At the training camp, Bakugou told Izuku not to try, as he was being taken by villains. At USJ, neither Bakugou or Kirishima visited him in the hospital. When Bakugou tried to blow Izuku up on the second day, Kirishima checked on Bakugou, giving Izuku only a small smile.

A small part of him whispered that it was because he was their fate, but a larger part laughed because he was clearly the only one of them with those feelings.

It was strange, through their first year, how much Izuku longed to be with his soulmates. Worse, because a part of Izuku wanted to be happy with them, and never would be. Better, because Kirishima and Bakugou actually looked really happy together. Worse, because it finally made sense why there were three triangles, because there were three people. Better, because Bakugou got a choice then, and could actually be with one of his soulmates. Worse, because Kirishima had the same stupid valknut on his shoulder blade. Better, because of Kirishima, the second boy in IzukuвЂ™s life that he thought was attractive beyond all reason. Going to UA, the whole soulmate business was made better and far worse. Todoroki had been highly confused, but they both brushed it off as an inside joke. When Izuku made a grand gesture to his mother, stating that a male with a fire quirk had come home with him, they both laughed until there were tears in their eyes. Naturally, his mother had seen their fight and heard about the surgery that had to take place afterwards. It was ironic that the first friend Izuku brought home his first year at UA was Todoroki, the half fire and half ice male. With tears in her eyes, she agreed, even mentioning that they should probably stay away from men with fire quirks too. He joked once, when his mother was cleaning his busted lip, that they both had awful taste in men. Of course, because fate was cruel, Izuku shared his mothers awful taste in men, and no matter how much he hated soulmates, or how much Bakugou hurt him, that didnвЂ™t stop the crush heвЂ™d had since heвЂ™d first seen him. Just like IzukuвЂ™s father, Bakugou probably would have rather turned one of his own explosions on his mark that be with Izuku. He knew that if Bakugou found out, it would have only been worse. It wasnвЂ™t like the bullying gave Izuku a better impression of soulmates through the years. He did try to tell Izuku that some soulmates truly loved each other, but Izuku knew if he ever told Bakugou, it would end in disaster. Plus, the hero had been more of a father to Izuku than his own father had ever been.ДЄll Might, who preferred for Izuku to call him Yagi at school and Toshinori outside of being a teacher, understood as best as he could for someone without a soulmate. All Might, because the man had already shared the biggest secret in his life, Izuku only found it fair to share his own. Izuku wondered if BakugouвЂ™s parents knew too, with how they both looked at Izuku with pitiful looks anytime BakugouвЂ™s mark came into view, but he was never certain. His mother, because of course sheвЂ™d seen the mark, and of course sheвЂ™d seen her best friendвЂ™s sonвЂ™s mark. There were only two people that knew IzukuвЂ™s soulmate secret before UA, his mother and All Might. With how Bakugou was determined to make IzukuвЂ™s life hell, he believed it. When researching, some people said it meant, earth, heaven, and hell. Three triangles, overlapping to make a valknut. It was on the center of his chest, and Izuku was subjected to seeing it every time the others shirt was off. Even when he knew that the once childhood friend turned bully had the same mark.Д«akugou never covered his mark. His hid away the mark on his hip, even from himself. His first observation, hide the mark away forever. His first lesson, soulmates werenвЂ™t real. How heвЂ™d rather turn his own flames on his soulmate tattoo than ever see it again.ДЄfter he left, Izuku watched his mother dry her tears and very carefully wrap the mark on her wrist up, hiding it from the world. Izuku could still hear the awful things he said when he did, about how soulmates meant nothing, how he never loved either Izuku or his mother. The first lesson and observation that Izuku can remember happened shortly after the doctors appointment where he learned heвЂ™d never have a quirk. We make observations that we mimic, even before we know what they mean. There are lessons that we learn in childhood that stick with us.

The valknut