Chapter 14: Moving Day

Izuku paused mid-pack, the knock at the door echoing through the small apartment. He glanced toward the living room, where his mother had just rushed past to answer it.

‘Is he here already?’ he wondered, still cramming the last few essentials into his final box. There wasn’t much left to pack, but even so, the sudden interruption left him curious. He didn’t have to wait long to find out. As he made his way toward the door, he heard his mother’s delighted voice.

“Oh, Toshi! You’re here!” Inko opened the door to reveal Toshinori Yagi standing tall in the doorway, wearing his usual warm smile. Izuku stopped in his tracks for a second, still not used to seeing the now familiar face grace his apartment like this. Yagi-Sensei had become a regular guest at their apartment, so this wasn’t out of the ordinary, but it still warmed Izuku's heart every time his mentor appeared.

Yagi-Sensei greeted them both warmly. “Good morning, Midoriya family! Ready for the big day, young man?”

He was right. It was a big day. One that would change his entire life. Izuku still couldn’t believe that today was the day he would officially move into UA’s dorms. Yet, despite the anxiety that came with it, Izuku couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah! Just finishing up the last of it now!”

Inko, standing next to Yagi-Sensei, beamed proudly at her son before quickly turning back to the Pro Hero. “Thank you so much for helping out last minute, Toshi. There’s no way my car could fit all of his things. You’re a hero.”

Yagi-Sensei waved off her ironic words of gratitude with an awkward laugh. “I am more than happy to help out, Inko. After all, moving day is a big deal! Couldn’t miss it for the world.”

With that, Yagi-Sensei strode into the apartment, immediately getting to work carrying a few of the packed boxes outside. Meanwhile, Izuku returned to his room, quickly gathering the last of his things while chuckling to himself. ‘Toshi, huh?’

The ease between his mother and his mentor didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, over the past few months, Yagi-Sensei had been stopping by their apartment more frequently, even on days when Izuku wasn’t home. That alone was surprising, but the real kicker had been when Katsumi had teased him about it, calling the number one hero “Dad Might” in private. At first, Izuku had been flustered, laughing it off and waving away her teasing. But the more he thought about it, the less the idea bothered him. After all, his mother hadn’t pursued any romantic relationships since his father passed away when he was young. If she was finally opening her heart to someone again, who was he to stand in her way? The fact that it might be All Might himself? Well… that was just mind-blowing.

‘Mom deserves happiness,’ he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. If Yagi-Sensei made her happy, he was all for it.

With his packing done, Izuku carried the last of his things downstairs, where Yagi-Sensei was waiting by the truck. The two worked quickly and quietly, loading everything up into the back of the vehicle. As they secured the last of the boxes, Izuku couldn’t help but reminisce on how much his life had changed since meeting All Might. Not just as a mentor and hero, but as someone who had become part of his family.

“Thanks again for all of this, Yagi-sensei,” Izuku said as they finished.

“Anytime, young Midoriya,” The pro hero replied with a grin, clapping him on the shoulder. “You’ve worked hard to get here. Today’s just the beginning.”

Just as Izuku was about to head back upstairs, his mother came hurrying down the stairs, her eyes already glistening with unshed tears. Without a word, she wrapped him in a tight, backbreaking hug, her arms trembling around him.

“I’m so proud of you, Izuku,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I know being a hero means danger… but please, please stay safe.”

Izuku’s heart clenched at her words. He wanted to promise her that everything would be fine, that he’d come home every weekend without a scratch, but they both knew the risks that came with his chosen path. The life of a hero wasn’t safe. It was perilous, filled with challenges he couldn’t yet fully comprehend.

But he could still offer her comfort.

“I’ll do my best, Mom,” he said, his voice soft as he hugged her tighter. “I promise I’ll be careful. And I’ll call. Every day, if you want.”

Inko let out a watery laugh as she loosened her grip just enough to look at him. “Every day would be nice,” she said, wiping at her eyes.

Izuku kissed her on the cheek, the lump in his throat growing harder to swallow. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too, Izuku,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

With one final, lingering hug, he gently pulled away and climbed into Yagi-Sensei’s truck. His mentor took an extra moment to give his own hug to a teary-eyed mother and shared a couple of words before hopping into the driver's seat. His mother waved at them from the curb, her smile warm but tinged with sadness as they pulled out of the parking lot. Izuku glanced back through the window, tears forming in his own eyes as he watched her grow smaller in the distance.

The familiar streets of Musutafu blurred into the distance as they drove in the direction of the UA campus. After such a teary goodbye with his mother, Izuku appreciated the silence his mentor was affording him. It would be the first time he lived away from his mother, and though he didn’t really worry about himself necessarily, the idea of his mother being alone hurt him. Thankfully, she had close friends in the Bakugos who were more than likely going through something similar. That thought alone eased the weight in his heart.

Eventually, his musings were interrupted by his beloved hero. "So… young Midoriya, how excited are you for this new chapter of your life?"

Izuku’s mood flipped, and his green eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'm really excited, Yagi-Sensei! I can't wait to meet my classmates and see their quirks in action! I even bought a new notebook to help catalog everything."

“You know,” The hero started, a certain teasing lilt in his voice. “I hear they invented a device you can type on for notes. Over a century ago, in fact.”

Izuku snorted. “Says the richest hero in Japan, driving a beat-up truck he found off Dagaoba Beach.”

“What do you mean! It’s got spirit!” The older man hollered as he attempted to defend his vehicle of choice. “This is a fine truck! It may be a bit beaten up, but it has never once broken down on me… It’ll get replaced one day, but until then, it’ll do its job.”

Izuku laughed. “So you say.”

The drive continued in relative silence, apart from the radio music his mentor liked. Izuku thought about what living at UA would be like, and one of the things occupying his mind was his roommate situation. UA had adopted a more Western-style dorm system, with students paired up together and placed in a suite. The two would have private rooms with a shared common space featuring a full bathroom and kitchenette. He knew he was assigned to room 301B in the Class 1-A dorms, but the identity of his roommate remained a mystery. He hoped it would be someone he could easily get along with.

He also thought about his girlfriends, who were thankfully both in his class. It was a relieving thought to know he’d have at least two people he knew in 1-A. Unfortunately, his close friends Masako and Kyoka were not in it. The girls had been quite sullen about it, but Izuku had promised to visit them often. Masako said she would bite him if he didn’t, and he rather not have to tussle with the lioness, or the musician for that matter.

Before he knew it, Izuku had dozed off. Likely the excitement and anticipation draining what energy he had. Thankfully, a small nudge from his mentor allowed him to properly witness the spectacle he had missed the last time they made this trek.

"Welcome to your Hero Academia, young Midoriya," Toshinori said with a warm smile, gesturing toward the towering campus buildings coming into view.

Izuku's heart skipped a beat as he took it all in. It wasn’t the first time he’d been here now, but it was the first that he was consciously able to enter the campus from its main road. The last time he had this chance, he was writhing in pain from the gym incident last winter, so being able to bear witness to the imposing structure of the main building from this perspective was incredible. Unfortunately, that excitement soon gave way to another reality. Traffic.

A massive line of cars stretched from their position all the way to what seemed to be the parking and drop-off zones near the dorms. It seemed like every student and their family had arrived at once, creating a long, slow-moving queue. Yagi-Sensei chuckled lightly as he tapped the steering wheel.

“Ah, some things never change,” he said, his eyes glinting with nostalgia.

Izuku perked up at the comment, his head turning toward his mentor. He couldn’t help but picture a young All Might walking these very grounds when he was just a young hero in training like him. It made for a very surreal thought.

The line of cars inched forward slowly, and before long, they reached the parking area near the dorms. Yagi-Sensei pulled into a spot and, with a relieved sigh, turned off the engine.

“We are here!” The hero shouted as he hopped out of the truck, boisterously laughing as he did so.

He drew no shortage of attention with the act, but the fact he nearly said his signature catchphrase went unnoticed.

Izuku could feel the raw excitement bubbling inside him. This was the moment he had worked so hard for. As he hopped out of the truck, he mimicked his hero and joined him in his revelry. “Yes! We are here!”

“That’s the spirit!” Yagi-Sensei clapped his shoulder and the two shared the moment together. As they did, a nearby robot rolled up to the duo and deposited a dolly cart for them to use. Izuku eagerly grabbed it and began loading his boxes onto it.

As he stacked another box, Izuku couldn’t help but share his excitement. “I can’t wait for classes to start!”

His mentor chuckled softly, clearly amused by Izuku’s returned energy. “I admire your enthusiasm, but you might want to slow down a little. Remember, tomorrow’s the beginning-of-the-year festival. It’s a tradition here at UA, and it’s a great opportunity to meet your classmates, relax, and savor the experience before the real training starts.”

Izuku paused for a moment, surprised. He had completely forgotten about the festival, his mind so focused on his hero training that the idea of a school event hadn’t even registered. “Oh, right, the festival!” he exclaimed, mentally shifting gears. “I guess I was so caught up thinking about the classes that I didn’t even think about that.”

“Take it from me, young Midoriya,” Yagi-Sensei said, resting a hand on his shoulder. “It’s important to enjoy these moments. You’ll have plenty of challenges ahead, but these early days? They’re just as important for building friendships and connections. Don’t rush through them.”

Izuku smiled, feeling a sense of calm wash over him. His hero was right, as always. There was no need to rush. He had time—time to grow, to learn, to meet new people, and to enjoy these special moments that marked the beginning of his journey.

With the cart now fully loaded, Izuku pushed it forward, his eyes scanning the UA dorm building ahead. As if reading his thoughts, the same robot that gave him a cart suddenly displayed a map of the campus. Thanking the robot, Izuku quickly glossed over the map and located the 1-A dorm. With a direction in mind, the duo locked up the truck and began carting the boxes toward his new home.

A small trek later, Izuku and Yagi-Sensei walked up to the dorm building. As they entered the lobby, they were greeted by a well-adjusted young woman with long black hair sitting at a small table with a welcoming smile on her face.

"Hello, welcome to the Class 1-A dorms! My name is Momo Yaoyorozu," she introduced herself, "Are you here to check in?"

"Yes, we are," Izuku replied. "I'm Izuku Midoriya, and this is uh... Toshinori Yagi, a family… friend."

“Oh, how lovely!” The young woman smiled warmly. "I may be a freshman like you, but let’s get you checked in so I can pass over your key."

Izuku couldn't help but be awed by how gorgeous she was, momentarily forgetting his surroundings. Just as he was about to get lost in his intrusive thoughts, a cough from Yagi-Sensei snapped him back to reality. Izuku blushed furiously, feeling heat rise in his cheeks.

"Uh… A student? Why are you the one doing this?" he wondered out loud, trying to cover his embarrassment.

“Ah.” Momo chuckled softly. "I was one of the first to arrive, and the teacher responsible for the dorm left me in charge while he took a nap. I couldn't exactly say no, so… here I am!"

Yagi-Sensei chuckled heartily. "Ah, the dedication of our young heroes! Thank you for your hard work, young Yaoyorozu."

Momo blushed slightly at the praise but maintained her composure. "Thank you, sir. Now, Midoriya, if you could please sign here," she said, handing him the ledger and a pen, "and I'll get you your dorm key."

Izuku quickly signed in and handed the ledger back. He noticed a handful of names already signed in, one of which was assigned to his room. As Momo rummaged through a box of keys to pull out one labeled '301B,' Izuku wondered. ‘Perhaps I’ll get to meet my new roommate sooner rather than later.’

"Here you go, Midoriya. Room 301B," she said, handing him the key. "If you need any help or have any questions, feel free to ask."

"Thank you, Yaoyorozu," Izuku replied, taking the key with a grateful smile. “I’ll see you around?”

“Yup! I’m also a part of this class, so let’s do our best to be fine heroes!” Momo cheered, eliciting some entrancing motions from her prodigious chest. “I’ll be here if you need me.”

She handed Izuku his dorm key, and he thanked her, still trying to shake off the blush. As they headed toward the elevators, Yagi-Sensei couldn't resist teasing him.

"Young Midoriya, you should be careful with your flirting," Yagi-Sensei said with a playful grin. "You wouldn't want your girlfriends to get the wrong idea."

Izuku laughed, albeit a bit nervously. "Yeah, yeah, Yagi-Sensei. It was just a moment."

Yagi-Sensei chuckled as the elevator doors closed behind them. "This is precisely why one woman is enough for me. You kids and your harems. Too much trouble."

Izuku grinned and seized the opportunity to turn the tables. "Oh? And who might that 'one woman' be, Toshi?"

The hero sputtered, clearly caught off guard. "Well, that's... I mean, it's not... We should get you settled into your room!"

Izuku enjoyed the rare moment of seeing his hero flustered, even if he had to use his own mother to make it so.

The trip up to the third floor was quick, and they walked through the dorm until they reached room 301. Yagi-Sensei placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder, giving him a proud look. "Here we are, young Midoriya. Your new home away from home."

The suite they entered was spacious, with a shared common area in the middle and two separate bedrooms on either side. The common area had a small kitchenette, a couch, and a table with chairs. It was designed to be a comfortable living space for the students, with plenty of room for personalization. Yet, as they entered the common room, Izuku and Yagi-Sensei were immediately greeted by the sound of someone heaving something heavy. The thud resonated from one of the bedrooms, followed by a grunt of effort.

Izuku perked up and called out, "Hello? Is someone there?"

The noise abruptly stopped, and a moment later, a young man with spiky red hair popped out from behind a door. "Hey! You must be my new roommate!" he exclaimed, dropping whatever he was doing to welcome them with an enthusiastic grin. "I'm Eijiro Kirishima, and I'm pumped to get to know you, man!"

Izuku instantly warmed up to Kirishima's infectious energy. "I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's great to meet you!" He peeked into his roommate’s room, noticing the eclectic decor that was distinctly ‘manly.’ "What were you trying to carry?"

Kirishima gestured proudly to a heavy punching bag resting against a wall. "Just setting up my punching bag. Gotta keep up my training! Welcome to my manly room!"

Kirishima's room was a reflection of his vibrant personality. The walls were adorned with motivational posters featuring various pro heroes, including Crimson Riot, his apparent idol. A set of weights and a bench press were neatly arranged in one corner, while the aforementioned punching bag hung from a sturdy hook. His bedspread was a bold red, and there were several shelves filled with hero action figures and other memorabilia.

Yagi-Sensei looked around with genuine admiration. "Wow, Young Kirishima, you've certainly made this place your own. It's very... eclectic. I do approve of Crimson Riot. True Hero there."

“You got great taste! He’s my idol!” The redhead pumped his fist. “A real man!”

“Ah.” Izuku turned to introduce his mentor. "Kirishima, this is Toshinori Yagi. He's been a mentor to me. Wouldn’t have gotten where I am without him."

“I wouldn’t say that, young Midoriya.” Yagi-Sensei grinned before nodding with a warm smile. "Nice to meet you, young Kirishima."

The two shook hands, and the redhead was shocked at the surprising grip strength. “Wow, you got some grip. For real.”

With introductions out of the way, Izuku and Yagi-Sensei moved to the other side of the suite to set up Izuku's room. At first, Izuku's space was neat and organized, reflecting his meticulous nature. But all that went down the drain as soon as Yagi-Sensei broke open the box labeled ‘decor.’

The Symbol of Peace couldn't resist teasing his ward. "You certainly have a lot of All Might merchandise here, young Midoriya."

Izuku blushed, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "Well, you know… It’s my hobby.."

"Hobby indeed." Yagi-Sensei scoffed with a grin. "I have seen dedicated collectors with less memorabilia than you."

"It’s nothing that serious..." Izuku tried to deflect, but his mentor wasn’t allowing it.

The number one hero pulled out a small bobblehead wearing one of his older costumes. "Isn’t this the limited edition Punko Figurine only sold in the States?"

"No, it's not." Izuku immediately rebutted. "The one you’re holding is from a cereal box giveaway. Mom and I were sick of sugary breakfasts by the time I finally won that prize.” The All Might fanboy maneuvered past the hero, reached into a different box, and pulled out a figurine still in its box. “This is the one you’re thinking of!”

"... Just a hobby, huh?" Yagi-Sensei's grin was reaching peak smug levels.

“Ah…” Izuku froze as if his hand was caught in a cookie jar. “Okay. Maybe it’s more than a hobby…”

After sharing a laugh, the two continued to unpack everything that was left. Once every poster was hung and angled perfectly into place, Izuku's room looked cozy and personalized. He had a small bookshelf with various hero-related books and notebooks filled with his hero analysis. His desk was set up with a laptop and decorated with a couple of All Might action figures, giving it a touch of hero spirit.

Finally, they stood back to admire their work. "Well, I think that's everything," Izuku said, a satisfied smile on his face.

Yagi-Sensei placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Remember, young Midoriya, this is just the beginning. You're going to do great things here at UA. And if you ever need something, your mother and I will always be here for you."

"Thank you, Yagi-Sensei," Izuku replied, feeling a rush of gratitude.

After some final well-wishes to Kirishima, Yagi-Sensei took his leave, giving Izuku a last encouraging smile before heading out. Left alone in the dorm room, Izuku looked around, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. He had the whole weekend ahead to settle in and plan before the first day of school on Monday.

“So now what?”

**********

AN: Howdy, Howdy! Sorry for the delay on this one; I've been sick all week. Anyway, we finally made it to UA! As you can see, there have been a few changes to how UA will work in this story due to it being a college experience rather than a High School one. Some things will be the same, but for the most part, expect things to be more like college, and where else to start with that than with having a roommate? We got the 'manliest' roommate out of the class and I'm looking forward to how he meshes in with the friend group. Next time, we'll be meeting more of our new classmates, who, if you missed the comment last time, aren't guaranteed to be from the original 1-A, as we've now seen with Kyoka and Masako not being in it. See y'all next time!

As always, thank you all for reading, and be sure to check us out on my Discord for behind-the-scenes looks at all my writing. Lastly, a special thanks to Zephyr0F8 and Lizzy for beta-ing this chapter!