photos of the past, videos of the future Chapter 5
On AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35116858/chapters/87958033
Izuku wanted the day over with. The screen continued to flash above his head as people shot glares at Hanta and Mei. Neither looked cowed by them, simply smirking back. How the hell did this happen to him? Seriously?
He just wanted the day over with, wanted everything to go back to normal. But upon seeing Kaminari stall, eyes widening as he stared at the screen caused Izuku to groan.
He would not be going back to normal after everything.
The video began with Izuku sitting in an auditorium, watching a man read names off a scroll. Various people in graduation gowns and hats walked across the stage.
“Kaminari Denki has received a Masters in Electrical Engineering and a minor in English,” the man read off. Loud screaming echoed around the auditorium as a blonde with a lightning bolt in his hair, dressed in a leather hero costume, strutted across the stage. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd, and Izuku stood up, clapping his hands with a wide smile.
As Denki exited the stage, Izuku moved from where he was in the crowd to head through the seats. He jogged down some stairs and headed outside. Outside, Denki already stood, posing for pictures with some kids and other graduates. Upon spotting him, though, Denki jogged over to throw himself at Izuku.
“Iz-Babe! I did it!” He laughed.
“Told you you could!” Izuku replied, hugging the other. Denki pulled away before his hand went into his pocket and pulled out a box. He dropped to one knee, causing the entire crowd to gasp.
“What?!” another graduate yelled as Izuku stared at Denki.
“Izuku, you’ve supported me through this. You helped me get through UA, and you helped me discover that my Quirk counsellor was wrong.” Denki said. “You helped me so much. I was so honoured you accepted my feelings and stayed with me. I just… there are no real words for how much I deeply love you, but I know, I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Please-”
Izuku barely let him continue before he threw himself at Denki. “Yes!” the green-haired hero shouted. “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
Denki laughed, wrapping his arms around Izuku and hugging him tightly. The two barely noticed that the crowd around them was going wild; instead, they just focused on each other. At least until two loud whistles sounded from further away. Denki laughed, pulling away from Izuku to wave at Mina and Eijiro, the two coming over.
“Ahhh!!! He said yes?!” Minda squealed, throwing herself at them. She hugged them both as Eijiro pumped a fist into the air.
“So manly!” he laughed. Izuku shook his head with a chuckle as Mina backed off, wiping at her eyes. “You guys actually going to go to the after-party stuff that you were talking about now, Denki?” Eijiro asked. The blonde shook his head.
“Nah, I wanna go home and cuddle my fiance.” Denki smiled at Izuku, who returned it with a laugh, simply happy to be with him.
When the video stopped, Izuku couldn’t help his mouth. “So I was right! Kaminari doesn’t produce the energy. He takes it in!”
“What?!” Denki called out, staring at him. Izuku barely paid attention.
“It makes sense- the overloading is caused by either not making a proper circuit, or he’s taking in too much. If he produced it all himself, then it shouldn’t overload him,” Izuku said. “Adding stuff to his costume should help with the circuit!”
“Oooh, I can think of a few things!” Mei squealed.
Izuku didn’t notice the look of awe on Denki’s face as the blonde stared at him. Denki couldn’t help it- for years, he’d believed that going dumb was just a side effect or that he genuinely was that stupid. But now, he saw a future where he got a master’s degree, where he had a partner who loved him and supported him. Who helped him.
He now fully understood why everyone else fell right in love with Izuku after watching their futures; even Todoroki appeared softer after being given a phone where someone recorded his video.
Izuku ducked under a swipe from another team who tried to take advantage of the fact they were distracted by their talk. He blinked. “Right, battle, rant about Quirks later.” Izuku nodded. “Huh, I wonder if my fascination with Quirks is also because of my actual Quirk now…” he couldn’t help his mutter as the screen above him flickered and landed on a picture of him in the hall during the alarm. He was looking at a tall blonde teen with strange eyes. The video started soon after.
“Thanks for taking the kids again,” Izuku said into the phone as he cooked at the stove, stirring a frying pan. “They’ve missed their mom, so it’s nice you stepped in… uhuh… yeah, talk to you later.” He reached up to remove his cellphone from where he’d tucked it under his ear to end the call, putting the phone on the counter. A taller blonde man came into the picture, grinning.
“Hey, love!” the man said, going to wrap his arms around Izuku’s waist and kiss his cheek.
“Hey Mirio, just checking in on the kids,” Izuku replied. Mirio hummed, propping his chin on the top of Izuku’s head.
“They doing good?”
“Yeah, spending time with their mom.” Izuku shrugged. Mirio suddenly chuckled. “What’s so funny?”
“Just thinking of how utterly confused the media still is about your divorce. It’s like no one has heard of an amicable one.” Mirio replied.
“They just want drama,” Izuku agreed. “Meanwhile, here I am now fully aware that marrying your high school sweetheart doesn’t always work out. The ones who did were like Kaminari and Shinsou or Ashido and Kirishima- and they all worked at it.”
“It’s selfish to be happy you guys didn’t work out,” Mirio sighed. “But I am.”
“It’s not selfish,” Izuku disagreed. “Selfish would have been you trying to date me while I was with her. Instead, you were my friend and helped me through the divorce. You then took two years to ask me out, babe.”
“I suppose,” Mirio sighed. He still looked guilty, however, as Izuku cooked. They stood in the kitchen for a few minutes, Izuku humming under his breath. “Why did you accept my date?” Mirio asked Izuku.
“Well, I did find you attractive, and we’ve been friends for years. You yelled at Sir Nighteye when you learned about how he treated me on our first day of the internship, and I kind of just fell into your orbit.” Izuku told him. Mirio chuckled, unable to help it.
“Sir… is Sir. He deserved that lecture and me leaving the agency until he fully apologized to you.” Mirio announced. “And got therapy for his narcissistic tendencies.”
“Exactly. Those things drew me to you, and then there’s the fact you fully supported me in my divorce. Few others did- people kept claiming we should just get counselling like we hadn’t already tried for three years, they harped on about the kids and so on. You, though, stood with me. You helped me when I was only getting them on weekends, and you helped me when I received primary custody. The kids love you. You never say shit about their mom…” Izuku sighed. “I don’t blame her for being unable to raise them. She never really wanted kids that early but being pressured so much by everyone…”
“Pressure is a huge thing in your life,” Mirio muttered. Izuku stopped cooking to turn around in Mirio’s arms to wrap his own around the taller man.
“It’s in yours too. Pressure of your teachers to get better where no help was really offered. Pressure to accept Tamaki’s feelings despite you not feeling the same way. Pressure to become the next All Might from Sir Nighteye. You might not have really noticed, but it was there.” Izuku squeezed Mirio’s waist. “And that’s another reason I chose you. Because you understand.”
Mirio smiled and leaned down to press his lips to Izuku’s, the two standing there and slowly kissing until Izuku cursed.
“The food!”
Izuku didn’t feel too shocked by the video, even as he noticed wide-eyed stares from the people around him. Sometimes relationships didn’t work out obviously; whoever he married in that timeline just wasn’t right for him. However, he still felt sad that apparently, a relationship he had ended.
The people so far shown in the videos, though, were worried. They saw each other happy with Izuku, would that change at all? And now they heard about other relationships. It felt strange, knowing this. But also comforting- for even in worlds where they did not find love in Izuku, they found it in others. They all still wanted Izuku, though- having seen the love he had for them and they had for him. But it was nice to know that they could find love in others.
Meanwhile, Aizawa got Mic to write down not to let Midoriya go to Nighteye for an internship, disliking the two instances where Nighteye negatively was mentioned in the videos. Of course, it could change, but he would instead just prevent any trauma or emotional hurt the kid would face.
As the screen above Midoriya settled, Aizawa wondered how many more of his students would end up with the problem child. The photo shown above the head of Midoriya was of him and Aoyama at the entrance exam.
Izuku sat in a bar, laughing with some of his former classmates. Kyoka leaned against an older version of Yaoyorozu, while Hitoshi had an arm wrapped around Neito. Next to Izuku sat a blonde man dressed in a white shirt with ruffles on the front, his hair slightly long and styled elegantly. The man leaned his head on Izuku’s shoulder, smiling.
“And so like Mina and me are going: oh, we need to wait for Uraraka. Yuuga here is like, or Shouji, and we’re like yeah.” Kyoka laughed, a grin on her face. “But then, then Izuku comes into the kitchen, and he’s like: oh, what happened? I tell him, and then he goes, I can help. He picks up the freaking fridge without breaking a sweat!!”
“It was very heroic,” Yuuga cooed, kissing Izuku’s cheek as the green-haired man laughed.
“I mean, you’re not wrong.” Izuku chuckled. His phone buzzed, causing him to pull it of his pocket to check before groaning. “It’s my PR again.”
“Les crétins doivent arrêter d'appeler,” Yuuga muttered, glaring at his phone.
“And this is why I’m happy being underground; I don’t have PR.” Hitoshi declared.
“What’s the problem now- your refusal to work with Bakugou again?” Neito asked.
“It’s about me,” Yuuga replied. “They do not like that Izuku is involved.”
“...You’ve guys been together since third year,” Kyoka said.
“I thought it second?” Yaoyorozu asked in confusion.
“We went on a date in second, yes, but Izuku here began facing a lot of pressure to date someone else. He didn’t wish to date me while dealing with it out of fear it would hurt me.” Yuuga sighed, giving his boyfriend a look.
“Hey, the comments were incredibly cruel.” Izuku muttered. “And now my PR is saying you’re not good enough for me? That’s bullshit.”
“People say I am too much,” Yuuga remarked. Izuku pulled himself away, dropping his phone onto the table. His hands went up to cup Yuuga’s face, and Izuku made his boyfriend look at him.
“All throughout my childhood, people yelled at me to stop muttering. That I was an annoyance, that I should just exist in the background. People liked to forget that Bakugou and his goons were the ones to drag me into the front by bullying me so much. You Yuuga are not too much. You listen to me. You were one of the first people to listen to my muttering and offer ideas. You kept up with it. You love me, and I love you. The rings on our hands are promises to each other.” Izuku smiled. “You are not too much, and my PR can shove it if they think I’ll back down from bragging about your 24/7.” Yuuga smiled at him and leaned forward, kissing Izuku. It drew cheers from their friends, and Hitoshi raised his phone to snap a photo of them kissing.
“So if I posted this complaining about the engaged couple…” Neito asked, stealing Hitoshi’s phone.
“Do it,” Izuku said before Yuuga drew him back into another kiss, earning laughter from their friends.
Izuku felt his face warm at the video and let out a breath, reminding himself- focus on the game and then freak out about everything else. He could not spiral into a panic right then. He just wanted to focus on the game—nothing else.
“Let’s move,” he told his team, snapping them out of watching the screen. Mei activated the jetpack while Hanta got ready with his tape to pull them away.
As they did so, Yuuga stared at Izuku with wide eyes. That speech, seeing someone think he wasn’t too much it filled him with a bubbling sensation as his heart beat faster.
“Je vais courtiser cet homme,” he decided, staring at Izuku.
“I do not speak French,” Minda said in amusement, “but frankly, if it’s about Izuku, may the best person win his heart.”
“Agree,” Mashario said as Hitoshi coughed above them, blushing.
“Do I want into the hero course now?” the purple-haired teen couldn’t help but ask.
“Hell yeah!” Mina cackled as the screen above Izuku’s head twisted to show a photo of him on the first day of UA again, this time next to a floating uniform.
Hagakure Toru, sitting on top of her team, squeaked in surprise.
Izuku smiled as he sat next to what looked like a floating dress, the stomach area of the dress rounded. He placed a hand on the rounded stomach, a grin on his face.
“A few more weeks,” laughed the floating clothing. Izuku chuckled and leaned forward to kiss the stomach he touched.
“I can’t wait,” Izuku said. “Our own kid Toru!”
“I know,” laughed Toru, ruffling Izuku’s hair from the look of Izuku’s hair. “And we also will now be subject to our kid getting hoped up on candy and sent back to us.” She shot Izuku a look that he simply shrugged at.
“No regret. Todoroki and Iida could stand to let their kids eat more candy.” Izuku declared. Toru snorted.
“They are going to give the kid all the candy,” Toru chuckled. She suddenly sighed.
“I don’t like that sigh.” Izuku frowned. “Don’t tell me you’re worrying again.”
“Hard not to Izuku,” Toru murmured. “I really don’t want the kid to have my Quirk.” Izuku hummed, rubbing her stomach.
“I know you don’t- but well, I don’t want them to have my Quirk either. Or my dad’s if it does pass on like he said it might,” Izuku sighed.
“Neither of us wants the kid to have our Quirk; that’s a drastic change from most expecting parents,” Toru joked tiredly. Izuku grinned and leaned forward, pressing a kiss in midair. Toru sighed. “You always know where to kiss.”
“I do because I see you, Toru. I always see you- and if our kid has your Quirk, I’ll make sure I see them. Just like if they have mine, you’ll go to war for them, to make sure that they know they’re loved and accepted.” Izuku said softly.
“And if they have their grandfather’s?” Toru asked.
“Well, then we’ll both fight for them. Any comments will be torn apart.” Izuku smiled. “I love you and our child- I chose you after all.”
Toru’s body moved forward, and Izuku’s lips became smushed looking. They stopped as Toru pulled back, obviously having kissed him.
“And I chose you.” She told him. The couple sat in silence for a second before Toru gasped. Izuku’s eyes widened as he looked down at the dress. A wet spot appeared on the bottom.
“...I am going to get the bag-” Izuku jumped up as Toru started panicking.
“Oh god, shouldn’t I have felt something? Shouldn’t there have been contractions-”
The screen faded off from there, going back to the photos. Izuku’s pale face and freaked-outlook had all the groups politely avoiding his team for a bit. Even Todoroki backed off- seeing that would freak anyone out.
Toru, sitting on Koji, Rikido and Kyoka,freaked-out look needed a second to bury her face into her hands, screaming slightly into her hands. Partly due to the fact her future self seemed to be going into labour, partly because of the speech Izuku did!
“He really hits you in the feels,” Kyoka agreed, looking at the screen in admiration.
“I’ve never had someone say that!” Toru said, shaking her head. “That they chose me, that they see me!”
“Well, you do now,” Rikido said. “Though none of us are giving up.”
“I’d be insulted if you did!” Toru declared, uncaring the cameras caught her alongside the words. “May the best person win, Izuku!”
Izuku, still freaked out, choked at her words as Aizawa groaned. The teacher was not bothered at all by Mic trying to tell him he’d left the intercom on.
“They need to know my pain. I teach these kids- and almost all of them are in the same class as Midoriya.”
“...I will take you out later when your bandages are off to get very drunk.”
Almost near the end! Last three, in order: Momo, Ochako, Shouji!! This has been a fun ride!
-I kinda went back and forth between the KamiDeku scene and a scene further into the future where Kaminari and Izuku are comforting their eldest daughter who feels dumb because her younger siblings are literal super geniuses. I decided on this because I kinda like the idea of Kaminari seeing this scene, hearing Izuku then talk about his Quirk and BAM. He’s in love.
ALSO. Shoutout to ArissaRuneRaven96- she basically guessed this would happen!!
-Izuku’s ex-wife is up to you guys. But the idea is that they were dating as teenagers and kind of got shoved into a marriage by a lot of pressure from everyone. They had kids early because of this pressure, and eventually they agreed it was better to quit while they were still civil rather then let it fester. Izuku’s wife got custody but found she really struggled with connecting to her kids, leading to Izuku getting full custody. They’re still good friends, and honestly if given time they WOULD have stayed together but society shoved them into it to fast. It led to resentment and anger- which led to them agreeing to divorce rather then end up hating each other.
-Yep, there are other pairings in other worlds! There are lots of various behind the scene pairings that don’t come up- nothing is set in stone here which is what is being proven… which heh, maybe will give Nighteye his wake up call sooner.
-While ya’ll can choose who it was… I did sort of write the bit with Aoyama as Bakugou was the one who Izuku was pressured to date in my mind. Because ‘childhood friends’ and all that. Izuku stood his ground though. Did Bakugou want to date him? No, he didn’t like it either. However, he did not like the idea Izuku picked anyone over him. Superiority complex coming into play here with how utterly not into him Izuku was. The entire thing got messy, and while it bonded Izuku and Aoyama, it destroyed any sort of possible connection Izuku and Bakugou had. Bakugou regrets it thanks to Aizawa kicking him into therapy after all the drama but Izuku is not interested in rebuilding anything thanks to Bakugou apologizing but then doing that.
-I wanted one scene with a pregnant partner, and then I was thinking about how Hagakure might not want an invisible kid and boom.
-Kaminari and Izuku got together after Izuku finally asked Kaminari about his Quirk and learned how wrong his counsellor was. Izuku helped Kaminari with school work and the two discovered that Kaminari did better when it was explained in certain ways. Through this they got closer and fell in love. After the proposal, they decide to elope and get married quickly. Eventually they stumble upon Tomoe and the Twins, taking them in.
-I kinda already explained it but: Izuku confessed to Mirio OFA and everything early on and Mirio was furious enough that he yelled at Sir and left the agency. He took Izuku with him, and they built a strong friendship. Mirio supported Izuku through everything and due to their own stories about feeling the pressure through their lives, they got together after a long time! They’re not married and honestly, Izuku doesn’t want to get married again. Mirio is fully okay with this. He’s the second dad to Izuku’s kids and he’s happy.
-Aoyama and Izuku got together because Aoyama was one of the few who didn’t mind the muttering and enjoyed listening to it. They bonded over this, plus being considered to much and to annoying by their peers. They’re engaged and very happy together- even with Izuku’s PR being assholes.
-Hagakure and Izuku got together because Izuku displayed a knack for being able to see her. It shocked her, and she discovered that from observation alone he could figure out where she was depending on like clothes and the sound of movement. It had her attach herself to him and over time they ended up in a relationship!
Summary: A truth or dare game reveals that Midoriya Izumi is attracted to fashionable blondes. Pity for some, it's not the person they think of she's looking at.
Part of Pride Week Series! Alternate title: L is for Lesbian!
Pairings: Fem!Midoriya Izuku/Fem!Aoyama Yuuga.
Up on Patreon! Will be released to the public June 19!
Momo notices the girl watching their class a few times but doesn’t really think about it until Aizawa is introducing the girl.
Midoriya Izumi, an analyst and a UA student who is being trained by Nezu himself. It’s amazing, and Momo would love to know more but Bakugou throws a fit that has the boy being restrained and Midoriya flinching hard.
It’s enough that Momo and Todoroki both are on edge around Bakugou after that, the rest of the class joining when he sprouts utter filth about Quirkless people. Midoriya is a shy girl who looks down and refuses to look up at people. She blushes and stutters and Momo thinks cute watching her.
She’s Quirkless and knows Bakugou from their middle school. She doesn’t tell them much but her flinches are enough.
“I want to be a hero,” she confesses, the words tumbling form her lips. “Nezu thinks I can. Aizawa thinks I can. Ka- Bakugou doesn’t.”
Momo looks at Midoriya and while she’s shy and stutters, there’s a fire in her eyes.
Momo thinks she can. She tells the other girls, even as Todoroki misses the look and doesn’t say anything.
The other girls grin.
Uraraka, Asui and Jirou train with the girl. Hagakure and Ashido encourage her as much as they can. Aoyama helps with her looks, and also encourages her.
Aoyama Yuuga is a strange girl. She’s loudly feminine, very self-centred, and completely unashamed in her confidence. She’s also the one who helps Midoriya gain confidence in herself the most.
“You’re gorgeous, let's make you even more beautiful,” Aoyama tells the girl, before helping Midoriya with her make-up and her hair.
Midoriya gains confidence with them, enough she shows her analysis to them more and her art.
Momo loves the art. It’s beautiful. Midoriya draws portraits and landscapes and heroes and Momo seriously considers commissioning her.
“You should draw me like one of your French girls!” Aoyama teases and Momo doesn’t get the joke as Midoriya chokes. But Aoyama just looks pleased and Uraraka snorts so it’s probably a bit dirty.
The sports festival approaches, and USJ- a few days late given the ‘Bakugou incident’ as everyone agrees to call it when he tried to attack Midoriya- passes with the class all agreeing Midoriya is a genius. Bakugou snarls but doesn’t say a thing since he’s on unsteady ground.
It’s still only the girls who whisper that they will have Midoriya in the class. Iida joins them when he speaks with Midoriya and sees in her eyes the same drive.
There’s a boy in Midoriya’s class too, one she talks about in annoyance now that they are getting closer.
“He’s got a chip on his shoulder,” Midoriya says. “He thinks that he has the corner on being bullied and tormented. Me pointing out all I went through gets him angry and a bit self-conscious. I hope I can manage to get it through his head.”
“Some people like to make themselves the victims of all stories,” Asui says casually.
“He is a victim. He’s been through a lot of stuff but he’s so convinced no one has had it as bad it’s hard to speak to him.” Midoriya explains.
“Ma chérie, it is not your job to be his friend,” Aoyama tells the girl. The endearment has Momo snapping her head towards the girl with wide eyes. Aoyama blinks. “Oh, uhh…”
Midoriya is red as is Aoyama though the blonde shrugs after a moment.
“Would you like to go on a date?” The blonde asks Midoriya. Midoriya opens and closes her mouth before she gives a single nod, cheeks flushing.
It’s enough to get the other girls giggling.
-0-
Kinda lost steam but I’ll probably poke at this more. Basically just artist Midoriya and Aoyama being cute hero girlfriends!
Notes: I kinda wanna explore the idea that Shinsou tends to like go ‘woe is me’ a lot and focus on his own issues. It’s really a small thing but it’s fun to explore. I love Shinsou but I enjoy taking a look at my fav characters and finding flaws.
Honestly, I'm pitureing Fem!Izuku and Aoyama being dance partners for something. Maybe they do ballroom and through that becomes closer. They are best friends who develop into something more as time goes on. They're a couple by the time UA rolls around.
Aoyama is the one to know about OFA, and who she turns to when Izuku needs it. They always planned on being a hero duo, and Izuku getting a Quirk doesn't change that.
The Prince and Princess, the beautiful dancers.
Pairings: AoyDeku of course.
Notes: I kinda wanna add some salt with Bakugou in that while Izuku stopped chatting about being a hero because she had a friend, and she herself lost all hope for Bakugou because she actually has a real friend now, Bakugou is still convinced he knows her super well.
When she starts dating Aoyama, Bakugou is convinced it's fake because Aoyama is pretty flamboyant.
So just dense and stubborn Bakugou refusing to believe Izuku is dating someone.
