Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The pavement bit at his skin, his nails dug into his neck, his tears stained his face, the world collapsed over him, the blood, cracked and dried, irked his soul and mind. While a sob wrenched out of his raw throat, he looked up, watching the widening distance around him. Bodies skirted his figure, their faces blending in with taut frowns and hidden eyes.

Why won’t you look at me? He thought. Why won’t you help me?

A cold chill ran up his spine, grasping onto his shoulders and his heart. More people walked by him, barely casting a glance but always keeping their distance. Despite the invisible blanket thrown over him by their distance, a spotlight shone onto him. He bared himself to the world, opening his arms, his heart, and his hope. His sobs echoed against the buildings and walkways. His shaking red shoes stuck out against the gray background. He was the teetering vase in the center of the room, and they watched him without moving to catch him.

Exposure grew on his skin and dug a hole in his chest. Its claws climbed up his throat, meeting his scratching nails in a torrent fight. In an instant, his mind began to race and his body kicked into action. His feet slapped against the ground, his shoulder dropped against the turning sets of eyes. His body carried him forward, parting the sea of bodies as his instincts screamed to escape.

The world blurred past him, time and space jumped forward. The roaring street, the midday sun, and the crowd of people disappeared, replaced by sunset orange bathing a dark dumpster in a forgotten corner. His foggy memory brought no answer to his location, nor the time of day, it only brought a sickly feeling to his stomach.

His skin itched and his nails dug deeper. Red specks dried onto his fingertips.

Aren’t heroes supposed to save me? He thought. Where are they? Why won’t anyone help me?

His stomach growled and his mouth watered, but a swirling filled his chest and he puffed out his cheeks. The dumpster next to him seemed to huff, letting out a puff of rot and mold. The drifting smell nurtured the spiraling in his chest. Something threatened to crawl up his throat and he squeezed his eyes closed, trying to focus on anything else but nausea that rose from his belly to his throat. The futile attempt lead to a horrid taste in his mouth and a yellow spot on the ground.

When had he fallen to his knees? When had his fingers begun to scratch the pavement?

The itching of his skin spiked and he flopped to the side, reaching and digging. Tears sprung from his eyes as a sob left his chest. Air escaped him, his sides pressed in on him, his heart hammered against his ribcage. His thoughts ran fuzzy until he could only think of a single word, echoing around his mind and dragging against the pavement.

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?

The dumpster huffed at him again, looming against the searing atmosphere his mind devised. The swirling returned to his stomach, he could feel the tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Oh,” a voice croaked, “Oh, you’re so small.”

His eyes snapped open, and he looked up, meeting the deepest green that he had ever seen. A woman stood over him, her green hair and her green eyes invading his vision. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, her lips pulled against her teeth and trembled. The brightness of her eyes reached into his mind as if lending out a hand to his trembling soul.

“Do you want help?” Her voice smoothed over his spiking nerves. “I want to help you.”

A sob rolled up his throat and he leaned over, pressing his forehead to the pavement.

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. “I’m here and we’ll figure this out, okay?”

His shoulder shook, his head bobbed in against the concrete.

“Is it okay if I wrap an arm around you?” She moved closer as he looked up, letting him see her movements. She hovered her hand over his shoulder, her eyes wrinkled at the edges.

A pang shot through his stomach, he jolted away with a fierce shake of his head. The pang clung onto his torso, fading into his legs and arms leaving a cold trail.

“That’s okay, can you stand up on your own?”

The sky pushed down against him, the cloud taunting him and pulling at the spiraling in his chest. Despite the looming forces, his legs moved without his thoughts and pushed his quivering body upwards. The pavement turned underneath his feet, rocketing towards him as the wind rushed by and his stomach lurched. It grew closer and closer as he fell, but arms wrapped around him and pulled him close to a warm body. The pang struck through him again, tears sprang to his eyes and his mouth opened, a pathetic noise tumbling out. The arms stayed around him, the warm body stood against the twisting world, bracing his soul against the torment. Her body did not flack away, it did not disappear underneath his touch. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to get hurt,” the woman said. “I didn’t mean to grab you so suddenly.”

Sobs dropped out of his mouth and he pushed into her embrace, tugging her solace closer to him. A hand pressed against his back, rubbing softly, and a small coo shook his ears.

“It’s going to be okay, let’s go find you some help.” The woman smiled down at him, her eyes meeting his gaze.

Chapter Text

“Midoriya-san?” He leaned over the counter, letting the cool texture press into his forearms. “What is that?” 

“Call me Inko,” the green-haired woman smiled at him from the box she held, “You are living with me now.”

He frowned at her. “That doesn’t answer my question.” 

A smile played on Inko’s face as she set the box on the counter. She curled her fingers around the lid and pulled the box open, then tipped the box to show him in the contents. Mounds of cloth stared at him, with little appendages sticking out. 

“Gloves?” He asked. “Why do you have gloves?” 

“For your quirk!” Inko reached into the box and pulled out a pair of gloves.

His throat tightened as he pushed back from the counter. The mounds of gloves stared at him as he pulled his hands up to his chest. His fingers flexed, reaching towards the skin of his neck like baby birds reaching for their mother. He found himself looking down at them, a wobble to his lips and a stinging in his eyes. 

“I hate my quirk.” 

The words left him before he had even recognized them. 

His fingers stared up at him, the phantom blood coating them. Rotting and cracked, broken and crooked, decaying protrusions from his trembling weak body. Monstrous, dangerous, deadly things. If he could cut them away, dispose of them in the way that they dispose of everything else, he would without hesitation. 

They were an evil disease, threatening to infect his entire being. They tore into his skin and spread their illness through him, spreading the never-ending itch in his soul. 

He hated them, he hated their power. 

And yet…

“Tenko,” Inko whispered. “Your quirk… isn’t evil, if you don’t want it to be.”

He looked up at her with wide red eyes, seeing the dark black gloves that she held in her hands. Inko reached up to the index and middle fingers of the gloves, swiftly tearing them away. The pieces of cloth fell to the counter, lying there motionless. 

Tenko glanced down at his hands. Fingers itched upwards towards him, blood-stained into his nails. A pit opened in his stomach, widening and widening. The longer he stared at them, the larger that the pit grew. 

“How? How can they… not be evil?” 

Inko stepped around the counter, her feet carrying her to his hands. Her green eyes and green hair filled his vision as she knelt down. She took his hands, softly pulling the deformed gloves onto them. Her touch was careful and soft, her movements slow and precise until the gloves fit firmly around his fingers and wrists. The gloves carried warmth and they did not fall away. 

“My husband… he really likes quirks, he’s a quirk scientist in the United States.” Inko held onto his hands, turning his palms upwards to meet his gaze. “He’s taught me a lot about them, and one of the biggest lessons to learn is that… there are no evil quirks, there are no good quirks. Instead, they are just tools that humanitiy has evolved to survive.” 

“But… mine is so dangerous… it has to be evil.” 

Inko smiled at him. “Mine can be too if I used it that way.”

“No, no.” Tenko shook his head. “You’re quirk is useful.” 

“Well, yes, but I could use it to hurt someone if I wanted. Does that make my quirk evil?”

“No, because you wouldn’t!” 

“Would you hurt someone?” 

Tenko frowned and looked down at his hands. Phantom blood soaked through the gloves, staining his skin, staining his soul. 

“I already did…” 

“Not because you wanted to.”

Silence lapsed between them as he stared at his hands, imagining the blood pooling in his hands and dripping to the floor. His fingers jerked, curling into his palms and flexing back again. Inko moved her hands, taking a hold of his fingers and pushing their hands together. The movements washed away his thoughts, clearing the dark gloves of the phantom blood. 

“I… I don’t want to hurt anyone… so… my quirk isn’t bad?” 

“That’s how it works.”

“Oh.” 

Inko smiled softly at him and tugged him close by his hands, pulling him into an embrace. He melted into her arms, letting his arms wrap around her. The smell of strawberries hit him as he pushed deeper into her arms, a soft blanket covering him as he took at the moment. The coziness of her warmth whispered to his soul and he squeezed his eyes closed. Safety could be found at home, and he knew he had found it. 

Chapter Text

The man’s messy hair shone in the sun, reflecting like a fresh layer of snow. Speckled spots sat on his cheeks, meeting the large dimples formed from his equally large smile. “It’s nice to finally meet you Tenko, I’m Hisashi.” 

The stone in his stomach dropped as Hisashi held out a hand, the smile never wavering from his face. An image flared in his mind, weaving the colors of another shadow leaning over him with dark blue eyes and sneering lips. His skin began to itch, his fingers began to curl, his hands reached up towards his neck. 

Trembling took over his body and he glanced over at Inko, who tilted her head and smiled softly. 

“It’s okay,” Hisashi said, “You don’t have to shake my hand.” 

Tenko snapped back to him, his mouth falling open and words tumbling out. “No, no, I’ll shake your hand!” 

“If it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to.” Hisashi shook his hands out in front of him. “I don’t need to shake your hand, I don’t want to make you upset.” 

“You… what?” Tenko asked. “I… but… you confuse me.” 

“How so?” 

“Why do you care?” Tenko looked up at the man, scanning his face and body. 

The smile on Hisashi’s face shifted into something softer, smaller, warmer. He relaxed into his position and leaned a little closer. The image at the back of Tenko’s mind clashed against the one in front of him, two opposing forces battling it out as the white-haired man began to answer the question. 

“Because you’re just a kid and you deserve to be happy,” Hisashi said, “Plus… you’re my kid, so you’re extra special.” 

“Hisashi!” Inko laughed. “You’ll give him an ego.” 

“What’s so bad about some confidence?”

“Wait!” Tenko cried out and immediately waved his arms. “Wait!”

Hisashi turned back to him, the same soft smile on his face. 

“You really… I’m your kid?” 

“Of course you are.” 

Tears sprung up into his eyes and his arms jumped up, hiding his face in his dark gloves. “But… I… my family…” 

“What happened wasn’t your fault, kid.”

An arm settled across his shoulders, softly pulling him into a warm embrace. Tenko let his hands drop to his sides as his body sagged into Hisashi’s hold. The older man rubbed his back, unintentionally scratching the itches just beneath his skin. 

Moments later another presence entered the embrace, squeezing him between two figures. Tenko looked up at the two figures, meeting the soft face of his father and the crying smile of his mother. His own tears trekked down his shin and his whole body trembled before he gave into the comfort of his parents. Their warmth spread through his limbs, settling the quaking in his bones and the itching of his soul. 

“Thank you…” 

“Don’t need to thank us,” Hisashi said. 

“You deserve to be loved and cared for,” Inko added. 

More tears sprung from his eyes. “You love me…?” 

“Yeah, we do love you.”

Chapter Text

Tenko held the picture up, tracing the contrasting shapes and lines. A small blob of white popped up in the middle of the darker part of the picture, forming into an odd shape. 

“What’s this mean?” He asked, turning to look at his parents. 

Hisashi leaned over and ruffled his hair, a wide smile on his face. “It means that you’re going to be a big brother.” 

The picture dropped out of his fingers, floating to the ground. Cold ice ran up his body, entrapping him in his staggering stance. A voice whispered at the back of his mind, You don’t want to be a bad brother, do you? 

Fingers carded through his hair, softly tugging him back to his parents. “What’s wrong, Tenchan?” 

“I… I don’t want to be a brother!” Tenko pulled away from his father’s hand and staggered to the side. “You can’t make me!” 

“Tenko…”

“No!” 

His feet slapped against the ground, the walls rushed past him, his mother’s voice called out once again. His body didn’t stop, it rushed, it escaped, it ran. Everything blurred around him, time and space disappearing into the back of his mind. The voice of his sister… his sister… jumped forward, screeching in his ear and dragging up the image of her smiling face. The large smile on her face, the fake smile on her face, her pointing fingers turning towards him. 

A sob clawed up his throat, tumbling out of his mouth. He slapped his hands down as his body shifted, hitting soft fabric. Warm blankets pushed against his body from beneath, wrapping around him as he flailed and dug himself deeper into the material. His tears pressed into the fabric, his choking throat screaming into the softness. 

Time passed by, slowly passing him with changing lights. The sun descended in the sky, the stars winked into existence, the moon smiled down on the world. Tenko softened into the cocoon of warmth and comfort and safety, wrapping it around him as he opened his eyes. 

His bedroom covered him, surrounding him with warm colors and glow-in-the-dark stars. His blankets cocooned him, swaddling him in warmth. Pillows piled up around him, with soft forms sitting upon them. 

Tenko reached out, grabbing one of the soft forms and dragging it close. The teddy bear turned in his arms, looking up at him. 

“I don’t want to be a big brother, teddy… what do I do?” 

His bear stared at him with wide eyes, its paws pressed against his chest. 

“Does… does that make me a bad person?” 

Teddy stared at him again. 

“Stop staring at me.” 

Tenko tossed him back into the pillows and turned away, hiding in the blankets. 

“I’m not a bad person… I’m not a bad person.” 

Yeah right, you killed your whole family, remember?

Talons wrapped around his chest, tightening as he curled further into his bed. His throat ran raw as more tears threaten their way up them. A weight dropped onto his soul, dragging him down, down, down… 

Suddenly knocking filled the space and Tenko jolted up, turning to the door with a trembling body. 

“Tenko?” Inko called through the door. “Can I come in?” 

He stared at the door for a moment, tears streaking down his face once more. He jumped off of his bed and rushed to the door, pulling it open. Inko blinked and looked down at him, before smiling softly and reaching out to him. Her hand settled into his hair and he pushed against her hand, wrapping his arms around her with a sniffle. 

“Oh baby,” Inko whispered, “What’s wrong?” 

“I… I don’t want to be bad…” Tenko cried. “I’m not bad!” 

“You aren’t bad!” 

His mother picked him up, scooping him off his feet and swinging him up to her face. The world swept by and swirled in his vision. The stars upon his ceilings and walls looked down at them as his mother fell back onto his bed, cuddling him closer to her. Warmth radiated from her hold, oozing into his bones and into his soul. Against his better judgment, he leaned into her comfort… he wasn’t sure he deserved it. 

“Why do you think you’re bad, Tenchan?” 

“I’m a bad brother… because…” 

The words died in his throat and he looked away from his mother, catching the tears in his throat.  

“Because…why?” His mother whispered.

“Because I hurt my sister… and because I don’t want to be a brother…” 

His mother pressed her lips to his cheek, her fingers brushing the tears away from his face. “No, baby… you didn’t mean to hurt your sister, that doesn’t make you a bad brother… or a bad person.” 

His heart squeezed, his soul sniffled. 

“And not wanting to be a brother because of that doesn’t make you a bad person either.” 

“It doesn’t?” 

“No, it doesn’t.” His mother pinched his cheek, drawing out a smile from him. 

“I don’t really have to be a brother, do I?” 

Inko laughed and pulled him closer, poking his sides. Laughter jumped out of his throat and he thrashed, trying to escape her embrace. 

“Sorry baby, but you don’t get a choice in that.”

Chapter Text

Tenko stared down at the pinkish blob, the blob that cried and cried and cried. He frowned at reached forward, poking it with a finger. The blob let out another startled cry, wheezing and squirming. Small fingers jumped up, grasping onto his finger with a tight grip. 

“What… is it?” 

“He is your younger brother,” Hisashi said, “Izuku.” 

“Izuku… you are ugly.” 

“Tenko!”

Chapter Text

“Be careful now, he’s just a baby…”

“He’s not that fragile!” Tenko scoffed but tightened his arms around his baby brother. 

Izuku squirmed in his hold, whining against the swaddling confines of his blanket, before settling to lean into the hold. Soft fabric pushed against Tenko’s arm, radiating warmth and happiness. The small baby in his arms relaxed completely, smiling dopily up at him, eyes wide with complete trust. 

Something inside of him cracked, oozing warmth across his chest and heart. Air rushed into his lungs and filled his soul with the smells of home. Something pulled at his cheeks; a smile that he couldn’t quite control.

“I guess he’s not that bad…” Tenko said. 

Inko laughed and leaned in, pressing against his side to wrap an arm around him. “He’ll get even cuter when he grows up, all babies start out a little…”

“Ugly?”

“I wasn’t going to say that!” She pinched his cheek and pulled away. “I was going to say a little weird…”

“Still means ugly.”

Izuku let out a garbled sound, suddenly squirming against his confines. Tenko’s head snapped down to look at him, taking in the expression on his face. Green eyes, rich as a forest, stared up at him, with a smile larger than life. Cute little freckles dotted his cheeks, accompanying his stupidly bright smile. The little baby in his arms radiated pure happiness, pure life, pure joy… 

“What are you thinking, Tenchan?” His mother prodded. 

Tenko tightened his grip just a little bit, squishing Izuku into his chest, unable to contain the smile on his face. “I think… I love him.”

“I’m glad you do… I love him too.”

Chapter Text

“Quirks are often categorized into three main types… emitter quirks, transformation quirks, and mutant quirks. I don’t really think these categories are the best way to define quirks or how they interact with the world around them.” Hisashi held his two sons close to him, speaking softly in the dim light. 

Tenko pressed his forehead into his father’s ribcage and looked over at his baby brother, who stared up at the man holding him with wide eyes. A smile spread onto Tenko’s face and he looked up at the man too. 

“You see… quirks are constantly evolving and changing. You can’t put something that constantly redefines itself into a box. So, I don’t like to use categories unless I have to, mostly just for paperwork. Not that categories aren’t useful in some situations, they just don’t help me for my job!”

Tenko honestly wasn’t really listening to his father, whatever he was talking about sounded boring. 

“Anyways, I got off track a bit… I was going to tell you about the Quirk Evolution Category Theory, it’s basically just the idea that quirks will evolve to need new categories other than what we have presently. I think with the most recent quirks I’ve studied that this is just starting to be proven true! Some of the scientists I know are debating what to name new categories or even if something can be defined as a new category! So despite blah… blah blah fire blah… quirks are truly… blah… tools… blah…blah, United States blah… laws and regulations…blah… quirks… blah…”

Sleep hit Tenko like a train, dragging him into another world. As the night drew on and the warmth of home never left him, he found himself drifting through a world of stars and games. Bright green lights and safe glowing hands accompanied him in his dreams, guiding him along the way. He searched every crevice of the dreamscape, finding hidden gems and glowing treasures, but he knew there was more out there... Something better for him to find. The green lights winked at him, squirting across his vision and dancing along, calling for a chase. 

His feet moved, darting over the ground and floating to his next steps. The world rushed past him in a blur of colors, turning in soft purples and dark blues and golden rays. The green lights bounced ahead of him, dipping down into a large maze of a city, and he followed them. 

Suddenly the wind rushed out of his lungs, his body collided with something soft but firm, his eyes flew open. Glow-in-the-dark stars winked down at him from above, a soft pillow pushed against his jaw. Whines left his throat as he struggled in his captive blankets. 

“Sorry son, didn’t mean to drop you like that!” His father’s voice broke through his whines. “Didn’t mean to wake you up either.” 

“Was almost…something…” Tenko rolled onto his back, feeling his father pull at the blankets and pillows around him. 

“Hm? Nice dream, huh?” 

Garbled nonsense fell from his lips and he curled into the blankets. His father laughed and pushed more pillows close to him, setting Teddy on his chest. 

“Now you sound like Izuku.” 

“Mm…not…” 

“Go to sleep, Tenchan.”

“M’kay.” 

The dream dragged him back down, but he smiled and turned into it. Something was waiting to be found, he couldn't wait to know what it was. 

Chapter Text

Bakugou Katsuki grated on Tenko’s nerves. The blond-haired baby screeched and screamed, throwing his fists into the air with a vengeance. Despite his loud attitude, Inko and the demon’s mother simply cooed at him. Even worse than the two mothers fawning over him, was the way that his baby brother fawned over the aggressive baby. 

Izuku watched him, his forest green eyes swirling and brightening, growing as wide as the smile upon his face. His little hands reached out for the defiant baby, an equally loud screech leaving his mouth. With that incredibly odd cry, both of the mothers began to coo again and usher them closer together. Neither of the babies seemed to mind that, starting to stare at each other in a new revelation. 

Tenko scoffed and crossed his arms, glaring at the scene. 

“What’s wrong, Tenchan?” His mother asked. 

“He’s corrupting Izuku!” Tenko pointed at the blond demon, who turned to him with pudgy red eyes. 

The mothers laughed with each other, picking up their respective baby. Izuku let out a cry, reaching for Bakugou once more. The blond demon returned the cry, stretching out with what sounded like a growl. 

“They’re going to be inseparable, aren’t they?” Bakugou’s mother mused. 

Inko smiled at her. “It won’t be too bad, getting to spend time with you.” 

“You’re such a sweetheart.” Bakugou’s mother said, then frowned at her demon baby. “You have a lot to learn from your auntie, Katsuki.”

The baby just blinked at her, frowning and glaring.

Again Tenko scoffed, moving to stand up on his feet. His faithful feet carried him across the small apartment, to the black box in the corner. The screen came to life moments later, blinking at him with colorful lights and patterns. With a few quick pushes of buttons, characters came to life on screen and he settled back with the controller in his hands. This was more interesting than watching his baby brother fawn over someone else anyways.

As the little characters moved across the screen, jumping over pits and diving into bushes, Tenko felt his shoulders slump and his mind begin to drift. Everything fell away, the lights dimming at the sides of his vision, the TV coming into focus. The character smiled at him, saluting before turning and letting him control their actions. He ushered the character along the path, keeping an eye out for side quests. 

Time flew by, careening around corners and jumping over boulders. 

“Ba!” Tenko jolted and looked towards the sound. Baby Bakugou grabbed his leg pants, letting out another garbled sound and pulling himself closer. 

“Hey!” Tenko tried to pull his pants away, only to be glared at by the demon baby. 

Laughter babbled out of another baby. Little Izuku leaned forward on his knees, letting his joy flounder out of his mouth. He looked from the TV screen to Tenko to Bakugou to the TV screen again, cycling between the three continuously. 

“What do you two want?” Tenko paused his game. “Trouble?” 

“Ha!” Izuku swatted at him. “Ta!” 

“Hey!” 

The two babies looked up at him, one with hidden forests and the other with shining red sun. Both of them smiled at him, their grubby little hands reaching for his pant leg. 

Tenko sighed, setting the controller down and pulling his baby brother onto his lap. The demon baby let out a loud whine and tried to follow. Begrudgingly, the older boy let him, watching the way that Izuku’s face lit up at the sight of the other baby. They had only known each other for a day, but they were already each other’s sun and stars. 

“Smile!” 

“What?” Tenko looked up, gasping in horror at the camera in his mom’s hands. 

The camera flashed, capturing the cuddling babies in his arms and the aghast look upon his face. 

Chapter Text

Watery trails stained his rosy cheeks, his lips drawn back against his teeth as his sobs echoed across the room. The darkness fought against the small computer screen in the room, playing the same video over and over. With each play-through, the sounds that fell from the boy grew louder. Those sobs shook Tenko to his core, rattling against the sides of his head and tearing at his fragile heart. Before he could think, his feet darted forward and brought his body to his little brother’s side. Two souls pressed against each other, wrapping up against each other, seeking comfort and seeking love. Their spirits searched for each other, as one pour out his heart. 

“What happened?” Tenko asked. “What’s wrong, Zuchan?” 

His mind hunted for answers, exploring the signs in front of him and examining his memories of the day. Tenko knew that his mother had just taken his brother to the doctor, they had been talking about for weeks. To see what was taking his quirk so long… 

“My quirk…” Izuku gasped. “I… I…” 

“It can’t be that bad.” Tenko rubbed his back. “Dad says no quirks are bad.” 

Izuku shook his head, tears escaping his eyes once more. “I don’t have one…!” 

“Oh.” 

The lacking reaction, the uncertainty, the sinking feeling in their bones… Izuku pushed away from him and turned to stare at the computer screen. Tenko drifted over to the screen, watching All Might smile at him, carrying numerous bodies on his back. Another choked sob wretched out of his brother from his side. 

Heroes… Tenko had never cared much for them. They followed rules that he couldn’t quite understand, promising to protect and save everyone, but still ignoring him when he needed them most. The only true heroes he had ever known were his parents. Yet, Izuku loved and idolized every single one of them, always watching their news and interviews, always crying out in awe when he saw one. He had gone as far to write out plans for becoming one, in his flimsy little journal. 

Such a silly little dream, a goal so far out of reach… even further now, almost impossible. 

All Might smiled at him. Anyone can become a hero. 

“Ni-san,” Izuku breathed in a sob, “can I become a hero still?” 

Tenko tore his eyes away from the screen and looked at his baby brother, meeting the drowning forests and suffering cheeks. His heart broke off a few pieces, collecting in shards at the bottom of his stomach. Whispers filled the back of his mind, the future challenged him with its unknowing and uncertain smile. Time tore his soul in two directions, slowly tearing him apart from the inside out. 

The silence filled them, he stared at his brother, his mouth opening and closing. How could he protect his brother from this? How could he save his cracking heart? 

Izuku drew in a sudden breath, loud and pungent. Then his brother bolted out of the room, leaving the sound of his fading sobs and All Might beckoning call. I am here. 

In the end, his silence had been enough of an answer for his brother. His hesitance, his uncertainty, his fear, left him unable to put his brother’s heart back together. Instead, he became the hand that dragged it down and shattered it into pieces on the floor. 

A small squeak drew his attention from the floor. He looked up to see his mother at the door, a hand over her mouth and tears in her eyes. 

“Mom?” Tenko asked. “Mom… I… I didn’t mean to hurt him…!”

“I know… I know.” Inko stepped into the room, rushing over to him. “I didn’t mean to hurt him either…” 

“You hurt him… too?” 

Arms wrapped around him, pulling him close. He ducked his head and wrapped his arms back around his mother, trying to fight off the heat behind his eyes, the tightening of his chest, and the demons in his head. 

Silence filled the room once again, like a hungry figure searching to harm again. Tenko wished to destroy it. 

“Mom… how do you…” Tenko took a deep breath. “How do you fix a broken heart?” 

His mother took a moment to answer. 

“With a lot of work, a lot of understanding…” 

“That sounds hard.” 

“It’s very hard, it can go wrong in so many ways.” 

“Can we fix Izuku’s heart?”

Chapter Text

The cry bounced off the playground equipment and jumped across the field. Tenko’s head swiveled on his shoulders, his basketball falling out of his hands and springing away. His eyes met the scene, two figures standing over a smaller one, crowding him against the ground. The green-haired boy held up his arms to protect his face and stared at the figures above him in defiance. 

That didn’t stop the two figures from stepping closer and cracking their knuckles. They unleashed fury upon the boy, a fury that didn’t make sense for their tiny bodies or their tiny minds. 

Tenko jolted forward, his feet carrying him across the playground. The wind blew against his ears, roaring at him, and he hurtled into the closest form. The bully went flying, tumbling across the ground with a loud yelp. 

“Stay away from my brother!” Tenko snapped at them. “Get out of here!” 

“You aren’t the boss of me!” The second bully snapped, in an annoyingly familiar voice. 

Bakugou Katsuki sneered at him, his palms beginning to pop with tiny explosions. The five-year-old ran wild, but he wasn’t stupid enough to think he could fight someone five years older than him. Despite that though, he knew his quirk was volatile enough to scare most people off, except for idiots like Deku. 

“Interesting quirk, twerp.” Tenko sneered back at him. “So scary.” 

“What the fuck was that?” Bakugou snapped. “I have the best quirk here!” 

Tenko itched at the edge of his gloves and rolled his eyes, imagining the look on the tiny child's face if he ever saw his disintegrating quirk. “Who the hell cares? You have an amazing quirk but it doesn’t make you a better person.” 

“What the hell does that mean?!”

“It means you’re being a bully! I thought you wanted to be a hero, Bakugou, but you’re acting like a villain.” 

“I am not a villain! You take that back!” 

“Hell no!” Tenko stepped forward, towering over Bakugou and glaring down at him. “Real heroes help people, they don’t just fight people and put them down.”

“What do you know about real heroes, hah?” Bakugou took a step back, glancing towards the park entrance. 

“I know a lot more than you, considering I’ve actually met some.” 

“What?!” Both Bakugou and Izuku’s voices jumped, reaching higher octaves. “When?!” 

Tenko crossed his arms and smirked. “My parents, the ones that adopted me.” 

“That doesn’t count!” Bakugou snapped. 

“Of course it does!” Tenko glared at him. “They helped me, even when actual heroes wouldn’t. That makes them even better than heroes.”

“I don’t fucking believe you!” Bakugou spat. 

“I don’t care, now, get lost!” 

Tenko watched Bakugou glare at him and turn, running out of the park. Once the blond-haired boy disappeared in the distance, he turned to his younger brother and helped him. Izuku stared up at him with large eyes, a smile on his face. 

“What?” Tenko asked. “Why are you looking at me like that?” 

“You really think our parents are better than heroes?” 

Tenko snorted. “Of course they are, they actually help people.” 

“Wow… I want to help people too!” 

“I know… and I know you can… you can be better than heroes too.” 

Izuku fell quiet, looking down at the ground. His little green curls seemed to wilt, losing their life and bounce. Tenko felt a small pit open in his chest, threatening to swallow his heart. 

“Hey, Izuku…” 

“Yeah?”
“Do you really want to become a hero?” 

His brother’s head jolted up, his eyes gleaming in the light. “More than anything!” 

“Well… I think you can.” 

“Really?” 

“You… you already care more than most heroes do… you just have to learn how to be one.” 

Tears gleamed in Izuku’s eyes and he sprung forward, his arms wrapping around Tenko and squeezing him tight. A squeal leaped out of his mouth as he began to jump in place. Tenko laughed and hugged his brother back, letting his heart smile at the warm moment. He knew that his little brother would make an amazing hero, the thought shined in his chest as he thought about his brother running around saving people. 

At the same time though, he felt a hole open in his chest... what if he got hurt? What if he died? 

Tenko pushed the shuttering thoughts away and pulled his brother closer. 

Chapter Text

Images of Izuku running around with a hero costume and saving people kept Tenko up at night. He stared up at the ceiling, counting the stars on his ceiling, and trying to clear his mind. The thought of his little brother dying plagued him though, not going away despite his best efforts. He could see him falling to the ground, covered in blood, or completely disappearing under a tumbling building, or worse… disintegrating in his arms. 

The itching under his skin returned and he let out a small sob, shaking the thought away and holding his arms down. 

There had to be something that he could do… something to protect his brother from the dangers of hero work, from the dangers of the world. Tenko looked away from the stars, prodding at his brain to come up with solutions. If he could complete video games with ease, he could beat this problem too. 

He opened his eyes again and turned on to his side, meeting the posters of cartoon characters on his walls. He blinked. 

A thought sprung into his mind…

“If you’re going to become a hero, you need to learn how to protect yourself!” Tenko clapped his hands together. “Especially from those bullies at school!” 

Izuku frowned at him. “I can’t get into fights at school, Ni-san.” 

“Stupid rules, anyways, it’s still important to protect yourself!” Tenko pointed at him. 

“Why?” 

“Because you can’t save people if you can’t keep yourself safe! A hero with broken legs can’t carry survivors out of a burning building.” 

Then Tenko stepped forward and instructed his little brother to prepare the living room. They pushed the couch and tables against the wall, making a large space for their adventures. Then Tenko set up his laptop on the couch, playing around with it until they could both see the screen. 

A man appeared on the screen, smiling and waving. His voice echoed across the room, introducing his video and what they could expect from it. Izuku’s face lit up and he quickly moved to stand in the middle of the living room.

Tenko raised his arms, as shown in the video, and smirked. “Let’s make a game out of this, Zuchan.” 

“A game?” 

“Whoever does better gets a point and the person with the most points at the end wins.” 

“Okay! That sounds like fun!” 

The two boys set out to follow what the man was doing, arguing over who was doing the exercises better as they went. Their fists flew in the air, their feet planted firmly on the ground. 

The afternoon flew by as they ran through the moves, practicing their attacks and defense. The man on the video praised them each time, despite not being able to actually see how well the boys were doing. 

Eventually, the apartment door opened and their mother stepped through, a squeak leaving her lips as she spotted them. “What are you boys doing?”

“Practicing!” Izuku called. “To become heroes!” 

“Oh?” Inko set down her bags and walked into the living room, frowning at the video. “Are you sure this is safe?” 

“Yeah, mom,” Tenko said. “We aren’t attacking each other, just learning how to punch and stuff.” 

“Do you really need to know that?” 

Izuku looked down at the floor, his hands beginning to rub against each other. Tenko glanced at him, frowning a little before looking back at his mother. He knew what he had to do. 

“Yeah, I saw some bullies messing with Zuchan the other day.” 

“Ni-san!” Izuku gasped. 

“Izuku, why didn’t you tell me? Or a teacher?” Inko asked, immediately flying over to him and taking his face in her hands. 

“Teachers… don’t believe me…” Izuku whispered. “They always blame me for everything.” 

Inko frowned. “I’ll talk to your teachers, see what I can do.” 

Tenko reached forward and grabbed her shirt, tugging. “Mom, if they still try to mess with Zuchan he needs to know how to protect himself.” 

“I’m not getting into fights!” Izuku said again. “I’ll get in trouble.” 

“You get blamed for not fighting back already anyways.” 

Inko looked between her two boys, her lips pinched together. She looked around the living room and then at the laptop balanced on the couch. Her sons continued to bicker as she stood up and walked over to the laptop, closing it. 

She’d have to take an extra shift… probably one a week… but it could work. She could make it work. 

“I do… I do think Izuku and you should learn to protect yourselves, it’s a dangerous world.” Inko turned to them. “How would you like to join a dojo?” 

“Really?!” Both of her boys turned to her, their eyes wide. “Yes!”

Chapter Text

“Sit down, Zuchan,” Tenko said.

His little brother bounced over to him, sitting down next to him. The couch creaked under their combined weight, the pillows pushing up against them. The two boys picked up the smooth controllers from the coffee table, leaning forward towards the TV. 

The screen lit up, numerous characters began to jump across the screen. Theme music rang out across the living room, upbeat and musical. 

Saturday mornings were Tenko’s favorites. He’d wake up just as his mother was finishing breakfast, getting dragged out of bed by his younger brother. The sunlight would brighten up the soft apartment, creating a warm and happy atmosphere that he would lean into. Then he’d drag his brother into the living room and put on the TV, convincing him to play his latest video game. 

“Wait, wait, it’s a puzzle!” Izuku said. “Oh, this is fun!” 

“We have to work together, there are two stones…” Tenko moved his character, grabbing one of them. “Can you get the other?”

“Yeah! Okay, so it’s like a maze…” 

“And we use the stones to help each other unlock secret routes?” 

“Like that bridge!” 

The two boys sat on the couch until their legs went numb, they stared at the screen until their eyes began to hurt. Izuku groaned and stood up, stretching his arms up before slithering to the ground. Laughter erupted out of Tenko as he paused the game and struggled to stand up. He wobbled around the living room as the feeling returned to his legs. Pins and needles filled his legs. 

Tenko wandered over to the blanket rack, pulling off one of the big quilts. The blanket flew into the air and landed on top of his brother, who let out a loud whine. 

“I’m tired, Ni-san…” 

“Well… we could put on a movie and take a nap.” 

“An All Might movie!” Izuku sat up, the quilt pooling around him. “The new one!” 

“Okay, okay, we can watch All Might.” Tenko rolled his eyes. “You have such plain taste.” 

“Don’t be so mean.” 

“Don’t be so easy to tease.” Tenko walked over to the tv screen, messing with the controls and buttons for a moment. The movie came on, softly beginning to play in the background. 

He walked over to his younger brother and scooped him up, ignoring his screams as he threw him onto the couch. Then he jumped on top of him, squishing him as the movie began.

Chapter Text

Midoriya Hisashi was strong enough to carry both of his sons at the same time, despite one of them being nearly thirteen years old. Tenko let out a howl when his father picked him up and immediately wrapped his arms tightly around his head. The instinct to squirm was quickly overridden by the fear of falling, so he opted for clinging instead. Unlike him though, his younger brother had no such fear and continued to squirm with a vengeance. 

“Ahhhh!” Tenko screeched. “Zuchan, you’ll make him drop us!” 

“Let go of me!” Izuku yelped back. “Free me!” 

“Zuchan!” 

Their father’s laughter filled the air and he swung around, carrying them towards the couch. With Izuku well on his way to hanging upside down, he was the first one thrown onto the couch. Then his older brother was dumped on top of him. 

“Ow!” Izuku whined. “Your elbows are pointy!” 

“Your whole body is pointy!” Tenko complained as he rolled off. 

“Careful now,” Hisashi said. He stood over them with a smile on his face, laughter still bubbling on his tongue. 

Izuku jolted up, nearly knocking Tenko over. “I can’t believe you’re home! This is amazing! We don’t have to see you through a screen anymore.” 

“Yeah, you look ever taller in person, Zuchan.” Hisashi smiled at him and then turned to Tenko. “And you’re beginning to lose your baby face, Tenchan.” 

“Ugh dad, that’s too cute of a nickname!” 

“Too bad.” Hisashi moved both of them before plopping down on the couch next to them. “I want to hear about what you two have been up to. Your mother said something about a dojo?” 

Izuku’s eyes lit up and he quickly began to ramble about their new dojo. With each passing sentence, he leaned closer and closer, his eyes growing brighter and brighter. Tenko leaned in, listening to his little brother ramble about all of the friends that he was making and how much fun he was having. He was glad that his brother wasn’t dealing with bullies as much anymore, now that he had learned how to protect himself. 

“I’m glad you’re making friends,” Hisashi said.

Izuku smiled at him. “Maybe you could meet them? We could invite them over for a playdate…” 

“That sounds like a great idea.” 

“Ugh!” Tenko rolled off the couch. “People.” 

His father laughed and reached out, pushing a hand through his hair. Tenko leaned into the touch, letting his eyes close. He hated how much he had missed his father. 

“Maybe you can invite some of your friends over,” Hisashi said. 

Tenko smiled slightly. “Yeah, I could do that.” 

“Great! I’ll let your mother know, we will talk more about this at dinner.” 

Their father reached out and pulled both of them close, squeezing them in a deep hug. 

“I missed you both so much.” 

“I missed you too!” Izuku said. 

Tenko smiled and mumbled, “I missed you too, dad.” 

Chapter Text

“Izuku, I need to talk to you about something.” Tenko scratched his cheek, looking at the floor. 

Izuku’s room was covered in pro-hero merch, mostly of All Might. The bright colors lit up the room, blinding him every time he opened the door. There was a small part of him that thought getting blasted by All Might’s smile was getting a little annoying, just because of the amount of it plastered to his brother’s walls. 

“Yeah, what is it?” Izuku dropped his journal onto his bed and sat up. “Ni-san?” 

“Uh, the teachers… my teachers started to ask us about where we’re thinking of applying for high school,” Tenko said.

“Oh! Where are you thinking of going?” 

“Well, I… I want to go to UA.” 

“That’s so cool!” Izuku jumped up from his bed and rushed over. “If you get in, you can tell me all about it!” 

“Yeah, yeah… but… I think I want to be a hero.” 

“Really!?” 

Tenko looked up, seeing the way his brother’s eyes lit up. Izuku began to bounce back and forth, just like he had when he was a toddler. A small smile crept onto Tenko’s face. 

“Yeah, that’s kind of… what I wanted to talk to you about.” Tenko pulled him over to the bed and sat down with him. “I want to be a hero… because of you.” 

“Me?” His brother’s eye managed to grow wider. 

Tenko nodded. “I like… learning about them with you… and I loved going to the dojo with you. So, I just want you to know that I’m going to become a great hero! For you!” 

“Ni-san!” 

He should have seen the tears coming earlier.

Chapter Text

The large doors opened, and the announcer sang out, but Midoriya Tenko was already moving. He pushed past the other examinees, rushing into the false city and zoning in. His long legs carried him across the pavement, his eyes darting across the terrain. The robots appeared fast, rearing up as he met them. 

His quirk made quick work of them, disintegrating them down to ash. They fell into piles as he ran by. 

Soon his breath caught up to him and he faltered to a stop, looking out at the other examinees. He had more than enough points to make it, but there was still enough time left to get in a few more. Then he saw it, the zero pointer appearing from the inside of a building. Its first step shook the world, its arms threw rubble across the city as it reached out to hold onto the two nearest buildings. 

The examinees stopped, then turned and ran. Screams began to fill the air, breaking through around him. 

This thing… this robot monster… it could kill them, and no one was doing anything about it… 

There was no point in fighting this thing because it would kill them. The teachers wanted them to run away from it. 

But Tenko couldn’t just leave it, not with the examinees still stuck so close to it and its ruin. 

His quirk could protect him, from the destruction and from the robot. He could face this monster. 

Just like that, his feet took off again and his body was moving before he could even think. 

---

“Ni-san!” Izuku called. “Tenchan!” 

“What?” Tenko called back, hiding away in his room. He messed around with the PC setup, frowning to himself. 

“Your UA letter is here!” 

The chair fell away from him and the floor met him with a loud smack. Pain rolled through his body, but he was already moving, dragging himself off of the floor. The world blurred around him, then he was sliding down the hallway in his socks, snatching the letter out of his brother’s hands and flopping onto the couch. He ripped it open before he could even think that he might damage the letter inside by doing so. 

Izuku jumped onto the couch beside him, leaning over his shoulder, holding onto him.

A little disc fell out of the letter, an image of a hero jumping out of it and beginning to talk. Both of the boys stopped moving and stared with their mouths open. It went on and on for a little bit, showing his scores and aptitude, and then…

“Congratulations, Midoriya Tenko! Welcome to your hero academia!” 

“I got in!” Tenko gasped. “Oh my god, I’m in Class 1A!” 

“This is amazing!” Izuku screamed. “My brother is going to be a hero!” 

Tenko turned and pulled his little brother into a tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out of him. Their cheers filled the room. 

“We have to tell mom and dad!” 

“I’ll beat you to it.” 

“No way!”

Chapter Text

Tenko cracked his knuckles, the release filling his fingertips. Pins and needles ran from his hands up his arms. A smirk crossed his face as he looked over at his younger brother. 

Izuku buzzed in his spot, his fight beginning to bounce and his eyes alight. His younger brother ran with a sort of energy that Tenko only wished he could hold. 

“Are you ready to learn what I have learned?” Tenko asked. 

“Yes!” Izuku threw a fist in the air. “Teach me what you’ve learned at UA, Ni-san!” 

“The first thing that you need to know is that you’ve got to be smart.” 

“Smart?” 

“If you can outsmart your opponent, then it is almost guaranteed that you’ll win.” 

“Oh! Like strategy! I think I know a-” 

Tenko jumped forward, throwing a punch at his brother. 

The two threw themselves in the rhythm, dancing around each other and throwing punches. They weren’t evenly matched, one was taller, more muscular, and had the experience of hero teachers, while the other was still growing and learning. Despite that, the two enjoyed moments like these together: brotherly bonding was trying to beat the shit out of each other. 

“Boys, time to come home!” Hisashi called to them. “You’ve been at the park all day.” 

“Dad!” Izuku yelled. “Tenchan was showing me a grappling technique he learned at UA! Watch this-” 

Tenko rolled his eyes and moved their position, quickly throwing his little brother off of him. 

The ungodly screech that came from his younger brother was enough to send him rolling in laughter. His stomach began to ache as he pressed his face against the ground, trying to smother the laughter in his chest. 

“Okay, seems like you two need some dinner.” Hisashi picked them both up, ignoring the indignant cries that both of them gave. “You can show me everything you’ve learned after you’ve had some food.” 

Chapter Text

“Hey, Zuchan?” 

“Yeah?” Izuku looked up at his brother, leaving behind his breakfast.

Tenko smiled. “When you watch the Sports Festival today, can you take notes on my classmates?” 

“Yes!” Izuku jumped up from the table, disappearing deeper into the apartment. “Yes!” 

---

Tenko glanced up at the large screen, crossing his arms. A list of his classmates in 1A appeared, along with the name of their quirks. A small smile appeared on his face, knowing that his little brother was going to have a hay day with that. It also gave his brother a great opportunity to begin his entries. 

By the end of the day, he would have something to use for the next year's Sports Festival and be a step closer to getting his brother a birthday present. He could only hope that his brother would like it and that it would raise his confidence levels. 

“Midoriya! It’s about to start!” Tenko turned to his classmate and began his jog over. 

---

The notebook that his little brother handed him was worn and filled with sticky notes, it almost overflowed in his hands. Inside the notebook, sections on each of his classmates and himself were carefully drawn out, complete with little notes on how to read them. Drawings accompanied each of the students, along with a list of thoughts on what their hero costume should include. 

Tenko smiled at the extensive notes, peering through the strengths and how they can be used to their advantage, the weaknesses and how they could be used against them, and even more ideas on their fighting styles. 

“This is amazing, Zuchan.” 

“You think so?” Izuku asked. “I could have added some more details… but I didn’t know if I had enough room, or if they were even good…” 

Tenko reached out and ruffled his hair. “I think anything you write about is worth reading, especially if it has to do with quirks.” 

Izuku laughed. “Okay, whatever, Ni-san. What did you want with my notes?” 

“Want to use them for next year’s Sports Festival.” 

“Oh! That’s a good idea!” 

“Do you mind if I keep this?”

“Yeah, go ahead. I have like eight other notebooks anyways.” 

“You could so easily make a job out of that, Zuchan.” 

“I’m going to be a hero!” 

Tenko shook his head with a smile, watching his brother pout at him. “I know, and you’ll be the best hero the world has ever seen.”

Chapter Text

“Aizawa-sensei?” Tenko approached the teacher’s desk after class. “Can you help me with something?” 

His teacher finished rolling up his ugly yellow sleeping bag and held it under his arm. Aizawa glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, spotting the overloaded notebook in his hands. 

“What is it, Midoriya?” 

“It’s a little weird, but I was hoping you could read this… and maybe leave little comments?” Tenko held up the notebook. “It’s my younger brother’s, he wants to be a hero… and honestly, this is the only present I can think of to get him for his birthday.” 

“Are you worried about him?” Aizawa took the notebook and opened it to the first page, glancing down at it. “This is a quirk analysis of your class?” 

“I’m not worried about him, he’ll be great, but he doesn’t have a lot of confidence. And yeah, he did all of this during the Sports Festival.” 

“You didn’t help him?” 

“He’s smarter than me, he doesn’t need help with this.” 

Aizawa paged through the notebook, scanning, and skimming as he went. Tenko felt his stomach drop with each moment of silence, with each moment of his teacher not making an expression. He dropped his head, looking down at his bright red shoes… the same shoes that his brother wore. 

Being quirkless had put a stamp on his brother’s life, making it harder for him in everything that he tried. Despite that, his brother was the nicest and happiest person that he had ever met. 

Izuku deserved so much, he couldn’t deny that.

“Does your brother have an intelligence quirk?” Aizawa asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. “This is incredibly advanced, it’s not exactly professional work yet but it could easily be there in a few years.” 

Tenko shook his head. “No, he’s quirkless.”

Aizawa’s eyes snapped up to him, then back down to the notebook. 

“Look, I know that most people don’t think quirkless people can become heroes, but-”

“Midoriya, you don’t have to explain, I’m sure your brother will do just fine.” Aizawa closed the notebook. “I’d be happy to annotate this, I can even get the other teachers to add their own remarks.” 

“Wait, really?” Tenko’s eyes widened. 

Aizawa nodded. “What time do you need it back?” 

“Oh, uh, not until July.” 

“Well, at least you’re ahead of schedule in something.”

“Oh, low blow, Sensei.” 

Chapter Text

July Fifteenth always managed to be the hottest day of the year, in Tenko’s opinion. The sweltering heat hung to the land like a pesk that you couldn’t get rid of. And somehow, there was not a cloud in the sky to block out the sunlight and its heat. 

The only good thing about July Fifteenth was that it was his brother’s birthday and he had an amazing present for him. The notebook was already wrapped up and hidden away under his bed. It had comments from pretty much all of the teachers at UA, including Principal Nedzu (though Tenko wasn’t sure if he should find that worrying or not yet). He knew that his brother was going to cry upon receiving it. 

“Tenko, are you ready for the gift opening?” Hisashi called out to him. “It’s time!” 

Oh, his father was going to be so jealous when he saw what his youngest son was going to receive. 

Tenko grabbed the wrapped notebook and jumped up, rushing into the other room. His younger brother was surrounded by other piles of presents and the Bakugous. Somehow, over the years Izuku had managed to patch up his relationship with their son, and now they were friends. Or at least they seemed like friends, Tenko wasn’t entirely sure if they were friends or rivals. 

Carefully adding the notebook present to the pile, Tenko jumped over to sit next to his mother. He leaned against her as his baby brother smiled up at them. 

Each present that went by only made him feel more confident about his own. He began to count down the moments until his brother opened it up. 

“Ni-san, this one is from you right?” Izuku held up the poorly wrapped notebook. 

“Yeah, hope you like it.” 

Izuku smiled at him and began to tear the wrapping off. Katsuki made a face when some of the wrappings landed on him. 

“Wait… This is my notebook?” Izuku looked confused. 

Tenko smiled. “Open it.” 

Izuku looked down and opened the notebooks, a little note falling out. The signatures of Tenko’s teachers, written in their hero forms, sprawled across the sheet in differing colors. A way for Izuku to be able to tell who wrote what.

“Eraserhead…?” Izuku whispered, reading the note. Then he looked at the notebook, beginning to flip through it. The little annotations stood out against the pencil marks from Izuku’s hand. “No… Tenchan… you… No way!” 

“Yes, way.” Tenko leaned back, a smirk on his face. 

Tears began to fill his brother’s eyes, the notebook shaking in his hands. 

Katsuki quickly grabbed the notebook from Izuku’s hands as the boy began to bawl, the tears filling up the space around him. “Careful, Deku! You’ll ruin it!” 

“It’s so amazing!” Izuku sobbed. “I have Eraserhead’s signature! And he wrote notes on my analysis! And so many other heroes did too!” 

Tenko smiled. “I’m glad you like it, Zuchan.” 

“How were you able to do that?” Hisashi asked, his eyes wide as he stared at the notebook.

“Sucked up my pride and asked nicely.”