Archive of Our Own ^beta

Over the several centuries that make up the 21^st century (don’t ask me how it works), quirks have become more and more ingrained into our everyday lives. Take my quirk for instance. My quirk allows me to place my hand on a piece of paper which transcribes what I’m actively thinking (thankfully not what I’m passively thinking). To this day, I have no idea how to write. I mean, I can read and spell, but the fine motor skills needed to use a pen or pencil go beyond me. And before you ask, my drawing is also awful, so I never practiced much.

My point is, if I were to lose my quirk tomorrow, I would probably lose my job as well since I no longer work anywhere near as efficiently (and also because of the workplace quirk discrimination that would sooner have me shot in the face than allowed near my desk again). Humans have become far too reliant on quirks and as such, those without quirks must be seen as lesser as they can’t do the things that quirked people can.

This is untrue. Quirked people have simply forgotten the other means of doing what they can do with their quirks. Take for instance the hero Endeavour. Anything he can do, I could do with a jetpack and a decent flamethrower. Most quirks could be accomplished with enough skill, such as intelligence or analysis-based quirks. Strength and speed quirks could also theoretically be reached with enough time and training (though I’ll admit that someone like All Might really does throw a wrench into my optimistic theory).

I would continue to go on more about how quirkless individuals are just as capable as those that are quirked, but I would rather avoid being the subject of the office lynching this week thank you very much.

Returning to where we left off in our story, Izuku Midoriya, after finally being praised for his determination in becoming the world’s first quirkless hero, reached his apartment with a much more excited outlook on life.

His mother greets him from the living room, but her smile quickly turns to concern when she sees the state he’s in. Izuku, as usual, waved it off and made up some excuse about kids at school playing a prank on him. He wasn’t sure exactly what he’d told her, just wanting to go up to his room and start writing down all the ideas that were floating through his head.

The next few days passed and Izuku had yet to give Claire a call despite coming close a fair few times. Mostly, this just consisted of him staring at the card in one hand and then the phone in his other, starting to dial the number, and them ultimately giving in to anxiety.

This didn’t put a dampener on his good mood though, nor did the extra beatings he received from Bakugou when the explody-headed kid found out he hadn’t withdrawn his application to UA’s hero course. Izuku took the punches as he always did, before dusting himself off and going back to his notes.

A week later, Izuku was packing his bag as the bell sounded for the end of school. He was deep in thought as he did so, focusing on what martial arts clubs in the area he could join rather than how he was going to get rid of the black eye he was sporting before his mother came home from work the next day. He was cut out from his daydreaming though when he heard a group of his classmates discussing something they could see out the window.

“Who do you think he is? A parent?”

“No way. Looks like a foreigner. Maybe he’s some kind of movie star?”

“I hope he’s a new teacher. Wouldn’t mind seeing his face in the morning!”

“What’s he waiting for? Maybe he is here to pick someone up?”

Izuku himself grew curious at this point and went to subtly peek past their shoulders. His eyes widened when he saw a very familiar red head leaning up against the school gate casually with his hands in his pockets. He grabbed his things and walked as briskly as he could down to where the man was waiting.

Claire smiled and waved when he spotted Izuku who blushed when he saw that the other students passing though turned their attention from the stranger to him.

“W-what are you doing here?”

“You didn’t call,” he pouted.

"How did you even know I went to this school?"

"Izuku, I'm a professional hitman, I have my ways. Besides, I had to find out. I was starting to get worried that you’d up and died on me or something. Nice shiner by the way.”

“Umm, thanks? Yeah, sorry, I was gonna call but then I kept feeling awkward about it and… sorry, can we go somewhere else?” Izuku grew more and more uncomfortable as the number of students increased.

“Sure! Was gonna see if you wanted to hang tonight anyway. You free, or do you need to call someone?”

“No, mum’s not back until tomorrow morning.”

“Great! Chané’s cooking tonight, so we can try and fit in some training beforehand.” Izuku had no idea who Chané was or whether or not they were male or female, but Claire was already moving before he had a chance to ask.

Izuku followed the man further south of the city than he had been before. He had been told by his mother to remain in the centre of the city or as close to it as possible since the heroes don’t patrol down here. Izuku’s school was just outside the centre, so he’s had to walk through some sketchy alleys before, but generally nothing bad has ever happened to him (not including bullies or that one villain incident).

Still, Izuku could definitely feel the place getting sketchier the further they went, and it was at this point that Izuku started to remember about what his mother also said about following strangers. They passed a few streets, most of which were closing down their shops for the day. One street however, seemed to have its shops setting up instead as though the people living there had just woken up.

They passed through this street and reached a two-story apartment building, though the entrance was only a set of stairs that led to the 1^st floor with no visible way into the room on the ground floor. The building also didn’t have any windows, which Izuku also found very strange and was starting to wonder whether this was the place he was going to die.

He paused at the bottom of the stairs, trying to decide whether becoming a hero was worth the risk of getting horribly murdered. Then again… that was always going to be a risk anyway, he thought.

“You alright down there?” Claire called from halfway up the stairs.

“Uh- yes!” Izuku stuttered and quickly caught up to Claire who gave him a pat on the head in an attempt to ease his nerves.

“Don’t worry. I know this place ain’t much to look at from the outside, but the inside is a completely different matter. Much more home-y.” The two continued up the rest of the stairs, reaching the door and Claire talking the whole time as he pulled out his keys. “We moved not that long ago so we haven’t gotten round to the outside yet. I was thinking about setting up some plants or something but I’m not very good at keeping them alive-“

The moment he opens the door he’s cut off as a knife comes flying towards his head which he promptly ducks and Izuku stares as it embeds itself into the wall. When he turns back, he sees a dark-haired woman in black trousers and a loose-fit blouse holding another knife and attempting to stab Claire.

Claire dodges past each of the attacks, making his way into the apartment and smiling placatingly as he converses with her in English. The woman never said anything back and Izuku barely understood any English but knew enough from anime to pick up the words ‘kill’ and ‘kid’ which definitely made him feel a lot more on edge than he already was.

Luckily for you guys, I managed to find me a source that could tell me roughly what was said:

“Hey, what’s going on? Did I forget to feed the cat or something?”

“I know we don’t have a cat, it’s a figure of speech.”

“Doll, as much as I love watching you being all badass can you stop trying to kill me for a- gah!”

“That was close, nearly got my eye! But seriously now, what’s the matter?”

“Huh? Work called? Ah shit. Sorry, forgot to tell them I was gonna take the day off.”

“Yes, I know how much you hate answering the phone.”

“You know I have no idea how to work any of these new-fangled mobile devices.”

“Come on, honey. You wouldn’t kill me in front of a kid, would you?”

It was at this point in the fight that Chané ceased her rampage, raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look at the boy that was still standing awkwardly in the doorway debating whether to just leg it or to call the police. When he noticed that she was staring at him, he gave an awkward wave and a quiet ‘h-hi’. Again, she didn’t say anything but instead tapped the side of her eye, mirroring where he had his own black eye.

“Oh, this? It’s fine, just bullies.” She patted herself down where she had pockets and looked around the floor and furniture below her. Claire went into his own pockets and pulled out a notebook and pen with a grin. She glared at him, indicating she was still pissed, and he wasn’t out of the woods yet, before accepting the items and writing.

Izuku took a second to look around the room. It was one of those ones that was mostly a living room with a kitchen space over in the right-hand corner. It was all fairly spacious and cosy at the same time. Claire was right when he said it was home-y. To the left were some doors that led to other rooms, and to the right (next to the wall) were a set of stairs that led downstairs. He looked back to the woman that he assumed was Chané who had finished writing and held up her notebook.

Did you win?

Izuku paused for a minute before answering. He hadn’t expected the question and wasn’t sure what to say. Usually, people just ask if he’s alright or scold him for getting into fights or making his classmates angry.

“Not this time… but maybe I will next time they try something.” Chané nodded and went to write again.

Kick kneecap hard. Will break knee. Punch to throat also good but can be fatal.

“Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind.” She nods and puts the notebook back in her own pockets. She turns towards the kitchen, holding 2 fingers in her right hand against the back of her left hand to Claire to let him know food was in 2 hours. A note to the reader that this is not any sort of official sign language but rather one that the two of them had made up on the spot a few centuries back that managed to stick.

“Right, come on then, kid. Let’s go start some training!” He cheered, making his way towards the stairs with Izuku following after. He was about to go down the stairs when a knock caught his attention. His head turned towards Chané in the kitchen who held up something wrapped in a tea towel before chucking it over. Izuku caught it and, from the cold it gave off, quickly deduced that it was an ice pack for his eye.

“Thanks!”

As he descended the stairs, Chané began wondering whether or not they should start keeping a first aid kit stocked up, before realising that her husband was down there now teaching the poor child god knows what and deciding that maybe she’ll just quickly run out and buy one now.

Omake!!!

Chané answering the phone pissed off because she has to answer the phone: …

Claire’s boss (Let’s call him Bill): Umm… hello? Claire?

Chané giving off a murderous aura: …

Bill feeling said murderous aura: Are- are you there?

Chané murdery: …

Bill close to tears: This is the wife, isn’t it?

Chané: …

Bill: Umm, well… C-Claire isn’t at work. Is he th-there?

Chané even more murdery: …

Bill: O-okay. Well, he isn’t in trouble or anything… we were just worried cuz he isn’t here and if you could just tell him-

Chané: !!!!

Bill: Anywaynicetalkingtoyoubye!!!