Chapter Text
Tenya Iida wasn’t perfect. He knew that. Every day, he was reminded of that. His irises were speckled with red when he looked in the mirror, and he hated the colour. His skin, ever so pale, was rough and dry, a lifetime’s worth of eczema’s effect on his hands. The blisters, bruises, and scars that formed on his lower legs were terrifying to him, though he’d rather carry on his family’s legacy than give up over his appearance. But, worst of all, he was sick.
Sleepless nights were spent studying, not out of obligation, but out of boredom. Not a minute of rest graced the boy’s mind, and it drove him near mad. The fringe of his hair stuck to his forehead with stress, his eyes shutting as tight as they could. He tossed and turned, unable to stay still. He wrote poems, letters, and essays to get himself to sleep. They didn’t work. He kept falling behind in training and classwork because he couldn’t find the energy to try. No one approached him, though. He wondered if it was in fear of him lashing out. After all, he wasn’t exactly known for being calm. Especially not when his grades were slipping. But, through everything, he’d not uttered a word. He dared not speak to his parents, teachers, or classmates over something as fickle as this. With everything in mind, Tenya underestimated the skills of his brother-in-law, Shirakumo Oboro.
The boy paid no mind to the man approaching him, instead looking to the other wall. It was unusual for Oboro to show up, especially in Tenya’s room, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The elder knocked on the side of the boy’s desk, smiling softly.
“Tenya, are you alright?” His voice was laced with genuine concern, and he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “You look a little bit… less than great, buddy.” The dark-blue haired boy turned to scowl at the other, composing himself when he saw who it was.
Tenya had always been fascinated by Oboro, and he’d known the other since he was born. Oboro was, and still is, in a relationship with Tensei, and he’d baby sat for Tenya multiple times as well. Of course, the elder’s quirk was always something to be excited about. The first time Tenya had seen it was when he was three, the other making little cloud shapes for him. Then, when he was nine, Oboro took him on his first flight above the city. Something about that view was life-changing, and had inspired the boy to make his own path in the world. He knew he’d never be Oboro, but he wanted to make people happy, too. He tried his best to help out whenever he could, and tired himself out everyday making sure everything was as perfect as it could be. The fulfillment he got from helping others was immeasurable, and he made sure to tell Oboro about it whenever he saw him. But, something as of late had changed the way Tenya acted, and he wasn’t sure what he could do. He felt so devoid of purpose as his family left him alone. As much as he loved his house, the large, white walls were terrifying to be in by himself. His voice echoed through the halls, his footsteps felt heavier than before, and the only things he could do were study, cook, and sleep.
Through his routine, he grew worried that his parents would no longer need his help. He worried that Tensei wouldn’t want to be around his little brother anymore, and that Oboro no longer wanted him as a sidekick. What kind of childish dream was becoming a hero, if you had no one to save? What kind of son was he if they didn’t need him? What kind of brother was he if he wasn’t worth anything? So he worked. Tenya spent hours on end studying harder than he ever had, training his quirk until his body ached, and cleaning the house until there was nothing left to clean, because no one wanted a useless kid as a hero.