Chapter Text
Buses were not the best way to travel long distances. Or at the very least, not when one was picking up and moving their entire life — which tragically fit inside an over-stuffed duffle bag, and a single, large, rolling suit case.
Then again, Izuku Midoriya hadn’t exactly planned on doing any of this. It was all very sudden, and very rash, and very much not like him at all, but there was little he could do about that now. He had already quit his 9-5 job and was now stuck on this tin-can of a bus, halfway to the middle of nowhere, with only an old letter from his estranged father giving him directions on where to go.
What could possibly go wrong?
Izuku yelps as the bus comes to a screeching halt, sending him face first directly into the seat in front of him. He groaned as he blinked back to reality, clenching onto his duffle bag as he looked out the window at the thrush of barely tamed wildlife that occupied the bus stop.
“Last Stop,” The disgruntled voice of the bus driver called from the front.
Well. There was no going back now.
He hauls bag over his shoulder and recollects his suitcase from under his seat — only now noticing that he’s the only person left on the bus aside from the driver — and makes his way awkwardly towards the door. He gives the driver a timid nod, “Thank you for the um … Thanks.” The driver doesn’t even look at him in response. So much for good customer service.
“Right. Uh. I’ll just-” He looks beyond the bus doors, his heart batting against his chest. Out there was a whole town of new things. A whole cast of people who didn’t know anything about him. A fresh start.
With a shaky breath, he takes his first step, the rocky ground crunching beneath his feet. The bus door shlinks shut behind him the second he’s off, wasting no time as the bus speeds away. Izuku coughs as he waves his hand around in attempt to disperse the dust kicked up around him.
Upon first glance, the bus station was less of a station and more of a dilapidated booth over run by weeds, with a half-peeled schedule poorly taped onto its glass walls. The surrounding area was equally as discouraging. No immediate buildings in sight. Only trees, wild plants, and wooden, weather-worn sign crookedly hanging off a wooden fence reading ‘Yuuei Valley.’ The only thing giving any sense of possible direction was the dirt road that laid about 20ft away. Izuku couldn’t help the little bit of panic that began to rise up in him. “Okay,” he breathed and gripped tightly onto his belongings. “It’s- This is fine. It’s fine. I’m just in the middle of no where, all alone with no idea of where I’m going. This- This was absolutely not a mistake,”
“Perhaps I can help with that.”
“Aaaaah!” Izuku shrieks and jumps back, banging into the bus station wall, as an perky, elderly voice chirps up from seemingly no where. It was no wonder the stranger went unnoticed in his cursory glance. Standing off to the side of side of the station, is a fairly short, extremely pale but well-dressed, older man with bright white hair, keen black eyes, and a uniquely upturned nose. He stood in with hands crossed in front of him, looking at Izuku as if he already knew all there is know about him. It was unnerving to say the very least. “Um hi. Hi. Sorry I didn’t see you there,” Izuku chuckles anxiously. “I’m um … I’m just-”
“Trying to get to your father’s property?”
Izuku blinked. The old man suddenly appearing, that he could maybe excuse, but this- This was setting his naturally jumpy nerves on edge. “Um yeah. Exactly that. How did you-”
“Your mother called ahead to ensure that there would be someone here to greet you,” the old man gave a close-lipped smile and tilted his head. “Though I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me at all. We haven’t seen each other since you here since you were just a child after all,” he places a hand over his vest-cladded chest. “I am Mayor Nedzu. Welcome to Yuuei Valley, Mr. Midoriya. We were delighted to hear that you’d be coming to take over your father’s farm! Just thrilled! A young face and driven heart is just what this town needs!” Nedzu beams and gestures for Izuku to follow him as he begins to walk.
Izuku is quick to follow, not wanting to get lost on his first day here. “Oh! Um … Sorry for not recognizing you,” he scratches the back of his neck, taking in the beautiful landscape around them — at the very least, he knew he would be at peace here and could use this as a vacation of sorts. It would be hard not to relax with the sound of a river bubbling near by and the gentle song of wildlife. Izuku doesn’t remember the last time he had breathed air so fresh. It takes a little of the tension out of his shoulders. “It has been a long time. I honestly don’t remember too much about the town,” he chuckles, trying to make small talk. “Not uh, not to say the town isn’t memorable, Mr. Mayor! No! Not at all! Just uh- I was young, and I haven’t heard from Dad in ages, so this whole thing was kind of a shock and very sudden, but- but I’m sure the town is beautiful! It is! Very nature filled!” He winces as his awkward nature takes over. He was never the best with first impressions, but this was definitely not the start he wanted to have for his new life.
Nedzu shakes his head fondly. “No need to apologize. And yes, there is quite a bit of wildlife around us, but you also haven’t seen central square yet. I’m afraid your father was something of a recluse, so your property is a ways out from the main part of town,” he smiles over at Izuku, causing a chill to run down his spine, with that all knowing glint that didn’t quite fit the otherwise gentle appearance of the older man. “Not to worry. The walk will be a short journey once you get settled and begin farming and ranching. A horse will make quick work of the distance.”
Izuku nods along, his mind still reeling as he takes in his surroundings. “Right. Yeah, once I get…” He stops short as Nedzu’s words process through his head, falling a little behind. “A horse?!”
“Ah! Here we are!”
“Wait, what did you- … mean… oh my god,” Izuku’s eyes widen as they walk into a clearing. Or rather, what was clearly once a clearing but now was basically a part of the forest itself. Within the mess of trees and wild flowers, He could make out the dilapidated forms of what must of have been old barn buildings at some point, but were now practically caved in on themselves. The only thing that didn’t look entirely unsafe was the small log cabin that seemed to have a freshly cleared path leading right to it. Any of the panic that had left his body during the walk here immediately returned all at once as Izuku realized he may have bitten off more than he could chew. “What … What is this?” He questions hoping that maybe, just maybe, they were making a pit stop here for some ungodly reason.
That hope quickly vanished upon seeing that wicked, wicked smile grow on the mayor’s farm. “This is your new home!” Izuku swayed in shock as Nedzu patted his back. “I know it doesn’t look like much now, but that's to be expected considering it was entirely abandoned for 10 years,” there's a slight accusation in that statement that Izuku isn't entire sure what to do with. “It’ll take a little love to get this place back to what it once be, but I’m sure you’re more than capable. After all, that’s what you came here for, right?”
Izuku doesn’t even know where to begin with that question. “I’m sorry?”
“Did you not come here to continue your father’s work and reopen his farm?” For the first time since meeting him, Nedzu’s smile fell from his face. “Oh dear. Your mother had said you were coming to start over, and we had all just assumed-”
“I’m sorry. We?” Izuku squeaks out, his heart plummeting further into his knotted gut by the second.
Nedzu sighed in clear disappointment. “The town. You see the Valley has a small population that relies on each other for economic sustainability. A farm not only would’ve brought in fresh produce and resources for us, but also would have the potential of attracting more business into town. Everyone had been so excited when I mentioned at the town meeting last week,” the mayor shakes his head and Izuku feels even more of his willpower chip away. “But of course, this is your property now — regardless of how much potential it has. And you can use, or rather not use it, as you wish.”
Curse this sadistic, manipulative mayor, and Izuku’s goody-two-shoes, people-pleasing tendencies.
Izuku looks around the run down land once more, uncertainty still buzzing through him, but the Mayor’s words echo too loudly in his head for him to ignore. “Well- I- I mean- I guess it won’t hurt to uh … try?”
Nedzu’s expression switched back to it’s giddy smile before Izuku could even blink. He let out a chirp like laugh as he excitedly shook Izuku’s hand. “Oh that’s wonderful news! We can’t wait to see what you do with the place! Really! It’ll take a miracle to get this place running the way it used to, but if anyone can, it’s a strapping young man like yourself!”
Well that did nothing to help Izuku’s confidence in his new mission.
The mayor then reached into his dress-pant pockets and pulled out several small packets and held them out towards the still very much shell shocked Izuku. “Here. A little homecoming present to get you started.” Seeds, he realized upon taking the delicate little pouches. They were packets of seeds for turnips, potatoes, beans, and cauliflower. All, Izuku could only assume, perfectly in season for Spring. It was almost frightening how prepared the Mayor was for Izuku’s acceptance of this new position. “There’s some of your father’s old tools in that shed over there as well. They may be a little rusty, but once you’re ready, you can always bring them by Higari. He runs Power Loader's Blacksmith in town. You’ll have to say hi to him when you can! As well as the other townsfolk for that matter! You’ve been the talk of the town!” Izuku was getting more and more overwhelmed by the second.
Some jostling coming from the log cabin finally pulled Nedzu’s attention off of him as a lanky, middle aged man with long dark hair came lazily walking out of the cabin … the cabin that was supposedly his. Izuku was pretty sure this wasn’t normal, but Nedzu seemed entirely unphased by the apparent home-invader. “Ah! Shota! How are things looking?”
“I mean, it’s not going to collapse on the guy, but there’s definitely still a bit of a draft,” the stranger gruffed. His red-eye stare fell over to Izuku, very clearly looking him over and judging him harshly. Izuku couldn’t even manage to hold eye contact with him, a cold-sweat forming on the back of his neck. An unimpressed eyebrow lifted as the corners of his mouth tilted further down into a frown. “This is the all mighty farmer you’ve been singing praises about?” he asks unbelievingly before scowling down at the Mayor. “Jesus, Nedzu. He can’t be older than Hitoshi! Is he even old enough to be living on his own?”
“I’m uh … I’m 20 so … yeah?” Izuku helpfully provides, but the man only gestures to him as if Izuku had just proven his point.
“How do you expect him to be able to take care of this place? Yet alone manage large scale garden and ranch?”
Wasn’t that a wonderful vote of confidence?
Yet the small mayor still seemed completely unbothered by the man’s - Shota’s - doubts. “Now now, Shota. I’m sure Izuku here will be a wonderful farmer. He’ll just need a little help getting started; which is why it’s wonderful news that he has such warm and delightful neighbours. Don’t you think?” The two held eye contact. Izuku watched as some sort of silent conversation of squinted eyes, sharpened smiles, and flared nostrils took place between them. He wasn’t sure what was being communicated, but the tension between them was not something to be trifled with. If it wasn’t for the fact that this was quite literally the only location he knew about in town, he probably would’ve snuck off just too get away from what ever was happening here.
Eventually, Shota lets out a groan, and grumpily shoves his face into the grey scarf wrapped heavily around his neck. “Fine,” he huffs. Izuku flinches at the speed that the man’s aggressive stare suddenly finds him. “The name’s Shota Aizawa. I live in the house just up that path,” he nods vaguely behind him, as if that’s remotely helpful. “I have a small farm of my own. Mainly crops though,” he lets out a heavy sigh. “If you have questions or need a hand with something … swing by. Or don’t. For all I know, you’ll cry about getting calluses while trying to till your field tomorrow and end up back on the bus to your fancy, big city,” he shrugs as if he didn’t just instill a new worry into Izuku. “But if you do tough it out and stick around, then be my guest. God knows I can’t supply this town by myself.”
Izuku has managed to kill every single plant he has ever attempted at growing before this, but sure. Yeah. He could totally support the town and take some of the load off of this clearly sleep deprived man. “Thank you, Sir. I’ll take all the help I can get.” He’ll definitely need it.
Nedzu chuckles in delight and claps his hands together. “Splendid! I just know that you’re going to fit in great here, Mr. Midoriya,” He beams and finally turns towards the edge of the property once more. “We’ll leave you to get settled in, but don’t be a stranger! I look forward to seeing you around town in the near future!” Somehow that felt more like an order than anything else.
He awkwardly waves goodbye to the two men until he’s left standing alone on this overgrown lot, completely alone with nothing but the tweeting of birds to keep him company. “Okay,” Izuku breathes, standing stiff as a board, the seed packets still gripped tightly in hands. “Right. Right. I … Okay.” What had already begun as an absolutely crazy adventure that he was way out of his depth for was already beginning to turn out to be even more so. But it was fine! He’s Izuku Midoriya! He can do anything if he tries hard enough!
With a new pip in his step, he walks to his cabin and enters into the space that he guesses is now his home.
There’s a slight mustiness to the air, but somehow it’s familiar. Walking through the front door, Izuku has the briefest memories of being in this place before. Running around his large open entry way with another blond kid that he can’t quite remember. Standing by the propane stove to his right as he eagerly waited for the cookies his mom was baking to be finished. And up in the loft, he remembers gathering all the blankets he could find to create his own makeshift tent where he would read these strange books that he had swiped from his dad’s things on the strange magical spirits that once lived in this Valley. Sure. The light fixture seems to be barely hanging onto itself, and all the furniture is covered in moth-eaten sheets. But beneath the dust and behind the splintering wood, Izuku can see some semblance of a life that he once loved here.
“Alright,” he sighs, sunlight filters though the windows with the setting sun. He grabs the edge of a sheet covering the couch and rips it off in a single clean sweep. “Let’s get to work.”