Fly The Nest(Slow Updates)

4

Izuku fiddled with the sleeve of his middle school uniform nervously. He had said goodbye to his brother that morning because Keigo was needed for a mission a few hours away and probably wouldn't be home for the next few days. He loved that his brother now ranked the top 3rd hero at only 21, but his worry never ebbed that mom might receive that dreaded phone call while he was at school.

"Izuku," Katsuki roughly interrupted his thoughts. "Your brother is going to be fine, the featherbrain is good at what he does."

"Aw, does the quirkless wannabe miss his brother? I heard he's a pro hero, I bet he's embarrassed to have such a useless brother," a classmate taunted, coming up behind the two at lunch. The boy's quirk, the elongated fingers that Keigo had roasted upon seeing the school yearbook, poked at Izuku's food like it was poisoned.

"Shut the hell up, extra," Katsuki growled.

"So scary~"

"Kacchan, it's okay," Izuku said softly.

"Relying on your guard dog, are you? Is your dear Kacchan going to save you from your own worthlessness."

Katsuki let out a few tiny explosions from his hand and the bully backed off with a sneer.

"You don't have to do that, Kacchan. It's a waste of your time, they're not about to stop."

"Shut it Deku, I'm the only one who can insult you."

Izuku laughed softly at the warmth behind the intended insult. He said nothing more and continued to eat his meal. Katsuki seemed to watch him out of his peripheral in a slightly concerned way, and his expression held a slight guilt.

"Kacchan, you're giving me that look again. What's up?"

"Mom needs me to run some errands so I'm going to have to leave immediately and won't be able to walk you home," Katsuki muttered. Izuku sighed with a smile, he appreciated how much Katsuki cared that he get home safely but he couldn't control everything and Izuku could walk home alone just fine.

"I can walk home alone just fine, Kacchan. You worry too much."

"Just because you keep your connection to Kei under wraps for protection doesn't mean someone won't try to target you," Katsuki said.

"Aw, are you worried? Does the angry pomeranian feel something other than rage?" Izuku teased the older teen.

"Oi," Katsuki growled, but it held no heat.

"I'll be fine, Kacchan. I can kick some ass too."

"Yeah yeah, I know."

The bell rang for the end of lunch and they packed up and headed to class. By the last class, the teacher took out forms.

"Since you’re all third years, it’s time you think seriously about your future, the teacher said. “I’ll pass out handouts for your future plans now, but, you’re all pretty much planning on going into the hero course, right?”

The class erupted into cheers as everyone let loose their quirks.

“Oi teach! Don’t lump us all in the same group.  Deku and I are not going to be stuck at the bottom with the rest of these rejects," Katsuki declared with a sharp grin.

"Oh, if I remember correctly, you want to go to UA high, don’t you, Bakugo?” The teacher asked, ignoring the fact that Katsuki had clearly stated Izuku would be coming with.

“U.A.? That national school?! It was in the top 0.2% the year, you know," mumbled the other students.

"That’s exactly why you guys are just extras," Katsuki proclaimed. “I aced the mock test. I’ll surpass All Might and become the top hero! My name’ll be inscribed on the list of top earners!”

“Oh yeah, Midoriya wanted to go to U.A., too. Right?" Laughter broke out at the teacher's words. Izuku flinched and kept his head down.

“You are below the rest of us, Midoryia, you’re Quirkless! How do you intend to make it," laughed the long fingered boy from earlier.

"Oi, reject-"

"I'm not trying to compete with you all, I swear! It's been my dream to help people as a hero for years. I won't know if I'll make it if I don't try," Izuku said, interrupting Katsuki before he could make even more of a scene.

"What do you mean "try"? You won't get past the front gates of U.A without a quirk!"

"Settle down class," the teacher finally intervened as Katsuki got ready to blast the bully's face off. Izuku let out an exhale.

•••

"I'll come by later for that history project, okay?" Katsuki said as he stood at Izuku's desk with his packed bag while Izuku packed his.

"Sounds good. You get going, I'll be safe."

Katsuki nodded and left the classroom. Izuku returned to packing away his books when his notebook was ripped from his grasp. He looked up to find himself surrounded.

“We’re not done talking yet - what was it your precious guard dog calls you - Deku? Someone so worthless shouldn't even go to this school, let alone a place as prestigious as U.A.”

His notebook was passed from the long fingered male to the girl with short brown hair. Izuku recognized her with wide eyes. She had a fire quirk.

They wouldn't burn his book, would they?

"Please give it back," he asked quietly.

"What was that? You want it back? You want to go be a stalker wannabe hero with that notebook? Do it."

The girl grinned and set the hand holding his book aflame before dropping it out the window. Izuku tried to look out the window but was pinned to the wall by the boy with rocks for hands.

"Don’t apply to UA, Midoryia. Hell, I have an idea. If you really wanna be a hero that badly, there’s a quick way to do it: believe you’ll be born with a quirk in your next life and take a swan dive off the roof!”

The three left the trembling boy in the classroom. Izuku calmed down and looked out the window, seeing his notebook surprisingly not in ashes, floating atop the fountain with the ducks, the fire put out. He eyed the ground. It was high enough. He quickly scrubbed the notion from his mind and grabbed his things before heading down for his notebook.