemed to be managing wonderfully. It also helped that Nomu was immune to All Might's attacks, of course.

One punch grazed the Nomu's arm and wind whipped across his face, making Izuku cry out in mildly genuine fear. All Might's power was seriously no joke, and he didn't exactly want a front row seat to see it in action.

All Might hesitated at Izuku's shout, and that gave Nomu enough time to sink his claws into All Might's side. The Hero stiffened, grabbing the hand and trying to pry it off, but that was when Kurogiri arrived. All Might sank into the ground through a swirling purple portal, stopping waist deep, and he started struggling madly to get the hand out of his side.

"This is good, Kurogiri." Tomura laughed lightly, "It's an unexpected opportunity." Izuku was then shifted in Nomu's hold, presumably because he'd started to slip, and he suddenly found himself thrown over Nomu's shoulder like a sack of potatoes, held there by Nomu's hand on his back pressing Izuku's stomach into the Nomu's shoulder. His hands were pinned under his stomach, so Izuku couldn't do much more than squirm. The Nomu's other hand was still deeply embedded in All Might's side.

All Might seemed to realise his predicament, and turned to glare at Tomura with teeth gritted in pain.

"This is your first offence?" All Might checked, "You'd better prepare yourselves." Izuku watched his brother stiffen, clearly unhappy, and frowned.

"What a nice little bluff." Izuku muttered, loud enough that Tomura heard and relaxed slightly.

"Kurogiri?" Tomura said softly. "Would you be so kind?" All Might turned to look at the misty Villain, hands still pulling uselessly at Nomu's claws.

"I do not want blood and guts overflowing within me… but I would be happy to take in someone as great as you." Kurogiri sighed, smugness radiating in his voice. "You're too fast to see with the human eye. Restraining you was Nomu's job, and now that your body is halfway through my portals, closing the gate and tearing you apart will be my job." All Might gasped, staring down at the portal around his waist, and Izuku resisted a smile as he looked upon the panicked face of the number one Hero.

Unfortunately, Izuku did not get to witness All Might's imminent death, because Bakugou came out of nowhere and slammed into Kurogiri with an explosion to the neck brace. It made Izuku gasp in shock and concern for his sort of babysitter/friend, but he played it off as just surprise.

"Die!" Bakugou screamed as he pinned Kurogiri with a feral grin, "Take that!"

At the same time, ice crept from the left and encased the Nomu's entire left side, freezing his fingers so All Might could rip the claws from his side. Nomu's right side was untouched, leaving Izuku unfrozen, which made him sigh in disappointment. Damn Todoroki's perfect control! Izuku would've loved to be frozen. Just a bit of frostbite…

"All I heard was that you all are here to kill All Might." Todoroki said, breathing out frost, and Izuku could've swooned at the burning anger in his expression. All Might jumped away to land by Todoroki, and Shinsou came sprinting forward then too.

"Midoriya!" He yelled, eyes panicked as he saw Izuku pinned in the Nomu's grasp.

"Stop acting so stuck-up, foggy nobody!" Bakugou grinned ferally, leaning in to loom over Kurogiri.

"The Symbol of Peace can not be killed by the likes of you." Todoroki said blandly, staring at Tomura.

"All Might, the deal still stands." Tomura called, ignoring the students altogether. "Remember, the little green one is at stake." Izuku sighed.

"What deal?" Todoroki narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, I promised to leave peacefully and not hurt anybody else, so long as I can keep him." Tomura grinned, approaching the Nomu and gesturing to Izuku. "Otherwise… well, All Might will probably kill him accidentally if he tries to fight my Nomu."

"Obsessive behaviour, really." Izuku muttered.

"Oh my god, shut up." Tomura groaned. "Keep annoying me and I'll take the purple one instead." He pointed at Shinsou with a distinct look, reminding Izuku he was supposed to care about his classmates and stuff.

"Yeesh, alright, my bad." Izuku sighed. "Keep me then."

"Maybe I will." Tomura grinned, making Shinsou take a step forward before he was stopped by Todoroki's hand landing on his shoulder. Damn, if only Todoroki touched Izuku like that so he could feel his freezing touch agai—

"If I can't attack Nomu, I'll just attack you!" All Might declared. He charged, but Nomu jumped in front of him, directly blocking All Might's path.

The Hero's punch slammed into Nomu's chest, and Izuku's hair was blown back by the wind again. He cried out and hid his face in Nomu's shoulder as All Might jumped back, gritting his teeth. Shinsou was barely being held back by Todoroki, and Bakugou was still pinning Kurogiri.

All Might dodged to the side with a punch, and the Hero's attack connected with Nomu's shoulder. The blow landed inches from Izuku, and he shrieked again.

"Stop!" Shinsou yelled, "Stop, you'll hurt him!"

"It's fine, Young Shinsou." All Might threw a thumbs up behind him, "Why? Because I am here!"

"Oh yeah, cuz I feel safe." Izuku coughed, recovering from the wind shocks.

All Might slammed his fist into Nomu's face, probably to try something new, but the bird head whipped to the side and his beak sliced across Izuku's shoulder. He cried out in pain and All Might jumped back with gritted teeth.

"Fucking Shit!" Izuku yelled, gasping as blood sluggishly leaked from the wound.

"Nomu, bring him here." In a flash Izuku was dumped on the floor at his brother's feet, laying on his uninjured side, and Tomura crouched down to place two fingers to the wound. His eyebrow twitched in concern and mixed guilt, but Izuku just shook his head.

"It's just a scratch." Izuku lied quietly in reassurance. He kept his hands under his back so he had an excuse for why he wasn't Shoving Tomura away.

"Ah, Symbol of Peace?" Tomura smiled tightly, standing and stepping forward so Izuku was behind him. "You just willingly got a hostage injured… some number one Hero you are. Nomu… retrieve our exit gate." Izuku gasped as he saw the Nomu disappear and then someone went flying backwards.

When the dust cleared, Izuku spotted Bakugou safely a few feet from Todoroki, and realised the person Nomu had sent flying was All Might.

"What?" Shinsou exclaimed, staring. "If Bakugou is fine…"

"Then that was…" Todoroki was also staring, and Izuku finally could see where All Might had ended up. He was over a dozen feet away.

"So you protected the child?" Tomura asked softly, tilting his head. It looked creepy with the hand covering his face.

"Don't you know how to hold back?" All Might coughed, "They're just children!"

"It was to rescue my companion, I had no choice." Tomura answered easily, gesturing to where the Nomu had successfully freed Kurogiri. "What about you? I'm not the one who hurt this child." Tomura gestured to Izuku, who dramatically glared. "Besides… violence for the sake of others makes it admirable, right, Hero? You know… I'm angry. I'm angry at this world that categorises the same violent acts as Heroic or Villainous, deciding what's good and what's bad." Tomura turned around to glance at Izuku with a grin. "You punched a Villain and hurt a hostage, and it was Heroic, right? But if I did it…"

Tomura crouched down beside Izuku, making sure everyone could see him, and he ripped off a pouch from Izuku's belt. He grinned as he set all five fingers on it, and then turned to blow the dust off his hand towards the students.

Izuku wiggled to unpin his hands as though he was panicking, and then sent Tomura a significant look. His brother shot out a hand and grabbed both of Izuku's wrists with one hand. He pinned Izuku's wrists to the ground with an excited grin.

"Please, don't!" Shinsou cried out in panic. Tomura raised a challenging eyebrow at Shinsou.

"Young Shinsou, don't get involved!" All Might ordered, running forward to stand between the students and Tomura. "Run away."

"You would've been in trouble if I hadn't done anything earlier, right?" Todoroki asked evenly, raising a defensive hand.

"That was a different story, Young Todoroki. Thanks." All Might replied with a pressed grin. "But it's fine. Just watch as a Pro gives it everything he's got."

"You can't!" Shinsou yelled, glaring at All Might. "Midoriya's still over there!"

"Don't worry! I will save everyone!" All Might assured him. Something in Shinsou's eyes changed, and it made Izuku very interested.

"Um… you promise?" Shinsou asked nervously.

"I assure you! Every–" All Might froze in place, unmoving, and Shinsou blew out a heavy breath. Izuku blinked in genuine shock because Shinsou just Brainwashed All Might!

"Okay, Villain, you said there was a deal right?" Shinsou said, looking at Shigaraki shakily.

"Oi, don't negotiate with Villains!" Bakugou yelled, cracking his knuckles.

"Do you want Midoriya to die?" Shinsou snapped, pointing at Tomura, "That guy disintegrated Midoriya's gear!" He looked back at Tomura with determination. "Okay, what can I do to save him?"

"Interesting." Tomura said to no one in particular, tilting his head. "What would happen, I wonder, if I take him with me. Three days would be good, and I wouldn't necessarily need to keep him longer…"

"How can I trust you'll do it?" Shinsou asked, narrowing his eyes. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

"Hmmm, it'd be a shame if a Heroics student tried to use his Quirk on me." Tomura said, turning to grin at his brother. "My Nomu reacts badly if the one controlling him goes offline."

"Okay, okay!" Shinsou cried, throwing out his hands as Shigaraki dusted another of Izuku's costume pouches with his free hand. "I won't. Seriously, how can I trust you?" Tomura looked back up at him with a grin.

"You know what I want?" Shinsou shook his head with a frown. "I want the world to see us. I want the League of Villains to be feared. Why else would I pick UA? None of your friends are seriously injured, except for the poor green one here. Only… I didn't do that, did I?" Tomura laughed softly.

"What if I got you on the news?" Shinsou negotiated, swallowing hard. "Headlines!" Izuku wiggled his fingers, as if he were trying to free a few of them, and furrowed his brows like he was concentrating. Shinsou's eyes caught the movement and then quickly looked away from it.

"Hmm." Without even looking, Tomura's hand shot out and grabbed Izuku by the jaw and yanked him up to a seated position. Izuku gasped but didn't move, his eyebrows raising as his brother squished his freckled cheeks. "Don't think I didn't see that, little Hero." Tomura released him, slightly pushing him, and Izuku fell back on his elbows to the concrete with a gasp.

"Can't blame me for trying." Izuku coughed, letting his head fall backwards onto the floor. Tomura still held his wrists in one hand.

"Back to the purple one… I'd say we're getting closer to what I want." Tomura said, turning back to Shinsou. "How about I keep him for a little less than three days, and promise not to hurt him even the slightest bit that whole time. I'll release him at the end of those days if you get me and my League in the headlines. That's your insurance, he's perfectly safe." Tomura reached down to ruffle Izuku's fluffy hair and Shinsou stiffened, making Tomura laugh. "My Quirk control is flawless, he's safe as long as you hold up your end of the bargain." Tomura pressed five fingers into Izuku's curls and yanked on them, making Izuku gasp slightly.

"No, you can't have him!" Shinsou exclaimed, glaring. "Think of something else!" Tomura opened his mouth to reply, but a bullet went clean through his hand. He released Izuku's hair with a cry, and Izuku's forehead collided with the concrete making him cry out as well. The jewel on his headpiece shattered.

"Sorry everyone!" A high pitched voice rang, "Sorry we're late!" Izuku raised his aching forehead to look up, but his vision was blurry. He vaguely realised his hands were free from Tomura's grip, but he didn't really care. He assumed the people were Heroes, which meant Tomura needed to get his ass in gear. Wait… Tomura was shot! Snipe…!

Izuku saw the Heroes spilling in from above. Iida was racing for them, eyes pinned on Tomura.

Izuku barely resisted a snarl as he glanced over and saw his brother clutching his wounded hand to his chest. Tomura looked at him curiously, asking permission, and Izuku nodded minutely.

"Release Midoriya!" Iida yelled as he came to a stop beside the other students and a still frozen All Might. At that moment, Izuku sent his brother a look and jerked his chin at Nomu, and then he reached for Todoroki and Pulled.

Todoroki stumbled, but froze his feet to the floor and Izuku flew towards him at high speed. Izuku crashed to the floor and rolled, slamming into the ice at Todoroki's feet with a dizzying gasp. The ice felt amazing on his aching shoulder.

"Midoriya!" Shinsou cried, falling to his knees to hover worriedly over him. Todoroki crouched to melt the ice off his feet, and started looking Izuku over as well.

"Kurogiri, let's go!" Tomura ordered, ignoring the Heroes. A portal appeared around him, blocking a barrage of bullets. "I look forward to the headlines, purple one!" Tomura yelled, "Nomu, grab the green one!"

Before Shinsou or Todoroki could blink, a giant purple hand wrapped around Izuku's waist and dragged him backwards. Izuku widened his eyes and looked at Shinsou, and reached for his 'friend' as if he were panicking.

"Shin–!" and then he was swallowed by Kurogiri's portals.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10

Izuku was in Nomu's arms as the monster stepped onto wood floors in their second base, the bar, and Nomu dropped Izuku so suddenly he yelped in surprise. Izuku stood with a groan, pressing a hand to his shoulder, and immediately hurried over to his brother.

"Your hand!" Izuku exclaimed, hovering in front of his brother. "Are you okay?"

"Me? Your shoulder!" Tomura diverted, reaching out a hand to assess the damage. "Nomu did this?" He turned to glare at the monster that was standing mindlessly in the middle of the bar. Kurogiri, wisely, Warped it away so Tomura couldn't Decay it.

"All Might punched Nomu's face so hard the beak got me." Izuku lamented. "It's fine, it's not that deep."

"Damn, that could've gone better." Tomura huffed, reaching for Izuku's shoulder.

"Hello, you're both grounded." They turned at their Mother's voice, and found both their parents standing behind them. "Oh my boys, you're hurt." She came over and gently took Tomura's hand, smiling sadly at the bullet hole in his palm. "Hisashi, can you fix it? It won't heal well if we just leave it…"

"I can." He confirmed, stepping forward. "I confess, healing Quirks aren't ones I sought in excess, but I have one that heals any wound that fits in my palms." Their Dad took Tomura's hand in both of his, pressing his palms to both sides of Tomura's hand. It made him wince, but Tomura blinked suddenly and Izuku gasped as his brother pulled his hand back to see it was perfectly healed.

"That's amazing!" Izuku exclaimed, grabbing his brother's hand in awe.

"It has its drawbacks." Hisashi lamented, "For example, it can only be used once a day." He stepped forward to examine Izuku's shoulder, which was now soaked in blood, and then sighed. "Either way, your shoulder injury is too big. We'll have to just wrap it instead."

"That's okay." Izuku smiled, releasing his brother. "I'm not really supposed to be healed while I'm here anyway. Tomura here kidnapped me."

"Did he now?" Inko raised an eyebrow.

"I wanted to test the Heroes." Tomura grinned, pulling off his hand pizazz accessories one by one and placing them on the bar. "All Might tried to fight me even though I had a hostage. That's how Zu got injured. All Might did it."

"Ah, that buffoon." Their Father sighed. "And your hand?" Tomura opened his mouth, and then he turned to face Izuku with a worried expression.

"Oh my god, your face. Are you okay?" He exclaimed, raising a hand to push Izuku's curls out of the way, only for Tomura's hand to meet something sticky. Izuku winced as Tomura found the abrasion. Izuku knew it wasn't bad, but his head throbbed like hell and was evidently bleeding. "I knew it! I'm so sorry."

"Oh baby, what happened?" Inko pulled out a handkerchief and started gently dabbing the blood away. Izuku reached up and removed his circlet, which was missing the gem that had shattered, and threw it to the ground.

"Tomura was showing off his ability to control his Quirk by holding my hair with all five fingers, and that's when he was shot." Izuku hissed in pain briefly from his mother's gentle touches on his forehead before continuing. "He let go, obviously, but I fell forward and hit my head on the concrete."

"Do you have a concussion?" Hisashi asked. Izuku shook his head.

"No; it hurts a lot, but I'm not dizzy and the blurry vision cleared almost immediately." Izuku assured him. "My forehead just got scraped up a bit on impact, that's all. The jewel shattering against my face didn't help any." He looked over to smile at his brother who was fidgeting anxiously. "It's okay, it wasn't your fault."

"Okay…" Tomura murmured, frowning.

"Also I'm killing Snipe." Izuku declared. "Nobody shoots my brother and gets away with it." Tomura cracked a tiny smile.

"Oh, Tsukauchi is heading for the apartment." Hisashi said suddenly. "He suspects that the Villain 'Shigaraki' is Tomura because of his interest in Izuku, and wants to check for a bullet wound."

"What is his deal?" Izuku exclaimed in exasperation, "Now he's accusing random Villains too? If I say hi to someone on the street d'think he'll accuse them too?"

"You did show off your boring face to him at the station, it's your own fault." Tomura grinned.

"Yeah but that was before Dad made me become a Hero!"

"Like you're doing a good job anyway–"

"Boys. Tsukauchi?" Their Father reminded gently.

"We should get back to the apartment, then." Tomura sighed. "I'm guessing we'll have to pretend to be devastated?"

"Ask a lot of questions." Izuku piped up, glancing from his mother to his brother. "He can't detect lies or truth in questions. You could use 'How could this happen?' and 'Aren't you going to save him?' They'll expect things like that."

"Saying you never expected a kidnapping should also work." Hisashi hummed. "Especially since Izuku being kidnapped for real is a ridiculous idea."

"Oh, Hue." Tomura realised with a blink. His Father reached out with a smile and ruffled Tomura's hair, green soaking it, and Tomura shuddered briefly. "Thanks."

"Go change." Izuku grinned, gesturing to Tomura's badly fitting Villain clothing. "You look ridiculous."

"Right. Kurogiri, my bedroom?" Tomura glanced at the portal user, and then wrinkled his nose. "Not the apartment. I can't keep my costume there, for obvious reasons." Kurogiri sent Tomura through a portal, and Izuku sighed.

"How long until Tsukauchi arrives?" He asked his Dad.

"About fifteen minutes." He answered with a smile. "We have time."

"You're sure your head is okay, Izuku?" His mother asked seriously, "Do you want some Ibuprofen?"

"I'll take some ice, actually." Izuku decided. A portal opened in front of him, and he had to quickly catch a freezing cold blue rectangle as an ice pack was ejected. "Oh, thanks Kurogiri." He sent the misty man a smile. Okay, fine, Izuku wasn't burning his tea stash anymore. Even if he did rudely dump Izuku in the Flood zone.

"Of course, Izuku." Kurogiri nodded to him. As Izuku pressed the ice to his head, Tomura was portaled back and looked comfortably messy in his usual hoodie and sweatpants.

"Kurogiri?" Inko called gently, "We're headed to the apartment."

"Yes ma'am." Kurogiri nodded politely, creating a portal for them easily. Izuku waved with his free hand as his mother and brother disappeared, and then plopped down on a barstool.

"Izuku." He looked up at his father curiously. "I'd like to give you a Quirk: Colouring. It allows the user to change the colour of anything they touch as long as they've seen the colour before. You're around Tomura enough that it would be beneficial for you to have it in situations where he might need to have green hair, and I'm unavailable."

"Why haven't you used it before?" Izuku asked, "It seems more useful than Hue."

"Colouring is harder to control, and it can change the colour of anything." Hisashi explained patiently. "You might accidentally change all of Tomura green instead of just his hair, does that make sense?" Izuku nodded. "That's why. Regardless, you need a colour changing Quirk and this is the next best thing."

"Can't I have Hue?" Izuku frowned, "I don't want to mess it up."

"I trust that you'll get the hang of it." Hisashi smiled, and Izuku nodded.

"Alright, I'll do my best." Izuku smiled in consent. Hisashi placed a hand on Izuku's head gently, and Izuku felt the Quirk transfer to him.

It tasted like bubbles and caramel, sickenly sweet and sharp, as if too many tastes and feelings were tangled on his tongue. It swirled in his palms, and he felt as if his hands were crusted with old paint. He wiggled his fingers against the sensation. It then soaked into his skin, leaving him gasping with euphoric dizziness.

"Wicked." Izuku breathed, inhaling and exhaling to let the feeling pass. He couldn't help but feel disappointed by the feeling. It made him ache for Todoroki and Shinsou's Quirks even more.

"Detective Tsukauchi arrived. Would you like to watch?" Hisashi asked, grinning. "I have cameras." Izuku laughed as the slight high faded, and nodded.

"Definitely."

 — — — — —

Inko answered the door with a frown, Tsukauchi standing on the other side.

"Detective, what can I do for you?" She asked, looking him up and down.

"Midoriya, can I come in?" Tsukauchi asked seriously, "I have some news that you and your son need to hear."

"Is it about Izuku?" She exclaimed, eyes widening. He sighed tiredly in response.

"Yes, can I come in?" Inko opened the door for the Detective, stepping aside and leading him into the living room.

"Tomura, come here!" Inko yelled into the house. "The Detective is here about Izuku!" There was silence, but then a door slammed shut and Tomura appeared in the doorway, yawning with a hand over his mouth.

"What is it?" Tomura said, plopping down next to his mother. Tsukauchi had narrowed eyes pinned to Tomura, eyeing both of his perfectly intact and flawless hands.

"Midoriya Izuku was kidnapped by the League of Villains during a field trip today." Tsukauchi said bluntly, watching their reactions closely. Now, Inko and Tomura had already chosen their roles, so Tomura stilled completely and stared at the floor in apparent shock. Inko, on the other hand, immediately covered her mouth with a hand.

"How could this happen?" Inko gasped, "Nearly everyone says UA is the safest school around!" Tsukauchi sighed.

"They attacked with over four dozen Villains, and there were only two teachers present at the time." Tsukauchi admitted, scrutinizing them both. "Midoriya was taken hostage; All Might and the Heroes were unable to recover him before the Villains retreated."

"So you lost my brother?" Tomura said, looking up with wide eyes. "All Might let him get hurt. Is that what you're saying?"

"I suppose, but All Might could only do so much with a hostage thrown in the mix." Tsukauchi frowned, "Reports say Midoriya Izuku was very nonchalant about his hostage situation, but showed immense alarm when he was actually taken. Do you know why that is?"

"Izuku likes to think he's invincible." Tomura said, staring at the wall. "Nothing fazes him until it does." Tomura thought about Izuku's promise to kill Snipe, specifically. He didn't care about Snipe at all, until he did. "Mom, can I go to my room?" He said it quietly, as if he was partially in shock, and his mother nodded. She brushed his messy green hair away from his face, and he stood to stride out of the room.

"He seems to care about his brother a lot." Tsukauchi said, staring after him. "Even though they're so far apart in age."

"Actually they're only four and a half years apart. Tomura's only twenty, and Izuku is nearly sixteen." Inko smiled. "They've been close their whole lives. As little kids, they'd run around our home and make such a mess, but they were so happy." Tears shone in her eyes, and she let them spill over a little as she looked back at the Detective. "You'll get him back, right?" Inko whispered, "You'll save my baby?"

"We'll do everything we can, ma'am." Tsukauchi sighed. She nodded, wiping her eyes, and he stood to leave with a polite little bow. Inko buried her face in her hands and let her shoulders shake a little as he left, only letting the laughter escape once the door was firmly shut and she had counted to ten.

Laughter poured out of her, and Tomura came out with a raised eyebrow as he took in her gasping breaths and snickering laughs.

"Well, at least now I can tell Izuku that you laughed when he was kidnapped." Tomura grinned, and his Mother laughed even harder.

Tomura smiled as his Mother continued to laugh, and he knew Izuku was safe with their Dad. It was a successful day for the Villainous family, really, and the thought only made him smile wider.

Chapter Text

Chapter 11

Izuku tried to focus on something other than his shoulder. It screamed at him, probably because his weight was on his elbows, and Izuku wasn't going to be moving until his target reappeared. It was inconvenient he'd disappeared into another room the moment Izuku's rifle was ready and loaded.

Putting aside the pain, Izuku focused as Snipe finally exited his bedroom and could be seen in his kitchen through the window. Izuku shut one of his eyes, looking down the sight of the rifle he had braced against his good shoulder, and lined up the shot perfectly. Izuku then pulled the trigger without hesitation. One round into the torso to down the Hero, and then Izuku discarded the weapon to jump across the roof and through the kitchen window.

Izuku never liked jumping through windows, the glass was unpleasant to land on and left little stinging sensations even through his thick and protective Villain costume. He also knew the tiny bullet hole in previously mentioned glass wouldn't make much of a difference either. Nevertheless, Izuku dove through the window, shattered the glass fully, and rolled to standing.

On the floor of the kitchen lay the Hero with a bullet hole in his right lung, exactly where Izuku wanted it. Not a shot that would kill him immediately, but bad enough that he'd be dead after just a few minutes.

"Oh my dear Snipe, you fucked up." Izuku whispered. He took off his mask and hood, showing off the Shifted face he wore specially for the occasion. The same one he'd used when he'd accidentally showed Eraserhead and Tsukauchi that one time.

His eyes were a ruby red, and his hair hung by his ears in messy blue strands. Across his face were the same marks of the skin condition that plagued Tomura's face but worsened, making Izuku look like a younger and softer version of Tomura.

"You–" Snipe choked, blood wetting his lips as he quickly found his lungs filling with blood. Izuku grinned, widening his eyes to achieve the same crazed look Tomura produced naturally.

"Nobody hurts my brother and gets away with it." Izuku stated. Snipe choked again, writhing as life left him, and Izuku pulled out a knife. "May your death be more beautiful than your life, Hero."

Izuku drove the knife straight into Snipe's right eye, digging it in with a ruthless laugh as Snipe started screaming. With his punctured and blood filled lungs, Izuku found the sounds the Hero who shot his brother made were beautiful. The way the blood from his bullet wound poured across the flooring and the gore from his punctured eye that was thrown everywhere as Izuku yanked the knife out was deeply satisfying.

He was covered in blood and gore, they both were, and Izuku couldn't help the delighted laugh that bubbled up and out his throat. There wasn't anything better than being showered in an enemy's blood. Well, except maybe Todoroki's Quirk.

Tossing the knife on the floor, Izuku didn't even care that he'd wasted a perfectly good knife. The Heroes would appreciate having the main murder weapon right in hand, and Izuku was nothing if not considerate.

He left then, taking his rifle with him, and left only Snipe's mangled body, the knife, and a note.

Justice has been served.

— — — — —

"How many times do I have to remind you that you're grounded?" Inko put her hands on her hips, and Izuku wilted in the face of her disappointment.

"Once more, I think." He muttered.

"You know this means Quirk Suppressants, Izuku."

"But Snipe deserved it!" Izuku protested vehemently, "I won't leave the base again, I swear! I won't use my Quirks either!"

"You're right, you won't." She sighed, and Izuku clamped his mouth shut as his Mother went to retrieve the Quirk suppressants from the closet. He hated Quirk suppressants!

"How long do I have to wear them?" Izuku asked with a scowl as she returned.

"Until you're dropped off at the station after your 'kidnapping' is over." Inko replied, and with a beckoning gesture Izuku trudged closer so she could bend down and lock it around his left ankle.

"This isn't fair." Izuku crossed his arms, looking away. His Mother sighed as she straightened.

"This is fair." She said, "Tomura is grounded too, and he's been wearing his Quirk suppressant bracelet since yesterday, after Tsukauchi left."

"That's different!" Izuku exclaimed, "He only has one Quirk anyway!"

"Izuku, we let you remain without them because you promised not to use a single Quirk. You broke that promise, and on top of that you left the bar. That's not okay, Izuku." Inko gave him a stern look, crossing her arms, and Izuku sighed in frustration. "Oh Izuku, I know you hate them, but it's only a few days. Tomura has to wear his for two full weeks for staging the kidnapping, remember?"

"I remember." Izuku huffed. He took a deep breath, blew it out, and then sighed. "I'm sorry for sneaking out."

"Thank you, Izuku." She smiled, "Now, I'm pretty sure your Dad wants to check your shoulder in case you reinjured it. That rifle has some harsh recoil." Izuku winced, and she gave him another stern look. "Kurogiri!"

A whirling portal appeared, and Izuku stepped through in resignation. He stepped out into his Father's study, his Dad sitting on the couch. He patted the seat next to him, and Izuku reluctantly headed over to sit beside him.

"Because you've already spoken with your Mother, I'll say nothing on the topic of your little escapade last night." Hisashi said with a little amused smile. It made Izuku wilt slightly anyway. "Now, show me your shoulder."

Izuku sat still as his Father unwrapped the wound and rebandaged it, checking that it hadn't worsened. Izuku had been lucky; he hadn't needed any stitches. Still, the bandaging process was obscenely complicated. Because it was a shoulder wound, they had to wrap the bandages around Izuku's shoulder, torso, and partly his collarbone to keep everything in place. Izuku hated it, but there wasn't a more effective way to wrap a shoulder. When they were finally finished, Izuku sighed.

"Thanks." He mumbled.

"Of course, Izuku." Hisashi wrapped an arm around him, and Izuku leaned into the side hug, dropping his head on his Father's shoulder. "Even if I don't approve of you breaking your grounding, I will say I'm proud of you."

"What?" Izuku straightened, looking up at his Dad with wide eyes.

"You defended your brother." Hisashi smiled, but it was coupled with sadness. "That's something I never learned how to do. Not properly, at least. I'm glad I was able to raise you two to care about each other as siblings should."

"You have a brother?"

"Had." Hisashi corrected, and Izuku inhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry." Izuku whispered.

"Don't be, it was a very long time ago." His Father sighed, "Apologies, I shouldn't be digging up the past. Tomura's watching the news again, would you like to join him?"

"No thanks, I want to go to my room." Izuku wanted to be alone for a while.

"Alright." His Dad smiled, "Kurogiri, Izuku's room at the bar, if you please."

"Of course." Kurogiri nodded slightly, and a portal opened.

"See you at dinner." Izuku waved briefly to his Dad, and he stepped through the portal.

He hated being grounded.

— — — — —

Tomura grinned at the TV, leaning forward over the bar as if it would help him absorb the information better.

"This is great!" Tomura laughed, "Zu, have you seen it?"

"Is it more of the same woman or something new?" Izuku asked, glancing up from his puzzle. It was a rainbow gradient with a thousand pieces, and he was only halfway done. When he looked up, he found that the TV showed Nezu making an announcement about the break-in, new security measures, and the exact number of arrested criminals; but he was also making sure to talk all about the League of Villains. "Oh, it's UA. Nothing about my supposed kidnapping?"

"Must be because of the deal." Tomura shrugged. "They'll probably wait to see if I give you back. If I don't, then they'll admit to losing a student."

"Interesting approach." Izuku nodded, "When am I going back? It's been two days, right?"

"Ah, now's fine." His brother shrugged. "Kurogiri!" A portal opened directly behind Izuku, and Izuku shrieked as Tomura just shoved him through without warning.

Izuku slammed into a floor, but he didn't know where. They hadn't discussed it because Izuku was sure he'd have another day, maybe even two! He immediately groaned in defeat.

"Can you stop with the portals!?" Izuku yelled at the purple mass as it dwindled. "Jesus Christ that was mean. Where the hell am I now?" He rubbed his bruised hip and looked around, freezing when he recognized his surroundings.

"Midoriya?" There was a mummy standing in the middle of the police station.

"Aizawa-sensei??" Izuku exclaimed, recognizing what little he could see of the man. "Jesus, are you alright?" It hadn't occurred to Izuku that the man wouldn't have been healed by Recovery Girl after the USJ. Evidently, her Quirk must have a limit, and Aizawa's injuries must've exceeded that limit. By quite a lot, if the bandages were any indication.

"Someone get Tsukauchi, tell him Midoriya's back." Aizawa said to a random officer, and he immediately knelt down at Izuku's side. It was awkward with his bandages, but apparently determination to be on the floor won over his injuries. "Are you injured?"

"Sir, I could ask you the same thing." Izuku grinned, but he sighed when Aizawa gave him a disapproving glare. "Fine, yes, my shoulder is fucked up."

"Midoriya!" Tsukauchi appeared, and he also knelt down where Izuku was still sitting on the floor, leaning back on his uninjured hand. "Can you stand?"

"Yep." Izuku accepted the hand Tsukauchi held out to him, and was pulled to his feet promptly. His shoulder twinged at the movement, and he didn't bother hiding his wince.

"I'll call Recovery Girl." Aizawa said firmly.

"Midoriya, with me." Tsukauchi beckoned, "We're going to an interview room. I'd like to talk about what happened during your kidnapping."

"Okay." Izuku sighed. He followed Tsukauchi down a few hallways and through the station. They didn't speak as they walked, so Izuku thought over what he'd say and how he'd answer the questions. Obviously whatever he said would become the truth, but what that truth was mattered.

Izuku recognized the room he was eventually led to, and he had to resist a grin. It was the same interrogation room he'd been brought to when he was arrested as Drop Off. Tsukauchi seemed to realise it too as Izuku sat down and gave him an innocent smile. The man shuddered.

"Can you state your name and Quirk for the record in the presence of my Quirk: Truth?" Tsukauchi prompted as he set the red blinking recording device on the table. Izuku double checked that Quirk Immune was activated before he replied. The Quirk Suppressant was only so powerful, which meant he could slip most mental Quirks past it. Otherwise his parents would've had it removed before shipping him off to be interrogated.

"Midoriya Izuku, Quirk: Push and Pull." Izuku replied easily, looking down to fidget with his fingers as if he were nervous.

"Can you tell me about the USJ?" Tsukauchi asked. Izuku nodded, still looking at his hands as he started picking imaginary dirt from under his nails.

"I was thrown into the Water Zone with Tsu, my classmate. I… don't actually know her full name. Anyway, she saved me right away." Izuku said, trying to remember clearly. They'd probably interviewed her already, so he couldn't get anything wrong. "We got to the boat, and we made a plan for me to be a distraction so she could take out the Villains."

"Okay, thank you Midoriya." Izuku looked up, confused as Tsukauchi interrupted him, but the man waved him off. "We already have her full statement, so we just needed to check your memory of the beginning before moving on. What happened directly after you disappeared, calling for Shinsou Hitoshi?" Izuku frowned, looking back down at his lap.

"I landed somewhere. I hit the ground pretty hard, and my vision was spinning from hitting my head."

"How did you hit your head?" Tsukauchi asked for clarification.

"Shigaraki was holding me by my hair, which hurt by the way, and when his hand was shot he released me." Izuku explained. "My neck was at a bad angle, so when he let go my face just slammed into the ground." Izuku pushed back his curls to show then the scabbed-over injury, which looked worse than it was. Abrasions always scabbed badly, no matter how serious they were.

"Thank you." Tsukauchi nodded, jotting something down on his notepad. "What happened next?"

"They put Quirk suppressants on me. It's an anklet, which I'd like very much for you to remove." Izuku said it a little pleadingly, and he didn't even have to fake how much he hated it.

"I'll make sure to do that after the interview." Tsukauchi assured him. "What happened next?"

"I was in some kind of bar." Izuku frowned in thought. "There weren't any windows, just wood floors, a bar, a liquor wall, a TV, a couch, and two doors. People came in and out one door, so that one must go to the rest of the building, and the other was definitely an exit." He felt bad for telling the truth, but his Dad had said it was okay… it wasn't home, and it wasn't the apartment, so supposedly Izuku was allowed to talk about it. Still felt like he was betraying his family though.

"Did they keep you there for all three of your days there?"

"It was two days." Izuku corrected, making Tsukauchi blink. "One full day, which was Wednesday. It's Thursday, probably some time after noon. The USJ was on Tuesday, a little before noon. That's two days. Shigaraki probably thought it was three because it was Tuesday to Thursday."

Honestly, Tomura was an idiot.

"I see." Tsukauchi cleared his throat, eyes flicking from Izuku's eyes to his notes, "So, what happened in that time period?"

"They treated me like… a criminal on house arrest?" Izuku tilted his head in thought. "If I asked for food, or water, or the bathroom, they let me have those. They let me walk around that one room, the bar, but they didn't really speak to me or acknowledge me otherwise. It would've been completely unremarkable if not for the Villain in black."

"Tell me about the Villain in black." Tsukauchi said, narrowing his eyes.

"He came and went a lot, going in and out of the bar room and only stopped to really check on Shigaraki." Izuku paused when Tsukauchi pulled a file out of his coat and opened it.

"Midoriya, is this the Villain in black?" Tsukauchi prompted, sliding them over to Izuku.

There were mostly blurry images of him, as Drop Off, from street cameras. A few of them, however, were higher resolution images from the police cameras set outside. In those shots, Izuku was dropping Villains off at the front door.

"Yes." Izuku nodded. "How did you know?"

"You're sure?" Tsukauchi pressed, making eye contact with Izuku.

"I'm absolutely sure." He said firmly. Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes, but he nodded and collected the photos again. "So you know him? The Villain in black, I mean."

"We've been calling him Drop Off." Tsukauchi answered. "What can you tell us about him? Every little thing is important, don't skip anything."

"Well, when he first showed up it was to help Shigaraki with the bullet wound." Izuku said thoughtfully, "He wrapped it, and he wrapped my shoulder too."

"That was the injury you got from Nomu?" Tsukauchi clarified, and Izuku briefly deactivated Quirk Immune.

"Yes." Izuku lied. Tsukauchi narrowed his eyes.

"That's a lie, Midoriya." Izuku pretending to shrink back a little.

"Well… really it was All Might." Izuku admitted, fauxly sheepish. He ascribed Quirk Immune again after that. "I don't like him, so I figured, if I said he did it, you'd be angry with me."

"I'm not angry." Tsukauchi sighed, "Alright. Continue. Did you see Drop Off again after he bandaged your wound?"

"Yes." Izuku said, "He came back covered in blood one night, and he said 'Justice has been served' to Shigaraki. He seemed… happy."

Tsukauchi paled considerably, which meant they'd already found Izuku's little mess he'd left them at Snipe's apartment. How marvellous!

"Thank you, Midoriya." Tsukauchi nodded, swallowing thickly. "Is there anything else you can remember?"

"Oh!" Izuku exclaimed, "Shigaraki called the Drop Off guy his brother. He was talking to the portal guy, Kurogiri? He mentioned 'his brother' who I think is Drop Off. I could be wrong, but I don't think so."

"I appreciate that." Tsukauchi nodded, but Izuku could see his fingers trembling slightly as he jotted something down. "Okay, I have one more question for you. When you arrived, you were complaining about portals. Were you portaled around a lot?" Izuku faked a shudder.

"Whenever I asked to go to the bathroom, Kurogiri would drop me through a portal onto the floor of the bathroom so I didn't see how I got there."

"Can you elaborate on your dislike of the portals?" Tsukauchi asked, raising an eyebrow. "Was it unpleasant? Painful?"

"It was mean." Izuku huffed. "He'd drop me several inches off the floor. It wouldn't hurt me, but I hit the floor hard, like, every time, and never landed on my feet." Izuku didn't even have to fake his annoyance. Kurogiri had been doing it for years. Tsukauchi just sighed.

"Is that everything?" Tsukauchi asked with a frown.

"I think so…" Izuku said after a small pause. He was pretty sure he'd covered everything.

"Thank you Midoriya. Stating for the record, Midoriya Izuku remained honest the entire duration of the interview, apart from the one called out incident." He reached forward and clicked the button, deactivating the red light, and pocketed the device. "Follow me please."

Izuku was led out of the room, and Izuku blinked when he saw Aizawa and Recovery Girl step out of the room next door: the viewing room behind the mirror.

"Dear, let me see your shoulder." Recovery Girl said, and Izuku pretended to be a little embarrassed as he pulled his shirt off. In truth, he didn't particularly care. "This is a professional wrapping job. Whoever did this is skilled."

"It was Drop Off." Tsukauchi said flatly, "When did you join us?"

"Near the end, when Midoriya was talking about the possibility of relation between Shigaraki and Drop Off." Aizawa replied tiredly.

Izuku was paying more attention to Aizawa than Recovery Girl, so he jumped a little in surprise when her lips stretched freakishly far to kiss his shoulder. He shuddered as exhaustion hit him.

"Ew, what a drawback." Izuku complained, but when Aizawa reached over to completely unwrap the bandaging, Izuku felt no pain when he rolled his shoulder. "Nice Quirk though." Might be worth picking up, someday. Hopefully he could get it before she died of old age. He couldn't Steal from dead bodies.

"Let's get that Quirk suppressant off you." Tsukauchi cleared his throat.

"Oh yes please." Izuku exclaimed, and Tsukauchi bent down to take it off. He knew his Dad used the same kind the police station did, buying them from the same production company, so Tsukauchi's key fit the lock and unlatched it. "Thank you."

"Midoriya." Izuku looked at Aizawa, who was glancing at his phone. "Your family is here." Izuku gasped dramatically and turned on his heel.

He didn't wait for their permission, Izuku sprinted down the hallways he recognised to return to the lobby. The two men followed him, but Izuku didn't care as he caught sight of his green haired brother.

"Mura!" Izuku yelled dramatically. His brother whipped around with a grin.

"Zu!" Tomura opened his arms, and Izuku jumped at Tomura without hesitation. He buried his face in his brother's chest with a sigh, like he hadn't seen him in days instead of an hour ago.

"Police are exhausting, kill me now." Izuku muttered. "Much less fun than last ti– OOf!" Inko joined the hug, wrapping one arm around Tomura and one around Izuku. Both boys laughed as their mother teared up.

"Thank you for coming." They broke apart to look at Tsukauchi, Aizawa standing a few feet behind him.

"Of course, Detective." Inko smiled, wiping her eyes. "I'm glad Izuku can come with us back to the apartment." Izuku was glad she hadn't said home, that would've been a lie. The apartment wasn't home.

"How the hell did you get out?" Tomura exclaimed, mockly interrogating him. "Which irresponsible Hero made up for losing you in the first place?"

"Actually… the League sort of let me go?" Izuku laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head with false sheepishness. "They kept me for one half day, a full day, and this morning. They laughed about being on the news, and then just shipped me off to the station." Izuku shrugged.

"It was very generous of them to give you to the Heroes." Inko said, kissing his head. "Do you want to go home?"

"I'd love to go home." Izuku smiled sadly. Tomura put a comforting hand on his shoulder, knowing exactly what Izuku meant, and their mother's sad smile matched Izuku's.

"Can we go back to our apartment, Detective? Eraserhead?" Inko asked, glancing at both men.

"Yes, Midoriya has already given his statement." Tsukauchi nodded. "Thank you again, Midoriya. You're exceptionally honest." It had a suspicious undertone that made Aizawa sigh, and Izuku deactivated Quirk Immune with a grin.

"I'm an angel, Detective Tsukauchi. Obviously." Izuku stated. Three things happened all at once, and each was equally amusing to Izuku; one, Aizawa choked on nothing and hid it with a cough; two, Tomura immediately put a hand in Izuku's hair to ruffle it with a scoff that made Izuku pout; three, Detective Tsukauchi tapped his thigh twice in signal of a lie with a heavy sigh.

"So it would seem." Tsukauchi sighed out. "Have a good day, you three." Izuku waved happily and then headed out with his family.

The doors of the station behind them closed firmly, and Tomura snickered quietly all the way to the car.

"Tsukauchi really hates you." He grinned as they climbed into the car, making Izuku pout.

"I know." Izuku groaned, "Can't he just forget he ever saw my face? Like seriously!? I'm minding my own business and this man dares to correctly accuse me of Villainy? Harassment!"

Tomura's cackles filled the car, and soon enough they were all laughing messes. It wasn't home, but it was definitely the next best thing.

Chapter Text

Chapter 12

"If you ask me if I'm okay one more time, I'm kicking you in the shin." Izuku glared when Shinsou gave him yet another concerned look. Izuku was more likely to rip out his kidney, but he couldn't exactly say that.

The rest of the class had fawned over him a little when he arrived, but he'd quickly changed the subject by mentioning the news. His classmates had taken that as a cue to go along with the diversion, and those that didn't notice were roped into the new conversation pretty quickly regardless. One good thing about his Hero-hopeful classmates: they could take a hint.

Well, all except Shinsou, of course, who refused to shut up.

"Fine." Shinsoi muttered, looking away. "But, are you sure you're okay to come back to school? Maybe you should take a few days or something to recover." Izuku sighed, and he turned around in his seat so he could properly glare at Shinsou.

"Look, I–"

"Midoriya!" Kirishima bounded over to Izuku's desk, a concerned look on his face that made Izuku want to bang his head against a wall. "I'm glad you're okay! Welcome back, man!" Huh, surprisingly, that wasn't so bad.

"Thank you." Izuku smiled, and shot Shinsou a pointed look. 'See? Be more like Kirishima,' he conveyed. As Izuku went back to giving Kirishima his attention, he was satisfied to see a scowl on Shinsou's face. Izuku was petty, okay?

"Were you scared? Did they hurt you? How did you get away?" Kirishima asked, rapid fire.

"I wasn't scared, they didn't hurt me, and they let me go willingly." Izuku relayed dryly, "Or rather, I asked when I could go home, and Shigaraki waved a dismissive hand at me and Kurogiri tossed me through a portal right to the police station."

"That's all?" Kirishima asked, eyes wide.

"Yep." Izuku nodded, and shrugged. "They even fed me and everything. I'm pretty sure they just wanted the press, that Shigaraki guy watched the news pretty much constantly."

Even after Izuku 'returned home,' Tomura spent a lot of time watching the many many news runs that covered the incident on various channels. UA had only made the one statement, but Izuku caught Tomura watching it on loop.

"That's so weird." Kirishima huffed, both in awe and confusion. "I seriously didn't expect those guys to just give you back!"

"It wouldn't be very manly to go back on their word." Izuku said, which made Kirishima beam with delight. Izuku smirked sidelong at Shinsou's outraged expression. It really was fun to make him jealous, Izuku decided.

"That's right!" Kirishima replied happily, "Though, as a Villain, I can't say he's very manly in general." Damn, guess Izuku's not very manly either, being a villain and all. "I'm glad they arrested all those small-time Villains though. Attacking the school was seriously messed up."

"Oh, definitely." Izuku rolled his eyes, "But really, I wouldn't worry about those League guys. They're just attention seekers who broke in to make a name for themselves." And their leader wanted to check on his younger brother, Izuku himself, but he wasn't going to mention that. Something told him it'd be against the rules his Dad set about not revealing his identity to admit that, especially in front of Eraser, who was casually walking through the door still wrapped up like a mummy and leaning on a crutch.

"Morning." Eraser said, but it was too calm and nonchalant for the class' liking in his mummified state. The class immediately started bombarding him with questions about his welfare along with various exclamations of disapproval, but Eraser didn't care one bit. "My well-being doesn't matter. More importantly, the fight isn't over yet."

Izuku leaned forward in interest at the words, and he was amused by the way the class immediately panicked. Izuku wondered if Eraser expected another attack. If so, he probably wanted to assure the class of brand new protections that would without a doubt be relayed to Tomura promptly. That'd be ironic: inform the students of new protective measures in the hopes of reassuring them of their safety, resulting in the immediate sabotage of those previously mentioned fancy new protections.

Unfortunately for Izuku's amusement, their teacher was just being dramatic.

"The UA Sports Festival is drawing near." He declared, and the class broke out into cheers.

"That's a super normal school event!" Kirishima pumped a fist, only for Kaminari to shove a hand in his face to shush him.

"Wait wait!" He hushed, and suspiciously examined their silent teacher.

"Is it okay to have a Sports Festival so soon after the Villains snuck inside?" Hearing Quirk girl (Jirou?) asked anxiously.

"What if they attack us again or something…?" Izuku rolled his eyes at Tail boy's words, and Aizawa sighed.

"Apparently, they think of it as UA showing that our crisis management system is solid as a rock by holding the event." Oh oh! Maybe Izuku would get to ruin their new system after all. "Security will be strengthened to five times that of previous years. Above all, our Sports Festival is a huge chance. It's not an event to be cancelled because of a few Villains. Our Sports Festival is one of Japan's biggest events. In the past, the Olympics were called a Festival of Sports, and the whole country was crazy about them. As you know, with reductions in scale and population, they're now a shell of their former glory. And now, for Japan, what has taken the place of those Olympics… is the UA Sports Festival!"

Oh, boring. He was making such a big deal over something like the Sports Festival? What a waste of time. Maybe Izuku could forfeit, sabotaging a few classmates as he went…

"Of course." Yaoyorozu caught his attention, and he was surprised at how determined she looked. All Izuku had seen from her so far was boredom, condescension, and fear. "All the top Heroes around the country will be watching. For scouting purposes!"

"After we graduate, it's typical to join a Pro agency as a sidekick." Kaminari added with a happy thumbs up.

"A lot of people miss their chance of becoming independent after that and become eternal sidekicks, though." Maybe-Jirou tilted her head, and twirled her ear mutation around one finger. "Kaminari, I feel like you'd be one of them. Since you're dumb."

Izuku choked, and he pressed a hand to his mouth to stop a laugh. Eraser completely ignored the exchange in favour of continuing his speech.

"Of course, joining a famous Hero agency will get you more experience and popularity. Time is limited. If you expect to go Pro, then the path to your future will open up with this event." Great, then Izuku was glad to fail! "One chance a year, a total of just three chances. No aspiring Hero can afford to miss this event. If you understand that, then don't slack off in your preparations!" Determination seemed to settle over the class, all but Izuku, and then they nodded firmly to their teacher.

"Yes, sir!"

"Homeroom is dismissed." Eraserhead said boredly, and then limped out of the classroom so Mic could replace him for English class.

The time between homeroom and lunch went by pretty quickly. His teachers had finally accepted that Izuku was paying attention, even though he didn't look it. Cementoss did randomly call on him during class, but only once. Mic didn't call Izuku out at all, which was definitely an improvement. More time for Izuku to write down the names of Quirks he wanted and who they belonged to; it was basically a list of people to kill when he was done with school. Some Heroes, some classmates…

When the lunch bell rang Izuku stood to leave, only to frown in confusion when no one else got up to leave the classroom. It looked like they all just wanted to chat, which was inconvenient, since it gave Kirishima and Shinsou the opportunity to pull Izuku into a conversation. Izuku remained standing, leaning against his desk in resignation to the inevitable socialisation.

"Even though all that stuff happened, I'm getting really excited!" Kirishima exclaimed brightly as he walked over, "What about you?"

"I'm worried." Shinsou countered, "What if we're attacked again?"

"Oh lighten up." Izuku rolled his eyes, "You're acting as though you were the one kidnapped. Don't worry so much, isn't this supposed to be fun?"

"You're taking Kirishima's side." Shinsou accused, narrowing his eyes.

"Hey, there's no need for sides!" Kirishima laughed, "Don't worry man, if those League guys try to take Midoriya again, we'll just have to fight them off, won't we?" Shinsoj examined Kirishima for a moment, and then looked away.

"Whatever." Despite his flipping response, it was obvious to Izuku that Shinsou was relaxed by the comment. It was as sweet as it was stupid, but it gave Izuku hope that they'd become friends sooner rather than later. He wanted it to hurt when he killed them, and more than just physically.

"Everyone!" Izuku was brought out of his murderous thoughts because Uraraka screamed for the class' attention as she threw up a fist. "I'm going to do my best!"

Izuku couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face at her expression as she repeated the declaration, louder this time. She looked horribly determined, and that meant drama. Izuku was going to have so much fun watching her lose so terribly to their classmates. Determination could only get you so far against ultimately superior Quirks. Gravity altering just wasn't powerful enough to win, which meant all her pretty determination would spill out when she lost. Izuku wondered if she was the type to get more determined after her losses, or the type to break.

"Don't make that face." Izuku looked back at Shinsou, who was frowning deeply.

"What face?" Izuku raised an eyebrow.

"The one where you look like you want to befriend her, even though you don't know her." Shinsou crossed his arms, "You said you don't do friends, but I've seen clear evidence refuting that."

"Aw, are you jealous?" Izuku smirked, and he moved to put his hands on Shinsou's desk as he leaned over it.

"No." Shinsou's response was too quick, too forced. Izuku could see right through it.

"Mhmm." Izuku hummed disbelievingly as he leaned closer, and he watched in satisfaction as Shinsou's eyes slowly widened the farther Izuku leaned in. "Now Shinsou, don't you remember? I already said you were my friend back at the USJ. That makes you my first ever friend, which is pretty special, right? You don't really think I'd just pass you over for some random girl, do you? I mean, I've made it pretty clear I like your Quirk, and I'm not leaving as long as you keep that pretty little Quirk of yours in use. Rest assured, Shinsou, I'm not going anywhere."

Izuku's voice had fallen to a whisper at the end, and then he immediately withdrew with what he hoped was a playful grin. Shinsou was bright red, which made Izuku think he'd overdone it. If he accidentally scared him it might cause some problems; Shinsou would be less likely to stick around if he was intimidated by Izuku, and it would be a lot harder to take his Quirk if he wasn't constantly following Izuku around.

Luckily, Shinsou recovered quickly.

"Okay." His face was still red, but it was lighter, and he didn't look scared, so Izuku nodded in satisfaction.

"Come on, I don't care if the rest of the class is skipping lunch at this point." Izuku nodded to the door, "I'm starving. You coming?"

The brilliant smile that dawned on Shinsou's face was beautiful. It expressed such trust, Izuku knew that Shinsou was completely wrapped around his finger. Kirishima, hearing Izuku's words and seeing Shinsou stand up, happily trotted after them as well. Izuku had both of them completely ensnared without even trying. He tried not to imagine what he could accomplish when he was trying.

Such murderous thoughts and imaginations could get him in immense trouble at school, so Izuku instead focused on going to lunch and keeping a pleasant smile on his face. Safer for his classmates, and his cover.

Chapter Text

Chapter 13

Izuku didn't know whose idea it was to crowd the classroom door with over a dozen students, but he was not having it.

"What's going on?!" Uraraka took a step back from the doorway in shock.

"Do you have business with Class A?" Iida asked, stepping robot with one arm in robot form. Seriously, what was with that?

"They're here to scout out the enemy, obviously." Bakugou strolled forward, and Izuku raised an eyebrow as he remained completely nonchalant. "We're the class who made it out of a Villains' attack. They probably wanna check us out before the Sports Festival."

Izuku was once again disappointed by Bakugou. He had such a marvellous Quirk and such excellent control, but really would be a useless Villain. Too righteous, too heroic, too hyperfixated on being the very best of the best. So Izuku watched Bakugou a bit boredly as he approached the crowd.

"There's no point in doing stuff like that." Bakugou said lowly, "Out of my way, extras." Izuku grinned at the derogatory comment, amused, but his classmates didn't agree.

"Don't call people extras just because you don't know them!" Iida reprimanded loudly, and Uraraka looked extremely embarrassed to simply be standing in Bakugou's presence. Izuku hoped she'd pass out, it'd be fun to see who tried to catch her, and who would fail.

Izuku glanced to the side, and almost laughed at the faces of his classmates. Kirishima, bless his soul, looked completely unimpressed. He had one eyebrow raised sceptically, sizing up the crowd and finding them lacking. It was deliciously unexpected, and Izuku wished he'd seen such a disdainful side of Kirishima before. If he'd known Kirishima could make such a wicked face, Izuku might've looked past his boring ass Quirk earlier on.

Shinsou was much more predictable in his expression. He was glaring, and it wasn't unlike his every other glare. A bit of an overused expression, to be honest. The rest of Izuku's classmates were equally predictable. Though, Izuku found himself disappointed in Uraraka.

The poor girl looked overwhelmed, completely taken aback by the crowd and Bakugou's response to the swarm. Izuku remembered her determined expression just before lunch, and a part of him wondered if she had it in her to actually follow through on her declaration of strength. So far, she seemed like a coward in the face of anything in opposition to her. How disappointing.

"Oi! I'm from Class B next door!" Someone slid in between the people and shoved his way to the front, letting Izuku and 1A get a full look at his odd appearance.

He had mutated eyes, which actually looked quite fascinating to Izuku. They were sort of like eyelashes, thick white rims elongated around his eyes, mimicking an eye mask. He had sharp teeth, similar to Kirishima's, and sharp silver hair. Izuku wondered how much of it was a mutation, and how much of it would flake off and tear if he Stole it. Would the boy die screaming, or would he simply have his eyes peel from his skull and leave him begging for death under Izuku's oppressive mercy?

"I heard you fought Villains, and I came to hear about it!" The boy continued speaking, oblivious to Izuku's inner murderous imaginations. "Don't get so full of yourself! If you bark too much, it'll be embarrassing for you during a real fight! Oi! Are you ignoring me, bastard?!"

His ire was directed at Bakugou exiting the classroom, remaining silent and parting the sea of students with his disdainful expression. Kirishima stepped forward angrily, one eyebrow still raised.

"Wait a minute, Bakugou, what're you gonna do about all this?" Kirishima called, "It's your fault that everyone's hating on us!"

"It doesn't matter." Bakugou looked over his shoulder back at Kirishima (who let out a confused 'huh!?'), and then slid his eyes towards the 1B boy and the crowd. "It doesn't matter as long as you rise to the top." He then walked out, ignoring the 1B boy's exclamations and insults.

"That was…" Kirishima clenched a fist to his chest and said, "So simple and manly!"

"You said it." Satou nodded, a thoughtful hand on his chin.

"Huh!?" Kaminari exclaimed in confusion.

"I have to agree." Izuku said with a grin, "That was badass."

"The top, eh?" The boy with the bird head and some kind of shadow bird Quirk that Izuku hadn't considered before but suddenly wanted to understand was muttering, "There is truth in that."

"Hang on, don't be tricked!" Kaminari complained, "He's just made more pointless enemies!"

"Hey, you should get angry more often." Izuku nudged Kirishima, who was back to looking like the joyful sunshine Izuku thought him to be. "Not gonna lie, I thought you didn't know how to look so unimpressed like that."

"Oh, uh, thanks?" Kirishima grinned awkwardly, and rubbed the back of his neck with a little laugh. "I just think they overstepped, crowding us the way they did." He gestured to the door where Todoroki was stepping through, forcing the crowd to disperse even more to let him by with sufficient space.

His glare could cut glass, like diamonds. Izuku wondered how those kids at the door would react if they saw Todoroki really glare, as he had at the USJ. They might've frozen in fear instead of merely getting out of his way. They might've run away under the force of such firey eyes. Izuku longed to see it, but unfortunately Todoroki simply stared the crowd down with his neutrally bland expression and waited until they became unnerved enough to move aside. Effective, but less than beautiful.

"That could've been me." Shinsou shoved his hands in his pockets and stared at the crowd, catching Izuku's attention. His teeth were clenched enough that little veins popped out along his jawline.

"But it isn't." Izuku raised an eyebrow, "Doesn't that count for anything?"

"Only because of you." Shinsou looked at him and his eyes softened. It seemed almost submissive to Izuku, which was both odd and exhilarating. His process of destroying Shinsou had apparently already begun, and Izuku hadn't even noticed.

"If you say so." Izuku shrugged, tucking his triumph away. "You deserve to be here, with a Quirk like yours you deserve more than to be forgotten in some backwater classroom to hide and seethe." The very thought was infuriating. The mindless obedience in Shinsou's Quirk was a blessing, one to be taken, cherished, and Izuku would have gone the entire year without it, not even knowing what he was missing. The mere idea of such a possibility was unacceptable.

"Thanks." Shinsou looked away, flustered, and Izuku frowned. Had his untoward thoughts shown on his face? It wouldn't bode well if Shinsou detected Izuku's less than friendly intentions, fear would ruin half of Izuku's plans for him. He'd end up with Shinsou's Quirk either way, but still. He wanted it to hurt. For that to happen, Shinsou would have to be near him, and stay near him.

Izuku reached out and used one finger, pressed into Shinsou's cheek, to turn his head back towards Izuku. Shinsou inhaled sharply, but Izuku ignored it as he stepped into his space and forced Shinsou to look at him. Shinsou needed to understand, he needed to know. He belonged to Izuku, the same way Todoroki would belong to him. One day.

"Eyes on me." Izuku whispered, "Always. You understand?"

"Yes." Shinsou breathed, and his eyes were blown wide enough that his white pupils nearly consumed the purple of his irises.

"Very good." Izuku smiled, and he stepped back as he dropped his hand. He ignored how Shinsou gasped quietly as though he'd been holding his breath, and turned to Kirishima. "See you tomorrow."

"Of course!" Kirishima beamed, and Izuku waved as the boy bounded out of the classroom with his bag bouncing against his shoulder blades.

"Wanna walk to the station together?" Shinsou asked. His breathing had stabilised, and his eyes seemed more normal, so Izuku nodded.

"Sure, we're friends, aren't we?" Izuku smiled prettily, and he was rewarded for his efforts when Shinsou grinned back at him.

As they walked, Izuku turned his plans over in his head. Since Kirishima and Shinsou were already so close to him, all Izuku needed to do was keep them there and everything would work out. He'd lured them in without trying, but now that he had them he would have to try, if he was going to ensure their continued devotion.

Kirishima just needed encouragement and any kind of nicety to stick around. He was easy to please, which was both good and bad. It meant Izuku didn't have to try at all to snag him, but it also meant he was open for other people to snag as well, which was absolutely unacceptable. However, Kirishima also seemed exceptionally loyal. Izuku didn't want to have to rely on Kirishima's loyalty, but if he could find a way to make Kirishima feel like he owed Izuku his loyalty, it could prove useful.

Shinsou was harder. It seemed like he was constantly on the fence between completely devoted and dangerously leaning over the edge. He was jealous, and, though he was fun to tease, that jealousy might push him away if Izuku wasn't careful. It was interesting, though, that he seemed receptive to Izuku's quiet reassurances. He wasn't sure why, but Shinsou always reacted when Izuku lowered his voice and spoke to him softly. A weakness Izuku could exploit, perhaps.

They parted when Izuku climbed onto his train, and Izuku made sure to wave as the train pulled out and zipped towards Tattoin Station. By the time Izuku reached the apartment, he was tense and frowning.

"I'm back, Mama." Izuku called as he stepped into the apartment and switched his shoes.

"Welcome back!" He followed the sound of her voice and found her in the kitchen, holding a steaming cup of tea and sitting at the dining table. "How was school?"

"Fine, but I think I need to go out tonight." Izuku sighed, "Take some time to myself, you know? Relax a bit."

"Oh, are your classmates being difficult?" Inko smiled empathetically, and Izuku nodded.

"Yes, infuriatingly so." He sighed, and ran a hand through his curls. "I'll go now."

"Will you be home for dinner?" Izuku considered it, and then shook his head.

"No, I'll eat when I get back."

"I'll save some for you, just heat it up when you want." Inko said, and Izuku kissed her forehead gratefully.

"Thank you, Mama. Kurogiri!" Izuku called, "My room at home, please!" Izuku wasn't surprised when his feet sank into the floor and he was dropped into his bedroom far enough from the floor that he stumbled and fell on his ass, but that didn't mean he appreciated it. "Thanks asshole!"

Izuku climbed to his feet and began dressing, trading his UA uniform for his far superior Drop-Off suit. There was something magical about designing something for yourself and then wearing it. Izuku wrinkled his nose at the thought of all his classmates feeling similarly about those monstrosities they wore in Basic Hero Training. No practicality, no personality, no protection. Useless.

As Izuku finished strapping on the thigh sheaths, he heard a soft, recognizable knock on the door.

"Come in, Tomura." Izuku called, and he grabbed his mask as his brother opened the door and stepped inside. "What is it?"

"Mother said you're going out." Tomura frowned, "Were your classmates bothering you?"

"I suppose you could say that." Izuku rolled one shoulder, stretching. "Really it's more than there's only so much of the sickenly sweet Heroic lifestyle one person can take by themself." Izuku grinned, pulling up his hood. "Think of it like I'm rebooting my computer, I'll charge myself up on Villain energy and when I go to school tomorrow I'll be much more content and able to refrain from spilling someone's brain matter all over UA's perfect tile flooring."

"I suppose that's reasonable." Tomura grinned back at him, "Alright. Have fun murdering any poor soul that crosses your path."

"Oh, you know I will." Izuku laughed, and then he put on his face mask, hooked it over his ears, and Blinked away.

Izuku landed in the dark alley outside the police station, two goals in mind. He wanted to kill at least one police officer or law enforcement personnel, and he wanted to tear apart one person with a mutation Quirk as he Stole the life from inside them so he could watch as the light left their eyes as blood soaked the ground.

He always started at the police station so his hunting ground would remain the same. His Dad taught him predictability was the best cover for people like them. If the enemy believed they knew what you would do, it was all the easier to stab them in the back before they knew you even moved. Unfortunately, Izuku wasn't very good at being on the opposite end of the same situation. He tended to underestimate people, which… really he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. He's just so much better than everyone else!

Izuku perked up as the back door opened, and a man with a cat head stepped out into the alley. He was looking down at his phone, and Izuku couldn't help the grin that split across his face. He was wearing a police vest, and he had a mutation Quirk. Well wasn't it Izuku's lucky day?

Jumping down beside him, Izuku grabbed the man by the arm and kicked the back of his knees, sending the man to the ground. Stomping on his shoulder blades, Izuku pinned him to the concrete with a wicked laugh. His blood was pumping wildly, making him lightheaded with adrenaline and thrill, and Izuku was reminded of just how badly he'd missed his nightly excursions.

"What's your name, officer?" Izuku leaned down, keeping his foot on the guy's back and his hand around the man's arm. "Come on, answer me."

"Never." The man coughed, choking on nothing as he was pressed so harshly against the floor that the very air in his lungs was spilling out with no way back in.

"Here's the deal, how about I let you breathe if you tell me your name?" Izuku coaxed, grinning. "Earn the right to breathe under my boot where you belong."

The officer gasped for breath, but still he refused to yield. Izuku clicked his tongue in disappointment. He hated the righteous types so willing to die for their cause. They were no fun.

"Alright then, I suppose that's fine." Izuku shrugged nonchalantly, though the officer couldn't see him, pinned face down and all. "I guess I'll just have my fun some other way."

Izuku reached out with Steal and enveloped the weak mutation Quirk and let it seep into every little nook and cranny. The Quirk really was boring, it was a simple feline mutation that affected mainly the upper body and face. It didn't even allow him claws or extra strength. The man did have an improved sense of smell and hearing, but it was clearly useless if he hadn't sensed Izuku coming.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Izuku whispered, "much more than you are." Then Izuku released his restraint and yanked.

Usually the process of Stealing a Quirk was clean and easy, but mutations were in a category all their own. It was slippery, sliding through Izuku's fingers and dripping between the user and Izuku's harsh, prying intensity. Quirks weren't meant to be shared, so the poor user started screaming underneath Izuku as his Quirk was slowly funnelled towards Izuku and snapping back, then crumbling into nothing. It fell away like old paint scraping off drywall, nothing but flaking chips left with the wall left raw and bare for the world to see.

Izuku couldn't help the breathless laugh that bubbled out of him as the man screamed and screamed, writhing and fighting as his mutation melted away. The thing about mutations that Izuku loved most was that there wasn't anything beneath them. Once it was removed, there was no 'Quirkless' version for them to revert to, only death as their body failed them.

The officer's head warped and cracked as Izuku pulled, and the fur slowly fell out in harsh clumps and fell lifelessly to the concrete. His bare skin beneath the fur melted, and Izuku watched as the skin peeled off to reveal bone, and then even that dissolved. Head mutations were so complex, and the skull being ripped out and shredded into nothing but a gory mess was one of his favourite parts.

His skull collapsed in on itself, gushing blood mixed with brain matter and fluids that soaked into Izuku's gear with wet sloshing that burned in Izuku's ears and reminded him just how stunning the inside of a human being was. Blood painted the concrete and left a beautiful mess behind as the life drained out and left a headless and wrecked carcass behind, surrounded by fur and brain matter.

There was no Quirk-caused high, but Izuku felt the bubbling euphoria from the kill regardless. He stood, dripping blood, and laughed freely. His lungs hurt and his head pounded, and he relished in picking up the body and slinging it over his shoulder. More fluids gushed, splashing across Izuku's collarbone and face. Oh, how utterly lovely it felt.

He grinned through the blood in his mouth and threw the officer's body against the glass doors of the station hard enough to crunch the officer's already ruined body and shatter the bones untouched by the mutation, and, therefore, previously remained intact.

As Tsukauchi opened the door and saw the officer on the ground, it seemed as if it was Izuku's lucky day; Tsukauchi seemed to recognize the matted fur around the collar of his officer's vest. They were friends.

"Sansa!" Tsukauchi's voice was beautifully broken, and such burning anger seemed to writhe inside him as he looked up at Izuku.

"Oh, was he a colleague?" Izuku asked, smirking despite the fact that Tsukauchi couldn't see it under his mask and hood. "Or perhaps someone more special? A friend? Oh, you poor poor thing."

"You won't get away with this." Tsukauchi seethed, but he made no move to advance on Izuku, simply kneeling next to a very mutilated 'Sansa' on the ground.

"How much does it hurt?" Izuku asked softly, walking slowly closer and tilting his head. "Do you feel it in your chest? Your lungs? Does it fill you with sorrow covered by rage and a need for revenge? Well I'm right here my dear Detective, give it your best shot." Tsukauchi clenched his teeth, and Izuku laughed brightly when the man pulled his gun and whipped it out with speed Izuku hadn't expected.

A gunshot rang in Izuku's ear, but it only made him grin wider as he Blinked out of range when he saw Tsukauchi's pointer finger move towards that wonderfully dangerous trigger.

"You missed." Izuku teased loudly, crouching on the roof of the little building across from the station, "It's a shame you couldn't save, what was his name? Sansa. How incompetent do you have to be to let your friend die such a painful death as this on your very doorstep? You're a pretty useless excuse of a Detective, don't you think?"

"Shut up!"

"No, I don't think so." Izuku Blinked away as Tsukauchi fired again, and laughed as Tsukauchi whipped around looking for where he'd landed. "Boo." Izuku's soft voice carried from right above the man, sitting on the edge of the police station roof.

"Tsukauchi!" Ah, there was Eraserhead, brushing through the doors and kneeling next to Tsukauchi while his eyes raked over Sansa's lifeless body. "What's going on? I heard shots fired."

"Hello again, my dear Eraserhead." The Hero looked up, his Quirk flaring and scarf writhing, and Izuku laughed. "How've you been? I hear you have an interesting class this year."

"Did you hear that from Shigaraki?" Eraserhead asked, glaring harshly at him.

"My my, ever the Hero, prying for information in front of a dead body and distraught Detective. For shame, Eraserhead, for shame." Izuku shook his head, and then launched off the roof and rolled across the concrete to just barely dodge the scarf flung at him.

Izuku was satisfied by his night, and didn't bother taunting Eraser as he'd teased Tsukauchi. He got what he came for: a beautiful death and lovely conversation. Now to return home to his wonderfully villainous family to share in his murderous joy.

"Ah, I'd love to stay, but it seems my pleasant night is over." Izuku sighed dramatically, and waved to both Eraser and Tsukauchi shortly. "See you again soon, gentlemen." With that, Izuku Blinked back home, satisfied.

Chapter Text

Chapter 14

Izuku was on the couch, upside down with his feet over the back and his head hanging off the seat. It was making him lightheaded, but Izuku was determined to finish fixing his Rubik's Cube before he got up. Previously, Izuku didn't have enough reds because somehow Tomura had replaced them with extra blues. Which, in Izuku's opinion, was unreasonably mean.

Using Colouring, Izuku was slowly fixing that. Changing the colour of every wrong block one at a time without accidentally turning the whole cube red was a nice challenge. Some might've called it tedious, but Izuku enjoyed small interesting things like that because they could hold his attention and stave off his boredom. Useful, that.

"Izuku, your Father requests your presence in his study." Kurogiri appeared in a swirl of mist, and Izuku looked up at him. He was upside down from Izuku's point if view, which he found a bit hilarious for such a serious person as Kurogiri.

"Alright." Izuku dropped the cube next to him and sat up, blinking away the stars that flashed in his vision. "What for?"

"He wants to address your participation in the upcoming Sports Festival." Kurogiri told him, and Izuku frowned as he stood.

"Okay then. Let's go." Kurogiri grew in size, being consumed by purple mist, and Izuku easily stepped into the portal. Surprisingly, he stepped out easily as well, and found himself suspiciously not-dropped-on-the-floor.

"Izuku, there you are." Hisashi smiled from behind his desk, "Take a seat, I have biscuits."

"Sweet." Izuku plopped down and snagged a biscuit. It was the American kind, which meant it was a sort of savoury bread and vaguely round shaped. "Kurogiri said this was about the Sports Festival?"

"Yes, I wanted to ask you what your plans are regarding your participation." His Dad nodded, "So, what are your plans?"

"Eh, I was planning on throwing the event. Maybe sabotage a few classmates before I go out." Izuku shrugged, "Eraserhead said that the Sports Festival is where Herolings get noticed by real Heroes and get their foot in the door for becoming lame-ass sidekicks one day."

"I see." Hisashi folded his hands on the desk, and Izuku frowned.

"Is that wrong?"

"I'd very much like you to actually try, Izuku." His Dad sighed, "This could be a chance for you to examine your classmates more closely, and experience something that you'll never get to experience again."

"But I don't particularly want to experience it." Izuku pouted, "It's a wonderfully barbaric event that shows off every participant's weaknesses on live television. I'd much rather watch from the sidelines so I'll know how to pick them apart one by one and destroy them afterwards. When we're not being filmed."

"I see." Hisashi seemed amused, which made Izuku grin.

"So you approve?" Izuku asked.

"Not quite." Hisashi said, and Izuku sighed unhappily. "Looking at it from your perspective, I can understand where you're coming from. However, think of it this way: you're being given the chance to pummelled your classmates into the ground without consequence. I thought you'd enjoy that, no?"

Izuku considered this. Did he want to participate in a live entertainment event watched by millions of people for sport, flaunting his strength and get himself noticed by a swarm of Heroes? Not particularly. Did he appreciate the chance to absolutely destroy his classmates and give his violent side a bit of free rein on the UA students?

Absolutely he did.

"Fine, I suppose I'll give it my best shot." Izuku sighed dramatically, "I make no promises though."

"I didn't expect you to." His Dad smiled, "I just wanted a bit of reassurance that I was going to be able to watch my youngest son on television legally beating up UA students. It's not every day a father like myself gets that opportunity."

"I guess." Izuku grinned, "At least I know you'll be watching now, which will definitely help."

"I'm glad, little one." Hisashi reached out and ruffled Izuku curls, making him laugh. "Now, I believe you'd better get some sleep before school tomorrow. Only a few more days until the Festival, and I expect you'll be training hard with your teachers."

"Ughhh, no!" Izuku groaned, "We've been training nonstop since it was announced in class, and there's only so many heavy things I can throw and summon before I lose my mind."

"That's what they have you doing?" Hisashi asked, mildly amused again.

"It's Quirk training, which I don't even need." Izuku complained, "Attract and Push are both excellent Quirks, especially combined into Push and Pull, and I already have perfect control over both of them!"

"That's an unexpected aspect to your punishment I did not expect." His Dad chuckled, much to Izuku's ire.

"You've banished me to days filled with boredom." Izuku threw a hand over his forehead, "How could you? I thought you loved me!"

"Sometimes love warrants betrayal." Hisashi nodded sagely, "Learn from it, become wise."

"Oh yeah, Hero school is definitely wisdom inducing." Izuku laughed, "So far all I've learned is that unnecessary force and property damage is encouraged if it means they catch the bad guys."

"You like unnecessary force and property damage." Hisashi grinned, "So what's the problem?"

"Because when I do it, apparently it's illegal and considered rude." Izuku explained, crossing his arms with a huff. "When they do it everyone says it's perfectly justifiable. It's incredibly hypocritical!"

"Ah yes, because you deeply value fairness."

"Absolutely I do!"

"Of course, my mistake." Hisashi grinned, "I'll remember that the next time you Blink into Tomura's room to unplug his computer and then Blink out before he can retaliate."

"Hey, I'm just using my resources." Izuku shrugged, "Not my fault I have an inherently more versatile Quirk."

"As you say, Izuku, as you say." He shook his head fondly, and smiled. "Now, off to bed."

"Goodnight." Izuku stood, shoving another biscuit in his mouth, and waved.

"Goodnight, little one." Hisashi nodded to him, and Izuku turned to step into the portal Kurogiri had summoned for him. One day Izuku would unlock Kurogiri's secret as to how he always knew when someone needed a portal even before they asked, but that day was not today.

Unfortunately.

— — — — —

Izuku adjusted his backpack on his shoulder and approached the school, humming under his breath as he Pushed the marble in his left hand towards his right, and then Pushed with the right hand back to the left. The challenge was switching hands without overlapping, and without using Pull at all to assist. It was surprisingly difficult, and he found he rather enjoyed it.

"Hiya." Shinsou waved as Izuku stepped into the classroom. He was leaning against Izuku's desk with his arms crossed, seemingly waiting for him.

"You know, I could've sworn you had your own desk." Izuku raised an eyebrow. "What do you need mine for?"

"It's more comfortable." Shinsou deadpanned, and Izuku grinned.

"Well shove over, I have to sit down." Izuku slid into his seat, stepping around Shinsou as the boy merely raised his eyebrows at Izuku.

"Midoriya! Good morning, man!" Kirishima bounded over, and, to Izuku's delight, he slung an arm around Shinsou's shoulders. Shinsou looked stunned and more than a little disgruntled, but he didn't move or protest.

"Good morning." Izuku said politely, and Kirishima beamed at him.

"Are you excited for the Sports Festival?" Kirishima asked excitedly, and Izuku shrugged.

"I guess." He said, "Mostly I'm looking forward to sabotaging people without getting in trouble."

"Of course." Shinsou sighed, "That seems on brand for you."

"It does, doesn't it?" Izuku agreed happily, and Kirishima laughed.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to try my best to beat you!" Kirishima declared, "Or maybe avoid you, at first. Just so I don't get sabotaged."

"Good luck with that." Izuku grinned.

"Please don't sabotage me." Shinsou frowned, "I need to do well, and we're friends, aren't we?" Izuku looked Shinsou up and down, and sighed.

"I suppose I can spare you from my wrath if you stay out of my way." Izuku grinned then, "But no promises if we go head to head."

"I don't want you to go easy on me." Shinsou made a face. "I just want to win or lose fair and square. I'm already at a disadvantage with my Quirk."

"I disagree." Izuku hummed pleasantly, but his mind only repeated 'Ungrateful, ungrateful, ungrateful–' He did his best to ignore it. "Your Quirk is really versatile, and I have confidence you'll figure it out. I expect you to do well, Shinsou, especially with a pretty Quirk like yours on your side."

Shinsou stared at him in surprise, and grinned. It wasn't like his usually smirk-y grin, it was a new one. A grin filled with teeth and malicious intent that spoke volumes of his confidence or, perhaps, hope. It was beautiful because it was fragile, and Izuku wondered how easily he could smother that small bit of hope.

"I won't disappoint." Shinsou nodded, and Izuku grinned back at him.

"I'd hope not." He said, "I'd like to see your Quirk in action again, possibly even feel it, if I get the chance."

Oh how Izuku longed for that blissful obedience. The complete calm that filled his mind and twisted him inside so thoroughly he could barely breathe. Once he had it, Izuku was going to use it on Shinso. He was going to share that beautiful submission and make sure Shinsou finally understood the true shining potential of his Quirk. Shinsou would one day sit at his feet, mindlessly unable to resist as he was completely at Izuku's mercy. Then, of course, he would die.

"Morning." Aizawa walked into the classroom, abruptly silencing all chatter and prompting Shinsou to slide into his seat and Kirishima to not so subtly jump into his.

Class started, and Izuku sighed as he endured yet another boring day of Hero school. What a joy.

Chapter Text

Chapter 15

Izuku was once again amused and annoyed at the same time. As the class representative for Class A, Izuku was standing amongst a small group of other representatives. Apparently it was their job to let everyone know when the Festival was starting, and then corral everyone to the correct entrance into the arena designated for his class.

It was annoying, especially since the Gen Eds and Business kids seemed to know each other, and were socialising. The other Hero class representative, a girl with a lopsided ponytail in an eye watering shade of orange, didn't seem to have any interest in talking to him, which was lucky. She looked like the type that thought she was strong, when really she was just smart and lucky. Luck wasn't enough against true power. She'd learn that some day.

"Alright, ten minutes until you all will be entering the stadium." Ectoplasm said from where he was standing, "Go collect your classes and lead them to the tunnels."

"Yes sir!"

Izuku followed instructions and headed back towards the Waiting Room he'd been snagged away from his classmates from, and hummed lightly as he walked. Izuku was 90% positive Ectoplasm had several clones elsewhere, no doubt checking everything over and coordinating everything, and the one that'd been talking to him was also a clone. His Quirk was sort of… fuzzy.

Most Quirks were bright, like balls of light lying within their user's chest and snaking throughout their vessel's body as they were used. Other Quirks were warped, like a writhing mass at the centre of their holder that drew Izuku near with their chaos and the promise of power. Ectoplasm's Quirk was faded and fuzzy, sort of like when Izuku prodded at Kurogiri's Portals without Kurogiri being around. Izuku still had access to the Quirk, but it was distorted and seemed oddly far away. That made Izuku think the Ectoplasm that gave him directions was a clone. He wasn't the source of the Quirk, holding more of an echo within him than a Quirk.

Sighing, Izuku pushed over the door to the Waiting Room and caught everyone's attention. They all looked a bit startled, probably because they'd been talking amongst themselves about boring details and senseless speculation.

"We've got only a few more minutes before it's go time." Izuku said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "We can either go now, or in about five minutes. Any preferences?"

"Let's wait here." Satou piped up, grinning a bit nervously.

"I agree, no pointing waiting in the hallway where we'd have to be quieter, right?" Kirishima added excitedly, and Izuku shrugged.

"Alright then." Izuku plopped down next to Shinsou, the same table Kirishima was leaning on.

"Are you excited?" Kirishima asked Izuku brightly. He shrugged again.

"I'm just waiting for them to tell me what I can and can't do." Izuku said, "That will determine how excited I'll be."

"Because you want to beat us up." Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Izuku grinned openly, "I'm looking forward to it immensely."

"Of course you are." Shinsou sighed, "I feel bad for whoever you decide is 'in your way'."

"They might not survive it." Izuku grinned, and he relished the way Shinsou seemed to hesitate. Part of him knew he was less smiling and more baring his teeth, but he didn't particularly care.

After a few minutes, Izuku stood and ushered everyone out. He corralled his classmates towards the tunnel out towards the arena, reluctantly being responsible and making sure he counted nineteen students. They were all there, unfortunately. It would've been fun to skip so he could hunt them down. Maybe kill them once he found them in seclusion…

When they arrived at the tunnel, Izuku listened until he heard Mic's telltale announcement.

"It's time for the students to enter the first year stage!" Mic's voice shouted, and Izuku nodded to himself. Without waiting another moment, Izuku stepped out into the light and stalked across the stadium towards the dirt square marking the arena.

His class followed him, some, like Uraraka, were visibly anxious, while others, like Kirishima, were grinning and excited. It was a little frustrating for Izuku to see Uraraka looking so pathetic. Where was that spark? That potential? That strength?

"The Sports Festival!" Mic screamed into his mic as 1A strode across the field, "The huge battle where fledgling Heroes sharpen their swords once a year! Anyway, these are the guys, right? The miraculous new stars who overcame enemy attacks with their hearts of steel! Hero Course, Class 1A, right!?"

Izuku smiled prettily as a camera flew towards the class, and he caught some of his classmates waving. It was odd knowing so many people were seeing him, possibly even making bets on how long he'd last. His family was watching, which was nice, but Tsukauchi was also watching. That put a damper on Izuku's spirits, since he was still looking for any reason to condemn Izuku as a Villain. Idiotic, really. As if Izuku would be that clumsy accidentally.

"Man, he's going overboard with the praise." Kirishima said, grinning anxiously. "It's making me nervous. Aren't you too, Shinsou? Midoriya?"

"I don't care what they think." Shinsou scowled, and Izuku smothered a laugh at Kirishima's fond smile. It was beautiful seeing their friendship blossom. Mic, of course, continued to scream all the while.

"They haven't gotten as much air time, but this class is also full of talent! Hero Course, 1B!" 1B spilled across the lawn, led by that girl with orange hair, and he scanned their faces briefly before Mic continued. "Next up, General Studies classes C, D and E! The Support Course, classes F, G, and H are also here! And Business Course, classes I, J, and K! All of UA's first years are here now!"

The other classes didn't look too impressive, and, if the Business Course took the stance they did every year, they probably weren't going to participate at all. Izuku supposed that was fine, he didn't really care about the lower classes such as Support and Business. The other Hero Class might prove to be interesting if they hold their own and know how to properly use their Quirks, which Izuku found unlikely. If Class B was anything like Izuku's class, they'd be frustratingly weak. As for the Gen Ed classes, Izuku couldn't have cared less about them. Castoffs, they were.

Izuku watched Midnight climb up onto the raised stand in front of the crowd of students, standing in front of a microphone on a stand and her whip in hand. It was one of those odd whips for flogging, which Izuku approved of. Sure they had other uses, but wielding a torture weapon and dressing it up pretty in sexual innuendo still made it a torture weapon.

"Time for the player pledge!" Midnight called, and she swished her hips in a way that had the crowd screaming. Honestly, Izuku admired her courage. It was a nice cover, made it easier for them to underestimate her, thus leading them to their deaths.

"What's Ms. Midnight wearing?" Kirishima was flushed with embarrassment, averting his eyes a little.

"That's an R-Rated Hero for you." Kaminari replied, staring blankly at Midnight.

"Is it okay for her to be at a High School if she's R-Rated?" Bird-head (Tokoyami?) appeared unaffected, but it was hard to tell with the mutation. Yet another reason Izuku would enjoy removing it, he'd finally get to see the boy express the truest of all emotion: pain.

"Quiet, everyone!" Midnight chided, snapping her whip. "Representing the students is Midoriya Izuku from Class 1A!"

"Fuck." Izuku blinked, frozen for a moment. Shinsou pushed him slightly, which was probably meant to be encouraging. However, it made Izuku seriously reconsider letting Shinsou's hands remain attached to his wrists.

Izuku made his way up the steps and towards the microphone stand, and didn't even bother hiding his surprise. He brought a hand up to brush the mic stand as a show of nerves that they probably expected him to have, and cleared his throat. The sound rang through the stadium.

"I pledge that… I'm going to try my best to destroy the competition as best I can before I go out." Gasps cut through the silence, and people immediately started booing and trashing on him. Izuku hadn't ever seen a student pledge, he had no way of knowing what he was supposed to say, but it probably wasn't that.

Still, Izuku grinned, pleased with himself, and descended the steps without flinching at the angry screaming from the crowd. Shinsou, when Izuku reached the ground, looked utterly unimpressed. Kirishima was frowning, which Izuku found pleasantly surprising. Iida actually took a step forward, chopping an arm out angrily.

"Why would you do something so disgraceful?!" Iida exclaimed, and Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Because I couldn't care less about a sponsored event like this." Izuku told him smugly, "I'd rather make my own way, rather than relying on Heroes watching me and deciding whether or not I look like their brand of sidekick."

"So… manly…" Kirishima clenched a fist, his previous disapproval vanishing. Izuku grinned.

"Now, let's get started right away!" Apparently Midnight didn't care one bit about Izuku's less than Heroic declared pledge, and moved on as the screen pinged to display the words First Game. "The first game is what you'd call a qualifier. Every year, many drink their tears here." Izuku liked the sound of that. "Now, here is the fateful first game!"

A holographic image appeared, and Izuku watched as a sort of randomising device appeared, spinning and spinning until it finally stopped to display an image of a stick figure jumping over a traffic cone labelled Obstacle Race

"This year it's… this!" Midnight gestured to it with her torture whip, and Izuku grinned. An Obstacle Course? Child's play. "All eleven classes will participate in this race." Even better!

Izuku watched as the board displayed a variety of colourful bubbles, each representing one class, all converge into one circle that was well labelled as Full Participation.

"The course will be the outer circumference of this stadium, about four kilometres!" Midnight's speech was a bit unnecessary as an image of the track appeared with arrows and pictures appeared above her. She kept talking though, so Izuku listened. "Our school's selling point is freedom! And as long as you stay on the course, it doesn't matter what you do! Now, take your places everyone!"

"Excellent, blanket permission to sabotage others." Shinsou shook his head, "I can't believe this."

"I agree, this is excellent." Izuku said brightly, and he ignored Shinsou's heavy glare as much as he'd ignored the obvious sarcasm. "This is actually going to be fun!"

"Now you're getting into it!" Kirishima cracked his knuckles with a laugh, "Yeah! Let's do this!"

"I just want to pass." Shinsou sighed as he followed the crowd to the start line. "Just wait to sabotage me until the later rounds, can't you?"

"I'll do my best." Izuku winked, and he was satisfied by the way Shinsou's shadowed face seemed to brighten.

Izuku then turned his attention to the three lights above the doorway, and bounced on the balls of his feet excitedly. It seemed he had a race to win, and a whole lot of people to sabotage.

Chapter Text

Chapter 16

When the buzzer went off, Izuku started to run. Well, jog. He maintained a steady pace with the rest of the students, and, unfortunately, only saw the trap a split second before he reached it. A split second too late.

Mic was screaming about the trap and how devious it was and yada-yada-yada but Izuku gritted his teeth and jabbed the nearest person in the ribs with his elbow. It was satisfying to see the boy crumple, but it did nothing in the grand scheme of things. Throwing out a hand, Izuku Pushed as hard as he could against the people in front of him, propelling them out of his way and straight out the other end of the tunnel.

… okay, maybe he Pushed a little too hard.

About two dozen people screamed as they faceplanted into the dirt on the other side, and about a half dozen more fell on top of someone else or tumbled head-over-heels into their competition. Honestly, it had been much more effective than he'd thought it would be in his frustration. Also extremely satisfying. He didn't even have to hide it either! So Izuku grinned wildly as he advanced through the tunnel, throwing the people groaning on the ground triumphant smirks. Of course, Izuku's smirk slid off his face as Todoroki took the lead.

Ice. Beautiful, blinding, breathtaking, stinging, painful ice completely consumed the dirt, firmly freezing everyone's shoes to the ground. It encased Izuku's sneakers completely, and he could feel ice crystallizing on his socks just barely, and the wind blew frost up the bottoms on his gym uniform pant legs. The sensation was as breathtaking as he'd always imagined. Todoroki's ice on his skin was… enrapturing.

Once Izuku had it for himself he'd get to feel like that all the time. He'd run ice along his fingertips and then burn his palm, letting the heat waft into his face as he breathed out frost and mingled the two together. Together as they were meant to be. Which Todoroki – who was ungrateful, beautiful, unreasonable, stunning, and naive – didn't seem to understand. He locked away the beautiful flames Izuku knew he had. Izuku could taste them if he only reached out–

An Explosion went off in Izuku's ear, and he ducked as Bakugou went sailing over his head with his Quirk propelling him through the air like he was flying. Huh, maybe it'd be worth snagging his Quirk at the end of the year after all. The guy was a lost cause, but his Quirk seemed neat. Powerful, that was for sure. Nothing compared to Shinsou's hypnosis Quirk or Todoroki's…

Izuku shook his head and clenched a fist, focusing on the screaming competition around him rather than the screaming in his head. Steal could be unreasonably bossy, but Izuku had other things to deal with at that moment and tucked it into the back of his mind.

Ripping his feet free of the ice, Izuku started making his way across the newly formed ice field. It wasn't terribly difficult, but he did have to watch his step as he passed the other students who were slipping and sliding and stumbling and falling. Funny, but not enough for Izuku to pay much attention to other than to make fun of them lightly in his head as he passed.

Of course, then he reached the next obstacle and grinned. It was the robots from the Entrance Exam, tall and green and utterly pathetic. Apparently Todoroki seemed to agree as he muttered about how disappointing it was to see such weak obstacles, and promptly threw an entire ass wall of ice at them. Izuku swooned at the sudden drop in temperature, and laughed as Todoroki threw a blank look over his shoulder at the students who recklessly tried to follow, only to get crushed by unbalanced, frozen robots.

Unfortunately Izuku did not get to witness the death of two classmates, as they ended up being Kirishima and that stupid 1B guy with the mutation on his eyes that Izuku wanted to rip out of his skull. Apparently he had a Quirk similar to Kirishima's, explaining his miraculous survival. Lame.

With a sigh, Izuku Pulled the internal workings of the three robots nearest to him right out of the bodies, and watched in satisfaction as pieces flew towards him and the empty shells collapsed. With a flippant motion of his wrist, Izuku deflected all the debris headed his way and continued across the field towards the next obstacle.

When he heard Mic say The Fall, Izuku knew his moment had arrived. Izuku couldn't contain his ecstatic laughter as he tossed people off the edge whenever they tried to cross. Seriously, he stood at the edge and Pushed people off, or Pulled them back if they made it past him. Only those already ahead of Izuku remained untouched, apart from Shinsou, who Izuku eyed in consideration before allowing him to pass. Shinsou looked beyond angry, and wordlessly relieved. How irritating.

When people started realizing what Izuku was doing, some of them tried to evade him by making their way to the furthest rope from him and attempting to cross there, only to discover the range Izuku had within Push and Pull. Seriously, as long as he knew what he was manipulating, the distance didn't seem to matter.

Aside from Shinsou, Izuku only let a few other people pass completely by accident. It wasn't his fault though! Izuku became immensely distracted when a manically laughing pink haired Support student loudly proclaimed the name of one of her pieces and proceeded to launch herself across the chasm to the first landing spot before throwing herself off and doing it again. It was tempting to let her continue, but, in the end, he'd thrown her off the edge. It was fun watching her use those gadgets to try and stop him, but every time she made headway he just Pushed her back down. He won their little game of cat and mouse, but by the time he refocused on the others, a few had slipped by him.

When Izuku was the very last student standing before The Fall, he walked across the wire closest to him with his arms out for balance. His tongue peeked out the side of his mouth as he concentrated, but he never wavered as he crossed The Fall efficiently and without falling. (Unlike his poor, poor competitors.)

The last stage was apparently some kind of minefield. Izuku eyed the ground, and saw little indents in the dirt at seemingly random intervals. Annoying, but avoidable. Izuku jogged his way across, watching his every step, and occasionally Pushed someone nearby so they'd trip and explode. Unfortunately they didn't seem to be much more than mildly charged mines filled with some kind of pink glitter, so nobody died accidentally. Though, with Izuku involved, people ending up dead was almost never accidental.

Izuku listened as Mic announced Todoroki took first, and grinned. Bakugou placed second, predictably, and from there Izuku stopped listening. He focused on his feet more and more as he advanced, the bombs growing closer and closer together the further to the end he found himself. It was annoying, and Izuku sighed in relief when he'd crossed the field and could jog the rest of the way to exit into the stadium. Also known as: The Finish Line.

"Midoriya Izuku places tenth!" Mic's voice boomed all around him, and Izuku grinned to himself as he slowed and shook himself out. He didn't even break a sweat, and that made him unreasonably giddy looking around at his panting or beat-up looking yearmates. They looked horrible. How utterly delicious.

Kirishima came jogging over almost immediately after Izuku crossed the finish line, grinning from ear to ear and offering a high-five. Izuku obliged him.

"Awesome man! You made it!" Kirishima exclaimed happily, "Now all we need is Shinsou!"

"I'm here." Shinsou sounded exhausted as he jogged over, "Damn, that sucked."

"You're covered in glitter." Izuku snickered, and Shinsou glared at him sharply. "Walk into a few bombs, did we?"

"Shut up." Shinsou muttered angrily, and Izuku laughed. Kirishima was a nicer person than Izuku, so he reached over and patted Shinsou's shoulder with a bright, supportive smile.

"You did so great man!" Kirishima enthused, "We all made it!"

"Honestly, I was expecting Midoriya to place higher." Shinsou had almost recovered, but his voice was still a little breathless and uneven.

"I wasn't." Kirishima admitted sheepishly, and Izuku turned to him in surprise. "I figured he'd be about last, only because everyone behind him'd be out."

"Damn, I wish." Izuku grinned, "The only reason I scored higher than some people was because I didn't really pay much attention during that last section, the minefield. I had way more fun with The Fall."

"I know." Shinsou looked away with a scowl, "I saw."

"Don't tell me you're angry I spared you." Izuku raised an eyebrow, "You were the one who begged me to give you special treatment."

"It's not special treatment!" Shinsou denied, "It's just… playing fair."

"Riiiight, it's just so fair of me to throw everyone except you off a cliff because we're friends! Is that it?" Izuku grinned brightly, only succeeding in making Shinsou scowl some more.

"I never said I didn't appreciate it." Shinsou mumbled, "It's just insulting that I need a handicap to succeed."

"Success is relative." Izuku shrugged, "Technically you've already failed, if you're marking success as achieving first place. It's all about perspective."

"That's true, it is perspective!" Kirishima said brightly, "Man, you're great with pep talks. I'm even more hyped for the second round now!" Izuku didn't really understand the correlation between what he'd said and the topic of the next round, but he nodded like it was intentional.

"I wonder what it'll be." Izuku mused, "There aren't very many of us, after all."

"I think Midnight's about to announce it." Shinsou squinted up at the board that was now lit, and sure enough Midnight snapped her torture weapon to garner their attention.

"The first game of the first-year stage is finally over." Midnight declared. "Now, take a look at the results!"

The board flashed, and names appeared all down in a row with pictures of the students with their place numbers. Izuku scanned the names a bit gleefully.

"The top 42 students were meant to move ahead, but we'll be settling for the 21 who finished." Midnight announced to the students with a little sigh. "Everyone else was eliminated one way or another."

"Oh my god." Izuku couldn't help the bright laugh that fell from his lips. There were only half as many students left as there were meant to be!

1. Todoroki Shouto
2. Bakugou Katsuki
3. Shiozaki Ibara
4. Honenuki Juzo
5. Iida Tenya
6. Tokoyami Fumikage
7. Sero Hanta
8. Kirishima Eijirou
9. Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
10. Midoriya Izuku
11. Ojirou Mashirao
12. Awase Yosetsu
13. Asui Tsuyu
14. Shouji Mezo
15. Satou Rikido
16. Uraraka Ochako
17. Yaoyorozu Momo
18. Ashido Mina
19. Shinsou Hitoshi
20. Jirou Kyoka
21. Kaminari Denki

"This is priceless." Izuku wheezed, and Shinso beside him sighed.

"I take it back." He said dully, "It's never going to be fair with you in the game, no matter what we do."

"Touché." Izuku grinned. Shinsou didn't even know the half of it. Izuku could wipe out their class without a second thought. It'd be more difficult to account for the other classes, only because there were so many people, some were bound to escape, but that wasn't the point. It would be so terribly easy to kill half of them in one go and the rest following only a moment later, relishing in the way they'd lose the light in their eyes as blood soaked into the dirt at his feet–

"Moving on!" Midnight's enthusiasm cut through Izuku's murderous thoughts, and he zoned back in to whatever it is he was meant to be paying attention to. "It's unfortunate so many of you were eliminated all at once, but don't worry if you didn't make it! We've prepared other chances for you to shine." She licked her lips enthusiastically, "The real competition begins next! The press cavalry'll be all over it! Give it your all!"

Izuku refocused on the board, which had changed to be a mysterious spinning wheel meant to reveal the next challenge.

"Now then, here is the second game. I already know what it is, but what could it be? What could it be? Well!! I already told you, and here it is!" The board stopped on Cavalry Battle. Izuku blinked. Was that all?

"A Cavalry Battle? Ah man, I'm bad at those." Kaminari complained from nearby.

"It's a group round…" Tsu croaked thoughtfully, "How would that be scored?"

"Let me explain." Midnight gestured to the board, and an animation appeared of All Might riding the shoulders of Thirteen and Present Mic. It was an utterly ridiculous image. "The participants can form teams of two to four as they wish. It's basically the same as a regular cavalry battle, but one thing's different. Based on the results of the last game, each person has been assigned a Point Value!"

"Like the entrance exam." Kirishima snapped his fingers, "Right?"

"Yeah, except your score is shared jointly between your teammates." Izuku grinned, "It's laid out so the person who placed last in the first round can have a high Point count starting off in the second round; if they're smart and surround himself with high placing teammates, of course."

"I feel like I should be offended by that." Shinsou narrowed his eyes, those deliciously white pupils darting to the board with his name in 19th. Izuku merely shrugged.

"Whatever floats your boat."

"Shut up!!" Midnight shouted, cutting off their banter. "Fine, yes, that's right! Anyway, the Points for each person will increase in increments of 10 in ascending order. So 21st place gets 10 Points, and 20th place gets 20 Points! And just to keep things interesting, the Point Value assigned to 1st place is Ten Million!"

Izuku grinned. Those points were his. He decided it right then, so that's how it'd be. Izuku wasn't taking anything but first this next round; those millions were his. Shinso seemed to realize this, and sighed heavily beside him.

"You're getting the millions." Shinsou surmised, and Izuku laughed.

"We're getting those millions." Izuku told him smugly, and Shinsou blinked.

"You're teaming with me?"

"Are you kidding?" Izuku raised an eyebrow, "Of course we'll be together."

"Oh." Shinsou flushed, and Izuku rolled his eyes. Honestly, was Shinsou stupid enough to think he'd risk losing to his Quirk? Yeah Izuku loved it, but no way in hell was he going to split his focus between Shinsou and Todoroki.

Todoroki and those millions deserved Izuku's 100% undivided attention. Shinsou's Quirk buzzing in the background would've been an annoyingly seductive distraction, and Izuku just couldn't have that.

"Okay, now for the rules!" Midnight was saying loudly, "The time limit is fifteen minutes. Each team is worth the total of its members' points, and the rider will wear a headband with that number on their forehead. Teams will try to grab each other's headbands until time runs out, and try to keep as many points as they can."

There was a little animation following along as she spoke, All Might's ridiculous team on full display. Each member had a Point Value shown above them, and after a moment they combined into the sum to produce a single number for the rider to wear across their forehead.

Izuku was beyond amused that, to make life even better, the headbands were only held on by velcro strips! Even without Attract being a powerful Quirk, it'd be child's play to steal from the other teams! Honestly, it's like they'd designed the second round with Izuku's Quirk as the centerpiece.

As Midnight continued, Izuku laughed aloud as All Might's figure slowly became a mummy as he collected headbands that swamped his neck and covered his face. AH HA! That gave Izuku an idea! He could nab Eraserhead's capture scarf and used it to strangle All Might, and then find a way to frame Aizawa perfectly without any loopholes!! Oh how fun it would be to meticulously plan his alibi and Eraserhead's downfall… it might even take him several weeks to perfect which would make the final result even more–

Oh, shit, Midnight was still talking.

"During the game, it'll be a cruel fight where you can use your Quirks." Izuku liked the sound of that… "But it is still a Cavalry Battle. You'll get a red card for attacks that are trying to make other people fall on purpose! You'll be removed immediately!"

"Oh man!" Izuku groaned, and he completely ignored how she announced they now had fifteen minutes to plan because he was focusing on how utterly lame it was to restrict his creative sabotage attempts. "FUCK dude, I thought this round was going to be fun!!"

"Ah don't worry Midoriya, it'll still be fun!" Kirishima laughed, "I'll be on your team, with Shinsou! We can work together and win!"

"But we'd've won either way." Izuku complained, "What's the fun in winning if I can't mess with my opponents!?"

"Think positive." Shinsou cut in, and Izuku paused his complaints at the sharpness of Shinsou's expression. "Whoever moves on from this will head into the one-on-one matches in the Third Round. If you want to have some fun, why not pick and choose who moves on? You can do that, right? By taking headbands and then giving them to someone else using your Quirk. The whole field'll be your playground this match."

Izuku, in that moment, was utterly transfixed by the boy in front of him. His expression was filled with beautifully malicious intent, his eyes burning with suppressed anger and excitement, and his grin spoke of anxiety and fury. Something about the way he looked at Izuku, so full of that deliciously vengeful determination, took his breath away.

Apparently Izuku stared at him for a moment too long, lips slightly parted in his unmasked awe, that Shinsou flushed darkly. His intense expression fell as red bloomed across his cheeks, and Izuku was released from the captivated state he'd found himself in.

"Why Shinsou, that's quite possibly the most wickedly wonderful thing you've ever said to me." Izuku told Shinsou quietly, and he relished the way Shinsou's breaths stuttered. "Well now, I suppose I have some teams to examine and decisions to make!" Izuku declared, breaking the eye contact he'd been maintaining with Shinsou to instead turn to grin and Kirishima.

"So what's the plan?" Kirishima asked, cracking his knuckles excitedly. Izuku was about to answer when a bubbly voice came from behind him quite suddenly.

"Hey!" He turned and found Uraraka staring at him, hesitant determination alight on her face. "I want to join your team." Izuku tilted his head.

"Why?" Deliciously, she did not falter under his scrutinization.

"Because I want to win." Uraraka told him, "I want to win, and I think you're my best bet!" Izuku couldn't help but laugh in pleased surprise at her clenched fist and declaration of intent.

"Welcome aboard, then. That's four." Izuku grinned, "Well Uraraka, let me fill you in. We're planning on sitting pretty and watching the other teams until I decide who I want to allow to survive this round, and then we're going to steal the millions right out of Todoroki's pretty little hands and redistribute the points as I see fit." He leaned in, smirking as her eyes widened, and added, "How does that sound?"

For a moment Izuku was irritated that she seemed to be hesitating. Well that just wouldn't do, if she balked under his gaze then Uraraka was of no use to him. It'd be a disappointment for sure, Izuku had such high hopes for her…

But she surprised him yet again, and her intensity made him shiver.

"I'm in." Uraraka said firmly, clenching her fists. "Let's do it."

Chapter Text

Chapter 17

"You know, this headband isn't the most comfortable thing in the world." Izuku said as he adjusted the velcro, ever so slightly annoyed as it caught in some stray curls.

"I don't think it's meant to be." Shinsou said dryly.

"Well that's rude, how are we supposed to want to keep it there if it's not comfortable?" Izuku pouted, "It seems rather inconsiderate of them."

"I bet they were just thinking about functionality, Midoriya." Kirishima laughed, "So don't take it too personally!"

"I take everything personally." Izuku hummed flippantly, "Anyway, I'm surprised you're not having any trouble holding me up. I'm, like, 100% heavy muscle. It's impressive." It was true, but Izuku had specifically picked Kirishima for the role because Shinsou sure as shit couldn't've taken the brunt of his weight.

"No sweat man, I'm just glad I can help!" Though Izuku couldn't really see him, he could hear the lopsided grin in Kirishima's voice.

"Are you sure you don't want me to make you weightless?" Uraraka asked anxiously for the fifth time, "It wouldn't be any trouble!"

"Maybe later." Izuku turned to look at her over his shoulder, and sent her a dazzling smile. "We might need it later, so wouldn't it be better to save it until I need rescuing?" Uraraka flushed a little, and nodded.

"Alright." Satisfied, Izuku turned back to the front and focused on examining the other teams. Tentatively, he activated Steal and let his true Quirk spread across the field and flood his head with information.

Wading through Quirks was harder than he expected. Izuku wasn't used to hundreds of people being within reach, but the stadium was packed with people desperate to catch a glimpse of who might win and who would lose. Focusing on only those nearest to him was difficult, and Izuku grit his teeth as he forced his Quirk's focus to narrow.

There were only 21 people still in the game, of which there remained only four members of Class B. The most interesting to Izuku was the odd kind of a plant Mutation Quirk that flowed off a girl's head like hair; there was also an extremely boring Quirk that allows the user to Weld two things together; Izuku's eye caught sightly on the Softening Quirk, but ultimately he decided it wouldn't be much of a threat in a team exercise; lastly, the 1B Kirishima with the Hardening Quirk, which was apparently metal based.

1B Kirishima was the rider with Softening guy as the main horse (which seemed an odd choice to Izuku), and the two in back were the Welder and the plant girl. Izuku, reluctantly, decided they needed to be one of the ones he spared. It was only fair after all, since he did throw the rest of their class off a cliff in the First Round. Besides, he wanted to see how they'd fare in the 1v1s in the Third Round.

As for Izuku's team, Izuku was the rider, obviously. He was standing on Kirishima's supporting hands while leaning forward on the boy's shoulders, while Uraraka and Shinsou stood on either side and slightly behind to offer meager support. Kirishima was a powerhouse, and they all knew it.

Izuku's first assessment of Kirishima as plain and useless was long gone. Though his Quirk was still a bit boring, Kirishima was strong and solid and determined, while being also fiercely loyal. It was the perfect combination! So easy to exploit, deceive, and use him however Izuku saw fit. Luck favored him, bringing Kirishima to him before Izuku knew his potential worth.

And now, of course, he wasn't going anywhere any time soon.

Carefully, Izuku let his gaze drift towards Todoroki's team, consisting of Iida, Yaoyorozu, and Kaminari (which was a little surprising). Todoroki's Quirk was as beautiful as Izuku remembered. It'd been awhile since Izuku let Steal brush against Ice/Fire, and he barely repressed the delighted shudder that yearned to wrack his body. Steal curled around Todoroki's Quirk like a gentle breeze, and Izuku quietly wondered if Todoroki could feel it.

A loud buzzer sounded suddenly, and Izuku was startled so badly he damn near Stole Todoroki's Quirk by accident. He didn't though, and withdrew carefully before deactivating Steal with control that took more effort than it should've. Unfortunately, that was always the case when Todoroki was around.

"After fifteen minutes to form teams and talk strategy, six Cavalry teams are lined up on the field!" Mic's boomed theatrically through the stadium. "That's way less than we expected!!"

"Some of these teams are unusual." Eraserhead muttered into his microphone, and Izuku tilted his head at the comment. Was he referring to the overwhelming majority being 1A? Or maybe how one team only had two players? Or was he simply amused at how few made it through the qualifier Round?

"Now, raise those battle cries!" Mic declared, and the stadium answered with deafening cheers. "It's time for UA's bloody battle! Light the signal fire!"

Izuku paused as the board above their heads lit up, displaying a few simple words. He raised an eyebrow at the exaggeratory font chosen.

Ready?
< On Your Marks >

"Alright, you've all got teams? I'm not gonna ask if you're ready or not!" Well that was stupid; the board was asking if they were ready, so Mic didn't need to anyway. Besides, it was a bit too late if someone wasn't ready after fifteen minutes of prep time.

"Now, let's go!" Mic continued enthusiastically, "Counting down to the brutal battle royale! Three!" Kirishima adjusted his hands and Izuku shifted his weight, "Two!" Uraraka's hand tightened on Izuku's pant leg, and Shinsou exhaled slowly in anticipation, "One!"

"Start!" Midnight's torture whip snapped down harshly, and the battle began.

Teams rushed to the center of the field, kicking up red dirt in every direction, practically every team shooting their shot to take the millions from Todoroki as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for them, Izuku didn't even have to move.

With a simple 'gimme' hand gesture, Todoroki's headband came unstrapped and launched across the field into Izuku's waiting hand faster than anyone could react. He grinned.

"Nice!" Kirishima praised, and Izuku imagined he would've pumped a fist if Izuku wasn't standing on his hands. "Now we just have to keep it!"

"Doesn't really matter if we do or not, I can always get it back." Izuku shrugged, but deep down delight was curling inside him as he held the winning headband in hand. "Let's have some fun, shall we?"

Kirishima laughed, and their team started walking in a random direction. It didn't particularly matter, but Izuku knew their team would stand out more if they strolled casually around the arena while absolutely demolishing everyone who got in their way.

Izuku snagged every headband he could see, which was all of them: the other four he didn't already have in possession. Team Asui: 250, he tied it around his neck. Team Bakugo: 470, he flipped it in hand with a grin before attaching it beneath the other. Team Tetsutetsu: 600, he added it to his collection rather smugly. Team Jiro: 200 went lowest on his neck, near his collarbone, because it was the lamest. As for the millions, Team Todoroki: 10,000,230, Izuku took great pleasure in tying it around his forehead for all to see. He took his original band, Team Midoriya: 350, and wrapped it around his neck with the others.

"Now what?" Shinsou asked, wincing at how loudly Present Mic was screaming about their unstoppable team and winning lead, "We have all the headbands."

"Now we wait." Izuku grinned, "And when they get desperate, we redistribute."

"That's a polite way to say you're in complete control of all their fates." Shinsou sighed. Izuku laughed. He had no idea how accurate that was.

"I'm always polite." Was all Izuku said, and then he laughed again when Shinsou pinched his ankle.

"Why isn't anyone attacking us?" Uraraka, who apparently wasn't paying attention, seemed to finally realize that they were completely alone in the corner of the field they were gently pacing across.

"Because they can't." Izuku answered lightly as redirected yet another team. All it took was a simple hand gesture and they were stopped in their tracks, forced to turn away under the sheer pressure of Push.

"Midoriya's Pushing them away whenever they get too close, and they've apparently realized the futility of trying to force their way through it. They're waiting to see what happens." Shinsou sighed, "If I were them, I'd do the same. Midoriya's ridiculous."

"I'm just utilizing my talents." Izuku grinned, and mentally added 'but not all of them…'

"It just so happens your 'talents' are better than ours." Shinsou muttered.

"Oh, don't be like that!" Kirishima enthused, "Midoriya's just trained more than we have. He's been training all his life, haven't you, Midoriya?"

"True, but I'm pretty new to this Quirk." Izuku said, looking down at his hands with a little smile. "I didn't have much reason to use it before the entrance exam. I guess I'm just a natural."

"So manly!" Kirishima said loudly.

"Very humble." Shinsou snarked at the same time.

"Who're you gonna let through?" Uraraka asked, "You didn't say."

"Definitely Todoroki's team, I like them. Also the 1B team, to make it fair." Izuku paused, thinking, then added, "I guess the fourth slot can go to whomever I decide I like in that moment."

Izuku looked up as the board above them chimed, revealing the scores of each team. Smugly, he noted his score was 10,001,900 and everyone else's was zero.

"Five minutes left." Uraraka hummed, "Are we gonna do, um, anything? It feels like we haven't done much to get us noticed."

"Oh, yeah, I suppose we should." Izuku sighed, "Fine then." He then straightened, cupped his hands over his mouth, and yelled, "Alright! Let's mix it up!"

He didn't even bother undoing the velcro before he flicked his wrist and sent the bands flying across the field. The immediate following chaos was glorious.

Tsu grabbed one with her tongue, the plant girl snagged one with her hair vines, Sero sent tape out for one, and little fleshy tubes that looked suspiciously like Jirou's ear extensions flew out too. It was practically an aerial battle for the headbands he'd tossed towards them, which was hilarious in Izuku's humble opinion.

"Look out!" Uraraka's shriek wasn't entirely necessary, mostly because the massive ice wall being thrown at them wasn't exactly subtle.

Izuku's team barely dodged the attack, and Izuku felt the cold breeze on his face as it blew right by them. It was exhilarating.

"I'll be taking that back, now." Todoroki said, and damn did Izuku love his voice.

"Todoroki, you're here." Izuku acknowledged breathlessly, "Excellent." Shinsou squeezed his ankle again, nails biting into the fragile skin, and Izuku cleared his throat. "Anyway, missing something?" Izuku tilted his head, showing off the millions across his forehead as his curls shifted.

Todoroki's beautiful mismatched eyes followed the movement and centered on Izuku's forehead. Izuku could've swooned at the expression on his face, but, unfortunately, he didn't have time for swooning.

"What–?" Kaminari suddenly stopped, and the whole team nearly toppled as Izuku let Iida keep going. "Hey!"

"Sorry, but we're going to win." Kirishima's blatant confidence was briefly distracting, enticing in how cocky it sounded, but Izuku moved past it as he focused more on Pushing Todoroki's team backwards without toppling them completely. Unfortunately… that was against the rules.

"You're overconfident!" Yaoyorozu, whom Izuku barely paid attention to despite her neat Quirk, shot some metal thing out of her wrist that embedded itself in the ground as Todoroki pulled a sheet over their whole team… except for Kaminari.

"Shit!" Izuku hadn't overused a Quirk so badly in years, but as Kaminari yelled out that he was going to throw 1.3 million volts at them, Izuku didn't realize how much force he was putting behind Attract until it was too late.

Remember the glacier Todoroki had thrown at them? The one they'd barely dodged? Yeah. That one.

Izuku ripped the entire thing off the stadium ground, shattering formed crystals and blowing freezing cold shrapnel in every direction, to Pull it firmly between Izuku's team and Todoroki's way too fast. At the speed Izuku Pulled it, the glacier slid right past the desired placement and slammed into their team at high speed.

Kirishima took the brunt of it, but Izuku felt his wrist crunch as he threw up a hand in front of his face automatically. Uraraka cried out in surprise, though she avoided it entirely because she was in the back, and the only reaction Izuku noticed from Shinsou was his back foot shifting in the dirt.

"Ow! Midoriya!" Kirishima, who'd Hardened just in time, looked up at him with a wince.

"Sorry! I panicked!" Izuku cradled his hand to his chest, and grimaced. "Damn, I Pulled too hard."

"Gee, you don't say?"

"Shinsou, knock it off!" Izuku was surprised by the admonishment in Uraraka's scolding voice, but he definitely approved.

"Two minutes left." Kirishima said as he looked up at the board, and Izuku frowned.

"We need to wait a little longer." Izuku said tightly, "When there's only a few seconds left, I'll redistribute. That way there's no chance of anyone messing it up."

"We're not going to worry about Todoroki?" Shinsou exclaimed, "Y'know, the real problem at the moment?"

"Don't worry, I'm not letting him get close again." Izuku sighed, "I didn't anticipate that Yaoyorozu'd find a way to make Kaminari's Quirk actually efficient. He's pretty useless at using it by himself."

"You underestimated them." Shinsou accused, and Izuku carefully resisted the urge to disembowel him for the comment.

"I didn't underestimate them, asshole." Izuku replied a little viciously, "They've just improved using teamwork in a way you clearly haven't." Shinsou inhaled sharply, and Izuku took great pleasure knowing he'd hit a weak spot.

And damnit, Izuku hated that Shinsou was right. Izuku had a bad habit of underestimating people, he always had. His Dad always said to never underestimate people because someday it'd bite him in the ass. Izuku knew that! Really, he did, it was just difficult because Izuku was so much better than they were! Kaminari and Yaoyorozu had just surprised him, that's all...

"Midoriya, we don't have time to argue." Kirishima said, "We're completely trapped by the ice."

"He's right!" Uraraka piped up, "We're stuck between the ice and the boundary line."

"I'm going to move the ice away, so we'll be exposed again." Izuku sighed, shelving the issue with Shinsou to revisit some other time.

"What, why?" Kirishima questioned, "Aren't we safer here?"

"Not necessarily." Izuku said, "We're trapped, which makes us sitting ducks." The round was slowly becoming more annoying than he'd wanted it to be, so he glared out at the cameras and his opponents as he Pushed the ice out of their way.

As soon as he had a complete view of the field, Izuku took note of all the teams placements as best as he could. The only true threat was Team Todoroki, as they'd remained in place camping outside the wall of ice. A bit roughly, Izuku shoved their entire team a dozen feet backwards until they slammed into 1B's team across the field.

Of course, he was courteous enough to Push all of them a bit upwards as they fell so no one fell off their team. It was more because he didn't want to be red-carded and less because he cared if they fell, but it was still generous of him.

"One minute!" Uraraka declared happily, and Izuku sighed in relief.

"This whole Sports Festival thing is more trouble than it's worth." Izuku complained, "I can't wait for this to be over." He absentmindedly Shoved Todoroki backwards again as they tried to advance.

"Not long now." Kirishima warned, and Izuku looked up at the clock as Mic dramatically started counting down from ten.

According to the scoreboard, Team Asui had the 600 headband while Team Bakugou had the 470. Team Jirou had both the 200 and the 250, which wasn't so bad. But Team Tetsutetsu, the 1B team, had nothing! That just wouldn't do.

Izuku snagged the 600 and threw it to Team Tetsutetsu, who stared at it with bewildered and disbelieving looks. He then confiscated the two Jirou had and gave them to Todoroki, who caught them midair and glared. Scanning the board again… yeah, okay, that didn't seem so bad.

No one moved in the last three seconds, probably too stunned by Izuku's sudden rearrangement of points, and then the buzzer was sounded and it was over.

"That's the end of the Second Round, the Cavalry Battle! Now, let's take a look at the top four teams right away! In first place, Team Midoriya! They were in total control of the entire field the whole Round!"

Izuku hopped off Kirishima with a huff of annoyance, and shook out his curls as he pulled the 10 million headband off his forehead and dropped it delicately on the ground. He smiled prettily for a camera as it flew by, even through his disgruntlement. Gotta keep up appearances, the world was watching after all.

Ignoring Mic and instead choosing to glance at the board, Izuku was happy to see everything was as intended.

1. Team Midoriya - 10,000,230
2. Team Tetsutetsu - 600
3. Team Bakugou - 470
4. Team Todoroki - 450

"Why'd you choose Bakugou?" Kirishima asked curiously.

"He already had those points, and I only needed a few for Todoroki and 1B." Izuku shrugged, "I figured if Bakugou won the little free-for-all earlier to get himself a few points, and I didn't need them, he can keep them. I've nothing against Bakugou and his team."

"Who's even on his team?" Uraraka asked a bit rhetorically as she looked over at them.

"Ashido, Sero, and… Shouji?" Izuku wasn't sure that was really his name, but considering his teammates didn't correct him he was probably right.

"Odd combination." Shinsou said, but then he shrugged it away. "I'm just glad we did it." Izuku hummed in agreement as Mic announced there'd be a break for lunch.

"Shinsou, a moment?" Izuku beckoned, and resisted a harsh glare as Shinsou actually hesitated. That was absolutely unequivocally unacceptable. "Ah come on, I promise I don't bite."

"Yes you do." Shinsou muttered as he crossed his arms, but then he reluctantly followed as Izuku led him out of the stadium and into a corridor near the exit.

For a moment neither of them spoke, and Izuku remained neutral as Shinsou shifted unhappily. He was clearly slipping away from Izuku again, which was unacceptable. He belonged to Izuku.

"I'm sorry." The look on Shinsou's face was priceless, and it was almost enough to break Izuku's apologetic facade. "I was pretty harsh during those last few minutes, and I didn't mean to be. You were right, I did underestimate Kaminari. I snapped at you because it really stung when you said it aloud. I'm sorry."

"It's… it's fine." Shinsou rubbed the back of his neck and shifted from foot to foot. Izuku took a step forward and looked down, fiddling with his hands.

"Can you ever forgive me?" Izuku looked up at Shinsou shyly, "I don't want to lose our friendship because I lost my head. It means a lot to me, you mean a lot to me." In the following silence, Izuku bit his lip and looked down again.

"Midoriya, god, you're so dramatic. Of course I forgive you." Raising his gaze, Izuku was satisfied with the flush across Shinsou's cheeks and the resignation in his expression. "I'm sorry too, I shouldn't've snapped at you."

"No, you were right to. I could've hurt you by accident when I Pulled that ice towards us, and I'm really sorry." With every word he spoke, Izuku saw Shinsou was drawn even further into Izuku's web.

"It's okay, you panicked." Shinsou smiled awkwardly, and then froze as his eyes caught on Izuku's hand still cradled to his chest. "Oh shit– didn't you hurt your wrist?"

"It's broken." Izuku said, shrugging.

"What!?" Shinsou reached out for him, paused, and then just hovered his hands awkwardly close but not touching. His panic was a little adorable. "You need to see Recovery Girl!"

"It's not that bad." Izuku denied weakly, "I don't want to bother her…"

"That's her job, you wouldn't be bothering her." Shinsou shook his head as he put a hand on Izuku's lower back, and smiled fondly. "Come on, let's go."

"Okay." Izuku lowered his eyes, tucking away his smug satisfaction. "And thank you for forgiving me."

"We're friends." Shinsou said, though his face was red, "I was going to forgive you anyway, even without an apology." Ah, good to know for the future…

"Thanks." Izuku smiled, and then he grinned playfully. "I'm still going to kick your ass in the Third Round, I hope you know."

"I wouldn't expect any less from you." Shinsou grinned right back at him, "Let's get that wrist fixed first though, okay?"

"Okay." Izuku laughed, and let himself be led down the halls towards Recovery Girl.

Shinsou walked him to the Temporary Nurse's Office, one hand resting on the small of his back, and Izuku felt malicious joy bubble up inside him. He tucked it away though; it'd get in the way of his little show of weakness, and tip Shinsou off that something wasn't right.

He'd done it. Shinsou was safely and unwaveringly his again, they'd made it to the Second Round, and Izuku was going to destroy the competition.

Everything was right in the world again.

Chapter Text

Chapter 18

Mic being in control of the loudspeakers may not have been the best choice, in Izuku's opinion. At first the ringing sound of his shrill voice echoing across the field hadn't bothered Izuku, but the longer it went on the more inclined he became to rip out Present Mic's vocal cords.

"Has he started talking about the good stuff yet?" Izuku sighed, nudging Kirishima. Knowing him, he was probably listening. Unlike Izuku.

"Ah man, can't you hear it?" Kirishima asked with a laugh, "I mean, they're not being subtle up there with the mics."

"Midoriya just means he's not paying attention and wants to know if he's missing actual instruction." Shinsou said dryly, leaning in on their conversation. "Which, by the way, you aren't. Yet." Shinsou gave him a pointed look. With a sigh, Izuku crossed his arms and boredly gave Mic his attention.

"Alright everyone, we're going to have fun competing in the recreational games!" Yeah, no thanks. That sounded boring if all his defeated opponents were allowed to play. They were weak. "When that's over, the sixteen from the four teams that made it to the final round will duke it out Tournament style, one-on-one!!"

"Oh?" Izuku looked up as the board dinged; he examined the chart they put up with newfound interest. It was a stacked diagram with different tiers. It seemed there would be four rounds, the winners moving on and the losers kicked to the curb. Sixteen people would start off, then eight, then four, then the two finalists and one crowned winner. Seemed simple enough!

"Oh God." Shinsou groaned, "You're going to destroy us."

"That is quite possible." Izuku replied happily.

"Come on Shinsou, have a bit of faith!" Kirishima patted him on the shoulder with a grin. "We're finally competing on the stage we've been watching all our lives! Just give it all you got, and maybe you might win!"

"You're joking, right?" Shinsou's glare didn't seem to wound Kirishima at all, as the redhead merely beamed at him and said nothing more.

"Now, let's draw lots to determine the bracket." Midnight called their attention. "Once the brackets have been determined, we'll have the recreational games, then start! The sixteen finalists can choose whether or not they want to participate in the recreation. I'm sure some of you want to rest and save your strength."

"Are you going to compete, Midoriya?" Kirishima asked.

"Not a chance." Izuku rolled his eyes, "They'll just be a waste of time."

"I thought you liked fun and games?" Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

"Only when they're interesting." Izuku said, wrinkling his nose. "What's the fun in running around playing a meaningless game against people I've already beaten and know to be weak?"

"Isn't that a little harsh?" Kirishima asked. He didn't look offended, merely curious; Izuku liked that for some reason.

"Not at all." Izuku answered, "It's just the truth. I won and they didn't, which means I'm stronger."

"Wow, looking at it that way, I guess you're right." Kirishima nodded with surprise, then grinned. "But, I'm still going to play. You don't have to if you don't want to, Midoriya."

"I'm glad I have your permission, then." Shinsou choked on nothing from beside him.

Their attention was called away when Midnight came around to the remaining sixteen competitors to have them draw lots to determine in which order they'd pummel each other into the ground. Izuku was rather genuinely excited to watch the Hero students go at it, actually. Especially 1B, which he hadn't yet had the chance to see in action.

Eventually the rounds were decided and Izuku watched as they were put up onto the board, paired up and stuck onto the part of the diagram for the first round of battles.

Midoriya Izuku VS Shiozaki Ibara
Shinsou Hitoshi VS Ashido Mina
Kaminari Denki VS Iida Tenya
Todoroki Shouto VS Awase Yosetsu
Sero Hanta VS Shouji Mezo
Yaoyorozu Momo VS Honenuki Juzo
Kirishima Eijirou VS Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
Bakugou Katsuki VS Uraraka Ochako

An interesting set of matches, in Izuku's opinion. He didn't recognize the name next to his, which meant it was a 1B kid. Excellent.

"WHAT? YOU?" Izuku turned to see Kirishima fuming at the 1B Kirishima, who was probably Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu.

"That'll be fun." Shinsou smirked, crossing his arms as they watched Kirishima and the other one snap at each other while pointing unhappy fingers. "I wonder who'll win."

"Kirishima."

"What?" Shinsou looked at him in surprise.

"Kirishima." Izuku repeated with a shrug, "No way a 1B nobody beats Kirishima, even if their Quirks are similar." Besides, Izuku was quickly realizing that Kirishima made up for his weak Quirk in strength of character; he wouldn't lose to a lamer version of himself. Also, 1B was the inferior class in general and everyone knew it.

"You have a lot of faith in him." Shinsou said, narrowing his eyes. "Why is that?"

"We're friends, aren't we?" Izuku smiled prettily, "That goes for you too, Shinsou. I have every confidence that you'll beat Ashido." That was a lie; Izuku doubted Shinsou would win against Ashido, comparing their physical abilities.

Ashido was an athlete - probably a dancer or gymnast if the flexibility was any indication. Shinsou on the other hand was shaped like a twig and would snap like one. His only shot would be to snag her with his seductive Hypnosis before she sprayed him with that Acid Quirk of hers. Izuku didn't know much about it, or how it worked, or how dangerous it actually was, but Ashido clearly knew how to use it and that was the battle half won already. Confidence sometimes made all the difference.

Meanwhile, Shinsou was flushed to the tips of his ears. It was stark on his face, and he ducked his head a little to hide it.

"Um, thanks." Shinsou muttered.

"No problem." Izuku grinned at him, "Though, just so you know, after we both win, I'm going to destroy you." Shinsou blinked at him in astonishment, then looked back at the board in dismay.

"Goddammit." Shinsou groaned, "There goes any chance of placing on the podium."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get lots of offers for beating Ashido." Izuku smiled innocently, "Kick her ass, yeah?"

"Right." Shinsou said with a sigh, "Easier said than done." Izuku just hummed his agreement.

"Alright! Let's leave the Tournament aside for a momentary interlude!" Mic's enthusiastic voice rang through the stadium again, "Let's have fun with the recreation! First up will be the Scavenger Hunt!"

"Ew." Izuku sighed. He looked up towards his ball of sunshine, still locked in a staring contest with the guy that had an incredibly annoying name. "Hey, Kirishima!"

"Yeah?" Immediately he had Kirishima's attention, which was extremely satisfying. Also the fake-Kirishima looked livid at being ignored, which was just icing on the cake.

"The recreations are going to start soon, so I'm heading up to the stands." Izuku called, "You have fun, yeah?"

"You got it!" Kirishima grinned.

Izuku headed back towards the stands, glancing up as fireworks exploded with enthusiasm above his head in a plethora of vibrant colors. It would've been pleasant if not for the screaming and bustle of the crowd that had picked up considerably.

Apparently for the Scavenger Hunt the participants plucked items they needed straight from the crowd, which seemed incredibly stupid. The viewers having their items being stolen and used for the games actually looked excited about it. If some random kid stole his cat for a scavenger hunt he'd not be as courteous as some of the random people in the crowd. Why would someone even think to bring a cat of all things to watch a bunch of kids beat each other up? Seemed an odd choice.

After several more games, including a weird one where the students were rolling giant balls across the track as quickly as possible to win, eventually Mic got around to announcing the games were concluding and the one-on-one matches were up next.

Izuku watched Cementoss create a square platform at the center of the field, Steal gently caressing the green glow lit in the Hero's large concrete-like hands. The emerald hued Quirk moved fluidly up and down Cementoss' wrists to swirl around in his palms, mirroring the movements of the cement the Hero controlled and manipulated.

Interestingly, Cementoss couldn't create cement or concrete out of thin air. Instead, UA had a large tunnel piping cement out into the field for Cementoss to use as he wished. Izuku wondered if there was a Quirk similar to his that could create it, and if Cementoss would see the value in teaming with them. Probably not considering his style of independent Heroics like so many others, which really was a shame.

Izuku wouldn't mind teaming up with someone in his villainy if they could keep up - watch his back and actually contribute in a meaningful way. Unfortunately there was no such person, and Izuku was just fine committing crimes by himself. He didn't need anyone slowing him down.

"Okay, it's pretty much done." Cementoss called as he finished laying down the foundation.

"Thank you, Cementoss!" Mic shouted happily, "So! Everyone, are you ready?!" The answering roar from the crowd was loud and irritating as ever. "A lot's happened, but it's now come to this! A serious battle where you can only depend on yourself! Even if you're not a Hero, you'll face lots of situations where you'll need to depend only on yourself! You get it? Heart, skill, body, wisdom, and knowledge! Use all of it together to rise up to your highest potential!"

Izuku made his way through the halls towards the stadium exit onto the field, knowing his match was first. He was curious as to who he'd be facing. By the name Izuku guessed it was a girl, though he hadn't seen enough of 1B to even guess as to which one, and anyway he'd know soon enough so it didn't really matter.

"Audience! The finals you've all been waiting for are finally starting! Match one!" Mic called, "We have a forceful kid who dominated the second round! From the Hero Course, Midoriya Izuku! Versus! The Assassin of 1B! Pretty things have thorns, you know. From the Hero Course, Shiozaki Ibara!"

Izuku stepped out onto the field and crossed the distance to the concrete platform, white lines painted as a border around it. Looking at the girl across from him, Izuku didn't think much of her. Steal told him she had a mutation Quirk centered in the vines growing from her head like thick hair, allowing her complete control over the vines. He wondered what would happen if he Stole her Quirk; would her skull collapse, or would her vines merely melt off and leave the rest of her untouched? Perhaps once he left school…

"Um, please excuse the interruption." The girl across from him very slowly raised her hand, "What do you mean by 'assassin'? I have only come here to find victory, not to take my opponent's life." Izuku grinned. How cute.

"Sorry!" Mic scrambled to say. The girl clasped her hands together and shut her eyes, looking up into the sky as if in prayer.

"In the first place, I wished to enter U.A. High School not for wicked reasons, but for the salvation of others." She declared.

"I said I was sorry, my bad okay!?" Mic sounded quite unsettled.

"I thank you for your understanding." The girl smiled happily up at the booth as she opened her eyes, then bowed a little before straightening to face Izuku.

"Ehhem. Anyway!" Mic cleared his throat awkwardly, "Onto the rules! They are extremely simple. Force your opponent out of bounds, or immobilize them! You can also win by making your opponent say 'I give up'! Bring on the injuries because we've got our very own Recovery Girl on standby! Put your morals and ethics aside for a moment! But of course, anything life-threatening is forbidden! It's a zero tolerance policy. Heroes should only use their fists to catch Villains, never purposefully fatal force!"

Izuku knew that already, but it was disappointing nonetheless. He'd've loved to pummel his classmates so hard they died of their injuries, but it would be completely frowned upon; especially on live television. Tsukauchi would probably suspect him even further, and his dad would scold him for sure.

"Ready?!" At the call, Izuku shook his hands out at his sides and grinned. "Start!"

His opponent threw thorny vines at him with a serene yet determined expression, but Izuku boredly raised a hand and Pushed her back towards the white painted line. Despite the vines that immediately wrapped around her ankles and tried to plant her in place, Izuku used what could probably be considered an unnecessary amount of force that blasted her completely out of bounds and sent her tumbling into the far wall of the stadium. The vines cushioned her impact, but the wall cracked where she struck it.

"Shiozaki is out of bounds!" Midnight snapped her sexual torture weapon decisively, "Midoriya wins!"

"And it's over just like that!" Mic screeched, "An overwhelming display of force from Midoriya right out of the gate!"

"Sorry!" Izuku called, completely unapologetic, to the girl stumbling to her feet across the stadium. She gave him a weathered, unhappy look and didn't respond. Well, her loss. Literally.

Izuku headed back to the 1A seating area high up in the stands, grinning the whole way. Shinsou was heading down the halls to the stadium to prepare for his match, Izuku could feel it; he found himself looking forward to watching the upcoming match. Though he expected Ashido to win, Izuku mildly wanted to go up against Shinsou instead of her. Not that he'd let Shinsou win, but it could be fun to play with Shinsou a bit before beating him. He'd make sure to be more gentle with Shinsou too, since they were friends.

Immediately upon entering the 1A booth all eyes were on him, smiles all around.

"Great job Midoriya!" Kirishima said immediately. He patted an empty seat next to him.

"That was very well done." Yaoyorozu said smoothly.

"Thanks." Izuku grinned, sitting next to Kirishima as prompted. "I may have gone overboard."

"I'm not sure she'd appreciate you saying that." Kirishima chided.

"No, I mean she hit the wall pretty hard." Izuku said, fauxly sheepish. "I could've been a tad bit gentler."

"Well, whatever." Kirishima shrugged, "It was well done."

"Okay! Let's move on to the second match! We have another member of the dominating team of the second round! From the Hero Course, Shinsou Hitoshi!" Izuku looked down at the field as Shinsou and Ashido made their way to the center. "Versus! Is something going to come out of those horns? We'll have to wait and see! From the Hero Course, Ashido Mina!"

Shinsou had his hands in his pockets and a small smirk on his face, but there was a tension in his shoulders that didn't belong. He was anxious; his hands tucked away were to hide the gentle way they shook when he was uncertain. Izuku clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Now! Second match, start!"

Ashido was immediately in motion, sliding across the arena on her acid with grace she'd not displayed during the Quirk Assessment. It was smart, which bumped her up a little in Izuku's mind. Still, she had one of those annoying personalities that Izuku couldn't get behind. A shame, really.

Interestingly, when Ashido reached Shinsou he ducked under her acid and slid out of the way. Ashido threw a punch, one that was actually perfectly placed, but Shinsou blocked and retaliated. The blow barely grazed her, weak and completely unimpressive, but Izuku saw the moment Shinsou finally snagged her as Ashido stumbled and froze.

The tension bled from Shinsou's shoulders, replaced by relief and slight confidence. Moments later Ashido was slowly shuffling across the arena with purpose, continuing until she reached the white line painting the boundaries. Mic was screaming nonsense expletives, and the crowd went nuts as Ashido stepped over the line.

"Ashido is out of bounds! Shinsou moves on to the second round!" Midnight declared. Ashido stumbled again, blinked, then groaned and turned back to say something to Shinsou. She didn't look mad, only discouraged and pouty. That seemed to relieve Shinsou even further, especially as they walked out of the stadium side by side with Ashido seemingly chatting up a stream if the skip in her step and dramatic hand movements were any indication.

"That looked close for a moment there." Kirishima noted with a grin, "Ashido nearly had him."

"Hm, not really." Izuku replied, "She has better combat abilities, but Shinso didn't need long. It was over the minute she opened her mouth."

"I guess you're right." Kirishima laughed, "You never doubted him, did you?"

"Nope." Izuku lied smoothly, "And I don't doubt you either. You'll win, I know you will." That was a lot more true.

"Thanks man." Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, "I'm not sure I deserve that faith."

"You absolutely do." Izuku chided, "So, when it's your turn, go kick ass. Alright?"

"Yeah, right." Kirishima grinned brightly.

"Who's next?" Izuku squinted at the board, memorizing the matches so he wouldn't have to check over and over. "Ah. Iida and Kaminari." Lame.

"Any bets on who'll win?" Kirishima asked, tilting his head.

"Mmm, nope." Izuku shook his head, "Iida against Kaminari? Could go either way. Iida is fast, but he's gonna have to either beat or hide from Kaminari's million whatever volt attack."

"Right, ouch." Kirishima winced. "Well, I'm rooting for Kaminari."

"We'll see." Izuku shrugged, "I'm just excited to watch people get beat up."

"That's very predictable, Midoriya." Kirishima laughed warmly, bumping their shoulders together. "Very predictable."

"I try, Kiri." Izuku smiled, "I try."

Chapter Text

Chapter 19

"D'you think this could get any more boring?" Izuku asked. Shinsou at his side just sighed.

"Well I know for sure that it'd be easier for you to watch if you weren't upside down." Shinsou said dryly. "You've been sitting like that since my match with Ashido." Izuku, sitting upside down with his head on the seat and feet over the back of it, gave him a very offended look.

"I resent that assessment." Izuku replied, "I'll have you know I can see just fine from down here." That was a lie, but only slightly. His view was completely blocked by the half wall, but Steal gave him a great summary of what went on below him on the field.

"Riiight." Shinsou drawled, "So, who's on the field?"

"That's not a fair question." Kirishima chided, "Mic just announced it."

"Shhh, I got this." Izuku waved him off with a grin, "Yaoyorozu and some guy from 1B. Honky or something."

"Honenuki Juzo." Kirishima said, "It's written on the board you can't see."

"Not you too." Izuku groaned, "This is slander, blatant slander."

"That is a fair assessment, yes." Kirishima said brightly, "Now why not sit up, you like Yaoyorozu don't you?"

"Uggghhhh fine." Izuku righted himself, swinging his legs around and narrowly missing Kirishima's nose. Shinsou gave Kirishima a smug look at the blatant passive aggression, but Kirishima just grinned good-naturedly. "And Yaoyorozu is just my deputy class rep, I don't know her well enough to be friends. So, I don't really care if she loses."

"Isn't that a little mean?" Kirishima frowned.

"Not really." Izuku shrugged, "If she does well, she'll prove herself. If not, she'll get another chance eventually. Heroes like girls like her."

"Girls like her?" Shinsou prompted.

"Intelligent, pretty; having a powerful Quirk like hers is gonna attract some attention too, even if she doesn't show it off." Izuku shrugged.

"You think she's pretty?" Shinsou frowned a little.

"Don't you?" Izuku raised his eyebrows. "Objectively speaking, she's very pretty."

"I agree with Midoriya, man." Kirishima laughed when Shinsou made a face. "All of our classmates are very pretty, though."

"That's nice." Shinsou sighed, "I guess they're just not my type."

"Oh, don't worry, Yaoyorozu isn't my type either." Izuku said.

"What is your type?" Shinsou's expression remained the same, but his voice seemed a bit off.

"Powerful." Izuku said immediately, "I love powerful Quirks, powerful people. It's so beautiful watching people use their Quirks correctly, it's exhilarating."

"Anyone powerful enough to catch your eye?" Shinsou asked. It was a little too hurried to be casual.

"A few." Izuku winked. Shinsou flushed and turned away with a scowl, which made Izuku smirk in satisfaction.

"What an overwhelming victory for Honenuki!" Izuku looked up at that, and peered down at the field. Immediately he felt he'd missed a fight that would've been worth watching.

Yaoyorozu had sunk several feet into the ground, only her collarbone and above exposed. The rest of her had seemingly been swallowed up! Izuku focused on her opponent, the 1B kid he'd not bothered to pay attention to. Steal told him he had a softening Quirk, and an extremely interesting one at that.

Honenuki could soften anything with just a touch as much as he wanted, and he could even completely sink into it himself and swim through it! He could also reharden it at will, which was extremely helpful. It seemed he softened the ground enough to envelop Yaoyorozu, then hardened it again to trap her in the concrete! How marvelous.

"You're wearing that face again." Shinsou sighed.

"What face?" Izuku blinked, and Shinsou gave him a very pointed look. "Oh, you mean my 'making friends' face?"

"Yes."

"Come on man, it's good if Midoriya wants to make some more friends." Kirishima reached around Izuku to pat Shinsou's shoulder. "We can share, eh?"

"I don't think Shinsou shares." Izuku smirked. Shinsou scowled but didn't reply. "You should go down, Kiri." Izuku said, "Your match starts soon."

"Oh crap." Kirishima shot out of his seat, "Thanks man!"

"We're rooting for you!" Izuku called as Kirishima rushed out of the booth.

"Still think he'll win?" Shinsou asked.

"Yes." Izuku said plainly, "I have every confidence in him."

"Hm." Shinsou examined him for a moment before turning to the field with an indecipherable look.

"I think the second round is going to be cooler." Izuku said conversationally, "The match ups look more fun. You and me fighting it out, Iida and Todoroki, Shouji against Honenuki, then Kirishima and whoever wins the last round."

"Who's that again?"

"Bakugou and Uraraka." Izuku shrugged, "Personally, I'm rooting for Uraraka."

"Why?" Shinsou asked, "Isn't Bakugo more likely to win?"

"Not necessarily." Izuku hummed, "She's strong, I wouldn't underestimate her."

"Yeah, well, whatever." Shinsou sank down into his seat and crossed his arms, which was amusing for Izuku to watch. "Let's just watch Kirishima."

Though Izuku did watch the match after that, he found himself unimpressed. The two had such similar Quirks that they were unfairly evenly matched. Every punch landed firmly, but every blow was blocked by hardened skin; neither had any clear or distinctive advantage. When they both collapsed with heaving breaths, Izuku found himself dissatisfied.

"A passionate head-to-head fistfight! And the winner is…!" Mic trailed off, waiting for the final call. Izuku peered down with interest, watching Midnight examine the two collapsed boys.

"Both contestants down!" Midnight shouted after a moment, "It's a draw!"

"Lame." Izuku sighed. He was actually disappointed by the lackluster result.

"In the case of a draw, after they recover, the winner will be determined by a simple challenge like arm-wrestling!" With that disappointing conclusion, Kirishima and his 1B mirror were both carted off by Recovery Girl's medbots with stretchers.

"What were you saying about Kirishima winning?" Shinsou looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

"He's not lost yet." Izuku pointed out, "But I am disappointed. I thought he was better than that."

"Well, it seems you're not always right." Shinsou grinned. Izuku rolled his eyes and said nothing. It was funny seeing Shinsou jealous, and the smugness he expressed at Izuku's disappointment was just as amusing.

"While we wait for Kirishima and Tetsutetsu to recover, we'll move on to the next match!" Mic shouted brightly. Bakugou and Uraraka. Finally.

"This might be the most disturbing match-up." Tsu said from behind him.

"I almost don't want to watch." Jirou added, "Poor Uraraka."

"Did you all not hear her in the classroom after the festival was announced?" Izuku turned around to say, a bit of a drawl in his voice. "She's in it to win."

"Yeah, but there's only so far determination can go." Jirou said awkwardly, rubbing her arm. "I hope she's alright by the end of it."

"Don't hope." Izuku said, "Watch." With that he turned back around and focused on the match.

"Here's the eighth and last match of the first round!" Mic announced enthusiastically, "He's got an explosive personality, and that isn't the face of a normal person!" Bakugou's expression was twisted awkwardly in what looked like disgust. "From the Hero Course, Bakugo Katsuki! Versus! She's the one I'm rooting for. From the Hero Course, it's Uraraka Ochako!" Favoritism? How unprofessionally excellent. "Eighth match, start!"

Immediately Uraraka was sprinting forward, low to the ground and swift. Some might think it was smart of her to try and tag him with her Quirk off the bat, but Izuku knew it wouldn't do much good considering Bakugou had great aerial mobility. To win, Uraraka would need to do much better than that. He only hoped she didn't disappoint the way Kirishima had.

Uraraka dove forward, only to be blasted away harshly enough that she tumbled to the ground. Rolling, Uraraka took a moment to drag herself to her feet. Another charge sent her flung back with the same force.

"Even though you're fighting a girl, you don't have any mercy, do you, Bakugou?" Tsu didn't sound scolding, just interested.

A smokescreen built up with every blast, dust thrown into the air with every attack that followed. Uraraka continued her assault, and she even manged to dodge one attack. One explosion completely missed her as Bakugou falsely attacked the jacket she'd discarded and flung in the opposite direction. A solid diversion, but a futile one. Bakugou immediately jumped back and blasted Uraraka away, even though she'd gotten closer than ever before. Though, it seemed Uraraka had another plan in the works. Interesting…

"He moved after he saw her?" Sero exclaimed.

"With that reaction time, it doesn't matter if there's a smokescreen." Kaminari said with a wince.

The explosions and charges and attacks went on relentlessly, Uraraka hitting the ground over and over as Bakugou stood in practically one place just assessing and blasting and defending. He wasn't losing any ground, but he wasn't gaining any either.

"Ochako!" Concern bled into Tsu's voice as Uraraka was thrown again, tumbling down and wincing noticeably as she stood again.

"I can't watch…" Jirou covered her eyes, sliding down in her seat. All of them were idiots.

Izuku watched with keen eyes as Bakugou fell further and further into Uraraka's trap, adding more and more ammo to her attack. If it worked, Uraraka might've found her leg up; it could be enough to win.

"Uraraka keeps attacking without rest, but… this is…" Mic sounded unnerved, which was extremely irritating. It seemed none of them were watching.

"Hey!!" Someone shouted from the crowd, voice ringing out down the stadium, "Shouldn't you stop this? Isn't he going too far?"

"Hey! How can you say you want to be a Hero like that!?" Another person screamed, "If there's such a difference in your abilities, just get it over with and send her out of bounds!"

"Oh my god, shut the fuck up." Izuku ground out between his teeth. Shinsou at his side glanced at him in confusion.

"Stop bullying and playing with the poor girl!!"

"Quit it already!!"

The crowd was screaming in anger, which was seriously starting to piss him off. Izuku didn't want to say anything that might give her away, but he was slowly approaching the point where he might scream back at them. There were very few things he hated more than assholes underestimating powerful people. Uraraka? She was powerful and deserved their respect, not their slander.

"There's booing from part of the crowd!" Mic announced like they couldn't all clearly hear the scathing comments, "But, honestly, I kind of agree– Hey!" There was a slap echoed over the speakers, and Izuku straightened with interest. "An elbow?! What was that for!?" Ah, it seemed a certain mummy had finally slapped some sense into him.

"Was that a Pro Hero saying he's playing around? How many years have you been a Pro?" Eraser's scathing voice echoed through the stadium, effectively cutting off all chatter throughout. "If you're saying that with a straight face, there's no point in you sitting and watching, so leave! Go home and look at changing careers!"

"Finally." Izuku sighed, "Someone with eyes."

"Huh?" Izuku ignored his classmates' confusion as Eraser continued.

"Bakugou is being careful because he's acknowledged the strength of his opponent who's made it this far." Eraser said, "It's because he's doing everything he can to win that he can't go easy on her or let his guard down. They're both trying their best to win, equally."

There was a pause in the battle where Uraraka stood panting on one side with Bakugou motionless on the other, staring each other down. It seemed Uraraka had something to say, and once she'd said her piece she slammed her hands together and released the debris hanging above all their heads.

"A meteor shower!?" Mic screamed, and Eraser added "You should've noticed." under his breath.

Izuku watched as Uraraka sprinted forward, seeing the determination on her face still ever-present, but she wasn't going to win. Bakugou raised a hand above his head, the other hand supporting his wrist, and though his hands shook and Bakugou's wrists were no doubt aching from overuse, Izuku knew Uraraka would lose. Somehow, that did not fill him with disappointment.

Bakugou let off his largest explosion yet, obliterating the falling rocks in one fell sweep. The power shown in that single blast was breathtaking, and the heat wafting across the stands, blowing every person's hair back with force, was exhilarating. Despite Izuku's lack of interest in Bakugou, it seemed his Quirk was capable of more than explosions. The potential there was immense, he realized.

Uraraka, of course, was blown off her feet and sent tumbling across the arena with greater momentum than ever before. She rolled several times over, sliding across the torn up concrete with grating force that told Izuku she wouldn't be getting back up from it.

"Bakugou delivers a massive explosion, blasting boldly through Uraraka's secret plan!" Mic announced in disbelief. He seemed to be holding his breath for Uraraka to try again, but she couldn't.

It was sad really, watching her stumble to her feet before collapsing again; she even attempted to crawl across the arena towards her opponent, but she lost consciousness shortly after. Still, Izuku felt no disappointment. He was… satisfied. Yes. With a nod, Izuku decided that was accurate. Satisfied.

Midnight stepped forward as Uraraka finally stilled, kneeling at her side. "Uraraka is out of commission!" She announced finally, "Bakugou advances to the second round!"

"The eighth match of the first round… is over. Poor Uraraka." Mic said, much less enthusiastic. "Oh, and Bakugou moves on to the second round."

"If you're gonna announce it, do it properly." Eraser muttered darkly.

"Now, let's pull ourselves together–"

"Watch it." Eraser warned, "Your personal feelings are irrelevant–"

"Anyway!" Mic exclaimed, "The first round is complete! Let's move on to the second round after a short break!"

"So?" Shinsou looked at Izuku, "She lost after all."

"Yes, but she showed everyone that she has more mettle than most in his class." Izuku hummed, "Uraraka has the potential to be great. With resilience and determination like hers, she'll go far." Well, if Izuku didn't kill her first.

"And what about Bakugou?"

"Powerful." Izuku grinned, "He's just as determined, and he didn't underestimate Uraraka like you all did from the get-go." Izuku looked behind him, unimpressed, at his rather sheepish classmates.

"Oi Bakugou!" Sero said suddenly, watching Bakugou stomping his way in. "That was tough huh? Playing the bad guy?"

"Even if it was because of the match-up, you played a great Villain, Bakugou." Tsu added.

"Shut up!" Bakugou growled, predictably. "Be quiet already." He slumped into a seat at the end of the row, two empty seats from Izuku and Shinsou.

"I agrew with Bakugo." Izuku said, "So shut up. Bakugou fought like anyone else would have, and he's definitely not Villain material. No point saying he is."

"Man, I'm just surprised you were able to aim such a huge blast as a frail little girl." Kaminari said, watching Bakugou pointedly. "I can't help but hold back against girls."

"Maybe if you get your head out of the clouds you'd win more." Tsu deadpanned. Kaminari made an offended noise but Izuku laughed.

"What part of her was frail?" Bakugou asked quietly, rhetorically. The others had changed their attention to Kaminari, who was whining loudly, but Izuku heard him. It made him smile a bit.

"Well, I'd better go." Izuku stood, "My match is next. Yours too, Shinsou. Remember? Since we're kind of against each other?"

"Oh, right." Shinsou shot to his feet as well.

"Good luck, both of you!" Ashido said brightly. "Shinsou, you better win! Since you knocked me out of the running."

"Uh, sure." Shinsou offered her a strained smile, "I'll do my best."

"No offense but Shinsou's doomed." Jiro muttered under her breath as he and Izuku made their way out, "Midoriya's just too powerful."

Izuku and Shinsou made their way down the halls, Izuku in the lead with Shinsou walking just barely behind him. His hands were clenched into fists, which Izuku found amusing and slightly sad. He'd completely accepted his inevitable defeat, which wouldn't do at all.

"Hey, Shinsou?" They stopped at a fork that led in opposite directions where they were meant to split up to head to their respective entrances. Izuku turned to his 'friend' and offered him a pretty smile. "Don't give up."

"What?" Shinsou blinked.

"If you go into our match looking defeated, nobody is going to be impressed." Izuku told him blandly, "If you take it seriously, treating me like any other opponent, they'll see that."

"I–" Shinsou's eyes were wide. Izuku waited patiently for him to fully process what he'd said. Fighting someone who'd already given up was no fun at all, and if Shinsou didn't get his head out of the dirt he'd disappoint Izuku even more than Kirishima had. Losing was one thing - giving up without even trying was much worse in Izuku's eyes.

"From the draw in the seventh match of the first round, Kirishima and Tetsutetsu are going at it again!" Mic's voice could be heard echoing down the hallway. "Who will come out the undesputed winner!?"

"We'd better go." Izuku sighed resignedly when Shinsou said nothing. "See you out there."

"Wait!" Izuku paused in the midst of turning away, looking back to see Shinso was pink in the face; his eyes were hard, though. "Okay."

"Okay?" Izuku raised his eyebrows.

"I'm not going to give up." Shinsou told him firmly, "You might win, actually I think that's the most likely outcome, but I'm going to try anyway."

"Excellent." Izuku grinned, "I knew you'd come around." Shinsou nodded and turned away.

"The winner of the arm-wrestling match to decide who moves on to the second round is…! Well!?" Mic was screaming even louder, "The one to win his ticket is Kirishima Eijirou! Now we've got everyone who's moving on to the second round, we can finally get this party started!" Well, it seemed Kirishima hadn't totally let him down. Even if he'd won by just the skin of his teeth, a win was a win.

With that, Izuku turned and headed down the hallway in the correct direction, gently humming in triumph. Shinsou was no longer going to be a complete plaything to beat without any effort, and Kirishima was moving on to face Bakugou in the second round.

Izuku loved when things went his way.

Chapter Text

Chapter 20

"Thanks for waiting everybody!" Mic called through the loudspeakers, "We're back from our short break and it's time for the second round! And this first match is sure to be an interesting one!"

Izuku stood across the arena square from Shinsou, smiling slightly at Shinsou's firm determination. Despite the hard expression he wore, Shinsou again had his hands in his pockets. Izuku couldn't decide if it was smart to hide his anxiety that way, or incredibly stupid because it was so much more obvious a tell to close observers.

"We have the overpowered winner in the first round! From the Hero Course, Midoriya Izuku!" Mic shouted enthusiastically, "Versus! A sneaky manipulator who almost lost in the first round! From the Hero Course, it's Shinsou Hitoshi!"

"Ready?" Shinsou called.

"As always." Izuku grinned.

"Ready? Start!"

"Didn't you say you liked my Quirk?" Shinsou asked immediately, "Didn't you say you wanted to feel it again?" That was true, but Izuku also said he was going to win.

Izuku jogged forward, remaining silent, until he was within reach of Shinsou. It'd be a shame to beat Shinsou so easily, especially considering how fun it would be to play with him a little first. After throwing a punch that Shinsou fumbled to block, Izuku swept a leg out to snag Shinsou's ankles and sent him tumbling to the ground as his feet went right out from underneath him. Shinsou hit the concrete with a curse.

"You said it felt amazing, and I bet if you just responded you'd feel the same again." Shinsou scrambled to his feet, but Izuku kicked him hard in the shoulder to send him back to the ground. "Goddamnit!"

Izuku laughed as Shinsou dragged himself up again, this time taking several wary steps backwards as he did. For a moment they just stared at each other, then Izuku charged forward and punched him square in the jaw. When Shinsou stumbled from the blow, Izuku slammed his knee into Shinso's side and shoved him.

Shinsou recovered more quickly that time, throwing his one punch that Izuku blocked with a forearm before retaliating with a blow to Shinsou's chest. He crumpled in on himself, and Izuku took the opportunity to shove him to the ground and to pin him.

Izuku straddled him for a moment before pressing one knee onto his chest, pinning Shinsou's arms above his head with one firm hand. Shinsou squirmed, but Izuku held him in place with ease. He had Shinsou completely restrained.

"Shinsou, can you move?" Midnight called.

"No." Shinsou glared up at Izuku, "I can't."

"Shinsou has been immobilized!" Midnight snapped her whip decisively. "Midoriya wins!"

"Got you." Izuku whispered, looking down at Shinsou with a smirk. Shinsou's eyes widened as he went completely still, and he stared up at Izuku as he flushed suddenly.

"Uh–" Shinsou sputtered, "I, uh, well–" Izuku laughed before sitting up and hopping off Shinsou's chest. Shinsou sat up with a dazed expression and pink cheeks.

"Come on." Izuku said with a grin, offering Shinsou a hand up. "That was good. Smart move exploiting my weakness for your Quirk like that."

"Yeah but it didn't work." Shinsou said. He let Izuku pull him up, looking away quickly when Izuku smiled at him. "Why beat me up instead of just throwing me out with your Quirk?"

"Mostly to give you a chance." Izuku shrugged, "I liked your strategy."

"Right." Shinsou said with a sigh. "Whatever. You won."

"That is very true." Izuku said, grinning. Shinsou glared at him, but it was half-hearted at best. "Alright, let's get you to Recovery Girl."

"You punch really hard." Shinsou complained sullenly as they made their way out of the arena and through the halls.

"And kick." Izuku reminded him, "But yeah, I know. I wasn't kidding when I said I've been training my entire life." Hisashi didn't mess around with his training, and even after his dad was injured by All Might he worked him to the bone to make sure Izuku was strong enough to stand on his own if he had to.

"How'd you learn so much stuff anyway?" Shinsou asked, "Did you have some kind of trainer?"

"I guess." Izuku said vaguely, shrugging. "I went to the gym, but I also trained at home. Also y'know those Hero training videos all over the internet? Those are neat. My brother watches them sometimes, but he usually just to laugh at them." One time Izuku tracked down the creator of one of the channels on HeroTube and turned her blood into flowers with a Quirk he'd collected called Bloom. He could feel blood around him when it was active, and any blood he wanted would turn to flowers - whether it was inside a person or not.

"How do you do it?" Shinsou asked with a small frown. Izuku blinked in surprise.

"Do what?"

"You're so nonchalant about, well, everything." Shinsou said, hesitant. "Does nothing faze you?"

"Meh, not usually." Izuku said, "I guess I just go with the flow, see what happens." Usually his flow had a lot more murder, but in recent months not so much. He still had the occasional Villainous excursion outside school hours, but a whole lot fewer overall.

"I wish I could do that." Shinsou sighed, "I wish I was more like you."

"There's nobody like me." Izuku laughed, "But sure, I guess you could aim to be as uncaring as me."

"You're not uncaring." Shinsou said. There was a quiet seriousness in his voice that surprised Izuku. "You care, just differently than we do. I haven't figured it out yet, but I will." Izuku had nothing to say to that.

After dropping Shinsou off at the Temporary Nurse's Office that Recovery Girl holed herself up in, Izuku headed back to the 1A booth. According to the screaming Mic was doing, Todoroki's match against Iida was starting.

Watching Todoroki's match against that Weldy guy from 1B in the first round had been absolutely breathtaking. He'd frozen the entire stadium completely solid, then melted it with little to no effort at all. Watching the Quirk inside him flicker and mix was so pretty Izuku could hardly breathe. Of course, then they had to dry the place because the melted ice left water puddles all across the arena, which was extremely boring to wait for them to dry it all, but watching Todoroki use his Quirk for even a moment was worth it.

Climbing up the stairs, Izuku saw Iida and Todoroki facing off down in the arena. His classmates were all staring at them with anticipation that was probably warranted considering they were both legacies; it would be an exciting fight. Todoroki was the son of Endeavor, and Iida was no doubt related to the Iidaten Agency. They probably both had training that would serve them well against each other. Not that Iida had been very impressive during the Battle Trails, of course.

"Oh, Midoriya!" Kirishima greeted brightly as Izuku took a seat, "Look! Iida and Todoroki! They're both super strong, I can't wait to see who'll win."

"It'll be Todoroki." Izuku grinned, "No question."

"Start!"

Immediately Todoroki shot off a line of ice across the arena, and another when Iida dodged it. He'd created a V of ice at roughly a 45° angle, trapping Iida between the ice walls. Mic was screaming about it, but Izuku tuned him out to watch as Todoroki attacked again.

Ice spread towards Iida, trapped between the ice walls, but with a great rev of his engines he jumped up and over the ice Todoroki created with fluid ease. His classmates gasped at the motion, and Izuku tilted his head with interest as Iida kicked out at Todoroki with sudden speed he hadn't had before.

Probing with Steal, Izuku found that Iida had powered up his Quirk somehow; his legs were flared blue with intensity that wasn't usually so bright to Izuku's senses, which was interesting. It sped him up quickly enough to land a kick to Todoroki's back, knocking him flat to the ground.

Iida snagged Todoroki by the back of his gym shirt and sprinted for the boundary line, but he missed a key element that was so small Izuku almost missed it too. Todoroki's ice had caught in Iida's exhaust pipe, a small trick that seems out of place compared to Todoroki's previous large-scale attacks. Izuku couldn't help the admiration that bubbled up as Iida faltered, allowing Todoroki to freeze Iida solidly up to his neck and completely immobilize him.

"Iida is immobilized!" Midnight announced, snapping her provocative whip. "Todoroki wins!"

"Todoroki advances to the next round without even showing his flames!" Mic exclaimed loudly. His enthusiasm seemed out of place considering the fact that Todoroki's flames would be an absolutely stunning addition to his arsenal if he wasn't so selfishly keeping it to himself. Ungrateful motherfucking heroling–

"You were right." Kirishima bumped his shoulder lightly; Izuku blinked at him for a moment stupidly. "About Todoroki?"

"Oh, yeah, that." Izuku grinned, "I knew he'd do it. Todoroki is amazing."

"You alright?" Kirishima asked after a moment, "You zoned out for a moment."

"All good." Izuku waved him off, "I was just thinking about my next match is all."

"Ah, because you'll be up against Todoroki." Kirishima nodded, "That'll be tough." Izuku's eyes widened, and he took a small breath before nodding.

"Yep." Izuku said, "Definitely." Oh God, he hadn't realized they'd be going against each other! Finally, Izuku was going to have the chance to utterly annihilate him. Todoroki would regret not using his beautiful flames - Izuku was going to show him exactly how utterly powerless he was without them.

"I'd better go prepare for my match." Kirishima said then, standing with a leisurely stretch. "I'm next after Shouji and Honenuki."

"Good luck against Bakugou." Izuku grinned. Bakugou had already left, considering he was nowhere to be seen.

"Thanks man!" Kirishima enthused, "I'll do my best!" With that, he bounded from the booth and disappeared down the steps.

Izuku wasn't all that interested in the next match, so he barely paid it any attention. Honenuki's Quirk was cool, but he'd probably do the exact same thing he did in his previous match which was completely uncreative. It was stupid not to show off multiple skills - Izuku beat that plant girl with his Quirk, then Shinsou with extreme ease in hand-to-hand; it was a moderate show that he had more than just his Quirk going for him. Unlike his opponents, Izuku didn't particularly care what the Heroes in the crowd thought. Izuku was showing off to his family. Back at home they were all watching, and he didn't want to disappoint.

Predictably, Honenuki won by melting the floor until Shouji was encased in it from the neck down. It made it impossible for him to use that odd arm mutation Quirk he had, which Izuku approved of. Disabling an opponent's Quirk was the easiest way to beat someone - Izuku would know, he did it all the time. Unfortunately it was boring to watch Honenuki use the exact same move twice.

When it came time for Kirishima against Bakugou, Izuku watched with a bit more interest. He wasn't sure how it would pan out. Izuku was sure it would be a match of endurance, and whoever kept their Quirk in use the longest would win. Either Kirishima's hardening reached it limit, thus allowing Bakugou to blow his ass up, or Bakugou's wrists would fail due to overuse and Kirishima would easily incapacitate him from there.

Surprisingly, Kirishima was winning for the majority of their fight. He landed several blows, even one to Bakugou's face that slice his cheek, which had Izuku grinning brightly. But even with Bakugou on the defensive, losing ground with every sidestepped blow, he seemed to be planning and thinking. He was smarter than Izuku gave him credit for, which was surprising and interesting. Eventually Kirishima reached his limit first. Immediately thereafter, Bakugou barraged him with explosions until Kirishima passed out from the relentless assault.

"Kirishima is unable to continue!" Midnight called, "Bakugou continues on to the next round!"

"With his vicious assaults, Bakugou advances to the third round!" Mic screamed, "And that gives us the final four heading into the semifinals!"

"Midoriya, aren't you next against Todoroki?" Tsu asked from her seat behind him.

"Yep." Izuku confirmed, "I'd better go then."

"Good luck!" Uraraka beamed at him.

"I wonder who'll win this one…" Jirou muttered.

"They're both super strong!" Ashido whisper-yelled to Tsu. Izuku smiled and headed out of the booth down the halls towards the arena.

Izuku was split between wanting to end the fight quickly, to prove to Todoroki how utterly worthless he was repressing his Quirk he was, and wanting to fight him for as long as possible to watch him use his Quirk. Izuku wouldn't know which he'd actually go with until he was standing across the field from Todoroki, so he just made his way down the halls with purpose.

What he definitely wasn't expecting was for Endeavor to be striding through the halls as well; Izuku nearly walked right into him as he turned a corner, and he was forced to take a step back to avoid the collision with a surprised gasp. He'd deactivated Steal earlier, which meant he hadn't sensed the Hero coming. Stupid of him, really.

"Ah, there you are." Endeavor glanced down at him, his expression unreadable. "I watched your fight. Your Quirk is extremely powerful for you to discard your first opponent so easily, and you defeated your second just as easily - even without your Quirk."

"Thanks??" Izuku wondered if his dad would be upset if he killed Endeavor. Hisashi said he couldn't kill All Might, but Izuku hadn't been expressly told Number Two was off limits…

"You're going to face my Shouto next." Endeavor said, "It is his duty to become the Number One Hero, to surpass even All Might. You are powerful, and with a Quirk like yours you might be an apt opponent for him. Please do not disgrace yourself against him." Izuku could only stare blankly up at the Hero. Endeavor then turned away, adding, "That was all I wanted to say. Sorry for bothering you right before your match."

Izuku did not know what to say as Endeavor left without another word, and remained standing in the middle of the hallway for a moment as he tried to understand what that conversation could possibly mean.

Endeavor was one of the Heroes Izuku hated most because of his disgusting need to defeat the most Villains and win the popularity contest that was the Hero Ranking system. He had a completely one-track mind, jumping in to win as many battles as possible to up his standing in society. The only reason he wasn't as bad as All Might was because he didn't bother hiding behind a fake smile; he was just an asshole and didn't pretend otherwise.

Still, Izuku watched to rip out his internal organs and burn him one body part at a time. It would be even better if Endeavor screamed instead of pretending it didn't hurt - seeing him suffer would be icing on the cake. Unfortunately, Izuku was still at school and he wasn't allowed to use any of his Quirks to murder a Pro Hero in the middle of a hallway where there were no doubt several cameras perched somewhere out of sight.

With a heavy sigh, Izuku put murder out of his mind and continued his way down the halls towards where he was supposed to be. His fight with Todoroki was starting any minute, and he'd hate to keep such a wonderfully powerful opponent waiting.

"Now we have our first match of the semifinals!" Mic shouted just as Izuku stepped out into the arena, "Both of these kids have dominated their battles thus far! From the Hero Course, it's Midoriya Izuku! Versus! Also from the Hero Course, Todoroki Shouto!"

Izuku looked across the ring at Todoroki and grinned. It wouldn't hurt to play with him a little, at least at first, Izuku decided. Bring it on, Todoroki.

"Start!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 21

Izuku looked across the ring at Todoroki and grinned. It wouldn't hurt to play with him a little, at least at first, Izuku decided. Bring it on, Todoroki.

Maybe it was stupid, but Izuku was captivated by the student across from him. Todoroki was breathtaking even with that sharp expression he wore; that stunning Quirk was his was writhing at the surface, practically begging Izuku to take it. He couldn't do that, however, especially not on live television.

"Start!"

Predictably, right out of the gate Todoroki threw a wave of ice his way. With a flick of his wrist Izuku stopped the growth in its tracks and shattered the ice into debris that flew right back at Todoroki. It was easy enough to dodge it all, so Todoroki evaded the rebound. He also formed a half wall behind himself to prevent inadvertently being thrown backwards by Izuku's Quirk. Cute, but ineffective if Izuku decided he wanted to win.

"WOW! Midoriya stopped Todoroki's attack in seconds!" Mic shrieked. Izuku didn't bother listening further as he focused on Todoroki.

Another round of ice was shot at him, but Izuku again countered it the same as before. If Todoroki was just going to stand in one place and be lame Izuku would kick his ass without hesitation. He was seriously considering it when Todoroki switched tactics.

Mic was screaming, but Izuku ignored it as Todoroki raced towards him on a sliding platform of ice, crossing the distance between them in moments. Though Izuku could've Pushed him away, he chose not to in favor of jumping backwards as Todoroki attacked from above, slamming an ice-encased fist into the ground where he'd been standing moments before. Not only that, but ice followed Izuku even as he dodged.

Freezing cold met his toes as ice caught him, encasing his foot entirely with ice. Izuku Pushed it away and sent ice flying, but Izuku's shoe went with it. The force was probably excessive as ice shards flew into the audience and caused several surprised screams, but his foot was free and he landed with only a small slide. He didn't trip, but it was a near thing with only one shoe.

Despite the force, Todoroki had frozen himself to the ground and buried himself beneath a glacier to prevent being blow away. It was beautiful how frost hung in the air around him, sun hitting the ice to make light dance around the arena.

"Impressive." Izuku called with a breathless laugh, "For ice. Fighting at half power, are we?"

"Shut up." Todoroki sent another attack, just as before, but Izuku used Pull to rip it apart and gather the ice towards him in tiny shards. He held them around him as he grinned, then shot them back at Todoroki aiming specifically for his face. See how he liked that!

Todoroki's eyes widened with panic and threw up a wall in front of him; Izuku's projectiles smashed uselessly against it. Smart, but also stupid. It meant Todoroki couldn't see him, and couldn't fight it.

"Hiding, Todoroki?" Izuku teased, "How adorably weak of you." Todoroki slid out from behind his cover and launched a wide and massive wall of ice at him. Touchy, touchy.

Izuku deflected the ice and Threw it towards the audience a bit careflessy, but he didn't care as Todoroki met his eyes harshly across the stadium.

"You're trembling." Izuku told him, gesturing to the way his right side was covered in a thin layer of frost and shuddering from the cold of it. "You're freezing yourself, right? How stupid do you have to be to refuse to use the perfect counterbalance you hold inside you? Your Quirk is perfect! Why do you hide it?!"

"Why do you care?" Todoroki scowled at him, "It's ridiculous to engage with an enemy like this."

"I want to see your fire." Izuku told him, "I want you to show me everything you have. I want to see it!"

"That's stupid." Todoroki said, narrowing his eyes. "Did my old man put you up to this? Did he pay you off or something?"

"Ew, Endeavor?" Izuku made a face, "Absolutely not. That piece of shit can burn in hell for all I care." Todoroki looked surprised at that.

"Whatever." Todoroki said firmly, "I'm going to beat you with only my ice. I will not use my old man's fire!" When he charged, it was slow and off balanced. Izuku was disappointed by it.

"You're slow." As Todoroki jumped up, Midoriya lunged forward and punched him solidly in the chest, Shoving him backwards harshly. But it seemed Todoroki hadn't completely dropped the ball, as ice spread up Izuku's arm to fully encase his left forearm.

Todoroki hit the ground hard across the arena, blown back almost all the way to the line. Izuku could've tossed him right across with his ease, but he was busy examining his frozen arm with awe. The cold on his skin was breathtaking, and he could feel remnants of Todoroki's Quirk skimming across the surface in colorful, beautiful, painful zings. He vaguely knew Todoroki was climbing to his feet across the arena, but he didn't care.

Ice was thrown at him again, but it was slow enough that Izuku just slid to the side to avoid it. His left arm was heavy from carrying the thick ice, but with how exhausted Todoroki was it wasn't even a competition. Every attack was easily countered, and Izuku punched Todoroki in the face when he got close.

The crowd screaming the longer the match went on, the slower Todoroki got, and cheered at how Izuku didn't seem to be affected by it at all. In truth, Izuku was extremely affected by it - only because Steal was swearing up a storm and begging to Take the beautiful mess that was Todoroki's unique Quirk.

"Why are you doing this?" Todoroki could barely stand when he asked it, panting and trembling. "If you can win just do it already!"

"I want to see your fire." Izuku repeated, grinning brightly at him. "You're so powerful, you know that? Imagine what it would be like to have both fire and ice combined against me!"

"I don't use my left in battle." Todoroki said stubbornly, "I will reject it completely!"

"That's fucking ridiculous!" Izuku exclaimed, "What's the matter? Too scared of your own power? You're weak."

"Shut up!"

"Look how easily I'm throwing you off?" Izuku blasted away another weak attempt at an attack. "Don't you care? Don't you want to give it your all? Everyone else is!" Todoroki stumbled over to him, but Izuku swept his feet out from under him and sent him spinning across the arena with a good Push. "Come at me with everything already! Don't you want to? Doesn't it matter to you that I'm kicking your sorry ass?!"

Todoroki climbed to his feet with exhausted, panting breaths. For a moment Izuku wondered if he'd pass out like Uraraka, dead on his feet from the beating, but he didn't. He straightened with a whole lot of effort and stood across the arena, gasping.

"I have to–" Todoroki stumbled as he tried to take a few more steps, "I will reject my old man's power! It's not mine…"

"Yes it is." Izuku disagreed vehemently, "The Quirk belongs to you," —for now— "and that means you can use it to its full potential whenever and however you want. Imagine the ease you could defeat your enemies with that power, using both sides of your beautiful Quirk to take them down and utterly ruin them? You are breathtaking Todoroki, can't you see your own potential fervent sitting right there inside you? Make up your mind, do you want to win or not!?"

There was a moment where Todoroki merely stared at him in disbelief, those beautiful contrasting eyes staring right into his with intensity that took Izuku's breath away. A moment later Izuku's vision was consumed by fire, flames exploding out of Todoroki, swirling above him like a tornado with him as the eye of the storm. Izuku was utterly transfixed by it.

The fire wasn't just red - the flames dancing across the field were orange and yellow, bright and dim, smaller flames licking across the ground while great shoots of fire bounded upwards and sent scathing heat wafting across the entire stadium and up into the stands. The pressure on Izuku's skin, sending painful shudders across his whole body, was immense and powerful and everything he could've hoped for.

Todoroki appeared then between the flames, the Quirk exhaustion nowhere to be seen, flames consuming his left with the frozen exhaustion and frosted crystals melting off his arm to soothe the trembling. It was utter perfection.

"Even though you want to win…" Todoroki's voice carried between the flame and frost in the air, "Damn it. Helping the enemy… You're crazy."

"Crazy for you." Izuku couldn't help but say, and Todoroki laughed in disbelief. Everyone was yelling, but Mic's announcements, the crowds shrieked and even Endeavor's voice faded away compared to Todoroki's massive presence. Neither of them paid it any attention.

"Don't blame me for what happens next. I want to win." Todoroki said, "Thanks, Midoriya." Izuku knew then that he was going to lose.

"No," Izuku shook his head, "Thank you."

He watched in awe as ice poured from Todoroki's right side as flames lept from his left even higher, and Izuku didn't even try to move as Todoroki held up a searing red hot palm, superheating the frozen air. For a moment nothing happened, then the arena exploded.

Izuku didn't even have time to be afraid before he was blasted with the full force of Todoroki's Quirk; the resulting shockwave from the temperature change was so forceful Izuku was blown off his feet. He was freezing cold then boiling hot at the same time, consuming him with dizzying need. His fingertips were cold but his arms were hot, his chest caving in with the force of it all. Izuku was so focused on the fact that he could finally feel both parts of Todoroki's Quirk that he didn't have time to catch himself before he slammed into the concrete wall of the stadium at full force.

Despite the wonderful feeling of Todoroki's Quirk, Izuku still needed air; he choked as the breath in his lungs was completely knocked out of him. It should have been uncomfortable, but all Izuku could focus on was the hot and the cold. Todoroki was finally using both of them, together, and Izuku's fickle imaginations didn't even remotely compare to how amazing the real experience was. Izuku wanted it – needed it.

As the blast ended, Izuku could finally breathe again. He dropped his head against the wall behind him in exhaustion, and found for the first time in years he was utterly drained from the fight. His head was killing him, as was his back. Worth it.

"Midoriya is out of bounds!" Midnight declared, waving her whip, "Todoroki wins, continuing to the next round!"

Izuku sat up a little to smile at Todoroki, who looked even more exhausted than Izuku was. His shirt had burned off on the left side and he was panting harshly, not to mention the way his hands were shaking. The perfect homeostasis in his body could stave off Quirk exhaustion through constant temperature regulation, but physical exhaustion was very clearly overtaking Todoroki. Still, he'd well and truly won. Izuku lost. Even so, he didn't mind losing to Todoroki - not even a little bit.

Todoroki bent over to lean his palms on his knees, gasping for breath. Izuku wobbled to his feet, ignoring the throbbing in his head and lower back where he struck the wall, and limped over to where Todoroki was slowly straightening. The ground beneath his one bare foot was uncomfortably and wonderfully warm. Todoroki was glaring at Izuku, but only lightly.

"You could've grounded yourself." Todoroki accused breathlessly, scowling. Together they limped across the field towards the exit.

"Probably." Izuku admitted with a tired smile, "But you surprised me. I didn't have any time to think at all, let alone actually grounding myself. You won, congratulations."

"Thanks." Todoroki stopped as they reached the hallways, no longer in view of the field. Izuku paused, waiting. He didn't know exactly what he was waiting for until Todoroki looked down at his left hand with a blank look. Izuku frowned, then reached out to place his hand over Todoroki's, clasping their hands together.

Todoroki's fire hand was warm. Izuku had only ever experienced the touch of his icy hand, but this was just as nice. Izuku wondered if Todoroki would burn him if he asked, just so he could feel the searing heat of such an amazing Quirk. Maybe not, but Izuku wanted to be ravaged by it. Damaged. Frostbite and burns so he could feel it in his every move.

"I don't know why you hate your Quirk, or your fire specifically, but it's yours." Izuku said firmly. Todoroki lifted his gaze and stared at Izuku with wide eyes, filled with both pain and surprise. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

"Really?" Todoroki looked so confused but so interested, Izuku could've laughed.

"Yes." Izuku confirmed. They were standing so close together that Izuku could feel Todoroki's breath on his skin. It was exactly as he'd always imagined.

His breath was icy cold, and it brushed against Izuku's cheek like the softest wind of the coldest winter. It enraptured Izuku completely, the frost calling to him and making his Quirk practically cry with need. Beautiful.

"You know Endeavor's my old man." Todoroki said, surprising Izuku out of his stupor. Todoroki looked down at their clasped hands with a little frown. "He has this strong desire to rise up in the world, and he used crushing force to make a name for himself. But he couldn't surpass All Might himself, no matter what he did, so he changed tactics." Todoroki looked back up at him, wary. "Have you heard of Quirk marriages?"

"Of course." Izuku tilted his head, "Two people get married, usually with a contract or something, choosing partners based on an attempt to produce children with the goal to create even more powerful Quirks."

"Yeah. As a high ranking Hero, my old man won over my mother's relatives and got a hold of my mother's Quirk because he had many accomplishments and lots of money." Todoroki's hand clenched in Izuku's, squeezing his fingers as he scowled. "He's raising me to surpass All Might in a way he never could, and a long time ago I promised myself I'd never become a tool for his agenda. I wanted to prove I could be a Hero without his Quirk, using only my ice."

"It's not his Quirk, though." Izuku told him, "Your fire is just as much yours as your ice is. Genetically, nobody can pass on their exact Quirk. There's always variation of some kind. Your Quirk is a marvel, Todoroki, and Endeavor is a pompous asshole who doesn't deserve a second of your time." Todoroki said nothing for a moment.

Izuku wondered what Todoroki would do if Izuku just killed Endeavor. Or, an anonymous Villain did one day. Izuku could leave his body somewhere for everyone to see, or dispose of it so the Number Two Hero simply vanished out of the blue without any clue as to where he'd gone. Both were exciting ideas.

"You really believe that." Todoroki looked at him searchingly, "Why?"

"Because your Quirk is the most captivating thing I've ever seen." Izuku said honestly, "The way you wield it is stunning, you know. If you master your fire the way you have your ice… you'll be unstoppable."

"I see." Todoroki nodded slowly. "Thank you for your help, Midoriya."

"Of course." Izuku smiled. They both said nothing for a moment, but when Todoroki looked back down at their hands a strand of red hair fell over his eyes.

Izuku couldn't help the way he reached up to touch Todoroki's red hair with his free hand. Todoroki stiffened, going completely still as Izuku gently toyed with the tips of his hair. It was soft, though honestly Izuku didn't know what he'd been expecting. Despite having no expectations, Izuku found himself surprised. Maybe he was imagining it, but even Todoroki's hair seemed temperature affected.

As red strands fell through Izuku's fingertips, he felt wisps of heat kiss his hand where it touched his skin. Izuku wondered if Todoroki's white hair would be cold, perhaps his fingers would go slowly numb; he imagined his breath would catch if he felt both at the same time, intertwining hot and cold to feel it all at once, a perfect temperature balance he could have all to himself with–

"Midoriya." Izuku's hand fell away as Todoroki caught his attention. Steal had started creeping up on him, and Izuku snatched it back to smother it as quickly as he could. "We should visit Recovery Girl. You struck your head."

"Right, of course." Izuku said hurriedly. He released Todoroki's hand and stepped back for some distance to calm his racing heart. Izuku hadn't even noticed how badly he'd been affected, too focused on Todoroki to notice himself.

Izuku's mind tumbled in circles as he walked with Todoroki down the halls, wondering for the first time if he liked Todoroki's Quirk or Todoroki himself. It seemed their fight was more significant than Izuku predicted it would be. Much more.

Chapter Text

Chapter 22

Izuku did not expect to be assaulted just after he arrived at the Temporary Nurse's Office, but then again he probably should've. His entourage couldn't be avoided, it would seem; though he was annoyed, it pleased him to know they were caught in his web, falling in line without Izuku having to lift a finger.

"Wow Midoriya, that match was intense!" Kirishima enthused. He hopped up onto the bed in which Izuku had been told to sit on, grinning widely as he unexpectedly pulled Izuku into a hug. "We were worried!" Izuku was too stunned to move, Steal bubbling at the surface as he felt strong arms wrap around his shoulders.

"Get off him." Shinsou grabbed Kirishima's arm to pull him back, and Kirishima let him despite the fact that he would absolutely win any fight with Shinsou involving strength.

"We were sure you'd win." Kirishima told him, brushing off Shinsou's glare. "It was so surprising when Todoroki blew up like that! So manly."

"You threw the match." Shinsou said, narrowing his eyes at Izuku. Kirishima blinked at that, confusion marring his face.

"Yes." Izuku agreed.

"Why?" His eyes burned, that captivating fire lit in his gaze with what Izuku saw as anger. Interesting…

"Because I wanted to see his fire." Izuku answered evenly, "I didn't care if I won or lost, I just wanted to see his fire. More than anything."

"It was pretty cool, wasn't it?" Kirishima said brightly, "That's so manly of you! Throwing the match so Todoroki could show off his Quirk like that."

"It's beautiful isn't it?" Izuku tried and failed not to sound dreamy as he said it. Shinsou frowned.

"You think it's beautiful?"

"So beautiful." Izuku answered immediately, grinning. "You have to agree, he's powerful." Shinsou's face twisted unhappily, but Kirishima laughed.

"He's definitely strong!" Kirishima agreed, "I can't wait to see him go against his next opponent."

"Oh, who is that anyway?" Izuku had forgotten about that.

"Either Bakugou or Honenuki." Kirishima relayed, "Their fight can't start until they've melted all of Todoroki's ice again, plus rebuilding the arena he destroyed." That made Izuku smile.

"Awesome, maybe I'll get to watch the match." Izuku hummed, "Recovery Girl healed me because apparently I had a concussion" - Todoroki was so cool for that, honestly - "but I'm fine now. She said to rest, but I've never been a very good listener."

"Yeah, we know." Shinsou said dryly, arms crossed. Izuku just grinned.

"Let's go then!" Kirishima hopped off the bed, beckoning Izuku to follow. Rolling his eyes, he did so.

"Oh." As soon as Izuku stood one of his feet met the freezing tile of the Nurse's Office rather uncomfortably. "D'you think anyone has my shoe?"

"Not that I've seen." Kirishima said, wearing a tiny frown. "Ah man, that sucks."

"Whatever." Izuku sighed. Tomura was so going to make fun of him later. "Let's go, before we miss the match."

Izuku was escorted back to the 1A booth by Kirishima and Shinsou, one enthusiastic and the other scowling. Though their expressions were vastly different, they walked side by side like it was no problem. Kirishima was too bright for Shinsou to ignore, and likewise Shinsou sulked enough that Kirishima felt obligated to brighten him up. It was a lovely symbiotic relationship Izuku looked forward to ripping apart.

"Midoriya!" The moment he stepped into the booth, Izuku was once again assaulted by classmates.

"That was one hell of a battle!"

"I'm surprised you lost, honestly."

"You threw that match, I bet you did!"

"Are you alright? You hit that wall pretty hard…"

"Guys, guys." Izuku placated, shushing them slightly. "I'm fine. I just had a mild concussion that Recovery Girl healed easily, that's all." It was cute they cared so much for a Villain in disguise.

"I can't believe you lost." Ashido was looking at with huge eyes, "We thought you'd win for sure!"

"I'm not convinced Todoroki actually beat him." Jirou said, raising an eyebrow at Izuku. "You lost on purpose."

"Why would he do that?" Uraraka asked, frowning.

"Have you ever seen Todoroki use his fire? Ever?" Jirou gave her classmates a look, to which they all paused. "Obviously Midoriya was toying with him to get Todoroki mad enough he'd use his fire."

"Ooohh." Uraraka grinned, "Cool! Sabotaging yourself to help someone else."

"Sorta." Izuku shrugged. "Anyway, I really want to watch Bakugou absolutely destroy that 1B kid."

"Honenuki?" Tsu tilted her head, "What makes you think Bakugou will beat him?"

"Honenuki is boring, using the same move over and over because it's rather effective." Izuku took a seat next to Yaoyorozu, Shinsou immediately sitting on his other side. "Bakugou, on the other hand, adapts when he's challenged and has the power to back up his stellar reflexes. There's only one obvious winner." Once again, Izuku thought it was such a waste. He'd be so much freer if he were a Villain.

"That's a well thought out prediction." Yaoyorozu nodded to him, "It makes sense." She seemed tense - probably because Honenuki had kicked her sorry ass in moments.

"Onto the last battle of the semifinals!!" Mic's shrieking voice rang out suddenly, "It's the recommendation student, Honenuki Juzo! Versus! The guy blasting through the competition, Bakugou Katsuki!"

Izuku leaned forward to better see over the half wall, peering down at the rebuilt area. Todoroki had melted the chalk outline and cracked the concrete, which Izuku thought was amazing. Imagine the potential Izuku could have if only he Stole it… raging fire and flawless ice running through his veins and rushing from his fingertips—

"Were you unable to locate your lost shoe?" Yaoyorozu called his attention, gesturing to his feet.

"Yeah." Izuku sighed, "It probably burned up, honestly."

"Ah, I see." Yaoyorozu stared down at his shoes intently; Izuku watched her with curious eyes until pink sparks surrounded her forearm. "There you go." She handed him a shoe, a perfect pair for the one he still had. For a moment Izuku could only stare before accepting it.

"Thanks." Izuku grinned at her, hoping he didn't look as he felt. Suddenly he wondered what it would be like to have her Quirk. Ultimate power to Create whatever he wanted… the downside of using his lipids and risking collapse wasn't very attractive, but if he ended up killing her it wouldn't be such a bad idea to Steal it before the life left her dark eyes.

"Start!"

The fight between Bakugou and Honenuki began immediately, the 1B kid quickly shoving his hands to the ground. The concrete warped and shuddered, racing towards Bakugou to suck him under. Bakugo responded by flying across the area, explosions powering his leaping move with ringing force.

Bakugou made to blast Honenuki into oblivion, but Honenuki dove into the liquid concrete and disappeared completely. Bakugo landed on the small patch of unaffected concrete, scanning the ground with narrowed, focused eyes.

"Honenuki has melted the ground and phased underneath the arena!!" Mic exclaimed, "Is that even allowed?!"

"It's fine unless he leaves the arena bounds!" Midnight called decisively.

"How would we even know if he did!?" Midnight completely ignored the question, which made Izuku smile.

Honenuki reappeared on the other side, just his head peeking above the concrete with that skull-like face of his. It was curious… Izuku wondered what would happen if he Stole the boy's Quirk. Would his face cave in on itself? When his teeth fall out, leaving a gaping hole in its wake with only his gums and lifeless tongue intact? Would his sharp eyes roll back and detach, emptying his head of its gorey contents?

Wow, Izuku really needed to go on a murder spree or something - he was thinking about murdering his classmates every other minute and his Dad would ground him for life if he killed a classmate on live television. No murder at school. All he had to do was wait until it ended, then go murder a few people to get it out of his system.

Meanwhile, Bakugou cupped his hands and let off a long range explosion that traveled with billowing sparks and swirling smoke across the arena until it reached Honenuki, who shrieked and dove back under. Briefly Izuku wondered if he could breathe under there. It'd be pretty fun if he drowned himself in his own sludge by accident while hiding from Bakugou.

"Honenuki easily evades Bakugou's attack!" Mic shouted, "Can he keep it up!?" The answer to that became abundantly clear when the 1B kid reappeared.

Honenuki rose completely out of the ground, goop sliding off his skin as he did. He solidified the ground, though he looked extremely unnerved as he did. Bakugou grinned at that, charging across the arena a bit ferally. Honenuki lunged to the side as Bakugou threw explosions at him, but failed to dodge completely as Bakugou rotated halfway at the last second to blast him in the side.

Spinning to the ground with a groan, Honenuki dragged himself to his feet and was immediately on the defensive as Bakugou advanced. From then on it grew rather dull.

Honenuki would go under; Bakugou would wait; when Honenuki popped up again Bakugou attacked; it was the same song and dance for perhaps ten minutes of Bakugou remaining level-headed and excited while Honenuki slowly lost steam. Bakugou finally beat him with an explosion to the side of the head, knocking him out while simultaneously shoving him out of bounds. It was rather pitiful how Honenuki rolled across the ground, limp and weak. He fought, but his loss was inevitable. How boring.

"Honenuki is out of bounds!" Midnight snapped her sexual torture weapon, "Bakugou moves on!"

"After that rough battle, Bakugou wins!!" Mic shouted, audibly excited. "With that we have our finalists! The final match will be between Bakugou and Todoroki!"

"You were right." Shinsou sighed, "Bakugou won."

"Of course he did." Izuku grinned, "Class A always has been and always will be better than Class B." It was simple really, they split up the classes depending on how dangerous or versatile they were; Class A always had the bigger and better Quirks.

"That's mean, Midoriya." Kirishima chided, though he was smiling. "Some of those 1B students are really cool!"

"I'll believe it when I see it." Izuku said dryly.

"I wonder who will win in the last match." Sero pondered from behind them.

"Obviously it'll be Todoroki!" Kaminari enthused, "Did you see him blow up Midoriya? He's unbeatable!"

"I agree with that assessment." Izuku nodded, grinning. "I'd say Todoroki for sure. Only if he uses his fire, though."

"Why?" Kaminari asked, head tilted in confusion.

"Because Bakugou's Quirk easily counters Todoroki's ice. It's the same thing that happened with me; Todoroki cannot win with his ice alone." Izuku said. He turned back to the arena, pensive. "I hope he uses it."

"You just want to see him use his fire again." Shinsou grumbled. It made Izuku laugh.

"That's part of it." Izuku confirmed, "Though, also I think Bakugou needs to be knocked down a peg or five."

"That's coming from you?" Shinsou raised an eyebrow. "You're the mirror image of arrogant confidence."

"Hm, and yet I lost." Izuku smiled, "Maybe Bakugou needs to lose too."

"I don't think that's how it works."

"It is now." Izuku grinned teasingly, leaning in close to Shinsou. He flushed, though he scowled too.

"Fine." Shinsou huffed, red as he turned away. "Whatever you say."

"I love it when you agree with me." Izuku pulled away with a delicate laugh. Shinsou sighed, but did not look as irritable as he had been not two seconds prior. Excellent.

"I agree with Midoriya's assessment of the match." Tsu said then, "Todoroki could win if he uses his fire - Bakugou will blow up his ice and use it against him, but he can't do that with fire."

"Y'know, that makes sense." Kaminari nodded, "When Midoriya said the same thing it sounded like blatant bias towards Todoroki, but now you said it I totally believe you."

"Your belittling opinion of me is offensive." Izuku deadpanned, "I'm fatally wounded by this." Kirishima laughed while Shinsou cracked a smile.

"You'll survive." Kaminari grinned at him easily, "You want to see Todoroki's match before you die!"

"You make a compelling argument." Izuku pretended to think it over. "Very well, I'll forgive the slander in favor of watching Bakugou get his ass burned to a crisp."

The chatter around Izuku continued, but he tuned it out as he activated Steal to probe around the stadium. At first it was a mess all in his head, so many Quirks blasting from enthusiastic visitors in the stands, but he closed his eyes and searched for Todoroki. It wasn't difficult - he shone like a diamond in a sea of bland dirt and stone.

Todoroki was in a waiting room, but for some reason Bakugou was with him. It made Izuku frown. If Bakugou threatened Todoroki or somehow bullied him into not using his flames, Izuku might just kill him for it. Nobody was allowed to threaten Todoroki and live - only Izuku could do that.

As Mic called the finals were about to begin, Izuku reeled Steal back in and focused, opening his eyes to look down at the arena.

He couldn't wait to see what the final match offered.

Chapter Text

Chapter 23

The crowd was screaming all around the stadium, but Izuku was silent as he watched the ring. His classmates were unusually quiet too, anticipatory and probably a bit scared to watch their two 'strongest' classmates go head to head.

"And now it's finally the last battle of the UA's First Year Sports Festival!" Mic announced enthusiastically, "The top of the first years will be decided with this final match!! From the Hero Course, Todoroki Shouto! Versus! Also from the Hero Course, Bakugou Katsuki!"

As the two students made their way into the area, standing on opposite sides of the chalked square, Izuku couldn't help but smile. Bakugou was grinning with rabid fervor, Todoroki completely blank across from him. Todoroki looked contemplative, funnily enough. Izuku wondered what was on his mind, and if he'd be able to focus enough to give Bakugou the beating he deserved.

"Now, start!"

Disappointingly, Todoroki started the match by driving his hands into the ground and forming a large glacier that consumed half the stadium in mere seconds, freezing power appearing so suddenly. Frost hung in the air and Izuku felt chilled. It was thrilling, despite the disappointment he felt.

"Todoroki gets a blow in out of the gate!" Mic yelled, stating the fucking obvious. "Is he trying to avoid close combat with Bakugou!? Is the match decided so quickly?!"

"Mic is a fucking idiot." Izuku muttered.

"That we agree on." Shinsou nodded.

"What…" Uraraka frowned, "What's that sound…?"

"That's Bakugou." Tsu answered, but she didn't even need to because the ice started vibrating and cracking from the inside.

The explosions continued until the glacier exploded, Bakugou appearing in a red hot crater in the maze of ice, steam rising from both his hands and the ground around him. Todoroki jumped backwards, sliding a little as shards of crystalline ice scattered the arena.

"Did Bakugou just drill his way through the ice using just explosions?" Sero exclaimed; for some reason he sounded astonished.

"That's… weird." Kaminari, though he didn't seem surprised, did look mildly unnerved. What was it with this class always underestimating people? Bakugou was a very skilled Heroling.

Izuku turned back to the fight with narrowed eyes, watching as Bakugou lunged for Todoroki. Todoroki, the idiot, reached forward with his right side and left his left completely unguarded. Bakugou vaulted over him, grasping his left shoulder and using momentum powered by explosions to full-on launch Todoroki across the arena.

Todoroki, tumbling slightly, grasped at the ground to form an ice wall that he slid across in a U-turn to avoid the edge and turn back towards Bakugou. It was breathtaking the way he wielded his ice, though it wouldn't be enough. Izuku wouldn't be surprised if Todoroki knew that too.

Instead of stopping, Todoroki rode the ice in a full circle around Bakugou, trapping him inside like an icy tornado of shards and freezing edges. Bakugou tried the same move, grabbing for Todoroki's undefended left side, but this time it didn't work. Todoroki shot out with his left and grabbed him, flinging him by the arm across the arena a moment later. Despite the successful counter, the action made Izuku frown.

He had the perfect opening to burn Bakugou into a crisp, so why hadn't he? Why did he hesitate? Izuku's hands clenched into fists, bunching the fabric of his gym pants. Shinsou at his side looked at him in concern, but it didn't matter as Izuku gave all his attention to Todoroki.

"By the way Bakugou grabbed Todoroki's left side purposefully with well timed explosions, you can tell he's done his research." Eraserhead, who apparently only ever chimed in when he was defending Bakugou, said through the speakers. "That kid's abilities shine every time he fights."

"I see." Mic did not sound enthusiastic, probably because he didn't like Bakugou ever since he beat Uraraka. Stupid of the Hero, honestly. Talent, even if the hands of idiots, should always be recognised.

Izuku watched closely as Todoroki slid after throwing Bakugou, standing with half his body trembling from the effort of using just his right. Why was he repressing it? Why was he hiding such a marvel? How fucking dare he?

"Todoroki's moving well too, but his attacks are simple." Eraserhead continued blandly, "It seems he's lost his touch since fighting Midoriya."

"No he hasn't!" Izuku stood then, stepping forward to shout out from the half wall, "If anything, Todoroki is stronger now than he's ever been!"

"Midoriya!" Izuku ignored Shinsou completely, eyes focused only on Todoroki down on the field.

Bakugou was flying, launching into the air in exploding spirals, covering himself in smoke and swirling blasts until he was a tornado raging in the arena headed straight for his opponent. Todoroki was just standing completely still, seemingly frozen as if his Quirk had consumed him.

"Todoroki!" Izuku screamed, desperately trying to reach the person he wanted more than anything to see win, "Show them what you can do! Show them like you showed me!"

For a moment Izuku didn't know if it would be enough. For a moment Izuku thought Todoroki would give up and lose, if only to spite the father he hated so much. It wasn't fair. Todoroki should know his worth! Todoroki shouldn't hide away that special Quirk and let it writhe uselessly beneath his skin. Izuku, once he had it, could show Todoroki the wonders of fire and ice and flame and frost and everything his perfect Quirk could offer a user willing to give everything they have to demolish any opponent thrown their way. Then that doubtful moment ended.

Todoroki exploded into flame, becoming his own living tornado but writhed in fire instead of smoke. People were screaming and the heat was scalding; Izuku clutched the railing as he leaned out, reaching both with his eyes and his Quirk to see what they would do.

The two forces collided, momentum shoving in both directions with nowhere to go - smoke consumed everything they could see mixed with flames that singed the crowd as it swirled. They'd created a storm, the two boys at the eye of it. Izuku couldn't see them anymore, but he could feel them.

Steal showed him the colorful battle hidden by the smoke - he could see Bakugou's hands like poprocks sparking as he moved, throwing Explosions everywhere he could reach - he could see Todoroki, ice pouring out to keep him cool while fire was thrown at Bakugou in waves that burned everything it touched - he watched as they danced in a battle wreathed in flame and frost and smoke.

Bakugou's orange and red blasted through arena, jumping around as he dodged Todoroki's lovely red and blue flashing offensively and aggressively. Their Quirks clashed so beautifully, Izuku was captivated by the colors and mixed flares. Mic was screaming for Midnight to stop the fight, but she couldn't - nobody could see what was going on apart from Izuku.

He was the only one that saw the moment Todoroki won. Izuku laughed, grinning down at the field no one could see. He probably looked insane, but he didn't care.

"The smoke is clearing!" Mic shrieked, "Who won!? Is the fight finally over!?"

When the smoke thinned, the thing they could see first was Todoroki standing in the middle of the arena, upright even as he gasped for breath. His breaths came out like frost on a winter's morning, steaming licks of flame ghosting across his left side and mingling in his hair. He was beautiful in his triumph.

Bakugou was at his feet, unconscious with blood running down the side of his head with his clothes scorched and skin dusted with black ash of smoke and soot. The smoke cleared completely, showing off a decimated arena and an undisputed winner. And it wasn't Bakugou.

"As the dust settles…!" Mic's voice was a metaphorical drumroll for Midnight's following announcement.

"Bakugou is unable to continue!" She said, "Todoroki is the winner!"

"We have a winner!!" Mic shrieked, so loud the speakers seemed to quake as all the TV screens showed Todoroki's picture. "The winner of the First Year UA Sports Festival is Todoroki Shouto!"

Izuku beamed down at the arena, borderline euphoria bubbling up with admiration and need. Todoroki looked up then, exhausted but proud, impossibly meeting Izuku's eyes even with such a distance between them. His gray eye seemed to burn in a way it never had, the blue the color of his powerful glaciers. Though separate, the two halves were briefly one whole as he stood over Bakugou's prone form.

Izuku had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Wow." It was then that he remembered he had nearly his entire class behind him. He turned in surprise to see his class was watching Todoroki with amazement as well - it was nowhere near as honest as Izuku's, they hadn't seen the true battle behind the smoke like he had.

"He did it." Kirishima was the first to speak, "He did it!"

"Man, I wish we could've seen how he won." Sero sighed.

"Did you see all that smoke??" Kaminari exclaimed, "That was so intense!"

"Todoroki used his flames to win." Tsu nodded, seemingly to herself.

Izuku blew out a breath, dizzy from how he seemed to have forgotten to breathe in the minutes Todoroki had showed off the beauty of his stunning Quirk. Izuku couldn't even imagine the possibilities it could hold if he had it…

Shaking his head to brush off the temptation to Steal Todoroki's Quirk, even though it was fucking perfect, he plopped back down in his seat between Yaoyorozu and Shinsou. His head was spinning, but the ache in his chest and the pleased murmurs of Steal eased the dizziness.

"You encouraged him." Shinsou said quietly. Izuku looked over at him, still quite dazed, and smiled.

"Yes."

"... Why?" Shinsou's voice was unusually small, but Izuku couldn't focus enough to think of a reason as to why.

"I encouraged you too, didn't I?" Izuku replied, trying for nonchalance. "And Kirishima."

"This was different." Shinsou frowned, "You… you hated the idea of seeing Todoroki lose."

"Of course." Izuku raised an eyebrow, "He's powerful." Shinsou opened his mouth to continue, but another Ectoplasm clone stepped into the booth and caught their attention.

"Midoriya, I'm here to collect you." He said, voice deep.

"Why?"

"You placed on the podium." Ectoplasm reminded him, "Third place, tied with Honenuki of Class B."

"Oh yeah." Izuku blinked, "Right. Coming." Shinsou looked quite unhappy at his departure, but Izuku pretended not to notice as he followed the clone.

Izuku was escorted down many hallways and several large stairways until they seemed to reach a level below the stadium. He could hear the stamping of feet, the smothered sound of cheering voices, and fireworks going off in the distance; he deduced they were directly below the arena.

Ectoplasm led Izuku to a large space with three squares on the ground all in a row. As Izuku was looking around the empty room with three other doors, three more Ectoplasms entered the room, one per door, escorting their own podium-worthy students.

"Todoroki!" Izuku exclaimed, completely ignoring both Bakugou and Honenuki. He stepped forward and took Todoroki's hand, despite the way mismatched eyes went round at the contact. "That was amazing. You're going to be so powerful once you perfect using them in tandem." Well, only if Izuku let him keep it long enough, that is.

"Oh." Todoroki looked down at their hands. Izuku was gently holding Todoroki's left hand, warm and steady. "Thanks." He smiled, though it was such a small thing it seemed little more than a small twitch of his lips. Still, it made Izuku grin.

"Alright." The three Ectoplasms spoke in unison, surprising Izuku a little. Why not simply disperse two of them and leave only one? Was there a constraint to Ectoplasm's Quirk he didn't know about? Or was it simply for dramatic effect? "Line up."

Izuku squeezed Todoroki's hand, soaking up as much of that precious warmth he could, then let go to compliantly follow Ectoplasm's instructions. They were in a row, Bakugou on one end with Honenuki on the other, Todoroki in the middle. Izuku was placed next to Honenuki, so they shared a square to stand on.

"When Midnight gives the signal, Cementoss will raise the platforms." The Ectoplasms said ominously, "Do not move from your positions." With that they swept from the room, leaving the four students alone. They didn't have to awkwardly stand in silence for very long, though, because it was barely a minute later that the squares they stood on trembled in place.

Izuku looked up to see the concrete ceiling had opened up enough to let them through, Todoroki rising the highest with Bakugo a little lower to his right and Izuku with Honenuki on the lowest platform on his left. Todoroki was in the center, and on the highest platform, because he'd won first place. Steal bubbled up as Izuku's thoughts wandered back to what it would be like to own such a marvelous Quirk, but Izuku smothered it as All Might fell from the fucking sky.

Apparently he'd interrupted Midnight or something, but Izuku hadn't been paying close enough attention to catch whatever it was. Unfortunately All Might had his full attention when he stepped forward to hand out the metals.

"Young Honenuki." All Might stepped forward, holding out a bronze medal. "Congratulations on third place."

"Thank you, All Might." Honenuki accepted the medal, allowing the Hero to place it around his neck.

"There is more to Heroics than powerful Quirks." All Might told him then, squeezing his shoulder with a wide grin. "Evaluate yourself and grow better through these experiences." When Honenuki nodded, All Might grabbed the other bronze medal and stepped up to Izuku.

"Congratulations, Young Midoriya." He held out the medal to place around his neck, but Izuku simply held out a hand and looked at him with a completely blank face until the Hero got the hint and dropped it into his waiting palm with a sigh. "You fought well–"

"Fuck you." Izuku said, quiet and completely docile. Anyone who couldn't hear him might think he was thanking the Hero - that wasn't even close to the truth. "Get on with it." All Might sighed with a small wince and just stepped back to take the second place medal to Bakugou.

He didn't pay much attention after that, looking down at the bronze medal he had in hand with mild indecision until suddenly he was grinning widely. All Might himself had just handed the son of All For One a medal proving he was one of the best little Herolings at UA without even knowing it. Now isn't that precious?

When the cameras flew up to their faces, paparazzi flashes catching their every move, Izuku smirked at the cameras and waved to them with his bronze medal in hand for all to see. He hoped his family was watching, no doubt they were as amused as Izuku was; Tomura was probably laughing his ass off.

Izuku was released shortly after the ceremony after the class checked in with Eraserhead briefly, complimenting them tiredly for their efforts and congratulating his three podium students. Izuku was happy when he was finally released, breathing in free air as he hopped on a train back to the apartment.

Well, at least Izuku could go on a murder spree for the next two days he had off of school. There was an excellent neighborhood filled with criminals and Villains that Tsukauchi would probably love being dropped off on his doorstep… Izuku smiled.

What a day.

Chapter Text

Chapter 24

Izuku spun out of the way of a vine that shot towards him at high speed, laughing as he evaded and Blinked to stand directly behind the innocent civilian. Another victim for his bloodbathed night out.

"I might've let you live, you know." Izuku grabbed both his wrists from behind, Whiteout blinding the poor guy completely. "But you were out past midnight, and I can never pass up a good Quirk like yours."

"B-But my Quirk isn't anything special!" The guy twisted in Izuku's hold uselessly, "I'm nobody! Please–"

"I've killed three other 'nobodies' tonight." Izuku smiled as the guy shuddered with a small sob. "None of them had Quirks worth Stealing, but yours… I think it will suit one of my other Quirks quite nicely. Tell me… what's it called?"

"Herbology." The guy said, trembling in fear. "I can control any plant around me, e-even in I can't see it." Izuku hummed happily. He eyed the plant sitting on a windowsill across the street, small tendrils of vine creeping down the side of the building with tiny, useless movements. A poor attempt really - it made Izuku grin.

Steal lashed out, ripping the Quirk from its worthless user who didn't deserve such a Quirk to soak into Izuku with effortless eloquence. The euphoria had Izuku giggling as the civilian started crying in earnest, sagging slightly at the loss of the only thing that made him somewhat special.

It tasted sharp on his tongue, rose thorns running down his throat. His palms wrapped in vines of a hundred plants with perfect control at his fingertips. His skin crawled with leaves brushing his skin with dirt under his nails. It smelled of petrichor.

"I bet you used it for gardening." Izuku murmured, grinning wildly. "You probably named it Herbology to symbolize how you used it with such docility, not knowing the true power in it. Earlier you threw a vine at me from that trellis over there, which was the only thing that was slightly impressive this whole time, but I bet you never thought to rip it from the ground and make it crawl to your feet so it writhed, ordering it to grow so large it could be a weapon of power greater than your small mind could ever comprehend."

The Quirk sat happily in Izuku chest with the others, a soft brown with occasional pops of color representative of its versatility with all forms of plantlife. How wonderful.

Izuku released the civilian and kicked him squarely in his lower back, knocking him to the ground with force that broke the hands he threw out to save himself. He screamed, a guttural sound, and Izuku was satisfied knowing it was probably the first time he'd ever broken something. Really, he should be grateful Izuku was offering him new experiences before he died.

"You misused this Quirk." Izuku told him, pressing his foot harshly into his back. "It's a shame… Don't worry, I'll use it better than you ever would have."

With that, Izuku activated Double Edge, a Quirk that morphed one of his arms into a massive double edged sword that he drove drive into the civilian's neck, piercing the C4 and C5 vertebrae to sever the spinal cord, impaling his throat completely. The cervical spine was so delicate… The civilian didn't even have the time to scream.

Yanking out the blade, Izuku grinned as blood slid across the concrete, leaking from his throat. The smell of copper that clung to his skin from previous kills only grew as he deactivated Double Edge; blood ran down his arm as the blade faded, leaving his gloves and sleeve soaked. Small drops dripped from his fingertips, splashing the dark coat of the dead civilian at his feet.

A scream echoed from across the street - Izuku looked over to see a young girl, around his age, covering her mouth in terror with a grocery bag forgotten at her feet. Immediately he Pulled her towards him; the girl shrieked as she flew forward close enough for Izuku to grab her by the shoulders.

"Hello." Izuku said, caressing her Quirk with his. She had Quirk that gave her immunity to all poisons. Useful, but boring. Izuku already had Purge: capable of temporarily boiling his blood to cleanse it from all contaminants. Oh well. Win some, lose some. "Hasn't anyone ever told you not to walk alone at night?"

"I was just running to the corner store." She whimpered, "Please don't hurt me, please."

"I love it when you people beg." Izuku grinned. He clutched her harder, letting the strength Quirk he had - Heave - flood to the surface with bruising force that would rip her apart if he so chose.

"Stop!" The girl choked, another scream bubbling from her throat as Izuku laughed.

"You chose the wrong night to visit the store." Izuku told her softly. "Now you'll pay the price for getting in my way."

With unnatural strength swelling in his arms, Izuku squeezed her biceps and pulled her apart with only mild resistance. Her arms were ripped off where he held her just below the shoulder, muscles pulled apart with arteries severed and bone ripped out of their sockets, cracking under the force. Instead of screaming, the girl passed out from the stress of it as she fell to the ground.

There was so much blood. Izuku cast the arms aside, blood soaking through his gloves and slipping across the concrete when they landed, instant pools of sticky crimson decorating the ground beautifully. She was deathly pale as Izuku knelt, his pants and shoes so soaked through his skin beneath the fabric became sticky and warm. He shivered in delight.

The civilian's short brown hair splayed across her young face, though it was slowly becoming matted with blood steadily pumping out of the ragged stumps she had at the joint of her decimated shoulders. It made her prettier, objectively, though her worthless Quirk and even worse cowardice completely washed her out - the weak were better off dead anyway.

Leaving her bleeding out in the street, Izuku strolled down the road with a spring in his step. It had only been an hour and Izuku had managed to kill five people. How productive! He was aiming for an even dozen, so he had seven more to go.

Izuku hummed happily as he walked, reaching out with Steal to touch the Quirks he could feel were safe and sound inside the buildings, tucked in their beds or sipping hot drinks or sitting at their desks with a light on that Izuku could see shining as he passed. It was absolutely wonderful knowing he could ruin their lives if he wanted to - he could kill them with little more than a thought, even from so far away. Their Quirks were bright inside them, so enticing.

A flash of red and blue caught his eyes. Izuku turned with a wild grin and followed as the police car zipped by down the road. He ducked between alleys and sprinted across streets, only pausing when the car stopped on the side of the road in front of a dark building. It looked to Izuku like an abandoned apartment complex, though he wasn't completely sure.

Izuku had two hearing Quirk, both of which he used quite recently. Range was the weaker one, only capable of sharpening his hearing to focus on sounds in his line of sight, which he often used to eavesdrop on Tsukauchi and Eraserhead when they were whispering to each other or on the phone. The other was Advanced Hearing, the one that gave him a migraine to use. Range suited him nicely in this situation, so he brought it to the surface and watched as three officers stepped out of the vehicle.

"This is the place." One of them was saying, "They called it in about an hour ago, so the gang is probably long gone."

"We should check it out anyway." Another said, "That's what we're being paid for, remember?"

"We're not being paid enough to waltz into an abandoned building that might be filled with several hostiles with illegal weapons." The third muttered, "This is ridiculous. My shift ends in an hour and my kid needs to be picked up from the overnight childcare."

Izuku grinned. He didn't kill little kids, but it sure was fun to murder their parents. He could never know if his victim was a good parent or a bad one, but he reckoned at least some of them deserved it.

Rather happily, Izuku bounded across the street and leapt forward to slide right across the hood of their car to land right in the middle of their little group. It was funny how two of them froze, guy number one and guy number three, but guy number two immediately went for his gun.

"Don't move!" He ordered. It made Izuku laugh.

"You're not the one who gives out the orders." He said, "I am."

Slashing forward with Double Edge, Izuku slashed across the officer's chest. It struck the armored vest he wore and skidded along it, but the force no doubt broke several ribs in the process and the guy was thrown off his feet. His gasp of pain had Izuku grinning even wider.

One of the guys drew a knife, which prompted Izuku to snag the guy's wrist and yank him close enough for his bladed arm to impale him in the abdomen. His armor covered his sternum, protecting the heart and lungs, but his stomach was fair game. His scream was glorious as blood gushed down Izuku's blade. He laughed as the third guy screamed.

Killing him was pitiful, seeing as he didn't even have the mental capacity to draw his gun or do much or anything as Izuku used to Herbology to summon a weed growing between the concrete. A giant stem whipped forward and impaled his throat, quieting his scream. Another stock headed for the downed one, who'd started squirming for his fallen gun. It wrapped around his waist at Izuku's command, squeezing until his organs burst and the internal bleeding killed him.

Izuku exhaled as the bubbling laughter abated, his eyes raking in the bloody scene. Two of them were gloriously covered in blood, but the third was, sadly, bloodless in his death. Oh well, at least he got to test out Herbology.

Curious, Izuku wondered if the gang they'd been looking for was still nearby. He reached with Steal, scanning for small clusters or medium sized groups. He perked up slightly as voices and flaring Quirks caught his attention from a nearby alley,

Izuku walked over to investigate with his head tilted in interest. The closer he got the more obvious it became as to what they were doing. From the little context he gathered, they were small-time Villains cocky from recent success. They were proud they'd evaded the police, completely unaware they'd been murdered only four blocks down. Well, Izuku thought they deserved some humbling.

"Oi, who're you?" As Izuku stepped into the alley one of the guys noticed him, drawing a knife; yeah, like that would help any.

"Take another step and you die." A second voice growled. The others all readied themselves, scowling harshly at it. They probably thought they were intimating.

"I think there's been some confusion." Izuku said with a tiny laugh, "I'm not the one in trouble here."

"... What?" The first guy's grasp tightened on his knife.

"There are only four of you." Izuku smiled, "You'll need more than that."

Izuku finished up around five in the morning, humming happily to himself as he Blinked to his bedroom at home to shower and strip off his blood soaked clothing. He painstakingly rinsed the sticky substance from his curls, which always sucked, but at least he got the satisfaction of watching a mixture of his dozen contributions of blood wash down the drain. Even with the hood, it was inevitable that his hair got just as bloody as the rest of him.

Slipping into more comfortable clothes, Izuku Blinked to his bedroom back at the apartment, landing on his ass as he did. He heaved himself off the ground with a sigh.

"Mama!" Izuku called as he opened his bedroom door, "I'm home."

"I'm in the kitchen." Her voice rang down the hall. He slid open the hallway door and made his way through the sitting room to the kitchen, smiling when his mother spotted him. "Welcome home, Izuku."

Izuku paused as he noticed a giant canvas had been added to the empty stretch of wall separating the kitchen and sitting room.

"Oh, did you and Dad go out again?" Izuku said, examining the new oil painting. "It's been a while."

"That's St. Michael Vanquishing Satan. Your father took me to the Louvre." Mama said, drying her hands on the apron she wore around her waist. "It was a lovely trip."

"This one's quite pretty." Izuku smiled. It was a large canvas depicting a beautiful warrior with gold blue wings and elegant armor impaling an opponent pinned face down with ragged brown wings, wilted and torn, a scenic view behind them with a vast blue sky. There was a vicious beauty in it that Izuku rather liked.

"You know how I love collecting artwork." Inko sighed happily, gazing at the painting with warm eyes. "Hisashi said I deserved something beautiful to decorate the apartment, since we're spending so much time here now. It's so bland here, he let me take whatever I wanted while we were in Paris." Izuku grinned, reminded of their Villainous differences.

Izuku loved outright murder above any other form of Villainy, but his family had slightly subtler tastes than he did. Hisashi liked pulling strings from far above, minions carrying out his every whim without having to lift a finger. Tomura liked destroying anything he could get his extremely dangerous hands on; he liked creating viruses for far off computers to sabotage their tech just as much as he liked Decaying people who dared question him. Mama was most fond of stealing precious things, ranging from statues for their sitting room to antique rugs for her bedroom to paintings spanning entire walls of their home. They all had their preferences.

"I agree that it's super bland here." Izuku said with a rueful smile, "My bedroom feels so empty. I miss my weapons." It took years of collecting, but Izuku confiscated over a hundred unique weapons to decorate his walls and ceiling with - trophies from murderous successes. He had to leave it all behind when they moved to the apartment.

"Understandable." Inko laughed, "Aside from the lack of your decorative ones, do you have anything here? I have a gun in my nightstand, but nothing else."

"I have a set of throwing knives in a ceiling panel in my bedroom." Izuku grinned happily, "Also my rifle under the floor."

"You'll have to be careful with that one." His Mother said pointedly.

"I know, Mama, I know better than to leave it lying around." Izuku rolled his eyes. "It's in a locked case and the key is under the fridge."

"Good." Inko nodded her approval. "Well, you're home just in time for breakfast."

"Great!" Izuku said brightly, "Thanks."

"Oh, you're back." Tomura walked in, green hair an absolute mess, waving tiredly. "I expected more blood."

"Not on Mama's floors." Izuku huffed, "And definitely not in the apartment."

"Fair enough." Tomura shrugged, "Fuck, I need coffee."

They ate breakfast together before their mother headed off to work - a new hobby of hers. She worked as an EMT, ironically. Inko said it was fun to arrive at the scene of a disaster to oversee the injured civilians, knowing the majority of them would die. She kissed Izuku's forehead and gave Tomura a hug before leaving.

It wasn't until they'd finished cleaning up that Tomura turned to him, a teasing little smile growing across his face that Izuku recognised as his 'troublemaker' face.

"So, the Sports Festival." His brother drawled, leaning against the counter. "What happened between you and that Todoroki kid?" Izuku scowled.

"Nothing." He lied, "He was disgracing his Quirk by only using the ice, so I forced him to use his fire."

"And you lost." Tomura raised an eyebrow.

"I let him win." Izuku said evenly. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the truth either. "It was the least I could do to a poor classmate I could've beaten in mere moments."

"That sounds just like you." Tomura laughed, "I thought maybe you were going soft!"

"Soft? Mura, the very concept of such an occurrence is insulting. I am insulted."

"Well then I succeeded." Tomura grinned at him.

"You suck."

"Well, at least I've never lost a shoe on live television."

"Fuck you!" Izuku chased his brother as he sprinted for his room, cackling as he did, which started a competition via roughhousing for the following half hour. Izuku was proud to say he won.

Izuku planned to spend the rest of the day, the last day before school started again, relaxing after his little murder spree and happy morning. Unfortunately, the relaxation didn't last past lunchtime because Tomura turned on the News when he came out to have a snack. He left it on when he retreated back to his room and Izuku just never turned it back off. He mostly tuned it out, but that was only until he caught sight of a vaguely familiar face on screen.

"The body of Togeike Chikuchi was found early this morning, evidence suggesting she was violently murdered." A dude was saying into his microphone, displaying a headshot of a smiling girl with brown hair and dark eyes. "As of now the killer is still at large. There were several other bodies found in the same area as Togeike, but there is little evidence connecting the deaths aside from their close proximity."

"Togeike's parents are devastated by the loss of their only child." A female reporter continued, "Police are looking into this horrible murder, giving this case special attention due to Togeike's status as a student at UA High School, attending the General Studies Department. Rest assured, the killer will be caught." That had Izuku sitting up straight immediately.

"Oh shit." Izuku blinked at the TV very slowly. "Fuck. Uh, Kurogiri?" A moment later a portal opened; Izuku didn't even need to ask where he wanted to go because it was strikingly obvious.

Stepping out into Hisashi's office, Izuku sighed in defeat. His Dad looked curious and amused, probably because he could tell Izuku had again done something wrong just from the expression he wore. Izuku nervously stepped forward and approached his father's desk, taking a seat across from him.

"What's on your mind, little one?" Hisashi asked softly.

"I uh…" Izuku cleared his throat, "I may have accidentally killed a UA student last night."

"Oh?" Hisashi frowned, "And how accidental might that have been?"

"Well, I did kill her. She was out after dark running to the store, so I killed her." Izuku wasn't ashamed or regretful of the murder, but he winced anyway. "The news is talking about her though, stating that her name is Togeike Chikuchi; apparently she's a Gen Ed student."

"You were unaware at the time?"

"Yes." Izuku answered immediately, "I was just blowing off steam. I killed a dozen people last night, she was a pleasant casualty. I swear I didn't go after her because she's a student! I don't pay much attention to the other classes; if I'd known I would've avoided her entirely because I know you'd disapprove."

"I believe you." Hisashi said, making Izuku exhale slightly in relief, but his Dad was still frowning slightly. "You'll have to be extremely careful when you go to school tomorrow, however. If anyone mentions it, you have to convincingly appear unnerved that a murder occurred."

"Why unnerved?" Izuku asked, a mirrored frown on his face. "I wouldn't care if a random student was murdered by some random Villain. It happens."

"I suppose you don't need to be unnerved specifically, but you must at the very least weigh in a slight amount of either remorse or disappointment at her death." Izuku made a face, but nodded.

"Alright." He agreed, "And sorry again. I promise I didn't know."

"That's alright. You're forgiven." Hisashi smiled finally, "Now, tell me all about your otherwise successful night." Izuku brightened at that, happily recounting the whole gorey experience with vigor to his ever amused and supportive dad.

He really loved his Villainous family.

Chapter Text

Chapter 25

“Did you see the news?” Hagakure fussed. It caught Izuku's attention, but he didn't react as he carefully set down his backpack and took his seat. “A UA student was killed the other night!”

Shit. Izuku was hoping they wouldn't bring it up, yet class hadn't even started and it seemed his classmates were up to date on the newest ‘tragedy.’ Lovely.

“Yeah, a Gen Ed student.” Satou said, “I was sorry to see that.”

“I wonder if we met her.” Sero sighed, “Or, saw her. She was probably one of the people we fought at the Sports Festival.”

“Don't say it like that.” Kaminari complained, cringing in on himself. “I don't want to think about it.”

“It's scary though, isn't it?” Ashido added quietly, “She was just killed in the street one night. Can you imagine how scared she was?”

“I wonder if they'll catch who did it.” The one with the bird head said solemnly. Izuku was 75% sure his name was Tokoyami, but he wasn't actually sure with that one. “They said the killer was still at large, and there were several other bodies found nearby.”

“Oh, do you think there's a serial killer?” Ashido gasped, “What if they're targeting UA students? What if it's the League?!”

“Calm down, you're just spiraling at this point.” Iida spoke up softly, “This isn't productive. We don't know all the details, so trying to theorize won't help any. The professionals will handle it. Let's just focus on class, Aizawa-sensei will be here any minute.”

“You're right.” Uraraka said firmly, “We just have to do our best to become Heroes so one day we'll be there to stop it!”

“Right!” Several classmates agreed, hesitant positivity moving in. It made Izuku smile.

“What is it?” Izuku looked up to see Shinsou watching him with an eyebrow raised.

“It's just cute how Uraraka's one comment changed the whole mood.” Izuku said, offering him a pretty smile. “She's got some real potential, don't you think?”

“Oh.” Shinsou's eyes flashed, much to Izuku's amusement. Ah, the jealousy again. It almost made him laugh.

Conversation stopped when the door slid open. “Morning.” Eraser said, tired and casual. To Izuku's surprise, his mummy aesthetic was missing. The crescent moon scar under his right eye was new though; Izuku couldn't help the pleasure it brought to know his big brother had done it. (Well, the Nomu, but same thing in Izuku's mind)

“Good morning!” The class echoed brightly. Eraserhead just trudged his way to the podium.

“Your bandages are gone.” Tsu commented, smiling. “I'm glad.”

“Recovery Girl went overboard with her treatments, it was unnecessary.” Eraser muttered, “More importantly, we're having a special hero informatics class today.” He paused, long enough to scare the living daylights out of Izuku's poor classmates, before very blandly adding, “You'll be coming up with code names.” And, yep, immediate chaos followed.

People sprang from their seats and cheered, giggling and clambering to express their excitement. Izuku just watched in amusement, especially as Eraserhead activated his Quirk. Erasure was such a neat one, though Izuku had no need for it. If he wanted someone to stop using their Quirk he had a much better method of doing so. His classmates found it intimidating, however, and the chaos was reined back in in moments.

"This is related to the Pro Hero draft picks I mentioned the other day.” Eraser continued without delay, “The drafts start to matter more in the second and third years, after the students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to Pros. Extending offers to first years like you means they're interested in your future potential. These offers are often withdrawn if that interest dies down by graduation, so keep that in mind."

“So we'll have to continuously prove ourselves, even after we're picked.” Hagakure summed up.

“Right.” Eraser nodded. “So, here's the full list of offers extended to you students.” Izuku straightened with interest at that, watching as words appeared on the chalkboard in the form of a bar chart.

Todoroki ——————— 5,237
Midoriya —————— 3,678
Bakugou —————— 3,556
Iida ————— 315
Kaminari —— 272
Yaoyorozu — 108
Kirishima — 79
Shinsou —— 62
Uraraka — 20
Sero — 14
Shouji - 9

Oh, and would you look at that? Izuku got offers. A lot of them. Part of him was incredibly smug that he'd somehow fooled everyone into seeing him as little more than a pretty little Heroling, but the other part of him was absolutely disgusted.

“Usually the offers are more spread out through the class, but this year it seems all eye were on these three.” Eraser pointed to the top three names: "Todoroki, Midoriya, Bakugou."

“Ah, there's such a big gap!” Kaminari complained loudly, “Man, they're so much better than we are.”

“It actually makes sense.” Jirou said, pensive. “They're the top three scorers of our class. I imagine Honenuki got a bunch of offers as well.”

“You're amazing, Todoroki.” Izuku turned around at the whisper, sharply eyeing Yaoyorozu as she smiled at Todoroki. “You got so many offers. Isn't that exciting?”

“Yeah.” Todoroki's voice was bland as he spoke, and he didn't so much as look at Yaoyorozu as he said it. Satisfaction curled in Izuku's stomach at that.

There were several astonished whispers of “I got offers!” from various classmates, Uraraka and Shinsou included; Shouji looked pleasantly surprised as well. It was funny to Izuku to see all their relief and joy from something as ridiculous as recognition from bigshots who in reality didn't care about them in the slightest.

"Keep these results in mind, whether or not anyone asked for you, seeing as everyone will be participating in an internship with Pros." Izuku turned back around in his seat as Eraser spoke. "Most of you already experienced combat with real Villains during the USJ attack, but this will be meaningful training for you to see Pros at work firsthand. The experience matters for everyone, whether or not you faced Villains beforehand.”

“That explains the Hero names!” Satou burst out, grinning widely. Several other class members squealed their excitement as well, but Eraserhead's sigh cut them all off.

“Technically they're only temporary Hero names, but–” Eraser was cut off as a sharp BAM shook the classroom. Everyone jumped, looking over at the door to find Midnight had kicked her way in rather harshly.

“Get serious about it, or else!” Midnight proclaimed loudly, “Yes, these names can be temporary, but oftentimes names used by students get recognition from the media, and that leads to that name becoming your professional Hero name!” At that, Izuku's face drained of blood.

"Oh my God…" Izuku felt horror seep into his bones; he hadn't truly processed what they meant until just then. "I'm going to have a cringey Hero name." He dropped his head on his desk with a defeated plop. "Tomura's so going to laugh at me for this."

"Did you think you weren't going to need one?" Shinsou whispered, leaning forward from his seat behind Izuku. "An oversight, perhaps? How unlike you, Midoriya."

"This usually doesn't happen until second year!" Izuku exclaimed in a harsh whisper, "Besides, I'm aiming for Underground. Nobody's gonna care what my name is because the media won't even know I exist!" A lie, but he couldn't exactly say 'Yeah so I'm actually a Villain, I'll be dropping out at the end of the year and I don't want a Hero name of any kind because my brother is going to mock me with it forever.'

A confession like that didn't exactly roll off the tongue.

Meanwhile, Eraser finished up giving out the instructions and passed around a stack of whiteboards and erase markers. Izuku blankly accepted one, staring down at the blank board with dread. How in the fuck was he supposed to choose what kind of awful name he was gonna be called while in his stupid looking Hero costume? It went against everything he was to even consider accepting a Heroic name of any kind! Izuku hadn't even picked his own Villain name either for fuck’s sake! Tsukauchi and the police just started calling him that when he was like thirteen and it stuck. So how in the everloving fuck—

“What're you thinking for yours?” Shinsou asked, catching his attention again. “Something about your Quirk?”

“I have no idea.” Izuku said blankly. He didn't even have the mental capacity to reciprocate the question as he tried to reboot his brain.

“Guys, any ideas?” Kirishima leaned over, looking between Izuku and Shinso with a bright smile. “What're you thinking?”

“I was thinking… Mindjack.” Shinsou said slowly.

“That's a great idea!” Kirishima enthused, offering Shinsou a happy thumbs up. “So manly!”

“What about you?” Shinsou asked.

“Red Riot, for sure.” Kirishima said, “I've had it picked out for years. It just really speaks to me.”

“It suits you.” The compliment from Shinsou to Kirishima was enough to startle Izuku out of his stupor.

“Did you just compliment Kiri?” Izuku asked, astonished.

“Uh, yeah.” Shinsou looked awkwardly at being called out. “We're… friends, aren't we?”

“Ah man, of course we are!!” Kirishima stood and clapped Shinsou on the back, grinning widely. “This is so great! Thank you!”

“I never thought I'd see the day.” Izuku grinned. Shinsou glared, but it was lighthearted.

“What about you, Midoriya?” Kirishima asked, “Any ideas?”

“Um, no.” Izuku couldn't help wrinkling his nose in disgust. “I never liked the trend of calling yourself something special. It's too much like a title.” Semi-true. He had nothing against people who used Villain names, like his Dad, but Izuku personally had never wanted one - he'd been stuck with one anyway, however, and it seemed to be happening all over again on the opposite side.

“Come on, you've gotta have an idea.” Kirishima laughed, “Haven't you ever thought about it?”

“Nope.” Izuku said, “I've never planned on playing the spotlight. I much prefer fading into the background.”

“How about Push?” Kirishima suggested, tapping his chin. “Force Push? Shove? How about Pulse?”

“I like Shove.” Shinsou drawled, “Sounds very honest to me.” Izuku stuck out his tongue.

“Pulse isn't so bad.” Izuku sighed, “Fine. That works.”

“Alright!” Kirishima cheered, “Now we're set!” Izuku rolled his eyes while Shinsou grinned. It seemed they were both significantly more excited than he was. Unsurprising, really, seeing as they really did plan on becoming Heroes. Unfortunately for them, Izuku very much wasn't.

The rest of class was exceptionally boring for Izuku. A kid would go up and name themself something ridiculous like “Sugarman” or “Invisible Girl” and Midnight would fuss and squeal like a little girl being offered a pretty new toy immediately thereafter. The whole class took turns presenting their names, most of which Izuku hated with a passion. A few of them he didn't mind, actually, such as “Froppy” and “Uravity,” but the majority of them were bad.

Todoroki and Iida were bold as hell though. Izuku sorta wished he hadn't already presented himself as, The Forceful Hero: Pulse, because those two had serious balls to go up there and say their Hero names were just their names. For real, Iida chose “Iida” as his Hero name while Todoroki chose “Shouto” for his. Though Todoroki's did sorta make sense, considering his name literally meant “freeze and burn.”

When all that was done, Eraser took his place back at the podium to make an announcement before class ended.

"Now that that's all over with, let's go back to Internships." Eraser said, "First of all, they'll last one week for everyone. For the students who received offers, you have packets containing the names of Pros who asked for you as well as where their Agencies are located." He retrieved a stack of papers to put in front of him, briefly showing off a sheet on top. "Those who don't have offers will choose from among forty assorted agencies across the country that are accepting interns without offers. They all work in different places and have different specialties."

"For example, Thirteen would be focused on rescues from accidents and disasters more than fighting Villains." Midnight spoke up, “Keep that in mind, alright?” She winked.

"Think carefully before you choose, and turn in your choices before the end of the week." Eraser instructed tiredly. He passed out the packets as the bell sounded, making sure everyone had their proper papers. "Make your decision efficiently. Class dismissed." Almost immediately after the door shut behind the two Pros, the class exploded into babbling excitement.

“We only have two days to decide!” Kaminari complained, “How am I going to pick without more time!?”

“I already know I want to fight crime in urban areas.” Kirishima enthused.

“I hope I can intern at a place with floods.” Tsu smiled down at her list, “I wonder if there are any accepting students…”

Izuku just scowled down at the list of Heroes that saw him for his Quirk and little more. All they wanted was a pretty sidekick to carry around like a prize until he was no longer needed. It made him sick that he was going to have to accept from one of those worthless Heroes and follow them around for a week like a lost duckling. Disgusting.

.

It wasn't until lunch that they were given a proper time to fuss over their offers, seeing as they had other classes to sit through, but as soon as the lunch bell rang everyone was again chatting about the goddamn internships. Izuku was ready to slam his head into a wall almost thirty seconds in.

“It's so weird to think so many people asked for me.” Kirishima laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked down at his packet. “Seventy-nine Heroes, huh? It feels like so many.”

“I've got even less than you, and I feel the same.” Shinsou muttered. He was very carefully flipping through his list, examining every page as if they'd somehow speak to him.

“I'm surprised you didn't get any offers.” Probably-Ojirou said to Ashido, leaning against her desk. “You made it just as far as Kaminari, and he got offers.”

“I know right!?” Ashido wailed, “It's no fair!”

“I've already decided where I want to go.” Uraraka said brightly.

"Really??" Ashido looked up from her misery, suddenly excited again. “Where!?”

"The Battle Hero: Gunhead's Agency!" Uraraka announced proudly, “They sent me an offer!”

“Eh?” Ashido tilted her head in confusion. “Why?”

“I thought you wanted to be a Rescue Hero, Ochako.” Tsu said, tapping her chin. “I thought I remembered you saying that.”

"I do, actually, but fighting Bakugou at the Sports Festival made me think.” Uraraka said, grinning. “The stronger I get, the more possibilities I have! Even if I know what I want to do, I need to branch out, or I'll end up narrow-minded.”

“That's actually super insightful.” Izuku spoke up, making Uraraka blink in surprise. “Great choice, Uraraka.”

“Thank you!” Uraraka beamed at him, “Where are you thinking of going?”

“Dunno yet.” Izuku shrugged. “I'm sure I'll figure it out.”

“Right.” Uraraka nodded, “Good luck!” He smiled at her, even as he noticed Shinsou glaring harshly. Pretty pretty jealousy, as always.

The rest of the day thankfully went by quickly, though Izuku knew he wouldn't be able to escape the internship topic for the rest of the week, and probably the week after as well. He didn't know how he was going to manage having to internship with a real Pro without murdering them, but that was a problem for future-Izuku.

Izuku left the classroom with Shinsou and Todoroki, much to the former's irritation. Izuku could tell Shinsou wanted to walk with him, but at the same time wanted to be as far from Todoroki as humanly possible. It was hilarious, especially considering the feeling wasn't remotely mutual; Todoroki didn't seem to care at all. It was also possible that fact only irritated Shinsou further.

“What a day.” Izuku complained as they left, “I'm exhausted.”

“We had a three day break, and you're exhausted after a single day back?” Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

“I'm delicate.” Izuku said, “Extremely.”

“Delicate is the last word I'd use to describe you.” Shinsou deadpanned.

“I'm tired too.” Todoroki said, “Even if we did have three days off after the Sports Festival.”

“See? Todoroki gets it.” Izuku grinned.

“Yeah, well–” Shinsou's indignant, snapped response was cut off as they passed a group of girls kneeling on the concrete just outside UA grounds. Izuku paused, as did his two followers.

There was a picture of the dead brown haired Gen Ed student sitting on a stand, surrounded by candles and flowers to honor her. The girls kneeling before it were all crying softly, mourning who had probably been their friend. Izuku watched impassively for a moment before turning away, continuing towards the station.

“I feel so bad for them.” Shinsou muttered. “Especially since her name and face is plastered all over the news.”

“Wouldn't that make them feel better?” Todoroki asked, confused. “It shows the authorities are trying to catch the guy who did it.”

“It's also broadcasting their grief for the world to see.” Shinsou snapped.

“I see.” Todoroki nodded. He was undaunted by Shinsou's temper, which was amusing to see, as always.

They walked in silence for a while until Todoroki randomly blurted out something extremely surprising.

“Do you think that girl's death has any relation to Snipe's death?” Izuku froze in his tracks, as did Shinsou. Izuku quickly caught himself though, smoothly continuing to walk even as he screamed internally.

“What?” Shinsou asked, frowning.

“Snipe, the Pro Hero who taught the third year Heroics class.” Todoroki said mildly, “He was killed shortly after the USJ attack.”

“What?” Shinsou looked bewildered and horrified. “Why didn't I hear about this? A teacher?”

“I heard about it from my father.” Todoroki said with a shrug, “Snipe was killed outside of UA, in his own home. There was a huge cover-up afterwards suggested by Nezu to make it seem like he retired.” Oh yeah, that did explain why nobody ever said anything about Izuku's little revenge kill…

“They can't just cover that up!” Shinsou exclaimed, “That's ridiculous!”

“They do plan to reveal it later, once the whole League and break-in news dies down.” Todoroki told him calmly, “Their excuse is ‘not wanting to cause civil unrest’. It's the same as how they didn't announce Midoriya's kidnapping after the USJ attack, they didn't think it was necessary.”

“I can't believe this.” Shinsou scowled.

“I can.” Izuku spoke up, “How many times have I said those high up Heroes suck?”

“A few.” Todoroki cracked a tiny smile.

“This is a lot different.” Shinsou snapped, “This isn't Heroes having shit personalities or abusing their power, this is a fucking conspiracy!”

“It's all a conspiracy.” Izuku grinned, “All of Hero society, one big conspiracy.” Shinsou just glared at him.

“How do you not care?” Shinsou asked, “Doesn't it matter to you at all that they're lying to us?” That had Izuku's smile fading.

“It does.” Izuku lied, making his voice quiet and soft. “Of course it does. But getting mad about it doesn't help in the long run. All we can do is get up there and replace them, changing things from the inside when they're not looking to shape the world into what we want. Does it matter? Yes. Does that necessarily mean I have to take it seriously? Absolutely not. I'm not letting those asshole Heroes change me, and neither should you.”

“That's what I like about you.” Todoroki said with a nod, but Shinsou seemed frozen, whether in awe or confusion Izuku wasn't sure.

“Aw, thanks.” Izuku smiled. He reached out to gently stroke a strand of red hair, relishing the way Todoroki's eyes widened. “I'm glad.”

“I like it too.” Shinsou said quickly, “I didn't mean to say otherwise.”

“Oh Shinsou.” Izuku laughed, dropping his hand. “I know.” Shinsou offered a smile, but it was strained as he eyed Todoroki slightly. It made Izuku laugh again. “Come on, are we headed for the train or not?”

As they made their way to the station the conversation shifted, which was a welcome relief. Somehow he'd avoided the topic of Snipe so far, apparently because of some massive cover-up UA created, but if Todoroki found out there were probably others that knew too. If it started to leak out because he'd accidentally killed the wrong girl, well, he'd just have to deal with it.

Oh well, Izuku would just have to stick it out. It'd die down eventually. But if it didn't… he was willing to do whatever it took to protect his family.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26

“Who are we meeting with today?” Izuku asked, swinging his legs off the edge of the bar counter he perched himself on.

It wasn't often he spent time at the bar, apart from that time he was ‘kidnapped.’ He’d much rather be at home, or the apartment. But being around Tomura these days usually involved the bar, unfortunately. He and their Dad were being very mysterious about their plans as of late. Izuku was actually really lucky to get to participate in a meeting where Tomura was in boss mode or whatever - usually he was kicked out when Tomura was in charge.

“Some new group that wants in with Dad.” Tomura rolled his eyes. “They think being associated with us will protect them, which just isn't true at all. If anything, it'll give them a harder time of things now that our name is out there.”

“Especially if they brag about it.” Izuku grinned. “Everyone wants in on the ‘serious Villainy’ until they kill the wrong person and the whole of it comes down on their heads.” There were rules to being a Villain, whether the Heroes and masses believed it or not. Political intelligence and cruel ambition were just as important as unyielding power and dominating force, if not more so.

Hisashi climbed to the top through diplomacy, charm, and no shy amount of murdering his competition; but now that he was on top he had to be much more careful. That's why he kept such tight reins on all his followers and investors - even Izuku and Tomura had restrictions on what they could do, and even stricter rules regarding things were absolutely not allowed to do.

Annoyingly enough, killing the Number One Hero was one of the no-go's for pretty much everyone.

“Anyway, they contacted us about a week ago.” Tomura said, “They asked to set the meeting up with the ‘true leader’ of the League of Villains.”

“They do know that's you, right?” Izuku raised an eyebrow. “Not Dad.” Tomura just shrugged.

“I don't really care what they do or don't know. I just want to see if they're legit.” Tomura said.

“Fair enough.” Izuku replied, “And if they don't impress? Can I kill them?”

“No, that's my job.” Tomura smirked. “I'm only including you because you were complaining about being left out or something.”

“I was being left out!”

“That's because you don't want to visit Doctor or plan world domination with me.”

“True, but it still sucks.”

“Congrats, you've discovered the perks of being the youngest.”

“I hate that.”

“Too bad.”

“Tomura.” Kurogiri appeared, swirling into existence behind the bar. “Your guests are on their way.” He then looked at Izuku, sighing. “Izuku, please remove yourself from my bar counter.”

“Mean.” Izuku pouted, but he dutifully hopped down. “Where else am I supposed to sit to menacingly hover over Tomura during his meeting with these new posers?”

“Anywhere but my bar counter.” Kurogiri picked up a rag and began methodically wiping down the counter, polishing it carefully until it shined. Izuku was quite offended when Kurogiri wiped the spot he was previously seated multiple times over with the rag. “Please and thank you.”

“So rude.” Izuku muttered. He instead chose to lean against the wall, arms crossed.

A knock rapped against the door, catching their attention. Tomura straightened where he sat on a bar stool, careful not to displace the hands resting on his body and face. Izuku still thought Tomura's new ‘Villain costume’ was ridiculous. Izuku's sleek black look was much more practical, simple, and sophisticated; Tomura looked rather like a kid playing dress-up. But maybe that was the point of the silly look - regardless, Izuku had no clue.

Kurogiri made his way around the bar to pull open the door, allowing the three newcomers to step through the doorway. Immediately upon seeing them, Izuku wasn't impressed. They looked more like drug addict criminals than Villains.

“We appreciate you agreeing to meet with us.” One of them said, nodding to Tomura. “I'm Taunt. This is Sparrow and Edge.” He gestured to his two companions, who also nodded. “You are… Shigaraki?”

“Yes.” Tomura said, leaning one arm on the bar boredly. “So you're the new group in town. Hm. I thought there'd be more of you.”

“There's more of us!” The one called Sparrow spoke up quickly. “We–”

“We just thought you wouldn't want all of us showing up at your door.” Taunt spoke over him, throwing a scowl his way. “Don't think this is all we are. Believe me, there's enough of us to make us valuable to your League.”

“And what could you possibly offer me?” Tomura drawled, “From where I'm sitting, I don't think you're enough for me to even acknowledge.”

“Don't underestimate us.” The last guy, Edge, growled. He took an angry step forward, only for Izuku to freeze him in his tracks; Psychokinesis reached out to stop Edge's motions entirely. “What–” Edge's eyes widened all of a sudden, scanning the room until he spotted Izuku across the bar leaned against the wall. “You're… you're Drop Off.”

“Yes.” Izuku acknowledged. “I believe that's what the police and Heroes have grown fond of calling me.” His eyes were red to mimic Tomura, and those ruby eyes were all that was visible through the costume. Edge seemed to shrink under Izuku's intense stare.

“Your League has Drop Off in your pocket?” Taunt looked at Tomura with a raised eyebrow. “How'd you manage that?” He was going for nonchalance, but his tense posture told Izuku he was afraid. As he should be.

“You'll find Drop Off doesn't belong to anybody.” Tomura said, a harshness bleeding into his tone. “Least of all me.”

“Ah, so it wasn't you who caught him. It was your boss.” Taunt said, “The guy running the show behind the scenes.”

“I'm the guy running the show.” Tomura snapped, “No one else.”

“You expect us to believe that bullshit?” Edge scoffed, “Seriously? There's no way you're the mastermind behind the League. If you really don't have a boss, I bet Drop Off is the one dealing the cards for you.” He glanced at Izuku quickly before looking away. “You don't have what it takes to lead a group as large as the League of Villains.”

“Don't you dare address my brother like that.” Izuku straightened, pushing off the wall to stand by his brother's side. “Shigaraki is the leader of this group, and you will show him the proper respect for that position. You want in with him? Here's a hint - don't fuck around and find out. You won't like how it ends.”

The three thugs merely stared at them, Tomura seated delicately on a stool with Izuku looming behind him, seemingly assessing them. Well, two could play that game. Izuku activated Steal. Immediately he felt their Quirks, watching them move inside them.

Taunt had a vocal Quirk, and a stupid one at that. If he mocked someone enough, taunted them, the Quirk could drain the person's mental energy. Like physic damage, sorta. In Izuku's opinion the Quirk sucked - mostly because it only worked when the Quirk was used continuously until the insults started offending whoever was being mocked.

Edge had a Transformation Quirk: it allowed him to alter the texture of his skin to resemble a cheese-grater, effectively making his skin a dangerous weapon. Another stupid Quirk in Izuku's opinion, but Edge probably thought he was untouchable with his ability - he'd be very, very wrong in that assessment.

Sparrow was the only one with a useful Quirk, and the only one Izuku decided he wanted. He could summon the wings of a sparrow at will. The Quirk didn't allow flight, exactly, but it did allow the user to glide if they were falling off a building or something. But if it was mixed with, say, a strength Quirk, maybe it could be used for real flight…

“Maybe we got off on the wrong foot.” Taunt said finally, “Apologies. We didn't mean to step on your toes, oh great one.” Izuku resisted snapping at the man for the sarcasm and blatant disrespect.

“I think I've seen enough.” Tomura drawled. “None of you are worth my time.”

“If you just give us a chance–”

“He said no.” Izuku cut Sparrow off sharply. “So get lost.”

“Are you Shigaraki’s spokesperson, then?” Taunt sneered, “Letting your brother run the show, are you, Shigaraki? If you really are the boss around here, you're doing a pretty shitty job of it.” A spark of pink glowed in his chest.

“Shut that goddamn Quirk off because I do it for you.” Izuku snarled, “I should kill you on the spot for activating that garbage anywhere near my brother.” Not that it could do any damage after one half-assed insult, but the sheer audacity to even attempt to harm Tomura was completely unacceptable.

“Oh?” Tomura looked up at Izuku with amused eyes.

“How did you–?” Taunt broke off, eyes narrowed on Izuku. “I heard rumors that there was a shadow in the underworld with the ability to give and take Quirks, even sense them inside a person. I thought they were no more than a fairy story.”

“Keep talking and you'll find out.” Izuku snapped.

“Enough.” Izuku crossed his arms and fell silent at Tomura's command. Tomura then stared the trio down, assessing and judging. “We're done here. Leave, or I'll escort you myself.” The three thugs shifted, but they made no move to exit.

Nobody moved. Taunt looked ready for a fight, Edge looked as if he was gunning for one, and Sparrow just seemed anxiously waiting for some kind of order. Tomura was just staring - waiting.

“Out of the three…” Tomura looked up at Izuku then. “Are there any you want?”

“How considerate of you.” Izuku grinned. “I want Sparrow.” Tomura gestured permission, so Izuku snapped out with Steal quicker than the moronic thugs could think.

Sparrow's Quirk tasted like wind, cotton in his mouth and buzzing in his ears. It crawled down his spine and cracked his shoulder blades with pinpricks of pain that had Izuku giggling at the sensation. It fluttered in the back of his mind like the heartbeat of a tiny bird, wings brushing his mind with a fierce temptation to jump and fall.

“What did you do?” Sparrow clasped a hand to his chest, caving in on himself. “What is this?”

“Emptiness.” Izuku giggled, euphoria bubbling up his throat. “Now you're completely empty inside. No Quirk to rely on… How wonderfully tragic.”

“So it's true!” Taunt took a trembling step backwards, eyes wide with terror. “You are the shadow!”

“Hardly.” Izuku grinned widely, riding the high of the Quirk seeping through his veins. “But I'm flattered.”

“Now. I believe I said you all were to leave.” Tomura spoke then, “If you're not going to do it yourself… let me do it for you!” With a manic grin Tomura lunged forward, pressing his hand to Taunt's chest. Immediately Decay seeped out, crumbling the thug to little more than dust. The two others threw themselves into battle stances with shouts of surprise, but it didn't particularly matter.

Izuku leaned back against the bar to watch as Tomura tormented the thugs, Decaying them bit by bit while they screamed. Dust and flakes and ash plumed across the floor, scattering the remains of the three worthless losers who dared think themselves good enough to join Tomura's growing influence. Really, did they have any brain cells at all? Well if they did before they certainly didn't now…

Tomura sighed as the dust settled, wiping his hands together to dust off the crumbled bits of powder off his hands. There was a manic grin on his face that made Izuku laugh in delight.

“You enjoyed that.” Izuku said, grinning.

“Yes I did.” Tomura huffed. “That was a rather pleasant meeting.”

“The end of it sure was.” Izuku said brightly.

“What was that guy's Quirk anyway?” Tomura asked, plopping down on a bar stool again.

“The one I Stole?” Izuku tilted his head. “Sparrow, the ability to summon wings at will. Used for gliding, not full-on flight.”

“That's cool, but I meant the one Taunt tried using on me.”

“Oh.” Izuku wrinkled his nose. “He had a vocal Quirk that causes mental exhaustion, and sometimes pain, if he mocks someone enough. It's not dangerous after a single insult, but he dared to activate it at all. Which is unacceptable.”

“Ah, I see.” Tomura smirked. “Overprotective, much?”

“Yes.” Izuku confirmed with a grin. “Always will be.”

Maybe it would be worthwhile to spend more time learning about Tomura's evil plans for the world; but, then again, if Izuku wanted to keep his cover while in school he probably shouldn't. If he learned Tomura's plans and spent time talking about evil stuff, it wasn't impossible Izuku would want to murder everyone in UA ten times more than he already did.

—————

“Ugh, I wanna go home.” Izuku plopped his head on his desk with a ‘thunk’. “My brain hurts.”

“All we did was a single lesson on Hero Ethics.” Shinsou raised an eyebrow.

“Exactly!” Izuku complained, “I hate morals.” Especially when they were preaching the complete opposite to what he already knew and practiced.

“That's weird.” Shinsou drawled, “Considering you seem to have such strong beliefs. You'd think morals would go hand in hand with that.”

“Nah, I ignore that stuff.” Izuku sighed dramatically. “This is so boring.”

“Don't you think you could learn something?” Kirishima piped up.

“No, not really.” Izuku said, “Most of the stuff we learn here I already know. This is practically review work.”

“You said you were homeschooled?” Yaoyorozu inquired, “Who taught you so much?”

“My Mom, and the internet.” Izuku shrugged. “I took online courses way above what I probably should've been learning at that age, but it worked out. Though now all schooling is boring as hell, which sucks.”

“I wish I learned too much when I was kid, maybe then I'd be having an easier time.” Kaminari complained, “We're learning so much already, I feel like my head's too full to learn anything new!”

“Same though.” Ashido groaned. “Midoriya, teach us your ways!”

“Unfortunately I don't have time travel abilities.” Izuku grinned, “But if I did, I promise to go and whip your past selves into shape for you.” Hm, actually, Izuku hadn't ever whipped someone before. Did they bleed, or blister? Could he kill a person by just whipping them over and over? Maybe that would be worth looking into…

“Thanks Midoriya.” Ashido huffed, “But that still leaves the now me tired and stupid!”

“Nothing I can do about that.” Izuku shrugged unsympathetically. “Suffer.”

“I was homeschooled as well.” Yaoyorozu said with a smile. “I asked because, well, I had a variety of interesting tutors that taught me everything I needed to know to wield my Quirk and prepare me for my journey to becoming a Hero.” The soft little smile on her face was so fragile, so delicate, so controlled. It made Izuku want to rip her apart piece by piece just to see what she'd do. Would her pain be just as gentle, so small and delicately controlled like that smile, or would she writhe and scream and cry in agony, unable to help herself when the anguish hit?

“I was homeschooled as well.” Todoroki muttered, breaking Izuku from his thoughts. “Unfortunately.”

“Homeschooled?” Izuku blinked. “By Endeavor?” A flicker of rage sparked when Todoroki nodded. If Endeavor laid so much as a finger on Todoroki, Izuku's Todoroki, there would be consequences. Endeavor would die a slow death if he dared touch what belonged to Izuku.

“Ugh, lucky!” Kaminari whined, oblivious to the tension and murder on Izuku's mind. “I was just sent to a regular school. Mom didn't have time to teach me herself, she was always working.”

“Oh! Your Mom's a Hero, right?” Hagakure piped up excitedly, “I remember you mentioning that.”

“She is! The Electric Hero: Levina.” Kaminari grinned. “She's not a super popular Hero, or way up there on the Charts, but she's my Hero. I wanna be just like her someday.”

“You want to be a forever sidekick with no personal success?” Izuku raised an eyebrow. “Seems an odd goal, if you ask me.”

“You know that's not what I meant!” Kaminari huffed.

“I think you looking up to her is sweet.” Ojirou told him, “I'm sure you'll be a great Hero.”

“Thank you!” Kaminari exclaimed, “I'm glad someone believes in me, unlike Midoriya over there.” The declaration made the class laugh.

“What can I say?” Izuku grinned. “I'm just a hater.”

“Damn right.” Shinsou muttered. Izuku kicked his chair.

“ALRIGHT!” And in walked Present Mic. Fantastic. “Who's ready to practice some English today!?”

Izuku dropped his head again in defeat. He'd honestly rather plan world domination with Tomura than sit through another boring lesson… Izuku kinda hated his past self for getting arrested. This punishment would be the death of him.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27

“I can't say I'm disappointed he's not here.” Izuku said conversationally, chin perched on a palm. “Though I do always enjoy insulting him to his face when he is around.”

Hero Basic Training came around yet again, as it always did, and their brainless teacher was absent. Class was set to start fifteen minutes ago, and they remained teacherless. But you'd never catch Izuku complaining - unless he was killing the Number One Hero, Izuku would rather never lay eyes on All Might again.

“What've you got against All Might, Midoriya?” Kirishima asked, tilting his head with a frown. “I've been meaning to ask for a while, actually. It's like you've hated him since, well, forever.”

“Oh, that's because I have.” Izuku grinned. “I've never liked him, he's a shitty excuse of a Hero that I have absolutely no respect for. Full offense.”

“What's he done to make you hate him so much?” Shinsou raised an eyebrow. “I mean, he is the Number One Hero.”

“Exactly.” Izuku made a face. “The Hero Billboard Chart is complete bullshit. The Rankings are determined by the Hero Commission - which you don't even wanna get me started on - so obviously that means there's an aspect of favoritism from the higher ups in the Commission. Sure, they look at statistics, case resolution count, efficiency, skills, yada yada, but that's just their excuse for it all. What really goes on behind the scenes has more to do with the Hero's popularity than anything else, which is absolutely disgusting. All Might is the number one hero in popularity, ergo he's the Number One Hero. But who cares if they're the public’s favorite or not? Playing favorites is a shitty way to do your job.”

Izuku paused, then added, “And how many people they save should matter too, I suppose, and their civilian casualty count per attack should be measured as well. Sure they're good at killing Villains, but how well can they save people? That's what really matters, obviously.” That sounded Heroic, right? Izuku thought so, and so did his classmates, if the awed stares he was getting were any indication.

“Wow.” Kirishima looked at Izuku, stars in his eyes. “That's so eloquently said… so manly!!”

“Damn, and here I thought your dislike was petty.” Jirou spoke up from nearby, eyebrows raised in surprise. “My bad, Midoriya.”

“I'm used to it.” Izuku waved her off with a pretty smile. “Hating All Might isn't a popular opinion.”

“I hadn't thought of it like that.” Shinsou muttered, “The Commission, huh…”

“They're all a part of the conspiracy.” Todoroki nodded seriously. Izuku laughed.

“Exactly.” He grinned, “At least someone gets it.”

“Well, even if you aren't, I'm disappointed.” Hagakure spoke up, “I like it when All Might teaches Basic Hero Training, he's so cool. I'm sad he's not here today!”

“Agree to disagree.” Izuku huffed, “He's almost worse at teaching than he is at playing Hero.”

“I'm with Midoriya.” Shinsou said, “I prefer Aizawa-sensei’s teaching style.”

“Aizawa-sensei’s so scary though!” Ashido whined loudly, “I don't wanna be expelled for throwing a punch wrong!”

“He wouldn't actually expel you for just that.” Izuku huffed, “Aizawa-sensei is the type to only expel those he deems unworthy. Lesser.” An excellent practice, in Izuku's opinion.

“Midoriya means those without potential.” Kirishima said with a happy grin.

“No, I meant lesser. I said what I said.” Kirishima ignored the comment.

“I wonder what the lesson will be.” Kaminari mused, “Aizawa-sensei is mainly our homeroom teacher, we've never had him spend Basic Hero Training with us.”

“A thousand yen he tells someone they're not being rational enough.” Shinsou grinned.

“Nobody's taking that bet.” Izuku rolled his eyes. “That's pretty much guaranteed when it comes to Aizawa-sensei.” Izuku had to hand it to him - Eraserhead was hilariously intimidating, to those easily intimidated. The man was also quite the interesting juxtaposition. His presence commanded their respect while at the same time collected their total trust and loyalty. Izuku wasn't even sure it was purposeful, which would make it all so much more entertaining, but either way it was an excellent strategy. Especially as an educator.

“Morning.” Well speak of the devil…

“Morning!” The class echoed, suddenly all perfectly sat in their seats as Eraser reached the podium.

“As you probably already noticed, All Might is not here for today's Basic Hero Training.” Eraser said blandly, “That is intentional. Today I have an exercise planned that I want to oversee to measure your strategic thinking, situational analysis, and combat skills. The results of the exercise will be graded, as will your actions within the exercise.”

“That sounds like a lot…” Kaminari groaned quietly.

“I knew it.” Ashido whined, “Aizawa-sensei’s lessons are all so complicated!”

“The exercise will be at Ground Gamma.” Eraser told them, clicking a button on the remote to smoothly eject their cubbies from the wall. “Change into your costumes and meet there in fifteen minutes. Be quick.” Without another word Eraserhead shuffled out and the class jumped to their feet. Izuku was less enthusiastic as he slowly stood with a sigh.

“Midoriya, still not excited about your costume?” Kirishima asked with a grin. He snagged both his and Izuku's costume cases, happily handing over the one labeled 18 to him.

“No.” Izuku accepted the case. “And that's not going to change.”

“You could have it modified.” Shinsou said boredly, “Considering, you know, you'll have to wear it every day for the rest of your life after graduation.”

“Don't remind me.” Izuku shuddered. He would rather throw himself into boiling lava and take a long bath than wear his monstrosity of a Hero costume for longer than absolutely necessary. The moment he was allowed out of this hellhole Izuku would be happily burning the damned thing.

“Come on man, it's not so bad.” Kirishima laughed, “You look really good in it!” Izuku made a face.

“Agree to disagree.” Izuku walked out the room, resigned to endure yet another boring day of playing Hero.

.

“Capture the flag?!” Izuku ignored his classmates' boisterous exclamations and instead chose to examine the layout in front of him.

Well, it could've been worse. Trust Eraser to at least come up with something interesting for them to do.

Eraser stood between two tables, each featuring a large neon flag on a wide metal pole and two shiny vests; but the tables had different color schemes. One table had a neon purple flag, the accompanying vests being a luminescent purple, and the other was an eye-watering shade construction zone orange, paired with a set of vests that were a slightly more pumpkin-esque atrocious orange.

“We're playing in teams of two.” Todoroki deduced, scrutinizing the tables as well.

“One flag per team in an obvious, easily seen color.” Yaoyorozu added, “So it's a strategy activity…”

“That's right.” Eraser said, “I'll be pairing you semi-randomly, and once I've announced each team I'll get into who's against whom.”

“Semi-randomly?” Shinsou muttered, “What's that supposed to mean?”

“It means he doesn't want to tell us he wants us working with specific people but also wants us to work with specific people.” Izuku grinned, “Thus, plausible deniability if we figure him out.”

“Smart.” Uraraka said quietly, grinning and nodding. Izuku almost rolled his eyes at the excitement.

“Here are the teams.” Eraser clicked a button and up popped a holographic screen with team numbers and pairs. Izuku didn't have to look very far to find his name.

—

Team 01: Midoriya, Todoroki
Team 02: Jirou, Yaoyorozu
Team 03: Bakugou, Asui
Team 04: Uraraka, Kaminari
Team 05: Hagakure, Ashido
Team 06: Shinsou, Aoyama
Team 07: Tokoyami, Ojirou
Team 08: Shouji, Koda
Team 09: Kirishima, Satou
Team 10: Iida, Sero

—

Izuku turned and met Todoroki's eyes, and satisfaction bloomed in his chest at the small, twitched smile Todoroki offered him. Izuku remembered the first Basic Hero Training activity they were paired together for, and he knew it would be very different this time. For starters, Todoroki wouldn't dare ignore or blow Izuku off during the activity, they'd have to work together if they wanted to absolutely destroy their opponents. That also meant Izuku would get a front row seat in seeing Todoroki wield that wild, wonderful, beguiling Quirk of his. No way in hell was Izuku letting Todoroki get away with not using it.

“To make it simple as to which teams will be against each other, I've decided you'll be participating in descending order.” Eraser told them firmly, “For example: Team 1 will be against Team 2, Team 3 will be against Team 4, Team 5 against Team 6, and so on.”

“How excellent.” Izuku grinned. It seemed he was against Yaoyorozu and Jirou.

Yaoyorozu wouldn't be too difficult if he played his cards right. Yaoyorozu was powerful, but she lacked confidence, especially after she'd been absolutely pummeled in the Sports Festival by that 1B kid. She was a recommendation student, which implied she had some brains to go along with the Quirk she barely knew how to use, but he wasn't too worried.

Now he didn't have much experience with Jirou, but Izuku figured she would be their major competitor. With that Hearing Quirk of hers it would be difficult to sneak up on her, but it also meant she was sensitive to loud noises. Izuku had a few ideas as to how he might exploit that, but he was also willing to listen to what Todoroki had to say.

Both girls were smart, Izuku knew. Yaoyorozu especially, her family was rich and well known, and she'd already told everyone she'd been privately tutored to hell and back. Jirou was the kind of subtle smart that sometimes people missed - but her sarcastic comments and bland assessments of people and their actions were also dead on. There was a fair possibility their match would be interesting, if their brains could keep up with Izuku.

Izuku then wondered if Todoroki had a good head on his shoulders underneath his pretty little Quirk. Izuku would be disappointed if it turned out he was dumb as rocks. He didn't think he was, mostly because of his beautifully said speech at the USJ, but one can never really know. Oh well, he'd find out soon enough.

“You look like you already have a plan.” Todoroki stepped up to him, taking his place at Izuku's side.

“Hm, more just general thoughts.” Izuku said. “What d'you think of the match-up?”

“Yaoyorozu is powerful, as is her Quirk.” Todoroki told him blandly, eyeing Yaoyorozu where she stood a ways away with Jirou. “She's very intelligent, so don't underestimate her.”

“I'm afraid underestimating people is a bad habit of mine.” Izuku sighed rather dramatically, stretching an arm above his head. His stupid cropped jacket stretched oddly as he moved, which annoyed him. “It's not really my fault, though. Nobody can ever truly keep up with me. That's the real problem.”

“So you'd like it if someone could keep up with you.” Todoroki tilted his head.

“Absolutely.” Izuku grinned sharply. “Did you see how delighted I was during the Quirk Assessment when you beat me at the long distance run? It was only by a split second, but I was ecstatic.”

“Hm. I see.” Todoroki nodded. “So you like being challenged.”

“I adore being challenged.” Izuku laughed. “And I love it even more when they can even halfway measure up. I like being impressed.”

“And has anyone in class impressed you yet?”

“You, of course.” Izuku said, offering Todoroki a quick wink. “But also Shinsou and Uraraka.”

“Uraraka?” Todoroki frowned.

“Only vaguely. She fought well at the Sports Festival.” Izuku shrugged. He glanced over at Uraraka, standing with her partner, and watched that pretty determination shine through as she and Kaminari spoke rapid-fire to each other. “If she doesn't lose confidence and fall through the floor, she might actually accomplish something in her life.” Todoroki nodded in acceptance of the answer.

“And Shinsou?”

“His Quirk is cool.” Izuku grinned. “Have you ever been put under before?” Todoroki shook his head. “It's utterly intoxicating. The total submission and pure bliss of being under someone's complete control… there's nothing else like it.” He sighed dreamily.

“What about Kirishima?” Todoroki asked, “You spend a lot of time with him.”

“He's strong. Stronger than people see at first. And, maybe, it's more than just his Quirk.” Some days Izuku could see Kirishima's Quirk working, a deep burgundy beneath his skin, and he thought that perhaps Kirishima was more than a sunshine smile and a boring Quirk. There was potential hiding beneath that firm muscle. Potential used to harm instead of protect, to scrape and cut and claw and maim. It was a potential Izuku had yet to fully categorize.

“I see.” Todoroki nodded again. “But none of the others?”

“Not particularly.” Izuku said. “Everyone else is pretty mediocre.” Not to mention boring. They'd be much more interesting as hung decorations for the school, their insides out for the world to adore. Now that would be something worth seeing.

“And what is it about me?” Todoroki asked, face expressionless. Izuku paused for a moment, tilting his head.

“What d'you mean?”

“I mean, what is it about me?” Todoroki repeated. “You said I impressed you too.”

“Oh, what a silly question.” Izuku laughed. “Everything, Todoroki. Absolutely everything. Your Quirk, your attitude, your ambition, the sheer power you wield with every motion - it leaves me breathlessly in awe of your perfect Quirk nearly every day. ‘What is it about you,’ Todoroki Shouto? It is everything. You are everything.” And if things went to plan, one day Izuku would have that everything all to himself. Flawless control over both ice and fire, together as one, perfect and terrible in the palms of his greedy hands.

“Everything…” Todoroki murmured, eyes wide. Izuku said nothing more as he simply turned to where Yaoyorozu and Jirou were standing. They were both frowning, probably because they knew no matter what they did they were going to lose.

“Alright, first match. Midoriya and Todoroki against Yaoyorozu and Jirou.” Eraser announced loudly. “Teams, come on over and I'll lay out the rules. And hurry up, we have a lot to do today.” Once they'd joined Eraser attentively, he gestured to the two tables with the gear for the game. “To start us off: Team 1 will be orange, Team 2 will be purple.”

“You've got to be kidding me.” Izuku blurted. “You're making me wear construction zone orange? With this hair?” Green and orange were just an atrocious combination!

“Yes.” Eraser said dismissively. Izuku grimaced, crossing his arms, but fell silent. “Continuing, you'll be given fifteen minutes to head down into the maze of tunnels and place your flag. Once you've chosen a place for it, moving it from the 'base' will be against the rules. Try to move your own team's flag after the match starts and you'll be immediately disqualified and the opposing team will receive the win. The goal of this exercise is to steal the other team's flag and return to your own, placing the enemy flag next to yours. You must put down the flag and then let go for it to count - keeping your hand on the flag to prevent your opponents from stealing it is against the rules. Have a good defense and that won't be a problem. This isn't a match to the death, so try not to maim each other or cause unnecessary hassle. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” The class chorused.

“Good. Now Team 1, Team 2, go get set up.” Eraser dismissed them. “You have fifteen minutes starting now.”

.

Izuku was not excited about the plan. It made sense, and Todoroki made good points defending said plan, but the whole thing still sucked. Izuku hated being bored, more than pretty much everything.

“So, just a question, is there ever gonna be a time I'll be allowed to join you in offense?” Izuku asked, trying not to sound as sulky as he felt. “Or am I just perpetually stuck on defense?”

“No. You're on defense.” Todoroki repeated, blunt and certain. “Your Quirk is better for defense because of its ability to repel attacks. My Quirk is better for offense because of the versatility of my ice.”

“Rude.” Izuku muttered. The blatant disrespect for Push And Pull (which technically didn't exist, but Izuku tended to ignore that fact these days) was idiotic and arrogant. Still, Izuku moved past the slight and changed the subject. “So what's your plan for getting their flag then, Oh Great Offense?”

“I suspect Jirou will be guarding it, which will make stealth close to impossible.” Todoroki said, ignoring Izuku's attitude. “But I'll first have to locate the flag, so that's my starting point.”

“Will you be using your fire?” Izuku rather desperately hoped so - there wasn't really a point in being around Todoroki if he wasn't going to show off that utterly flawless Quirk.

“I don't believe I'll need it.” Todoroki said flatly. “I can simply freeze Jirou in place, rendering her unable to defend her flag.” Izuku scowled.

“Don't be stupid. You can use them in tandem.” Izuku countered. “You don't have to use the fire by itself, you could just use it occasionally. Not only will it confuse and distract your enemies with the seeming randomness, it'll also keep you safer through active temperature regulation, making it easier for you to use your ice. Think about it, it will be practically effortless for you to win any battle thrown your way.” Todoroki paused then, assessing.

“You really want me to use it.” Todoroki said after a small pause. “It still puzzles me why that is.”

“It's simple, Todoroki Shouto.” Izuku laughed lightly. “Your Quirk is beautiful and powerful, unstoppable and conquering. It is physically painful for me to watch you smother such a wonderful thing, and I'll do everything in my power to ensure you use that stunning Quirk to its full capability.” For as long as he had it, of course, however much longer that may be.

“I see.” Todoroki nodded. “I'll consider it.” Briefly Izuku felt like strangling him for the flippancy, but with excellent restraint he did not.

“Your fifteen minutes are up.” Eraser's voice echoed through the maze of tunnels, catching their attention. “Your match starts now. You have twenty minutes to capture the opposing team's flag and return it to your own. If neither team completes the objective within the time frame, both teams lose. Begin.”

Izuku looked at Todoroki, who seemed to hesitate.

“You'll stay here.” Todoroki said, checking.

“Yeah yeah.” Izuku crossed his arms. “Got it.”

“Thanks, Midoriya.” Todoroki nodded. Then he paused again. “Should I call you Midoriya? Or should I address you as your Hero name during the exercise?” Izuku damn near choked, scrunching up his nose in disgust.

“Absolutely the fuck not.” Izuku scoffed. “Calling me ‘Midoriya’ is just fine. Though…” Izuku hummed a little, thinking. “I think I wouldn't mind calling you by your Hero name, Shouto.”

“Alright then.” Todoroki nodded a little in acceptance.

“Go on then.” Izuku smirked. “We've a match to win, Shouto.” The name on his tongue rolled so beautifully, Izuku decided he wouldn't be calling the boy anything else from now on.

“Yes.” Shouto agreed. He gave Izuku a tiny smile before taking off at a light job into the mess of tunnels. Izuku took a deep breath and blew it out, shaking off the little shivers Shouto's smile sent crawling across his skin - oh what Izuku would do to feel Shouto's icy breath on his face again…

Anyway! They'd nestled their ‘base’ into a small clearing surrounded by a tight spiral of pipes that hid their hideously orange flag from sight. The only downside being their own lack of visibility. Win some, lose some.

A bit bored already, Izuku plopped down on the ground with his back to the flag. He hated looking at it.

The premise of their big plan was all banking on the idea that Jirou and Yaoyorozu would go with the smart option - Yaoyorozu on offense, Jirou on defense. Jirou would be the better defense because she could track how close her enemies are and counter that accordingly, while Yaoyorozu on defense would be a bit of a sitting duck, especially taking her hesitation and self-doubt into account. Yaoyorozu on offense would make more sense considering the versatility of her Quirk and more control over the first attack since her opponent wouldn't know where she was coming from. Or, that would've been the case if Izuku wasn't a cheater.

Steal hummed under his skin, singing softly as it tracked Todoroki's movements. He didn't have his Quirk active, but even still Izuku could see it resting happily in Shouto's chest. Red and blue side by side but never mixing, rubbing against each other to balance the difference in temperature and power within. Oh how Izuku wanted it, so very desperately. His fingers twitched as Todoroki softly activated his flames for a moment, probably lighting his way in the shadows of the maze.

Izuku could imagine how it would feel to wield it, keeping both the Quirk and Shouto all for himself, never letting them go. He would terrify and demolish his enemies with that beautiful Quirk, and utterly destroy Shouto with what had once been his… just thinking about it had Izuku's heart pounding and Steal writhing. It was such a rush to caress Shouto's Quirk with his own, entangling them however briefly to keep them pressing together in twisted harmony.

A clatter caught Izuku's attention and had Steal snapping back to reality, triggering the realization that Yaoyorozu had arrived. Just as intended.

Izuku sprang to his feet and whipped around. Yaoyorozu was running up from the opposite side of the clearing, a long metal pole in hand and a halfway determined expression. Her eye were scanning the area, but Izuku remained partially behind the cover of the flag.

“Hi there.” Izuku drawled. “Here for the flag, are we?” He raised a hand lazily, but he did nothing as Yaoyorozu froze, finally spotting him.

“What are you doing here?” Yaoyorozu asked. Her pathetic voice was trembling and it made Izuku laugh.

“Defending.” Izuku grinned widely. “Not who you were expecting, then?” Yaoyorozu’s hands tightened on the flag harshly.

“I thought you'd be on offense.” Yaoyorozu said, unnerved hesitation obvious in her posture. “You're known for being impatient and arrogant, so I assumed you'd charge ahead and leave Todoroki behind to guard the flag. That made more sense, especially since you hate sitting still. I- I was prepared to combat Todoroki.”

“A good assessment.” Izuku nodded. “What you failed to consider is my willingness to listen to my teammate's suggestions. Aw, how terribly unfortunate for you.”

“Of course.” Yaoyorozu murmured. “Todoroki also thinks his Quirk is powerful and tends to overexert himself, so it makes sense he'd push ahead and do it himself.”

“You sure are smart.” Izuku sighed. “But not smart enough.” With a flick of his Yaoyorozu flew across the clearing and slammed into a rather large metal pipe, stunning her as she crumpled to the ground. Vaguely checking she was still alive and breathing, Izuku plopped back down on the ground and waited.

He really hated being bored, and Yaoyorozu turned out to be a disappointing opponent.

.

They won.

Shouto pulled through, kicking Jirou's ass and snagging their flag to bring back to Izuku like a prize. It was slightly devastating that Izuku missed the majority of their fight, unable to spy with Steal's wide range of view due to Little Miss Hostage distracting him, but he supposed one couldn't have it all.

Izuku paid a perhaps unnecessary close eye on Yaoyorozu, pinning her down continuously with his Quirk with a flat palm pressing her into the cold concrete, occasionally once again knocking her out when she started being naughty with that little Quirk of hers. Creation was an attractive Quirk, but maintaining it would be a hassle and a half. So he, extremely boredly, did his little job and played the good part as a very supportive and complacent teammate. And despite his sulking and disappointment, they won.

“Great job.” Izuku said to Shouto. They were heading back to the platform where the class was waiting, but they were alone due to both girls needing to be retrieved via Med Bots with stretchers. “I hope Aizawa-sensei recorded the match, I'd love to see how you did.”

“I'd like that too.” Shouto agreed. “Did you have any trouble with Yaoyorozu?”

“No.” Izuku sighed, disappointed. “She was hardly an opponent at all.” Shouto hummed a little in acknowledgement.

“She lacks confidence.” Shouto said. “That's what brings her down, really.”

“I agree.” Izuku grinned. “Imagine the true capability of such a Quirk in more competent hands…” Despite his neutral opinion regarding Yaoyorozu's Quirk, picturing the possibilities it presented was very fun indeed.

“I think she'll improve with time and experience.” Shouto said after a moment. “The upcoming Internships should help with that especially.”

“Oh, I forgot about those.” Izuku frowned. He seriously hated the idea of following around some dumb Hero around like a lost duckling, but he had no choice in the matter due to his position as a little Heroling student.

Shouto seemed to understand Izuku's ire, so he said nothing more about the subject. Izuku found that kind of cute for some reason; Shouto paying attention to him in any capacity always thrilled him inside.

Impulsively, Izuku reached out and took one of Shouto's hands in his. Shouto paused his stride, looking at Izuku in surprise at the contact. With a little coaxing nudge, Izuku had him walking again. He ran a thumb down Shouto's palm with a satisfied smile. It was his fire hand, warm to the touch and oh so soft. Steal pulsed, writhing at the proximity.

“Did you use your fire?” Izuku asked, meeting Shouto's eyes steadily. “Against Jirou.”

“A little.” Shouto frowned a little, eyebrows creasing ever so slightly. “I did what you suggested, throwing flames as a distraction to create an opening for my ice, but I'm too inexperienced to wield my fire in any real sense.”

“You'll learn.” Izuku laughed. He offered Shouto a sharp smile. “You'll be unstoppable someday, Shouto. And I'll watch the whole way.” There was absolutely no way he was letting Shouto and his Quirk get away from him, Izuku thought to himself, Todoroki Shouto would belong to him someday, one way or another, of that he was absolutely certain.

“I'll do my best.” Shouto said after a moment. “The starting point is controlling my fire.”

“Fair enough.” Izuku shrugged casually. “You'll figure it out.” Shouto merely nodded, falling silent.

When they got back to class they were swarmed by enthusiastic classmates, gushing about Izuku's ease in taking down Yaoyorozu and the impressive fight Shouto put up against Jirou. Shouto merely nodded at the praise, while Izuku lapped the attention up wonderfully. It still felt amazing when they were admiring him, a Villain in secret, because they saw him as one of them. The irony never failed to make Izuku laugh.

When the next match started, Izuku drifted back over to where Shinsou was waiting. He seemed to be sulking, oddly enough.

“What's got you tied in knots?” Izuku asked, leaning against the railing Shinsou was back against.

“Nothing.” Shinsou muttered. “Just… Todoroki.”

“Huh?” Izuku blinked. “What about him?”

“You two are pretty close.” Shinsou glanced over at him, a blank expression on his face. “When did that happen?”

“The Sports Festival.” Izuku grinned. “When he showed me how truly wondrous his Quirk really is.” Shinsou scowled at that.

“I see.” Shinsou bit out. Then he paused. When he spoke again his voice was soft, almost hesitant. “Is… Is his Quirk better than mine?” Now it was Izuku's turn to pause. Better? Well that was an extremely loaded question…

“It's just different.” Izuku said, sighing. He turned to face Shinsou, reaching out to touch his face, a featherlight brush against his jaw and cheek. Shinsou's eyes went wide, lips parting slightly in surprise. Good, now Izuku had his full attention. “Shinsou. Your Quirk is powerful, and so so captivating. It takes my breath away and twists me up in knots - I've never felt anything like it. The pure bliss of your submission is a marvel to experience and a pleasure to feel. Your Quirk is a wonder, Shinsou, and I mean that. It's utterly unique and very special to me. Don't waste your time comparing yourself to everyone else, especially Shouto. It'll just confuse you unnecessarily. You understand?”

Shinsou's face was pink, a flush flashing across his cheekbones, and his eyes were wide as he stared at Izuku. He looked awed, perhaps dazed, and Izuku pulled his hand back with a sigh. Surprisingly, Shinsou seemed to chase the contact with a slight lean forward and a deep breath.

“Shinsou?” Izuku prompted, voice gentle. “Do you understand me?” Shinsou swallowed hard, then nodded.

“Yes.” Shinsou said, breathless. Izuku laughed.

“Good.” Izuku grinned at him. “Now, can we watch your lovely classmates pummel each other into the ground now? Or are you going to pout some more?”

“Shut up.” Shinsou muttered. Izuku laughed again, mostly because the anger and ire expressed by Shinsou had disappeared entirely. Good.

So Izuku watched his classmates, some impressed sometimes unimpressed, and every so often his eyes strayed to watch Shouto. And he was pleased to find sometimes, only sometimes… Shouto was watching him back.

Chapter Text

Chapter 28

Hitoshi was typically early to school because of how relieved he was to escape the house and his foster parents every morning, but he wasn't usually this early. Plopping down into his seat forty-five minutes before the bell? Even to him that seemed excessive.

Hitoshi slumped over his desk with a sigh. Well, he might as well get some shut-eye while he waited - he wasn't in any danger of staying asleep for long anyway…

“Hey Shinsou!” Yep, there it was; his annoyingly bright alarm clock. It wasn't even fifteen minutes of rest before he was yanked awake by his sunshine friend.

“Hey, Kirishima.” Hitoshi raised his head with a yawn. “You're here early.”

“There was construction on the road I usually take my run every morning, so my typical morning routine was cut a bit short.” Kirishima shrugged a little. “But that's alright! I'm here early for once because of it.”

“Woo hoo.” Hitoshi said. Kirishima laughed at the deadpan tone.

“Not quite awake yet?”

“Doing my fucking best.” Hitoshi muttered.

“Understandable.” Kirishima grinned. “Hey, I wonder what we're doing today! All Might is supposed to be back and teaching our Basic Hero training today, so the exercise is bound to be interesting. He's a funny teacher, don't you think? Some of his lessons are really out there!” Hitoshi nodded along, only half listening.

Hitoshi's eyes drifted over to Midoriya's empty seat absently, almost habitually. Midoriya was a total wild card when it came to arrival times, of course. Sometimes he was the first one there while other times he was sliding through the door as the bell rang, earning himself a warning look from Aizawa as he followed a couple seconds later. It was fondly irritating and endearing at the same time.

But, these days… Hitoshi couldn't help how his chest ached whenever he thought about Midoriya. It was so complicated to be near him, especially now. Something had changed between them, and he hated it with every fiber of his being.

Hitoshi also knew whatever had changed was all because of that fucker Todoroki - Hitoshi was sure of it. Midoriya had been different ever since the Sports Festival, ever since he'd lost to Todoroki, and Hitoshi didn't like this new development. He missed the way it was before.

Midoriya was wild and carefree, sharp edges and snappy replies, the perfect example of someone who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. Hitoshi envied that, and admired it. Maybe that was why he'd been so drawn to Izuku from the moment he first heard him laugh. That very first day of school changed his life.

Hitoshi had taken a risk putting Midoriya under his control for the ball throw, but he'd steeled his heart and tried his best. Of course, Midoriya never did the reasonable thing. Instead of being afraid, or angry, or even resentful, he laughed. Hitoshi wouldn't ever forget that sound.

He'd been breathless, stumbling across the field with an awed sort of smile and a crazed look in his eyes. He'd stared Hitoshi down with a too sharp grin and dilated pupils and laughed brightly and loudly when Hitoshi protested to ask if he was alright. All he got was a pretty smile, a happy laugh, and warm hands on his shoulders.

"Your Quirk is powerful and I swear to God if you insult it I'll murder you. You're lucky to have such a good Quirk."

Hitoshi couldn't stop the warmth that spread through him at the memory. Midoriya was his first real friend, and he was so sure Midoriya cared about him too. Only… Hitoshi wasn't so sure anymore; their friendship was being completely smothered. They were spending less time together, Midoriya's attention was constantly being pulled away, and it was all because of that goddamn Todoroki.

Another thing, something about the way Midoriya treated Todoroki whenever they interacted just rubbed him the wrong way. Similarly, the way Todoroki responded to him was slightly off as well.

A part of Hitoshi was jealous, that much he knew and reluctantly acknowledged, but that wasn't the point! There was something else going on, it was just that Hitoshi didn't know what that ‘something’ might be. Yet.

"Hey Shinsou, did you decide where you're taking your Internship? The applications are due today." Hitoshi looked up, trying to move casually instead of snapping his head up too quickly, to see Kirishima wearing his signature, annoyingly energetic expression.

"I'm interning with Aizawa-sensei." Hitoshi shrugged. "I'd like to learn how the hell his scarf works."

"It's charged by electrifying static energy." Midoriya suddenly slid into view, hopping up onto his desk with a wide grin. “Obviously.”

"Midoriya." Hitoshi said a little dumbly, failing to process what he said. "… What?"

"The scarf, that's how it levitates. Static electricity." Midoriya said, raising an eyebrow and getting comfortable on his desk "It's made of steel wire alloy woven with carbon nanofibers, and it can loosen or tighten while shifting itself to any shape the user likes depending on their intent and how they handle the weapon."

"Wow Midoriya!" Kirishima enthused. "How'd you know that?"

"I have my ways." Midoriya said smugly. His eyes briefly flashed over to Hitoshi and he winked. "You're welcome, now you know." Hitoshi's heart skipped a beat, but he rolled his eyes to prevent himself from staring.

"I'm still interning with him." Hitoshi huffed. Midoriya just laughed.

"I suppose you'll have to come up with some other excuse now." Midoriya smiled. His eyes were filled with playful mirth, the kind Hitoshi loved to see.

"Midoriya." Todoroki stepped into view and Hitoshi's mood immediately plummeted as Midoriya's attention was completely stolen. "Are you discussing Internships?"

"Yes, do you want to join us?" Midoriya offered. He held out a hand, and so easily Todoroki reached forward to intertwine their fingers like the motion was hardly special at all.

"Of course." Todoroki said calmly, expression never changing. All Hitoshi could think was that he should be more grateful towards Midoriya's offer. Did he even notice how he was being treated?

Hitoshi's hands balled into fists as Midoriya sat back on the desk and lifted a knee as Todoroki stepped closer, letting him almost stand between his legs. It made Hitoshi sick. The worst part, at least in Hitoshi's mind, was the sheer difference in how they looked at each other.

Midoriya looked at Todoroki like he personally hung the moon and handed him the stars. It was like all Midoriya's thoughts were filled with Todoroki, possessiveness blatant in his posture as he traced the back of Todoroki's hand with one finger. Whenever Todoroki spoke Midoriya's eyes were on him, whether or not Midoriya himself was part of the conversation. Midoriya looked at him with controlling certainty as though Todoroki belonged to him completely; it was obvious in everything he did that his world revolved around Todoroki Shouto. If Hitoshi didn't know better he'd think Todoroki was somehow controlling Midoriya. He did know better, however, and knew that Midoriya would never fall for something like that. Somehow that only made Hitoshi feel worse.

On the complete other side of the spectrum, Todoroki was utterly blank-faced. He was leaning back against Midoriya's leg, holding his hand while Izuku gently traced his knuckles, being treated like he was made of fucking diamonds, and Todoroki didn't seem to care at all. When Todoroki looked at Midoriya there was nothing in his face, no joy or affection or any emotion at all. He probably thought Midoriya was beneath him, only entertaining his affections because it benefited him somehow. Hitoshi didn't really care why Todoroki was doing what he was doing, he just needed a way to make him stop. He just didn't know how!

“I'm interning with Fourth Kind!” Kirishima was saying when Hitoshi bothered to tune back in.

“Doesn't he do a bunch of public service and stuff?” Midoriya raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah!” Kirishima grinned brightly. “So manly, and so chivalrous!!”

“How nice.” Midoriya replied dryly. Kirishima ignored the tone, but Hitoshi smiled a little hearing it. That was the Midoriya he knew and loved admired.

“Who're you interning with, Midoriya?” Kirishima asked.

“Aizawa-sensei.” Midoriya said, shrugging a little. “I don't trust any of the other Heroes, so I figured Aizawa-sensei wouldn't be a bad choice.” Hitoshi startled a little at that.

“You are?” Hitoshi asked. “Seriously?”

“What, afraid I'll steal the attention away?” Midoriya smirked at him. Hitoshi's heart stuttered, but again he just rolled his eyes.

“No, I just figured you go for someone higher up the food chain.” Hitoshi said, hoping it sounded convincing. Midoriya saw right through it, of course, and grinned.

“Midoriya wouldn't go for someone higher on the charts.” Todoroki cut in. “He hates most Heroes. Especially high-ranking ones.”

“That I do.” Midoriya looked at Todoroki, possessive adoration blatant in his gaze. “Well said.”

“Well where are you going, Todoroki?” Kirishima tilted his head. “You got the most requests out of everyone. Over 5000.”

"I've actually decided to take my Internship with my father." Todoroki said. “So, no one special.”

"You what?" Hitoshi flinched away from Midoriya, his eyes widening at the anger on his beautiful face. It was rare someone did something that brought out Midoriya's terrifying anger like that; Hitoshi was glad it wasn't him that'd done it.

"I said I would be interning with my father." Todoroki, of fucking course, seemed utterly unaffected by Midoriya's intensely murderous expression.

“Hallway.” Midoriya hissed through his teeth. “Now.”

Midoriya hopped off the desk as Todoroki took a step back, then stormed out clutching Todoroki's wrist hard enough his knuckles turned white. The door slammed behind them. The rest of the class, who'd grown accustomed to Midoriya's oddities, barely glanced at the door despite the clang.

"... That was intense." Kirishima laughed nervously. Hitoshi turned to him as he took a deep breath.

"I feel like we weren't supposed to see that." Hitoshi muttered, frowning. "Todoroki had to have done something serious to make Midoriya so mad." A part of him hoped Midoriya never forgave him for it, dropping him for good so he'd come back to Hitoshi.

"Ah, man, I wouldn't worry." Kirishima said dismissively. "You know Todoroki's a private guy in general, and Midoriya has always been a little intense.” Kirishima hummed a little. “Actually, they sort of match each other perfectly, don't you think?"

"They what?" Hitoshi looked at him incredulously, but Kirishima merely shrugged.

"Like, Todoroki totally mellows Midoriya out, you know? And Midoriya's really helped Todoroki come out of his shell. It's nice to see Midoriya so happy, too." Kirishima seemed so content, so uncaring, Hitoshi wondered if they were seeing the same interactions between the same people.

"Todoroki doesn't mellow Midoriya, and Midoriya doesn't encourage Todoroki." Hitoshi disagreed. "I think the only thing that can come of their friendship is a large-scale explosion when something goes wrong." Kirishima either didn't hear him or just decided not to acknowledge him, but regardless he said nothing in reply.

Something was different, and it was all Todoroki's fault. And Hitoshi didn't know what to do.

————— Izuku —————

Izuku stormed out into the hallway, barely reining in his temper. He wanted to get as far away as possible, somewhere secluded where he could be in complete control. When Shouto came to a sudden stop, Izuku felt a fresh wave of anger. He didn't want to stop in the middle of the hallway just outside the classroom, but he couldn't exactly drag the other boy - it would attract too much attention.

"Care to explain?" Izuku was proud of how well he contained his anger.

"Sure." Shouto said, examining him closely. "I need to learn to control my fire and my old man is my best resource to do so."

"You don't need him." Izuku was all Shouto needed, the useless Hero who dared call Shouto his didn't deserve to live. Shouto belonged to Izuku, that would never change.

"I know that already, and don't tell me what to do." Shouto's voice could cut glass, his glare sharper than daggers. Izuku felt both the glass and the daggers dig into him; he couldn't pin down exactly how he felt as he desperately tried to control himself.

He was angry Shouto dared run back to his father; he was jealous because Shouto would be practicing his Quirk, his devastating ice and stunning flames, where Izuku couldn't see it; but at the same time he was swooning inside because Shouto's gaze was forceful and sharp and warning. Despite everything else swirling in his head, Izuku sighed.

"You are so beautiful when you're angry, it's horribly distracting." Izuku murmured. He reached out to brush a strand of Shouto's white hair from where it had fallen over his face. "If he lays a single hand or Quirk on you, or injures you in any capacity, I'll kill him."

“What makes you think he would hurt me?” Shouto's voice was neutral, but the gentle drawing of his eyebrows gave away his defensive confusion.

“A couple of reasons.” Izuku's hands balled into fists. “You said he raised you to be powerful, to be the best, and I don't think he's the type to be a gentle teacher. Your fear of your own Quirk also gives it away - you have experience in how badly it hurts to fight with fire, and that contributed to your mental fight against it.” Izuku paused, assessing Shouto slightly. He then added, “Also, that mark on your face isn't subtle. It tells a tale I can't quite make out, but assumptions can be made.”

Silently, Shouto reached up and touched his left eye, fingers skimming across the damaged skin there. Izuku watched it crease under his fingertips, briefly distracted by it - what would it feel like? Rough or wrinkly, hot to the touch or so damaged it was cold? Would he be able to feel the injury, feel the pain, feel all Shouto's inside secrets with just a single touch?

“It was my old man's fault.” Shouto said finally, snapping Izuku back to attention. “... But it was not him that inflicted the damage.”

“What d'you mean?” Izuku tilted his head.

“My mother… she watched me train for days on end without pause, watched my father burn me and hurt me and tear me down time and time again, and too often she stepped between us. She tried to protect me, but all she ended up doing was hurting the both of us.” Shouto looked down at his hands, eyes unsettled. “One day she snapped, and as I went to speak to her in the kitchen she said to me, ‘Your left side is unsightly', then poured boiling water down my face. I think she was so overwhelmed and broken from the abuse, she looked at me and just saw him in my place.” He paused then, brow creased in a frown.

Izuku reached forward and intertwined their fingers again, prompting Shouto to look up at him. Izuku said nothing (even as his blood boiled and he itched to destroy every person who dared lay a hand on his Shouto) while Shouto collected his thoughts.

“My left side is fireproof.” Shouto said finally. “The water stung against my skin, but I wasn't damaged in any way. But because I was crying and confused, mother seemed to not understand I was uninjured. She reached out and pressed her hand to my eye and crystallized ice against my skin with her Quirk. That's what caused my scar - the ice penetrated deep into my face, and the tissue in that whole area died. I almost lost my eye because of it. But I don't blame my mother in any way; she didn't know what she was doing. It was my old man, and after the incident he shipped her off to a mental hospital to hush it up. I hate my father for it all, because I know he's what pushed her to that breaking point.” Shouto paused, sighing. “So yes, it is his fault my face is this way. But it wasn't his hand that inflicted the damage.”

Izuku remained silent for a long moment, thinking. When he finally spoke, he couldn't keep the unbridled hatred from his voice. “I will kill him for that one day.” He declared, voice shaking with soft rage.

“It's in the past.” Shouto said, shaking his head. He smiled then. “In any case, I do not believe he's going to hurt me now." Shouto met Izuku's eyes steadily. “I'm not handing in an internship application to him because I am forgiving him, nor because I think he's changed. I simply want to use him to master my Quirk." Despite the confusion and hatred and anger boiling inside him, Izuku's blood calmed a little at the words. Manipulation… how wonderful.

"Alright." Izuku said, blowing out a frustrated breath. "But I want you to remember that your Quirk is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, and if Endeavor takes advantage of that or damages you at all, I will kill him."

"I don't doubt that." Shouto said. There was a small smile on his face, one that made Izuku grin. He relished every tiny reaction he got from Shouto; all of his reactions were utterly beautiful. How could people not see it?

Izuku knew of the overall opinion that Shouto was blank-faced and completely uninterested in anything, but that just wasn't true - Izuku was tempted to murder anyone who dared say such a thing to his face. The small softness in Shouto's eyes when he was fond, the twitch of his eyebrow when he was annoyed, the little way his lips quirked when smiled, the way his eyes widened ever so slightly when something surprised him; Shouto was so expressive if only people knew what to look for.

“We should probably get back.” Shouto said after a moment. “The bell is about to ring, and Aizawa-sensei doesn't take well to tardiness.”

“Fine.” Izuku sighed. He reached out and more gently took Shouto's hand, yet again wishing he could feel that frigid ice or raging fire against his skin as he did. “Let's go.”

The class was all seated and ready for class when they got back, but they paid Izuku and Shouto little attention. Except for Kirishima and Shinsou, of course, but that was expected. Izuku pointedly ignored Shinsou’s heavy ire, knowing he'd get over himself as the day progressed.

Plopping down in his seat just as the bell rang, Izuku prepared himself for another boring day at Hero school. Though even as boredom set in, his conversation with Shouto lingered in his mind.

Well… it seemed he now had a Hero to murder.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29

“If I jump off a building right now, do you think Aizawa-sensei would let me die?”

“I heard that, Midoriya.” Eraser looked over his shoulder, unimpressed. “You've made your unenthusiastic cooperation well known. Stop complaining.”

“But I don't want to.” Izuku crossed his arms. Eraser just glared, then turned to address the class as a whole.

They were all packed into a group at the train station, bags and cases in hand, ready to go off into the world of Heroes to train and learn from real Pro Heroes. Izuku found this disgusting and did not want to participate. Unfortunately it was mandatory or whatever, so he didn't really have a choice.

“Alright. Now, I don't have to remind you how important this will be for both you and your career. Or, I better not have to.” Eraser said, scanning his excited students. “These internships are a privilege, and if any problems are had and I hear of it from your Supervising Hero there will be consequences. Understood?”

“Yes sir!” Izuku did not cheer along with his classmates, still sulking. Shinsou at his side seemed to find this terribly amusing, much to Izuku's ire.

“Does everyone have their Hero Costumes? And, more importantly, does everyone remember you are strictly forbidden from wearing them in public without your supervising Hero present?”

“Yes sir!”

“Good. Now, make sure to be on your best behavior while on your Internships. I'll know if you aren't.” Eraser warned, sighing a little. Then he stepped aside and gestured towards the trains. “Off with you now. Don't dally and miss your trains.”

“Why are you here, Midoriya, Shinsou?” Uraraka asked. She was clutching her costume case tightly, her grip tightening and loosening, giving away her beautiful anxiety. It made Izuku smile. "I thought you were Interning with Aizawa-sensei."

“We are.” Izuku said, smiling prettily. “He's taking us to wherever we're staying directly after this.”

“Aizawa-sensei said it'd be more efficient this way.” Shinsou added blandly.

“Oh, where will you be staying?” Uraraka's eyes went wide. “Maybe, at his house?”

“We don't know yet.” Izuku shrugged. “I guess we'll just have to see.”

“I'm gonna miss you guys!” Kirishima appeared out of nowhere, scooping Izuku and Shinsou into a tight hug. “I'm gonna do my best while on my Internship, and I just know you'll do the same!” Izuku would've said something sarcastic in response, but with Kirishima's arms pressed against him Izuku could barely concentrate.

Hardening was a boring little Quirk at first glance, something Izuku completely dismissed upon his first read, but since then he'd been slowly realizing there was some real potential beneath the surface. Kirishima wasn't using his Quirk to its full potential, that's for damn sure, but then… what did that full potential look like? Would might Izuku do with it if he got his greedy little hands on it? Might he cut people with those Hardened shards? Might he use that durable strength to pin people down with sharp hands and watch them writhe, unable to escape his unbreaking hands?

“Get off!” Shinsou shoved Kirishima away, making Kirishima laugh, and Shinsou cracked a smile a little even as he hurriedly straightened his uniform. “It's not that long a time anyway.”

“We'll miss you too, Kirishima.” Izuku said smoothly. “Shinsou and I will do our very best to improve during this time given to us, and you'd better keep up. Show us all your new tricks when you get back, yeah?”

“Yeah!” Kirishima clenched a fist, showing off his shark-like teeth proudly. “So well said, and so manly!!” Shinsou said something witty or snappish in response, but Izuku's eye caught on a flash of white and red lingering nearby.

Izuku headed over to Shouto without a thought. “Hey.”

“My train is departing soon.” Shouto said in lieu of response. “I wanted to say goodbye.”

“To lil’ ol’ me?” Izuku laughed, a spark of delight flickering in his chest. “I'm flattered.”

“I also want you to know I'll be practicing my Quirk while I'm gone.” Shouto told him. “Next time we fight, I'll show you what I've learned.” Izuku's blood thrummed at the thought.

“I'd love that.” Izuku reached out and took Shouto's hand, shivering at the freezing touch as he interlocked their fingers. “It couldn't come soon enough.”

“I'll be going then.” Shouto nodded to him with a tiny smile. “Enjoy your Internship.” He made to let go and turn away, but Izuku suddenly felt it wasn't the way he wanted to part - Shouto was going away, back to his father, to practice such a beautiful Quirk where Izuku could not watch - Izuku felt maybe he needed a little parting gift in compensation for the terrible, no good, very wonderful, murderous ideas Shouto was causing Izuku to consider.

"Shouto," Izuku said suddenly, impulsively, “I want something from you, before you go.”

"What?" Shouto paused. He did not look cautious, just curious.

"I want to feel your Quirk." Izuku told him. He wasn't totally sure why he was bringing it up now but he did it anyway. "I have wanted to feel it ever since I first saw you."

"Feel it how?" Shouto's eyes narrowed.

"Turn on your Quirk." Izuku said firmly. "Make some ice for me." Shouto's eyes flicked to his right hand still clasped in Izuku's, their fingers tangled together, and hesitated. Izuku tightened his grip and looked Shouto right in his captivatingly dissimilar eyes. He leaned closer, lowering his voice to an almost coaxing softness. “Please, Shouto?”

There was a pause in which Shouto simply stared, eyes wide and expression confused, but after one frustratingly long second… It happened.

Frost crept up his palm. Ice crystallized between his fingers where Shouto's skin met his, and Izuku's eyes fluttered shut. Steal was screaming, but Izuku smothered it as he clung to Shouto's hand and melted into the feeling. His palm was frosted over completely, and, to his delight, his fingers were almost immediately numb and stiff. The pain was everything Izuku had ever wanted and more. He could feel the churning blue under pale skin, Shouto's Quirk practically caressing his.

His eyes then flew open in panic as Shouto's grip loosened, Izuku's fingers too frozen to hold him tighter, but the air in his lungs that he might've used to protest was knocked out of him as Shouto's left hand slotted in to cover their hands. Izuku did not know how hot Shouto's fingers were burning, but every little warmth felt like torture against Izuku's frozen skin. Flames licked up Shouto's fingers towards his knuckles for only a moment before sputtering out, replaced by simple heat enveloping Izuku's senses.

Steal had never before been so overwhelmingly devastated.

"Why?" Izuku looked up at Shouto in a daze at the earnest question. "Why do you look at me like that?" Izuku couldn't help how he laughed breathlessly.

"Because you have the most beautiful Quirk I have ever seen or sensed, Todoroki Shouto." Izuku could hardly breathe. He stared up at Shouto with unmasked awe in his eyes, delirious happiness in his voice. "Quirks are an absolute wonder in this world, and yours is utterly unique. You wield it like a storm with skill and temperament truly earned and hard won. You walk with strength as though it was your goddamn birthright and you speak as though you know what it means to be truly powerful. I knew how special you are the moment I met you, and every moment after. Everything about your Quirk speaks to me, practically shouting my name even from across the room, and I desperately want you to show me just how truly amazing you can be."

Shouto was staring at him with wide eyes, completely still as his hands cupped Izuku's, the ice and heat slowly meeting in the middle to form a soft temperature between their palms that Izuku's abused hands could barely feel.

“You're crazy.” Shouto murmured, but there was a hint of a smile on his face again.

“Crazy for you.” Izuku laughed. He looked into Shouto's eyes and wondered what would happen if he didn't take Half-Hot Half-Cold for himself; what would happen if he let Shouto keep it for a little while? Obviously Izuku still wanted to end up with it someday, but would it be so terrible to let this miracle of a boy keep it for just a little while longer?

“I have to go now.” Shouto said, looking to where his train was boarding.

“I know.” Izuku looked back down at their hands, frozen and burned and beautiful. To his surprise, Shouto raised their clasped hands and gently pressed a kiss to the back of Izuku's throbbing hand. It was featherlight, but Izuku froze completely because he had absolutely no idea what to do. Then Shouto withdrew.

"Goodbye." Shouto said to him softly.

"Bye." Izuku couldn't breathe. Steal was still screaming, but he barely noticed as Shouto offered him a real smile. He then picked up his costume case and headed for the train without looking back. Izuku watched him go, dazed, hands trembling, delirious adoration lingering in his chest. Half-Hot Half-Cold was a flame flickering inside Todoroki's chest, blue tendrils curling with red smoke, swirling around and around until the train was pulling away and it was swallowed by the hundreds of little, meaningless lights around him.

Izuku looked down at his hand and laughed to himself. One hand was normal, untouched where he left it at his side, the other was bright red and trembling. Tiny swollen burns crawled up the sides of his fingers, small blisters decorating his fingertips, his palms slightly pruned from the icy touch. Never had he loved his hands as much as he did seeing them so ruined by such a stunningly powerful Quirk.

“Midoriya?” Shinsou called. Izuku turned, semi-casually stuffing his hands in his pockets. “We're leaving.”

“Right, yeah.” Izuku blew out a breath and deactivated Steal, letting it fade out so he didn't accidentally snag someone's Quirk in his delirious devastation. Especially when Shinsou's Quirk was so enticing right in front of him… “I'm coming.”

.

Izuku found great satisfaction in now knowing where Eraser lived. For some reason Eraser decided it was smart to bring his two interns back to his literal apartment, using it as the crash space for the week because they weren't allowed to go home while on their internship. There was quite a bit of trust happening between the three of them, of which Izuku would endlessly amusing.

“Now, I only ask you don't make a mess.” Eraser said, unlocking the front door. “The cats don't like it and will make it ten times the mess, which I will then make you clean up.”

“You have cats?” Shinsou seemed to perk up immediately, which made Eraser smile a little.

“Three of them.” Eraser pushed the door open and immediately a cat pounded up and firmly landed on his shoulder, claws clinging to his capture scarf. “This one is Biscuits.”

“Yeah, that checks out.” Izuku nodded. Biscuits looked like a fluffy beige ball curling up to get comfortable, much resembling a bread roll or biscuit.

“I think I'm in love.” Shinsou looked delighted as he reached out to pet Biscuits, only for the cat to headbutt his hand affectionately.

“Come on.” Eraser stepped aside and shooed them inside. Izuku looked around at the new surroundings assessingly. It wasn't what he was expecting.

Eraser's apartment was open, windows lighting the room delicately, quite minimalistic in style. A couch and TV on one side against the wall, but a bookshelf and small reading nook with a bean bag in the adjacent corner. There were shelves hung around the room decorated with photos documenting Eraser's life and accomplishments - some of which Izuku found very interesting.

The open concept layout meant he could see into the kitchen, which was clean and tidy; the bar counter was stocked with five bar stools, but there was also a small table with four seats with comfortable looking cushions decorating each. Brown and white were the common colors, ranging from beige to cream to dirt to clouds. The surprising bits were the splashes of yellow and green; grass green cushions and flower yellow shelves, mint light switches covers and sunshine trim along the floor.

“Now, while you're here you'll be exposed to my personal life.” Eraser said tiredly, placing down his things and promoting them to follow his lead in removing their shoes. “I expect you to keep the details to yourself, and any rumors being spread or gossip shared will result in heavy consequences for you both. Understand?”

“Yes sir.” Shinsou sounded more sincere and serious, while Izuku offered a sarcastic salute as he said it. Eraser just sighed, scowling slightly.

“Also, don't overreact.” Eraser trudged further into the room, cat on his shoulder.

“Why would we–”

“Shou!” Shinsou was cut off by a very enthusiastic Present Mic popping out of nowhere, throwing himself at Eraser with a big grin. He wasn't in his Hero costume, instead sporting yellow sweats and a baggy gray shirt. Eraser did not push him away, surprisingly. Instead he readily leaned into the hug and sighed heavily. “You're back already? And with your little interns I see!”

“Hi, Yamada-sensei.” Shinsou's wave was extremely awkward as he blatantly stared at the two Pros. “Um, what're you doing here?”

“They're married, duh.” Izuku rolled his eyes. “Yamada-sensei lives here. I thought that was obvious.”

“Woah little listener, what makes you think we're married?” Mic grinned at him innocently.

“Well if the matching necklaces weren't enough of a clue,” Izuku gestured to the silver chains tucked away beneath their shirts, only flashes of them visible, “I'd say the pictures of your wedding on that bookshelf over there speak for themselves.” It was so very easy to learn many personal things about a person just by walking into their home; sometimes it was subtle, but direct photos of their engagement, wedding, and vacations together weren't exactly subtle.

“What?” Shinsou, the poor little unobservant thing, spun around to scan the entire room for the very obvious shelves along the far wall with huge eyes.

“As I said before, don't overreact.” Eraser warned. “And, again, spreading rumors or gossiping about anything you see here will result in consequences. Maybe detention, maybe suspension, maybe expulsion.”

“Yes sir.”

“And again, you'll be on your best behavior here.” Eraser said. “If I have to clean up any of your messes, you'll be put through the harshest training of your life and I'll make you regret signing up for this.”

“You tell ‘em Shou.” Mic grinned, nodding.

“Hizashi, that goes for you too.”

“Huh!?”

Settling into Eraser's apartment was easier than Izuku thought it'd be. Shinsou and Izuku were given a room to share, two beds set up for them to use, and the small bathroom attached to their room was all cleared out for them to use for themselves. It was nice, not too expensive, and definitely cozy. Overall, Izuku decided he could endure it for a week during the mandatory internship thing.

On the plus side, Izuku hadn't spent much time around cats because he never had one growing up, but now he had three to get used to! Biscuits was cute, obviously, but he wasn't the only one. The two other cats, Gravy and Peas, were a bit more shy than Biscuits, but they eventually warmed up enough to join the four of them in the kitchen during dinner. Izuku decided Peas was his favorite, mostly because Peas had green fur that was only a shade or two darker than Izuku's hair; obviously that automatically made him Izuku's favorite. Gravy was the prettiest though, her gray fur sleek and well groomed, and Shinsou seemed to like her the most because she easily curled up in his lap with happy little purrs.

Before heading to bed Eraser gave them their schedule for the week, which immediately had murder on Izuku's mind because apparently they'd be waking up at three in the morning every single day so they'd be up and ready to train by half past four. Gross.

“Hey Midoriya?” Izuku was just getting comfortable in bed when Shinsou's soft voice caught his attention.

“Yeah?”

“... I saw you and Todoroki getting pretty close at the train station this morning.” Shinsou sounded hesitant, but Izuku couldn't be sure without seeing his face. “What was that about?”

“Just saying goodbye.” Izuku clutched his hand to his chest, reveling in how it creased and ached and burned. “That's all.”

“Do you like him more than me?” Shinsou asked, voice barely more than a whisper. Izuku paused, then straightened in bed with a sigh.

“Shinsou, how many times do I have to tell you how special you are?” Izuku looked over to Shinsou's bed, seeing the other boy had also sat up to look at him. “When will you truly understand what you mean to me?”

“I just…” Shinsou looked away. “I hate seeing you so close to him.”

“Well Shouto's not going anywhere anytime soon.” Izuku said. He didn't mean to sound so sharp, but it came out like that anyway.

“I didn't mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

“Only that I wish we were close like that.” Shinsou looked back at Izuku. “I hate that it's him and not me.” That made Izuku pause.

Was Shouto more important than Shinsou? Sort of, yes, absolutely. But did that mean Shinsou wasn't also important? Not necessarily, no. Izuku still loved Brainwashing, and if he got his way then he'd still end up with it someday. But as of right then… if he let Shinsou stray it would only make things harder in the long run.

So Izuku did what he did best, and he reeled Shinsou back in. And Shinsou was so predictable, it was oh so easy to do. All it took was a soft voice and pretty smile.

“Come here.” Izuku coaxed, patting his bed. Shinsou hesitated, eyes visibly wide in the dim light. “Come on, come here.” Slowly Shinsou slipped out of his bed and into Izuku's, motions slow and cautious.

“Midoriya?” Shinsou was barely breathing.

“Let's go to sleep.” Izuku laid down, pulling Shinsou with him, and got comfortable. Despite his original hesitance and stiffness, Shinsou quickly relaxed and melted into Izuku's side. “Comfy?”

“Mhm.” Shinsou's eyes fell shut and Izuku smiled. He could wonderfully feel Brainwashing pulsing under Shinsou's skin, brushing up against Steal, so agonizingly close yet so far out of reach.

And just like that, Shinsou was unequivocally his again. It was so easy! Part of Izuku loved that, relished it, devoured it, but another part was sorely disappointed. Shouto wasn't so easily swayed - his anger brewed a storm and his voice cut glass, unyielding and unbending even towards Izuku. Shinsou was pliable while Shouto was strong, and Izuku decided having both was pretty good. Hm, yes. Both was good.

Chapter Text

Chapter 30

Living with Present Mic and Eraserhead was exceptionally odd, in Izuku's opinion.

The easiest adjustment to make had to be the cats. Izuku and his family didn't have cats, or any pets of any kind. So having a very small furry creature randomly appear during the night or early morning was extremely surprising. They also didn't have Quirks, which meant even with Steal active Izuku couldn't sense them. It helped that they were completely harmless though, not a threat.

The hardest adjustment was being in the presence of two men who were very clearly in love. Inko and Hisashi weren't overly affectionate; it was obvious they loved each other by their words and expressions, but it wasn't anything as extravagant as Eraser and Mic.

Every second they were together, Mic had to be touching Eraserhead. Touching his shoulder, his arm, his hand, his thigh - anywhere was fair game. Eraser didn't seem to mind at all either, he just leaned into Mic's hand with honest affection and easy acceptance. A part of Izuku wanted to rip them apart, torturing one in front of the other until they were screaming and crying for Izuku to stop, for they couldn't watch anymore lest they tear their own eyes out. Another part of him was kind of jealous.

Luckily, Izuku and Shinsou were only ever at the apartment with both men present for about 30 minutes in the early morning to eat breakfast, and late at night after training was finished for the day. It made enduring their lovey-dovey behavior a lot easier.

Unluckily, that meant every other moment of their day was spent training their asses off as Eraser worked them harder than ever. For once, the training exercises were actually difficult.

…

“I'm gonna pass out.” Izuku said dramatically, pressing his hands to his knees. “I might die. This is the end for me. Tell my brother I plan to haunt him from the grave.”

“You're so full of shit, Midoriya.” Shinsou gasped for breath, sweat dripping down his face thickly. “You're literally fine right now.”

“Rude!” Izuku huffed. But it was true. Sure he was tired and a little out of breath, but Izuku wasn't on the verge of exhaustion and collapse as Shinsou seemed to be.

“You're barely sweating.” Shinsou complained, wiping his forehead futilely with his gym shirt.

“Okay, so maybe I just have a higher exercise tolerance.” Izuku blew out a breath, straightening with a little groan. “But man does it still suck.”

“You got that right.” Shinsou agreed, sighing. Izuku merely nodded as he tugged on the hand wraps twisting up his wrist and down his fingers, slick with sweat despite his overall okay-ness.

Eraser was definitely putting them to work, but it wasn't nearly as bad as the training Izuku did with his Dad and brother growing up. Though, Izuku rather thought nothing Eraser could do could compare to the experience of being overwhelmed by five or six Quirks at once, thinking on his feet to avoid and counter all of them at the same time. Unless Eraser had like six people fight Izuku at once, really nothing would come close.

Anyway, Eraser had set up a sort of obstacle course for them and they'd been running it every ten minutes for the past three hours. It featured swinging bars, hurdles, scaling large walls, climbing ropes, long platform to platform jumps, and more; the real kicker was how the obstacle course was raised maybe three stories off the ground. Cementoss probably had a hand in making the giant structure to place the course.

“It's time for a break.” Eraser called up to them then. “Both of you, come on down.”

“Ah fuck.” Shinsou groaned. “I was hoping we wouldn't have to yet.”

“What, you don't wanna brave the near vertical stair-ladder down?” Izuku grinned. “For shame, Shinsou, for shame.” Shinsou glared at him.

“I thought you hated exercise.” Shinsou muttered.

“Oh I do.” Izuku hummed. “But I do enjoy training. The real kind, at least, under a competent teacher. Aizawa-sensei actually knows what he's doing. Unlike All Might.” Shinsou smiled, despite obvious exhaustion.

“The way you hate him is so funny to me.” Shinsou said. Then he sighed. “Well, I guess we head down now.”

“After you.” Izuku gestured to the top step that was more of a rung, smirking. When Shinsou hesitated, Izuku laughed. “Don't worry, I won't let you fall.” Izuku winked.

“Shut up.” Shinsou flushed a pretty red, scowling as he pushed by Izuku and went to descend without looking at Izuku again.

“Whatever you say.” Izuku laughed again. Once Shinsou was an alright distance behind him, Izuku turned and followed down the staircase that was basically a ladder in disguise dug into a mountain cliffside with harsh steps. Not exactly a fun time, especially going down. Though, hearing Shinsou swear every couple seconds when his fingers slipped or his sneakers sent pebbles skidding was extremely entertaining.

Ever since waking up in Izuku's arms that morning, Shinsou had been randomly flushing or stuttering when Izuku did something as small as wink or smirk at him. It was endlessly satisfying to know Shinsou's mind was just completely filled with Izuku. Of course, Izuku had been thinking a lot about Shinsou as well. Or rather, his Quirk.

Izuku hadn't ever slept pressed up against anyone but family, and Steal gave Izuku an interesting reaction from it. Steal, when active, now sought out Brainwashing like a fine mist crawling down empty streets searching for a victim to blind. Shinsou's pretty little Quirk gently filled Steal's need for contact and intimacy. Sleeping against Shinsou's warm skin, his Quirk brushing beautifully against Izuku's, had momentarily quieted the mouthwatering urge to tear that Quirk from Shinsou and take it for himself. Like a craving briefly satisfied by that closeness, that almost feeling, edging near but never too near. But Shinsou couldn't put it off forever - one day that torturous Quirk would be Izuku's.

The only question was when.

Shinsou dropped down first, knees buckling slightly as he hit the gym floor. He stumbled out of the way, heaving for breath from the difficult climb down the raised mountain platform. Izuku dropped down shortly after him.

“Damn, I need water.” Shinsou ran a hand through his purple hair, damp with sweat, messing it up more than it already had been. “I'm fucking exhausted.”

“The rumpled look is good on you.” Izuku said, ignoring Shinsou's complaints. Shinsou turned to him with wide eyes, his red face somehow growing more red. “What? It is.”

“I–” Shinsou swallowed, staring at Izuku, then looked away quickly. “I'm gonna grab some water. I'll be back.” Shinsou then skedaddled towards his bag and bottle of water along the side wall. It made Izuku chuckle.

“Midoriya, a word.” Izuku straightened at the call, turning to Eraser in surprise. Eraser was standing along the opposite wall, eyeing him closely. He said nothing more, merely staring at Izuku from across the room, so Izuku jogged over to him obediently.

“Yes sensei?” Izuku prompted upon approach, tilting his head. Eraser was giving him a very odd, unreadable look.

“Show me your hands.” Eraser said. Izuku, confused, offered both his hands, palms up to the Hero. Eraser reached out and took Izuku's wrists lightly, staring.

“Uh–” Izuku almost pulled away as Eraser began unraveling the wrapping Izuku'd covered his hands with. He'd never been so close to Erasure before and quite suddenly felt the urge to Take it for himself and inhale the scent and taste of such an interesting Quirk.

Erasure was one of the softer Quirks, harder to feel, harder to see; like a shadow caught out of the corner of your eye that goes ignored in favor of watching your brother fall off his bed or your mother laughing. Noticeable, but not distracting. But with Erasure right in front of him, the sight consuming his vision, Izuku took the opportunity to gently caress the golden glow sitting behind Eraserhead’s eyes. It pulsed, lashing out at Steal like an angry cat with whispered, naive promises to Erase and smother Steal forever if it got too close. Izuku had to hold back a laugh - Erasure would be so precious to watch writhe when Izuku stifled and overwhelmed it slowly, fracturing that talent into unidentifiable splinters.

Shaking off his no-no thoughts and zoning back into reality, Eraser seemed to be examining Izuku's injured hand with calculative scrutiny as he tossed away the wrapping. Sharp eyes scanned the purple splotches and rough burns, comparing the ravaged palm and fingers on one hand to Izuku's normally more olive toned skin on the undamaged one. Heavy thoughts lingered behind dark eyes, but Izuku couldn't quite make them out. If only he had some type of telepathy Quirk, or mind infiltration of some kind…

“How did you manage this?” Eraser asked. Izuku blinked.

“... Manage what?”

“These injuries. The training today couldn't have caused this.” Eraser scowled, staring Izuku down. “How did you manage to injure your hand this badly? And when?”

“Yesterday, and quite easily.” Izuku said, still quite confused. “Shouto gave them to me.” Eraser frowned.

“Elaborate.” Eraser said firmly. Izuku really didn't know what to say to that for a moment and simply stared blankly.

“I asked him to let me feel his Quirk.” Izuku told the Pro slowly, looking down at his hand pointedly. “So he did.”

“You asked him… to burn you.”

"Well no, but, actually, yes.” Izuku huffed a little laugh. “I was holding his hand and asked him to make some ice for me, so he did. Then he heated up his other hand and offered me that too. I think the combination was what fucked me up.” Izuku looked down at his ruined hand with a dreamy sigh. “It's beautiful, isn't it?”

“Just to be clear, you consented to this?” Eraser was making a weird face sitting halfway between concerned and exhausted. “The injury?”

“Oh absolutely.” Izuku laughed. “I would take whatever Shouto chose to offer me. Whether it be more burns from his devastatingly stunning Quirk, or anything else. I would accept anything and everything from him without question.”

“I see.” Eraser released Izuku's hand, frowning deeply.

“Is there a problem?” Izuku asked, tilting his head. “If you're worried about my performance slipping due to a few burns, I can assure you–”

“You're keeping up just fine and you have been all day. I'm aware of your capabilities.” Eraser sighed, cutting Izuku off. “My only concern now is regarding your mental state.” Izuku blinked slowly, completely caught off guard.

"... Sir?”

“It concerns me that you'd ask to be hurt by a fellow student, and that they'd then actually follow through.” Eraser shook his head. “Teenagers.” Izuku didn't know what to say, so he remained silent until Eraser chose to speak again. “Just know that I'll be monitoring the situation, and if it gets too violent or too intense I'll separate you two.”

“You can't do that.” Anger rushed through Izuku, the urge to eviscerate Eraserhead suddenly rising. “You can't keep Shouto from me.”

“If I think for a single second that you two are going to permanently maim each other, then yes, I very much can.” Eraser easily matched Izuku's glare. “I can acknowledge your… enjoyment of the pain, but you are still my student and it is still my responsibility to ensure your safety at all times. Todoroki has a very powerful Quirk, and it doesn't take much to push a small ice or heat burn over the edge towards irreparable damage. In that scenario it doesn't matter to me whether it's consensual or not, it's still bodily harm to my students that I must prevent.”

“That's unfair.” Izuku snapped, teeth clenched. “Shouto knows his limits.”

“But do you know yours?” Eraser prompted, eyes narrowed. “You said you would take whatever Todoroki gave you. What would you do if he froze one of your fingers completely solid, rendering it completely unusable to you, permanently? Would you stop him and seek medical attention?”

“Of course!” Yeah, Izuku was a fucking liar.

“Mhmm.” Eraser saw right through him. It only made Izuku angrier. “I don't believe that to be true. But so long as your relationship doesn't involve severe bodily harm to one another, and your performance does not slip due to less substantial injuries, you're free to do as you please. I see how you look at him, I have seen it for a while now. It's not my business what you teenagers do behind closed doors nor my responsibility to monitor your private life. What is my business and responsibility is your general health and safety. Don't cross that line, Midoriya, and I won't interfere with whatever you and Todoroki have going on. You understand me?”

“Yes.” Izuku ground out. Eraser assessed him a moment, then sighed.

"Go get some lunch. I'll tell Shinsou and send him with you.” Eraser nodded towards the door. “When you get back you'll be running the obstacle course again wearing ten pound vests and two pound ankle bands.”

"Yes sir.” Izuku very much wanted to strangle the Pro Hero in front of him, but unfortunately he couldn't because he was literally on UA grounds surrounded by surveillance equipment that was no doubt being carefully monitored by Principal Nezu. So Izuku turned on his heel and strode from the gym with thinly-veiled control.

Izuku was sure the Intelligence Hero had more important things to stalk during actual school hours, but on a weekend when all the ordinary students were gone? Obviously Izuku and Shinsou's training sessions would be top entertainment for the little chimera, especially considering how rarely Eraserhead took on interns or personal students. It was a bit ironic how much interest Nezu took in his students and social experiments… considering he once was a sick and beautiful science experiment himself… Perhaps right back in a lab was where that little thing belonged.

“Midoriya, wait up!” Izuku turned, looking back towards the gym. Shinsou was shoving the door open with panting breaths. Izuku dutifully paused, waiting for him to catch up. “Hey, what did Aizawa-sensei want?”

“Huh?” Izuku blinked, uncomprehending.

“I saw he pulled you aside for a while.” Shinsou said. He took several exaggerated breaths in an attempt to steady his breathing. “You didn't look happy. Still don't, if I'm honest.”

“Oh, it was nothing.” Izuku waved a dismissive hand, forcing a smile onto his face. “Aizawa-sensei just wanted to ask about my hand.”

“Oh.” Immediately Shinsou's face darkened with that pretty pretty jealousy. “What did he say?”

“Just checking in to make sure I'm okay and good.” Izuku said vaguely. “Asked if I was okay, if I consented to it, that kind of thing. No big deal.” The words were twisted on his tongue with suppressed rage. It was a big deal. Threatening to come between Izuku and his Shouto was punishable by fucking death. The only thing saving Eraser was his position and their current location. If he wasn't off-limits, being Izuku's teacher and all, Eraser would be 6 feet under right now; possibly even further.

“I see.” Shinsou scowled. Izuku didn't have it in him to properly cheer Shinsou up, nor did he particularly care to just then. Instead Izuku just sighed.

“Did Aizawa-sensei tell you what we're doing next?” Izuku prompted, changing the subject. “With the vests and weights?”

"Oh God, yes.” Shinsou groaned. “Is it just me, or is he trying to kill us??” Izuku chuckled.

“Just you.” Izuku said. “It shouldn't be too bad, just tiring. And our shoulders will hurt like a bitch tomorrow morning if we don't stretch properly and take occasional breaks. Hm. I wonder if Aizawa-sensei will show us the correct stretches or if we'll have to wing it…” Izuku sighed. “It's been a while since I've run around with a weighted vest on.”

“You've done it before?” Shinsou exclaimed. “Ugh. Why am I not surprised?”

“Because you have a brain, and common sense. Sometimes.” Shinsou smacked him, making Izuku laugh again.

“Let's just hope Aizawa-sensei shows us those stretches.” Shinsou said. “I'm not in the mood to endure more soreness.”

“That's kinda unpreventable as of now.” Izuku pointed out. “We've only just begun.”

“I hate that you're right.” Shinsou muttered. The unhappiness in his voice made Izuku smile.

Chapter Text

Chapter 31

Izuku didn't like a lot of things, but sparring wasn't one of them. He loved sparring, especially when he won. When he lost he loved it too, but he almost never did so it wasn't exactly relevant.

“How're you doing down there?” Izuku asked, digging his heel into Shinsou's squirming sternum. “Do you concede?”

“Fuck you.” Shinsou panted, trying desperately to escape Izuku's pinning move and failing miserably.

“Ooohh, don't tempt me. Maybe I'll even stay on top if you ask really nice.” Izuku smirked down at his opponent, who promptly stopped squirming to tap his leg twice with a flush face and angry scowl.

“I concede.” Shinsou said through gritted teeth. Izuku laughed.

“Ah dear, ruining my fun so soon?”

“Shinsou, do you know what you did wrong?” Eraser called from his spot leaning against the nearby wall. Izuku stepped back and offered Shinsou his hand.

“I got distracted again.” Shinsou ground his teeth. With a good pull, Izuku tugged Shinsou to his feet and steadied him with a hand around his waist. Shinsou immediately stepped back, face red. “Midoriya's just so much better than I am! It's ridiculously unfair!”

“Hey!” Izuku huffed. “I even went easy on you those first two rounds!”

“You see what I mean?!” Shinsou threw an arm out, gesturing to Izuku. “Goddamnit, I'm never going to learn this way.” Eraser looked between them, then sighed.

“Fine. Shinsou, you'll spend the next half hour sparring with me instead. I'll give you pointers and perhaps prove to be less distracting to you than Midoriya.”

“What’ll I do?” Izuku asked, pouting. “I'm being left out.”

“You'll be doing laps around the gym.” Eraser said evenly. “You should perhaps rethink your attack strategy. Not everyone will be as easily distracted as Shinsou.” Shinsou squawked in offense but went ignored.

“I'm trying out Midnight-sensei's strategy.” Izuku said innocently. “So far it's proving pretty effective, if you ask me.” Eraser heaved a harsh sigh.

“I suppose you'll just have to see once you're in real combat.” Eraser said. Then he turned to Shinsou. “Ready?” Shinsou took a deep breath and nodded as firmly as he could.

“Yeah.” Shinsou confirmed.

“Then let's get started.”

.

Izuku really hated running. Like, hated running. Despised it, even. Eraser seemed to fucking know it too because he had Izuku running laps for an hour.

It wasn't until Izuku's phone rang with Tomura's ringtone that he paused. Eraser glanced back at him in warning, making it clear Izuku wasn't to pick up. Izuku would've listened if Tomura hadn't called him a second time mere moments after the first call went unanswered.

Izuku smiled at Eraser apologetically and jogged over to answer the phone.

"Hello?" Izuku said, pressing the sleek phone to his ear.

"Zuuu." Izuku huffed at his brother's whining voice. "I have a problem."

"Tomura, I'm on my Internship, remember? What is it?" Izuku heard a pouty sigh, but frowned at the pain laced in it. "Tomura, what's wrong?"

"Stain stabbed me!"

"What!?" Izuku exclaimed, switching the phone to his other ear. He ignored how Shinsou and Eraser both stopped working to stare.

"I had Kurogiri bring him over to talk about our goals, and he just stabbed me!" Tomura sounded horribly offended in a way that would've made Izuku laugh under different circumstances. "He said he stabbed me so he could judge my character properly!"

"Are you okay??" Izuku asked worriedly.

"Not really, but I'm not dead." Tomura said it nonchalantly, but with a wince in his voice. "I have been stabbed though, so, as much as I want to, I can't go and Dust his ass."

"Don't move, I'll ask Aizawa-sensei if I can leave." Izuku said firmly. "He probably won't mind." He glanced at his teacher briefly before looking away from the intense stare aimed at him. "Just stay put, alright? I'll be right there." Izuku hung up and turned to his teacher, not bothering to hide his worry while at the same time carefully masking his growing anger. "Aizawa-sensei–"

"What happened?" Eraser asked immediately; Izuku took a deep breath before lying.

"My brother's panicking." Izuku said, and he made his words come out in a bit of a worried breathless rush as he spoke. "Someone broke into our apartment and he was home alone. Tomura says he's not hurt but he's freaking out and I really want to go make sure he's okay because Mom isn't home from work yet, and–"

"Go." Aizawa nodded to him. "You have the rest of the night off. I'll have an officer sent to your house to investigate the break-in tomorrow morning."

"Thank you Sensei!” Izuku said with a quick nod. He didn't bother acknowledging Shinsou as he Pulled his bag towards himself and hurried out of the gym. He didn't care that a few items fell from his bag in his panicked rush, Tomura the only thing on his mind.

Izuku's anger boiled as he ran, but he didn't dare risk showing it while he could still be seen. So Izuku ran and ran, exiting the UA barrier and sprinting for the train station. Tomura was undoubtedly at the bar, but Izuku couldn't risk Blinking there as Izuku. Despite that, it took everything in him not to hunt down Stain right then and there to rip him limb from limb. After he checked on Tomura, of course.

Izuku bounced in place anxiously on the train, then barely avoided shoving people out of the way as he sprinted to the apartment. He dropped his keys twice trying to get the lock open, but finally slammed the door behind him. He Blinked immediately, landing in his bedroom at home to throw on his Villain costume. Even in a rush Izuku couldn't risk showing his Hero side anywhere near the League. He couldn't be careless; it could put his family in danger. So Izuku hurriedly pulled on his mask but didn't bother with the hood as he Shifted his hair blue like Tomura's and Blinked to the bar.

Izuku landed on his ass in a pool of blood. His black gear was sticky with it as he moved. The gloved hands that he threw out behind him were slick with it. Izuku didn't move, staring at the blood with huge eyes. Normally he'd be thrilled, but this was his brother's blood. That was simply unacceptable. Stain would die for it - Izuku was going to utterly obliterate him.

After maybe a solid minute of being unable to process his anger, Izuku called out "Kurogiri!" and then promptly fell through the floor.

Izuku landed on his ass again, a portal having appeared underneath him, and found himself on what he assumed was a water tower. Tomura was standing at the edge, looking down at Hosu City; Izuku jumped to his feet immediately.

"Mura!" Izuku cried, running forward as Tomura turned, and buried his face in Tomura's chest. His brother was wearing the awful leggings and loose shirt from his Villain costume, but Izuku didn't care right then. His brother was okay; he was well enough to wrap one arm around Izuku gently. Izuku's worry abated just enough for his intense anger to bleed through it and consume his thoughts.

"Hey Zu." Tomura said softly, apparently not caring that the blood on Izuku was inevitably soaking through his thin clothing. "We're burning Hosu to the ground."

"Whatever you want. I'm going after Stain." Izuku pulled away and glanced at Kurogiri, assessing the slice across his bicep that tore his expensive suit with a glare. "He'll pay for this. I promise."

"My murderous little brother." As Tomura reached out to ruffle his hair, Izuku could see blood leaking from the opposite shoulder. So that's where he was stabbed. Impaled clean thrown his left shoulder. "Stain's here, in the city."

"I'll be back." Izuku promised, then Blinked away to a nearby roof. He landed in a crouch and pulled up his hood, heading towards the maze of dark alleys that spread all through Hosu City.

Stain hunted away from crowds, mostly skulking about in backwater alleys, so Izuku started searching with Steal instead of hoping to stumble upon the guy. Izuku looked at every Quirk, trying to find one that immobilized people. From the little he knew, Izuku was fairly sure Stain had some kind of Quirk that forced people to freeze in place, making them easier to murder or maim. Honestly it was a great strategy, especially since it allowed Stain to monologue his evil plans all he wanted. However, it didn't matter how cool Stain's work was. Izuku just wanted to see Stain's body go slack and cold right in front of him, watching as the light faded from his eyes.

After roughly three or four minutes of scanning with Steal, Izuku finally found something promising about a half mile away. He spotted a paralytic blood based Quirk, one that was a gorgeous dark red the colour of congealed blood; he immediately set off to track down the user. Izuku landed lightly on the roof above the alley, then he briefly peered down to confirm the Hero Killer's presence. He snarled silently at the sight of him.

The Hero Killer was apparently mid-kill, standing over someone in silver armour that looked suspiciously like Izuku's classmate Iida, but Izuku decided he didn't care about how rude it was to interrupt a murder attempt and simply dropped down into the alley. His hair was already taken care of, but Izuku Shifted the rest of his face to match Tomura's just for Stain. He wanted the Hero Killer to look at him as he died so Tomura's features would be the last he ever saw.

"Stain, you piece of shit!" Izuku called, voice barely more than an angry snarl.

"Oh, how interesting. I've heard of you, Drop Off." Stain said, narrowing his eyes and lowering his sword slightly. "You don't usually leave your district."

"Fuck Musutafu, I have business with you!" Izuku snapped, "You stabbed my brother asshole!"

"Another one?" The Villain looked down at Iida. "Is this Villain related to you, fake?" Izuku realized Iida must've come for revenge too, for his brother Ingenium. Izuku heard Stain paralyzed Iida's brother Ingenium, leaving him alone. Cute, but not Izuku's main focus.

"Shut up!" Izuku yelled before Iida could answer. "Maybe this will help jog your memory." Izuku tore down his hood and ripped off his face mask, revealing his recognizable Shifted features.

"Ah, Shigaraki." Stain sneered. "He has no vision, a child playing around with power."

"Shut the fuck up!" Izuku screamed. "How dare you! That's my brother you're trashing on, you piece of shit! Nobody talks bad about my brother and keeps their tongue.”

“And that is what makes you so strange.” Stain said, examining him condescendingly. “I hear you're one of the better Villains out there, killing only those who deserve it or hurt what's yours, or those who get in your way. Pity Shigaraki didn't take after you in such a way, instead choosing to remain childish and blind to the reality of this corrupt world.”

“Watch your fucking mouth.” Izuku snarled. “I'm going to enjoy this…” Without another moment's hesitation, Izuku Yanked Stain's Quirk from him and absorbed it with a gasp.

It filled Izuku's mouth with the taste of iron and salt, sliding thickly down his throat and nearly choking him. It locked his muscles and made the air in his lungs freeze before slipping smoothly into his body and melting into his bloodstream. It left Izuku's body feeling unusually sticky and warm, almost like he'd been bathed in blood.

"Nice Quirk you got there." Izuku licked his lips as the taste of blood lingered. His head spun from the adrenaline rush; he giggled a little maniacally. "Activated by ingesting blood, holds people captive and frozen for varying durations of time depending on blood type."

"What did you do!?" Stain growled, gripping his swords tightly.

"I Stole your Quirk." Izuku grinned, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling of wearing Feature Shift as he did so. "How does it feel to be without what made you so special?"

Stain launched at him with swords drawn, angry and out for blood, but Izuku activated Separate. He'd longed to use it on the zero pointer during the entrance exam, and on All Might for simply standing in his presence, but Izuku felt using it on Stain would be just as satisfying.

The Villain froze, choking as Izuku ripped him apart from the inside out until he exploded. His blood vessels burst as his organs splintered and his skin tore. Bits of ruined flesh was thrown absolutely everywhere and blood rained down on Izuku and Iida, plus the third person Izuku had been too distracted to notice before.

Stain's insides decorated the walls of the alley, splattering the stone and concrete with gore, every little bit of him utterly and beautifully destroyed. His blood vessels sludge on the ground, organs bloody fibers, bundles of ruined bones splattered all the way up the alley walls and splashed onto the roof, all the blood in his body raining down on them like a hot, thick shower of gore.

"So that's what Separate does to humans…" Izuku breathed out with a crazed laugh. "Beautiful."

He'd been right, it was so much better than using it on a robot. It was easily the most wonderful thing Izuku had seen in weeks. Perhaps it was because Stain's death was wrapped in pretty revenge, which could make even the mundanest kills euphorically enjoyable.

Humming and grinning to himself, Izuku scooped his blood soaked mask off the ground and sighed, knowing he wouldn't be able to put it back on. He didn't mind getting even more blood on his face, but he kind of needed his mask to be clean so he could breathe.

"Stop, Villain!" Iida cried, stumbling to his feet and pressing a hand to his sluggishly bleeding shoulder. Izuku turned, his mood instantly soured.

"Don't fuck with me tonight, mini Ingenium." Izuku growled, watching Iida pale as he absorbed the image of Izuku's face. He no doubt remembered the USJ, and Tomura. "I was only here for Stain, payback for my brother. You really should thank me, you know, now I've gotten revenge enough for both of us." Izuku turned and vaulted up the alley wall, parkouring to swing himself onto the roof he'd originally dropped from. There was blood on it; Izuku slid a little when he landed as the stickiness made his boots slick.

"Stain was mine!" Iida cried, eyes teary as he glared fiercely up at Izuku. "Ingenium should've been the Hero to take him down!"

"What kind of a Hero ignores the injured?" Izuku gestured to Native, climbing to his feet. "You're a disgrace. However, I respect the care you have for your brother, even if you failed to get revenge yourself in the end. Go back to school, little Heroling. Have Eraserhead whip you into shape."

"I won't let you get away!" Native called hoarsely, one eye shut as blood ran down his face.

"I'd like to see you try and stop me." Izuku grinned. "Tell Tsukauchi that the League of Villains will be back, and Hosu is just the beginning. Anyone who touches my brother, Hero or Villain, dies like Stain and Snipe, or worse."

Without another word Izuku Blinked, landing in his brother's bedroom. Home, not the apartment. Izuku knew he'd be there, and wasn't surprised to find Tomura sitting on his bed - he was trying rather unsuccessfully to wrap his shoulder. He looked up as Izuku slammed into the hardwood.

"You're getting blood all over my floor." Tomura said, pointing out the fact that Izuku was covered in much more blood than he had been twenty or so minutes prior.

"I turned the Hero Killer inside out!" Izuku informed him brightly, discarding his blood soaked mask on the floor. "Here, let me."

Izuku padded over and pulled off his blood soaked gloves. He gently took the bandages from his brother and finished wrapping his shoulder tightly and neatly. Shoulders were stupid, as they always had been, so Izuku frowned as he wrapped Tomura's sternum and around his collarbone as well. Once he was done he examined his work and stepped back with a satisfied nod. Tomura sighed in relief.

"So protective." Tomura grinned at him.

"You'd do the same for me, mophead." Izuku said.

"Actually, we match right now." Tomura snickered. Izuku realised he still had Feature Shift active.

"Stain was being mean." Izuku huffed, crossing his arms as he deactivated the Quirk, letting the transformation slip away. "I needed to remind him who was killing him, and make him regret stabbing my brother."

"Touchy touchy." Tomura teased, but he smiled. "Thanks for having my back, Zu." Izuku leaned down to hug his brother very gently.

"Anytime, Mura." He whispered. "Get changed, we need to get back to the apartment." He then pulled back to grin at his brother. "Also, I told Eraserhead someone broke into our apartment and scared the shit out of you. He's sending an officer to investigate in the morning, so I have to go meet with Dad." Tomura glared at him and opened his mouth to no doubt protest, but Izuku Blinked away before he could start complaining.

Izuku landed in his bathroom and jumped in the shower for a quick rinse. He was only in there about five minutes, sadly letting all Stain's blood go down the drain, then he dried off and Blinked to his room for clean clothes. His hair was a dark mess of curls, but he didn't bother drying them. Dressed and ready, Izuku Blinked back to Tomura's room where his brother was waiting. The floor was clean of blood, probably credited to Kurogiri.

"Colouring." Izuku remembered. He padded over and pressed a hand to his brother's messy hair, dyeing it green as he activated the colour changing Quirk. Izuku had to be extremely careful because it might also dye Tomura's skin, which would be bad. "Done! You're a Midoriya again."

"Kurogiri! My apartment bedroom, please." Tomura called. Izuku was still mystified by Kurogiri's immediate responses without fail, because lo and behold a portal appeared in Tomura's doorway. Tomura turned back to him with a pointed glare. "We're so talking about this when you're done with Dad." Izuki just grinned, and Tomura stepped through his portal with an annoyed huff.

"Kurog–" Izuku fell through a portal before he even finished his request. "Asshole!"

"Hello, Izuku." He looked up and saw he was in his Dad's office. Despite the mask, Izuku was convinced he looked surprised at Izuku's sudden appearance.

"Dad, I made a spontaneous decision and need your help." Izuku pushed himself to his feet, dusting off his fresh, clean clothing that now had floor germs on them.

"And what have you done now?" He sounded amused.

"So Stain stabbed Tomura." Izuku started, then added, "He's fine!" when his Dad tensed and looked as though he might stand. "So he was stabbed, and I had to leave my internship to check on him and then murder Stain."

"So you made an excuse to Eraserhead that you need me to back up." His Dad filled in. Izuku nodded.

"I told him someone broke into the apartment, and that I needed to go home because Tomura was panicking."

"I see." Hisashi frowned. Izuku couldn't help fidgeting.

"I'm sorry, it's all I could think of aside from admitting he'd actually been stabbed, which would've raised a whole lot of suspicion." Izuku said awkwardly, chewing his lip. "I know it's inconvenient."

"No, it should be easy enough." His Dad hummed, then nodded decisively. "I'll send someone over to trash the place right away, and I'll have Kurogiri remove some of the random items we added to make the apartment seem more lived in. The only city camera near our apartment is trained on our front door, so we don't have to worry about that… I suppose all we'd need is for someone to break one of the windows or a latch from the outside."

"Will I be in charge of that?"

"No." Hisashi said, smothering Izuku's sudden excitement. "Your job will be to go home and wait. Comfort your extraordinarily distraught brother who survived a vicious break-in."

"Fine." Izuku sighed, "Thank you, and I'm sorry again."

"Oh Izuku, don't worry." He reached out and ruffled Izuku's curls with a smile. "This is much easier to fix than your usual messes." Izuku winced, but nodded.

"Kurogiri?" Izuku prompted. A portal appeared for him, and he offered his Dad another apologetic smile before stepping through. He was then promptly dumped on the floor of Tomura's bedroom at the apartment.

"You know, I could watch that all day." Tomura was lounging on his bed, smirking at Izuku's disgruntled expression.

"Jerk." Izuku scowled as he climbed to his feet. "Dad's gonna stage a break in. One of our people is going to–" Izuku broke off as a loud crash echoed from the living room. Tomura sighed. "Wow, that was fast."

"I don't suppose I'll have to act unreasonably upset when the police arrive?" Tomura raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you will." Izuku grinned, "Good luck."

"I can't believe that's the story you came up with." Tomura glared at him. "I hate this new mission."

"Eh, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Izuku waved a dismissive hand, then winced as he heard another crash from the main room. It sounded like broken glass. "Well, Mama's gonna be surprised when she gets home."

"And not the good kind of surprised." Tomura agreed, "I'm totally throwing you under the bus for this, by the way."

"Oh, come on, it was your fault!" Izuku complained, "You were the one who went and got stabbed, I was covering for you!"

"It's not my fault you can't think under pressure." Tomura scowled, "Now I'm stuck with this."

"Well I am the Hero, remember?" Izuku said innocently, "I was just worried about you! What with the break-in, you could've been in serious trouble!"

"I hate you."

Chapter Text

Chapter 32

“I was by myself playing some video games, until I heard someone smash a window. I panicked and didn't even go out to check what'd happened, I just locked my bedroom door immediately.” Tomura shuddered a little, looking away from the cop with a pained expression. “I could hear them breaking stuff, knocking things over, it was awful. And I just had to sit and listen to it.”

Izuku put a hand on his brother's shoulder, his expression a picture of concern.

“Do you know how long they were here?” The cop, some random officer the station sent because apparently both Tsukauchi and Eraser were busy, looked up briefly from his scribbling on a notepad. “Approximately?”

“No. I wasn't paying attention. I was trying to be as quiet as possible.” Tomura said. “I didn't want them to find me.”

“Did they at any time attempt to enter your room?”

“No, they didn't even come down the hall at all.” Tomura shook his head. “I think they were only interested in the main room here.” He gestured around pitifully at the trashed room they stood in.

The living room was in shambles. The couches were both upturned and gutted, while the coffee table had been broken clean in two. The meaningless decorations (i.e the knick-knacks Inko laid out to make the house look lived in) had all been either taken or thrown onto the floor, and the mantel housing doctored family photos had been partially detached from the wall and had its contents dumped onto the floor.

The kitchen wasn't much better. A window had been smashed; their glass cabinets were all cracked; the dining room table was completely missing; the fridge was without its door; several of their nicer dishes had been taken, as well as the vase of flowers Hisashi sent to remind them of him while they lived away from their real home; the only thing they hadn't been tampered with was the cooking stove.

The apartment looked like it'd been completely upended, which was sorta the point. Izuku still felt bad that Mama was gonna come back to this disaster without any warning.

“Do you have any idea who did it?” The cop asked Tomura. “Anyone you can think of that might've had it out for your family? Your home?”

“No one comes to mind.” Tomura told him, smiling awkwardly. “Sorry I can't be more help, officer.”

“It's alright. I have what I need.” The cop looked up and nodded to them both. “Thank you for–”

“Boys?” Izuku and Tomura both froze at their mother's voice at the door. “Why are there police parked outside?”

“Uhhh–”

“Oh gracious!” Inko, immediately upon opening the sliding door to the living room, gaped in shock at the scene. Her eyes seemed to be raking in the mess of it all; furniture on its side, windows broken, cabinets ripped off their hinges, art gone from the walls; genuine shock was obvious in the slackness of her jaw and wideness of her eyes. “What on earth happened?”

“Oh Mother, I'm so glad you're home!” Tomura immediately crossed the room to pull her into a hug. “It was so scary! Someone broke into the apartment last night while you and Izuku were gone! Thank god Zu was able to come home from his internship to stay with me. They trashed the house, Mother!”

As Tomura pulled away from the hug, Izuku spotted the moment understanding cleared Inko's worried green eyes. Tomura wasn't the type to panic if someone broke in, he was the type to stride right on up to them, hands ready, and remind them why their family wasn't to be fucked with. The drama and apparent relief of Tomura's statement was more than enough to tip Inko off.

“Oh no! That's awful!” Inko said immediately, cupping Tomura's face in her hands. “Are you alright dear? Not hurt, are you?”

“No Mother, I'm not hurt.” Tomura assured her. “The police think it was a robbery.”

“A robbery?” Inko blinked. She looked over at the cop, watching them. “What makes you think that?”

“They took our table, Mother.” Tomura pointed into the dining room. “Among other things.”

“I see.” Inko pursed her lips. To the cop it probably looked upset or displeased, but it was clear to Izuku she was trying desperately not to laugh.

“Would you be willing to make up a list of sorts for us?” The cop continued. “Your sons weren't able to identify everything that was stolen, just the rather… obvious things.”

“Of course.” Inko nodded, stepping further into the room. “Are you the only one here, officer?”

“Not quite.” The cop told her. “I have two other officers with them, but they're looking into the evidence outside.”

“Outside?” Inko tilted her head. “What's outside?”

“Evidence suggests two suspects were involved in the break-in.” The cop relayed. “Your window is much too high to reach without some kind of boost, such as a ladder or a Quirk. In this case, we believe there was one person on the ground to boost their partner up, and the other was the one who actually broke in and trashed the place. When it was time to leave, the ground suspect helped their partner back out of the smashed apartment window along with whatever they'd taken.”

“How can you tell that?” Tomura asked, surprised.

“Scuffs left on the wall, on the broken window, and on the windowsill. It's all there if you know where to look.” The cop smiled a little. “Remember, it's our job to notice the little things.”

“Right.” Tomura nodded slowly.

“Thank you for all your help, officer.” Izuku said, offering the cop a warm smile.

“Of course, it's what we do.” The officer said, nodding firmly. “Now, I think I have everything I need to file a report on the incident down at the station. Unfortunately, there's not much we can do as of now to apprehend the criminals or recover your belongings.”

“That's alright, officer.” Inko spoke up. “My boys and I can get everything fixed up and replace what was stolen. Thank you for coming down, though. I'm sure Tomura really appreciates it.”

“Yes, thank you.” Tomura said quickly. “It's a big comfort knowing the authorities were here to help us when we needed them.” Izuku had to look away to hide a wide grin, unable to keep a straight face as those words came outta Tomura's mouth. From the look on Inko's face, she was in the same boat as Izuku.

Soon after the other two officers came up to the apartment and chatted to them about the break-in some more, but after about an hour of repeating all the same stuff they agreed as a little trio that they'd fully scoped out the whole scene. With many apologies and thanks and promises to look into it, the officers left.

Almost immediately, Inko's relieved charade was replaced with heavy disappointment and obvious anger.

“Okay, what did you do?” Inko faced them, hands on her hips, mouth set. “I know for a fact this wasn't a real break in, and if there was one you definitely wouldn't have called the police. So what. did. you. do? And don't you dare lie to me.”

“It's all Izuku's fault.” Tomura said at the same time Izuku blurted “Dad did it.” They blinked at each other blankly for a moment. Inko sighed heavily, pinching her brow.

“Izuku, you go first.”

“Hey!! Why does he get to go first?”

“Because you tried to throw your brother under the bus.” I Inko snapped, eyeing Tomura scoldingly. “No points for that. Now, Izuku? From the beginning.”

“Well, Tomura called me while I was at my Internship.” Izuku said, fidgeting. He forced himself to maintain eye contact, despite being seriously uncomfortable meeting his Mom's disappointed stare. “He was in trouble, but I couldn't go and help him without giving Eraser a good excuse to let me leave. So I sorta told him Tomura was scared and panicking because someone broke into the apartment…”

“Right.” Inko sighed again. “So your Dad had some lackey legitimately break in after the fact as a cover-up.”

“Yeah.” Izuku nodded, looking down ashamedly. “I was just trying to help Tomura. I'm sorry, Mama.”

“Tomura? What happened?” Inko turned to Tomura. “Your turn.”

“I was having a business meeting with Stain, trying to get him to join as a sort of mini boss for my ops, but he didn't like me very much.” Tomura said, pulling at his hands. “He ended up stabbing me in the shoulder. Clean through. Uh, Izuku patched me up. Anyway, I called him because I needed someone to take care of Stain, and Zu was the obvious choice. I didn't really think about him being on his Internship. I'm sorry.”

“So, Izuku,” Inko looked at Izuku with a frown. “Just to be clear, you lied to your teacher and Heroics mentor to ditch your Internship to, presumably, murder the Villain who stabbed your brother?”

“... Yes.”

“And you, Tomura.” Inko eyed her older son. “You called your brother, knowing full well he was being personally monitored by a Pro Hero at UA, so he could enact revenge on a Villain on your behalf?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Then Hisashi had to stage a break-in to corroborate Izuku's lie to Eraserhead, which had Eraser calling the police to investigate, which led us here.” Inko finished. Izuku and Tomura just nodded miserably. “Oh my boys, what am I going to do with you?” Inko stepped forward and gently wrapped them both in a hug. “Is your shoulder still injured, Tomura?”

“Yeah, but Izuku wrapped it up tight.” Tomura told her. Inko smiled, softly caressing his long falsely-green hair.

“I'm glad you're alright.” Inko told him. “Is Kurogiri well?”

“He's fine. Just a little scratch on his arm.” Tomura said. Inko nodded, squeezing his hand, then turned to Izuku.

“Did you end Stain?” She asked, eyes narrowed.

“I did.” Izuku grinned. “I Stole his Quirk, then used Separate on him.”

“That sounds dreadfully painful.” Inko said. “How marvelous.” Izuku laughed.

“Sorry about the mess, Mother.” Tomura said, gesturing around them. “Izuku and I'll fix it.”

“Thank you for offering, but actually your Dad will be the one fixing it all up.” Inko said, looking around with a displeased frown. “I know I was at work at all, but some small heads up would've been extremely appreciated. This will be the first and last time I come home completely oblivious to a trashed or ruined apartment, that's for damn sure.”

Tomura and Izuku shuddered at the look in her eyes. Oh, their Dad was in for some seriously petty Midoriya trouble. And Mama wasn't the type to retaliate lightly either…

—————

Iida sat upright in his hospital bed, flexing his left hand over and over. It was a fitting punishment for his stupidity, though he could still feel that crippling anger gurgling around inside him. That hatred. Stain may be dead, but it wasn't by Ingenium's hand and therefore it wasn't enough.

“Is there anything else you can remember about the attack?” Iida looked up. Tsukauchi looked so troubled, Iida felt awful for adding to it.

“No.” Iida said, shaking his head. “That's everything.” His eyes flicked over to Aizawa, curious. He didn't know why Aizawa was sitting in on the police interview regarding the Stain attack, but Iida guessed it had something to do with that Villain wearing black.

“Thank you.” Tsukauchi said, nodding to Iida. "Do you have any questions for me before I take my leave? I'm sure you'd appreciate some rest after such a traumatic experience last night.”

“Just two.” Iida said, slightly hesitant.

“Go ahead.” Tsukauchi gestured to him. “I'll try to explain what I can.”

“Who was that Villain?” Iida's heart pounded at the mere thought of him. “The Villain in black. The one who killed Stain. The one… the one who Steals Quirks.” The Villain's guttural voice and parched face were imprinted in Iida's memory, horrible as a nightmare yet so very real in his head.

.

"I Stole your Quirk." The Villain's face, near identical to that of Shigaraki from the USJ, twisted with manic joy as he leered at Stain. "How does it feel to be without what made you so special?”

.

“His name is Drop-Off.” Tsukauchi's voice broke Iida from his flashed memory of that moment. “He's the reason Eraserhead and I are here in place of the local authorities, such as the Chief of Police here in Hosu, Tsuragamae Kenji. Because Drop-Off's territory is in Musutafu, and under investigation in my district, I was given seniority on this case. If Drop-Off hadn't been there, you'd most likely be in legal trouble with Hosu for running off during your Internship and getting involved with a Villain.” Iida winced.

Throughout the mess of everything, Iida had failed to mention his little revenge plot against Stain. All he'd been able to say in the shock of the situation was that he'd found Stain, interrupting the murder of Pro Hero Native, and witnessed that Villain in black practically turned Stain inside down. Was it lying to ‘forget’ to mention he'd purposefully gone looking for Stain? A little bit. Did Iida care enough while he was drowning in hatred and despair to correct that lie? Absolutely not.

“Regardless, Drop-Off works closely with the League of Villains, though it's speculated that he's a separate entity from the main organization due to his rap sheet dating back several years.” Tsukauchi continued. “It was only recently speculated that Drop-Off is Shigaraki’s brother. The information you gave us today was the solid confirmation we needed to tie them as brothers.”

“I see.” Iida whispered.

“And what is your other question?” Tsukauchi prompted. Iida hesitated again.

“... It's not my place.” Iida shook his head, looking between the detective and his teacher. “Nevermind.”

“Iida.” Aizawa looked exhausted, which had Iida's stomach filling with lead. “Just ask. It's not rational to hold in your questions about a situation like this. It can stew in your head and be worse long-term. Spit it out.” Though Iida's head was telling him to just shut up, in his heart Iida knew he had to ask.

“What did the Villain mean when he said, ‘Anyone who touches my brother, Hero or Villain, dies like Stain and Snipe’?” Iida wasn't expecting both Aizawa and the detective to straighten, almost tensing in place. “You don't have to tell me if it's private! Only… I had heard something about Snipe a couple weeks ago. The older students were told he retired from teaching 3rd Year Heroics, but nobody heard from him since he ‘quit’ his position. It seems like, well, like maybe he didn't really retire.” Iida hated insinuating such a thing. He couldn't imagine the Heroes covering up something as big as a Ranked Hero's murder, but that Villain in black, Drop-Off, had Iida doubting his good faith.

“What do you think he meant?” Aizawa's eyes were flat as he spoke, meeting Iida's gaze tiredly from his position leaning against the far wall. “Be honest.”

“I think… I think Snipe was murdered by that Villain, Drop-Off. And his death was covered up by UA.” Iida didn't know where the courage to speak up was coming from, but he'd always been told his sense of justice was unmatched. “If it directly followed the USJ attack, where Shigaraki was shot by Snipe, it would've been disastrous to announce a Ranked Hero and teacher of UA was murdered shortly after such a terrible break-in and failure of UA's security. The public would've panicked. So I think Drop-Off killed Snipe, and Principal Nezu decided to cover it up. For how long he intended, I do not know. But I'd like to think he does plan to release the truth eventually. But last night… Drop-Off was warning us to stay away by referencing his willingness to kill both Villains and Heroes that stand in his way.” Iida couldn't meet his teacher's eyes anymore and looked away, jaw clenched. “That's what I think.”

“You're not far from the truth.” Iida sharply looked back in surprise at Aizawa's quiet admission. Tsukauchi likewise looked stunned.

“Eraser–”

“It wasn't logical to hide the truth in the first place, there's no logical reason to lie to my student's face after he heard it from Drop-Off himself.” Aizawa snapped, scowling at Tsukauchi. The detective fell silent.

“Aizawa-sensei?” Iida prompted nervously. His teacher blew out a breath and met his eyes.

“Yes, Drop-Off killed Snipe.” Aizawa confirmed. Iida's heart sank in his chest. “Snipe was found dead in his apartment one night shortly following the USJ incident, having been shot in the chest.”

“Drop-Off shot him, like Snipe shot his brother.” Iida couldn't breathe. He couldn't help but compare himself to Drop-Off, and he hated himself for seeing similarities.

“Yes, but that's not all.” Aizawa walked closer and sat down beside Tsukauchi on the bed across from Iida. “Drop-Off shot Snipe in the chest, then stabbed him through the eye and ripped it out while he was still alive. The knife was left at the scene, along with a note. It read: ‘Justice is served’. You're right, Iida. Drop-Off didn't just kill Snipe, he left a warning. And now he's done the same using Stain. Except this time, you were the note.”

“That's why he didn't kill me.” Iida felt the blood draining from his face as he looked down at his left hand, half numb and permanently damaged. “Drop-Off left me alive so I'd tell you what he did to Stain.”

“Yes.” Aizawa agreed simply. His face was grave. “It was cruel to make you watch, to make you deliver his message. But you're strong, Iida. I believe you can overcome this.”

“You do?” Iida wasn't sure he believed, even if Aizawa did.

“Yes. It'll be hard, and you're going to have to put your all into it, but eventually you'll get stronger. Strong enough to put this completely behind you.” Aizawa's eyes were so sure, so strong, Iida had to look away. “You're a good kid, Iida. And you're going to be a great Hero. Don't let this hinder your future.”

“Thank you, Aizawa-sensei.” Iida hated the way tears were pooling in his red eyes; he blinked quickly to try and dissipate them so Aizawa and the detective wouldn't see. Of course, hating his tears just made Iida more upset. Iida's hatred was slowly overwhelming him to the point he saw it everywhere. When did it end? When would his hatred stop being so prevalent in his own mind?

“Get some rest.” Aizawa stood then, gently putting a hand on Iida's uninjured shoulder. “You'll be discharged and sent back to your Internship with Manuel once you've spoken to the doctors about your arm and hand.” Iida nodded. He already knew what his decision was - Iida wasn't letting anyone touch his left hand until he'd somehow let go of his hatred. Until then, he deserved the pain and dysfunction as a punishment for his stupidity. And his failed revenge.

“If you need anything, let us know.” Tsukauchi nodded to Iida. Then he and Aizawa left.

Iida was left drowning, alone, sitting in a soft hospital bed knowing he was a liar and a Villain. He hated Stain and Drop-Off, and more severely he hated himself. He hated himself for what he did, and he hated himself for what he didn't do. Iida was left consumed with hatred, struggling to breathe under the weight of his guilty conscience.

The worst part? Iida hadn't gotten over it. Not even a little bit. His Villainous determination had only jumped from one target to another, his vengeful curse shifting from one Villain to the other, poisoning his intentions and aspirations.

But Iida swore to himself, on the health of his hand and the life of his brother, he was going to kill Drop-Off one day. Even if it was the last thing he did.

Chapter Text

Chapter 33

“Are you sure you're okay with continuing the Internship?” Mic asked gently, offering Izuku what was probably meant to be a sympathetic smile. “We'd totally understand if you wanted to be home with your family right now.”

“It's alright, Mother is taking good care of Tomura.” Izuku assured him. “If my brother had been dreadfully attacked or something then I'd need some time to help take care of the problem, but that's not necessary now. All is well.” That was partially the truth. Truth was Izuku had already checked on Tomura and killed Stain, so yeah, he didn't need to stick around anymore. He'd already dealt with the problem, so Izuku was good to go.

“Are you sure?” Mic asked again. “Because we'd understand–”

“Zashi if he says he's fine, leave him be.” Luckily Eraser cut in from across the room, leveling Mic with a light scowl. “Getting back into his routine without a fuss will help significantly more than being sidelined.”

“Fine.” Mic huffed. “But, Midoriya, if you change your mind do let us know.”

“Will do.” Izuku offered him a slightly sarcastic salute that made Mic sigh.

With that Izuku was allowed to rejoin the Internship training without hindrance. Eraser, surprisingly, was very firm that Izuku take his training seriously despite the brief distraction. It was a lot heavier than a ‘brief distraction’ to Izuku - his brother was stabbed - but Eraser didn’t know that so there really wasn't any reason for Izuku to be hung up on it, so he did what Eraser said and dove right back into it.

“Shinsou, keep your feet.” Eraser called. Shinsou hit the mat a moment later. “... You didn't keep your feet.”

“You don't say?!” Shinsou wheezed from the ground, the wind knocked out of him. Izuku stood triumphantly above him, grinning.

“That's twelve for me.” Izuku declared. “How about we go thirteen out of twenty-five?”

“Fuck you.”

“Hmm, I'll have to pass on that one.” Izuku clicked his tongue. “Where're your pretty Heroic manners?”

With a heaving breath Shinsou sat up, gripping his trembling knees with large gulping breaths. The sweat in his hair plastered waylaid strands to his forehead, only adding to his picturesque exhaustion. It was delicious to watch Shinsou struggle so heavily against him.

“Shinsou, you're improving.” Eraser called, watching Shinsou catch his breath and recover. “You lasted nineteen seconds that round, which is three seconds longer than your average.”

“Good to know.” Shinsou heaved a deep breath and blew it out. “I'm still trash, got it.”

“Hey, improvement is improvement.” Izuku reminded him.

“Says the guy who's basically already a Pro Hero.” Shinsou glared. “Why the everloving fuck did you train so hard before Hero school?”

“Because I could.” Izuku said with a shrug. “I guess I just wanted to be prepared.” Yeah, to stand guard while Tomura took over the Underworld and Dad retired. Izuku's role was to protect, it always had been - despite being the youngest, he'd always been the protective one.

“It was smart of you to train your body, condition it to this kind of treatment.” Eraser nodded to Izuku. “It definitely gives you an advantage as you move through Hero school. You'll find yourself ahead of your classmates all throughout school if you keep up your current rate of improvement, Midoriya.”

“Thank you.” Izuku said brightly. Shinsou glowered bitterly.

“Do not, however, replace skill with arrogance. Confidence can save lives, but arrogance can kill.” Eraser looked grave as he said it. “You’re an extremely talented kid, but don’t let it go to your head. You have a lot to learn before you’re ready to go Pro.” Izuku, for once, decided to be respectful.

“Thank you, Aizawa-sensei.” Izuku bowed his head, voice equally serious. “I won’t let you down.” Eraser nodded his approval. Little did Eraser know that all this training would eventually lead to the downfall of UA and the Commission…

Shinsou, still on the mat, bit his lip. Envy marked his face heavily, that undertone of doubt and bitterness surfacing. Izuku smiled.

While Izuku absolutely adored seeing Shinsou angry, jealous, vengeful, and all those other wickedly wonderful emotions, Izuku knew if he wasn't careful he'd drive Shinsou away. With those beautifully harsh emotions brewing, there was the possibility of building resentment. It was a sort of balancing exercise, one Izuku would win whichever way Shinsou inevitably fell. The tricky part was knowing when that edge would be reached.

“Come on.” Izuku held his hand out to Shinsou with a smile, softening the edges just enough to make Shinsou pause. “You're not done yet, you can do it.” With another deep breath determination flooded into Shinsou's expression. Shinsou wobbled, but quickly steadied himself as Izuku pulled him to his feet.

“Get back into position.” Eraser instructed. He looked between them and nodded. “Ready? Go.”

Shinsou hit the mat in twenty-one seconds.

Chapter Text

Chapter 34

Izuku, perched on his desk, observed the classroom with thinly veiled amusement. His classmates were all giggling and chatting to each other, enthusing over their internships with bright eyes and rekindled determination. Uraraka especially had Izuku's attention.

“You look like you learned a lot,” Izuku said to her. Uraraka was practicing punches in the air.

“I had a great teacher,” Uraraka said seriously. The fire in her eyes was back, flickering, a gorgeous and fragile dream she wore like a second skin that almost seemed to glow - a pink aura the color of her Quirk. “Gunhead Martial Arts is exactly what I need to further develop my offensive skills.”

“Maybe you'll get to knock me on my ass someday,” Izuku smirked. “We haven't had a chance to spar in class, have we?”

“I don't think so,” Uraraka grinned wide. “I'll look forward to the opportunity, whenever it comes at me!” Izuku laughed.

“Likewise.” It really was beautiful how hard she was trying. A Rescue Hero with adequate combat skills… that was one in a million. Many claimed to have been taught, to know more than the basics they learned in school, but so rarely they actually did.

The whole classroom was buzzing. With everyone back from internships they were collectively wondering what everyone had learned, how they'd progressed in the week they were given to experience the outside world under the tutelage of their chosen Hero; Izuku was looking forward to whatever exercise they had planned for Hero Basic Training. Though All Might would unfortunately be present, Eraser was set to teach as well.

“Some of them got to fight Villains,” Shinsou sulked. “We had gym class for a week straight.” He was watching their classmates as well, though with a more jaded attitude.

“Nah, mostly criminals,” said Izuku. “I'm afraid our classmates wouldn't be up to par against the kind of Villains their pros typically encounter on the street.”

“Any fight on the street would be better than hitting that mat over and over.”

“Don't let Aizawa-sensei hear you complaining like that,” Izuku grinned sharply. “He'll send you back out to the course in a heartbeat if you're so sick of sparring.”

“I hate that you're right,” Shinsou groaned. “Don't tell him I said that.”

“He won't hear it from me,” Izuku mimed locking his lips up tight and throwing away the key. Shinsou snickered.

“Midoriya! Shinsou!” Pure sunshine bounded through the door as Kirishima found them. “How was your internship with Aizawa-sensei? Was it as cool as you thought!?”

“We did a lot of strength training,” Izuku grinned. “We didn't do much Quirk work, but I'd say Shinsou's sparring capabilities have doubled.”

“Awesome, man!” Kirishima offered Shinsou a rough high five, earning a tiny smile from the latter. Izuku smirked.

“What did you do?” asked Shinsou wearily. “You didn't get to fight Villains or anything, did you?”

“We did community service work,” Kirishima told them brightly. “Fourth Kind is so manly - he really prioritizes the community and charity work and stuff. He's just so chivalrous!”

“Ah, how unexpected,” Shinsou said, one eyebrow raised. “Imagine the Chivalrous Hero: Fourth Kind being chivalrous.” Izuku choked. Kirishima ignored them both.

“Ah, Todoroki!” Kirishima sounded almost as delighted as Izuku felt. Almost. “How was your internship with your Dad?”

“It was fine,” Shouto said plainly, joining them where they all cluttered around Izuku's desk. "How was yours?"

“Shouto,” Izuku held out a hand and Shouto took it easily, intertwining their fingers. “It wasn't bad, Aizawa-sensei certainly kept us busy.”

“Did you get to fight Villains?” Izuku smiled at the radiating malice in Shinsou's voice. Again with the jealousy…

“Yes, actually,” Shouto said. They all straightened, eyes wide. “I was in Hosu.”

“Hosu?” Izuku blurted, “Didn't the whole city go up in flames?” He vividly remembered Tomura, bleeding from his impaled shoulder, mentioning he was burning Hosu to the ground.

Shouto noticed the way Izuku's jaw clenched. With gentle violence, Shouto pushed a sliver of his fire into Izuku's hand, slotting between their intertwined fingers. Izuku inhaled sharply - heat consumed his every thought as flames licked up his fingers. It traced the outline of his already present frigid burns, only adding to the torture. Izuku squeezed their hands together, adoration dripping off him with every breath.

“Yes, the city burned.” Shouto told them. “My old man was hoping to find and capture Stain after the sightings posted there, but when we got there all hands went towards the Nomu attacking the city. Because of our presence at all, Endeavor was credited for the efforts to stop the attack, despite many other Heroes already on the scene and helping with evacuations.”

“Was it like the creature at the USJ?” Kaminari's hesitant voice brought their attention to the rest of the class - they'd all stopped to listen. “They called that monster Nomu.”

“Similar, yes,” Shouto confirmed. “There were three this time; two of the same unnaturally strong kind, and one with great wings. That leads them to believe the League of Villains is behind the attack.”

Izuku was struck by a flash of heated anger - of course Shouto was far more powerful than a handful of twisted corpses made by Doctor masquerading as people, but the knowledge that his brother released such dangerous adversaries anywhere near his Shouto made Izuku's stomach churn. The fire in his hand soothed him ever so slightly.

“Does that mean Stain is connected to the League?” asked Tsu, eyes wide and calculating. “There was news that Stain was in Hosu at the same time as the attack, and it must hold some truth if Endeavor went to check it out. Todoroki, did your Dad end up finding Stain after he dealt with the Nomu?”

“No,” said Shouto. “My old man was quite upset to find Stain was killed by some Villain associated with the League. With that in mind, I believe the League attempted to recruit Stain, failed, and killed him for it.”

“Stain died?” Kaminari exclaimed. “How? And why isn't it all over the news? He's a major Villain that's been killing Heroes for years - knowing he's off the streets would be a massive comfort to civilians and Heroes alike.”

“Stain was killed by a Villain,” Shouto replied. “If the people find out it took another Villain to take Stain down, not a Hero, they might begin idealizing that new Villain just as a small minority worshiped Stain. They don't want more people to be swayed into supporting Villains who like murdering bad people.”

“So they're just not gonna mention that the Hero Killer is dead?” Kirishima frowned deeply. “That seems wrong, like lying. People are going to find out eventually anyway.”

“Well, I suspect they're using the burning of Hosu as a convenient distraction for it all,” Shouto shrugged delicately. “And with the League of Villains being the prime suspect, any other news shrinks in comparison.”

“It was the League,” Ashido said shakily. She clung to Tsu, dark eyes wide with terror. “Did you see the video on the news? The one of the guys standing on the water tower? It was Shigaraki, I'm sure of it.” Izuku froze.

“What video?” Izuku asked. His voice was flatter than he intended.

“The news ran a program asking for people to identify a couple figures on top of a water tower,” Ashido told him. “Y'know, like they do with criminals and stuff? To identify them? It's obvious to me it's Shigaraki, and I bet Aizawa-sensei recognized him too.”

"Where's the video posted?" Izuku demanded. "Who took the video?"

“Here, I'll pull it up.” Kaminari whipped out his phone, eyeing Izuku as he typed away. “It's everywhere man, but this is the original news footage from the helicopter.” He turned the phone around and everyone leaned in to see.

It was a woman with brown hair, reporting from a helicopter, wearing large headphones. The camera shots were crooked, the aircraft making harsh jerks as moans of Nomu and creaks of fire droned on from below - the woman was speaking into a microphone with urgency. Izuku barely heard the audio as the footage zoomed in, a shaky image of Kurogiri and Shigaraki visible for only a moment before disappearing through a portal. Ashido was right - the video was blurry, but they were easily recognizable. It must've been near the end of the attack - Tomura only left a scene or ‘level’ willingly when he felt he'd come out on top.

“Midoriya, you don't need to watch,” Shinsou muttered to him. “We understand if it might be hard to see him again.” Izuku paused - they thought he was tense because he was reminded of his ‘kidnapping’ at the hands of this villain guy ‘Shigaraki.’ Of course they'd remember it better than Izuku would.

“Whatever,” Izuku said loudly. He crossed his arms and leaned away, letting a little tremble in his hands bleed out for the keen-eyed to see. “He's just another Villain we'll need to get someday. None of our current Top Chart Heroes can do the job, it would seem.”

“Like Endeavor,” Shouto said with a solemn nod.

“Bingo.” Izuku agreed with a nod. Izuku hated the thought of seeming weak in front of the baby Heroes, but a little drama never hurt anybody…

Izuku slid off the desk and took his seat, keeping his arms firmly crossed as he slouched and stared pointedly out the window. He chewed his lip, gnawing anxiously at the flesh, vehemently ignoring the various concerned looks he could see reflected in the large windows. If they wanted to see him squirm, he'd squirm. But only a little - he couldn't risk them thinking he'd grown soft.

“Um–” Yaoyorozu was the first to attempt conversion after the awkward silence. “Iida, weren't you in Hosu too? Did you help with rescue efforts?”

“Oh! Is that how you injured your hand?” Uraraka asked, pausing her air punching. “I noticed you were cradling it funny when you came in this morning.”

Izuku, maintaining his charade, listened closely. Iida wasn't the type to lie, but he was also likely asked not to share details regarding the ‘Drop Off killed Stain and left the Hero student alive’ thing. So, which would it be? Lie to the classmates, or break a promise to the police?

“I assisted Manual in putting out fires and rescuing civilians,” Iida said. His voice was calm, but it lacked his usual rigidity. “My shoulder was injured during the chaos which resulted in damage to the nerves in my hand - the hospital said it would require surgery to fix, but I decided to finish school before accepting the surgery.”

“Oh! Is it a dangerous surgery?” Uraraka asked, fluttering near his seat. “How bad is the injury? Is there nothing Recovery Girl can do?” The fretting began, flustering Iida greatly, and Izuku tuned them out with a sigh.

It wasn't long before Aizawa-sensei arrived, luckily forcing everyone back into their seats. All Might crawled in right behind him, face glued into that ugly smile. People who worshiped that face were sick in Izuku's mind - who could find comfort in such oppressive, false eyes? The courage resting there was as faux as his smile.

“I Am Here to greet you!” All Might declared, earning many smiles from Izuku's classmates. “Welcome back from your internships! I hope you all have learned many valuable lessons and skills during your time under professional tutelage.”

“They're always under professional tutelage,” Eraser drawled. “Though, I'm not sure you count.” Izuku choked, slapping a hand over his mouth.

“Aizawa!” All Might looked scandalized.

“You are not a licensed teacher,” Eraser said blandly. He then turned to the class, ignoring the comical hurt on All Might's face. Izuku could've kissed Eraser for the comment - All Might's expression was priceless!

“Everyone,” Eraser continued. “We will be doing something special today, which will test each of you individually while working in a teamwork focused setting. This will require communication, delegation, reliance on others, and trust. Fail to work as a team, you will fail this class. Rely on others and fail to be valuable as an individual, you fail this class. So what are you doing?” He paused. The class held their breath.

“Escape Rooms!” All Might boomed.

The class exploded.

.

“I am going to enjoy this class immensely,” Izuku declared as they gathered together.

“That's because we're not wearing our Hero costumes, yeah?” Kirishima grinned. “Man, just redesign it if you hate it so much!”

“I wouldn't dare,” Izuku told him. “If I like it too much I'll never take it off.” Shinsou laughed quietly beside them.

Ground Gamma was sectioned off oddly with structures and fences and seemingly impenetrable walls, no doubt separating the areas in which each team would play in. They stood together outside the arena, facing All Might and Eraser as they prepared the class.

“There will be five escape rooms set up within Ground Gamma, and you will complete them in teams of four.” Eraser held up five heavy packets in manilla folders. “The teams and themes are as follows.” A hologram popped up.

Haunted House & Horror
Ashido, Bakugou, Tokoyami, Hagakure

Museum Heist & Espionage
Jirou, Tsu, Koda, Aoyama

Prison Break & Escape
Shinsou, Satou, Kaminari, Sero

Mystery & Detective
Shouto, Iida, Shouji, Kirishima

Zombie Infection & Infestation
Izuku, Yaoyorozu, Ojirou, Uraraka

“Zombies…” Izuku got over the disappointment regarding his teammates quickly after seeing the theme. “How interesting.”

“Looks like we'll be working together!” Uraraka enthused, pumping a fist. “Looks like I'll get to show you what I've learned on those zombies, eh?” Izuku grinned.

“Each theme will have an applicable objective,” Eraser explained. “There will be instructions in the packet, along with clues and items you may use to your benefit. No one will be playing the role of a Hero in these scenarios, hence the lack of your usual gear. And when I say escape rooms, I rather mean escape arenas.” Whispers broke out. All Might cleared his throat, stepping forward dramatically.

“The Haunted House and Horror team will be placed in a large, multistory building resembling a hotel with few to no typical exit points.” All Might boomed, hands proudly on his hips. “The Museum Heist & Espionage will take place on a single blocked off street containing five buildings on either side of the road, one of which will be a large arena resembling a museum. Our Prison Break & Escape team will be inside a prison system that may or may not be on ground level, and the size of the precinct will impact their escape routes. Team Mystery & Detective will be confined within a single manor house, in which they're not allowed to leave through any exit throughout the exercise. Lastly, our Zombie Infection & Infestation team will be walled inside a small portion of the city, roughly 25 square miles.”

“But that's huge!” Uraraka sputtered, “That's so much bigger than everyone else's arena!”

“Then you'll have to try twice as hard!” All Might gave her an enthusiastic thumbs up. She didn't seem comforted by this.

“We have cleared the rest of the day for this exercise, so you'll have several hours to complete your assigned tasks to escape,” Eraser told them. “Zombie and Heist teams, follow All Might to your assigned locations. Prison, Detective, and Horror teams, you're with me. Let's get started.”

“Yes sir!” The class chorused.

Izuku sighed. For once, he didn't understand Eraser's angle concerning the teams.

The Quirks and personalities grouped together didn't seem to match up at all, most of the members seemed to contradict the others completely! Placing Ashido, the scaredy cat of the class, inside a horror building with their invisible classmate, the classmate wrapped in darkness, and a literal bomb was really the way to go?? And having three muscle heads plus Shinsou escape a prison quietly? Kaminari and Sero were loud enough but with Satou added to the bunch, poor Shinsou was basically their only shot! Whose idea was that!?

“Aizawa-sensei is testing our teamwork abilities,” Yaoyorozu said softly, almost to herself. Izuku looked over to find her deep in thought as well. “He chose people with conflicting personalities and wildly different strategies and placed them all in a group in suboptimal conditions to see how we will react when under pressure. They appear random, but it all comes back to forcing teamwork on otherwise contrasting and contradictory people.” Izuku paused. She was right.

“I hate that,” Izuku said. He also hated that Shouto was working with anybody but Izuku.

“I promise to do my best as your teammate,” Yaoyorozu said, placing a sincere hand on her chest. “Despite your doubts.” Izuku raised an eyebrow.

“I don't doubt you'll be a good teammate,” Izuku drawled. “I think you're real smart, Yaoyorozu. Maybe a genius, even, with that fancy Quirk of yours. Unfortunately you're plagued by doubt and insecurity, which is your downfall. Confidence would improve your performance exponentially."

“I–” Yaoyorozu's dark eyes were large and wide as she stared at him. “Thank you, I appreciate that. Though I'm not sure I deserve it.”

“You're a recommendation student,” Izuku reminded her blandly. “You had to pass significantly more difficult tests than we did. Recommendation students take a written test, a practical test, have an interview with Nezu, and a mystery individual assessment they don't release the details of to the public. All I did was a written exam and banged up some robots. So which one of us is cooler in that regard?” Yaoyorozu flushed.

“Well when you put it like that…” She muttered. Izuku laughed.

“Uh, hey.” They both turned, finding Ojirou standing beside Uraraka. While Uraraka looked absolutely pumped, Ojirou was hunched in on himself, thick tail swaying low to the ground behind him.

“Welcome to the team,” Izuku offered a sarcastic salute. “I look forward to seeing what everyone's got to offer.” Izuku really didn't know anything about Ojirou, he wasn't one of their forward or particularly memorable classmates.

“This way!” All Might corralled them towards the great wall surrounding Ground Beta. “Zombie and Heist! This way!”

“I'm glad we have you on our team,” Tsu said to Jirou as they walked. “In an espionage setting, your Quirk will be extremely beneficial.”

“Eh, only if they're talking.” Jirou shrugged. She twirled her long earphone jack ear between her fingers, squishing and releasing it. “I can listen in to any conversation and locate people easily, but if they're doing visual stuff or anything silently, my Quirk's usefulness is nullified.”

“Koda, you can help with that,” Tsu pointed out. “I'm sure you could ask small animals to spy for us and report back.”

Koda shrunk in on himself, shaking his head. He pointed to Tsu, raising his hands and miming climbing.

“I can stick to walls, yeah,” Tsu acknowledged. “But I'm a lot bigger and more suspicious than a rat.”

“I don't think sparkles over there will be any help,” Jirou said, eyeing Aoyama following them with his back straight and head high. “Not sure if he knows what subtlety is.”

“I have no need for subtlety," Aoyama declared with a flip of stylish golden hair. “I am as dazzling as anything in that museum.” His team inched away from him slowly, awkward resignation dripping from their faces.

Izuku exchanged glances with Yaoyorozu, who seemed rather amused. The small smile playing at her lips was honest - a rare sight for a girl as tidy and sharp as Yaoyorozu. Izuku wanted to memorize it, snapshot it forever, perhaps twist that smile back onto her face after cutting away every other part of her…

“This will be the arena for the Zombie Infection and Infestation group!” All Might announced, that booming voice cutting through Izuku's no-no thoughts. “You have a small amount of time to prepare, but once the buzzer sounds your exercise begins. Here is your packet!” Izuku stepped forward to accept the thick stack. The manilla folder was heavier than he expected.

“Will there be zombies during the prep time?” Yaoyorozu asked politely, hand in the air. “Must we remain in the area surrounding the start gate or may we explore during the prep time?”

“Yes! Get a lay of the land!” Uraraka pumped her fists excitedly.

“You can explore to your heart's content!” All Might laughed. “During your prep time, no obstacles will hinder you. But once the buzzer sounds, you may want to get out of the open.”

“Why?” Ojirou asked nervously. All Might just grinned, turning away and beckoning the Heist team away to their arena. That did nothing to comfort poor Ojirou. “Guys, what's wrong with the open??”

“Most likely because the arena will be swarmed at the start of the exercise,” Izuku said with a shrug. “It makes sense - overwhelm us right off the bat so it's difficult for us to make much headway.”

“So we can't let that happen,” Ojirou said. “We've got to get into an advantageous position before it all starts!”

“Duh,” Izuku rolled his eyes. “Yaoyorozu, come look at this with me.” He flipped open the folder, tilting it so Yaoyorozu could scoot close to his side and read along. “We've got some work to do, it would seem.”

Izuku smiled. Let the games begin…