Chapter Text
Izuku sniffled as he sat up from where Kacchan left him laying on the ground after he finished fighting him. “Why does he have to be so mean?” Izuku mumbled as he struggled to get up on wobbly legs. He walked slowly to his favorite yellow backpack that was cast aside during the whole incident. He stood up for someone else and got beat down by Kacchan and his other two ‘friends’
“When did Kacchan become so mean?’ He thought even though he already knew the answer.
He was quirkless. There was nothing he could do he was part of 20% of the world that didn’t have quirks. The teachers didn’t listen to him, and no one believes he could be a hero. He was stuck in a world where no one thought he was important. Except his mom, his mom loved him with all her heart, but even she doesn’t want him to be a hero. She was very worried he might get hurt, and he was beginning to understand since she is so protective of him. He smiled, he really did love his mom.
He grabbed his backpack and started walking in the direction of his house. He didn’t bother lugging it onto his shoulders because he knew it would hurt if he did something like that.
He walked slowly past an alley to hear a small whimper come from an area of trash bags. He stopped when he heard that sound to look over to a pile of trash bags with a small cardboard box laying in the middle of the pile. ‘That seems to be where the sound is coming from’ he thought as he ventured closer. Izuku walked over to the cardboard box that seemed to move slightly at the sound of him coming closer.
Gulping down his fear, he opened the top of the box to see a little puppy curled up against the a corner. Her muzzle is squared-off, she has a black nose with the accompany black mask that covered around her mouth, and she has cute eyes that are dark brown. Her ears are small and thin, that hang close to her cheeks. Her tan coat is really short and dense and she has small white markings on her chest and feet. He cooed at the puppy, wondering why anyone would do such a thing. The puppy looked to be very young, but he got his answers when he looked at the lonely puppy.
She only had three legs, she missing the the back left leg. And when he peered at her face a little longer there seemed to be a small scratch like scar across her face. He looked down at the puppy, who was rejected for the way they are, and saw himself. Izuku looked at the puppy’s large sad eyes and made a decision he knew he wouldn’t regret.
***
Inko opened the door at the special three knocks her son gives. She wondered what took him so long, ‘Was he playing a little longer in the playground with Mitsuki’s boy?’ She asked herself, while a small voice doubted that was what really happened.
What she saw was her son seeming to try to keep hold of an excited Tosa Inu puppy. Her son was laughing and smiling as the small dog try to lick every inch of his face.
Inko smiled at the sight. Izuku noticed his mom in the doorway and automatically shifted his attention to her, “Hey mom, I found her on the way home. She... she was in a box in an alley, but I saved her. C-can we keep her?” Izuku asked his mom as the puppy focused its attention to licking his fingers.
She took one look at her sons pleading face and a glance at the small puppy huddled against his chest. She sighed and smiled once again, “You have to take care of her she is a big responsibility.”
“Of course I will! I will train her and walk her around the park. And give her lots of belly rubs!” Izuku promised as the puppy tried to once again lick every inch of his face. He laughed at the puppy’s antic before looking at his mom. “I promise to take good care of her!”
“Alright, come on in. I’m making some ramen tonight, but let’s go to the grocery store to buy some dog food and supplies first.” Inko said as she gathered her coat, phone, keys and wallet before joking her son outside. She locked the door before all three of them headed toward the pet store.
The customers were quite confused but quickly got over the confusion when seeing the little puppy and the cute toddler walk after the woman as she headed to the dog aisle. Inko grabbed dog food, a bowl, a dog bed, some chew toys, some treats, some indoor bathroom training pads, a collar, and a leash for the puppy that hasn’t left Izuku’s arms.
Not too long after, Inko paid for the items and headed out with her child and her their puppy. They headed home where she set up the bed near Izuku’s room, dog bowl near the kitchen, and placed water and food into the dog bowl before continuing to make dinner. Izuku placed the treats on the top counter, so the puppy won’t get to it. He placed the collar on her neck and turned the medal to the front to show her name that he had given her.
‘CHIEKO’ was engraved on the front with their home number and address on back. The collar was a nice bright red that matched his favorite shoes. He took the leastph and toys to his room for safe keeping. He placed one of the bathroom pads on the floor just in case. He needed to take her outside after dinner to use the bathroom before it gets too dark.
After all that, the family had their dinner, the human mother and son ate their ramen while the new addition ate food from their bowl. Not too long after, they finished their dinner and Izuku grabbed the leash from his room. “I’m going to take Chieko outside before it gets too dark so she can use the bathroom.” Izuku said while strapping on her leash as she wagged her tail at the attention. Inko responded with a smile as she supervised her son since it was getting a little dark. After Chieko did her business, they all went back inside where Inko made sure the door was locked while Izuku bathed.
Inko looked back at Chieko who was laying down at the side of the couch looking up at her. ‘Yeah’, she thinks to herself, ‘this change in our lives will be a good one.’
***
Izuku was just finished brushing his teeth while freshly dressed in his All Might Silver Age themed pajamas when the bathroom door creaked open to show a curious puppy that seemed to like to sniff at his ankles.
“Hey Chieko!” He said cheerfully scratching her behind the ears as her tail wagged happily. The puppy barked at him to hurry up, so he fondly followed the puppy to her bed. He moved into his room since she started to cry when he separated from her to go to his own room, so he compromised and move her bed right next to his.
The puppy was rolling on the floor with the special made blanket that doesn’t rip easily for young dogs such as her. He chuckled before continuing to play with her for a little bit since it wasn’t exactly his bedtime yet. But before long, after what seemed like hours of tug-of-war and belly rubs, Inko came in to say goodnight to both of them.
“Goodnight, mom. Thank you for letting me keep Chieko.” Izuku said as she tucked him into his All Might themed blankets.
Inko smiled before kissing his head goodnight. Then she bent down, to give Chieko a good scratch on her head before turning out the main light. Which left only the muted light of his nightlight at the corner of his bedroom as the only light source left. “Goodnight, Izuku. Sleep well.” Chieko yipped a farewell as she paced around in a circle in her new bed before lying down.
Inko closed the door behind her leaving the two alone.
Izuku responded with a yawn, “Goodnight, Chieko. I love you.” He laughed tiredly as she gave a happy yip in response to him.
Izuku thought back to what he felt like when he took her from that alleyway. He felt like a hero for once, a hero to Chieko. He wondered if he could feel like that again. He wondered, ‘Maybe I can become a hero for animals?’
***
It has been almost a year since he has had Chieko as his pet. And like he promised his mom, he took good care of her. He started to train her to use the bathroom inside first in case his mom or himself were too late to take her outside. Which led to some ups and downs before she finally learned to use them, which honestly took weeks. He took her daily on walks after he came home from school right before dinner.
She was growing up to be a tall affectionate girl who loved to tackle Izuku to the ground when he came home.
He didn’t realize how awesome she truly was until today.
Izuku was walking in the park with Chieko on her leash, when he heard some explosions nearby. But not just any explosions, oh no, that specific quirk belonged to-
“Kacchan!” Izuku said as he saw the blond boy with scowling red eyes fast approaching.
“DEKU! YOU WORTHLESS GOOD FOR NOTHING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Kacchan yelled out as he came closer and closer. But with every step he took Chieko took one step closer in front of Izuku.
“Chieko?” Izuku asked his dog as she stood in front of him before crouching in an intimidating pouncing position. Chieko started growling as the angry porcupine head came near. Chieko suddenly started barking when Kacchan got too close.
“WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT IS WITH YOUR STUPID DOG-WHA!” Kacchan yelled out as Chieko barreled into his legs causing him to stumble. She continuing her barking and growling with drool spilling from her mouth. Chieko started to snap her teeth at Bakugo which made him click his tongue and walk away with a ‘unnoticeable’ urgency to get away from Deku and his dog.
“Whatever! That dog of yours is stupid as stupid as you, Deku!” Kacchan said angrily as he walked away.
Izuku looked at Chieko who stared after Kacchan before grunting to look back at Izuku.
“You are the most amazing dog to have ever existed!” Izuku said as he petted Chieko lovingly as Chieko happily received the affection.