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Midoriya Izuku had a quirk. It was the all-powerful, devastatingly amazing, world-ending ability to…. Materialise lollipops.
Yeah.
At least he could do multiple flavours?
So yeah, his ability was basically a party trick, oh well. Izuku didn’t really mind, he had an academic mind, an interest in medicine, and according to his teachers was destined for a good high school, a great university, then a lovely career as a doctor or surgeon.
Izuku was happy with that, he was. But. It wasn’t exactly going to be the most exciting of lives and he had an idea stuck inside his head that he just couldn’t get rid of. One last hurrah, a stupid teenage stunt for a little bit of fun before he dedicates his life to studying. It was harmless, right?
So, he applied to the U.A hero course.
WOAH WOAH hold on! He’s not planning on passing. That’s not the idea, this isn’t some last-ditch attempt at becoming a hero, he knows that’s not for him. The idea is much simpler than that actually: go to U.A and bring some cheer. It’s the only decent use for his quirk really.
So, he sits through the written exam (because why not? It’s good exam practice save the hero-centric parts) and then makes his way to his designated testing zone.
Social anxiety says ‘don’t talk to anyone’ but the whole premise of this plan, and the fact he’s never going to see any of these people again ever, says ‘fuck it’.
So, Izuku approaches a brunette girl who looks nervous and smiles, “Want a lollipop?”
She blinks up at him, “Huh? Oh. Uh, sure?”
He grins, makes an obnoxious and unnecessary flourish with his hand, and makes a lollipop appear. “It’s strawberry.” He says as he holds it out.
She lights up and takes it, “Thanks! That was super cool, does your quirk let you make things then?”
Izuku smiles ruefully, “Something along those lines, good luck!”
He was about to try the same with a boy close by but the exam starts and Izuku finds himself running just to not be left behind. He… hadn’t really planned this far ahead so without a plan he just starts wandering around.
Luckily the exam is very busy and there're people on most streets. He ignores the ones busy fighting or running but soon comes across someone who’s just finished a takedown. “Nice work!” Izuku calls, genuinely impressed. The boy seemed to have some sort of electricity quirk, perfect for this exam.
“Thanks!” The boy responds with an embarrassed grin.
“Do you want a lollipop?” Izuku asks, then as an afterthought, tags on, “Sugar is good for exercise, right?”
“Oh, hell yeah dude! That sounds great, I should have thought to bring snacks!”
“Flavour preference?” Izuku asks since the boy doesn’t seem particularly worried about the time this conversation is taking, perhaps since the exas just started.
“What you got?”
“Whatever you want.” Izuku answers honestly.
“Anything? Nah, you don’t have, uh, watermelon!”
Izuku holds back a laugh but does his overdramatic hand trick anyway, “I do, in fact, have watermelon.”
“No way!” The blonde exclaims, eyes wide. “Cool! Thanks man!”
Lollipop taken Izuku gives a wave, “Good luck with the exam.”
“Oh shit yeah! Got to go!” Izuku watched the boy leave with a raised brow, certainly an interesting examinee there.
Izuku continues his wandering and has a few encounters where people accept his offer and a few more where they’re in too much of a rush or too suspicious to do so. He doesn’t take it personally though, what he’s doing is very strange after all.
Then, he stumbles across someone hurt. A guy with long green hair is on the ground, half sat half slumped against a building as he bleeds sluggishly from a wound on his leg. “Oh my god- are you okay!?” Izuku is not panicking he is not.
Luckily the guy just waves a hand, “Eh it’s fine. I’m sure the exam staff will be here soon.”
Izuku frowns, “you should at least bandage it a bit, let me help you.”
The boy blinks, “I mean sure, but shouldn’t you be, you know, doing the exam?”
Izuku scowls, already examining the wound. “What’s your favourite fruit?”
“Dude I’m not dying; I don’t need distracting. But it’s orange.”
“Good.” Izuku makes a lollipop, “Enjoy your lollipop while I bandage this.”
“Woah. Uh, thanks. Are you working here or something? Why do you have bandages on you?”
“Why don’t you?” Izuku asks.
The boy just laughs and introduces himself; apparently, Izuku’s panic-induced sarcasm made a good impression somehow? Either way, they make pleasant conversation while Izuku ties his leg up, and then Izuku says his goodbyes and heads off. Not before giving the boy another lollipop though, it was why he came here after all.
Izuku spends the rest of the exam doing the same for everyone he comes across, injured or not. Though it seems those injured or giving up are much less rushed and much more appreciative of sugary snacks, so he ends up mostly approaching people not actively fighting.
He also becomes appalled at U.A, what the hell is up with this exam? There shouldn’t be that many injured people! Izuku was doing just fine dodging attacks as he moved around. Though he supposed actively fighting was a lot more dangerous. Well, whatever, the exam was too dangerous or too badly run if there were this many injured people just sitting around without help.
Alright. Maybe he was being unfair no one was badly injured. It just irked him.
At least it gave him something to do and willing people to hand sweets to. Perhaps he should be thanking them for making the exam dangerous, it made his time more fun. A lot of people were really appreciative of the sweets and the medical help actually, it was… nice.
Even nicer was the chatter as they left the exam.
“Did you meet lollipop boy?”
“What?”
“Yeah there was some guy just handing out lollipops, weird right?”
“Suspicious more like- you actually took that?”
“Dude- he made it pineapple flavoured for me, yeah I took it.”
Izuku tried so hard not to laugh he really did. This was definitely a good idea.
But that was the end of it, back to normal life. At least in the future when he’s an accomplished doctor he knows his patients will appreciate his lollipops. Izuku knows he did, when your medical textbook is as thick as your head you need some sugar to get you through it.
That was the end of it.
That was supposed to be the end of it.
But he never received a rejection letter. To be clear, he didn’t get an accepting one either, but he knew it was past time to receive something because Katsuki next door had already got his in the post.
Turns out, Izuku didn’t get his result through the post. Instead, he got a knock at his door. “Hello?” Izuku swung the door open.
Was that… Was that recovery girl? And principal Nedzu of U.A? Oh no. No no no no no is he in trouble? It was supposed to be a fun joke oh god no.
“Hello there Midoriya kun! We have an offer to make you, could we come in and talk?” Nezu asked cheerfully and Izuku withered, an offer? An offer not to get him arrested maybe????? What the hell was going on?
“Uh yes, of course!” Izuku stepped out of the doorway, “I’m sorry my mother isn’t in at the moment.”
“That’s quite all right deary, if you accept, we can talk to her another day.” Recovery girl soothed, likely noticing Izuku’s absolute internal freakout.
Luckily, he could go on autopilot for greeting guests and when he came too he was sat across the two heroes and everyone had tea in their cups. “Um.” Was all he could muster to say.
“Well then let’s get started! I have to say Midoriya, your entrance exam performance was one of the strangest I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing.”
“Thanks?” Izuku ventured and the principal just laughed lightly.
“Am I correct in assuming you were not actually intending on passing our exam? I took the liberty of checking and you didn’t apply to any other hero courses, only medical ones.”
“Ah, yeah. I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to be sorry about, we’re a famous school plenty of people come just to try out the exam we’re well aware of this. Most simply perform badly and are ignored though, you however, showed promise.” Nezu explained.
“Thank you but um, I really don’t want to be a hero.” Izuku winced, this was awkward.
Recovery girl shook her head, “No, that’s not what we were suggesting. I’m getting old and U.A has more and more students every year- we’re proposing an apprenticeship of sorts under me in order to become something like a field medic. What do you think?”
“I- wow, really? A field medic? But I don’t have a healing quirk or anything that would help me in the field either?” Izuku frowned.
“It’s true you don’t have a healing quirk but they’re incredibly rare and those that do have them usually end up in large busy hospitals where they can treat the most people. Keeping one to ourselves already is quite a lot.” Nezu explained, “As for field work, you’d never be in the thick of it of course, and you were impressively quick on your feet in the exam already. U.A would also provide training to help.”
“I… Why me though? There’re tons of would-be doctors out there and probably tons with more helpful quirks too.” Izuku argued, unsure as to why he was arguing exactly but deciding to do so anyway.
“But they didn’t apply, and we haven’t seen their work. You helped many people in the exam you know?” Nezu stated simply.
“And I think your quirk is a good fit, what’s better for a doctor than a lollipop to hand out? It’s sweet.” Recovery girl said with a smile and Izuku didn’t dare call her on the pun, it was recovery girl.
“I’d get a medical license?” Izuku asked.
“Of course.” Nezu nodded.
Izuku took one more moment to think it over before nodding, “Then I’d be glad to accept, thank you for this opportunity.”
A week and another meeting with his mother present this time later and the paperwork was signed. Izuku was going to U.A. not to be a hero, but to help them. He was beyond excited. The principal told him he’d be taking classes with 1a and doing his medical training in their hero classes. In the later years, he may even accompany them to act as first aid!
Izuku stepped into the 1a classroom only to be met with a sea of faces, a couple he recognised though. “Hey, it’s lollipop guy!” A blonde-haired boy Izuku recognised cheered, and all Izuku could do was laugh.
How did a joke turn into this?