Chapter 14
"So…" Himiko began, feeling incredibly awkward as she sat on the edge of the couch, gripping the seat beneath her so she had something to ground herself with. She looked up through her eyelashes, seeing Izuku and Ochako both looking as awkward as she felt…Izuku, ears flicking rapidly, tail wrapped about their waist to keep it from flinging about as they perched on the armchair across from her. Ochako, leaning against the wall, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she curled in on herself, her tail tangled between her legs.
Izuku cleared their throat. "So, um…yeah," they sighed, shoulders drooping.
"...'m sorry for snapping earlier," Ochako muttered, breaking into the awkward silence.
"No, 'Chako, please, don't apologize, I really shouldn't have pushed!" Himiko replied, waving her hands in negation.
"I-I think you did have to, Himi," Izuku replied in a low, soft voice. They twisted their fingers together nervously as they kept their gaze on the carpet. "Sensei…pointed out I should trust you two. Which, I do! I really do, that's not why I didn't want to tell you, you know? It's just…you have more important things to worry about than stupid me and-"
"Izu, stop that," Ochako growled, her ears twitching. "You're not stupid and not a bother! Please stop saying stuff like that!"
"That's the first time I said that to you!" they protested, to unamused looks from both Ochako and Himiko.
"No. No, it isn't. You do it all the time. Most of the time you're muttering and don't even realize it. We just don't call you on it," Himiko added, arms crossing over her chest.
Izuku wanted to protest further, but…well, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility for them to have done that. They sighed. "...screw it. I-I came back here to tell you two anyway. But I need your promise, I need you to swear, you tell no one else, okay? You can't, you just…just can't."
Himiko stared into Izuku's emerald eyes for a moment, before giving a hesitant nod. Ochako met their gaze and nodded as well, albeit she seemed even more hesitant than Himiko had been. With a deep breath, Izuku decided to just get it over with, and reached down to grab the bottom of their shirt. With another deep, bracing breath, they lifted it up swiftly, pulling it off and letting it fall from their now nerveless fingers as they closed their eyes, bracing for the reactions…which from the sudden flood of emotions coming across the connection, so many swirling together they could barely decipher any of them, they figured the girls had noticed.
Izuku's upper body was littered with marks, a patchwork of marred skin. Some marks they knew from memory…the burn on their shoulder, the divots in their side, the long scar across their abdomen from when they'd been pushed down the stairs and cut themselves on a piece of broken glass. Perhaps a dozen wounds from years that were scattered across their body, remnants of mistakes, of 'accidents', of someone testing their Quirk on the school punching bag. But beyond the marks others had laid upon Izuku were the ones they themselves had done.
Their lower arms were mostly free of markings. Izuku had known what people would look for, what was most common, and while they wore long sleeves just in case, they also knew they'd be safe without them. No, Izuku had stuck to one area mainly…their shoulders. Below where the neckline would be, but the upper part of their arms was nothing but pink scars and raised skin, cuts multiple centimeters long, times when Izuku had learned exactly what skin looked like deep down beneath the surface. Some of the scarring had long faded, just lines of pink, smooth skin, but others were much more recent, dark, redder, with small hints of scabbing at the edges.
Izuku, eyes still closed, spun about so their back faced the other two, revealing a half dozen long, painful lines across their back, ones that looked like they had been caused by something sharp and thin. Izuku could feel it in the girl's emotions, practically taste it in the air…there was no way that they had done those marks. Not that some of the others on their front weren't noticeable as not done by them, but the ones on their back were almost…deliberate.
Silence reigned in the room for a good half-minute, before Izuku's ears twitched, hearing someone approaching. The scent of vanilla told them it was Ochako, before fingers very very gently touched their back, the contact making them flinch slightly and making Ochako jolt away. She swallowed. "Izu…what…how did these…"
"...I was walking home from school and took a shortcut through an alleyway. I was…there were these guys, who wanted my money, and when they took my wallet and saw the Quirkless indicator on my ID, they decided to have some fun with the useless kid," Izuku muttered. They were surprised they managed to get it out, but they'd been preparing for that question since they decided to take off their shirt so it was easier to explain than they realized.
"What happened to them?" Himiko asked, her voice quiet but full of menace. Even with Izuku able to feel it wafting off her, they were surprised by the venom in their tone. They found their gaze lifting up to meet hers, able to see the storm of emotions in her eyes…fury, worry, fear, anguish, a dozen things mixed into one as they stood there, fists clenched. Izuku gulped.
"I don't really know…after they got done b-beating me, they just…ran off. I um…just snuck home. Mom was out at work so she never found out."
"Izuku, why…why wouldn't you tell someone?" Ochako whispered, still staring at their back.
Izuku shrugged. "...you're not going to like what I say, but…because I didn't want to worry Mom. She…she dealt with enough, raising me, you know? And I know she always felt guilty that I was Quirkless. I didn't want her to worry more."
"Izu, that-"
Izuku cut Himiko off. "I know. There's a part of me that knows it's stupid. That she probably worried anyways. I know she worried anyway. But I can't just…ignore that voice in my head that says these things! I can't, okay?!"
"...is that the reason for these?" Ochako asked, gently tapping their shoulders. Izuku felt the air escape them in a hiss, their shoulders slumping as they slouched, curling in on themselves.
Izuku nodded. "Kind of? Um…it's a bit of that. And a bit of just…I can forget, with that. I can just fade away and not be there. And…sometimes I just feel like I deserve it. I'm nothing but a useless Deku after all, so-"
Izuku was cut off once more, but not by voices. No, instead, they first felt a crash into their back, followed by one on their front, their arms now pinned to their sides by the sudden dual hug from the two young women in the room with them. They could feel Himiko trembling, her body shaking as she gripped them tightly, small whines escaping her. Ochako was silent, but the dampness they could feel on their bare back told them of the tears falling from her eyes.
"I'm not stupid enough to think just me saying it will make you stop," Himiko choked out, "but please…Izu, please please please please don't say that about yourself. You're not useless. You mean the world to me, and our promise is one of the only things that kept me going. Please don't…I can't make you stop believing that, but please don't say it. You're not useless. You don't deserve this, you deserve better. Please…please don't."
Izuku felt their throat closing up, a tightness in their chest that had nothing to do with the arms squeezing them. Their eyes began to burn, the telltale sign of tears beginning to fall, because no matter how much they didn't want to believe her, the sheer power of her emotions wasn't something they could ignore. They could feel the care and affection Himiko had for them, the truth in her words, and the matching pink-tinged feelings coming from the silent brunette behind them.
Izuku swallowed. "...I-I can't just…stop thinking like that."
"I know. I'm not asking you to. But next time you're feeling like that, like you can't take it, can you just…come to us?" Himiko pleaded, lifting her gaze up to meet their eyes.
Izuku hated the look in her eyes, because they couldn't ignore it. They couldn't set it aside. All her feelings, all of Ochako's, wrapped about Izuku like a suffocating yet comforting blanket that soothed the everpresent ache in their arms, in their chest, across their body from the marks that had been left and ones they had made. Finally…Izuku couldn't take it, and let out a minuscule nod.
The beaming grin Himiko gave them at that, even with tears visible in the corner of her eyes, was enough to make Izuku feel the tiniest bit better. Enough that they were willing to tell the full tale…and so, they carefully extricated themself from the girls (Ochako still silent), and once they had sat all three down and Izuku had retrieved their shirt, Izuku began to tell them everything. The way the teachers mocked them and wrongly marked their tests, the punishments they got for things others did, the way the other students would shove them, test their Quirks on them, push them over, trap their locker. The mockery and derision, the attacks…and the time Kacchan told them to jump off the roof.
Izuku had expected the reaction from the girls at that, since Katsuki Bakugo was one of the few people they did know personally. Even though Izuku had to explain that Bakugo only ever physically injured Izuku once (since they didn't want anything on their permanent record), it didn't change the surge of anger and hatred the girls felt about it…especially not once Izuku admitted that they knew Bakugo was in UA as well (Mistuki had told his Mom about it).
"...I can punt him into the sun, right?" Ochako asked, her voice oddly soft and controlled for how much rage was flooding across the bond.
"No 'Chako, you can't, you'd get in trouble. We just need to make it look like an accident," Himiko replied.
"No one is punting anyone to the sun or making it 'look like an accident'," Izuku sighed, rolling their eyes. Telling them had been strangely freeing, and for some reason they actually felt more stable after having actually said it out loud. Something to be said for not being entirely alone in their pain, they supposed. Still, they needed to nip this in the bud. "Kacchan…he's not nice, but he's going to be a great hero. And like I said, he only actually hurt me once and it was more of an accident, so-"
"Izuku Midoriya, just…stop," Ochako commanded, her hand slapping over their mouth. Her ears lay flat on her head, her slitted eyes glaring at them. She shared a glance with Himiko, letting out a deep sigh. "We're not gonna win this argument with you right now, are we?"
Izuku stared back at her, their gaze cool and collected, the feelings of stubbornness coming across the bond enough for Ochako to realize what was and wasn't going to happen. Not yet, anyways. She sighed again. "Okay. This conversation is not over, but fine. We'll deal with that particular bastard later. Is there anything else you wanna tell us?"
Izuku gently pulled her hand away from their mouth as they looked up, thinking. They shook their head. "No, not really. I-if I think of something else, I'll tell you, but…um…maybe you can talk now too?"
Ochako froze. She'd completely forgotten about that, and her first instinct was to deny and shove it away, but…she knew how disappointed and upset the other two would be if she didn't admit the truth. Besides, she'd already decided she'd tell them, she was sure they'd understand once she did!
Ochako rubbed her face, keeping her pinkies up as she did so. After a second, she spoke. "...Mom and Dad did everything they could for me. They really did. They worked super hard, all the time, working themselves to the bone, but hard work doesn't always pay off. Or pay enough, at least. People don't take kindly to you being poor, even in a backwater place like I came from."
She sighed, still rubbing at her face as she refused to look up and see the pity she expected from them, her accent slipping slightly as she continued. "People say money can't buy happiness, but only people who have money get to say that. Money may not buy happiness, but it buys a roof over yer head and food on the table. It lets you do things to make you happy, cause otherwise yer too busy struggling to keep yer head above the water. I knew from when I was little, how tough Mom and Dad had it. It took a while before I figured out the details, but once I did, I just…I had to do something, yanno?"
When she fell silent, Himiko broke the silence with a soft question. "What did you do?"
"I couldn't get a job to help, they wouldn't let me do much, and it weren't like lots of people had work for a dumb kid. Even with my Quirk, the place we lived wasn't great for money for anyone. But what I could do was make the bills a bit less, by taking up less space. Using less resources."
"...you mean you skipped food," Izuku interjected, their voice non-judgemental but the bluntness still making her hackles rise up. She swallowed down her instinctual annoyance, not wanting to snap at the other two again. With a deep, shuddering breath, she nodded, her hands falling from her face as she stared at the carpeted floor of the dorm.
"At first it was just eatin' less at dinner, skippin' breakfast, nibbles at lunch. Little things. Didn't take lunch to school, always made it out that I was forgettin' and stuff. Airhead, clumsy little Ochako, she forgets things I started doing some work for random people, and I'd get paid in food, and I'd bring it home for my parents. I told them I was eatin' before I got home, but…I wasn't. I didn't need to though, that's the thing! I was fine! I made it here, which proves I'm fine, right? A-and it made sense, it saved us money so I could come here! You get it, right? You get why I had to, dontcha?"
She lifted her head finally, frenetic energy coursing through her as she expected understanding in their eyes, the agreement that she had been doing the right thing all along. Even after everything Miss Kayama had said, Ochako had somewhere deep inside believed they'd get it…but honestly, she should have known better. The look on Izuku and Himiko's face was not one of understanding or agreement. It was of fear. A deep, abiding fear that she could feel pulsing across their connection, one that made no sense. What were they afraid of?
Izuku cleared their throat. Ochako could visibly see them shoving their fear down, as Izuku spoke softly. "If that's the reason, why are you skipping food here? Money's not an issue here. It's covered by the school, not to mention the extra money Toshinori gave us. So why do it now?"
"W-well, b-because I need to um, to uh, to stay in shape to be a hero, right? I-I've always been a bit heavy you know, and I'm supposed to be fit and-"
"But you're losing muscle mass, 'Chako. You do worse than me and Izu anymore," Himiko interjected, her eyes narrowed. Ochako had a sneaking suspicion Izuku and Himiko were both holding back what they really wanted to say, but she didn't have time to hunt that down. She needed them to listen.
"But see, it makes sense, I just have to do this for a little while and then-"
"How long is a little while?" Izuku interrupted.
"Well I, I don't know exactly how long but-"
"So your plan is to just starve yourself over and over until you reach a goal you haven't even set?" Himiko pressed.
"I'm not starving myself!" Ochako protested, glaring at Himiko. "I'm just not eating too much is all!"
"How do you define too much?" Izuku asked.
"W-well, if its too much, it's…there's a whole system and like, I don't think I need to explain it-"
"I thought the whole point of this was saving money for your parents, and now you don't have to, so why-"
"Because I have to!" Ochako shouted, leaping to her feet with her fists clenched. She didn't notice the tears forming in her eyes, didn't notice her ears lying flat on her head, didn't notice her tail flicking rapidly in agitation. She needed them to understand, she needed them to get it and they weren't! She wanted to scream and shout and shake them till they understood, but a sudden wave of dizziness rushed over her. Not now! She thought internally, wavering on her feet, but she couldn't help it. She'd gone for that run and been on a weird half-adrenaline rush all day, she found herself losing her grip on her balance and that was enough, she felt herself falling, legs giving out from under her.
A flash of green and gold had her flinching, finding herself being gently caught and sat back down on the couch. She glanced up, her vision doubled, seeing Izuku's worried face before her as Himiko's gentle hands were wrapped about hers, rubbing the back of them, her own worry both visible and sensed over the connection.
Ochako took a couple deep breaths, feeling her sluggishness that came over her fade slightly as she focused. She gulped, feeling nausea bubbling up in her stomach, but forced it down as quickly as she could. She just had to focus, that's all, focus. Focus focus focus-
"That's it. Screw this. I'm saying what I didn't want to say before. 'Chako, this can kill you, you know that right?" Himiko hissed, forcing Ochako to blink bleary eyes up at her.
"What?" she managed to rasp out, confused about what Himiko was talking about.
"Eating disorders are one of the most deadly illnesses out there, 'Chako," Izuku murmured.
"B-but I don't have an eating disorder! I have a reason for this!" she protested.
"Reason doesn't change what you're doing hurts you. A lot. It can cause a ton of problems, even brain damage. Or other stuff, like heart failure, or other organs…one of the girls I went to school with had her kidneys fail on her. She would've died if the doctors didn't have some amazing healing Quirks! You can't keep doing this to yourself! Please, Ochako, we can't lose you!" Himiko pleaded, her hands still gripping Ochako's gently. Himiko knelt down before Ochako, amber meeting brown as she looked up at her, her face a desperate plea in and of itself.
"...I have an idea," Izuku muttered. They stood up quickly, gently running one hand down Ochako's back, before vaulting over the back of the couch and vanishing into the stairwell, green sparks following behind them. Himiko stared in the direction they went, blinking rapidly in confusion, mirroring Ochako's own confused feelings. They didn't have long to wait, Izuku bolting down the stairs in a rush, their body aglow with green as they skidded to a halt behind the couch.
Izuku's sudden nerves flared up across the bond, a strange combination of guilt, fear, and shame coming across as they carefully stepped around the couch, a small blue box in their hand. Izuku knelt down before Ochako, next to Himiko, and looked up at her. "What about if we make a deal?" they asked quietly.
"Izu, wha-" Ochako began, still confused and not wanting to argue about this, but found herself biting herself off when Izuku opened the box, showing…glittering, glimmering steel, razor sharp edges that her mind instantly connected to the scars dotting Izuku's arms.
Izuku swallowed. "I-if I give you this to hold onto, if I agree not to…do that, anymore, you agree to eat more. I-I did some research before we talked, so I know you can't just…jump back into full meals and stuff, but just start slow and work your way up. I-If you do that, I'll give you and Himiko these. To hold onto. You c-can't throw them out, I-I need them here, but I'll still not have them. If you agree."
Himiko's shock could be felt across the bond, mirroring Ochako's own shock and now slowly rising anger, anger she tamped down on because even if she was mad that Izuku was manipulating her this way, a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her she'd do the same if she could have. If she was in Izuku's shoes…would she do any different? Annoyingly…probably not.
"...that's not fair, Izu," she said.
"I know. And I want to say I'm sorry but I'm not. I'll give up anything to keep you safe. To keep either of you safe. You matter more to me than what these things offer me. So…will you take my deal?"
She stared down at them, unable to keep herself from shaking. She…she hated it. Hated the thought of eating more, of making this deal, of forcing herself into this, but…what mattered more? Her hangups around food or Izuku's safety? She let herself glance over to see Himiko's thoughts, and was startled to see the blonde staring at the two of them intently, her gaze flat and piercing. Which…that gave her an idea.
"I'll make the deal if Himi does," she said, watching as Himiko's expression went flabbergasted. The blonde teen opened her mouth to protest, but Ochako cut her off. "Yeah, I know, you don't hurt yourself like Izu or skip food like me. But you're still trapped back at your parents. You're still afraid of your Quirk and keep calling it a curse. So no more of that. No more believing those stupid bastards. You have to stop putting yourself down. You too," she turned and pointed at Izuku, eyes narrowed.
Izuku raised their hands up in surrender. "I'll try. That's all I can give you."
"I'll take that. Himi?"
Himiko was silent for a moment, before giving a nod. "...fine. But you both have to really, really try, okay?"
Ochako squirmed, her mind already rebelling against the idea, but…if it kept those two safer, made them happier? Unbidden, Miss Kayama's words about how her friends never forgave themselves filtered into her mind, reminding her of the consequences if she wasn't careful…fine. She could do this. Maybe?
With a gentle touch, she reached out and closed the box Izuku held, carefully pulling it from their lax grip and setting it between herself and Himiko. Izuku swallowed thickly, eyes still locked on the box for a moment before they managed to rip their gaze away to meet Ochako's. After a moment, they nodded, getting to their feet and heading to the kitchen, making Ochako realize they were about to test her commitment already.
She wanted to be mad, but honestly, she lacked the energy to be mad right now. She felt…drained. Strung out. Like clothing hung out to dry. She'd try…for their sake, if not for her own. That's all she could do.
Chapter 15
Shouta wasn't sure what to expect when he returned to the dorms the next day. He'd run into Nemuri and Yagi, being made aware each of them had a conversation with the various members of the trio, and he knew they intended on talking to one another. Since the dorms appeared to be in one piece, he was fairly confident they didn't kill one another, and optimistically he hoped they'd worked out their issues between one another…but he still wasn't sure what to expect.
He was pleasantly surprised to see the trio were calmly sitting around the table in the dining room, seeming to be deep in conversation, none of them noticing his arrival at first. Perceptively, he noticed that Ochako appeared to be struggling with the plate of what looked like omurice, but she was still eating it. And though the other two appeared to be watching her like hawks, they also seemed to be gently encouraging rather than pushing. He nodded to himself. This was what they had hoped would happen, something kickstarting her recovery (as Nemuri was now absolutely convinced she had a disorder). She'd still need a lot of work, and hopefully she'd accept some help from Nemuri and Inui, but for now…this was a good start. But, he didn't want to draw attention to it, that might set her back. Instead, time to focus on the next steps.
He cleared his throat, making the trio at the table jump slightly. He hid his smile beneath his scarf at how the fur on their ears stuck straight up, and how Himiko nearly leapt on top of the table…this whole cat thing was truly entertaining to him, at this point. Still, he had important information for them, so once they calmed down again he spoke. "Classes start up the day after tomorrow. We've had no early move-ins besides yourselves, so we won't be seeing anyone new until the first class. On the first day I normally do a Quirk Assessment Test, followed by a one on one explanation of the scores people got in the Entrance Exam for the latter half of the day. People also tend to begin moving in on that day as well. Since I know how your Quirks work, I see no reason to have you take the QAT. Especially with the whole explanation of your Quirk condition. So I'll have you three join when the test is over, and we'll explain it then. Sound good?"
Izuku shared a glance with Ochako and Himiko, before nodding. "Yeah, that works. We'll just…hang around till you call for us?"
"I'll send you a message." Shouta waited for them to nod again, before asking a question he'd been wondering. "Quick question though, Midoriya. Someone else from your high school is in my class, a Katsuki Bakugo? Do you know him?"
Shouta already knew the answer to this, but watching Izuku's eyes go wide and fearful clued Shouta in that their suspicions about the relationship between the teens was probably correct. Especially when he added on the sudden glares the two girls were sending his way. He wondered if they realized how feral they looked right then, eyes slitted, ears flat, teeth bared, or if it was entirely subconscious and they hadn't even noticed.
"Y-yeah, I know him," Izuku managed to sputter out.
"Will there be any issues with you both being in the same class?" Shouta asked. Internally, he was hoping the teenager would give him something to work with, something he could use to make a decision on…and yet he found himself disappointed immediately, as Izuku quickly shook their head in negation. A negation the two girls seemed very unhappy with, as Ochako suddenly elbowed Izuku, but the green-haired teen didn't even flinch. Shouta sighed. "Midoriya…are you certain there won't be any issues? It's fine if there is. Not everyone has to like one another."
Izuku swallowed thickly. "I-I'm sure, sir. We'll be fine. We um…we had some arguments when we were in school but it's fine otherwise!"
Shouta stared Izuku down, before nodding. "I'll take you at your word then. Since classes start soon, we'll only do some light training today to be sure you're in good condition for the start of the year and have decent control. Meet me at Gamma in an hour." With that, Shouta spun about and left the dorm. He was frustrated; originally, he'd wanted Bakugo in his class so he could control the boy if his powerful Quirk went out of control. Once the suspicions about the two teens relationship began to become more and more clear, he wanted to swap Bakugo to Vlad's class, but the letters had already gone out and trying to switch students before the year started was a right clusterfuck of paperwork (why the government was so obsessed with this he still did not understand), not to mention you had to get the Board's permission, for some ungodly reason.
But if Izuku had given him a reason, any actual reason he could take to the Board, it would have been easy…but the teenager wasn't ready to tell him. Not yet. And he feared trying to force it out of him would be a backslide for Izuku's mentality, especially after his breakdown the prior day. Shouta knew he'd just have to keep a close eye on the two, and make sure nothing happened.
Shouta had clearly cursed himself. The test went off fine, the students understanding the assignment without issue (and the threat of a 5 page essay for last place motivated them all), and then he figured it was the perfect time to introduce the problem trio. He explained the basics…Quirk accident had caused a forced Quirk share and awakening, they were now under special education concerns as it had never happened before, etc. The best lies were mostly true, after all, he just left out the whole One For All thing, explaining Izuku's quirk away as a stockpiler that took forever to activate.
What he hadn't expected was less than a minute after the trio had stepped out, that Bakugo would blow a gasket and actually try to attack Izuku. Shouta's reflexes had been primed from the beginning, expecting something from the obviously on edge blonde teenager, but he had notexpected a direct full frontal assault. Honestly, it was a good thing he caught Bakugo when he did…the looks Ochako and Himiko were giving the blonde had him wondering if he was going to end up in the stratosphere or stabbed a half dozen times if Shouta hadn't stepped in. He also did not fail to notice Izuku suddenly shrinking in on themself the second the explosions started, nearly shaking out of sheer panic, nor did he fail to notice how both Ochako and Himiko seemed to react to whatever the teenager was feeling.
Now Shouta had a big, annoying problem to deal with, but luckily, a far too eager spy gave him what he needed. He announced to the class he would be right back, to take some time to mingle and talk to one another, and dragged Bakugo along with him towards where he knew Yagi was hiding (badly), stopping before the bulked up hero and watching the very interesting sight of Bakugo suddenly straightening up and looking up at Yagi with hero worship in his eyes. Huh. He shook his head, now was not the time.
"Alright, here's what's going to happen. I still have a class to run, but your behavior was absolutely unacceptable. All Might here is going to sit you down and you're going to explain what was going through your head with that assault, and we'll decide your punishment later."
"Punishment? For what? Deku doesn't have a Quirk! It's some sort of trick, and I want fucking answers!" Bakugo tried to argue, but Shouta narrowed his eyes, letting his hair lift slightly to let the blonde know he meant business.
"Answers? You don't demand answers, Bakugo, you ask nicely and someone decides if you deserve an answer. Understand that your position in this university is subject to any of the teachers and or the president's whims. What you did was an assault and we have a zero tolerance policy for that. We, the staff here, are well aware of the particulars of Midoriya's Quirk and can confirm that yes, he does have one, not that it's any of your business either way. I have a class to get back to, and you have an explanation to give. All Might will give his recommendation on your punishment once that is done." Shouta kept his gaze locked on the blonde teenager, before looking up to give Yagi a sharp nod. With an annoyed huff, he spun about and headed back towards his class, wanting to check on Izuku before he started the sit downs. He could hear Yagi walking away, Bakugo following behind, and decided to focus on Izuku for now.
Which didn't seem like it would be too difficult, considering the teenager was very clearly avoiding talking to anyone else, while Ochako and Himiko ran interference. Weeks spent with them made it pretty easy to tell when they wore fake smiles…not out of a distaste of their fellow students, no, it seemed like they were already making friends, but out of a concern for Izuku which Shouta had to admit he shared, seeing how pale the teenager had become, or how their tail kept flicking back and forth agitatedly (what he wouldn't give for every student to have an easy cat-based tell).
The students straightened up at his presence, but he waved them off, quickly explaining the plan to have the one on one talks with each of them after class. He showed his sheet explaining the times he expected to see them in his office (each session took less than fifteen minutes on average), and asked everyone to go get their syllabi from the classroom and he'd see the first one on the list (Aoyama) in ten minutes. He asked Izuku to stay behind for a moment, quietly telling the girls they should help their classmates find the dorms. He could see both of them were very much hesitant to do so, but Izuku told them it'd be fine, once again flashing that incredibly fake smile that fooled no one…but they heard the teen out and left, leaving the two alone.
Shouta internally sighed at seeing Izuku seem to shrink, like they expected Shouta to yell at them. He needed to nip that in the bud asap. "Midoriya- '' he began, but was cut off immediately.
"I-I'm sorry for the trouble, Sensei, I didn't think Kacchan would um…"
"Blow up with no reason, pun not intended?" Shouta asked, raising an eyebrow. Izuku nodded sheepishly. Shouta let out a deep sigh. "I'm not angry at you for his behavior. I'm not angry at you at all. If anything, I'm angry at him, which is why he's going to have a talk with Yagi and we'll see what punishment to give him once we've had a chance to discuss it."
"P-punishment? For what? He didn't actually hurt me, it was just a scare thing…"
"...Midoriya, think about him doing that to Uraraka or Himiko and then say that to me." The way the teenager immediately slammed their mouth shut and looked away from Shouta was enough for him, deciding to let that point go for now. "I just want to know why you didn't tell me? I understand it's difficult to trust me, I have yet to earn it, but I genuinely meant I'd take care of it if he was going to be a problem."
"I don't want to be treated special or different, though," Izuku muttered, still not meeting Shouta's gaze.
"It's not special treatment. Assaulting another student outside of training is absolutely forbidden. If he had done it to anyone he'd be in trouble."
"I…I mean, if you'd done something before he did anything."
Shouta pinched the bridge of his nose. "Being able to fix the problem before it became a problem would be more logical for everyone involved. If I had known he'd be like that towards you, I would have pushed for him to be moved to Vlad's class. He initially was put in mine so I could disable his Quirk if it was an issue. I tend to take those with more volatile Quirks for that reason, you see. But switching classes would not have impacted yours or his chances, you know. Both classes get the same treatment."
Izuku looked down at the ground, their voice soft. "O-oh…I guess that makes sense. B-but still, it's really not that big a deal, he's just got a bit of a temper, a-and it's only really at me, he's going to be a great hero, he's got such a good Quirk for it and-"
"Kid, stop. Focus on yourself, not on him. And stop defending him. That's not your job. His actions have to speak for him." Seeing Izuku's ears go flat on their skull made Shouta wince internally, modulating his tone to be more gentle. "I'm not trying to be cruel, Midoriya. But you're not being fair to yourself right now. You deserve to not be attacked on your first day, and I really don't think I'm being unreasonable when I say that. C'mon kid…remember what I said the other day. You have to give yourself a chance. And if it's too hard to see it that way, just picture Himiko or Uraraka in your place…and imagine how they feel when this happens to you. I doubt you even have to imagine, you can feel it after all."
Izuku's wince clued Shouta in that he was correct in that guess as well. But the stance the teen had informed Shouta that they still hadn't quite let go of this. Shouta wanted to prod a bit more, but he worried that'd push the teen too far now. Hopefully after a bit, he could try again, for now he'd let Izuku head back to the dorms and get some rest. "Alright, I don't want to keep pestering you, and I do want you to know I'm not upset you didn't say something, I'm just trying to understand your reasoning. You're not in trouble either. Just head back to the dorms and get some rest, classes start up seriously bright and early tomorrow. Alright?"
Izuku paused, before nodding. After a moment, they looked up at Shouta, their voice soft as they asked "What's going to happen to Kacchan?"
Shouta really wanted to sigh deeply at how focused Izuku was on someone who clearly was not a good influence in their life, but he could imagine that this was a very deep hole to dig the boy out of, and for now he'd just start working on it slowly. "That'll depend a lot on what he says to Yagi, and what myself, Yagi, and Nezu decide. I'll give you this…it is unlikely he will be expelled. One incident doesn't make for an expulsion normally," 'and you'll probably blame yourself for it if we went with that option', Shouta thought to himself, "but detention is likely, and probably class transfer as well. But we'll see after he talks to Yagi."
Izuku nodded again, almost absently turning around and walking off in the direction of the dorms. Shouta watched the teen go for a moment, before shaking his head to focus. He had to go over the exams with the rest of the class, and he'd catch up with Yagi after to see what the older pro had to say.
Once Toshinori had managed to get Bakugo to take a seat in his office, he took a moment to just look at the teenager. Bakugo's face was set in a scowl, arms crossed over his chest, a defensive, closed off posture that Toshinori wasn't surprised by. Getting in trouble on the first day of University would lead to either defensiveness or panic, and clearly Bakugo chose the former. Still, Toshinori chose to stay silent, hands clasped on his desk, looking directly at Bakugo. He was well aware a boy like that would not stay quiet for long, and wanted to see where the blonde teenager chose to take this.
As he expected, he didn't have long to wait, Bakugo losing his patience with an annoyed huff. "Well?"
"Well what, young Bakugo?"
"What do you want from me that you dragged me all the way out here?" Bakugo seethed.
Toshinori hummed contemplatively. "Well, I'd like to begin by asking you what led to you choosing to assault another student on the first day."
"I wasn't assaulting another student, it was Deku! I was calling out that fucking quirkless liar and a cheat!" Bakugo snapped back, fists clenched.
Toshinori arched an eyebrow. "You somehow believe that young Midoriya managed to deceive the entirety of the UA staff? Didn't you see the cat ears and the tail? Clearly, he's got some type of Quirk."
"No one gets a Quirk when they are eighteen! That's fucking impossible! He had to cheat somehow!"
"Ah yes, and you are an expert on all things Quirks? Please, would you mind sharing your degree in Quirk sciences?" Toshinori held back a grin at how utterly flabbergasted the teenager looked. He rarely showed his more sarcastic side to people, preferring to keep his jovial, over the top hammy performances to make people feel more at ease, but Bakugo seemed to need a wake up call and acting out of character might just be what he needed.
Bakugo shook his head. "I'm not making shit up, that's how it works! It's gotta be a trick!"
"I assure you, the staff here are experts and have already verified it is not a trick. But you see, young Bakugo, here's something you are forgetting." Toshinori leaned forward over his desk, placing his hands flat on the desk as he stared directly into the teenagers eyes. In a quiet but firm tone, he continued. "It is none of your business how or why Midoriya has a Quirk. You are not entitled to knowing the details of his abilities or really, anything about him. We, the teachers here, handle our students and their Quirks. You do not. You do not decide who goes here, or why, or when, or for what reason. What you should be concerned about is the fact you assaulted another student, which is grounds for punishment up to and including expulsion."
"What?!" Bakugo shot to his feet, hands sparking. "That's bullshit! I didn't even hurt him! And I wasn't going to!"
"Oh? It certainly looked like you were. Why shoot towards him with your Quirk then?" Bakugo gestured helplessly, sputtering as he tried to justify his reasoning. Toshinori narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers before his face. This might be the chance he needed to get what information he wanted to look into Aldera. He held up a hand to cut the boy off. "Let me try it this way. Do you understand how Quirk law works?"
Bakugo scoffed. "Yeah, we learned about it in grade school. Don't use your Quirk in public, don't use it for crimes, etc. What's that got to do with anything?"
"You don't consider the school grounds public, nor using it for assault a crime?"
"You can use your Quirk at school! Especially here, it's a hero school!"
Toshinori arched an eyebrow. "You can utilize it here when you are directed by your teacher, and you should not be using your Quirk in school. That is absolutely illegal." And that was what Toshinori wanted to see, the sudden confusion on the blonde teenager's face. "Did your school allow free Quirk use?"
Bakugo shrugged. "Yeah, of course. They said the law was outdated and it was fine."
"What else did they say?"
Bakugo looked wary. "...Why do you wanna know?"
"Because your answer may determine if I recommend expulsion or not. Now, answer my question."
Bakugo froze slightly at the word expulsion. Toshinori was glad. The boy seemed to finally be grasping that he was genuinely in trouble, and that this wasn't going to be let go so easily. Good, the first steps were being taken. Bakugo swallowed. "They said shit like you could use your Quirk however you wanted, and stronger Quirks meant you were destined for better things. I thought it was a lot of bullshit, but a lot of the extras thought it made sense and would use their Quirks on other people and shit."
"Other people…like, let me guess, young Midoriya?" Bingo. Bakugo paled, but immediately jumped in with more information, almost frantic.
"Not me! I never hurt him with my Quirk! I know that's illegal!"
"Never? Do be aware I'll be checking with him on that statement," Toshinori reminded, waiting to see the response.
Bakugo froze for a moment, before sinking back into his chair. "I mean…we got into fights as kids sometimes. Just stupid shit. And I guess…I mighta burned his shoulder once, but I wasn't trying to burn his shoulder, just his shirt! And the teachers said it was okay, he was just a Quirkless Deku, he didn't matter!"
"You're not stupid, young Bakugo. Your test scores are incredibly high. You must be aware that someone telling you it's okay to hurt someone else is not justification to do so." Bakugo scowled once more, crossing his arms over his chest, but didn't try to defend that. Toshinori sighed as he rubbed at his brow. "What you did before, we cannot punish you for. But any similar behavior here would be grounds for immediate expulsion, and possible prosecution if you used your Quirk illegally." Watching Bakugo's face go white wasn't something Toshinori enjoyed, really. He was angry at the boy, yes, but he also felt like it was possible to move the boy onto a better path. He'd shown some understanding of why that attitude that the school tried to instill in him was wrong, but he still seemed to lack empathy for Izuku. So he'd ask a few more questions to get an idea of what all went on before he made a decision.
"You mentioned you didn't use your Quirk on young Midoriya…but did you assault him without it?" Bakugo's silence was a damning confirmation, one which had Toshinori having to clench his fists beneath his desk. He let out a deep sigh. "Help me understand. Why would you, someone who wants to be a hero, think that is a good idea?"
"Because he was fucking stupid! He kept going on and on about being a hero, and he had nothing! He was a scrawny twig with no powers, yet he kept putting himself on the same level as me! I had everything going for me, the right power, the right drive, and he had none of that, but he kept trying to act like he could do what I could! He needed to learn how shit works in the real world!" Bakugo snarled.
"And the way you 'taught' him that lesson was to hurt and abuse him? Please tell me you understand how wrong that is."
"You just…you don't get it! Strength is what matters! You're living proof of that! You kick the shit out of everyone, beat all the villains, win the day! I'm gonna be just like that! Better even! But Deku kept trying to say he could do it too, and he can't!"
Toshinori sighed. This…definitely felt like something deeply ingrained in the boy that one conversation was not going to break him free of. But what more was a hero school for than to educate? Part of him wanted to just kick the kid out and wash his hands of him, but…he feared Izuku would blame himself. The few times the teenager had mentioned 'Kacchan' to him had been in a strange mix of hero worship and fear, and from what conversations he'd gleaned with Izuku had led Toshinori to realize there was an unhealthy attachment. One which breaking instantly might not work out as well as he hoped.
Toshinori leaned back in his chair. "I am disappointed, young Bakugo, but as I said earlier, we won't punish you for your actions at your high school. But what you did was beyond unacceptable, and I won't pretend like your words do not color my decision. I am worried about your temper and complete misunderstanding of what it means to be a hero, and I am tempted to send you to general education rather than let you continue in the hero course." Bakugo leapt to his feet once more, ready to protest, but Toshinori was having none of it. "Sit down, Bakugo. Don't make this worse for yourself than it already is." The teenager begrudgingly sat back down, but his pale face and clear worry was visible.
Toshinori let out a deep breath and leaned forward on the desk. "Bakugo, your attitude is wholly unsuited for heroics. That said, I also believe in second chances, and in the belief people can learn from their mistakes. If you are willing to try to understand why your attitude is wrong, then we can try to work something out. However, it is clear your prior school made many, many mistakes in how it treated its students. Let me ask you this…would you be willing to talk to me and a friend of mine about what all you were taught in that school?"
"...sure, I guess. Not like I have a fucking choice," Bakugo muttered, sounding defeated.
"You do. I won't force you, and if you say no, I won't let it color my decision on your punishment."
"...well, apparently they taught me a bunch of bullshit, so yeah. I'll talk, if it means they pay for screwing up my education."
Toshinori let out a smile, one that sent a chill up Bakugo's spine. It wasn't like the type he'd give to reassure others, and it wasn't even like the ones he showed villains. No, this one felt far more dark, almost sinister, his blue eyes glinting in the light. "Excellent choice. Why don't you tell me a little bit now?"
"So, your recommendation is we give Bakugo detention, move him to 1-B, swapping him with another student, as well as mandated anger management with Inui?" Shouta asked.
Toshinori nodded. "I admit, part of me wanted to do more, but I worry my attachment to Izuku was coloring my decision making."
"Oh, more would have been reasonable, but this punishment is as well, since he'll be serving detention with me," Nezu waved him off, a cheery smile on the chimera's face.
Shouta shuddered at the tone Nezu gave. He was going to wash his hands of this, having no desire to get mixed up with whatever Nezu decided to throw Bakugo's way. He turned to look at his fellow first year teacher. "You fine with this, Kan? We're somewhat just throwing our problem to you."
Kan shrugged. "It makes sense. Besides, between the two of us, I've got the worse temper. I've dealt with other temperamental kids before, I can handle it. The question is who do we swap for him?"
"Got a recommendation?"
Kan flipped through his papers. "Hmm. No, no, no, probably not, could work…ah. How about this one?" Sliding the paper across the table to Shouta, the dark-haired man glanced down at it and shrugged.
"Works for me. Nezu?"
"The paperwork is already filed. I'll send someone to help her move her belongings to 1-A, since she's already moved into the 1-B dorms."
"Alright. I'll go talk to her to explain the situation then," Kan said, standing up.
Shouta followed suit. "I'll join you, I can introduce her to the class then." Kan nodded, the two teachers heading out of the room, leaving Nezu and Toshinori alone.
Out of curiosity, Toshinori reached out to grab the paper, sliding it over to look at the page. Red hair and teal eyes with a bright smile met his own, Toshinori nodding absently. "Itsuka Kendo, huh?"
Chapter 16
Ochako was not having a great day. It hadn't started the best…which yes, she knew that was just part of her mind not listening, but she still couldn't help the disgust she felt with herself for having ate that plate of omurice in the morning (didn't those two know how much money that costs and how many calories are in that) but she'd made a deal and she'd put up with it if it meant Izuku wouldn't hurt themselves again. Which, as part of the bargain, Izuku had agreed to let them 'check' periodically…it was a little awkward asking Izuku to lose their shirt every so often, but it wasn't like she hadn't seen them shirtless as kids (it was nothing like when they were kids). But any weird thoughts in her mind would always be wiped out the second she saw those marks.
Perhaps it was odd that the ones that bothered her more weren't the ones Izuku had put on themselves. The fact they felt the need to, that desire, truly made Ochako upset and sick to her stomach, but she found herself more angry at the ones others left on them. Izuku wouldn't have ended up feeling that way if it weren't for those bastards, and they were very lucky Ochako couldn't get ahold of them easily or else she'd probably be on the run from the police.
Either way, she'd stomach the food, no pun intended, if it meant Izuku would stop getting hurt, at least by their own hand. And if it meant Himiko would at least make an effort to let go of her guilt and self-loathing…yes, that was a bit hypocritical of her, but she was trying too!
Still, that wasn't what made her day bad. It had started off on a bad foot, but…she couldn't be unhappy about how much Himiko and Izuku had been spoiling her and encouraging her. It was embarrassing, how proud they seemed to be of her just for eating, but it also sent a warm feeling into her chest that made her flush, feeling the sheer affection and care and joy from them across the bond. That warmth had carried her all the way to the class introduction, where everything went to absolute shit.
Izuku had been nervous the whole way, which…she understood. Knowing what Izuku had faced in the past, and knowing that Bakugo would be there, she understood why Izuku would be nervous. Hell, so was she. Her prior classmates weren't that great themselves, even if they weren't as bad as Izuku's. And Himiko was surrounded by preppy pricks, so…yeah, none of them had high hopes for their classmates at first.
And then that blonde fucker had to come attacking herIzuku. The sudden, soul destroying fear that erupted within Izuku, the pure panic followed by an accepting numbness that paralyzed her as quickly as it had Izuku was the only reason Aizawa got to that bastard before Ochako or Himiko could. Logically that was probably better, since she didn't want to start her scholastic career with a murder, but still.
It had been agonizing to leave Izuku behind with Aizawa, but their teacher had yet to betray her trust, so, she accepted it, even if she was focusing heavily on the bond to try and see how Izuku was feeling about it. Which…was normal, she supposed? Izuku was nervous, fearful, feeling guilty, all those emotions she wanted to rip away from them and burn on a pyre, but at least they were slightly more calm, and it didn't seem like what Aizawa was saying was escalat-nevermind! What the hell did he say to Izuku that made that sudden guilt rocket through them?!
Ochako shared a glance with Himiko, the blonde having the same thoughts mirrored in her eyes. And yet they couldn't do anything about it, being forced to show their classmates to the dorms! She sighed internally. She was being unfair and she knew it. So far none of her classmates seemed to be bad people, and pretty much all of them had seemed horrified by Bakugo's attack. The only one who hadn't really reacted was that white and red haired boy, but then again, he seemed to just be standoffish in general, talking to pretty much none of them as he followed the group towards the dorms silently.
Still, Ochako thought she might get along with most of her classmates. The other girls were fun, although Ashido, the pink-skinned girl, was very interested in the whole bonded quirk thing, for reasons Ochako wasn't sure. Granted, most of the class seemed interested, although half of them seemed more interested in the cat ears and tails. It made her feel pretty self-conscious, especially with how focused that blonde boy, Kaminari, seemed to be on the tail. At first she thought he was staring at her ass and she was about to punt him into the sky but once she realized it was the tail itself, well…still awkward but she wasn't as upset, but she didn't want to start rocking the boat or starting any fights.
"Hey, Kaminari, can you cut that out?" Himiko suddenly asked, eyes narrowed as she stared at the blonde.
"Huh wha?" he said, looking up at her and blinking in confusion.
"You're staring at our tails and it's making me uncomfortable." Ochako stared at Himiko, seeing the blonde with an unusually blank expression on her face. But, he'd been looking at her tail, she was sure of it…oh. Ochako felt a sudden surge of warmth in her chest, Himiko speaking up, knowing that it was bothering Ochako.
Kaminari sputtered, eyes wide. "Oh, oh shit, I'm sorry! I uh, I get um, distracted by fuzzy things sometimes, they think it's cause of my Quirk, but that's not an excuse, I'm not trying to make an excuse, sorry, I didn't think about it, I-"
"Breathe," Himiko ordered, cutting the boy off. "It's okay just, please try not to?"
"Y-yeah, of course!" Kaminari replied, giving a bright smile as pink dusted his cheeks in embarrassment.
"Your Quirk is electricity, right?" The tall, dark-haired woman asked. Yaoyorozu, Ochako remembered, the one who got first place on the Quirk assessment.
Kaminari nodded. "Yeah!" As he started going into explanation of his Quirk, Ochako chose to tune him out. She wasn't trying to be rude, and she did want to get to know her classmates better, but Izuku…she was worried about Izuku, she was really worried and-her ruminations were cut off by a tap on her shoulder. She blinked, glancing over to see a tall, tired-looking teenager with purple hair that oddly resembled Aizawa.
He glanced up above her head, confusing her for a moment before she realized he was looking at her ears, before his gaze returned to hers. "You alright?" he asked quietly.
"Why do you ask?" she asked, confused.
He shrugged. "Don't take this the wrong way, but your tail's flicking rapidly and your ears keep laying flat. Classic cat signs of being upset. If I'm off, feel free to tell me to fuck off."
She stared at him blankly for a moment, the gears turning in her head about how easy she was to read to someone who knew things about cats. She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "Just…worried about Izu, that's all."
"Izu? I assume that's the other one with the cat features?" the purple-haired boy asked.
She nodded. "Yeah. They're um…mine and Himi's best friend, and we uh, it's a whole thing, like Sensei said. Kinda confusing. But I can feel how they feel and it's just a mess right now."
"Yeaaaah, that bomb boy was pretty pissed and acting like an idiot. I'm assuming there's a reason?"
Ochako noticed that the rest of the class seemed to be paying attention to her at this point, and found herself scrunching her shoulders at the unwanted attention. Still…fuck it. Izuku might be mad at her later, but she wasn't about to let Bakugo's bullshit go unsaid to everyone else just because Izuku was unable to admit to 'Kacchan's' faults. She wasn't going to spill their secrets or anything…but she wasn't going to defend Bakugo either.
"I'm not gonna break Izu's trust and tell their secrets. I'll just say Bakugo's an ass and if he pulls that again, I'm going to punt him into space," Ochako said, her voice clear and devoid of emotion.
"Not if I stab him first!" Himiko chimed in with a cheerful, wide grin that promised violence.
"That seems a bit excessive," the tall, blue-haired boy who had identified himself as Tenya Ida previously.
"You try feeling how Izu feels and tell me that," Himiko shot back, narrowing her eyes at the teen.
"So like…you three feel each other's emotions? Isn't that kinda weird?" the teenager with the strange elbows said, tilting his head to the side. Sero, Ochako remembered.
"It's super romantic is what it is!" Ashido exclaimed, a big grin on her face. Next to her, the floating clothes that represented the invisible girl Hagakure bounced up and down in agreement. "How long have you three known each other?"
Ochako ignored the weird romantic comment as she answered. "We were friends as kids, but me and Himi had to move away, and we lost contact. It was after we took the entrance exam that we found each other again, and then the accident happened."
Ashido and Hagakure squealed. "That is super romantic! Childhood friends separated and then finding each other and then getting bonded by a Quirk?!" Hagakure exclaimed.
"It is rather like some of the stories I've read," Yaoyorozu mused, before she seemed to notice what she said aloud and flushed, looking pointedly away from the group.
Himiko rolled her eyes indulgently at the girls, the feelings of exasperation and slight embarrassment coming across and mixing with Ochako's own embarrassment. They didn't get it, it wasn't romantic, it was just…Himi and Izu were her people, that's all! She cut her own thoughts off as she spied the dorms in the distance, pointing forward. "There, that's the dorms. If uh…if you need help moving, I'll be happy to, my Quirk's really helpful for moving stuff."
"I'll help too!" Himiko said with a grin, a grin that only Ochako could tell was fake. Not that Himiko wasn't genuine about helping, but the cheer was entirely mitigated by her concern for Izuku, who still was full of so many mixed emotions Ochako couldn't make heads nor tails of them. But for now, she'd have to set that aside, and working herself to exhaustion helping people move in was probably the best way. She just had to hope she didn't collapse. She'd eaten, as part of the deal, but Izuku had been clear in pointing out that one meal would not make up for what she'd already missed (she was terrified of what that meant) but she made a promise…and she would keep it. With a deep breath, she plastered a smile on her face, planted her hands on her hips, and turned to her classmates, ready to begin.
By the time Izuku made it back to the dorms, half the class were moved in thanks to Ochako and Himiko's assistance. The combination of Quirks made moving in a snap for them, and as each person finished their own move-in, they offered their own help as well, speeding up each student's arrival even further. Though Izuku felt wrung out and stretched thin, they plastered a bright grin on their face and hopped into helping, gently dismissing questions about how they themselves felt. Izuku could feel it though…Ochako and Himiko were not fooled, and they were just waiting for a moment to pull Izuku aside and grill them on how they felt.
On one hand, Izuku was exhausted and just didn't want to talk about it. On the other hand, there was a warm feeling in their chest knowing how much the girls cared, and they couldn't really ignore it. If they were in either of the others' shoes, they'd be doing the same and they knew it, and while their first thought was that they didn't deserve such consideration, they had promised to try and think less…that way. Not that they could, but still, they were trying to ignore that voice, just a little bit.
It was when they had almost finalized moving most of the students that Aizawa approached the dorms, Vlad King at his side and a red-haired girl with her hair pulled back in a ponytail following behind, looking a bit confused. Aizawa quickly gathered the class together in the common room, the red-head behind him gripping her suitcase nervously.
"I'm going to be blunt. Bakugo's behavior was unacceptable, and after review and a discussion with him, we've chosen not to expel him, but he has been removed from this class and moved into 1-B. In his place, we've switched him with Itsuka Kendo here," Aizawa gestured behind him to the redhead, Kendo giving a wave at the class.
Vlad stepped forward. "Do note that any such assaults or attacks by any student are grounds for disciplinary action here. If you witness such moments, report themimmediately, and I would advise not taking part in any such hazing. Friendly rivalries or ribbing are fine, and during training you can and will get hurt sometimes, but assault is unacceptable. Bakugo will be very closely watched, you can be assured of that, but for now, the issue is settled. Unless someone has a complaint to bring up?"
It wasn't obvious, but everyone remained silent and sent sidelong glances towards Izuku, the one who Bakugo had attacked. Izuku kept one hand clenched behind their back, but didn't make a sound, not having any desire to bring more attention to themselves. Aizawa nodded. "Very well. Midoriya, I need a word with you outside, the rest of you, continue what you were doing." Izuku internally swore, knowing that they'd just cursed themselves about not having attention drawn to them, but kept quiet. Ochako and Himiko brushed past them, already offering assistance to Kendo, but as they went by them, Himiko gently brushed her arm against their hand and Ochako patted them on the shoulder, giving them just a bit of encouragement they sorely needed. Silently, they followed Aizawa outside, Vlad following a moment later and passing by the two, heading back to the dorms for his class.
"...what did you want to talk to me about, sir?" Izuku asked.
"I wanted to be certain you're alright with what we've done, and give you the details the others didn't need to know. Bakugo has detention for the foreseeable future, as well as mandatory anger management classes. Are you alright with this as a punishment? We can do more if you think this is unfair."
Izuku didn't think their teacher wanted them to admit that they thought this punishment was too much, and from the look in Aizawa's eyes, they knew their teacher already had assumed Izuku might say that and was giving very clear signs that Izuku shouldn't. They sighed, shoulders slumping. "...no sir. It's fine."
"Midoriya," Aizawa began, before letting out his own sigh and pinching the bridge of his nose. "Nevermind. I know this is hard for you. But somewhere along the way, you have, for some reason, accepted that his behavior towards you is acceptable. I'm going to once again suggest you consider speaking to Hound Dog at some point, but I won't keep harping on this. Still, can you please think about it?"
Izuku's first instinct was to deny it. What right did they have to take up valuable time for a hero like Hound Dog, much less about their stupid issues that didn't ultimately matter. 'No!' they hissed internally, focusing on the warm spot in their chest where they could feel Ochako and Himiko, feel the care and worry they had for them. Aizawa was just trying to help. They were supposed to try and accept help. That was part of the deal, but…they still weren't ready. They could barely talk to Ochako or Himiko, and the thought of talking to a stranger nearly sent their entire body into panic mode. Still…
"...I'll think about it."
Aizawa was an expert at keeping his emotions in check, but it took effort to keep his lips from quirking up at Izuku's admission. He knew the teenager wouldn't say that if they didn't mean it, and that was progress. Glacial though it might be, he'd take this as an encouraging sign, adding on the fact he spied Ochako eating earlier that day. Just a bit more and they could maybe get these kids to finally accept help. He nodded.
"Thanks. Alright, finish what you're doing, you all need a good night's sleep for class tomorrow. I'll see you in class. Goodnight, Midoriya."
"Goodnight, Sensei," Izuku replied, offering a small half-smile that was more genuine than the fake one they'd plastered across their face beforehand. They turned around and headed back into the dorm, ready to finish helping anyone else before heading to bed…and to the girl's confrontation.
"Yagi, I would suggest you sit down," Nezu said gently, sipping his tea as he stared at the pacing hero before him.
"I am aware my actions aren't logical but I cannot sit still, Nezu. Not right now," Toshinori replied, his voice barely above a growl as he paced back and forth.
"I take it the information Bakugo gave you about Midoriya's school was not what you wanted to hear?" Aizawa asked, leaning against the wall.
"You have no idea," Toshinori replied, clenching his fists repeatedly. "It was…it was like some sort of pseudo-Darwinian bullshit! They insisted that everyone's social standing and place in society was entirely based upon the strength of their Quirk! Bakugo was their perfect little angel and could do no wrong. The only reason he didn't turn out worse was apparently he thought that attitude was stupid, but they still encouraged him to do whatever he wanted and damn the consequences. He internalized at least some of it, and it's going to be hell to break him out of that mindset."
"Which likely means Midoriya internalized some of that mindset too, just from the opposite end of the spectrum," Aizawa pointed out.
Toshinori nodded, his shoulders slumping. "I-I am afraid of that as well. I fear that may be the core of their self-worth issues, the belief that they are by default less valuable due to being born Quirkless. And now I handed them the most powerful Quirk in the world, but they didn't suddenly think they had value. I'm not entirely sure what that even means."
"While I am not Inui, I have a guess. My assumption would be they have now internalized that they do not have worth intrinsically, but they have a duty to your Quirk. So perhaps they have value as a vessel. At least, that is my running theory. I doubt they even have considered that consciously," Nezu remarked.
Toshinori snarled at the thought, but didn't dismiss it. If anything, it made more sense than he wished it did. He rubbed at his face with one hand. "Tsukauchi is trying to handle both cases, Aldera and the Toga's, but he is getting pushback from his superiors since it is based on unreliable testimony. I'm not entirely sure what to do. If I use my influence as All Might, it'll draw far too much media attention."
"Oh fret not Yagi, I shall personally interject. I have a few favors to call in. I'll clear the way for your friend to continue his work," Nezu waved dismissively. "Not only are both children my students, but as you are both aware, I take a dim view on those who would entrap or abuse others. Added onto that, the notes you took from your conversation with Bakugo have given me a…concern. Beyond what we've already learned, that is."
Aizawa arched an eyebrow. "And that concern is?"
Nezu reached into his desk and pulled out a book with a deep red cover with two large blots of ink on the cover, setting it on the desk before him. The other two in the room leaned over, glancing down to see the title. Yagi blinked. "The Meta Liberation War? Isn't that the book that ancient villain Destro wrote?"
"Yes. It is. It has been edited many times since then, but this is one of the original copies. The attitudes espoused by Aldera are direct mirrors of the opinions expressed within these pages. Disturbingly so. Some of the phrases Bakugo told you are word for word from these pages. I am…concerned about this."
"You cannot seriously be considering-" Aizawa began, before he was cut off.
"I'm considering many things. It could be as simple as one faculty member has read this book, or even was raised on its principles and doesn't know the origin. Or it could be as complex as an entire school system based on the MLA principles. Or even some things that should not merit consideration and yet I must. I will consider and investigate every possibility. If the worst comes to be true, I will be prepared," Nezu said, steel in his tone.
"...do you think that's a genuine concern?" Yagi asked, narrowing his eyes.
Nezu shrugged. "As I said, any number of theories are possible and I do not have enough evidence to discount or confirm any of them. Not yet. That is another reason I will be lending my full support to Tsukauchi. I intend on being certain this is a one-off scenario. Because if it is not…we have much, much bigger issues to contend with."
"I'll…leave that to you, Nezu. I need to focus on my successors," Toshinori said with a heavy sigh.
"Of course, of course. They need you. I shall focus on this end of the investigation, do not fret. You make certain the children are alright."