6Originally this was an Ask for my tumblr that I answered and then refound and I really love it so here we are.
Enjoy.
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Most days, Izuku didn't really….stay home. It wasn't that he didn't love his mother, that he didn't love his home, but…well.
They struggled. Ever since that asshole scumbag had walked out on them both, when Izuku was younger, and Izuku knew it. He knew his mom had to work harder than most in this quadrant had to. That the only reason they still lived in this quadrant was due to having already paid off their home. They'd have never managed it if they hadn't.
The tiny but homey building that was part their living area, and partly a bakery his mother ran was all they had.
Izuku did what he could, working around the area, under the table jobs anywhere and everywhere across the entire town. Whatever he could get away with, going out into the scrapyards, building machines and trinkets to help at home or sell off for money, learning a little bit of everything, so he could always find something to do in town, that would let him bring home a bit of money.
So he wasn't usually home, unless he was helping his mother with maintenance, baking, inventory, or the bakery deliveries, instead running around town picking up odd jobs, and helping wherever he could. He knew she didn't much like it, but what choice did they have?
They needed money to live, to pay bills, to eat. And his mom might make enough to scrape by, but Izuku couldn't watch her work herself to the bone for them both, without helping where he could, when he could.
He'd met…quite a few strange beings in the process, living so close to a large spaceport, with so many alien species or 'quirked humans' from interbreeding with those species coming and going. His town was never boring, he always had someone new to meet, new stories to hear, new faces to see. There were always people in need of an extra hand at the Port and so long as he was careful of Slavers, or underhanded crews, he could do a lot in very little time, helping there. He was well known to most of the regular crews because of it, as a reliable and quick extra hand, so he often had repeat customers if he timed his trips right.
But Izuku couldn't help but be fascinated, utterly and completely smitten with the different beings and their abilities, what made them so different from everyone else. What they could do, how their bodies responded to their quirks, to their environment, what they could handle that others could not.
If he could do it, Izuku knows, with certainty down to his bones, that he'd join up with one of the ships that sailed the verse, and try to get his certification for healing by apprenticing under the ship's doctor. He'd never be able to afford schooling, but if he could convince a doctor to apprentice him…he could do it. He was smart enough, quick enough, dedicated enough, that he was certain he could.
But well…it was a dream.
He refused to abandon his mother like his father had abandoned them.
Instead he would keep wandering the port, taking what jobs he could, and helping where he could, earning favors and good standing with the people who lived in the area, and those who were regular visitors.
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The Alliance was a good ship. Fairly sized for a crew so small as their own, with a crew to run it that was good to their world, loyal, and quick. Capable and able to take jobs others would scoff at and dismiss.
It's Captain was a decent sort, who was willing to train those he took in, if they were willing to put in the work. He'd taken the Todoroki siblings with no questions about why ones so young were willing to jump on his ship, happy to have both the siblings, one with his Medical Certification, and the other willing to learn, with a powerful quirk, who was skilled enough in the medical field to hold his own, even if it was not his passion.
When he discovered their desperation for him to take them was due to their desire to help their family who had stumbled on hard times when their mother got sick, he made a point to help them. He learned their father threw himself into work to get his wife what she needed so much it was hurting him, that their other siblings were doing much the same in other places.
And when he learned all of that, he made a point to help them all. He'd found their father, set him up with Yagi Toshinori, who visited The Alliance often, but couldn't stay due to health issues, though he often wrote of their adventures. He was well off, and needed a bit of help and extra muscle now that his injuries prevented him from living the life he used to as Captain of the AllMight. Enji provided that, and once she'd gotten better Rei had helped him as well, with cooking and cleaning, generally mothering them man. Enji thought it was hilarious.
Shouta had also set their siblings up in another ship, The Hawk, Captained by Takami Keigo, as a navigator and gunhand, which Fuyumi and Natsuo loved.
The Todoroki family owed Aizawa Shouta everything they had now- their mother's health, and happiness, their father's smile, their livelihoods. It was no wonder that Shouto and Touya had both decided to stick around once everything had ended.
But in the moment, Dabi couldn't bring himself to think about that, as he cursed under his breath and rushed off his ship, absolutely furious he had to leave the ship at all. But he had no choice- they'd gotten their cargo delivered, but on the way back to port, they'd been attacked.
An entire colony of Hew'efe had boarded their ship, and the poisonous creatures had wreaked havoc. They'd left everyone on the ship- apart from Dabi, who was immune to the damn things thanks to part of his training as a Medic and the Hellish ten months of getting antivenom shots that made your life hell for the duration, but also prevented Medics from being taken out by a good amount of common problems that would down their crew.
The problem was the course of antivenom shots made for Medics was specifically for Medics and not available for the general public.
Which meant, unfortunately, that he was the only functioning being on the Alliance capable of getting the supplies he needed, now that the ship's autopilot had parked them where they needed to be.
He'd had to leave his little brother on the operating table, wound packed tightly around the entire goddamn Hew'efe stinger, and some various patches and sealants keeping him from bleeding out, hooked up to a stabilizer. He was the only one on the ship that could actually perform the surgery needed to remove the thing, and he'd still had to leave him to get the supplies he was missing.
His only saving grace was that the others were mostly just dealing with a bad case of poisoning, which he'd been able to treat on the way over, while helping Shouto keep stabilized. The bad news was that the poisoning had taken the rest of the crew out, and while Nemuri had held out long enough to help at the start, she too had eventually gone down to venom.
If he could have, he would have sent others to get what he needed, but even if they weren't in the medbay waiting for him to come back, a Certified Medic with a valid up to date license had to be present for medical supplies of the grade he needed to be rushed to the ship. Most often Dabi could do this while Shouto handled the medbay, but with his brother being the one that needed the supplies, and the rest of the crew indisposed, Dabi had to make due on his own.
So he rushed into the shop he usually restocked at while they were at this port, and straight up to the counter. He didn't have time for questions or doubt, the time it would take those who didn't know him on sight to verify his credentials before he was handed supplies.
There were two teens at the counter- pink skin, golden horns- Dabi recognized one of them to be Ashido Mina, and took a moment to send a quick prayer of thanks to anyone listening, that it was someone who knew him on sight, the daughter of the man who ran this shop, and not a new other was a green haired boy- Midoriya, Dabi knew him from the docks, and from seeing him all over the city doing what seemed to be a different job every time The Alliance came to port.
He ignored Midoriya for the moment, crashing up to the counter and providing a quick code that told Mina he needed the things he listed right now, no questions or payment haggling to be had. She reacted immediately, rushing to get everything he needed as he listed it, and he couldn't help the second swell of relief that she had been at the counter.
He was a little surprised to see Midoriya only a step behind her, flowing smoothly around the girl as if he'd been in the shop his whole life, grabbing things for Dabi just as quickly and efficiently as Mina. As Midoriya finished loading down the second box, he told Mina she could charge The Alliance's account, and reached down for the first box. Before he could figure out how the hell he was gonna get the second box back to the ship without ruining any of the fragile bits inside, and in one trip, Midoriya was already leaning down and hauling it back up beside him.
Dabi doesn't bother to question it- Midoriya had always been a reliable deck hand whenever Shouta hired him for the extra help while they were docked. He just snapped a quick "Keep Up" before taking off at a dead run, too worried and anxious to get back to watch his tone or bother with pleasantries.
To his credit, Midoriya doesn't hesitate, and stays right on his heels while they dart through the crowds.
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Izuku may have been unable and unwilling to leave his mother alone to handle the shop, the bills, and everything that came with it on her own, but that didn't mean he wasn't always paying attention. Just because he hadn't been able to make himself leave for an apprenticeship with a medic, didn't mean he didn't take every chance he could to take jobs relating back to what he wanted to do. That meant he had quite a bit of knowledge even without the targeted learning that he would receive from a mentor dedicated to him specifically.
What that meant, was that when Dabi- who he knew from Aizawa, during his trips to The Alliance- came crashing into Mina's shop, and gave her the code he knew was for emergency medical aid, Izuku recognized it. He only paused long enough to see Mina begin rushing to obey his commands without hesitation, and then followed suit.
The Ashido Apothecary was one of the best in the town, and had multiple deals through the port and across their country, so they had a wide stock, for many kinds of people and beings. He would follow her lead on who was able to use that code at the counter and get immediate aid.
He only spared a glance for Mina as he bent to haul the second box of supplies up, and she waved him off without hesitation. Izuku was sure her father wouldn't mind him darting off mid-shift to help with something like this, so he nodded once, and turned back to Dabi.
He didn't hesitate to break into a sprint after the older man, carefully holding the second box in his hands, as he rushed after the medic.
His experience in helping with whatever jobs he could that related back to his dream profession made it easy to offer help anyway. Especially when he took in the actual Infirmary- the beds bolted down and boxed in, in case of accidents in space, though the tops of the beds were open, here in port- and saw how many people were laid in the beds, as they rushed through with their boxes.
"I'm not a professional or Apprentice, but I know enough to help you if you want it."
He made sure his offer was clear and quick, as he settled his supplies where Dabi wanted them, and turned to scrub up as if he was going to help.
Dabi, scrubbing up and getting into sanitized scrubs, doesn't pause his prepwork, but does eye Izuku harshly, bright blue eyes looking right into his soul for the moment. Izuku holds his eyes as best he can, while also scrubbing and changing, and whatever Dabi had been looking for, he found it.
He begins speaking, quickly briefing Izuku on what he'd be helping with, and what the poison on the spike would do to their patient. Izuku listens carefully, and nods along, able to follow most of the medical terms, and only asking one question in the explanation- about the creature that had caused the spike and poisoning in the first place.
The ship was set up so that once you got through the infirmary, you walked into the 'supply and prep' area, before cutting through another door and entering the Operation Theater. Izuku's eyes widened a little as he caught sight of the person they'd be operating on, and the large dark brown stinger, thick and curved, sticking out of his side.
He was hooked up to a stabilizer, with sealant and about six alarm systems he assumed Dabi had the pagers to, but he could tell immediately why Dabi had taken him up on the offer. Even just handing him supplies could help save this person's life, shaving the time Dabi needed to move around for supplies out.
Even still, Izuku doesn't hesitate, jumping right in and helping Dabi as he prepped, providing information and supplies that they'd pushed in with them, sometimes before Dabi even had to ask for it.
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When it's all over, and the boy- Todoroki Shouto, Izuku learns- is sewn up, the compounds on the stinger they had operated on and removed from his side- and the smaller one in his arm that Izuku hadn't seen at first- preventing them from healing it the quicker way, Izuku finally slips out of the focused mindset he had allowed to take over.
He breathes.
He's never felt so accomplished and proud as he does right now. But likewise, that had been an operation full of stress, as he hoped they'd be quick and do well enough the life under his hands didn't snuff out.
He's never been so sure that this is exactly what he wants to do with his life.
Beside him, Dabi had collapsed backwards, the gloves he had been wearing at his feet, bloodstained and forgotten, as he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.
Izuku can't help but ask, as he comes down off the rush of a successful operation, "…are you okay, sir?" He almost doesn't want to interrupt, but the man looks close to tears.
Dabi looks up and those icy blue eyes have warmed considerably, the relief plain to Izuku.
"Call me Dabi, kid. I'm alright. That was my youngest brother, and if I could live the rest of my life without having to pull Hew'efe stingers out of his body, that would be great." his eyes close and he heaves through a deep breath, before reopening them. "…what's your name kid? I've only ever caught your last."
Izuku startles at the idea of Dabi knowing who he is at all, but he doesn't hesitate to offer his full name anyway. "Midoriya Izuku."
The next time Dabi looks at him, his eyes are considering and impressed "That was excellent work, especially for someone with no Master Healer to teach them, and under pressure."
Izuku turns beet red, staring down at his feet immediately. "Thank you sir."
Dabi scans him head to foot, makes a low considering noise, and then asks "Would you be open to an Apprenticeship?"
Izuku immediately chokes on air, eyes blowing wide, and head snapping up to stare at the man he'd just helped.
"I- an...an Apprenticeship?"
Dabi huffed a little in amusement and nodded. "Yeah, kid. What do you think?"
And Izuku can't breathe for a moment, as he considers this.
This is his dream- his everything. Everything he had ever wanted to do, ever since he'd learned what a Medic did. This is his chance. A fully certified Medic, a Master Healer, who wanted to offer him the chance to learn.
Because he's been in the right place, and the right time, and had the knowledge to help a little.
"We...we'd have to talk to my mom first." is what comes out of his mouth, instead of the "YES" that is sitting at the back of his throat.
Dabi nods, as if that's nothing new, and agrees "When the Captain is awake, we can go talk to your mom about parental permission to Apprentice. Would you like to help me do some rounds in the main infirmary, now that Shouto is stable?"
Izuku startles, but can't help the way he lights up, and nods, standing and heading back towards the scrubbing section of the middle room, getting ready to change scrubs a second time. "I'd love to." he agrees, unable to help his sheer glee at getting to do what he's always wanted.
He doesn't even care if this is Dabi testing him a little more, or taking the chance to start teaching him, he's just thrilled to help people, and learn a bit more while he does it. He's doing what he loves, and that's really all he could ask for.
He'd worry about Apprenticeships and his mother once they got to that point.