Izuku actually did end up going to the library like he told his mom. Yuuei's exams were nothing to scoff at, even if he was one of the top students in his class. The entire walk there was spent in a state of disbelief as he replayed what had happened after he'd taken Nagaki's hand. The man had smiled, then told him to go to the library and pick up textbooks, like he'd told his mom he would.
"If you're gonna get in to Yuuei, you're gonna have to know your stuff. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to read up on some of the laws, the best vigilantes know which laws to break and which to bend. I'll contact you later."
"How did you know I told my mom I was going to the library?"
"Logic, school kids usually resort to the old library excuse when they need to lie to their parents. Wanna not feel guilty? Just go to the library, Midoriya."
So that's what he did, he grabbed a few textbooks, mathematics, science, typical core subjects; and if the librarian had raised her eyebrows at the law book he had? Not much of an issue. He was carrying his stack of books out of the library, planning to call his mom, when a blue blur ran into him, knocking him to the floor and sending the books flying.
"I apologize, fellow student!" The blur, who turned out to be a student his age, stopped and began to gather Izuku's fallen books. "The library is about to close for today, and I wanted to acquire some textbooks before that happened."
Izuku looked at the stranger. Large black framed glasses sat in front of blue eyes. He had an undercut and a few strands of hair clinging to his forehead, which was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His sentences were often accompanied by exaggerated hand movements and gestures.
"It's fine, really, I was just caught a bit off guard." Izuku said, getting on his knees to help the blue haired boy gather the books. Thankfully, none of them had been damaged.
"My irresponsibility led to you being hurt and possibly damaging the books you had with you." The boy bowed deeply. "Allow me to help you home as an apology!"
"D-didn't you need a few textbooks before the library closed?" Izuku stuttered, watching helplessly as the teenager took half of the books to carry himself.
"This is more important, I inconvenienced you, this is my way of making it up to you." The boy puffed out his chest, "my brother always tells me to make sure I make it up to people if I did something wrong to them."
"Knocking over my books isn't exactly 'wrong'." Izuku commented dryly.
"Still, I feel bad about it." The boy held a hand out, effortlessly hefting the stack of books to one arm to do so. "Iida Tenya, third year junior high."
Izuku took the offered hand, "Izuku Midoriya, also third year junior high."
Iida perked up at that, his eyes practically shining behind his glasses. "Really? What high school do you plan to attend?" He asked animatedly, following Izuku as he began to walk home.
"Uh," Izuku hesitated a little, "the General Department of Yuuei."
"Aha! I, myself, plan to apply for Yuuei; though I'm applying for the Heroics Department." Iida gave him a curious look, "Is your quirk not suited for heroics?" He asked.
"I don't have a quirk." Izuku immediately stated.
The silence between them was tense, before Iida began apologizing profusely. "My apologies, Midoriya, I did not mean to come off as insensitive."
Izuku hurried to reassure the boy before he began bowing again. "It's fine," he waved the apology off, "the ratio of people with quirks to the Quirkless are eight to one, it was a safe bet to assume I had one." He sighed, "let's just drop that subject."
Iida nodded and they continued their walk. Eventually, the awkwardness of the previous subject faded and they found themselves having an animated conversation on academic subjects. Izuku barely even noticed when he'd made it to his apartment. "Ah, we're already here."
Iida handed him his books, a small smile on his face. "Thank you, Midoriya, for allowing me to assist you and for the interesting conversation."
Izuku shook his head and hefted the new books onto the pile already in his arms. "If anything, I have to apologize for making you miss the library today."
"Nonsense, I enjoyed our conversation, Midoriya." He took out a piece of paper and a pen, he handed Izuku the piece after scribbling on it for a few seconds. "My number, in case you want to study for the exams together. We may not be applying for the same departments, but both have to take an exam for the basic academics."
Izuku blinked owlishly, taking the paper and looking at the number. "Thanks..." He manages to say. "Does....this make us friends?" He immediately regretted asking that. God, why couldn't he have been born mute.
Iida took it in stride, nodding enthusiastically, "if you want to be, then yes. I would have many things to learn from being your friend."
"Thanks, I guess I'll see you around?"
"Yes! Have a good night, Midoriya!" And with that, the boy took off, literally, Izuku was coughing the dust out of his lungs for a solid minute.
Pocketing the piece of paper, Izuku climbed the stairs and walked in to is house. "Mom! I'm home!" He closed the door behind him with his foot, "sorry I didn't call, I got a bit held up at the library."
Into peeked her head in from the kitchen, "Izuku!" She said cheerfully, "I'm just glad you're home, do you need any help with those books?"
"No, I'm fine" he grunted as he set them down on the coffee table and walked into the kitchen, "I think I made a friend, actually."
Inko's eyes lit up, "That's great, honey! Dinner's on the counter." She gestured to the bowl of fried rice, steam wafting enticingly from the meal.
He pulled out a stool and sat down, picking up his chopsticks, "Thanks for the meal, mom." It was only after he said those words that he realized just how hungry he was. He readily dug into the rice, barely taking time to enjoy the flavor before swallowing and taking another bite.
"If you keep eating like that, I might have to make you a bigger lunch." His mother joked, taking a seat across from him and digging in to her own bowl. Before she'd even finished half, she suddenly perked up, dropping her chopsticks and digging around her pockets, "Oh! I almost forgot! You got a letter today, Izuku."
He swallowed his current mouthful, "A letter?"
She eventually let out a sound of triumph, holding out a small white envelope, sealed with a small fox sticker. "It was put under the doorway while you were at the library, I didn't open it out of respect for your privacy."
A small stone settled amongst the rice in his stomach, "Thanks, mom." He said, taking the envelope and placing it in his pocket.
Nagaki knew where he lived, which means he knows about his mom. He seemed like a nice man, but the possibility of betrayal was still very, very real. If Izuku decided to go back on this whole vigilantism thing, there's no saying what he could do to him, or worse, his mom. His chopsticks started to shake ever so slightly before he set them down, his meal finished.
If his mother detected any of his anxiety, she didn't show it, instead opting to tell him about her day. Izuku nodded at all the right times and occasionally put in his own two cents, but he was mainly focused on the envelope in his pocket that felt like it weighed much more than it should have.
"I'm gonna go to my room to study, love you mom." He said, walking back over to the living room and picking up the textbooks.
"Don't stay up too late." His mother cautioned. "Goodnight, Izuku."
"Goodnight mom." He called back, walking to his room and shutting the door behind him. He carefully placed the textbooks on his desk before fishing the letter out of his pocket. The fox sticker holding the envelope closed seemed to be smiling mockingly at him, he took a bit more pleasure than he should have ripping the envelope open. A small letter fell onto the floor, standing out against his dark carpet. Crunching down, he picked it up and began to read.
Midoriya,
I realize that it was probably rude of me to leave this while you were at the library, but let me get a few things straight: I've been keeping tabs on a lot of candidates, that includes their addresses. I know I can't just say 'don't worry' because, frankly, you're a teenager. God knows what's running through your head right now.
Anyways, there's an abandoned warehouse near the junkyard on the beach, meet me there tomorrow after school and we'll begin your training. Come alone.
Also, just because I'm training you doesn't mean you can skip out on studying. If your mother notices any falling grades she'll get suspicious, and suspicion is the last thing you want. Keep your nose in the books, kid.
-Nagaki Kuroda
Izuku folded the note and placed it right next to his computer. Meeting a dangerous former vigilante in an abandoned warehouse near the junkyard on the beach, he can do that. Exhausted from the day's events, he promptly changed into his pyjamas and flopped onto bed, falling asleep not five minutes after placing his head on the pillow.
____________Warning: A LOT of swearing ahead_________________
Something was up with Deku, what it was, Bakugou didn't know, and that pissed him the fuck off. First the fucking nerd starts ignoring him, then he starts to avoiding his presence completely. It was becoming rare that he even saw that shade of shitty green hair out of class; the fucking nerd thought he could run from Bakugou, boy was he in for the beating of his shitty Quirkless life. That is, if Bakugou could even catch the fuckmunch. Who did this fucker even think he was, anyways? At least before, he had the balls to take his beatings, now he's running away with his tail between his legs!
Bakugou, despite his caustic personality, was actually rather smart. It didn't go unnoticed that Deku's behavior shifted after the slime villain, the same day he told the useless bitch to stop trying to be a hero. Maybe his words finally got through, after nearly ten years of abuse, both verbal and physical. About fucking time. Ever since his quirk manifested, Bakugou knew he was destined for greatness, his classmates said it, his teachers said it, his parents said it, even strangers said it! He knew he was great, and when Deku's quirk never showed, it was just more proof that he was just better than everyone else. Deku was always meant to be useless, and Bakugou was meant to be the best.
So why did Deku avoiding him irk him so much? The damn nuisance didn't even write in his stupid hero journals anymore, just payed attention in class and took notes like a normal student. Maybe that was it, maybe the Quirkless freak was trying to fit in by making himself invisible. Tough shit, Deku, because Bakugou saw through that bullshit.
So naturally, when Deku started walking in the wrong direction after school (he was practically neighbors with the shitstain, it wasn't like he knew the route to Deku's house by heart from when they were smaller), he decided to follow. Yet somehow within five minutes of following the fucker, he'd lost him in the crowd.
He let out a rather loud curse, his palms crackling with small explosions.
Izuku was thankful that he took the crowded streets to the beach, it'd been easier to throw Kacchan off of his trail with people constantly moving like an ever changing puzzle. He took a deep breath to calm himself as he looked at the warehouse.
It seemed innocent enough, it stood easily three stories high, large windows near the roof to let natural light filter in. Quite honestly, for an abandoned warehouse it seemed fairly well kept. Izuku ran a hand over the dull blue walls, faded and peeling in some places, as he made his way to the entrance. The doors, rusted brown and heavy, creaked and groaned as he pushed them open. Wincing slightly when the door slammed shut, echoing loudly in the empty space.
Except...it wasn't empty, it was dimly lit, but Izuku could see a few padded floor mats and obstacles places randomly around the warehouse floor. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a shadowed figure dropped right in front of him, landing near silently in a crouch.
"I was wondering when you'd show." Nagaki grinned, standing up from his position and gesturing around him, "Welcome to my humble training ground, Midoriya. You ready to get started?"
Izuku nodded enthusiastically, "Yes, sir!"
Nagaki turned to look at him, a stray beam of light hitting his face and acting shadows across his eyes. "None of this 'sir' crap. You can call me Nagaki, or Kuroda when you start feeling more familiar with me, but not sir, got it?"
"Y-yes, si-I mean, Nagaki." Izuku stuttered out, feeling his ears heat up.
Nagaki looked at him for a moment before nodding to himself, "Good," the man walked past Izuku, stepping outside. "Follow me."
"Where are we going, exactly?"
"The first step to your training."
"A soup kitchen?" Izuku can't help but stare at his mentor incredulously. "The first step to my training is a soup kitchen?"
"You'll see." Nagaki replied sagely, taking a step forward to knock on the door. An elderly woman, white hair in a neat bun and under a hair net, opened the door.
"My goodness, my eyes are playing tricks on me. Is that you Kuroda?" The old woman asked, stepping forward to try and get a better look at his face.
Kuroda let a warm, crooked smile adorn his face as Izuku watched on, "It is, Mrs. Fujioko." He assured her, "You haven't aged a day since I left for America."
Mrs. Fujioko tutted, "You let your Japanese get rusty, I thought I taught you better than that, young man." Izuku watched with wide eyes as the woman pinched the dangerous former vigilante's cheeks with her wrinkled hands. "And where did you get such a dreadful scar? Why, I get an ache in my bones just looking at it!"
Kuroda simply let her manhandle his face. "Let's just say that the Americans have some pretty crazed villains." He joked.
Mrs. Fujioko turned to squint at Izuku, who straightened his back on instinct. "And who is this, Kuro?"
"This is Izuku Midoriya, we both decided to help out in the kitchen today." Kuroda stated, watching somewhat amusedly as Mrs. Fujioko hobbled a bit closer to the young green haired boy.
Izuku leaned down when the elderly woman gestured for him to do so, and nearly squeaked in surprise when the woman pinched his cheeks.
"What a nice young lad," the lady said serenely, "I never see young ones your age helping around the kitchen, it's nice to see such a fine boy helping around." She leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially, "I'm not as young as I used to be, you know. These knees just don't seem to work the way they used to."
"I-it's nice to meet you, Mrs. Fujioko." Izuku greeted, bowing deeply in respect. "I hope I can be of help to you and your kitchen."
"Oh-ho! He's polite, too!"
Kuroda cleared his throat, "Let's continue this inside, shall we?" He held the door open for both Izuku and Mrs. Fujioko as they walked in. The elder woman talking animatedly with Izuku about the soup kitchen.
"Most of the people that come here can't afford a meal," Mrs. Fujioko informed him, "so I make sure they all get at least one square meal a day." She procured hair nets from somewhere on her person and handed them to both Kuroda and Izuku, "Put these on, dears, people don't like hair in their food."
Nagaki went along with it flawlessly, bunching his hair up to place under the hair net and following Mrs. Fujioko into the kitchen. He peeked his head out, "well, are you coming? The missus doesn't like to be kept waiting. For an old lady, she can wield a cane pretty darn well."
Izuku puts on his hair net and hurried after them.
The kitchen was relatively busy, several volunteers moving to and fro. Some where chopping vegetables, other were stirring broth, and some were handing the soup out to the hungry recipients. Izuku found Nagaki already helping the others distribute the soup, he quickly spotted Izuku wand waved him over.
"Not to be rude," Izuku began, grabbing the ladle that Nagaki handed him, "but why are we in a soup kitchen for my first lesson?"
Nagaki gives a homeless woman a ladle brimming with steaming soup before giving Izuku a side glance. "Look at the people you're helping." he instructed, serving yet another civilian.
They honestly don't look like much, ragged clothes and thin layers of dirt and grime on their faces. Yet Izuku's thoughts on their appearance faded in favor of seeing their expressions. There were smiles so wide they looked like they'd break if they stretched the skin of their mouth any further, some had tears in their eyes as they thanked the volunteers profusely. The chatter in the cafeteria was light and cheery, fueled by full bellies and high spirits. The lighting may have been dim, but that failed to put a damper on the mood, these people were happy.
"A vigilante does not act because of personal desire," Nagaki muttered to him, "a vigilante acts for the good of others. Only by helping others achieve happiness can you find it for yourself."
They worked at the soup kitchen until sunset. Izuku had managed to talk to a few of the children that had showed up for a bowl of soup, and had somehow ended up helping them with their homework. There were giggles all around as he explained the math problems to them in funny ways, the parents of the children watching with eyes full of mirth. Izuku couldn't help the sigh of relief as he and Nagaki walked out of the kitchen, waving goodbye to Mrs. Fujioko.
"That was....fun." Izuku said as they walked down the sidewalk, "I never volunteered at a soup kitchen before."
Nagaki looked at him, "Well get used to it, cause we're volunteering there every weekend."
"What about weekdays?"
The man grinned crookedly, "Those are for training." He lightly punched Izuku's shoulder when the boy's head shot up to look at him, "What, you thought all your training would be community service?"
Izuku shook his head, "No! I just kinda......." They stood there, looking at the beach as waves lapped gently at the shores. ".....this is really happening, isn't it."
Nagaki sighed, "There's no shame in dropping out, kid. This's intense stuff, you'd be on the other side of the law, people would be after you. I can't promise that you'll be safe," he locked eyes with Izuku, a fire in his own, "but I can promise that I'll train you to the best of my ability should you decide to go through with this."
Izuku looked into the man's eyes, there was no deception, only truth. Swallowing the fear in his throat, he nodded. "I'm sure, this is what I want to do."
"Then get ready, kid, 'cause I'm no pushover; and by the time I'm done with you, you won't be either."
The world spun as Izuku hit the padded floor with a grunt, thankfully managing to protect his head.
"Nine months of training, and you barely know how to fall right." Nagaki taunted, standing over Izuku with crossed arms. "I've been shamed, I can never show my face in Mrs. Fujioko's kitchen again."
"Keep laughing, Kuroda." Izuku panted, dragging himself up and getting into a fighting stance. "One of these days I will land a hit on you."
"Oh yeah," Kuroda dodged Izuku's first punch, "hit the guy with the reflex quirk," he catches the next fist with his own outstretched palm "that sounds possible."
Izuku smirked, "More possible than you might think." He faked a punch, and while his mentor went to block it, he twisted his wrist, breaking the older man's hold. He dropped low to sweep his foot across the ground to catch Kuroda's legs, making him trip and hit the ground with a solid "oof!" Izuku stood up and dusted his hands, "How's that?"
Kuroda didn't respond at first, then his shoulders started shaking. Eventually, the man's entire body was riddles with laughter. He took Izuku's offered hand and stood up. "Not bad, Kidoriya, not bad."
"Again with that stupid nickname!" Izuku groaned, "how many times have I told you to quit it with the nicknames?"
"When you stop reacting so much to them." Kuroda quipped, tossing Izuku a water bottle and a towel. "It's too easy, you're too easy."
"And to think I was ever intimidated by you." Izuku remarked, catching both the bottle and the towel.
"It was actually kind of endearing." The man lamented, placing a hand on his head and sighing dramatically, "Where did that ball of nervous energy go? What have I made?"
"You made a teenager, that's what." The male in question replied, drying the back of his neck with the towel and taking a sip of the water bottle.
"Sarcastic. I made you sarcastic."
"Is there a difference?"
Kuroda ruffled the boy's hair, eliciting a squawk of protest from him. "Get going, squirt, your entrance exams are tomorrow. Don't stay up studying like you did that one time."
"One time," Izuku stated, "one time I pull an all nighter, and you never let me forget it."
"Because somebody besides your mom has to look out for you, squirt." Kuroda made a shooing motion, "Go, be free, do whatever it is kids your age do."
"Ok ok, I'm leaving." Izuku grabbed his things, a backpack with a change of clothes, and opened the warehouse door. Looking back one more time, he said "See you later, Kuroda!" The man didn't respond, only held a hand up in farewell before Izuku darted away and let the door shut.
Izuku ran all the way home, weaving in and out of the crowd with a skill hones over the past few months. In no time at all, he found himself at his house. His mother greeted him from the couch when he came in, he said his hellos and told her he'd be going to him room. Sighing as he sat down at his desk, Izuku took out his phone and sent a text to Iida.
Sent 8:30 p.m.
Are you ready for the exams?
Received 8:31 p.m.
We have studied extensively, Midoriya. Reviewing with you has been a great help for my academics. I believe we will do fine!
Iida had been an......interesting study partner. Often reading from his (extensively written) notecards and reciting facts word for word from the textbook. If anything, the blue haired boy's exaggerated hand movements had helped Izuku remember the more obscure pieces of information.
Sent 8:33 p.m.
Yeah, you're right. See you tomorrow, Iida, I'm going to try and get some rest.
Received 8:34 p.m.
Sleep well, Midoriya!
He set the phone down on his desktop, quickly changing into his sleep clothes and crawling under the covers. As he laid down, his mind went over just about everything that's happened since he'd met Kuroda.
The man had started off intimidating, giving off a lone wolf vibe with his scar and build. Yet after that first day at the soup kitchen, Izuku couldn't see him in that light again. A lone wolf wouldn't let an old lady pinch his cheeks, wouldn't help little kids read words they couldn't pronounce, wouldn't mentor a teenager who wanted to make a difference.
The man had made Izuku strong, the constant training had really paid off. He wasn't the scrawny kid he was a year ago, his form had filled out fairly nicely. He wasn't bulky, all of his muscle being lean, but it was easier to hide his newfound muscle under articles of clothing. Kuroda had said that that was a good thing, it made people underestimate you.
Izuku's eyes started to droop, making the thought of sleep seem a lot more appealing. Closing his eyes, he let himself be taken by sleep, dreaming of the day to come.