Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

When Izuku was three, he weighed as little as a flea.

When Izuku turned four, he sure wasn't small anymore.

When Izuku was five, he couldn’t fit clothes for kids twice his size.

When he turned six, well rhymes weren’t his strong suit, counting was neither.

And by his side, through any trouble he had, through any big fights, through the rest of his life, was his friend. Katsuki.

Well. Kats.

Izuku couldn’t say his full name anymore either.

Katsuki and Izuku walked into the start of their last months at Aldera, Izuku carefully fitting his massive frame through the door. He’d learned how to do that when he was ten, which had taken a long time.

“So it’s time for you kids to pick your future school prospects.” Their home room teacher announced. “Anyone have any concrete plans yet?” He pointedly ignored Izuku Midoriya, though try as he might he couldn’t block out the boy’s massive frame.

Who could really? The boy was almost big enough to take up most of the furthest back of the class all by himself.

“Tch. Of course I’m going to U.A!” Katsuki exclaimed at a volume of YES.

The teacher smiled fondly at the prodigy and then listened to the other kids, only to continue the normal lesson as if nothing had happened when Izuku wasn’t given a turn to speak.

“Now then we—” he started.

“Oi, Teach!” Katsuki growled, “You forgot someone.Midoriya hasn’t got his turn to talk.”

The teacher sighed, “Bakugo, let’s be realistic here for a moment. We all know what Midoriya wants. He hasn’t stopped talking about it since he came into this school,” he donned his most charming (condescending) smile “And we all know it’s never going to happen. No Hero School would take him. He barely passes his classes now, what chance does he have there?”

Before Katsuki could speak up in Izuku’s defence a voice far louder than his own drowned him out.

“More than ya lot.” Midoriya had finally spoken up. He was frowning, his face, as massive and wide as it was, twisting into something Katsuki had rarely seen. “Am trying.”

A silence took the room before Katsuki spoke up. “So Teach, what’s gonna happen when he gets into U.A? You gonna resign in embarrassment?”

Their teacher said nothing and just returned to writing an assignment on the blackboard, he wasn’t going to indulge childish dreams.

When Katsuki was captured by the Sludge Villain he didn’t know how to react. Wildly throwing explosions where he could, just trying to get out of the villains grasp.

He didn’t feel the thunderous footsteps, not until they were already so close for it to be impossible to miss.

“YA LEAVE ME FRIEND ALONE!”

An arm the size of a tree grabbed him out of the Sludge Villains grasp with barely any effort. “Ya don’t go hurting people no more!” somehow, despite being mostly liquid, he managed to kick the Sludge Villain away.

He let Katsuki down, “Ya okay Kats?” He asked as Katsuki threw up a lot more sludge than he wanted to.

“Khe. Yeah. Thanks.” Katsuki growled. “I didn’t need your help ya know?!”

“Yah.” Izuku grinned. “Ya ain’t dealing with it yerself neither way.”

Had anyone else said Katsuki would have taken it as an insult, on principle, but it wasn’t one. Izuku didn’t know how to insult someone like that.

It was Izuku saying “I care.” In the only way he knew.

Izuku didn’t get to have a talk with All Might, even after the man showed up, but he had gotten his autograph.

It didn’t help that it took Katsuki to clarify what Izuku was even asking of him, which had taken quite a bit of All Might’s time, but the fact that Izuku had gotten All Might’s autograph?

It lit up the massive teen’s face like he had seen a God in person and Katsuki wouldn’t dare to take that from him.

“Ya think.” Izuku muttered, after he had looked away from the autograph for the first time since he had been given it.

“Ya really think I can?” He asked, a tone in his voice that Katsuki had never heard before.

“Can what?”

“Be like All Might.” Izuku answered, like it was a silly thing to ask.

Katsuki chuckled before patting him on the side, “You saved me before he did. If you’re not already there yet? You’re going to be.”

If Izuku emitted light when he was happy, Katsuki and the entirety of Japan would have gone blind.

Izuku scratched his head lightly, trying his best to follow what the, very loud, man in black clothes was saying.

“Uuhh. Wuuuh?” He really had no idea what this noise maker was on about, usually he got what loud people were saying, if only because they repeated what they were mad about constantly, but this person made very little sense.

Tenya Iida meanwhile was frustrated, mostly because simple instructions seemed to go over the person next to him seemed to just loudly not understand.

He was shaking a bit in anger before his rage finally boiled over, “What are you even doing here?!” His loud shouting, combined with his strange arm movements, drew everyone’s attention to them.

“If you can’t even follow the simplest instructions there’s no reason for you to be part of this!” He kept going for a while before Izuku finally looked at him.

Izuku tilted his head, “Ya here for music?” He asked, genuinely confused.

“What?!”

“He says listeners!” Izuku, somewhat imitating Present Mic, pointed at Present Mic, before straightening and lightly hitting his own chest with his massive fist, “Am trying to be a hero. Not a musician.”

Tenya deflated at that. He couldn’t exactly fault that. Present Mic did call just about anyone that.

Present Mic meanwhile smiled slightly, if a bit strained, how did some say it? The brightest wisdom came from the simplest minds?

“He’s not wrong.” Mic admitted eventually, “I do call everyone I talk to a listener, a bad habit. I see where the confusion could come from.”

“Alright! Hero Hopefuls! Without fanfare, your task today is to go to the areas on the small tags you were given and destroy as many robots as you can.” Mic wanted to say more but noticed that Izuku was staring at the tag in his hand since he had started talking and as soon as the last sound left his mouth Midoriya ran off.

He had to applaud the kid, he knew exactly what he was tasked to do and didn’t let any of the mind games get to him. He was also slightly impressed that he could feel the foot falls even from all the way to Midoriya’s gate.

“Well what are you lot standing around for? Life doesn’t have a countdown!” Mic raised an eyebrow as the rest of them charged off.

He tapped his ear piece, “Someone keep an eye and ear on the green-haired giant. We got us a trendsetter!”

By the time most of the other participants in Izuku’s area arrived they were forced to freeze.

They blinked, looking at the absolute carnage in front of them.

Izuku had torn countless robots apart limb from limb and was currently in the process of lifting a two-pointer robot over his head and throwing it at some of the other robots.

“Come on ya gruggs! We got’s bads ta smash!” He exclaimed in their vague direction with child-like glee.

A few moments of blinking later the rest of the participants in his area started dealing with the robots, or at least what was left of the ones Izuku hadn’t smashed to bits already.

Izuku froze when he heard a loud shriek, followed by a loud noise of buildings creaking as something huge gripped two buildings, staring down at a girl caught under debris.

It frightened people how Izuku charged straight through two robots to get where she was at a speed a body his size shouldn’t allow at that, picked up a large piece of debris that had trapped her and hurled it with a near inconceivable force at the robot, though only managing to hit it lightly in the head, distracting it.

“AAAY! Scrap heap! Leave em alone!” Izuku yelled at it, making it turn its attention to him with a loud creaking noise.

A few moments later a loud siren blared and the robot shut off and any left standing also fell over.

“Yah right! Ya ain’t hurtin’ small’uns when I’m here!” He barked at it one last time before turning to leave.

He let out a sigh, which sounded to others like he was growling. “Ya all okay?” Izuku looked around to see if he could help them.

When Katsuki’s results came, he refused to open them.

Instead he dragged his parents along to finally meet “Midoriya”, the other kid he had helped so much.

They’d meet in a park, Katsuki didn’t care who got to hear his results and if Izuku wouldn’t pass for some reason… well there would be way less stuff to break.

They were earlier than agreed but soon were met by a short, mousy and tired looking woman with long green hair.

“I-I’m sorry for asking but would you happen to be the Bakugo family?” She asked in a shaky tone.

“Yeah that’s us.” Katsuki answered before his parents could speak up “You’re Mrs. Midoriya right? Izuku speaks highly about you.”

She froze, straightening a bit, almost driven to tears near instantly.

Her son, despite his faults, despite her failings, still loved her.

“I-I’m sorry.” She whispered, “It’s...it’s just not easy living with him.” The woman explained weakly before smiling sadly,“We’re not well off, we barely make due with how...well how he is.”

“I get it.” Katsuki sighed, “Can’t be easy living with him. I’m sure that from here—”

“Don’t.” She cut him off.

“What?” Katsuki almost snarled.

“Don’t...Don’t give him hope.” She answered almost angrily, if that was a feeling she even allowed herself, “This whole hero society gave my son these dreams, dreams he can’t reach. I know. I’ve been there, he can barely even count without aid, what chance does he have to be a hero?”

Katsuki took a deep breath, forcing himself calm as his parents watched on.

They’d know him to explode in anger at anyone who so much as implied that Izuku couldn’t achieve his dream.

“No,” he growled, “ no you don’t know. I’ve been there. I was there. He saved my life! So he’s not the brightest guy in the universe,but so fucking what?! He’s already done more than most people would!”

She deflated a little. “It’s...it’s just. He doesn’t…”

“So he doesn’t get things. Alright fine. Pretty sure I know a lot of people who don’t get shit either.” He paused, looking over her as he noticed a large shadow near a tree raising an arm.

“Doesn’t mean you or anyone else gets to tell him what he can and can’t fucking do.” He growled as Izuku’s footsteps could be heard through the entire park.

“Sorry mum.” Izuku intoned quietly, which to him was normal speaking volume, putting his open hand on the table they had stood around.

A pure white cat, no older than a year, looked around meowed and walked off the table, taking a deliberate detour circling Izuku’s massive feet before leaving.

“Couldn’t leave it up there.” He admitted sheepishly, it was the first time Katsuki had seen the big guy genuinely embarrassed.

Masaru and Mitsuki blinked at the ‘kid’.

This was Izuku Midoriya? The boy that Katsuki had dedicated himself to helping?

He was the size of a wall! No wonder his mother was as rattled as she was. He was easily three metres tall and wider than any normal person should be. He could take the place of an entire bodyguard team all on his own.

“Ah,” he seemed to notice them before he asked, “Ya must be Kats’s, ma and da right?”

“Y-Yes.” They answered uneasily, “Nice to meet you.”

“Don’t shake their hands big guy, you’re just gonna break their arms.” Katsuki chimed in before Izuku could move to do so.

Izuku looked at him and nodded after a moment.

Inko blinked at the exchange. She had never seen her son just… listening and stopping when told not to do something.

She sighed, “We should get this over with,” she almost unceremoniously dropped the disk that U.A had sent them onto the table.

Katsuki frowned and put his own on the table too.

Instead of two holograms appearing it was just one, projected between them.

Standing there, big enough to make the entire park pay attention, was a hologram of All Might.

“Hah hah ha! Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Midoriya! I am here! And pleased to let you know that I was chosen to deliver this message to you!” All Might’s hologram exclaimed.

Katsuki barely glanced at Izuku, who was almost reverently focused on the hologram.

“Bakugo, young man!” the Hologram exclaimed “You scored excellently in the practical exam! Seventy villain points! This combined with your excellent written exam means you passed my boy! With flying colours even.”

Katsuki refused to breathe a sigh of relief, no matter how much he wanted to.

To him? That was just proof that his own hard work had paid off.

He wanted to see Izuku succeed.

“Midoriya, young man!” All Might’s hologram turned towards Izuku. How it knew how to do so they didn’t get.

“Your practical exam was exceptional!” He exclaimed, “You took care of villains more than anyone else did! Young Bakugou was second place to you! The margin was incredibly wide, you were a walking villain fighting machine young man!”

He sighed, shaking his head, “Your theoretical exam, however. Well my friend it was nothing to write home about I’m afraid.”

“You were just barely beneath the required score to pass...”

Katsuki stared, at Inko Midoriya, who seemed to almost deflate into herself to the point of exhaustion.

The poor woman had so much hope that her son could succeed at something.

However Izuku’s expression was so much worse.

It was one thing to have someone sad that they lost a chance. It was another to see him like this.

He looked like his whole world had fallen apart. This had meant everything to him.

Katsuki was almost sure that he would just stand there, until the day he died, waiting for a hill to grow over him.

“ HOWEVER!”

All Might’s booming voice interrupted any other thoughts in the area, making most of them jump.

“You have shown yourself willing to put yourself in the line to protect the well-being of others more than once.”

A video played of Izuku saving Katsuki from the Sludge Villain, another of him drawing the attention of the giant robot at the Entrance Exam.

“As such it was decided that you will join the U.A Hero Course.” All Might smiled in a way that seemed even brighter than anything that Katsuki had seen.

“Not just because I and the other teachers think you deserve the chance, but because many in your Exam area requested you be given a fair chance. They seemed to be of the opinion that you would not get fair treatment otherwise and they could not stand such a thing.”

All Might smiled, “You inspired a lot of people to do the right thing, young man! Be proud, from here on out? It is your Hero Academia!”

To say that Izuku was near inconsolable was an understatement.

Katsuki had never seen him so happy yet crying so much before.

“We...We ... .Wee did it Kats! We made it!”

It was about as much as anyone could get out of him for more than an hour of tears, tears that formed small rivers, that some ducks decided to swim in.

Inko Midoriya meanwhile stood there, dumbfounded, before almost folding in on herself in tears as well.

She hadn’t believed in her son, her child, her baby.

She thought of the many problems they’d had over the years and so much seemed so petty now.

She found herself in a hug from Mitsuki a few seconds later.

“Now, now. No tears. Look at your son.” Mitsuki motioned to Izuku and Katsuki who were both crying laughing so hard that a small lake seemed to form beneath them. “Okay, well, some tears are in order. But the point is, he’s got a chance now. A chance for the dream you and he have been working for so long.”

Inko paused, she couldn’t remember a time when she actually felt glad for something.

But this was the first time she did.

She wouldn’t ruin that now.

“So what’s the deal?” Mitsuki asked finally as she walked home with Inko, Masaru had opted to take the boys for a walk.

“I-It’s…”

“Don’t say it’s nothing.” She grumbled, “We all see there’s something going on. Why…”

“...do I seem to resent my own son?” she finished the unasked question.

“Yes.”

Inko sighed, “It’s not that I don’t love him. I really do. But,” she took a deep breath, “he is just… nearly impossible to manage.”

She continued despite herself, “He eats for five people at least, ten easily. He breaks things regularly, despite his best attempts not to. I’ve long stopped having the floorboards fixed. He’s… Well you’ve seen him. He’s not fast on the uptake. I think I owe your son more than any teacher he ever had.”

She rubbed her eyes, “I love my son, don’t even dare imply otherwise,” she growled, “but there’s only so much I can do. I barely have time for myself, barely have time to be there for him either. My husband works overseas and… and what am I supposed to do? I only have as much time in a day as anyone else.”

She shook her head, “If U.A falls through for some reason? If he can’t get a job as a hero? What then? I can barely take care of him now, let alone in a few years. I.... I’m just lost. I didn’t even know your son was that close with him.”

Mitsuki affectionately petted her on the head “It’s okay. If it comes to that, we'll help you make it work.”

Inko growled “I don’t want your char—”

“It’s not charity.” Mitsuki cut her off, “I know my son, without yours? He’d be a very different man now. He sees him as the brother he never got to have. He sees him as a role model, almost.” She allowed for some leeway.

“My point is, you’re family. If we can help you? We will.” She smiled.

“T-Thank you.” Inko conceded tiredly.

When class 1-A filed into their classroom, they all paused.

In the far back of the room was a table nearly three times the size of the rest.

The class poured in one by one, wondering just who that desk belonged to.

Then they felt footsteps, actually felt them through the floor.

Then a voice, like it could belong to a giant monstrosity, spoke up as the massive doors opened effortlessly.

“Firs’ time a door’s me size.”

Walking into the room, more like trudging like a giant wave of lava, was a...guy(?) that they presumed to be their age.

He was tall enough to tower over everyone present, even Shoji felt humbled and he felt he was big compared to many people his age.

Izuku Midoriya stood at nearly three metres tall, he was frighteningly broad shouldered too. His arms reminded them of felled trees, his hair, what little of it they could see, invoked images of a very short green shrub.

You would have been forgiven for thinking he was an adult, though his face at least seemed a bit too youthful for him to be.

"Holy shit he's huge!" Minoru Mineta screeched so loudly the windows shook.

"Thanks Gnome Chompski," Katsuki picked his ear, "for the free tinnitus and for stating the fucking obvious!"

Katsuki waved his hands slightly, “Alright, alright. Gawk it up ya shits, the novelty of his height wears off after a while.”

“Excuse you?--” Momo Yaoyorozu began, having dragged her eyes away from Midoriya.

“No thanks, I need no excuse. You treat my best friend like a zoo animal. I treat you like a gawking tourist.” Katsuki snarled at her, “We all got quirks, stop acting like his is any weirder than yours, princess.”

Izuku, with the amount of care someone his size could muster, casually patted Katsuki on the shoulder, which had the same impact of a professional football player doing the same at full force.

“Nah need to be loud.” He smiled, “Caterpillar’s still asleep,” he stated before walking past Katsuki, paying no mind to the stares as everyone looked at what he was talking about.

Sure enough there was an orange ‘caterpillar’ which as Midoriya walked to his desk, righted itself up.

Shouta Aizawa stared at the massive brute of a student he had gotten, he couldn’t help but be a bit impressed, few, if any, students ever noticed him at all before he spoke up.

“Alright you lot, settle down.” He growled as he got to his feet. “Ten seconds. Not bad but not good enough.”

He paused as he could see Midoriya tilt his head, staring at him like he was going to attack him.

“...is there an issue, Midoriya?” Aizawa almost growled, “I know Nedzu thinks you earned your spot through ‘sheer born on tenacity’, whatever that means, but I have no patience for…”

“Eraserhead. Underground.” Midoriya exclaimed before suddenly slamming his fist on his desk, a massive excited grin on his face.

Everyone blinked except Katsuki.

“Uh what?” Denki Kaminari asked.

Katsuki rolled his eyes “Pay attention. He’s saying our homeroom teacher is Eraserhead. You know? One of the Underground heroes?”

“Not to be rude man but you got that out of two words and a fist slam that rattled my teeth.” Eijiro Kirishima spoke up. “How was anyone else supposed to get that?”

Before Katsuki could bring an indignant response Aizawa smirked, “By knowing who he’s working with. I admit, I’m impressed.” He looked at Katsuki, “I suppose you two are friends?”

“Have been since we were four.” Katsuki smiled.

Aizawa shook his head lightly, “Get up, all of you and get to the P.E fields in ten minutes. We’ll be doing orientation later.”

With that he walked off, only for Izuku to get up from his chair almost immediately to follow him, shaking the ground as he walked.

“I-Is he always like that?” Kyoka Jirou asked, slightly shaking, her quirk made her feel the waves Izuku created even more than the rest.

“Only when he’s excited and has a job to do.” Katsuki got up, “Just to give you all a heads up: His biggest dream is becoming a hero and he wants to be the next All Might. So get used to that happening a lot.”

With that he followed after Izuku and Aizawa, leaving the rest to catch up.

Katsuki had never seen Izuku so excited to be wearing gym clothes.

Mostly because Aldera had none his size so his mom had to spend a lot of money on his old ones.

“Alright.” Aizawa growled before throwing a ball at Izuku’s chest, where it ~thunked~ slightly before landing in his hand. “Midoriya. You’ve scored the most points in the practical exam. Remember your old P.E tests?”

Izuku looked at the ball, tilted his head. “Yah.” He exclaimed, smiling brightly.

“Then show us how far you can throw th--” Aizawa barely stopped talking before with a loud ~boom~ sound the entire field shook as Izuku had hurled the ball faaaar into the distance.

Katsuki snorted as the wind piped down. “He meant you to do that inside that ring, big guy.”

Katsuki pointed at the, now partially covered by dirt, ring on the ground.

Aizawa wanted to yell at Midoriya before noticing the electronic scoreboard.

He had expected a kilometre, maybe a mile, but not that the damn thing was still going even a long while later.

He eventually tapped the display as it stopped counting “I think this shows you all something important: Don’t. Underestimate. Anyone.”

He was fairly sure that none of the others could get even close to the range Midoriya had thrown that ball.

“Midoriya. Stand over here.” He pointed next to himself a few feet away, “You can wait while the others do this thing too.”

Katsuki raised an eyebrow, a teacher who actually learned how Izuku worked? That was new. It was nice, if a bit unfamiliar.

The tests went as Aizawa expected, mostly.

Midoriya was frightening in so many aspects.

Any strength related test was almost impossible to gauge accurately, the kid broke a grip tester without even noticing!

He had thought that Midoriya wouldn’t be fast either but after Bakugo had very emphatically told him to show Midoriya where to stop at (“If you don’t he’ll keep going until he hears you yell stop. Unless you have a megaphone hidden somewhere in your outfit, that’s not gonna happen,”) he was glad to have listened.

He mulled it over, the rest of the class was easy to gauge but Midoriya was a bit of a weird one.

He excelled in things strength related but was awful in anything that required any amount of dexterity, he also felt the kid just had no survival instincts, whatsoever.

“Hmph.” He grumbled, tallying up the results, “You all passed. Get back to the changing rooms. Your day is over.”

With that he left. He had wanted to do the whole ‘I’ll expel you for not taking this seriously’ spiel but it would have fallen flat when everyone wanted to prove that the giant who could barely string a sentence together wasn’t going to outclass them in anything.

He honestly felt a bit of pity towards Midoriya. The kid honestly had more commitment to heroism than most full pro-heroes he’d seen.

It wouldn’t save him from his exams or his scornful peers, but it was an admirable trait anyway.

Shouto Todoroki paused slightly while walking into the changing rooms.

He was mostly glad to have that whole mess over with. If only because it felt almost offensive to have to pit his prowess against a giant oaf.

His pause was just long enough for said big, lumbering, waste of brain matter to shove him aside.

“Gah! Hey watch where you’re going you oaf!” Shouto lost his temper a little, he had to admit that even having to exist in the same classroom as Midoriya made him sick.

Heroism wasn’t a charity.

The big idiot stopped and looked at him, a displeased look on his face, a sad look? No.

That couldn’t be.

“Oh. Sorray. Didn’t mean it.” Midoriya intoned with the kind of obnoxiously loud and deep voice he had all the way since they first were introduced to him.

“Tch. Just stay out of my way.” Shouto growled and left for his locker.

Katsuki lightly tapped Izuku’s arm, “Don’t mind him, big’un.” He laughed, “Guy’s just mad you’re better than he thought.”

Izuku paused, shrugged and went about his way.

“S-Sorry. Ahm. Midoriya?”

Izuku paused slightly, looking about, before turning around and noticing a somewhat short-ish girl with long black-ish hair and frog features. Not that Izuku parsed that she looked like a frog.

“Ah. Can help ya?” he asked, genuinely curious what she wanted.

“I wanted to thank you.” She eventually started. “You saved me during the Entrance Exam.”

Izuku looked down at her, scratching his head “Ah did? Sorray. Don’t recall. Just did tha right thing.”

He smiled, “’s alright. It’s me job! Big’uns like me(?)” He very carefully petted her head, “We’s there to look after smal’uns like ya.”

Tsuyu tilted her head, had he been anyone else she would have thought that was a condescending thing to say, but she realised it couldn’t be condescending because she was very sure he didn’t even know what being condescending meant.

“I’m Tsuyu Asui by the way.” She eventually said, affectionately patting his hand, “Call me Tsu, though.”

He paused, mulled over what she had just said before he guffawed lightly, “Tsu. Ah like it!”

When All Might first showed up as a teacher, Katsuki thought that Izuku would explode.

No. Not figuratively but literally.

He had known the big man since they could both remember and he had rarely seen him this excited.

Getting All Might’s autograph had been Izuku’s highlight of the decade but having All Might as a teacher?

He could tell it took everything Izuku had to not start wrecking their classroom in a cheerful dance.

“Ahahahaahahahah! HahahahahAHAHAH!”

Never mind.

Katsuki had been wrong. It wasn’t having All Might as his teacher that made Izuku explode like a firework.

It was Izuku getting his own Hero Costume that would.

Well.

Costume was a bit of a stretch. Calling it armour was… generous.

It was more like green tank plating, bolted into a vest and pants with boots that had cut-off tank treads for soles as well as ramshackle looking gauntlets.

And yet.

And yet Katsuki couldn’t help but grin, genuinely.

Because for the first time he felt like Izuku was living the life he had always talked about having.

Then Izuku picked something up out of a box.

“I-Is that a cannon?” Momo eventually asked.

“Yah.” Izuku smiled, “Yah made it.,” he stated simply.

“I di-- what?”

Katsuki rolled his eyes, “You did, princess. It’s the cannon you made in the assessment test. Though I think they made it a hand cannon.” He shrugged, “If anyone could use it as a gun it would be him.”

Izuku paused, weighing the gun in his hands. The Support Item people had given it a handle and removed the wheels but something wasn’t right.

“Hm.” Suddenly Izuku grabbed Momo off of her feet with one hand, taking care to not hurt her.

“Ghayy! Let me down, you brute!” Momo shrieked slightly.

“Hm. Cannon’s heavier.” He mused aloud before putting her back down.

“Of c--” she almost shrieked again before regaining her composure, “Of course it is! It’s made of metal!”

“Then how you make it?” He asked, genuinely confused.

Momo paused and almost on instinct wanted to yell at him.

Then she thought about it “I… what? My quirk uses my fat cells.”

“Nah. Can’t be,” he smiled, “ya ain’t dead.”

He walked off, genuinely preparing for the start of the exercise.

Momo blinked for a while, trying to parse what the hell just happened.

Kyoka Jirou didn’t know how to process Izuku Midoriya.

Mostly because his very foot falls made her cringe a bit.

As did anything short of his… well really anything about him made her cringe.

He was an Anathema to her existence by simply being big, loud and not very articulate.

So why was she put into the same team as him?

“Ay.”

Really what did she do to deser--

“AY”

She sighed before grumbling out, “What do you want?”

“Ya hear people.” He said, oddly focused on the building they were in front of.

“Yesss,” she hissed a bit impatiently. She was almost hoping to fail.

“Tell me where to shoot.” He answered, looking at his giant cannon of a weapon.

“W-What? N-No that’s not…”

“All Might says, ‘stop bads’.” Izuku ground out, a grin forming on his face. “Am stoppin’ bads.”

Eijiro Kirishima had decided to take his assignment of playing the villain very seriously.

After all All Might himself had entrusted him with thi--

“Ow.”

He groaned. “What happened?”

Katsuki laughed, “Midoriya slapped you. A lot. It was like watching a Bud Spencer movie in fast forward.”

Eijiro shook his head as he got up, he felt like he had been in a tumble dryer at full speed, “I have no idea who that is.”

“Big guy who eats a lot of food and slaps goons in very old movies.” Katsuki shrugged, “Honestly? You got it easy, they had to dig Sato out of the wall because he found out what the business end of Midoriya’s support items felt like.”

Sato cricked his neck slightly as he walked up to them, a gigantic red spot on his midsection. “Man, Midoriya’s scary to fight. I haven’t gotten hit that hard since that guy in the gym was causing a ruckus.”

“Oh that’s nothing, you should see him when he’s trying to hurt you.” Katsuki smiled amused.

“Guh, how long was I out?” Eijiro groaned.

“Long enough for all the other fights to end dude.” Denki laughed, “Midoriya actually gave Jirou the MVP in the match.”

“Tch.” Shouto Todoroki seemed unimpressed, drawing their attention.

"So the big oaf knows how to nearly beat people to death." Shouto almost sneered a bit, "So he's about as capable as the bottom of society, are we supposed to be impressed with that? What's next?--"

He was cut off by Midoriya walking past him, having only heard the last part.

"Lunch." He stated jovially.

There was a pause from the other boys before Katsuki burst out laughing.

“Yeah that’s the big man alright.” He shook his head, crossing his arms behind his back. “Piece of free advice Ice Cream head.” He started as he trotted past Shouto.

“I’ve been around Midoriya since we were both four years old. Aside from being a friendly guy he’s also patient, but even someone that kind has a limit. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stop before you reach it.”

With that he followed Izuku back to the changing room, only to see him lift Mineta off the ground easily. Apparently Mineta had found a peep hole and Izuku found that objectionable.

“Smal’un,” he could hear Izuku say in a dark tone he had only heard once before from him, “Is unkind to stare at girls. Heroes are not supposed to be unkind.”

He didn’t hear what Mineta said but saw Izuku put him down on the ground again before nodding and starting to get changed.

Katsuki blinked, he hadn’t seen Izuku talk to someone sternly before.

Usually Izuku seemed to be a bit too oblivious to be genuinely disappointed in someone.

Surprisingly, despite Izuku’s massive size, Katsuki could tell this was the first time the big guy seemed to actually enjoy being in a cafeteria.

He knew Izuku hated ‘small’ spaces and only dealt with them because he had to.

"Am hungry." Izuku grumbled, though really any tone of voice for him was 'grumbling', it was hard not to be.

"You're always hungry." Katsuki shook his head.

"Nah. Tibbers meat challenger. Real good. Wasn't hungry after." Izuku answered, leaving Katsuki no counter.

"....Isn't that meant to feed fifteen people?" Sato asked at the side, a slight bit in awe, he remembered just how much food had been in that challenge.

"Is. Didn't care. Was good." Izuku smiled happily as if remembering a birthday party.

Lunch Rush paused as he processed Izuku saying that. "One moment, I may have to get a colleague of mine to prepare your lunch. Not all of yours, just his." He added to the others before turning and yelling into the back of the kitchen.

"Mannekenpix! You got a new challenger!"

Said chef was rotund, with a blond bushy moustache and apparently was from Sweden. He looked Izuku up and down for a minute before smiling.

None of the people present understood what he was saying, safe for Lunch Rush, but went to work immediately.

“Get yourself a seat kid, you will not be going hungry here.” Lunch Rush smiled.

“Well I have good news for all of us.” Nedzu exclaimed, tittering in amusement, “It appears that our specialty chef has decided to give it a few more years before retiring after all.”

There were sighs of relief around the teachers conference room, with the exception of Yagi who was more confused than anything. “Am I missing something here?”

“Our specialty cook, Mannekempix.” Kan explained, “He’s been busy making food for the students with special dietary habits since the school was founded.”

“The main reason he’s so important to us is that some of the students have very specific requirements. Ashido Mina of 1-A comes to mind, her acid quirk makes acidic foods an almost necessity for her to perform optimally.” Nedzu gave an example.

“However he’s been rather… dissatisfied of late, let’s say. You see, he used to create feasts that could serve hundreds if not thousands of people and sees creating giant amounts of food as a badge of honour. Unfortunately, most people lack his enthusiasm for immense quantities of food. Until today, I may add.” Nedzu concluded.

Aizawa sighed, “I suppose I know who is to thank for that. Midoriya Izuku, also of 1-A. Considering his mass it’s a surprise he hasn’t eaten his family into poverty” He grumbled a little.

The slight outrage from most of the others was only tempered by Nedzu agreeing. “Unfortunately I have to side with Aizawa on this. Having both seen the boy and met his mother, it’s safe to say he by rights almost did eat his family out of house and home.”

Feeling the need to elaborate he continued, “I decided upon the decision that the boy had passed that I had to meet his mother. I expected someone on All Might’s level in size perhaps, or someone similarly massive. Imagine my surprise to instead meet someone more my height. The poor woman appeared quite exhausted.”

He sighed, “It appears to me that she sees U.A as the last and only chance her son has to have a proper future. Which considering his grades, physical and mental abilities I sadly have to concur with.”

Yagi spoke up, “I only briefly interacted with the boy once but he seemed rather jovial, if a bit… dim.”

Aizawa sighed, “I’ll have to disagree there.”

They blinked collectively at that statement.

Aizawa elaborated: “Midoriya is simple minded, yes. But not ‘dim’. Both my own observations and his interactions with others speak volumes of that. He knew my Underground Hero name, something very few people are privy to. He also appears to have a knack for combat related topics, if the recordings from All Might’s ‘Battle Trial’ were anything to go by.”

Aizawa rubbed his eyes, “He’s loud, strong enough to punch people through reinforced concrete like its tissue paper, has the dexterity of a hippo and, as far as I can tell, has enough articulation issues that it’s no wonder he struggled in average schooling environment.” he looked over at Nedzu, “If I may be so bold: If the boy for some reason fails U.A, which I shall doubt on accounts of his drive to be here, offer him a job as a guard.”

Nedzu blinked for a while, “You, advocating for a student? That was not on my apocalypse bingo-card.”

Aizawa grunted, “I’m thinking realistically. The kid obviously idolises All Might to a quite frankly insane degree. In any other case I’d say ‘well if he fails he’ll get over it’ but with him?” He shook his head, “That boy follows his dream to be a hero because it’s the only thing he has. If nothing else is offered to him, there is no telling what he would do.”

Yagi shook his head, “I doubt it would be that bad.” He raised his hand lightly, “Midoriya seems to be focused on heroics yes but saying that if he didn’t complete U.A he could—”

“Have you spoken to Bakugo Katsuki perchance?” Aizawa cut him off, though his voice was oddly calm instead of the vitriol Yagi had expected, it wasn’t a secret they didn’t get along much.

“Briefly, but not enough to get much insight.” Not a lie, Yagi decided, All Might had spoken to Katsuki very briefly, while the kid was busy trying to play translator for his friend.

“Well you should.” Aizawa stated simply, “With the exception of Bakugo, Midoriya had no friends in school, without his tutoring he wouldn’t have graduated, let alone gotten to the Entrance Exam. The only reason any of that even happened is because they both idolise All Might. Not for Midoriya’s lack of trying, apparently he really wanted to have friends but none of the kids could stand him for long.”

Yagi paused, blinking a bit, “Did Bakugo mention a reason he stuck by him?”

Aizawa shrugged, “I did not bother to ask that. The point is that as far Bakugo explained it, the one focus that kept Midoriya going and keeps him going is the possibility that he could one day ‘be like All Might’. He has no other goals, no other dreams, no hobbies, nothing. His entire life is centred around this single goal.”

Ryo Inui snorted, “That’s the most unhealthy mindset I’ve ever heard. Even the most dedicated heroes out there have something they care for, people, pets, plants! ” He exclaimed loudly.

Aizawa shrugged, “If you think you could convince him to take therapy, be my guest. From the sounds of it, he sees nothing wrong with living like he does.”

Nedzu tilted his head slightly, “Are the plans for the USJ trip going ahead as planned?”

Aizawa nodded after a moment, “Yes. That plan remains, despite my better judgement.”

On the bus to the USJ, everyone was a little nervous.

Not because they were all asked to come in their hero costumes, or the fact that it was another lesson with All Might again.

No it was more so that Midoriya had in short order dented the bus by just sitting down in it and was currently fidgeting, making odd motions with his fingers.

“Ah. I believe I understand now.” Tenya exclaimed after a short while, drawing the attention of those worried, “Midoriya is claustrophobic, it’s a common problem for those with larger bodies like his. The movements are a focus aid, giving him something to do instead of being uneasy.”

Katsuki paused, he was all ready to blow up at them for staring at his friend like that but calmed himself “Yeah.” He eventually breathed, leaning back slightly.

“I think U.A has been the first place where hasn’t been doing that in every hallway.”

He had hoped that he had grumbled it quietly enough for no one to hear it but most of the class caught it.

It was, in a strange way, an eye opener.

Most of the time, Midoriya was almost a little bit alien.

A little too naively happy.

But he had fears too, just like they did.

Izuku looked around a little confused, he was sure it was supposed to be bright in the dome. “Why’d go dark? Part of test?”

There was a pause as Katsuki turned around, noticing a black, misty, portal open up. A man made out of black mist, dressed like a bartender, or perhaps a butler, had appeared.

“Don’t think that’s part of a test big man. Get ready for a fight.”

Despite the oppressive atmosphere, class 1-A seemed calmer than they wanted to admit.

After all, someone the size of All Might was on their side. There were few who could say the same.

That feeling shifted slightly as a guy covered in hands walked out of the portal, followed by a monstrosity ever so slightly bigger than Midoriya was.

It could at best be described as a hairless giant gorilla with smooth black skin, an exposed brain, exposed eyes and a weird jaw that somehow made them think of a duck.

“Damn it. Villains?!” Eijiro growled.

There was a loud ~KURCLUNK~

Aizawa sneered lightly, “Kids. You sta—”

He was cut off by a thunderous ~BOOM~ as Midoriya’s gun fired and hit the big humanoid abomination in the head, making it topple over as its head was ripped off by the sheer force of impact.

“Let’s deal with the bads! Plus Ultraaaaaahhhhh!”

It was at this moment that class 1-A realised that it was a very good thing that Midoriya was on their side.

As he charged, a hole opened up beneath his feet but he merely hurtled over it, despite his size, before hitting the portal-generating guy with the back of his gun like he was swinging a club, sending them flying.

He stopped ever so slightly in front of the guy with the hands covering his body before trying to smash downwards with the gun.

The gun disintegrated with the touch of the hand-covered man's… hands. “Did you actually think tha—”

He didn’t get further before Midoriya punched him in the stomach so hard he lifted off the ground and was hurled into the air, landing several feet away, unconscious. “Nah. Dun nead tha’ think. Ah know bads when I see ‘em.”

There was a pause as the power came back on.

A few hours later, 1-A’s USJ visit had ended without further incident. Though Aizawa insisted that Midoriya had that ammo removed from his arsenal.

“...why the hell did that kid get anti-tank rounds as ammo for his gun?”

“Well we had to give him some kind of ammo or else he wouldn’t have had any.”

Aizawa sighed. It would be a long few years with Midoriya.