Timeloop Trouble

Chapter 26 - Autographs and Cat Cafes

Izuku knew it was going to be a big deal, but he hadn't expected it to be this big. Sure, the UA sportsfestival was broadcast all over the world, it was the quirk based sports event of the year, he knew that. He also knew that being quirkless was being less. Less powerful, less evolved. But the sportsfest was only for the best, wasn't it? Yeah, Izuku once again failed to gauge the impact of his decisions, facing the consequences of his own actions as he saw his own face plastered on various magazines and news sites.

Izuku could feel people stare at him on the train as he made his way to school, could hear them whisper and gossip. It had been days already, but the media storm hadn't died down at all. His shared third place, combined with his two successive wins in the preliminary rounds, forced people to question their world views. The internet was going crazy over it, too. Forums, news sites, hero fandoms- Every place where quirks seemed so important was being questioned. This whole ordeal even sparked an ages old sensitive question without a clear answer to rise again, bolder than it ever was before.

What makes someone a hero?

Being strong? Being capable? Being smart? Kind? Reliable? People's opinions differed. Some said one had to be the best, like All Might. Others said they just had to be strong and radiant, showy and flashy. Izuku hadn't strayed from his personal definition though, not even after all these years. To him, a hero was someone who meddled even if it wasn't their business. Someone who stepped in when they saw something wasn't right, who voiced their beliefs loud and proud and followed through. That was the kind of hero Izuku had always wanted to become.

Which meant he wasn't a hero. Not anymore, not in this timeline. Izuku wasn't going to even try and get involved, wasn't going to meddle or speak up. He was simply going to stand on the sidelines and watch as everything unfolded. Like a bystander, a perfect role for his quirkless self to fulfill without disturbing society as he knew it. Guess it was too late for that one, though...

"Hey, uhm, Midoriya-kun, right?"

Izuku blinked, looking up at a woman who was standing next to him on the train. She was holding onto a little boy, trying to steady him whenever the train made a turn or stopped at a station. The boy was holding onto her leg, peeking up from under his cap, only to quickly hide away again once he noticed Izuku looking.

"I saw you in the sportsfestival," she continued, seeming a little nervous. "I... I'm sorry to bother you like this, but I... I just wanted to thank you."

"Tha... Thank me? For what?" Izuku sputtered.

"My son, Kato, he's..." she trailed off, but Izuku knew what she wanted to say without finishing her sentence. "When we saw you perform on tv and the commentator said you were quirkless, it... It made Kato really happy, you know? Seeing someone like him doing such amazing things. And I, god, this is kinda awkward, isn't it? Uhm, could you maybe give him your autograph? It would really mean a lot to him."

His... His autograph..? Izuku glanced down at the boy again, who was still shying away behind his mom's legs. Was his confidence already broken..? The train shook a bit and he stumbled forward, but Izuku caught him before he could fall. Some reflexes just never went away, did they? Izuku's body was still urging him to save everyone within his reach, even now.

"Of course, I'd love to!" Izuku smiled, shimming down to Kato's level, being mindful of the passengers around them. Most of them were staring at the interaction and Izuku was sure one or two would be filming the whole thing. He didn't mind, though. All that was important right now was for Kato to feel safe and okay talking to him. "So you're like me, huh? Bad luck in the quirk lottery?"

Kato didn't look at him when he nodded, and Izuku didn't blame him.

"That's okay," Izuku smiled, carefully reaching out to him. "Some people are just lucky, and others are not. It's part of life and it just means we have to work harder for what we want."