Chapter Text
Tic, tic, tic, tic, tic.
Izukus eyes followed the clocks hands. His mind flooding with thoughts on how he wanted to fill his day. Reading the new book he’d rented from the library for starters- he’s been dying to read more by this author. He really hopes it won’t be disappointing. The first book he’d read was absolutely amazing. So that was an obvious choice, but then again.. he could also browse the computer for more analysis videos. He’s been getting super interested in this new manga and he’d love to see what others could think about it, unless they dislike th main character, then-
His thoughts were cut short by a SLAM on his desk, startled, he let out a gasp. Looming over him was his teacher, looking at him with annoyance.
“Midoriya, please, humor me. What is so interesting about that clock that’s had you staring at it for the past eighteen minutes?” She scoffed, arms crossing over herself.
He froze, his eyes darted around. Greeting him back were the eyes of his peers. Some not caring, some holding back laughter, and others annoyed that he caused the lesson to be interrupted twice in the last hour. The first time, he’d been on his phone instead of taking notes. In his defense, there was an update on a webtoon he’d been reading.
Irritably, his upper lip curled. His classmates got away with so much. In fact, the girl in front of him had her headphones on, the music still going loudly, yet his teacher only picked on him. He swore up and down it was due to his disability (though, he has no proof).
At the age of nine, Izuku had been in a horrible car wreck, which had him stuck in a coma for two weeks, and cost him his left foot and leg, up to four inches below the knee. Since then, he’s heard it all. The worst nickname he’s had so far has been bunny.
It sounded so cute, so he was kinda honored. Unfortunately for him, it was only granted because “without his crutches, he basically hops like a bunny!”.
Unable to afford a prosthetic foot and part leg, his use of crutches gained him so many more cruel and quite frankly unfunny nicknames, unoriginal too. His teachers never bothered defending him, feeling it wasn’t their problem.
His anger at his teacher's ableism left his tongue sharp.
“Well, the clock isn’t paid minimum wage to treat her students like shit.” he bit out, baring his teeth like some dog.
He wished he was better at comebacks, but who could blame him? He’s easily flustered, and it's kind of hard to think when your whole body is tingling from being watched.
“The clock can’t give you detention, lucky me! I can. I expect you here after class on Monday.” She smirked at her use of power, and Izuku retreated into himself. He looked back at the clock and flushed at the ooo’s and damnnn’s his peers laughed out. Pulling his hoodie over his overgrown green hair and leaning forewords, he regretted trying to defend himself.
After three or so minutes of avoiding looking at anyone, the final bell rang. He gathered up things, shoving the, messily in his school bag. Reaching for his crutches, he stopped short, seeing as they were missing. His teacher already had left the clsssroom, so even asking her for help wasn’t an option.
“Come on! Here bunny! Get it! Come on.” With a hoard of snickers caught his attention from across the room. Four boys from his class stood there laughing to themselves, holding his crutches and waving them around.
“Give them back!” Izuku yelled, balancing himself on his desk with his left hand. He must’ve been distracted with trying not to die from embarrassment to notice them stealing his cane.
“Oh come on, bunny! Just hop over and you can have them, c’mon now, you know you can do it!” The blond one shouted out to him.
His name was Monoma, and izuku despised him. Constantly day after day he would tease izuku. ‘Halloween is coming up- just throw on an eyepatch and we can call you Peggy! Oh wait- you can’t even afford a peg!’ Boy, did Monoma seem to enjoy pissing of izuku. And his laugh- shivers.. and not in a good way.
“Monoma I SWEAR!” Izukus voice broke as he leaned forward. “What’s your problem? Seriously!” Izuku pleaded.
“Problem? I don’t have a problem!” Monoma smiled. “I’m just trying to make you feel included, little bunny!” His laughter rung through his ears.
True to his name, izuku (rather quickly) hoped over, snatching his crutches from the blonde hand.
“Fuck off, monoma, seriously you’re such a dick.” He shoulder checked him on the way out. The entire ordeal only lasted around four minutes, but those four minutes were elongated to twelve when his home room teacher stopped to berate him for being late that morning were enough to cause izuku to miss his train home.
Shit. He mumbled to himself. He only lived around twelve minutes walking (fifteen for him) distance from home, but still. It was super inconvenient nonetheless.
His walk home was better then it could’ve been. He’d stopped briefly- okay maybe for another seven minutes- to pet a stray, and then spent ten minutes conversing with Joel, a local homeless man. Joel use to live in Michigan, but after decades of traveling the world, settled down in Japan. He lost his home mere months later. Izuku feels horrible for him.
Eventually though, he does find his way home. He was twenty minutes later than he’d usually be. His mother greeted him from behind the door with a worried look. She motioned him to hurry inside.
“Hi zuku, baby.” She smiled a smile that didn’t quit meet her eyes. The same smile that’s been faked for the last seven, almost eight years.
“Hi mom.” He said back, warmly. “Are you okay?” He picked up on the anxiety in her eyes.
“Hi baby.” She repeated, her smile now seeming sad. “Take a seat? I’m.. just.. can we talk about something?” She mumbled, her eye not meeting his own
“Yeah.. uhm.. is everything okay?” Izuku’s heart quickened. Did they raise the rent again? Are they losing the house? Did the medical bills become too much? Did-
“No- it’s okay baby it’s okay.” She comforted him quickly, trying to ease the anxiety she knew her son had.
He followed his mother to her bedroom, and planted himself on her bed. He waited for his mom to continue, his heartbeat never truly slowing down.
“I spoke to mitsuki- you remember her right? Her son katsuki and you were good friends growing up-“ he nodded in conformation “well mitsuki actually brought up katsuki. He’s been doing poorly in school.. his tutor quit last month.. and well.. his grades suffered for it. I’ve told her everything about you” her thumbs twiddled, eyes still not meeting her sons. “She knows how well you’ve done on state tests.. and well, she suggested you tutor him.”
“Mom what- the Bakugou's live like four hours away how would I-“ izuku stammered, confused about how his mother expected him to take a train that far away for God knows how many times per week-
“Well, that’s actually what I wanted to talk about with you.” She takes in a breath. “She offered something, and.. I said I’d ask you- but please consider it because it’s a really really good offer and it could change our life for the be-“
“-Mom, breathe.” Izuku cut in. Inko complied, looking up to make eye contact with him.
“She asked you to tutor katsuki, every afternoon in exchange for her giving us a place to stay. She wants to move us in.” She said, and izuku froze.
“She wants us to move in.. with them.. when? What..” He was confused and panicking. He hasn’t so much as spoke to anyone in the Bakugou family since he was eight. The midoriyas had to move, rent was getting horribly high and inko had lost her job. Mitsuki offered to help them of course, but inko was much too proud to except it, so they moved four hours away, to a much different neighborhood. Izuku went from living in a two story near mansion, to living in a cramped one story one bedroom (that they made into two bedroom with the use of curtains and bedsheets hung off the ceiling) home up until he was sixteen, and now, they’re just moving-
“She said she could have us moved in by Monday.. zuku baby, please. This is an amazing opportunity for us. I know it would be a huge change but.. you’d have your own room, and- and I’d be able to save up enough money with a new job to buy you a good phone and laptop- and I could-“ inko was rambling, a trait Izuku got from her.
“Mom- it’s.. I.. yeah.. yeah if.. if it” he swallowed the lump in his throat, he never was good with big changes. “If it helps, we can move.. just.. please don’t cry.” He smiled at his mom as she engulfed her son in a bone crushing hug.
“I’ll let mitsuki know right now.” She kisses his head with a smack “thank you, my baby”
That night he lied in bed, feeling cold even in the hot June weather. They’d start moving tomorrow. What they needed to worry about for now was transferring paperwork through schools, and finding his mother a new job. Having already taken his finals, he was practically done with classes. At the realization that he’ll finally get rid of monoma, a spark of warmth lit his chest.
That night, he dreamt of a loud blond with piercing eyes.