Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It didn't take long for Izuku to notice.

It was just like the days when his classmates at Aldera would blame him for property damage they did. Well, not quite like those days. They snickered and laughed at his fate, knowing the teachers would agree and side with them, over the useless, Quirkless Deku. Now his classmates looked at him in fear and uncertainty. They were nervous when he muttered, they used to not mind. They also seemed reluctant to use their Quirks around him and didn't like it when he took notes on their Quirks. He noticed all of this. He saw the suspicious looks the teachers sent him.

They weren't subtle. 

x

He wasn't surprised when he was taken into the police station.

It wasn't his first rodeo, not his first time being arrested and taken into custody. Thank Kami his mother was well-versed in law and due to his Quirklessness, all records were always expunged and he avoided any consequences because if one actually looked at the situation… he could never be blamed.

Not according to the law books. He was invisible to the law. Invisible to authority. While that no longer quite applied, his mother hadn't agreed to this, hadn't known, and nor did he have legal representation. What they were doing was illegal. And they were recording it. Izuku would get his mother to sue the absolute living hell out of U.A. and the local police precinct. He hadn't bothered when it came to Aldera, but both his mother and he had kept careful record of each time false accusations were thrown at him. 

x

So, he sat behind the table, hands cuffed in front of him, with a cool look on his face. A police officer came in, screamed accusations in his face, and Izuku just sat back and watched.

Police officers didn't intimidate him. Not after Shigaraki, the Nomu, Stain or All for One.

He caught Eraserhead’s eye through the one way window. The man was frowning. Whether that was at Izuku’s non-reaction to this or to the police officer’s accusations, Izuku didn't know.

Well, he had his suspicions. He would bet his teacher was more bothered by his non-reaction than the accusations the officer was shouting at him. Typical. He had kind of expected different from Eraserhead, but oh well.

He glanced at his watch. Had it been two hours already? This bored him. So Izuku stood up and stared the officer straight in the eye, “Well, I'm about done with this. I am not the U.A. traitor you are looking for. I sold none of the information I have gathered to anyone. I have broken no laws and been in no unrecorded or unknown contact with any villains.” The police officer started shouting at him again, but Izuku was done. He supposed it couldn't have lasted.

Green lightning crackled around his form and he coolly broke the shackles, “Honestly, I expected better of you. I participated in the Sports Festival, which was publicized, and you didn't even put me in Quirk-Suppressant cuffs. How negligent of you.” The officer went red in the face. Izuku stood up and prepared to exit the room. 

The officer grabbed his arm and Izuku frowned at him, still calm, “You can't stop me from leaving.”

The officer growled, “Like hell I can't.”

Izuku sighed, “Very well. You asked for it.” He twisted out of the officer’s grip and pinned the man's arm behind him. Izuku shook his head, spun around and pushed the man into the table. “Tch.” The door opened. In stepped someone Izuku didn't recognize. 

“I'm Detective Tsukauchi. I apologize that you've been taken like this. I arrived to hear your last statements. They're all true. You are not the U.A. traitor.”

Izuku sighed and rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling, “Yeah, not the first time I've been falsely accused. I'm not. Not sure why you felt the need to confirm that to me, when I already knew that as the truth.”

Tsukauchi dipped his head, “That's true. You are free to go.” Izuku snorted and walked out, swiping up his missing notebook as he did so. He gave the police officer and Detective Tsukauchi a lazy salute.

“See ya never, I hope.” He glanced at Eraserhead as he left, “Aizawa. I'm disappointed you had so little faith in me after everything I've done for my classmates. Don't expect to see me in your class again.”

Eraserhead reached out to Izuku, his face twisted in regret.

“Midoriya… I'm sorry. Your notebook and the code was just too suspicious. The information inside is dangerous, I ask that you understand. Please, you're one of my best students. You don't have to leave U.A.” Izuku continued walking, ignoring the man's hand, along with how his former teacher trailed him. 

“Apologies mean nothing, when you could have simply asked. As you said, the information is dangerous and as such, is in code. There is nothing to understand. And you're correct. I don't have to do anything, I'm choosing to do this. Why stay somewhere where I am constantly suspected and scrutinized for something I have not done? I don't think I will. Goodbye Aizawa-san.” Izuku walked out of the building and ran, sprinted back to the dorm building, by the power of One for All.

He walked into the dorms and it fell silent. Izuku glanced around, all of his classmates were downstairs for once. They stared at him. Izuku sneered at them, “It's good to know where I stand with all of you. Good to know that I'm not trusted.” 

Iida began chopping the air frantically, “No, no, we trust you! It's just! Aizawa-sensei just told us that you were under suspicion and we should keep an eye on you. We didn’t believe him, but the teachers are the ultimate authority! We couldn’t just disregard them!”

Izuku shook his head, “What a hypocrite. Like you didn’t ignore your mentor, Manual, during that week of internships to go chasing after the Hero Killer: Stain. Like you didn’t join us when we went to save Bakugo. Tch. As if a traitor would save the enemy they are working against if it wasn’t essential to keep their cover. As if a traitor would save someone when they didn’t have to, much less someone who likely drove them to be a traitor in the first place. Please. Don’t act as if the teacher’s word is final to me, when you’ve disregarded it in the past.” Iida’s face went pale, as he tried to back pedal. Izuku ignored him and went to make his way up the stairs to his room.

Todoroki’s voice followed him, quiet, “I am sorry we did not tell you. I wanted to. However, Aizawa said that if anyone said anything he would expel us.”

Izuku scoffed, replying without turning, “Good to know your place in the school matters more than me, Todoroki. I broke my bones for you in the Sports Festival, helped you out of your ridiculous mindset, where you avoided using your flames to spite your father, ignoring how it harmed you in the same turn. Good to know how much I matter to all of you, where your place in the school matters more than telling your friend the truth. As if I didn’t notice in the first place. You risked expulsion for Bakugo, even though all he ever did was insult you. I see I’m not worth the same.” Izuku continued onwards, not turning back to see Todoroki’s head bow in shame. Izuku was right after all.

Ochaco spluttered behind him, “Your notebook and muttering was so suspicious though! No one could read what you wrote in your notebooks and you were so good at giving us feedback and tips… who can do that after knowing us for such a short time? Even Yaomomo isn’t that good at giving us feedback! Can you blame us for reporting it? You were so worried over your lost notebook too… and neither Yaomomo nor Tenya could make a head or tails out of it! Of course we brought it to Aizawa-sensei’s attention, who then brought it to Nedzu’s. Who knew what information was in it?! What if it was dangerous! And it was!”

Izuku’s reply was bitter,

“So just because I’m more analytical, better at analyzing and teasing out ways to improve your Quirk and abilities… I’m suspicious? You couldn’t come to me and ask how and why I was so good at it? Instead, you just became suspicious and let your worries fester. Wonderful way to deal with the problem Uraraka. Of course I was upset and worried about losing my personal property that I worked hard on. Yeah, I had my notebook encrypted because the information inside was dangerous and if anyone got ahold of it, I didn’t want them to know about it! Your words sound like excuses to me Uraraka. I rescued you in the Entrance Exam, broke three of my four major limbs for you. I see that means nothing. I’ll remember the next time I save someone… not to expect anything from them. I’ll remember to expect no sympathy or leniency as to who I am and I’ll return it in kind. Next time I save someone, once they’re taken care of… I’ll leave them in good hands and never communicate with them again, rely on them, or much of anything else. I get it.” 

Izuku went to his room and began packing. Luckily he hadn’t brought too much with him so it wouldn’t take long to finish and then head home. His door whooshed open. “Midoriya-kun! What are you doing?”

Izuku doesn’t look at the engine-legged boy as he replies. 

“What does it look like Iida? I’m packing, so if you would please leave… it would be greatly welcomed as I did not request your company.” 

“Damn nerd, why are you packing?”

“Bakugo. I’m leaving, obviously. There’s no other reason for me to pack. And I won’t be coming back. Perhaps the next time you see me, it will be saving someone you couldn’t.” Izuku glances at the doorway, where most of the class was crammed, “That goes for all of you by the way. While I’d prefer not to see you at all, if you go on to be a hero, it may end up inevitable.” 

Tokoyami’s beak curves down, the separation between his… beak twisting, somehow to imitate a human frown, “What do you mean?”

“Well, I certainly won’t be attending U.A. anymore to become a hero legally. That leaves vigilantism. So… perhaps you’ll catch me out saving people that the heroes never bothered with.” The class remains silent, in shock, as Izuku finishes packing. There, that hadn’t taken long at all, as he glances at his All Might watch.

Hmmm…. Perhaps when he got home he would sell most of his hero merchandise. At least any merchandise that was of any of the U.A. faculty. They didn’t deserve it, for him to have any merchandise of them.

With that done, he checks his phone. Ah, good, his mom was here to pick him up. Izuku stacked the boxes one atop another and carried them out, his classmates parting before him. Izuku walked out the building, balancing the boxes easily, out to where his mom waited for him, outside her car.

She smiled tearily at him, “I guess this is it.” Izuku nodded, putting the boxes in the popped open trunk.

He leaned down and hugged her, “I’m done mom. Done being a scapegoat. Time to save people for real.” Inko nodded, her eyes shining with tears, with relief. 

Chapter Text

While Izuku continued up the stairs unimpeded, the rest of the class was frozen in shock and horror.

 Tsuyu stared at the three, eyes wide and unblinking, “So… this is why you started avoiding him, kero. Why you kept wincing whenever he muttered and began steering the rest of us away from him.” Uraraka flinched, as she recalled what had set the whole thing off. 

Deku had been in a hurry to leave. He had managed to get permission to visit his mom and Ochako knew it had been a month since the last time Deku had managed to visit her. In his hurry he had left his notebook behind. Ochako found that odd, as normally he was very careful to pack it, triple checking he had it in his bag before taking off. It sat innocently on his desk. Ochako wanted to know what he wrote inside that notebook. He never let anyone see the contents of it. So she picked it up and began leafing through it. 

She couldn’t read a word of it. There were detailed drawings of her classmates, with areas circled, labeled with strange symbols, and leading to notes on the page. The drawings were impressive, but why would Deku write in code? What was so important to him that he took measures to make sure no one else could read it? So of course she brought it to Iida, the Class Representative. Surely he’d know what to make of the code and what to do with the notebook. 

He didn’t. 

And it had all escalated from there. Iida brought the notebook to Yaoyorozu, who also couldn’t make a heads or tail out of it. The two representatives, plus Ochako, then brought the notebook to Aizawa, who also became concerned. He warned them of a potential traitor in the school and that between the notebook, along with other discrepancies about Midoriya, he could be the traitor. 

Ochako, Iida, and Yaoyorozu all began tip-toeing around the boy. Avoiding Midoriya, urging other classmates to stay away from him. They didn’t want to give him more details about them than necessary. Not with the chance he might use that information against them. 

x

Todoroki told Tsuyu, “I noticed after the first couple of days and then confronted them about it. I wasn’t satisfied with their answers. Midoriya never could have been the traitor, not with how willingly he broke himself for us.” 

He gestured at Iida, Ochako, and Yaoyorozu. “Not that they or Aizawa-sensei believed me. Insisted that it could all be part of his cover. Please.” Todoroki scoffed, “No spy would go that far to keep their cover, especially if it’s unnecessary. If Midoriya had been the traitor, why would he have helped us beyond the minimum? No traitor would help the ones they are spying on to become stronger. He didn’t have to break his arm to convince me to use his fire. He didn’t have to save Iida’s life to make his cover believable.” 

Todoroki snorted bitterly, “It wasn’t like any of them would listen to me though. I wanted to tell Midoriya, ask him about his notebook, but Aizawa-sensei threatened to expel me from Yuuei… and I couldn’t go back to my father. Not after I had gained what little freedom I had.” Todoroki clenched his fist and surveyed the entire class with cold eyes. 

Iida shifted. “We should go apologize to Midoriya.” The rest of the class agreed. Todoroki shook his head. Nothing they did would ever make up for how they had treated Midoriya. 

x

The rest of the class tramped up the stairs, Iida and Bakugo taking the lead, with Tokoyami not far behind. Midoriya’s door whooshed open as Iida used his master key card to unlock it. Why were there boxes spread out on Midoriya’s floor and why did he seem to be packing?

Iida asked.

Midoriya didn’t even look at him when he replied, “What does it look like Iida? I’m packing, so if you would please leave… it would be greatly welcomed as I did not request your company.” The taller boy flinched back at his surname being used without honorifics. 

Bakugo shoulder checked Iida, as the ash blonde shoved him back, “Damn nerd, why are you packing?” Midoriya continued folding his clothes and placing them in boxes as he replied.

“Bakugo. I’m leaving, obviously. There’s no other reason for me to pack. And I won’t be coming back. Perhaps the next time you see me, it will be saving someone you couldn’t.” Midoriya looked over to them, finally taking his attention away from his packing. “That goes for all of you by the way. While I’d prefer not to see you at all, if you go on to be a hero, it may end up inevitable.” 

The class stilled and Tokoyami spoke up, confusion and uncertainty in his voice, “What do you mean?” 

Midoriya’s reply was almost nonchalant, casual, careless, “Well, I certainly won’t be attending U.A. anymore to become a hero legally. That leaves vigilantism. So… perhaps you’ll catch me out saving people that the heroes never bothered with.” The class stared at Midoriya, as he dismissed them and continued packing. Within minutes he was done and approaching them, boxes held in his arms.

The class quietly parted before him, unwilling to fight him or get in his way. What Todoroki told them, horrified them.

They couldn’t blame Midoriya for choosing to leave. 

Chapter Text

Yagi was looking forward to teaching Heroics. He had made an excellent plan for today and he hoped his successor would be able to show off how much he had grown. So when he couldn’t find the mop of green hair or the green costume of his successor anywhere… He became worried. Aizawa stood off to the side, prepared to supervise the exercise. Yagi walked over casually to his colleague and asked quietly, “Do you know where young Midoriya is?” 

As Aizawa turned to him, Yagi noticed that the teacher looked wrecked. His eyes were bloodshot and his eyebags were darker than ever. He wondered what happened. Had his colleague run into a particularly difficult villain last night? His questions were answered in the next sentence.

“Midoriya has withdrawn from UA.” Yagi’s eyes widened as he stepped back in shock. 

“Why??? UA is his dream school! He would never withdraw from UA by his own choice! Did his mom decide to withdraw him?” 

His colleague shook his head mutely. “No. He chose to withdraw. I… made a mistake. He left his notebook behind and his friends found it. They gave it to me and I brought it to Nedzu. With it in code, I thought he could have been the traitor. We waited for a few weeks, didn’t say a word to anyone else while Nedzu worked on decoding it. It took him longer than he expected.” Yagi gaped at Aizawa. The man avoided meeting Yagi’s eyes. “Yesterday we took him to the police station for questioning. Midoriya answered none of the officers’ questions. Just as he was moving to leave, Detective Tsukauchi showed up and confirmed his leaving words, that he wasn’t the traitor. He told me that I wouldn’t see him in class again. I heard from Iida that he packed up last night and his mom drove him home.”

Yagi could not believe what he was hearing. Midoriya? A traitor? For his notes? Being in code? He… had never heard something so ridiculous. His co-worker coughed and shuffled his feet. 

“We misstepped. I apologize. I know he was-” 

Yagi interrupted, “Is, he is important to me. Even if he’s no longer in UA, he is still important to me.” Aizawa nodded subdued. 

Yagi didn’t know how to feel. Midoriya was a good boy, for all that kind of made him sound like a dog. Midoriya had the heart and spirit of a hero, it was why Yagi had chosen the boy as his successor. His boy could never be a traitor. No traitor would fill their room with hero merch the way his boy did. His mother had told him that Izuku had always loved him, the moment he had seen All Might saving civilians. 

x

Aizawa watched All Might out of the corner of his eye. The man seemed flabbergasted, shocked, that Midoriya had been considered to be the UA traitor. Aizawa supposed he could understand. If he had been told Shinsou was the traitor, he’d doubt and be in shock too. Though, he’d consider it to be an actual possibility. Judging from Yagi’s reaction, the man didn’t think it was possible for Midoriya to be the traitor. It took a few moments before the man shook himself out of his stupor. 

“You are a logical man, Aizawa, I do not understand how you could have possibly come to the conclusion that he could possibly be the UA traitor.” Aizawa noticed a couple students turn to look at them. He glared at them and they scrambled off. 

Aizawa’s response was cold. “His notes were incredibly detailed and were coded. If he had nothing to hide, they wouldn’t have been coded. It took Nedzu two weeks to uncode them and read what he had written. Nedzu, the Principal of UA with the Quirk High Specs which gives him above human intelligence.”

Yagi stared at him, clearly unbelieving. “So our students are not allowed their own privacy? They are not allowed secrets?”

“Not ones that could bring harm to others.”

“So you did not consider that Midoriya could have had his notes in code to prevent villains from being able to read them and use their contents against his classmates?”

“... He should have told us what he was doing.” 

“Our students are not obligated to tell us every action they take! They most certainly don’t have to share with us their private belongings! Aizawa, you are going too far!” Aizawa shifted, slightly uncomfortable, but equally unwilling to show that to the older hero. 

He certainly hadn’t wanted the outcome he got. However, his students had been concerned and Aizawa just wanted the traitor business to be over with and deal with. He did feel ashamed that he drove away one of his best students. One of his students that had the most potential. However, students that had potential for heroism also had potential for villainy. Aizawa knew better than most how thin that line could be. 

He had expelled over a hundred students. He knew perfectly well that a number of them turned to villainy. But even more had found a job, a lifestyle, more fulfilling after he had expelled them. Sometimes he transferred them to another department in UA. Other times he wrote them a letter of recommendation for another career. Aizawa kept track of all the students he expelled. Just in case. Aizawa did not like to be surprised by enemies he created for himself. 

He had acted rashly. He admitted it. 

“I overstepped my bounds and jumped to conclusions. I acted rashly and didn’t think things through.” Yagi glared at him. Aizawa had dealt with worse. 

“I will be visiting the Midoriya’s as soon as classes are over.” His words are short, matter of fact and immutable. Aizawa knows he will not be persuaded otherwise. He nods. 

Chapter Text

Nedzu didn't know why his teacher had decided Midoriya had to be the traitor. Normally the underground hero thought rationally, logically, and made certain he had all the facts before he made a conclusion. 

He certainly didn't jump to conclusions after reading only 3 pages of a report.

Yet he did exactly that and began looking for proof to further confirm his bias. Was he afraid that someone might get hurt by young Midoriya's notes? It had taken Nedzu two weeks to figure out the student's code and then translate the entire thing to normal Japanese. Clearly the information was well protected to anyone that didn't already know the code. Not to mention how complicated the code was. Part of the reason it had taken Nedzu so long to decode the book was because the code changed midway. Not even every couple of pages but mid- sentence sometimes to a different code that could only be solved through use of another language other than Japanese.

Sometimes it was Mandarin, other times French, German, or even Latin for a period of time. No one even spoke or studied Latin anymore!

Nedzu had had to look up and learn two new languages to decode the thing. And some of the translations were pretty questionable too, and he only made them through the context of what had been written previously. He didn't know how accurate all of his translations had been. He wished he had the opportunity to confirm his translations with Midoriya, but now that the boy had filed his transfer out of UA… it wouldn’t be right of Nedzu to contact him. Though maybe an in-person apology for his teacher’s actions? Nedzu would have to give that thought some more time to stew and consider.

The boy was already unenrolled much to Nedzu’s discontent. Somehow he had gotten all the paperwork filed and processed without Nedzu having to sign a single thing. He supposed the boy’s resignation and his mother’s approval were more than enough to withdraw him from UA without any interference from Nedzu but… what shame. From what he had managed to decode, the boy was stunningly bright and someone Nedzu would greatly enjoy teaching one-on-one. 

 He wondered how he could lure the boy back to UA. He didn't have to rejoin 2-A or the heroics course. He could become Nedzu’s personal student! Nedzu quite liked that idea. Of course he'd still be exposed to his former classmates, which the boy might protest, but if he still intended to become a hero, perhaps at another school, he'd be exposed to his former classmates regardless through the profession. 

It would be best for the young man to get used to being around others that he distrusted and working with them. Perhaps he could offer Midoriya-kun resources otherwise not available to him? It was definitely something he’d have to keep in mind. 

Nedzu was going to go back through what he had managed to decode and see if he could make it more accurate. He would terrorize Yagi after the man visited his protege and see if Midoriya had any inclination to return to UA. If he did, then Nedzu would grab at any strings he could reach to try and cajole the boy into returning. He certainly wasn’t about to leave such genius alone! 

He clicked his claws against his desk. And he still had to decide what to do with Aizawa. Normally the teacher, his former apprentice, was much better at handling things than this. Something must have set the man off for him to react so poorly to his student’s talents being revealed. His tail swished behind him. Decisions, decisions. He’d have to call the man into his office to get a clearer picture of what had happened. 

There was a knock on his door. 

Nedzu looked up and pressed the button that allowed the door to open. Typically he timed such things, but he had not been expecting anyone to visit him, and as such had not been paying attention to the monitor showing the space in front of his door. 

“Yagi-san!” Nedzu greeted cheerfully, “To what do I owe the pleasure? You normally don’t come to see me very often!” Most of his faculty didn’t. Apparently he scared them too much. Their loss. 

Yagi entered and sat down, very still and placed his hands on the table leaning forward. “Tell me you didn’t know Nedzu. Tell me you didn’t know that Aizawa had my protege, my apprentice, dragged off for an illegal- an illegal interrogation on the potential UA traitor.” 

Nedzu spread his paws, “Well, I didn’t know what lengths Aizawa was going to when I handed him back the translation, or what I could translate, of Midoriya-kun’s notebook. I knew he was investigating something, but I didn’t realize how far his suspicions went.”

The former symbol of peace stared Nedzu down and the mammalian principal didn’t allow himself to so much as twitch. To show weakness was to admit wrongdoing and Nedzu had not done anything wrong. Nedzu was the smartest being on the planet, there was no room in his brain for mistakes. Those under him could be flawed though, were flawed and on occasion, could make the intermittent mistake. 

Yagi’s eyes bored into Nedzu, searching for something. Nedzu assumed it was his sincerity. 

“You did not encourage or aid Aizawa in any way in his endeavor to interrogate my apprentice. Aizawa’s involvement of the police was unknown to you. The only thing you did… was uncode my boy’s notebooks?” Yagi pressed. Nedzu suppressed a tail twitch. 

“That is correct, Yagi-kun. I was not aware that Aizawa was planning on involving the police or having the police interrogate Midoriya-kun without a guardian or other teacher supervising. And I did my best to uncode his notebook. It was fascinating, Yagi-kun, and I am quite upset you kept it from me all this time.”

Yagi stared at him, unflinchingly. “My apprentice is quite smart. It is to UA’s detriment that Aizawa has caused Young Midoriya to withdraw. And know, I support him all the way, in case you get it into your head to force him back here. If he chooses to come back to UA, it will be on his own choice, his own merit and not because someone pressured him or tricked him into returning.”

Nedzu dipped his head, “Of course, of course! I do hope he comes back and I am willing to make him an offer to return, regardless of his withdrawal papers. I would like to make a formal apology to him myself, though perhaps not right away.”

Yagi’s eyes searched him for a long moment before he leaned back, relaxing a little. 

“Very well, Nedzu. I will take you at your word for this. I must make my apologies to Young Midoriya immediately. Depending on what he plans to do afterwards, I may resign from UA. You understand, yes? I must be there for my successor and if he is not at UA, there is no reason for me to be here either.”

Nedzu nodded, “Of course, of course. I hope you have a fruitful meeting and that Midoriya-kun takes no issue to you. You were uninvolved after all.” Unlike Aizawa, unlike me, went unsaid. 

Chapter Text

Izuku was scanning some websites, trying to decide where to apply when the doorbell rang. He frowned. Solicitors? Izuku opened the door and stared at the blue suit and then looked up. He blinked. 

“Yagi-sensei? No, Yagi-san.” He scowled, “What, are you here to demand One for All back? You gave it to me as a gift and I’m not obligated to give it back.”

His former teacher shook his head almost frantically,

“Not at all, Midoriya-shounen! No, no. I’m here to apologize. It would be unspeakably cruel of me to do that. No, you’ve done wonderfully with it, my boy, and I would never, never ask for it back. Not of my own will.” The tall man bowed sharply at the waist, lower than a perfect right angle. 

“My boy, I give you my deepest apologies for what Aizawa-kun did. He did not tell me, otherwise I would have put a stop to it immediately. I am so incredibly sorry I did not notice his suspicion or that anything had changed in your friendships. I should have and that I did not… I have only excuses for not noticing. Gomensai. I did wrong by you with my inattention and you were hurt by my inactions. I can only beg for your forgiveness and I understand if you do not forgive me.”

Izuku stared at his mentor. Once mentor? He supposed he’d have to decide where Yagi-san belonged in his life now. If the man didn’t know, could Izuku blame him? He considered that for a long moment. He could blame him. All Might had failed him in many ways, but he couldn’t say the man made no effort. He put his all into teaching Izuku and his classmates. The fact that he wasn’t great at teaching… sure it was a strike against him but the man also tried and worked towards being better. 

Izuku could respect that. 

And Yagi-san hadn’t acted any differently during the period of time his classmates had begun isolating him. Somehow the man hadn’t even noticed. Izuku knew he shouldn’t let the man off the hook. But. For all Izuku was angry at Aizawa-san, at his former classmates, that didn’t quite extend to Yagi-san. Yagi-san was always trying to do better, be better for Izuku and Izuku… Izuku appreciated that. 

Izuku stepped aside and let the man in. His mouth quirked a bit, as he asked, “Tea, Yagi-san?”

The former hero smiled back at his apprentice, as he stepped inside. “That would be appreciated, my boy.”

Izuku slipped into the kitchen and waved Yagi to the kitchen table. 

“It will only be a few minutes. So, you obviously learned pretty quickly. I’m surprised you didn’t just think me sick or something.”

“I was looking forward to seeing you in Practical Heroics and when you didn't show… I asked Aizawa-kun where you were and he openly admitted that you left UA… and why. I was… well, I can't say I took the news well. You are my boy and even the idea of you being a traitor is ridiculous. You take great care in making sure that your observations are kept secure and I am well aware of your rather complicated cipher. Unless you decrypted it for them, even with an encryption key, the original notes… well, it would take a genius to decrypt it.” He looked Izuku in the eye. 

“It was absurd they thought you were the traitor, my boy and I want you to know, I never considered the possibility. I will always be on your side.”

Izuku studied his predecessor and then the kettle whistled. It only took  him a moment to prepare the tea and then allow it to set for a couple of minutes. 

He let All Might squirm a bit, though the hero seemed calm and collected, before he said anything.

“You've done a lot for me, Yagi-san. And the moment I proved myself to you, you never once doubted me. That's more than I can say for any of my… former classmates. I proved myself over and over for them and they couldn't have one ounce of faith in me. It's disappointing.”

Izuku stared at the teapot, sitting in the middle of the table, it had steeped long enough and if he left the bag in it any longer, it would be bitter. While he'd still drink it, Yagi-san probably wouldn't enjoy it. He knew the man appreciated a good cup of tea. And Izuku wasn't raised to be a bad host. Quietly, not silently, he poured them both a cup of tea. It was a rather tasty ginger honey tea that his mom had picked up and both liked quite a bit. 

Which was a bit rare since Izuku had been pouring milk in his tea before he was three. And his mom… she mostly drank sugar-drowned coffee monstrosities. The special flavored dessert kind. 

Izuku gave Yagi a wry smile, “While I'm not happy about what happened,” he grimaced, “I appreciate you coming straight over to clear things up, make sure I didn't assume, misunderstand your… involvement or lack thereof.”

Yagi cupped his hands around his mug, a soft smile decorating his face. 

“I know I haven't been the best teacher, the best mentor, or really the best anything to you, but, letting things lie, letting them fester, would be the height of foolishness.” Yagi shifted in his seat, not out of discomfort, and cleared his throat. “It does need to be discussed, however, my boy, what you are planning to do after this. I know you are not intending on returning to UA and Nedzu most certainly wouldn't argue me following you to continue to teach you about heroics. But I'm not sure how much of my help you need. What do you want to do now?”

Izuku thought about it, with a soft hum. “I think… I'll at least finish my second year online, it'll be easier than transferring partway through the year and having to adjust to all new classmates and teachers. And since I won't be going to a hero school, I can't exactly get a Work Study.”

“Actually, private mentorships or apprenticeships aren't all that unusual, my boy. Admittedly it's mostly for legacy children whose parents see fit to teach them personally rather than sending them off for a more rounded heroic education, and for vigilantes seeking to become licensed, but you most certainly still get a work study. It might be a little less traditional and if you opt for online schooling, you could in fact get more hours in at your work study… but it is a possibility.”

Izuku considered this and muttered out loud to himself, “It's a worthwhile idea, but I'd have to figure out a way to make sure I don't attend a work study too close to any UA students, at least not in my class… Mirio-senpai, Neijire-senpai, and Amajiki-senpai have all graduated so I could see if one of them could get their employer to take me on… but they're super likely to ask me about my old classmates… Amajiki perhaps less so, but Fatgum definitely would… Though I'm pretty sure they’d all take my side… But as angry as I am… do I really want to ruin the work environment for them? It's what they deserve… and I'm tired of my future being the only one that's ruined. What is it with everyone around me constantly trying to sabotage me, even when I have a Quirk? Aizawa totally intended to expel me that day, I know his track record and it's never forgiving even if he re-enrolls students. But it's not fair to me and I'm not going to let their presence stop me from doing… from helping others. But I still need to take into account…” His words descended into mumbles and incoherency, while Yagi watched his successor fondly. 

Chapter Text

Izuku had been preparing to make dinner, his mom had deserved a break, when the doorbell rang. Izuku turned to the door, frowning. Who…? Peering through the peephole, his lips curled back in distaste when he saw who was waiting for him outside. He could ignore them and they’d get the message, both had always respected his boundaries. Well. When Asui wasn’t asking inappropriate blunt questions that was, though she would back off the moment you told her that her question was unwelcome and never bring it up again. He could appreciate that at least. 

He supposed he could hear them out. Just once. Neither of them deserved … no, Izuku refused to lose himself to his own bitterness. Just because he refused to forgive them, didn’t mean he should treat them as poorly as they had treated him. 

“What do you want?” He asked the moment he opened the door, a scowl decorating his face. 

Todoroki looked as impassive as ever, but Asui shifted. Part of him went good, she deserves to be uncomfortable, but another part told him to forgive her, she wasn’t as bad as the others. 

“We wanted to give you our apologies. The way you were treated was unfair and both of us should have done more to reach out to you. Me, especially since I knew what was going on. Midoriya, I’m sorry for not being a better friend to you especially after everything you’ve done for me. I know you wouldn’t have cared if it was me, I know you wouldn’t have hesitated to protect me and compile proof that they were wrong. I did you a disservice Midoriya,” Todoroki bowed his head, “and I wish to apologize for my own cowardice and fear.” 

Izuku stared at him, wholly unimpressed. He gestures at his other classmate, “And you?”

“I let others control my movements, kero, when I shouldn’t have. I let them drag me away when I should have stayed close to you. It wasn’t fair of me, kero, especially when I saw how how the rest of them were all isolating you too. I didn’t ask why and then let them drag me away from you. I want to be a hero that helps stop or end discrimination for things they can’t help and I failed you. I’m sorry Midoriya.”

Part of Izuku almost wanted to believe them, but he knew better. After all, the police and investigators and interrogators all promised to be “better” too after they let him go, but it never took long before he was forced back into that chair, into those cuffs, and kept in that cold room. So no, he didn’t believe them. 

Izuku shook his head, hand tight on the doorframe, “No. You could have done better and you’re not sorry… or at least, you’d do it again. People always do.” Before they can protest he holds a hand up, “I don’t care. Go home. Don’t come back.” He ignores how Asui’s eyes start to water and the barely visible pain in Todoroki’s eyes as he shuts the door in their faces and locks it. While both were more than capable of breaking the door, neither would overstep their bounds. 

He listened to them walk away and didn’t allow himself to question for a second if he should have forgiven them. He knew better by now. 

He still had work to do. Like signing up for online schooling programs, so he wouldn’t be too far behind when he chose to rejoin society. 

Izuku couldn’t decide if he should have been surprised by the knock at the door at this point. First it had been Yagi, then Todoroki and Asui… he wondered who was at the door this time. 

He blinked at the multi-armed boy on his doorstep. Of everyone who he thought would visit him… Shouji was not one of them. The grey haired boy was normally pretty quiet and while Izuku wasn’t… hadn’t been actively friends with the boy, they hadn’t not gotten along either. 

Izuku completely ignored the heterochromatic teen behind him. 

“Shouji? Did you want something?”

The taller teen shuffled on his feet for a moment before one of his arms, with a mouth already formed on it, began speaking.
“I… wanted to say I’m sorry. I knew… I overheard what was going on but at no point did I try… to either tell you because I wasn’t warned off… and nor did I… I didn’t try to correct people. If… if there was a traitor in our class, now that we’re in the dorms… I… probably would have overheard something by now. I didn’t try and… I want to be a hero. That means… I shouldn’t just let… I shouldn’t have just let the others distance themselves from you and not tell you why… I shouldn’t have just watched. I’ve… I’ve been ignored, mocked, and made fun of and while there were only ever a few… I always wished one of the others would have come to my defense, even just once. … Instead I didn’t do anything. And I should have.” 

Izuku thinks this is the first time he’s ever heard Shouji talk so much for something that wasn’t a presentation for class and even then he normally let his groupmates do most of the talking. 

He’s not sure how much he cares. Bystander syndrome. Evil flourishes when a good man does nothing. He doesn’t know if Shouji should be forgiven. Had the boy done Izuku wrong? Did Izuku resent him for it? He had never been close to the boy before after all. Unlike Uraraka, Iida, and Todoroki, Shouji hadn’t betrayed Izuku because to betray meant to trust. Shouji was someone Izuku got along with, but they were classmates, not friends. 

He supposed he trusted Shouji not to be the supposed traitor, but perhaps not much farther than that. 

If Izuku prided himself on anything, it was his ability to study, analyze and understand. Even those who weren’t part of one of the squads were analyzed and dissected in the back of Izuku’s brain because even though UA was better that didn’t mean Izuku ever forgot what it was like when he could trust no one. Not his classmates, not his teachers, and even the janitorial staff, while sympathetic, had to turn a blind eye or otherwise be fired, reprimanded, or demoted, something they couldn't afford. And yes, Izuku understood that. He couldn't… his welfare wasn’t the most important thing. Sometimes, other things took priority and it made sense. So no, Izuku wasn’t bitter about them prioritizing themselves. 

“Midoriya. I wanted to apologize again. I should have said something, done more. I didn’t because I was a coward. You would have spoken up regardless of the consequences.” Todoroki looks away. “I was a poor friend to you, especially with everything you’ve done for me.” 

Izuku has to swallow back the bitterness in his throat. Even though he would much prefer to pretend Todoroki doesn’t exist… Shouji probably approached Todoroki and asked where Izuku lived and Todoroki probably offered to take Shouji there, with some kind of bullshit about how he needed to apologize to “Midoriya”. 

Izuku wanted to hit the boy. But it wasn’t in his nature to resort to violence. He had been taught better. Instead he stared at both of them and told them flatly, 

“Your apologies are appreciated, but…” he narrowed his eyes, “I’m not sure I can believe either of you.” Izuku pointed at Todoroki, “You… I broke my bones for you and you didn’t hesitate to come to my aid on Hosu even when the message was vague. I picked you up every time you fell apart from another nightmare in the dorms and neglected my own health for you on several counts, while never allowing myself to fall behind either. Do you have any idea how much I gave up for you?” Izuku shook his head. “I can’t forgive you Todoroki. I can’t… can’t…” Izuku struggled with his words. 

Todoroki bowed his head. 

“I understand Midoriya. Please, though, let me know when you decide how I can make this up to you. I wronged you and did you a great disservice. Sumimasen deshita.” He bowed lowly and Izuku… Izuku had to look away. Bitterness still pulled at his heart and he truly wasn’t ready to forgive Todoroki. Instead he turned to look at Shouji. 

“You could have done something, but didn’t. No one told you that you couldn’t. Instead you were a coward. And you’ll have to live with that. Do better. Next time you hear something that could or will hurt someone… warn them. Even if it’s a hint, even if it’s not your place.” Izuku spread his arms wide, gesturing, “If I knew about why and what was happening… I could have taken steps to mitigate the fall out. Instead you didn’t and now we’re here. I don’t have anything against you personally, Shouji. I don’t. But I was one of you and I would have stood up for any of you. Unless I knew otherwise. But… this isn’t one of those cases.”

Shouji stared at the ground, shrinking in on himself. 

Izuku shook his head, disappointed. Pointing at Todoroki,

“Stop coming to my house. I don’t want to hear it.” He looked at Shouji, “And tell the others I don’t want to hear it.”

“You know Uraraka and Iida won’t listen to him, right?” 

Izuku glared at Todoroki. 

“When I ignore them, they can’t claim ignorance that they weren’t told what kind of reception would be waiting for them. I don’t care. At least you knew better and tried to protest. I’m not going to stand for this anymore Todoroki. Now get out.” 

Todoroki dipped his head, and Shouji stepped back. They left and Izuku was… satisfied. He thought. But he wouldn’t stand for people jumping to conclusions about him anymore. 

It was nice that people were actually bothering to apologize to him sincerely though, even if he was refusing to forgive them. 

not guilty~not guilty~not guilty~

He wasn’t even surprised when he heard three sharp knocks on his door Sunday morning. Honestly, while it might be a hero’s business to meddle in others’ affairs when it wasn’t asked for, there was such a thing as going too far. And Izuku wasn’t ignorant of how ironic it was that he was saying that. But that didn’t change what had happened. Izuku was done. He was done with being accused of things he didn’t do, done with people’s fakeness and willingness and tendency to turn their backs on him the moment he did anything. 

He opened the door and took one look at the people standing outside. 

He closed it. 

Nope.

He had to make breakfast and he didn’t care. He wasn’t dealing with this. Not with them. There wasn’t any force in the world that could make him deal with those two again. Not right now, perhaps not ever. They had burned their bridge with him and he wasn’t letting them back in. 

He had saved them both from their own weakness. 

Maybe it had been a false pretense in the entrance exam and she wouldn’t have actually been killed. 

But there was no denying he had saved Iida’s life in that alleyway. 

And the debt Iida owed to him… had been repaid with betrayal. 

Yes, it still stung. 

Perhaps the hurt would fade one day. 

Izuku didn’t want to be… didn’t want to hold a grudge forever. 

But he was tired of forgiving people, only for them to hurt him over and over again. 

They had been his first friends since Katsuki. He thought they were going to be different. 

He hated being proven wrong. It had been stupid for him to get his hopes up again. 

Izuku pretended he didn’t hear the repeated knocks, the calls of his name coming from outside as he started making breakfast.