With Love, Comes the Pain

Rumours

Midoriya didn't do his errands that day.

"Sir, he's getting bullied. I don't know about you, but I'm very sure that it's bad for children, especially at his age, to be told that he's going to end up as a villain."

The previous day, when Midoriya picked Shinsou up, Shinsou said that his classmates took his pencil, and when Shinsou tried to take it back, they broke it and told the teacher that it was Shinsou who was taking their pencil. Guess who the teacher blamed. The child with the brainwashing quirk, of course. Said he shouldn't use his bad quirk to do bad things, and that things like this were what made people into villains.

That word. Shinsou hated it. Villains were people who hurt others for no reason. Shinsou wasn't a villain. He didn't want to be one. He never wanted to be one.

"Look, the entire class said it was Shinsou's fault, Midoriya." The principal sighed, "I understand that the teacher shouldn't have called him a potential villain, but if everyone says that Shinsou is wrong, then he's wrong. It's the majority."

"The majority is wrong! Look, I raised that kid. Myself! I know him! He wouldn't want to do anything wrong. You think he would take someone else's pencil when he has his own, and without asking for permission!? He's trying his best to be perfect given his circumstance, and I don't think having all the kids bring him down is good for him." Midoriya growled.

"I can get speak to the kids. But you know how kids are. You're quirkless. You know exactly how bad kids can get. I'm sorry Midoriya, but there's nothing we can do. They're all toddlers. We can't punish them for being influenced by their surroundings." The principal shook his head.

"Then can I talk to the kids myself?" Midorya asked.

"I... think we can arrange that. But if you try to defend Shinsou, it won't last. I've been taking care of kids for so long. Once you leave, they'll pick on Shinsou again. It would be better if he learnt to stand up for himself. It might be better to homeschool him - "

"That's the problem. I have school. I can't. This is the only place near my school and home that is affordable. At the very least, can you try to stop them from physically hurting him? I'll talk to him myself later."

The principal sighed. Midoriya was stubborn. Very stubborn. He was old. He would never be able to win an argument against the twelve year old. Midoriya himself went to that preschool before. He knew Midoriya was quirkless, and seeing the timid child finally standing up for himself warmed his heart. That was the only reason he allowed Midoriya to enrol Shinsou for a lower rate that was within the boy's price range. (Yes. He knew that Midoriya ran all over the neighbourhood to run errands for people. He never thought that he adopted a child, and was surprised.)

-----------------------------------

Midoriya was picking Shinsou up when he found a woman picking up another boy who was staying behind with Shinsou.

"Toshi! How are you?" Midoriya grinned. Shinsou had turned four a few montgs ago, and Midoriya could see the huge improvement that he had with his quirk. Apparently it manifested early, but the actual workings of the quirk only just came to him, and they were working on giving Shinsou conplete control over his power and finding the limits of it.

Shinsou merely frowned, and slowly grabbed Midoriya's hand. "You okay Toshi?"

Shinsou nodded.

"Mom! That's the weird one that controlled me!"

Midoriya frowned. He had been training enough with Shinsou so that he wouldn't use his quirk by accident, and Shinsou was so good with it that he only used it when he wanted. Only when he was scared or threatened that he would unintentionally activate it.