Chapter Text
The world has changed over the centuries. People with what were called super powers were considered fiction for the longest time. Then event zero happened - a glowing baby. In the grand scheme of things - the changes came fast. A rapid evolution point. Now 80% of the population has a power of some sort. The Remaining 20% were those with out powers. Mostly elderly from the point of time where quirks weren't as prominent.
A child being diagnosed quirkless was rarer. The was something around a 2% chance or less.
With the discovery of quirks there was also an odd phenomenon related to what the populace ended up calling soulmates. There were a couple variants of it. Most common were the romantic soulmates - couples that shared a deep long lasting relationship. The next variant were Parental Bonded. This was weirder to explain but basically a Parental bond appeared on children who needed family because for whatever reason their blood family couldn't or wasn't there for the child.
Over all, only roughly about 50% of the world had these bonds. Most only had one type. Less than 1% of the population had both variants.
It was simple to figure out, if you ever do. There were marks that only appeared when you were in the same city as your match. The marks typically represented something unique from the other person. Like having a colored marking of a wolf on one partner, and the other partner having a wolf quirk and the fur matching the coloring of the marking.
It wasn't understood, and science was having a hard time to figuring out any type of pattern for the soulmates.
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The pile of letters grew each day. Izuku had applied for nearly every high school in the area, plus a few that were outside of the prefecture. Twenty-three in total. He had been hopeful that at least one would take him. He applied for several different tracks as well to cover his bases. Hero Courses being his preferred, but as All Might had told him "be realistic" So he had applied to support courses and just straight general education courses.
None of the schools wanted him.
They all made pretty excuses, but it all really came down to the fact that he was quirkless. They didn't want him for liability reasons. He was 'fragile' and 'unable to defend himself'. He 'did not have the mental strengths of someone with a quirk'.
Quirkest bastards.
Izuku slams a mental lid on that line of thought. A small lip curl thinking about his former number one hero and their rooftop conversation. The day after meeting his former hero all of the merch had come down in his room. What he could sell, he did. The items he couldn't got placed in a box and hidden away. He wouldn't be disrespectful to the items. They had gotten him through some awful days after all.
He just couldn't look at the face of the person that had told him he couldn't be a hero with zero hesitation after asking could he, as a quirkless person, become a hero. The overly muscled man had told him no with such conviction Izuku had almost taken Bakugo's advice from earlier that day. Almost. He was devastated, yes. He wasn't ready to give up just yet.
His room now was just ordinary black and forest green colors. He had used the money from selling off his merch. Kami knows Inko would never pay for the redecorating process. He was lucky to have the merch to be honest. Presents his Dad sent him over the years before he passed away last summer. Dad...Dad would want him to survive.
Izuku frowns at the thoughts and the stack of letters, He would show them, or, at least he had thought he would until his hand finally added the twenty-third rejection letter to the pile.
Not only did he have to deal with quirklessness, and now potential homelessness. He most an emotional wreck with no soulmate bound either. Maybe all this mess would be easier to deal with if he had a soulmate to call out to. Then again, who would want to be saddled with a quirkless soulmate. Another piece of information ooooh so lovingly screamed at him by Bakugo. Really, who would want him?
He rested his head on his desk. Usually Izuku was a cryer. One would think he would be crying now with that final nail in the coffin in the form of rejection letters. He was just numb to it. Maybe he'll cry it out later. For now though, he just sat at his desk, silent.
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Izuku finally comes out of his room to start cooking. Inko would be home soon and he didn't want to anger her by not having food ready. It had to be simple and quick though as he was trapped in his head for far too long.
He had to come up with a plan soon though. She had already told him if he didn't get into a school he would need to leave. She wasn't going to waste any more of her time on a useless freeloading freak of nature.
Luckily, he was home to get all the mail. She didn't know about the latest round of rejections. He just needs to play it off for another few days to buy time fore himself if he could.
There just had to be something he could do. He bit back a sigh as he heard the keys unlocking the front door. He forced his shoulders to loosen and he plastered a fake smile on his face.
He couldn't upset Inko.
He swallows his fears for now, modulating his voice to sound happy, "Good Evening Mother. Dinner will be ready shortly."
"FIne. I'm getting changed then."
Whew. She doesn't seem to angry right now. That won't last long though. Hopefully we can get through dinner without her loosing it.
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They did not make it through dinner.
He had wondered why she had taken so long in the shower. She had snuck into his room and found his stack of rejections and counted. She knew how many schools he had applied to because she had forced him to tell her.
She brought the stack to the kitchen with her. Izuku hadn't noticed because he was finishing plating the food out for them. "So, you didn't get into any of them. They all rejected you now."
Izuku whips around, eyes wide. Oh hell. I should have hidden those. I didn't even think about it...
A wicked look in her eyes, "So? What is your plan now." She sneers. "They all realized what a freak you are. Legally when you finish this year I don't have to take care of you anymore. The gave legal adult status to you freaks at age 14. I only let you stay here to finish your mandatory schooling."
His shoulder's slump. He walks past her to set their meal on the table. She snags his arm as he tries to bypass her. "Well? What are your plans?"
Izuku doesn't shake her off. Last time he did that she managed to use her quirk on his lungs. That sensation haunts him to this day in his nightmares. She had done that when he was seven.
He stares at her. "I don't know."
"Well, you can't stay here."
He grinds his teeth, "I understand. How long until I have to leave?"
She frowns. "I want you out by the end of the school year if not sooner."
"Fine."
"I don't want to see you around here. As of this moment you do not exist to me."
Izuku looks down, jaw locking. He didn't want to cry in front of her. He wouldn't give her that pleasure, so he mutely nods at her. He takes his meager meal out of the room and leaves her in the kitchen alone. Her plate left on the counter for her.
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Kami, I didn't even make it 2 hours before she found out.
He sits at his desk. Food forgotten in front of him. Body trembling as he fights back sobs.
Not like I didn't expect this. She had told me this would happen. She's never been shy about her feelings on the matter. I never thought every single school would reject me.
He scans the room. School ends in just a few weeks. He didn't have much time. What did he need to bring with him? Think logically because chances are...
I'll be on the street. Clothes, and the small first aid kit from under my bed for sure. I won't need to worry about school books thankfully. I can empty out my backpack and use that for packing along with my gym bag. My water bottle so I can use the parks fountains if I need to.
He sighs as his eyes land on a shelf that held 12 black notebooks. The 13th was currently in his school bag. They contained his hero analysis work. The ones from when he was four years old where childish, but were still good material that showed his growth in analysis.
I should pack all of them. My laptop isn't the best anymore, but still functional. I could always charge it and my phone at internet cafes or the library. Luckily my phone isn't in her name. Just a burner type phone for me to have. As long as I can find free internet spots it won't cast me data usage. No one calls or texts me anyways.
A simple game plan, although rather terrifying as well. Packing wasn't the hard part here really. He didn't have much of anything anymore. His biggest concern was where was he going to go?
He knew of a few shelters deeper into the poorer part of town. If he got there early enough he might just be lucky enough to stay the nights there and maybe even get a little food if he was lucky.
He wouldn't have school to contend with either. He should start looking for work as well. He runs a hand through his hair in frustration.
So much to do in just a few weeks. I am afraid to pack now though. She may just toss it all out into the garbage out of spite. I need to find a way to pack and hide the couple of bags I will be taking with me when I leave.
"So much to do."
He eats his now cold dinner before laying in his bed. Sleep came hard that night.