Chapter Text
It was by pure coincidence that Izuku met the number one hero, his favorite hero. It was just a coincidence, or perhaps it was set up by some deity, some other being that exists on a whole other plane, maybe it was set up by fate itself. Either way, it was the tipping point for him. The turning point of his horrible day of school, of losing what little had remained of a childhood friendship. A possible turning point for his whole pathetic life. The fate of which rested solely on the answer to his question.
“Can I be a hero without a quirk? It is... Is it possible? Can someone like me become a hero?” Izuku asked, holding his breath as he waited for the answer. His knuckles were a pale white from how tightly he had balled his hands into fists. There was a silent plea in his question. A sort of desperation for the answer that he had only ever been dreaming of, that has only ever been discouraged.
All Might stood at the end of the tunnel. The slime villain that had attempted to attack Izuku moments before was tucked neatly into the number one hero’s cargo pants pockets, bottled up in the plastic prison of an old soda bottle, the cap of which had been sealed tight.
“No.”
A single word. One word to answer a question that could give him the hope he needed to carry on with life.
One. Word.
The answer echoed in the under passing of the cement bridge.
“What? I don’t... I don’t understand...” Izuku murmured, brows furrowed in confusion. This was All Might. He smiles in the face of danger. He says that everyone can be a hero. It was in every interview Izuku had ever watched, which was all of them.
“Look, kid. Quirks are vital in heroics. Without one, you would get in the way. Dreams are nice, but at least try to keep them realistic.” The number one hero said dismissively, jumping into the air with the strength and power of a quirk that seemed to define what it meant to be the best of the best, to be a hero.
The sound of water dropping into a puddle or pond echoed in his ear. The distinct slashing pop sound rang out as Izuku stared into the empty space.
“...no?” Izuku repeated, eyes stinging as his vision blurred.
“Right. What was I thinking.” Izuku choked out as he angrily swiped his hands at the tears that threatened to escape.
“You can’t be a hero without a quirk... I should have known! Everyone says it. I should have figured it out.” Izuku laughed, a cold self-deprecating tone tainting the sound.
Izuku gathered his belongings that had scattered on the ground during the attack. He doesn’t remember the walk home. His mind wandered too far, too deep, to be coherent.
The events of the day are replayed over and over. Rewinding. Again, and again.
He didn’t realize when he had made it to his apartment building. He didn’t realize it when he passed his apartment door. He just kept walking. Step after step. Up, and up, until he reached the top. Cold air slicing across his cheek. A chill ran down his spine and through his whole body.
Izuku stared unseeing out over the city from the edge of the roof. His breath hitched as red flashed into his eyes. Bright red angry eyes blurring with the sun as his body tipped forward, diving headfirst, emerald eyes falling shut.
‘Take a swan dive off a roof and wish for a quirk in your next life.’
'Dive off a roof and wish for a quirk in your next life.’
‘Wish for a quirk in your next life.’
‘A quirk in your next life.’
‘In your next life.’
‘Next life.’
“Maybe next life...” Izuku laughed, body held hostage by gravity, and yet he felt weightless. Just a petal in the wind, floating down from up high, landing on the concrete below with a sharp crack of dried leaves.
He didn’t hear the screams of horror or the panicked shouts to call an ambulance. He didn’t register that he was still somehow semi-conscious as he lay limply on the cold concrete even though he should have died on impact, the apartment building was tall enough and he had been falling headfirst.
He should have died on impact.
He should have died.
He wanted to die.
Why didn’t he die?
Why couldn’t he do anything right?
The world faded to black as his eyes fluttered shut. He couldn’t breathe. Everything hurt. He just wanted everything to be over.
‘Maybe Kachan would finally be happy.’ Izuku considered as a cold feeling settled over his aching bones. The thought echoed in his mind, through the darkness he created. The sound of water dripping into a puddle or pond rang out once again.
“Happy birthday Kachan. Maybe we can be friends in our next life.”
The words ricocheted off the air, water dripping again with a satisfying pop.
Izuku waited, standing alone in the darkness, waiting for whatever came after death. He waited, and waited, looking around as another drop of water sounded out through the air. He continued to look around, walking through the darkness with no real destination.
“Ugh! What now? Is this really all that remains after death? Just a dark room? Leaving me all alone with my thoughts? Cause I’m pretty sure that’s how I got here in the first place!” Izuku voiced after what felt like hours of walking, frustration getting the better of him
“You are not dead little one.”
“We kept you safe.”
“Do not worry little one.”
Izuku whipped around trying to locate the voices, but try as he might, there was simply no one else around.
“Maybe this is my punishment for killing myself? Driving myself insane with voices and isolation?” Izuku mumbled as his hands reached up into his hair, tugging at a hand full of curls each, creating the familiar grounding pain. Something he knows and is used to in the familiarly unfamiliar darkness of death.
“You are not being punished little one.”
“We apologies if it feels that way.”
“What can we do to help?”
Izuku groaned, dropping into a crouch, forehead to his knees. Perhaps Izuku thought he could ignore this, whatever it was, this is. The never-ending darkness, the dripping sound, the voices. Maybe he had gone insane. Maybe it was just a nightmare, and he would wake up soon. Maybe one of the new first years thought it would be funny to use their quirk on the quirkless Deku.
“You are hurting yourself little one.”
“Allow us to help.”
Gentle hands resting upon his own hands, carefully working his fingers out of his hair as Izuku startled, looking up at the newcomer. Color and bright lights assaulted his vision, causing Izuku to squint at the tall woman that appeared out of thin air. He squeezed his eyes shut when the brightness became too much, arms ripping away from the woman as if he had been burned.
“You are safe here little one.” The woman cooed at him as if he was just that, a little kid.
“Who are you?” Izuku questioned, wrapping his arms around his torso protectively. The woman tilted her head to one side, offering Izuku a gentle smile that was far too kind to be directed at him.
“What do you wish to call us little one?” The woman asked instead of answering his question.
Izuku furrowed his eyebrows as he backed away from the woman.
“Who else is here?” Izuku questioned, looking around out of the corner of his eyes.
The woman stood in front of Izuku. They were in the middle of an island surrounded by water. The water was murky and dirty, reminding him of a swamp. Dead lotus flowers floated along the surface of the water. The sun was blocked by pollution, dimming the lights considerably, and yet it was still too bright compared to the darkness.
“No one else is here little one.”
“It is just you and us.” The woman answered.
“Us?” Izuku repeated, receiving a nod from the woman.
“Yes, us. You have yet to name us little one, so we are unsure of our name.” The woman explained softly.
“You’re referring to yourself as multiple people,” Izuku stated dumbly, causing the woman to smile again.
“We are five, but we are also one.” The woman unhelpfully explained.
“That... tells me absolutely nothing,” Izuku mumbled under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
“We apologize little one.”
“Is there anything you wish for us to explain?” The woman asked, blinking slowly at him.
Izuku bit at the dead skin of his lips, tugging at it until it broke and freed his lip.
“You said I wasn’t dead.” Izuku prompted. He received a nod from the woman.
“That is correct little one.”
“...How am I not dead?” Izuku asked.
“We kept you safe.” The woman answered with a smile.
“Why?”
“Why what little one?”
“Why did you save me!” Izuku asked, far louder than he had intended to. His frustration with this whole situation shines through.
“We are afraid we do not understand the question little one.”
“You are a small child, not yet grown. You are supposed to be kept safe.” The woman explained, blinking at him as if the answer was obvious.
“I didn’t need you to keep me safe! I needed you to let me die! I needed to die! I was supposed to...” Izuku hiccupped, wiping away tears that had begun to fall.
“We will not apologize for keeping you alive and safe, but we are sorry for upsetting you little one.”
“That had not been our intention.”
“Our intention is only to keep you safe little one.”
“Is there anything we can do to help?” The woman asked, crouching down in front of him.
“Why can’t I do anything right?” Izuku hiccupped, letting himself be pulled into a comforting embrace by the woman.
“You are safe little one.” The woman cooed.
“It will be all right.”