1. Familiar Yet Unfamiliar (1/2)

this is the first story i've written for the bnha fandom! aaaand the first story i've written in years... so please go easy on me! updates are going to be once or twice a month, since i don't have too much time on my hands. please comment and let me know if y'all like! and tell me if there's anything you want to see? i have the basic outline written and a couple chapters written and waiting for editing. but i'm open to suggestions!

cross posted on ao3 under paintingreality.

chapter 1: familiar yet unfamiliar

he opens his eyes and freezes. he knows he was just hit by a quirk, but everything surrounding him claims otherwise. he's sitting in the same alley in the same spot he'd been flung, but he's alone. no eraserhead with his exasperated voice tinged with worry as he shouts. no young midoriya, desperately reaching out for him, calling his name. no villain, who shouldn't have even been there, eyes wild and movements jerky. all of them focused solely on him.

he knew there would be many villains coming after him now that his true form was revealed. there was practically a line kilometers long of villains who'd jump at the opportunity to take down the former number one, the once all-powerful symbol of peace.

they'd decided to take the students out on a little "field trip" now that they were second years. get them to see how patrols were, since that single week of internships wasn't enough time for them to learn, and not all the students were able to go onto work-studies before the practice was cancelled. groups of students from the now 2-a and 2-b classes were split up between pairs of staff. then, they'd set out on routes that clear saturday morning with the intention of teaching them the duties of a hero on patrol.

the exercise went smoothly. the students were able to help with petty crimes and work alongside the police for the formal arrests. it was just as they were de

iefing as a large group in front of the gates of u.a.—right in front of the alley toshinori was thrown in—that it all went to hell.

the villain appeared seemingly out of nowhere. he'd somehow found a way to push through the group of students and was upon him before anyone could blink.

then, there was chaos and shouting. toshinori tried his best to dodge the villain in his weakened form, but he was too surprised, too slow. he's actually quite embarrassed how weak he's gotten. he thought he was slowly building up his strength with the training he was doing alongside young midoriya. but it was obviously not enough, because the quirk hit him, and the

eath was knocked straight out of his chest.

and now, here he is.

in the alley.

with none of his students or colleagues in sight.

just what did the quirk do?

he coughs hard, blood spraying from his mouth and covering his clenched fist, and stands. slowly, he makes his way towards the alley's entrance. he pokes his head out and looks side to side. there are people walking past him, unpanicked and unassuming of the villain attack that literally just happened.

worry fills toshinori, and the feeling consumes him. he steps out of the alley and leans against the

ick wall. the front gates of u.a. are just as magnificent as ever, with its red

ick and graceful arch. however, the security system... it looks a lot more high-tech. and when toshinori steps up to the gate, it immediately locks down on him.

strange, he things. maybe my security card isn't working?

he tries to buzz principal nedzu, but finds himself unable to. why did they have to change the communication system on this thing? his frustration and worry slowly morphs to dread as a security robot threatens to call the police on him, shooing him away from the gates. but... no, that protocol isn't right; the robot should have recognized him as u.a. staff! so how...

this isn't his city.

this isn't his world.

if he had a stomach, it would drop.

he walks back to the alley and leans himself against the

ick wall just outside of it. so now what? what does he do? what can he do? he's never heard of a quirk like this, and he's not even sure what exactly the quirk did. and it's not like he even received training on what to do if he's ever sent to... wherever he is? where is he?

he takes a deep and calming

eath to clear his head. then, he walks.

okay, maybe he's in the future? as he studies his surroundings, he notes differences—like how instead of the ramen shop he likes to stop by, there's a small antique shop in the store space instead. in the future, the ramen shop could have gone out of business and replaced by the new store. yeah, and that small hero agency that he doesn't remember being there! that could be one of his student's! and he could have already moved on from teaching at u.a. to be fully retired. but that would mean young midoriya has already graduated, wouldn't it?

he spies the date on a newspaper stack just outside a convenience store. well, it's still the same day.

just 7 years into the future.

oh boy.

and he keeps walking.

it's kind of unsettling, noticing the differences in the city he should know like the back of his hand. and it's worrying to not know anything about this future—if it really is the future—and what his place in it should be. if he's already left u.a. as a teacher, something big must have happened. after all, he could see himself teaching at least part time after young midoriya graduates—er, graduated?—into full time heroics. so where was he now? it confuses him, makes him less sure of what he should do now.

he finds himself back where he started a few hours after he was first dropped in the alley. it's as he leans once more against the building that his mind conjures up the beginnings of a plan. and he feels so stupid not to have thought it up earlier.

tsukauchi! find tsukauchi and get his help to figure out how to get back to the right year!

his friend would be able to trust he is who he says he is because of the man's very convenient. and he'd be able to get into contact with principal nedzu as well so they can analyze the quirk and find the best way to proceed from here!

toshinori quickly pats his pockets for his phone. he exclaims in excitement when he finds it isn't

oken. however, his victory is short lived. he clicks on the lock screen and finds, in the top corner of his screen, that there is no service.

shit.

"um, excuse me?"

toshinori's heart leaps as he turns to the familiar voice and he's met with the sight of young midoriya.

"s-sir, are you okay?"

no, this young man... he's different from the young midoriya he knows. granted, of course he looks older, and taller, and has less baby fat on his freckled cheeks (though he's still quite baby faced). the difference is in the tired way he holds himself... and how he looks at toshinori. the boy doesn't recognize him. he doesn't recognize him!

"do you need help?"

ah, but he is still the same young midoriya he knows.

"thank you for worrying about me, young man," toshinori finally replies. "but i'll be fine."

no, he won't. his pride and joy—the young man he sees as his own son—doesn't know who he is. this can't be his future. it's like they never even met at all!

young midoriya's

ows furrow as if he doesn't believe toshinori. "are you sure? i'd be happy to help, if you need it..."

despite how he can feel his heart

eaking, toshinori can't keep the smile from his lips when he hears the offer. and he finds he doesn't want the young man to leave just yet. "well, my boy, i'm trying to get to the police department, but i'm a bit tired and my phone isn't working..."

"the police department? are you in trouble?"

"ah, well, you could say that, but i assure you-"

"i'd be happy to escort you there, if you'd like!"

toshinori blinked. "oh, no, i wouldn't want to impose!"

and then the boy smiled, the

ight, blushing one that makes his eyes scrunch and cheeks fill. "it'd be no problem. actually, you'd be doing me a favor by letting me know you got there safe!"

toshinori couldn't say no. never. not to that smile.

and so, he finds himself making small talk with the young man while he orders them a ride through a phone app. young midoriya, as always, is full of questions for the man. toshi finds himself detailing his friendship with the detective for the boy.

"wow! how do you even become friends with a detective?"

"ah, well..." honestly, toshinori should have expected this. "i'm—uh... don't tell anyone this, but i'm a retired hero."

he's never been very good at lying to young midoriya. so, maybe a half-truth would work?

and there comes the shining eyes. "really? whoa, it's an honor to meet you! though, heh, i can't really ask you your hero name if you want to keep this a secret, huh? speaking of names, i can't believe we haven't introduced ourselves! that was very rude of me—"

toshinori laughs while the boy mumbles away about his embarrassment on his lack of manners. their car rolls up to the curb as toshi quiets the young man down.

"there's no need to beat yourself up for it! after all, i too never introduced myself."

young midoriya opens the door for toshi, and gets in after the man scoots across the bench has settled in his seat.

toshinori continues. "my name is toshinori yagi. but you may call me toshinori."

"oh, no! i couldn't call you by your first name, sir! i wouldn't want to overstep!"

"trust me, it would make me very happy if you would call me toshinori."

the young man blushed, and toshinori couldn't keep the fond smile from his face. oh, my boy, you're still the same young man i've come to know.

"and you, young man?"

"huh?"

"what can i call you?"

"oh! i'm izuku midoriya!" the boy blushes deeper, and a smile crinkles his eyes once more. "you can call me izuku!"

over the duration of the drive, toshinori learns many things about young midoriya. some things he already knows from the boy he's been training as his successor—like his obsession with heroes and the quirk analysis journals he keeps. other things give him more pause.

"oh, i'm a graduate student!" young midoriya states when toshinori asks about what he does.

"oh?" toshinori's surprise is obvious on his face.

when he sees it, young midoriya is quick to add, "i may look young, but i'm actually 23!"

not what toshinori's surprised about, but okay!

toshinori wonders what happened to keep his successor from becoming a hero. he's pretty sure he isn't in the future (unless something else happened and a quirk messed with young midoriya's memories, but that would be a bit too complicated, wouldn't it?) but he's pretty sure he'd always choose this young man to be his successor. unless, of course, he never met him.

he pauses, thinking of how the boy didn't recognize him at all.

he never met him.

"ah, no, that wasn't—" goodness, how should toshinori put it? "… i was just thinking, with such a kind heart as yours and a hobby like quirk analysis, wouldn't... wouldn't you want to be a hero?"

he instantly feels awful for asking such an intrusive question. but, as he opens his mouth to redact the question, young midoriya finds it in himself to reply.

"well, that was my dream... actually, it—ah—still is."

the boy's laugh is sheepish and tinged with a deep sadness that toshi feels in his own heart.

"but," the young man continues, "well, i always knew i could never be a hero. d-don't get me wrong; i tried my best! i got into u.a.'s general education department and was planning to make my way into heroics via transfer, but... without a quirk, i never stood a chance. not against so many amazing people with strong and useful quirks.

"after the first sports festival, i hadn't really given up hope yet. i'll just try again next time! i thought. after all, i knew what it was like to actually participate rather than just watch. so, i trained and trained. but the second passed with the same results, though with the training i did better. and the third... well, that was my last chance.

"but i couldn't just... let all of my dreams die like that, so i looked for the next best thing: quirk analysis! i used my diploma from u.a. to get into a good university. i double-majored in quirk biology and quirk ethics and philosophy. and now, i'm in school in a phd/md dual program for quirk analysis and quirk detection and development!"

young midoriya blushes as he realizes just how long he's been talking.

"so, it's, uh, not that bad, you know?" his hand rubs at the nape of his neck. "i can still help people and even work with heroes... if i want."

the car is quiet for a long time, the two stuck in their own thoughts over what young midoriya has admitted. toshinori can't help but be incredibly awed and proud of what the young man has accomplished. he knows just how much being a hero means to young midoriya, yet he didn't let his unaccomplished dream tear him down. he used his head and went for something that will satisfy his wants and dreams, despite it not being his first choice. but something else he's said gave toshinori a fright, even though he honestly should have expected it.

the boy is quirkless. quirkless! this proves it. they'd never met. this is no future; this is a different world.

the car stops in front of the police station, and they thank the driver before stepping away from the vehicle.

"you really don't have to stay, young midoriya." though he wants him to stay. wants to ask more questions and let the boy know how absolutely amazing his is. but he doesn't feel right taking up so much of this young man's time. "i can take it from here."

"i would do my heart good to know you're safe with your friend before i left, sir!"

young midoriya holds the door open for him once more, and toshinori laughs. "there's no need for you to worry over an old man like me, my boy!"

"ah, no! you're not old, sir!"

"you calling me 'sir' sure makes me feel like it! it's toshinori, please."

"a-ah, right, t-toshinori!"

they walk further into the building and stop at the front desk, where they see a woman typing away at her computer. she looks up and smiles at toshinori. "hello, sir, how can i help you?"

shit. he doesn't recognize her.

"i was hoping to speak to detective tsukauchi, if you wouldn't mind?"

her eyes squint with suspicion. it seems she doesn't recognize him either. "he isn't here right now; he won't be for a week."

"ah. well, what about officer sansa?"

"he's with the detective. sir, is this a matter of emergency?"

"w-well, it is quite important, yes."

"if it isn't an emergency, you'll have to wait until he gets back. he's working on something very important and cannot have distractions."

toshinori sighs. "alright. would you be able to confirm his contact number for me? i haven't been able to call yet and i want to make sure it's right before i—"

"company policy dictates i am unable to give out personal information to unspecified individuals."

"i'm sure there's a release of information form for a toshinori yagi—"

"again, sir, you'll have to wait."

it's obvious she's too suspicious of toshinori to actually check for the paperwork (though he knows the paperwork is there if they are friends). there's no way he can convince her to check. his skeletal appearance doesn't do him any favors, either.

toshinori forces out a smile. "alright. i'll come back again. you said one week, correct?"

the woman nods. "yes, sir."

"thank you. until then!"

he spins on his heel and starts towards the door, a worried young midoriya trailing after him.

when both of them are outside, toshinori makes his way to a bench placed on the sidewalk outside. he heaves a sigh and leans his elbows against his thighs as he sags in defeat. he can't exactly be mad at the young woman, since she was just doing her job. and a damn good one at that. at least he knows the tsukauchi of this world also has a reliable police force behind him. but that left toshinori in a very difficult situation.

damn. now what?

"uh, si— er… t-toshinori, are you—… do you have somewhere safe to stay?" young midoriya's voice is soft and kind.

toshinori forces out a strained chuckle. he wouldn't know. he stayed at the teacher dorms in u.a. and had an apartment near his agency. but he can't get into u.a. and he isn't anywhere near his agency and apartment, either. "well, not near here. i can maybe get a hotel room…"

do his credit cards and bank card work? most likely not. after all, the u.a. security card didn't and his phone doesn't have service. he doesn't even think his i.d. card and hero license are valid here. he pulls out his wallet and takes a look at the amount of cash he has on hand and sighs.

not enough.

he can't go to his apartment, since he doesn't know if it actually is his apartment in this world. plus, his apartment complex is high security. he can't contact anyone without them knowing that what he's saying is the absolute truth (hence his need for tsukauchi). what if he sees himself from this world? toshinori knows that if he saw a double of himself, the first thing he'd do is capture the intruder and probably take them to jail as a possible villain trying to impersonate him. sure, he'd get tsukauchi's attention sooner, but at what cost? how will he be treated? how will his boy be treated, when they inevitably realize that his boy's been helping toshinori? would they arrest him too? would they make young izuku miss out on his university classes and put his degrees in jeopardy because of affiliations with a supposedly villainous imposter? no, he can't go to anyone. he'll never put his boy in danger, no matter the intention. he must wait.

suddenly, toshinori's feeling utterly hopeless. he's been dumped in a strange world with strange circumstances and not enough money to survive waiting for his best hope at receiving help to come back to his home precinct. he has no resources, no support, and no idea how different things are here. now what does he do?

"i, uh, can't help but notice you're in a tight spot. do you… need a place to stay?"

toshinori turns wide eyes to the young man sitting beside him. "y-young man, i'm a stranger. and you're just… inviting me into your home? that's dangerous!"

"i-i know!" the boy exclaims, waving his hands in front of him. "it's just, you need help. and i like to think i'm a pretty good judge of character, and you don't seem to be the, uh, villain type?"

that makes toshinori feel warm. "there are many who would disagree with you, there, young man. i do have quite the appearance."

"but that's all it is," young midoriya counters. "an appearance. how you look and how you act are two completely separate things. plus, i don't think you look scary. you just look like you need a little health boost! some vitamins will fix you right up!"

the retired hero chuckles. "i'm sure that's not all it would take to get me back into shape."

"hm, no," the boy grins. "but it's a start!"

goodness, young midoriya is a delight no matter where they are.

"so?" young midoriya asks. "would you like to stay with me until you can meet with the detective?"

"that would be a great help, young man."

young midoriya's apartment is the same one he'd visited when the staff had to convince the students' parents to house their children in u.a.'s dorms. toshinori fully expects ms. midoriya to be in the apartment. after all, young midoriya is a student, and staying with his mother until his schooling is over is the best economic choice.

however, as they step inside, toshinori sees that the apartment is dark. there's also no answer when young midoriya calls out he's home from the entryway.

they remove their shoes and put on indoor slippers before making their way further into the apartment, young midoriya flicking on lights along the way.

"please excuse the mess," the boy says as they enter the living room. "it's been a, uh, busy few weeks. i haven't found time to really clean yet."