Work Text:
To be a hero
Although the summer camp was bad, somehow, what came after was worse.
Oh, just a month ago he would have been ecstatic.
An entire dorm room, with a kitchen, a living room, bathrooms, that he could live in year-round except for the two month spring vacation ?
Sign him the fuck up, being two months/ a year on the streets versus the entire year was such an upgrade it would have been either a miracle or divine intervention.
As of that moment though, it was neither, and that just furthered his theory that if God existed out there somewhere, he had a very personal, very grievous vendetta against Izuku.
No home when he desperately needed one, and now that he’d gotten it, he just had to leave to move in with a bunch of kids instead ?
Sure he was the same age they were, but Izuku hadn’t been a child from age 4, the first time his mother looked at him with hatred after her husband left.
Or was it age 8, when crying got him slapped for the first time ?
Or was it age 12, when she stopped providing him with food ?
Even if it weren’t, he definitely was not now, at 15, with a few months of street-living under his belt.
He could live just fine without the help of anyone else, and that was as adult as one could get in his opinion.
But he didn’t have to anymore, and now that he had two fathers guardians he had to leave them behind for what ? A building with 19 teenagers who had the self-control of a two-year-old on cocaine. Fan-fucking-tastic.
Perks of being the ward of two of the teachers mean he’s the first one to see the building.
It’s huge and fancy looking, like he’d come to expect from UA.
The ground floor holds the common areas, like the (huge) kitchen and the (humongous) living room, already decked out in expensive looking couches.
Aizawa and Yamada show him the layout, and he gets to choose his own room.
Honestly, he was just going to get the one in the furthest corner on the last floor, but his guardians let him know he can come and visit them anytime.
He takes the room closest to the stairs on the first floor.
It’ll be easier to leave without being noticed by anyone that way.
Not that he intends to, but just in case…
It also means that if there’s an intruder he’ll be first up but he’s much more likely to wake up upon an intrusion in his room than say…Uraraka.
No shade to her.
His guardians don’t let him see the base furniture, that’s not what he’s getting, they say.
It would have been just fine by him but well, he’s not going to begrudge getting something special for once.
They take him to the mall, villainless this time, to pick stuff up, again.
He’s been shopping more often this past month than he ever has in his life, or close to it at least.
He’s been thinking about what to get, and the dorms’ visit somewhat changes his decisions.
A double bed is nice, but it’d take up a lot of the room’s space, so it’s not the most convenient.
Single bed is enough.
New sheets though !
Space themed, and the stars glow in the dark.
There’s a star-projector and he definitely doesn’t need it but fuck it, it’s too cool to pass up and it’ll be like the good old days again.
Now on to what he definitely needs though.
A desk with a comfortable chair, check.
A fridge because he might still be hoarding food but he’d like to see you do better after spending time on the streets, sue him.
At least he managed to talk himself out of getting the american-sized ones with two doors and cold water dispenser.
He wasn’t that traumatized.
Yet.
With the way the year’s been going he isn’t discounting the possibility of things getting worse.
So he’ll now be able to keep water, snacks, energy drinks, juice, prepared meals if he ever doesn’t feel like eating with everyone else (he suspects that’ll be happening often) and maybe even a treat or two.
Or three.
He deserves it okay ?
He’ll also need a safe to keep his valuables and some weapons in, he’ll probably be limited in how many blades he’s allowed to keep easily-accessible around his own room.
Also, he doesn’t trust his idiot classmates.
A closet, for his uniforms and some other clothing Yamada will definitely be insisting he brings.
He can envision the space.
There’s a small corner of the room left, and it’d be nice to have a place to relax that’s not the bed, so he gets an armchair.
He initially wanted a beanbag but after trying one, he decided it would take too long to get out of it in case of emergency, so that was a no.
Instead he does get himself a foot-rest though, as well as a couple shelves to stock with books, and a small side table to put the one he’s currently reading down.
Maybe a rug would be nice ?
In front of his bed, so he can warm his feet up in the morning when he wakes up, start the day off on the right foot and everything.
It’s black with spots of yellow, pink and purple.
It looks like a galaxy.
He reviews the room in his mind and it’s fine, but it still needs something to hang on the wall and a lampshade.
A painting of the milky way and a cloud-shaped shade later, he’s good to go.
He positively spoiled himself but his guardians looked happy enough, and it wasn’t his money.
His room was going to be the coolest.
Not that he’d let anyone in to see but still.
A month ago he would have slept on the pre-furnished furniture set, probably without even sheets on the bed and now he was…cozy.
As hell.
It all gets sent to his room so he doesn’t have anything to do until move in day.
When it comes, he’s sad.
He’d come to love his quiet days at the Aizawa-Yamadas’.
The low humming of Yamada’s voice as he grades papers.
The soft breathing of Aizawa’s as he naps on the couch.
The gentle call of his name when dinner is ready.
Waking up to a made breakfast and a warm greeting, like they’re happy to see him.
Like they’re happy he’s here.
He’ll always be grateful to even have a warm bed to sleep in but come on, he gets something nice and immediately he has to give it up ?
Typical.
Even with the downgrade it’s still better than what he used to have but well, it’s their fault for spoiling him, he used to be satisfied with less than the bare minimum.
They should take responsibility.
And they do.
He helps them set up their on-campus apartment, teachers moving in a few days before students.
He was going to do the kitchen or the living room first but they tell him to set up his own room.
The one in their apartment.
When he’ll have his own room three buildings down.
Whatever, he doesn’t ask.
He’s accepted that sometimes things will never make sense to him.
It takes them a couple of days before they can all move comfortably about the place and then it’s moving day for the students.
Yamada will be with his own homeroom-class, 1-C, while Aizawa will be with 1-A and him.
Honestly they’ll need him because he can already see the chaos coming, he’ll have his hands full the whole day.
As most of his stuff has already been received he just takes it all to his room, closes the door and starts setting up, and ignoring the screaming, shouting and whatever else it is they’re doing that’s making so much noise.
Headphones.
He should have gotten headphones.
Mic will probably have some to lend him, surely ? Dude’s a radio host, come on!
Bed in the corner opposite the armchair, desk below the window, closet to the right, fridge to the left, a trunk sized safe at the end of the bed.
It looks good.
He could help his classmates but he’s going to take a nap instead, just hearing them is enough to tire him out.
He’s woken up by a knock on his door.
It’s Shinsou he opens to.
“The others are having a dorm-tour to elect the best room, you coming ?”
He yawns but shrugs and accepts.
It can’t hurt to have a look.
That’s how he ends up finding out he’s on the same floor as Shinsou, Koda and Shouji.
The reasonable, and quiet ones, bless -his dad- Aizawa and his soft spot.
Koda wins the best-room-competition but he got them food so he deserves it.
He voted for him as well, although his own room was clearly superior to all of the others.
Yaoyorozu’s ?
Insane, as expected of a rich girl, but she isn’t going to enjoy spending time in her room.
Still it’s too much activity for him, he kinda wants to head out, get a hug from Yamada and sleep there.
He could, they told him so, as long as the others don’t notice, he’s fine but he isn’t weak.
He can go a day without spending time with him.
He wouldn’t dare ask for a hug though, not that he’d be denied but it was embarrassing.
Aizawa would probably get cuddles tonight, lucky bastard.
But life resumes, he doesn’t get cuddles but sometimes goes to complain to his guardians about stuff the others get up to, which means Aizawa gets insider information and can scare them all straight the next day.
For all of two minutes, but hey, it’s two more than he’d normally get.
And then they’re taking the provisional licence exam and holy shit he’s not ready, he hasn’t prepared, this wasn’t supposed to happen until next year, what the hell-.
When Aizawa sees him panicking he gets a head pat and what passes for a reassuring smile from the older man.
It actually works.
What the fuck.
Did they hack his brain or something ?
That doesn’t make sense.
The night before the exam he eats with his dads guardians and Yamada keeps a low enthusiastic stream of chatter as Izuku overthinks what he’s going to do and how he’s going to do it while having no idea of the requirements.
He elects to stay the night and the next morning he finally gets his hug from Yamada along with tearful encouragement and words of faith.
Great, now he was going to disappoint two additional people.
He takes a deep breath as he steps outside.
No.
He was going to make three people proud.
That confidence only lasts until he’s in front of the huge stadium they’ll be competing in.
There’s hundreds of competitors from dozens of schools and they most likely all have a formidable quirk.
But he got in anyway, and they didn’t.
He went to the entrance exam, was selected, got in, and wasn’t even expelled on the first day despite the threat.
He beat out a number of his classmates who had quirks, without one of his own.
He was worthy of being here, although a number of people would disagree, they didn’t know him, only his quirk status.
Being the first quirkless hero student did come with some notoriety as well as a fair number of haters.
As well as being UA students.
Crowds of students were already rushing in and yeah, no, not for him, he was just going to hang in the back and wait for them to pass.
Or he would have if some -bitch- hero hadn’t started hitting on -dad- Aizawa.
He wants to scream at her.
He’s taken, bitch.
But he doesn’t tell her, not that it’d be a good idea in such a crowd but he just really wants her to be put down.
Possibly violently.
She says something about children and a life full of laughter.
“That sounds like an actual nightmare”
It didn’t just come from his mouth though, he side-eyes Aizawa who’d spoken at the same time he did.
Damn, maybe this family thing kinda did something, they were now on the same wavelength apparently.
He sees his dad , screw it he can’t keep correcting himself in his head he’d just accept the fact his brain adopted him, hide a smile in the coils of his scarf and so Izuku pushes through his classmates to stand at the front.
He’d already spoken up anyway, except she’d already turned her attention to him, oh no, she’s an extrovert, abort mission, abort-.
“You’re the quirkless one !”
And woah his opinion of the woman was low but she manages to make it drop further, an impressive feat !
He can’t see his dad’s face from where he stands but he guesses he’s probably giving her the same glare he is.
“Actually, it’ll be Pro Hero in Training Genesis to you, by the end of the day.” he gives her his bright smile, the fake version of the one he’d lost the same day All Might crushed his dreams, “You should probably get used to it now. I look forward to working with you in the future !” he doesn’t but he’s already made an enemy out of her entire class, as if he didn’t have enough based on his existence alone .
Shit.
He’s now the number one enemy, great.
Once the exam starts, he separates from his classmates for multiple reasons.
One : he didn’t want to drag them down with the target he’s put on himself by sassing a huge school’s class teacher and by being born quirkless.
Two : when he passes, people will be saying it’s only thanks to his friends he did, which he wants to make sure no one can claim.
Three : he’d probably have to be the one to coordinate them and he doesn’t want to, if they can’t pass on their own, he won’t be made responsible when they get injured in the field.
So he breaks away, and he sees Shinsou, Todoroki and Bakugou doing the same.
At least Shinsou has a good reason for doing that, unlike the other two who are just too cocky to bother with those beneath them.
He hopes he passes, but honestly, with a quirk like that ? There’s no way he’ll fail.
Unlike him who is trying to get away but is being followed by an impressive number of candidates, out for his blood.
Maybe he should have kept his mouth shut.
Nah, that bitch had it coming.
She’s lucky Yamada wasn’t there or she’d never hear again.
Not like she was using her ears apparently, disregarding Aizawa’s consent like that !
He slips into a building and makes his way to the roof as he hears the buzzer signal the beginning of the exam.
Game on.
First, he loses his tails, which is surprisingly easy to do as the ones who don’t have quirks enabling them to safely fall from the height, just stop pursuing him.
It still leaves about four people after him, but he only needs two.
He darts in and out of buildings and before he knows it he’s on his own.
Not ideal but better than dead meat surrounded by a pack of bloodthirsty wolves. as he was before.
He wasn’t allowed his stun or tranquilizing guns, which would have been ideal but he can see why, that’s pretty heavy to use on examinees.
He can already hear notifications of students passing and he still hasn’t gotten anyone, but no one has gotten any of the targets in a triangle over his heart either.
He spies a trailing little duckling at the back of a group, a ranged fighter maybe ? Or a support type ? It doesn’t matter, she’s his.
He drops down behind her and uses his hand to muffle her screams before ducking in an alley.
Cuffing her while preventing her from making a noise is tough, but he manages for long enough that by the time her comrades are alerted to her predicament, all of her targets have been hit and balls stolen.
She’d only had two left though, so he’d need to find someone who’s already lost one or more targets, or find more projectiles.
He surveys a few situations from above, trying to find one he can best take advantage of.
It’s tough, there’s a lot of big melees with powerful quirks just letting loose without any consideration for their surroundings or fellow candidates, and he’s not made to withstand that.
He should train for it though, shouldn’t become a one-trick pony and die stupidly in the future for it.
That’s for a later date though.
He sees Aoyama that he could easily take out of the running.
He considers it, he wouldn’t even know who it was.
But no, he’s made enough enemies today, he wasn’t adding another one to the list, and especially one he’d be spending the next two and a half years with.
So he moves on.
In the end, he finds a girl covering the surface of her last target with her hand, holding onto her last projectile tightly with the other one.
Annoying but manageable.
He fires his gun with his right hand, aiming for the right of the girl to turn her attention there, before quietly but quickly making his way to her other side and smashing his ball on her target her hand had left in her distraction.
He passes with a sigh of relief and an apologetic smile to his opponent, who glares at him viciously but lets him go without a word.
Bitterness or quirkism ? Always so hard to tell nowadays.
When he makes it to the resting area he finds most of his classmates there, watching the rest of the participants on tv screens.
Well, thank god he didn’t take out Aoyama.
There would go his reputation. Hopefully they didn’t see him considering it.
Even he, however, passes, taking the last remaining spots.
Onto part two…rescue exercise.
Honestly since the USJ they haven’t exactly had rescue-specific training, but the basics are simple enough.
Prioritize protecting civilians over fighting villains.
Be reassuring but confident.
Do not worsen injuries unless it’s the only way to save their lives.
He wonders how many of the actors know he’s quirkless.
How many will drop his points for him regardless of his actions.
But that was always going to be the world he was going into, he had to make it in regardless.
He ignores the doubts plaguing his mind, the fear of disappointing his parents, the anger at the unfairness of the world he was more than used to at this point in his life.
He talks, and he carries, and he smiles and he protects fake civilians some of whom recoil from him in disgust, he says nothing but reassuring words to them, he ignores the insults, the barbs, the disdain he’s received his whole life and will keep on receiving forever, so that someday, hopefully, a quirkless child will be subject to less of it.
He does that, and he passes.
He isn’t overly proud of his score, but he’s pretty sure he lost a considerable amount of points for being quirkless, which he can do nothing about at this point.
It’s fine.
He’s a hero.
He receives his licence like it is a religious experience.
The smile on his photo is real, it’s confident, it’s proud, it’s a ‘fuck you all’ to all those who wanted to see him fail.
Someone wanted him to succeed though.
He catches Aizawa smiling from afar, observing his students rejoicing on his own.
Soon enough he’ll be crowded but for now…Izuku rushes to his side and stops a short distance away.
“Dad…” he smiles and his tone has the vulnerability he cannot show anyone else in it, the doubts, the hardships, the loneliness, everything he went through no one will ever know about “I’m a hero”
Aizawa takes a sharp breath and smiles wider than he did before giving him a hug, an unusual gesture from the stoic man.
Of course they’re soon interrupted by Kaminary bowling them over, excitedly chatting about the exam and his licence and did they see this cool move he did- but when he looks at his dad, Izuku knows he is more proud of him than anyone else.
Except Yamada when he finds out of course.
And then he finds out Katsuki failed and if his smile turns a little brighter, a little smugger, only he would know.
Of course the first thing he does upon coming back to UA, after taking a shower and changing, is race to his dads’ place.
He wants to tell him as soon as possible.
He’s disappointed to see Aizawa beat him there so he wouldn’t be the one announcing his result except he is because apparently he refused to answer his husband.
Coldness soon turns to warmth in his chest although he hides it to overplay his fake sad face.
“Well…” he starts off, looking down “Only 5% passed you know, and there were so many people with amazing quirks of course, and although I was amongst the 100 to pass the first part of the test…” he trails off and Yamada doesn’t lose a moment to get angry.
“Those quirkist bastards, I bet they rigged that test, there’s no way you didn’t pass, you’re better than half the heroes out there at this very moment, I knew the commission would try to meddle, I’m going to bring the HSPC building down on their heads, I’m going to set fire to the rubble, I’m going to piss on the ashes, I’m-”
Izuku doesn’t find out what else Mic would do because he finishes his sentence “...I was also amongst those who passed the final test.”
And Mic stops dead in his tracks, mouth wide open.
Izuku crosses his arms in front of his chest with a playful smile.
“Now don’t look so shocked, I’m hurt, what did you think-”
He’s interrupted by a high-level, definitely quirk-powered shriek that pierces his ears in the best way and he’s laughing as Aizawa scolds his husband but nobody’s listening to him because Yamada is still going silently, spinning Izuku around with a great grin on his face.
He properly shows off his hero licence, which gets him another quirk-powered shriek from his papa and quirk-powered glare from his dad.
It’s the best.
And for dessert that night was a cake adorned with the caption “Congratulations Genesis”.
It’s the same cake that will be taken out a year later to celebrate his becoming 'Aida Izuku', son of Aizawa Shouta and Yamada Hizashi .
It’s also the cake they eat the day he graduates and officially becomes the first quirkless pro hero, the realistic hero : Genesis.