Chapter Text
Ever since Izuku was little, the change of seasons always hit him harder than any villain ever could. Spring and autumn weren’t just pretty transitions for him, they were weeks of puffy eyes, endless sneezing, and airways that sometimes tightened enough for the doctor to hand him a tiny inhaler. His poor mother tried everything, from allergy syrups to herbal teas from weird neighbors. None of it worked. And, of course, it only made him the perfect target for childhood jokes, especially Kacchan’s.
Luckily, as he grew up, the allergies calmed down. Nowadays it was just a couple of sneezes, watery nose, and the general vibe of someone who had been lightly drowned.
Which brings us to right now.
Izuku is in the men’s bathroom, aggressively blowing his nose like it insulted his family, gross, sure, but tolerable.
“If you keep doing that, your fucking brain is gonna fall out of your nose,” Kacchan mutters from beside him, arms crossed and scowl in place.
“Bakugou-kun,” Iida says, waving his hands in alarm as he pulls more toilet paper from the dispenser, “that is not how human anatomy works!” He shoves a thick wad of toilet paper into Izuku’s hands like he’s offering medical supplies in a war zone.
“I know, dammit!”
“Thand yu, Iidda,” Izuku mumbles, voice stuffy and strange through the congestion.
Back in the cafeteria, Class 2-A was already halfway through their lunches. The room buzzed with chatter, plates clinking, laughter echoing, someone in the back arguing about card game rules. It felt light. Finally light.
Ochako sat among her friends, cheeks slightly pink from laughing. She was relearing to feel and make a smile that didn't feel forced or borrowed.
Ever since her talk with Deku on that cliff, something inside her had loosened. She’d cried when she needed to, breathed when she could, and most importantly, stopped pretending she was fine when she wasn’t. He’d held her hand back then. And somehow, that had made the hurt feel a little less impossible.
“So,” Mina announces, sipping her smoothie with suspicious enthusiasm, “we were thinking about going shopping this weekend! First week of classes and I still haven't found any cute gym-wear.”
“Oooh! Are you going to the new store?” Hagakure glitches faintly with excitement. “They have these super cute bunny hairbands! I want one so bad!”
"Mm… I dunno, y’all. I’ve been savin’ up to buy new wrist and ankle supports” Nowadays she was more comfortable letting her kansai accent more. These were the people she almost saw die and who could have seen her die, so they were practically family.
It wasn’t an excuse. Even with the reconstruction work her parents got after the war, they still had debts to pay. She wanted to help, even if it meant budgeting every coin.
“I’m not buying anything,” Tsuyu adds with a gentle smile, “but I’ll tag along.” Her eyes crinkle softly, one of those rare real smiles she only shows around people who make her feel safe. Ochako knows it’s been hard for her too. Tsu knows about Toga’s shadow that still appears in crowds in her bad days.
“C’mon, Ura!” Mina leans in dramatically. “I’ll buy snacks so we can have a sleepover afterward! In Momo’s room!”
“I’ll buy those red bean mochis you like if you-”
She doesn’t get to finish. “I’m in,” Ochako says immediately.
Mina, Tsuyu, and Hagakure all burst out laughing.
“You didn’t even let her finish her bribe,” Mina cackles.
“I mean…” Ochako shrugs. “Ya know if there’s mochi, I’m like…80% in”
“We know,” the girls say in perfect unison.
The bell rang, and the cafeteria exploded into motion as everyone rushed toward their next class.
Ochako jogged down the hallway, weaving through the flow of students right before crashing into someone full-speed.
She recognized the messy green curls instantly.
Deku stumbled backward, eyes wide, about to hit the floor but her reflexes kicked in, and she caught him with her quirk before he could face-plant.
Déjà vu.
“Ah sorry! Looks like this is gonna be our yearly tradition,” she laughed breathlessly.
He laughed way too nasally, congested. She secretly loved that laugh, even if it sounded like he had a clothespin on his nose.
“Id… couldd… realdy bhe-”
“…What?” she asked, helping him straighten up as they started walking down the hall together.
“Allerdgies,” he managed, thick and embarrassed.
“Pfff-”
She snorted, immediately spiraling into an ugly laugh as they approached the classroom door.
“My mom's got this tea that helps some of my cousins. I can bring ya some next time I see ‘em.”
“I-Itd’s nodt… necessady… I’ved tried… id all,” he said, cheeks faintly pink.
“No worries! Ain’t no problem. Ma mom’s gonna give me some anyway,” she said, waving it off as they stepped into class.
“Thandk you, Uradaka,” he said with a small, congested smile.
“Sure thing!” She slipped into her seat, pulling out her notebook and pen right as Snipe walked in.
“Alright, kids! Today we’re covering Coulomb’s Law.”
Ochako barely held back a groan. Physics (at least the non-space kind) was not her friend.
But she was determined to focus. She wanted that Friday shopping trip with the girls.
That was something she wouldn’t even have dreamed that months ago. She felt blessed.
The school day finally came to an end, and everyone began packing up and drifting out of the classroom. It was Thursday, meaning tomorrow he’d get to visit his mom.
He was looking forward to it.
Izuku had decided to keep living at Heights Alliance even though they technically didn’t have to anymore. From his dorm to class, it took him barely ten minutes if he ran. The gym was only fifteen minutes away, and that alone felt like an unbeatable advantage. So his plan for the afternoon was simple: head to his room, put on a movie, and finish his homework while it played in the background.
He stepped into the hallway, and without meaning to, his mind drifted back to Uraraka. Specifically, to the moment they’d bumped into each other after lunch.
It was subtle at first, barely noticeable unless you were looking for it.
But Izuku had always looked at even the minimal things, it was no surprise he had 19 notebooks of hero analysis by now.
Uraraka’s smile… it wasn’t the strained one she’d carried during the war, or the one she kept weeks after it ended, that smile that stretched but never reached her eyes.
Today it had bloomed again. A real one. Soft and bright, like sunlight warming frost off a window.
He kept replaying it in his head as he walked to class.
The way her shoulders relaxed when she laughed.
The way her eyes curved into crescents.
The way her accent slipped out when she got excited.
It felt like watching spring return after a long winter.
And seeing it, seeing her smile like that, stirred something warm in his chest, those were the kind of smiles that inspired him to become a hero, just like All Might.
For so long, everyone had been breaking in different ways. Uraraka had fought so hard, carried so much, cried only when no one was looking. He remembered her trembling hand on that cliff, remembered how she’d held onto him like she was scared to fall apart.
But today she laughed.
She laughed and smiled.
Seeing Uraraka with that smile after all they went through only confirms what he said a couple days ago at that cliff, she was a hero, his hero.
Making the affirmation of ‘his’ in his head made his cheeks feel warm.
“Midoriya.”
Izuku jolted so hard he almost sneezed his soul out.
Todoroki was suddenly beside him, staring with the emotional intensity of a brick wall.
“I think something is wrong with you” he said, completely serious.
“W-What?! W-why? Did-did my allergies get worse? Am I-am I swelling? Is my face-?” He could feel his nose less congested and he also sounded better than before.
Todoroki leaned closer, squinting like he was analyzing a puzzle.
“You were smiling to yourself.”
“I-I was? Wait, why is that wrong???” Izuku squeaked.
“Your face was something like this.” Todoroki attempted a smile.
It was terrifying.
Izuku flinched. “Todoroki-kun, that’s-that’s not…humans don’t smile like-” His friend had a soft and pretty smile, when it wasn’t forced.
“And your face is very red,” Todoroki continued, concerned. “Should I take you to Recovery Girl? Or the nurse? Your temperature might be rising.”
Izuku covered his face with both hands, groaning.
“It’s just allergies…”
Todoroki stared at him for a long moment. “If you say so.”
Then
“By the way, Uraraka seemed really happy today. Did you notice?” Todoroki’s face softened(? He raised his eyebrows a couple of times, way too slowly, as if Mina’s suggestive look was playing at half speed. He also had a slight smile.
Anyway, of course he noticed.
“Yeah! She seems to be feeling lighter these days! I’m glad to see she’s okay!”
Todoroki blinked. “Yeah, well, I thought it was because you talked to her that night and finally confe-”
Somewhere down the hall, Bakugou yelled, “DEKU, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING NOW?! WE HAVE AN MEETING WITH ALL MIGHT AND THE DIRECTOR NOW!!”
“Kacchan! Shut I forgot!” He was so distracted these days!
“Can I come too?” Todoroki asked politely with his hand half raised like he was asking to participate in Aizawa’s class.
“Hell no! I don’t want your half-half ass asking questions and pulling programmed faces depending on the situation. Which, by the way, you're not very good at.”
Izuku wishes he could go to his room and watch a low-budget superhero movie.
Izuku sprinted down the hallway like a man fleeing for his life, because frankly, Bakugou yelling his name with that tone didn’t happen much anymore, but it feels like a death sentence when he does because you know it is important.
Todoroki jogged beside him at a comfortable pace, because of course he did. They texted All Might on the way to the meeting and he said that it was ok for Shouto to come.
Bakugou stomped ahead, shoving the door to the conference room open with enough force to rattle the hinges.
“All Might! Director! We’re here!” Bakugou says loud enough for everyone in that room to hear him.
Izuku skidded to a stop, bowing ninety degrees so fast Todoroki had to grab his shoulder to prevent him from face-planting.
“I-I’m sorry we’re late!! My allergies-and then Kacchan and the bell- and-!”
All Might chuckled, big and warm even in his deflated form.
“It’s alright, young Midoriya.”
Izuku straightened, cheeks flushing with embarrassment as he slid into a chair. Todoroki sat beside him calmly. Bakugou plopped down across from them, arms crossed like he was prepared to fight the entire board. He was really angry? thoughtful? Even if he was the one that told him about the meeting a day ago.
The room lights dimmed, and Nezu tapped a remote. A projection lit up:
OPERATION: REBUILDING HOPE
Nezu’s eyes sparkled.
“As you three know” There was an emphasis on three because the meeting was originally for only four people instead of 5 due to Shouto's presence “Society is still in recovery. Villain activity has decreased, but civilian trust is fragile. Communities are struggling. Heroes are exhausted. And U.A. must step forward.”
All Might nodded. “This world needs more than strength right now. It needs stability, compassion, and leadership.”
Izuku swallowed, shoulders tensing.
Of course he remembered, he promised Spinner to, and even if he didn't, how could he forget how cities had crumbled, how people pushed through grief with cracked voices and trembling hands. Many heroes with years of experience and expertise in their quirks died.
The world lost Midnight, Start and Stripe and countless heroes and they’re quirks died with them.
They died and he was here, another reminded that OFA wasn’t his, he was just a lucky boy All Might met and by some miracle got the chance to experience what it was like to do something.
Nezu continued, flipping to a map dotted with red zones. “We’re creating a new division here at U.A.:”
*THE U.A. RECONSTRUCTION SUPPORT DIVISION.*
Students would help:
-Rebuild neighborhoods
-Coordinate supply lines
-Help civilians recover emotionally
-Heach evacuation procedures
-Perform quirk-safety checks
-Organize community outreach events
Izuku listened, wide-eyed.
It sounded… huge. Important. Heroic in a different way. A way he wasn’t sure he deserved.
Then Nezu turned toward him. “Midoriya-kun, your role will be unique.”
Izuku stiffened “Me!?”
“Yes.” Nezu smiled. “Your strategic understanding of hero behavior is unparalleled. Your knowledge of villain patterns is exceptional. And your empathy makes you ideal for helping civilians trust heroes again.”
Izuku’s breath hitched.
“But… but OFA it’s gone” he said calmly but with a small voice. It was the first time he said it out loud since that day with All Might and Kacchan and the hospital.
He didn’t regret anything, it wasn't even his to begin with, but it was a part of him that kept reminding him he wasn’t going to be able to do the things he had done for almost the past year and a half.
The embers continued to decrease every day. He could feel it.
All Might immediately stepped forward, placing a hand on Izuku’s shoulder.
“Young Midoriya… You saved people before you ever had a quirk. You changed my life without one.”
Izuku’s eyes stung.
“And,” Nezu added, “We’d like you to join U.A.’s staff as a student consultant. You’ll assist in designing hero-training modules, community programs, and outreach strategies, the department support would hand you their newest equipment to balance the embers and all. You’ll work with us, Aizawa, Snipe, and Cementoss.”
Izuku jolted “A-A consultant?! I’m still a student! I’m not- I don’t know if I can-"
“You can” All Might said softly. "Not because of One for All. Not because of power. But because of who you are."
Izuku covered his mouth, trying to hold in the tears threatening to spill.
Todoroki leaned closer. After searching his back pack for tissues and offering him one.
“No-no, it’s fine-I just-” Izuku sniffed. Why was he always like this? The normal response to any strong feeling was crying, it made him feel small and a burden. God, he really needed a therapist right?
Bakugou hummed and looked away.
“You could keep training, the support would give you their equipment as the director said, is not the best like All Might suit but, that way the embers could last longer. Just take the damn job, Deku. It suits your ass.”
Izuku laughed.
Nezu clasped his paws together. “So! Will you accept?”
Izuku wiped his eyes, heart pounding with something, purpose maybe. “Yes. Y-Yes, I’ll do it.”
All Might beamed at him with pride.
Todoroki clapped, because he thought that would be something Momo or Uraraka would do to cheer at moments like this.
Bakugou still had a serious face but was less angry. His mind seemed somewhere else.
Izuku inhaled deeply, feeling lighter, like he was finally becoming something new. Someone who could help rebuild the world, even without power.
All Might squeezed his shoulder again. “Young Midoriya… This is the first step. Society will be rebuilt. And you will help lead the way.”
Izuku nodded, chest tight with emotion.
He didn’t feel quirkless.
He felt hopeful.
And for a moment…that was enough.