Hello everyone, I am here with the first chapter (hopefully of many). This fic came about as a desire to see more vigilante Izuku, as well as play with the themes and effect of superheroes in the canon universe. I hope you all enjoy!

Boku no Hero Academia belongs to Kōhei Horikoshi.

X

Izuku shifted where he was perched on the roof of a low building, one that provided a nice view of the surrounding area, but was rather exposed to the harsh night winds. Squishing himself into the thick layers of his jacket in the early morning chill, Izuku wished he had taken his mother's offer of the thermos of coffee. Alas, he wasn't quite sure he would be able to fit it on the belt encircling his waist, but still caffeine.

Movement flickered like the wings of a moth at the edge of Midoriya's vision, hardly a flutter in the thick darkness pierced only by stuttering street lights. With a sigh followed by a grin, he slipped on the infrared goggles Hatsume had helped him build. The youth had originally planned on "borrowing" a pair from the police force. But Hatsume had convinced him to build them instead.

He didn't regret the decision in the slightest as the goggles slid snugly onto his features, lens flickering on. Movement shifted again and Izuku followed the line of sight to a small alleyway, squished in between two buildings it exuded the normal aura of pestilence and malintent to be expected of the district.

A man was crouched in the back rubble of the alleyway, hands holding a lit cigarette to his mouth that pulsed and glowed like a firefly. His clothing was ripped and shredded, obviously homeless, but only in his twenties.

Considering the man's rather clean visage Izuku concluded that the smoker had only been on the streets a short time, a month and a half, but had already been adopted into the local gang's ring. He was a pretty low tier member, but he would have the information on the recent drug cartel.

A shipment of drugs pounded high with fentanyl, if the gang was to sink their claws into the cargo it could spell disaster for the residents of the district.

The man rose with a yawn, stretching out stiff joints, and tossing the butt of his cigarette. He had been on watch duty for the opposing gang Izuku supposed. Unlatching the grappling gun (or as he liked to call them, his wings), Izuku shot a line at the opposing building, tall, red-bricked ugly thing, and on an angle dropped to the ground using the rope to catch his weight.

His landed on the concrete with little sound but felt the impact in the minute sting of his heels. Izuku would never get used to the sensation and rush of falling, and the consequent landing. Rising from his low crouch, he reattached the goggles to his belt, as he glided along the side of the building hidden in shadow, to where his target was standing, grumbling under his breath.

Izuku hovered for a moment, breath tense, heart beating rampantly in his chest as it always seemed to do before he did anything remotely daring. He crept behind the man, careful to remain low to the ground and out of sight. Tapping his victim on the shoulder with a hidden grin, Midoriya fluidly ducked the punch thrown over his head and brought his knee up to the man's groin with force.

The breath wheezed out of his victim as he lowered his knee and kicked the legs out from beneath the man. He caught the target's large weight on the collar of the man's cheap jacket as Izuku forced him against a wall.

Leaning into the man's space in an intimidating manner, Izuku silently thanked Hatsume for her suggestion to put raised soles in the platform of his boots. It added an extra challenge to walking, but also meant he was level with his victim's eyes.

Mustering the feelings, the ones he held for the slums, the protection he wished to provide, the anger at it's state, the sight of children on the streets alone without parents. Midoriya stared into the man's eyes and in a voice deeper and a touch breathy compared to his normal voice Izuku asked, "Where are the Unagi receiving the shipment?"

The man trembled in Izuku's hold, eyes wide with fear, skin clammy, but he refused to open his lips. Izuku sighed, he liked it better when his target cooperated. Threatening to gain information just wasn't him, and would never be his method of choice.

But in the slums, Izuku had to embrace things against his moral occasionally because otherwise, he wouldn't take a step forward in his goals to save the city. It was easier when he was sleep-deprived and cold in any case.

He slammed the man against the hard brick wall, releasing another raspy wheeze from the man's lips, Midoriya leaned in close to the cloudy brown eyes and stared letting the silence and the warning in his eyes speak.

"Tell me where they're receiving the shipment, or I'll hand you over to the police."

Izuku threatened in the silence, the man gurgled in his grasp, a wet cough breaking free he coughed out, "What can't deal with me yourself little bird?"

It was a jeering and cocky tone, but underneath the man held a deep cowardice, evident in the pallor of his eyes. Izuku grinned though it was distorted by the mask covering his features, the motion showed in a blazing curl, that was all teeth and sharp incisors, stretched across the jaw of his mask.

Thrusting an escrima stick against the man's windpipe, he held it there threateningly. Izuku leaned forward and in a dangerous rasp murmured, "The police will treat you better then I will."

It was, of course, a complete and utter lie, and sounded completely corny, so much so that Izuku had to hold back a laugh at the line. Maybe Shinsou was rubbing off on him, what with all of his melodrama, and cheap crime shows (that Midoriya totally wasn't interested in sometimes).

Izuku was really only interested in dissecting the bodies of those already deceased (it was for science). But it worked wonders in intimidation, as evidenced by his target's rapidly paling skin. The target grimaced once, face pained with indecision before he slumped, the will to fight lost, and stuttered out, "T-they're at dock A."

Izuku nodded and swiftly reached up to pinch the pressure point located on the man's neck watching as he slumped to the ground unconscious. He would likely return to whatever he was running from after tonight, scared by the presence of an alpha predator.

Dusting his hands off Izuku glanced at his watch, and pulling out his phone he called Hatsume. Izuku knew the technician would still be awake so early in the morning, likely working on whatever innovation had captured her interest.

"What?"

She growled into Izuku's ear, as he swung out of the alley and in the direction of the docks, whipping through the air with exhilaration tightening his chest. He grinned at the crude answer and responded with a touch of early morning cheer, "Hello to you too Hatsume."

"We really need to set up that AI, I'm not your personal computer Midoriya."

Hatsume said with an irate tone, though it was backed by bland amusement. Izuku winced at her words, an apologetic expression stealing over his features, even if she couldn't see it. He agreed with her sentiment, he often relied on her for his information when on patrol. Maybe they could develop an AI over the weekend?

Landing on a dab grey building, one of the collection of warehouses on the water line. Izuku crouched and peered at dock A where Unagi, the gang behind the whole mess, was unloading shipments from a large freighter sitting like a behemoth in the darkness.

"Can you contact the police for the ninth district near the docks for a drug shipment?"

Hatsume remained quiet on the other end of the line, accompanied by the distant clicking of typing on a computer before she made a vague noise of agreement and then asked, "Why can't you do it?"

Izuku sighed and ran a hand over his forehead, tangling in unbound curls and responded, "Takes too much time, remember Yamamoto?"

The inventor was silent on the other end of the line, Izuku's own thoughts heavy before there was a sound of shuffling and she replied, "Yeah, yeah. We're developing an AI though, I was busy working on a new prototype."

Midoriya laughed at the familiar petulant tones and chirped out his gratitude before ending the call and refocusing his attention on the situation below. Izuku counted the men and formed a quick plan in his mind before he dropped down from the building landing in a crouch. Darting forward under the cover of darkness, Izuku snuck up behind a man on watch daubed in gaudy red.

The youth ducked the overhead swing cackling with weak electricity, as the man rumbled out some vague warning or yell (really had he not heard of checking who he was hitting?). Immediately after, his left hand snapped up to catch the following blow, electricity travelling uselessly through his rubber insulated gloves. He offhandedly thanked his instincts for cautioning him to wear those, as supposed to the leather, which was warmer.

Swinging his right hand out to the side, and then inwards in a crushing blow, Izuku caught the man on the side of his neck with a heavy thud. He watched with grim satisfaction as the man's eyes rolled up and he slumped with a thud to the ground.

As Izuku released his escrima sticks, gripping the heavy familiar plastic in his hands, he wondered if his sensei had ever expected Izuku to use his training for such a purpose. Then again, the man was scarily perceptive at times.

Another goon approached behind Izuku, loud as an elephant in the night's shifting silence. He predicted the side jab and ducked under the incoming punch before pivoting on one foot, sweeping his leg out to catch the man's leg.

The kick passed through the leg, throwing Izuku slightly off balance, as the man's limb wobbled into a gel-like substance before resuming its original form. Izuku sighed, he disliked liquid users, they were so much harder to deal with than a man with a tail, or a fire-breather.

Watching his opponent's movements Izuku backed up a half-step noting the man's prevailing wariness, but lack of excitement. Izuku quickly analyzed the quirk before pulling out one of the tubes in his pocket. Hesitating for a brief second Izuku tossed a stray pebble he kept on his utility belt before following through with the tiny capsule.

Ice sprouted around the man's leg, as he dodged the pebble, leaning to the left with a triumphant expression, but was unable to avoid the small capsule. Izuku sprung forward while he was distracted and before the man could react he reached up to pinch the nerve on his neck. The man fell unconscious and Izuku turned away wincing at the slight cut in his outfit, which had appeared god knows when as with most of his injuries.

Moving throughout the dock Izuku systematically dealt with the lackeys hanging about, making rounds throughout the shipping docks. He dodged a quirk that allowed one to shape themselves into metal, a poison-breathing quirk, and the normal prokinetics before he happened upon the main source of action.

There were about ten men handling the shipping, and one in the shadow of the docks, who carried with him a lax and malicious aura Izuku could feel halfway across the docks. He studied the large men unloading the cargo, all hulking great brutes (why were the goons always so large?).

Plan formed Midoriya crept along the shadows of overhead towers cast by the large crates, iron-tipped soles silent on the concrete. Upon closer inspection, the boss was a weasly man with a nest of hair, and gaunt features. He had a powerful, transformation type if Izuku recalled the file correctly. But it was also obvious in the position he held, the deference of his lackeys, and yet with a lack of visible strength.

Midoriya thumbed one of the weapons in his utility belt (gadget belt Hatsume insisted, but Izuku thought utility sounded better), and hesitated. Then he thought of all the people who would be negatively affected by the fentanyl, people would die. Decision made he loosened the dart gun and fixed it with the proper projectile before aiming and letting the dart fly.

It landed its target and the leader held it in his hand, after plucking it out of the back of his neck, for a moment before collapsing. Izuku didn't like using the dart gun, he found it a slightly cowardice weapon. But it could resolve situations quickly, and Izuku really wanted to finish his patrol. He doubted it would keep the man down long in any case.

The distant sounds of rough yelling pierced his ears, and he turned to notice a brute lumbering over and shouting to the others about their boss. Izuku really needed to stop getting lost in his thoughts, or over-analyzing during a fight.

With a grimace, he sprung at the giant, dodging a meaty spiked fist, he rolled to the side. From a lunge, he shot forward into the man's personal space and with a sharp thrust upwards he drove the brass knuckles on his left hand into the man's jaw.

Springing back instantly, Izuku dodged the incoming punch from overhead behind him and swept his leg back tripping his new opponent. The two men landed with resounding thuds upon the cold concrete of the dock.

Izuku looked up at the approaching gang of men, near the whole lot having abandoned the awaiting freighter and its crates of poison. He sighed, it really was looking to be a long night, and he would probably be sporting a few new bruises in the morning.

But, he resolved, Izuku had made a promise to aid the city, the parts that the heroes barely touched. If it meant bruises then Izuku had already sworn to face much more. Besides at least he wasn't cold anymore. So, with a grin, he wiggled his fingers in a come-hither gesture and slid into a low crouch.

Izuku dodged the man charging at him like a bull, and wondered why when criminals cornered him, they still came at him one at a time. Not that he was complaining just observing. Perhaps it was a group mentality or a show of strength for the victor.

Pulling out his escrima sticks as the bull-headed brute crashed into his allies, hailing a chorus of noise, Izuku sprung off the ground, light on the balls of his feet. It became a motion, as easy fighting like this tended to do, dodge, kick, slide under someone's punch, retaliate with a jab of his escrima stick to the jugular, punch someone's stomach, pinch a few nerves. Deal with the wide variety of quirks, and his many countermeasures (such as acidic chemicals and fire retardant).

Panting Izuku looked up as a man with a voice that spoke thunder fell, he looked around and grinned at the fallen men surrounding him (okay and maybe he was also checking them over for injuries and faintly apologizing). In the distance, he could already hear the vague sounds of police cars (and of course it had taken a near hour and a half).

Dusting his hands off on the sides of his pants, Izuku's emerald eyes flashed as they surveyed his surroundings. A flash of movement and keen hawk eyes picked out a thin man with wiry hair, squatted in the shadows like a rat. Izuku flashed a smile, one that beneath his mask was likely friendly and welcoming, but on the outside screamed malevolence and foreboding.

The rat squeaked and darted off into the night, carrying the message of his grim spectre. The one who was neither hero of the law nor villain of chaos. A hero was a pillar of the daylight, the villains the night, a vigilante found his covenant in the grey hours Izuku supposed.

Padding towards the shipment of fentanyl, Izuku observed the logo printed on the boxes and the large ship, it was green and in a familiar script. It was a Chinese company, judging by the wear of the crates, and the distinct smell of ginger that permeated the wood.

He would have to contact Jingfei and relate the breach in her security again. It would be unlikely for the woman to find the supplier, but at least she would know that the Triads were in operation again. And after all their hard work the past year.

A wailing noise pierced the night high and breathy in a sound that had become familiar over the course of his time on the streets. Taking a last long glance at his surroundings Izuku nodded to himself and shot his grappling gun at the cluster of buildings perched on the waterfront. He only had an hour left on patrol, so he could probably finish by finding the kid and bringing them to Santo-san.

Then he could go home and warm up, maybe make some tea. He would probably still be wired and could work on his experiment pertaining to ice and its states of matter and reversal. That is if his mother didn't catch him.

Shaking his head Izuku followed the faint sounds of crying, the distant hum of police sirens growing distant behind him.

X

"Izuku…. Izuku wake up."

Izuku jerked awake at the distant sound of his mother's voice, banging his head on one of his overhead lamps he let out a groan and tenderly rubbed his now sore scalp. Fondly he listened to his mother mumble about foolish children under her breath as she pattered down the hall.

Pushing away from his desk, where he had fallen asleep again, Izuku slid in his chair (of course it had wheels), and stood up once he was within a reasonable distance of his closet. Swaying on his feet Izuku idly stripped the shirt he had fallen asleep in, one of his old All Might ones, and cast a hasty glance in the mirror. He winced at the patchwork of bruises littering his chest and side, making a mental note he reminded himself to put on some of his mother's herbal balm.

They walked a fine line, Izuku and his mother. She knew he went out at night and fought crime (or something of the sort), but didn't know the full extent. But in that way Inko Midoriya carried her spirit, she had still dedicated herself to his wellbeing. It left the softest of smiles upon his lips, just thinking of it, as he awkwardly stumbled over the objects littering his floor.

His room was a disaster zone in the making, Izuku recognized this but had stopped caring after the clutter, tangle of inventions and experiments, clothing, and empty energy bar wrappers, always came back with a vengeance. It worked well enough for him, and his mother had made peace with it soon enough.

Clambering down the stairs, Izuku winced at the dull ache in his calves but pushed it to the back of his mind as he settled at the dining table. His mother set his breakfast down with a smile, before she settled across him, all concerned and assessing gaze.

He hated making his mother worry, and it burned in his gut as he scarfed down the meal. But like with all strange elements of his life he had made a semblance of peace with it (and that didn't mean he hid the worse injuries from his mother or cleaned his own outfit).

Popping up from the table, he caught the time and sighed knowing he would probably be late, but unable to muster the energy needed to care. It also really didn't matter considering Izuku was scoring well-enough in school. Kissing his mother on the cheek, Izuku thanked her for breakfast before he was darting out the door and off towards school.

Midoriya slipped into his seat just as the bell rung, it's irritating noise like a beacon of madness. Their homeroom teacher sidled into the room with his usual mix of eclectic optimism, and the typical weariness of a middle school teacher.

In front of Izuku, Bakugo was already raising a huff, and Izuku resolutely ignored the thoughts in his head slithering like snakes, and instead focused on the teacher. His focus lasted for all of ten minutes before the man began to drone on about their English lessons, which were really not a problem for Izuku. Resting his head on his desk, Izuku closed his eyes and settled into a light sleep, weary of his classmates and in particular a certain blond.

The teacher paid no mind to his obviously sleeping student, having deemed Izuku a lost cause some time ago. Useless, like the rest of his class, liked to parrot. It wasn't like their opinions bothered him much of late, in any case, they had called him useless Deku for years. Even when he had surpassed Bakugo in their scoring, he would always be useless because of his quirkless nature. But he wasn't bitter about that anymore (not at all), he knew who he was (even if he still sometimes wondered)

Izuku shifted awake as the teacher left with the typical slam of the class door, and the lunch period began. Blearily Midoriya raised his head blinking a great bit to adapt to the sudden influx of light, he caught the bright halo of Katsuki's hair.

"Hey useless Deku, fucking sleeping in class again?"

The blond asked with jeering tones and a sneer that twisted his features into something dark and ugly. A far parody of what the general populace could expect to see on a hero's features. Izuku said nothing, features set in stone he patiently waited as the blond exploded (quite literally) at his silence, threatening sparks lightning up in front of his eyes. Idly Izuku wondered the ratio of nitroglycerin in Bakugo's sweat, it would certainly be interesting to combine it with other elements.

Bakugo finished his threatening after another moment, staring hard at Izuku as if searching for some ineffable clue before he bit out a last remark, "Quirkless Deku you better remember your place."

The explosive student glared once more for good measure before stomping off, his lackeys following behind after a few sneers. Izuku stared at the retreating blond a touch wistfully, remembering days before there had been quirks, and they had all been equal in the blond's eyes. Running throughout the forest, just being kids, no disdain.

Midoriya sometimes still wished that Katsuki would see him as valuable or equal again. That he would look at Izuku with those eyes he seemed to reserve only for fighting and other quiet manners. Wondered if he showed his prowess in battle if the blond would change. Pondered what would happen when his old childhood friend entered Yuuei if he would be shaped by it.

He had accepted that Katsuki and Izuku would never again have the relationship of their childhood. They were simply different in mindset and spirit (were they really?). But sometimes he still wondered, as the mind often does.

Glancing at the clock, Izuku debated pulling out his lunch, before he thought of his mother's concern when he didn't eat and pulled out the food. Absently he ate as he recalled the newscast from the morning and the video footage of Endeavour that had been shown. Flipping to the pages marked for the fiery hero, Izuku penned in a few additions and flipped the page to add a few ideas and notes.

He had noted the potential of a recent injury, in the way the man fought. Endeavour had pivoted only on his left leg and had refrained from fully supporting his weight on his right leg. Izuku suspected it was actually an old injury that had flared up, at least relating to footage over the years. Frowning he penned it into the potential weaknesses box and reflected that the hero had a son who would be attending Yuuei in the following year.

It was something to do to fill the dull monotony of school. When Izuku had started his training with his sensei, the man had trained his student in both body and mind. Or rather he had taken Izuku's observational skills and told him to improve them, leaving Izuku to his own devices, and taken whatever other intelligence Izuku possessed and sharpened that.

The students filed back into the classroom with roaring chatter, and Izuku dismissed the trail of thought as the mess of students was followed by the teacher. Izuku reflected that he at least had something to look forward to after school, as he set his head on his desk, and ignored his protesting ribs. Letting his eyes slide shut, Midoriya drifted off to the dull drone of his teacher rambling on.

Shinsou was hovering by the gates as Izuku staggered out of the school, still blinking the sleep from his mind, where it wrapped spindly fingers around his thoughts. He instantly perked up at the sight of his friend, bouncing over he dropped his bags and pulled the taller youth into a hug. The other student instantly stiffened upon contact, but Izuku resolutely hugged the youth till Shinsou finally untensed. Izuku knew that Shinsou wasn't necessarily a fan of contact, but he always looked like he needed a hug, and eventually, he had gotten used to Izuku's insistent need for contact.

Pulling away Izuku sceptically studied his friend, sometimes Shinsou was bullied by other kids, and it roused a burning fire in Izuku's chest that was only quenched by the indigo-haired teen's reassurances. His friend repeated the action, a frown eventually marring his features. It wasn't like Midoriya's wounds were obvious, but somehow Shinsou always seemed to know when Izuku was particularly injured; he was such a mother hen too.

Shinsou's eyes darted over Izuku's head likely landing on a certain blond, that the shorter student could hear from anywhere within throwing range. Bakugo probably out for his after-school routine of attempting to harass Izuku. His friend's deep eyes darkened minutely in that way that reminded Izuku of the hero Eraserhead (and he was still really quite surprised that the two hadn't adopted each other with their similar habits and mannerisms).

The indigo-haired student huffed waving his hand in front of Izuku's features pulling him out of drifting thoughts of the hero, one Izuku greatly admired. His friend gently guided the curly-haired student out of the school building. Izuku just grinned up at his friend as Shinsou murmured about distracted friends, and annoying blonds, as they strolled along a familiar path.

"Are you still planning to join General Education Izuku?"

His friend asked in that deep voice, one that just seemed to belong to an older soul. Midoriya shifted to glance up at his friend before he shook his head a light smile resting on his features as they walked. The other student quirked a brow and considered Izuku for a moment before asking, "Why? You could totally get into the Hero Department if you tried."

Izuku shook his head and pursed his lips, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and fixed Shinsou with a determined gaze and replied, "Nope, not with the way it's formulated. And even if I showed them my prowess in fighting, and a comparison to Eraserhead and my own neutralization of quirks. It would still place me in a position below my peers and would hinder my own development. In Gen Ed, I can work on developing the plans for my agency, and I'll be able to easily communicate with Hatsume. In any case, quite a few heroes have been keeping their eyes on me on my recent patrols, you never know I could always find a mentor. If I did…"

Izuku trailed off as the thought occurred and his mumbled incoherently under his breath (a tactic he had adapted after far too many accidents), assessing potential benefits and negatives of finding a mentor. Calculating probability, as well as eliminating potential candidates. What would happen if Yuuei noticed?

Shinsou let Izuku ramble, walking beside Izuku with a short kind of smile, one that seemed to belong to Izuku and small animals. Eventually, Izuku shifted out of his musings pinning his friend with an apologetic smile. The purple-haired teen just laughed it off, reaching over to ruffle Izuku's untameable curls, earning him a swat at his arm.

"So, I was on the internet last night."

Shinsou began, and Izuku grinned a touch mischievously and jumped in, "Like always."

The taller student nodded with resignation though it was obviously faux and continued, "Yes like always. Anyways, so I was on this website, and did you know cats blink slowly to show that they love you, and feel safe around you. But beyond that, I fell into the usual three am sprawl," Shinsou was fixed with a shake of Izuku's head for the insomniac's actions before the student was permitted to continue, "And I was reading this page on wood, because hey isn't wood cool, right? So, there was a bunch of cool facts and apparently, Buddha experienced enlightenment under the wisdom tree. And ancient British graveyards often contain a yew tree, planted by pagan worshippers before the Christians took over and built churches on the same plots. Interesting huh?"

Izuku nodded, amused by his friend's late-night findings he asked, "So what does Yew symbolize oh masterful tree expert?"

Shinsou snorted at Izuku's words, rolling his eyes he pursed his lips for a moment before he replied, "Transference, Passage, Illusion, and according to wandmakers, 'Yew, which can achieve astonishing longevity (there are British yew trees over two thousand years old), can symbolise both death and resurrection; the sap is also poisonous.'"

Izuku laughed softly at the information, and the rather funny slip of wizarding lore within Shinsou's knowledge. More often than not Shinsou would appear one day with a collection of completely random facts, that would, of course, spark Izuku's own curiosity and likely research or an experiment. Which reminded him, he turned to Shinsou and running his fingers along the inside of his sleeve Izuku chirped, "Oh yeah so, I was working on that ice experiment last night,"

"At three in the morning? After your patrol?"

Shinsou asked with all the mothering concern the indigo-haired youth had mastered in the few years he had known Izuku. The shorter student blushed and smiled apologetically before he straightened up and continued, "Anyways so I made some dry ice, or you know solid carbon dioxide."

"In your home? Isn't the fog released dangerous in small spaces?"

His friend asked with a raised brow, Izuku shrugged and continued, "It only fogs with water. Besides, I was just testing if I could light it on fire somehow, which is so far impossible, but I am definitely not experimenting with elements and reactivity. Of course, I also froze some food for fun. I wonder how well it would freeze flesh, note to self-research freezing methods for meat production."

Shinsou scoffed at Izuku's words, shooting his friend a blank deadpan stare. Izuku just grinned up at his friend, earning a well-placed eye roll. They continued to walk towards the café, talking to each other, and over each other. Shinsou handled most of the talking between the two, always one to fill the silence, but occasionally (more often than not) Izuku would go off on a tangent, or ramble on about a new discovery.

It was funny their dynamic, Shinsou always felt the need to talk, in part to his quirk, because of its nature he had trained himself into speaking frequently (even when he rather wouldn't). And Izuku was someone who once started on an idea, either built it out loud or obsessed about it to his friend. They in no way balanced each other out in that respect, but it worked between the two of them.

Arriving at the small café, squished in between a row of other larger commercial shops, and buildings, the mint green panelling, and warm wood stood out irrevocably, and yet was a store that few knew of. Izuku supposed it had a sort of hidden aura, and really one could only find it if they were meant to. It was a strange thought, considering his beliefs in scientific principles and deduction, but he liked to leave a mystery every once in a while.

They entered with the laughter of the wind chimes above the door, warm scents of baking pastries, and deep brews filling their senses. Pushing past the child safety gate, meant to keep tiny felines from escaping, Shinsou and Izuku make their way to the barista standing at the bar, the woman studied Izuku and Shinsou appraisingly for a moment before she bustled out behind the bar and pulled Izuku, and then Shinsou into a hug.

Izuku just laughed as Amari-san wrapped her arms around him, his mirth growing as Shinsou's disgruntled expression peered over the kind women's shoulder. Eventually, the woman backed off and fluttered behind the counter, already serving their usual orders.

The curly-haired student smiled, watching as the short-haired woman bustled about, remembering a night many years ago where there had been rain, far too much, and a careless driver. She sets their plates, and tea before them, and Izuku dug out the money shaking off a memory, even as she shot him a glare.

Amari-san had been insistent that Izuku was free to come whenever, food and drink on the house, after he had saved her. But Izuku preferred to support the independent business, and if it meant he had reason to see her more often (as she insisted) he didn't mind.

Flashing her a grateful smile, Shinsou and Izuku settled into their usual seats in the corner, ones that afforded them a view of the room. Instantly Clementine, an orange cat, who seemed to think itself the ruler of the other felines, settled on his lap.

Izuku chuckled faintly, glancing up as he pet the cat, to catch the radiant joy that shone in faded lines around Shinsou's eyes as he cuddled with another feline. Picking up the large mug, still whispering steam upon the lilting air, Izuku watched Shinsou decompress in the safe and warm environment the two had found.

"Ne Shinsou how could I make myself look more intimidating?"

Izuku asked, pondering on the multitude of people who had commented on his 'cute' features. It wasn't like he couldn't use his unassuming appearance to his advantage, but he was getting slightly tired of the cooing. Besides he was entering high school, and that meant change (not so much rebellion, his mother wouldn't be able to handle it).

Shinsou looked up from where a cat had been batting at his hand, emerald eyes staring into the indigo-haired student's soul. His friend furrowed his brow before his eyes lightened with an idea and he suggested in a complete deadpan, "Eyeliner."

Midoriya fixed his friend with an unimpressed stare, though it was foiled by the sugar cookie he was idly nibbling on. Shinsou smirked letting loose faint laughter, he shook his head, wild hair swaying he suggested, "Perhaps a haircut, but an edgy one?"

Sipping his tea, he considered the idea, shooting his friend a grateful smile, as he envisioned certain hairstyles. Wincing at the idea of a mohawk, or another peculiar style. His attention was distracted from potential hairstyles as another cat perched on the armrest of his chair, and indignantly meowed till Izuku paid attention to the feline.

Across from him, Izuku caught the fond amusement in Shinsou's eyes, and he flashed his friend a wink before he asked, "So want to use your quirk to help me get some materials that definitely aren't illegal?"

A deadpan stare was levelled his way, but Izuku held onto hope, considering it wasn't a no. Shinsou didn't often help him with his more illegal endeavours (especially when it was dangerous supplies) but every once in a while, he had a change of heart.

After a minute, Shinsou nodded sipping at his own tea with furrowed brows, and Izuku knew there would be conditions. Smiling he paid attention to the small black and white spotted cat in his arms as his friend after a quiet minute began to talk about tree symbolism.

X

Thank you all for reading, I hope you liked the character set up. Comments/Reviews are always appreciated. Till next time!