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Maijima sensei had sent Izuku on a mission once he'd laid eyes on Izuku's sketchbook. Surprisingly Izuku hadn't gotten in trouble for sneaking into the USJ to check out the hero course’s class 1-A, with every intention to do the same with 1-B. Only because Izuku took the time during the break-in to sketch useful items and changes for class 1-A to improve their hero costumes, also found a way to contact the school about the attack using some of the equipment he’d found.
Nobody even found Izuku in the security room with all of the cameras. And apparently that meant that Izuku just got a strict talking to. Not expelled or suspended or even a detention. Just a simple “ If you want to do that just ask next time.”
UA really is a different school than any Izuku has gone to.
Izuku was heading to 1-A now, they’re in one of the gyms today. Izuku was going to meet with each student individually, along with Aizawa Sensei, and go over what they can improve with their costumes.
Izuku is so excited. He’s going to get to spend the afternoon talking about hero costumes! There is just one little thing that is giving Izuku some grief, and causing him to not be as excited as he wanted to be.
He’s a little dizzy. His latest foster family had food punishments, and Izuku had been punished for the last week, not allowed to eat. Izuku had secret stashes for stuff like this. But the granola bar he snacked on three hours ago had given him a little energy, but not as much as he wished it had. Izuku’s stashes were only so big, and he didn’t want to eat the whole stash, because this would happen again. It always did. That’s why he had the stashes in the first place. It's just that he’s never gone this long without food before. This punishment only seems to be lasting longer and longer. Izuku didn't want to run out of his stashes, so he was taking it day by day.
Maybe he could ask Mei for some of her bento later…
Izuku pushed all of that aside. Right now Izuku pushes open the gym door and is yet again amazed by the size of UA.
The gym is massive.
“Midoriya, I presume?” Aizawa Sensei asks. He’s leaning against the wall next to the door, he makes Izuku jump.
Izuku turns to the dark haired man who looked about as tired as Izuku felt. The movement made Izuku's head spin a little. He shakes it off. “Yes, sir. That's me.”
Aizawa’s eyes watch Izuku for a long moment. “You alright, kid?”
Izuku blinks. “Yes sir.” The teacher watches Izuku for a moment longer before nodding.
“Okay, who first?”
“Whoever, I’m not picky.” Izuku says. Aizawa nods, motioning for Izuku to follow him. Izuku quickly steps to do so, but he doesn't make it very far.
Izuku’s vision whites out, he hears Kacchan he thinks. Then next thing Izuku knows he’s opening his eyes, he doesn't remember closing them, and he finds Kacchan leaning over him.
Izuku smiles. “Hi, Kacchan.”
Kacchan huffs. “I swear to fucking god, Zuku, you’re going to kill me one of these days. You’re lucky I was on my way to come see you, you damn nerd, or you would’ve face planted. And I would have laughed.”
Izuku frowns. “It’s not nice to laugh when people get hurt, Kacchan.”
Kacchan huffs.
“Can you sit up kid?” Izuku blinks, seeing the other face above him.
“Sorry, Aizawa Sensei.” Izuku mumbles. Izuku pulls himself up onto his elbows, and can’t get any further due to his head swimming.
“Dammit, Deku.” Kacchan says. “The fuck is the last time you ate?”
“I’m fine, Kacchan.”
Kacchan scoffs. “Uh huh, sure, now sit up.”
Izuku makes a face. “Don’t wanna.”
“Lair.” Aizawa hands Izuku a bottle of water. Izuku takes it gratefully, taking a sip.
“Thanks.”
“Sure, kid.” Aizawa has his phone out, Izuku hopes he’s not getting Recovery Girl.
“I really am fine now.”
“Fuck you.” Kacchan says. Aizawa sends him a look but doesn’t reprimand him. “I know this isn't just you forgetting to eat, you’ve been out of it all week. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Kacchan, I’m fine.” Izuku takes another drink. Aizawa reaches into one of his pouches, he pulls out a squeeze jelly pouch, handing it to Izuku. This time Izuku manages to sit up fully, and opens the squeeze jelly pouch. It’s free food, Izuku can’t say no.
“Midoriya,” Aizawa says as he puts his phone away. “When was the last time you ate?”
“I had a granola bar a few hours ago.” Kacchan scoffs.
Aizawa sends the blonde another look. “Bakugou, let me handle this,” Aizawa sighs deeply, turning back to Izuku. “When was the last time you had a meal, Midoriya?”
Izuku slowly sips from the squeeze pouch, knowing not to go too fast. He also avoids eye contact. “This is not relevant, because I’m fine.”
“Midoriya, you just fainted. That is not fine. Please answer my question.”
Izuku frowns, looking up at Aizawa. “You're a mandated reporter. Which means if I answer your question, you’ll have to report it. If I don’t answer your question, there’s nothing for you to report.”
“Come on, Deku.” Kacchan mumbles. “That’s bullshit.”
“Is not.”
“Why don’t you want me to report it, Midoriya?” Aizawa’s eyebrows are pinched. Izuku can’t tell if he’s upset or confused.
Izuku watches Aizawa for a moment. “This is the best foster home I’ve been in. I’ve got a bed, they don’t hit me, they don’t care that I’m quirkless. If you report them, then I'll be sent to another foster home, and who the hell knows what kind of things will happen to me there. This is my best chance. I… I can’t let you ruin that for me.” Izuku finishes.
“Best chance or not kid, if you are being abused, that’s not okay.”
Izuku sighs, finishing the rest of the squeeze pouch and his water. “It’s better than being beaten every other night, or being locked in rooms with bars on the windows.” Izuku shakes his head. “I’m fine.”
“Stop using that word, you clearly don’t know what the fuck it means.” Kacchan says.
“Midoriya, you know that huge stack of papers we sent home at the beginning of the year that your foster parents had to sign?” Aizawa asks.
Izuku frowns. “Sure.”
“One of the clauses in those papers states that if child abuse is found to be happening, the child will become a ward of UA.”
Izuku raises an eyebrow. “So what? I’ll stay here until you find me a placement? I still don’t see how that’s any better.”
“No, Midoriya, you just stay here.”
Izuku stares at the dark haired man. “I don’t understand.”
“If you tell me what happened, I’ll report it, then an investigation will start. You’ll stay here at UA while we’re investigating. We, the teachers, will become your guardians. If the investigation comes back that there was no wrongdoing you’d be returned to your guardians. But since I assume this case won’t, you’d stay here until you either turn eighteen or graduate, whichever comes first. Then you’d have a support system, we won’t just toss you out, we’ll help you with future plans and such. But that’s still a few years down the road.”
“No shit?” Kacchan asks.
Aizawa sighs. “Yes, Bakugou. I’ve checked, all of Midoriya’s papers were returned, all signed. Which means if you tell me what happened I can open an investigation.”
Izuku just stares for a long moment. He’s not sure how to process all of this. “I forgot to clean the bathroom before they got home from work. It was my turn last week. I got punished with no food. I haven’t had a meal since Thursday at lunch.”
“Fuck, Izuku, that was a week ago.”
“Sorry, Kacchan.” Izuku looks at Aizawa. “I’ve got secret stashes of food. Hidden compartment in my backpack, one under a floorboard in my room, some in my desk, my locker… I’ve been snacking, but I didn’t want to waste it, the stashes are hard enough to keep stocked, if I wiped it out-”
“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Midoriya. I understand, kid. You did what you needed to.”
That’s what triggered the tears to start. Izuku starts sobbing.
“Dammit, Deku.” Kacchan says, then promptly wraps his arms around Izuku. Izuku buries his face into his best friend's chest and just starts bawling.
“Are there any other kids in the home, Midoriya?”
Izuku nods. He takes a deep breath and pulls away from Kacchan wiping away his tears. “Yeah, two older and two younger. They have the food punishments too, but not right now. Right now it’s just me.”
Aizawa nods. “I’m going to inform Nedzu what’s going on, Maijima too.” Aizawa says softly. “You’re okay now kid.”
“Can I still go over your class’s costumes?”
Kacchan laughs. “Alway a fucking nerd.”
Aizawa sighs. “How about we do next week instead? Bakugou, could you take Midoriya to Recovery Girl?”
“Got it.” Kacchan says, helping Izuku to his feet. Izuku was pouting. “Oh, knock it off. You’ll get to do it next week. Maybe I’ll bring Shitty Hair around and you can tell him all about your ideas for his costume.”
Izuku smiles at Kacchan. “Awe, Kacchan you’re so nice.”
“Fuck you! I’m not nice!”
Izuku giggles and lets Kacchan drag him to Recovery Girl’s office. He was sad that he didn’t get to go over costumes, but now he’d be able to concentrate on costumes with a full belly, he really couldn’t complain.