Inheritance: A My Hero Academia AU

Izuku Midoriya

"Come on, Ida," I said, beckoning to my friend as I walked towards the entrance to the backyard of the Todoroki house.

"Do we have to, Midoriya?" Ida whined behind me. "Based on our last encounter, I don't think that Todoroki really has any desire to get to know us."

"Maybe he doesn't right now, but he will soon," I said. "There was something about him, something...melancholy and lonely. I want to help him."

"You're too good for this place, Midoriya," Ida said. "But are you sure that he wants our help?"

I shrugged. "He's getting it whether he wants it or not."

Ida and I made it to the guest house just as Todoroki was walking out.

"Fancy finding you here, Todoroki!" I said.

Todoroki looked at me with narrowed eyes. "This is my house. Of course I'm here."

"Of course," I said, waving him off. "I was just kidding around with you."

There was an awkward pause, and Todoroki raised an eyebrow at Ida and I.

"What do you want today, Mr. Midoriya?" Todoroki asked.

"Just Midoriya is fine," I said. "Ida and I were wondering if you'd like to come on a walk with us."

Todoroki looked from me to Ida and back again a couple of times, and he seemed to be on the verge of saying no, when something flashed in his eyes, and he sighed, his shoulders drooping a little. "Oh, alright."

"That's swell!" I exclaimed, and Ida looked at me funny. I shot him a glare and turned to grin at Todoroki.

He grinned at me uncertainly, and after another long, awkward minute, Ida led the way out of the backyard, and we started out on our walk all together.

With a lot of cajoling on Ida and I's part, Todoroki actually talked to us, and we got to know him a little bit more. After a while, conversation was almost easy.

After that first walk, Ida and I made a habit of inviting Todoroki on all of our morning outings. Sometimes we were flatly refused, but most times he accepted our invitations.

By the time a week had gone by, Todoroki, Ida and I were friends. Or, at least, friends by my standards.

On our fifth walk as a trio, we were traipsing on a paved path along the oceanside cliffs that overlooked the mainland. I spotted Kacchan down below us on a little sailboat with Denki Kaminari and Mina Ashido, and our eyes met for a split second before Kacchan tore his gaze away.

We'd seen each other a couple of times since he'd returned from the mainland, but I hadn't worked up enough courage to actually talk to him yet.

So much for my grand plan of making me acknowledge him as my friend.

"What's your relationship with Katsuki Bakugo?" Todoroki asked me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, snapping from my thoughts.

"Were you guys business partners? School mates? Lovers?"

"Childhood friends, actually," Ida answered. "They were really close when they were little, and then Bakugo's family got rich, and-"

"You know, I can tell the story myself, thanks," I drawled.

"Oh, right, sorry," Ida said sheepishly. "Go ahead."

"So, it's like Ida said," I told Todoroki. "Bakugo and I are childhood friends. We were really close for a while, and then his family got rich right around when we started school, and he started to act entitled, like he was better than everyone. He and his new friends teased me because I didn't have any money. Then, when we were in middle school, Bakugo's family moved over here, and before he left, I promised him that I'd catch up to him one day."