Jason wasn't what you would call a normal kid. He had done things to survive growing up on the streets that he wasn't proud of. He had stolen, he had extorted and he had blackmailed. And he regretted it, ever since he had first seen a hero, to be specific the Water hose duo. He had watched from an alleyway as they struggled against a villain who had kidnapped a little girl with an ice quirk that let him freeze water. He had watched in despair as the heroes realized that there quirks wouldn't work on them.
Flashback.
Jason stood shaking from behind the ally wall as tears threatened to spill. He could hear the little girls screams of terror along with her parents off a ways. It filled his ears and shook his brain until he felt he might fall from despair his stomach felt so heavy.
"Stupid heros! What are you doing here!"
The man was bald and had tattoos that looked like a road on his head. The villain had a muscular build and was tall. A hight that sent shivers down Jasons knees, this fear distracted him from the gnawing hunger reminding him that he hadn't eaten today.
"What heroes are meant to do villain! Wash the frowns of the innocent away and shine as bright as a smile!"
The duo said in sync as they darted opposite sides. Stopping and then raising there arms in split seconds.
Hope filled Jasons little six year old heart as he watched the hero's work. But the villain was smiling. As jets of water raced towards him on either side he smirked and raised a hand then breathed in. The ice froze in the air and stopped at the hero's hands. The people gathered gasped and the Childs parents sobbed in horror.
"HAHAAH! What are you going to do now heroes! I am the perfect counter to your quirks!"
He then yanked the girl up by the hair causing her to scream in pain as she cried.
"This girl is as good as mine! She will fetch a pretty penny!"
Terror filled Jason, he had been on the streets long enough to know what that means. Trafficking. Jason felt warm wetness on his face and realized he was crying. How could the heroes save her? The villain just showed that he could counter there quirks.
"We will do as we always do! We will save everybody! No child shall cry as long as the water hose duo lives!"
The man of the duo exclaimed and he fell into a boxing dance with a bright smile on his face.
"Because we are heroes!"
The girl of the duo said and she darted away.
Jason froze. What? What did they mean? How could they smile like that? Jason watched as the duo worked in perfect synergy as the man raced forward keeping the villain distracted as he dodged ice that formed in the air. The girl of the duo waited for her moment when the villain was distracted and raced forward grabbing the kid from the villain and tossing a trash can lid towards her partner. Her partner was already winding up as he caught the lid at the apex of his wind up and he swung at the confused villain. The sound echoed through the streets as the villain skidded back a few feet and laid there unconscious.
The crowd was silent for a moment but then the hero's turned to them smiling and holding the rescued girl.
The crowd erupted in cheers. The sound filled Jason with joy as he watched from his hiding space. Despite being at a disadvantage the hero's had won. They had looked past struggle and had still found a way to keep everybody safe. They were heroes.
And Jason realized in that moment.
He wanted to be one of them.
PRESENT
Jason discreetly pulled the green kid away from the reporters and dragged him off into an alleyway. He was already annoyed with how they kept berating him about being quirkiness and what he did was stupid. He had been giving some treatment but was relatively fine just some quirk overuse.
'Honestly, those guys can't call themselves heroes when they were waiting in the back just cause there quirks weren't compatible.'
After a moment of walking Jason stopped and turned to the dude and held his hand out.
"Hey man. My names Jason, it's nice to meet you."
Jason said and he scratched the back of his head, he didn't know how to start a conversation after what happened. What? Was he supposed to go "Hey, I know we nearly just died but I thought we had a connection so I want to get to know you cause were both stupid enough to run into a situation like that." Yeah heck no. Also its to long to say that.
"H-Hello, M-my names Midoriya, Izuku Midoriya."
The guy stuttered out and Jason smiled.
"Nice to meet you Midoriya, Crazy way to meet huh."
Jason asked as he sat down on the curb gesturing for Midoriya to sit down as well.
"I-I guess so…"
Midoriya hesitated but eventually sat down and kind of just starred into the distance.
"I mean, who just runs into danger like that? I didn't even know what was happening. My body kinda just moved."
Jason admitted as he leaned back watching as the sky lit afire from the sun. Midoriya twisted towards him his face a picture of shock.
"You too!"
For some reason Midoriya immediately blushed and looked away mutter a "Sorry" and Jason just chuckled and bopped him on the shoulder with his fist.
"No need to say sorry man, I am just as surprised as you are. I saw that dudes eyes and I-"
"Was running before I even remembered to breathe."
Midoriya finished and Jason looked to him in surprise and a warm feeling of respect filled his chest.
"…Yeah, also is that dude just like perpetually angry. I mean we saved his ass and he immediately started yelling at you?"
Jason asked and raised an eyebrow when Midoriya flinched.
"…Kachann is… extreme he just acts like that so he can be the number one hero. I just get in the way being a useless deck and all that."
Midoriya said quietly and wrapped his arms around his knees as he pulled them to his chest.
'Dude, what do you mean? You were awesome out there, you were a hero today."
Jason said and he meant it wholeheartedly. Midoriya had run into danger alongside him with no hesitation while literal pros stood back and watched. If that didn't make him a hero he did not know what was.
Midoriya had frozen in shock and slowly looked up at him.
"R-Really? Y-You thought I acted like a h-hero?"
"Of course! That dude kachann was going to suffocate if we hadn't helped. That bag throw was perfect! It provided me a distraction so that I could pull him out. You were bing a hero."
Jason stood his ground on this his tone firming to show he was serious. Why you ask? Because he knew that look in midoriyas eyes.
Doubt.
Doubt that made you question your own self worth. Jason felt it to every morning he woke up and looked in the mirror.
Midoriya was crying now and Jason gave him a sad smile. He knew what it meant to hear those words from somebody else. He hoped that it felt like sinking into a hot springs, a warm embrace that let your whole body rest. Jason hoped that someday someone would say it to him.
Jason stood up and pulled out the notebook he had saved from All Mights punch.
"You got a pen?"
Jason asked and Midoriya looked at him confused for a moment and then in shock at the notebook. Then he scrambled for his pocket and handed Jason one. Jason quickly wrote down his number on a spare page and he handed him the note book.
"You were a hero today, don't let anybody tell you otherwise. And I can assume you want to be a hero as well. Doesn't matter if you have a quirk or not. Call me later, if you want to train together, You know. Like underdogs stick together…"
Jason actually blushed at the last part and scratched the back of his head, he desperately wanted to keep midoriya as a friend, he was the first person he felt he could just talk.
"I-I will, *Sniff* Thank you Jason."
Midoriya said wiping away tears as he took the notebook and Jason smiled.
'Its official then, we're going to make it to UA."
Jason held his hand out in a firm handshake and Izuku starred at out for a long moment. Then he smiled. And clasped hands with Jason.
"Deal, we will make it to UA."
Jason then began to walk off, he hadn't made it very far off a side ally when he overheard a conversation behind him with All Might and Midoriya.
Jason didn't like eavesdropping but he was staying so that if All Might said some dumb shit he could step in. Not in a million years did he think that he would overhear the fact that All Might wanted Midoriya to be his successor and the fact he had said to Midoriya before he couldn't be a hero but now said word that hit harder then Jason could ever deliver.
"You to can be a hero."
All Might said these words and Jason felt goosebumps up his arms. He then felt the jelesoy, it was fleeting g but there and Jason hated himself for feeling it. He had just had a break through with his quirk and he was mad that he didn't get a bigger boost. Jason knew he was being selfish so he made sure to beat that feeling away. UA exams were months away. It was time to lock in. Cue Brazilian phonk.