Rise Above Fate

Ch. 9 - Do You Remember?

He deeply wished that from the depths of his heart.

"Izuku..." Saber stood up, looking down at him. "I want to help you. I am your partner, or rather, friend, after all..."

A friend...

Izuku couldn't believe it. It was too sudden.

Saber was his Servant, and surely, partner, but because he was used to being looked down, he silenced thoughts of something more than 'partnership'. 'It would be too pretentious', he'd think.

How could anyone, in their right minds, want a quirkless mob like him as a friend? That question surfaced his mind, but he quickly shook it off. She wouldn't lie to him, even if that explanation made even more sense to him. His trust in her was bigger than that.

He wouldn't cry, he couldn't. He swore to himself not to do so.

His mouth couldn't help but coil upwards. His toothy grin was something inexplicably sweet; just as if he finally got rid of a lifetime-long burden. Izuku was just a kid, a pre-teen. He wanted friends, people to talk with...

People to save when they needed, people who would save him when he needed the most...

His dirty clothes didn't bother him in the slightest. Bakugo's presence was the last thing on his mind and his conscience elated.

"Friend?" He stuttered.

"Umu." She nodded sweetly.

"A friend..." Izuku stood up, wiping his dirty hands with each other. "Saber... Thank you," his free conscience and happy mood roped his smile up.

Her strict expression softened—she smiled back.

"Oi..." Bakugo's raspy voice stabbed both of their ears. "Cut your crap!" He kicked the ground, inching closer to Izuku, whose previously sweet expression turned into sour.

Izuku glanced at Saber and shook his head. She hesitated but complied with his decision. She trusted his decision; a man decided to face his own problems—a very knightly attitude. Saber appreciated that, even if she felt somewhat worried about him.

Bakugo reached Izuku and grabbed him by the collar violently. Saber almost reflexively lifted her hand and grabbed the sandy-haired boy, but she held it back, for Izuku, who didn't react at all and kept looking at his ex-friend.

"Oi, nerd! Are you kidding me?!" Bakugo spat venom. "How did your quirkless ass get a damn Servant?! It should've been me, the best in class!" He clutched his fist tighter and got closer to Izuku's face; his venom burnt. "My amazing quirk shouldn't be outshined by your weak, quirkless, Deku-like uselessness!" His voice hammered Izuku's ears.

He heard those words countless times.

Useless,

Deku,

Weak,

Quirkless...

His heart clutched densely. Those were the words that didn't stop being shot at his direction; everyone at school knew how useless he was, how weak... That he was quirkless.

But he had enough.

He may be weak,

He may be useless,

He may be just a Deku,

He was quirkless, indeed... But all of that didn't matter to him anymore. He had a partner—a friend; Arturia. Her support, along with his mother's, was enough so that he could move forward.