Azure: Wielder of the Blue Flame (MHA AU)

Chapter 1

I'm a scientist at UA. I was enrolled here this year to help design the suits and support gear for the students on my parents' recommendation after they found my boxes of notebooks full of ideas of how to improve hero suits and support gear to better accommodate certain quirks while limiting the strain on the body as much as possible. I, myself, don't have a quirk. I belong to the quirkless population, but I didn't let that dissuade me from being a hero in my own way.

I have my own lab in the school with all the swanky toys and testing equipment so I'm not complaining too much. I stand outside a testing chamber as I test the resilience of a pair of gauntlets as they're put under a strain similar to All Might's power. They last maybe two punches before disintegrating. I let out an exasperated sigh, "Damnit!, I thought I had it." I put my face in my hands, "Fuck."

"Words like that shouldn't be coming out of a baby bird like yourself, Rue." I jump, turning to see Hawks, holding his side, seeing blood drip from his fingers as he leans on a blue-eyed boy with white hair that has red streaks throughout, his arms are wrapped in bandages, "Oh, god...Keigo...what the hell?!" I rush to get a first aid kit as the boy sets him on a clear metal table, "You should be going to the nurse...not to me. I've told you before."

He chuckles breathlessly, "W-what c-can I say? I love seeing your pretty face, baby bird. Loving the hot pink hair, by the way. Really brings out your blue eyes, kid."

"Always the charmer, ain't cha, Takami?" I shake my head as I pull up his shirt, seeing a bullet wound, "Yikes, that's a big caliber...shotgun?" I ask myself as I examine it, "Yep, shotgun." I sigh, "What mess did you get yourself in now, Keigo?" I ask as I clean up the blood so I can see the wound I need to stitch.

"I rebelled against the organization. The one that trained me to be a killer-" He takes in a sharp breath as I start stitching, "Fuck, kid. You gotta be so rough?"

I give him a look, "Do you have to be such a baby? I swear, starting to think you just like getting under my skin." He lays his head back, groaning in protest, "What is this organization?"

"The HPSC." His friend clears up, "Dumbass here just came stumbling into the dorm house, getting blood all over my freshly clean floors. Scared my little brother Shoto half to death...had to cut our time together short and send him back to my asshole of a father sooner than I wanted."

"The HPSC? As in the Heroes Public Safety Commission?" I finish stitching, grabbing a sterile pad and some rubbing alcohol, "Alright, this is the worst part." I pour the rubbing alcohol over the stitches.

"Hmmphhh! Fuck!" I see his wings puff up, putting the sterile pad on the wound, making me giggle, "My god, Keigo...if you're going to be a pro one of these days, you're gonna need to toughen up, my dude." I help him sit up so I can wrap his torso.

His friend continues, seeing the amusement on his own features, "That's the one. They got Hawks here under their thumb. It's been that way for years now. It woulda been the same for me but...I ran. My father is a son of a bitch so I ran. And now I'm here." I can sense he's leaving something out but decide not to push it.

I secure the wrapping, "Alright, there we are." I look at him, "Please stop getting yourself hurt."

"No can do, baby bird. It's...kinda in the job description. But I count myself lucky 'cause you put up with me." He gives me a soft smile before clearing his throat, "Um, this is Touya. Touya Todoroki."

He comes over, his deep blue eyes seeming to look straight into my soul, "Uh...hi. M-my name is Rue. Rue Kurenger. It's uh...nice to meet you." I bite my lip, trying to hide the blush on my cheeks.

"It's nice to meet you, too." He pauses, "Are you a student here? I don't think I've seen you-"

"Uh...no...no. I uh...I'm just your friendly suit and gear designer...scientist...engineer, whatever you wanna call it. I was enrolled here just to help with that...Quirkless." I purse my lips, looking into his eyes as he looks back.