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At the age of four, Izuku Midoriya promised himself that he would never give up on his dream, no matter what anyone told him.

The first person to tell him that he should give up his dream was a doctor.  His mom had made an appointment because he was late developing his quirk...

Quirkless

He was saddened by the news and had gone home crying. But he didn't break his promise.

That very same night he was once again told by his mother that his dream would never be reality. Though she never spoke the words out loud, Izuku knew what her continued tearful apologies toward him meant.

Even then, he didn’t break his promise.

He knew going back to school would be hard because he had already seen the quirks that his classmates had received. He had spent most of the night preparing for the reactions he expected once everyone knew he was quirkless.

Nothing could have prepared him for the complete shift in attitude his “friends” and teachers took toward him. The second he walked through the doors of the school, all eyes were on him. The teachers were whispering to each other and giving him harsh stares. The students were avoiding him.

The part with the students wasn’t that unusual, Izuku never really talked to anyone other than Kacchan. So, of course, Kacchan’s reaction stung the most. He immediately started calling Izuku useless and telling him he wasn’t worth anything because of his lack of a quirk.

Any chance Kacchan got, he would use his explosive quirk and challenge Izuku to fight him, knowing full well that Izuku could do nothing against him. Everytime Kacchan asked to fight, Izuku would always say no and try to run away but some of the other boys would always block his path.

Useless

Weak

Trash

Quirkless

Deku

Midoriya Izuku, knows better than to let others’ opinions define him. He knows himself better than they do. He knows what he’s capable of.

Sweet

Quick

Flexible

Intelligent

Loved

With all that in mind, even if no one is left in his corner, even if the world turns against him, even if the people he trusts most try to break his resolve...

He will

never

break his promise

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A mother’s intuition is a force to be reckoned with.

Izuku may have thought that he was doing a good job of hiding the bruises and scars from her, but Midoriya Inko could always tell when her son was trying to hide something. Izuku had made a habit of putting others' feelings before his own and Inko was having a hard time figuring out how to change his mindset. It broke her heart, but it hurt her more knowing that she couldn't do anything for him. Izuku had never given her the chance to collect proof, so she had been powerless to do anything against those that were hurting him.

Of course she had tried to go to the school and talk things out with them, but that had proven to be useless. The principle had just parroted the school bullying policy to her and promised that if anyone saw anything happening to Izuku they would have put a stop to it. She thought it had worked for a bit because for about a week Izuku had come home unscathed. For a week, but then everything had gone back to normal.

If she only had the money to transfer Izuku to a better school, she would've done so without hesitation. She was already working longer hours than what she would have liked with a young kid, but Izuku needed to eat and have a safe place to sleep. She hated spending so much time away from him. She hated that she couldn't afford better schooling for him. But most of all, she hated that Izuku felt he couldn't talk to her.

She tried so hard to make Izuku comfortable. She wanted him to open up, but he never did. Months went by with Izuku dodging her inquiries about school and certain minor injuries he couldn’t cover up. It had been so frustrating for her. On one particular stressful day, she did exactly what she had said she would never do. She forced Izuku out of his comfort zone and made him tell her everything. He was stubborn and kept dodging and lying. Inko was so tired.

“Izuku, please! Enough of this now! I've seen the bruises! I've seen the burns! You are my kid! Did you really think I wouldn't notice? Baby, I've tried to let you come talk with me first, but you haven't. What have I done to make you not trust me? To not want to talk to me? Am I a bad mother?”

She remembered saying. She might regret those words for the rest of her life. When the tears had filled Izuku's eyes, she had felt like she had been punched in the gut. She tried to take it back. She tried to apologize, but the damage had been done.

“I didn't want you to worry, Mommy.”

Was what he had said in response, tears streaming down his face.

“I’m sorry, Mommy. I don't think you are bad. I’m sorry!”

She had pulled him into a hug. She had rubbed his back and apologized for her words. But Izuku had just continued to cry. Each time a sob had escaped his lips, Inko had felt her heart break. He explained a little of what was going on after he had calmed down. What he said made Inko’s blood boil.

The second Izuku told Inko about Katsuki, she had marched right over to the Bakugous’ house and confronted them right then and there.The conversation didn’t go in her favor. Mitsuki refused to believe that her son was misbehaving as Inko was accusing. It was Izuku’s word against Katsuki’s. Both mothers defended their children, believing their kid was telling the truth. Because of the confrontation, Mitsuki and Inko’s friendship had become strained.
  Izuku blamed himself for his mom losing her closest friend which resulted in Izuku… shutting down. Inko hadn’t known what to do. Whenever she spoke to him, he would just stare at her. He wouldn’t talk, wouldn't even shake his head or nod. He understood everything that was happening around him and even listened when told to do something, but it concerned Inko greatly.
  She had researched his behavior and done her best to help him. She had followed everything that other moms had said worked for them. She had taken the advice in stride and soon enough Izuku was back to being himself after a couple of days. However, that wasn't the only time that Izuku had what Inko called a ‘shut down’.

It had happened again, although thankfully that time she had known how to tackle it. It had lasted a little longer than the first time and Inko suspected that it was because something different had triggered it.  It took a couple more episodes for Inko to fully understand how Izuku’s mind operated. It took a while, and he had more shut downs than what she would have liked, but it was necessary for her to figure out how best to prevent them. After a while they became less frequent, but they still happened on occasion. Depending on the day and how bad his episode was, Inko would take Izuku out for ice cream, just to give him something positive after everything calmed down.

That's where they were now.
  It was a Friday night and Izuku had come home from school upset. When she had asked about his day, he answered with a curt ”fine.” It had taken  her by surprise at first. She had quickly tried to school her features, but Izuku had been looking at her and she could see him already overthinking her expression. He went into a frantic explanation about how he had “lost” one of his hero notebooks at school. She had felt saddened that Izuku was still lying to her, but she didn’t call him out on it. She knew better.  
Izuku had said that he was tired and had gone to take a nap. She sent him away with a smile, but dropped it the second the door closed. How she wished the bullying would stop! She wished she could do something about the school. She made a mental note to buy Izuku another notebook and began to do some household chores. After a few hours she started dinner. She planned on waking Izuku up when she was finished but he beat her to it.

“Mom?”

“Oh, hi sweetie. I almost have dinner ready, you can watch TV if you want.” A wide smile graced Izuku’s lips.

“Really!?” Inko responded with a hum of affirmation, and he dashed up and hugged her. He all but ran to the living room, vibrating with excitement at the possibility of being able to watch a hero fight. 
  Inko just shook her head, sending a silent thank you to God that Izuku always managed to smile no matter how many times he’d been put down. She quickly finished up dinner and brought their plates into the living room. When Izuku saw her he looked very surprised. She normally didn’t allow him to eat on the couch, but since he had been through a rough day she figured she’d allow it. Shortly after he gulped down his food, he began his normal analysis of the current fight on the news.  “Izuku, dear, you’re muttering again.” Inko said with a fond smile.  “O-oh, oops, sorry, it’s just that, this villain's quirk would be much more useful for hero work. I mean, it’s really not fair that people have such good quirks and choose to hurt people with them.  I wish I had a quirk that could manip-manipulate the speed of moving objects within a certain range limit. I’d be a great hero with it. Well, I'm going to be a great hero anyway, but if I had a quirk...”  Izuku may not have finished his statement but what it meant hung heavy in the air.  Inko knew that Izuku would always want to be a hero and she could only hope that her child would find something to fill the hole that would be left after he finally accepts that it can’t happen. It broke her heart to think that, but how could she send her only son into a dangerous life where he would constantly face people that would overpower him? He lacked a way to defend himself! She won’t do it. As of now, though, she’ll let her son dream. After all, he may be smart, but he’s still five and he, more than anyone, needed to keep his childhood dream.  Looking towards her son, she held back a sigh as his gaze no longer held the excitement it did just a few minutes ago. So, in an attempt to cheer him up once more, she tapped her son on the shoulder, gave him a warm smile, and asked a question that she already knew the answer to.  “I know it's a little late, but wanna go out for ice cream?” The smile she received was enough to make her forget the consequences she’d face for giving her five-year-old son sweets right before bedtime.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“I want cookies and cream, please!” Izuku was standing by his mother in the ice cream shop, practically radiating sunshine. He was making silly faces at a nearby baby, as his mother was paying the man behind the counter.

“Izuku, let’s sit outside and enjoy our treats.” Izuku turned to face his mom and saluted.

“Ok, I’ll pick the table.” The boy started to run outside, but thought better of it and waited so he could open the door for his mom. Once they were outside, they sat at a table with a forward view of a mini flower garden.

“Mom, Mom! Did you know, the hero, um, Best Jeanist? Yea, that’s it. His quirk is so cool. He can control clothes! Well, that’s not quite right, it’s more like, um, oh, how do I say it? It's kinda like…”

Izuku’s explanation had turned into mumbles, but Inko didn’t mind, she loved seeing her boy so happy and enthused, she wouldn’t dream of killing the moment. Izuku talked and talked, switching between ranting and mumbling. ‘This villain did this’ and ‘this hero did that’. The hero talk was endlessly flowing from Izuku’s mouth, only pausing when he ate a bite of his ice cream.

Eventually, Inko had to stop him to let him know it was time to go home. Izuku barely batted an eyelash. He sprung up and walked to his mother's side and continued with the current hero fight he was speaking on. They walked for about ten minutes and not once did Izuku stop sharing his thoughts.

“-and then the villain started to absorb the energy from the grass around him and began to grow even taller! Now you would think that the heroes there would have a harder time with the villain because of this, but it w- ugh.” Izuku was cut off as he suddenly grabbed his stomach.

“Izuku dear, what's wrong? Does your tummy hurt?” Izuku paused for a moment, starting to nod his head but then shook it while looking confused.

“Oh no, maybe it was the ice cream...we’ll be home soon, can you hold on till then?” Concern was shining in Inko's eyes.

“I don’t wanna walk that wa- ugh” Inko’s concern only grew.

“Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?”

“Yea... I can walk” Izuku gave his mom a weak smile. Inko was wondering what brought this on. Her son had never had this kind of reaction when his stomach was bothering him. With each step toward their street, Izuku’s face twisted with discomfort. When asked, he said it didn't hurt, which confused Inko greatly.

All of a sudden, Inko had this sinking feeling that something bad was about to happen. She didn't have too much time to dwell on it, because Izuku had suddenly let go of her hand and grabbed his head.

“Now my head feels weird. Mom, what's happening?” Her baby sounded so distressed and she couldn't do anything. She took out her phone ready to both call a doctor and pick her child up and carry him the rest of the way home.

But, of course, the world was a cruel place and its number one target seemed to be Izuku.

Just as Inko reached out for Izuku, wind shot up around the surrounding area and they were violently blown apart.

Once Inko recovered from the initial shock, she was immediately on her feet looking around for her son. There was panic everywhere. People were either lying unconscious in the streets or running around trying to get away from the situation. Not to mention the heroes that were in the area, who were going around trying to do what they could.

Slowly walking forward, her eyes darted in every direction trying to spot those green curls. She called out Izuku’s name hoping he’d be able to hear it over all the other screaming. She willed herself to stay calm. Getting too worked up was not going to help her find him.

She didn’t know why, but she turned around toward the direction a young girl had pointed. The little girl was across the street, barely in Inko's line of sight but she still saw her, standing next to who she assumed was her mother, pointing in a direction behind Inko. When she turned, she saw a boy with green hair kicking and screaming trying to get away from someone. That was her boy.

She didn’t  hesitate to take off in that direction. They weren't too far ahead, but for some reason, she lost sight of them. She continued to call out to her son. She heard a faint “Mom!” in response and spotted him and the female figure that was holding him.

“Someone, please! My son, he’s being taken. Stop them!” she breathlessly yelled out. Some people just watch her, while others try to find out what she’s talking about. The majority of the people around her though, were too focused on recovering from the attack.

Inko wanted to cry, but she doesn't, too determined to get her son back. Judging by how that woman was using her quirk, she could at least keep them in her sights. She continued to call out to everyone around that her son had been taken, hoping a hero would eventually hear and help her give chase.

The same game went on for what seemed like an eternity. Inko would get close enough to the kidnapper to where she could almost grab them, but just as she reached out they would vanish, sometimes appearing behind her. Just as Inko was about to catch up for the hundredth time, they disappeared from sight once more. Only this time it wasn’t because of the kidnapper's quirk. It was the same wind from before however, she must have been closer to the source now because instead of just knocking her down, it blew her away.

She hit the ground with a thud, barely registering the pain that exploded in her head. She abruptly stood up, ignoring the discomfort it brought and looked for her son. She resumed shouting Izuku’s name and walked around looking for him. She winced as she felt a sharp pain in her ankle, but ignored it.

She continued to shout for help, hoping someone of use would hear her. For the longest time, her cries just fell on deaf ears. She thought that maybe she should go to the police and report it. But then that would be a waste of time, time that she could be searching for her kid. She also knew how the system worked. They'd just place it on the back burner, putting it behind any villain attack that was “worth more attention.” She wasn’t going to risk it. Risk him.

“Miss, are you hurt? Is everything alright?” she startled a bit at the voice, but composed herself when she realized a pro-hero was talking to her. He wasn't one she recognized, not that she really paid too much attention to any of them. He looked exhausted and wore all black with a white scarf draped over his shoulders and yellow goggles covering his eyes. At first glance, you wouldn't think he was a pro. But Inko could feel it. The attentiveness, the desire to help people. She had seen those same qualities in the eyes of her son. She decided to trust him.

“I’m not hurt, but my son was kidnapped around the time of the first wind attack. My name is Midoriya Inko, my son is Izuku, he’s five. He’s wearing a plain burgundy shirt, blue khaki type shorts, and red shoes. It was a woman who took him. She has a quirk that somehow lets her vanish from sight. Not sure if it's a type of invisibility or something else. I didn't get a good look at any other prominent features on her, but I hope that's enough information.” Inko took a deep breath as she noticed the hero typing out something on his phone.

“Follow me.” Inko did as she was told without question. Although she was confused at why he wanted her to follow him. They didn’t walk for too long before he stopped. They had stopped at an area that was set up to help the injured during a villain attack. Inko was shocked that he had noticed she was hurt, despite the efforts to hide it.

Inko wanted to protest, but the hero didn’t even give her a chance before he turned to her. He handed her a piece of paper with a phone number on it, told her to call the number, report the kidnapping and to mention his name, Eraserhead. She knew he was just giving her a mundane task to distract her.

“I'm not that injured. I can still help look, please. He’s my only son and I-” The hero turned to her and removed his goggles. The look in his eyes was enough to make her stop mid-sentence. Eyes that told her that everything would be alright. It was a silent promise, one that rang out loud and clear. Before he got out of hearing range she called out.

“Please keep him safe!” Inko wasn’t sure why she felt the need to say it. It was almost as if it had a whole other meaning that Inko wasn’t sure about. She still felt very uneasy, similar to how she felt when Izuku first started feeling unwell. It made her wonder, what was it that she was feeling. Maybe she was feeling the same as Izuku due to the ice cream. But something about that didn’t sound right.

An undetermined amount of time passed, time that Inko spent either speaking with an officer, getting a checkup from a nurse, or thinking about the weird feeling she was experiencing. Before she could ponder on the situation any further a loud creaking sound caught her attention. She turned in the direction of the noise, as did everyone else and dread immediately filled her. The creaking noise was being made by large steel beams that were attached to a nearby building that was under construction. One by one, they started to fall and the silhouette of a person could be made out on top of a ledge close by.

“There was more than one!” The police officer that she had previously spoken to had jumped up and started to usher as many people as he could that were close to the collapsing building towards them. The beams fell to the ground, one after the other, with loud bangs, but no one was severely harmed by them. That is, until the steel started to rapidly melt. The liquid metal seemed to have a mind of its own as it crashed in waves towards Inko and the people around her.

Inko was immediately engulfed in panic once again, as everyone started running around screaming. More pro heroes were once again put into play, to save the civilians and keep a look out for the villain. Inko was pulled back by something she couldn’t make out, although she thought she caught a glimpse of some type of string. While still in the air, another gust of wind came out of nowhere and knocked her off the course of safety.

Inko landed on the ground with a thud. She let out a gasp of pain upon the impact and hardly noticed the blood that was seeping down her face. She could barely make out anything, as a matter of fact. Before she could recover fully, more wind knocked her off her feet. Inko’s senses were completely thrown off. She couldn’t tell what was up or down.

“Miss, are you alright?” Inko heard a voice right beside her, although when she regained enough composure to look up, the only people she could make out were the bodies of people who were involved in the attack.

She gasped in horror as she realized that a few weren’t just unconscious.

“Miss?” she heard the same raspy voice from before, but again, nobody was around where the voice had come from.

“If you are able to hear my voice, I need you to look for the flashing lights and walk toward them!”
a different voice boomed out, louder than any normal voice should be, even with a megaphone. Inko registered that she recognized the voice but couldn't clear her head enough to know from where. The voice repeated the instructions and Inko found it best to listen to it.

She looked around for the flashing lights. Once she spotted them, she slowly limped in their direction. Just as she was about to reach the red and blue lights, a voice called out to her. It was a voice that made her stop in her tracks.

“Mom!” recognizing her child’s voice anywhere she quickly spun around, ignoring the pain the action caused and called out for her child. The voice of her child continued to call out to her, but the direction kept changing. She eventually was just turning in circles trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from. She desperately wanted to save her son, he sounded so distressed.

The booming voice from before spoke again, ordering people to find the flashing lights, but Inko couldn't focus on that, not when her son needed her. She continued to call out to Izuku and listen for where his voice would reply from. Inko's vision started to fade, her legs started to tremble and, overall, Inko just felt more and more exhausted as she searched for her son.

Wait.

All this felt familiar.

Didn't she already hurt her head?

Didn’t that same raspy voice belong to the hero that went after Izuku?

Wasn't Izuku taken somewhere else?

…

She blinked and then everything clicked into place. Something was messing with her head.

Soon after she had that thought, the world that Inko believed she was in, shattered. She was standing in the middle of the street near the building that had started to collapse. It was somehow still in one piece. No steel beams in the street, no molten metal waves, she even had no major injuries, there was just this weird blue haze that she could barely see through.

“If you can hear my voice I need you to walk toward the flashing lights!”
She turned to where the voice boomed out and noticed that the voice belonged to a hero. She paused to process what the hero had said and what it meant. When she did she wished she would’ve listened sooner.

She noticed that the fog was only in the surrounding area that she was standing in. Others were around her, standing either motionless or following the voice hero’s instructions. It appeared that a few pros had tried to get the civilians out and were now caught up in the effects as well. Even those wearing gas masks. It made her wonder just how long she had been out for.

Inko slowly started to walk toward the voice hero. She would have gone faster, but she didn't want to fall into the illusion of the quirk again. She had to focus on keeping her mind clear. The closer she moved to safety, the heavier her body felt. Or was it lighter? Was she walking in the right direction? Wait, did she just trip? Oh no, she was losing focus again.

She could hear Izuku calling her, but that wasn't him, right? The gas must have more of an effect than she thought because now she could see her son running towards her. He had just escaped from someone's grasp. Wasn't that the hero she spoke with before? Oh, it was. He found Izuku, that’s go-

“No, no! Izuku, you have to stay away. It's dangerous!” Any thoughts about focusing on escaping flew out of the window when she saw her son run in toward her.

Inko’s focus was on her son who was now walking past her with a blank look on his face. She tried to stand and grab him but her movements were too slow. Her limbs felt heavy and her eyes could barely make out anything. The only thing she could think about was keeping Izuku safe.

Izuku was in trouble.

Izuku needed help

Izuku.

Izuku!

IZUKU!

IZUKU!!!

Getting a second wind, she was able to stand and reach him, but as soon as her hand touched his shoulder, he abruptly turned around with a wide, unnatural grin on his face. His eyes went completely black and began melting out of their sockets. Inko screamed and backed away. She remembered once more about the quirk and the image of her son disappeared into blue smoke. The fog in her system was getting the better of her. She knew. She didn’t want to think about it, but she knew.

She was dying.

The last thing she remembered seeing were cotton candy colors swirling around and a mountain of tall blond hair. The only real coherency she had were her thoughts. So she thought.

No, I can't, I can't. Not now, not here. Please! He needs me, Izuku needs his mother. He... Izuku, my son, my light, I'm so sorry. Please forgive your mother for leaving you so soon. Please stay happy, never stop smiling that radiant smile of yours. Please stay safe. I'm sorry Izuku.

I love you.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hizashi, being a pro hero, had seen his fair share of violence.
 
He’d seen murders, dealt with hostage situations, and even assisted in stopping a large group of amateur villains that loved torture. He’d also been a part of many scenarios where his abilities weren’t suited for the situation, but never, in all the years that he had been a pro, had he ever been witness to a massacre.
 
By the time he was able to arrive at the scene of the second attack, there were already a few bodies from Dust Devil surrounding the medical area. There were more lying in the fog. It made him sick. On top of it all, no one could rescue the others that were awake and trapped. It was a nightmare.
 
Hizashi walked over to one of the police officers who wasn't too occupied, seeing if he could get the rundown on the situation.
 
 “Ah, Present Mic! Good to have you on site. Are you familiar with the villain Daymare?” The officer was moving around him flipping through papers while he was speaking. The stress of the situation was clear on his face.
 
“Yea, I know of him. I believe his quirk has something to do with locking anyone who encounters the gas-like substance he creates in whatever dream he wishes. While in the dream the victims are still able to move and are known to react with what they are seeing. And the quirk still works even if he’s away from where the initial release was, correct?” The officer nodded and mumbled a response of agreement.
 
“I know Daymare is on the top most wanted individual villain list, but the quirk shouldn’t be as strong, with so many people under its influence. Why send out a major alert?” Hizashi could see that the question added more tension to the officer's shoulders. Hizashi would have said he was new to the job, but judging by everyone else’s attitude, heroes and officers alike, he wasn’t so sure. The officer didn't say much as his answer, but it was enough for Hizashi to understand why everyone looked so lost.
 
 
 
“The fog is mixed with a slow-acting poison.”
 
 
 
Hisashi took a deep breath as he processed the scene around him. The fog stayed swirling inside of the barricade they had set up. It was hard to see the people who were, unfortunately, deeper in the city.
 
“Is there any plan as to how to help them? Do we know the whereabouts of the villain? Is there a counteracting medicine for the poison? What-”
 
“There isn’t a plan. We are trying to figure that out now. Last I heard the higher ups contacted a hero from another city, who can easily deal with the fog along with the poison, but other than that there is nothing we can do. The equipment used to block the effects of Daymare’s quirk specifically is on its way, but will arrive after the estimated time the quirk would dissipate.”
 
Hizashi didn't feel comfortable just sitting around waiting for another pro when there were plenty already here. It was hard to swallow that none of them could do anything. They all went to school for this, trained and fought for their licenses. How can everyone here be rendered useless at the moment? He took another deep breath willing himself to stay calm. Looking around the immediate area, Hizashi wondered about how many more bodies lay on the other ends of the fog.
   Hizashi could see a few pros that were trapped within the fog, one of them being Best Jeanist. He was speed walking by a small civilian woman with green hair,  who he just barely missed knocking over. His quirk would be perfect for this situation. Eraserhead’s weapon would be helpful as well, but Shouta was occupied with some other case. He might not have even heard about this attack. 
If only there was some way to get close enough to break them out of the dream. Best Jeanist seemed to circle around the edge quite often. Close enough for Hizashi to reach out and grab him, without being exposed to the fog for too long. If he was quick he might be able to make it. Hizashi just needed to hold his breath, grab the number 4 hero, and walk out...
   Hizashi sighed. Shouta would definitely scold him for that train of thought. Him attempting to waltz into the fog knowing other pros weren’t able to handle it, would just be stupid and reckless. It would do more harm than good. On top of that, who’s to say what state the victims would come out in, Number Four might not even be lucid enough to help. So Hizashi racked his brain trying to find any other solution. He couldn’t stand not being able to do anything. If only he could use his voice to save the day. 
 
 
...Wait
 
 
 
He just needed to break the dream state that was holding them. He could amplify his voice just enough to reach inside the fog and not hurt anybody. Though he wouldn’t be able to reach everyone, there was just too wide a range for him. Nearly a quarter of the city was covered with the fog, because of how much Daymare was moving. There was also no guarantee he would be able to break through to anyone, but there was no harm in trying.
 
Without wasting another minute Hizashi walked over to the officer he had spoken with before and asked if a car could be moved as close to the fog as possible. The cop raised an eyebrow at him but seeing as a pro-hero was asking he didn't question it. After the car was brought over and the lights turned on, Hizashi prepared what he was going to say.
   At first his plan seemed like it wasn't going to work, he had the right volume, he was saying short, and hopefully easy to understand words, but it didn't seem to reach anyone. He didn’t stop though. He knew it was a shot in the dark, he knew it took a lot of willpower to break from Daymare’s quirk, but he wasn't going to give up so soon. After a while his plan finally started showing some progress. 
Hizashi noticed that one person, who was previously sitting on the ground with their fingers moving around in a typing fashion, suddenly darted their head around. He repeated his instructions and slowly but surely the person stood up and began walking out. The person was able to shake a woman awake as well, and they began to walk out together. Eventually more and more started coming back to themselves and leaving the deadly air. As time went on, some weren't able to hold onto reality after breaking free and unfortunately fell victim to the quirk again.
 
A lot of time had passed since the quirk was unleashed and the longer the fog was in one’s system, the harder it was to break. On top of that the gas was mixed with a poison and out of the last handful of people that had walked out, an elderly woman wasn’t able to survive. Still, Hizashi tried his best to get as many people out as he could. No one had responded in quite a while and he could feel desperation raging inside him.

Hizashi circled back to where he had started and noticed the green haired woman from earlier start to stir. He aimed his voice directly on her for a little bit, hoping the directness would help. He would feel more relieved everytime he recognized that someone had broken free, and she was no exception. His heart dropped when she tripped and her eyes glazed over once more. He startled slightly at the scream that erupted from her figure. From what he had seen, no one was able to break the trance a second time. He was just about to walk to another section when he heard the woman mumble something. She shook her head and attempted to stand once more.
 
Hizashi felt hope rising from his chest, as she stumbled over to the police car. She was somewhat far away from it and he feared she might lose focus if she tried to walk all the way there. He once again directed his voice solely on her and changed the instructions to follow his voice. He stood directly in front of her as close as he could, so it wasn't hard for her to follow what he said. He continued to repeat, hoping that he’d be able to get her out.
 
She barely made it out of the fog before she nearly fainted. Hizashi was close enough to steady her.
 
“Ma’am, can you hear me?” Hizashi used a much softer tone than he normally would when doing hero work. He received a weak nod as a response.
 
“Ok, that's good. Can you tell me your name?”
 
“M-Mi..Midoriya I...Inko”
 
“Ok, Midoriya-san, I'm going to bring you to the medi-” Hizashi started as the woman snapped to attention.
 
“I-Izu..ku! I ha..ve to k-know if he’s al...right.” Hizashi tried to deflect and lead her to the medical area but she was resisting. She had way more strength than what she should have after the encounter with the fog. Although her words were so slurred and muffled from her panic that he was no longer able to understand her.
 
“Ple...ase tell me h-he's ok. He was taken by th..is woman… I…” suddenly her legs gave out, but Hizashi was holding onto her so she didn’t fall.
 
They weren't too far from the medical area, but they were far enough to where no one would see that he needed help. She could no longer walk, and Hizashi couldn’t carry her, he might've caught some poison when he grabbed Midoriya-san out of the fog because he felt a bit sluggish.
 
It made sense, the poison was mixed with the fog, but wasn’t part of the quirk so it wouldn't stay within the same perimeter. An interesting fact for the report, but very inconvenient for the moment.
 
“Midoriya-san, I need you to take a deep breath. Can you do that for me?” The petite woman nodded and did as he said. Hizashi could see more awareness return to her eyes, but not much.
 
“You.. you're a hero, y-yes?”
 
“Yes, ma’am, I am.” Hizashi was confused by the sudden determination in her voice.
 
“D-do you know if m-my child is s-safe?”
 
Hisashi didn't recall seeing a child in the fog with her. She needed medical attention, but she kept refusing, insisting to know the whereabouts of her kid. He tried deflecting once more, but she refused to do anything until she got a definite answer. Her breathing picked up and her eyes were swimming with worry. Hizashi was going to regret it, but he had to tell her something. She was going to work herself up more otherwise.

“Your child is safe with a pro-hero, Midoriya-san. We need to get you to the hospital.”
 
“Oh, he’s sa..fe. T-thank God.” Relief flooded her face almost instantly. Hizashi swallowed the guilt he felt. As much as he hated lying to her, it was effective and necessary for the situation. She desperately needed medical attention, but without the knowledge that her kid was alright, she didn’t make it easy.
 
“Ar..e y-you o...k? You wa-walked very close to t-that q-quirk to help me.” Why was this woman so concerned about everyone but herself? Her child, he could understand, but him, a pro-hero whom she had never met? Hizashi gave his signature finger guns and told her that she need not worry about him. She gave a weak small nod and said no more.
 
Finally able to guide her as quickly as possible to the medical setup, Hizashi let himself breathe. After the reassurance that her son was safe, Midoriya-san’s strength and determination seemed to have left all at once. She could barely keep herself upright and it made Hizashi feel all the more guilty.
 
The nurses took a quick look at Midoriya-san, seeing what they needed to do until they moved her to the hospital. They asked a few questions and marked down the necessary info, before placing Midoriya-san higher on the list of patients in need of transportation.
 
“We just sent our last ambulance away, but the others are right around the corner, we’ll treat her as much as we can until one arrives,” Hizashi said his thanks and attempted to see if anyone else would be able to break the dream. Just as he had turned to leave a small hand shot out to grab his.
   “You...are hurt..be-because of me...please come as well…” Hizashi’s eyebrows raised to his head. He thought he had been convincing earlier. He thought that maybe she just wanted the company, but one look at her eyes showed that she couldn't be fooled. How did she see through him when she was in a state like this? Either way, he wasn’t bad enough to go to the hospital. Just before he could protest, the hand around his tightened. 
“I do-don't wan..na go alone..”
 
Ah, there it is, or maybe it was a tactic to ensure he got treated. Regardless, it was another part of the job Hizashi didn’t like. When civilians have gone through trauma, they seem to attach to the first hero that helps them. Hizashi had the hardest time refusing their requests. Most of the time one of his coworkers that was around was there to speak in his place. Right now, however, he was alone.
   Maybe the nurse would help. He glanced over at the nurse, as he heard the sirens in the distance. 
“I just got word that the out of city hero they called started damage control a while back. She’s just arrived at this section, which, being the first place targeted, makes it her last stop. And if you need medical services I’d recommend going to the hospital anyway, we don't have all the resources here. So it's perfectly ok if you ride with her.” She said with a bright, confident smile.

Or not. Hizashi sighed, resigned to his fate. He knew on his own he wouldn’t be able to say no to the woman. And his excuse of needing to help others was out now that the other hero was here. Before he even had a chance to respond, Midoriya-san had already thanked him.
 
Just as he was helping load her into the ambulance, Hizashi heard a faint humming sound. He noticed the blue fog was being sucked away while turning a faint pink color.
 
Must be the hero’s quirk. He quickly closed the ambulance doors and relaxed against the chair. Chancing a glance at the petite woman, Hizashi’s breath caught, he hadn't really noticed before, but she was really pale, and her eyes were bloodshot. As he felt the vehicle starting to move, he prayed they would make it in time. Thinking about the other victims, he knew that it might be futile. Still, he allowed himself to hope, after all, if she was strong enough to fight this long, who’s to say she would lose.
   The ambulance ride was agonizingly long for Hizashi. Now that the stress from being around the scene of the attack had worn off, he could fully feel the effects the poison had on him. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for him to want to just lie down and sleep for the next 30 years. He had a migraine and his limbs felt like jelly. If he would've stayed, he probably would have passed out by now. He was thankful that Midoriya-san had requested he ride with her to the hospital. He wouldn't want to put any more stress on the ones still working at the scene. 
Hizashi glanced out the window, watching as all the buildings passed by. He racked his brain, trying to figure out why two of the most wanted villains decided to plan an attack for today. Were they working together? How did they get away so easily? Where did they go? Were the-
 
Suddenly black spots appeared in his vision, and his thoughts came to a halt. He quickly turned away from the window and closed his eyes. He started massaging his lidded eyes, trying to stop the discomfort. When he opened his eyes, a male paramedic was holding a glass in front of him that smelled faintly like hazelnut. Hizashi gladly accepted and slowly took a sip. The effects were immediate. The nausea in his stomach died, and his vision cleared. He gave a smile in gratitude to the male, feeling a little too weak to utter any sounds.
   Just as he relaxed from the effects of the drink, a violent beeping had him sitting up in alert. His attention snapped to the woman lying beside him. She looked even paler than before and had tears streaming down her face. The paramedics were quick to react, grabbing the defibrillator, working to get her heartbeat regular. 
 
 
It wasn't working.
 
 
 
Too distracted by the scene in front of him, Hizashi failed to notice that the ambulance had pulled into the hospital. He didn't register being removed from the vehicle. The nurse sent to escort him to his room asking about his condition went unheard. All he could focus on was the green haired woman, surrounded by doctors desperately trying to save her.
 
 
 
It wasn't working.
 
 
 
Hizashi knew he couldn't do anything. He knew it wasn't his field and yet he still felt really guilty. It was common for him, whenever he couldn’t save a person. It always hit him hard, because he was super empathetic by nature. Whenever he saved someone, he saw them as people. People with families who love them. People with promising futures. People who don't deserve to be subjected to the cruel acts of those who think they are entitled to more.
 
This woman has a kid. A child who is expecting a mom to be there for them. To love them and let them know everything will be ok. A child whose mom was fighting for her life, trying to get back to them.
 
 
 
Why wasn’t it working!
 
 
 
Hizashi stood, waiting, praying for this civilian who he just met to pull through. This civilian, who was more concerned about him than herself, after she broke free of Daymare’s quirk. This civilian who further risked her safety in favor of knowing that her kid was safe.

“Time of death, 10:21 pm.”
 
 
 
It didn’t work... and now that child would never see her again.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shouta wasn't even halfway into his shift when he got the alert of a villain attack. Nothing too unusual, except for the fact that they only send out alerts for major villain attacks. And they only send out alerts to underground heroes if the threat was too much for a few to handle.  From what Shouta remembered, Dust Devil was a villain that had first appeared 13 years ago. He had made his attack on a water park just south of the city. During his attack he killed 22 people, children included. There was no information regarding his civilian name and his quirk was not registered in the system. It had been speculated that his quirk allowed him to activate it with minimal movement, making him impossible to find. The only reason they even knew who he was and which crimes he had committed, was because he always left a small pile of trash circling in a small harmless cyclone. Amongst the trash was a paper with the villain’s name on it.Dust Devil attacked sporadically, so no one could predict his next move. His last attack was 6 years ago, at a concert for a non-local band. No deaths were recorded and no motives were known. He is one of the top most dangerous villains.When Shouta reached the attack site, plenty of heroes were patrolling around searching for the villain, running around helping the injured, or getting a head start on cleanup. Shouta observed the scene around him, trying to find where he would most be needed. Not immediately seeing anything, he started to head to another part of the city when he saw a very distraught green-haired woman.He almost brushed her off as another victim in shock, until her words registered.  A kidnapping? Figures some criminals would take advantage of the chaos . It's not uncommon knowledge that what society counts as “minor crimes” tend to get swept under the rug. They get pushed back in favor of taking care of villain occurrences first. Because of this, a lot of cases like kidnappings and other events where criminals don't use quirks, go unsolved.Shouta, without hesitation, approached the woman with the intent to help. Once he got the details of the kid, the area of the initial kidnapping, and was assured that the woman, Midoriya-san as he was told, wouldn't do anything stupid, he set out.Once he reached the spot that the kid was taken from, he began searching in alleyways near the more crowded areas. Those areas were likely to still be very high in energy, so it would be easier to muffle the kid's cries. On top of that, she was probably using the guise that the kid was just frightened from the attacks. Some places were restricted due to the attack resulting in bodies, but he still searched those areas just in case.  He searched around for about ten minutes. He eventually contacted other undergrounds that were unoccupied to help in the search, but no one could come up with anything. He decided to look in another area. He jumped from roof to roof searching every alley, even scanning the crowds, but still no results on the kid. He decided to check one more alley before moving on again. He jumped off the roof, then swung down into the empty alleyway. At least, it appeared empty. Shouta felt movement behind him and rolled out of the way, Erasure activated. Before him appeared a young adult woman holding a small boy with green hair beside her. The woman wore normal civilian clothes and a small smile with a hint of mischief. Shouta would've thought her an innocent teen had she not had a very frightened kid’s arm gripped tightly in her hand.
 So it was some form of an invisibility quirk. It must not completely camouflage the human form, given the fact that my quirk had worked on her. 
  “Wow! Nice quirk you have there, hero. Thought for sure I'd escape.”“Other heroes and the police will be at this location shortly, you should release the bo-” The woman interrupted with a loud and convincingly sweet laugh.“Release him? Please, why would I do that, hero? This little guy is getting me extra cash. Don’t worry, I know how it looks, but I'm not kidnapping him. I'm just going to deliver him home. A home where he’ll have lots of fun. There’ll be others there for him to play with.” Shouta felt the invisible quirk disappear and it temporarily stopped his quirk. He tried to keep the surprise off his face but judging by the widening smile on the woman’s, he didn’t succeed.She was still visible so that had to mean there was a limit to how long she could use it. He’d have to ponder why his quirk was shut off at another time, right now he had a kid to rescue. Judging by her earlier reaction, Shouta guessed that she doesn't know who he is or what he can do fully. He shifted his posture to appear as if he is about to attack.“Ah ah ah~ I wouldn't do that. You don’t want the kid to get hurt, do you?” Her attitude told him that she plans to use the kid as a shield instead of hurting him directly to throw Shouta off. He took advantage of that.He lunged at her, only to stop short when she took the bait and placed the kid in front of her with that deceivingly sweet smile. Her grip hadn't lessened, but Shouta hadn’t expected it to. He sent his capture weapon out, shooting directly towards them. Once again taking the bait, she stepped to the side to avoid it, only to have another end catch her wrist. Shocked, she unconsciously released the boy. Shouta already had another end aiming for him.The woman glared, recovering faster than anticipated and grabbed the boy again pulling him away. Instead of wrapping around the boy's waist as intended, the weapon grabbed his arm. Taking what he could, Shouta yanked, pulling the kid out of arm's reach of the female offender. He came forward with a yelp, but being quick on his feet the boy started sprinting toward the hero.“No fair! You aren't allowed to have toys like that!” Shouta ignored her in favor of seeing if the boy was hurt. He did a quick once-over before turning his attention back to the female. She had yet to use invisibility again, which Shouta was thankful for. He hoped that her drawback or limit would last long enough for him to successfully capture her.Her faltered smile suddenly returned full force and Shouta tensed. He decided to activate his quirk a second too late, as the woman disappeared. 
...Crap
 His eyes darted around trying to locate the woman once more. He held the boy close to him as he continued looking. When he glanced over the sheer silhouette of the woman, the person that appeared was not the same one from before. She looked almost identical to the other, but this one was taller and wearing different clothes. Both females had their hair braided in some way. The new one had purple hair with pink highlights, whereas the other had purple with blue highlights. Like before, he felt that quirk disappear and his was shut off without him willing it to.Still holding onto the boy protectively, he spun on his heel, Erasure activated and the original woman appeared inches away from him. Slightly startled, he jumped back with the boy still in his grasp. Remembering the taller woman behind him he shifted his position to where he could look at both of them. He did have to blink after a moment but no one made a move to do anything. The alley was still as if each person was frozen. Then Shouta noticed the boy was mumbling something under his breath. There was only one word that Shouta was able to make out.“Triplicate”Triplicate is a villain trio made up of triplet sisters. Their quirks were something like Invisibility, teleportation, and phasing respectively. They were also on the most dangerous villain list. Shouta’s heart rate picked up a little at the realization. Unlike with Dust Devil, these three make sure their attacks have an audience. The fact that they always make a show of their plans and are never caught, makes them a major force to be reckoned with.Shouta knew he’d pretty much be fighting a losing battle if all three were around, but thankfully it's only two sisters at the moment. The two of them will still be difficult but Shouta can work with it. He’s not letting anything happen to that kid. He quickly directed the boy behind a nearby trash can, while preparing to fight.The shorter and presumed youngest sister vanished, and Shouta immediately activated Erasure. Instead of looking for the silhouette of the woman immediately, Shouta trailed his eyes over to the taller woman so he could keep her quirk in check. She had the teleporting quirk, he couldn't risk letting her get to the kid. She just stayed standing, no smile on her lips but her eyes showed only amusement. She quirked an eyebrow at him, just before a breeze moved to his left. He ducked out of the way and put his eyes in that direction, looking for the silhouette. He found it immediately and the other girl appeared. “Hey, no fair! How. come. you. keep. dodging!?” Each word was punctuated with an attempt to land a hit on him. She was fast, Shouta wasn't able to get any counter hits in. He was completely focused on dodging and watching the kid that he almost failed to notice his quirk shut off.Keyword being, almost.He blinked and took a baseball slide to the side. Standing straight almost immediately, he spotted a leg mid-air that would've connected with him if he hadn't dodged.   Guess she got tired of watching.   They didn't give him much time to recover. The taller vanished and immediately appeared in front him, fist connecting with his abdomen. He stumbled back, tripping over the shorter sister that had crouched and swung her leg into his. While on the ground he grabbed the taller with his weapon and pulled her into the shorter. He immediately wrapped both in the weapon, activating his quirk so they couldn't escape.Both struggled to get free to no avail. Shouta caught his breath while pulling out his phone to notify the police. He made sure not to blink while doing so.  He noticed the smaller sister’s smile widened once more and the taller had that look in her eyes again. Something was up. Realizing quickly what was about to happen, he yelled for the kid to run to him. Thankfully the boy didn't hesitate. Just as the kid shot up, the final Triplicate sister made her appearance through the wall behind the dumpster.“Well, well, aren't you smart? Guess we shouldn't underestimate heroes, huh?” This sister wore a very devilish smirk. She sported the same braided purple hair, but in a different style and her highlights were red.  “Wish we could stay and play longer, but we have to leave now.” Shouta blinked and the shorter sister was at his side attempting to grab the kid. He swung the kid to his other side and elbowed the girl in her stomach. Mid-thrust, the taller sister appeared behind him, instead of trying for the kid, she grabbed his scarves and appeared on the other end of the alley. Mildly surprised, he backed himself and the kid up against a wall, eyes darting from sister to sister.His quirk kept shutting off at random, so he was at a huge disadvantage, especially now that his weapon had been stolen. All of them posed a similar threat, but he didn’t know which he should be more worried about. The younger ran toward them aiming for the kid once more, but the latest sister called for her to stop.“Aw, why?” the shorter sister whined. The taller sister spoke up next.“If she's here, that means we are out of time.” At those words the younger's shoulder dropped and she looked frightened for a split second.“But the kid!”“No time. We’re leaving” at these words Shouta tenses, he knows he can't fight them all by himself, but he doesn't want to just let them walk away. But he kept his grip on the kid and didn't move. His goal was to protect the child. Letting them leave was the best course of action. He glared at his opponents as they all disappeared. He dashed out of the alleyway, kid in tow, toward a more populated area.“I hope we meet again, hero.” Were the words that followed him out.    Once he deemed it safe, Shouta stopped to check on the boy and to let the others know that he was found.  “Are you alright, kid?” Shouta didn’t see any physical injuries, but he wasn't sure what state of mind the kid was in. To his surprise, the boy just grinned up at him.“I’m fine” There was a sparkle in the kid's eyes that Shouta hadn't expected to see. It was probably because he had been saved by a hero, although most kids geek over the flashier ones. This kid, Izuku if he remembered correctly, probably doesn't know him.“Eraserhead-san?”……”Yea, kid.” “Are you- uh, well, first, are you ok?” Shouta quirked an eyebrow but answered that he was fine. It wasn't a lie, Triplicate had gone easy on him for whatever reason, but even if he had been hurt he wouldn't have told the kid that.“Oh, that's good, so are you-” at the sudden hesitation Shouta looked at the kid silently wondering what he was trying to say.“Is it a-alright if I ask a qu-question?” Shouta had to hold back a “you just did,” from falling from his lips. Instead, he chose to nod his head.“Well, um, are you an underground hero because of your quirk or because you don't like the, um, spotlight?” Not what Shouta had expected, but he was going to answer nonetheless… at least he tried to. Before he could open his mouth he was met with another question.“Does it make it easier for you to fight bad guys when they don’t know your quirk? Are you the only one who can use the scarves or can someone else be taught? Also, did you come up with the weapon yourself or did someone else? Did you have to train yourself to keep your eyes open longer, or was it a talent that came with the d-deve-development of your quirk? Have you ever e-en-encountered someone whose quirk you couldn't erase? Oh, well, besides physical quirks, of course. Oh! Since not all quirks are black and white have you seen a physical quirk that you could erase? Have you e-”Shouta’s brain finally caught up with the situation and put a hand up to stop the kid from asking any more questions. The kid’s face immediately flushed and he looked down and mumbled an apology. Shouta was quick to let the kid know that he didn't need to apologize, then proceeded to answer as many questions as he could.Each question he answered the kid seemed to brighten more and more. After Shouta answered all that he could, the ki- Izuku (He should probably stop referring to him as the kid since he does know his name) held the rest of the conversation by himself. He went on and on about different hero fights that he had seen. It was almost overwhelming for Shouta, but he made sure he didn't give the kid any indication of that.All of a sudden the kid froze. He looked as if a truck had just slammed into him. Shouta was quick to move in front of the kid to check to see what was wrong. He wondered briefly if the shock had finally caught up with him, but the thought was tossed out as the kid spoke. He sounded as if he had just run over a puppy with his bike.“I forgot about...my mom.” Oh, Shouta never mentioned where they were walking to. That was an oversight on his part. They both must've gotten distracted by Izuku’s questions. At that moment he corrected himself, explaining where his mom was and how they were walking to her. The kid visibly relaxed, but still had a kicked puppy look on his face. Shouta wasn’t sure how to comfort the kid further so he kept walking.It seemed he didn't need to because the kid suddenly perked up and all but shouted in Shouta’s directions.‘“Triplicate has a second quirk!” Ok, that's interesting. When Izuku didn't continue, he decided to prompt him a bit. The kid did have a good handle on analyzing.“Care to elaborate, kid?” Shouta paused, realizing he had used a word that the young boy might not know, but to his surprise, Izuku answered, before he had the chance to correct himself.“Well, when the wind knocked me over and I was grabbed, the sister that took me used a t-teleporting quirk. But after a while she suddenly stopped using it, well, it was more like she couldn't use it. The next wind attack happened and then she was using an in-invisibility quirk. And during your fight, the other sister was using a teleporting quirk. And also during the fight, the quirks seemed to move between the two, but you could only see it if you were looking close enough. So I'm guessing they have a quirk that can move the quirks to each other? Or something like that. I wonder if…”When the explanation turned into mumbles, Shouta tuned him out and decided to ponder on the kid's theory. It seemed impossible, but it would explain why he felt his quirk kept shutting off randomly. During the short period of the switch neither of them would have a quirk to erase. He wondered if they figured it out towards the end of the fight because he had struggled to activate Erasure. They walked in comfortable silence for about 10 minutes, before something else came up. The kid stopped and his face twisted with discomfort. Shouta once again went in front of Izuku to see what was wrong.Shouta's first thought was that the kid had lied about being fine. Considering his mother had done the same thing, it wouldn't surprise him. Shouta questioned the boy to see where he was hurt, but the only response he got was a shake of the head accompanied by a confused look and an “I'm not hurt”. Debating whether he should scold the kid, he pulled out his phone to check the time. Instead of seeing the time he was met with an alert he had missed during his fight with Triplicate.There was another villain attack? What in the world was going on tonight? Careful to keep his expression neutral, Shouta opened the alert to check the area to avoid bringing Izuku near the attack. Once he did, he had to resist the urge to let out a frustrated groan.
So the attack is near where I left the kid’s mom. I can’t bring the kid there because that could put him in danger again, but I might be needed to help. No, no, my job right now is to get the kid to safety. Even if the villains that took him are gone, it's not like I can just leave him here on the street. On top of that, I didn't see the alert till just now, so the attack might be over. I could bring him to the station, but I’d rather not leave him alone there, especially because of the nature of his case. By the time I explained why he’s there and who took him, I wouldn't be able to go out and help anyway. So then where-
  “E-Eraserhead-san?” Tsk, now he’s making the kid worry. He glanced down at Izuku and noticed he was trembling slightly. Izuku’s eyes were glazed over, and not really focused on anything. Well, that made his decision for him. He let out a heavy sigh and mentally scolded the boy for not being truthful.The hospital was about a 30-minute walk from here…He carefully reached over and held the kid in his arms and started making his way to the hospital. Izuku, of course, tried to protest, but eventually fell victim to the lethargy and rested limply in the hero’s arms.    They only had half a block left, before they arrived at the hospital. There were many ambulances that passed them on the way there. Every time a new siren was heard, Shouta felt the kid in his arms slightly flinch.  He couldn't blame him, tonight was an unfortunate incident that no child, well anyone really, should have to experience.Once inside the medical building, they didn't have to wait long for Izuku to get a room. Shouta had called and informed the hospital of their arrival, so they had someone waiting to escort them. Shouta had planned on leaving Izuku there, then heading out to see if his help was needed, but the kid had looked almost scared when he thought Shouta would leave him. The pleading gaze and tight grip on his hand, had Shouta stuck in place.Once they got to the room, they were told that a nurse would come by shortly to check the kid over, but it might be a while because of the victims from Dust Devil and now Daymare. Shouta let out an inward sigh and checked the time.10:23 p.m. It was going to be a long night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

In an abandoned building far away from the chaos, a group of people stood triumphant, proud, ready to return home. Their mission was a success and their boss would greet them kindly.Amongst the group, three females separated themselves out. The older two shared uneasy glances while the youngest glared at the ground dejectedly. The mission was a success, except… 
She failed to bring Midoriya Izuku with her.
  Three portals opened on the walls, and all conversations ceased. Everyone began grabbing what they needed and wiping any trace that they were there. 
The sisters hoped the boss wouldn’t be angry
 The assigned people grabbed the “kidnapped victims” and walked through the far left portal. Everyone else walked to the far right. A small, almost frail-looking woman walked through the center portal. 
They didn’t want to be punished…again. 
 “Blitz, Blink, and Blur of Triplicate please hand me your assigned ‘victims’ and report to the Living Room first. Inferno is waiting.” 
They wouldn’t be able to handle it.
    Shouta and Izuku had been at the hospital for about an hour. The doctors said that Izuku was physically fine, and was just overwhelmed and stressed from the events of earlier. Shouta was relieved to hear that the kid was fine, but was still concerned about the kid's mom.He’d tried contacting her to let her know that he’d found Izuku and that they were going to the hospital, but there was no reply. In fact, the phone didn't even connect through. Until someone could get in contact with Midoriya Inko, the kid had to stay at the hospital. Thankfully, they let him keep the room.Currently, the kid was asleep, having drifted shortly after the nurses finished checking him over. Sighing Shouta rested his head against the wall while pondering on the attack. He thought about Daymare, Dust Devil, and Triplicate and what their attack could entail.  After a while, a soft knock interrupted the silence in the room. The door opened shortly after and Shouta didn't need to look to see who entered.“Aw, he looks so peaceful, how'd you come across the little listener?” Hizashi said not really minding his volume. Shortly after the kid had fallen asleep, Shouta had received a message from Hizashi. Seeing as they were in the same hospital, Shouta had sent him the kid's room number.“Keep your voice down.” The response was reflex at this point more than anything. “He was kidnapped, shortly after Dust Devil’s first attack. I came across his mom while en route to said attack.” Shouta didn't feel like giving too many details.“Aw! Poor thing, where is his mom, now?” Hizashi asked as he stretched his arms above his head. Before Shouta answered, he glanced at the form on the bed and noted that Izuku was still asleep.“Not sure. When I left her we were near where Daymare’s attack was. I haven't been able to contact her so I assume she was involved.” At his words he noticed Hizashi stiffen a little.“Oh…I was there, you know?” Hizashi’s voice had a sad tinge to it. ”A lot of people didn’t make it…” Hizashi trailed off as if he had just remembered something. He was looking at the kid.“What is it?” Shouta decided to ask when he saw Hizashi’s eyes widen.“Shou, what's the kid's name?” Hizashi swallowed thickly.“Midoriya Izuku.”“Is his mom’s name Midoriya Inko?” At his confirmation, Hizashi closed his eyes and breathed a silent sigh. Before Shouta could ask, Hizashi had taken his wrist and walked out of the room. “H-Mic, what wrong?” Shouta noted that the other was in his hero outfit.“Remember when I said I was at the attack? Well I saw her, Midoriya-san and... She mentioned she had a kid and I just brushed it off. I'm glad you found him, but I forgot! What kind of hero…. I couldn't even save her.”“Mic.” Shouta gently warned. No one was around to really eavesdrop, but they were still in public. It wasn’t good for popular heroes to talk about certain topics where anyone could hear. Once the words completely registered, Shouta sighed.“You know we can’t save every-”“I know!” Hizashi caught himself and continued softer. “I know, but… we were so close. We had arrived here and-”“Wait, you drove her here?”“No, Midoriya-san had insisted on me riding in the ambulance with her. And the nurse and paramedics didn't mind, plus we thought I needed some kind of treatment anyway.” That's unusual. No one, not even pros are supposed to be allowed in an ambulance with a victim, besides family.“Treatment for what?” Shouta decided they’d discuss his thoughts later.“I thought some poison that was mixed with Daymare quirk had found its way into my system, but the doc said nothing was found and that everything checked out.” Shouta made a noise, acknowledging that he heard and took a minute to process everything. He took a glance at the slim window on the room door.His heart panged a little at the thought of Izuku finding out about his mom. The kid had reacted horribly when she had slipped his mind for a moment, there was no telling how he would react to this news. Shouta really didn't want to be the one to break it and he doubted Hizashi did either. But….He took another glance through the window at the boy and inwardly sighed. As much as he doesn't want to, he should tell the kid sooner rather than later. He walked back into the room.  He sat next to the kid on the bed and gently started shaking Izuku awake. He noticed Hizashi close the door, but stayed outside of the room. He probably figured out what he was about to do and was giving them privacy.A small groan escaped the small boy's lips as he began waking up.“Wha- Oh! Eraserhead-san, did I fall asleep?” The kid yawned through his sentence and let out a little squeak at the end. Shouta might have felt the urge to coo if his reason for waking the boy wasn't weighing on his heart. Instead, he had to resist the urge to sigh. He really didn't want to do this.    Hizashi opted to stay out of the room while Shouta informed the kid of the situation. He felt that his presence may be too overwhelming for the little guy. He decided to walk around the corner to get a drink from the vending machine. He took his time walking, focusing on each step he took in an attempt to distract his mind. Once his feet were planted in front of the machine, he quickly paid and pressed a button, not really paying attention to what he had chosen. He wasn't too picky.  He focused on the sounds of the machine, attempting once again to distract his mind, if only for a moment. Once he had his beverage in hand, his mind wandered back to the events from earlier. Thinking back on his conversation with Shouta, he thought about what he said about riding to the hospital with Midoriya-san.He was too unfocused before, but now that he thinks about it that whole interaction was out of place. Being in his profession for as long as he had, Hizashi knew that it wasn't allowed for him to ride in the ambulance as he did.Then he thought about the inconsistencies with the victims from Daymare’s attack. The only reason there were any fatalities was because of the poison that was mixed with the quirk. But as he had discovered before, the poison had no boundaries. Yet he was the only one to have been affected by it outside of the Daymare victims.Also, if the poison worked the longer one was exposed to it, why did the people who were trapped in the fog the longest, not show similar signs to those who were affected before, if any at all? How was it that Daymare’s quirk was suddenly much stronger than what was shown previously? What would-“Excuse me, Present Mic?”Hizashi snapped out of his thoughts and noticed he was back in front of the kid's room, and had almost walked past it. He turned to the direction the voice had come from, a fake smile plastered on his face. It became slightly more genuine when he noticed who the voice had come from.“Ah, Detective Tsukauchi. You’re here to talk to Midoriya Izuku?” The voice hero guessed.“That's correct. A few underground heroes came by the station to report in. Most of them wrote about Dust Devil and Daymare, but a few mentioned taking a detour and searching for a kidnap victim that Eraserhead informed them about.I've been informed that Midoriya-kun's only known relative was killed during the Daymare attack. Normally I wouldn't question a kid so soon after events like this, but since a social worker is coming soon to take the boy, It's better to have this done now.” The detective had briefly made a sour face, but it was gone so quickly Hizashi could’ve imagined it.“I understand. Eraser went in a short while ago to inform the kid about his mom.” At his words, both men glanced through the window. Hizashi could see that the little guy was clinging to Shouta trembling, dry tears still on his cheeks. He heard the detective let out a hum of understanding then saw him raise a finger and tapped once on the glass.Shouta looked up at them, and surprisingly, so did the kid. Shouta nodded his head in understanding toward the detective and turned to speak to the small boy.Shortly after, Midoriya slowly nodded his head and Shouta motioned for the other two to enter.“Hi, Midoriya-kun, I'm Detective Naomasa. Are you alright with me asking a few questions?” Hizashi watched as the kid glanced at Shouta who was still seated on the bed. Shouta gave the kid an encouraging nod. The boy turned back to the detective and gave a quiet ‘yes’.“Okay, I'll try and make this quick. Do you know who took you?” Tsukauchi pulled out a small writing pad and grabbed a pencil.“O-One of the T-Triplicate sisters.” Hizashi was surprised at this. He could tell Tsukauchi was as well, but the detective schooled his features quickly.“Alright, can you tell me which sister it was?” The man was already writing things down.“Um, the one with….p-purple and…. b-blue hair?” The kid's voice was really soft and quiet, but still could be heard clearly. The kid looked at Shouta silently asking if he was right. Shouta thought for a moment and replied with a hum of agreement.“You are doing wonderfully, Midoriya-kun. Did you come across the other two sisters at any point?”“Yes, After E-Eraserhead-san came.”“Okay, one last question. Did they mention why they wanted you at any point?” The kid paused and for a moment, thinking, but eventually shook his head.“That’s fine, you did a good job. You were very helpful.” At the detective's words, the kid seemed to brighten a little, which made Hizashi smile slightly. “Is it alright if I talk with Eraserhead outside for a bit?” Hizashi heard the detective say. The kid's eyes flickered between the other two males before landing on Hizashi. While looking right at him, he nodded his head. Shouta stood up, telling the kid he’d be right back and they headed out the door.Midoriya’s eyes stared at him for a good minute. Hizashi was starting to feel a little uncomfortable under the gaze. He was just about to ask if he should leave when the kid spoke.“Um, E-Eraserhead-san said you were w-with...my mom.” The last two words were spoken so softly Hizashi barely registered them. The kid was probably going to blame him for his mother's death. He wouldn't be surprised, after all, kids thought heroes could save everyone. He himself felt really guilty about it. After all, he was right there, he should've jus-“Thank you.”Nevermind then. He looked up and saw that the kid was out of bed...bowing to him?“T-Thank you f-for being with her. P-please d-don't feel g-guilty. I'm sure you d-did your b-best.” The kid managed a small sad smile. His words and his face didn’t match that of a five-year-old. In fact, if Hizashi didn't know any better he would think that an adult was in front of him at the moment. The thought didn't sit well with him.    Shouta had figured that the detective had wanted to briefly question him on his involvement with the Triplicate kidnapping. (He was also hoping that it meant he wouldn't have to write a report later.)What surprised him was the mention of the fact that Midoriya-san was Izuku's only family. And then learning that there were other kidnapped and missing person reports that were filed after he recovered the kid. It further proved his thought that something bigger was going on. But what? “Did you catch anything that might link a motive for kidnapping seemingly random kids.”“The only thing the youngest sister said was that they weren't actually kidnapping Izuku. But that's probably just her twisted mind trying to justify what they were doing.”“Maybe, but we can never be too sure” The detective and the hero exchanged a few more words before Tsukauchi was called away.“I'll keep you and Mic informed if any new information arises.” With that, the detective began walking away. Shouta turned and peeked inside the small window. He let a small smile form on his face when he saw Hizashi and the kid hugging.“You still have to come by the station and turn your report in!” His smile dropped.
Dang it!
  He walked back into the room. Izuku was back on the bed with Hizashi standing at his side trying to control the tv. He just plopped down in a chair and let his eyes fall closed. He listened to Hizashi quietly mutter at the TV and Izuku silently giggled at him.He was glad the kid could laugh, but he was also worried at how Izuku seemed to recover so quickly. Sometimes that kid acted older than five and Shouta had only been around him for a few hours. It brought up a lot of questions of how he came to grow up so quickly.Izuku could just be a mature five-year-old, but recovering from a villain attack, being kidnapped, and losing someone in one night is something even an adult would struggle with bouncing back from so quickly.He sighed. He hoped whoever the kid ended up with would be able to figure it out and help him. For now, though, it seemed they were comfortable just letting some mindless TV distract them and help Izuku begin moving forward.   A couple of hours later, the room door was being silently knocked on. The little one had long since fallen back asleep. Shouta had also dozed off for a bit but was wide awake at the first knock. Hizashi opened the door and a lady with a very flowery dress and a handbag to match walked in. She smiled upon seeing him and it widened when her eyes landed on the sleeping kid.“Hi, I'm the social worker that was sent for Midoriya Izuku.” She whispered. Hizashi analyzed her appearance closely. It’s a habit he’s learned from being on the job. She had a dark violet type colored hair tied up in a nice updo style bun. She sported dark red lipstick and Hizashi could see the dimples on her cheeks when she smiled. “Oh yes. Here, let me wake him.” Hizashi walked over to the bed preparing to wake the boy but…“I'm awake” The kid's voice made Hizashi chuckle. It was low, groggy and a little grumpy, but that's to be expected since it was after one in the morning. It was way past any five year old’s bedtime, plus this was his second time being woken up. He slowly sat up, eyes still half shut and glaring at nothing in particular. It made Hizashi chuckle more.“Hey, little guy, my name is Tanaka Kimi. You can call me Kimi-san.” Hizashi noticed how the kid tried to smile, but a yawn overtook his features shortly after.“Aw, I know you're tired, sorry I came so late. The houses I needed to visit took longer than I expected. Plus I went by your house and picked out a few things you may need.” At this, she reached into her bag and pulled out an All Might action figure.“I figured you may want this.” Oh, how the kid's eyes lit up. Hizashi for a split second saw tears in those eyes once more, but they never fell. The boy slowly slid out of bed and trotted over to the lady. He hesitantly reached out for his toy and slowly brought it to his chest when it was handed to him.He rubbed at his eye and yawned once more. Hizashi resisted the urge to coo, but Tanaka-san had no problem letting the noise slip past her lips.“Alright, little one, let’s get you to bed, shall we?” The boy lazily nodded his head and grabbed the social worker’s hand. Tanaka-san sent a small smile to the pro heroes and began walking out.“Bye, Eraserhead-san. Bye, Present Mic-san, Thanks for everything.” Was the last thing the heroes heard before the door shut.  “...Bye kid.” Hizashi looked toward the source of the words and smiled.Shouta was such a softy.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Izuku was trying his hardest not to let his emotions burden anyone. He knew that not everyone liked being around a whining, crying child. He had tried to only cry at home when he was in his room, alone, so that he wouldn’t bother his mom.

His mom…

Eraserhead had told him that he couldn’t see his mom anymore. He didn’t understand why, though. Eraserhead had said she was gone but, where did she go? He didn’t understand. He doesn't understand!

Where did she go?

“I'm so sorry, kid” he heard Eraserhead say. It barely registered, but he heard it and he could feel the tears gather in his eyes. He felt arms wrap around him, so warm, just like…

Where did she go?

“Sh-she... I w-wasn't with her…she was...” He tried his best to hold back the tears. He couldn’t cry, he’d get Eraserhead wet. He felt the arms squeeze tighter. So warm...

Why did she leave?

“She wasn't alone, Present Mic was with her. He kept her company. She wasn't alone.”

But

he

wasn't with her…

he

didn't get to see her.

Izuku reached around and clung to Eraserhead’s shirt, grabbing fists full of fabric, trying his best not to cry.

Why did she leave?

Izuku saw her frightened face as they got blown apart.

She wasn't alone, but….

He heard her frantic yells for him.

I wasn't with her...

Why...why did…

Why did she leave...him?

“It's ok, Izuku, let it out.”

“Momma?” Izuku held his mom’s hand as she walked him home from daycare.

“Yes, dear.” The woman smiled down at her son.

“At daycare we, uh, talked about….family a...family ap…”

“Family appreciation?”

“Yeah! That, and, uh, they mentioned mommys and daddys and I was, uh, thinking... You’re Mommy, right?”

“Yes, dear, I’m your mom,” Inko said with a light chuckle. Izuku giggled with her.

“So, yeah, you're Mommy and they talked about mommys and daddys. They said that when-when we get home we should give them a big hug!” Izuku said as he jumped up on his mom. She caught him and gave him kisses all over his face as he squealed. She set him down when she needed to unlock their door.

“You’re so sweet baby, thank you.” She looked at her son, who had a big cheeky grin on his face. She smiled back down at him. They walked inside and she set her things down and grabbed Izuku's backpack. She turned back to him and noticed his face had a curious and almost guilty look.

“Momma? They said to do that for mommys and… daddys... so where is… my daddy?” Inko felt her heart drop. She knew he’d ask one day, she had thought she was prepared but…

“Izu, dear, come see.” She led them to the couch and sat down having her son stand in front of her. She grabbed both of his hands, took a deep breath and stared into his big curious eyes.

“Sweetheart. Your dad… is far away. Very far away. He... left just before you were born. “

“Far away?” Izuku tilted his head confused. Inko nodded her head.

“How far? Where is he? Can I see him? I wanna give him a big hug like I gave you, Mommy. And I want him to say ‘I love you.’ Can we go see him?” Izuku wore a bright hopeful look on his face. Inko felt tears spring to her eyes and her heart continued to break.

“Oh, Sweetheart… Izu we… your dad is in a place where we won’t be able to see him anymore.” The hopeful face became confused once again.

“Do you remember our neighbor, the nice lady that lived right next door? You were really little then, you may not remember but you called her-”

“Taeko-obaasan! We made cookies when I went over to see her.”

“That's right. Do you remember what I said when she left and you asked where she went?”

“Um...you said she went…to...a party?” Inko let out a surprised laugh.

“Well, not quite. I said that sometimes when people get older and they reach a certain age, they are taken to another place far away.”

“And you said that that place was fun and happy, like a birthday party!” Izuku cut in when he remembered. Inko once again smiled at her child's pureness.

“So Daddy went to the happy place, like Taeko-obaasan?” He suddenly said frowning

“Yes, dear.”

“Was Daddy old?”

“Well, sometimes something bad happens and people are taken to the happy place early.”

“Something...bad?” Inko nodded her head. The frown was more prominent and she could see the signs of Izuku starting to cry.

“Oh…t-that’s not f-fair” Izuku sniffed and tried to smile again.

“B-But it's ok, b-because Daddy is h-happy...r-right?”

“Yes, sweetheart, he’s happy.” She pulled her son to her and held him close. She heard Izuku sniff and hiccup trying to hold back his tears.

“It's ok, Izuku,” Inko felt her own eyes moisten. “Let it out.” They spent the night holding each other and crying together.

Hearing those words, remembering those words, he couldn't hold it in anymore. The tears he was trying desperately to hold back, the tears he knew no one but him was meant to see, spilled over against his will. He buried his face and gripped the fabric even tighter, never once making a sound while Eraserhead whispered soft words.

Kimi-san placed him in the backseat of the car and buckled him in. Normally he would have protested and said he was old enough to do it himself, but he didn't feel like doing anything.

Now that he was fully awake he was more aware of everything. He didn’t want to go with her. Kimi-san was very nice, but she was a reminder that his mom was really gone.

He didn’t like that reminder.

“Izu-chan, do you want a snack? I think I have a couple in my bag.” She said as she searched in her purse. She pulled out a few bars and cakes, all of which Izuku would normally jump at the chance to eat, but right now...the thought of eating anything made him feel sick.

He politely smiled and shook his head no. Just because he was feeling bad didn’t mean he had to show it. Kimi-san shouldn't have to deal with his problems any more than what she had already.

“Are you sure?”

“….”

“Izu-chan?”

“....”

“...Okay, let's go home.”

But...it's not my home.

To fill the silence in the car, Kimi-san was talking about the different kids she'd had over the years. She mentioned some young, some older. She talked about the ones that she still kept in touch with and even the kids who had found their birth parents again.

Izuku heard it all but responded to none of it. He didn’t feel like it. Even when part of him was itching to discuss the quirks that Kimi-san was mentioning, he didn’t want to put effort into speaking.

He was too tired.

He still smiled politely and nodded his head when he knew Kimi-san was looking at him through the mirror. When she looked away to focus on the road, he felt his face frown.

He didn’t want to smile.

“You’ll see when we get to the house, but I have two middle school boys, Saito Aoi, and Saito Arata. I’ve had them for a couple months now. They may seem like a handful, but they are sweet boys. It's actually funny how they sometimes become protective over Mayu.” She mumbles the last bit more to herself than Izuku, but it was still loud enough for him to hear.

“Mayu is my own daughter. She’ll be graduating from high school soon. She is actually moving to America to study abroad for college. She wants to develop new ways to identify quirks in young kids. She feels the test they do nowadays is too outdated. She is so passionate about it, I'm so proud of her.” She looked in the mirror to sneak a glance at Izuku, but he missed it. He didn’t see her frown at him.

“I also have another little boy with me at the moment. I believe you guys are the same age, though he may be a bit older. He’s been the only young child in the house, so he should be happy to have someone his age to play with, dontcha think?” Izuku continued looking at the window not really wanting to respond but nodded his head so he wouldn’t be rude.

After a few moments of silence, soft music filled the car. Izuku lazily moved his eyes to confirm that Kimi-san had turned on the radio, then went back to staring out the window. A song he didn’t recognize was playing, but he was content listening to it.

He was glad that Kimi-san had stopped talking to him; it kept him from thinking so much. Though he had been starting to feel bad for not responding verbally to her, so the music was a nice change in distraction. He wondered if Kimi-san did that purposely.

Just as Izuku was about to doze off again they pulled into a driveway and Kimi-san announced that they had arrived home.

…To her house. Because it's not his home.

Getting out of the car, Izuku stretched and promptly stood wide-eyed as he saw how big the house was. It looked like he could fit two and a half of his house in it. He heard Kimi-san chuckle and saw her looking at him with an amused smile on her face. He felt himself flush as he looked back to the house in front of him. It looked like a house but castle-sized.

“Well, I wouldn’t say it's quite that big, but I can see how you’d reach that conclusion. Since I have all kinds of kiddos come through, my husband and I decided it would be best to own a nice big house to make sure there was always plenty of space.” Izuku flushed even harder when he realized he had said his thoughts out loud. Thankfully the front door opened revealing a teenage girl.

“Hey, Mom! Welcome back.” The girl he was assuming to be Mayu spoke. He noticed that she was chewing bubble gum. She had short navy blue hair that almost looked black. He looked from the girl to Kimi-san noting the similarities, though Kimi-san’s hair was a violet color.

“Mayu, what are you doing awake? It's 3 am!” He watched as Mayu rolled her eyes at her mom. He looked at Kimi-san to see her reaction and found that she didn't seem bothered in the slightest.

“Mom. It's not even two-thirty yet.” Kimi-san pulled out her phone to check.

“Oh, you’re right. But still, it's close enough you should be asleep!”

“Mom…how old am I?”

“It doesn't matter. You're still in school, you should be getting a decent amount of rest.” Izuku looked back and forth between the two as they were...arguing? No. It sounded playful.

“You took longer than usual! I wanted to-” Mayu stopped mid-sentence, eyes focused directly on him.

“Are you going to keep the kid outside all night? It's kinda cold...” Now that she mentioned it Izuku noticed that he and Kimi-san were still by the car...and he was shivering slightly.

“Oh dear, I hadn't even noticed we were still outside. I’m so sorry, Izu-chan. Mayu will take you to the room you’ll be staying- Oh! Don't forget your bag, it has your clothes.” Kimi-san seemed to get distracted easily. Izuku looked at his feet and walked inside with Mayu.

“So, Izu-chan, huh? Mayu stared at him for a long while. Izuku wasn't sure if he was supposed to say something. She continued to look him over, causing Izuku to squirm under her gaze. Izuku just stared back at her, trying to figure out what she wanted. Finally, Mayu’s face broke out in a huge grin.

“Aw, you are just so cute!” She walked closer and started petting his head. Izuku, while surprised at first, found he didn't mind it that much. He even subconsciously leaned into it.

“Alright, kiddo, let's get you to your room. The house is kinda big, but not so much that you’ll get lost...I think. Well, you shouldn't have to worry about anything right now. There’s a bathroom in all of the bedrooms, so if you don't want to, you won't have to leave yours till morning.” Izuku nodded his head to show he understood and continued to follow Mayu through the house. He was too tired to really look around, so he just stared straight ahead listening to Mayu hum a tune until she spoke again.

“Alright, this one is yours,” Mayu said as she opened a door. He glanced around taking in the room he’d temporarily be staying in. It was really spacious. It had a full sized bed, two dressers, a wardrobe, and a TV. To the left was a bathroom and to the right a closet. All of that and there was still plenty of room for walking. He heard Mayu yawn and turned to face her again.

“Have any questions?” Izuku shook his head no. She looked tired, so he wouldn't bother her or Kimi-san anymore tonight.

“Ok, well, if you need anything, my room is the only one on the third floor. Feel free to come knock on my door whenever. Don't worry about time. Though I'm a bit of a heavy sleeper so I may not wake.” She said with a chuckle.

“Well if you're sure you’re good for the night, I'll head to bed so Mom doesn't fuss over me anymore.” She laughed again. Izuku wanted to laugh with her, but he really didn't feel like it. He looked down guiltily.

Stupid, Izuku! Stop being so mopey. Mayu doesn't want to deal with that. She laughed, don't bring her mood down because you feel sad. That's selfish! Suck it up and laugh with her and TALK ALREADY! Why do you always have to burden pe-

He suddenly felt himself floating off the ground. He looked up and found he was eye level with Mayu. She was holding him. She looked at him with the softest smile and gently laid him on the bed. She placed the covers on him, while also placing a soft kiss to his forehead.

“I'm not sure where you came from or what happened to you and it's clear you've had a rough night, but there's no need to try and be so strong. While you're here you can rely on us, okay? You're not a burden in the slightest so don’t think that for a second. Right now our home is your home, though it may not feel like it. We’ll still treat you as family, so tell us when you need something, alright?” Izuku could only stare at her wide-eyed, and after processing, he looked away and nodded his head.

Mayu seemed to think that was a good enough response. She began walking back to the door, before turning back and walking to one of the dressers. She opened the bottom drawer and pulled out two clear somewhat flower shaped objects.

She plugged one in a nearby outlet and the other in an outlet closer to the door. She then flipped the light switch off and the objects lit up. They were night lights.

“Goodnight, Izu-chan. Sleep well and remember, I'm right upstairs if you need me.” With that, she closed the door and Izuku was left alone. He took a minute to soak up the kindness he had received and then...

“...Mommy”

No longer feeling the pressure to hold back, he fully let the tears flow again. He clung to his action figure and buried his face in the pillow, muffling his sobs and screams as best as he could. He finally allowed himself to release everything he had felt since the attack started.

He cried until his mind and body shut down and then he slept once more.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Black shadows surrounded his figure. He frantically looked around for a way out, but it was impossible. The shadows covered the small room he was in, and he was trapped. He couldn’t breath. They were closing in. Getting closer. 
“Monster!”
And closer.
“Freak!”
He fell to his knees and covered his ears, desperately trying to block out the words being said. It did nothing. The shadows loomed over him, leaving barely any space in between them. They continued sneering at the small figure on the ground. They flickered and vanished, deepening his already growing fear. 
“Villain.”
He wanted it to stop.
“You'll never amount to anything.”
Make it stop!
“You are a disgrace.”
STOP!!
“It's too bad the one person who could ever possibly love you is dead. And it's all because you-”

SHUT UP!!!
  Shooting up from the bed gasping and sweating, Shinsou Hitoshi blinked the tears in his eyes away. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, he slowly gained his bearings. He sighed and let his head fall back against the headboard. “Another nightmare.” The five-year-old muttered out loud. He sighed again as he looked at the time, 1:47 am. He hopped off the bed, grabbed a bag of chips he had in a drawer and went to his favorite spot. It was a ledge by the window, large enough to allow him to sit with his legs stretched out. He enjoyed looking at the stars while he sat there. It was oddly calming. When he sat there, he was able to think with a blank mind. No intruding thoughts, no unwanted memories, just calming silence. He lost track of time sitting there staring out the window. Blinking himself out of his relaxed state, he brushed the crumbs from the chips off of him and stretched his arms above his head. He tilted his head in confusion because normally Kimi-san would have come into hi- the room to mak- help him get back to sleep by now. Just as he thought that, he heard a car door shut. He quickly opened the window and looked down. He saw Mayu standing at the door talking to Kimi-san and...and a boy about his age. He felt his heart drop. 
That's right. It’s….
He looked at his feet and a few tears started to spill over. He didn’t bother holding them back; he was by himself after all. He looked out the window again and saw Mayu and the kid walking toward the front door. He clenched his fists, wiped his eyes, and started making his way downstairs. He wanted to get a good look at the kid that was going to replace him.   Once he made it to the stairs, he very quietly crept down. Just as he made it to the bottom step he heard the front door close. He continued creeping through the house to a wall where he could peak around the corner and see them. Doing a whole once over of the kid, he noticed he had really curly green hair, green eyes, and freckles littering his face. Hitoshi saw the way the other was nervously holding the end of his shirt and slightly biting his lip. He could tell that the kid looked very sad and scared. Briefly he wondered how the kid had ended up here. Seeing Mayu pet the kid’s head broke Hitoshi out of his thoughts and made him feel slightly jealous. He touched his own head as he remembered the first time Mayu did that with him. Hitoshi ignored the guilt he felt after.“Alright, kiddo, let's get you to your room.” He heard Mayu say as she began to walk. Hitoshi watched them get closer to him before it clicked that he wasn’t supposed to be up. As quietly as he could, he ran to the stairs and back to his room. It took him a minute but he made it there, hopefully without anyone noticing.He closed his door, but left a crack so he could hear when Mayu made it up. He heard her humming the song that she always did. He normally enjoyed hearing it because it calmed him. When he heard her footsteps got closer he closed his door a little more so she wouldn’t notice him being nosy.“Alright, this one is yours.” Of course the kid was getting the room right across from his. Hitoshi peaked out of the crack in the door and could see the kid looking around the room. He saw Mayu try to suppress a yawn but she ended up failing and quietly yawning anyway. It caused Hitoshi to yawn as well though not so quietly. At the sound he saw the kid turn to face Mayu. Hitoshi hoped he didn't just get caught. He closed the door and jumped back into bed, willing himself back to sleep. After a few moments passed he could see the light from the other kid’s room turn off and he heard the door close. He quickly closed his eyes, anticipating his door being opened. He waited a few seconds, but his door didn't open and he heard footsteps walking down the stairs. He relaxed himself and decided to go back to the window. The second he stood up, however, his door opened. He startled and tangled himself in the blankets.“I knew you were awake, silly Toshi.” Mayu giggled as she helped Hitoshi out of his trap. Once free, he folded his arms and pouted. “Don't give me that look. It's what you get for trying to snoop.” Mayu folded her arms and pouted back. They stayed like that for a while before Mayu began to laugh. Hitoshi couldn't hold back a smile. He relented and dropped his arms. Mayu then quickly picked him up before he could protest and threw him on the bed. “Hey!”“Haha, come on, Toshi, try and get some more sleep, ok?” She grabbed the sheets and blankets and tucked him in. At the mention of sleep Hitoshi found himself turning away guilty.“I'm proud of you for sleeping as long as you did already. If you're unable to fall asleep again it's ok, but you gotta try for me, yeah?” He nodded his head and relaxed against the pillow. As he closed his eyes he felt her hands start to run through his hair. Mayu started to hum. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Mayu stood up, kissed his forehead, and left the room. He ended up falling asleep to the faint sounds of crying.   Hitoshi was currently sitting on the stairs watching the usual chaos of the morning unfold. “Aoi, where did you put my books?!” Arata yelled harshly as he frantically ran around the house. His black and orange hair lost some of it’s normal spike and glowed faintly, further proving the teen’s annoyance. “Why are you blaming me? Your stupid self probably misplaced them.” Aoi walked over slowly, pushing up his glasses and pushing his black shoulder length hair behind his ears. He had a much calmer personality compared to his twin, so his voice was much less harsh than Arata’s. “Don’t call me stupid, barf breath!”“Barf breath? That the only insult your stupid brain could come up with?” Arata stalked over to his brother and roughly grabbed the top of his shirt. Aoi being unfazed continued bickering with the other. Hitoshi yawned and rubbed his face waiting out for the moment that Kimi-san would walk in and break the two up. “Arata, let go of his shirt! Aoi, stop insulting your brother!” The older boys immediately stopped and faced Kimi-san and simultaneously tried to explain why the other was at fault. “I don't care who started what. Go finish getting ready while I fix your lunch, you're going to be late for school. Arata, you left your books in the family room last night, they’re on the floor in the corner. Now go!” The boys scrambled off. “Toshi dear, why are you up so early? You don't need to be up for a few more hours.” Kimi-san said as she passed him on her way to the kitchen. “Sorry” was the quiet reply he gave. He stood up and made his way toward the couch so he could watch TV. Hitoshi wasn't really a TV person but he was bored so he turned on a random kid’s show. He mindlessly watched for a few minutes, his mind occasionally blacking out and it took him a second before he shook himself out of it and continued to “watch” the show. “Hey, squirt, who said you could watch TV!?” Hitoshi jumped at the loud voice that came from behind him. He turned and looked at Arata who was now laughing at him.“Man, you're such a scaredy cat, jumping at every single little thing.” he said in between giggles. “What? Not gonna say anything, mindfreak?” Hitoshi just looked away as Arata kept laughing.   Aoi was standing next to his brother rolling his eyes, though didn't say anything. Hitoshi noticed that Aoi had slowly started to distance himself from Arata. He understood why when he saw Mayu creep up behind Arata with ice in her hands. The shriek that left the older boy's mouth was satisfying. Aoi and Mayu were laughing very hard at Arata desperately trying to get the ice out of his shirt and shorts. Hitoshi also smiled a bit before turning back around and watching the TV. “Alright, kids, enough clowning around. Boys, here's your lunch for later. Mayu, you left your paper on the printer. You need to turn this in today. Alright, you three be safe on your way to school and come straight home after, got it?”“Yep!” “Got it!” “Later, mom!” “Alright, Toshi, what’s for breakfast?” Hitoshi looked at Kimi-san and shrugged. He hopped off the couch and grabbed the meal book and looked through it. When he found what he wanted, he pointed to it. Kimi-san smiled at him and proceeded to the kitchen to make it. Hitoshi, being wrapped up in the show on TV, didn't notice the other figure creeping down the stairs. He did, however, notice the smell of food coming from the kitchen. Once it hit his nose he stood up and headed for the bar by the kitchen.“Oh, Izu-kun, you're awake! How'd you sleep?” Hitoshi stopped in his tracks at the reminder that another kid was in the house. Instead of stopping at the bar area he headed into the kitchen to get an up close look. “Toshi, I was just about to call you. Come introduce yourself.” Hitoshi did a very obvious once over of the new kid and smirked. “You don’t look like much.” That wasn't what he had wanted to say and now Hitoshi feels the guilt from before creeping back. The other kid looked at him, eyes wide then balled the bottom of his shirt in his fists and looked down. “Shinsou Hitoshi! No sir, apologize right now!” Both boys flinched at Kimi-san’s raised voice. Hitoshi felt tears spring to his eyes and looked at the ground. He took a deep breath and gave a really unapologetic sounding sorry. Truthfully he was extremely sorry, but for some reason he was unable to express what he wanted to.“Alright, Hitoshi, no more TV for the rest of the day, okay?” he nodded his head. “Now, breakfast is ready. You boys go sit at the bar and I’ll pass you your plates.” Hitoshi, without looking up, made his way to one of the stools. The boy following close by. Kimi-san set the plates of food in front of them, but neither of the boys moved to touch them. Hitoshi, having lost his appetite during the earlier interaction, just picked up his fork and moved the food around the plate.“What's the matter, boys? Eat. Izu-chan, I understand if you don't have an appetite, but you need to eat at some point today, alright? And, Toshi, it's fine if you don't want to eat anymore, but I need you to take a few bites at least.” Hitoshi watched as the other kid, Izu-chan as Kimi-san called him, gave a small smile and headed back upstairs. Hitoshi then looked back at his food and took a bite as instructed. His hunger seemingly returning caused him to eat almost all of the food. He then took his plate to the kitchen, put it in the sink, thanked Kimi-san for the food, and began heading upstairs.“Toshi?” He turned and looked at her. “Grab a few books and read for a bit, please. And bring some to Izuku if you don't mind.” He did as instructed and continued his trek upstairs. Once he reached Izuku’s room he suddenly didn't want to see the boy again. So he just knocked on the door, left the books on the ground, ran to his room, and slammed the door. From down stairs Kimi-san sighed with an exasperated look and began working on household chores.   Later that day, Kimi decided that the boys had spent enough time in their rooms. Especially Izuku, it would be easy for him to close himself off after the events of yesterday and she didn’t want that. She wanted to help him heal as properly as she could while he was in her house. While she knew forcing him to do things could have similar if not worse results, she felt some interaction with others would benefit him. She had been hoping Hitoshi would be able to make friends with Izuku to help not only Izuku but himself as well. However, the attitude he displayed while around Izuku told Kimi that the task wouldn’t be as easy as she would have liked. She could only hope that the two would make friends before one of them had to leave. For now however, she was going to get them so they could have lunch. Once she was by their doors she could hear the faint sounds of Izuku crying. She really felt for the kid. She knew that he was holding back his emotions when in front of other people. She felt angered and saddened that the kid thought he couldn’t rely on others to comfort him. She wanted nothing more than to barge in that room, scoop the kid up, and wrap him in her arms, but she restrained herself and went to Hitoshi’s room first. She knocked on the door twice then slowly opened it. Hitoshi was sitting on his window ledge reading his book. He looked up at her when she walked into his room. She sat on his bed and motioned for him to sit next to her. He complied and hopped down and onto the bed. “Hey, little one, enjoying the story?” Hitoshi shrugged as a response, made a thinking face then said a quiet, almost inaudible “Yes.” Kimi was proud that Hitoshi had made progress with his conversations. She remembered back when she first got Hitoshi, how scared he was to even make a single movement without permission. It had taken a lot of time and patience to get to where they were now. He still only says the bare minimum of words when he finds the opportunity to. “So you wanna explain that attitude you displayed with Izuku earlier?” Hitoshi only looked away as a response. Kimi continued to look at him, waiting patiently to see if he would give in and answer. He didn’t. She sighed and pulled him close. “Listen, Toshi, I’m not mad at you. I need you to understand that. I'm just confused, you never displayed that kind of behavior before and I would like to understand why Izuku seemed to have triggered it. Did he do or say something to you while I wasn't around?” Kimi could see the guilt on Hitoshi’s face as he slowly shook his head no.“Were you taking your anger at the boys out on Izuku?” Once again Hitoshi shook his head no, which confirmed that he knew exactly why he was treating Izuku coldly.“So why, Hitoshi, please help me understand? I'd like to help you.” She once again gave him a minute to see if he’d respond. After a while she decided she was going to leave him alone and go talk to Izuku, but he said something too quiet for her to hear. “Sorry, could you say that a little louder?” Once again, ever so quietly, but to where she could hear, Hitoshi spoke and her heart broke.“Three months.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

After her talk with Hitoshi, she hadn’t known what to say.“Three months.” The words still echoed in her head, repeating over and over. She had known what it meant, of course she had. She hadn't realized that Hitoshi had noticed himself. She had wanted to comfort him, to quell his worries. She couldn't though. She had known how she would sound.When it had come time to respond to Hitoshi, she hadn’t been able to. She had just kissed his forehead and walked over to Izuku’s room. She had taken a moment to compose herself and knocked on the door. He had only cracked the door open and peeked through. She had tried to coax him out or even to convince him to let her in, but he had just smiled that fake smile she was coming to hate and said that he was fine.She had dealt with so many kids in the past, but never had she felt so lost about what to do. She had never dealt with cases like these before. She was completely out of her element. But she was going to try her darndest to do right by these kids. She wasn’t giving up on them. She refused to.“Honey?” Kimi jumped out of her skin. She whipped around ready to strike, pointing a wooden spoon she was washing at the offender.“Woah! It’s me!! I mean, I know it's been a while, but have you already forgotten your dear husband?” She immediately relaxed and pulled her beloved close.“Sorry, I was distracted, didn't hear you come in.” Kimi mumbled from where her face was pressed against the man’s chest.“I can see that. Something on your mind?”“No, not really.” She got a raised eyebrow in response.“Ok, fine, yes. We’ll talk later though, alright? How was work?” She released her husband and continued washing the dishes that had been abandoned when she became distracted with her thoughts.“Long, I’ll spare you the details.” He slid next to her and helped rinse. She went to protest but was shut down and ignored. She huffed and gave a smile.“I'm sure you must be tired. It's not often that you have to stay at the hospital for that long.” She studied her husband looking for signs of exhaustion and fatigue.“Hmmm, I suppose.” She sent him a questioning glance. He turned and stared at her for a bit before obviously deflecting. She gave him the look and he sighed. He mumbled a few things about not being able to be subtle before speaking.“Sorry, love, they said I can't speak about what happened. I was trying to avoid saying anything in the first place so I wouldn’t worry you….” He glanced away, cheeks slightly red. She fondly rolled her eyes and pecked his cheek reassuring him that she wasn't upset or concerned. It wasn’t the first time that he wasn't allowed to talk about his job. In those cases, it was always treating a hero or victims from a bad villain attack from what she concluded. As her husband had said, he wasn't very subtle, so it wasn't hard for her to put the pieces together. Though to spare his pride she would never express that she was aware.“What about you, I see a new face, did Hitoshi make a friend?” Kimi frowned.“He was an unexpected take in.” Her husband dropped his smile.“Is that part of the ‘we'll talk later’ story?” She nodded in response. He kissed her forehead and finished rinsing the last dishes. Kimi felt a presence look at her and turned toward the kitchen entrance. She saw Izuku half peeking around the corner. He looked so small.“Hi, sweetie, do you need something?” Izuku startled and cowered in on himself while looking at her husband. He seemed to notice this and crouched down and introduced himself.“Hey there, little one. My name is Tanaka Daichi. I’m Kimi’s husband, it's nice to meet you.” He put out his arm, patiently waiting to see if Izuku would take it. Slowly but surely, the kid inched forward and loosely grabbed Daichi’s hand.“What a precious little thing you are. What's your name, kiddo?” Izuku took a few steps closer to Kimi. He looked at the floor with his gaze flicking up to Daichi every few seconds. Just as her husband was about to continue talking to avoid making the boy feel awkward, Izuku spoke ever so softly giving his first name.Kimi was surprised. She hadn’t expected Izuku to talk so soon after meeting him. It took her awhile to get him to open up enough to say something and even then, she had to use her quirk because he would begin to look panicked.“Izuku, was it? That's a very neat name, kiddo.” Izuku smiled a bit and Kimi could have cried. It was small, but it was the most genuine smile she’d seen since she picked him up. She was so glad to have her husband. She may be the one with the soothing quirk, but Daichi definitely had a way of making people relax and open up.“Alrighty, Izuku, to repeat Kimi’s earlier question, do you need anything?” Izuku just stared and began fidgeting with his fingers.“Do you need the bathroom?” Kimi decided to ask when she saw that no response was coming from Izuku this time. He shook his head.“Do you want water?” Izuku didn't respond at all that time, but a guilty look appeared on his face. She smiled to reassure Izuku and gave him a cup of water. He mumbled a quiet ‘thank you.’“It's no problem, sweetie. She ruffled his hair and he leaned into the touch. She was glad he was starting to open up to them so soon. She had been afraid she would have a repeat of what had happened with Hitoshi. Not that she was bothered by putting in the extra effort, it’s just that Izuku’s situation was different and she wasn’t sure it would have worked out the same.She noticed Izuku paused his walk back to the family room and glanced back at them. Before she could ask, Daichi had moved to grab another cup of water. She was confused, but let her husband work it out. Izuku took the cup gratefully and returned to the family room. She sent a questioning glance at her husband.“I think he wanted to get one for Hitoshi as well.” He grinned softly. “That's a really sweet boy.” Kimi couldn't help but agree.  Two weeks had gone by and Izuku had started to look more like a five year old again. He smiled more genuinely and didn't hide his emotions from Kimi as much. She seemed to have gained his trust. Mayu was a close second. If Kimi wasn't available, Mayu was always the one he would go to, if he needed something. Izuku would speak and hang out with Daichi when he was around, but his job kept him away a lot so Izuku was still hesitant. He was still wary of the twins, however, the boys were kind in their own way and gave the boys space when it was obvious they were uncomfortable.As much as they’d deny it they liked having Hitoshi and Izuku in the house. They might seem harsh with them, but they were still learning how to handle people outside of themselves. Kimi was very proud.At the moment, Aoi was helping Izuku and Hitoshi with a few homework sheets Kimi had given them. Hitoshi was currently being homeschooled by her because the schools around where they lived wouldn't take him. Not that she’d trust them with him anyway.She was afraid to re-enroll Izuku in a new school so soon after everything, so she decided it would be best to do the same for him. Of course, it wasn’t much work. She didn't want to overwhelm him, however his mind was great and she soon realized he loved to learn. The excitement in his eyes when it was “school time” was proof enough of that. His passion was also a great motivator for Hitoshi as well.Unfortunately, the younger boys still had yet to get along. It seemed that the foot they got off on was enough to prevent them from trying to be friends. They hardly interacted with one another. They would say basic things to each other, as it would be impossible not to, living in the same house and all. They could sit in each other's company just fine, as long as they had a task, but if they didn’t, it was very awkward.Kimi had hoped by this point they’d be friends. She knew Hitoshi had never had a friend his age before. It would be great for his progress, however, they each seemed hesitant to approach the other. It wasn’t as though they didn’t want to be friends, but they each believed the other didn't want to. It was both amusing and frustrating for everyone in the house. Everyone was trying to get the young ones to hang out, but it never worked out. If only they could find something of mutual interest.A loud bang was heard and the house shook for a bit. Kimi jumped up from her spot on the couch and dashed upstairs to Mayu’s room. She didn’t see any smoke so she assumed there was little to no fire. She continued through the door to the third floor. She called out to her daughter to make sure she was unhurt and her room was safe to approach. Arata came out of his room and followed her up to Mayu’s claimed floor.“Yeah, Mom, I'm good! Just a small mishap!” Kimi opened the door to the experimenting room and braced herself. She glanced around trying to assess the damage. Surprisingly there didn’t seem to be much.“See, all good! All bark and no bite kinda situation.” She looked at her daughter who was covered in… something, smiling brightly.“Jeez, you look gross, and I was actually trying to study for once, too.” Arata grumbled and began trudging back down to his room. They both knew he had been worried as well. She shook her head and began to request her daughter to try to be more careful, but she was interrupted by a panicked call for her.“KIMI-SAN!” The panic that had just died down spiked back up full force. She could tell it was Aoi calling for her. She quickly ran back down the stairs, Aoi met her while running up.“I'm not sure what happened. After the noise, Izuku clammed up and when I tried talking to him he bolted and ran. I don’t know where he went.” Aoi was normally calm but there was desperation written all over his features. Kimi activated her quirk and spoke reassuringly to him. He relaxed and she began instruction on how to find Izuku and what to do when he was found. She reminded him to look in places that Hitoshi used to hide.Mayu came up behind her offering her own help searching, hoping her quirk could help. Mayu did have a great quirk in these situations, it would help a lot more if her range was larger, but they’d take what they had right now.After about 45 minutes of searching, Kimi began to hate how big a house they had. Arata, who had just been made aware of the situation, came up to her and asked where Hitoshi was. And, oh, wasn't that a slap to the face. She hadn’t even thought about Hitoshi. Granted he hadn’t reacted to one of Mayu’s accidents in a while, but it didn't mean he wasn't affected anymore. Just as she was being overwhelmed with worry, Mayu called out to everyone. Running footsteps could be heard all over the house as everyone was rushing to Mayu.She was standing by the stairs, crouched by the side holding a finger up, signaling everyone to be quiet. Kimi slowly crouched next to her daughter and saw that there was a door hidden behind the back of the stairs. She peered in and saw something that made her heart melt.There was enough space for an adult to lay out comfortably. Blankets, pillows and stuffed animals covered the floor. Bundled up nice and cozy was Hitoshi sleeping against the wall, with Izuku curled into his side. Hitoshi’s arm was wrapped protectively around the other boy.“Was there a party that I missed?” A male voice whispered behind the group. Kimi turned and saw her husband standing there having just arrived from work. She was immediately reminded that dinner had not been started. She gasped and quickly stood headed for the kitchen. A couple of hands stopped her.“Pizza?” She peered down at the still crouched teens now calm, but completely exhausted from the stress. She was as well, she could pass out right then and there. She sighed, giving in, and picked up the phone. Her husband, however, was already calling and ordering for everyone. Mayu stood and walked over to her father and asked for wings. The boys jumped up and asked for soda.Kimi allowed herself to relax. She peeked in on the younger boys one more time before standing and walking to the family room couch. She could only wonder what had caused the boys to have ended up in their positions. She was glad, though, maybe now the younger ones could make a friendship.   Hitoshi was startled by the noise, but living in the house as long as he did had kinda forced him to get used to it. However, the straight terror in the eyes of the other five year old was to an extent Hitoshi had never felt before.Izuku looked as though he’d seen a ghost. Aoi-kun had already jumped up to get help. Hitoshi thought about leaving it to either Kimi-san or Mayu, but he didn't like the pitiful way Izuku was curled in the corner. He was breathing heavily, completely pale, and shaking.‘Panic attack’ his mind supplied. Hitoshi weighed his options and decided to approach the other."H-hi, Izuku-kun, um, do you, er, are you…" Hitoshi paused taking time to actually think through his options. He thought back to when he had had panic attacks and tried to remember what had helped.Distractions. Hitoshi then began to ramble. He talked about the hero news, (nothing violent related) he talked about memories in the Tanaka household before Izuku arrived, he talked about random things until Izuku’s breathing evened out.His recent ramble topic was cut short by Izuku touching his arm. He wasn't looking at him but he signed. He knows JSL?  Hitoshi carefully followed what the other kid was saying and concluded that he wanted to go somewhere else. Being in the cold corner was making him uncomfortable.Hitoshi knew just the place to bring him. He signed back that he understood and carefully led Izuku to his hideout. He liked staying cooped up in hi- the room, but someone always eventually barged in. During the times he needed to calm down but ensure he wouldn’t be found or interrupted, he would sneak here.Hitoshi was wary of sharing his spot with the other, but the need to help overwhelmed that. Once they arrived with no witnesses, Hitoshi helped Izuku get comfortable and began crawling out to let the others know he was safe.A hand stopped him though. Izuku’s eyes were begging to not be left alone. Hitoshi tried to say he’d be right back, but Izuku began panicking again. Hitoshi sighed and crawled back and sat next to the other. They had a bit of a distance between them, but Izuku seemed to calm down knowing that Hitoshi was still close.Moments of silence passed between them. It didn't feel the same as it normally did when they were alone. It wasn't comfortable, however, the need to say something was felt. Hitoshi wasn't sure what to say though. He had already talked about most things he could think of. Soon a hand was in his vision and he gave his attention to what the other was signing. I think he’s asking how I like it here.  Hitoshi mulled over what he understood and decided how he should answer.“It's nice here. Kimi-san, Mayu, and Daichi-san are cool.” Hitoshi could only hope that's what Izuku was asking. He barely knew JSL. Izuku seemed pleased with the answer and moved on to a different question. Hitoshi had to ask Izuku to rephrase it a few times, but eventually he understood.“I've been here three months now.” He tried to keep the bitterness out of his voice, as he didn’t want Izuku to take it as him being annoyed with the questions. He was actually glad they were talking. However, Izuku did notice and apologized for prying. Hitoshi sighed, frustrated at himself for not hiding it better, and reassured Izuku that he wasn't bothered. The freckled boy didn't seem convinced so Hitoshi decided to trust Izuku and tell him why he had been acting the way he had.“It’s not you, I promise. It’s just… I’ve been to a lot of different houses. No one’s ever kept me longer than three months and…” Hitoshi felt himself getting emotional and stopped talking. Izuku seemed to understand though and moved closer. He didn't touch him though. Hitoshi could see everything Izuku wanted to say in his eyes. It was nice. He knew Izuku was a kind kid, but he knew kind people before and once they knew about his quirk…Izuku took to signing again and Hitoshi focused on figuring out what was being said. Izuku apologized which Hitoshi did not understand and then told him, thank you. Hitoshi was very confused, but Izuku just had a slight smile on his face. His eyes were full of understanding. It made Hitoshi happy. Though he quickly frowned when he read what Izuku had mouthed. It didn't seem like Iuzku was aware he did it, but Hitoshi saw.‘I know what it's like to be alone.’ Instead of bringing awareness to what was silently spoken, Hitoshi scooted closer to the other and hugged him. Izuku was surprised, but instantly melted and returned the hug. Hitoshi for the first time in a while gave a wide genuine smile. Soon after the boys drifted off to sleep.  “Pizza’s here!” Arata yelled out, though Daichi was already on his way to get the door.“We all heard the doorbell, there is no need to announce it.” Aoi had called back to his brother annoyed.“Boys, be nice.” Mayu had rolled her eyes as she helped her father carry the boxes into the room.“Sorry, your highness.” Arata had sarcastically responded, which earned him a flick to the forehead.“OW!”“HA! That's what you get- OW! Why did you flick me, too?! I didn't say anything!” Mayu only stuck her tongue out at him. Kimi tried to keep her chuckles in, but a few escaped.“Alright, alright, someone get trays, plates, napkins, cups, and someone go wake the young ones.” Everyone paused for a moment, looking at each other and then everyone was screaming and running.“I'll get the trays and napkins!”“I'll get the plates and cups!”“What! No, I already said I’d get those!”“Too bad, go wake up the little monsters.”“Don’t call my babies monsters!”“Have you tried waking them up?”“Yeah, they're like completely different people!“I guess, but still, my babies aren't monsters.”“Whatever, Mayu, then you go and wake them and I'll get the trays and napkins.”“Um, no thanks.”“What happened to them being your babie-Hey, don’t push!”“What? Sorry, can’t hear you over my arms lifting the trays!”“Oh you dirty-”“A decent word better end that sentence”“...Rat?”“Oh, that's it!” Kimi suddenly decided she could no longer hear them as screaming rang out. She just sighed and shook her head, looking at her husband.“Who’d have thought that waking two five year olds would cause so much chaos.” Daichi chuckled.“I know, right, they're just little kids, nothing to fear at all.” Kimi responded with her own laugh. “But I guess it seems the teens won’t go and wake them.”“Yep, guess one of us will have to.” Kimi looked at her husband expectantly.“I guess so.” He returned the look. The two just stared at each other, the older kids still yelling in the background. Daichi spoke up again.“I mean, ‘they're just little kids, nothing to fear at all,’ right?” Her husband gave her a sly look. She narrowed her eyes and soon the teens in the house weren't the only ones arguing about the subject. The volume increased as the teens made their way back to the family room arguing and fighting over who’s holding what.“I. Had. Them. First!”“I. Called. It. First. Hand it over!”“No.”“I wake them up all the time! If it’s going to be out of the two of us it should be you.”“Oh, no! I'm hardly around and the boys aren't comfortable enough with me yet, make Mayu do it.”“Bull crap, Dad! The boys absolutely love when you're home from work. I'm sure they’d be thrilled to see you first thing.”“Fine, then make Arata-kun do it!”“Not gonna happen! Aoi is way calmer and won’t even be phased by them, he should do it.”“No way! Kimi-san has the soothing quirk. It works best if she goes.”“Don't forget who feeds you, young man. I say that-”“Why?” Everyone froze at the icy tone that cut through the playful arguing.“Why is everyone so loud?” The teens and two adults slowly turned and looked down at a pissed off half asleep Hitoshi with slight fear.“H-hiya, b-boys, we were just about to wak-'' Mayu had attempted to speak, but a glare from Izuku made her stop short and chuckle nervously. The older occupants of the house shared a look silently trying to decide what to do. The younger boys just yawned and rubbed at their eyes. Kimi started to coo, but was cut off by the sharp looks from the kids. Finally, Daichi spoke up and quelled the situation with one word.“...Pizza?”“...”“...”“... I like pizza.” Everyone let out a collective sigh as the younger boys forgot about the rude awakening, their moods instantly improving at the thought of food. Soon everyone was scrambling around again, though much calmer, setting up trays, grabbing pizza and filling cups. Laughter and jokes filled the room.Just then, Kimi’s phone rang and she excused herself to take the call.  Daichi watched as Kimi stood in the hall talking on the phone. Her face had gone through many different emotions before settling on her work face and it had him concerned. She only wore that face when she was being called to do house checks, which she hated because she never knew what she was going to see, or when another kid needed a place to stay.It couldn't be either of those options, as she was just called to do house checks and they had a household rule that set a limit of three kids. There was only a slim chance the call was about adding another kid seeing as they currently had four. Kimi had an uneasy face once the call ended and she walked back in the room. Her expression didn't go unnoticed by the kids as they all quieted down, silently wondering what was up.“Kimi, dear, stop spacing out, or you might run into a wall again.” He decided to speak up and save the situation.“Oh, remember when mom added flour instead of sugar into our oatmeal when I was younger.” Mayu caught on and decided to help distract the take-ins.“Yep! And when she remade it she ended up putting salt.” The family once again was rolling, laughing, and sharing their own stories about Kimi. The joyous atmosphere returning.“Hey! I don’t space out that often.” Kimi pouted. Everyone was sent into a fit of laughter. “Fine, fine, whatever.” Kimi rolled her eyes and sat down stealing a wing from Mayu.“Hey!”“Oh, sorry, sweetheart, were you gonna eat that?” Kimi's tone was innocent, but her eyes were shining with mischief.“Can we put on a movie?” Arata spoke up. Daichi looked at his wife and she shrugged her shoulders.“I don’t see why not.” The kids cheered.“Yes! I have the perfect movie.” Arata said in an excited confident tone. Before Daichi could ask what it was, Kimi cut in.“Is it child appropriate?” She said in an accusing and knowing tone. Arata paused and blinked.“I no longer have the perfect movie!” He exclaimed in the same confident tone. Everyone once again laughed and began shouting out choices of what they wanted to watch. Daichi and Kimi made eye contact, silently agreeing that this was a good night.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kimi sat on the couch with her arms wrapped around her knees and a blanket draped over her head. She twiddled her thumbs and stared blankly at the wall, the clock tick tick ticking in tune to her thoughts. The house was silent as all the children had gone to bed. She didn't know how much time had passed since she curled up on the couch. She felt numb as her thoughts kept cycling through her brain.  Kimi was finally pulled back to reality, when she felt a tug on the blanket. She looked up to see a coffee mug staring at her. She offered a soft smile of thanks to her husband and took the warm cup in her hands. Daichi sat next to her and draped the blanket over their legs. She took a sip and felt her body instantly relax. “Isn't it a little late for coffee?” Both adults turned toward the voice and saw Mayu standing in the doorway with her arms folded.  “It's tea, actually.” Mayu moved to sit across from her parents. The three of them sat in peaceful silence for a few minutes. The smell of honey drifting from the mug and the moonlight gently shining through the windows created a serene atmosphere. Kimi closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  “They want to transfer Hitoshi.” The room instantly tensed when Kimi spoke those words. “What? Why? He’s doing great here.” Mayu’s tone was angry, but she spoke quietly.  “There’s no demand for his adoption here, so they feel moving him will give him a better opportunity to find a family.” Kimi tightened her hands around the mug and glared at the floor.  “Are you kidding me? If there's no high demand then we just keep him until there is. He’s happy here; they can’t take him. Mom, you can’t let them!” “Mayu, I understand how you feel, but please-”  “No, Dad! This isn't fair. We are the only people that have treated Hitoshi right! Everyone else he’s lived with- “Mayu, enough. First of all, young lady, that is information that you are not supposed to know. Second, I said that they want to, not that they are. No final decision can be made on one of my kids without my input. I have not had a conversation with my boss about Hitoshi yet, so this isn't something we need to be concerned with.” Mayu didn't seem convinced, but she didn't say anything else. Kimi started to second guess her decision about letting Mayu in on what the phone call was about, but what's done is done.  “I’m sorry, I saw his file on your desk and looked through it. I wanted to know why he was shrouded in negativity. I needed to know what pushed him to that point at such a young age. I wanted to help him.” Kimi sighed. She would scold her daughter but it seemed unfair.   “It's late. We should go to bed.” Daichi mentioned but made no move to get up. They sat in silence for a few moments longer. Mayu was the first to leave.  “Alright, guess I'll head to bed first.”  “Goodnight, dear.”  “Oh, and I guess I should tell you, I read Izuku’s file as well. Sorry. Love you.”  “Mayu-” She sped out of the room before Kimi could fuss at her.  “That child.” Kimi sighed and rested her head against the back of the sofa. She could hear Daichi trying to suppress his chuckles. He took a deep sigh and popped his neck.  “Are you worried about Hitoshi?” Kimi thought about her answer for a moment before sighing.  “I don't know. We’ll definitely have a discussion before any final decisions are made, but the fact that it's being brought up at all is worrying.” A beat passed, before Kimi spoke again.  “Part of me wonders if I'm being selfish.” Daichi pulled Kimi closer. He stayed quiet, allowing Kimi to gather her thoughts.  “I feel like I'm being too biased. Looking at his records, reading what those other families had to say about him, I can't help but feel angry and protective. Seeing what this child has already been through, I feel like we're the only people that will ever treat him right.” Kimi took a sip of her tea before continuing.  “I know that there must be other parents in the system that won’t treat him badly, but I can’t help but wish that we-”  “Sweetheart...” Daichi wiped away the small tear that escaped to Kimi’s face. He kissed her forehead and gently rubbed her back.  “My boss is wonderful for even allowing us to foster. I know it put him in hot water, but I can't help but wish he'd pull more strings and let us adopt as well. I should be grateful, but when I think about all the troubled or discriminated kids that just get tossed around-” Kimi let out a harsh sigh and leaned into her husband.   “I wish I could do more.” Her husband began petting her hair. He took a moment before he responded.  “I think it's better this way.” Kimi felt herself tense for a second, but she was open to hearing her husband's thoughts.  “You are a wonderful woman, Kimi. You're the best wife I could’ve ever asked for, and an even better mother. Don’t sell yourself short. You say you’re selfish, but I think that drive in you is what makes you great for those kids. Your boss sees that in you which is why he fought so hard. I know you want to raise those castaway kids, but I think you’ll have more influence by being in their life for a short period.”  Kimi was confused and it must have shown on her face because Daichi paused for a moment before picking up again. “Think about all the other kiddos we've had over the years. They all had different personalities, were different ages, and came from different backgrounds and circumstances. But what they all had in common was that they needed a light in the darkness. They needed to know someone was in their corner, and Kimi, even if they never showed it, each and every one of those kids were grateful to have been in your care. I could tell just by watching their subtle changes when I was able to interact with them.”  Daichi took a minute to catch up with his thoughts.  “I mean, look at Aoi and Arata! They've been here not even 5 months and they've already changed so much. Hitoshi, as, sorry to say, broken as he was when you first brought him in, has had so much improvement. Kimi, my darling, you have a way with kids.  Instead of wishing and worrying about Hitoshi’s future, be glad that you were able to meet him when you did. He might not know it now, but I believe that him being here with us will shape him for the better in the future. I believe you are giving him something that will make him stronger for when he’s hit with the cruelness of the world again.” Finally relaxing from his speech her husband looked at her, gauging her reaction.  She was stunned. She had never thought about the future impact she could have on the kids she watched over. She always felt desperate to ease the pain of the kids she came across, but didn’t think she was always successful. The fact that her husband noticed enough to perfectly ease her anxiety in this moment warms her heart. She had made the right choice marrying him. She smiled to herself and tapped their foreheads together. He smiled with her then readjusted their position.  “Love you too, now how about while you finish up your tea, we watch a cheesy sitcom and then head to bed, yeah?” She smiled and curled into his side. “That sounds lovely.”

The next morning, everyone woke up pretty late in the afternoon. It was the weekend, so the teens were off of school. Daichi was also off, so they had a full house. The day started off slow, but no one really minded. It was nice to have a completely relaxing day. The two younger boys were the first to wake up so they were able to claim the big TV before anyone else.  Mayu woke up shortly after them. She snuck up behind them, jumped over the couch and tackled them both in a hug. The two boys screamed and squealed. She began to tickle them, so laughter and screaming was heard throughout the house. They begged Mayu to stop through their laughter. Izuku managed to wiggle his way out which caused Mayu to let her guard down. The two boys stood on guard ready to run in opposite directions, each hoping that she would choose the other to chase after.  She chose to run after Izuku, who paled at the realization. He laughed nervously before taking off full sprint, desperate to find a hiding spot. Hitoshi grinned at the other’s misfortune and began to head back toward the couch, though he wasn't watching where he was going and bumped into Arata. Hitoshi tensed instantly, completely wary of what the other’s reaction would be. He relaxed upon seeing an exasperated smile and a questioning eyebrow raise. “Jeez, how is it that you guys have so much energy first thing in the morning?” He finished with a yawn.  “You do know that it's nowhere near morning time, right?” Aoi walked down the stairs yawning himself.  “Yeah, yeah, whatever. My statement still stands.” Arata full body stretched before sitting on the couch and turning on a video game. Hitoshi slumped at the loss of the TV, but was distracted by Izuku’s laughter. It seemed Mayu had caught him, and was holding him upside down. Aoi choked a laugh when he looked over, which caused Hitoshi to start giggling. Even Arata who was engrossed in starting his game had a small smirk on his face.   The two adults of the house stood in a doorway taking in the scene in front of them. Deciding to spare Izuku any more torture, Daichi asked what eveyone wanted for breakfast. Everyone began making requests. Daichi cringed at some of the choices but was happy to make them all the same. He was hoping his wife would take time to relax, but she insisted on helping him out.  He kissed her forehead and began to prep the meals.  In the living room, Mayu was trying to convince Arata to change the game to a kid friendly multiplayer one.  “This isn't fair! I called dibs!”  “Well, we actually had the TV first so...” Hitoshi stuck his tongue out.  “See, I bet Zu and Toshi want to play Mario Kart, right?”  “Yes, I wanna play!” “M-Me too...please.”  “...”  “… Ugh fine!” A collective yay was heard. Mayu quickly began to change the game and Arata handed out controllers. Aoi at first declined it, but the younger boys looked dejected so he sighed and grabbed one.   “I choose Toad!” “I want Princess Peach!”  “Of course you do.” “Dont act like you didn't just choose Rosalina.” “I- she’s a good character, ok!”  “Uh huh, sure. Who do you want, Zu-chan?” “Y-yoshi?”  “Good choice! Aoi?”  “What? I chose already.”  “We can see that. I think she’s questioning why you chose that character.”  “Yeah, he’s like the slowest ever. I can’t believe anyone would willingly choose Bowser.” “Heh. You just don't know how to play him properly.” “Yeah, right” “You’ll see.” “Can we start already?”  “Little children shouldn't complain.” “Izu-chan, if you would.” “...” “...” “... Ok, jeez! I'm sorry, stop with the puppy dog eyes.” “Yeah! Right on, Izu-chan!!”  “Game Start!” The couple in the kitchen laughed at the chaos the kids were creating. Incoherent shouting filled the house as the game went on.  They were able to play 3 games before Daichi and Kimi were done making everyone's requested meals. The kids turned the game off and sat in their claimed spots at the table. “I can’t believe you won as Bowser everytime.” Arata sat down with a pout. Mayu helped her parents set out the food with a frustrated huff.  “I know! You totally cheated.” Aoi smirked. “I didn't cheat, I just know how to play the game. You guys just suck.” This earned him some grumbles and complaints.  “You say that, but Izuku almost beat you. You were neck and neck for every game.” Izuku flushed at that and tried to say he wasn't that good.  “No, no, Hitoshi is right. I think you might be the only person who could beat me, Zu.” Izuku flushed even harder.  “Ok, kiddos, stop arguing and eat or the food’s gonna get cold.” Everyone made a noise of acknowledgement and began eating. Individual conversations filled the room as the family finished up their meals.  The rest of the day continued on with laughter and chaos. The household played different video games, board games and did other various activities together. When late evening hit, everyone was ready to do their own things. Everyone went on to do their own activities and the night ended early and peacefully.

After their moment in his secret spot, Hitoshi had gotten a lot more comfortable around the other kid. Izuku also slowly began to talk to him little by little, which made Hitoshi happier than he had expected. He felt bad that he had made the other kid uncomfortable enough not to speak to him. Well, not that he’s unused to it, but this was the first time that it wasn’t due to his quirk.  Speaking of quirks, it seemed Izuku really enjoyed talking about them. Hitoshi had overheard countless conversations where Izuku was asking members of the Tanaka family and the twins about their special ability. He also really seemed to like heroes. Hitoshi was surprised at that, though he really shouldn't have been, based on the reaction he’d seen from the other when watching TV.  Hitoshi always let Izuku pick the show whenever they watched TV together, because he didn’t really care what was on. Izuku almost always turned on the news if he could. If a hero fight wasn't on then a hero show was definitely the next go to. It sometimes overwhelmed Hitoshi, but he could always ignore it and read a book or something.  It was rare to hear anything remotely negative come out of Izuku's mouth, so Hitoshi found himself slipping multiple times, almost revealing his quirk. He was so curious as to what Izuku would say, but they had just started being friendly with one another, Hitoshi wasn't ready to mess it up. He had a feeling that Izuku would be different than all the other kids he’d been around in the past, but he was still scared. He still hadn’t gotten over the shock of how accepting the Tanaka’s were. Even the twins in their own way didn't care. At first, they were mean, but Hitoshi quickly learned that that was just how they were back then, and it wasn't just him.  “...H-hit-toshi?” Hitoshi, having been shocked out of his thoughts, focused on the kid in front of him.  “Um, I, um, asked i-if y-you had any t-threes?”  Oh yeah, they were playing Go Fish. He quickly shook his head no and the game proceeded. Daichi-san was back to work and the teens were currently at school. This was the first time other than the secret spot incident that he’d been alone with Izuku. It was a little awkward after they had finished up their worksheets and Kimi-san left to make dinner, but Izuku's suggestion to play card games made the atmosphere lighter.  “G-go fish.” Hitoshi sighed and reached for the pile.  “H-have any t-twos?” Hitoshi looked at his hand as if he didn't already know the answer. He handed his cards over and slumped further into his seat. This was the 5th time they had played and he had yet to win.  “You win again.” Izuku gave a small smile and began to pack up the cards. Hitoshi raised an eyebrow. Izuku shrugged. “Y-you l-l-lo…”  Izuku took a breath. “Y-you looked done s-so I f-figured we could do s-something else.” “Yeah, that sounds good. Got any ideas?” Izuku just shook his head. Hitoshi thought for a moment before the TV caught their attention. Hitoshi glanced at Izuku and- yep, he was hooked.  All Might had just finished up with a villain and was now doing an interview. Hitoshi didn't really care to pay attention. He let his eyes wander around the room trying to think of what the two could do next if Izuku ever took his eyes off the screen. Only ten minutes had gone by so it actually happened quicker than what Hitoshi expected.  Izuku jerked, his focus had been brought back to the table and towards Hitoshi and his uncaring expression. Izuku looked at him in confusion, then back at the screen, then back at him. This continued for a bit before Hitoshi figured out what he was thinking and shrugged and stated that All Might wasn’t his favorite.  “You don’t like All Might!?” Blinking at the sudden volume that he’d never heard from the other kid, Hitoshi answered without thinking.  “He’s not the type of hero I want to be like.” Hitoshi almost regretted letting those words out because he was being screamed at again, but the pure excitement on Izuku’s face made him rethink it.  “You wanna be a hero too!?”  Hitoshi sighed and nodded his head.  “How about you? You seem to really like heroes.”  Hitoshi was desperate to get the attention off of himself. He didn't want Izuku asking questions about his quirk.  “Of course, heroes are the coolest! I wanna be one just like All Might!” Izuku declared with the most passion that Hitoshi had ever heard from anyone. He decided to share his thoughts, though he realized too late that he could’ve worded it better.  “This is the first time I've heard you speak without a stutter.” At his words, Izuku immediately shrunk in on himself, excitement slowly draining from his face. Hitoshi, quick to fix his mistake, started frantically trying to wave away the words he spoke as if they were in the air.  “W-wait, no! I’m sorry, I-I d-didn’t mean it like th-that. I w-was happy a-and and and and- ugh great looks like you just passed the stutter on to me.” Wow, Hitoshi really needed to work on his filter. He was sure he had just reversed any progress the two might’ve made, but the sound of laughter took away those worries.  “I-It’s okay, H-Hito-chan!”  “Hito-chan?”  “...Do y-you not l-like it?”  “...I never said that…” Izuku smiled brightly. “Hito-chan!”  “...Yes?”“N-nothing, I was just saying it.” Hitoshi dropped his head on the table. It created a loud thump and honestly kinda hurt, but he didn’t care enough to acknowledge it.  “Hito-chan!?”  “Why do you keep saying it!?” “I-I w-was c-con...cered? Yeah. I-it s-sounded like it hurt.”  “Meh.” “Hito-chaaan.”  “Please spare me.”  “B-but, Hito-chan-” Hitoshi cut him off with a loud groan. Izuku fell into chuckles again and Hitoshi couldn't help but follow. They laughed for a good bit before Izuku cut his short suddenly.  “S-speaking of heroes-”  “We weren't even talking abou-” “Who’s your favorite?” Hitoshi paused and thought over his answer. He hesitated because he figured Izuku wouldn't know who he was talking about.  He decided to answer and explain.  “You probably won’t know him. His name is Eraser- “You know Eraserhead!?” Note to self: cover ears when talking about heroes with Izuku. Hitoshi took a moment to get his bearings straight again, but then Izuku’s words processed.  “Wait you know Eraserhead?” Hitoshi looked at Izuku’s enthusiastic expression and frantic nodding in shock. He couldn't help the smile that spread on his face.  “Isn't he the coolest?!” More frantic nodding from Izuku. He probably would've said something but Hitoshi continued. “The fact that he’s underground is the coolest. He’s the best. I wanna be a hero just like him. It would be best because of what my quirk is. And his scarf! It's the best support item! I wonder how soft it is?” “It's more smooth than soft.” Hitoshi paused.  “You-you've met him!!? Is he as awesome in person?”  “... Y-yeah, h-he’s pretty c-cool…” Hitoshi noticed the change in tone and decided to deflect.  “So why is All Might your favorite?” Izuku perked up instantly and dove into a very long explanation and analysis that Hitoshi hadn’t expected at all. He didn't catch half of what the other kid was saying. He tried to follow, but his head spun everytime. He just sat there nodding his head.  Izuku’s stutter was gone again and that made Hitoshi smile. He was happy listening to Izuku rant. He had moved on from All Might and was jumping from hero to hero. Sometimes he described a hero fight in great detail. Hitoshi wondered how he was able to store all that information. Izuku seemed to talk a mile a minute. Hitoshi really couldn't keep up anymore, he hoped Izuku would finish up soon so he wouldn't have to cut him off and force a change of subject. Eventually, Izuku did somewhat change topics, but it was not a change for the better.  “Wait! Hito-chan?” Izuku cut himself off mid-ramble and excitedly called Hitoshi’s annoying (he actually really loved it) new nickname.  “Hmm?”  “You said your quirk would be better for underground work, right?” Hitoshi felt his heart drop. It took him a second to remind himself to breathe. He felt every muscle tense and his throat became much drier. He could slap himself for his mistake. He had been doing such a good job avoiding that topic, only to throw it all away. He knew it was coming, but he really hoped Izuku wouldn't ask. Maybe Kimi-san would come in and save him.  “So what is it?”  Hitoshi looked towards the door hoping Kimi-san would walk through and say something, but she didn't. He thought about just not telling him, but Izuku had just started to trust and open up to him.  He didn't want it to be awkward between them if he closed himself off. But he also really didn't want Izuku to start hating him. He must've taken too long to answer because Izuku began to back track.  “U-Um, y-you don't have to answer. I-I’m s-sorry. I...”  Izuku began to ramble a series of apologies and spiraled into a mumbling stuttering mess. Hitoshi guessed that Izuku had some similar feeling when it came to their new found friendship. He felt bad again. He didn't want to make Izuku think he did anything wrong. Hitoshi took a deep breath and gave his answer.  “...B-Brainwashing….” Izuku stopped and looked at Hitoshi, eyes wide.  “My quirk is brainwashing.” He repeated in a quiet, unsure voice.  He looked down and waited for Izuku’s reaction. Which didn't come for a while. Hitoshi slumped his shoulders and was about to run to his room, but stopped when he heard a faint...buzzing? No it sounded like… He glanced up at Izuku who looked really excited. His lips were moving but barely any sound was escaping.  Hitoshi fully lifted his head and stared confusedly at the other.  “Uh, Izu-?” Said kid whipped his head up. “AH! I'm sorry, I got lost in thought. Your quirk is just so cool, Hito-chan! Like, you could easily take out villains with that! All you’d have to do is… uh… how does it work? I was trying to figure it out myself but there are too many ways.” Hitoshi didn’t answer for a long time. He just stood there blankly staring at Izuku, who was eagerly waiting for a response.  There was no hate or disgust on his face. Hitoshi couldn’t understand the reaction. Izuku didn't even bat an eyelash at it. Even Kimi-san and Daichi-san paused for a second when they found out how it worked. Oh, right. That must be it. Izuku would be more hesitant once he knew how it worked.  “Hito-chan?” Hitoshi looked at the ground once more and explained how it worked. But Hitoshi was once again brought to shocked silence as Izuku just picked up where he left off earlier.  “Aren't you scared of my quirk?” Hitoshi was too shocked to realize that he had even asked that out loud.  “-But I guess if there's a lot of villains attacking, it might be a bit dif-  What? Why would I be scared of such a cool quirk? It’s so awesome!  -ficult to control all of them at once, but I'm sure by the time you're older you…” Hitoshi wasn't even sure how to react. He already had a feeling Izuku wouldn’t really hate him for his quirk, but this was beyond what he had expected.  “Hito-chan! What's wrong? I'm sorry, did I say something?”  “Wha-?” Hitoshi looked up confused before he felt that his face was wet. He touched his cheek and realized he was crying. He let out a little laugh as his eyes kept leaking. Izuku looked even more concerned. Before he dove into another round of apologetic rambling, Hitoshi wiped his eyes and smiled very wide.  “...No one’s ever said my quirk was cool.” He’d only ever gotten cautious praise on his quirk before. (From the Tanaka’s.) He was beyond happy. Hitoshi couldn’t even remember the last time he was this happy. Probably before his quirk came in. On the subject of quirks, now that Hitoshi thought about it, he had never heard Izuku talk about his own.  “Hey, Zu-chan?” Hitoshi blushed as the nickname slipped out, Izuku smiled really bright and answered in a sing-song voice. Hitoshi shrugged and turned his head trying to not seem embarrassed. He cleared his throat and asked his question.  “What's your quirk?” Hitoshi watched as Izuku's happy face melted into one of horror. He wondered if that was how he had looked when Izuku asked him that question. Hitoshi waited patiently to see if Izuku would share. After a few minutes he spoke up. “You don’t have to tell me, but I have a villain quirk, yours can’t be any worse. “ Izuku snapped his head up. “Only bad people make quirks bad.” He looked very determined. He glared at Hitoshi for speaking bad about his quirk. Hitoshi smiled.  “Same goes for you too.” Hitoshi hoped that it came across as he wouldn't judge Izuku for his quirk. Izuku just looked down again and fiddled with his fingers. “It's not the same.” Hitoshi tried to think of any other situation where someone wouldn't like their quirk other than it being deemed villainous, but he couldn't. He looked at Izuku with an expression that was open and welcoming. He didn't want to force him, but he was really curious and wanted to give Izuku the same happiness that he had given to him. Finally after a few more minutes Izuku told him.  “I-I d-don’t h-have one…” Hitoshi blinked.  “What?”  “I-I d-don’t have a q-quirk.” Oh, so he did hear him right. Hitoshi took a minute to process. He now knew exactly why Izuku had been so hesitant to share. He had had the idea to pretend to be quirkless when being transferred a couple times, thinking it would be better. It was worse. He took it back immediately and it lessened the harshness slightly. He could only imagine what Izuku had gone through.  “Zu-chan, I’m so sorry.” Hitoshi went to hug him, but Izuku flinched and curled into a ball on the floor. Hitoshi’s eyes widened.   
He thought I was gonna hit him?
 “Z-Zu-chan, it’s ok! I w-wasn’t gonna h-hit you. I p-promise.”  Izuku uncurled himself and looked up at Hitoshi with fear in his eyes. He lifted his hands to sign.  “N-no! No, I don't hate you, Zu! Please don’t think that!” “ Y-you d-don’t?” Hitoshi was relieved that Izuku spoke again.  “No, I don’t.” He put on his most serious face so Izuku would believe him. Izuku slowly stood up, his head down.  “So you don’t have a quirk-” Hitoshi was going to say ‘so what’ after that but Izuku thought that was the end of the sentence.  “Y-yeah, I k-know. I-I’m w-worthless…” Hitoshi slumped his shoulders and whispered softly.  “No, you're not. Don’t say that.”  Izuku looked at Hitoshi, hope, filling his eyes and tone. “You don't think that I-” “No. I don't. Why would I think that about a future hero?”  It was cheesy but Izuku's smiling face was worth it. Oh, wait. Now he’s loudly sobbing. Hitoshi rolled his eyes as Izuku tackled him in a hug. He stood there very stiff and awkwardly patted his back.   “Boys! Come and make your lunch!”  “C-coming!” “Okay!” The two boys ran down stairs and sat at the bar. Bread, lunch meat, cheese, jelly, peanut butter, and an assortment of fruits were laid out for the boys to make whatever they wanted.  “Izu-chan! Why are you crying!?” Izuku looked surprised and touched his face. Hitosh looked over and saw the tears still leaking from his eyes. It looked kinda creepy. Izuku turned his head to look at Hitoshi and started to laugh. Hitoshi joined in. The two boys laughed and laughed, while Kimi-san watched in confusion. Eventually she just let out a little laugh and began cleaning up.

“I’m sorry, Kimi, but the decision is final. Please have Hitoshi pack his things, someone will be there to collect him tonight. Goodbye.” The phone beeped indicating that her boss had hung up. She didn't move for the longest time her heartbeat echoing throughout her entire body. Finally coming back to her senses she lowered her arm and stared at her phone in disbelief.  
Why didn’t they discuss this with me first? I'm his current caretaker. They should’ve consulted me. I know his progress best!
 Kimi heard the boys laugh at something on the TV and her heart broke. She needed to tell them. The earlier that Hitoshi was told the better he would be able to handle it. She couldn’t put it off, but the thought of telling them now was killing her.  She began to walk slowly into the living room. The boys were completely engrossed in their show, not noticing her watching them from behind. She stayed for a good bit of time. With each laugh they made, she felt more and more like crying. She decided to grab some water and calm herself. She was going to wait until the episode finished before she told them.

Fighting back tears, she sat the older children down. Kimi hated this. She hated it so much but the decision was made, she couldn't do anything about it.  “It’s been decided that…” She paused, trying to make sure her voice came out calm. However, before she spoke again Mayu stood up and yelled. “No. No! You said- You said!” Mayu’s face was twisted with pain and tears ran down her cheeks.  “Mayu-”   “NO!” She ran upstairs and slammed the door. Kimi looked back at the other children, fear and confusion written all over their features.  “What’s going on?” Arata spoke finally asking the question everyone was hesitant to.  “Hitoshi will be leaving us.” Deciding to just rip off the bandaid Kimi no longer hesitated. She swallowed down the pain and made eye contact with the twins.  They looked sad, but had no other reaction than that. It was understandable, though, seeing as they weren’t aware of Hitoshi’s situation.  “Why did she react that way, it’s not as if we are all going to stay here anyway? Shouldn’t she be happy that he’s getting a higher chance of being adopted?” Aoi looked at Kimi waiting for an answer. Arata spoke up with a question of his own. “You told Hitoshi and Zu already. Is that why they’ve been holed up in Hitohsi’s room and not talking to anybody?” Kimi answered yes, ignoring Aoi’s earlier questions. Taking the hint, Aoi shrugged his shoulders and walked to his room. Arata following shortly after.  Kimi sank down further in her seat and covered her face. She wished her husband was home. She rose to her feat and decided to talk to Mayu first. She wasn't ready to face the younger boys.  As she passed their floor she noticed through a crack that Izuku was helping Hitoshi pack. He soon spotted her looking and closed the door all the way. She sighed and continued walking up. “Mayu?” Kimi knocked lightly on the door. “Come in…” Came the muffled reply. She pushed the door open and sat next to Mayu who was laying face down on her bed.  “They're gonna treat him badly. Why can’t we keep him?” Mayu turned her head and looked at her mom. Kimi started rubbing Mayu’s back. “Hitoshi is a strong boy. He will be fine, Mayu.” She spoke soothingly, using her quirk to take away some of the stress. Mayu sat up, hurt shining through her eyes. “Was he fine when those other families beat him? Huh? Was he fine when they locked him away for days and didn’t let him eat? He’s five, Mom! It's almost been two years since he entered the system. If he goes back to that he’s going to break!” Mayu’s voice was quiet but full of pain. Her emotions were raw and Kimi had to resist crying along with her.  Kimi was trying to think of something she could say, but her phone began to ring. She took it out of her pocket, she didn't recognize the number but answered anyway.  “Hello Tanaka-san, I’m Nozaki Himeno. I'm who they called to take Shinsou-kun. I’m about 5 minutes out, so if you could wait outside for me that would be great. We have a long drive ahead of us so I’d rather not waste time.” Kimi took a breath so as to not snap at Nozaki-san’s rude tone. She gave a polite answer and the other lady hung up without a goodbye. Kimi looked towards Mayu who had a desperate look on her face.  “Don’t worry she’s only bringing Hitoshi to his next house, she’s not going to be taking care of him.” Mayu just shook her head and began to walk out of her room. Kimi followed behind her. When they reached the living room Hitoshi and Izuku were sitting on the couch, The twins were setting Hitoshi’s bags by the door.  Kimi looked around at her kids, her chest tightening painfully at their crestfallen faces. She tried to think of something, anything, she could say to break the tension and send Hitoshi off with smiles. Before she could come up with anything, a blaring sound cut through the silence. It was a car horn. There was a beat of silence, before the twins wordlessly opened the door and began putting the bags in the trunk.   Hitoshi didn’t move for the longest time. The twins walked back inside and stood awkwardly, watching. Mayu kept her head down. Kimi could see the small tell that she was blocking out her quirk. She felt for her daughter, knowing it couldn’t be easy to feel so much negativity from so many people. Izuku’s expression was still blank. It wasn’t like when she first brought him home. Back then his face wasn't completely devoid of emotion, it was obvious that he was hiding his pain. Now, however, there was nothing in his expression. He looked almost like a doll. His face was relaxed and his eyes were dull.  Hitoshi took a deep breath and started to move. It took everything in her not to reach out and pull him close, to keep him with her. Mayu, however, ran out and hugged him. His expression took on one of shock. He began swinging his feet and trying to squirm out of her grasp. He froze suddenly and his eyes brimmed with tears, Kimi figured Mayu said something to him. She placed him down gently and walked him outside.  “Hey brat, don't forget about us, ok.” Arata roughly ruffled Hitoshi's head as he passed by. Hitoshi looked annoyed but soon had a small smile on his face. It only lasted for half a second but Kimi caught it. Seeing it made her relax some of her tension. It brought her back to her senses. She gave herself an encouraging nod and started to walk outside. She looked back at Izuku, but his focus was glued to a wall. She paused in her tracks and made her way over to him.  “I know this is hard, Izu-kun, but, you may regret not saying goodbye.” She rubbed his back in a soothing motion. He didn’t move, she almost thought that he hadn’t heard her at all, but she looked at his eyes. They had some light return to them. She rubbed his back a little longer before she walked off and headed outside to send Hitoshi off. “Goodness! I said to be ready so we could leave asap. What part of that was unclear?” She snapped at Hitoshi, before turning to Kimi, “Oh, Tanaka-san. Hi. Nice to officially meet you. Sorry it's such a short meeting, but we really must be going now.” Nozaki Himeno was a short woman, with a broad build. She had black hair styled back into a low bun. Her attitude rubbed Kimi the wrong way, but she put on a polite smile.  “Nice to meet you as well, Nozaki-san. I hope the drive here was peaceful.” Nozaki made no effort to answer as she waved her off and sat back down in the driver seat. Hitoshi hesitated to open the door. “Come on, Shinsou. We don't have all day!” Kimi's smile cracked as Nozaki yelled from the car. It caused Hitoshi to flinch and back away. He finally made eye contact with her, his eyes begging for her to save him. Kimi didn’t hesitate to walk over to him. She knelt down and wrapped her arms around him. She muttered calming nothings as she used her quirk to sooth his anxiety; it was the most she could do for him now.  She rubbed circles on his back, similar to how she had comforted Izuku.   Soon, Hitoshi pulled away and opened the car door. Before he stepped in, he looked back at the house, his eyes squinted as he tried to search inside as much as he could. Kimi knew he wanted to say bye to Izuku, but he still hadn’t left his spot on the couch. Hitoshi sighed and sat down.  “Be safe, Hitoshi.” That was all she was able to come up with to say. She knew he was going to have a hard time. She knew it wouldn't be sunshine and rainbows for him, once he left. He deserved better than some fake flowery words from her. She smiled at him one last time as she shut the car door.

Hitoshi bit his lip to keep from crying as the car started driving off. Just before he was going to put his headphones on to drown out his thoughts he heard shouting. He turned back to look and saw Izuku running full speed toward him. Hitoshi sat up and fumbled to roll the window down. He unhooked his seatbelt and leaned out the window.  “Hito-chan!” Izuku screamed desperately. Mayu, the twins and Kimi were yelling at Izuku to come back.  “Zu-chan! What are you doing!?” Hitoshi screamed back.  “Hito-chan!” Izuku screamed again this time with a big grin on his face and fat tears rolling down his cheeks.  “I- s- - y-u -t --!” The car sped up and so did the wind so Hitoshi couldn’t make out what he was saying. He pushed himself out of the window more. The driver yelled at him to sit back down but he ignored it.  “WHAT?” He yelled back hoping to hear Izuku this time. “I SAID, I'LL SEE YOU AT U.A.!” Izuku was suddenly snagged back by one of the twins. Hitoshi couldn't make out which one. Hitoshi, now with tears in his eyes, began to choke out a laugh. The driver, once again yelling at him to sit, slowed the car down almost to a stop. Hitoshi, finally able to respond, yelled back at Izuku who was refusing to turn back.  Izuku was jumping up and down waving both hands frantically. Hitoshi waved back, almost falling out of the car. Izuku yelled one last Hito-chan before he was picked up and brought back towards the house. Hitoshi, finally listening to the angry cries of the driver, sat down and put his seatbelt on. The weird laughing crying combo that he was doing continued for 5 minutes before he calmed down and stared out the window with a small smile.  “I'll see you in the hero course, Zu-chan.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Four days after the attack:

“Dust Devil, Daymare, and Triplicate all planned an attack for the same day. What do we know?” Tsukauchi addressed the heroes in front of him. Shouta turned his attention to a hero who was at the scene of Dust Devil’s attack.  “So, what I gathered from Dust Devil’s attack was that he was meant to be a distraction. I believe that his goal was to divide the heroes’ attention and call them to various places around the city. Many heroes had to be put into play because of the damage his quirk was causing.” The hero, Liv’d, spoke camly. She had a nervous shake in her voice that reminded everyone that she was a new young hero. Shouta frowned at the thought of this being one of her first experiences in the field.  “Judging by the speed and distance at which his attacks were released, it’s safe to say that he had help. Most likely, since we know they were present, from Triplicate.” Shouta sat up at the mention of the sisters. He was the only one to encounter them so it was his turn to speak.  “We also can conclude that Triplicate were the ones to take the missing persons. When I came in contact with one of the victims from Dust Devil’s attack, she informed me that her child had been taken. Not seeing anywhere close that I would've been of help, I went after the kid.” Out of the corner of his eye Shouta could see Hizashi tighten his hand into a fist. Shouta inwardly sighed and continued.  “The sister I came across first, I presume to be the younger one, said ‘I'm not kidnapping him. I'm just going to deliver him home. A home where he’ll have lots of fun. There’ll be others there for him to play with.’ We can deduct from this that Triplicate was in charge of taking the children.”  “Question. Why do we also have reports of missing adults if Triplicate implied that they were only taking children?” Shouta looked at the higher ranking officer that was called to the meeting. Tsukauchi was the one to answer.  “We cannot assume that all of the missing children and adults were taken by Triplicate. Lots of thugs would take advantage of the chaos. We also have to think about the fact that they could have taken random people to avoid showing us their true purpose.”  “I don’t understand. Why cause so much chaos if you only wanted to take a few people? Wouldn’t that bring more attention to them? Why not just take them little by little over time?” The officer continued to question.  “Not to mention that high level villains teamed up. They’ve been successful thus far, but only because of how sporadically they’ve attacked. Attacking all at once like this should prove fatal.” Nemato added. Nemato was the hero that was called from another city to help neutralize the poison and disperse Daymare’s quirk. Her quirk allowed her to breathe in toxic air and replace it with air that's clean. Because her lungs can only take in so much at a time, she has a support item that can hold the air for her until it gets into her system. Because of how it's made she was able to take the haze left from Daymare’s quirk. Shouta was grateful that she had a quirk like that, but she was also frustrating him at the moment.  “And yet they all got away and we have hundreds dead.”  Shouta couldn't help but say. Nemato jerked her head in his direction. She narrowed her eyes at him and he met her gaze with a challenging glare. She took a deep breath in preparation to retaliate... “These are all good questions. Ones we need to find answers for. That is why I asked all of you to come here. You heroes were the ones that were most involved in the three attacks.” Shouta trailed his eyes over to the heroes' gathered.  
Liv’d, Present Mic, Best Jeanist, Nemato, and myself. Everyone else in the room are officers that Tsukauchi trusts to continue working on the case. The attack was too large to keep the public from knowing, but it’s now crucial to keep this circle small to avoid more panic. 
 “Now, Jeanist, Mic? Could you please share what you have deduced for Daymare’s involvement?” Shouta glanced at the two heroes waiting for one of them to speak up. They looked at each other before Hizashi nodded his head towards Jeanist signaling for him to go first.  “I was called after Daymare’s initial attack. I was close by so I was able to get there quickly. When I arrived, the people caught in the quirk were all screaming  and running, seemingly from the same thing. From what we know, Daymare’s quirk allows him to trap anyone who touches his fog. He forces people to see and believe whatever he wants them to. I had to stand relatively close to the fog so that I could get as many people out as possible.” Jeanist took a pause and Shouta studied his face. He could see that the other was masking his expression; no one other than Shouta would be able to see the discomfort hidden.  “However, I was sucked in because of the poison that we now know was mixed in with the quirk. When I came into contact with the poison I stumbled into the quirk and fell victim to a dream. I don’t remember much but from what I do, I know that the dream I was seeing changed at some point. It’s how I was able to break out of it. That, and Present Mic’s instructions.” Jeanist stopped and faced Hizashi, turning it over to him. “I wasn’t called in directly, but I was notified about what was going on so I ran over to help. Everyone who was trapped seemed to be wandering aimlessly doing their own things. Based on what Jeanist said before, I think it’s safe to assume that Daymare’s quirk has either a time or quantity limit when it comes to one dream across the board.” Hizashi paused and took on a thoughtful expression. He looked as if he had realized something, but he shook the thought away and continued where he left off.  “The poison was mixed with the quirk, but didn't have the same barrier. However, it didn’t stray too far from the outskirts of where the quirk stopped. As of now, we have no clue how the poison was mixed with the quirk, nor can we pinpoint the type of poison it was. I am certain that I was affected by the poison, but when I got to the hospital they couldn't find anything.” When Shouta and Hizashi had gotten home and rested after the incident they talked things out. They both reached the conclusion that something wasn’t adding up with the poison and Shouta had encouraged Hizashi to look into it more. Though Tsukauchi suggested keeping the full story to just the three of them. “The doctors and scientists were able to detect an abnormal substance in me and the other survivors, so research is being done to try and figure out what type of poison it is.” Jeanist added.  “My god... So we have an unidentified deadly poison on our hands. Not only that, even with all the information we’ve shared we still don't have a solid reason as to why this attack happened. What even is the point of all this then!?” Shouta clenched his jaw at the officer’s comment. He wanted to speak up, but he was not exactly known for being gentle. Whatever he had to say would come across as rude and critical, which would start something he really didn't feel like dealing with.  “I understand your frustration, Ito-san, but please try to calm down. There are always answers to be found. We just need to keep looking. As of right now, Present Mic and Jeanist will continue to run tests to try and find some evidence as to the type of poison. We will go through each and every missing person’s files, especially the children, to try and find a connection. Also, we can start making preparations to prevent and fight back in the chance that they come back and do this again.” Tsukauchi spoke calmly but sternly. It eased some of the officer’s worries and Shouta once again resisted sighing.  Tsukauchi took over for the rest of the meeting and continued giving out instructions on what everyone could do. He told everyone to contact him if any new information should arise and that he would contact and share what was needed with everyone else. After another hour of discussing, they were dismissed, and Shouta and Hizashi shared a look before taking separate routes home.

It had been three days since Hitoshi was transferred and Izuku missed him. They had just started becoming friends, but now he was gone. At least he had the hope of being able to see him again at U.A. Ten years, however, was a long time, so Izuku couldn't help but feel sad. The twins and Mayu did a good job of trying to entertain him when they could, but they still had school. He was spending a lot of time alone now. At the moment, he was watching a cartoon while eating lunch. He wasn’t in the mood to eat, but Kimi had insisted, so she gave him some crackers with dip and fruit. He was thankful for the more snacky type of food, but he did have to promise to eat dinner.  He smiled at a joke the show made and popped an orange slice in his mouth. Kimi was currently in her office working, but he was free to go in and ask for anything he needed.  He ate another orange slice and leaned his head back, resting it on the back of the couch. It had been almost a month since the attack. His mother’s face popped into his head and he struggled to hold back tears. He let his body slump until he was laying on the couch and then he curled himself into a ball. He wasn’t crying, but he could feel the sting behind his eyes. Kimi had told him that it was ok to let himself be sad, so he didn’t fight what he was feeling. He was slightly frustrated that the tears wouldn't spill. He just felt really empty.  “Izuku, honey- Are you ok?” Izuku tensed himself before relaxing and sitting up. He didn't meet Kimi’s eyes. “Oh, dear. It’s ok. Do you wanna talk about it?” Kimi sat next to him. He didn’t hesitate to curl into her side.  “I, um, I thought about Mommy…” Kimi ran a soothing hand over his arm and rocked him. The first time she did that he got upset because he wasn't a little kid. He didn’t tell her that though, because that would've been rude. After he saw her do the same with the twins and Mayu, he realized that it was ok for him to enjoy it.  “Was it a happy memory?” Izuku shook his head. “No, I just saw her face. It made me sad because I remembered I won’t get to see her again.” Izuku buried his face in the crook of Kimi's arm, taking in her warmth. After a few seconds the tears finally started to spill. He wasn’t sobbing though, it was a very quiet cry. He calmed down after a short while and the two sat in silence, sans for the TV playing in the background.  “How about we go and visit her?” Izuku sat up in surprise.  “But don’t you have work?” Kimi smiled gently down at him and shook her head. “Don’t you worry about that. My job is very flexible and you kids are much more important than it. Besides, I already finished what I need to for today.” Izuku started to cry again. Kimi wrapped her arms around him and gave him a tight squeeze. “Go ahead and put your shoes on and I'll meet you at the door, ok?” Kimi stood and he nodded before walking up the stairs. He made sure to grab his notebook before he turned off the light and ran back downstairs. He waited by the door and wiped the tears that continued to leak from his eyes.  
Come on, stop crying! 
 “Alright, are you ready?” Kimi had two jackets draped across one arm and keys in her hand. Izuku nervously nodded his head and they both walked out the door. He wasn’t sure if he was nervous or excited. He bounced from one foot to the other while he waited to sit in the car. Once it was unlocked, he jumped in the seat and continued bouncing. They were going to be in the car awhile so to avoid thinking too much Izuku let the sounds around him lull him to sleep.

Kimi glanced at the rearview mirror to check on Izuku. He was still fast asleep and she gave a small smile. Izuku had been sleeping better, but after Hitoshi left, his sleeping patterns were thrown off schedule again. She had heard him roaming around during the late hours of the night, so she knew he didn’t get much sleep. They still had about half an hour left of the drive before they reached The Musutafu Cemetery.  Kimi, after she felt Izuku was ready, had done her best to explain how death worked to him. His mother had given an amazing explanation to him in the past, so she added on to it in a way that he would continue to understand at his age. She wanted him to understand that his mother was not lost to him forever. It was difficult to explain how people's souls left but their bodies remained here in a non traumatizing way.  No funeral was provided for her because she had no family left. Kimi, of course, did her best to help Izuku say goodbye to her in a respectful way. Thankfully, the woman was able to rest alongside her family.  Kimi had never really dealt with a child that had recently lost a parent before, so she hoped she was doing a good job of caring for him and that she wasn't overstepping by bringing him to visit his mother’s grave.  This wasn't the first time she had brought him, but she was still worried about doing something wrong and causing more trauma for the boy.  Hitoshi was probably the only other kid she had housed that had major trauma, but, even in his case, he had never known his biological parents. He had only known the cold, uncaring nature of those who only housed him for the paycheck after he gained his quirk. Not to mention the betrayal of his parents who had adopted him as a baby. Thinking about the boy, she frowned. She really hoped he ended up with another good family.  The twins’ parents were neglectful and had issues that prevented them from being able to properly care for their kids. However, they themselves had realized this and sought out help. The twins were able to visit their parents on occasion and if their progress continued to go well, they would all be able to live together again one day. Kimi had lots of respect for the Saitos. As much as the twins love her and Daichi she could tell that they really missed their mom and dad.  Izuku shifted in his seat, pulling her from her thoughts, and she glanced at him again. He was still sleeping, but he was starting to stir, Kimi figured he wouldn’t sleep for much longer. She looked at the clock noticing that fifteen minutes had passed. She cracked her neck and adjusted her position. She let her mind wander once more to pass the last fifteen minutes of the drive.

They had been at the Cemetery for about ten minutes and Izuku was in front of his mother’s grave. When they first arrived, Izuku had cried for a few minutes. After he was done she had helped him clean the stone. They had both paid their respects separately and now Kimi was allowing Izuku to talk with her as long as he needed. He was sitting in front of her grave and Kimi was a few feet away on a nearby bench.  He had the new notebook she bought him open and was sharing all the new hero facts that he had learned over the month. Kimi was very surprised when she had found out about his hobby. It wasn’t so much the topic that surprised her. It made sense with his obsession with heroes, but the way he was able to break down quirks and catch certain details of recorded hero fights amazed her. He never looked happier than when he was discussing heroes.  Kimi looked at how happy the young boy was sharing with his mother. She felt good about this trip. The last one was mainly spent in tears, so this was a nice change. She hoped this meant that he was healing. She felt her phone vibrate in her purse and quickly pulled it out. It was a text from Mayu.

Mayu

Mom, where are you and Izuku?

Kimi

Oh, sorry, dear! I took Izuku into the city so he could visit his mother. I hadn't realized I forgot to inform you.

Mayu

Okay! That's fine, lol. Is it alright if I start dinner then? What time will you guys be back?

Kimi
I’m not sure honey. Izuku seems to be enjoying his time, so maybe not for a while.
You can go ahead and cook for yourself and the boys, I’ll get something for Izu and I while we are out.

Mayu
Gotcha! Be safe, TTYL :) ♥

Kimi smiled and put her phone away. Daichi was on call for the next few nights so he wouldn't be home for a while. She trusted Mayu and the twins enough not to burn down the house if they were left alone for a few hours.  There was another couple that was visiting the grave site. They had arrived just after Kimi and Izuku so she found it strange that they were now leaving. They both smiled and tilted their heads to her and she returned the gesture.  She turned her attention back to Izuku. He seemed to have left the topic of his notebook and was just idly chatting. His face was slightly more downcast and his shoulders had slumped. He turned back to look at her, his eyes darting around, only focusing on her for a second. Kimi noticed his tension and sent him a reassuring smile. He quirked his lips up in return before focusing on his mother again. Kimi noticed the unease in his frame still and wished she could use her quirk to soothe him, but she didn't want to walk over there and unsettle the child more.  Kimi could tell that Izuku was nervous about taking too long. After he had woken up, the rest of the ten minute drive was spent with him occasionally asking about how long he would be able to stay. Of course Kimi did not care how long he took and did her best to convey that to him. Kimi decided to pull out the book she had been planning on reading. She was already half way through it and was excited to finally have a decent time to read again.  She felt eyes on her before she even finished the page and quickly glanced up at the kid. Izuku sent her a worried stare and was in a position that indicated that he was planning on standing. Kimi turned the book over and placed it in her lap, her thumb saving the page she was on. She raised her free hand in a stopping motion and slowly moved it down. Izuku looked at her wide-eyed before folding his lips together and sitting back down. She gave him a wide grin and relaxed back into a comfortable position. Once Izuku himself relaxed, she allowed herself to return to her reading.

Only after the pair were out of sight and hearing range from the lady, did the female decide to speak up.  “Why can’t we take the kid now? We have eyes on him and only a single female adult is around to see. We could easily-” “No. We are under strict instructions to only monitor the kid when able. We are not to engage.” The male’s voice was deep and absolute. There was no waver in his tone.   “But they want that kid so bad! I don’t understand why they aren't taking the opportunity to get him.” The woman practically whined. The male sighed. “Please use your head. These orders are from higher up, that means that taking him now is not the best move. It is not our job to make sense of the plans. We just need to follow instructions. Besides, if you and your team hadn’t failed in getting him the first time, this wouldn't be necessary.” “Whatever, Aura. You try dealing with the Erasure hero alone.” “Undercover names only, please. Underground heroes are not to be underestimated, we already told you-” “Anyway! What do we need to do now?” “Now that we have confirmed Midoriya Izuku's current emotional state, we report back and wait for further instruction.” “This makes no sense. Why have us come out just for a wellness check?” The pair walked behind a thick tree, but never crossed to the other side.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Hey, Mom! Hi, Izu-chan! Ooh, what's in the bags?” Mayu greeted when the two walked through the door. Her mom had texted when they were headed back home so Mayu had been watching the clock. 
 
“Hello, Mayu. Izu and I did a little shopping after his visit. I figured since we went so far out we might as well stop by some stores that we don't have out here. I found some really nice things for myself and some adorable clothes for Izuku.” Her mom smiled brightly and started separating their bags.
 
“A little is an understatement...” Aoi spoke from behind her eyeing the amount of bags her mom was carrying. The twins both had begun hovering when she mentioned that they’d be back soon. As soon as the car pulled into the driveway, Arata had disappeared upstairs. 
 
“Go on, Izu, show them what else you got!” Her mom handed Izuku a bag, from the label Mayu deduced that some type of hero merch was the contents. Izuku happily fumbled with the bag until he pulled out an All Might and a Present Mic plushie. He discarded the bag to the side and proudly held the two plushies out in front of him. He had a wide smile on his face.
 
“Ta-da! I got hero plushies!” Mayu cooed at him.
 
“Those are so cute, Izu-chan!” Izuku started to bounce on his feet. 
 
“Oh! Oh! I also got Present Mic sunglasses!” Izuku picked up the bag and dug through it again. Once he grabbed what he wanted he lifted it high in the air. Aoi grabbed them out of his hand and put them on his face. 
 
“These are so tiny.”
 
“Hey! Give it back! You’ll break them.” Izuku pouted. Mayu and Aoi laughed. 
 
“I don’t know, these are pretty cool. I just might keep them.” Aoi teased. The glasses were now in his hands and he was waving them just out of Izuku’s reach.
 
“NO! Give it back, please. If you want some so badly go buy them yourself.” Izuku folded his arms and challenged. Mayu smiled proudly at his boldness. She had been working on building his confidence and was proud to see some progress. 
 
“Alright, alright, fine. Here, you can have it.” Aoi put the glasses on Izuku’s face. 
 
“Thanks, Aoi-kun! They're nice, aren't they?! Oh!” Izuku suddenly walked over to Kimi, who was placing the bags on the couch still sorting through all of them. Mayu and Aoi watched him curiously when he walked back over to them with balled fists. He smiled brightly at them and opened his hands.
 
“Here! We found a candy store and I wanted to give some to you!” Mayu couldn't take it anymore. She scooped Izuku up in her arms and hugged him tightly. 
 
“Aw, Izu-kun! You are just the sweetest!” Izuku gigged as she swung him around. He dropped a few pieces of candy but Aoi was there to snatch them up. 
 
“Thanks, Zu. I’ll take some up to Arata for you!” Aoi didn't wait for a reply before dashing up stairs.
 
“Aoi! No running in the house. It’s dangerous!" Mayu heard her mother call. 
 
“He took more than he was supposed to…” Izuku pouted once Mayu set him down. She ruffled his hair and took the remaining pieces that he offered her.
 
“Teenage boys are greedy, aren't they? I know you won't be like that when you get older, right?” Izuku rapidly shook his head.
 
“Nuh-uh! No way! I’ll always be a good boy.” Izuku unwrapped one of the candies and popped it into his mouth.
 
“Izu! I told you no more, you already had enough candy for today!” Izuku blinked innocently at her mom and Mayu laughed. 
 
“...Oops.” Mayu watched as her mom fondly shook her head before handing Izuku some of the bags that were his to bring upstairs to his room. Mayu decided to grab some as well to help, though Izuku stopped her and said he could handle it. Mayu shared a look with her mother before smiling and watching Izuku struggle with what he was carrying up the stairs.  
 
“You got this, Izu-chan!” He made it up without dropping anything and sent a bragging look to them when he reached the midway point at the curve. He disappeared up the rest of the stairs and Mayu helped her mom bring her bags to her room. They placed the bags on the bed and Kimi started to take out the items. 
 
“Look at this dress I found!” Her mom held up a short beige sundress. It had large blue flowers and some dark green vines to make up the pattern. It looked super cute. 
 
“Wow, Mom, that is a nice dress! Is that for you?” Her mom looked at her in mock offense.
 
“Why, yes, Mayu, it is for me. Do you not think I can rock this?” Her mom put the dress against her and posed. Mayu couldn't help but laugh at her.
 
“It will look great on you, Mom.” Mayu said through her giggles. Her mom joined in before setting the dress down and showing off more of the clothes she had bought. Her mom enthusiastically showed off all the clothes, handbags, shoes, and jewelry that she had splurged on. 
 
“You really went all out with the shopping, huh? How’s dad gonna feel about all this?” Mayu regretted asking when she saw the look on her mother’s face. Kimi was smirking, her eyes shining saying “are you sure you wanna ask that?” Before Mayu could take it back or say something else her mom responded. 
 
“Well, even if he doesn't like how much I spent, I’m sure he won’t mind the new clothes when he gets to take them off of m-”
 
“MOM!”
 
“What, darling? You asked.” Her mom laughed loudly. Mayu groaned.
 
“Oh my god! I’m leaving now!” Mayu didn't move from her spot on the bed though, she just rested her face in her hands. Her mom continued to laugh at her expense. 
 
“Anyway, there is no need to be jealous of my haul. I also got some things that I thought you’d like.” Mayu perked up at hearing this. She looked at her mom excitedly as she unbagged more items.  
 
“I saw this red button up and thought you’d like it. I know you really like this color because it goes well with your hair.” Mayu grabbed the shirt and admired it.
 
“I also saw this skirt. Now, I know you don’t favor skirts, but I thought this would fit your style. I can take it back if you don’t like it.” Mayu had frowned at the mention of the skirt, but upon seeing it she couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. It was a black pencil type skirt. The fabric wrapped around and had two buckles that snapped together on the right side. Because of the design, the left side was slightly longer than the right.
 
“Holy cow! Where did you go to find a techwear skirt like this?” Her mother beamed proudly at her excited expression. 
 
“Well, actually, Izu spotted a hidden thrift shop that had an All Might poster in the window, so he dragged me in there. Unfortunately, the poster was for decoration and not for sale, but we were able to find the sunglasses so he wasn’t too bummed.” Her mom grabbed a pair of shoes. 
 
“The nice lady who worked there said that this type of shoe would go great with the skirt so I decided to pick a pair up for you.” Mayu all but snatched the ankle high black boots from her mom. She pulled them close to her face to admire the double bling straps that wrapped around the top of the shoes. 
 
“Oh my god, Mom, these must've cost so much!”
 
“Do you like them?” Mayu nodded her head so fast. She regretted it a second later as she felt a headache come on, but ignored it. Mayu tried the shoes on and walked around getting a feel for them. They were heavy, but she could get used to them. She walked back and forth in front of her parents bed modeling off the shoes. 
 
“I love these so much! Thank you, Mom!” She took the shoes off and tackled her mom in a hug. 
 
“I'm glad, sweetheart! I didn’t want to get you too much in fear of you not liking what I picked out, so next time I’ll bring you out there with me.” Mayu smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement. She was too busy admiring her new clothes to formulate a proper response.  
 
While her mom began putting her clothes away, Mayu decided to walk upstairs to do the same. When she reached the boys’ floor she stopped to check in on Izuku. Both twins were in the room watching Izuku show off his clothes and helping him put them away. They were laughing and cracking jokes. 
 
Izuku had the brightest smile on his face. Arata caught her looking and stuck his tongue out at her. She opened her mouth in mock offense and returned the action. Arata rolled his eyes and focused his attention back to Izuku. Mayu continued up to her floor, shaking her head in amusement.

A couple of days later, Daichi was back home and everyone was sitting around the table having dinner. Kimi had just finished setting out all the dishes. Once she sat down everyone started to reach for the food they wanted to eat. Mayu helped plate Izuku’s food. 
 
“This all looks delicious, Kimi, dear.” Daichi took a couple of bites and sighed happily. “Yeah, definitely good.” Soon, he started to inhale the meal.
 
“Jeez, slow down, Dad! It’s not going to run away.” Mayu laughed.
 
“Honestly. How can you even taste it eating like that? It's basically not even touching your taste buds.” Arata commented with a concerned and disturbed expression. Daichi just laughed and continued to enjoy his food. Kimi, Mayu, and the twin just shook their heads at him.
 
“Anyway, how was school today?” Kimi decided to break the silence and ask. Arata shot a look at Aoi, who was frowning down at his plate. 
 
“What happened?” Kimi asked warily. Aoi sighed and rested his head on his chin.
 
“Nothing major, just a quirk accident is all. I had a hard time resolidifying so I spent most of the school day in the nurse's office.” Aoi took a few bites of food. He tried shrugging it off, but Kimi was now slightly upset.
 
“What? Why didn’t they call me if you were having trouble?”
 
“I asked them not to call. It’s no big deal. I assumed I’d be able to control it. I managed to keep the heat at bay so no one got hurt.”
 
“No one other than you….”
 
“Shut up, Arata!” Aoi’s hair glowed a bright orange color. It flowed upwards coming out of the clip that Aoi had used to tie up the hair that gets in his face. The clip clattered loudly when it hit the floor. The room rose in temperature. Kimi reached across the table and rested her hand gently on Aoi’s. She spoke calming words as she activated her quirk to soothe him over. It wasn’t often that the teen got worked up, Arata being the more hot headed of the two. Kimi was slightly grateful that their quirks weren't flip flopped. 
 
Aoi and Arata’s quirks had to do with lava. Arata could cover himself with a thick layer of dried lava rock. There were cracks that showed bright red lines where the lava had yet to harden, but he was completely cool to the touch normally. Aoi, on the other hand, could form any part of his body to be hot lava. He had always had a hard time controlling it so he almost never activated his quirk. The only time his quirk activated was when his emotions were running high, which was a rarity for Aoi. 
 
Kimi knew how painful it could be for the teen, especially when he was trying not to hurt anyone around him. Aoi visibly relaxed under her touch and she gave him a reassuring smile. His hair dropped and covered his face a little. It was back to being black, but Kimi could see the slight smoke that came off of it when he moved it behind his ear, letting her know that it was definitely still hot. 
 
“I hate my quirk.”  Kimi shared a glance with Daichi, both of them knowing that nothing they said to the teen would get through. 
 
“...I’m sorry.”  Aoi took his hand back and continued eating. His face was still down cast. Arata sighed in frustration. He went to make another comment, but Daichi gave him a look telling him not to. 
 
“But I really like your quirk, Aoi-kun.” Kimi smiled sadly at Izuku, who probably didn't understand that his words weren't as comforting as he had hoped. Aoi glanced up at him and huffed a bitter laugh.
 
“You like everyone’s quirks, Izuku.” Izuku’s shoulders slumped and Aoi sighed. “...But, thanks anyway.” He sent Izuku a small smile. Everyone continued to eat in silence. Kimi tried to make conversation, but only managed to have short ones with Daichi and Mayu. She occasionally spoke with Izuku but he didn't give much of a response. 
 
“Oh! Hey, would you guys mind giving me a blood sample?” Everyone stopped for a moment and looked at Mayu with various expressions.
 
“Uh, sure, Mayu, but, uh, why?” Daichi was the first to break the silence. 
 
“Oh! Well, I need it to continue studying. My group and I think we are on the right track, but we need a lot of different blood samples to compare, since everyone pretty much has different quirks and a lot of the time aspects of quirks can change the older a person gets. Not to mention there could be dormant quirks tha-”
 
“Ok, Ok, we get it! Jeez, how do you and Izu always have so much to say? I didn't even understand half of that!” Arata cut her off. He had a confused and annoyed look on his face. Aoi's face was almost identical. 
 
“Yeah, really. Is anything you said even related to the question?” Aoi added. Though Arata gave him a panicked look that quickly turned into exasperation.  
 
“Yes it is, because my group and I are studying for-”
 
“Nope, never mind. I take it back, just- Fine. Yes, you can take our blood. End of  topic.” Aoi cut her off this time and took back his earlier question realising his mistake. 
 
“Just let us know when you need us, dear.” Kimi said through her chuckles.
 
“Can we start after dinner?” Another moment of silence.
 
“You-You have a way to, uh-” Daichi started cautiously. 
 
“Take blood out of your veins and properly store it until I am able to bring it to school so we can start testing?”
 
“...Yes…?”
 
“Of course I do!” Mayu beamed at them. Kimi wanted to ask, but was also very scared of the answer. She just put on a supportive smile. “So, after dinner?”
 
“Sure thing, Mayu.” Kimi started to say something, but an idea struck her. ”But, take the twins first, so that I can clean-
 
“We can clean up!”
 
“We can clean up!” Both twins said simultaneously. Kimi tried to hide her smirk.

They took the bait so easily

“Oh! Ok then, if you are sure.” The boys nodded their heads frantically. Daichi started to laugh, but quickly covered it with a cough. Kimi met his eyes and they both had to resist laughing. She picked up her drink and held it against her lips.  
 
“A-are you t-taking my blood as well…” Kimi sobered up hearing the sad tone in Izuku’s voice. His expression was scared, but curious. Mayu smiled sadly at Izuku. 
 
“Unfortunately, Izu, I don't want to take your blood because-
 
“I’m q-quirkless…”
 
“...Of how young you are.” Mayu finished gently. Izuku's eyes widened in shock.
 
“O-oh, ok.” He went back to eating his food, happily accepting that answer. Kimi relaxed. The rest of dinner went smoothly. The mood had drastically improved and Kimi was glad. She made a mental note to make a phone call to the twins' school. They should have informed her of what had happened and sent him home when he showed no sign of recovering quickly. Right now, though, she was going to be glad that Aoi was now safe and back to his normal self. The concerning topics about her kids could wait.

“Daichi-san?” Daichi was sitting in the living room. It was late at night and all of the household had since gone to bed. His sleep schedule was still off so he had opted to watch TV until his body became tired. He was surprised at first to hear the tiny voice from behind him, but it wore off quickly when he remembered that Kimi had mentioned the kid’s sleep schedule change.
 
“Hey, Izu. What’s up?” Izuku sat on the couch next to him. Daichi just watched him quietly, waiting for him to speak again. It took a few minutes, but soon Izuku looked up at him.
 
“A-Am I going to get t-transferred soon?” Daichi was caught off guard by this question. Out of all the things he had expected the kid to ask, this was far off the list. He composed himself quickly so he didn't worry the little one. 
 
“What makes you think that, Izuku?” Izuku shifted uncomfortably. His hands were wringing together and his eyes darted around the room. 
 
“I had a bad dream the other night… and I went to Kimi-san’s room because I was scared.” Daichi listened intently as Izuku continued to speak. Though he had an idea of where this was going and had to resist reacting.
 
 “When I was about to knock, I heard your voice. I didn’t want to interrupt, so I was going to go see Mayu. I stopped because I heard my name...” Izuku’s eyes started to water, but Daichi didn’t do anything. He was going to wait until Izuku finished saying what he needed to. 
 
“I-I know I shouldn’t have, b-but I w-wanted to see why you were t-talking about me. I couldn't h-hear everything, but I did hear K-Kimi-san say that s-someone was c-coming to t-take me s-soon and I-I just…” Izuku hugged his knees and buried his face. Daichi stayed quiet for a minute to make sure that Izuku was done speaking. He also needed to take a minute to process. 
 
“I’m sorry you heard that, Izuku. We were going to discuss this with you later, but l’ll go ahead and tell you now.” Daichi said with a gentle voice. Izuku peeked up at him and then slowly placed his legs down. “There is a family that is interested in adopting someone your age and you were one of the kids suggested.” Izuku's mouth dropped at his words. Daichi let them sink in a moment before continuing. 
 
“There are going to be a few consulta- uh, a few meetings before anything is decided. So, no, you're not getting transferred like Hitoshi did.” Daichi winced at himself for mentioning Hitoshi, Izuku didn’t seem to hear him though. 
 
“So I might be getting adopted…?” Izuku looked at him with a tinge of fear. 
 
“We won’t send you with anyone you aren't comfortable with.” Izuku seemed to relax at that, but he still seemed uneasy. “Right now it will only be a meeting. No decisions will be made on the first meeting. I can promise you that.” Izuku’s demeanor became more peaceful. He smiled at him.
 
“Ok.” They sat in silence for a few minutes before Izuku yawned and leaned against him. Daichi couldn’t help but chuckle.
 
“Alright, kiddo, let’s get you back to bed.”

“Good morning, dear.” Kimi greeted her husband. She knew he had gotten to bed late so she had made sure to stay quiet so he could sleep in. She was in the kitchen cleaning up breakfast dishes. Daichi sat down at the bar and spun around in the stool.
 
“Morning, Love.” Daichi looked around the living room. ”Where are the kids?” Kimi handed him a cup of coffee which he gratefully accepted. 
 
“Mayu and her friends got permission to use the lab at the school, so she left a little bit ago to meet them. Arata tagged along so he could hang out at the arcade nearby. He wanted to get out of the house today. I would’ve preferred Aoi go with him, but he wanted to stay in, so I didn’t force him. I think he may have gone back to bed.” Kimi walked around the bar and sat next to her husband. Daichi hummed.
 
“Is he still upset about what happened yesterday?” He asked. Kimi sighed and felt her lips tug downwards.
 
“I think so. He hasn’t had an incident like that in a while. I’m sure he’s feeling disappointed.” Kimi flooded her arms on the counter and placed her head down.   “I made an appointment with his quirk counselor this morning. It’s for next week since he was all booked up for the rest of this one.” She closed her eyes and sighed again. Daichi started to rub soothing circles on her back. 
 
“Kimi, hun, you seem stressed.” Kimi huffed a laugh at Daichi’s words. “What’s on your mind?”
 
“What isn’t? I’m worried about Aoi. I’m worried about Hitoshi. I’m sad that Mayu is growing up. She’s going to graduate and leave us soon. 
 
“Kimi…”
 
“Izuku's progress has been so good and I’m worried about how he’ll take the news about his potential adopters.”
 
“Well, about that-”
 
“I’m worried that the meeting will go poorly and he’ll suffer for it. I'm sad that it might go well and we won’t have him anymore. 
 
“Kimi, he knows already.”
 
“I'm frustrated that I think like that because they could be good parents for him an- Wait, what!? What do you mean? How?” Kimi sat up and stared at her husband in confusion.  
 
“He had a nightmare the other night and overheard us talking about it when he came for comfort.” Kimi’s eyes went wide. She felt horrible. Izuku came to her for comfort but she hadn't even noticed. Did he go back to his room? Did he cry himself back to sleep? 
 
“Don't worry. He went to Mayu after so he was fine.” Daichi infomed. Kimi felt relieved, but she was still sad that Izuku had overheard. 
 
“I was wondering why he seemed extra jittery recently. So what happened?” 
 
“He thought he was getting transferred like Hitoshi did, but I corrected him. I told him about the consultation, but that was about it. He didn’t seem upset about it.” Daichi got a thoughtful look for a moment. “It seems we got off track earlier. Where is the little one?” 
 
“Oh! After breakfast he went to the secret spot under the stairs to read for a bit. I checked on him a bit ago and he was asleep.” Kimi smiled remembering his peaceful face. “So he took the news ok?”
 
“I believe so. I made sure to reassure him that it was just a meeting and that he was allowed to refuse if he wanted.” Kimi nodded her head agreeing with her husband's words. Unlike with Hitoshi, who was moved to a new social worker’s home, Izuku was meeting potential adopters, so he, as well as Kimi, had full say on what happened afterward. Izuku would not be forced to leave if he didn’t want to. 
 
“You’ve met the family already, haven't you, Kim?” Kimi resisted groaning. 
 
“Yes, I’ve met them…”
 
“Oh dear, are they that bad?” Daichi asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. Kimi chuckled.
 
“Well, no. They didn’t really leave an impression. They weren’t very warm, but I could tell there was love in the family. The kid seemed shy, but he also had a lot of passions. Overall they weren't bad and they seemed like a really nice family. They were probably scared to show too much for fear of looking bad. Honestly, once they relax and stop overthinking things, I can see them being good candidates for Izuku. ” Daichi hummed, acknowledging that he had heard her words. Kimi watched him as he took a few sips of his coffee. 
 
“So why the negative tone, dear?” Yep, there it was. Kimi had been waiting for him to comment on it.
 
“Well, that’s because there is a very real chance that Izuku will leave us.”
 
“And that’s a bad thing because…?” Amusement still lacing his tone. Kimi was fully aware that her husband knew why she was acting the way she was.  She huffed in playful frustration before answering. 
 
“It’s not a bad thing, just a sad thing.” Kimi tried to make it into a joke, but her serious tone kind of ruined that. Daichi watched her patiently.
 
“I mean, as I mentioned before, Mayu...Mayu is going to graduate soon. She's going to study in America and I don’t think I'm ready for my baby to grow up just yet.” Kimi sighed. 
 
“Not to mention that the twins' parents are doing so well, from what I've heard. Of course, due to confidentiality, I’m not allowed to know specifics, but I can tell that they are doing better. Aoi and Arata may be leaving us soon as well.” Kimi couldn't help but smile when she thought of the Saitos. Thinking about their progress made her feel so proud, even though she had only met them once. Her small smile quickly dropped however. 
 
“And Hitoshi just left us... I just- I’m not ready to lose all of them so quickly.” Daichi squeezed her shoulder and stood. He motioned for her to stand as well, and she did hesitantly. He led her to the couch and they sat in silence for a few minutes. 
 
“You’ve always been so emotional whenever a kid leaves or is about to. I can only imagine, with the threat of a very empty home soon, the state your mind is in.” Kimi rested her head against her husband's shoulder. 
 
“Mayu, our little girl,

is

going to graduate. She

is

going to move to America.” Kimi whined dramatically, pulling a chuckle from her husband. “And she

is

going to call almost everyday because

she’s

a momma’s girl and will be lost without you.

And

she is going to visit on every holiday that she is able.”
 
“I wonder if she’ll bring a boy home with her?” Kimi teased. She laughed loudly when she felt her husband go rigid. He cleared his throat, obviously trying to ignore what she had said. “A-And besides, she barely started her last semester of high school,  there is no need to think about graduation.” Kimi could hear the emotions in his voice and she smirked up at him. “My point is, Kimi, she has already grown up, but she will never grow too old for her parents.” Kimi could only smile knowingly. Daichi may have been trying to cheer her up, but it was obvious those words were just as much for him as well.
 
“About the twins. We never had a timeline on when they would be able to return to their parents. And while, yes, it will be sad to see them go, I know for a fact you will be nothing but supportive. You’ve been rooting for that couple since day one.” Kimi smiled. “You may or may not be able to contact them again, but they will never forget you, Kimi. “ And now her eyes were watering.
 
“Hitoshi had been through a lot, but as I’ve already mentioned, you have given him the love and support he needs to push through it. He knows you are in his corner and he will rise to the top. Both he and Izuku will. They have that promise, remember? They are going to meet at U.A. and become heroes together. Though they will be much older, I’m very certain that we will recognize the two of them instantly.” Daichi placed a kiss on her lips. It was a quick kiss, so he pulled back quickly, but Kimi felt like being greedy. She pulled him back in for a longer, deeper kiss. It wasn’t too deep, just enough so she could feel more connected to Daichi and show him how much she loved him. 
 
“Uh…” Kimi jumped at the voice that was behind her. Daichi wasn't phased and just glanced back, eyebrow raised. Aoi was standing by the stairs looking at them with wide eyes. Daichi started to chuckle at the boy's expense. Kimi tried not to smile but one spread anyway.
 
“Did you, uh, did you need something, Aoi?” Kimi desperately tried to keep herself composed. She had to cough through a laugh that had bubbled up at the end of her sentence. Aoi looked back and forth between the two of them. His mouth opening and closing multiple times before he shut his mouth with an audible click. He turned on his heel and walked back up the stairs. 
 
Daichi and Kimi shared a look. Daichi’s shoulders were shaking, which was the only current indication that he was laughing. Kimi lightly hit his arm trying to tell him to stop, but she wasn’t too far behind him. What tipped them over the edge was a small thumping sound that came from the stairs and the…
 
“Ow!” That had followed. It wasn’t until after the couple heard a door closing that they unleashed the laughs they were holding back. They laughed and laughed until their stomachs tightened and their cheeks burned. Just when the two started to calm down…
 
“What are you guys laughing about?” A sleepy Izuku walked into the living room, yawning and rubbing his eyes. His head was tilted because of his question. And Kimi found it so adorable. However, as much as she wanted to coo at the boy and bring him into a hug, his question had sent both her and Daichi into another fit of giggles.  
 
She almost felt bad for the poor, confused kid, who started to awkwardly chuckle and crawl back into his “secret” spot.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Izuku sighed as he patiently waited for the family that he was meeting with today. He had been with the Tanaka’s for five months. After the first month had passed he had done countless meet ups with couples and families that were looking to adopt. So far all of them seemed to lose interest whenever his quirkless status was mentioned.
 
 Every single time the kind, warm, and loving smiles would freeze in place. Their eyebrows would slightly raise, before the smile dropped from their faces entirely. Of course, only to quickly spread back across their face much more fake than before. They wouldn’t stay around for much longer, always suddenly remembering another engagement they had to get to. 
 
He was so over it.
 
Izuku sighed again. He tried not to think about it too much, but he couldn't stop playing back everything negative that someone said about him. Some people rolled their eyes and said awful things to him and Kimi. Izuku felt bad that Kimi was also being insulted even though she had told him multiple times that it wasn’t his fault.
 
Izuku felt his eyes sting, letting him know that he was about to cry. He tilted his head back in an attempt to stop it. He didn't want red and puffy eyes when the family got there. He decided to take Mayu’s advice that she had given him before. She had told him that if his thoughts were being mean to him, he should try to only think about a happy memory. She even said that thinking of a happy memory that is similar to the bad thoughts would help them go away. He closed his eyes and thought about a moment just before his very first interview with a family.

Izuku was nervous. Today was the day that he was meeting the people that might possibly adopt him.  He wasn't sure how to feel about all of it, but he wanted to make a good impression. He walked to his closet and flung almost every nice shirt he saw out. He didn’t leave them on the floor too long though, for risk of wrinkling them. Kimi always fussed at them when it came to wrinkled clothes.

He was in the middle of grabbing a few pants to pair with the shirts on his bed, when his door was knocked on. That was his only warning before it slammed open.

“Izu-!”

“-ku!”

Izuku had gotten used to the twins doing this, so he no longer flinched when it happened. Arata kicked his door closed and then both boys walked over to inspect his clothes.

“So, whatcha got brat? Any favorites so far?” Arata hopped on his bed, one leg hanging off. He placed his elbow on his propped up knee and rested his face on his closed fist.

“Yeah…anything we can eliminat-” Aoi was looking at the options he had on the bed, but then stopped in his tracks before looking down and following the floor. “Did you take out your entire wardrobe!? Jeez!”

“Well, it's not all of it. Just the nice ones.” Izuku chuckled nervously. Arata leaned over to look at the floor and laughed. Aoi groaned dramatically and flopped on top of the clothes on the bed.

“Hey! Wrinkles! Wrinkles!” Izuku tried to shove Aoi off of his clothes. Both the twins laughed at him. Finally Aoi rolled over and rubbed the wrinkles away as much as he could. Izuku puffed his cheeks and playfully glared at the two older boys.

“Alright, brat. Since you seem to be having trouble let us just-” Arata leaned his body over so he could fall off the bed. He smiled as he went down and rolled to a crouch when he landed. He started to grab the clothes on the floor, inspect them for a bit, before holding it up to Aoi. The twins stared at them, before either scrunching their face and shaking the head or shrugging their shoulders and nodding their heads.

Izuku could only watch them curiously as they continued to do this until most of the floor was clear. The rejected clothes were tossed to Aoi to fold or hang to put away and the others were placed on the bed. If the clothes were placed on the bed Izuku spread them out nicely.

Once the floor was clear, they boys stood on their feet and each grabbed either a shirt or pants. They held up their chosen item to the other twin before deciding to discard one or both of them. Izuku was able to put his opinion on these. Eventually five outfits were left on the bed for Izuku to choose from.

“These are definitely the best!” Arata stood proudly at the foot of the bed, hands balled into fist and placed on his hips. He smiled smugly at Izuku and Izuku had to resist snorting at him.

“Yep! You’ll look great in any of these. The choice is yours.” Aoi was much calmer in his tone. He gestured his arm across the bed letting Izuku know he could go ahead and choose. Izuku focused on the clothes intely. He managed to boil it down to two outfits. They were both his favorites.

One was a light grey t-shirt that had the words “Future Hero” written across the chest. One was above the other and both were outlined with white strips. It was paired with dark blue jeans. The other outfit was a light green short sleeved shirt with a hood that had the words “Plus Ultra” in big bold white letters. It was paired with white jeans.

Izuku liked both options and was having a hard time choosing. The twins were unhelpful now. When he asked them to choose for him each chose a different outfit. Even when shoes were added, the choice was still hard. For the grey shirt outfit, Aoi chose a pair of white ankle high boots to match and Ararta chose his red boots to pair with the other one. Izuku sat criss cross applesauce on the floor and rested his chin in his hand. The twins were still arguing above him.

“Okay! Okay! What’s going on in here?” Mayu knocked and opened the door.  She looked at the twins in disappointment and they both sheepishly smiled at her.  She turned to Izuku and her eyes softened. She walked over and picked him up placing him on his feet.

“Hey, Izu. Nervous?” Izuku nodded his head. “That’s ok! I know it can be scary, but there is no need to be afraid. Mom will be with you the entire time.” Mayu gently rubbed his head and then pulled him into a bone crushing hug. Izuku wondered if he was more upset than he thought, since it seemed that Mayu had come to him because of her quirk.

“Alright! They are going to be here soon and you aren't even dressed yet!” Mayu turned to face the bed. “These are the ones you want to wear?” Izuku answered yes.

“But I can’t choose! I like them both.” He pouted again, when Mayu laughed. “Can you choose one for me?”

“Sure thing! But are you sure there isn’t one you would prefer over the other?” Izuku looked at the two outfits again. His eyes lingered a little longer on the green one, but he didn’t want to say anything. He didn’t want to offend Aoi.

“Yeah, I really like them both. You can choose for me.” Mayu narrowed her eyes at him a bit before smiling and shaking her head.

“Okie Dokie then! I choose… Plus Ultra!” Arata whopped and jumped up. Aoi scowled a little and started to put the rejected outfit away. Soon the three of them left so that he could change.

The memory was bitter sweet, but it did make him feel better, so Izuku supposed it had worked. Though now he was sad for a different reason so he started to regret thinking about that memory.

Maybe I should think of something else...

“Izu?” Izuku jerked out of his thoughts and turned to who addressed him. It was Mayu. 
 
“Everything ok? You look sad.” Mayu pulled out a chair and dragged it over so she could sit next to him. Izuku looked at her for a bit before looking down.
 
“Just thinking about Aoi and Arata…” Mayu smiled sadly and nodded in understanding. 
 
“I miss them too.” About two months ago the twins were able to start living with their birth parents again. It had started off slow. For the first two weeks, the twins only left for the weekend and came back to the Tanaka’s during the week. When the twins got back after their second visit, Kimi informed them that the next weekend that they left they wouldn’t be returning. Izuku, at the time, was really happy for them and he still was, but he missed them.

“You crybaby brat! There is no need for tears. We all knew this was going to happen a week ago!”

Arata had said to him before they left. Though Izuku wasn’t sure if the crybaby comment had been directed at him or Arata himself since the older boy had been crying harder than what he had been. 
 
“...I’m going to miss you as well.” Izuku mumbled after a bit of silence. He wasn’t sure if he was referring to him possibly leaving soon or Mayu. He still hadn’t looked up so he wasn’t sure what expression she wore. She had just graduated from school and only had a week left before she left for America. Her plane had already been booked. 
 
Izuku felt her hand land on his knee before he saw it. Her other hand had gently cupped under his chin and raised his head up. He tried to keep his eyes down, but eventually they flicked up to meet hers.
 
“There we go! Now I can see your face!” She let go of his chin to tickle his stomach. As much as he didn’t want to, he laughed. Mayu smiled brightly at him. 
 
“Are you going to the school again?” He asked her. She nodded her head. Izuku hummed to show that he heard her. She had been meeting with her friends at the school for a while now. He knew that they were working on a project that they would need for when they went to America. It was for some type of award, Izuku wasn’t sure what it was. He knows it’s called Scholarship, but he isn’t sure of the award’s purpose. He didn’t want to keep asking Mayu questions about it so he wouldn't bother her. 
 
“Speaking of which, I should get going.” She stood and grabbed her bags, Izuku didn't even notice she had them. “Hey, Izu?” He looked up at her. “ You are going to be fine! I know that you are probably sick of these or have lost hope, but there will be a family out there who loves you for you!” Izuku couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. Mayu wasn’t offended though. 
 
“It may or may not be this one, but you can’t give up. If they don’t like you, they aren't worth it anyway.” She harshly blew air out of her nose, tilted her head up, and folded her arms. Izuku laughed. Mayu suddenly snapped her fingers and pointed up.
 
“Think of it like flipping the channel on the TV until you find the perfect show to watch!” Izuku just stared at her unimpressed. Mayu raised her arms in a surrendering motion and pushed and pulled her hands back and forth, telling him to hang on. 
 
“The other programs just didn’t vibe with you, right? But if you had given up on looking you wouldn’t have found that perfect show!” Mayu looked proud at her comparison. She looked at him expectantly and he nodded telling her that he understood her point. Izuku took comfort in her words and smiled at her. She hugged him and winked before she turned her back and headed for the door. 
 
Izuku waited to drop his smile until he heard the door click shut.

Kimi waited until Mayu walked away to approach the table. She hadn’t wanted to interrupt them. Her daughter had already told her the time she was leaving before, so she didn’t mind Mayu not talking with her before she left. Of course with Mayu leaving so soon, Kimi would have preferred it if she had stayed home.  But Kimi also knew that her daughter didn’t want to be anywhere around when Izuku did his interviews. Mayu always scheduled meeting her friends around those times so she had an excuse to be out of the house. 
 
Kimi couldn't blame her. Four months ago Hitoshi had left and rather abruptly at that. Then two months ago the twins had left. Of course, they had plenty of time to prepare for that, but it was still quite hard. Not to mention the entire time Izuku had been through many meetings, none of which led anywhere. Kimi wasn’t sure if she was happy about that or not. On the one hand, she was able to keep Izuku longer, but on the other, if it kept happening they would transfer Izuku just as they did Hitoshi. And then she couldn't make sure he ended up in a nice place.
 
Kimi wasn’t stupid. She knew the reason that they didn’t give her the choice with Hitoshi’s transfer was because he was listed as a trouble child. Which, upon meeting him she knew was false. She learned quickly that he was only marked that, because of the bias from the other people he had housed with. 
 
Izuku was quirkless and while, in normal everyday life, Izuku and Hitoshi wouldn’t get treated that badly, in the system? In lower parts of the city? They were basically a target. Izuku especially. 
 
Nobody wanted to be known as the family with a quirkless child. Most of the time if they did, it was only to be seen as a good samaritan. It made her sick and it saddened her to think that she hadn’t even known just how bad the quirkless were still treated until she had met Izuku. She was ashamed to remember that once upon a time even she had turned her nose in pity to those born without a quirk.
 
Being quirkless was slightly more common when she was a child. She was still very young at the time, but she still remembered how the quirkless were marked. How they weren't allowed in certain places. It was being fought against heavily and by the time she was in middle school, any laws of discrimantion were banned, including the required marking. 
 
 She had thought that everything was fixed and better after that, but now that she had Izuku, she thinks that the laws were only dropped because people weren’t born quirkless as often. The heavy dircrimination shifted to those who society deemed as having villainous quirks.  Quirks that fall under that umbrella are primarily physical, though quirks like Hitoshi’s, also get categorized as such.  
 
People just loved to look for an excuse to place themselves higher than another group of people. 
 
Of course, to try and avoid the discrimanation in the system they weren't allowed to disclose the quirk of any child that was about to be adopted. This was to try and give the potential family the chance to get an unbiased impression of the child when they met face to face rather than form a negative opinion ahead of time. 
 
Naturally, more often than not most people felt tricked or betrayed when they found out the kid didn’t have the strong quirk they were hoping for.  The amount of stories Kimi heard during her training really put everything into perspective for her.  
 
Kimi felt herself starting to get emotional so she killed her line of thought and continued to walk to the table. She set the plates of the finger foods she had made down before rounding the table and sitting in the chair Mayu had occupied minutes earlier. 
 
“Hey, little one. Are you excited?” She knew the answer was no before Izuku even shook his head. She chucked at the boy's face which told her that he knew it too. “Sorry, sorry, but Mayu is right you know? You’ll find a good family.”

Hopefully

“And they are going to love you, despite you not having a quirk!”

They better.

“As I’ve said multiple times. A quirk…” Kimi smiled as she waited for Izuku to speak.
 
“...Doesn’t define a person’s worth…”
 
“So…”
 
“Quirkless doesn’t equal worthless.” They finished together and Izuku smiled. He playfully rolled his eyes at her as she ruffled his hair. She quickly smoothed it over and patted his shoulder. 
 
“How about after the interview we go out and get some ice cre- um, some cake pops!” Izuku tensed and his eyes were wide, signaling that she failed in her cover up. She sighed and hugged him apologetically. Kimi wasn’t sure why, but whenever ice cream is mentioned Izuku always freaked out.
 
 It wasn’t often that she allowed sweets in her house, so it took a while before she was able to learn that ice cream was a trigger for him. He never talked about it and he never shared when she asked so she let it go. She normally caught herself quicker than that and she mentally slapped herself for forgetting. She continued to reiterate cake pops and even suggested slushies or snow cones to distract Izuku, while using her quirk. It worked after a while. Tears were avoided and Izuku was back to smiling. 
 
“I like cake pops! Can we get those?” Kimi relaxed and turned her quirk off.
 
“Of course we can!” Before she could say anything else the doorbell rang. Izuku’s mood dropped and he looked at her nervously. Kimi debated activating her quirk again, but she didn’t want to risk making Izuku sleepy so she decided to smile and reassure him with words. 
 
“Everything will be fine, Izuku. I know none of these have ended on a happy note, but that just means that those families weren’t meant to have you.” Kimi really hoped her point came through. She realized after she started that her words could be taken the wrong way.
 
“I know, Kimi-san, but I just wish people would be nicer. I just want this to be over…”  Kimi wished she could give him the stability he was looking for. All of this rejection was weighing down on him and Kimi just wanted to make it go away. But this was her job and in order to find a stable home for him they would have to keep going through. She couldn’t reject everyone that’s looking to expand their family just because she wanted to keep the five year old to herself. Izuku took a breath and tried to smile for her. She returned the small smile.
 
“Okay, I’m ready.” And with that Kimi walked away to greet their guests.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shouta sighed when they were finally able to step into their apartment. It was cold outside and he and Hizashi had just picked up groceries from the store. Hizashi wanted to try his hand at cooking again and wouldn't stop whining about all the take-out they had been ordering. Shouta just hoped he wouldn't trip the smoke alarms again and run everyone out of the building.
 
That had not been fun. 
 
Hizashi had already made his way into the kitchen and was humming as he put their items away. Shouta stepped around him to help. His kitten, Pocky, walked out of their bedroom and was snaking around his feet. 
 
“Hey, girl. We’re home.” He reached down and rubbed under her chin. She mewled happily. She was a stray kitten that had been separated from her mom and siblings. He had found her a few weeks ago cowering under Hizashi’s car and he couldn't resist bringing her home. 
 
Hizashi had looked so disappointed but had accepted his fate quickly. Shouta had known that the blond fell in love with the nearly all-black kitten the moment Shouta set her down and she whined and tripped over her paws.  
 
Pocky eventually walked over to the blond for love, so Shouta continued with the groceries. Once the groceries were put away, Shouta cleared out of the kitchen so that Hizashi could start dinner.  
 
“Alright! Let’s do this!” Shouta heard him say. He couldn't help but snort. “Hey! Don’t laugh! You watch! This time for sure it will be a great meal. You’ll cry tears of joy with how good it’ll taste!”
 
Spoiler alert, he did not in fact cry tears of joy. He did, however, burst into uncontrollable laughter when Hizashi set the plate in front of him. 
 
“...I really thought I could do it too. Quit laughing, it's not funny!” Hizashi lightly hit his shoulder. Despite what he had said, the man was laughing as well. The meal wasn’t all that bad, just a little burnt around the edges. They did have to push quite a bit of it aside, but Shouta wasn't one to complain.
 
After they finished what was edible, Shouta washed the dishes then joined his roommate on the couch. They had both decided that it would be easiest on them financially to just move in together after they graduated.
  “Hey, Sho?” Shouta hummed to acknowledge that he was listening. “You remember Suzuki and Mori, the it couple from high school?” Shouta briefly wondered why his friend was bringing them up but nodded his head anyway.  
“Did you know they adopted a kid?” Hizashi had an amazed tone. Shouta raised his eyebrows.
 
“Didn’t we like, just graduate? It’s way too soon for them to have a kid!” 
 
“I don’t think it was too soon. They were such a cute couple! And Mori was class president of B, so he’s responsible.” Hizashi defended. Shouta rolled his eyes. 
 
“Hizashi, we were still kids ourselves up til a few years ago. And I’m fairly certain that class rep duties and imprisoning a tiny soul are very different things.” Hizashi slowly turned his head towards him with a horrified expression and blinked.
 
“Sho… I’m fairly certain that raising a child and imprisoning a tiny soul are very different things!” Shouta just shrugged his shoulders.
 
“My point is, is that they are too young and still way too young in their relationship. They didn’t even wait until we graduated before they got married. We just aren't responsible at our age.
 
“I think I'm responsible enough to care for a kid,” Hizashi said in a pouty tone. 
 
“Hey, how did dinner turn out again?” Shouta smirked as Hizashi made an offended noise.
 
“I don’t see you trying to cook!” Hizashi pouted again while Shouta laughed. “Besides, I'm improving… I still think I’d make a great dad, unlike you.” Hizashi poked his side and Shouta glared at him. “What? Didn’t you reject a girl in our first year by telling her you never wanted kids?”
 
“Don’t bring that up!” Shouta shuddered and Hizashi laughed at the memory of the crazy girl. Once Hizashi let his guard down, Shouta returned a harsh poke to his side. Hizashi choked mid-laugh.
 
“I do remember saying that, though, but I can tell you I don’t quite feel that way anymore. I mean, don’t get me wrong, kids are still annoying as he-”
 
“Shouta.”
 
“But I wouldn't mind imprisoning a tiny soul-”
 
“Shouta!” Hizashi lightly smacked him and they laughed.
 
"Just maybe not right now. I'm still too young and... well the only reason I agreed to be trapped in a lease with you is because we are broke…" Shouta teased.

"Hey! You know you love me!" Hizashi folded his arms and mock glared at him. Shouta rolled his eyes, both at his friend's childishness and the ridiculous conversation they were having. 
 
"Why are we even talking about this? I'm going to take a nap…"

“Shouta?” Shouta felt a hand on his shoulder. He opened his eyes and saw his friend leaning over him. Even though both of them could afford their own places now, neither really saw the need to move just yet. Shouta sat up and cracked his neck. He was sitting on the sofa in the living room. He looked at the clock on the wall and realized he had fallen asleep.  “Good morning, sleepyhead! How was your nap?” Hizashi sat next to him and handed him a glass of water, which he gratefully accepted. “So, don’t be mad-” Shouta immediately glared. “I said don't be mad! I haven't even said the thing yet!” Shouta shook his head and sighed. “Ok! Ok, I’ll spit it out. So, Nemuri and Tensei-” Shouta groaned and dragged a hand down his face. “What time?”  “Seven-thirty. To make up for inviting them over without your permission, I'll make whatever you want.” Hizashi winked and sent him finger guns. Shouta raised an eyebrow at him. After a mini staring contest, Hizashi smiled sheepishly. “I don’t care, Zashi. I enjoy anything you make... Now that you can actually cook.” Shouta smirked at the offended squeak that Hizashi made.  “Ok, cool, cool. What should I make?” Hizashi said to himself while tapping a finger to his chin. A beat of silence passed before he spoke up again. “Oh, hey! What were you dreaming about? You were mumbling a bit.” Hizashi's tone was casual, but Shouta could tell he was worried. “I wasn’t having a nightmare.” Hizashi's shoulders relaxed. “But it was weird…” Hizashi glanced at him.  “How so?” Shouta thought over the memory. He looked around their living room, noting the differences in the decor Hizashi had a few years ago, to now. He looked towards the kitchen where Pocky, no longer a kitten, was drinking water and using her tail to play with Hizashi’s cat, Cinnamon. He was just about to explain when an idea struck him.  “Uh? Sho?” Shouta felt a slow smile creep on his face. “It was about imprisoning tiny souls.” Shouta started cackling at the different faces Hizashi made while proceeding what he said.

“Hello! You must be the Ishikawas!” Kimi welcomed them in with a smile. The family consisted of the couple and their three kids. The oldest child was fourteen, the middle child was eight and the youngest was three. The oldest and the baby were both boys and the eight year old was a girl. Kimi knew all of this from previous conversations with the parents.    “It’s a pleasure to meet you in person, Satoshi-san,” Kimi normally wouldn't address them by first name, but the Ishikawas had insisted multiple times. She shook the man’s hand. He was a very largely built person. He towered over her so she had to strain her neck to properly look in his eyes. His hair was a dark grey color and it fell past his shoulders. He sported a beard but the hair didn’t come too far off of his face.  “Koharu-san.” She then shook the lady’s hand. She was much smaller in frame compared to her husband, but Kimi supposed most people would be. Koharu was still slightly shorter than she was. Her hair was a light brown and was tied into a low ponytail in the back. She wore a bright blue bow to accessorize it. The women's hands were very smooth and gentle. Kimi felt nothing but warmth from her.   Both adults smiled at her and returned the greeting.  “It’s lovely to meet you as well, Kimi-san! Now children don’t be rude.” Koharu ushered her oldest kids forward. The boy nodded his head. “Nice to meet you Tanaka-san. I’m Ishikawa Hayato." The boy seemed reserved. Similar to if not more than Aoi. He wasn’t as tall as his father, but he was still young and a growth spurt would be due any moment. His hair was a dark brown, almost black color that was no longer than his chin. Kimi noticed an undercut hidden by the length. She politely greeted the boy. He gave a gentle smile before stepping back to allow his sister to come forward.  “Hello, Ma’am! I’m Fumiko! You can just call me Fumi! Your house is really nice! I like it! It’s big! And-” Hayato placed a hand on his sister's shoulder to stop her from jumping, which she had started doing when she said her name. The young girl's light brown and grey ombre hair was tied into two high pigtails that went to her elbows.  “Fumi, please. You're going to make her ears bleed if you keep screaming like that.” Fumiko playfully glared at her older brother and started growling. Hayato smirked down at his sister, but before anything got anymore heated Satoshi stepped in and calmed both children.  “Now apologize to Tanaka-san. We are here as her guests. Please act properly.” Satoshi’s tone was light, but it was low and had a certain edge to it. One that only a parent would have. It was a gentle but effective way to scold a child.  “Sorry, Tanaka-san.” The kids spoke in unison. They bowed their heads and stepped back behind their parents. Kimi smiled. “It’s quite alright. I’m used to kids and siblings arguing. It shows that they get along and have a nice bond when it’s as playful as that.” Both parents seemed to release tension at her words. “Alright, well,” Kimi lightly clapped her hand together, “I have some snacks in the dining room, if you guys are hungry.” The kids' faces lit up. Before they reacted though they watched their parents for their lead.  “You didn’t have to do that, Kimi-san! Thank you so much!” Kimi smiled at Koharu and led the family to where Izuku was waiting. Once they entered the room Izuku stood. Kimi could feel the parents behind her brighten at the sight of him. Kimi wanted to be happy at this, but she knew better. She wasn’t going to get her hopes up just yet and she knew Izuku felt the same.  “Oh, you must be Izuku! Hello, sweetie!” Koharu wasted no time making her way over to Izuku. Kimi sent an encouraging smile when he looked at her in mild fear. He smiled nervously at the lady in front of him and hesitantly took her outstretched hand.  “H-Hello, I-I-Ishika- “Oh please, hun. You can call me Koharu!” Kimi and Izuku both winced at him getting cut off. Koharu seemed to realize her mistake and took a few steps back out of Izuku space. Koharu glanced at her apologetically and Kimi smiled back reassuringly.  “This all looks delicious, Kimi-san!” Satoshi stepped towards one of the seats. Kimi gestured to the table and chairs. “Thank you. Please, sit. Enjoy it!” Kimi waited for everyone to find a seat before she sat herself. She made sure she was next to Izuku. The other adults sat across from them and the kids tried to sit as close to their parents as possible. Koharu placed their youngest in a seat and pulled it close to her.  “Oh my, Looks like I forgot to introduce myself to the little one.” Kimi said. She waved to the oddly silent toddler. He only started at her and blinked, before looking at his mom and making grabby hands at the food. Kimi scrunched her eyebrows in confusion.  She looked at the parents, her curiosity and confusion evident on her face.  “It’s very interesting isn't it? Seeing such a quiet and uninterested toddler. Satoshi and I were very worried about him at first but the doctors told us that little Takeo is just fine.” Koharu turned to her youngest and rubbed a finger up and down his cheek. “Takeo is actually adopted.” Kimi had known this, from looking into the family, but she gave them a reaction to be polite. Koharu started to rub her husband's arms as he continued to speak.  “We got him when he was just a baby. He was quiet even then.” When Satoshi didn’t go any further, Koharu continued.  “He was abandoned by his birth parents and no one was able to find them. It is believed that he has an empathy quirk that he was born with, but it’s hard to tell. Empathy quirks are hard to identify especially when alterations of others' emotions don’t play a factor.” Koharu turned back and faced Takeo. “We’ve done everything we can to try and get him to express his emotions, but nothing we do helps. Not even the doctor's suggestions bring out his personality. But, we are confident that he will get there one day.” Satoshi finished. Kimi was in shock. She could only imagine the stress these two were under when it comes to a child, a baby, that doesn't express emotion.  Especially considering that's the only way babies and young toddlers know how to comunicatie.  “Wow. I am absolutely amazed at your courage and patience with his situation. Just- I can’t even imagine.” Kimi’s heart really went out to them. Koharu smiled sadly for a moment, before she turned an thankful one to her. Kimi glanced at the kids. The Ishikawa children seemed uninterested in the conversation and were happily enjoying the snacks she laid out. Izuku was more in tune to the conversation, but was staring at the table eating slowly. “Well, speaking of quirks, Little Izuku, since we are here to get to know you, would you like to share what yours is?” Izuku tensed and clenched his fists. He took a minute to calm himself, and Kimi was glad the other adults let him. He finally let out a breath and relaxed his shoulders. “T-there’s nothi-” Izuku seemed to realize that what he was about to say was too open ended and changed directions. “I-I d-don’t… I don’t have one.” Izuku spoke in a resigned tone and looked up to see the reactions.  The Ishikawas’ froze and jerked their heads towards Izuku. The kids' eyes were wide and were sharing glances between each other. Satoshi made a questioning noise and leaned back in his seat. His eyes analyzed Izuku. Kimi couldn't read what he was trying to detect. Koharu gasped and placed a hand over her mouth. Izuku looked at everyone before looking down, his jaw clenched. Kimi prepared herself to defend him, but then Koharu spoke.  “Oh, you poor thing! I am so sorry we asked such an insensitive question. All kids tend to break out of their shell to talk about their quirk so I thought- I’m so sorry!” Izuku looked up confused, but he was still very tense. If anything his posture was more defensive.  “It’s fine. I know that it's a good icebreaker question, no need to worry.”  Kimi touched his arm both to scold him for his rude tone and to comfort him. She wanted to comfort him more, but was allowing the situation to play out as it was. He spoke again in a much softer tone, but still very dry. “If you still want to talk about quirks you can.” “Oh, well, we wouldn't want to sound like we are bragging.” Satoshi finally blinked and spoke. He was still watching Izuku carefully and Kimi couldn't help but wish her husband were home.  “I-I like to hear about them...so…” Izuku said unsure. His eyes darted around, desperately wanting the attention off of him. Koharu went to protest but Fumiko spoke up loudly. “My quirk is called submission! I can growl and when I direct it at somebody they will lose their fight and I overpower them! It doesn't work on Daddy or Nii-san though!” Satoshi and Koharu both immediately went to scold their daughter, but Kimi quickly signaled them not to. The adults were confused until their oldest son nodded his head in Izuku’s direction. Izuku for the first time had relaxed and perked up slightly.  “That’s a really cool quirk! Um, does it not work on your father or brother because they have something similar?” Fumiko nodded her head enthusiastically.  “Yeah! So Nii-san’s quir-” “Let me at least explain it, knucklehead.” Hayato lightly knocked a fist on his sister's head. She rubbed it and jerked her head towards him.  “Don’t call me that!” She growled to punctuate her sentence. It was much deeper than what she had heard earlier. Kimi made an impressed noise and Izuku's eyes lit up at being able to hear it. Now that Kimi looked closer at the young girl she could see sharp fangs in the girl's mouth. Before Kimi could comment, Hayato’s hair started to lengthen and his fangs grew out of his mouth.  A deep rumble vibrated the room and Kimi thought it came from Hayato, but the immediate retraction of his quirk and how he and Fumiko hunched in on themself and slightly bared their necks, told her otherwise. She looked at Satoshi and saw that his eyes had turned to slits and glowed a light orange. The rumbling quickly stopped and he turned to Kimi. He soon laughed heartily.  “Sorry about that. I should’ve given a heads up! Little Izuku over there seemed very excited so I decided to show off a little as well. I hope I didn’t scare ya!” Satoshi rubbed his neck and had a slight blush to his cheeks. Koharu just shook her head, disappointed at her husband and children.  “My, that was certainly something! I wasn't scared at all, quite fascinated actually!” Kimi praised. She might’ve lied about being scared, but it was all in good fun so no need to make a big deal out of it. Izuku looked fine as well, so all was good.  “That was so cool! Is there a specific animal that your quirks are based on? Was that all you can do for a transformation or is there more, Hayato-kun? And Sir, can you transform as well, if you don't mind me asking? Could your son or daughter put you in submission once they are older or do you think you will always be the alpha? Is that how the hierarchy works in your family? Is Fumiko-chan the only one who can put other people into submission? Does your quirk work on animals? Can any of you-”  “Izuku, dear, breath.” Kimi decided to spare the poor family. They looked taken aback by the sudden excitement Izuku was showing. Izuku looked down, a blush covering his face as he looked at the table. “I-I’m s-sorry…” “Oh no, hun, that is quite alright! Those were some awesome questions, kiddo! You have such a good vocabulary. And you're only what, five?” Izuku nodded his head to answer Koharu, his blush deepening.  “Yeah! That was a lot of questions, though. I’m not sure I can answer them all and I'm sure you’ll just have even more!” Satoshi threw his head back and laughed.  “Well, I’m sure we’ll have plenty enough time to answer those later, don't you agree, dear?” Koharu addressed her husband. They shared a look, communicating in a way Kimi understood being a married woman herself.  Kimi had a good feeling about this family. She felt a pang in her heart at the realization. The couple glanced at Izuku who was having a nice conversation with Fumiko. Their eyes were soft. Kimi took a look as well. Izuku was the most relaxed he had ever been when meeting with a family. Kimi for the first time was able to catalogue this family as one to follow up with.

“Thank you for having us, Kimi-san!” Koharu and Satoshi shook her hand. Kimi smiled brightly at them.  “Of course! I will contact you soon to come up with a time to meet again. We can discuss the details then as well.”  Koharu brought in her shoulders for a moment barely containing her excitement. Kimi couldn't help but smile wider. The family turned to give one last wave before heading to their car. Kimi shut the door and turned to Izuku who was standing behind her.  “Well?” Izuku moved his lips to the side and looked up.  “I think they're nice.” He paused as if he was going to continue, but then looked at her letting her know he was done. “I think they are nice too. How was it when you and the kids left to go and play? Did they play nice when they weren’t in front of the adults?” Kimi promoted. It was standard practice to let the kids off on their own to see how they would interact when the adults aren't around. Kimi also needed to talk privately with the adults and ask a few questions. Of course, Kimi always keeps an eye and ear out in case something does happen with the children. Izuku didn’t hesitate to answer. “Yeah they were cool. Fumi-chan is really loud though and liked to get in my space a lot, but whenever that happened Hayato-kun would step in and give me a break. He mainly just played on his phone, though. He did show me his quirk a little more! Though, I think he forgot to tell me what animal they are based on… I think I have an idea, but I wanted to confirm. Oh well. I can ask them when they come back.” Kimi smiled.  
That’s good. They seem like good kids and they are well behaved. And Izuku seems to like them. This really could be it...
 Izuku continued to ramble about the quirks and Kimi made sure to listen. Not only to engage with Izuku but to make sure that nobody was lying and they weren’t hiding anything about their kids' quirks. If the kid’s quirks weren’t properly controlled it could cause problems with the adoption process. There were rules in place for the safety of the child that would be new to the home. Though, since this family had been approved for a baby, Kimi wasn't too worried about that.  “What about Satoshi-san and Koharu-san? Did you get a good feeling from them?” Izuku tilted his head and thought for a moment. Kimi allowed him to think it over while she led them into the living room. They sat on the couch and Kimi waited for Izuku’s answer.  “Um, at first Satoshi-san really scared me. He wouldn't smile, he didn’t really talk and all he did was glare at me. And when he used his quirk it was really scary, but cool! He finally laughed and his tone when talking was much more comfortable, so I think he might actually be a little shy, which is a really weird thing to say about an adult!” Kimi couldn't help but laugh.  She had picked up on that from Satoshi as well. She was worried for a moment, especially to his narrowed eyes when Izuku mentioned that he was quirkless. But once Kimi observed some more she figured he was trying to process and come up with a way to speak without offending the kid.  “Koharu-san is really, really nice.” Izuku smiled. After a beat though his smile turned into a sour face. “She weirdly reminds me of you though…” Again Kimi laughed. “Is that such a bad thing?” She teased. Izuku’s cheeks flushed and he stammered out some type of answer. Kimi couldn't understand him. And she was too busy laughing to comprehend him anyway.  “Wait! We never talked about Koharu-san’s quirk! Aw, man…” Kimi giggles trailed off and she ruffled his hair. “Just another thing to add to the list you want to talk to them about next time you see them.” Izuku was still pouting but nodded his head. Before she could say anything else he ran upstairs. Kimi shook her head amused. She was about to turn the TV on when she heard harsh stomps from the stairs.  Kimi huffed when Izuku came running down notebook in hand. He slid across the floor and came to a stop behind the couch. He threw the book and a pencil down and braced his hands on the back of the couch. He pushed himself up and over and landed sitting down. He didn’t miss a beat to pick up the notebook and start writing. Kimi raised an eyebrow at him. “Ah! I’m sorry I wasn’t thinking! Should I not have?” Kimi huffed and playfully folded her arms. “And what do you think, young man?” Izuku smiled sheepishly. “...Sorry? I won't do it again?” He said, obviously teasing.  Kimi lightly shoved him and ruffled his hair. He giggled and tried to protect himself. Kimi relented and folded her arms back. She tilted her head up high and closed her eyes.  “Well, with that attitude I guess you don’t want cake pops anymore, huh?” She teased as she cracked an eye open to see his expression. His mouth fell open and his eyes were wide. “Wait! Wait! No! I’m sorry! Really! I still want them! I just forgot!”  “Well, if you forgot, I guess you don’t actually want them then. Oh, well! “Kimi-san!”  “And those sounded so good, too!” “Please!”  “There’s a place that makes them fresh almost everyday and they are the best I’ve ever had! I really thought you wanted to go with me!” “I do! I do! Please!” Kimi couldn't hold it in anymore. She broke her teasing and laughed.  “Alright, kiddo. I’m just playing. Grab your shoes and let’s go.” “Yes!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Daichi had taken the rest of the week off so he could spend as much time as he could with his little girl before she flew off to America. Mayu had grown up so fast and Daichi wasn’t sure he was ready. But she was. His daughter had found a passion, made a goal, and stuck to it. Now she was only a few days away from attaining her goal. He couldn't be more proud of her.  
 
Right now he was headed to her room to bring her the energy drinks she had asked for. He had to be careful and sneak them past his wife. Kimi tended to worry about how many of them their daughter drank, but as a dad it was kinda in the contract to give his little girl whatever she wanted. 
 
He reached her door and knocked loudly. Even from where he was, he could hear the sizzling, popping, and whirring sounds that signaled her hard work. 
 
“It’s open!” He walked in and followed the noise to the specific room she was in. 
 
“Hey, Doodle!” He greeted when he spotted her. She was in the corner removing her gloves and face protection. Once she approached him he dropped his voice to a shady whisper. “I brought the stuff.” Mayu smirked and cupped a hand around her mouth.
 
“What do I owe you for it?” Daichi tucked the can in his arms and placed a hand under his chin. He looked up at the ceiling making contemplative noises until Mayu got annoyed. 
 
“Dad!” She impatiently grabbed for the cans. Daichi chuckled and finally handed them to her. 
 
“How about a hug for your payment?” Once his arms were free he spread them out wide, ready to welcome her embrace.
 
“Nope!” She walked away. He dramatically gasped and grabbed his chest. 
 
“I can’t believe my own daughter doesn't want to hug me!” He moved his hand from his chest and placed the back of it against his forehead. He leaned back and bent his knees to appear faint. Mayu just rolled her eyes and laughed. 
 
“Alright, Doodle. You be careful. And don’t stay up all night!” Daichi started to head for the stairs.
 
“Yeah, yeah.” Mayu waved him off dismissively.  “Don’t forget to close the door!”
 
“Yeah, yeah.” He mocked her.
 
“Dad!” She threw an unused towel at him.
 
“Ok! I’ll close the door!” He laughed and pulled the door to close it. 
 
“Love you!” The door shut with a click. He smiled. 
 
“Love you too, Princess.”

Mayu waved to her friends as they all got into their cars and started to drive home. She herself normally would’ve walked since she was by herself, but she needed to use the car to bring a few things home. She was thankful her mom had let her borrow hers. Mayu did own a car, but it was currently overseas waiting to be picked up from where they had shipped it. 
 
It was three days before they were America-bound and they had finally finished up their projects. Only two of her friend group of six were actually going there for school. The others had paid for the trip to help them move and to go sightseeing. 
 
Mayu looked back to the back seat of the car to check one last time that her project was secure. Once she convinced herself that it most definitely wasn't going anywhere, she re-adjusted her mirrors, took a sip of coffee, blasted her music, and drove out of the parking lot. 
 
She got lost in her music and didn't even realise she had taken the route to the middle school, instead of heading straight home. She had to park because she was laughing so hard. Forget the fact that the twins had long since moved back in with their parents, schools had been let out for almost a month. And it was nearly dinner time. Mayu slapped a hand on her forehead.
 
“I can’t believe I did this!” Her laughter finally died off and she drove back on the main road so she could head home. Thankfully, Hitoshi and Izuku were homeschooled or she might've driven to the elementary school next! She didn’t live too far away from the schools so it didn’t take her long before she was pulling into their driveway. 
 
Before she got out of the car, she texted the group chat about her little mistake from earlier. She spent about five minutes texting with her friends, before she finally decided to get out of the car.  She got her project out of the improvised safety knots one of her friends had used the seatbelts to make. Before she picked it up, she decided that it would be easier to go and open the house door first, so she wasn't struggling with the project in her arms. 
 
It wasn't until she was reaching for her keys did she notice a car that wasn't theirs parked by their house. She figured that the family that was looking to adopt Izuku was still there. Her mouth suddenly tasted sour. Don’t get her wrong, she trusted her mom's judgement, but she had done a lot of research on quirks and with that came articles about stories on how people with certain quirks are treated. Forgive her for not trusting just anybody she doesn’t know with her quirkless little brother. 
 
It was at times like this that she wished she were eighteen so she could adopt both Izuku and Hitoshi herself. The angerflare that had washed over her died at the thought. She took a deep breath. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't control the situation, so there was no use getting so upset. Besides, she was leaving. Even if this family didn’t get him, she wouldn't be able to be there for Izuku anymore anyway.

That doesn't mean I’m going to go out of my way to see these people.

Just before she could turn on her heel and hide in the car, the door opened. Mayu felt her heart jump. She could see everyone standing at the door, but most of their backs were still turned. And the man was too tall for her mom to be able to see past. The only one that saw her was a little girl.

Maybe I can sneak around the back-

“Hello! Who are you?” The little girl yelled and ran up to her. The others turned and looked at her.

Great.

“Hi, sweetie! You shouldn't run up to people you don’t know. What if I had been a villain?” Mayu folded her arms and teased the girl. She was cute, Mayu had to admit. The girl giggled and beamed up at her. Mayu was quick to spot the fangs and had to resist reaching out to inspect them. Minor physical alterations of the body due to quirks, were always ones she had the most fun researching. However, it was also the most difficult as it was harder to do hands-on research for. 
 
“That’s ok! Mom would’ve-“
 
“Fumiko!” The girl's mother yelled out. Mayu hadn’t even noticed when the others approached them. 
 
“Sorry, Mommy!” The mother laid a worried hand on Fumiko’s shoulder. Mayu felt the tug of her quirk alerting her to the distress of the girl, but it was gone in a second. 
 
“Oh, Mayu! I didn’t expect you home just yet!” Mayu walked to stand beside her mother, feeling a little self conscious of the way the other adults were looking at her. 
 
“Is this your daughter, Kimi-san?” The woman asked, a hint of suspicion in her tone. Mayu shifted uncomfortably and regretted coming home when she did. She tried smiling at the family, but cringed when she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. She felt her mom rest a hand on her back.

“Yes, this is Mayu. She is going to be studying abroad to further her education.” The familiar warmth of her mother’s quirk calmed her nerves instantly. “She actually is just coming back from finishing up some last minute studies for her major, so I’m sure she is tired.” Her mother excused her behavior easily. Mayu hoped she wasn’t coming across as rude.
 
As much as she didn’t want to interact with any of the families that Izuku was meeting with, she never wanted to disrespect them. For some reason, though, Mayu’s anxiety had spiked.  It wasn’t the first time she had experienced anxiety, but normally it was only ever school related. She felt lost, even though she knew exactly where she was. She felt distant from herself. Her mother’s quirk helped, but it didn’t stop the dull ache in the back of her head. Before she could think about it anymore her mother dismissed her to go and check on Izuku.
 
“It was nice meeting you all! Sorry I was unable to talk for longer.” Mayu barely waited for a reply before she was practically jogging inside. Once the door was closed she let out a sigh and walked to the kitchen to grab some water. Izuku was watching TV and smiled at her when she sat next to him. 
 
“Hi, Mayu!” He greeted, not taking his eyes off the screen.
 
“Hey, Izu.” She lightly poked his arm which earned a giggle. She let her eyes rest on the TV, but didn’t pay attention to what was on. She wasn't sure how long she was dazing, but what felt like both seconds and hours later her mom was beckoning her over to the kitchen.

Kimi tried very quickly to finish up her conversation with the Ishikawas. She didn’t want to be rude and they were curious about what Mayu was studying for. Kimi gave brief answers and quickly said her goodbyes, waiting until everyone was in the car before turning and walking inside.   
 
Kimi was worried about Mayu. She hadn’t realized how long the Ishikawas had stayed. Izuku had been having fun playing with Fumiko and she had enjoyed a nice conversation with Koharu. Since Daichi was taking time off work he also got to meet the Ishikawas, but after a polite greeting he went to their room to give them space. 
 
Kimi had never seen her daughter look so pale. Kimi wasn’t sure if something happened at the school, but she wanted to check on Mayu as quickly as she could. 
 
Spotting Mayu sitting on the couch, she quickly waved to grab her attention and walked in the kitchen. Once she walked into the kitchen, Kimi used her eyes to make an assessment. Mayu’s breathing was even and the color had returned to her face. Kimi could see Mayu’s heart beating, but it wasn’t as fast as before. Kimi allowed herself to relax before asking questions. 
 
“Hey, sweetie. What happened?” Kimi left it open so that Mayu would share whatever she needed to. Her daughter sighed and pulled her eyebrows together. 
 
“I don’t know. I was fine until the door opened... No, I was fine up until my quirk alerted me.” Mayu answered. 
 
“Why did your quirk alert you?” Kimi asked, concerned. Kimi thought back to the earlier interaction trying to see when someone would’ve been distressed, but she only noted Mayu. 
 
“I think it was when the girl’s mom yelled. I think she got startled… though now that I think about it, I didn’t get signaled until after-”
 
“Excuse me?” Kimi turned to the kitchen entrance and saw Izuku peeking around the corner. “Um, I'm sorry. I wanted some juice.” Izuku fidgeted nervously.  
 
“It’s ok, dear. You can get some. Don’t pour too much, though!” Kimi smiled and stepped out of the way. She and Mayu watched Izuku quietly while he got his juice. He was humming the theme song to the anime that was on. Once he put the juice away, he grabbed his cup and skipped out of the room. Kimi and Mayu shared a look that agreed Izuku was the most adorable kid in the world. Kimi then brought the conversation back on track.
 
“Right. So, um, where was I… Oh! So my quirk only alerted me for a second, so it wasn’t anything too bad. I think her mom being nervous of me caused me to be a little nervous and I got mildly anxious.” Mayu spoke absentmindedly. Her daughter tried to dismiss the conversation, but Kimi wasn't done. 
 
“Are you sure? You don’t normally get anxiety from people, sweetie. You also looked really pale for it to just be ‘mildly anxious’. Did anything else happen?”  
 
“I mean, I do have a headache, but that's probably from lack of sleep.” Mayu joked. Kimi rolled her eyes and shook her head. 
 
“I’m fine, mom.” 
 
“Alright, kid, You're free.” Kimi decided to let it go. Mayu looked ok now and as long as she kept an eye on her everything should be ok. Mayu gave her a quick hug before walking back to the living room.

Kimi, after prepping dinner, walked to her bedroom. She was looking for her husband, who had yet to come out. When she opened the door Daichi was on the bed, eyes glued to his phone. The tv was on, running credits to a movie she assumed he had been watching. He didn’t react to her coming in so she just walked to the night stand and started turning the volume down. 
 
“Oh, hey! I was watching that.” he said casually. He still had yet to look up from his phone. 
 
“Uh huh. Well, this is a

very

interesting part of the movie, isn't it?”
 
“Yeah! It-” He finally looked up. He stared at the screen for a few seconds before sucking the front of his teeth and laughing, embarrassed. “It’s, uh, certainly a… very entertaining part of the movie.” His laughter increased and Kimi joined him. 
 
“So, anyway, how did the meeting go? They still have a good shot at adopting Izuku?” Daichi turned the TV off and plugged in his phone to charge. Kimi sat on the bed before she answered. 
 
“Yeah,” she sighed. “As a matter of fact, I got the last of their paperwork. All they need to do now is wait for it to process.” Kimi closed her eyes and winced. Of course she knew all of this already, but actually saying it out loud… Saying it to the Ishikawas was one thing. She had been in working mode so it hadn’t hit as hard as when she was telling her husband. It was finally sinking in.
 
 Izuku was going to leave at some point within the next few weeks.
 
“Oh, wow. Good for them.” Daichi said dryly. He was better at hiding it than her, but Kimi knew that he wasn’t ready for Izuku to leave either. Not even just Izuku. They were about to have a very empty house. Of course it may not be empty for long. There was always going to be a little child that would need a temporary home, but that didn’t stop the pang in her heart. It didn’t get rid of the imprint that these kids left on her. It wouldn’t stop Mayu from becoming an adult and making a life for herself. 
 
“Mayu is leaving in three days…” Daichi whispered next to her. “Our little girl is leaving us…” 
 
“Three days.”
 
“Three days…” He repeated. A certain kind of silence washed over them. One they weren't able to explain. It wasn't peaceful, but it wasn't tense. Kimi wanted to break it, but she also felt as though she shouldn’t. After a while she wordlessly leaned her head on Daichi’s shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer. The quiet became lighter after that. Kimi felt herself smile and she closed her eyes.
 
Then she gasped.
 
“The food!” She jumped up and ran to the kitchen, Daichi’s laughter following her out.

The night before Mayu left for America was the first time it all felt real for her. Seeing the big feast that her mother had made and the gifts that her parents and Izuku had bought for her, had her nearly in tears. Mayu doesn't consider herself an emotional person. Feeling other people's distress and despair got her into a bad habit of not having time to feel her own. 
 
There had been countless times as a child that she would go around and try to find that “sad person” as her kid self would say, only for her mother to tell her that she was the “sad person.” She had since learned the difference between feeling her own worries versus the pull of her quirk to others’. Though the fact that she always thought of others before herself never changed. 
 
At the moment she was overwhelmed with her nerves and excitement about traveling and her fear and sadness about leaving her family. She had felt so annoyed with how much her mom and dad had been smothering her with attention and constantly being in her space the past few days, but now she wanted nothing more than to be close with them. She felt their pride and love coming off of them in waves and she didn’t know how to respond. 
 
Of course a good portion of the day was spent packing and double checking that she had everything so she wouldn't be scrambling in the morning, but for the majority of it she hung out with Izuku and her parents. Her time with Izuku was spent watching TV, playing video games, and even playing pretend hero versus villains with him. They colored and played dressup and did whatever else the five year old wanted. 
 
She cooked with her mother, went shopping with her, got mani-pedis and massages. They re-organized her mom’s closet and read some of Mayu's favorite childhood books. Her dad had mainly avoided her for the day, but that was only because whenever he saw her he'd burst into tears and latch onto her like a koala and wouldn’t let go for a long time. He did join in and read a few of her childhood books. 
 
“I’m really going to miss you guys.” Her mouth moved faster than her brain and she spoke words that they had been trying to avoid all dinner. Everyone had just about finished their plates anyway, but now everyone was crying again. Her dad bawled loudly and immediately came over and wrapped his arms around her. Izuku was wiping at his eyes and hugging himself. Her mother had tears in her eyes, but none ever fell. She stood and walked over to Mayu, beckoning Izuku over as well. 
 
All of them had their arms wrapped around her. Mayu felt overwhelmed, but not in a bad way. She never wanted to leave this embrace. All too soon, though, the arms started to retreat. Everyone returned to their seats and they sat in silence for a moment, no one knowing what to say. 
 
“C-Can we play a board game?” Izuku spoke. His voice was low and unsure. Mayu was more than happy to play with her family. It would be good to end the night like that. She looked at her parents expectantly, their gentle smiles were enough of an answer. 
 
“Sure thing, Izu! Wanna come pick one out with me?” Mayu stood and held out her hand. Izuku smiled brightly and hopped out of his seat. He reached his hand up to meet hers, but Mayu changed her mind. Instead she crouched down and lifted him up, placing him on her hip and rolling him onto her back. He squealed with laughter when she started running to the closet they kept the games and some spare books in.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Izuku never had so many people care for him before. 
 
He had thought that his mom was the only person that would ever want him, but he had been wrong. Kimi had shown him kindness from the first time they met and it never changed even when they were alone. Mayu had promised that they all cared about him and she wasn't lying. She was always there if he needed her, just like she had said she would be. Even Daichi was nice when he was around. They had welcomed him into their home and didn’t abandon him like Kacchan had. 
 
Arata was a little mean, but he never hurt him on purpose. If he did, he was always super nice for the rest of the day to make up for it. Aoi seemed like he was annoyed all the time, but he was always gentle with him and Hitoshi. He even said he liked playing with them. Hitoshi had been hard to get along with at first, but after they got to know each other Izuku understood why Hitoshi was standoffish. He was really glad the two of them became friends in the end. He was really glad that he got to meet all of them. 
 
Without them, the next few days passed by so slowly. Daichi soon had to start going back to work, so it was just him and Kimi in the house most of the time. Even when Daichi was able to be at home, Kimi wasn’t always there because she needed to check on other kids for a few hours. At least they all got to have dinner together on those nights. 
 
At the moment, Izuku was in Hitoshi’s secret spot drawing a picture. He had drawn their house, Kimi, Daichi, Mayu, and the twins. He had already drawn one yesterday for himself, but Kimi said she liked it so he gave it to her.  
 
He was finishing the last touches on Hitoshi and saving himself for last. He put his colored pencil down so he could take a sip of his orange juice. He was laying on his stomach kicking his legs up and down and tapping his feet on the floor. Even though he knew he would be leaving soon, he was happy. 
 
The Ishikawas were really nice. Koharu was just as nice as Kimi and Satoshi was kinda scary, but was funny and liked to make him laugh. Hayato was really quiet, but Izuku could tell he was looking out for him. There were times when Hayato would stare at him for a long time and Izuku could never tell what he was looking for. However, the teen always smiled and shook it away if he asked, so Izuku figured he was just dazing off. Hitoshi had done that sometimes and people told him that he did it too. Since Izuku never realised when he did it he assumed that it was the same for Hayato. 
 
Fumiko was really fun to play with. She always had so much energy and she never forced him to play something he didn’t want to. She always had a smile on her face and matched his energy when he was ranting about quirks. He felt really comfortable with this family. He was glad that they had found him. Kimi had approved as well, so that meant that they were safe and that he could trust them. 
 
Koharu had told him multiple times during that last meet up that she was ready for him to come home. She said that without him, her family didn't feel complete. Fumiko was already referring to him as her little brother. Izuku was so happy that he was wanted. He had been beginning to think that no one wanted him and that he would never have a family again. 
 
Of course, he thought of Kimi and everyone as family, but he knew he couldn't stay there forever. Everyone had to leave eventually, whether it be like Hitoshi because of a transfer, like the twins who were able to go back to their parents, or like him getting adopted.

It was never supposed to last forever.

Izuku sat up and stared at the picture. He had just finished adding himself, but instead of the happy warm feeling he had while drawing, he felt sad. The Ishikawas were nice, but they weren't the Tanakas. They weren't Hitoshi or Aoi or Arata. Izuku felt something on his face. He reached a hand to touch his cheek and it came back wet. It was a tear. 
 
Izuku started sobbing. He tried to stop himself, but it made him cry harder. He felt his body jerk everytime he took in a breath. His wails echoed off the walls and he was sure that Kimi could hear him. He started crying harder knowing that he was disturbing whatever she was doing. 
 
Just like that, Kimi appeared in front of him, Daichi not far behind. Izuku hadn’t even known he was home. He couldn't see them because of the tears, but Kimi’s voice was soothing and his body became covered in warmth. He would've felt bad that he made her use her quirk, but he started to relax and felt much better. After he had stopped crying she didn’t say anything for a while. Izuku decided to break the hug. Kimi was on her knees in front of him with a small smile on her face. Daichi was crouching by the door.
 
“I don’t want to replace you…” Izuku couldn’t look her in the eyes. Kimi lightly pulled him back into her so that he was sitting in her lap. She stretched her legs out and leaned her back against the wall to be more comfortable. She rocked him back and forth and he closed his eyes. He felt a hand briefly rubbing his back and turned to see Daichi had done his best to reach into the space. He smiled softly at him before Izuku turned to tuck his head in Kimi’s arm again.
 
“Izuku, baby. You are not replacing us. We will always be in your heart just like you will always be in ours.” Izuku started to cry again, this time much more calmly. 
 
“No matter how many kiddos come to live with us, none of them will replace you. Even though you lived with us for this time, did you think we replaced your mom?” Izuku shook his head. He finally looked up at Kimi. 
 
“No one can replace Mommy… that’s what you said.” 
 
“That’s exactly right. Just like we never replaced your mom, the Ishikawas won’t replace the home you built here with us.” Izuku turned to Daichi. He was holding up the picture he had drawn. Izuku took it with shaky fingers.
 
“This picture is proof that you won’t forget us. It’s proof that you lived with us. As sad as it is that you are leaving, you are going to a family that loves you. Just like it took time for you to warm up to us, it will take time to live with the new family, but you will learn to love it as much as you do here.” Izuku, still sniffling, reached out and crawled out of Kimi’s lap so he could hug Daichi. Daichi didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him. Daichi held onto him while he stood. Kimi crawled out a few seconds later. They made their way over to the couch and Izuku sat in between them.
 
Eventually Izuku fell asleep.

Today was the day. The day that Kimi had been dreading for weeks. Everyday since she sent in the Ishikawas' paperwork, she had been waiting for the dreaded phone call. Once the phone call came all she could do was wait for the day that they came to pick him up. It was today.

They’re getting him at one. Only one hour left.

Izuku was already packed up. He was currently bringing all his stuff downstairs. Kimi was finishing up making his favorite dish for lunch. She had been having a hard time not feeding him katsudon everyday this week, but she had held out. She was pouring all her love into this meal. It was the last one they would get to share after all. 
 
Kimi started to plate the food and set it on the table. Izuku hadn’t come down in awhile so she covered the food and walked upstairs. She walked to his room and saw him holding his All Might figure, his Present Mic plush and the picture he drew. The room was still full of things, but none of them were Izuku’s so it felt empty. 
 
Kimi slowly opened the door all the way and made her presence known. Izuku looked up at her with a smile and tears streaming down his face. That was one thing she had always found strange but was sure going to miss seeing. He set what he was holding down and reached up to her. She complied and pulled him into her arms. She sat on the bed and rocked him, something she had found herself doing so much this week.
 
“Hey, Izu…” She was going to say words of comfort, but decided against it. “Lunch is ready if you wanna eat.” Izuku hummed in acknowledgement but made no effort to move. They stayed like that for a few more minutes before Kimi forced Izuku up so he had time to eat. Izuku wasn’t happy, but he didn’t protest. 
 
He stayed glued to her hip the entire walk to the dining room. Kimi tried not to laugh at how sweet it was. They finally made it to the table. Izuku reluctantly pulled away from her and sat down in his chair. He uncovered the food and smiled brightly.
 
“It’s katsudon!” He started eating immediately and Kimi could only smile. She quickly began eating her own meal. It was a silent lunch, but it was a peaceful silence. Izuku was happy and Kimi couldn't be more grateful. She was not sure she could let him go if he was sad. 
 
Just as they were finishing up their food and putting the dishes up, Kimi's phone started to ring. Izuku was closer to the phone so he grabbed it to bring to her. He looked down at it and paused. Before Kimi could ask why, Izuku's smile grew ten times bigger and he answered. 
 
“Mayu!” Izuku was holding the phone in front of his face, so Kimi assumed her daughter had video called her. 
 
“Izuku! I’m so glad you answered!” Kimi heard Mayu’s voice. It was slightly muffled and the background noise was staticy.  Kimi walked over to Izuku and stood behind him. 
 
“Hey, Mayu! How are you sweetie?” From what Kimi could see, it appeared that Mayu was outside sitting on a bench. 
 
“Hi, Mom. I’m good! I have a break right now and I wanted to call and say bye to Izuku.” Mayu’s excitement trailed off near the end. Kimi gave a small smile. She knew Mayu’s schedule and that girl most definitely should have been in class right now. 
 
“Anyway, Izuku?” Kimi started to walk away wanting to give the two some privacy. She was still in hearing range though. 
 
“Yeah?” Izuku answered. 
 
“I’m going to mi-” Kimi at first thought that the phone froze, but then she realized that Mayu cut herself off. “I’m looking forward to seeing you at the sports festival in the future.” Izuku gasped, surprised. Kimi heard him sniffling so she knew he was crying again. 
 
“Mayu…” he whimpered. “I’m going to be a great hero! Just you watch!” Izuku wiped at his tears and Kimi walked over ready to take the phone when the call ended. 
 
“That’s right, kiddo! Never let anyone tell you otherwise.” Izuku continued wiping his eyes and nodded his head. “Alright, I have to go now… Love you, Izu.” Mayu's voice got choked up at the end. 
 
“I-I love you too, Mayu!” Izuku's tears started to die down, but he was rubbing his eyes. It was another few seconds before Mayu hung up. After the phone chimed indicating the end of the call, Izuku pulled the phone to his chest. Kimi rubbed circles into his back and he turned to hug her. After a few minutes of being like that he pulled away and handed her the phone. 
 
“I left my picture upstairs…” He slowly started to back up then took off up the stairs. The doorbell rang shortly after. They were early. Kimi steeled herself and blinked back the tears she felt spring to her eyes. She had done good not crying at all this week, she wasn't going to lose it now. She walked to the door, took a deep breath and opened it with a smile. 
 
“Koharu, Hayato, hello. Is it just you two?” Kimi asked after she didn’t see the others. She stepped to the side and allowed the two to come in.
 
“Oh, yes. Takeo was late on his nap so Satoshi stayed and watched him. Fumiko wanted to stay and help.” Kimi hummed. She would've figured that Fumiko would want to be the first to greet Izuku as her official legal brother.

Well, that child is very unpredictable anyway.

“Where is Izuku?” Koharu asked.
 
“Oh! He left something upstairs and went to grab it. He should be down soon.” Kimi informed. “While he’s grabbing that, should we start bringing his other stuff to the car?” 
 
Koharu clapped her hands together. “Of course! Hayato?” The teen in question wordlessly started to take the suitcases that were by the door.
 
“Oh, my! Is all of this his? I didn’t think he’d have that much stuff.” Koharu commented. Kimi had grabbed a few bags that contained Izuku toys. She paused and looked at Izuku’s bags. He had two suitcases of clothes, a duffle that held his shoes, and  three tote bags full of books and toys. Kimi didn’t think it was that much, though some kids barely have a full trash bag of stuff to take with them so she wasn’t offended.
 
“Oh? Well, It's mainly clothes and a few toys that he picked out while he was here. I always give kids suitcases so that they can easily transport their stuff if they are moved around a lot.  
 
“Izuku won't have to worry about that.” Kimi felt a little annoyed at what Koharu said, but she knew the other lady meant it to be reassuring so she did her best to stay friendly.

I’m just extra on edge because I don't want Izuku to leave. I need to stop trying to find fault with this family. Izuku likes them. He'll be happy.

Kimi didn’t respond to what Koharu said. Instead she continued to walk Izuku’s things to the car. Hayato met her halfway and took them from her. Kimi thanked the boy and went back for the last of Izuku’s bags. When she came back inside from the last trip, Koharu was hugging the boy and petting his head. Kimi felt protectiveness spike through her, but quickly relaxed when Izuku leaned into the touch. 
 
“Alrighty, that was everything.” Kimi said, her tone more somber than what she wanted it to be. 
 
“Perfect! Now we can get home.” Koharu started to usher Izuku to the door. Kimi felt a stab in her heart thinking that the lady wasn't going to let her say goodbye, but Koharu stopped in front of her.
 
“Take your time, I’ll be waiting in the car.” Koharu smiled and winked at her before walking away. Kimi let go of a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Kimi knelt down to Izuku’s level. He was looking down and Kimi thought he was crying again. He picked his head up and Kimi only saw a small smile on his face. 
 
“Kimi-san?” Izuku looked around shyly.
 
“Yes, baby?” Kimi opened her arms and Izuku dove into her. 
 
“Thank you for caring about me. I’m going to miss you.” Izuku whispered into her chest. Kimi desperately fought back the tears but lost. She felt them stream down her face as she hugged Izuku tighter. 
 
“You be good for the Ishikawas, ok?” Izuku hummed. “And try not to play too rough with Fumiko-chan.” He hummed again. “You are valued and loved, never forget that.” Izuku hummed again. He pulled back, his face still dry. He reached up a gentle hand and wiped away her tears. 
 
“I should go now, huh?” Kimi laughed at the pout on the boy’s face. She ran a hand down his hair and kissed his forehead.
 
“Yeah… it’s time.” Without another word, Izuku hugged her again, nuzzled under her arm, and told her that he was going to miss her one last time. He pulled away and walked to the car. Once the door closed his eyes never left her. Koharu honked the horn before pulling off. 
 
Kimi walked inside when the car went out of view. She closed a door with a click that echoed far too loud.

It’s quiet.

Izuku watched the Tankas’ house get farther and farther away. Once he could no longer see it, he looked down and started fidgeting with the seatbelt. The car ride was mostly silent. Koharu occasionally sang along to a song that was playing quietly on the radio, but other than that nothing else happened. Izuku quickly became bored so he pulled out a DS from his backpack.
 
When the start up noise filled the car, Hayato jerked his head up and turned back to look at him. Izuku panicked thinking that maybe they weren’t allowed to play games in the car or that maybe his sound needed to be off. Before he could shut the device and put it away Hayato pulled one out from nowhere and showed it to him. 
 
“Wanna link?” Izuku relaxed immediately and nodded his head. He went to the setting so they could link the DSs and waited for them to connect. 
 
“Not too loud boys, ok?” Hayato didn’t answer her, so Izuku didn’t either. He made the mental note to not get too loud so he wouldn't disturb her. Finally, the devices were linked. Hayato gave him an extra two player game he had so that they could play it together. Izuku was excited to learn the new game. Just before he opened the app, he got a pictochat notification. He tilted his head as he opened it up.

You shouldn’t have come with us.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Boss, the kid is being moved. Do we engage?” 
 
“Not yet. It is not in our favor, but continue keeping eyes on him. Oracle is getting warmer, so it will be time soon. We will bring him home.”

“Are you ready to play, Izuku?” Hayato asked him. Izuku was frozen. He felt his heart quicken and his breathing became erratic. Hayato touched his knee and he suppressed a flinch. “Do you need some help? Here, I can show you how to start.” Another message appeared.

I’m sorry. Please don’t look so scared. She’ll get suspicious. Just play the game until we arrive home. It was just a prank. I’m sorry.

Izuku didn’t know what that meant. He didn’t know what to think. Was Hayato really just playing a trick on him? If so, why didn’t he apologize out loud? Izuku figured that he probably just wanted to avoid getting lectured by his mom, but something about that didn’t seem right.  
 
“If you click on this, you should be able to join my game.” Hayato looked at him with pleading eyes. Izuku took a few deep breaths and started to listen to Hayato’s instructions. The game started and Izuku moved on autopilot. 
 
The car went back to being silent. Hayato played with him the entire ride. Izuku wasn’t in the mood to play, but he was too scared to do anything besides what Hayato was telling him. Izuku only grew tenser when they pulled up to the house. 
 
“Alright, Izuku! We are here! Finally home! Let’s head inside. I’m sure Fumiko and Satoshi are excited to see you. Come on.” Koharu opened his car door and picked him up. He stiffened in her grip. He winced and squirmed wanting to be put down. Her hands felt like they were burning him. She paused and looked at him in concern.
 
“Is everything ok? Aren't you excited?” There was a certain edge to her voice that Izuku found terrifying. He looked up and saw Hayato nodding his head and tugging at his lips. Izuku got the hint. He smiled as brightly as he could.
 
“Yeah, I'm excited! Just a little tired, though. The car ride made me sleepy.” He looked at Hayato again and the boy nodded his head once and went back to grabbing his bags. 
 
“Aw! Of course, baby. You can take a nap in a little bit. Let’s go inside.” Koharu finally put him down and Izuku had to resist running. The second Izuku walked into the house he felt cold. There were few pictures on the wall and candles were lit, but it wasn't welcoming. His brain was screaming at him to leave. 
 
“Fumiko! Satoshi!” Koharu screamed out and he flinched. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to notice. Fumiko came running quickly down the hallway, her head was down. 
 
“W-Welcome home, Mommy…” Izuku was taken back. The girl before him acted nothing like Fumiko. Her hair wasn’t tied up in it’s usual style, so it was covering her face slightly. She wore a frown and her stance was pulled in. Izuku didn’t like seeing her like that. 
 
“No stuttering!” Izuku and Fumiko flinched at Koharu yelling again. “Greet your new brother properly. What did I tell you before I left this house?” Koharu's voice had lost all its warmth. It was much deeper than before and was sharp. Her face was pulled into a scowl. 
 
“Sorry, Mommy! I’ll do better!” Fumiko finally lifted her head and Izuku bit back a gasp. There was a bruise on her cheek. Izuku suddenly felt like crying. He was wrong. He was so wrong. He shouldn't have come here. He wanted to go back. He needed Kimi. 
 
“Hi, Izuku. Welcome to your new home. I’m glad to have you as my little brother.” Fumiko’s stare was blank, but Izuku could see a tinge of sadness. Her words were dry and borderline monotone. Izuku swallowed and tried to greet her back.
 
“Not good enough!” Koharu yelled again. “I didn’t want to have to do this…” Koharu walked over to Fumiko who immediately backed away.
 
“Wait! No! I’m sorry! Let me try again! I’ll do better!” Koharu didn’t respond. Izuku could only watch in horror as she slapped Fumiko across the face hard enough for the girl to fall to the ground. Koharu roughly picked her up by her hair. Fumiko had tears running down her face as she stared terrified into her mother’s eyes. Koharu placed her hands on Fumiko’s head and a faint bluish light came from her fingers. 
 
Fumiko stopped struggling. Her mouth that had been open in a silent scream had spread into a grin. Koharu let her go and Fumiko bounced on her feet. She looked excitedly up at her mom and Koharu finally smiled. It was still scary.
 
“Now, try again, sweetheart.” Fumiko ran up to him and grabbed both of his hands. 
 
“Izuku! I'm so glad you are finally here! I’ve been waiting forever! Come on, let's go and play! I have a castle in my room! It’s as tall as me! I’ll let you borrow my dolls! Let’s go!” Izuku felt sick, but he did his best not to show itl. 
 
“I think Izuku actually wants to take a nap. So why don’t you show him where your room is, so he can rest,” Koharu said gently. Her voice still had that edge to it and her tone was deep. 
 
“Okay, Mommy!” Fumiko led him through the hallway and into her room. Hayato was already in there setting his stuff down. Izuku hadn’t even seen the teen pass them. 
 
“Hi, Nii-san!” Hayato didn’t respond to her. He didn’t even look at her. His fists were balled. Hayato looked up at Izuku.
 
“Close the d-
 
“Satoshi!” Hayato flinched. He closed his eyes tightly and let out air through his nose. There was a lot of noise coming from a different room. A door slammed shut and there was silence. 
 
Hayato walked over and closed the door himself. Izuku couldn't read his face. He looked over at Fumiko, but the girl was still smiling brightly as if nothing bad had ever happened. 
 
“H-Hayato… w-what is g-going on?” He asked in a small voice. Fumiko tried to hand him a truck to play with but he refused it. She just shrugged her shoulders and went to play by herself. Hayato watched her sadly. 
 
“I tried to warn you. I even tried to warn Tanaka-san, but neither of you got the hints.” Hayato huffed bitterly. He spoke barely above a whisper. “My mother is evil. She hurts us if we don’t act the way she wants us to.” Izuku sat down on the bed he assumed was going to be his. There were two in the room. It wasn’t as big as the room he had been in at the Tanaka’s house, but it wasn’t too small.
 
“H-Hurts you…” It wasn't a question nor did Izuku need clarification. He saw the bruise on Fumiko’s cheek. He saw the way Koharu had handled her. “I don’t understand… how?”
 
“She stopped hurting us in places that would show when we were meeting up with you. You know how she said Takeo was an empath?” Izuku nodded his head. Remembering the conversation. “He’s not. He doesn't have his quirk yet. She has the empathy quirk, it’s registered as something different.”

That’s why she never answered what her quirk was…

“She uses it to make us act the way she wants us to.” Hayato looked at Fumiko who was still happily playing. “She hates when Takeo cries so she uses her quirk to make sure he can’t feel anything.” Izuku felt himself start to tear up. “Don’t do that. You can’t cry here.” Izuku shuddered in fear. He tried his best to stop the tears from falling. He tilted his head and blinked rapidly. Eventually he didn’t need to cry anymore.  
 
“That woman wants the perfect children. Fumiko started to act up when it was time to leave to get you. She was trying to stall… She wanted to protect you. Dad did as well, but he…” Hayato trailed off. He sighed before he continued. “That woman treats dad like he’s an animal. If she uses her quirk on him too often he starts to lose his sense of reason. The longer she uses her quirk on him the more she has to so that he won’t go feral.

This is terrible. From what it sounds like Koharu-san either forces people to mimic emotions or heightens a specific emotion in a person so they act a certain way. It would make sense as to why Fumiko-chan was always super excited. She’s never been anything but playful.

Izuku glanced at the girl. She was looking at them with a big smile still on her face. 
 
“D-Does Koharu-san’s q-quirk have a limit?” Hayato shook his head.
 
“I’m not sure.” Izuku shrunk in on himself. He wanted to go home. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be there anymore. It all made sense as to why Koharu had reminded him of Kimi so much. She was matching her emotions so that Izuku would feel comfortable around her. 
 
“She’s going to baby you. Don’t try and resist it. She probably won’t hurt you, but I wouldn't count on it. Just do everything she says and keep a smile on your face. She shouldn't use her quirk on you again if you do that. “
 
“A-Again?” Izuku pulled his eyebrows together and thought back to the time he interacted with Koharu. He didn’t remember a display of her quirk.
 
“When you were in the house alone with her before we left. I’m assuming you were crying. I caught a glimpse of the glow from her fingers when I looked up. That’s how I know she used her quirk.” Izuku felt something click in his brain. He remembered that he was still crying when he came back down stairs, but then Koharu had walked over to him. He remembered seeing her hand reach for him and then nothing for a while, until he was hugging Kimi. Izuku had thought it was weird, but he felt peaceful so he didn’t think anything was wrong. 
 
“I-” Before he could say anything else, the door barged open. Izuku flinched and turned around. Koharu was standing there glaring at Hayato.
 
“Hayato! Why are you still in here? Your brother said he was tired, so let him sleep!” Hayato’s face had quickly changed from one of resentment to an innocent smile. 
 
“Of course, Mommy. Izuku wanted me to help with his stuff before he went down. I’ll leave now. Rest well.” Hayato rested a hand on his head. His touch was gentle. Hayato was the perfect picture of an older brother. Izuku could only stare dumbfounded and nod his head as Hayato guided Fumiko out of the room.
 
 Koharu walked up to him. He felt himself tense the closer she got. He tried to keep a smile on his face, but he could tell his face looked nervous. Koharu either didn’t notice or didn’t care to address it. He felt burned where she kissed his forehead. He suddenly felt exhausted and he couldn't keep his eyes open. He felt himself being lifted and placed on the bed.
 
“Well, I’ll be back in a bit to wake you up for dinner. Okay, baby?” Izuku did his best to keep his eyes open, but he was failing.
 
“O...Okay Koharu-san…” He managed to say. Through his half lidded eyes he could see her face turn sour for a brief moment. It was quickly replaced with a smile, but it was anything but gentle. 
 
“No. From now on you will call me Mommy, understood?” Izuku wanted to cringe away. He wanted to tell her no, but he could only smile brightly up at her. 
 
“Okay, Mommy.” Izuku closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

“Izuku, baby. It’s time to wake up. Dinner is ready!” Izuku slowly blinked his eyes, trying to figure out where he was. Memories from earlier came flooding back. His brain panicked, but instead of jerking upright like he thought he would, he only calmly sat up smiling. 
 
“Hi, Koharu-san.” She frowned at him. Once again he wanted to panic, to run, but he only threw a hand over his mouth and giggled. “Sorry, I forgot! Hi, Mommy.” Koharu relaxed and smiled at him. He hated calling her that, but he had to play along. Whatever her quirk was doing to him made it much easier to say. He’s not sure he could ever say it otherwise.
 
“Come on, everyone is waiting.” Izuku allowed himself to be led through the house. It was only a one story house with four bedrooms. Two bedrooms on one side of the house and two on the other, they were split by the living room and kitchen. Izuku, once they reached the table, opted to sit next to Hayato. 
 
“Izuku, baby, don’t you want to sit with Mommy?” Izuku froze in his tracks. He looked up at Hayato who only looked at him with a raised eyebrow. He glanced over at Fumiko who wasn’t as excited as normal, but wore a happy expression. Satoshi and Takeo weren't there. Koharu pulled up a chair next to her and Izuku relented and sat down. Koharu smiled and rubbed his hair.
 
“Now, let's eat. Shall we, children?” Izuku waited until he saw Hayato start eating to eat himself. He knew he was nervous and terrified, but he couldn't express it at all. Izuku knew that Koharu was still using her quirk on him.

The quirk can’t control what I do and say. It’s almost as if I’m acting. I’m aware of what my own emotions are, but I can't really feel them. Anything I try to express will come out with whatever emotion Koharu is making me feel.  This would be cool if I wasn't currently under its influence. It works through touch. I wonder if it will wear off at some point. Does she have to make contact again at some point to keep it up? Can she switch emotion on command or does she have to drop her quirk and start over? Does activating it take anything away from her. Does she get tired if she uses it too-

“How is the food?” Izuku was brought out of his thoughts by the question. He was so focused on his thoughts that he hadn’t even been able to taste what he was eating. 
 
“It’s good as always, Mommy!” Fumiko answered without a beat. It didn’t hold the full excitement that Izuku had gotten used to from the girl which led him to believe that Koharu was no longer using her quirk on her. 
 
“Delicious.” Hayato said calmly and with a gentle smile on his face. Hayato was a really good actor. When they were alone, Izuku could see only hate in Hayato's eyes when he was talking about his mom, but now he looked content, peaceful. It was odd. Izuku would've thought that Koharu had used her quirk, but he saw Hayato switch in the room. Koharu hadn’t touched him then. 
 
Koharu had cleared her throat and Izuku realized that everyone was looking at him. He remembered that he hadn’t answered and quickly jumped to respond. If he wasn’t under the influence of her quirk he for sure would’ve stuttered and started to fidget. 
 
“I like it a lot. It’s good.” He took a bite to show that he really was enjoying it. Since he wasn't lost in thought he could actually taste it now. He was slightly grateful that Koharu did use her quirk on him, had she not Izuku would've gagged and choked on his food. Instead, he was able to forcibly swallow it down and smile. Koharu was pleased with everyone’s answer and didn’t say another word for the rest of dinner.
 
He was already full, or maybe he just really didn’t like the food, but he finished his plate because he saw Hayato and Fumiko do the same. Once they were done they sat in silence. Koharu had also finished her meal, but no one made a move to do anything. Izuku again wanted to fidget nervously, but was unable to do so. He sat there calmly waiting for instruction.
 
Izuku glanced at Koharu who looked really annoyed. Izuku wasn’t sure why. It made him nervous or at least it should have. Izuku tried asking Hayato with his eyes, but the teen didn’t give him anything. Izuku’s attention was brought back to Koharu when she opened her mouth and popped her jaw. She used her tongue to pick at her teeth and tilted her head to the side. Izuku wanted to cringe at the sound it made. 
 
“I should feed the baby…” Koharu said to herself in a raspy tone. She turned and locked eyes with him. Izuku felt a shiver up his spine, but couldn't react to it. She reached out a hand and caressed his face. A jolt of energy went through him and he couldn't contain his smile. He started to bounce in his seat. He wanted to get the energy out.
 
“Can we go play now!?” Izuku startled himself with his own words. He didn’t mean to say anything, but he couldn't stop himself. He needed to run or jump. Maybe ride a bike or swing. He was also okay with coloring, he just really wanted to do something fun. Koharu smiled at him, but her eyes showed nothing but exhaustion. 
 
“Of course! Fumiko, your brother wants to play. Entertain him, will you? Hayato, take care of the dishes.” Koharu stood and started to walk away. She stumbled on her third step and grabbed her head. 
 
“Are you ok!?” Izuku once again spoke without meaning to. He was only slightly concerned for her, but he definitely didn’t intend to check on her. Koharu waved him off with her other hand.
 
“I’m fine, baby. Go on and play. Fumiko.” Fumiko hopped out of her seat and started leading him to the room. Izuku skipped and giggled all the way there. Fumiko kept her head turned to the opposite wall, not looking to the room they were passing. Izuku was curious, but had no intention of peeking. If Fumiko wasn’t looking then neither should he. 
 
At least that's what he would've done had his excitement not been heightened and his thoughts became more impulsive. The second he had the thought to not look, his head was already turned to glance into the room. He giggled and felt none of his true emotions when he saw Satoshi shirtless and curled in on himself tucked into a corner… inside a cage. 
 
Satoshi looked up and met his eyes. He looked so broken and miserable. From what Izuku could see he had a few cuts on his shoulder.  Izuku wanted to feel sick, but instead he smiled brighter than before and waved. His only thought was that he wanted to comfort the man. Or maybe run away from him. Izuku jerked out of Fumiko’s grasp and took off running, laughing all the way.
 
“Hey! Izuku, wait!” He heard Fumiko call behind him. But he couldn't stop. His feet wouldn’t stop. He saw the hallway curve and turned to keep running. There was a wall in front of him. He laughed loudly as he tried to skid to a halt instead he slid himself across the floor. Just before he hit the wall someone grabbed him and yanked him back. He fell. He giggled and laughed the whole time. He rolled over and saw Hayato laying on the ground clutching his side. Izuku started to laugh loudly and then at once he felt like a boulder had been dropped on him and he started to sob. 
 
Hayato stood up and muffled his cries. The teen dragged him back to Fumiko’s room and shut the door as quickly as possible. Izuku couldn't stop crying. Hayato handed him a pillow and Izuku buried his face in it. He practically screamed as all of his suppressed emotions returned tenfold. When he finally started to calm down, he heard sniffling other than his own. He slowly looked up and saw Fumiko crying as silently as she could while laying in her bed. 
 
“Deep breaths, you two. In...out...in...out...” Izuku focused on Hayato’s instructions and eventually he wasn’t crying anymore. Fumiko had stopped long before he did. Izuku started to say something but he felt something bubble in his stomach. He felt a sharp pain that was quickly replaced with a hollow warmth. He looked up at Hayato, panicked and slapped a hand over his mouth. Hayato’s eyes grew large and he threw a small trash can at him. Izuku fumbled to catch it and settled it in his lap. Then he hurled. 
 
He wasn’t sure how long he was throwing up for, but felt more exhausted than he ever had in his life when he was done. Fumiko had moved over to his bed and wrapped an arm around him. Hayato sat on his other side after he grabbed the trash can and tied up the bag that was in it. They stayed like that for a long time before Hayato broke the silence. 
 
“I’m sorry.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Izuku woke up the next morning still feeling very exhausted. He rolled over and winced as the bed creaked. He took a glance across the room at Fumiko to see if he had woken her. She was already awake and staring at the ceiling. She slowly turned her head and gave him a small smile.
 
“Good morning.” Her voice was so soft and quiet. Izuku returned the smile and sat up. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned. Fumiko had gotten up and sat next to him. 
 
“She used her quirk a lot yesterday so she’ll be asleep for a while. Let’s go and wake Nii-san, he’ll get us food.” She gently took his hand and started to guide him through the house. Izuku almost made a comment about how she didn’t need to hold his hand, but then they passed by Satoshi again. The door was still open. He looked down and gripped her hand tighter. 
 
Fumiko finally paused in front of what he assumed was Hayato’s room. The door opened before she could knock. Hayato stared at them for a moment before he roughly put a hand on his face and dragged it up through his hair. Hayato sighed and motioned them to move to the kitchen. They followed quietly after him. Once they reached the kitchen Hayato opened the fridge and sighed.
 
“No wonder… Just about everything is old.” Izuku was reminded of dinner from the night before and swallowed back a gag. Fumiko scrunched her face up. “At least the milk is good… Is cereal ok?” Fumiko nodded her head and Izuku did the same. It was better than nothing. Izuku was surprised when a colorful and fruity box of cereal was removed from the cabinet.
 
They ate in silence for the entire breakfast. Izuku couldn't help but think back on the meals he had shared with the Tanakas. There was always laughter and jokes. He missed them. Izuku felt a hand on his cheek and flinched. He looked over to see that it was just Fumiko wiping tears from his face. He hadn’t even realized that he had started to cry.  
 
“We’ll get you out of here…” She spoke softly under her breath, but he heard her. Before Izuku could ask how, he heard faint crying. Hayato shot up and ran through the hallway. Izuku watched the hall for a moment. Soon after, the crying stopped and Hayato was walking back, holding Takeo. The toddler had his head resting on Hayato’s shoulder. 
 
Hayato quickly made something for the baby and sat down with Takeo in his lap. Even though Takeo was three it was hard to tell. Even now, without the influence of Koharu’s quirk, Takeo was very quiet and showed development barely past that of a one year old. Izuku was finished with his cereal and before he could ask what he should do with the bowl, Fumiko had taken all the bowls and already started to wash them.  
 
“Fumi, will you take him?” Hayato asked once she was done as he lifted Takeo up. The boy started to whine and squirm. Fumiko quickly grabbed him and started humming. Takeo calmed down and clung to her. “Go back to the room, both of you. Don’t come out until I come and get you, ok?” Fumiko looked sad and nodded her head.
 
“Come on, Izuku.” She held out her hand and he grabbed it without thinking. She led him back to the room and shut and locked the door. She layed out a mat and sat Takeo down with some toys. The boy started to play immediately. Fumiko sat down next to him but only stared at the door. Izuku wanted to ask why they had to come back to the room, but a squeaking noise followed by a low rumble answered for him.

Satoshi-san… I wonder if Hayato is letting him out.

Fumiko violently shook her head and started baby talking to Takeo and playing with him. Izuku could only focus on the growling and thrashing noises he could hear. 
 
“Come play with us.” Fumiko wasn’t asking. Izuku nodded and got down on the mat. Takeo looked at him cautiously so Izuku gave him a smile. Takeo eyed him for a bit but then relaxed and crawled over to him and handed him a doll. 
 
“Thank you, Takeo-chan.” He said quietly. He used his hand to walk the doll around where his hand could reach. Fumiko was doing the same except her doll was in a car. Takeo was shaking his doll in the air. Izuku gigged a little. They played for while, switching toys every so often, and he and Fumiko even played out fake scenarios a couple of times. Izuku didn't even notice when the growling stopped. 
 
The kids played for about forty five minutes before Hayato came and knocked on the door. Fumiko stood and opened it. Hayto stepped in. 
 
“How’s Dad?” Fumiko asked nervously. Hayato sighed.
 
“He’s alright, Fumi. He’s not quite back yet though, so I had to put him back up.” Fumiko slumped and Hayato pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “It’ll be alright.”
 
“Is she still asleep?” Fumiko asked. Her voice was muffled by Hayato’s shirt. Hayato answered yes and Fumiko pulled away and sat back down on the floor. Hayato turned to him.
 
“How are you?” Hayato crouched in front of him. Izuku fiddled with his fingers and looked anywhere but at Hayato.
 
“I’m ok…” Hayato huffed a laugh. 
 
“No, you aren't.”  Hayato opened his arms offering a hug. Izuku was grateful and walked into his chest. Hayato squeezed him tight. He started to rub his back. It wasn’t Kimi’s touch, but it soothed him all the same. 
 
“I’ll keep you as safe as I can, I promise. You won’t be here for long.” Izuku felt himself want to cry again, but he held back. Izuku liked that Hayato would protect him, but he was confused as to what they meant.  
 
“W-what do you mean?” Izuku winced at his stutter, but Hayato only smiled at him. 
 
“House visits. It’s mandatory to send somebody to check on fostered or adopted kids after a little bit to make sure everything is ok. They did a couple for Takeo, but because he was so young it was easy for that woman to just put him to sleep or make him playful. She always had a story to excuse any cut or bruises we may have had.” Izuku nodded his head. It made sense, but he wasn't sure how it would help him. 
 
“You're older so they’ll take you to talk in private. You’ll be able to explain then and they’ll get you out of here.” Izuku felt hope spark in him. All he’d have to do would be to say what Koharu’s quirk was and what she’d been doing and they’d all be safe. Even if they didn’t believe him about the quirk they could just look in the room with the cage and-
 
“Don’t they check the house?” Hayato looked at him confused. “Satoshi-san…” Hayato’s eyes lit up in realization. He clenched his jaw and looked down bitterly. 
 
“Once they checked that the house was properly baby proofed and saw how happy and peaceful Takeo was, they didn’t have any concerns. Even if they questioned the locked room, they bought her lie and never asked her to open it. Not to mention it was always the same person that came to check, so after a while he stopped bothering to really look around.” Izuku looked down sadly. 
 
“Hey, don’t worry about it. It shouldn't be too long before someone pops up to check on you. Once they come, you’ll be safe. They might even bring you back to Tanaka-san.” Hayato spoke gently to him. The thought of going back to Kimi and Daichi made him happy, but he also figured he might just be brought to a different place. 
 
“What about you guys?” Hayato blinked in surprise. 
 
“You… No need to worry about us. I’ll keep Fumiko and Takeo safe. Right now all we need to do is make sure she won’t lose her temper. The less she uses her quirk the easier it will be to talk about what she is doing.” Hayato stood and sat on his bed. Fumiko was still playing with Takeo, but she was listening. It was still weird to Izuku to see her so quiet. 
 
“Alright, let’s go over some of the house rules, and how best to act when that woman is around.”

Koharu had stayed asleep for most of the day, which Izuku was grateful for. He was able to start getting a feel for the space and not walk around on eggshells. Well, for the most part, he was still tense at the thought of Koharu waking up at any point in time. 
 
Hayato had just made them dinner and put Takeo down for bed. He and Fumiko were outside playing with a soccer ball. Hayato had suggested they go outside because Koharu would be waking up soon. Izuku, of course, started to panic immediately, but Fumiko was great at distracting him. 
 
Izuku shook himself out of his thoughts to run for the ball. Fumiko had kicked it far away from where he was. He laughed as he chased after it. He needed to catch it before it got to the street. Hayato had told them they weren't allowed to go get it if it went in the road.  Izuku was able to catch it before it reached the sidewalk and Fumiko cheered when he held the ball over his head. 
 
“Yay! Go, Izuku!” He ran back giggling. When he got close enough he dropped the ball from above his head and kicked it when it fell to his foot. Fumiko leaned side to side in place trying to figure out where the ball would go. It fell to the ground and she ran up to it to kick it back to him. Izuku was back in his original position close enough for them to get a steady rhythm with the ball.
 
They passed the ball back and forth for a while, giggling and competitively yelling all the way. They were both so caught up in the moment that they didn’t realize that Koharu had come outside and was standing on the porch watching them. It wasn’t until Izuku accidentally kicked the ball towards the house did they notice her.
 
 Izuku froze in his tracks. So did Fumiko, but she recovered much quicker. She ran after the ball waving to her mom and signaling to Izuku to do the same. Izuku was so thankful that they weren't close to the porch at all. Koharu couldn't see his expression from there. He raised a tentative hand and waved. His hesitancy was covered by the fact that Fumiko had kicked the ball back to him and he needed to go after it. 
 
Izuku and Fumiko continued to play but it was much less enthusiastic than before. Izuku's mood had been killed, but it was something he could work through. Hayato had given him the rundown on how to act and he had expected Koharu to wake up soon, so it wasn't like he was completely caught off guard. What did catch him completely off guard was Satoshi walking outside and putting his arm around Koharu. 
 
“Izuku! Fumiko! It’s time to come in now. It's getting dark!” The man called after them. Izuku didn’t know how to respond. Fumiko had grabbed his hand and was pulling him to the door, but Izuku was frozen. He couldn't stop focusing on Satoshi. He looked so normal. He looked happy. Satoshi and Koharu looked like the perfect couple. The perfect parents. Izuku knew better. Izuku knew the truth and in that moment he wasn't able to form any sort of act. 
 
“Izuku, you haven't seen your father yet. Come give him a big hug!” Koharu stepped away from Satoshi as the man crouched down and opened his arms wide. Izuku couldn't move. Fumiko was still pulling him though. His feet matched her pace, but he was frozen. He was scared. He didn’t want to go near him. Not like this. Please don't make him. Please, he can’t. 
 
“Daddy! You've been asleep forever! I’m glad you're up!” Fumiko took off in a run pulling Izuku along with her. Izuku tried to pull back but Fumiko tightened her grip. She wasn't letting him go. It made him feel trapped, but it also strangely comforted him. He felt tears spring to his eyes the closer to Satoshi they got. He didn’t dare let them fall. 
 
Izuku knew he needed to fix his expression. Koharu was going to pick up on his discomfort and use her quirk. The more he thought about faking happiness the more he just wanted to cry. He couldn't do this. He wanted to leave. He needed to get out. He wanted Kimi. Daichi. Mayu. He needed them. 
 
Izuku looked up and saw Hayato standing inside watching through the window. His expression was soft and sympathetic. He signed that he was going to be ok and smiled widely. Izuku mimicked the smile. He didn’t have time to think about how Hayato knew sign or how the teen knew that he did, but he could ask him later. 
 
Fumiko collided with Satoshi’s chest, Izuku following after, connecting with her back. Satoshi’s arms wrapped around the both of them and he picked them up and laughed. He swung them back and forth before setting them down facing the door, covering them from Koharu’s view. Hayato was there holding the door open. 
 
“Mom made lemonade for you guys. Cups are on the counter. It has a lot of sugar so don’t get anymore than what I already put in your cups, ok?” Hayato said as he led them inside. 
 
“Ok, Nii-san!” Fumiko said loudly enough for the both of them. “Come on, Izuku. Mom makes the best lemonade.” Fumiko pulled him to the kitchen and handed him his cup. He took a sip not realizing how thirsty he was and frowned. It was water. Fumiko shook her head and downed the water. Hayato was right behind him, also signaling not to mention the water. 
 
Izuku quickly finished his glass and placed it in the sink where Fumiko placed hers. Izuku heard Satoshi and Koharu enter. Before he could panic again, Satoshi led her away from the kitchen. 
 
“Alright, you guys. It’s nearly bedtime so go bathe, then go to your room.” Koharu addressed them while they were still in hearing range. She tried to walk back to them, but Satoshi had once again distracted her.
 
“Ok, Mommy. Come on, Izuku, I'll help you with your bath.” As much as he wanted to, he did not protest her. He knew what he needed to do for a bath, but Hayato had mentioned that Koharu would baby him, so he guessed that meant everyone else had to as well.  
 
“Say goodnight now.” Hayato whispered to the both of them. Fumiko looked at him waiting for him to be able to say it. He took a deep breath and nodded.
 
“Goodnight, Mommy!” The kids spoke in unison. Izuku was glad that he didn’t need to face Koharu. Fumiko led him to the bathroom and started filling the tub. As embarrassed as he was he undressed and sat in the shower to wash off. Once the tub was filled, Fumiko washed his back for him. He thanked her and she turned away so he could get in the water. 
 
“Sorry about this. She’ll know if I leave.” Fumiko was sitting on the floor hugging her knees facing away from him. “Nii-san had to do this with me up until recently.” Izuku knew it wasn't uncommon for siblings to bathe together, but to him they weren’t family so it was very awkward. He was glad that Fumiko didn’t get in with him, which was probably what Koharu had wanted. 
 
“It’s ok. Will I have to stay in here until you are done?” Izuku figured the answer was yes, but if there was a chance he could leave he would much rather take that. 
 
“Yeah… I’ll try to be quick.” Izuku sank into the water. He mumbled his reply which caused bubbles to form by his mouth. It made him laugh so he continued to blow bubbles. Fumiko was laughing as well. Izuku continued to sit in the water until he thought it was enough time.
 
“I’m ready.” Izuku stood up and stepped down. Fumiko nodded her head and handed him a towel, her back still turned to him. He wrapped himself up and walked over to his clothes. Fumiko stepped around him preparing to take her shower. Izuku faced the wall. He listened to the rhythm of the water, letting his mind wander. He pictured dinosaurs and trains and samurais and heroes in one giant battle.  He was really enjoying his scenario, forgetting where he was until the door opened. He flinched so hard he fell forward and hit his head on the wall. 
 
“Oh! I’m so sorry, baby, Mommy didn’t mean to scare you. Why aren't you in the water with your sister?” Izuku did his best not to recoil from Koharu’s touch as she gently rubbed where he had hit his head. His eyes flicked over to the bath where Fumiko was. He could only see her eyes, but that was all he needed to see to tell that she was also scared. From the way her hair was dripping, Izuku figured she must've slipped under when Koharu came in. Izuku tried to answer, but he knew he would stutter if he tried to talk. 
 
“Izuku said that he was getting too hot, so I told him he could get out.” Fumiko lied easily. Koharu eyes her daughter for a moment before nodding her head.
 
“Well, alright, I suppose you have been in here a while. Izuku, baby, you can go to your room now. Fumi, don’t stay in too long. I don’t want you to get overheated as well, ok?” Fumiko answered Koharu and the woman picked him up and brought him outside the bathroom. “I’ll go and get Hayato so he can dry your hair.”
 
“Ok, Mommy.” He answered unsure if he needed to or not. She seemed pleased and walked to Hayato’s room. Izuku walked into Fumiko’s room and sat on his bed. He made a face when it squeaked under him. Hayato came in a moment later.
 
“Sorry, if I had known she was going to check on you guys I would've done it.” Hayato said after the door closed. Izuku didn’t say anything and Hayato grabbed a stool and beckoned him over. He had a hair dryer and a brush in his hand. “I hope these don't scare you.” He said with a smirk. Izuku laughed. He sat on the stool and allowed Hayato to dry and brush his hair. After the first couple brush strokes Izuku relaxed and closed his eyes. The rhythmic movement was almost lulling him to sleep.  Hayato only stopped when Fumiko came in the room with a tentative knock to signal that she wasn't Koharu. 
 
“She went back to bed.” Fumiko announced when she closed the door. She had a towel wrapped around her head and Izuku couldn't help but laugh at how tall it was. The siblings turned to him and gave him a weird look, which made him laugh a little harder, he was still quiet though. He pointed to the towel to give them an explanation. Hayato laughed as well and Fumiko pouted.
 
“I have long hair! I can’t help it!” She whisper yelled. Izuku had to place a hand over his mouth to prevent any more sound from coming out. After a while everyone calmed down.
 
“Alright, you guys, sleep well. Tomorrow, she wants to go to the store, so try to wake up early. I’ll come get you if need be.” Hayato placed a hand on his head, but it did little to comfort him. “I’ll be there the whole time, so try not to worry. Fumiko and I got you covered. And Dad does as well, if she’s bringing him.” Izuku nodded his head, but his anxiety was still high. Hayato moved to tell Fumiko good night and left the room.

I wanna go home.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hayato closed the door to the kids’ room as quietly as he could. He sighed as he made his way to his own. He paused by his dad’s...room debating if he wanted to check on him. He couldn’t help but wonder what his dad’s current state was. That woman had used her quirk on him again, so any progress to gaining his humanity back would’ve been washed down the drain. How much, though, was the question.  When he had let his dad out before he had just enough humanity to outweigh the feral part of his brain. He could hold a conversation and move around the house comfortably, but he still had animalistic habits. He ate with his hands for example, but that was minor and could easily be looked over. His dad did growl at him a couple of times if he got too close, but the man had apologized quickly when he realized what he did. A little more of a break from her quirk and he would’ve been normal. He would've been his dad again.  Hayato really hoped that she hadn’t pushed to where the feral outweighed the reason. His dad was most scary like that. As much as he hated to admit it, his dad was easier to manage if he was either fully feral or both sides were equal. If he was completely feral, staying calm and avoiding territory was the best way to go. Bribing with food always worked to control him as well. Equal reason and feral was slightly more difficult but Hayato knew what signs to pick up one. He knew the cues for when he needed to converse as if he’s talking to a person or to an animal.  Hayato sighed again and continued walking to his room. He closed the door with a soft click and crawled into bed. He made sure to set an alarm so everyone could be ready for when they needed to go out. He hated this. He hated having to act like this. 
I miss when things were normal.
 Hayato rolled over and willed himself to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a full day after all.

“Wake up, you two.” Izuku stirred awake. He hadn’t gotten that much sleep so he really didn’t want to get up yet. “Come on, I brought breakfast.” Izuku turned over at that. Hayato was standing in between the two beds holding a big brown bag. He was smiling at him. “Hey, morning, Izuku. Hungry?” Izuku sat up and rubbed his eyes. He nodded his head and braced himself against the headboard. Hayato pulled a plastic bowl out of the bag and set it on his lap. “Here ya go. I wasn’t sure what you like so I picked randomly. Hope that's ok. Fumiko really likes that, so I figured it was a safe option.” Izuku looked at the bowl trying to see what type of food it was. He couldn't tell, but it smelled really good. He took the utensils that Hayato was holding and tasted it. It was good. He smiled and continued eating. Hayato walked over and started shaking Fumiko awake.  “Com’on, Fumi. I got your favorite. I got up early and biked all the way to Asuka’s to get it.” Izuku watched mildly amused as Fumiko slowly started to stir. She grumbled and whined until Hayato forcibly sat her up. She pouted.  “Nii-san!” “I know, but she wants to go out today, remember. Eat up, she woke up a bit ago and she’ll want to leave once she’s ready. She slept in so I waited to wake you guys.” Fumiko frowned for a second before perking up and staring at the bowl in front of her. “Is this…?” Hayato nodded his head and Fumiko smiled. “Yes!” she cheered quietly. She didn't hesitate to dig in. “It’s been so long!” Izuku smiled and continued to eat. It made him glad to see Fumiko genuinely excited. They quickly finished their meals and changed. Fumiko went to the bathroom and Hayato helped Izuku pick an outfit.  There was a knock on the door.  Izuku and Hayato both tensed. When the door didn’t open Hayato glanced at him and moved slowly to the door.  “Fumi?” “No, it’s Dad.” Izuku’s heart jumped. He looked up at Hayato with panicked eyes. Hayato walked over to him and picked him up. “Come in.” Izuku tightened his grip on Hayato and he rubbed his back soothingly. The door creaked open. Izuku slowed his breathing so he could hear every movement Satoshi made. He wasn’t scared of the man. He wasn’t. But it made him so uncomfortable to be around him. He hated knowing that the man was being manipulated. He hated knowing that the person before him wasn't even who he really was.  “I just wanted to tell you guys that Koharu is in the car waiting. So hurry things up, kiddoes. You know your mother, she’s getting a little impatient.” Satoshi dropped his voice slightly. “No rush, though. I’ll entertain her if you need more time.”  “No problem, Dad. We’re pretty much done. We’ll head out soon.”  “Alright then!” Izuku listened for Satoshi’s retreating steps. The door closed and Izuku let out a breath.  Hayato set him down and Izuku nearly fell when Fumiko was in front of him. He didn’t even know she had come back.  “All ready?” Hayato asked after a minute. Fumiko nodded her head and grabbed his hand. Izuku nodded as well. “Ok, let’s go.” Izuku’s nerves were through the roof. Fumiko squeezed his hand once, letting him know that it was ok. He squeezed back to let her know he was fine.  They made it outside and piled into the car. Takeo was in a car seat in the center of the van. There were two booster seats in the very back so Fumiko led him to sit there. Hayato sat next to Takeo.  “Good morning, kids! How did you all sleep?” Koharu asked once everyone was buckled. She turned back to face them. Izuku did his best to smile at her. He really hoped the fear he felt didn’t show. “I slept fine.” “It was a good night!” Izuku's hands started to shake knowing it was his turn to speak. What should he say? Could he give the same answer that Hayato did? Or Fumiko? Would she get mad if he didn’t say something different? What if she didn’t like what he said? Fumiko had not let go of his hand so squeezed it to calm him. “How about you, Izuku? Is the bed comfortable?” Izuku relaxed, now being able to give an easy answer. Despite the obvious edge to Koaharu voice, Izuku knew just how to answer.  “Yep! It is!” “Oh, well, that's good!” Koharu faced the front and talked with Satoshi for a bit before she started driving. Fumiko let go of his hand and Hayato gave him a subtle thumbs up. The car again was near silent. Izuku could hear faint music from the radio, but it wasn't turned up high at all.  “Do you know how to play patty cake?” Fumiko whispered to him. Izuku nodded his head. Arata and Mayu had taught him and Hitoshi how to play. Fumiko put her hands out to start the game and he mimicked. She had stayed very quiet when playing, which Izuku thought was strange.  Izuku was under the impression that Koharu wanted the kids to be lively all the time. Hayato had told him that that rule didn’t apply when they were in the car, but had provided no explanation. Izuku didn’t want to pry so he didn’t question it. But he couldn't help but wonder. He and Fumiko played a few rounds before they switched up the hand game. She taught him a new one called Slide, which he really enjoyed playing. They couldn't make it past five, but Izuku was having fun trying.  At one point they must’ve gotten too loud, because Hayato started to tap the back of his head rest. Izuku at first didn’t know what he was trying to say, but he looked up and met Koharu’s eyes in the mirror. It sent chills down his spine. He froze in fear and couldn't look away. She was staring at him with completely cold dead eyes. After a minute of staring she smiled and looked away. Izuku couldn’t breathe.  “You guys ever played Lemonade?” Hayato’s voice came through. Izuku blinked. Hayato was turned around, giving him a concerned look. Fumiko had his hand again. He hadn’t even realized.  “Nope! I’ve never played that one, Nii-san. Can you show us?” Fumiko had grabbed his entire arm and was leaning her head on him. It wasn’t until then that he realized she had gotten out of her seat to move closer. It was also in that moment that he caught Hayato’s hand motioning frantically for her to get back into her seat.  Now that he was calm, he used his free hand to rest on her arm and squeezed. She stared at him for a moment, then released him and crawled back in her seat. Hayato relaxed. “Alright, here's how you play.” Hayato awkwardly reached back and used his hands to show them what to do while saying the tune of the game. It took a couple of times before he and Fumiko got the hang of it. That was mainly due to them not really being in the mood anymore. Eventually they got back in rhythm and were having fun again. Izuku was much more mindful about their volume though.

“I have my half of the list and I'll meet you guys by the center sign when I’m done.” They had made it into the store and were standing by the entrance figuring out who was getting what. It didn’t take too long to split the list, but Izuku really didn’t want to stay with Satoshi and Koharu. He had known that Koharu would most likely want him with her, so he was prepared for it, but he really didn’t like it.  He watched as Hayato started to walk away. The older boy winked at him before turning around. Izuku gave him a small smile, but it quickly dropped upon hearing Koharu speak behind him. “Izuku, baby, let's go. You have to follow Mommy.” He could feel Koharu walk closer to him. He tensed. He needed to fix his face. She couldn't see him looking scared.  “Izuku?” Fumiko ran in front of him. She grabbed his hand and started to pull. He pulled back hard. She nearly fell, but she caught herself. She still had an open expression on her face, but Izuku could tell she was worried. Her face dropped for a moment and Izuku could tell she was pleading with him. It was back to mild confusion seconds later.  She tugged his hand a couple of times, but Izuku couldn't bring himself to move. Koharu was getting even closer and Izuku started to breathe really hard. He looked at Fumiko, his face full of fear. She tried to smile at him and rubbed his arm, but it did nothing to comfort him.  “Izuku.” Koharu had dropped her sweet tone. It was icy. Her footsteps had slowed and that did nothing to help Izuku’s growing fear.  
Come on! Come on, focus! You knew what you were getting into today. Hayato prepared you! Come on! Fix your face! Figure it out and calm down. Please, Izuku! Stop making Fumiko and Hayato cover for you! You can do this! Please!
 “I wanna go with Nii-san!” Izuku blurted out just as Koharu touched his shoulder. She turned him around and he looked at the floor not wanting to meet her eyes. His shoulder burned under her touch and he squirmed away from it. He couldn't stop himself.  “Izuku… You need to stay with Mommy, dear.” “I don’t wanna!” Izuku didn’t know what got into him. He had felt Koharu’s quirk rush through him earlier, but it didn’t make sense for her to heighten his negative feelings.  “Izuku, please don’t throw a fit.”  She was back to acting sweet and Izuku was confused. What was she doing?  “I want Hayato!” He screamed. The entire store quieted down and was focusing on him. Fumiko looked just as confused as he felt. Satoshi was nowhere in sight. Koharu's eyes twitched for just a moment, dropping her sweet act.  “Don’t call your brother that.” She knelt down and pulled him close to her and Izuku went stiff. Her voice was low and her eyes were cold. A moment later her expression relaxed and was more exasperated.  “Now.” She stood up and smoothed out her dress. She wore a mild smirk that she tried to hide. Izuku was still very confused, but too scared to really question it. Not that his fear was shown.  He was still under the effects of her quirk which was making him really pouty. He folded his arms and stopped his foot. He didn’t like his emotions being controlled. He wanted to leave. He wanted Hayato.  “I wanna go to Nii-san!” He said without meaning to. He wasn’t yelling anymore, but he was still really loud. He stomped in place a few times before huffing angrily at Koharu. Izuku really thought she would get upset if he ever acted like this. Not that he was ever the type of kid to throw fits, but it didn’t make sense for Koharu to have him throw one. Why would she make him cause a scene? She was still smirking happily and Izuku didn’t know what to think.   “No, you have to stay with me Izum-” Koharu froze. Her face drained of all color. Izuku didn’t know what happened. He glanced at Fumiko who wore a horrified expression. She started pulling him away from Koharu. Izuku glanced around to see if anyone noticed their scene, but no one was paying attention anymore.  “Fumiko, Izuku. Go to your brother.” Koharu’s eyes were vacant. Her voice was barely above a whisper. Izuku was surprised he even heard it. He was confused as well. He felt her quirk drop. He briefly wondered if she had let go of Satoshi as well, but Takeo was still emotionless so he let his concern fade.  “Now!” Izuku jumped at the volume. A few people turned to look, but soon went back to minding their own business. Fumiko all but sprinted off. Once they were far enough away she stopped and leaned against a shelf.  “Fumi- “Don’t!” Izuku flinched away. She started sobbing and Izuku was at a loss about what to do. He just awkwardly stood there. He tried reaching out to comfort her but she shied away from him. Izuku wanted to cry as well. He wasn’t sure how long they stayed there but soon Hayato was running up to them.  “Fumiko! Izuku! What happened?” Hayato knelt down in front of his sister and hugged her. She fought him, trying to get out of his grip, but she eventually relaxed. Hayato looked at him for answers, but Izuku wasn't sure what to say.  “I-I don’t know… K-Koharu-san, she…” Izuku didn’t even know where to start. “I-I p-panicked and asked t-to stay with you in-instead and she said n-no, b-but then she freaked out and yelled at us t-to find you. I d-don’t know why.” Hayato pinched his brows together. Fumiko pulled away from her brother and mumbled something Izuku couldn’t hear. Hayato paled.  “I… It’s ok, Fumi. I’m so sorry. It’s ok.” Hayato pulled Fumiko back into him. Izuku could tell they were both lost in whatever they knew that Izuku didn’t. Of course, Izuku was curious, but he wasn't going to ask. They both looked terrified about whatever it was, so Izuku for sure wasn’t going to bring it up.  After a while Hayato pulled away and looked at him. He crawled over to Izuku and started to rub his head. Izuku leaned into the touch. He was still shaken by what had happened with Koharu. Hayato didn’t say anything as he stood and picked up a basket of groceries. They walked to the meeting point and Koharu and Satoshi were there waiting.  Koharu looked up at them. Her eyes were still dull. She was as emotionless as Satoshi and Takeo. It was unnerving. As they got closer Izuku looked at the basket that Satoshi was pushing and noticed that the items were all bagged.  “Put it back.” Koharu spoke to Hayato. Her voice was raw and very quiet. Hayato paused for a moment but nodded his head and walked away. He walked up to a worker and handed them the basket. Koharu didn’t wait for him and started walking out the door. Satoshi followed. Fumiko waited for Hayato so Izuku waited as well. When Hayato reached them he rested a hand on both of their heads.  They followed the adults outside. Koharu immediately sat in the driver's seat. Satoshi put the groceries in the trunk with Fumiko’s help once she got there. Hayato grabbed Takeo and put him in his carseat. Izuku debated helping, but Hayato motioned for him to sit down.  Once everyone was seated Koharu started driving. There was no music this time. It was dead silent except for other cars passing by. Izuku fiddled with his fingers and stared at the clouds. He tried to distract his brain by looking for images. He was able to spot a bunny and a hand, but everything else just looked like normal clouds.   There was a plane in the sky, which Izuku watched fly until it got too far away. He glanced at Fumiko. She was breathing on the window and drawing in the white that appeared. When she noticed him she gave him a small smile. It allowed Izuku to relax a little more. Hayato appeared asleep, but the teen occasionally looked back at them so Izuku knew he wasn’t. One of the times that Izuku caught Hayato’s eye the older boy stuck his tongue out at him and smirked. Izuku giggled quietly and did it back. Hayato smiled at him before turning forward again.  The faint sounds of music filled his ears and Izuku glanced at the front seats. Koharu was bobbing her head. From what he could see her face was more relaxed as well.  She looked at him through the mirror, but Izuku didn’t feel afraid. Her eyes looked softer than they ever had before. It didn’t look fake either. It was weird, but Izuku wasn’t going to question it. He was just glad everything calmed down. Koharu’s face suddenly twisted funny and before Izuku could overthink it she sneezed. Izuku wasn’t sure what to do with that so he went back to looking out the window.  Then Takeo started to cry.  It wasn’t too loud, but it caught everyone off guard. Even Koharu was taken aback. Hayato immediately tried to calm him down, but the toddler was having none of it. The second Hayato touched him, Takeo started screaming. Hayato looked desperate the more he tried to calm the baby.  “Hayato…” Koharu’s tone was off. Izuku looked at her, but he was unable to see her expression. She didn’t sound angry, it was the same tone from earlier. Takeo cried louder.  “Hayato!” “I’m trying!” “Don’t yell at me.” Hayato didn’t answer her. Fumiko grabbed her ears and put her head in her lap. Izuku was confused again and very concerned.  “Give him to me!” Koharu reached back one hand, thankfully still keeping her eyes on the road. Izuku gripped his seatbelt tightly. He didn’t know what was going on, but everyone was freaking out and that made him panic.  “That’s not safe,” was Hayato’s reply. Takeo was still crying, but it was soon drowned out by Koharu screaming. Izuku started to cry, the scream sounded like she was in pain. She wouldn’t stop. She was saying words, but Izuku couldn't tell at all what she was saying. The car started vibrating and it took Izuku a moment to register that Satoshi was growling.  “Mom!” Hayato yelled out. Koharu was still screaming but the hand that had been reaching back to them was slapping Satoshi’s arm. The vibrating dulled slowly and eventually Satoshi's head fell forward and was swinging back and forth. Izuku spent too long trying to figure out why Satoshi's head was moving like that. It wasn’t until Izuku processed that he was bracing himself against the door that the answer came to him. The car was swerving.  Izuku’s heart dropped when he realized. Fumiko was full on sobbing next to him and Takeo and Koharu were still screaming. Hayato had tears streaming down his face, but was still trying to calm Takeo. He was also talking to him and Fumiko, but neither of them were able to listen.  “Mom, pull over!” Hayato yelled. Koharu didn’t seem to hear him. “Pull over now!” The car jerked violently and Izuku closed his eyes. Fumiko screamed, but the car kept moving forward so Izuku took that as a sign that they weren't about to crash. “Mom!” Hayato screamed again. The teen started grumbling and Izuku heard a seatbelt unlock. He opened his eyes to see Hayato out of his seat and leaning into the driver's seat.  “Nii-san! Stop! Sit down!”  Fumiko cried. Hayato ignored her as he climbed to the front and sat down on his mom. Koharu was still screaming incoherently. She was hitting Hayato and violently pulling on his shirt, but Hayato didn’t seem to care. Soon the car slowed to a stop and was pulled off to the side. Everyone was crying.  Thankfully, they were on a back road when this happened so there were no other cars around. Although Izuku kinda wished someone had seen. Maybe they would’ve seen Koharu freaking out and saved them.  Hayato had dragged his mom out of her seat and put her in the back. She was still crying hysterically. Hayato got back into the driver's seat and started driving them to the house. The only thing Izuku could think the entire time was… 
What the heck happened?

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

When they got back to the house, Hayato quickly ushered Izuku and Fumiko inside. Hayato handed Takeo, who had cried himself to sleep, to Fumiko and she disappeared down the hall. Probably to put him down. Hayato went back outside and told him that he didn’t need to help. Izuku, not knowing what else to do, walked to Fumiko’s room. 
 
Izuku collapsed face first on the bed and thought about everything that had just happened. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Hayato and Fumiko seemed to understand what had happened, but Izuku doubted that they’d share. Izuku got under the covers and curled into a ball. He felt tears stream down his face. He made sure to not make any sounds. He didn’t want to set Koharu off again and Hayato had to deal with enough already. He didn’t need to take care of Izuku more than what he already had. 
 
He wasn’t sure how long he cried for, but he must've zoned out at some point because when he blinked back to himself, the tears had dried on his cheeks. He sat up and looked around the room. It was dark. Izuku looked out the window and noticed that the sun was down.

I fell asleep?

It had been a very exhausting morning, so Izuku wasn’t surprised. He didn’t think he'd sleep the entire day away though. He glanced at Fumiko’s bed to see if she was there, but she wasn’t. He stretched and wiped his face before making his way to the bathroom. The house was silent. He crept around, not wanting to wake anybody or run into Koharu. He didn’t think he could handle seeing her right now. 
 
He closed the bathroom door as quietly as he could. He finished up quickly and made his way back to Fumiko’s room. Before he walked through the door he realized that he was hungry. He thought about ignoring it and just going back to sleep, but he hadn’t eaten since that morning and now that his attention was brought to it it was all he could focus on. 
 
He sighed and looked down the hall. There was a low light coming from the living room so at least it wasn’t dark. He slowly started walking and hoped that no one was awake. He peeked around the corner and released a sigh when no one was there. He walked towards the kitchen and did the same when he got there. He walked to the pantry, then he looked behind him just to be sure. No one was there. He focused back on the snacks, seeing what he wanted to grab.

Chips?

The bags were really little so Izuku wasn’t sure it would be enough. He definitely wasn't going to grab more than one. He didn’t know if Koharu took note of how many snacks were in the house. He looked around the pantry more and spotted peanut butter.

I could make a PB and J!

Izuku grabbed the peanut butter and walked to the fridge to grab the jelly. Once he had the two containers, he walked to the side of the counter where they kept the bread box. He smiled happily and grabbed a paper towel. He took two slices of bread and grabbed a spoon. He wasn’t allowed to use the knives. 
 
He scooped out the jelly first and spread a little across one slice. He rinsed the spoon under the sink before repeating for the peanut butter. He wiggled before stepping back on his tiptoes so he could put the pieces together. He folded the paper towel over the sandwich before he grabbed it and turned to walk out the kitchen. He remembered that he should probably get water as well. He set the sandwich down and hopped on the counter to grab a cup. Koharu only let him use the cups with lids so he made sure to take one of those. 
 
He quickly walked back to the fridge and filled the cup. He snapped the lid on and walked back to his sandwich. He smiled, smelling the grape jelly and peanut butter mixed together, and walked out of the kitchen. He rounded the corner and dropped his cup. 
 
Satoshi was standing over him, fangs bared.

After they had arrived home, Hayato unloaded the groceries by himself. He wasn’t really complaining. Fumiko and Izuku didn’t need to do anything other than rest. His thought was proven right when he went to check on Izuku and found him passed out. Hayato carefully stretched the boy out so he would be more comfortable when he woke up. 
 
After he put the groceries away, checked on Izuku, and told Fumiko to stay in Takeo’s room, he walked back outside to get his dad. The man was still sleeping, which Hayato was grateful for. He wasn't sure what state he would be in when he woke up. Hayato had a bit of trouble getting his dad out the car, but he eventually managed to shove him on his back. He was heavy but that was the only way that Hayato could move him. 
 
Hayato had wanted nothing more than to be able to put his dad in a bed, but he knew it would be too risky to leave him to roam around. So he had to put him in the cage. Just as he set his dad down, his mother had walked in the room. She never looked up. Hayato stared at her for a bit before walking out. He hovered by the door to make sure she wouldn’t try to use her quirk again. 
 
A few minutes later she walked out and went to her room. She slammed the door shut and locked it. Hayato sighed when he heard Takeo start to cry. He closed the room to his dad’s space and walked over to Takeo’s room. He knocked on the door and called out his own name to let Fumiko know that it was him. He opened it to see Fumiko rocking Takeo. The toddler was settling down. He was no longer crying, but he was gasping out mini sobs. 
 
Fumiko looked up at him with tears in her eyes as well. They hadn’t fallen yet, but Hayato knew it was only a matter of time. He sat next to his sister on the bed and rubbed circles in both of their backs. They stayed like that for a few minutes before Takeo finally fell back asleep. 
 
Hayato carefully grabbed Takeo from Fumiko’s grasp and placed him in the bed. Hayato played some soft music to continue to keep the baby calm. He and Fumiko walked out shortly after. 
 
“Nii-san?” Fumiko tugged on his shirt and he paused. “Will things ever get better?” And wasn’t that an excellent question. Hayato didn’t know how to answer. He wanted to say ‘Of course! Everything gets better eventually!’ but how could he say that? Fumiko had already had to deal with so much and she was only eight. She didn’t need the optimism. However, Hayato didn’t want to kill all of her hope. 
 
He wanted to be able to take her away from here. He wanted to give his sister the life she deserved, but he was only fourteen! How could he? What was he supposed to do? And now they had Takeo and Izuku! How could he protect them all? He was still just a kid himself. He can’t handle this. 
 
“I hope so, Fumi. Until then, I will keep you safe.” He promised. Fumiko gave him a small smile before she looked down.

Hayato shifted and sighed. When it came time to go to bed, Fumiko had begged to sleep with him. 
 
"

I don’t want to be alone.” Hayato sighed as he tried to peel his sister off of him.

“But you won’t be alone. Izuku is in the bed right next to yours.” He reminded gently. Fumiko just cried and shook her head.

“It’s not the same! ...I have to protect him.” Hayato did his best to not tell her that she didn't need to protect anyone. He knew how much it meant for her to be able to care for Takeo and Izuku, but Hayato wished she wouldn't put that burden on herself. That was his job as the oldest.

In the end, Hayato had relented and allowed her to stay with him. He was regretting it now though.

If she kicks me one more time…!

Hayato shifted once again and looked at his sister. She was asleep, but she looked anything but peaceful. Her face was twisted almost like she was in pain. She was curled into herself so tight. Hayato could even see tiny teardrops form in her closed eyelids. He smacked his lips and pulled her against him. She immediately clung to him and relaxed. 
 
Hayato shook his head and lightly rubbed her back. He closed his eyes seconds later attempting to sleep. He was planning on staying up in case Izuku woke up at some point, but the boy didn’t seem like he was waking anytime soon. Hayato figured he needed the sleep so he left him alone. 
 
Hayato used the rhythmic breathing of his sister to calm him and lull him to sleep. The house was silent so he allowed himself not to worry about anything. Whatever happened tomorrow would  happen. He didn’t need to stress about it. 
 
So why did he suddenly have a sinking feeling? 
 
Hayato kept his eyes closed, willing sleep to overtake him, but his heart wouldn't stop pounding. He took some deep breaths, attempting to calm himself, but it only seemed to make it worse. If his sister wasn’t sleeping he would've groaned in frustration. He opened his eyes and sighed as quietly as he could. He couldn't shake the feeling that he forgot to do something.

Maybe I forgot to lock the door?

After having an internal battle with himself, Hayato finally decided to get up. He moved carefully so that he wouldn't wake Fumiko. It took some time but he was finally able to scoot out of his bed. He walked to the door and opened it as quietly as he could. Just as he closed it he heard a noise. It sounded like something fell. His heart stopped.

What was that?

Instead of going to check right away Hayato decided to see if it was his mom. Her door was still closed and locked from when she went in earlier, so it wasn’t her. Next he decided to check to see if Izuku had woken up. It made the most sense. The kid had slept a really long time and Hayato was sure that if he had just woken up he would've been hungry. Before he got to Fumiko’s room, he saw that the door to where the cage stayed was open. A cold shiver went up Hayato’s spine.

I forgot to lock the cage!

Hayato hesitated. His dad was awake and roaming around. Hayato did his best to calm himself so that he could properly deal with his dad.  Just as he steadied his breathing and convinced himself he was ready, he saw that Fumiko’s door was open.

...No. No. No! This is bad!

Hayato ran toward where the noise had come from. He rounded the corner to the living room and saw his dad standing in the kitchen doorway. From the way his arms were moving it looked like he was eating something. Hayato swallowed thickly and searched for Izuku. Depending on who got up first there was a good chance that Izuku was hiding. Though if Izuku showed too much fear it would set his dad off. Hayato had learned that the hard way.

I need to get him back to his room.

Hayato slowly approached, making sure to make some noise so that he didn’t startle his dad or make him think that Hayato was a threat.  
 
“Da-
 
“Satoshi-san, here is some water if you want it.” Hayato froze, hearing Izuku’s voice. Now that he was closer he could see the small boy standing in front of his dad. Not too close but not too far away. Izuku set the cup on the corner next to his dad and took a few steps back. His dad eyed the cup suspicion then grabbed it. He sniffed it a few times before putting it to his lips. 
 
Hayato was much closer now and could see Izuku's face. He didn’t look scared at all, which confused Hayato. Izuku's face was near blank. They made eye contact and Izuku's eyes widened for just a second. He schooled his face quickly, but it was too late. His dad turned sharply towards him and lowered his body. He growled. Hayato quickly put his hands up and stepped back
 
“Dad. It’s me. It’s ok” His dad didn’t seem to register his words at all. Hayato could see his dad quickly start to take full form and he felt a spike of panic. With how his mental state is now, if he fully transformed it would be that much harder to get him to cooperate. 
 
“Satoshi-san. It’s ok.” Izuku shushed the man and after a few seconds his dad calmed down. 
 
“...You. Scared me. Hayato. Sorry.” His dad spoke. It took him effort but he got the sentence out. Hayato relaxed himself and smiled. It was fake, but he needed to keep his dad calm.
 
“It’s fine, Dad. Got hungry?” Hayato looked at the paper towel his dad was holding and the man did the same. He blew air out of his nose and shrugged. He threw the paper at Izuku, who didn’t even flinch. Wait, no. He did. His finger twitched and now Hayato could see the slight shake of his hand. 
 
“The. Cub. Gave.” His dad shook his head in Izuku's direction before walking over to him.
 
“Izuku gave you something to eat?” Hayato tested a step forward, but froze when his dad's eyes started to glow slightly. His dad rushed him and Hayato resisted flinching. Hayato stayed still as his dad sniffed him. He kept his breathing even and mentally begged his heart rate to slow. Hayato felt a hand on his head. He heard his dad's claws unleash, but he was expecting that. After a few seconds, his dad backed up. 
 
“So... You. Aren't. Scared. Of me. Son.” His dad blew air out of his nose again and shook. Some of the hair on his arm grew shorter. 
 
“Of course not, Dad.” Hayato kept his voice even. The three of them stood in silence for a few minutes.

I need to get him back to the cage.

“So, Dad. It’s really late-” His dad growled and Hayato stopped talking.

This will be hard. I made him mad. Shoot! I need a cover.

“Too late for Izuku to be up. He needs to go back to his room to sleep. Do you mind if we take him back to his room?”

Ok, ok, good. Let him think we are tucking Izuku in. This way I can get him close to his space.

His dad retracted his fangs and turned his head to look at Izuku. The kid had not moved once and Hayato was grateful. Izuku made eye contact with his dad and Hayato panicked for a second. Izuku blinked slowly twice before looking away.

Blinking slowly for a cat and not staring for a dog. He’s playing it safe. Good.

His dad looked away and shook again. He blew air out of his nose and started to walk towards Fumiko’s room. Hayato motioned Izuku to him and he jogged over. Now that Izuku was close, Hayato could really feel how much Izuku was shaking. They both followed after his dad slowly and steadily. His dad turned around a couple times to make sure they were following. 
 
Once they got to Fumiko’s room his dad stood against the frame. He sniffed a few times before abruptly turning his head down the hall in the direction where the other rooms were. Hayato caught on.
 
“Fumi is in my room.” His dad accepted the answer and sat down.  He jerked his head towards Fumiko’s room and Hayato slowly led Izuku inside. He cracked the door closed. Izuku crawled into the bed and nearly buried himself under the covers. 
 
“I’ll be right back.” He whispered. Izuku looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn’t. Hayato walked back to the door and took a deep breath before he went out. Time for the next step. Getting his dad back in the cage.

This won’t be easy.

Hayato pulled his hand away from his shoulder and saw red. He cursed under his breath as he made his way to the bathroom. It had taken a lot of effort to get his dad back in his space. Over time it had gotten easier to talk to him so Hayato had let his guard down. Right after his dad walked into the cage and Hayato had gone to close and lock it his dad had swiped a hand down his back. Thankfully, his claws were still retracted, but his nails were naturally sharp. The cut wasn’t too deep, but it still hurt. 
 
Hayato quickly cleaned his shoulder and patched it up. He walked back to his room and grabbed a new shirt. Fumiko was still asleep. He changed and made his way back to Izuku. Hayato hoped that Izuku had fallen back asleep. He had taken a long time to get his dad in the cage. 
 
Hayato opened the door to see Izuku sitting up, knees tucked to his chest and head buried in his arms. Hayato sighed. 
 
“Hey.” He said as softly as he could, but Izuku still flinched. He jerked his head up and stared at him. Hayato walked forward, but paused when Izuku leaned away from him. Izuku put his hands on the bed as if preparing to run. His eyes darted back and forth. Hayato noticed the signs of panic. He sat down at the foot of the bed. Far enough away so that Izuku could relax a little. 
 
“I managed to get him in, so there is no need to worry.” Izuku didn’t react to his words. “That woman hasn’t left her room at all. Though the light was off when I checked, so it’s safe to assume she is asleep.” Izuku put his arms in his lap and lowered his shoulders.

He’s calming down.

“Fumiko is still asleep as well.” Izuku wasn’t fully relaxed but he didn’t look scared anymore. Hayato could only imagine how scared he must have been when his dad approached him. Hayato wanted to know exactly what happened, but he wasn’t going to question him. He also wanted to praise him on how well he had handled the situation, but Hayato wasn’t sure if that would be a good idea. 
 
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Hayato was hoping that Izuku would lay down and try to go to sleep with him there, but Iuzku was still sitting up and staring at the wall.  Now that everything was calming down Hayato was getting sleepy again. He wasn’t going to leave Izuku though. He'd stay in there all night if he had to. Fumiko might be a little upset to wake up alone, but he could deal with that later. 
 
Hayato was pulled out of his thoughts when Izuku's stomach grumbled. Hayato smiled expecting Izuku to get all embarrassed over it, but he only slowly glanced in his direction and looked down at the bed. Hayato dropped his smile. 
 
“You gave him what you were going to eat…” Hayato said when the thought came to him. He hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but Izuku didn’t seem to mind. Though Hayato really couldn't tell. Izuku wasn’t completely blank. It wasn’t like that woman had shut down his feelings, but Izuku wasn’t expressing much. 
 
“What did you have? I can make you another one, or something else, if you like.” he waited for Izuku to respond, but all he got was a staring contest. Hayato sighed. Izuku wasn’t going to talk; that was becoming obvious. Hayato decided to try signing. 
 
He didn’t know anything, but he overheard Tanaka-san mention that sometimes Izuku communicated that way if he got too overwhelmed or panicked. Hayato had thought that would be the perfect way for him and Fumiko to talk without

her

being able to understand them, so he looked up a few things. 
 
He pulled out his phone and looked up how to sign certain snacks. Izuku was watching him, so Hayato had no trouble getting his attention. He made the sign for fruit, but Izuku just blinked. Hayato tried again with bread, but again Izuku only stared. Hayato did his best to sign other things hoping he wasn’t butchering them. Each time, though, Izuku only stared at him. 
 
“Ok, Izuku. I know this is hard and I know it sucks here, but you have to help me. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to get you to talk. I know you're hungry. Please tell me what you want.” Hayato didn’t mean to sound so frustrated, but he was. He just wanted to go to bed. Izuku looked down and hugged his knees again. 
 
“No. I’m sorry. Don’t do that. I just want to help…” Hayato gave up. He stood and walked to the door. Izuku finally looked at him with some expression. His eyes were wide. Hayato opened the door and motioned for him to follow. Izuku hesitated but stood up. They walked to the kitchen and Izuku stared at him. 
 
“Show me.” Hayato looked away from Izuku, not wanting to stare at him awkwardly. After a few minutes Izuku started to move around. Hayato heard the fridge open and close. He felt a finger poke him and Hayato looked down. Izuku was holding jelly. 
 
“You want toast?” Izuku only stared at him. Hayato grabbed the jelly and Izuku walked to the pantry. Hayato figured it out before Izuku brought him the peanut butter. Hayato smiled. 
 
“Thank you! One PB and J coming right up!” he said quietly. He was happy to finally get Izuku communicating. He quickly made the sandwich and handed it to Izuku. He made the kid some water and waited until he was done. Once everything was put up, they walked back to the hallway. Izuku started walking towards Fumiko’s room, but Hayato went the other way. Izuku paused and stared at him. Hayato didn’t say anything and just walked to his door. He opened it and waited. Izuku slowly walked in. Hayato motioned to the spot next to the still sleeping Fumiko and Izuku hopped up. 
 
Izuku stared at him for a while, before closing his eyes. Hayato waited until he was sure the kid was asleep before grabbing a spare blanket laying across the foot of the bed.

My bed is not big enough for this...

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Izuku woke up earlier than Hayato and Fumiko. Fumiko was sprawled against him, her foot close to his face.  Izuku frowned and shoved her off. She stirred for a moment, but kept sleeping. Izuku sat up and looked around the room. He hadn’t been in Hayato’s room before. The room was bare. There was no color or hint of any style. Izuku blinked and looked down at Hayato, then blinked again and stared at the wall. The next time he blinked, Fumiko and Hayato were staring at him. 
 
“Hey, Izuku? Are you ok?” Fumiko asked and she gently touched his shoulder. 
 
“You’ve been spaced out for a while.” Hayato explained.

I was? Oh… Sorry.

“Izuku?”

Yeah? Wait, that's not out loud. I need to answer.

“He’s probably not going to answer, Fumi.” Fumiko frowned towards Hayato then at him.

I’m sorry… I don’t know why I can’t.

“Okay…” Fumiko looked down and played with her hands.

What’s wrong with me? Why does this always happen?

“Fumi, are you hungry?” Hayato asked. Fumiko looked at him and nodded her head. He sighed and made his way to the door. He listened for Koharu and relaxed when he didn’t hear anything. He opened the door and saw that her’s was still closed.

Good.

“Alright, you two. Let’s go.” Fumiko hopped off the bed and grabbed Izuku’s hand. Izuku frowned and violently snatched it away. Fumiko was shocked for a second, before she turned to him, a look of confusion and helplessness on her face. Hayato sighed. 
 
“Don’t push him, Fumi. Let him move on his own. It’s ok.” She looked down sadly and Izuku also turned his head away. “Come on. Food is this way.” Fumiko walked out the door, but Izuku had yet to move. Hayato waited, but Izuku only looked up and stared at him. 
 
“Come out when you are ready. I’ll make you something, ok?” Hayato paused for a second and then walked out. Fumiko was kicking her legs, sitting at the table waiting. She looked like she wanted to say something when she spotted him, but she didn’t. Hayato didn’t push. 
 
He didn’t bother asking what she wanted because he already knew. Hayato wasn't picky so he just made enough for the three of them and hoped Izuku wouldn't hate it. Hayato got lost in thought as he ate. Takeo started to cry, but before Hayato could run to his room the crying stopped. Hayato felt his heart rate quicken and Fumiko looked at him panicked. Hayato started to turn things off and walk toward the hallway when Izuku came around the corner, Takeo in his arms. 
 
Hayato relaxed and continued cooking. It wasn’t long before he was done. Izuku set Takeo in his playpen and sat next to Fumiko. She tried talking to him again, but Izuku didn’t respond. Fumiko slumped, but perked up when Hayato came in with the plates. The kids started to eat and Hayato grabbed Takeo and fed him as well. He wasn’t able to eat that much, but he didn’t mind. As long as the little ones were fed. 
 
“Ok, how about a movie?” Hayato asked when everyone was done and dishes were put away. Fumiko nodded enthusiastically. Izuku didn’t react at all, but Hayato was slowly getting used to that. He hoped Izuku would start talking again soon. Fumiko disappeared down the hall while Hayato set Takeo in the playpen again. He moved it so the toddler would stay in his sight. Izuku sat on the corner farther away from him. Hayato felt a sting of sadness, but didn’t comment. 
 
Fumiko came back a few seconds later, her stuffed cat in her arms. She hopped on the couch and snuggled up to him. She tried to beckon Izuku over, but he didn’t even look their way. Fumiko frowned and Hayato rubbed her head. 
 
“Ready?” Fumiko, still frowning, nodded her head. Hayato glanced at Izuku and hit play. Hayato hoped he chose a movie that everyone would like. Fumiko had seen it before but fell asleep pretty early on. Takeo probably wouldnt understand, but Hayato hoped that if the colors didn’t keep him entertained, his toys would. Izuku readjusted his position and kept his eyes on the screen. Hayato took that as a good sign.  
 
After about fifteen minutes of watching, Hayato got up. Fumiko protested at first, but he was able to get away. He walked to the kitchen and made something for his dad to eat. He walked it over to the room and hesitated. He stared at the door for the longest time before he took a deep breath and walked in.
 
He wasn’t in there. 
 
Before Hayato could panic he heard voices from down the hall. He crept over to his mother’s room and put his ear against the door.
 
“Shut up, Satoshi! This is your fault!” Hayato flinched hearing the harsh tone. He wasn’t able to hear what his dad was saying in response. 
 
“No! No. I don’t care. We are happy! We are a happy family! Shut up! Shut up! I’ll lock you back up. I’ll do it, you stupid beast.” Hayato heard a thump and winced. He clenched his jaw and backed away from the door. Dad, when she used her quirk on him, never acts out, so he knows that it was his mother that hit him and not the other way around. Hayato sighed and walked back to the living room. It wasn’t until he sat back down did he remember the plate in his hands.

Guess I’ll just eat it…

Koharu didn’t come out until only half an hour remained on the movie.  Fumiko tucked herself practically under him when she came into view. Izuku went rigid, but his expression never changed. Hayato could see the clear tension in his muscles though. Hayato subtly tracked that woman’s every move. She paused behind the couch for the longest time. She was probably the only one focused on the movie at that moment. 
 
He let out a breath when she walked to the kitchen. Hayato glanced at Takeo and could see he was invested in biting his toy phone. Hayato wasn’t able to focus on the movie at all until Koharu went back down the hallway and he heard the door close. She had two plates so he wasn’t as worried about his dad. He was worried that she used her quirk after she accidentally dropped it. In the car no less. 
 
She had been moving really slowly. She didn’t even try to put on the “I’m the best mom in the world” act. Hayato figured she would take the day to rest her quirk, but obviously not. She better not be pushing herself. Hayato did not want Fumiko and Takeo to see their dad like that.  It was bad enough that Izuku did. Hayato really didn’t want to have to wrangle with him again so soon. 
 
“Nii-san?” Hayato snapped out of his thoughts. 
 
“Yeah?” He looked down at Fumiko. 
 
“Movie’s over.” Hayato glanced at the screen to see credits. He sighed and grabbed the remote to stop the music. “Can we watch another?” Hayato of course complied and put another movie on. This time Fumiko picked it. They settled back into their original position as he hit play. 
 
“Oh, look! We’re just in time for the next movie, Satoshi!” Hayato nearly jumped out of his skin. His parents were walking up behind them. His dad sat next to Fumiko and Koharu was next to Izuku. Fumiko had clung closer to him. She started shaking, but she kept a small smile on her face. Hayato glanced at Izuku worriedly. He was staring at Koharu. He blinked slowly a couple of times and then looked back at the screen. 
 
“Did you guys enjoy the last movie?” Hayato and Fumiko answered as enthusiastically as they could. Hayato was caught off guard. Taking into account what had happened yesterday, she should not be this willing to put on her act and interact with them. He knew something was off when she used her quirk on his dad, but this was... 
 
“What about you, baby?” She was talking to Izuku. Hayato inwardly panicked. Was Izuku going to answer her? Hayato didn’t think so. It didn’t seem like Izuku was willing to talk anytime soon. 
 
“Izuku?” Hayato took a deep breath and rubbed Fumiko’s arm. This wasn’t going to be good. Izuku didn’t even glance at Koharu. Hayato could see the tension in his shoulders though.  Hayato watched as Koharu’s smile slowly fell from her face. 
 
“Izuku.” Fumiko sat up and opened her mouth, probably trying to take the attention off of Izuku, but Hayato stopped her. It would only make her angry and he really didn’t want to see his sister get hit again. He saw Izuku’s jaw clench. He wanted to step in. He really did, but there was nothing he could do. Interference would only make things worse. Even his dad was fighting back his words. Hayato tried to ignore the bruise forming on the man’s shoulder and the scars around it.
 
“Izuku. Answer your mother when she is talking to you.” Izuku stayed quiet and kept his eyes on the TV.” Fumiko looked as if she was fighting back tears. Hayato bit his cheek to keep from saying anything. He wanted to take them back to his room. She was supposed to leave them alone today. She was supposed to stay in her room. That’s how it always goes when she-
 
“You leave me no choice.” Her tone darkened significantly.  Her eyes were set in an icy glare. “Hayato, turn off the movie and go to your room. Bring Takeo with you.” Hayato shared a terrified look with Fumiko.
 
“Mom-
 
“Now!” Fumiko flinched. She fled towards the hallway. The direction told him she had gone to his room. Hayato swallowed and stood. He went to grab Takeo out of the playpen, but Koharu was holding him. Hayato noticed the baby’s dull eyes and bit his tongue. He waited for Koharu to hand him over and started to walk toward the hallway. He glanced over his shoulder to see if Koharu was looking at him.
 
Hayato's heart dropped. Izuku was looking right at him. His eyes were the most expressive they had been since he had woken up the night before. He was pleading with him, begging him not to leave. 
 
“Hayato. What are you waiting for?” Izuku's eyes started to water. He reached his small hand towards him and Hayato heard a faint whimper come from him. He turned slowly and walked away. 
 
Hayato wasn’t sure what hurt more. That small look of betrayal that flashed in Izuku’s eyes or the harsh sound of flesh hitting flesh that reached his ears moments after. 
 
Hayato didn’t want to, but when he reached his door, he turned and looked again. Koharu had Izuku bent over her knees and her hand was raised in the air. Hayato ran in his room and closed the door to cover the sound. It didn’t cover Izuku's screams and cries.

Ten minutes. That was how much time passed before Izuku came skipping into the room. Fumiko had cried the entire time, she had just been calming down, but seeing the bright smile on Izuku’s face sent her into another fit of tears. Hayato felt a spike of anger that was quickly covered by shame. Even though Izuku was smiling and asking to play, Hayato could still see the mistrust in his eyes. He could see the accusing looks. 
 
“Nii-san! Can we play that game you showed me in the car? The DS one, not the hand game!” Izuku was bouncing on one foot at a time and tugged on his shirt lightly. Hayato tried to hold back, but he could feel his lip tremble.  
 
“Nii-san?” Hayato flinched away from being called that. He knew Izuku didn’t view him that way.  “Please? I really wanna play it! Ooh! Ooh! Nee-san! Can we play outside? With the ball? Do you have a bike I could ride?” Fumiko gasped and backed away from Izuku who kept getting closer to her. She was sobbing. When she hit the wall, she turned to face it. She crouched down and buried her head in her knees. 
 
“Nee-san! Nee-san! Let’s play! Come on!” Izuku started to shake her lightly. Hayato, finally getting the will to move, took a step forward.
 
“I-Izuku, stop. Hang on-” Izuku ran towards him and jumped. His arms wrapped around his neck and Hayato wasn’t able to keep his balance. Izuku giggled as they went down. Once they settled, Izuku bounced on his stomach and tapped his chest. 
 
“Play! Play! Play!” Hayato bit his cheek to keep the tears he felt building from spilling over. He closed his eyes and did his best to gently pull Izuku off of him. He sighed in relief when the pressure was off of him. He could still feel Izuku bouncing next to him though. 
 
“It hurts!” Hayato froze. His eyes shot open and he looked at Izuku. He was still smiling brightly and bouncing. His tone was happy and playful but the words…
 
“It hurts! It really hurts!” Izuku giggled and sat up on his knees. He wiggled in place before he brought his hand to his bottom. “Please, help!” Hayato heard Fumiko choke on a sob. Izuku looked up at him with excited expectation and Hayato couldn't take it anymore. He felt a tear roll down his cheek as he gently stood Izuku up and turned him around.
 
He could feel how tense the kid was. Izuku’s muscles felt like rock. He could feel them twitch as Haytao carefully started to remove his pants and underwear. He sucked in a breath seeing how red the skin was. He had to close his eyes and turn his head away before he continued. 
 
Izuku the whole time was giggling and squirming. Hayato knew if Koharu hadn’t used her quirk he would be crying and flinching instead. The fact that Izuku could tell him he was in pain in the first place told him how much the kid was hurting. 
 
“Um-” When Hayato spoke his voice came out hoarse and broken. He had to clear his throat and start again. “I need... to get ice. Be right back.” A few months ago he was able to steal a mini cooler that he hid in his closet. He grabbed a few cubes and put them in a baggie. Fumiko was still sobbing in the corner. He really wanted to comfort her, but Iuzku needed him right now.

Because I abandoned him earlier.

He glanced at Takeo who he honestly forgot was with them. The toddler was asleep. He looked anything but peaceful, despite figuring that was what state Koharu had put him in. He made his way over to Izuku who was laughing and running in circles. Hayato tried to talk with him to get him to stop, but Izuku only stuck his tongue out and kept running. Hayato blinked back more tears as he grabbed Izuku's arm harsher than he wanted and pulled him towards him. 
 
“Ouch!” Izuku laughed and jumped from one foot to another in front of him. Hayato picked him up and laid him on the bed. He set the ice on the sore spots and told Izuku to lie still. He had to keep saying it and replacing Izuku on the bed before he actually settled down and listened. 
 
Hayato sighed and picked Takeo up as gently as he could. He sent one more look over to Fumiko and Izuku before walking out the door. He walked to the toddler’s room and placed him in the bed.

I’ll wake him up in about an hour to feed him.

Hayato walked back to his room. He looked in the living room briefly and saw the movie they put on playing again. Koharu was sitting with her legs draped over his dad and was petting his hair. The scene would look sweet and domestic had Hayato not known what that woman was doing. 
 
He tsked and resisted slamming his door shut. That would’ve caused more problems. Izuku had rolled himself over and was kicking his feet in the air. Fumiko was still in the corner but she was facing the room now. She looked up at him with tears still in her eyes. 
 
“Nii-san! You're back!” Izuku jumped off the bed and charged into his stomach. Hayato looked at Izuku's bright smile and into his deceivingly sparkling eyes. The longer he looked, the more he wanted to cry.
 
“Izuku, I told you to stay… the ice… ten minutes…” Hayato collapsed to the ground. He grabbed onto Izuku tightly and started sobbing. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” Hayato cried and cried. He had told himself he would never cry in front of the kids. He had to stay strong for them, but he couldn't hold back anymore. 
 
He had promised. He had promised Izuku that he wouldn't let Koharu hurt him. He had promised him and yet he did nothing to stop this. Now Izuku was in so much pain and couldn't even properly express it. Hayato could do nothing about it. He should've stopped her. He should've covered for him. He shouldn't have let them out of the room. None of this would've happened. He shouldn't have let this happen. 
 
“Nii-san! It hu- d-d-does’n- It does’nt- hurt. I’m ok! I’m fine! Please, let’s pla- s-stop c-crying. I wanna pl- I’m ok! Don’t c- play!” Izuku giggled and laughed and pet his head. Hayato could tell how hard he was fighting to comfort him, but it only made Hayato cry harder. He did his best to keep the volume down. If his mother heard him, everything would be worse. 
 
“I’m sorry…” Hayato said again. He could hear Fumiko’s wimpers get closer, until he felt a pair of arms wrap around him. He felt Fumiko’s tears soak through his shirt. He grabbed onto both of them and pulled them into his lap.

I’m supposed to comfort them. I’m supposed to protect them Suck it up. Be the big brother. Suck it up!

No matter how much Hayato screamed at his brain he only cried harder. It took everything in him to not scream. Everytime Izuku laughed or giggled it sent a jolt of pain through his heart.

It’s all my fault.  I’m sorry…

I failed.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It had been two weeks since Koharu physically hurt Izuku the first time. Izuku hadn’t even been there a month yet and Hayato was sure that the kid had gone through more trauma than he ever had in his life. 
 
Hayato hated every second of this.
 
Koharu had been using her quirk almost non stop. Hayato was getting whiplash from the way Izuku would go from a happy-go-lucky five year old to an emotionless doll. Hayato was somewhat used to seeing it from his sister, but Fumiko never closed off as Izuku was doing when the quirk was dropped.
 
When Koharu normally stopped using her quirk the affected person would feel their supressed emotions all at once. That didn’t seem to be happening with Izuku, not since the first couple times she had used her quirk on him. 
 
It was like someone had pressed a button that shut him off. Izuku would still cry, but it was kinda creepy. His face would be blank and the tears would flow down his cheeks. No emotions would show on his face at all. If Hayato didn’t know any better he would say someone had just dripped water down the boy's face.

It was scary. He hated it. Hayato didn’t know how to help. Izuku wouldn't talk at all anymore. He barely ate and Hayato could hardly force him to. Koharu did though. That woman would get so angry when Izuku didn’t act like she wanted. She would scream, yell, and hit him. If she wasn’t spanking him, she was slapping him. This only happened if they interacted during her breaks. 
 
For the most part, Koharu kind of ignored Hayato and Fumiko.  She would only really focus on Izuku and Takeo. Occasionally his dad as well, when she felt like having him out. 
 
To summarize, it was a nightmare that Hayato desperately wanted to wake up from. Things had gotten bad again. At least before, Koharu had been somewhat tolerable, but Hayato couldn’t take this anymore. At this rate she was going to spiral back to that and he didn’t want to go through that again. 
 
He couldn’t handle this anymore. Fumiko couldn’t handle this anymore. Things had been bad for her before as well. She hadn’t been that happy of a child since that woman started to use her quirk on her family, but Hayato had never seen her this depressed. Seeing his sister like this was breaking him. Hayato didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to help. 
 
Fumiko wasn’t as bad as Izuku, but Hayato was just as worried about her. He hadn’t seen her smile once in the past two weeks. She barely ate and most of the time just stayed in her room. Unless Izuku was in there, then she would be in his or Takeo’s room.
 
Hayato decided to try and coax her out of her room again. It was past lunchtime and she had yet to come out since the evening before. She had locked Izuku out last night. Hayato slowly approached the door and knocked.
 
“Fumi...Hey, you've been in your room almost all day.” He waited, but no response came. “I’m coming in.”  He opened the door and shut it quietly. He sat on Izuku’s bed and let the silence ring for a moment. “Koharu is taking a break, so why don’t you come out for a bit?” Fumiko ignored him. She was in her bed, the covers over her head. Hayato stood and walked over. He tried to lightly pull them off, but she grabbed them and curled in on herself. Hayato could only sigh. He grabbed her lunch plate off the dresser and noticed that it was barely touched.

At least she ate a little something…

He walked into the living room and eyed Izuku on his way to the kitchen. He was sitting on the floor, his back resting on the couch. The TV wasn’t on, but he stared at it anyway. Hayato wasn't sure if he was happy or not that Koharu was taking a break. He knew it was going to be short though. Just enough to rest her quirk. She had been taking only about an hour or two to rest herself before she went right back to using her quirk on the two youngest. 
 
From what Hayato knows, however, the breaks she was taking wouldn’t ultimately do anything for her.  She had been pushing herself too much. When she does that she needs at least one full day or more to rest. She hadn’t taken a day in the past week and a half. Hayato was worried about what that meant. 
 
He quickly washed the plate and decided to try and talk to Izuku again.
 
“Hey, Izuku.” Hayato sat next to him, but still respected his boundaries. Izuku didn’t even seem to hear him. “Would you like me to put a movie on for you?” Again, no response. Hayato closed his eyes and dropped his head back on the couch.

Why do I even keep trying? Nothing has changed since this all started. Why do I think anything is going to change? I just want this to end.

The next day started the same as they had always been with Izuku bursting into his room and jumping on his bed. 
 
“Nii-san! Wake up! Wake up!” Hayato sighed and groaned. As much as he wanted to tell Izuku to go and play by himself, he did not want to leave him alone with Koharu. 
 
“Mommy said that she was going to take me and Takeo-chan to the park. We are leaving soon.” Hayato was awake at that. “She said that you and Nee-san could stay here, but I wanted to come and wake you!” Hayato had learned after a while that Izuku had found a way to tell him his actual thoughts without actually being able to say them. 
 
What he was saying now, was that Koharu was about to just take Izuku and the toddler out of the house without telling anybody, but Izuku didn’t like that so he found a way to let him know.  Hayato did have to wonder why Fumiko wasn’t involved in the plan to go to the park. 
 
“Thank you for telling me. I’ll see if I can convince her to let us go with you.” Izuku beamed at him. 
 
“Okay! Nee-san is already awake. We were playing hide and seek.” With that Izuku ran off.

So Fumiko was hiding again.

Hayato quickly got dressed and searched Takeo’s room for Fumiko. She wasn’t in that room. He glanced back to his own room, but he knew she wasn’t in there. He would’ve known. He also knew that she wasn't in her own room, though she might have slipped in there after Izuku was woken up. He decided to check anyway. He looked around and didn’t find her. There was a slim chance that she was in the cage room, so he checked the bathroom. 
 
“There you are.” She was hiding in the tub. She looked up at him and there were tear streaks on her face. “Come here.” She crawled out and hugged him. He rubbed soothing circles in her back.
 
“I couldn’t quiet Takeo in time.” And that was all the explanation Hayato needed. Normally he or Fumiko would take care of Takeo in the morning because Koharu didn’t always like to take care of his needs. Apparently today she had decided to be responsible. 
 
“Izuku wants us to go to the park with him.” Fumiko’s shoulders slumped. Hayato knew she didn’t want to leave. He didn’t either, but he wanted Fumiko to get out of the house. It might be good for her. “I know you don’t want to, but neither does Izuku and he doesn’t have a choice.” Fumiko flinched and reluctantly nodded her head. He felt bad about using Izuku against her like that, but it worked. 
 
He walked to the living room while Fumiko got ready. His mother barely spared him a glance while he walked to the kitchen to find something to eat. 
 
“Gitchee gitchee goo!” He heard Izuku say. Takeo giggled a little which made Hayato feel very conflicted. He was happy that Takeo wouldn’t go a whole day feeling nothing again, but he hated that Koharu was still controlling his emotions. He was only laughing because she wanted him to.  
 
Hayato decided to make a couple of omelettes. They were fast, easy, and one of the only meals that Fumiko wouldn't outright refuse. Speaking of, just as he was finishing up she came into the kitchen and clung to his side. It was difficult to move, but he wasn’t going to shove her off. 
 
Hayato opted to eat standing in the kitchen. Going to the table would put them in Koharu’s sights and he didn’t want to be uncomfortable while he ate. Hayato listened to the laughter of Izuku and Takeo. He listened to the background noise of the TV and the clattering of toys. He, for just a moment, allowed himself to think that things were normal. That they were a happy family again. 
 
Maybe today wouldn't be so bad, if he ignored the fact that the two youngest were being quirk manipulated. He quickly finished up his food, noticing that Fumiko was struggling with hers. He would prefer her to eat more, but…
 
“Hey, you did good. No need to force yourself anymore. I’ll take your plate.” He looked up and noticed that Koharu had started to put Takeo in his stroller. “Go and meet them. I’ll be right behind you.” Fumiko looked nervous but hesitantly walked over there anyway.
 
Hayato started to wash the two plates. Once he was done he was about to leave, but remembered that he and Fumiko would probably need water so he grabbed two bottles and started to fill it. 
 
“Listen to your mother, child!” Hayato’s heart dropped. Koharu’s tone was icy. There was only one kid she could be directing that to. Hayato left the bottles and ran into the living room. They were all standing by the door. Koharu had Fumiko’s shirt in her fist. Fumiko was trying so hard not to cry, but he could tell she was terrified. 
 
“Put her down.” Hayato said when he got closer. Koharu turned to him with a snarl on her face. 
 
“This doesn’t concern you. Don’t disrespect me.” Hayato faltered seeing the pure venomous look on her face. His mother had never lost her temper this bad before, not this quickly. He swallowed down his fear and tried again.
 
“I’m sorry, but you're scaring them.” Koharu let go of Fumiko who immediately got down and curled in on herself. Hayato felt a spike of anger. She was starting to do better. What could she have possibly done that warranted that treatment?
 
“Hayato.” There was a clear warning in her tone, but Hayato stood his ground. There was no way he was letting any of them go with her, not while she was acting like this. “Keep your sister here.” 
 
“No. You’re staying here. Something is wrong. I think you need a break.” He tried to speak calmly. Something definitely wasn’t right. Now that he was paying attention, Hayato could see that she was sweating and looked pale. He was glad that his dad was currently caged, as much as he hated to think that. Her face twisted in anger and she stalked towards him. He wanted to back up, but he had to stand his ground. 
 
“Me and my favorite, well behaved children are going to have fun at the park. You don’t get to come.” Hayato felt fear from the harshness of her tone. He ignored the stab he felt from the words themselves. After he got over his initial feelings, he felt nothing but anger.
 
“Well behaved? Ha! They only act like that because you make them!” She slapped him. He grabbed his cheek and felt involuntary tears stream down his face. 
 
“Shut up! You were never this disrespectful before!” She grabbed his shoulders and shook him
 
“Because I was scared of you!”  He desperately grabbed onto her arms trying to pull her off of him. In their struggle, Hayato caught sight of Takeo in Fumiko's lap tugging on her hair. Izuku was also next to her smiling and lightly tugging on her shirt. If he focused he could hear him asking her to play somewhere else over the screaming.

He doesn't want to see…

Don’t leave me.

“You insufferable brat. I should've known this would happen. I thought you wouldn’t go through this rebellious phase! But you just had to do it now, huh? Trying to make my life even harder!?”
 
“Let go of me!” 
 
“I need to beat the attitude out of you!” Hayato panicked. He was panicking. He couldn't do this anymore. He was so sick and tired of living in fear. Of hiding and acting to make sure that Koahru wouldn’t do anything to hurt them. He just wanted out!
 
“If only you had stayed in your room. I shouldn't have let Izumi go and wake you! If only you and that other brat hadn’t come out! I would be happy with my other children at the park. I would be happy!” She yelled. She slapped him again and kicked his legs out from under him. He fell to the ground harshly. 
 
“It’s Izuku!” He corrected. He felt another spike of anger. He couldn't stop the words he yelled next. He couldn't stop himself from crossing the line he knew would further tip her over the edge. 
 
“Izuku isn’t Izumi! Takeo isn’t Takeru! Stop trying to replace them!” She pushed him. She screamed. It was loud and raw. It went on forever. Hayato hugged himself as he cried. Eventually he heard other crying as well. He lifted his head to see Fumiko and Takeo wailing loudly. Izuku was sitting next to them. His expression was blank but there were a few tears. 
 
“No… No!” Hayato's attention was brought back to Koharu who was now walking over to the kids. He stood up and tried to grab her. “Don’t start doing that act again! Stop crying! We are happy! We are a happy family!”
 
“Mom, stop it! You aren't ok!”
 
“I am perfectly ok!”
 
“Mom!” His mother grabbed the closest kid, which happened to be Izuku. “Leave them alone!” He tried to grab Izuku from her. There was a faint orange glow from her fingers. She was trying to activate her quirk again. It wasn’t going to work. “Stop it! It’s not going to work!”
 
“Shut up! Shut up! I will make my family perfect!” She continued trying to use her quirk while Hayato tried to get Izuku away from her. She shoved Hayato away and he was forced to let go of Izuku. 
 
“Baby? Mommy needs you to act properly. Ok?” Hayato stood on shaking legs as he tried to get to Izuku. He knew that the kid wasn't going to respond. He wasn’t going to say or do anything. “Izu, baby, please.” Izu was Izumi’s nickname. His mom had yet to call Izuku that. Hayato reached his hand out to Izuku.  
 
“Don’t call me that.” Hayato froze in surprise. Izuku spoke. His voice was raspy and it cracked, but he spoke. Hayato temporarily forgot what he was doing and was reminded when a slap rang out and Izuku was falling to the ground. Hayato was able to catch him. Koharu went to hit him again, but Hayato shielded him. He took the hit instead.
 
“Stop!” That was Fumiko. Hayato's heart sped up when his mother turned her heated haze towards her.
 
“No. Mom, don't!” He once again tried to get to his sister before his mom made it over there. She wasn’t stopping though, and with Izuku on him he wasn’t able to move as fast as he wanted. He started crying again when Fumiko shielded Takeo from Koharu’s wrath or maybe he had never stopped. He screamed when Koharu grabbed her.
 
He managed to pick Izuku up and throw Koharu’s hand off his sister. He set Izuku down and shielded all of them behind him. Koharu was crying and screaming. She punched him this time, but he didn’t budge.

She is not going to hurt them.

Kaori sighed as she waited for her coffee to finish brewing. Today had been a full day of talking with kids and teens, making sure that they got the help that they needed so that they wouldn't grow up to be criminals or villains. Now she was home and, as much as she wanted to be done, she still had paperwork to file. 
 
“Finally.” She muttered as the coffee signaled that it was done. She didn't hesitate to pour herself a cup and walk over to her desk. She flopped into her chair and closed her eyes. 
 
“Ok.” She groaned out as she sat up and rolled her chair forward. “Time to get to work.” She decided to first look at her schedule lest she get too tired to remember to do it later.

Looks like I have a few house checks scheduled. Let’s see. First up is… ugh! That’s so early. Ok, Ishikawa’s in the morning for eight AM. They just adopted five year old Izuku. Huh… He’s marked as quirkless.

“Great…”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Fumiko cried as she desperately tried to help her brother walk to his room. Their mom had finally decided to leave them alone and go to her own. She had punched and kicked Hayato repeatedly. Of course most of the damage had not been done to his face. Her mother may have been crazy, but she was still smart.  Takeo hadn’t stopped crying since mom stopped using her quirk, but Fumiko couldn't help him. Hayato was hurt. Thankfully, Izuku was holding him, he didn’t say anything to soothe the toddler, but Fumiko didn’t expect him to anyway.  “Fumi…” Hayato coughed out. “I can walk on my own. I’m ok.” Fumiko hesitated but eventually let go of her brother. He slowly stood to his full height and smiled. She knew he meant it to be reassuring, but he looked like he was in pain. It made her cry. She felt a hand land on her head and she cried harder. “Shhh, it’s ok. It’s going to be ok.” 
No, it’s not…
 “Come on.” He started to walk and groaned in pain after a couple steps. He closed his eyes and blew air out of his mouth. When Mom had been hitting Hayato, he had gotten pushed and knocked down a few times. She had tried to get to them, but her brother hadn’t let her. Hayato had wrapped them all in a hug at one point so his back had taken the most damage.  Her brother started to walk again and pushed her along as well. Fumiko was really worried. Mom had never gotten that physical before. She had only slapped them if they acted up. Or spanked them, but even then she didn’t do that too often. Fumiko was reminded of Izuku and when he had gotten that treatment and cringed. She didn’t want to think about that.  Before she realized it, they were all at Hayato’s room door. She felt something in her hand and looked down. It was another hand, she followed it up to whose it was and felt more tears form in her eyes. It was Izuku. He wasn’t looking at her and he still wasn’t smiling or frowning, but he was holding her hand. She felt him squeeze.  There was barely any pressure and he let go immediately after, but Fumiko knew. He was offering the little comfort he could. He had pushed through his bad feelings and tried to make her feel better.  He followed Hayato into the room and Fumiko trailed after him. Once she was in she went straight for the bed. She sat down and started to wipe her eyes. Takeo was still crying, but he wasn’t making much sound, so Fumiko knew he was calming down. She took him from Izuku who also climbed up on the bed.  She laid Takeo in the center of the bed and rubbed his belly. She laid down next to him and tried to soothe him with sounds, words, and other noises. Izuku, after staring at them for a few seconds, lied down on Takeo’s other side and copied her motions. He didn’t say anything though.  It wasn’t until a few minutes after Takeo fell asleep that Fumiko realized that Hayato was gone.

Once he had seen that the kids were somewhat ok and comforting each other, he had left them so that he could check out his body. A few bruises were forming already. Hayato was angry, but more so he was frustrated. Why did this have to happen? Why did his mom start acting like this? Why couldn't he do a better job of protecting the younger ones? Hayato did his best to treat the sore spots on his arms, chest, stomach and back. Despite what it looked like, Koharu hadn’t been hitting him that hard. He was more uncomfortable than he was in pain. Don’t get him wrong, it still hurt, but it wasn’t that bad.  When he got back to the room both Fumiko and Izuku were asleep.  He sighed and put blankets over them. He didn’t want either of them to accidentally smush Takeo so he grabbed the toddler’s bed from his room. It took a lot longer than he thought it would, but he did have to stop a few times because he was in pain.  Once he got the bed in the room and set it in a place that was out of the way enough, he carefully grabbed Takeo and placed him in it. He smiled slightly when Izuku moved closer to Fumiko.  
I’ll do better. I’ll keep you safe from now on. 
 For the rest of the day and until night time Hayato kept guard of the kids. He didn’t let them leave his room. None of them minded. He always made sure that Koharu was nowhere around if one of them needed the bathroom. He told them to lock the door when he needed to make dinner or use the bathroom himself.  This routine continued on into the next day and the day after that. Koharu stayed in her room for the entire time during those two days. There was occasional screaming that came from her room, but the children ignored it. They did their best to forget that Koharu even existed. Even on the third day when she started to leave her room and hum tunes around the house. They ignored it.

Koharu slammed her bedroom door shut. She locked it and started pacing around. She felt hot. She felt cold. Her heart was trying to hammer out of her chest. She bit her lip and screamed, not caring how loud or how muffled it was. She didn’t care that she was hurting herself.  
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid, brats! They dare! They dare disrespect me! How could they!? I’m their loving mother! I raised them all from birth! I adopted them all into a loving family! Disrespect me!?
 Koharu kicked one of her purses that was on the floor. She kicked it again. And again. She screamed again with her mouth closed this time. Her head was pounding. She felt like any minute her head was going to explode.  She started scratching at her arms. They itched and burned. She couldn't stop the itching. She sat on the floor and gave up. She bit her thumb and grabbed a fist full of hair. She rocked back and forth. 
Happy family. Happy. We are happy! Everything is fine and happy! My kids love me. I’m a good mother! I am happy. We are happy. My kids! My husband! Happy!
 She laughed. She laughed and laughed. Her face itched so she rubbed at it furiously. She stared at her hands and saw the different colors that were now on them. It was her makeup. She patted her face trying to get it back on. She hissed at her hands when she realized it made it worse. She started to laugh again and pace around the room.  She threw herself onto the bed and started to roll back and forth to the edges. She smiled and giggled to herself.  She grabbed the stuffed doggy that her precious Izuku gave to her when he was three.

“Mommy! I want it, I want it!” Koharu sighed as her son started another tantrum. He was always throwing a fit. 
 
“Izumi, please behave. I told you before we got in the store that you and your sibling weren’t allowed to get any toys. Your daddy and I already got you some new ones.” Izuku just stomped his feet and fat tears started to roll down his cheeks. He shook his head and his messy straight green hair tangled even more. 
 
Koharu sighed and placed a hand on his auburn curls. Izuku started to stomp and yell. Koharu looked apologetically around her. She glanced at the stuffed black and white dog that her kid wanted. 
 
“Ok, fine. You can get the dog. Put it in the basket.” Koharu gave up. Izuku was only three after all. Plus, her little Izumi was so precious. How could she ever say no to him?
 Koharu laughed at the memory. Her precious boys. Wait, there was only one. Izumi. That was her son. His name was Izuku. Koharu felt a spike of anger. She started banging her fist on her head.   Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izumi. Izuku. Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! I̵z̴u̸k̷u̴!̷ ̸I̴z̸u̵m̸i̸!̶ ̴I̶z̸u̸k̷u̷!̵ ̴I̴z̴u̴m̶i̴!̷ ̵I̷z̸u̵k̸u̷!̵ ̷I̷z̶u̶m̴i̷!̵ ̶I̷z̷u̸k̵u̴!̴ ̸I̷z̴u̶m̵i̷!̸ ̸I̵z̷u̷k̵u̷!̷ ̷I̵z̸u̴m̵i̶!̶ ̸I̸z̶u̴k̸u̵!̶ ̷I̸z̵u̸m̶i̶!̷ ̸I̴z̶u̴k̷u̸!̵ ̴I̵z̴u̴m̵i̸!̵ ̸I̶z̷u̸k̷u̶!̷ ̴I̷z̴u̸m̶i̴!̶ ̸I̸z̴u̵k̴u̴!̷ ̶I̵z̸u̶m̷i̸!̴ ̸I̵z̵u̸k̶u̵!̷ ̴I̷z̷u̶m̴i̵!̶ ̵I̸z̶u̷k̸u̴!̵ ̶I̴z̵u̵m̶i̵!̶ ̵I̶z̴u̶k̶u̷!̸ ̵I̵z̵u̸m̷i̷!̵ ̶I̶z̶u̸k̷u̸!̶ Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi! Izuku! Izumi!I̷̹͎̍z̵̲͋̾u̷̪͙̾̔ḵ̵̩̔͝u̶̙̓̀!̷̱͖̆ ̷̺͠I̶̯̍ž̸̻̀u̴̲͐͘m̵̡͌̒ȋ̵̱̥!̶̧̘͑ ̵̳̎̇I̶͎̹̿̿z̷͔͑͊u̷̻͒k̵̗̃̋ų̴̆̒!̶̲͇̿ ̷͎͈̐̒I̵̥͌̒z̷͉̯͆̚ú̵̮m̸̲̈i̴̝͗!̸̟̼͌ ̵̦́͘I̷̥͊z̵̠̗̃͠ű̴̟͘k̵͓͋̚ù̸̻͆!̷̝̖̇̊ ̴̢̪͝İ̶͖͜z̶͈͐̏ư̵̭̱͘m̶͚̉ì̵͓̺͘!̸̼͌ ̸̙̠̅I̸̲̮͂z̷̨͕̓ủ̷̝k̵̺̩̊̏u̴͙̞̾͝!̶̮̓͜ ̷͑̑͜I̸̗͔͝z̶̬͈͑ų̴̑̈m̶͙͚͋̉i̷̲͇͋̎!̶̱̠͆ ̶̯͋I̸̻͠ͅz̷̯͖͋ǔ̸̹̬k̸̬̙͊̒ṷ̵̢̆̾!̶̖̱̂ ̶̛̫͍̉Ī̵̗̀ž̷̮̮̎u̴̞͎͘m̷̲͋ì̶̖!̷͇̮͌ ̷̢̇I̴̹̳̒̒z̷͈̯͊ủ̸̩͇̚ḱ̸̮͋u̴̳̳͛͘!̷̭̾ ̵̳̅̽I̸̝̋͗ẕ̸̈͋u̸͉̺̎̆m̶̫̓i̴̻̦̒̐!̴̧͉͊́ ̴̢͎͊̌I̶̡͌z̸̳̒ṵ̵̀k̷͎͔͂̚ǘ̴̼͙!̴͔̽̀ ̶̨͛́I̶̱̫͂z̴͇͉̊ŭ̵̢̈́m̷̡̾̚i̵̞͔̇͠!̵͍͒̇ ̷̱̍̒I̶̩̣̊͝z̵͔̩̃̏u̴̟̹̾k̴̜̃͒ủ̷͓̖!̷͘͜ ̶̝̮͌̍I̴̼̟͋̓ź̷̟͐ú̸ͅm̸̗̘͗i̷͖͂!̸̙̍ ̶̥͗ͅI̴̛̝̾z̸͑͜ͅṵ̴͍̿̽k̸͓̈u̴̳͒̅!̷̗̙̎͆ ̵̲̠̃͋I̵̥̅z̴̞͠u̵̲͛m̷͉̜̿͗i̸̮̇!̸͍̻̎ ̶̮̈̓Ȉ̵̖̚z̴͕̟͑͑ủ̵̡́k̴̪͖̓u̶͍̖͂̕!̷̼͆̃ ̷̫̃Î̷̖̙z̸̼̹̏̚û̸̪͋ḿ̷̟̱̾i̵͍̽̕!̸̫̍͝ ̶̭̯̇̐I̴͙̓͒z̶̫̩̓̆ǔ̵͓k̸̖͒͜ư̶͇̖!̷̹͘ ̸̖̜̽Í̸͇̀͜z̸͖̈̕u̵̹̫̅̋m̸̗̭̿͠í̴̜̻̆!̴͚̞̚ ̴͈̚͠I̴̥̱̓́z̵̖̱̚u̵̜̇k̷̟̗̔͒u̴̺̦̅!̴̯̫́̔ ̴͍̏̄I̴͊͒ͅz̵̮̳̈u̸͍̜̕m̸͖̩͆͠i̷̱͝!̷̯̰̆̽ ̵̱̯͒I̴͓̗͋͒z̶͔̈͜u̷̠͐͠k̶͓̅̂u̴̧̜̓!̶͎͗̎ ̵͖̜̀͝Ḭ̶͕̂z̷̗͌͝ṷ̵͋̓m̷͇͋̈́ì̵̦̺͘!̷̤̄ ̴̧̘̐͛Į̸̻̿z̴̺̦͐u̵̞̠͗̕k̶͍̙̒̃u̴̼̔!̶̛̹̭ ̷̹͊I̷̤̝̎͝z̸͖̤̅̿u̸̬̝̓m̸̼̉í̴̼̗!̴̤͍͆ I̴͓̗͋͒z̶͔̈͜u̷̠͐͠k̶͓̅̂u̴̧̜̓!̶͎͗̎ ̵͖̜̀͝Ḭ̶͕̂z̷̗͌͝ṷ̵͋̓m̷͇͋̈́ì̵̦̺͘!̷̤̄ ̴̧̘̐͛Į̸̻̿z̴̺̦͐u̵̞̠͗̕I̴͓̗͋͒z̶͔̈͜u̷̠͐͠k̶͓̅̂u̴̧̜̓!̶͎͗̎ ̵͖̜̀͝Ḭ̶͕̂z̷̗͌͝ṷ̵͋̓m̷͇͋̈́ì̵̦̺͘!̷̤̄ ̴̧̘̐͛Į̸̻̿z̴̺̦͐u̵̞̠͗̕k̶͍̙̒̃u̴̼̔

Koharu stood up on her bed and started stomping. She cried and laughed. She was holding the stuffed dog in her hand and was squeezing. She squeezed and squeezed until she heard a pop. She paused in her stomping. She tilted her head sideways, a smile frozen on her face.  She looked around the room trying to see what caused the noise. She spotted a black dot on the floor. She blinked. Once. twice. Three times, before she brought the dog to eye level. It was missing an eye. She started to cackle. She squeezed the animal again. She wanted it to lose another eye.  She squealed happily when the second eye popped off. She giggled and stared at it confused.  
What would happen? What would the results be? Consequence of still squeezing!
 She grinned and grimaced as she put both her hands around the puppies neck. She grabbed it hard. She squeezed and twisted with her hand. She growled out a noise and then- The head popped off. She watched it as it flew through the air and rolled on the ground. When it stopped she glanced at the body still in her hands. She looked at the stuffing and smiled wide. She took her hand and started grabbing and throwing the stuffing around. She laughed and giggled as it fell like snow around her.

Koharu watched her children play in the snow with a content smile. She rubbed her belly and hummed, trying to soothe little Takeo. She couldn't wait until he was born and able to play with his older siblings. She knew Izuku was most excited about having a baby brother. 
 
She looked up in time to see her husband dramatically fall to the ground as Izuku and Fumiko tackled him. The snow coated the two and five year olds’ hair. Koharu sighed knowing lots of baths were in order. Hayato was laughing at his father’s expense. Soon the ten, almost eleven, year old rolled up a tiny snowball and chucked it at his dad’s face. Koharu let out a chuckle seeing the man's surprised expression. 
 
“Fumi, Izumi.” The two kids grinned up at their dad. Hayato's smile dropped. “Let’s get him!” Soon everyone was screaming and running around. They were throwing snowballs, of course, being gentle with the toddler. Koharu just continued rocking in her chair, rubbing her belly, and sipping her cocoa.

Koharu fell back on the bed and smiled. She raised one hand up to the ceiling.  “We are a happy family! Right, Takeru? Izumi?” Koharu’s world went black.

Koharu woke up with a killer headache. She grabbed the painkillers and popped four into her mouth. She slowly walked to the bathroom. She caught sight of herself in the mirror and cringed. Her hair was a rat’s nest. Her lipstick had smeared nearly all over the bottom of her face. Her blue eyeshadow nearly covered the top. Her blush was spread all over her cheeks and running in her hair. Some of her hair was in her mouth and she spit it out when she noticed.  She stared at herself. She hated what she saw. She smiled.  
So pretty! I’m so pretty!
 She ran her hands under the water and rubbed her face. The makeup smeared even more. Her smile cracked.  “I’m pretty!” She said as her smile continued to fade. “I’m so pretty!” She yelled aggressively at herself. The image in the mirror twisted. It showed a younger her. Her hair was put together and her makeup was flawless. She wore a pretty blue and white sundress. The image smiled.   “No. You aren't. You are an ugly woman!” The image in the mirror hissed at her. Mirrors were supposed to reflect. What she was seeing had to be her. Right? The image laughed at her. The image brought a hand up covering her mouth. Her hand looked so soft. Her nails were perfectly manicured.  
“We are not the same. I am what you think you are.”
 Koharu glared and snarled. “You, shut up! I am pretty! I am a good mother!” Koharu punched the mirror. It didn’t shatter. She hadn’t hit it hard enough. She didn’t want to hurt herself. The image in the mirror just smiled kindly at her.  
“Poor, pitiful little thing.” 
 Koharu hissed and snapped her teeth at the image. She aggressively rubbed at her eyes. She rubbed and pressed until all she saw were black spots. It was painful, and the spots lingered even when she opened her eyes.  She felt dizzy, but she kept her focus on the mirror. Her vision cleared and she only saw herself. Her actual reflection. Her mangled, ugly, and gross self.  She left the bathroom and layed back on the bed. She cried. She screamed and cried. “I… I am h-happy!” She choked out. “I am happy!” Her voice cracked as she sobbed. She cried for the rest of the day.

Koharu wasn’t sure what day it was. She had spent a long time in her room. She cried and screamed and laughed. She played back everything She had said and did. She cringed at herself.  
God. If anyone saw me like this they’d think I was crazy. 
 She took a few deep breaths and hugged herself. She wanted her husband. He would always hold her and rock her and whisper comforting words when she wasn’t ok. But she ruined him. She broke him. Her loving husband.  “I’m sorry. I love you.” She whispered. She would get him, but she was far too scared. Koharu wasn’t dumb. She knew she had been pushing herself too much. Two many times she had lost control of her quirk which resulted in her husband almost attacking her and the kids. She didn’t want that. He would kill her babies again.   She hated him. He deserved everything she did to him. He killed them. It was his fault. He was nothing but an animal, and he deserved to be treated as one. She pictured her husband before. Smiling at her with so much love. She remembered how happy he was when he played with the kids. She remembered the look of horror when she told him he had killed two of them.   He killed them. He killed them! 
He killed them!
 
He killed them!
 Koharu hated remembering that day. She hated thinking about it. The day her kids died. The day Satoshi killed them. They were going on a family trip. It was supposed to be fun. She remembered how the music had been blaring throughout the car. She remembered her kids screaming. Whether it had been because they were hungry or fighting with one another, they had screamed and yelled.

Koharu tried to quiet them, but the kids never listened. Satoshi only turned the music up to try and cover it. He looked at her with a wide smile on his face. He shrugged his shoulders. 
 
“Kids are like that. We’ll stop for a break soon. They will be fed and hopefully tired enough to sleep for the rest of the trip.” Satoshi said. Koharu only sighed in exasperation and shook her head. 
 
“Your kids…” She heard Satoshi snort at her statement. 
 
“I’m pretty sure your side of the family are the loud ones, Ko-chan.” She lightly swatted his shoulder and he laughed boomingly. He glanced at the mirrors and put the signal on to pass the slow car that was in front of them. 
 
The song on the radio changed and Koharu smiled. It was a family favorite. She heard Fumiko gasp and Izumi started to kick in excitement. Hayato even lowered the volume on his game and looked up. He was still wiggling a toy in front of Takeru to keep him calm. 
 
“Oh ho! Well, what do you know! Alright kids, make Papa proud by screaming out the lyrics! Ready?” The second the intro was done the car filled with laughter and screaming of the lyrics. Koharu rolled down her window and started to wave her arm out it. She felt the pressure of the wind pushing it back. She was glad her hair was in a ponytail otherwise it would’ve gone everywhere. 
 
She looked up at the stars and smiled. It was such a beautiful night. She closed her eyes and tuned out the screaming from her family. She listened to the harsh blowing of the wind. She brought her arm in and turned her face towards her window so she could feel the air on her face. She smiled. 
 
She sighed contentedly and rolled the window up. She tuned back into her family having fun. The screams were that of terror. She snapped her head to look at the road. Everything slowed down. She saw the headlights. They shone above their little car. It was a truck, a big truck. Koharu felt herself gasp. 
 
She turned her head to look at her kids. Her baby, Takeru, was crying. He was too young to even understand why, he was only feeling the distress of his family. Izumi looked so scared as he reached behind him for his sister's hand. He had to twist in his seat to do so. Fumiko's eyes were so wide. She met her gaze and Koharu felt tears run down her face. Her daughter called out for her. 
 
Hayato looked so sad. He looked horrified. He was grabbing onto his seat belt. His mouth was open. He was screaming. His eyes, like hers, trailed over his siblings. They also made eye contact, but Koharu couldn’t look at him. She looked away and watched her husband. Satoshi was scared. She could see that. He was tense, but he looked determined as well. Koharu was confused. Why did he look like that? 
 
She could see his arms turn the wheel. He turned to face her. He smiled and mouthed “I love you.” Koharu was confused. The car lurched. They avoided the truck. 
 
But now they were falling. It was so dark, Koharu could barely see what was under them. What were they going to hit? Were they going to live? Her kids! Her babies!
 
She felt the impact. They fell upside down. The back of the vehicle took the first hit. There was silence.

Koharu wanted to scream. She shook the memory away. She felt so hollow. She felt the phantom pains from her injuries that night. She could hear her kids scream in terror and in pain. She shook her head.  
No. No! They are fine. Everyone made it out alive. I have all my kids!
 
Hayato, Fumiko, Izu and Ta-chan! They are all safe and sound. They are happy. 
  “Izuku isn’t Izumi! Takeo isn’t Takeru! Stop trying to replace them!” Her oldest son's voice echoed in her head. Over and over again. It screamed. Izuku isn’t Izumi… Takeo isn’t Takeru… Koharu knew this. She knew. That was why she has to make them. Izuku is a small, meek child. He is quiet. Nothing like Izumi. Izumi was loud and brash. He threw fits all the time. There wasn’t a moment when Izumi wasn’t throwing a tantrum.  On the other hand, Takeru had been a quiet baby. He gave her no trouble. He had been easy and barely cried. He hadn't been that expressive, but Koharu knew he had been a happy baby. Takeo was loud. Never stopped crying. Why couldn't he be an easy baby like her precious Takeru? No, Izuku and Takeo were nothing like Izumi and Takeru, but that was ok. They would learn to be. She would get her family back.  Koharu felt herself relaxing. She had nearly forgotten this. Hayato was right. She had forgotten her original goal. She had been too hasty.  She tried to convince herself too early that those boys were her sons. She was better now.  
One more day. Then all will be perfect.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kaori downed a cup of coffee and walked out to her car. She was not looking forward to today. Well it was more like she didn’t know what to expect, so she feared the worst. 
 
After she had gone over her schedule a few nights ago, she realized she was late on quite a bit of her papers. She was still new to the job and she felt like her head was swimming with all she had to do. 
 
She had cursed when she had realized that her work wouldn’t get done unless she sacrificed sleep and then some. What state would her mind have been in when she had gone to check on Izuku early that next morning? She was sure she would have slacked off or forgotten something. She hadn’t wanted to keep pushing herself and get fired because of it, so she had caved and made the decision to call her boss. 
 
Thankfully, her boss had pardoned her. She informed her that the Ishikawas had already adopted a kid before and there were no problems reported from them, so she had been able to push the check up back by a few days. 
 
Kaori had felt nothing but relief. She was worried that Izuku, being quirkless and all, was in a bad situation. She’d heard the stories about the quirkless kids and how they were treated. She did not want to have to deal with that. She honestly had been dreading going to check up on him. But now that she knew he was with a good family she had nothing to worry about. She wouldn't have to go through the hassle of pulling the kid out and trying to comfort him.
 
She didn’t consider herself to be quirkist, but she did not have what it took to manage a quirkless child. She barely knew how to handle her quirkless co-worker. Thankfully, she didn’t have to be around that person too much. And Izuku was still a brat so he couldn't be that bad to be around. The lady who had him before had good things to say about both Izuku and the Ishikawas, so Kaori took comfort in that.

Why did I choose this as my career again?

Kaori cursed as the GPS took too long to tell her she needed to turn left. She was in the right lane. She turned the signal on and prayed. She made it to the lane and let out a sigh. She turned when the light changed. 
 
“Make a sharp left turn.” The GPS lady said. Kaori screamed in frustration. She hadn't been able to make it to the far left lane before so she was in the right lane again.

I’m going to have to make a U-Turn…

“Oh my god! I finally made it.” Kaori pulled into the Ishikawas’ driveway and let out a big breath. She rested her head on the steering wheel and closed her eyes. Sometimes she wished she could have a personal chauffeur. 
 
Kaori lifted her head and encouraged herself to actually do her job. She was supposed to have gotten here much earlier but she slept through her alarm. At least now she could use the excuse that she was having navigation problems. 
 
She was glad that she could inspect a little bit of the outside of the house from her car. She grabbed her papers and a pen and started marking what she needed to. 
 
When she marked all she could from there, she got out of her vehicle and did a walk around. She was no house inspector but she did have a quick list of things to look for. As long as there were no obvious hazards there were no issues.

If I can identify something wrong with your house, then yeah, there is a problem.

Kaori decided what she did was enough and walked to the door. Just before she knocked she heard screaming. She was immediately on guard. She hesitated. She hadn’t been prepared for something going wrong. She swallowed her moment of panic and listened. She heard another scream and determined that it was a playful scream, most likely from the toddler. Kaori released a breath and knocked. Things went quiet for a few seconds and then the door opened. 
 
“Hello. Can I help you?” It was a large male that opened the door. Ishikawa Satoshi, the dad of the house. Kaori had to stop herself from shrinking in fear.

Holy crap! He’s huge!

“H-Hello, sir. My name is Nakamura Kaori. I’m here to check on Izuku and see how he’s faring under your care.” All her training went out the window. She wasn’t sure if what she said had been correct or not. She put on a smile and hoped this man wouldn’t hurt her. 
 
He blinked in shock for a moment. Then a wide smile spread across his face. “Of course! I should've known someone would come by soon. Come in! Come in!” He stepped aside so she could walk in. She was immediately hit with a cinnamon and villain smell. It wasn’t overpowering. There were tons of pictures of the kids all around the house. Lots of them were recent, it seemed. 
 
The kids in the photos smiled so brightly it put a smile on her face. She continued making observations of the house while Satoshi called for his family. The first kid to come running was Ishikawa Fumiko. She was wearing a tutu and had a crown on her head. Her face had a few chocolate smudges on it. 
 
“Hi!” She smiled and waved when she spotted Kaori. Kaori returned the wave. Another head peaked out from behind her. It was the toddler Takeo. His face was also covered in chocolate. Kaori wondered whose idea it was to give the kids chocolate so early in the afternoon.

Oh well.

The toddler looked at her shyly as he clung to his sister. 
 
“It’s alright, Takeo. She’s a nice lady!” Fumiko picked him up and tried to walk him closer. Kaori smiled at him and gave him her hand. He leaned away from it and whined. “Ok, ok.” Fumiko put Takeo down and he ran off. Fumiko shrugged and followed after him. Koari heard Satoshi chuckle behind him.
 
“Ko-chan is not going to be happy that they got into the candy. Sorry about this. If we had known you were coming we would’ve prepared better.” Satoshi awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

That's kind of the point, Satoshi-san...

Before she could say anything Ishikawa Koharu came from around the corner with a basket of laundry. Kaori winced, as the lady's appearance probably wasn’t ideal for company. As the guest, Kaori didn’t really mind, but if she had unexpected guests and she was still in her comfy clothes she would die. 
 
“Satoshi! Why do the kids- Oh. Oh my god!” Koharu dropped the basket upon seeing her. Kaori smiled trying to comfort her.
 
“Hi, I’m Nakamura Kaori. I’m here to-”
 
“Check on, Izuku! Oh dear! Oh no! The house is a mess! I’m so sorry. I promise we’re normally not this unorganized.” The poor women looked so frazzled. She tried to smooth out her clothes and hair, but it didn’t do much. Koari wasn’t going to comment though.
 
“It’s quite alright, Ishikawa-san. These types of things are unexpected so that we can observe your normal life. Your home looks very nice and looks very lived in- Which is a good thing!” Kaori wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say that, but Koharu seemed like such a sweet woman she didn't want her to fret so much. She felt better when Koharu relaxed her shoulders a bit. 
 
“Oh, well, that's good. So, uh, what needs to be done? Izuku is with Hayato at the moment. Those boys are playing something on a game station that's set up in his room.” 
 
“That's ok. I can talk to little Izuku later. I’m going to continue walking around the house for a bit, if that's ok?” Not that they actually have a choice, but Kaori wanted to be polite. The other adults just nodded their heads and she continued on with her inspection tour. 
 
She walked around the living room some more. She looked at all the pretty decor of the room and found the source of the nice welcoming smell. She ran her finger across a few surfaces to judge the dust build up and marked things on her paper as she went. 
 
She walked to the kitchen to continue her inspection. She opened a few cabinets and noticed all the cool colorful plates, cups and utensils for the kids. It made her smile.

I would’ve loved to have stuff like this as a kid. These guys are a bit spoiled.

She checked the fridge and pantry and saw that it was stocked with both healthy and unhealthy snacks.

Oh, good. They aren't heath freaks. If I knew I wouldn't get in trouble for it, I would've taken points off if they were like that. All kids need a healthy amount of unhealthy snacks.

Biases aside, so far the house was checking out. She occasionally saw the daughter and toddler of the house sneaking around her. It made her giggle. The kids were cute, she had to admit. Though she wished that the adults of the house also didn’t sneak around. It made her feel some weird pressure being watched like that. Though she can't complain too much since she is judging their home. 
 
She headed to the back rooms. The first room she saw was apparently the oldest son's room, Ishikawa Hayato. As Koharu had said earlier, both Hayato and Izuku were laying on the bed with controls in their hands. They both were also wearing headphones. Izuku’s were a bit too big for him, so they were falling off his head. The controller also dwarfed his hands. 
 
The both looked up at her with similar faces of surprise. They just stared at her for a moment. 
 
“Uh…” Hayato said. He cleared his throat and slowly started to sit up. Kaori put her hands up and shook her head. 
 
“No, no. You boys are fine. I’m just coming to look. No need to stop your game.” The older boy's eyes, once full of confusion, now lit up in recognition. He eyed her apprehensively. Izuku was still confused so Hayato leaned over and whispered in his ear. Izuku immediately looked scared and Hayato rubbed his back.
 
Kaori felt bad. Izuku looked like he had been having fun, before she came in. They were probably scared that she’d take him away. She smiled and winked to reassure the two. Izuku gave her a small smile, but he still analyzed her with worry. 
 
Kaori made sure to leave the room quickly. The next room she came across was, judging by the decor and the giant bed, was the adults’ room. She didn't want to snoop around too much so she did a quick little glance over and left. She’d seen most of the important stuff. 
 
Another reason she was glad to be assigned this house, she didn't have to do a full inspection if she didn’t want to. The only reason she was doing as much as she was, was for practice. 
 
She checked the closet, laundry room, bathroom, and more before she got to another bedroom. Well, she thought it was a bedroom, but when she opened the door…
 
She saw a cage? She glanced behind her to where she knew Satoshi and Koharu were lurking. Kaori wasn’t sure she wanted to know what this room was. But it wasn’t listed as something that was looked at before. There was a reason for that but Kaori had skimmed over it. She kind of regretted that now. 
 
The adult looked a little nervous about it and that did not bring her any comfort. She cleared her throat awkwardly and tried to ask, but the words caught in her throat. 
 
“So, I know what you might be thinking…” Satoshi walked past her into the room, hesitantly.

Please let this be a believable lie...

“But I swear it’s not what it looks like.” Kaori walked further into the room and reluctantly looked around. The tension dropped out of her shoulders when she saw cat and dog toys neatly placed in the corner of the room.
 
“The kids have been asking for pets for years. Before, Takeo was still really young and we feared that an animal may hurt him so we waited. We felt he was old enough now so we prepared for some...” Satoshi explained. 
 
“But then we found Izuku and we weren’t sure if he had any allergies or if we would be able to get an animal so soon after adopting him, since we didn’t have any listed prior to his adoption… I know it’s silly but I got paranoid and wanted to wait for you to come before we committed to having animals.” Koharu finished. Kaori nearly laughed. This family was adorable. 
 
“Of course you are able to get a pet. Izuku is yours now so there is no need to worry about that. If there was an animal here I would just update the file and make sure they had all their shots and were behaved well enough to be a pet.” Koharu sighed in relief and embarrassment. 
 
“Well, now we know.” Satoshi chuckled warmly. Kaori left the animal room and headed to the last room of the house. There were two beds separated by conjoined dressers. The side closest to the door was decorated with a hero theme. The other side when she walked around was decorated with a few heroes as well, but mainly sparkles, fairies, unicorns, and... Yeah, this was obviously Fumiko’s side. 
 
The room was cute and nicely designed as well. She liked how even though they shared a room the way it was organized still gave the kids privacy. She also liked the individuality the two sides had.

These kids are definitely spoiled.

Kaori did a slightly more thorough inspection of that room, but was walking out quickly enough. The adults walked back into the living room. 
 
“Alright, looks good. I just need to ask you guys a few questions, talk with Izuku, and I'll be on my way!” The couple smiled at her. 
 
“Awesome. Why don't we sit at the table?” Satoshi pulled out his wife’s chair and Kaori wanted to roll her eyes at the gesture. It was too cute. She hoped she could find someone to do that for her one day. 
 
She blushed when Satoshi pulled out a chair for her as well, but she was trying not to think about it.  
 
“Alright, so. I did notice that the kids aren't in school. It’s listed here that you guys homeschool, is that correct?” Koharu sat up in her seat. 
 
“Yes. I know how cruel kids could be and I wanted to keep them safe from that environment. At least for the early years. Hayato has the choice now if he wants to go to school, but he chose to stay home.” Kaori marked a few things down. 
 
“Ok, cool. I do need to see proof that the kids are learning something. I don’t need much, just a few worksheets or tests if you have them on hand.” Koharu didn’t hesitate to stand. She walked towards the hall closet and rummaged around for a bit. 
 
“You’ll have to forgive me for Izuku not having much work. I thought it’d be best to slowly get him used to our schedules before throwing him in the mix.” She set a few books and papers down. A quick look through and she was easily able to identify what worked belonged to who. Izuku only had two worksheets, but that was ok. Kaori accepted her explanation. She marked it down and moved on.
 
“And you both work from home, correct?”
 
“Yes, we are self employed. I can get you papers of our earnings if you need?” Satoshi answered as he stood to get said papers. 
 
“Ah yes, that would be great, thanks.” Kaori looked over the papers and tried not to show any emotion when she saw how much the family was making.

Shoot, I should've started a business and self employed myself. This is a bank! Huh? Why don’t they upgrade their house? They have more than enough to move and expand. Oh well, not my business.

Kaori asked a few more questions and double checked a few more things. Soon enough she reached the end and started packing up. Kaori was getting tired and she was sure that the Ishikawas wanted her gone by now. She felt that everything checked out and went well enough. Izuku and the other kids seemed to get along and he looked happy.

I could forgo his interview if I wanted. He looked really nervous around me. Yeah I might do that…

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hayato was worried. Koharu had finally started moving around the house again. Three days had passed since she snapped. She had gotten plenty of rest and there was a big possibility that she’d want to use her quirk on the little ones again.  Hayato would try his best, but he wasn’t sure he could stop her. He thankfully had found times that she was occupied to sneak to the kitchen and get the kids food and sneak them to the bathroom, but he was still so on edge.  At any moment she could knock on the door wanting to see her “precious children.” The kids knew it as well. Izuku still was not talking or expressing much of anything, but he had started to crack down his shell a little. Hayato could read him a lot better now so he could tell that the boy was tense and scared.  Fumiko had been doing a lot better. She had been eating again and even started to play with her toys. She had smiled and laughed a little as well, but now she was quiet again. She tried to hide it, but Hayato could see through her.  This was the longest amount of time that Takeo spent away from Koharu. His emotions had been all over the place. He would go from laughing to screaming his head off in a matter of seconds. Of course the toddler wasn’t fully able to understand what was going on at the moment, but he could tell that everyone else was tense so he had been cranky all day.  Hayato had his hands full. It had been almost a month since Izuku started to live with them and he knew that someone would come to check on him soon. He tried his best to make Izuku feel comfortable enough to talk, but nothing was working. At least not fast enough. He could hope that the person would see something wrong with him not talking and investigate, but Hayato didn’t think that would work.  Maybe he could convince them to talk to him? Or he could risk blurting it out. If he said something they would have to listen and investigate right? But what if they ignored him again? His mom would have his head for trying to “take her family away from her.” It was way too risky.  Back when he was enrolled in school, he had tried to tell a teacher, but nobody had  listened. He still had the scar from when Koharu used the whip on him that was normally reserved for his dad.  He shook the thought away and turned back to the kids. He had them sat down and was going over the plans.  “We don’t know when the person is going to show up. It could happen at any time, but we need to be ready. We can’t let Koharu use her quirk on Izuku. Ideally we could stop her from using it on Takeo as well, but Izuku is the most important.” Izuku slightly shrunk in on himself.  “Izuku, I know this is scary. And I know this is a lot harder now, but you can do it. You don't have to talk. Even if you write a simple “help me” on paper. It should be enough.”  
I really hope it will be enough. 
 “The same rules from before apply. Fumi, I hate to do this to you again, but- “It’s ok. I can do it. I’ll make sure she likes me.” That phrasing took the wind out of Hayato. The sad smile that Fumiko gave him did nothing to help. Hayato smiled at her and nodded his head. He glanced at Takeo and sighed. There was nothing he could do to stop him from being manipulated again. In order for this to work they needed to keep all their focus on making sure Koharu didn’t touch Izuku.  They needed to stay as far away from each other as possible. Izuku won’t be able to act, so it was up to him to make sure nothing happened. Hayato refused to abandon him again. Hopefully, they wouldn’t have to do this for too long.  Hayato hoped they would come soon.  “Nii-san?” Hayato blinked out of his thoughts and looked at his sister. “I’m hungry…” She looked so guilty saying that. She shouldn't look guilty for being hungry. Hayato schooled his expression so that Fumiko wouldn’t misinterpret him as being upset with her.  “Alright, I’ll get you something. Izuku do you want a snack as well?” Izuku looked up at him. There was a long pause and they only stared at each other. Slowly, but surely Izuku looked away and nodded his head once. Hayato smiled. “Good job. Ok, I'll get you something too.” Izuku didn’t look at him again, but that was ok. Progress was being made.   He put his ear to the door to listen for Koharu. He heard movement from her bedroom and sighed in relief. He slowly opened the door to peek out and was met with his mother’s smiling face. His heart dropped. “Hello, Hayato. Children.” She forced the door open before Hayato could slam it closed. She knocked him back and he fell. He stood up immediately and guarded the kids behind him.   “I heard your little talk just now. You're planning on leaving me.” Hayato did his best to try and think of a way out of this situation. If he could get her down he could tell Fumiko to grab the other two and run.  
Why didn’t I just take them and run sooner? Even if we didn’t find anyone to believe us. We could’ve kept running-
 Koharu moved forward and Hayato tensed. She slowly walked over to him with her arms in front of her.    “Oh, my son. Mommy is sorry for how she’s been acting. I didn’t want to hurt you. You must understand. I need you all to behave. I’ll be better. We’ll be happy.” Hayato slapped her hand away when they tried to touch him.   “No. Go away. Get away from us.” He tried to keep the shake out of his voice but he was too scared. Koharu only smiled sadly and shook her head.  “I’ve made you afraid of me. My child. I am sorry. Let me apologize.” Hayato couldn't move in time when she suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. He struggled in her grasp, but she only squeezed tighter. He only stopped struggling when he stopped being able to breathe.  “Good. See, I’m not going to hurt you. I love you, my son.” Hayato felt angry and sad. He hated this. He felt his legs give out and both he and Koharu went to their knees. She started petting his head. “Shhh, it’s ok. I’ve got you.” He started crying. He leaned into her touch despite wanting nothing more than to pull away.  She had used her quirk on him. That was the only explanation. It had been so long since she used it on him, he stupidly had forgotten that that was still an option. He had been so worried that she would use it on the others that he had forgotten about himself. He had let his guard down and failed the kids. Again.  She cupped his face and he saw the bluish glow from her fingers. He wanted to run. He wanted to push her away, but he smiled and leaned into her touch.  “That’s it, baby. Mommy’s got you.” After a bit she let go of him and started to walk towards the others. His mind screamed at him to protect them, but he couldn't. He could only watch as Fumiko started throwing toys at Koharu. He could only watch as she started crying realizing that there was no escape. He could only watch as a crying Takeo was gently picked up and rocked, giggling seconds later.  He could only watch as Fumiko tried to punch Koharu's arms only for her hand to be grabbed and a smile to grow on her face. He could only watch as Izuku's eyes changed from mild fear to joyful when Koharu cupped his face and rubbed his back.   If he had been in control, Hayato would’ve screamed. If he had been in control he would've cried. If he had been in control, he could have saved them, protected them. He had failed again.  He had failed and the only thing he could do was smile.

Koharu smiled as her quirk was able to hold everyone. It put a large strain on her, but that was the price she needed to pay. She will have the perfect family.  She hadn't planned on using her quirk this much just yet, but listening in on the kids conversation reminded her of a problem. Izuku’s caseworker that was going to check on him.  Koharu couldn't believe she had almost forgotten. She had to thank Hayato for reminding her to be on the lookout. She placed a kiss on her oldest son's forehead and felt happiness when he leaned in and smiled at her. It had been so long since he smiled at her like that. So long since she had seen love in her child’s eyes.  She loved this. Her perfect family.  But there was still a little bug that needed to be taken care of. Izuku was a smart boy and that worker was going to talk to him, unless she could convince them otherwise. It wouldn’t be as easy as it was for Takeo.  She grabbed Izuku’s hand and drug him to her bedroom. Satoshi was still cleaning up.  “Hey, hun- Oh. Uh oh. Did little Izuku get in trouble?” He said in a mock teasing voice towards the kid. Izuku didn’t say anything. She had dropped her control over his emotions for a little bit.  “Yep. He wasn’t being a very good boy. Satoshi, dear, if you don't mind. Why don’t you start in the living room while I discipline him, ok?” Satoshi looked like he wanted to protest and Koharu was prepared to change his emotions if needed. “Alright, then. Let me know if you need anything else.” He walked out of the room and closed the door. Izuku tried to pull away from her, but she wasn’t letting up. She got on her knees and pulled him close to her face. She felt him tremble. She wanted to console him. To tell her baby that everything was fine, but she couldn't. Not now.  Now. He needed to be reminded of who his mother was. She needs to make sure that he wouldn’t try to leave her. She frowned at him and made him hold eye contact for a long time. She squeezed his wrist tighty and released, before squeezing again. She did that for a while and only stopped when she thought she might bruise him.  She smiled at him. She held on to one wrist and slowly started to pet his head.  “Izuku, baby.” She paused and looked him over. She then forced him to make eye contact again. “I love my family very much. I really don’t like to hurt them. I hope you know this.” Izuku again tried to pull away from her. She smacked her lips and shook her head. “Don’t disobey me, child.” She allowed venom to seep into her tone and he froze. She cooed at him. “Oh, baby. You see what you made me do? I don’t want to scare you. Please just listen.” Koharu kissed his cheek and put her lips right next to his ear.  “If you so much as try to breath a negative thing about me when it’s time to talk to your caseworker, I will make sure that Hayato and Fumiko never see the light of day again. You can try to free yourself all you want to, but they will suffer for it, understood.” Her tone was cold. She felt Izuku tremble and go rigid multiple times as she spoke. She pulled away from him and smiled sweetly again.  “It will be ok. Mommy won’t hurt you as long as you listen. Same goes for the others. I love you all so much. Everything will be fine as long as you tell the person how much you love it here. They already know me. They know I'm a good person. No one will believe you anyway, so don't try to disobey. Only pain will come out of it.” Koharu activated her quirk again and watched as Izuku’s smile returned.  “Of course, Mommy! You are the best! I’ll make sure everyone knows that!” Koharu kissed his forehead. He leaned into it and even returned the kiss when she pulled back.  “Perfect.”

Hayato walked out of his room, holding onto Izuku's hand as he led the smaller boy to the dining area. Nakamura had called for him. It was the moment that Hayato had been waiting for since she got there.  Izuku’s emotions were somewhere on the line of playfulness and nervousness. Hayato wasn’t sure why Koharu gave him that. It made no sense, but nothing that woman did ever does.  When Koharu went to sleep, her quirk turned off. Hayato had been relieved the first time it happened. He had been overwhelmed with his own feelings rushing back, but he had been able to ignore it. Takeo had already been put to bed, so there had been no screaming from him. Fumiko had cried for a little bit and even had kicked a pillow a couple times, which Hayato had been somewhat amused by.  But Izuku… Izuku had looked terrified. It had caught Hayato off guard. He hadn't been expecting Izuku to express anything, but he had looked like he had been seconds away from screaming. He had been shaking like a leaf and had spoken repeated apologies. It had taken a while before Hayato was able to calm him down.  Hayato later tried to ask Izuku what had happened, but Izuku hadn’t even looked at him. He had run from him and Fumiko. When he wasn't under Koharu’s control he had avoided them like the plague. It sucked.  Hayato had also tried to go through with his plan and escape with the little ones, but to his horror he had found his dad chained up by the door and his mom asleep on the couch. Not to mention she had an alarm set up on all the doors and windows. There was no escape. Hayato wanted to reassure Izuku that everything would be ok and to remind him that any little cry for help would sound alarm bells, but he couldn’t. If he tried to say any of that, the only comforting words that would come out was something about him not having to be worried about getting taken away. The complete opposite of what he wanted, so he stayed quiet.  Nakamura smiled when she saw them.  “Ok, great. Hey, Izuku. Alright, so it’s just going to be me and you for a little bit ok? I'm just going to chat with ya for a bit and then I’ll be on my way!” Izuku smiled a small smile and nodded his head. Hayato released his hand. “Hayato-kun, if you don’t mind. I had your siblings and parents step outside for this.” Hayato was grateful for that. The farther away Koharu was, the easier it would be for Izuku to try and communicate the danger. He didn’t answer the lady and started to walk outside. He tried to give Izuku some encouragement, but Izuku was smiling at the coloring book and Playdough that was on the table.  Hayato walked outside and joined Fumiko who was kicking a ball on the side of the house. His dad was playing with Takeo and Koharu just silently observed with a smile. She didn’t look nervous at all. If Hayato could feel his own emotions he would have felt uneasy.  He tried to ignore it and played with his sister instead. His intention was to just sit and watch her as far away from his parents as he could, but nothing he ever wanted to do would get done as long as he was under control.   It was about ten minutes later that the door opened. Hayato was somewhat glad he wasn't able to express his own feelings at the moment. He didn’t think he would be able to hide his disappointment or the dread he felt.  Nakamura had come out with a big smile on her face. Izuku was behind her eating a giant lollipop. He looked so happy. Hayato looked at him trying to catch his eye trying to see what happened. Izuku looked at him but Hayato could see nothing. There were no clues as to what went on.  “Alright you guys. Everything checks out! I’m going to go ahead and get out of your hair. It was lovely meeting you all.” Nakamura said. Koharu's shoulders relaxed and she returned the smile. “Of course. Thank you for coming to check on him.” They shook hands and walked back inside. Hayato and Fumiko stayed outside and Izuku walked over.  “So how’d it go?” Fumiko asked. She was bouncing on her feet. Hayato only felt indifference towards the situation so he had to force himself not to walk away. He had to try and trick his brain into being curious. It gave him a massive headache. Izuku continued to lick his lollipop and shrugged his shoulders. “She was really nice! I got to draw! I messed up.” Hayato saw a flicker of sadness in Izuku's eyes. It lasted a second. Hayato had seen Izuku draw before; he never described a mistake as messing up. During one of their visits to Tanaka, before they officially adopted Izuku, Hayato had heard Tanaka say something about mistakes making the picture better. Izuku didn’t have a negative mindset when messing up while drawing. So him saying that now could only mean one thing.  Izuku didn’t tell her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hayato wanted to scream. This had been their chance. They could've been free. Why did everything go so wrong? What happened? Why was Izuku unable to tell her? He knew if he could express his own emotions he would be angry. He wasn’t sure if it was aimed at Izuku or not.  No. It wasn’t. Izuku was only five. This was a scary situation and he was being manipulated. There was a reason Hayato had tried so hard not to let Koharu use her quirk. He had known that Izuku wouldn't be able to push through it.  Instead of saying what he actually wanted to, Hayato could only say, “You did good, Izuku.”  
I’m sure you did your best. We’ll figure something else out. 
 “Now, the next one should be a lot easier.” Izuku beamed up at him as he ruffled his hair.  
Let’s not think about it anymore…
 “So, do you guys want to keep playing or head inside?” Izuku handed him the lollipop and bounced on his toes.  “Can we play? I didn’t get to.” Izuku looked at Fumiko who nodded her head enthusiastically. “Alright. Don’t play too rough. I’m going to sit here.” Hayato sat on the steps and watched the two run off. Hayato was smiling, but inside he was frustrated. He had to think of something else. He had really been counting on this to work. Now he didn’t know what else he could do.  Were they really trapped here? Were they going to be stuck under Koharu forever? Hayato couldn't stand the thought. He hated this. Hayato started to play a game on his DS while keeping an eye on the kids. He could hear Takeo babble from inside.  He played for about ten minutes before his dad came outside. “Hey, sport. Lunch is ready.” Hayato hopped up and walked inside. He had wanted to go and get Fumiko and Izuku, but his body wouldn't let him. He wished he could sigh.  “Fumi! Izuku! Time to eat!” His dad yelled out. It shook the house slightly and Hayato laughed as Koharu scolded him.  “Oops…” His dad said with a chuckle. Hayato laughed harder. He didn’t want to laugh. He sat at the table. The plates were already set out with the food on it. In his head Hayato was wary of it. Koharu’s cooking was always hit or miss. She sometimes tended not to pay attention to what she was doing so it came out bad. It wasn’t always like that. Hayato used to enjoy his mom’s food.  Fumiko and Izuku came running into the room. Fumiko was chasing Izuku and they ran around the table for a little bit. Hayato rolled his eyes in annoyance, despite not actually being annoyed at them. No, he was more scared of what Koharu would say. He glanced up at her and noticed the fond smile.  If only it were real.  “Alright, you two. Settle down and take a seat.” The two kids listened and caught their breath as they downed the water in front of them. His dad shook his head.  “Alright, well, shall we eat?” his dad asked before he started to dig in. Hayato started eating as well. Fumiko and Izuku waited until Koharu started eating before they started to.  “Ko-chan, this is delicious as always,” his dad said. Hayato disagreed. It wasn’t terrible, but it was bland. There was almost no flavor. There was barely any salt. But of course, against his will, he nodded along in agreement. “Is it? Thank you!” Koharu smiled as she took a bite. “It is good! If I do say so myself.” The table started to laugh. It was creepy. It started at the same time and stopped at the same time. Evey infliction in the laughter was the same as well. It would have sounded like only one person was laughing if their voices weren’t different.  Hayato still had the urge to play his DS and it was becoming painful to resist it. Even though Koharu had set the intention he was worried that she would get mad at him. He took a few more bites before he gave in and started to play under the table. Izuku noticed it and leaned over to look.  “Really, son? You couldn’t have waited until lunch was over?” His dad asked. It wasn’t in an angry tone. He was teasing him. He heard Koharu sigh. “Of course not, Satoshi. This is Hayato we’re talking about. He has to stay glued to a device otherwise he’d die.” Koharu laughed and his dad joined in. Thankfully, this time it was more individual. Hayato felt himself pout, but otherwise ignored his parents’ teasing.  
It’s not like I want to play this stupid game…
 Soon enough everyone finished off their plates. Hayato was still playing the video game. Izuku ran to the room and when he came back he was playing on his own DS. Fumiko was entertaining Takeo and his parents were talking about something random.  From the outside, Hayato was sure they looked like the perfect little family. There were smiles and laughter. Hayato wished it was real. Maybe in another life, if his mom were more stable, they could be happy like this genuinely. But this was his life. This was reality, and in this reality Koharu was a dangerously unstable woman who had no problem inflicting pain onto her children. A woman who has no problem treating a grown man like a mere pet, a beast to be tamed.  Hayato just wanted to be free from this. He wanted to feel and express his own emotions. He wanted to not live everyday in fear of how his mother would act or react to something. He wanted his dad to be normal again and to not have to walk on eggshells around the man if he wasn’t being manipulated.  He had had enough. He wanted to be saved. But no hero was coming. No one was coming to save them. Hayato would have to do it.  “Can we watch a movie?” Izuku asked. Koharu thought it over for a moment and then nodded her head. “Yes!” Both Izuku and Fumiko yelled out. They ran to the collection of movies arguing over which one they wanted to watch. His dad cleaned up and Hayato was told to help.  No matter how much he wanted to save the kids, he wasn’t in control. He couldn't resist Koharu’s commands. The only thing they could do was suffer in silence. Hayato tried to disappear in the back of his mind. There was no point in being present as long as he couldn't express himself properly.  His resistance only led to pain anyway. He had nothing to lose. He would come back after her quirk was dropped for the night, but right now he didn’t want to be present. Even though he couldn’t express his feelings he still knew what they were and he hated watching everyone act normal. He hated seeing everyone be so happy knowing it was all fake. So he wouldn't look. He would allow Koharu to take control. Whatever she wanted from him. He was done fighting.

There was a knock at the door.

Hayato’s visions cleared and he saw his parents looking at the door in confusion. He looked as well. His dad stood up, but then the door was being opened. Hayato felt his eyebrows raise. They raised higher when he realized he was in control again. There were two police officers at the door. Hayato looked down at Izuku who had tears leaking down his near blank face.  Izuku looked up and met Hayato's eyes. He blinked slowly and mouthed words. It didn’t seem like Izuku knew that he had done it. It took Hayato a while before he translated. Hayato felt a rush of nervous excitement when he managed to understand.   “She believed me.”

Kaori slid the coloring book over to Izuku as he picked up the crayons. He smiled brightly as he started to use random colors to create the picture. She looked him over a few times.  
He’s such a cute kid even though he’s quirkless. 
 Kaori hadn’t wanted to talk to him, but she figured if she was running through the motions for practice she might as well talk to the kid. Izuku seemed like a sweetie, so it shouldn't be too hard. She cleared her throat.  “So, Izuku. How are you?” Izuku paused coloring his picture and smiled at her.  “I’m ok.” He said. He sounded happy which was good. He jumped up out of his seat and ran off.  “Hey! Wait! You have to stay and chat with me!” Kaori sighed and stood up ready to chase after him. He came back quickly though so she didn't need to. In his hand was a lollipop and a chocolate bar. He handed the chocolate bar to her.  “Oh! Thank you, Izuku!” Kaori felt a mild headache form.  
Yeah, ok. That was cute. I can’t be mad at that face. 
 Kaori had to resist pinching his cheeks. “Alright. Do you like it here?” Izuku didn’t answer and went back to scribbling. Kaori wasn’t sure, but she thought five year olds could color decently by that age and not just move the color across the page.  
Oh well, he is quirkless so maybe he is a little slow on the development side?
 She tried asking him again, but he still didn’t answer. She had the thought that maybe he didn’t understand her and tried again using simpler words. He still didn’t answer. Kaori was getting a little frustrated. She made sure to keep herself calm.  
I should’ve just left…
 She tried a couple more times, before her frustration got the better of her. “You know, if you don’t answer I'm going to assume you don't like it here and that the Ishikawas are bad parents.” Kaori’s eyes widened at her own words. Great, now she was threatening kids. Izuku was such a sweetie that he would probably freak out and start crying and begging her to let him stay. She went to apologize, but stopped when she saw that Izuku was staring at her.  “Yes,” he said. Kaori felt confused. She played her words back over.  
Is he saying that he doesn’t like it here?
 Kaori sighed.  
Ok, so maybe the cutie is a little brat. I can see how spoiled he is. There was nothing but love in Koharu and Satoshi’s eyes. Is he just pulling my leg?
 Kaori was about to scold him for trying to lie on his adoptive family, but then he tore out his page and handed it to her. “Here. Do you like my drawing?” Kaori resisted reacting negatively and looked at the pictures. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw words written and not random colors meshed together.  She read over the words and got more and more horrified with what she read. There was no way this was happening. There was just no way that this sweet lady could have done all this horrible stuff to this kid. Kaori looked at Izuku searching for injuries. She didn’t find any. But she couldn't just write this off either.  Izuku wore a bright, curious smile on his face. It was the same one he had worn since they started talking. Almost like he couldn't control it, just like he had written. And him not being able to answer the questions earlier could also be due to Koharu’s real quirk. If this was all true, Kaori would feel extremely guilty.  She had to report it. If what he said was true then she needed to get this kid out of here. Not just Izuku, the other children as well. Izuku’s note emphasised getting them all out, so it wasn’t just Izuku she was “abusing.” If this was true.  
Alright, Kaori. Looks like we are getting a little bit more practice than we hoped for. It’s just my luck that I got this case…
 Kaori needed to move quickly. She started packing everything up and shoved Izuku’s “picture” in her bag. She took a few calming breaths and put a smile on her face. She had taken this job so that she could help kids. She was going to help them. No one had believed her as a child. Even if Izuku was lying for attention, she was going to believe him.  She led him outside, lied straight to Koharu’s face, and then walked out to her car. She drove until she found a public lot to park in and called her boss. The cops were called and ten minutes later they met her. Kaori had to grab the paper that Izuku had given her to show them and she noticed a picture drawn on the back that she had missed earlier.  Kaori nearly threw up. It was a picture of a cage. There was a person drawn behind the bars. There were red and purple colors dotted in random places on the person's body and a red pond under them. In small characters right next to the person was Satoshi’s name. Kaori didn’t need any more details to know what Izuku was showing them, but he had written a guide to tell them what the colors meant.  Purple was bruises. Red was blood. Kaori wanted to cry. She had almost missed all of this. The signs were there. The awkward pauses, the slow blinking, the unnatural energy from the kids- Kaori felt so stupid. She just wanted to go home, but she didn’t. Even if she wasn’t required to, she had been assigned as Izuku’s caseworker so she was going to go back. She was going to see that he got out safely. The other kids too. They didn’t need to experience this anymore.  And if what that picture was implying about the cage, Satoshi needed saving as well.  She wouldn't sleep if she didn’t make sure everyone was safe.

Koharu screamed. It was loud and Hayato flinched. It was the raw, pained sound that got him moving. He grabbed Takeo out of his seat and ran for the other two kids. Before he was able to make it to them, his dad growled. The sound froze him in his tracks. No matter how much he willed himself to move he wasn’t able to.  A glance at Fumiko told him she was experiencing the same. She had grabbed onto Izuku’s hand but now that she was frozen, her hands fell slack at her sides. Her eyes were slightly glazed and Hayato started panicking. He had to get to them. He had to get them away.  His dad grew to his full size. His hair lengthened to the middle of his back, his fangs thickened and shone sharply as they extended out of his mouth. His shirt tore in places and the hair on his arms became more prominent. His claws extended out and his eyes turned to slits that glowed a terrifying orange.  Hayato was petrified. The police immediately drew their weapons and Hayato couldn’t help but scream.  “No! Don’t! Please, it’s not his fault! It's hers! She did this! He can’t control it!” He could tell his voice was breaking. One of the cops tried to reassure him, but was cut off by his dad’s roar. It shook the house and Hayato was scared the roof would cave in. His mother was panicking and trying to get to his dad.  “Don’t move!” Koharu froze. Hayato had never seen her look so scared. Wait- no, she looked angry. She was angry. Her face twisted into something ugly. One of the cops tried to step forward but his dad grabbed a chair and hurled it into the man. Hayato felt himself start to cry as the chair broke over the cop’s head. The other cop looked like he wanted to open fire, but judging by the concerned looks he sent all the kids, he was worried about them getting caught in it.  Hayto tried to move again so that he could get to Fumiko and Izuku and get them to safety, but the second he tried to, his dad turned to him. Hayato froze again. He felt himself sob as his dad started to stalk closer.  “Satoshi! Don’t you hurt my babies again! Don’t hurt my babies!” Koharu screamed out. She grabbed one of the glass decor she had just bought and threw it at him. His dad barely moved when it crashed into his back. He turned around and Hayato could see how heavy he was breathing.  “Ishikawa-san! Stand down!” The cop who had fallen was standing again with his weapon drawn once more. Hayato knew his dad wasn’t even aware of what was happening. There was no talking him down. His dad proved his point by yelling out and charging forward. Hayato was able to duck and turn his back to the door so that he was shielding Takeo when the bullets started to fly.  “Get down!” Hayato growled out with his quirk, hoping he could put enough command in his voice for his sister to obey. He felt his own hair and fangs grow as he did. It wasn’t as big of a change as his dad, but it was something. He hoped his order came through and that Izuku had been able to listen to his instructions as well. His commands only worked on his sister and animals. They, unfortunately, were useless against his dad.  
I sure tried enough when I needed to get him back in his cage...
 Hayato felt his heart rate pick up when he heard tearing sounds and pained screams. Hayato didn’t need to look to know what had happened. The sound of gunshots stopped and a loud silence rang through the house. Hayato wanted to scream.  “Satoshi! Stop this!” His mom’s voice was quiet and horrified. Hayato almost laughed. She had created him. She did this to him. It was all her fault. Hayato hated his mother. He hated her with every fiber of his being.  But...  Hearing her terrified scream as his dad’s footsteps pounded towards her, made his blood run cold. He couldn’t help but look. He turned and saw his dad's hand, with his claws fully unsheathed, raised above his mother's head. He could see her frozen in fear, her mouth opened in a silent scream. She met his eyes as hers filled with tears. She tried to reach out to his dad. Hayato could see the glow of her fingers. But his dad was faster. He sliced down catching both of her arms and she screamed in pain as they fell limply to her sides with blood pouring out of them. His dad picked her up by her waist and squeezed.  Her cries were cut off and they were replaced with a short, pitiful whine and a sickening crack. There was silence and then another, much louder, pained scream came from her. His dad growled and bit into her shoulder. Hayato could see his mom trying to kick him repeatedly, but it did nothing.  His dad shook his head, his mother's form swinging back and forth in time to it as she screamed in pain. Hayato felt bile rise in the back of his throat as her shirt became soaked in blood. Moments later she was flying across the room. She hit the bookcase and Hayato heard glass breaking as she did. He watched in slow motion as she fell to the ground. He watched as the nicknacks she had bought fell on top of her or next to her. He watched as the large wooden bookcase lost some of it’s shelves as they fell onto her. He watched as the bookcase itself started to tip and fall on her with a loud thump.  He watched as his mother made no move to get up. He listened but no sound came from her.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

There was only a moment for Hayato to process what was going on. Only a moment to realize that he, Fumiko, and Izuku were the only people left standing. His dad was going to come after them next. He looked at his dad and noticed the new, more rounded holes in his shirt and the trail of blood that came from them. The fact that his dad had been shot that many times and was still moving around as normal scared him.  Hayato acted too late. By the time his brain told him he needed to move, his dad had already turned his attention to all of them. Hayato stayed still. He hoped Takeo wouldn’t start crying any harder than he currently was. Hayato risked a quick look towards Fumiko and Izuku.  He couldn’t see them. Before he panicked, he told himself that they were out of sight because they had ducked away from the bullets. His dad stalked low and growled quietly. Hayato tried to speak, but his mouth dried up. He swallowed and tried again.  “Dad-” A louder growl cut him off and he flinched. The flinch startled the toddler, and Takeo sniffed harder.  
No! No! No! No!
 Hayato debated the risk of rocking Takeo to calm him down and having his dad jump him or not calming Takeo and having his cries irritate his dad, also resulting in the man lashing out. Hayato didn’t know what to do. A tremor racked Takeo’s body and automatically Hayato shushed gently and rocked him. It wasn’t until after he had started that he realized what he was doing.  He didn’t allow himself to panic, not wanting to startle Takeo again. Thankfully, his cries didn’t increase anymore after that. Hayato was still worried about how his dad would react when he heard a groan coming from by the door. His dad whipped his head to the sound and stalked over there. Hayato could see one officer attempt to drag the other one out the door. Hayato heard the panicked sharp inhale of breath that came from the man. Hayato swallowed down his fear and worry and took advantage of the situation.  He turned in the general direction he knew the kids were hiding. Thankfully, Fumiko had peeked her eyes over the couch and was looking at him. Hayato put a finger to his mouth and motioned them over. Fumiko’s head disappeared for a moment. Hayato waited, paying way too much attention to how fast his heart was beating and how deep of breaths he was taking.  Finally, after what felt like hours, Izuku’s green curls poked out from the side of the sofa. He looked up at Hayato, who nodded in encouragement. The boy slowly stood and hesitantly turned his head to look at his dad. Hayato waved to bring Izuku’s attention back to him. Hayato would worry about his father. Izuku just needed to get behind him. Izuku stared at him with fear in his eyes. Hayato, at one point, had begged to see a sliver of emotion in Izuku’s eyes, but if he had known this was the price… He tried his best to give an encouraging smile. Out of the corner of his eye, Hayato could tell that his dad was still paying attention to everyone in the room, but his current focus was on the officers. Hayato guessed that they were giving off stronger fear signals.  Izuku shuffled forward and flinched at the sound his foot made. He almost jerked his head to look at his dad again, but decided against it and kept his eyes trained on Hayato. He took another step forward, then another. Hayato held out his hand. Fumiko’s head popped out soon after. She hadn’t made a move to stand. Hayato wanted to beckon her over now, but he needed to focus on Izuku, who was out in the open.  Not soon enough, Izuku’s little fingers grasped his hands, and Hayato eased him behind him. He debated handing Takeo to the kid, but thought it best to continue holding him. Fumiko crawled forward. She flinched when their dad roared. There was a scream from the officer and Hayato had to stop himself from looking.  They were running out of time.  He beckoned Fumiko faster. She shot him a terrified look. He smiled.  
You got this.
 She stood on shaking legs and walked forward. She was a lot faster than Izuku, and that brought Hayato comfort. She would reach him quickly, and then they could sneak their way to the back door and escape. Hayato chanced a glance at his dad and paled. He was looking at Fumiko, ready to pounce. Hayato threw caution to the wind when he saw him gear up to charge.  “Fumiko, come now!” Hayato took steps forward so he could get to her quicker. She hesitated. “Fumiko!” It was too late. By the time Fumiko decided to run, their dad was already on her. He picked her up and pulled her close to his face.  “No! Dad, stop!” Their dad growled low. Fumiko was shaking and had closed her eyes. Hayato could only focus on their dad’s fangs and the bloody saliva that leaked from his lips. He saw flashes of what had just happened to his mother and felt like screaming.  
Please, no. Not my sister!
 His dad opened his mouth and moved his face closer to Fumiko’s neck.  “Stop it!” He screamed. His dad didn’t pause. He only growled again and closed his mouth and leaned back.  
Wait, what?
 The glow in his dad’s eyes flickered for a moment and it was then that Hayato realized the growling wasn’t coming from him. It was Fumiko. She growled out louder this time and their dad’s hand opened, dropping her to the floor. She fell with a pained cry, but she stood quickly and backed away. Fumiko opened her mouth to growl again and Hayato mentally encouraged her.  The next thing he knew, Fumiko was flying across the room. Hayato’s eyes widened as he watched her go through the air in slow motion. Her screams echoed through the room, and even when she hit the wall, he could still hear the terror in it. Her body slid down the wall and Hayato watched her still form. He saw spots. He felt sick. He stared and stared, waiting for her to move.  He had to look away.  His dad turned to him. Hayato at first didn’t care. His dad could do whatever he wanted to him. But then Takeo shifted in his arms. He felt Izuku cling to his back. He still had siblings to protect. This time, he would not be the only one to make it out unharmed.  He handed Takeo to Izuku while staring down his father. He heard Izuku whimper in confusion. Hayato didn’t turn around to comfort him. He couldn’t.  “Izuku, take Takeo and run. Go to the back door. No matter what, you have to get outside.” Hayato spoke low and slow. He didn’t want to risk his father charging him right now. Izuku whimpered again. “It’s going to be ok. I’ll take care of this and get Fumiko and meet you outside.” His father took a step forward. “Please, go now!” His father made a move to jerk forward, and Hayato panicked.  “Freeze! Ishikawa Satoshi, stand down!” Hayato didn’t dare look away from his father. But the man had whipped his attention to the door. “This is your final warning! Stand down!” There were a lot more officers this time, and they all ran in, trying to surround his dad. Hayato wanted to tell them it was pointless. His dad wasn’t there. His dad wasn’t in control. But he wasn’t able to. Before he could, bullets flew.  They were unprotected.   Hayato didn’t hesitate to grab both Takeo and Izuku shirts and practically throw them by the couch. Takeo was wailing now, but Hayato wouldn’t worry about that. Once he knew that those two would be protected he crawled over to his sister and dragged her back to safety.  Once he settled, he checked her over. He watched her chest, and he felt an enormous amount of relief when he saw it rise and fall slightly. He pulled her closer to himself for a moment before resting her against the couch. Takeo and Izuku’s hands clung to him soon after. He held them, trying his best to reassure them. He noticed that some of the yelling had subsided. He chanced a glance and saw that his father was stumbling back, clutching his arm. Hayato tried to find the cause and saw a small dart puncturing it.  They had tranquilized him. Hayato could tell that he was dazed. This was their chance. Hayato picked up Fumiko, told Izuku to do the same for Takeo, and attempted to head to the back door. Before they could even make it to the spot he had occupied previously, a hand was on his shoulder, stopping him. He turned, ready to strike, but it was an officer.  “Kids, come with us. We’ll keep you safe.” He felt Fumiko being taken from his grasp and nearly attacked the woman who was doing it. She shushed and reassured him, but he didn’t want to let go.  “It’s ok, kid. You’re safe now.” Her gentle, unwavering tone had him trusting her. He allowed her to take Fumiko and noticed that a different officer had Izuku and Takeo in his arms. The officer that stopped him before was still holding onto his shoulder and started leading him away. Hayato realized too late that they weren’t headed for the backdoor.  “W-wait! We need-” The officer shushed him and pulled him harder when Hayato tried to resist walking. “But-”  “Everything is fine now.” This officer’s tone was not as comforting, but Hayato couldn’t resist. Besides, his siblings were in front of him. He had to go with them. He needed to keep his eyes on them.   He should’ve kept another eye on his dad.  The man roared and threw the officers trying to restrain him. Some went flying farther than others. Hayato panicked again when his dad began beating, clawing, and biting whoever was in his sights. He felt tears spring to his eyes.   Not yet, Hayato!   He blinked them away and shrugged the officer off of him. The guy didn’t stop him and instead focused on trying to subdue his father. Hayato did his best to make it to the people who had his little siblings, but furniture started flying. He wasn’t able to get to them.   How could I have been so naïve?  Hayato remembered the time that his mother had tried to use sedatives on his father when his quirk was fully activated. They had done nothing but make him more agitated. He felt so stupid for only thinking about it now when it was too late.  A potted plant came flying at Hayato’s head and he dropped to the ground to avoid it. He tried to stand up, but things kept flying. He felt his breath hitch as he watched the officer who was holding his sister take a glass figurine to the head. She fell, but kept Fumiko from falling out of her grasp. She crawled to a part of the room that was slightly protected from his father’s wrath and shielded her.  Hayato lost eyes on the man that had the other two. After what had felt like forever, things calmed down. That only meant that the officers had all been taken down in some way. Hayato risked standing up so he could see where his little brothers were.  He first saw his dad, but then his heart dropped. Izuku was standing over the officer, who was lying down on his stomach. He couldn’t find Takeo. Hayato grabbed the closest thing he could, which happened to be one shelf from the bookcase.  
Oh, I’m by Mom…
 He threw it at his dad, hoping to get the man’s attention. It didn’t. The only thing that came out of that was spurring his dad to act sooner. The man raised his arm and Hayato could only scream as he brought a claw down, catching Izuku’s shoulder. Thankfully, Izuku had not completely frozen in fear and took a step back. He fell to the ground with a cry when his shoulder was swiped and Hayato tried to run to him.  His dad picked Izuku up, and Hayato screamed again, covering the whimper that left Izuku’s mouth. Hayato saw his dad’s hand twitch and Izuku cried out. He was squeezing him. Hayato, not wanting a repeat of what happened to Fumiko and definitely his mom, started throwing everything in sight at his dad’s back while he ran. When Hayato got closer, his dad used his free arm to knock him back. Hayato flew backward and felt the wind leave him, and heard a crack when he connected to the floor.  He ignored the pain he was in and went after Izuku again. The kid was screaming and pounding on his dad’s arm, but it did nothing but irritate the man more. His father growled and roared and he lifted his arm, preparing to throw Izuku.  A deep rumble vibrated the house, and his father froze. So did Hayato. He tried to fight it, but his body didn’t listen. He watched as his dad’s arm twitched and then Izuku was falling out of his grasp. The rumbling stopped, and Hayato could see that Fumiko had woken up and moved at some point. It looked like she tried to catch him, but because she was small, she only cushioned his fall. Her arms wrapped around him, regardless.  Hayato willed himself to move and only got closer before his dad snapped out of his daze and was going for the kids again. Hayato was just about to resume throwing things when his dad suddenly powered down. He was back to his normal size. He thrashed around, confused, as a white cloth wrapped itself around him. Soon after, his dad swayed on his feet and passed out.     Shouta was unphased and not surprised when he got the call that there was a suspected child abuse case that went wrong. He was used to being called for things like this. However, he was very surprised to find that Ishikawa Satoshi was not lashing out at getting caught for abusing his family, but that he was the victim of the abuse and that it had caused him to lose his mind.  He was also surprised to find that one of the children there was one he recognized. Shouta dealt with a lot of kids and he knew there were some he forgot. It was a job where he wasn’t required to remember every single face of every child, but this kid… Midoriya Izuku was a kid he didn’t think he could forget.  He could never forget that day. It had been half a year since then, but Shouta remembered it like it was yesterday.  At the moment, everyone was calming down. Ishikawa Satoshi had been successfully detained and was on his way to a facility where they hoped he could get better. None of this was his fault, after all.  Unfortunately, out of the twelve officers that were sent, two were no longer living. One of the original officers that was sent to get the kids out and one of the backup officers that was sent after things went south had both died in the ambulance. The rest had varying injuries, some critical and some not as bad.  None of them were minor.  Ishikawa Koharu, the assumed abuser, was found dead on the scene. Shouta sighed as he glanced at the retreating ambulances. Most held the officers, but the one he was watching held the kids. Ishikawa Fumiko had gotten the most injured out of the children. He didn’t know all the details and extent of her injuries, but when he had tried to talk to her earlier, she had passed out.  According to her brother, Ishikawa Hayato, their father had thrown her into a wall and after an assessment, the paramedics mentioned she may have had fractured ribs from the grip Satoshi had had on her. Hayato had a few bruises, a dislocated shoulder, which Shouta had helped pop back into place and Shouta assumed a concussion based on what he had assessed about the kid.  Izuku, he had made sure to get the most information about. The kid wasn’t too badly injured getting by only with the cuts that ran across his shoulder. The kid was bleeding pretty badly, but it was easily treatable. He was more scared than anything. He would only talk to Shouta, but even then he didn’t use words. He signed. Shouta was thankful that he was fluent.  Shouta cracked his neck. The officers that came with him were currently talking to Nakamura Kaori, the caseworker assigned to Izuku. Apparently, the kid hadn’t been adopted for that long. It made something twist painfully in Shouta’s gut.  “Eraserhead!” Shouta turned to the officer who addressed him. He was running and Shouta was instantly on alert. “We need you to go to the hospital! The kid- Ishi- Izuku! He’s panicking and asking for you. We can’t stop the ambulance and let you on, but if you could meet th-” “I’m assuming they’re going to Chiba General?” Shouta cut the man off. The officer nodded his head and pointed to one of the squad cars. Shouta walked over and got in without a word.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The kid had all but thrown himself at Shouta when he saw him. Shouta, of course, was prepared for something like this. He soothed Izuku as best he could and stayed by his side until the moment they sedated him so that they could stitch up a couple of those cuts.  Shouta was currently sitting in the kid’s room waiting for him to wake up.  “I’ve never in my life sat in the hospital room of someone I’ve saved. Let alone twice.” He groaned out to nobody. He sighed again as he stared at the boy’s sleeping form. Once again, he was reminded how small the child was.  
Hizashi is going to flip when I tell him I saw the kid again. 
 There was a knock at the door and Shouta was alert for a moment until he saw Nakamura was the one walking in. She had a sleeping toddler on her hip and it took Shouta a minute to remember that there was also a toddler amongst the list of kids that were at the house. He, thankfully, was unharmed. He probably suffered a lot of trauma, though.  “Oh! I’m sorry. I thought you would’ve left by now…” Shouta said nothing to that and just went back to watching the kid. A few moments later, the young lady sat down. A comfortable silence stretched between them, but it was broken far too soon for Shouta’s liking.  “Do you see things like this often?” She asked. Shouta was not good with talks like this. Hizashi would’ve been much better. “I’m fairly new to my job. This was my first house check.” Shouta winced. This was a nightmare situation, to think it was her first experience. “I thought this was going to be a good experience. I was told that they were a wonderful family. Even if they weren’t, the worst thing I should’ve seen was anger and yelling while we pried the kids through the doors. I should’ve only dealt with tears and whining. Not- Not blood and death and traumatized kids…” Nakamura started crying and Shouta shifted awkwardly.  “I’m sorry. You probably don’t want to deal with me on top of all this.” She made a move to leave and Shouta sighed.  “I have.” Nakamura paused and sat back down. “I have seen things like this. Too many to count. It’s awful, and it doesn’t get better with each new situation. Many heroes quit after seeing something like that. I couldn’t though.” Shouta paused and made eye contact with Nakamura. Her eyes were wide, and she was latching onto every syllable of his words.  “Stuff like this fuels me to go harder every day. No matter how tired I am, I think about the kids in situations like this or anyone that’s out there suffering. If I can stop the suffering even a little, I feel that much better than if I was just sitting at home and watching the aftermath on the news.” He was going to continue, but she had looked away from him and was contemplating his words. It seemed he didn’t need to say anymore.  “Would I be a bad person if I quit?” She said after a few minutes of silence. Her voice was so quiet and broken. Shouta took a minute to answer so that he said the right thing.  “You wouldn’t be a bad person. I admire those that can acknowledge they aren’t fit to do something. That saves people from having to clean up after their mistakes.” It was harsh and he could’ve worded it better, but as he said before, he was not good at this. It was silent again, but soon after, she was thanking him.  “I think… I think I’ll stick with it. I was so close to missing the sign that these kids were suffering. You’re right. I would much rather do all this over again…” She stared off for a minute. She took a deep breath and continued. “I would much rather do this over again than sit at home and hear about all the potential kids I could’ve saved. I would rather continue what I’m doing than see another villain come up in this world because no one noticed their pain.” With that, she smiled at him and stood to leave.  
Guess I helped?
 “I’ll be back later to get Izuku when he’s ready to be discharged. I’m going to check on the others.” Shouta nodded his head to show that he heard her. A question popped in his head and he spoke it out loud before she got too far out the door.  “Are you going to be watching them from now on or…?” Shouta had already figured that Nakamura would not be the one to keep the children based on what she was saying earlier, but he was curious. Not that he could do anything, but he would hate to see the kid have to adjust to a new place only for it to be bad for him again.  “Oh no, I’m not fit for watching children long-term. I’m actually instructed to bring them to Tanaka Kimi. She was Izuku’s foster parent and caseworker before.” Shouta felt a faint feeling of recognition at the name, but he couldn’t remember much. He figured she was the one to take Izuku from the hospital all those months ago. “She had taken good care of him and it would be best for Izuku to go with someone he already trusts.”  Shouta agreed. If Izuku had been approved to go back to her, then she must be a safe option. Shouta glanced at the kid as he shifted. There were no other signs of him waking up, so Shouta turned away. He caught Nakamura staring at him with a calculating and confused gaze. He simply raised an eyebrow, and she turned bright red. She stammered at something completely unintelligible and rushed out the door.  Shouta shook his head and closed his eyes. He was planning on resting them until the kid woke up. His phone vibrated and Shouta groaned. He glanced at it to see if it would be important enough to answer. He recognized that the station was calling.  He stepped outside the room to answer.     Kaori tried to shake her embarrassment away. Her face was very warm and some people she passed stared at her, which did not help with the embarrassment.  
Great, he’s going to think something weird now…
 The initial impression that she got from the man, Eraserhead, as he introduced himself was that he couldn’t possibly be a hero. When everything went down at the house, she had been watching from the safety of her car. It took her too long to figure out that something very wrong had happened. She panicked even more when more cops showed up.  There had been shouting and gunshots, and the house shook multiple times. So many cops had gone in and most of them came out injured and without the kids. Kaori had been so scared. So when Eraserhead had shown up out of nowhere, she had thought he couldn’t have been a hero. But he was, and the incident was over quickly.  Almost everything after that had been a blur, but she remembered the hero had stayed hovering the entire time. There was no press, and he hadn’t been a hero she recognized, so she couldn’t help but wonder why he hung around. She had thought that maybe there was some protocol that he was following and that he would leave after everything settled down, but nope. She had found him in Izuku’s hospital room.  She had been startled so hard when she had seen him. He looked even more intimidating up close. He wasn’t as big as Ishikawa Satoshi, but his apparent permanent scowl and tired eyes were enough. She thought about turning around and running from him, but he was a hero, so she had mentally called herself an idiot and sat down to check on Izuku as her goal had been.  Through their conversation, he had been blunt and had a very bored tone. His voice was as scruffy as his face. Kaori could tell she had been bothering him, but he had still been kind enough to give her advice. She had appreciated it.  But then he had looked over at Izuku and his face had softened so much. He had looked as though he had aged back a few years. It had made her question just how old he was because he had given off a much younger aura than she had initially assumed. She couldn’t help but stare, because he had looked like a completely different person.  Then he had caught her and had raised a smug eyebrow. There was no other way to interpret that. Now he probably thought she thought he was handsome or something. As if. There was absolutely no way. He was not her type. Uh uh! 
Ok, but he did look kinda good. The scruffy works for him. I guess he’s kinda handsome and-
 Kaori shook her head. She blocked any and all thoughts of the hero from then on. She was not that desperate.  She finally came up to Fumiko’s room and knocked on the door. She waited until Hayato called out before she walked in. Fumiko was resting on the bed. Her head was wrapped, as was her left leg. Kaori could also see the bandages from her chest peak from under the cover.  Hayato was staring at his sister’s form. He didn’t even look up to acknowledge Kaori’s presence. She felt her heart break seeing how absolutely broken the boy looked. She sat next to him and reached her hand out to comfort him. He flinched back and bared his fangs that took seconds to grow, his hair grew in length as well. Kaori was proud of herself for not flinching back. This was her bad after all.  Hayato seemed to realize what happened, and his gaze looked very apologetic. He hunched in on himself and glanced away.  “I’m so-” “Sorry about that, kid.” Kaori cut in before he apologized. She shouldn’t have reached for him. She knew better than that. He looked mildly surprised before he slumped and went back to staring at Fumiko. “Have you been cleared to go,” Kaori caught herself before she said home. She didn’t think that was the best thing to say, considering. She tried to find a different word, but gave up and let it hang as it was. If Hayato noticed, he didn’t comment. “...Yea.” Kaori hurt for this kid. He had been suffering for so long under his mother’s control. Kaori pushed down the reminder of the woman. Kaori never thought that the day she met somebody would also be the day she saw their dead body. “Fumiko has to stay overnight. Can I stay with her? I don’t want to be separated.”  Kaori sighed. Hayato was scared that he and Fumiko would be sent to different houses. Kaori smiled gently, not that Hayato was looking at her. “You don’t need to worry about that. You both will be going to the same place.” He seemed to relax a little at those words. He glanced at the sleeping toddler in her lap and brushed a finger on his forehead.  “Takeo is going with you as well.” Hayato met her eyes for a second and nodded his head. “So is Izuku.” Kaori wasn’t sure how Hayato felt about the younger boy. He had only been with them not even a month. Hayato’s gaze sharped as he stared at her.  “He’s not going back to Tanaka-san?” Kaori blinked in confusion before she huffed a quiet laugh. Hayato narrowed his eyes at her.  “You all are.” Hayato mouthed an “o” and looked down. Kaori felt bitter sweet about how Hayato was protective of Izuku. She hoped that they all continued to get alone under Tanka’s care. It would be a weird adjustment for everyone, except maybe Izuku.  “How is he?” Hayato asked. Kaori hadn’t expected Hayato to be this talkative after everything, but she wouldn’t complain.  “He is still sleeping, but once he wakes up and the doctor checks him over one last time, he’ll be good to go,” she informed. Hayato seemed pleased with the answer.  “Can I still stay with Fumiko?” Kaori wasn’t sure of that. She figured Fumiko was going to stay overnight without a guardian, and Kaori had already offered to bring her when she was discharged, so leaving Hayato here shouldn’t be too bad. At least then Fumiko wouldn’t be alone.  “Yeah, sure. Just try not to leave the room. I’ll go ahead and drop Takeo and Izuku off tonight. I’ll be back in the morning to hang out here until Fumiko is ready to be released.” Hayato looked beyond relieved. He finally lost most of his tension. He looked as though he was going to ask something else, but there was a knock on the door.  Kaori walked over to answer and was shocked to see a police officer there, as well as Eraserhead. He looked as bored as ever, but there was a hint of regret in his eyes. It was so subtle that Kaori was sure she would miss it if she hadn’t been trained to pick up on those kinds of things.  “Hello, Ma’am,” the officer greeted. “I’m sorry about this, but could we speak to Ishikawa Hayato for a moment?” Kaori was skeptical. She was told that the kids would not need to give statements about what had happened. There were plenty of other people that could cover it, herself included. She told the officer just that.  “Yes, of course. That still stands. This is not about that I’m afraid.” Kaori did not like the tone the officer was addressing her in. She turned to the hero, looking for answers from him.  “As their current caseworker, Nakamura-san has the right to know what is going on,” Eraserhead said calmly. The officer sent an annoyed glare his way. Eraserhead met it with a similar look, but his had way more heat to it. Kaori would not want to be the victim of that look. The officer cleared his throat.  “Fine. Nakamura-san, we received word that the truck that was escorting Ishikawa Satoshi was attacked. The truck was reported to be rolling down a road flaming before it veered off and erupted into an explosion. Satoshi and the officers that were accompanying him were found dead miles away from where the truck exploded. All had burn wounds and deep lacerations that indicated quirk usage.” Kaori was horrified. After everything that had already happened… Kaori could only place a hand over her mouth. Once her shock wore off, she felt angry at the complete apathetic and annoyed tone the officer held while informing her. She was not about to let this man speak with Hayato, if that was his attitude. That boy had already gone through so much that day.  Kaori was about to stop the officer from walking away from her, but she noticed Eraserhead was consoling Hayato already. He had a gently placed a hand on the boy’s shaking shoulder. Hayato had his arms covering his face. Kaori’s heart broke. She was glad that Eraserhead had told him. Though he didn’t seem all too good with feelings, he was bound to have been better than the officer. The man rolled his eyes and angrily stalked over to the other two.  Eraserhead leveled him with a glare. Once again Kaori had the thought that she would not want to be victim to such a gaze. She called the officer back over to pester him with questions she had no desire to know the answer to, but Hayato clearly needed a minute.  The realization that she was so willing to take care of these kids caught Kaori off guard. After everything had happened, her only thought was to get herself away from the situation as fast as she could. She had wanted nothing more to do with these kids.  But now? Now she wanted to do everything she could to protect them until they were out of her care. She wasn’t sure when that changed, but she wasn’t going to question or complain. This is what her job was about after all.     A couple of hours later, Kaori found herself waiting outside Izuku’s hospital room door, waiting for the doctor to finish clearing him. Eraserhead was back with the kid and Kaori decided to not let the man confuse her anymore. She wasn’t going to question why he was still hanging around.  She thought back to Hayato. After he had finished crying and the officer did what he needed to do, the teen collapsed onto the couch that was in Fumiko’s room and curled into himself. Kaori had wanted to comfort him, but he told her to leave him alone. She had reluctantly complied. When she had checked on him a little later, he had fallen asleep.  Kaori was brought out of her thoughts as the doctor came out. “He is all good to go. A nurse will be by shortly to give you some papers about what to look out for the next few days and how to properly care for the stitches.” Kaori thanked the lady and walked into the room. She stopped short when she saw Eraserhead kneeling in front of Izuku, who was playing with the man’s fingers. Izuku’s face was blank, and it caught Kaori off guard. She was aware that the cheerful kid she had seen before resulted from a quirk, but...  She wasn’t sure which was more unnerving.  She watched them for a few minutes and nearly jumped out of her skin when the nurse walked up behind her and handed her the papers.  Izuku finally noticed her and tried to hide using Eraserhead’s body. The man simply pulled him away and used his fingers to say something. Kaori analyzed the movement, trying to figure out what was being said, fully aware that she knew not a lick of JSL.  Eventually, Izuku walked away from the hero and shuffled over to her. “Ready to go?” She said softly. An officer, Nishimiya as she was told to call him, had taken her car and packed away all the kids’ necessities while she waited at the hospital. That very officer was sitting in her car watching Takeo until Kaori came down with Izuku. Izuku nodded his head without looking up.  She, as gently as she could, reached out her hand so that Izuku could take it. He flinched slightly and Kaori felt a pang in her chest. She had the sick thought about how she was glad that the woman who caused this was dead. She felt awful about it immediately and shook it away.  Izuku reached out a shaking hand and loosely gripped hers. She tried to reassure him, but he didn’t react to anything. She sighed and guided him out. After walking for a minute, she glanced back to Eraserhead who was leaning on the doorframe watching them. She nodded her head to say goodbye, and he returned it and started walking the other way.  Kaori continued to walk through the hospital, wishing that the parking lot wasn’t so far away. There were so many turns and long hallways. For a moment, she thought she had gotten lost, but thankfully, she could finally see the exit. She wished she could have picked Izuku up as the walk would’ve been easier and faster, but she figured he wouldn’t have been comfortable with that.  Kaori smiled when her car came into view. Nishimiya was standing outside the car looking through the open backseat window, making faces.  
So, Takeo’s awake now. 
 Nishimiya hadn’t noticed her approaching and just as Kaori was about to call out someone tapped her shoulder. She paused and turned to see who it was. Her heart jumped and her eyes widened.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“Glitch, I have an update on the kid.” The man knocked on his superior’s ‘bedroom’. It was actually the woman’s office, but he slowly learned this group had a particular way of going about things. Glitch told him to enter, and he walked in and stood by the door. She waved to him, signaling to wait. She walked away, more than likely to contact the boss. She came back a few minutes later and soon Blink appeared in the room and grabbed his arm without asking.  Seconds later they were in Master Bedroom, which was the higher-ups meeting room. He spotted Oracle sitting in the corner. He tore his eyes away when he noticed the IV tubes in her arms.  “Speak, Wisp.” Wisp swallowed as the man, the big boss, Inferno’s voice boomed from his chair. Wisp straightened and bowed slightly.  “Yes, Sir. I have information regarding Midoriya Izuku.”  “So I heard. What is it? I have not ordered a check-up on the boy, so this better be worth my time.” Wisp swallowed again and stood straight.  “Sir, I came across some information regarding the family that Midoriya Izuku was being housed by. I-” Smoke came from Inferno’s mouth and he sighed harshly. Sparks flew from the man’s lips as he spoke.  “Spit. It. Out.” Wisp flinched.  “There was an incident involving the parents and Midoriya Izuku was injured and taken to the hospital.” Flames flew out of Inferno’s mouth as he stood.  “I see. Thank you for telling me. Is that all?” “Yes, sir.” “Then you are dismissed.” “Yes, sir!” Wisp watched as Inferno walked over to where Oracle was seated.  “Oracle. Are we able to bring m-” Blink grabbed his arm and teleported away before he could hear anymore. Wisp could only guess what was going to be said next.  Instead, he was now looking at a few other villains. He was in Living Room. The room was more of a casual conference room than anything, but again, this group was… unconventional. He wasn’t sure why they referred to their base as a home. It made no sense to him, but he was new and wanted to be in everyone’s good graces, so he didn’t question it.  He sighed as he watched Blink meet up with her sisters. He spotted Blitz and couldn’t help but stare at the nasty burn scar that covered her cheek and ran down to her neck. It served as a reminder about what would happen if he made Inferno angry.  He cleared his throat and quickly looked down when she looked over at him.  “You should be more careful, Wisp. The triplicate sisters aren’t ones to hold back. Even though they lost their rank, no one would say anything if they decided to kill a newbie.” Wisp did his best to not glare at Dust Devil. The man was as unruly as his ashy-colored curly hair. He did not want to piss this guy off either. The man smirked, and Wisp wanted nothing more than to knock those obnoxious-looking goggles off his stupid face.  “Shut up, Dust. Leave the poor guy alone.” Daymare walked over and dragged the other man away. The much more calm man sent him an apologetic look. He tucked his dark blue straight hair behind his ear and Wisp could see the bags under his eyes. He felt for the guy. Daymare had only woken up a couple of months ago, having fallen into his quirk recovering coma after their last big attack. Apparently, the man doesn’t get restful sleep when he’s like that. Wisp didn’t understand how that worked, but he wasn’t one to ask too many questions.  He may be a teenager, but he wasn’t stupid.  Before Dust Devil could say anything back to Daymare, Inferno came into the room. Everyone was on their feet and alert.  “Bloom,” Inferno called. Wisp glanced over at the girl that had been recruited at the same time as him. She looked nervous, but determined.  “Yes, Sir!” She walked forward, arms stiff at her sides. She was a year younger than him. He was 17 and she had just turned 16. She was currently the youngest member.  “Come with me.” Inferno had smoke pouring out of his mouth and Wisp wondered if it had ever stopped after he had seen the small activation of the man’s quirk. “We have a mutt to put down.”  The next morning, as promised, Nakamura was sitting in the room with them when Hayato woke up. She had given him breakfast, which he only took a few bites of out of courtesy. She pretty much left him alone after that.  Fumiko had woken up some time in the middle of the night and had been checked over many times since then. Hayato hadn’t been able to get much sleep, though he doubted he would have, anyway.  Both of his parents were dead.  Hayato was still processing that fact. Over and over in his mind, he saw flashes of what had happened the night before. He heard the screams, saw the blood, felt the pain, over and over and over again. It made him sick. He lost track of how many times he had cried.  When she was there, Nakamura had given her silent support. She never said anything and for that, he was grateful. He was sure he would have rejected it otherwise. When lunchtime rolled around, Fumiko was fully awake and mostly done with her treatments and checkups.  There wasn’t much more that the doctors could do for her after they healed her as much as they could. She had been a champ through it all. It wasn’t until she got back to the room and Hayato had finally been able to hug her that she broke down. Nakamura had given them space.  Hayato hated having to tell her about their dad after she had just calmed down, but he wanted to get it over with. She needed to know, and he had to be the one to tell her. She had broken down all over again after he worked up the courage to say it. It took her a lot longer to calm down after that.  She had asked about Izuku and Takeo and he was glad to ease her worries by telling her they were both waiting at the Tanakas’ house. She seemed to accept that answer.  Hayato wasn’t sure about how he felt about staying with the Tanakas, but it was a better option than staying with a complete stranger.  Nakamura and a doctor coming into the room brought him back to the present.  “Hello there, Fumiko-chan. How are you feeling?” the doctor addressed. She sent him a greeting wink, but mainly kept her focus on his sister. Fumiko looked at him nervously and he nodded his head in encouragement.  “I-I’m-” There was a flash of panic in her eyes and she slapped a hand over her mouth. Hayato moved to her side in seconds. He shushed her and reminded her she wasn’t going to get in trouble for stuttering. She cried into his shoulder and the doctor sent him a sympathetic look. She turned to address Nakamura instead. Hayato tuned them out and focused on calming Fumiko.  “I’m sorry…” Fumiko whimpered. Hayato stroked her head gently and reassured her. It was moments like this that reminded him that his sister was only eight. He had gotten so used to her being able to act so strong when they were at home. He clenched his free fist in frustration at the hand they had both been dealt. It wasn’t fair.  Hayato glanced up as the doctor left, and Nakamura walked over to offer her support to Fumiko. It didn’t surprise him when his sister readily accepted. She needed all the support she could get, even if it was from someone they didn’t know. Nakamura offered him her hand. He was going to reject it, but thought better of it and grabbed it. She squeezed it gently and relaxed her hold, giving him the option to pull away if he wanted. He didn’t.  They stayed like that for a few minutes until Fumiko fully calmed down. Nakamura put on a show for her to watch and sat on the sofa. Hayato stayed on the bed with his sister. An hour later, a nurse came by. Nakamura walked outside, and a few minutes later, she came back and told them it was time to go.  Fumiko stayed attached to him the whole time. After a while, he picked her up. She was heavy, but he wasn’t going to put her down. Not until they reached the car. She clung to his shirt so tight. Hayato had been worried about aggravating her injuries, but Fumiko insisted she was fine.  Soon they got to the car and started the route to Tanaka’s house. Nakamura informed them it was a four-hour drive. Hayato sighed. He had sat in the back with Fumiko, not wanting to be very far from her. Fumiko seemed to appreciate it. She had grabbed his arm and hugged it the moment they were strapped in and settled and didn’t let go until she fell asleep about 45 minutes into the drive.  Hayato watched his sleeping sister for a long time. She had finally looked a little relaxed. Even if it turned out way worse than what he was expecting, it was still a relief for both of them to be out of their house and away from their mom.  He never wanted her dead. Not really. But he also couldn’t find it in himself to be that upset. He hoped that didn’t make him a bad person. He loved his mother, but to him, she had died the same day his younger brothers had. He could accept this. His dad, on the other hand... Truthfully, Hayato still wasn’t sure. He still had a hard time wrapping his head around the fact that he was gone. It was all still too new. Maybe later, after a few weeks had passed, and he was fully comfortable in the new house, he would be able to process and know how he felt about his dad being gone.  Right now, he was just glad that his siblings were safe.  “Kids? We’re here.” Hayato groaned. He slowly opened his eyes and took a minute to process that he was in a car. He panicked for a second and was instantly calmed when he saw his sister still next to him, staring up at him and clinging to his arm.  He stretched slightly and looked at his open door. Nakamura was standing there with a small smile on her face. “Hey. We made it. You both can head inside. I brought all your stuff in already.” She walked away and Hayato saw Tanaka standing in the doorway. Both women disappeared inside the still-open door.  Hayato unbuckled and stretched again as he stood up. Fumiko stayed attached to him. He hugged her and rubbed her hair gently. They stayed like that for a bit before he pulled away and stared at the house.  “Ready, Fumi?” He looked down at her and she smiled up at him. He nearly cried. It had been so long since he had seen her smile for herself.  “‘M ready.” She grabbed his hand, and they proceeded to walk inside. It wasn’t the first time they had been to this house, but walking in knowing that they would live there for the time being made it feel like it was. It took him a minute before he met Tanaka’s gentle gaze.  “Hello, kids. Sorry to see you again under these circumstances.” Hayato felt tears burn in the back of his eyes again, but he blinked them away. Fumiko had moved closer to him, but she still greeted the woman in front of them. “Before I show you to your rooms,” Tanaka walked away and picked something up from off the couch. He saw a head of messy hair and tiny limbs and felt a surge of happiness.  “Takeo!” Fumiko said excitedly. The toddler, who had looked annoyed at being picked up, jerked his head towards them and started squirming and babbling. Hayato walked over and grabbed him, hugging him close. He knelt so Fumiko could hug him as well.  Even though Hayato had seen Takeo after everything, he hadn’t properly checked on him. It was nice to have him in his arms. Hayato blinked and stood. Fumiko continued to hold the toddler.  “Where’s Izuku?” Hayato looked around, trying to spot the five-year-old, but there was no trace of him. Tanaka looked confused and sent a questioning glance in Nakamura’s way. She looked panicked for a moment, but then her face turned into something else as she smiled nervously at Tanaka. Hayato immediately panicked, as did Fumiko. She had latched herself to him as much as she could while still holding Takeo.  
Why did they look like that? Nakamura had said Izuku would be here! Where was he?
 “I forgot to tell them…” was the only thing that Nakamura said. Hayato could feel himself panic a little more, but then Tanaka walked closer to them. “It’s alright. I’m sorry for worrying you. Everything is ok.” Her voice had instantly calmed him. He knew he hadn’t calmed himself, and that almost made him panic more. He felt his second panic, though, and that brought him a strange sense of comfort. He also remembered that Tanaka hadn’t touched him.  “Wh-Where is he, Tanaka-san?” Fumiko asked. Her eyes were wide, but trusting, as she looked at Tanaka. “You can call me Kimi if you want, and I promise he’s safe. He’s with someone else that has a certified fostering license.” Hayato frowned. His stance got a little defensive as he glared at the adults. “Why? He should be here. He feels safe with you already! Why would you force him to go somewhere else!?” Tanaka looked a little surprised at his outburst, but he didn’t care. Izuku deserved to be here more than they did. Tanaka smiled gently at him.  “Hayato. I’m sorry you weren’t informed earlier.” She shot a look at Nakamura and the lady shrunk back slightly. “I can assure you Izuku is in good hands.” Those words did ease his tension slightly. And it wasn’t because of her quirk. She had yet to use it again, and he was grateful. He guessed he trusted Tanaka’s judgment. He knew she wouldn’t have let Izuku go with just anybody.  “Who’s he with then?” Tanaka smiled a small, sad smile.  “Well…”    “Back.” Hizashi glanced away from the TV at the voice. He quickly closed the chip bag he was eating from and finished chewing the few he had in his mouth. He stood and dusted the crumbs off his clothes and off the couch.  “Welcome home!” He called back. He heard Shouta rummage through the kitchen. He also heard talking. It wasn’t uncommon for Shouta to grumble at things, so Hizashi wasn’t going to question it.  “Here, drink.” Hizashi paused in his steps towards the kitchen. He was sure that Shouta was not talking to him.  
Must be the cats…
 But Hizashi knew that Pocky was currently sitting on her perch by the window and that Cinnamon was circling his feet, trying to trip him. Hizashi sighed loudly, already knowing the answer to his question.  “Shouta... Who are you talking to?” He heard Shouta chuckle and Hizashi braced himself for the answer.  “I brought home a stray.” Hizashi groaned loudly. He turned around and went back to the couch. Maybe if he doesn’t see the cat, he can pretend it doesn’t exist. He heard more rummaging, and Shouta murmured a few more words. Hizashi caved.  “What’s its gender?” he asked. He hoped it wasn’t a male. That would mean that they’d have to be cautious with him around their other cats, who were both females. “Boy,” came the simple reply. Shouta didn’t even sound apologetic. Hizashi rolled his eyes. Of course, he was a boy. Well, it wasn’t like they wouldn’t have to keep the cats separate, anyway. He was curious about what he looked like, but he was still in denial that they apparently had another pet. He asked for a description instead of looking.  “What’s the little guy look like?” Shouta whispered a few things that Hizashi wasn’t sure about. Shouta didn’t answer for a while and Hizashi sighed. “Just give me a color, Shouta.” He knew his roommate was bad at describing things, but you would think he could at least figure out how to describe a cat. They were the only creatures that man tolerated, after all.  “Green.” Hizashi rolled his eyes again at the blunt reply. He got fed up with this little game and finally decided to go and meet the little guy. The other two cats started making their way over, but Hizashi didn’t have it in him to care.  “You’re in charge if a fight breaks out!” He said as he slowly shuffled towards the kitchen.  “I don’t think that will be a problem.” Hizashi pinched his brows in confusion. Shouta should know how to properly introduce cats to one another. He was like an encyclopedia for cats!  Hizashi rounded the corner, already preparing to bend his knees so he could pet Shouta’s new cat.  “I’m holding him.” Hizashi sighed and looked up. Then proceeded to choke. Once he recovered, he stared. He blinked. Then blinked again and wiped at his eyes. He had to have been seeing things because there was no way- “Is that a child?” Hizashi asked. Shouta grinned at him. That was the only answer he got. Hizashi blinked a few more times and finally, the shock wore off.  “Why do you have a child!?” He would’ve yelled, but the kid was clearly sleeping. Shouta shrugged.  “I told you, I brought home a stray.” Hizashi felt a range of emotions that he couldn’t identify. He took a deep breath and gave his idiot of a best friend a look.  “Shouta.” The man hummed. Hizashi tried to keep his voice calm and even.  “Yes?” “I don’t think you should refer to a child as a stray.” Shouta just looked at him, then down at the kid, then back up to him.  Shouta blinked, “Why not?” Hizashi took a deep breath and blew it out of his nose. A beat passed. “I thought you were talking about a cat!”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Am I really doing this?  Shouta looked around the lobby of the adoption agency office and couldn’t help but question his choices. For whatever reason, after he remembered that conversation with Hizashi he couldn’t help but feel a sudden urge to help a child. It seemed so out of character for him, but the thought wouldn’t leave him. He did a little research on the statistics on kids that end up in the system and was horrified by a lot of the stuff he found. Maybe it was a slight hero complex in him, but he wanted to help. Though he wasn’t even sure he could legally adopt a kid as a single dad. “Aizawa?” Guess he was about to find out. Shouta stood as his name was called. A lady was standing by an open door and waved him over. She escorted him to an office. “Hi, I’m Miyama Chiharu. I believe we spoke over the phone.” Shouta reached out his hand to shake hers.“Yes, it’s nice to meet you.” He smiled slightly at her and she returned it.“Let’s get straight to business, shall we?” She gestured for him to sit. Shouta noted the colorful cushion chairs before he sat down. “Alright, so because you are a pro hero looking to adopt, the process is going to be a little different. However, right now, we are discussing your application to see if you even qualify.” She offered him water, which he took to be respectful.“Of course, we know that because you are a pro hero, your schedule is going to be very different, and it varies depending on ranking and status. So right now, we need to review your schedule and see if you can qualify.” Shouta had figured if his single status wasn’t an issue, his hours might be.“From what I see,” Miyama pulled out a folder and opened it up. “You typically patrol at night, correct?” “My patrol hours are from 9 pm to 3 am, but I can adjust that if need be.” Shouta said. Miyama flipped through some pages and marked things down.  “And your income is 50 grand a year?”“Yeah, that sounds right” Miyama nodded her head and continued to mark things down. There was a bit of silence that was stretching too long for Shouta’s comfort. He couldn’t help but think he would be rejected. He still didn’t know what came over him for him to be applying at an adoption agency. “Alright, so from what it looks like, you should be able to be approved when you apply.” Shouta felt himself relax. “However,” and the tension was back. “You cannot be approved for a baby. Your schedule does not make for a healthy environment for a baby. A school-age child is the area that you should look into. If you want a baby, then your schedule will need quite a bit of adjustment and you will have to restart the application process.”“Not a problem.” He wasn’t looking to adopt too young of a child, anyway. “Awesome, so I want to make sure that you understand that, once your application is approved, your best bet is to take the classes needed to get a fostering license. The adoption process is long and hard and it could be years before you’re approved for a kid.” Shouta may have still been debating with himself about his choices, but the thought of waiting that long put a sour taste in his mouth.“Thankfully, going through the foster process is a lot easier. And, for pro heroes, once your application goes through, if you take the recommended route, then you automatically get approved for an emergency fostering license.” “What can I do with the emergency foster license?” Miyama seemed as though she had been expecting the question and was already preparing to answer before Shouta had even finished. “If you come across a situation while hero-ing and a child is left alone due to circumstances, an emergency license allows the pro to legally house the child temporarily until an alternate and capable family member is found, or a proper foster family can take them in. For example, say if it was late in the night, most families would be asleep and are less likely to answer a call. So the pro hero that found the child, if they so choose, could just call it in and bring them home for the night.” Shouta supposed that made sense. It seemed like a very temporary option, though, but it would still be good to have. He was planning on getting his own place before he adopted any kids, but he was sure Hizashi wouldn’t mind housing a kid for a night or two if need be. That’s just the kind of guy he was.I should probably give him a heads up though... “Okie dokie! Well, now that the big stuff is out of the way, we can tackle the rest with ease! And once that’s done, I can go ahead and submit your application!” Miyama handed them a few papers and told them to look over them. Shouta noticed she looked genuinely excited for him. It made him feel a little less nervous about his plan. The process so far had also been a lot easier than what he was expecting. “Alright, so…”  It had taken about a month and a half to complete the fostering and adoption training. Shouta wasn’t expecting all the information that he had to learn. And he had been surprised by how little he knew of taking care of a child.  He had started to think he bit off more than he could chew. But he also knew he wouldn’t have been approved if he wasn’t qualified. And, once he told them, Nemuri and Hizashi would be there to help when he needed it. He felt kind of bad for forgetting to tell Hizashi that he was planning on getting a kid, however, he still had yet to find a place of his own. Not to mention, Miyama had told him it might take a few months before he would get the call that he needed to foster a kid, so he kept putting it off. There was no point in telling Hizashi until they actually approved him for a kid if it would take that long. It had already been a few months since he got his licenses, so he hadn’t thought he’d be getting a kid anytime soon.But then he met Izuku again. When the realization that he could take the kid in hit him, he had felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner. Even from the moment they first met, Shouta had felt an instant connection. He had been sad to see the kid go the first time. He had been sad this time as well, but this time he wasn’t going to let go of the kid. Not without trying. He abruptly turned on his heel and started speed walking towards the exit that Nakamura was headed. He had to catch up. He wasn’t sure if this was something he could use his emergency license for or even if his license would let him take the kid right now. But he was going to try. He was going to call out to Nakamura when he spotted her, but he wasn’t able to use his voice. Am I nervous? Before he realized it, he was right behind the two. He watched as Izuku shuffled his feet against the concrete. Even from behind, the kid looked so worn and dejected. Shouta wanted to help him. He tapped Nakamura on the shoulder. She turned with wide eyes and Shouta felt bad for startling her. “Eraserhead? Is there a problem?” She looked worried. Shouta glanced down at Izuku, whose expression was blank. Shouta then had the sudden thought that the kid might not want to go with him. “I have an emergency foster license…” He started hesitantly. Realization flashed in Nakamura’s eyes, and she smirked at him. “Oh?” Shouta tucked his face in his capture weapon. Her smirk only grew. He chanced a glance at the kid again. He still looked out of it and dazed, but Shouta could see a bit of curiosity in his gaze. And a bit of skepticism. Shouta could work with that. That expression wasn’t an outright rejection. “So, you want to foster him?” Shouta had still been looking at the kid and it was subtle, but he saw a slight flash of disbelief and hope. His decision was made. “Yes.” He looked at Nakamura and her smile had become something more genuine. “Alright. Let me make a few phone calls. What is your case worker’s name?” She had already pulled out her phone and began punching in numbers.“Miyama Chiharu.” Nakamura had barely paused to let him answer. “You may not be able to take him now. Watch him for a bit?” She didn’t even give him a chance to say anything else before she walked away. He sighed and brought his attention back to Izuku. The kid didn’t make a move to sign anything. He just stared at Shouta. His expression was near unreadable. Shouta wanted to crack that wall. Well, he wanted to knock it down entirely, but he knew that would take time. He knelt down to Izuku’s level.“I hope you don’t mind. If you don’t want to come and stay with me, and would rather go back to Tanaka, then that’s fine.” Izuku watched him, his eyes calculating. They didn’t shine like how Shouta remembered. The kid seemed a lot more closed off now, but that was to be expected. It was worrying, but he could tell that the average person would not be able to identify Izuku’s expression as anything other than blank and emotionless. Anyone else would have a hard time helping this kid.  Or at least that’s what Shouta was telling himself to justify his impulsive decision.  Izuku shifted his weight onto his other foot and tilted his head. He lifted his hands slightly and signed something. Because the kid was somewhat hiding his hands, it took Shouta a minute to figure it out. You, ok. Shouta felt his heart swell with warmth. He asked permission to ruffle the kid’s head and Izuku tilted towards him. He took that as permission and lightly petted those green curls. Nakamura had walked back over. “Can I see proof of your licenses, please?” Shouta stood up and went to fetch what he needed. He felt a tug on his right pant leg and a small pressure followed. He looked down in surprise and saw Izuku lightly clinging close to him. Shouta felt an unidentifiable emotion. He stared at the kid before forcing himself to look away and continue with what he was doing. Nakamura looked over his licenses and took a few pictures of them. After a few minutes passed she smiled widely. “Alright, this checks out. Do you have a vehicle that we can transfer his stuff to or...?” Shouta blanched at that. Nakamura took on an amused look, which told him she knew the answer was no. “Where do you live? I don’t mind dropping you off on my way. I got to go all the way to Kyoto.” Nakamura’s tone got a little exasperated at the end. Shouta looked off to the side as he pictured a mental map.“I live in Shizuoka. Is that on your way enough?” Nakamura made a small face, but nodded her head.“It’s perfectly fine. Not too far out of the way. I don’t mind!” Before Shouta could say anything else, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He glanced down and saw Izuku’s head falling forward, only for him to jerk it back up a moment later. He shared a glance with Nakamura. 
Time to get him home.
  “At least you got the kid through legal means.” Hizashi dramatically put a hand over his heart and dropped his shoulders. Shouta rolled his eyes.“Yes, I got the kid through legal means.” He was sitting on the sofa, petting the cats, as he recounted his story to Hizashi. He had put Izuku in what was now going to be the kid’s room soon after Hizashi had stopped freaking out about the kid.  “I can’t believe you came across the little one again. And to think that he had ended up in a house like that…” Hizashi glanced towards the kid’s room sadly. Shouta looked as well. “At least we can help him now.” He hadn’t even gotten the chance to look at his file yet, but he knew that the kid had already gone through too much. He wouldn’t be able to view the file until he could get the kid under his normal foster license. Miyama had already sent him a text to let him know when they could meet tomorrow and work out everything. “Do you think he’ll remember me?” Hizashi sat up and leaned in close to his face. Shouta scowled at the closeness and flicked his friend’s forehead. He smirked at the pout on Hizashi’s face as he rubbed his ‘injury.’“Sho!” Shouta ignored him and answered the earlier question. “If he knew who I was when we first met and recognized me instantly this time, then I’m sure he’ll remember Present Mic as well.” Hizashi was still pouting at him, but he broke out into a grin. Then he gasped.“Oh my gosh! Shouta! We need to take him shopping tomorrow! He’ll be able to decorate his room!” Shouta rolled his eyes at Hizashi. Shouta had already told him not to waste time and money on decorating here, since he was planning on getting a place for him and Izuku. Of course, he was met with puppy eyes and somewhat sound logic about when the lease for their apartment would end. It was still a few months before the renewal, but Shouta still didn’t see the point of decorating the kid’s room now. But there was no stopping Hizashi, not even with the promise of getting to go all out for Shouta’s future house.“Sho! You know Nem is going to know by then and I won’t get free rein! Her opinions will butt in too much!”  Shouta had decided to stop arguing and just let his best friend do what he wanted.“Izuku’s probably not going to be up for that. We should let the kid rest for a bit and get familiar with the house.” Hizashi twisted his lip into a mock pout, but relaxed his face again right after.“You’re right. Shopping can come later.”  Izuku woke up confused. He opened his eyes, first expecting to still be in Fumiko’s room, but then was just confused that he wasn’t at the hospital. It took him a while to remember that Eraserhead had brought him to his house. Izuku sat up and hugged his knees. His throat was dry, and he wanted water, but he wasn’t sure what the house rules were. He was confused as to why he was even there in the first place. He cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the prickly feeling. It didn’t help. He stared at the door, debating if he wanted to risk going out. What am I afraid of… Eraserhead is a hero. He’s nice. Koharu had been nice at first, though. Izuku learned that not everyone is what they first seem to be. Could he really trust Eraserhead? He was a hero, but… But what if heroes weren’t what they seemed to be either? Izuku wasn’t sure what he would do if Eraserhead turned out to be a bad person. Izuku startled as the door slowly opened. Eraserhead slowly came into the room. When he saw Izuku was awake, the man opened the door all the way and smiled. “Hey, kid. Dinner is ready. Think you could eat something?” Izuku hugged his knees tighter and stared at the man. Eraserhead didn’t make a move to come any closer. And he didn’t seem to mind that Izuku wasn’t answering. Izuku took comfort in the thought and uncurled himself. He nodded his head. He didn’t actually want to eat, but he didn’t want to offend Eraserhead. “Alright. Come out when you’re ready.” Izuku resisted tilting his head in confusion as Eraserhead left, quietly closing the door behind him. Izuku blinked before he yawned. He slowly stood up and hugged himself. I should go out. He’s waiting.  Izuku hadn’t moved yet. He hugged himself tighter and continued to stare at the door. Izuku wasn’t sure what he was feeling. He wasn’t quite scared to go out, but he felt safer where he was. He didn’t really want to be alone, but he felt comfortable knowing that he was. He was confused. I need to leave. I don’t want to make Eraserhead mad at me.  Izuku took a step forward, only for his legs to immediately lock in place. Izuku swallowed and cringed when he felt the prickly feeling in his throat get worse for a second. He tried to walk again, but his legs wouldn’t listen. He wasn’t sure how long he had stayed standing and staring at the door, but he felt himself take a step back when it was knocked on. “Izuku? Are you ok?” The door started to open a crack and he could see Eraserhead slightly. Izuku looked down at the floor when Eraserhead opened the door more. “Kid?” Izuku swallowed again, but never looked up.Great… Now he’s going to be mad at me. Why didn’t I just walk out the door?  “Alright. Come on, kid. I’ll walk out with you. Will that help?” Eraserhead didn’t move closer to him, but he reached out a hand. Izuku knew he had the choice on whether he wanted to grab it. Izuku looked up and studied Eraserhead’s face. Izuku wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but eventually he took a small step forward and slowly reached out his hand. 
I can trust him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shouta knew that full-time parenting was going to be hard, especially when he was adopting a traumatized kid. Kids already take a lot of time and incredible patience and with Izuku, it was going to be double that. He was prepared to tackle the challenge with a few bumps in the road along that way, but he did not think that he would mess up so quickly.  Shouta knew Izuku was going to have a hard time trusting people again. It was a given, seeing what had happened to him. The kid was only five, but he had already been through one of the worst villain attacks in history - which took his mother away - and ended up getting adopted by a psychotic woman that used her quirk to control him for most of the month he was staying with her.  Earning the kid’s trust was what Shouta decided his first step as a parent should be. Hizashi had also agreed that trust was important and that he would do his best to keep the kid comfortable while they lived with him.  But Shouta had already failed, and it was only the first night.  Shouta had just coaxed Izuku out of his room so that they could eat dinner, but what Shouta failed to do was tell Izuku that he lived with someone else. Izuku had immediately ripped his hand away and froze in his tracks upon seeing Hizashi. Shouta felt horrible. 
How could I have forgotten to tell the kid that Hizashi was here? 
 Shouta didn’t know what to do. He turned around and got on his knees to be more level with the kid, but Izuku continued to walk backwards and close in on himself.  “Hey, it’s ok. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you. I wasn’t thinking. That’s my bad.” Shouta held out his hand palm up, hoping that Izuku would take it. He didn’t, but Shouta left it out in case he changed his mind. Shouta could tell that Hizashi wanted to come closer, but was keeping his distance for the kid’s sake. Hizashi was a lot better at reading situations than he was.  “Do you remember Present Mic?” Shouta asked gently. Izuku didn’t react as if he’d heard him. He just continued to dart his eyes back and forth between them. Shouta barely detected the fear signals he knew Izuku was feeling, but the distrust in his eyes came through loud and clear.  Shouta asked the kid something else, but again Izuku did not react to him. Shouta just sighed and sent a helpless look towards Hizashi. Hizashi sent him an equally helpless look. Hizashi looked away and bit his lip. Shouta watched him, hoping that the other man could think of something because he was drawing a blank.  Thankfully, Hizashi looked up with an idea written on his face. His expression quickly turned to hesitance, but he shrugged towards Shouta and walked closer. Shouta wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, but he would let him try.  “Hey there, little one. I’m going to go into your room for a second if that’s ok?” Hizashi had leaned down like Shouta was, but a little behind him so that Shouta was seemingly protecting Izuku. Izuku said nothing; he only stared. Hizashi waited for a moment before slowly standing. “I’ll be quick. Sorry for the intrusion.”  Hizashi disappeared into the kid’s room and returned shortly after. He had only been a few seconds, just as promised. Hizashi was holding something at his side, but Shouta couldn’t tell what. Hizashi got down on his knees this time and on the side of Shouta. Izuku took another step back, but Hizashi didn’t seem to mind. He just smiled gently and brought his hand up.  He was holding a Present Mic plush. Shouta watched the kid to see what his reaction would be. Izuku’s fingers twitched towards the doll, but otherwise, Izuku made no other indication that he cared. At least not at first. Hizashi held out the doll and Izuku’s eyes sparked with recognition. He hesitantly reached for it. Hizashi’s smile got a little brighter as Izuku slowly and gently took the plush.  “There you are, little one. Hey. My name is Yamada Hizashi also known as Present Mic when I’m hero-ing. It’s nice to see you again.” Izuku looked at Hizashi then looked down at the plush and then at Shouta before looking back at Hizashi.  Izuku waved towards Hizashi and took a few steps closer to him. Hizashi waved as well, but then Izuku signed. If Hizashi was surprised by this, he didn’t show it. Izuku signed it was nice to see Present Mic again as well. Shouta held back a chuckle at the fingerspelling of the hero name.  Hizashi signed something back, but Shouta decided to not invade their conversation. He slowly stood up and made sure that the kid was comfortable with that. Izuku didn’t even seem to notice his movements. Shouta walked towards the dining table to cover the food, but Hizashi had done that already.  A few minutes later, Hizashi was walking Izuku over to the table. Izuku’s little hand was wrapped around Hizashi while the man leaned down slightly so that Izuku could reach easily. There was a bright smile on his face and a neutral look on Izuku’s. Shouta wished he could see the kid smile, but for now, he gave Izuku one of his own as they sat down. It wasn’t until Shouta uncovered his plate and was about to eat that he had a thought. He glanced at the food and then at the kid.  
I hope the kid isn’t too picky. We should’ve asked what he wanted to eat… 
  
Alright! We seemed to have made it through half a day ok! This day hopefully will go just as well!
 Hizashi was the first up and was making breakfast for everyone. Last night went ok. After dinner, they put on a movie. Izuku had sat as far away from them as he could, but he watched the movie instead of going back to his room, so Hizashi still counted it as a win. The kid had let Cinnamon cuddle up to him, which was so cute. Hizashi had wanted so badly to take a picture, but held himself back.  Izuku slept through the night as well, which was great. Hizashi had been worried about him not being able to sleep or waking up from nightmares, but according to Shouta, Izuku had been fast asleep every time he checked on him.  Hizashi just finished decorating the omelets when Izuku’s room door squeaked open. Hizashi turned to give the kid a big smile, but couldn’t see him. Hizashi softened his smile and walked closer to the room door. He saw a crack and green curls peeking through. “Morning, little one. You can come on out. I just finished breakfast.” Izuku opened the door more and closed it behind him before shuffling forward. Hizashi returned to the kitchen.  “How was your night?” Hizashi kept his eyes on the kid in case he answered. A shrug was the only response he got, but Hizashi was going to take that as a win. Making progress with Izuku was going to be slow. Hizashi was going to be patient.  Hizashi said nothing else. He didn’t want to overwhelm Izuku with conversation, but Hizashi was fully aware that silence could be just as intimidating, so he started humming to fill it. He smiled brightly and gestured for Izuku to sit at the counter, and handed him a plate. It was his duty as Izuku’s new uncle to spoil him as much as possible. So, Hizashi had gotten up early that morning and bought a few children’s plates, bowls, and utensils.  Izuku didn’t really react to it and just slowly blinked at the plate. It took Hizashi a minute to figure out what was wrong. “Oh, you can go ahead and eat, kiddo! Imma eat mine right here and Sho can get his when he wakes up.” Hizashi, to prove his point, grabbed his own plate and sat on the counter, and started eating.  Izuku’s eyes widened for a split second, but because he was watching closely, that split second gave a small window to Izuku’s thoughts. Hizashi was amused by the confused horror and he wanted to make a joke about it. He wasn’t going to say anything, though. The time will come when they can laugh and joke freely. Instead, he just winked at the kid and made a show of taking a bite of his omelet.  Shortly after, Shouta came out of the room yawning and blindly reaching for something. That something was a coffee mug which Hizashi had already prepared and had it in his hand to meet the other’s. Shouta dropped his head on the fridge for a few seconds before he walked away and sat next to Izuku.  “Morning, kid,” Shouta said without looking at him. He just sipped his coffee and stared at the plate Hizashi just set in front of him.  “I’m not-” “Eat.” Shouta scowled at him briefly, but complied after a brief glance over to Izuku. At least Shouta agreed they didn’t want the kid to pick up bad habits. Hizashi noticed Izuku looked as though he were struggling to finish his plate.  “Hey, kiddo, are you done?” Izuku didn’t say anything and just stared. Hizashi patiently waited. Izuku glanced towards Shouta and he gave the kid an encouraging nod. Izuku stared at Shouta before turning his attention back to Hizashi. Eventually, Izuku nodded his head and pushed the plate closer to him. “Alright, great job.” Hizashi gave Izuku a big smile as he took the plate. He dumped the contents and placed the plate in the sink. He was going to wash it later. He turned back and found that the seat Izuku was in was empty. He looked to Shouta for an answer.  “He wanted to go back to his room.” Hizashi nodded his head. “Can you get me another cup?” Hizashi rolled his eyes. “You’re addicted.” He made another cup anyway. Shouta stuck his tongue out at him and Hizashi was so tempted to take the mug back. Shouta sensed his intentions and held on to the mug for dear life. Hizashi couldn’t help but laugh at the look in his eye.  “Don’t worry, I’m not going to steal your bean juice.” Hizashi took his last bite and tossed his plate in the sink.  “Good.” Shouta took a few more bites of his food and chugged the rest of his coffee. “What time are we meeting Miyama again?”  “One.” Hizashi stretched and walked over to the couch. Shouta decided after high school that getting a car would be a waste of money, so only Hizashi had one. Which meant he ended up driving Shouta almost everywhere. He didn’t really mind. Though truthfully, he didn’t want Shouta driving his car. The man had a driver’s license, but Hizashi had too much love for his vehicle to let just anyone drive it. That included his closest friends. “We’ve got about two and half hours.”  “Ok, I’m going to let the kid know.” Hizashi threw a thumbs up without looking back as he reached for the remote so he could watch the news.  “Hello, little Izuku! My name is Miyama Chiharu. It’s nice to meet you,” the lady in front of him said. Izuku stepped back closer to Eraserhead and hid behind him. Eraserhead’s hand hovered above his head and Izuku pushed his head up into it, giving permission.  It always brought him comfort when one of the heroes patted or ruffled his hair.  “Oh, sweetie. It’s ok. I need to talk with the adults for a bit. Why don’t we come over this way.” Miyama turned and walked towards a different room. There was an opening wide enough for a door, but no door was on the walls. “I have all sorts of fun toys and games for you.” Eraserhead moved forward, and that forced Izuku to as well. Izuku didn’t want to leave them, so he let go of Eraserhead and latched onto Present Mic instead. Izuku could tell that the man was trying to hold back laughter. He hoped Present Mic wasn’t laughing at him, though he didn’t really care at the moment if he was. “Come on, Little one. We will be right in this room. It will only be for a few minutes.” Present Mic also tried to get him to leave. Izuku shook his head, but then immediately panicked.  He wasn’t listening.  He needed to do what they wanted, or they might get rid of him or hurt him. Izuku didn’t want his heroes to hurt him.  He reluctantly let go of Present Mic and shuffled back to Eraserhead who was closer to the other room.  “It won’t be for long and we’ll be close by,” Eraserhead said. Izuku only looked down and nodded his head. Eraserhead gently guided him into the other room and Izuku had to admit, seeing all the toys made him a bit excited. He hadn’t played with actual toys in a while. Koharu had only let him play video games. Izuku stopped in his path to a basket filled with toys. Thinking of that woman made him feel... sad? He wasn’t sure. His feelings confused him. Eraserhead’s hand hovering over his head again stole a bit of his attention. Instead of pushing up like before, Izuku leaned over his entire body and rested against the man.  Eraserhead gave him a small smile and picked up a dinosaur toy. It was blue. Izuku watched as Eraserhead made roaring noises and walked the toy over to him. Izuku reached out to take it, and when Eraserhead gave it to him, he made the toy walk back to him.  “Good.” Eraserhead patted his head before he and the lady walked back into the room where Present Mic was. Izuku didn’t really like being alone, but he knew they wouldn’t leave him. He was safe now. As Izuku looked down at the toys, he thought back to his earlier thought about Koharu.  
I’m safe now. She’s not around anymore. 
 She’s dead. Izuku didn’t know what to think about that. Death. Kimi had explained death to him. When people die, it’s when you can no longer see them. It’s when they go to the happy place.  Izuku didn’t want Koharu to be in the happy place with his mom and dad. He wanted her to go somewhere else. Somewhere not happy. Somewhere where she could be as sad as she made him and Fumiko and Hayato and Takeo feel.  And Satoshi… She made Satoshi sad as well. Izuku wondered how Satoshi would be now that Koharu was gone. He hoped he got to be his true self now.  Izuku looked around the room and saw colorful seats. They didn’t have backs and kind of looked like rocks. Not to mention they were also different shapes and had different heights.  Izuku shrugged and sat on an orange one. It wasn’t too tall, but high enough so he could dangle his feet slightly.  He still had the dino in his hand, but he wasn’t sure what to do with it. He noticed a button on its back and pressed it. The toy moved and roared, and Izuku dropped it in surprise.  He jerked his head to the opening of the other room to see if he was going to get in trouble. But no one yelled at him. Present Mic just leaned his head over to peek at him, but he just smiled and gave him a thumbs-up before his head disappeared seconds later. Izuku relaxed and picked up the toy. He pressed the button again and this time, the toy only rumbled. After a while of playing with the dino, Izuku looked for other fun toys. He found tiny shapes that he could stack together and make different things with, and even logs he could stack.  He also found a remote-controlled car. It took him a while to figure out how to use it, but eventually, he got it and that was the toy that kept him entertained for the longest. He soon found a track that he could drive the car on. There was a turn on it that every time he moved the car there, it would fall off the track.  He nearly gave up, but then a hand was in his vision. He was mildly surprised, but tried not to show it. Present Mic was there with the big grin that Izuku was getting used to. “Mind if I try?”  Izuku looked at his hand, looked at the remote, then at the tipped-over car. He nodded his head once and allowed Present Mic to try. The man grinned wider, if that were possible, as he put the car in position. He stuck his tongue out as he moved the car forward.  Izuku never took his eyes off the car. He leaned in closer when the car got to the spot he was having trouble with. Present Mic moved his entire upper body as he steered the toy car around the curve. Izuku’s eyes widened as the car successfully made it around.  “Yeah!” Present Mic yelled out. It wasn’t too loud, so it didn’t scare Izuku, but honestly, Izuku was too focused on the car anyway. He wanted to do that. He looked up at Present Mic, who was already preparing to hand the car back to Izuku.  “Do you want me to show you?” he asked. Izuku bit the bottom of his lip and nodded his head a couple of times.  “Awesome! Ok, here. So…”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Even after he heard the door shut, Izuku made sure not to move a muscle. He knew he didn’t need to fake sleep, because he probably wouldn’t get yelled at if he wasn’t asleep by a certain time, but he was still scared. He really liked Eraserhead and didn’t want to disappoint him. Also, Izuku caught on to the fact that Eraserhead wouldn’t relax until Izuku was asleep. Izuku didn’t want to keep the man up, so pretending was the best option.  Finally deciding to open his eyes, Izuku rolled over and drank from the cup of water Eraserhead had gotten for him. Izuku sighed, staring at the wall. It was probably going to be the same as last night. He had faked being asleep a lot of the times that the hero had checked on him. And the times he was asleep, he had immediately woken up sensing someone coming to the door. He wondered why Eraserhead kept checking on him, but he figured he didn’t want Izuku causing trouble, so Eraserhead needed to make sure that he was asleep. Izuku quickly got out of bed and started digging through his things. Last night, while he was lying awake, he wished he had something to pass the time. He knew where his DS was, but he had been too scared to get up in fear that he would be caught. So tonight he decided to be quick and grab it just after Eraserhead put him to bed. It took him a minute to find the device, as it was buried in one of his bags that hadn’t been unpacked yet. Present Mic had helped him put a few items away after they had gotten back from the lady’s office.  
There it is!
 Izuku ran back to the bed and got under the covers. He waited a minute to see if anyone was coming to check on him before he turned on the DS. It was dead… Izuku huffed and stared at the ceiling. He could get up and see if the charger was in the same bag, but if he made too much noise, then the heroes might catch him and take the DS away. Izuku rolled over and decided to not risk it. But after a few seconds, he became restless.  
I’ll be quick.
 Izuku hopped out of bed and tiptoed over to where his bags were once more. As he passed the door, he listened to see if anyone was coming. “I found out he’s quirkless.” Izuku paused. He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but he wanted to keep listening now that he heard that. Izuku got on his knees and pressed his ear to the door. “Wow, that sucks.” Izuku heard Present Mic say, and he felt a little sting in his heart. “I know. I wish things were different.” That sting turned into a stab when he heard Eraserhead again. He felt like he wanted to cry. He pulled away from the door and blinked back his tears. He knew how to cry as silently as possible, but he would rather not.  He should’ve expected this. Eraserhead hadn’t known that he was quirkless before. That lady that they saw today must’ve told him. How could Izuku have been so stupid? Almost every family he had met with while he was with Kimi had turned him down because he didn’t have a quirk. The one family that didn’t...  He had gotten so caught up in the fact that his hero had wanted to keep him he had let his guard down. Now the hero was going to give him up. Not because Izuku was annoying or because he made a mistake, but because other people see him as worthless.  
Quirkless doesn’t equal worthless. Kimi-san said so.
 Izuku took a deep breath and shook his head. He didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. Kimi and Daichi were nice to him, despite knowing that he didn’t have a quirk. So that meant other people wouldn’t see him as worthless. Eraserhead was nice. Izuku listened to the conversation again to get a better idea of what the hero was thinking.  “I don’t know if I can raise him, Hizashi…” Izuku bit back a gasp and pulled away from the door again.  Eraserhead doesn’t want him anymore.  Izuku felt the tears come back, and he rested his head on the door. He couldn’t hear everything as clearly, but bits and pieces of the conversation were getting through to him.  “Reject him just because of his quirkless status.” Izuku didn’t want to listen. It was clear that Eraserhead was just like everyone else. However, he couldn’t bring himself to move. He was too sad. He couldn’t ignore the words he could hear. “...-is going to be a nightmare.” Eraserhead’s voice got quieter and subconsciously Izuku pressed his ear closer to the door to listen. Though he honestly just wanted to crawl back into bed and block out everything. “Woah, Sho. Slow your roll.” Present Mic’s voice once again came through a little louder than Eraserhead’s. It almost startled Izuku. The man kept talking, but Izuku didn’t want to hear his mom’s hero reject him as well. Present Mic had been really nice to him too. Izuku didn’t want to hurt anymore. 
I want Kimi-san.
 “I was stupid for taking him in.” That did it for Izuku. There was no mistaking what Eraserhead had just said. Izuku let the tears fall, but made sure not to sob. He didn’t want to let the heroes know he was listening. Eraserhead was already going to give him up. He already hated him, but he didn’t want the hero to be mad at him as well. “Shouta. Imma be frank with you. You made an impulsive decision to foster him.” Izuku stood. Present Mic didn’t like him anymore either. He didn’t quite know what some words meant, but it couldn’t have been good. “He’s probably the hardest type of child to parent. Personally, I think you are a bit of an idiot. I have no idea what you were thinking.” Izuku, as quietly as he could, sucked in a breath. He was going to ruin Eraserhead and Present Mic’s friendship. He didn’t want to do that. He walked towards the bed so he couldn’t hear anymore.  Though he remembered he didn’t just want to stare at the ceiling until he fell asleep like before. He walked back to where Present Mic had put his books. He didn’t feel like searching for the DS charger. Kimi told him he shouldn’t read in the dark, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want to think anymore.  “You made a mistake.” He heard Present Mic say as he passed the door again. They hated him now. All because he was quirkless. Izuku looked at his half-unpacked stuff. He was going to have to pack it up again. Present Mic would probably be annoyed that he wasted his time helping him.  He assumed that tomorrow Eraserhead would bring him back to the lady he met today. Izuku blinked back tears and decided that he would start packing up. He wasn’t tired, anyway. He would just have to hide in his bed if Eraserhead came to check on him.    Shouta collapsed onto the couch once Izuku finally went to sleep. They hadn’t done much that day for the sake of not overwhelming Izuku, but Shouta still felt drained. Just having the young boy around added that much stress to his life. It was only his first day of being Shouta’s son. 
Son…
 Though Izuku wasn’t officially adopted yet, Shouta had no intention of giving this child up. Izuku was his, and nothing was going to change that. Though Shouta worried that maybe he bit off more than he could chew after all.  Not only was Izuku a traumatized kid, but he was also quirkless. Don’t get him wrong, the knowledge of Izuku’s quirk status did not change Shouta’s opinion of the kid. But unfortunately, in their society, quirkless kids were going to have a rough time. Shouta was worried that he alone wouldn’t be enough to give Izuku all the care, love, and attention he deserved.  “Shouta, if you keep frowning like that, you’re going to get wrinkles.” Shouta blinked out of his thoughts and focused on the mug of coffee in front of him. He sent a thankful smile to Hizashi and took a sip, allowing the warmth to relax him. There was nothing better than the first sip of... hot chocolate.  “Hizashi…” “Is there something wrong, Shouta?” He slowly turned to look up at Hizashi and glared. The man’s tone told him that Hizashi had known exactly what he had done. Shouta said nothing and Hizashi sat down without looking at him. The other hero had smugness written all over his posture.  
Murder is wrong. Murder is wrong. Murder is wrong... 
 
...But only if you get caught.
 “Just be glad I didn’t give you decaf.” Hizashi turned his smug grin to meet his heated gaze. Shouta glared a little harder, but then rolled his eyes and took another sip of disappointment. Though he was glad it had some caffeine in it. “So what’s got you lost in thought?” Shouta sighed. He sent a glance to the kid’s room door to make sure it was still closed. It actually had been Shouta’s room, but he rarely used it except to hide when unexpected guests came over. Shouta almost just blurted out the answer, but then remembered that Hizashi didn’t actually know the same details about the kid. He hadn’t been allowed in the room when Shouta and Miyama started discussing things.  “I found out he’s quirkless.” Still, Shouta didn’t care to dance around the topic. He knew Hizashi wouldn’t judge or treat Izuku any differently. “Wow, that really sucks…” “I know. I wish things were different.” Shouta ran a hand down his face.  “He deserves better than how this society will treat him,” Hizashi said with a tinge of bitterness. He tended to raise his voice whenever he was upset, but Shouta noticed Hizashi had purposely lowered it. Probably so he wouldn’t wake the kid.  “I don’t know if I can raise him, Hizashi…” Shouta admitted. Even to his own ears, his voice felt softer than normal. His tone held more emotion than what he had wanted, so he talked quieter so that the emotion wouldn’t go through. Though his friend had long since figured out how to read Shouta’s emotions anyway so it didn’t really matter. Attempting to hide his feelings was for his own peace of mind, anyway.  “I mean, I’ve been on the end of discrimination before, but… There are so many schools that are going to reject him just because of his quirkless status. Especially as he gets older. Getting him into high school is going to be a nightmare. And what about after that? Depending on what he wants to do, he may get rejected from jobs because of it and-” “Woah, Sho. Slow your roll.” Hizashi put a firm hand on his shoulder and held it there for a second. “The kid is only five. There is no need to stress about the future. Besides, who knows how much will have changed in ten years? One day at a time, my friend.” Hizashi said nothing more than that, despite Shouta knowing full well he had more things he could say. Shouta had gotten his point, though. He needed no more words.  “You’re right. One day at a time.” Shouta took another sip of the hot chocolate as he noticed Hizashi nod his head in approval. “You don’t think I was stupid for taking him in?” Hizashi raised an eyebrow at him. Shouta knew that him being vulnerable was a rarity, but he needed to make sure he wasn’t going to ruin this kid’s future because he was a crappy father. Hizashi would be honest with him. “Shouta. Imma be frank with you. You made an impulsive decision to foster him. You’re a single man with almost zero experience dealing with kids long-term. Not to mention because of the trauma and life he may have to face, he’s probably the hardest type of child to parent. Personally, I think you are a bit of an idiot. I have no idea what you were thinking, especially because you didn’t discuss this with anyone before you showed up one day with the kid.”  Shouta hid a wince. He knew Hizashi would be honest, but he didn’t expect the brutality.  “However, do I think you made a mistake in bringing him home? Absolutely not. You met that kid for a reason. You found him again for a reason. And if there’s anyone I know that can raise this child right, it’s you. And even if I didn’t think that, it doesn’t matter. You made the decision to foster him, so stick with it and punch anyone who tries to say you made a mistake.”  Shouta snorted at his friend’s quiet passion. No doubt if there wasn’t a sleeping kid in the apartment, they would’ve had to replace the windows again. Shouta sighed with a small smile on his face and shook his head.  “Besides,” Hizashi spoke again with his normal tone and excitement. “You won’t be alone in this. I’m going to be the best uncle figure you ever met! And I’m sure Nem is going to say the same for the aunty position.” Shouta groaned at the thought of how much those two were going to spoil his kid.  
Oh well, the kid deserves it.
    The next morning, Shouta had been the first one awake. He decided he wanted to get a head start on looking for a house for him and Izuku. He figured once Izuku was awake, Hizashi would want to take the kid to the store so he could decorate his room. The kid had plenty of toys and clothes, so that wasn’t an issue.  He wouldn’t put it past Hizashi to still shop for those things, however.  He took a sip of his coffee and continued scrolling through the listings. He had been searching for what felt like hours. The process annoyed him, but he also didn’t want to be scrambling to find a place once their lease ended.  “Morning, Sho! You weren’t up all night, were you?” Hizashi glanced over his shoulder. “Ooh. I like that one!” He leaned over Shouta’s shoulder and touched his laptop screen. Shouta batted his hand away in annoyance.  “I slept.” He answered dryly, while closing his laptop.  “That’s not a very comforting answer. Hizashi made his way into the kitchen and started on breakfast. “Any requests?” Shouta closed his eyes and rolled his neck. “Nah. you know I don’t eat in the mornings.” “Well, too bad. Sho, you have a kid now. Please be more responsible with your meals. He’s gonna need a healthy diet. And no, a healthy diet is not jelly packets and takeout.” Hizashi fussed. Shouta rolled his eyes, but he knew his friend had a point.  
I guess I should start cooking more…
 Shouta knew how to cook a few things, but he hardly did since Hizashi loved to cook so much. But now that he was moving out, he couldn’t rely on Hizashi. He decided he would make dinner that night. Just to make sure he still knew how to function in a kitchen.  Shouta stared at the tv. The news was on, but he wasn’t really watching it. He was also mentally trying to plan out how the day would go. “Sho?”  “Hm?” “Wanna wake the kid? Food’s almost ready.” Shouta yawned and walked over to the kid’s room. He knocked on the door and waited. After a few seconds, he slowly opened it. He walked in and scrunched his brows.  The kid wasn’t in the bed.  “Izuku?” There wasn’t an answer. Shouta scanned the room, looking for signs of the kid. He noticed a foot poking out from the other side of the bed. Shouta walked over and knelt down. The kid was asleep on top of a few boxes. Shouta smiled. He assumed the kid must’ve woken up at some point and started unpacking.  Shouta called out Izuku’s name a few times, but the kid didn’t move. Shouta debated leaving him asleep until he woke up on his own, but Hizashi would fuss at him if he let the kid sleep too long. He really didn’t want to shake the kid awake, though. “Izuku? Breakfast is almost ready.” He tried one more time just using his words, but it was pointless. Shouta sighed and gently touched the kid’s shoulder. When there was still no reaction to the light touch, Shouta lightly shook him. Finally, the kid’s eyes twitched and his head turned. Shouta backed away in hopes of not scaring him. “Izuku? Time to wake up, kid.” Izuku slowly opened his eyes and then shot up in a panic. Shouta’s heart sank. “Hey, kid. It’s ok. You’re safe.” Izuku at first didn’t seem to hear him, but showed recognition to the room. He somewhat calmed down and looked over at him. “Sorry for waking you like that. Wanna eat?” Izuku just blinked and stared. Shouta waited patiently, but the kid made no move to do anything. Shouta figured he would be less open to communication just after waking up. “Alright. Well. Whenever you are ready come on out, ok?” Shouta waited once again to see if the kid would respond, though he figured he wouldn’t. After Shouta shut the door, he sighed.  
Parenting is going to be really difficult.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Since Hizashi was so eager to decorate Izuku’s room, Shouta had finally agreed to a brief shopping trip. So, once the kid finished his breakfast, he sent Izuku back to his room to get ready. Shouta heard the sounds of dishes clanking together and walked to the kitchen with a sigh. “It’s my turn for dishes. What are you doing?” Shouta motioned his hands, shooing Hizashi out of the kitchen. Hizashi smirked at him. “Aw! Look at you trying to be responsible. Dadhood is already influencing you.” Shouta rolled his eyes. He shoved Hizashi towards his room and ignored the man’s cackling. Shouta shook his head and picked up where Hizashi left off with the dishes. Once he finished that, he plopped back onto the couch and scrolled through house listings. He had been doing that so much he swore all the houses looked the same. Who knew picking a house would be so hard? Twenty minutes later, Hizashi came out dressed and ready to go. “Alright, your turn.” Shouta stretched and made his way to Hizashi’s room. He was thankful that Hizashi offered space for Shouta’s things since the kid has his old room. It wasn’t until Shouta closed the door that he realized Izuku hadn’t come out yet. He figured the kid was going to wait in the room until it was time to leave. 
Did I tell him where we were going?
 Shouta shrugged off the thought and resumed getting ready. He wasn’t picky about what he wore when he went out, but he didn’t feel like hearing Hizashi fussing about him needing to put more effort into his appearance. He decided to not wear one of the many jumpsuits that he used for his hero costume and instead picked out one of the random shirts Nemuri had bought for him and a pair of sweatpants. 
I’ll just glare at him if he still fusses at me for not wearing jeans.
 As Shouta continued getting ready, his thoughts wandered. He wondered which house they would end up moving into. He wondered what Izuku’s true personality would be like once he was able to recover from his trauma and break out of his shell. He wondered if he’d be a good enough dad to help the kid. He wondered if Izuku would ever view him as a father. He also wondered how he was going to tell Nemuri that he had a kid. 
I hope the adoption process doesn’t take too much longer.
 Shouta set the hairbrush down and prepared himself to be judged by his friend. He walked out into the living room and noticed that Hizashi was standing in the doorway to the kid’s room. Shouta assumed that the man was checking the kid to see if he was ready to go, but then Hizashi turned to look at him. Shouta paused at the hesitant and conflicted look on Hizashi’s face. “What’s wrong?” Shouta moved closer and Hizashi stepped to the side. Shouta looked worriedly in the room. At first, he saw nothing wrong, but he noticed the closed-off look on Izuku’s face and the backpack on his shoulders. Shouta gave the kid a confused look and took in the rest of the room. Most of the stuff that had been previously unpacked was packed up or on the floor, waiting to be packed. Shouta thought back to the state he found the kid in that morning and realized that Izuku had been repacking and not unpacking. He felt his heart drop a little at the implication. He didn’t want to freak the kid out, so he kept himself neutral. If Izuku didn’t want to live with him anymore, then that was fine. It’s best that the kid stayed where he was comfortable. Shouta walked more into the room and knelt down. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hizashi leave, most likely to give them privacy. “Hey, kid.” Izuku hadn’t looked up since he entered the room. Even now, the kid was keeping his gaze towards the ground. “I see you are all packed up. Wanna tell me what that’s about?” Again, the kid didn’t make a move to answer or show that he heard him. Shouta sighed, and Izuku shrank back a bit. Shouta mentally berated himself. He resisted sighing a second time and instead sat all the way down. “If there’s something I did, could you please tell me so I can fix it?” Shouta waited to see if Izuku would answer, but the kid still didn’t move. “Do you not want to live with me anymore?” Shouta asked as gently as he could. He hoped asking the direct question would lead to some kind of answer. He tried not to let any disappointment seep into his tone. Izuku finally looked up at him. Izuku lifted his hands and Shouta felt relief that the kid was finally going to say something. He kept himself calm, though, not wanting to startle the kid and cause him to close off again. Shouta could only guess what Izuku was about to sign, but the two words he did nearly shattered his heart. 
Quirkless. Unwanted.
 Shouta wasn’t sure if the kid was asking or making a statement, but either way, Shouta hated whatever the kid was thinking. Shouta wanted to know what he did to make the kid think he wasn’t wanted anymore, but Shouta knew better than to question. Right now, he needed to clear up the misunderstanding. “Izuku. Look at me.” Izuku instead looked down again and took a step back. “It’s ok, kid.” Shouta changed his position so that he was sitting on his legs. Izuku looked up at him hesitantly. “Izuku. I don’t care that you are quirkless. I still want you to live with me.” Shouta allowed the emotions he felt to come out in his tone. Izuku’s eyes widened. It lasted no longer than a second, but that’s all Shouta needed to see to know that the kid somewhat believed him. And then… And then the kid had tears streaming down his face. Shouta’s own eyes widened for a second, but he quickly morphed his expression into something more open. Izuku’s expression was still neutral, but the way he was wiping at his tears told Shouta that he was desperate for them to stop. Shouta needed to show his kid that it was ok to express emotion around him. He opened his arms, letting the kid know that he had the choice to hug him or not. Izuku stared at him. And stared, but eventually, he took a step forward. He paused right in front of Shouta and signed a question. Shouta smiled gently and nodded his head. “Yes, kid. I mean it.” And Izuku walked into his arms. Shouta waited until Izuku’s arms wrapped around him before he did the same. Shouta nearly cried himself when he felt Izuku’s hands ball into his shirt. Shouta sat back against the wall and pulled Izuku into his lap. The kid adjusted along with him and buried his head into Shouta’s shoulder. Izuku ended up falling asleep. Shouta nearly did as well, but Hizashi had peaked his head in to check on things. “It got a little quiet, and I was wondering if you guys were ok.” Shouta smiled slightly at the kid in his arms. He tried to stand without waking the kid, but the position he was in made that difficult. Thankfully, Hizashi saw his dilemma and gently took the kid from him. They both held their breath as Izuku shifted, but he didn’t wake up. Hizashi set him on the bed and tucked him in. Both men watched him sleep for a moment and then exited the room. “He hasn’t been sleeping,” Shouta said after he shut the door to a crack. He made his way over to the couch and collapsed onto it. “He thought I didn’t want him anymore because he’s quirkless.” Hizashi sent him a heartbroken expression. “That poor kid.”   Shouta nodded his head. “He went through a lot of rejections because of his lack of a quirk. So it makes sense that he jumped to that conclusion.” Shouta rested his head back and stared at the ceiling. He let out a sigh. “Sorry, we had to put off the shopping trip.”  “Oh, shopping can come later. The little listener’s feelings are way more important.” Hizashi looked mock offended at Shouta’s apology. Shouta smirked, and then it became a more genuine smile. He thought back to how he handled everything. 
Maybe I can do this.
   When Izuku woke up Shouta had decided that it still wasn’t a good time to take the kid shopping. Hizashi had agreed and instead, they watched a movie. They mainly ate snacking foods and fruits for lunch, but Shouta felt it was fine to spoil themselves a bit. Though Hizashi was more reluctant to agree.  Izuku sat far on the other end of the couch, cuddled with the cats again. Shouta couldn’t help but occasionally take quick glances in their direction because of how cute the scene looked. Though Shouta found himself once again wishing he could see the kid smile. Soon enough the movie ended and Izuku signed asking to go to the restroom. He and Hizashi shared a look. “Of course, kid.” Shouta’s heart broke once again, imagining what the kid had to go through to feel the need to ask permission to relieve himself. Just what kind of woman was Ishikawa Koharu? What all had she put this kid through? Shouta fully expected Izuku to stay in his room once he finished, but to his surprise, the kid came shuffling back into the living room and tentatively sat down on the couch. The cats moved to make room for him again. Izuku’s eyes kept flicking towards Hizashi. Shouta was about to say something, but it seemed like his friend had picked up on it.  “What’s up, little listener?” Hizashi spoke softly, but it still seemed to catch Izuku off guard. Izuku glanced away and didn’t make a move to sign anything. Hizashi was patient though and never let his attention leave Izuku. Eventually, the kid looked up again and signed. He was asking if Hizashi knew where his DS charger was. Shouta for a second wondered why Hizashi was the one he asked, but then he remembered Hizashi had initially helped Izuku unpack. “How about we unpack your things? That way, we’ll know for sure where everything is.” Hizashi seemed to pick his word choice carefully so that Izuku wouldn’t think that he was upset about having to unpack his stuff again. Shouta knew for a fact that packing was an annoying task, but neither he nor Hizashi minded having to do it for the kid. Izuku didn’t have much of a reaction. He just stared for a moment and then nodded his head. The three of them made their way to Izuku’s room. Shouta figured he could help speed things along this time. “Ok, Izuku. How about you take these boxes here and put them away?” Hizashi slid over the boxes that Izuku had tried to repack himself. Once again, Hizashi was being careful not to sound as though he was upset. And since Izuku was already familiar with where those could go, he would, in theory, be more confident in helping pack his stuff away.  Shouta was slightly jealous of how easily Hizashi could handle Izuku. Though, he knew that Hizashi had way more experience in dealing with traumatized kids, or just any kids for that matter, for longer periods of time. Hizashi sent him a knowing look and a wink. Shouta rolled his eyes, but he appreciated his friend’s support.   Shouta began helping unpack the clothes. Once everyone got into a rhythm, everything went smoothly. Midway through unpacking, Hizashi jumped up and started playing soft music. Once the music played, Hizashi seemed to relax. Shouta huffed a laugh at Hizashi’s need to have some kind of noise at all times. He got fidgety if silence stretched on for too long.  Though Shouta had to admit, with the music in the background, things seem to run a lot smoother and faster. Even Izuku seemed more relaxed. The kid was slightly more comfortable placing items on his own and then asking for approval. Of course, his method of asking was just staring one of them down until they noticed and nodded. But progress was progress.  Shouta watched the kid debate where he should set certain stuffed animals and hero plushies on his bed. It was adorable the way he would set one down, stare at it for a bit, and then move on or change its position if he approved or not. When he approved, he would nod his head once before moving on. Shouta figured the kid hadn’t realized he did that, but it was too cute and Shouta thought his heart would melt.  Hizashi gently nudged his side with a smirk and Shouta hardened his expression to avoid further teasing. Hizashi mouthed the word, “softy,” and Shouta for what felt like the hundredth time rolled his eyes. Shouta focused on his task of putting things away. He lost track of time and by the time he got out of the zone of his movements, everything was nearly put away. Hizashi also seemed to have just finished up. There were only two boxes left. One held a few posters, mainly All Might themes. 
This kid is going to give me constant headaches with how much he adores that hero.

The other box was the one Izuku was currently working on. Though now that Shouta was looking at him, he noticed that the kid stopped moving. His back was to them and he was sitting on the floor, staring down. Shouta felt concern rush through him and he took a tentative step towards the kid. He wanted to ask if he was ok, but didn’t want to startle the kid or make him think he did something wrong. He looked to Hizashi for help, but the blond only smiled and walked out of the room. He felt mock betrayal, but also he knew he needed to figure out the whole parent thing on his own. He couldn’t let Hizashi handle everything with the kid or he would end up being his dad, leaving Shouta to be the awkward uncle. He took a deep breath and knelt down next to Izuku. Before he could ask what was wrong, he noticed Izuku was holding a piece of paper. “Hey, kid.” Izuku flinched and pulled the paper close to his chest as if he were protecting it. Shouta just gently smiled and waited for the kid to relax. Izuku analyzed his face and then relaxed. Though he was still somewhat guarded. The paper never left his chest. “Whatcha got there?” Shouta asked. He wasn’t sure if he would get a response or not. Though to his surprise, Izuku set the paper face down in his lap and signed the word for family. Shouta immediately saw a blurred image of Midoriya Inko flash through his mind. He could barely remember what she looked like now. The only thing he truly remembered about her was her hair color and her general frame. He was surprised he remembered her name, though he supposed since he never forgot Izuku, his mother’s name attached to him. “Do you want to show me? You don’t have to.” Shouta wasn’t sure he should ask, but whatever was on the paper seemed important to the kid. Izuku looked away from him for several seconds before he slowly nodded his head. He picked up the paper and held it to his chest again. Shouta was about to remind the kid that he didn’t have to share if he didn’t want to, but then he held the paper out to show him. Shouta didn’t show that he was taken back by the number of people in the drawing. He just smiled and complimented it. Izuku relaxed further and Shouta counted that as a win. Izuku looked down at the paper again, as did Shouta. He was impressed by the five-year-old’s drawing skills. It wasn’t perfect, but it was much better than what Shouta could do. Shouta was really curious about who was in the picture. He wondered who the people were that Izuku considered his family. He knew Izuku didn’t have any other biological relatives and there were too many for it to be the Ishikawa’s. The only answer that made sense was the Tanakas who he first lived with after the villain attack. Though from the brief overview he was given by Miyama, Tanaka Kimi and her husband only had one kid. 
Who are the other three?
  Though, logically, it made sense that the family housed other kids along with Izuku. Shouta stopped analyzing. Shouta gently asked for the picture. Izuku was hesitant to give it to him, but it seemed Shouta earned a bit of trust and the picture was in his hand in no time. Izuku’s eyes never left it though. Shouta walked over to the desk and grabbed a tack. He picked what he thought would be a suitable spot on the wall and placed the picture there. Before he pinned it he turned and asked Izuku if he liked it there. Izuku with wide eyes nodded his head.  After he pinned it, Shouta took a step back and watched the kid. This was the most expressive his eyes had been since Shouta met him at the hospital. Izuku’s lip twitched up a bit as he continued to stare at the picture. Unfortunately, no smile grew on his face, as Shouta had hoped. 
Baby steps.
  Shouta was satisfied with the kid no longer having such a guarded and dull look in his eyes. He could be patient for the smile he knew would light up the room.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

It had been a few days since Izuku came to live with him and Shouta thought things were going well. Every day, Izuku became more and more expressive and communicated a little more comfortably. Shouta always had to hide a smile whenever he noticed the kid doing something without asking first. 
 When Shouta handed Izuku his breakfast that morning, he had been pleasantly surprised that Izuku hadn’t waited for permission before he began eating. That was one of the many frustrating trauma habits the kid had and Shouta couldn’t have been happier to see another one disappear.
 Shouta was extremely grateful that Izuku was starting to feel more comfortable around them. He couldn’t wait until he could fully see the bright, energetic boy he knew Izuku was.
 Shouta heard the clink of metal against glass and turned to look at the kid. Izuku had his plate pushed away from him and he was looking at Shouta nervously. “Finished?” Shouta asked while already in motion to take the plate. Izuku nodded his head in response.
 After he put the plate in the sink, Shouta chugged the rest of his coffee. Once he was finished he left the kitchen and turned the tv on in case Izuku wanted to watch something. He found Izuku really liked to watch tv. Being a kid, that was normal, however, Izuku would never touch the remote.
 Hizashi or Shouta would frequently have to ask if the kid wanted the tv on or wanted to change the channel. It was another sad trauma habit the kid had, but thankfully one that was already being changed. Last night was the first time Izuku initiated asking if Hizashi could change the channel. Shouta decided to test those limits a little more. He turned to the kid who had been trailing behind him and offered him the remote. Shouta hoped Izuku would take that as permission to use the TV as he wanted, but Izuku only stared at it. Shouta pulled the remote back to him, not wanting to push the kid too much.
 “Alright, kid, what channel?” Shouta asked gently. Izuku made a contemplative face. Then his eyes trailed over to Hizashi’s movie collection. “You can pick out a movie. I’ll get the DVD set up.” Izuku hesitated, but then tentatively walked over to the movies and scanned them. Shouta watched for a moment and then did as he said he would.  
 It only took a few moments for Izuku to pick one out and soon Shouta was putting the disk in the DVD player, waiting for it to start. Once it did, he set the remote beside Izuku and walked over to the kitchen. He wanted more coffee. Though once he saw the pot, he frowned, as it was already empty. He sighed.
 Before Izuku had woken up that morning, Shouta had made a phone call to Miyama. He felt it was appropriate to get Izuku into therapy. Because he was only fostering Izuku, he had to go through his caseworker to see if Izuku qualified. Once his qualification was confirmed, Miyama would choose from the therapists their agency provided. 
 Shouta hadn’t exactly liked the idea of not having control over who Izuku saw, but he trusted Miyama enough. And as expected, Izuku had indeed qualified for therapy and Miyama told him she would send him the therapist’s contact information once they approved everything. So now he was just waiting for that. 
 After brewing another pot of coffee, Shouta looked at more house listings. He had a few narrowed down already, but he wanted to keep checking, just in case. He glanced over at the kid and smiled at how engrossed he was in the movie. Shouta couldn’t help but think how great the day had started.
 Of course, that meant something had to go wrong.     “Present Mic!” a little girl called out. Hizashi was in the middle of his patrol. Thankfully, so far, there had been no signs of villain attacks. Hizashi loved slow days. Slow days meant he could interact with his fans more. 
 He waved the girl and her mom over, giving permission to speak with him. He appreciated the mom waiting for permission. A lot of fans would just crowd him and bombard him with requests for autographs and pictures. It could get overwhelming. 
 “I can’t believe it’s you!” Hizashi chucked as the girl jumped and wrapped her arms around his neck. He caught her with ease. 
 “Hinata!” her mother scolded, likely embarrassed. Hizashi hugged the girl for a moment more before he gently set her down. “I’m so sorry, Present Mic!”
 “It’s quite alright, kids are enthusiastic creatures by nature. And it’s always nice to know how loved I am. It means I’m doing something right.” He smiled brightly. The mother relaxed. 
 “Well, I can see why my kids are such big fans of yours. My older boys are going to be so jealous when I tell them we ran into you.” 
 “This is why they shouldn’t have turned down shopping with you, Mom! It’s what they get.” The girl folded her arms and huffed. Hizashi smiled at the cuteness. 
 “Why not a picture for further bragging rights?” He leaned to the girl’s level and whispered teasingly. The girl gasped and looked at her mom for permission. The mom smiled and pulled out her phone. Hizashi picked the girl up again and rested her on his shoulders. She giggled loudly and Hizashi smiled at the camera. 
 Once the mom lowered her phone, Hizashi lowered the little girl. She gave him another hug before running to her mom’s side. “Bye, Present Mic! Thanks for the picture!” He smiled and waved bye as the pair walked off to continue their shopping. Hizashi watched them for a bit before sighing happily and continuing his patrol. 
 “You always seem so happy after interacting with fans.” Hizashi turned at hearing Nemuri’s voice. 
 “Midnight! Hi!” She caught up with him and they walked together. “Are you patrolling this area, too?” 
 “Nah, I’m on lunch and wanted to come back to the cafe up here. It has the best coffee cake I’ve ever had!” She clapped him on the shoulder. “So, what do you say? Wanna join me?” 
 Hizashi thought it over. His shift was ending soon anyway, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble to bump it up. “Sure, why not?” He sent a quick text to his manager, letting her know he was stopping early, and headed to the cafe with Nemuri. 
 When they walked inside, Hizashi wasn’t surprised to find it was hero-friendly. There were multiple sectioned-off cubicles for privacy. That meant they could talk freely. 
 “It’s been a while since we last talked. How’s it going?” Hizashi asked as they sat down. He took off his speaker and rolled his neck in relief. He both cringed and relaxed at the popping.
 “Fine. Fine. I’ve mainly been working.” Nemuri rolled her eyes. She rested back against the booth and folded her arms.
 “How ‘bout you?”
 “Same. Nothing that exciting. Just work. Oh! My radio show gained a thousand listeners yesterday, so I guess that’s exciting.” He smiled proudly.
 “Good for you!” Nemuri smiled. Both of them stayed quiet for a moment, enjoying the sounds of the slightly busy cafe around them. Hizashi took a minute to look over the menu since it was his first time there. Soon someone came to take their order. 
 Nemuri happily gushed about the coffee cake as she ordered. Hizashi kicked her under the table so that he could order as well. Once the lady left, Nemuri glared at him and Hizashi stuck his tongue out. Nemuri rolled her eyes and kicked lightly kicked him for payback. They laughed at their antics and Hizashi peacefully stared out the window for several moments. 
 “So not to bring the mood down, but I’ve been curious.” Nemuri suddenly spoke, her tone a tad regretful. Hizashi raised an eyebrow. He placed the menu down and gave Nemuri his full attention. Her eyes were downcast, and it worried him slightly. “I know that you’re probably not allowed to talk about it, but I wanted to ask if there’s been any breakthrough in the case from the incident half a year ago.” Nemuri looked at him with a serious gaze. 
 Hizashi grimaced at the reminder. He slid a hand down his face and sighed. That was not what he was expecting her to bring up. “Well, like you said, I’m not really able to discuss it.” Nemuri nodded in understanding. “But, unfortunately, no. We haven’t found anything. The case is cold.” 
 “For real?”
 “Yep,” Hizashi answered somberly. Silence passed between them for several seconds. Hizashi wasn’t sure what else to say. He couldn’t openly share details of the case, and it wasn’t like he had much information in the first place. Though even the little details he did know were more than that of the heroes that weren’t involved. They were kept entirely in the dark about it. Nemuri likely didn’t even know which villains were a part of the attack. 
 Hizashi wished he could give a better answer. He wished that the case being cold was a lie to cover up the fact that they couldn’t discuss it, but he told the truth. It was like the villains had disappeared entirely. What scared him most about not having information was not knowing what the villains had been planning and what they were going to do next. 
 He hated having so many unknown answers to the many questions that incident brought up. He sighed.
 At least Izuku’s safe.
 Hizashi was taken out of his thoughts by the lady returning. She placed their coffee and sweets on the table with a cheerful, “Here ya go!” In an attempt to not spread the tension, Hizashi smiled flirtatiously and winked at her. She blushed and smiled. She giggled slightly behind her hand as she backed away. 
 Hizashi dropped the act the second she left and stared at the painting of the beach on the wall next to him. Nemuri took several sips of her coffee. Hizashi sipped his own. At first, he couldn’t taste it. He was far too concerned with the memories playing in his head. Though as time stretched on, the flavor of the coffee finally reached his taste buds. He had to admit; it was delicious. 
 “So, who’s Izuku?” Nemuri questioned. Hizashi nearly choked. Nemuri should not know that name. Where did she hear it from? Did Hizashi mumble about the green bean at some point? 
 Shouta’s going to kill me. 
 “Hizashi?” Nemuri’s eyes narrowed. 
 “Huh?” Hizashi asked intelligently. He scrambled to find a cover-up, but a smirk spread across Nemuri’s face. 
 “Hizashi. Who’s Izuku? And don’t lie.” Hizashi groaned at the teasing tone. There was no escaping this. He once again tried to rack his brain for an excuse, but to no avail. He resigned himself to his fate.
 “He was a kid that was involved in the attack.” Nemuri dropped her smile for a second. 
 “Oh.”
 Hizashi hoped that the conversation would end there. He felt bad about plummeting Nemuri’s mood again, though she seemed distracted as she took a bite of her cake. She hummed happily and gave him a piece to try. Again he had to admit it was rockin tasty. He would have to come back to this place. 
 “Half a year later…” Nemuri eyed him suspiciously once more. Hizashi felt mild dread form in his stomach. “how are you so sure that this Izuku is fine, hm?” She leaned forward, pointing an accusatory fork at him. Hizashi was stuck. Nemuri would not drop it without an honest answer and he still couldn’t come up with a decent lie on the spot. 
 “Ok, fine. I’ll tell you.” He relented. “But you have to promise to not freak out.” Nemuri’s eyes sparkled. He was going to regret this. 
 “Tell me everything, now.” She folded her lips and shimmed her shoulders in excitement. Hizashi sighed. The information would’ve reached her, eventually. Hizashi was just going to have to explain why she hadn’t been told sooner than this.
 “Shouta may have gotten a fostering license and is now housing him.” He decided to just rip the bandaid off. Nemuri blinked.
 And then she squealed loudly. “I have a nephew!” Then her smile dropped, and she looked at him in betrayal. “I have a nephew.” She said, acquisition underlying her tone. “I’m going to meet him right now!”
 “No!” Hizashi panicked as Nemuri stood up. “You can’t!”
 
Shouta is definitely going to kill me.
    Just as Shouta finished preparing lunch, he received a text from Hizashi. He ignored it, thinking it was going to be something stupid. If it was important enough, he would’ve called.
 “Izuku, lunch is ready!” Shouta waited a few moments to see if Izuku would come out of his room. When he didn’t, Shouta left the food at the bar and knocked on the door. “Food’s ready.” he listened to see if he could hear movement through the door. He didn’t and sighed. 
 He really didn’t want to wake the kid if he was sleeping. 
 Shouta opened the door a crack and noticed Izuku sitting on the floor with the magnetic foam blocks Hizashi had picked up from the store. Shouta opened the door fully and crouched down. Izuku still didn’t notice him. “Hey, kid.” 
 Izuku’s attention snapped to him. There was fear in his eyes for a second, but then recognition sparked and it was replaced with a guilty look. Shouta figured out recently that Izuku felt guilty anytime he had a negative reaction to something Shouta or Hizashi said or did. 
 Shouta would make a comment on it now, but they had done that song and dance multiple times before. Izuku’s guilt never lessened and only increased. Shouta could only hope the therapist could curb that mindset because he wasn’t having much luck.
 “Lunch is ready.” He said again, confident that he’d be heard this time. Izuku bit the corner of his lip and nodded his head slowly. Shouta stood and let Izuku walk out first. The kid hesitated, but eventually shuffled forward, looking at him the whole time. Shouta gave him an encouraging smile, but Izuku came to a stop at his side. Shouta’s eyes softened, and he offered his hand. Izuku took it with brief hesitation and they walked towards the table together.
 Izuku sat down while Shouta grabbed his plate from the bar and sat in front of him. Izuku stared at the plate and then stared at him. Shouta then grabbed his own and sat across from the kid. They ate in silence, mostly. Izuku wore a cheerful expression as he ate, so Shouta knew he liked the food. His cooking wasn’t as good as Hizashi’s, but he’s glad the kid liked what he made. 
 Just as Shouta finished up his plate, there was a knock on the door. Shouta narrowed his eyes and looked at the kid. Fear had returned to his eyes. With disappointed frustration, Shouta checked his phone. It wasn’t often that he or Hizashi had guests over. Nemuri and Tensei occasionally stopped by, but they always called or sent a message first. 
 He read the text from Hizashi and scowled at his phone.

Loud Idiot
Please don’t be mad. I might’ve let Izuku’s existence slip to Nem… Sorry!

Shouta rubbed a hand down his face. Well, now he knew who was at the door. He was a little upset at Hizashi’s carelessness, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now. Nemuri must’ve run straight there before Hizashi could explain the sensitivity of Izuku’s case. 
 There was another knock and Shouta ignored it and instead sent a quick text to Nemuri telling her to leave them alone and that he would explain later. He glanced at the kid. Izuku was tense and his eyes kept darting between the door and his room. Shouta sighed. He could see from where he was sitting how fast Izuku’s heart was pumping. 
 Shouta crouched down in front of Izuku’s chair. The kid looked up at him with guilt and fear mixed in his gaze. Shouta was glad to see that the kid wasn’t too panicked. “I’m not going to answer it, alright. I know you don’t want to meet any people right now.” Izuku relaxed at his words. But then there was more knocking, louder this time, and that startled Izuku. The kid leaned forward and tapped his head on Shouta’s chest. 
 Shouta rubbed his back, gauging his reaction. Izuku leaned closer, so Shouta continued. The knocking became more persistent, so Shouta sighed and picked Izuku up. He did his best to hide his scowl from the kid. Does that woman not know how to read!?
 He walked Izuku over to his room and set the kid on the bed. “I’m going to tell them to go away.” Izuku pinched his sleeve and turned his face away. Shouta’s eyes softened as he gently pried Izuku’s fingers off. “I’ll be right back.” Izuku still didn’t fully release his grip. “I promise.” 
 Izuku relented and buried himself under the covers after grabbing his Present Mic and All Might plushies. Shouta watched him for a moment before the knocking persisted for too long for his liking. He closed the room door behind him and angrily stalked over to the front.
 “I swear to God, if you don’t stop pestering me right now, I’m going to dangle you from the roof of the building with my capture weapon. If you want to talk with me, call. But you are not coming into this apartment. It’s too soon for Izuku to meet people, so buzz off.” Shouta said to the closed door with gritted teeth. He knew he could be heard from his proximity and volume. He also knew the kid couldn’t hear him. Unless he was eavesdropping.
 I hope he didn’t hear me. He would probably think I was serious.  
 Shouta’s words weren’t anything either of his friends hadn’t heard him say before. And Nemuri knew him enough to not take offense. That was just how he talked to them if they were being extra annoying. It had been that way since high school. 
 They knew he meant none of his threats, and he was never really that upset with them when he made them. His friends never pushed his boundaries too far and if they did, Shouta just talked with them about it. It was illogical to get upset unless said boundary was already communicated and ignored multiple times. 
 Sure, he was annoyed at Hizashi for being careless, but this was their normal. Though even for Nemuri, showing up without a text or call was unusual. Shouta figured she didn’t since Hizashi had texted him. 
 Thankfully, the knocking didn’t continue after that, so Nemuri got the hint. He decided instead to call her so he could fully explain the situation. Shouta pulled out his phone and felt his heart plummet to his feet.

Miyama Chiharu (Caseworker)

I’m here for a visit.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shouta cursed under his breath. He completely forgot that Miyama could unexpectedly drop by. He ran a hand down his face and sighed. He looked down at his phone once more, foolishly hoping that he had imagined the message.  Naturally, it was still there. He took a deep breath, attempting to hold on to the fleeting calmness he felt. But the playful threat of the words he said attacked his mind, and he cringed. He placed his face in his hands and sighed.  Why didn’t I double-check first…?  Shouta threw his head back and then stared at the door. He shouldn’t keep her waiting for too long. He let out another sigh. Pushing down his embarrassment, he replied to her message, apologizing and saying he would be there soon. He walked to the kid’s room and quietly knocked twice. He waited a few moments and then opened the door. Izuku looked at him with nervous eyes. He nodded his head letting Shouta know he could enter.  “Hey, kiddo.” Shouta started gently. He felt bad having to tell the kid they had a guest after assuring him he would let no one in. “Do you remember the lady we met the other day? We went to her office, and you played with the toys she had in the back room.” Izuku tilted his head slightly and then hesitantly nodded. His eyes shone with slight suspicion.  Perceptive kid.  “She’s stopped by to check on you.” There was a flash of panic in the kid’s eyes and Shouta hurried to soothe him. “You can stay in here for now,” Izuku relaxed slightly, but his guard was still up. “But I wanted to let you know since she’ll want to speak with you at some point.” Izuku’s eyes dropped to the floor as he frowned, but nodded his head in understanding.  “I’ll come get you when it’s time.” Shouta watched as the kid slowly and nervously nodded again. He felt a pang at the clear dread in the kid’s demeanor. Shouta wished he could say something else to ease the kid’s worries, but he knew no words would help. Instead, he quietly closed the door and headed to the front.  Just as he reached to unlock the front door, his embarrassment returned. He sighed again and huffed a quiet and bitter laugh of regret. He shook his head. Miyama had been waiting long enough. He took a deep breath and relaxed his face, hoping it conveyed his apologetic nature.  God, what is she going to think of me now…?  He hesitated slightly as he reached to unlock and open the door. He had barely opened it a crack when Miyama’s stern voice flooded his ears.  “Do you always threaten people that come to your door, Mr. Hero?” Miyama raised a judging eyebrow, barely sparing him a glance before she shoved past him into the apartment. Shouta winced. He cleared his throat and thought about how to explain.  “My apologies, Miyama-san. It’s rare for me to have anyone knock unless it’s a friend, so I was expecting you to be someone else.” He put as much sincerity into his tone as he could. Miyama still hadn’t looked at him, nor had her hardened expression changed. She simply gave a suspicious hum.  She began inspecting the apartment. Shouta swallowed thickly as he watched. He wasn’t sure what to do. Never had he felt this awkward in his own house. He shifted uncomfortably as the room grew hot. He quickly glanced at the A.C. even though he knew that wasn’t the problem. He could feel his heart beating in his chest. He wasn’t unfamiliar with anxiety, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed the feeling.  His throat was suddenly parched, and he had to resist clearing it. He was tempted to grab water from the kitchen, but Miyama’s presence had his knees locked in place. He could feel the waves of judgment rolling off of her. He knew it was illogical, but at that moment, it felt that if he breathed wrong, she would mark it against him.  The air she had about her was a stark contrast to the gentle and comforting nature she had when they had first met and the interactions after. If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought her a different person.  The unintentional threat he had said before echoed in the back of his brain. He inwardly cringed and shook it away. He couldn’t help but wish Miyama would finish with her inspection quicker. Their apartment wasn’t that large, so he figured she was taking her time on purpose. If her intention was to cause his nerves to rise more than what they already were, it was working.  After what felt like decades, she sat finally down at the table. Shouta stiffly followed suit. Miyama continued writing a few things down. The sound of the pen scratching the paper was far louder than it should’ve been. Shouta thought that sitting down would help to calm his nerves, but Miyama’s continued silence and unchanging expression had him resiting bouncing his leg.  Miyama looked up at him and Shouta felt his back straighten. She stared at him far longer than he was comfortable with. Finally, she cleared her throat. “Let’s get down to business.” Miyama’s demeanor hadn’t changed, but Shouta could feel the atmosphere lighten slightly.  Only slightly.   Regardless, he was glad that the silence would finally be filled with something other than the awkward tension. He nodded his head and relaxed his shoulders.  “I’m still waiting on a return call from the agency to tell me which therapist is available, but it shouldn’t be too much longer.” Miyama shuffled papers around and then tapped her pen against her notebook. “How has Izuku been doing in your care?”  Shouta took a quick glance at the kid’s bedroom. “I believe he’s made good progress in the days he’s been here. He openly expresses himself more and takes some initiative to do simple things without asking. He still hasn’t spoken or truly smiled, but I’m confident we’ll get there.” Miyama marked a few things down. Shouta was still unnerved by her change in attitude. “Great, great. And have you been taking any steps to getting him ready to go back to school?”  “I… haven’t, no,” Shouta answered honestly. The thought hadn’t crossed his mind. He just figured Izuku would go back to school the next school year. He felt a spike of worry. Was he supposed to be educating Izuku in some way? Miyama made a humming noise with barely concealed judgment. Shouta felt his shoulders tense again.   “What does a day in your house typically look like now that you have Izuku?” Miyama’s tone held a subtle discontentment.  Shouta struggled to find his thoughts. “I train and take care of any business that may need attending to before the kid wakes up. Then afterward I wake him and make breakfast.” Miyama nodded her head and cut him off with another question.  “Has he been eating, ok?” Miyama asked.   “At first, he would force himself to finish what was in front of him, but he’s slowly learned that he can stop after he’s full.” Miyama marked in her notes once more and prompted him to continue. Shouta wanted to look away from her judging gaze. “Well, there’s not much else that’s noteworthy. Izuku will either watch tv, play on his ds, or with the toys he has for the rest of the day. With breaks for lunch and dinner, of course.”   Miyama hummed again as the displeasure in her features deepened. Shouta tried not to read into t. He wasn’t very successful. “And your night routine? What time does Izuku typically go to bed?” It took a minute before Shouta could answer.   “He normally goes to sleep between nine and ten-thirty.” Miyama nodded her head. “He takes a bath every night and typically plays on his DS until he falls asleep.” Miyama’s frown returned, and she glanced up at him and sighed. Again Shouta told himself to ignore it. If he didn’t, he would lose hold of the calmness he was desperately grasping.   “Does he sleep all night?”   “There are times when he gets up in the night, but I believe he’s gotten a full night’s sleep the past couple of nights.” Miyama made a sarcastic, noncommittal response. Shouta couldn’t help but give in to the urge to fidget nervously. It seemed everything he had said was something Miyama disproved of. And if she didn’t approve of him then-  Stop. Don’t think about it. Not now.  Miyama was silent for several moments. Shouta wasn’t sure if he appreciated it or not. He focused on the irritating sounds of pen on paper to stop himself from acknowledging unwanted thoughts.   “Going back to his meals. What do you typically feed him?” Miyama asked, breaking that suffocating silence. It took several seconds for Shouta to find an answer through the fog in his brain.   “I make sure to balance out his meals based on the nutrition he needs as a five-year-old.” Miyama gave a puzzled look. Shouta played over his words again, but couldn’t find any reason for her confusion. If anything, what he said should’ve been reassuring. “You mean six-year-old?” Miyama’s gaze sharpened as her eyes narrowed.   For a moment, all Shouta heard was the static in his brain. And then the words registered. He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to remember if at any point he received information that Izuku was no longer five. He couldn’t find one.  “Aizawa.” Shouta tensed at Miyama’s tone. “Izuku turned six last month.” Shouta felt a stab in his heart. How did he not notice that? He had made sure he studied the kid’s file back and front multiple times. There was no way he would’ve missed the fact that Izuku had turned six before he was even in Shouta’s care. Shouta couldn’t help but feel slightly ashamed. All the thoughts he had been trying to ignore suddenly flooded his mind. He knew that parenting was going to be difficult, but he had thought he had been getting the hang of it.  You didn’t even know the kid’s age…  From the moment he had received that text from Miyama, Shouta felt more and more incompetent as a parent. Based on how much Miyama was frowning, he knew he had failed. He had taken those classes so that he would be ready for a kid, but he obviously wasn’t. How could he take care of a kid when he didn’t even know their age? What else had he done wrong? Before Shouta could spiral any further, he heard keys jumble in the door’s lock.   Hizashi was back.  Shouta could help the relieved sigh he let out. Hizashi might not be able to take part in their conversation, but just having the man there took pressure off of Shouta’s chest.  “Sho, Izuku! I’m back!” Hizashi walked into the living room and dropped his bag that held his hero costume. “I managed to convince Nemuri not to come over, but she’s-”  He looked up and paused at the sight of their guest. “Oh, Miyama-san. Nice to see you!”  “Can’t say the same for you,” Miyama spoke with polite coldness. Instantly, the room felt like ice. Her eyes had darkened significantly and there was open shock and disappointment in her expression. Shouta’s nerves spiked once more.  Hizashi’s cheerful demeanor fell, and he sent a concerned glance towards Shouta. Hizashi made his way over and took a seat by his side.  “I’m sorry. What seems to be the problem?” Hizashi turned on his professional switch. He spoke as if he was dealing with an upset civilian or the annoying press. Miyama huffed and ran a stressed hand down her face.  She sighed. “I’m guessing you live here, then.” Miyama gave them a deadpan look.  Oh.   Hizashi’s head slowly turned to look at him, an incredulous look in his eyes. “You didn’t tell her we were roommates?” Hizashi asked, exasperated. Shouta felt too defeated to react properly. Hizashi turned to Miyama. “Yes, I live here. I’m deeply sorry you weren’t informed sooner.”  “Well, yes. That is a mandatory question that should have been filled out on the form.” Miyama eyed him accusatorily before she flipped through her papers.  “I apologize.” Shouta started, finally finding his voice. “I recall including Hizashi as my roommate, but I must’ve made an error somewhere.” Shouta dipped his head into a shameful bow. The room was tense. Shouta couldn’t help but fear he made too many mistakes.  Was she going to take Izuku from him?  “Error is not something that can be excused when it comes to the life and safety of a child, Aizawa.” Shouta suppressed a flinch. “Between your clear short temper when I first arrived,” He couldn’t stop the small wince that time. “the lack of knowing the age of the child in your care,” Shouta felt another stab to his chest. “your error of not mentioning other members living in the house holding the child, amongst other things, I can’t say I have much faith in your ability to properly care for Izuku.”  Shouta felt a rock settle in his stomach. He knew Hizashi’s eyes were on him, but he didn’t turn to face it. Shouta felt hollow. He knew he was inexperienced, and he logically knew there were things he could do better, but the number of mistakes he made must’ve been far greater than he thought. He felt his heart crack at his next thought. I’m going to lose the kid.   “Miyama-san, I understand that Shouta may have neglected some details but-” “With all due respect, you are in no position to discuss anything with me. I’m going to ask you to please leave the room.” Shouta could tell that Hizashi hesitated, but eventually, he headed for his room. There was a beat of silence, and then Miyama sighed. Her tone was suddenly exhausted.  “You as well, Aizawa. I need to talk with Izuku now. Do you mind if we use the balcony?” Miyama asked as she made a move to go to Izuku’s room. Shouta didn’t hesitate to block her path. His body had moved before he could think about it. “Shouta, what-” Hizashi looked at him with wide eyes. Shouta cut him off. “I’m sorry for my rudeness, Miyama-san, but I told Izuku that I would be the one to get him when it was time for you to talk. He would feel most comfortable with that. Please allow me to send him to you.” Shouta tried to stay polite but firm. He may have messed up in other areas, but Shouta would not let Izuku be uncomfortable with anything.  Miyama’s offended look melted away to a calculated blankness. “Alright,” she relented.  “Thank you.” Shouta relaxed and knocked on the door twice. He waited a few moments and opened the door to a crack. “Can I come in?” he asked, as he always did. He waited for Izuku to nod and then walked over. He left the door open a crack, figuring Miyama wouldn’t appreciate it if he closed the door. “Miyama-san is ready to talk with you. You up for it?”  Izuku looked down at his fingers and shook his head, but stood out of bed, anyway. Shouta got on his knees and held out his arms. Izuku shook his head, so Shouta nodded and kept his distance. “It’s going to be alright, bud. You don’t have to answer anything that makes you uncomfortable, ok? Miyama-san will respect that.” Izuku looked up at him with pleading eyes. Shouta resisted sighing. “I won’t be able to sit with you, but that’s ok. I’m not going to leave the apartment, alright? Miyama wants to talk on the balcony. If it makes you feel better, I’ll make sure you can see me through the window.” Izuku nodded his head.  Shouta hoped Miyama would actually let him. There was a chance he would hear or see what they were discussing. Though he wasn’t planning on listening to her, even if Miyama told him no.  Izuku grabbed his hand as they made their way out of the room. Hizashi wasn’t in the living room anymore, so Shouta figured he went to his. Miyama smiled brightly at Izuku. “Hey, there, friend! Wanna talk with me for a little bit. We can go on the balcony and get some fresh air, yeah?” Her voice was soft but sweet. It differed greatly from the stern tone she had talked with him in.  Izuku took a step closer to Shouta. Miyama smiled gently, crouched, and reached out her hand. “It’s alright. He can stay in the living room. That way you can see him the whole time, ok?” Izuku lifted his hands and asked if she knew how to sign. Miyama answered in JSL saying that she knew a little. Then she grabbed a colorful notebook that had hero stickers in it. “We can use this just in case, though.”  Izuku’s eyes sparkled a little, and Shouta smiled. He let go of Izuku’s hand and gently encouraged him forwards. Izuku hesitantly grabbed Miyama’s hand. She looked at Shouta. “We’ll only be a moment.” and then they went outside. Izuku looked back at him every chance he could. Shouta slowly moved to the chair they had in the corner. He was still in Izuku’s sights.  While Shouta was waiting, he did his best to keep any unwanted negative thoughts away. He’d rather think about the worst-case scenario when it happened. Right now, he needed to make sure he sent a reassuring smile to Izuku whenever the boy looked for him.     “Alright, Izuku, tell me. Do you like it here?” Chiharu slid a pencil closer to the kid in case she couldn’t understand his signed answer. Izuku only stared at it for the longest time, but Chiharu was patient. He eventually ignored the pencil and pulled out a pack of crayons.  Chiharu watched him with curiosity as he opened the notebook and drew. She knew that drawing was how he communicated with his last caseworker, so she left him be. While she waited, she decided to process and get a head start on organizing her notes. Despite how it may seem, Chiharu actually really liked Aizawa. He was inexperienced, but what new parent wasn’t? Her demeanor and attitude while talking with him was a mask she wore whenever she did house visits for new families. Especially hero ones.   It was cruel the mind games she played on hopeful families, but it was her job to make sure that kids would end up in a loving environment. Chiharu had been in this business for some time now. In her years of experience, the number of her children that ended up in neglectful and abusive situations was significantly less once she began putting on a persona.   If the parents came to hate her, so be it. She could sleep well at night knowing that all the kids under her care were safe.  The only thing that truly haunted her was the number of times she’s had to remove kids from good foster families because of mistakes. Of course, little things could be overlooked and were, more often than not, consistent across the board. But there were many mistakes that couldn’t be ignored. And unfortunately, a lack of information of all the occupants in the household was a reason for license suspension or even termination.  Of course, all the gathered information on families was taken into consideration and factored into the final decision. Often, that information overrules the mistake. But heroes were held to a higher standard when it came to children in their care. There had been too many cases where heroes only wanted a child for their quirk and abused or neglected their needs. In their case, it was also protocol to go back through all the systems to ensure nothing was lost if an issue like missing information occurred.  Foster and adoption paperwork was not checked over or approved by Chiharu. She only received transferred copies from a different department in her agency. A lot of the other departments hated doing backtracks and would simply pin the blame on the family.  If that happened, she would be forced to remove Izuku from Aizawa’s care.  Chiharu was pulled from her thought when she heard something sliding on the table. She looked down and saw Izuku pushing a torn-out page from the notebook to her. She smiled and carefully picked it up. Her eyes soften when she saw the picture. It was a rough drawing of Aizawa, Izuku, and two cats. One cat was standing at Izuku’s feet and the other was resting on Aizawa’s shoulders. Despite the picture being low quality, it evoked a feeling of warmth. It was a rushed artwork, but Chiharu could still see the care Izuku put into it.  I can use this!  No matter the outcome of the missing information, Izuku’s answers to her standard questions would be vital to the outcome of his case. Because Izuku was nonverbal, they would use his drawing as proof that Aizawa was providing a good home life.  Though Chiharu was worried that it wouldn’t be enough. Izuku still needed to answer her questions favorably. If there was anything remotely negative or concerning that Izuku signed or wrote, it would be that much harder to- “I-”  It took every ounce of willpower Chiharu had not to gasp in shock. She ever so slowly glanced up at the kid. He was staring off to the side and biting the inside of his cheek. Miyama waited with bated breath. For a moment she doubted what she had heard but- “I-I” Izuku reached for his throat and coughed. Miyama sat back a looked at him in amazement. She tried to keep her expression open and neutral, but she could feel the ends of her lips creeping upwards.  Izuku was trying to talk. He coughed again, and Miyama could see disappointment and frustration in his eyes. It was barely concealed by the twist of discomfort on his face. Miyama was about to encourage him or even let him know it was ok to not push himself, but he finally spoke the words he wanted to say.  “I w-want to st-stay.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shouta closed the door behind Miyama and rubbed his temples. That had been way more stressful than it should’ve been. He made his way to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.  Izuku had gone straight back to his room after he finished talking with Miyama. The caseworker had said nothing to Shouta, but her more cheery attitude remained even after the kid was gone. She had given him a smile and a wink before taking her leave.  Shouta wasn’t sure what to make of it.  His only theory was that her sudden change in attitude had been a test of some kind and her dropping the act at the end meant he had passed. It may have been a stretch, but Shouta hoped it wasn’t.   
“I can’t say I have much faith in your ability to properly care for Izuku.”

Shouta took a sip of his coffee as he mulled over those words. He had messed up. He knew this. He just wasn’t sure where or how, and that thought scared him. He’s grown attached to the kid. He always knew there was a chance that he wouldn’t be able to adopt Izuku, but in his mind, it had been a slim one.  Part of Shouta wanted to blame his own father. He had left before Shouta was even born, so he never got to meet him. He wasn’t sure what being a father should look like. But he couldn’t use such a cop-out excuse. That would be foolish on his part and further proof that he shouldn’t have a child in his care.  He may not have known his father, but his mother was there for him every step of the way. She was a single mom who had to raise a baby all on her own and she never complained once.  She worked hard to make sure Shouta had as normal of a childhood as possible. Shouta never felt affected by his lack of a parent because his mother had done an amazing job playing both roles. He wouldn’t be who he was today if it wasn’t for her.  
When was the last time I talked to her?

And with that thought, Shouta didn’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call his mother. He doesn’t know why he never thought to ask her for advice sooner. He probably could’ve avoided making as many mistakes if he had just asked for help. Or even just told his mom he was looking to adopt a kid.   He waited patiently as the phone rang in his ear and was rewarded with his mother’s sweet voice. “Well, would you look at that? The boy does remember he has a mother.”  “Hey, Mom.” Shouta smiled slightly at her teasing tone. He still felt a little bad about the time that had passed since he last spoke with her.  “I hope you didn’t call me just to tell me you’re dying.” He could hear the smirk in her tone. Shouta rolled his eyes.   “I’m not dying. But I started fostering a child and am looking to adopt him.” Shouta had always been the type of person to cut right to the chase. He debated just spending time talking with his mom before he got to the reason he called, but he was his mother’s son and she wouldn’t have appreciated it.  “You did not get married without inviting me to the wedding.”  “There was no wed-” “You eloped!?” “No, Mom. I’m not marri-” “Well, why not!? I’m not getting any younger!” Shouta sighed fondly. No matter what the conversation was about, his mother would always find a way to make about his relationship status. He ignored his mother as she continued to rant for a few more minutes.  “Well, whatever. At least I have a grandkid. You’re taking good care of him, yes?” His mother was still teasing him, but Shouta couldn’t help the spike of guilt that went through him. When he didn’t respond, his mother continued, leaving the teasing behind. “What’s wrong?” “I think… I think I made the wrong decision.” It pained Shouta to say so, but- “I don’t think I can be a good father.” The silence that followed his sentence weighed heavy.  “What makes you say that?” his mother finally asked. Her tone was so gentle. He couldn’t help but feel like he was a little kid again. He could feel the loving embrace from his mother as he cried, asking her why everybody thought he was a villain. He could feel her gentle hands caressing his head. He could smell the clay on her hands from her work earlier in the day. And he could hear the gentle hum of her voice as she soothed his worries.  Shouta brought himself out of his memories and explained. He couldn’t share details about why he had Izuku, but he told as much as he could to give her a general idea of the nature of his case. He shared what he had been feeling since he first brought the kid home, talked about Izuku’s progress, and finished with the earlier visit from the caseworker.  “Sounds like you bit of quite a lot, kid.” His mother chuckled. She stayed quite a few moments after, likely processing everything he said and figuring out how to respond. “You are an idiot.” Shouta huffed a laughed. Of course, that’s what she says first. He had concluded that on his own that you very much. “Shouta, there isn’t a single parent in this world who hasn’t felt what you are right now. No parent is perfect first try. God knows I wasn’t. You haven’t done a single thing wrong. Nothing major, anyway. You’ve only had the boy a week and some time. It’s perfectly ok that you’ve operated on his time.”  Shouta took in his mother’s words, and a weight was lifted off of his shoulders. He wondered if one day he could take away all of Izuku’s worries with just a few sentences.  “However, working on his time had passed. You need to step into your role as a dad.” He could hear his mother moving pots and plates, so he figured she was making something. What he would do to eat one of his mother’s meals right now. “You haven’t been spending enough time with the boy.” Shouta winced. Her sharpened tone cut him at his core. He wanted to argue her point. He had spent every meal with the kid. They also watched movies together almost all the time. But before he could cut in, his mother continued. “I used to take you outside and play with you whenever you asked me. Even when you couldn’t understand what I was doing, there were stars in your eyes whenever you were able to watch me work. Even when I was in the kitchen, there you were hovering at my feet.” Shouta smiled briefly, remembering what his mother was talking about. “Try that with Izuku. He might enjoy watching you train and if not, that’s ok. Or let him watch you cook, he might like that. What’s most important is that you find a physical activity that you both enjoy, even if it’s just a simple walk outside.” Shouta made a mental note to find something that the kid would like.  
Maybe I could color with him?

“Next. Kids need to be active. You let that boy have way too much screen time, Shouta.” Shouta winced again as his mother scolded him. “Honestly, kids these days only want to stay inside and play those brain-melting video games. And these lazy parents let them! I ought to…” Shouta pulled the phone away from his ear as his mom went off on another tangent. It wasn’t directed at him, anyway.  
I guess I have let Izuku watch tv and play on his ds a lot, but what else is there to do? Izuku’s case is delicate and I don’t want to push him too far too soon.

“It’s ok, to push him out of his comfort zone, son.” Shouta hadn’t realized he had placed the phone back to his ear and had spoken aloud. “Yes, his case is delicate, but you can’t keep him in a bubble forever. He won’t be a kid forever.”  Shouta knew that logically, but as his mom said, it had barely been two weeks since he started fostering. Would Izuku be ready? Guess there was only one way to find out.  “You said you were getting the boy therapy?” Shouta hummed in response. “Then you can wait and see what they say, but I still recommend trying to bond with him. I bet his progress will be tremendous.”  “But, how?” Shouta thought of coloring, but that could only take them so far. He guessed he could let Izuku watch him cook, but Hizashi was still that main cook in the house. And Shouta couldn’t see any child enjoying watching training.  “I’ve already given you options to think on.” He could practically see his mom rolling her eyes. “What was your favorite thing at bedtime?”  Shouta scrunched his brows in confusion. He thought over her question, but he couldn’t figure out what she meant by it. He hated going to bed when he was a kid. He always preferred to stay up and play or watch tv. So he always threw fits when it was time and the only thing that would calm him was- 
Oh.

“You used to sing me to sleep.” His mother had the voice of an angel. No matter what, whenever she would hum or sing, his stress would instantly melt away. And she always chose the perfect lullabies that would put him to sleep in no time.  “Exactly!” “Mom, you know I can’t sing.”  “Then read to him. Read him a book before bed. It’s a great way to bond and he’ll sleep a lot better than if he just played on a device before bed.” Shouta supposed that made sense.  
But…

“But even if I do this, it won’t matter if Miyama takes him from me.” Shouta played over her words another time. She had been very displeased with him, so there was a good chance- “Oh, don’t you worry about that. Nothing you did would warrant getting the kid taken. Not even the missing paperwork. It wasn’t your fault and if any tries to blame you, just threaten to sue. Your aunt is a lawyer, remember?”   That he did. His aunt was a force to be reckoned with. When Shouta was younger, he always hid whenever she came over for a visit because he was terrified of her. He hadn’t seen her since he graduated from U.A. and he planned to keep it that way.  Though in a legal battle, there was no one else he wanted on his side.   “Besides, I’m sure the boy wants to stay with you. I raised a good man, Shouta. Don’t go doubting his capabilities.” He could hear the fond smile hi smother was wearing, and he knew he wore one to match. “Thanks, Mom.”   “It’s what I’m here for. Well, I’ve got dinner to cook for a work party. You let me know when I’m able to meet my grandson, alright?”  “Of course, bye.” Shouta heard the phone beep indicating the dead line and sighed. He took a sip from his mug without thinking about it and regretted it instantly. It was cold. He sighed and set his mug on a warmer before making his way to the couch.   “Is it safe to come out now?” Hizashi’s voice came from behind him. Hizashi plopped on the other side of the couch. “That your mom?”  “Yeah, I wanted advice.” Hizashi only hummed in response and silence filled the room.  “So what did Miyama-san mean by short temper?” Hizashi asked curiously. Shouta groaned at the reminder. His embarrassment returned and Shouta buried his face in his face as he responded. Hizashi chuckled. “Sorry Sho, I didn’t catch that.” Shouta groaned again, a little louder. He moved his hands from his face. “I saw your text and assumed Nemuri was at the door when I heard knocking. Kid got scared, so I jokingly threatened her by accident.” Shouta sank into the couch as Hizashi began cackling.  “Sho! I can’t believe you didn’t check first!” Hizashi stopped laughing after and sighed. “I hope you explained to her-” “Of course, I explained.” Shouta huffed. He would never live that down. Hizashi laughed again and Shouta couldn’t help but feel a small smile grow on his face. Hizashi’s amusement at the situation was contagious.  After a while, Shouta remembered something and his mood dropped again. He sighed again for the millionth time. “Izuku’s six.” “... what? Since when?”  “Last month apparently.” Shouta grabbed his laptop and looked for the saved file with Izuku’s information. He quickly read it over.  
His birthday was a week after the Ishikawa’s adopted him.

Shouta found the portion of the documents he was looking for and pulled his eyebrows together. Izuku was listed as five years old. Shouta did the math from Izuku’s birth year until then. Miyama was right. Izuku was six. Shouta quickly typed an email to Miyama and attached the file to her. Just as Shouta closed the document, he noticed who the information had come from. Nakamura Kaori. 
… That makes sense.

Shouta shook his head. He would cut that young woman some slack, though. She had to deal with a lot being assigned as Izuku’s caseworker while he was with the Ishikawa’s.  “Sho! We have to throw him a birthday party!” Hizashi’s voice wobbled. Shouta glanced at him with a raised eyebrow. “Don’t judge me! Not having a proper birthday is sad. Especially for a kid…” Shouta understood where Hizashi was coming from, but throwing the kid a part may be too much for him right now. Though it wasn’t like they would have a bunch of people over. And the only kid they knew was Tensei’s younger brother.  
Mom did say it was ok to start pushing boundaries.

“It can’t be a surprise party. I’ll need to make sure Izuku will be up for it. More than likely, it’ll just be us, Nem, and the Iida brothers.” “Ooh! Tenya is about Izu’s age! Aw! He would get to make a friend.” Hizashi bounced in his seat. Shouta already knew of all the plans Hizashi was making in his head.  “It might be better to introduce him to at least Nemuri first. That way, he wouldn’t be too overwhelmed with new faces.” Shouta said as a thought. “Well, she’d find a way to be at our door within an hour of telling her that Izuku was ready to meet her, even if she was overseas.” Hizashi laughed. Shouta rolled his eyes, knowing that Hizashi wasn’t exaggerating. 
I’ll discuss it with his therapist when he gets one. That way, I’ll know for sure if it’s a good decision at the moment. 
    Heeding his mother’s advice, Shouta decided to read to Izuku that night. Though now that it was actually the kid’s bedtime, Shouta hesitated. He felt way out of his depth here. 
It’s just reading Shouta, you know how to do that.

He watched as Izuku hopped into his bed and then gently tucked him in. Izuku gave him a confused look, which he had expected. Shouta normally watched the kid from the door after all. Izuku didn’t seem bothered, though, so Shouta figured that the change was welcome.  He couldn’t help but feel a little awkward, though. He had never done something like this before. He was just trying to copy what he remembered his mom doing. Izuku looked relaxed though, so Shouta must’ve been doing something right.  “Night, kid. As always, I’ll be on the couch if you need anything.” Shouta made sure the night lights were on before he turned off the lights and headed for the door.  And then he stopped in his tracks.  
I forgot…

“Um… I mean.” Shouta slowly turned on his heel and stared at the books. He glanced at the kid, who was eyeing him curiously. “Do you want- Do you mind-” Shouta sighed and ran fingered through his hair. He was worried about how to phrase the question. “Book?” he pointed to the self and asked before his brain could catch up with his actions.  He blinked and then snorted at himself. Great, he was embarrassing himself in front of the kid. He put his face in his head and shook his head. While trying not to laugh.  Then he heard laughter, and his heart jumped.  He slowly lifted his gaze to the kid, and Izuku was covering his mouth. His eyes were shining with amusement and a tinge of worry. Shouta stared in awe for a moment, not knowing how to react, but then he sent the kid a smile as warmth blossomed in his chest. Izuku slowly lowed his hands and Shouta felt a burn behind his eyes.  
Finally.

Shouta wasn’t sure what he was feeling at that moment. It was small, oh so small, but it was there. Shouta could barely see it, but there was no mistake. There was a slight up curl to Izuku’s lips and that meant one thing.  Izuku was smiling.  Shouta thought nothing could make him happier. But then the kid did something else. He pointed to the books and opened his mouth. “C-can you r-read W-Wacky Wed… Wednesday?” And Shouta could only blink away tears and nod his head as he spoke in a shaky voice. “Of course, kid.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hey everyone! So this is completely contradictory to what I have stated in the past, but I’ve done some thinking and I feel that this is the best solution. I’m am going to be ending this part of the story here. Meaning Unbroken Promise is now a completed story. However, this is not the end of the story.
 
 I will be splitting the fic into a second and possibly third part. I will pick up part two when Izuku is 11 years old. So it will still be a little before we get to canon events, but now it won’t be so far off. If everything goes according to plan though, it shouldn't be too long. I did have other things planned for the years in between now and when Izuku is 11, but after some thinking, I found that a lot of it was unnecessary. I had most of the juicy parts planned for after he was 11 anyway and the rest could be easily adjusted.
 With that being said, everyone who wants to continue the story, be on the lookout for - I don’t have a name for it at the moment so for now the title will be -  Unbroken Promise: Part 2 either next Mon. or the Mon after!  I know this seems pretty sudden, but I am confident that this is a good decision for both me and the future of this fic.   
If there is anything that you guys are interested in reading, for example, the birthday party I alluded to in the last chapter, or Shouta and Izuku moving into their house, then feel free to comment and I will add another part to the series that will hold the random chapters. Feel free to throw out other ideas as well. Though if anything conflicts with my future plans for the story, naturally I will have to decline those. 
 
Alrighty, that concludes everything I wanted to say. I look forward to seeing everyone in the next part!