Chapter 9: Welcome to U.A. University
The U.A. dorm loomed ahead, a sleek monolith of steel and glass that put the brochure pictures to shame. This wasn't some flimsy college crash pad - it was a fortress, a place where the next generation of heroes would be forged.
I hitched my backpack higher on my shoulders, the weight a reminder that even with my new and improved body, I couldn't afford to slack off here. As I got closer, I spotted a moving truck and some people struggling to move some furniture.
Well, no way was I just gonna stand around twiddling my thumbs. I veered towards the movers, catching their eye. "Need a hand with that beast, fellas?"
The two sweaty, grizzled faces under the black hats looked at me with a mix of surprise and relief. "Hell yeah," one of them grunted, jerking his chin at the dresser. "Fifth floor, left wing."
"Time to put these guns to work," I quipped, sliding under the behemoth before they could object. I hoisted it up, not with some flashy quirk, but with the steady strength and technique I'd honed hauling trash on the beach. Lift with the legs, not the back - that nugget of wisdom had saved my hide those first brutal weeks of training.
The movers gawked as I manhandled the dresser, then scrambled to get out of my way, their "Careful, kid!" and "Dang, what's this guy eating?" trailing behind me. I was strong, sure, but this was more about momentum and leverage than raw power.
The real challenge was navigating the dorm's halls, not the stairs. Tight corners, blind doorways... and voices, growing louder with each turn. "...this one, I think?" A woman, sounding uncertain. "The movers didn't label anything..."
"Momo, just wait for them, okay?" An older voice, patient but exasperated.
"Got a dresser delivery for the fifth floor," I called out, putting it down.
The older voice belonged to a woman who turned to face me, and wow, 'stunning' didn't even begin to cover it. Her business casual getup did little to hide her impressive curves, and the sharp gleam in her eyes spoke more to a take-charge attitude than annoyance at my intrusion.
"Yes, that's for us!" She smiled. "But where are the movers?"
Whoops. Guess I'd left the poor guys in the dust. "Uh, they're on their way." I shifted my focus to the girl behind her and- hello, genetic jackpot. Tall, with a ponytail that somehow made her seem even taller, eyes so dark they were nearly black, and curves that rivaled her sister's.
"Helping your little sis move in?" I asked, maneuvering the dresser into the room and trying to make small talk.
The older woman laughed. "No, this is my daughter, Momo Yaoyorozu."
"Oh, well nice to meet you both. I'm Izuku Midoriya."
Then I caught the blush creeping across Yaoyorozu's fair skin. Wait, had I missed something? Were my pants unzipped? Nah, I'd checked.
I cleared my throat, getting back to business. "So, Yaoyorozu, where do you want this bad boy?"
She blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"
"The dresser," I clarified with a strained smile. "Where should I put it?"
Realization dawned, followed by sheepish embarrassment. "Oh! Over there would be perfect, thank you."
I nodded, guiding the dresser into place until it settled with a satisfying thunk. The room looked more lived-in now, less like a furniture catalog.
"Anything else I can help with?" I offered. The movers would catch up eventually, and I was digging this detour - especially the way Momo had to tilt her head back to meet my gaze. Being tall wasn't everything, but after spending months with average height, I wasn't complaining.
Her mom beamed at me. "No, I think we can take it from here. Thank you so much for your help, Midoriya."
"Hey, just happy to help."
As I headed for the door, I paused. "Guess I'll see you around, Yaoyorozu. Good luck with the rest of the unpacking."
Momo nodded, a hint of a smile on lips. "Thank you, Midoriya. I look forward to seeing you later."
The door clicked shut behind me, and I let a grin split my face. Oh yeah, I was gonna like it here.
Fishing out my phone, I pulled up the email from Nezu's assistant with my room assignment: fifth floor, men's wing.
The dorm lobby was a ghost town, all chrome and potted plants that screamed "break it and you bought it." I spotted a directory and- jackpot. Room 5-C... all the way at the far end of the building.
My door looked like all the others, except for the nameplate under the room number. The key card unlocked it with a slick click, and I stepped inside to- whoa. This place was huge. Desk in the corner, laptop at the ready. Massive window that opened onto a balcony. Walk-in closet, bare but begging to be filled. And the pièce de résistance - my own private bathroom.
"Wow," I breathed. "Plus Ultra is right."
I whipped out my phone and started taking measurements. "Seven by six, ceilings about three meters..." The numbers were gibberish now, but soon, they'd be the blueprint for making this pad my own.
The furniture store was a breeze. The salesman took one look at me, pegged me as a kid with cash to burn, and pounced. But hey, he knew his stuff. The bed was top-notch, the kind you'd find in a swanky hotel suite. And the walnut dresser? Quality you could smell from a mile away.
The electronics store, though? That's where things got interesting. The girl helping me didn't bat an eye at my age or the growing stack of boxes. "This desktop? Serious power," she remarked with a grin. "Guess you're not playing around."
By the time we hit the projector and soundbar, her excitement was nearly matching mine. "I know it's a bit much," I admitted, "but with a room like mine, might as well go all out, right?"
The old-timer at the general store had clearly seen his share of college kids on a shopping spree. He just smiled knowingly as I piled blankets, pillows, and a star projector onto the counter.
"Nesting, huh?" he chuckled while ringing me up.
"You could say that," I mumbled.
The old man nodded, eyes twinkling. "Well, enjoy your university days. These years are special - make sure to slow down now and then and savor the little things."
With a wave, I was out the door, checking delivery updates. Most of the stuff was set to arrive by 3 pm.
Heading back to the 1-A dorms, the campus was a hive of activity. Smiling faces, relaxed vibes, and everyone lugging an mix of belongings... musical instruments, surfboards, even a full-on weight set. U.A. students were a diverse bunch, that's for sure. Then, a flash of pink and a familiar goofy grin... how'd she even spot me in this crowd?
"It's you!" The girl practically tackle-hugged me. "Thanks again for the save back there. What was your name again?"
"Izuku Midoriya," I managed to get out before she steamrolled on. No point in playing modest with this ball of energy.
"Right, Midoriya! I'm Mina Ashido. Guess we're classmates, huh? This is so exciting! I can't wait to see what everyone's quirks are. Yours was seriously impressive - that punch was like, BAM! POW!" She mimed the motions, complete with sound effects.
I couldn't help but chuckle. Her enthusiasm was infectious. "Thanks, Ashido. Your acid was pretty clutch too. We made a good team out there."
She beamed at the praise. "Heck yeah, we did! Hey, we should totally train together sometime. I bet we could come up with some sick combo moves!"
"Sounds good to me," I agreed, returning her grin. "I'm always down to level up my skills."
Mina gave me a high-five that stung a bit more than expected. Girl had some power behind those arms. "Awesome sauce! Well, I gotta bounce - still got a ton of unpacking to do. But I'll catch you later, yeah? We can brainstorm some hero names for you. 'Cause no offense, but 'Midoriya' doesn't exactly scream 'superhero', ya know?"
With a wink and a wave, she was off, leaving me standing there with a bemused smile. Mina Ashido, huh?
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind me. "Izuku!"
"Izuku! Is that really you?"
"Auntie!" Hugging Mitsuki was like hugging a whirlwind, all loud affection with the scent of spices and something floral.
"Look at you!" She exclaimed, looking me up and down. "Almost didn't recognize you! And this…" a playful swat at my arm, "Is this muscle?"
Behind her, Bakugo was doing his best to look unimpressed, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes – pride, maybe? Nah. No way. "Oi, old hag!" he snapped. "Quit embarrassing me in front of everyone!"
Mitsuki whirled around, her hands on her hips as she fixed her son with a stern glare. "Oh, shut it, you brat!" she retorted, her voice just as loud and abrasive as his. "I'm allowed to be proud of my godson, aren't I?"
"Katsuki," I kept the smile on my face. "Congrats on the exam."
His scowl deepened. "Shut up, Deku. Second place is for losers."
"Well, someone's gotta do it, right?" I replied, keeping eye contact.
Mitsuki let out a bark of laughter, slapping Katsuki on the back hard enough to make him stumble forward. "Ha! Looks like Izuku's finally got your number, Katsuki!"
"Come on, you two," Mom said, herding me and Katsuki towards the dorm entrance. "Let's see about this place, huh? My son and godson, in a fancy college like this…"
But before we could take another step, Mitsuki suddenly stopped, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Hold up! We can't let this moment pass without a picture!"
Katsuki and I both froze, a shared look of dread passing between us. We knew that tone. There was no escaping this.
"Come on," Katsuki grumbled, his shoulders hunching. "We don't need a stupid picture."
"Nonsense!" Mitsuki declared, already digging in her purse for her phone. "It's your first day at U.A.! This is a memory we need to capture!"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Auntie, we really should start unpacking…"
But Mitsuki was having none of it. She waved her phone at us imperiously. "Nope! Not another word! Now, you two, get in close. And smile, damn it!"
Katsuki and I exchanged a look. Then, with a shrug of resignation, I stepped over to him, throwing an arm around his shoulders. He stiffened for a moment, but didn't shrug me off.
"Let's just get this shit over with," I muttered through my teeth, plastering on my most charming smile for the camera.
Katsuki grunted, his own smile more of a grimace. But he stood still, letting me pull him in close as Mitsuki snapped away.
"Oh, these are perfect!" she crowed, her grin wide and satisfied. "My two boys, all grown up and off to hero school!"
Beside me, Katsuki was practically vibrating with repressed annoyance. I gave his shoulder a squeeze, half comfort, half warning. "Thanks, Auntie," I said, my smile never wavering. "We'll treasure these memories."
"You better!" Mitsuki laughed, pocketing her phone. "Because I'm gonna have these framed and hung in the living room!"
Katsuki's groan was drowned out by my mom's delighted laughter. I just shook my head, finally letting go of Katsuki and stepping back.
"Okay, picture time's over," I announced, clapping my hands. "Now, how about a tour of the dorms? I'm sure Katsuki's just as eager as I am to show off our new digs."
Katsuki shot me a look that was half grateful, half murderous. But he nodded, already striding towards the entrance. "Yeah, whatever. Let's just go."
The dorm lobby was just as impressive the second time around, all sleek lines and modern décor. But now, with the added buzz of new students and their families, it felt less like a showroom and more like a living space.
"Oh, Inko, look at this place!" Mitsuki exclaimed, her head swiveling to take it all in. "Our boys are really moving up in the world, huh?"
Mom's smile was a mix of pride and wistfulness. "They really are. It seems like just yesterday they were playing hero in the backyard, and now..."
I caught Katsuki's eye, saw the same hint of nostalgia there. For a moment, the years fell away and we were those kids again, before Katsuki got his quirk, before I was diagnosed as quirkless, dreaming of a future that seemed so far away.
When the doors slid open on the fifth floor, I led the way down the hall, Katsuki trailing behind with our moms.
"Here we are," I announced, stopping in front of my door. "Home sweet home."
I swiped my keycard, the lock clicking open with a satisfying sound. As I pushed the door open and stepped aside to let everyone in, I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride.
The room was just as I'd left it, but seeing it through their eyes, it felt different. The space that had seemed so intimidatingly empty before now felt full of potential, a blank canvas waiting to be filled with the colors of my new life.
"Izuku, this is incredible!" Mom breathed, her eyes wide as she took it all in. "You have so much space!"
Mitsuki was already poking around, opening closet doors and peeking into the bathroom. "And look at this view! Katsuki, tell me your room has a balcony like this."
Katsuki, who had been uncommonly quiet, just shrugged. "It's not bad."
But I could see the glint in his eye, the suppressed excitement. For all his bravado, Katsuki was just as thrilled as I was to be here, to be starting this new chapter.
"Not bad?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow. "High praise, coming from you."
He scoffed, but there was no real heat behind it. "Shut up, Deku. Your room's okay, I guess. For a nerd."
"You know we have the same room right?"
"Boys," Mom chided gently, but she was smiling. "No fighting, not today. This is a happy occasion."
"That's right!" Mitsuki chimed in, slinging an arm around each of us. "Our boys, top of the class and rooming in the nicest dorm on campus! If that's not a reason to celebrate, I don't know what is!"
I laughed. "Celebrate? Auntie, we just got here. We haven't even done anything yet."
"But you will," she said, her voice ringing with certainty. "You both will. You're going to take this school by storm, I just know it."
The moment was broken by a sharp knock at the door. I glanced at my phone, realizing with a start that it was already 3 pm.
"That must be the delivery," I said, moving to open the door.
Sure enough, a uniformed deliveryman stood in the hallway, a large dolly stacked with boxes beside him. "Izuku Midoriya?"
"That's me," I confirmed, signing the proffered clipboard.
"Where do you want these?"
I surveyed the room, mentally mapping out the space. "Just bring them in here, please. I'll take care of the rest."
As the deliveryman began hauling in the boxes, Mom and Mitsuki exchanged a look.
"Well," Mitsuki said, clapping her hands, "looks like you have some work to do. Inko, why don't we leave them to it and go grab a coffee? I saw a cute little café on the way in."
Mom hesitated, clearly torn between wanting to help and recognizing the need for Katsuki and I to do this ourselves. "Are you sure, Izuku? We don't mind staying to help."
"It's okay, Mom. This is something I need to do on my own."
Mom smiled. "Of course, honey. This is your space, and you should be the one to make it your own."
She turned to Mitsuki, who was already gathering her purse. "A coffee sounds perfect. And maybe we can do a little shopping after, find some nice things for the boys' rooms?"
"Oh, I like the way you think, Inko. Let's let them settle in while we have some fun of our own."
With a final round of hugs and promises to call if we needed anything, they were gone, leaving Katsuki and I alone in the sudden quiet of my room.
For a moment we just stood there in silence. Then Katsuki broke it with a question.
"So. You really got a quirk, huh?"
I nodded, meeting his gaze. "Yeah. Turns out it was there all along, just needed a certain level of physical strength to manifest."
Katsuki's brow furrowed, his eyes sharp with interest. "What kind of quirk needs that?"
I shrugged, "Guess one that could cause harm to the user from use? Not sure."
Katsuki snorted, but there was a grudging respect in his tone. "So all that time you spent fanboying over heroes and quirks, and you had one of your own just waiting to come out. Figures."
"What can I say? Guess that villain attack is what I needed to get my shit together."
"Heh. Looks like you finally grew a backbone, Deku. Took you long enough."
I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't quite suppress my own smile. "Yeah, well, I had a good example of what not to do."
Katsuki barked out a laugh at that. "Fuck you too, nerd."
With a final shake of his head, Katsuki turned to leave, his shoulders squared with purpose. "Alright, enough chatting. I've got my own shit to unpack."
I nodded, already turning my attention back to the boxes that awaited me. "Yeah, same here. See you around."
He paused at the door, looking back at me with an expression that was half challenge, half acknowledgement. "Don't forget what I said, Deku. This changes nothing. I'm still gonna come out on top."
I met his gaze, my own resolve unwavering. "I wouldn't expect anything less. But I'm not gonna make it easy for you."
Katsuki's grin was fierce, a flash of teeth that was more threat than smile. "Good. It wouldn't be any fun if you did."
And with that, he was gone, the door closing behind him with a decisive click.
The next few hours passed in a blur of activity. I tackled the furniture first, the large pieces that would serve as the foundation for everything else.
The bed was a monster, a king-sized behemoth that took some maneuvering to get into place. But once it was assembled, the sleek black frame and plush mattress made it all worth it.
The dresser and desk were easier, though no less satisfying to see standing proud and sturdy against the walls.
As I worked, I fell into an easy rhythm, the familiarity of the task soothing in its own way. It was a reminder that, for all the newness and uncertainty of this place, some things remained constant. The satisfaction of a job well done, the comfort of creating a space that was wholly my own.
By the time I got to the smaller items - the lamps, the rugs, the seemingly endless cords and cables for the electronics - my room was starting to look less like a barren cell and more like a home.
I was just finishing wiring up the sound system when my phone buzzed with an incoming call. I glanced at the screen, smiling when I saw Mom's name.
"Hey, Mom. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing much," she said, but I could hear the barely contained excitement in her voice. "Just wanted to check in, see how the unpacking was going."
"It's going great, actually. I'm almost done."
"Oh, wonderful! I knew you'd make short work of it. But listen, I had a thought. For your bedding, I was thinking maybe a nice, calming blue? To match your curtains?"
I blinked, glancing at the window. I hadn't even thought about curtains yet. "Uh, sure Mom. That sounds great."
"Excellent! And for your throw pillows, maybe a complementary green? It would really tie the room together."
I bit back a chuckle. Leave it to Mom to be thinking about color schemes while I was still trying to figure out where to put my socks.
"That sounds perfect, Mom. I'll definitely keep that in mind."
"Oh, and one more thing! For your wall art, I was thinking maybe some nice landscape prints? Something to bring a little bit of the outdoors in, you know?"
In the background, I could hear Mitsuki's voice, slightly muffled. "Inko, let the boy breathe! He's got plenty of time to decorate."
Mom laughed, the sound warm and familiar through the phone. "You're right, you're right. I'm sorry, Izuku. I'm just so excited for you!"
"It's okay, Mom. I appreciate the suggestions, really. I'll send you pictures when it's all done, okay?"
"I'll be waiting! Love you, sweetie."
"Love you too, Mom."
I hung up, shaking my head with a rueful grin. Trust Mom to already be planning the finer details of my dorm decor.
With renewed energy, I dove back into the last of the unpacking, determined to get everything in its place before the day was done. As I worked, my mind wandered to my future.
U.A. would test me in ways I couldn't even begin to imagine. It would push me to my limits and beyond, forcing me to confront my weaknesses and forge them into strengths.
But I was ready for it. Ready to prove to myself and to everyone else that I belonged here. That I had what it took to stand amongst the greatest heroes.
As I placed the last of my books on the shelf, I stepped back to admire my handiwork. The room looked transformed, the bare walls and empty spaces now filled with pieces of myself. It wasn't just a dorm anymore - it was a home. My home, for the next three years and beyond.
I glanced at the clock, surprised to see how late it had gotten. The sun had long since set, the campus outside my window now illuminated by the soft glow of streetlights. It was a reminder that tomorrow would come sooner than I might like, bringing with it the start of a new chapter. With a final, satisfied nod, I began to get ready for bed.
As my eyes drifted shut, the exhaustion of the day finally claiming me, I felt a smile tug at my lips. Because I knew, with a certainty that resonated in my very bones, that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
This was my story. My journey. And it was only just beginning.
(A/N: Valentine here! I hope I did a good job with Izuku's and Katsuki's dynamic. This was the one thing Tensei was really adamant about so I hope I did it justice.)
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone