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He’s been swinging on a swing at the playground for close to an hour when he feels it, a gust of wind.
“Shit.”
In his hurry to get out of that apartment, Izuku forgot his Limited Edition All Might hoodie, the one he wears on nights such as these where his mom wants a break from him. And that’s putting it nicely. He thinks that if his mom weren't so overprotective, she’d really kick him out. Just to never have to fret over him or worry about his frail, quirkless self.
“Stupid. I’m so stupid. This always happens.”
Thinking about how stupid he is leads him down dark alleys in his mind. Ones he only feels safe enough to go in when he's alone and out of the house. Because he knows that once he goes in, he's stuck in his head for a while, his own mind feeding him hurtful ideas and cruel thoughts.
Soft thuds are heard behind him but Izuku doesn’t bother turning around. If it’s a murderer he thinks he’s fine with being murdered. It’s not like anyone will miss him, or mourn him, or even remember him. It’s fine.
Well, mostly. He thinks that if he did die only his mother would care, and only for a bit. He thinks she'd feel relieved more than anything. Relief at the fact that she no longer needs to worry about him. About working long hours to provide for him. That she won't need to constantly think about the possible ways her baby boy could get hurt anytime he goes out or does anything at all.
“Kid” a gruff voice is heard behind him, sounding extremely tired. “What are you doing out here so late?”
Pulled out of his thoughts, Izuku finally turns around to see a tall man dressed in dark clothing, shoulder-length black hair and a weird ass scarf around the guy’s neck. Man, talk about terrible fashion. Studying his face Izuku notes eyebags and stubble around his chin and mouth. He looks like he doesn't have time to shave, he thinks, or maybe he thinks shaving is overrated and not worth his time. He turns to look back at his shoes.
“If you’re here to murder me just go ahead and get it over with” Izuku responds.
“Is that what it looks like I'm here for?” voice sounding monotone and raising an eyebrow.
“Maybe... So what are you here for?”
"Trying to figure out why a 12-year old kid is hanging around a park past midnight."
“Twelve?!" He turns around to look at the man incredulously, "I’ll have you know I am fourteen so ha!”
“Wow, so much better.” The man responds sarcastically.
“Ugh, whatever, what do you even want with me, you creepy hobo?” Now normally, Izuku wouldn’t dare talk back to an adult, but he’s feeling a little risky tonight. Not caring about the consequences or his safety.
The man raises an eyebrow but answers either way. “I just want to make sure you’re doing okay, kid.”
“Okay? I’m great, fine, way better than okay, amazing, just spectacular.” The last words coming out softer. "So you can leave me alone now sir and go away," Izuku says almost dismissively hoping to end the conversation so he can get back to his brooding.
He really just needs some moments of quiet where there's not any voices in his ear telling him that he's a waste of space or that he should go play in traffic. Or the other voice that sounds just like his mother telling him to be more careful around the quirked kids so that he doesn't get hurt. Knowing full well that he'd be able to play just fine with the other kids if they didn't use their quirks to hurt him on purpose while claiming it was an accident. He already has his own self-deprecating voice, he doesn't need any others.
“Yeah it sure seems like it," he says mostly to himself, then in a normal volume asks, "why don’t I escort you home before you get sick from this cold?”
“Are you calling me weak?!" Irrational anger flows through him at just the thought that this man is even insinuating that he's weak. He's just so tired of hearing it from everyone. Poor little Izuku, just one look at him and you can tell that he's weak. A frail quirkless nobody. But he knows that he's being irrational because this man doesn't even know that he doesn't have a quirk and can't have deduced it from their two-minute conversation so far. He's just having a bad day for what feels like the millionth day in a row.
And it really is cold, he was literally complaining about it before this man decided to be nosy. Instead he takes a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself and mutters, "whatever, why should I even trust you?"
The man pauses, taking a look at his face Izuku thinks that he looks thoughtful, then he answers, "because I’m a pro-hero.” Just glancing at the man doesn’t reveal much, but taking a closer look at him Izuku finds that he looks muscular. And now with the knowledge that this man is a pro-hero he surmises that the weird look scarf around his neck is a support weapon. It's possible it's still just a fuck ass scarf but who knows.
"Oh really? Which one?" He asks instead, this guy still seems pretty shady.
"Eraserhead," he says simply.
Izuku's jaw practically falls to the ground. "Eraserhead the Erasure hero?! The pro-hero who can cancel out any non-mutation quirk just by looking them?! Eraserhead the underground hero?! That Eraserhead?!" The words just fall out his mouth before he realizes then quickly shuts his mouth. He learned early on that his ramblings were not appreciated and has to make the conscious decision to close his mouth every time he starts.
Still, his mind races. Not for the last time does he remind himself how stupid he is, stupid for not figuring it out earlier. That fuck ass scarf should have been his first clue. Although videos of the elusive hero are scarce, hero-obsessed Izuku, who has watched the few videos there are a million times, should have recognized the capture scarf that he uses to tie up villains and to transport himself.
The main raises an eyebrow for a third time but says nothing, taking out his wallet and showing him his hero license.
So cool, Izuku thinks. "You wanna be a hero, kid?" the man asks, and Izuku, not realizing he had spoken aloud fumbles with his words until he responds almost shyly, "yes." Usually this is the part where people tell him to be realistic but luckily, Eraserhead doesn't know he's quirkless. Once he finds out though, Just one more person telling me to give up on my dream.
"Alright," Eraserhead answers, "let me escort you to your home so you can warm up and avoid getting sick, good heroes take care of their health."
"Fine," Izuku gives in, "but I can walk myself home," not wanting one of his favorite heroes to think he's defenseless and can't walk himself home at his grown age.
"Not happening kid," the scruffy man huffs, "I have to make sure you get home alright, it's my duty as a pro-hero."
Not saying anything, Izuku gets up from the swing and starts walking home, knowing the hero won't leave him alone until he enters his apartment safely.
The walk is quiet save for the footsteps and few street sounds, cats yowling or dogs barking around the neighborhood. Eraserhead following diligently as though his bodyguard or something. Still, Izuku doesn't let his guard down, there could always be a classmate waiting around small streets to jump him. He knows because it's happened before, only when the sun is still up but one can never be too cautious.
Ten minutes into their fifteen-minute walk, Izuku gets the courage to ask the question he's always wanted to know the answer to.
The hero seems like a no-nonsense man that would give him a zero-bullshit answer, so the green-haired kid tentatively asks, "Can a person without a quirk become a hero?"
When a no isn't immediately said, or any words for that matter, Izuku stops walking and looks at Eraserhead's face, who stopped walking when he did. He must not know many facial expressions because the look on the man's face is still the same as ever, bored. Except his answer is anything but. "Yes," and Izuku immediately feels his tear ducts acting up, "however, you'll have to work five times as hard as anyone else. You will face prejudice like no other and you might even feel like it isn't even worth it at all. If you decide it is worth it, then you'll have to prove you belong. Even then, there will always be someone who will tell you, you don't. You probably won't be able to do limelight heroics. If you decide you're good with that, then everyday will be a challenge, but as long as you have a heroic heart and don't give up, then you have potential."
Izuku looks up in an attempt to reign in his tears and whispers, "thank you." He will be eternally grateful towards Eraserhead as the first person to ever tell him yes, even if he won't save people during the day like All Might, he can still save people with a smile.
"Thank you," he says again, this time with a deep bow and turns around again to continue walking.
He's mulling over what his now favorite hero said when he realizes they've arrived in front of his apartment door. That was quick, he thinks.
As Izuku turns to look back at the man he notices an arm extended towards him with a card in hand. "My work number," the hero explains, "if you need someone to give you training tips," he pauses then adds, "or if you need help."
Accepting the card, Izuku then bows once again and relays his gratitude. Straightening up, he gives Eraserhead his best grin before unlocking and opening the door then slipping inside.
"And kid," he interrupts right before Izuku closes the door, "stay safe."
"Yes Eraserhead, sir." Those parting words leave Izuku with a warm feeling, the feeling of someone caring about him, about his well-being and his dreams. He finally shuts the door and heads to his room, placing the card in his bedside drawer before changing into his sleep attire and getting into bed. But instead of sleeping, he starts thinking.
The advice given to him that night made him realize that he needs to start putting in some hard work, start training. So far he hasn't been doing much, just wallowing in his misery, but he needs to be ready, what Eraserhead said was the helpful nudge he needed to get started and he won't let Eraserhead's words go to waste, he'll take what he said and use them to fuel his newfound motivation. Starting tomorrow, obviously, after a goodnight's rest.
Still on his thinking train, what makes what Eraserhead said even better is that he doesn't know Izuku, but he still said yes, and a yes from a stranger is better than any no from everybody else in his life. Besides, Eraserhead is a hero, an underground hero, heroes like that don't do it for the fame or prestige, they do it just because they're capable and want to help. Because they know that what they do is necessary to keep people safe, and to Izuku, that sounds like the best example of a heroic heart and exactly who he wants to be. He still admires All Might, of course, but maybe now he has a new absolute favorite hero.
And a yes from someone like that makes him hopeful, something he doesn't think he's felt for many years. Hopeful and excited for the future. Excited for the next day that he knows will be different, maybe not better, but different. Which would be a welcome change to his pitiful life. And now he has someone willing to help him, someone in his corner. And that's good enough for him.