Chapter Text
Izuku gripped tight to the straps of his bright yellow bag as he booked it out of the school. He didn't have time for any more bruises and insults, he had dealt with the ones from lunch by taking a quick bathroom break in the last period. He had compared pricing and shipping times late Sunday afternoon and found that there was a large mechanics shop a few neighborhoods over from the dojo. He decided he would save the money he would otherwise spend on shipping by stopping there to get the parts so he could tinker with his hearing aids.
To have time for that he would have to skip out on stopping by his apartment. His change of work out clothes were in his nearly empty bag so he could load up on what parts he could afford, change, and rush to his class. He had contemplated skipping the lesson, but after Friday's debacle he didn't think his sensei and his kohai would appreciate that. So his jog would just have to be a bit more brisk than usual.
He was glad, in a sick sort of way, that Kachan was still recovering in the hospital, it meant the bullies were a bit more lenient today as they gossiped about what they had seen on the news. So running didn't hurt too bad even if his still kind of sore lungs protested a bit.
The run luckily wasn't too long and he followed the map on his phone right up to the front of the rather large shop. It looked more like a warehouse really, a warehouse with glass doors and a sign on the front that said Hatsume Parts and Repairs.
He took a minute to catch his breath and wipe the sweat off of his face before he went in. Immediately he was assaulted with the scent of oil and rubber. He ran his hand through his hair nervously as he looked around. It looked like a small part of the front of the building was sectioned off with large glass partitions. The area Izuku was in was some sort of lobby. There was a desk with a computer, a couple of lightly grease stained chairs, and some slightly dusty fake plants.
Beyond the partitions he could see what looked like a work space, and past that were rows and rows of shelving packed full of boxes. Some of them spilling out wires and bits of metal.
As he wandered further in he noticed a button on the desk with a little hand written note that said 'press for help'. With a shrug the teenager did just that. And nearly jumped out of his skin when what sounded like a fog horn went off somewhere deeper in the building. He then winced at the slight feedback from his hearing aids. He really needed to try and make better ones.
Before he could really think about the obnoxious sound too much there was a woman sweeping out from between the shelving further in the building. Red dreadlocks were pulled back into a ponytail and as she got closer she locked silver eyes with green. She waved a dirty hand as she got closer, a smile lighting up her face.
"Hello!" Her voice was cheerful as she opened the glass door that blended in so seamlessly with the rest of the partition he hadn't even noticed it. "Welcome to my shop! It's rare we get someone so young in here! Is there something I can help you with?! School project?! A repair job?!" Izuku smiled nervously as he realized this stranger was speaking to him in all exclamation points. "Uh-uhm no m-ma'am! I just n-need some parts?"
Her face seemed to light up even more if that was possible. And her pony tail bounced a bit and she shifted behind the desk. "Is that so?! Awesome! Do you know what you need?! If I don't have it on hand I should be able to order it in for you!" Izuku quickly dug his list out of his backpack. "I uhm I need two of each of these please!"
He flinched slightly as she snatched the paper out of his hands, throwing herself into the chair behind the computer she set to work quickly searching what he assumed was an inventory. "Wow! These are a lot of tiny and delicate pieces! What are you working on?! A mini noise bomb?!"
Izuku blanched behind his freckles and waved his hands in denial. "No! No nothing like that! I uhm…" With a sigh he pushed his hair away from the bulky casing hanging behind his ear. " I just want to make some improvements, is all…"
The teenager will forever refuse to acknowledge the sound he made next as a screech as a grown woman launched herself half over a desk at him. "Wow! That's an ancient design! Who even sells those any more?!" She then cackled. "What a fun project! You have GOT to show me what you come up with ok?!" The confused greenette nodded hesitantly.
"Oh! I'm Hatsume Mia by the way! It's nice to meet you…" She stuck out her grease stained hand, still hanging half over the desk. He hesitantly took it. "Midoriya Izuku." She nodded decidedly and finally plopped back into the much abused chair. "Well Midoriya-kun! Unfortunately I don't seem to have a few of these parts in stock! I can order them for you though! My deliveries come in on Wednesdays so I can have them set for you by then! If you like, I can get you the parts I do have right now?! Or I can gather them up and put them with the others when they come in?!"
Izuku was starting to feel a little overwhelmed dealing with this whirlwind of a woman so he just nodded. "That should be fine, Hatsume-san. How much do I owe you?"
White teeth flashed in her dirty face as she smiled once again "Well let's see! This is quite a few parts! But you are having to wait! And I love seeing young people trying to build…. How about I give you a new customer discount?! Let's say when you come by on Wednesday you'll owe me…. 5500 yen?!"
Izuku is sure he stopped breathing for a minute. "B-but that's HALF of w-what they're w-worth?!" She grinned. "Maybe! But it's my shop! I name my prices! Just show me your work when you finish and we will be all good! Anyways! See you Wednesday Midoriya-kun!" With that she shoved the list into the pocket of her coveralls and danced away, back into the bowels of the building.
Green eyes watched after her, dumbstruck, until his phone vibrated with the alarm he had set and he had to dash out the door to get to his class.
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He made it with just enough time to run to the restroom and change. When he bowed onto the floor he was met by his sensei and kohai's matching… glares?
Concerned looks?
He wasn't sure. All he knew was that Kuma-chan had never looked more like her father than she did in that moment while they stood side by side. Bear shaped ears attentive, brown eyes laser focused on a small teenager, and a tiny sliver of a fang poking out from behind a slight frown. "Uh-uhm. Good afternoon Sensei, Kuma-chan."
Sensei's frown deepened a bit and Izuku started mentally backpedaling trying to figure out what he did wrong. But his kohai speaks before he could try and apologize. "Midori-kun. Are you sure it isn't too soon for you to be back in class? It's only been a weekend…." The freckled boy tried to keep the sinking feeling in his gut away from his face. They don't want him here. He's a weak burden. Like always.
"I uhm- I'm really feeling ok. I swear!" The Mirokumas shared a loaded look before the younger shrugged and the older grunted and turned back to Izuku. "OK fine. You can participate. But if you start feeling off you let us know and sit out immediately. You just went through a villain attack. It's ok to not feel well after something like that. Got it?!" Izuku nodded quickly and bows. "Yes sensei! Thank you sensei!"
Kuma-chan sighed quietly as her dad walked away. "OK Midori-kun. Hearing aids out. Let's get some good practice in today since you're staying." He did his best to smile at her as he did what he was told. Ignoring the looks he was getting from the other kids in the class as he walked over to his usual spot near the back wall.
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Izuku swore that was the longest class he had ever had to go through at the dojo. The whole time he could see the others, who usually ignored the weird deaf kid, whispering amongst themselves and glancing at him. He couldn't hear them, obviously. But he could tell their inattention was annoying Mirokuma sensei by the number of extra reps they were all made to do. He did his best to keep his focus on Kuma-chan. She was constantly signing in between sets, letting him know what they were going to do next, and slipping in a sneaky comment or joke about their classmates when she was sure no one was looking.
As he wandered home, going the long way around, he checked his phone. His mom might be home by the time he got there. She shouldn't have had a double today. That means if he gets there quick enough he could do all of the prep and they could cook dinner together. With that happy little thought he puts a bit more pep in his step and gets home a bit faster. He made it with time to spare.
He hurried through his shower and doctoring his various old bruises and cuts. Then rushed to pull out the ingredients for a vegetable curry he knows his mom loves. He started washing the veg. He knows that's his mom's least favorite part so he does it whenever he can. He was almost done with washing everything when he saw the flash of his phone from the counter where he had left it.
He snagged it to see a new message from Inko. Sorry baby. They asked me to stay a few hours late. I probably won't be back until midnight. Don't forget to eat something!
The familiar ring of disappointment sounds in his chest. Oh well. Might as well finish what he started, he would leave a plate for her to heat up when she got home. He was sure she will appreciate it.
The curry isn't quite as good as when his mom made it. She has a way with spices. But it was alright. Izuku dawdled through his solitary dinner, distracting himself with Tweeter. Catching up on hero news and wincing at a rather… angled picture of the back of Mt. Lady. He was sure the person who took that shot got paid well by the news source. It didn't take him long to finish eating and to clean up the kitchen. Leaving a note on the counter to tell his mom she had food in the fridge.
He went to his room, feeling kind of tired, but knowing he needed to write another copy of the assignment that's due for English class the next day. Between his schoolmates and his teachers he knew better than to only have one copy.
He set to work, half his mind planning what of the high-school workbooks he would crack open once he was done. The math one was interesting if he remembered correctly.
Who needed sleep when his future depended on him studying everything he could after all?