Touchdown On the Court

Chapter 1: Volleyball

Izuku held onto his pained wrist tightly as Inko Midoriya drove to the hospital. She sighed quietly as she looked down at her son. "You're so reckless, Izuku. You're lucky I haven't pulled you out of volleyball yet! This is why!"

Izuku visibly tensed up and looked at his worried mother. "I know, Mom, but I promise I'm fine! It's probably just a sprain!" Izuku sighed when his mom didn't reply, and he sunk back in his seat. "Please don't pull me out of volleyball, they need me!"

"Izuku, honey. I know how much you love volleyball, but this is the third sprain you've had in the season!" Inko cried out and gripped her steering wheel tightly. "I don't even know what to say right now, I'm so angry!"

"I get that, Mom, but pulling me out of volleyball isn't gonna do anything!" Izuku suddenly sat up again. Any mention of Izuku not doing volleyball made his stomach drop.

Volleyball was the one thing that got Izuku attention. He wasn't good at any other sport. He got picked on a lot for being nerdy and quiet. Izuku wanted to change that. He hated being the weakling of the school. Once he found volleyball in sixth grade, he found out he was good at it! He quickly got the hang of it and soon became the teams setter! Izuku started making friends, and he was no longer getting picked on. Volleyball practically saved his life! If he gets pulled out, he'll go back to being the loser he once was. Izuku didn't want that anymore. He was finally happy.

"Izuku. I know volleyball stopped people from bullying you, but I can't keep seeing you get hurt like this!"

"Mom, you're overreacting! It's just a sprain!" Izuku practically cried out. "I'm not quitting volleyball!"

Inko let out a heavy sigh before glancing at her stubborn son. She knows how cruel the kids were to Izuku in elementary school. They were horrible. She often found herself washing food and beverages out of Izuku's hair. She often had to buy Izuku a new bookbag because disgusting beverages were poured into it. Inko often found herself hugging her crying son because he felt like he wasn't worth anything.

"Fine..." she spoke barely above a whisper. "But you will listen to what the doctor tells you. If he says no volleyball, no volleyball."

Izuku perked up happily. He nodded and looked out the window. He knew that he more than likely would have to sit the first month out of volleyball, and he was okay with that. As long as he could still be on the team, that was enough for him.

Inko pulled into the hospital driveway and she parked the car. "Come on, honey." Her voice went back to being smooth as she unbuckled herself.

Izuku carefully unbuckled himself and got out of the car. They walked together in the hospital side by side. Izuku held onto his swollen wrist as the noticeable receptionist smiled sympathetically at the two. "Another sprain?" She asked, suppressing a giggle.

"Yeah." Inko sighed heavily and looked at her beard headed son. "Another sprain. But... it makes him happy, and who am I to take that away from him." Inko spoke softly as she signed the paperwork. "How long is the wait, miss?"

"No longer than an hour, Mrs. Midoriya." Inko gave the receptionist a thank you and walked over to the waiting area with her son. She sat down in the chair and got on her phone. She tried calling her husband a couple of times before giving up. "Of course." She mumbled underneath her breath and rolled her eyes.

Izuku pulled out his headphones and plugged them into his phone. He left one ear bud out to hear and started to play some music. He sighed softly as he held onto his wrist again. He gently started to rub it with two fingers before getting a text.

Izuku happily picked up the phone and smiled widely at who texted him. Shoto Todoroki. Izuku's best friend and the captain of the volleyball team. Shoto called all the shots. Izuku honestly wanted the captain position until he heard that he got setter. Izuku loved being the setter because that also means he can spike whenever he feels likes it. After all, that's what makes Izuku a great volleyball player.