Work Text:
Izuku yawned. He had been working on his homework relentlessly since school let out, and before he knew it, it was pitch dark outside already. Damn, he thought. He still had a ways to go before finishing. Deciding to go pick up some snacks at the nearby convenience store and get some fresh air at the same time, he grabbed his wallet and was on his way.
The store was completely empty when he entered. The only other person inside was the clerk who didn’t look much older than Izuku.
“Welcome,” he said, his voice bored and his gaze never moving from his phone.
Izuku nodded at him in thanks anyway.
What should he get? He wasn’t that hungry right now because of the huge dinner his mom had prepared for him, so that ruled out all the snacks and candies. He really shouldn’t he eating too much unhealthy junk now anyway, with how intense his training was getting.
Moving on to the drinks section, he decided to pick up some energy drinks. He had a feeling he was going to need that if he wanted to finish his work before it got too late. He also picked up some tea for his mom.
He stood there with the two drinks, thinking about what to get next when a familiar voice spoke from his side.
“Look who it is.”
“If it isn’t useless Deku,” said another achingly familiar voice. “Never thought I’d see you again.”
Izuku could not breathe. He looked up hesitantly, finding his three bullies from junior high standing right next to him.
“L-leave me alone,” he said, trying to keep calm.
“Leave me alone,” he echoed in a high pitched voice, his face mocking and cruel. “Listen here. Just because you made it to U.A. doesn’t mean you’re any better than us, got it?”
What were they doing here? He thought going to U.A. meant he never had to see them again, but it was a stupid assumption. They all still lived in the same school district as him, after all.
“I n-never said that!” He could feel himself being transported back to a place he didn’t want to be; the confidence he had gained at U.A. disappearing, leaving behind a small and defenseless middle schooler; a quirkless one, no less.
The clerk glanced at them before looking back down on his phone, evidently not interested in stepping in. Izuku didn’t blame him. Not many people would for minimum wage.
He could hear a faint ding of the door opening in the background, and the clerk welcoming the new customer with the same flat tone.
One of them, the strongest of the three, shoved Izuku, hard, and it was only with his increased strength that he was able to remain upright. “Hey!”
“Ah…you’ve grown since we last met, huh? Don’t think you’re tough shit for not falling over like a little girl… I don’t know how you even got into U.A. Did you have to bribe them? I bet you did. Why don’t you tell me how you did it, huh?”
Izuku’s clenched his fists and took several deep breaths, reminding himself that he wasn’t the same person he was a year ago. He could stand up for himself this time. He could prove to them that he made his way into U.A. with his own merits.
Before he could do any of that, however, a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, making him jump and turn around. “Midoriya? What’s going on here?”
All three of his ex-bullies froze.
“Aizawa-sensei?” Izuku stared at his teacher in shock. He was still in hero gear, and his mouth was pressed in his thin line. He looked the exact same as the time Izuku had presented to him his broken arm from an exercise. “What are you doing here?”
“Can’t even handle a little confrontation without backup from a homeless man? How pathetic, Deku. Was he the only person who would be friends with you after you made it to U.A? Perhaps he’d leave you too once he realizes you’re quirkless,” said bully one with a snicker.
Izuku winced, wishing he’d dealt with this before Aizawa came. This was embarrassing.
“Excuse me?” Aizawa’s eyebrow raised incrementally and Izuku spotted the slightest tinge of red in his face.
“I said what I said,” he said loudly, not noticing the telltale signs of Aizawa’s patience running thin. Izuku noticed, though. How could he not?
“Are these your friends?” Aizawa asked, turning towards Izuku.
“Friend?” Bully two scoffed. “As if we’d be friends with this loser.”
Izuku looked down, his face burning with mortification. His worst nightmare was coming true. Aizawa was going to figure out how big of a loser he was. He was going to tell everyone. Then they’d know and he would lose all the friends he had finally managed to make at U.A. What would they think if they knew about his entire past with Kacchan?
“Loser? The only losers I see in here are you three fools loitering in a convenience store. Don’t you have better things to do?”
“What? How dare you? Why should I listen to some hobo? Scram. We have unfinished business with Deku.”
“Because this hobo will arrest you for assault and being a nuisance in public if you don’t stop right now,” Aizawa said, his voice cooling several degrees.
“You a cop or something?” one of them asked, eyes widening. Izuku still couldn’t remember their names no matter how hard he tried. Maybe it was for the best.
Aizawa smiled, showing all his teeth. They all took a massive step back, finally feeling the fear that should’ve set in a while ago.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“But you don’t look like one.”
“He’s my teacher at U.A. Think about that for a second,” Izuku said, finally gathering his wits. He didn’t want Aizawa to think he was even more of a spineless loser than he already was.
“Oh shit…” Realization dawned on their dull faces and they simultaneously took a step back. They were always such cowards without Kacchan around to lead them.
“If I hear that you harassed my student again, I’ll make sure you pay for it,” Aizawa warned. “Now get out.”
They exchanged a glance before muttering their assent reluctantly and scrambling out the store.
Izuku looked at Aizawa with a mixture of shock and gratitude. No teacher of his had ever stood up for him like this before. They had all stood by and watched in silence as Kacchan and his goons threatened whoever they wanted. Izuku felt some tears threatening to gather but blinked them away quickly.
“You alright?” he asked, both his expression and voice softening.
“Um…yeah. Thanks,” he said weakly, wiping his eyes discretely with his sleeves.
Aizawa nodded, looking away as Izuku got himself together. “I really ought to arrest them anyway,” he grumbled. “They pushed you?”
“Yeah, but it’s okay. I didn’t even feel it,” he said weakly.
“Let me know if they bother you again.”
“Yeah. I will.” Izuku would truly rather die than bother Aizawa with something so minor. He should really be able to deal with something like this on his own, as a U.A. Student.
“Good,” he said, and without another word, started gathering some snacks with Izuku following closely behind like a lost puppy.
Izuku paid for his things first.
“That would be four hundred yen, please,” the cashier said, giving Izuku a weird look.
“I hope you don’t plan on drinking that industrial sludge tonight,” Aizawa said as he passed over the money.
“Ha…of course not,” he said sheepishly.
“Uh-huh.” He quirked an eyebrow, clearly disbelieving. “Better not.”
Izuku grabbed the bag and change from the cashier and went to wait at the door. Should he wait? It was truly awkward to be with his teacher when it wasn’t school time, especially considering what had happened just now.
“About earlier, I’m sorry you had to see it,” Izuku said when Aizawa finished paying at the register and exited with Izuku.
“Why are you sorry?
“It was stupid and you had to step in and talk to those…those guys for me. I should’ve been able to deal with it on my own.”
Aizawa grinned. “I don’t mind. Scaring off delinquents is fun. Best part about the job.”
“Um. Are you d-doing hero work right now?” he asked, deciding not to think about that too deeply.
“I just finished my patrol,” he responded, cracking open the drink that he just got. “Want one?
“Er…no thank you.”
He nodded and took a sip. “So what to tell me how you know those brats?
“They went to the same middle school as me,” he said.
Aizawa went silent. “Bakugo. You two went to the same middle school, didn’t you?” he asked. “And they called you Deku.”
“Er…yes.”
“Was Bakugo part of their little group?”
“Kind of.” Izuku didn’t really want Aizawa to know about this. He didn’t want Kacchan to get in trouble. But he was far too observant.
“And they bullied you for being quirkless. That’s why Bakugo was so angry when we did the physical test.”
It was a statement, not a question. Izuku didn’t see the point in hiding it anymore, and he had to admit, a large part of him wanted to tell someone. “Yeah, something like that. We used to be friends when we were little, but when he got his quirk and I didn’t, things changed.” Izuku took a deep, calming breath and pushed on. “They bullied a lot of people, not just me, and I’d step in when I can. That’s why they hate me so much. That and because of my…late quirk. Not that it’s a big deal or anything,” he added hastily. “I made it out okay. No one ever cared back then, and I don’t now either.”
“I care.”
It was only two simple words, yet Izuku’s eyes watered. “You … do?” he asked shakily.
“Of course,” he said. Aizawa’s expression was oddly soft, and Izuku chalked it up to be the bad lighting. “You’re my student and it’s my responsibility to stop these things from happening to you. Your previous teachers failed to do so, and that’s not okay.”
“I never had a teacher stand up for me before,” he said quietly. “This…this was the first time.”
“You’ll find that things are different at U.A,” he said. “If I had been your middle school teacher, I would’ve…” he trailed off. “Damn. What’s wrong with teachers these days? And they say I’m the bad teacher,” he mumbled.
“Thank you,” he said sincerely, holding back tears. It wouldn’t do to burst into tears in front of him. He’d do it so many times already that he was afraid Aizawa’s impression of him will forever be damaged if he did again.
“It’s nothing,” he said.
“If it means anything, I don’t think you’re a bad teacher. Even though you’re super strict, you’re still the best teacher I’ve ever had.”
“Flattery will get you nowhere,” Aizawa said sternly, but Izuku saw a tiny smile form.
“Sorry, sensei,” he said sheepishly.
“It’s fine. But if Bakugo ever gives you trouble, come to me or any other teacher. I don’t want any of this happening at U.A. or outside.”
“We’re over it I think, but thank you.”
Aizawa nodded and tossed his can in a far away bin. “I’ll walk you home,” he said. “It’s too late for you to be walking around by yourself.”
“It’s okay! You don’t have to,” he said. “I don’t want to hold you up any longer and my house isn’t far from here at all.”
“Isn’t it too late to be worrying about that?” he asked. “Now come on. You’re just wasting more time.”
“Oh…okay!” he said quickly. “It’s this way.”
The walk home was silent, but surprisingly not awkward at all. Izuku could feel himself grow more and more relaxed as he got closer to his home.
“This is me,” he said once they reached his apartment. “Thanks for walking me.”
Aizawa ruffled his hair. “Chin up. There’s a reason you’re in U.A. and they’re not. Even if they had made it, I would’ve expelled them on the spot.”
“I thought it was a logical rouse,” he couldn’t help but say.
He rolled his eyes. “Good night, problem child.”
“Good night, Aizawa-sensei,” he said.