Chapter Text
Izuku could feel the buzz of excitement as Aizawa entered the 1-A classroom, but for once their teacher didn’t command much attention. The unfamiliar, solemn-looking older man in a proper suit who was following along behind him held everyone’s undivided attention. Aizawa slouched over to his lectern and fixed them with a level gaze, which Izuku found lingering on him for long enough to cause him to sweat. “Class, I'd like to introduce you to your new quirk counselor, Mr. Hanji Akuji. He's a respected expert in his field. He will be meeting with each of you to review your quirk, its functions, and determine whether or not your quirk was misidentified by your previous counselor, and correct any misconceptions you’ve developed if you were misled.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Izuku saw Kaminari scratching the back of his head in embarrassment while Uraraka ducked behind her textbook, clearly feeling called out. Aizawa didn't look at either of them, though. If he was still angry, it was directed squarely at their former quirk counselors as Yaoyorozu had predicted. Mr. Hanji, on the other hand, did glance their way, stiffening and straightening himself with the edges of his lips curling into a small frown. Izuku hoped it was due to frustration with their former counselors throwing his profession into question rather than anything else.
“We’ve decided that counseling sessions will occur during normal morning class hours, and your time with Mr. Hanji will be excused. However, you will be expected to make up any coursework you miss. If your session runs into lunch, it is up to you whether to continue or resume the next day. If you miss lunch, it will be your own fault, so don't expect special treatment. Absences from heroics courses will not be excused.”
He glanced at the class representatives, “Iida, Yaoyorozu, please prepare copies of your notes for the classes your classmates miss.” Izuku didn't need to look at either to know they were already nodding in agreement.
Aizawa picked up a stack of papers and walked around the lectern to hand them out to the students in the front row. “These are consent forms.” Midoriya grabbed his and passed the rest back. “While we have already spoken to your parents on this matter, Principal Nezu wants it to be your choice on whether or not you wish to have Midoriya sit in on your session as an observer and advisor.”
“W-what?” Izuku stammered as his heart skipped a beat. His eyes dropped down to the sheet and he read it frantically… it honestly didn’t take long, but he had to reread it again after finishing. It was plainly written form, with blanks left for his classmates to fill in their names and again at the bottom to sign, explaining that if they signed they were consenting for Izuku Midoriya to sit in on their quirk counseling sessions while acknowledging that he wasn’t a proper, board-certified quirk counselor. Breath caught in his throat as he read it a third time. If any of them signed this, he'd be allowed to sit in on their session. “B-but...”
He looked up to find Aizawa looking down at him from the front of his row, “Something wrong, Problem Child? Or did you forget when I said I wasn't excluding you?”
Izuku's mouth felt impossibly dry, “N-no sensei it's just—”
A growl cut Izuku off from replying. Bakugo's hand rose into the air and a small explosion destroyed the sheet before he could finish, jarring him into silence. Around him, Izuku saw his classmates’ expressions hardening into frowns and scowls. His heart threatened to stop, but none of them were meeting his eye. He couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder to spot Kacchan sneering back at everyone, matching their derision with disdain.
And then he heard the scratching of pen on paper, as people began to sign. The dirty looks fell away as his classmates returned their eyes to their papers.
Izuku watched in awe as the rest of his classmates, everyone but Kacchan, wrote their names down. As they finished, some of them looked at him. Kirishima smiled at him. Tsuyu nodded at him. Kaminari gave him a big thumbs up. It was almost like back at the party. They... they really wanted him there. His chest ached a bit even thinking about it.
And then he caught Aoyama looking at him.
He was smiling like everyone else, but there was something fake about it. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Midoriya,” Aizawa's voice rang out, “please escort Aoyama and Mr. Hanji to the quirk research building.”
Midoriya nodded quickly, “Right!” Mr. Hanji already looked ready to go, walking towards the door, “S-should I bring anything with me? I can get my notes...”
The quirk counselor glanced over his shoulder, “If you think they're necessary.”
“Oh, but I insist,” Aoyama said with a flourish as he rose from his seat, “Monsieur Midoriya is passionate about quirks, I'm sure he already has something interesting about me. Don't you Midoriya?”
“U-uh, well, I um...” Izuku stammered out, floundering until he saw the real smile cross Aoyama's lips. He swallowed, “I-I took notes on my observations. I hope they can prove useful.”
The quirk counselor gave him a thin smile, “Let's hope.”
*~~~*
Opening the doors to the quirk research building, Izuku was slightly disappointed to see that it looked much the same as it usually did. The walls were lined with various sensors, pressure plates, and gym equipment that allowed for the various tests performed here. But everything was in its place, nothing special had been prepped, and no machines were set up specifically for Aoyama. Instead, Mr. Hanji passed him by and headed for a table, clearly expecting him and Aoyama to follow.
Aoyama gave him a reassuring smile as he passed, and Izuku let the door slip through his fingers. He wasn't sure what he expected. After all, it wasn't like he'd actually spent time with the quirk counselor at any of his previous schools. Being quirkless, he'd been exempt, skipped over as his classmates were taken out of the room one by one only to be returned an hour or so later. He... didn't even know what went on in a normal quirk counseling session.
Not that he hadn't researched the topic of course, but he hadn't been able to hammer out a firm picture. Many counselors had quirks that allowed them to identify the properties of others’ quirks, which meant that counselors and their sessions varied as much as the quirks belonging to the students. Izuku suddenly realized he should have asked Mr. Hanji what his quirk was, if he'd be using it to help Aoyama, and if he'd be able to follow along without that quirk.
A cough got his attention and he found Aoyama and Hanji staring at him. He felt his cheeks begin to burn and opened his mouth to apologize when Aoyama smiled and gently shook his head. Even more heat rushed to his cheeks, but he quickly walked over and took the seat between them. Mr. Hanji gave him a brief nod and opened the folder in front of him, “I'm going to begin by verifying your basic background information.” He returned his focus to Aoyama, “Please state your name, age, gender, and quirk.”
Aoyama adjusted himself, smiling—no—twinkling at the counselor, “My name is Yuga Aoyama, age sixteen, male, and my quirk is Navel Laser.”
Mr. Hanji nodded, reviewing the document in front of him, “And how would you describe your quirk?”
Aoyama shifted in his seat, motioning to his stomach, “My quirk creates a burst of radiant glittering energy, a dazzling pure light, from a focal point right above my navel.”
“Alright, that matches the description on record," Mr. Hanji confirmed and flipped the page. "Do try to be more concise and less florid in your descriptions moving forward.”
Midoriya blinked at the admonishment, catching Aoyama stiffen for an instant before nodding, “Of course sir.”
Mr. Hanji gave a small nod, looking over the file again and what looked to be an old picture of Aoyama as a child. An old grade school photo maybe? “I have records from your original quirk councilor, they wrote that your quirk was…” He glanced back up, looking Aoyama in the eye, “defective.”
Izuku’s mouth fell open, and he shot a glance at Aoyama. His friend winced but forced his smile to remain, a tight line with the ends curled up. Izuku found it unpleasant to look at. “It was… described as such.”
Izuku’s gut twisted, “They really said that?” Aoyama glanced at him and gave the barest of nods. “That’s not right.”
Mr. Hanji leaned back in his chair, “I’m sure your classmate appreciates your support, but I have many students to see, please remain silent unless you have some insight.”
Izuku couldn’t help but cringe, “Sorry.”
“Forgiven, but don’t make a habit of it.” He looked back at Aoyama, “This is, of course, a translation of the original file, but it explains that they called it defective because you couldn’t fully control your quirk.”
“At the time,” Aoyama countered smoothly.
A ghost of a smile flashed over Mr. Hanji’s face as he began taking notes, “So you would say you’ve gained full control over your quirk then?”
“Oui,” Aoyama said, sounding a bit more certain of himself, “as long as I have my belt I have full control over my quirk.”
Mr. Hanji’s pen stopped instantly, and he looked up in surprise, “Belt? You still require a support item?”
And just like that, Aoyama’s confidence once again began to crack, the fake smile remained plastered on his lips, “Yes.”
Mr. Hanji’s pen tapped against his pad, “Describe what your belt does.”
Aoyama cleared his throat, “Of course, it keeps my quirk from leaking.”
“Leaking?” Mr. Hanji repeated, looking at Aoyama questioningly, “Your quirk… leaks without your support belt.” He received a single curt nod of confirmation from Aoyama, “And you need to wear it constantly? You can’t delay or control it without the belt?”
Aoyama winced, “I have gotten better at holding bursts in, but it is much easier with my belt.”
Mr. Hanji hesitated for a moment, “Would you say that you are dangerous to be around without your support item?”
Aoyama opened his mouth to speak, but Izuku beat him to it, “Sir, there are numerous heroes that use support items to help them control potentially destructive quirks. Thirteen wears gloves to help focus and restrain their Black Hole quirk and she’s one of our teachers! A-and Wash uses their costume, which counts as a support item, to focus and direct their Clean Bubbler quirk and he’s one of the top ten! And–” He felt himself becoming more agitated as he spoke, his mind frantically racing as he tried to recall Heroes with similar issues.
“Enough.” Mr. Hanji said flatly, “What I was trying to get across is that as a potential hero in training, Aoyama would need to be aware that his belt could be damaged and he would need to restrain himself for the safety of others. Using it as a crutch will only hinder him from learning to use it.”
Izuku felt himself deflate briefly, and yet he couldn’t help but feel relieved. Aoyama was looking at him with a renewed twinkle in his eyes. If he could bring that back, then getting yelled at for interrupting was well worth it.
“I’m… sorry sir,” He bit out. He was a horrible liar and he knew it, but it was just about the easiest lie he could tell.
“Don’t interrupt again,” The man warned him, frowning for a long moment before sighing and returning to his records, “There were other limitations listed as well. The report claims you were only able to use your quirk for three seconds before suffering backlash. How long can you manage now?”
Aoyama rolled his shoulders and tried to sit up straighter, "About six to seven seconds."
"Six to seven seconds?” Mr. Hanji's brow knit together as he glanced up, “That seems very limited.” Izuku balled up his fists under the table, but the man continued, “Have you been trying to extend your usage time?”
“Only since arriving in UA.” Aoyama confirmed.
Mr. Hanji seemed to digest that for a moment, “And how long do you have to wait between usages to avoid backlash?”
“To fully recover?” Aoyama hesitated, “Une minute? Maybe-”
The counselor gave him a flat look, “I don’t understand French, Mr Aoyama, speak Japanese.”
Izuku bit his lip, even as Aoyama flushed and apologized, “I meant a minute, maybe a little bit less?”
“You’ve been able to fire off shots more quickly than that.” Izuku said quickly, “I haven’t kept track, but I know he’s improved.”
Mr. Hanji tapped at his pad with his pen before looking back at Aoyama, “Would you say that is an accurate assessment?”
Aoyama let out a breath, favoring Izuku with a smile, “If Midoriya believes he has a better grasp of my time, I am inclined to believe him.”
“I see…” Mr. Hanji seemed to mull over the observation for a moment longer, “I’ll keep that in mind for testing.” Izuku barely refrained from letting out a sigh of relief. Hopefully, testing would go better than this interview.
“Before we move on though, there was still one more piece of information we need. For some reason, the translator neglected to translate this section.” He lifted the file and placed it on the table in front of Aoyama, his pen quickly moving to a section on the lower half of the page, “Can you describe your quirk’s backlash and how it affects you?”
Izuku felt his stomach twist and quickly looked at Aoyama. His friend had gone stiff and pale at the same time. It was the one thing that Aoyama seemed truly embarrassed by, something he tried to downplay… and now he was being asked to talk about it. And Mr. Hanji was waiting impatiently, eyes boring into Aoyama. His friend swallowed thickly, “If I use it too frequently, or for too extended a time, I... my stomach bothers me and I begin to feel queasy.”
Mr. Hanji frowned, “That scarcely seems like a reason to restrict yourself. Is there a reason why you don’t attempt to use it more frequently or for longer periods?”
Izuku swallowed as Aoyama squirmed, “Sir, I’m not he’s comfortable talking about this–”
Mr. Hanji shot him a sour glance, “Mr. Midoriya, as a professional, I need to be aware of quirk backlashes, even ones that people don’t want to talk about.” With a shake of his head, he returned his gaze to Aoyama, “Now, if there’s more, I need to know.”
Aoyama took a breath, shifting uncomfortably, “If I use my quirk for too long... I can...” He hesitated for a moment, closing his eyes, “lose control of my bowels.”
There was a moment of silence, Izuku looking at his friend, reaching out from under the table to take his hand and offer all the sympathy he could.
And then Mr. Hanji… snorted.
Izuku whirled to stare at him, eyes widening in disbelief as he caught the faintest edge of an amused smirk leaving the counselor’s face. Izuku’s hands curled into fists as his blood began to boil, “Get out.”
It caught the man completely off guard. Confusion danced across his face, then consternation. “Excuse me—” He began, either to explain away what he’d done, or to remind Izuku not to interrupt again.
“No.” Izuku shook his head, “Leave, or we’ll leave. I don’t care which, but this is done. You’ve been extremely rude, and I’m not going to let you mock my friend.”
The counselor frowned mightily, “Now see here-”
Izuku ignored him, standing up so abruptly his chair clattered to the floor behind him, "Come on Aoyama," He turned, offering his hand to his friend, "let's get out of here." Aoyama, fresh tears still streaking down his cheeks, looked up at him and took it.
*~~~*
“It’s okay.” Izuku offered gently. They’d found an out-of-the-way bench to sit down on so Aoyama could recover. Aoyama shivered, but nodded, his cheeks still flush.
“Merci, Midoriya, it’s alright-” Aoyama tried, but Izuku shook his head.
“No, it's not.” Izuku gave Aoyama’s shoulder a gentle squeeze, “He was supposed to be a professional here to help you, he shouldn’t have acted that way,” He shouldn’t have laughed. That little mocking snort galled Izuku more than anything else. He had never seen a quirk counselor in Aldera, but he had more than enough experience being mocked. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. It was like the man had been trying to provoke Aoyama the entire time. The words he’d used, the way he’d pressed for answers, there was no way the man could have missed how it was affecting Aoyama.
“When we get back, I’m going to find Aizawa sensei and let him know what happened.”
"Let me know what?" Izuku nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Aizawa’s voice, his head whipping around to see their homeroom teacher approaching with his usual hangdog expression. “What did I tell you about situational awareness, Problem Child?”
“Heroes need to be aware of their surroundings at all times,” Izuku repeated, wincing.
“That goes for you too Aoyama.” There was no heat in either admonishment though, and their teacher glossed over it, as he looked them over, “It seems a little early for the session to have ended already. " He let the unspoken question hang.
"I ended the session early, sensei." Izuku took a breath, "You need to find a replacement counselor, Mr. Hanji didn't act like a professional." Aizawa arched an eyebrow, silently prompting him to continue. Izuku grimaced, glancing at Aoyama, "He was rude and belittling, he completely dismissed Aoyama's control and support equipment," His hand balled into a fist and he met his teacher's eyes, "I ended it when he laughed at Aoyama's quirk backlash."
Aizawa's eyes narrowed, "I see." He turned slightly, “Do you have anything else to add?”
Aoyama brushed his eyes, "Izuku told him to leave after that, but when he didn't, we left instead."
Aizawa looked to Izuku, the smallest hint of a smile on his lips, “I’d say you made the right decision, Problem Child.” Izuku wasn’t sure what to say to that, but their teacher turned around, “I’ll bring you two back to class.”
Izuku hesitated, glancing at Aoyama, “Are you ready to go back?”
He received a hopeful smile, “I’ll be fine.”
Izuku nodded slowly and started after Aizawa, keeping an eye on his friend. Aoyama seemed to have finally regained his composure. He was thankful it all seemed to be blowing over, but as they made their second turn, now heading towards the exit, Izuku couldn’t help but sense something was wrong. “Sensei,” He asked, “how did you find us?”
Their teacher paused mid-step, “What do you mean?”
Izuku frowned thoughtfully, “When we left the quirk research room, we didn’t have a destination in mind. I wanted to get Aoyama away and then find a place to sit down. We weren't on the way to the quirk research room, and you know where that is…" He trailed off, looking at their teacher. No. It couldn't be. "A logical ruse?" He asked incredulously.
Aizawa turned around smiling, "Very good, Problem Child, I was beginning to wonder if you'd spot it–"
The words fell away as Izuku stared, stomach twisting, "How could you put Aoyama–"
He almost jumped when a hand fell on his shoulder. Aoyama stepped in front of him, a sad little smile on his lips, "It's okay."
"No, it's not!"
Aoyama shook his head, cutting him off, "No, it is. Aizawa asked me to help. I…" He faltered, just for a moment, "We just had Mr. Hanji repeat what I had been told in the past. And I got to test out my acting skills."
Izuku's stomach churned, even as Aoyama tried to downplay it. He looked over Aoyama's shoulder to stare at Aizawa, "Why?"
His teacher met his eye, "I wanted to make sure you'd speak up, Problem Child." His eyes shifted, "And not just in cases where people are rude. Even professionals make mistakes, and the real quirk counselor won't have months or years to familiarize themselves with your classmates' quirks. I needed to make sure you would speak up and correct them if they miss something or get something wrong."
"But…"
Aizawa shook his head, cutting him off, "Don't underestimate yourself, Problem Child, your little sessions have been more than successful. Jiro, Iida, and Sato's performances have noticeably improved, and Kaminari hasn't come close to short-circuiting since he got his new shoes." He paused, frowning, "You should know that if he hadn't shown improvement in controlling his quirk I would have had to consider removing him from class for his own safety."
Izuku's eyes widened in horror, and even Aoyama turned around in shock. Aizawa stared then down, "What do you think the League would do if they caught Kaminari while he was short-circuited? It's like I told you during your assessment, it doesn’t matter what his intentions are, he would have been nothing more than a liability in battle. And I won’t send my students out if they’re liabilities.”
Horrified silence lingered for a moment before Aizawa turned and continued towards the door, "The real quirk counselor will be here tomorrow."