Izuku and his mother were always close, from what Mina had come to learn about the Midoriya household. Part of that had to have come from his Quirkless nature. In a world filled to the very brim with Quirks of all shapes and sizes, having a birth defect like that – Which was Izuku's reason for being Quirkless, rather than it being a genetic matter – would make any good parent terrified about the safety of their child. And Inko Midoriya was a very good mother.
There had only been a few occasions that Mina had seen the older woman's care first-hand, but she knew that she was an incredible caring and supportive woman. There had only been a few occasions in which Mina had ever spoken to Inko, but it had been enough to get a feel for her. To know how much she cared about her son. How close they were. How proud, yet terrified for him she always was.
Heroes families had to always be like this, Mina realized. Parents, who despite being so proud of their children and the sacrifices they went through to protect people who couldn't protect themselves, lived in that constant fear and anxiety of not knowing if their child was going to make it home at the end of the day. It happened nearly every day, somewhere in the world. A Hero who wasn't going to return from the battlefield.
If dying of old age wasn't an option, Mina wanted to go out while fighting Villains and protecting people. She'd said that before, and she'd say it again, because at least then, she could be helping someone in her final moments. But seeing Inko, reduced to enough tears to flood an entire continent, she couldn't help but think about her own family. And how much she'd neglected their feelings on the matter. How much pain she may have caused them. How much pain and worry she would keep causing them by attending Yuuei. But going back to how things were before attending the famous school… It wasn't an option. Not anymore.
They needed to talk. They needed to just talk. What had happened would shake any parent, anywhere in the world. And they just needed to talk.
Right now, Izuku was the focus though. He and his mother spent less time talking and more time seemingly just crying at one another, letting everything out that they needed to. There were just as many tears from Inko as there were from Mina when she finally had her boyfriend back, and when he had finally told her he loved her.
The smallest of smiles sketched itself onto her lips as she remembered the warmth those words gave her. And that warmth turned into a determined, clenched fist. Izuku had to keep attending Yuuei. He just… He had to. They had been through so much…
After all of that, there was no way she was going to let them be separated.
"I-I'm just so glad you're safe, Izuku…" Inko sobbed into her son's shoulder for the seventeenth time.
For the most part, while he'd been an absolute wreck himself, Izuku had been a lot less emotional than his mother. He had cried just as she had, but not nearly as much, or nearly as long. Instead, he had just returned his mothers lengthy hugs, let her cry, and tried to reassure her that he was okay, and that the Villains hadn't hurt him too badly. Aside from his burn, he wasn't even lying either. Most of his injuries had been self-inflicted, especially the major ones, though they had now healed.
Somehow, Mina doubted that hearing that half the reason Izuku was in hospital was because of himself would be of assurance to his mother.
"…I'm glad I'm safe too." Izuku said gently, though there was the slightest edge of humour in his voice.
Over his mother's head, he glanced between All Might and Mina, both looking slightly awkward and out of place, feeling that this was something personal that they shouldn't really be present for, and yet both couldn't keep the smiles off their faces.
"…It's because of All Might and Mina I'm okay though." He spoke honestly and calmly.
Without All Might and the other Heroes to save him being there, he honestly didn't know what would have happened to him. The chances were that he and Bakugou would be dead by now, executed once the league realized that they weren't going to sway the Explosion Quirk user, and Izuku just for the fun of it. And that would be the end of it.
And even then, the mission hadn't been a complete success on its own. While it was no fault of the Heroes at all, as they had no way to predict All For Ones many Quirks, the mission had come dangerously close to being a total bust. With both the kidnapped students now in the midst of a battlefield, All Might wasn't able to go all out. And he could have easily lost in that case.
Mina had helped to save him just as much as All Might had. Some could even argue that she had been the more direct saviour than All Might had been.
It almost seemed like that was the first time that Inko even acknowledged that there were two other people in the room with her and her son. She tore her eyes way from her child for the first time since she had entered, and looked between the now retired Pro Hero, and her son's girlfriend, trying to find or articulate the words to express just how grateful that she was to both of them. She almost looked embarrassed to an extent for not even noticing they were in the room.
"I-I'm sorry, I – "
"No, no, there's no need to apologize." All Might quickly held both of his bandaged arms up, almost like he was pushing away the apology with his palms. "It's quite alright. I understand entirely."
Mina just smiled softly, gently showing Inko that she too understood.
Inko looked for all the world like she was about to stammer out some sort of long worded apology and a multitude of words of gratitude towards the Pro and the student. The words caught in her throat though, and she couldn't even begin to speak.
So instead, she just bowed, and made her words short and simple. "Thank you. Thank you so much for saving my son."
The former number one Hero smiled softly, and just nodded his head. He was used to hearing those words from all manner of people. He never needed that thanks though, but he was always appreciative of it. And he so rarely got so receive them so personally. His injury prevented that so often, the reoccurring risk of his secret being ousted stopping him time and time again, so many of his 'thank you's' came in the form of fan mail and email. Despite his frail form, he managed to carry himself with dignity and restraint, acting professional despite his forced retirement.
Next, Inko turned to look at Mina.
For a second, the pair of them just locked eyes. When the two of them sat down and actually thought about it, they didn't know one another all that well. They knew just about as much as Izuku would tell them about the other, and of course, he would always sing their praises to the other. Their conversations had been limited, and they were rarely under ideal circumstances.
"While reckless and no doubt to get her into trouble with the officials at Yuuei…Were it not for young Ashido and her group," All Might stated, looking towards the pink girl with a look of genuine honesty. "…I doubt that we would have been able to rescue Midoriya and Bakugou."
Inko suddenly wrapped Mina into one of the motherliest hugs Mina could possibly ever remember. It actually made her pause for a moment, before blinking and feeling her eyes wide at the contact
"Thank you." Inko hugged tighter. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears again as her voice broke, and she sniffled, doing her best not to get it on Mina's shoulder.
She didn't need to say anything more. There wasn't any point to saying anything more to Mina, because it wasn't ever going to be enough. While they didn't know each other as well as they wanted to, Mina was already a part of the family as far as Inko was concerned, and it was suddenly hard to remember a time when she wasn't.
It took her a few moments, but Mina gently returned the hug, wrapping her arms around the larger woman's torso the best that she could. It was an awkward hug, but neither seemed to mind.
All Might cleared his throat after the two had embraced for a few seconds, covering his mouth with his fist. A clear look of anxiety suddenly filled up his face, and he scratched the back of his abnormally long neck with the hand he had just used to cover his mouth. "Mrs. Midoriya, I… Am sorry to have to bring this up so soon…"
Izuku and Mina both felt their blood freeze, and quickly glanced towards one another. Izuku's teeth were all on display, his lower lip curling downwards in apprehension. Mina just bit her lower lip, and her eyes went wider than Izuku's were on a regular basis. Both of them knew what was coming.
The conversation both were horrified of.
"But there is the matter of young Midoriya's continued attendance at Yuuei."
There it was. From the second Inko had stepped door in the room, this conversation had been inevitable. It was such an important one, and one that just needed to be had, that there was no way that it wouldn't be brought up. If All Might hadn't brought it up, Inko would have. And if she hadn't brought it up, Mina and Izuku would have. Even if they were afraid of the answer.
It was as important to them as it would be to her
Inko's face suddenly became emotionless, and neither Mina nor Izuku could read a single thing that she was thinking. It was honestly surreal, and downright discomforting for the two teenagers, especially for Izuku. His mother had always been so expressive and up front with her emotions, and he had always easily been able to figure out when something was bothering her just by looking at her face. Suddenly, she was a blank slate that showed nothing.
Nothing at all.
With little to go on, the former Hero carried on. "…With the incident with your son, Yuuei has permitted that he be allowed to wake from his coma, as well as allowing him some time off if he feels he needs it for rehabilitation. However…Other issues have arisen that the school board needs addressing as quickly as possible." He turned his head towards Mina, and then continued. "The same treatment has been extended to young Ashido, in light of her and Midoriya's relationship with one another. But that same courtesy only extends as long as it does for Midoriya. Her own family hasn't been consulted on the dorm situation, since she hasn't been there to be present for the discussion herself."
Mina scratched her arm gently.
"A number of things are being discussed at Yuuei… And I'm afraid Midoriya is the centrepiece of it all…" It was clear that All Might wasn't finding any pleasure in this himself. The look of regret and palpable remorse and empathy he had was clear. This wasn't appropriate to ask.
It wasn't fair to ask. Not to a mother who just got her son back. But as much as he hated to admit it – All eyes were on his pupil, and what happened at Yuuei very much depended on if he carried on attending the famous school.
"…Forgive me for forcing this on you, but… We need to know where you stand on this matter. As soon as possible."
"I want to go to Yuuei!"
Suddenly standing up, and wobbling onto his balance, Izuku spoke clearly and bluntly made his opinion known. It wasn't a surprise in the slightest to anyone in the room how quick his answer had been. He turned his full attention to his mother. He couldn't see her eyes because her hair was in the way, flopping over as she found her gaze directed primarily towards the floor, but he spoke regardless.
Just because she couldn't see him. It didn't mean she wouldn't be able to tell how serious he was. "Mom!... I…" At his sides, his hands turned into fists. "…I… I worked so hard to go to Yuuei in the first place!... Everything I did in my last year of middle school… It was to go to Yuuei. To… Learn to become a Hero who can save people with a smile…"
His fists suddenly loosened, and his hands hung by his waist.
"…But… I couldn't save anyone. It was just like Aizawa-sensei said… With my Quirk the way it is… With… Me the way I am… I… I can't be a Hero. I'm not a Hero at all…" His head lowered, hiding his eyes. Mina wanted to approach him, to hug him, and to tell him not to be so dumb. He carried on before she could even move though. "…I tried to save everyone… And all I did…" He began to tremble. "…I-I got in everyone's way, and I needed e-everyone else to save me instead."
"I-Izu…." Mina raised her hand up to about chest level, wanting to approach him and try to reassure him. "Izu, don't say tha – "
"That's why I have to keep going to Yuuei though!..."
Suddenly, his hands were in fists again, and his green eyes, though filled to the brim with tears which were spilling down his cheeks already, even as he spoke, were firm. He felt his stomach curl as he put ever ounce of conviction that he had into his next few words.
"I… I need to keep going to Yuuei so I can learn how to control my power. I-I'm a…. A late bloomer… And it's just… I… I've had so many gifts… So much support… And everyone around me – They've helped me achieve my goals, so, so many times. I'm… I'm only here because people helped me along the way… I - I have to – "
"Okay."
The room went silent again for a few seconds. Total, complete silence. Mina's eyes shot wide open as she looked Inko, utter shock all over her face. Izuku's expression was the same, though his far more exaggerated. Even All Might seemed surprised.
"H-Huh?" Both Izuku and Mina vocally reacted without even really meaning to.
They both just blinked, surprise very clearly evident in their expressions.
Inko stood herself up straight, looking towards her son with a soft expression in her eyes. A short glance towards Mina and then towards All Might later, she spoke. "I didn't have any intention of trying to stop you from going to Yuuei, Izuku. I never planned to try to prevent you."
"A… A-Are you serious?"
The short woman nodded, and smiled softly. "I… I have nothing but respect and gratitude towards All Might. As a citizen, no… As a parent. I've never had more respect for you as I do now." She turned her head to talk to All Might directly, before turning to look at her son again.
As she spoke, Mina had made her way towards her boyfriend's side, and held onto his hand with hers. There had been so much tension built up, so much anxiety and worry…
"…But to tell you the truth, I… I don't have faith in Yuuei anymore. I don't have any faith in the Heroes or teachers who run the school. Not to keep you safe, and not to stop you..." She stopped, and just gestured to the hospital room with both her hands. "...From ending up in here, again and again…."
"M…. Mom…"
"To be honest… I almost did think about pulling you out of Yuuei. Before you were rescued." Inko spoke softly, wiping a tear from her eye. "…But Ashi - …. Mina. Mina stopped me."
All eyes ended up on the pink girl, including her own. Once again, her black eyes ended up locking eyes with the older Midoriya's green ones. She had to blink, and felt her hands grip tighter onto Izuku's without her realizing.
What had she done?
"…Before she left, Mina… Mina called me. To tell me what was happening. She told me all about her plan to rescue you."
Had she? It felt so long ago, Mina honestly hardly even remembered their conversation. Her breath began to hold without her realizing. and her grip just grew tighter still.
"She told me about what the plan was… She told me your classmates managed to set up some sort of tracking system, and could follow you to your location. That she wasn't going alone... That she…" She paused, deciding against her final sentence before turning to Izuku. "I was against the plan. I… I tried to tell her to inform the Heroes. That it was just too dangerous for her. I wanted you back… But I didn't want her to get hurt or worse trying to get you back. You… You're both so young. I couldn't just let it happen without saying anything…"
The green haired boy glanced towards his girlfriend, though her eyes were firmly focused on his mother. He hadn't heard this story before. He had no idea Mina had gone and done all of this…
"…She told me she loved you."
Under other circumstances, Izuku would have blushed. But instead, his attention turned right back towards her.
Inko gave the pair of them a smile. A warm, motherly smile this time that showed nothing but adoration for both of the teenagers that were in front of her. "She told me that she loved you more than she could even express to me. She told me that she…" She paused for a moment, and then smiled. "I won't embarrass her… But... Izuku, you know far better than anyone that… It's been difficult for you. Growing up without your Quirk ever manifesting… And I couldn't even tell you that you could…" She chocked on her tears, unable to even finish. The guilt wrecked through her body every day of her life. That guilt wasn't ever going to go away. Tears then began to fall from her eyes openly, no matter how quickly she tried to wipe them away before anyone saw.
Guilt, like she blamed herself for Izuku being Quirkless. "M-Mom, it's not your fault I was Quirkless. F-For so long." Guilt Izuku was so acutely aware of. But it was unfounded. Never had he once even thought to blame his mother for his Quirklessness. He had a birth defect. That was the end of it, and it wasn't his mothers fault that he had one. No, he wouldn't lie, never hearing that his mother thought that he could be a Hero did hurt during his younger years, but he never lacked an understanding of why she never told him that. He always understood why she said it
But it wasn't her fault. It never was, and never was going to be. And to see her this torn up over something that just wasn't her fault –
"You never gave up Izuku. And look at what happened." Inko said before he could say anything else. "You got into your dream school. You made friends… And you… You met Mina."
Mina blushed gently.
"You met someone who cares so much for you that she would risk her future and her life just to save you… Someone who believed in you from the start. Someone who… From the first time you mentioned her, you could only talk about like she was the best thing in the world… Who made you so happy… What sort of mother would I be if I tried to take you away from that?"
Izuku didn't bother trying to speak or articulate his gratitude, his relief, his joy and his happiness anymore. There would be no point. He wouldn't be able to express it all clearly.
He just ran up and hugged her. As tight as he could.
What followed was another hour of discussion, followed by medical check ups for Izuku, before he would finally be discharged. The plan was for both Mina and Izuku to spend the night at the Midoriya household, and pack everything the following morning. Once everything was sorted on that end, they would go to the Ashido household, where a far tougher fight was destined to wait for them.
There had been so much anxiety about the fight they would need to get into with Inko, so much build up and pent up energy for that argument, that in a weird way, Mina almost felt disappointed by a lack of a fight. She had all this energy all pent up, with nowhere to vent it. Still, for Inko's allowance to let Izuku keep attending Yuuei, even after everything… Mina couldn't help but be thankful. Just eternally thankful for her boyfriend's mother for being such a kind, understanding lady.
When she had called her… She hadn't ever expected to change her mind before she even knew it needed to be made. She hadn't ever really expected it to have an impact beyond just telling Inko what she was doing…
"...Thank you."
Both the parent Midoriya, and the young Ashido were waiting outside the medical check-up room for Izuku to exit and take him to be discharged. There was a comfortable silence between the two, that didn't need to be broken. Yet Mina did anyway, because she wanted Inko to know. To hear how thankful she was.
"Hmm?" Inko turned to look at Mina, caught off guard by what she'd just heard.
"We were… Really ready to fight our corner." Mina admitted. "We didn't want to, but… I just… Really. Thank you. It means a lot that you're willing to let Izuku keep going to Yuuei."
"I still don't like this, to tell you the truth." Inko confessed, letting out a small sigh as she looked towards her knees. "I was worried sick about him while the League of villains had him… I… I truly thought that this time… I'd lost him…"
"…Me too." The pink girl chuckled gently. "He gets himself into situations like this way too much for my liking… Which is any amount at all."
Inko allowed herself to gently laugh alongside Mina, a rarity considering the angers she and her son faced regularly. Mina just had that sort of energy about her, and an ability to make people see the lighter side of things even when there wasn't much of a bright light at the end of any given situation.
It wasn't hard to see how much better Izuku was after he began to date Mina. Anyone with eyes could see that. Mina made him better, inspired him to be better. And while Inko couldn't say the same about Izuku for Mina, she had a feeling that the same could be said about her.
"…Your parents." She said. "Do they… Like Izuku?"
"They adore him." Mina responded immediately. "My brothers and sister too. Mom and Dad pretty much already consider him part of the family… I don't think that'll make convincing them any easier though."
"May I ask why?"
"We're… A pretty close unit. Its just how we are. We stick together and support each other. We back each other up and we care about each other. My brother was like my best friend when I grew up, even if he annoyed me to tears. And my little brother and sister… They're just as much of a handful… But they call me a Hero already. They seem to think I'm already a Pro. Mom and Dad… They're friendly, but… They can get pretty protective sometimes." Mina laughed softly. "I remember once Mika was getting picked on before she got her Quirk, and me and Micha had to literally hold Dad back from beating on the little bully. We're just… We're close. We've always been close… And… They're proud of me. They tell me that so often I don't doubt it for a moment ever…"
"…But?"
"…But, back when the USJ was attacked… They nearly pulled me out of Yuuei right then and there. If it wasn't for All Might fighting like he did, they would have, and I wouldn't've met Izu. And this sort of thing… It just keeps happening. To Izu. To me. To all of us…"
"... Is… Is there a reason that it has to be Yuuei you go to?"
Mina's answer was a single word, spoken gently, and without anger or offense. "…Yes."
Inko nodded. "I… I'll do whatever I can to help you then."
"…Thank you."
"You're one of the best things In Izuku's life. I owe it to him just as much as you."
Inko Midorya understood. She didn't pry, and she trusted in Mina, and in Izuku. She understood and accepted that there were personal reasons why things needed to be the way that they were for the two of them. That there were personal reasons, sentiment, and emotions that drove what they did. Why they did what they did, and why they wanted things in a certain way. It wasn't for her to pry.
And Mina appreciated that to no end.
She was about to issue another word of thanks, but before she could, the doors to the check-up room opened, and out came Izuku.
Around his arms, numerous bandages covered his wrists and biceps. He looked a bit shaken, but on the whole, he was on his feet, and he was managing to put on a brave, albeit small smile.
"Izu!" Mina quickly jumped up out of her seat, and pulled him into a big hug, wrapping her arms around his neck, and running a hand into his curly green hair. He responded in kind by wrapping one arm around her waist, and his other hand, like hers, through her hair. "You alright?"
"I'm okay… It was just... Kind of hard hearing all of that." He told her.
"I'm here, Izu. If you need to talk..."
"...Thanks."
Both of them just stood there and hugged one another. The doctor spoke to Inko, informing her of whatever else was important. Neither of them heard it though. They just focused on one another.