Chapter Text
Hisashi wiped the blood off his knuckles with a rag looking over where Izuku was laying panting. “Get up, you need to do cool down stretches. You know better”. Izuku nodded and stood up, tears burning his eyes.
Hisashi frowned as the kid got up willingly, visibly pushing back tears, like a baby. He never hit the kid in all of their training, focusing on flexibility and fighting stances. After all, if Inko saw bruises on the kid she’d lose her shit. Hisashi couldn’t see what worth she saw in their kid; but still, he’d respect her. The kid wasn’t completely worthless after all. Sometimes Hisashi found himself wondering if he’d be as resilient as his son were their positions switched.
So instead of beating down the kid outright he channeled it to pushing his training as far as he could, punching bags alongside the kid, and imagining his son under his fists as the cracked and bled.
As much as he hated to admit it though, the kid was getting good under his tutelage. Stronger. Faster. Maybe he’d be able to ask Master to give him a new quirk once he got older, the kid would be a good addition with how easily manipulated he was.
He smiled a wicked grin at the thought of his son becoming a pawn in the hands of his Master. At least then the brat would be useful.
Izuku finished his cool down routine and looked up at his dad expectantly, beaming and thanking him at his dismissal. His training hadn’t been as hard as he’d expected and he was relieved.
< My legs won’t be as sore during dodgeball tomorrow > he took off quietly for bed, slipping under the covers and falling asleep almost instantly.
Hisashi watch his sons retreating form and sighed, grabbing his mask off the rack and heading out the basements outdoor exit, he still had work to do
Hitoshi sat in class, nausea burning in throat as he watched the t.v. play in front of him. Around him his class celebrated the arrest of the serial robber that played in front of them.
He didn’t understand what was happening, they had just finished the last two hits and his parents hadn’t mentioned anything about a fake arrest. A million thoughts raced through his head, and the rest of the school day passed by him in a blur until class finally let out and he was able to race out into the snow to interrogate his parents, unknown to him a figure watched him from the rooftops, following him home in silence.
Shouta watched his target leave school, doubtful of his investigation’s findings. How a boy, not even yet six years old, strung one of the country's top police agency along for so long was almost beyond him.
But for all his personal suspicions, the tapes didn’t lie.
He trailed behind the boy from a distance, mentally noting his body language- the way he clearly favored his right hand, using his left almost solely to hold his book bag in place. The way his hands drifted towards his face before darting back down to his side- a quirk they had pinned as communication to a secondary party, but he now wondered if really it was just the kid reminding himself to not pick his nose.
His anxieties grew deeper the longer he trailed the kid- dropping down from the rooftops and darting from alley to alley as they neared the boy’s home. In his mind he could picture the person he followed just a few months back and he couldn’t seem to spot any differences. He felt almost as if he could see the hoodie draped over the kid. The one thing standing out is the height difference.
Aizawa crouched down behind a dumpster as he watched the boy enter his home, glaring from his hiding spot. Usually he tried to avoid being out in the daylight hours, finding it much more difficult to do his undercover work. Luckily not many civilians paid him attention thanks to his hero costume, but dressing like he’s homeless couldn’t save him from the eyes of the paranoid. As such he couldn’t cross the street to crouch beneath a window and listen in, crossing the street was too obvious and he didn’t know the area well enough to swiftly sneak to the house.
He cursed under his breath as he took out his tracking gun and loaded it up. “Another favor to that damned rat”, he muttered, one eye closed as he aimed before firing the shot.
The tracker was a small, nickel sized- albeit slightly thicker- piece of plastic wrapped in some protective foam that was slightly sticky. The tracker had two functions: the main, obviously, being a small traceable chip, and the other being a mic which, using the chip, sent the sound to a secondary device, which was currently equipped on Aizawa’s belt. Once fired the device immediately started recording the chips movements and the audio sent through the mic. It wasn’t good for extended listening, the size making it incompatible with long battery lifes, but Nedzu had made it so that it was almost perfect in every other way. The receiver filtered the audio to eliminate background noises and the mic was capable of picking up sound vibrations even through glass. The mic and chip itself would allow for up to an hour and a half of audio recording and tracking.
Pulling the receiver off of his belt Aizawa manually turned off power to the gps. He frowned, two and a half hours with just the mic.
“Better than nothing”, sighing he tucked the receiver behind a gutter where it wouldn’t be easily spotted before pulling out his personal phone. He opened a document that was shared with Nedzu, adding one more onto the number beside Nedzu’s name.
Shouta Aizawa : 4
Nedzu : 53
He frowned at the growing difference between their numbers, he almost wanted to ask why Nedzu seemed to be saving his favors, and why the rat kept offering him equipment to test, always saying “If you use this you’ll owe me a favor!” with Aizawa grumbling that he wouldn’t use it, before almost inevitably using it.
He decided he didn’t want to know, he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.
With everything he needed settled with the Shinsou’s for the time being he left for his home, hoping to catch a few hours of sleep before he needed to pick up the receiver so he could review his findings.
As he walked back to his apartment his mind wandered over the video he’d seen, clearly showing the elder two Shinsou’s embracing the third currently unknown party. The video showed them accepting the envelope of cash and clearly congratulating the third, showering him in praise and tussling the hair hidden beneath his hood.
If Hisashi’s theory upon receiving the video from a concerned citizen (who really just wanted to get some videos of the local strays antics! He posts videos of them online to get money, and he was going to be gone for the whole weekend! He wouldn’t get in trouble for recording the people without permission- would he?) rang true, then that would mean that the Shinsou’s manipulated their son into stealing for them- using his quirk and turning their own child into a villain. Aizawa felt nausea burning at the thought of it.
Tsukagawa was the one to suggest a fake arrest, despite his green face he insisted that they must’ve been desperate or forced. He knew them! Knew their son! There must’ve been something more going on behind the scenes. So they’d fake arrest a culprit and that would hopefully allow them to capture whoever was forcing them- as he kept insisting must’ve been the true circumstances.
The entire investigation group- plus Aizawa, as he’d been the first to actively see the perp that fit the unknown's exact description, though despite what they’d wanted he couldn’t describe him any further- agreed immediately. No one wanted to see just upset Tsukagawa was at finding out the family he was so close to were really criminals, and many of them who worked with Shinsou Kazuya wanted it to be true as well- for the sake of their friend.
Aizawa himself had been very eager to agree to Tsukagawa’s suggestion, a part of him wondering if this could have anything to do with the possibility that Hisashi was a turncoat. The theory didn’t really ring true, but having overheard Chief Tsukagawa’s hushed discussion with Detective Shinsou- about how after some group gathering, his son made no mention of alarming thoughts or feelings from Hisashi and hadn’t acted off at all afterwards- Aizawa felt as though he couldn’t ignore it. He even went so far as to make a note of it on his personal file over the case should his theory gain more evidence so that he could report it to the commission if need be.
The weight of the story felt like lead on Aizawa’s shoulders as he walked unlocked his apartment, but that weight soon lessoned upon walking in, his heart growing lighter as he caught sight of his partners.
Smiling he shut the door behind him.
Hitoshi shut the door loudly behind him, dashing into the kitchen where both of his parents were standing in a deep conversation.
He hopped from one foot to another, impatiently waiting for his parents to acknowledge him- they’d been going over waiting you’re turn and not interrupting in school and while he still didn’t fully understand how to tell what was an emergency and what wasn’t (everything feels like an emergency when you haven’t experienced much), he knew that if someone wasn’t bleeding or sick that it’s up to adults to decide if it’s an emergency or not.
His wait was short though, a perk of having parents who had extra sensitive senses. His father knelt down and pulled him into a hug, placing a consoling kiss on his forehead.
“I know what you’re worried about Toshi, it’s the case, isn’t it?” Kazuya smiled placatingly. Hitoshi nodded his head vigorously.
“Yes!” The tears he’d been holding back to hide their secret began to spill, and his antsy hopping came to a still. His parents watched with horror, panicked gibberish being sent through their connection as they watched their son wilt before their eyes.
Hitoshi looked up, hiccuping with small sobs, “It came on at school- and I- I” He beginning wailing and Hisako knelt down pulling him into an embrace with Kazuya.
“Oh, Hitoshi baby, it’s okay, you’re alright I promise”, Hisako rubbed her son’s back comfortingly as he cried, anxiety panging in her chest. “Honey, it’s okay, it’s okay sweetie! Everything’s a-ok”.
“But it’s not!” Hitoshi wailed as Kazuya pulled him onto his lap, Hitoshi was pulled against his chest and held securely, Kazuya hoping to reassure his son. “We got them in trouble!” He rubbed his eye’s pointlessly as the tears kept coming, Hisako pulled his hands away to stop him from irritating his skin, gently wiping his eyes with her sleeve.
“No baby! No we didn’t, okay?” Hisako did her best to calm her crying son, “They were bad okay? They hurt people! This is just gonna help more alright?” Hitoshi’s sobbing did not abate, as he only cried harder.
“But everyone at school called us villains! And if- if he takes the blame then- then that means- that means that the detectives didn’t figure it out and we didn’t he-help!” Hitoshi’s crying and sobbing had evened out while speaking, only to resurge even stronger after he finished. Kazuya gazed at Hisako with concern, speaking gently over the connection.
<I think we’re gonna have to follow the books and let him calm down, okay?> Hisako only hesitated for a moment before agreeing.
<Okay, I’m gonna bake some snacks for him for when he calms down to cheer him up> Kazuya nodded and stood slowly, still cooing gently at their son while taking him to his bedroom to let him calm down. Hisako watched nervously as they walked away, she didn’t like that they were unable to reason with Hitoshi and get him to stop crying, but they’d be able to talk to him once he gets all his emotions out.
Hisako takes a deep breath in, and out, before turning to the kitchen, “Alright! Cookie time!”
15 minutes later sees a batch of cookies in the oven and Kazuya heading out of the bedroom alone. When Hisako saw him alone she instantly felt her mood drop. Kazuya walked over and took her hands in his and kissed her gently on the forehead.
“Is he still crying?” She whispered as her husband pulled her in close and she rested her head on his chest.
Kazuya rocked her gently from side to side and she felt him shake his head on top of hers, she pulled back and looked at him hopefully. Kazuya grimaced and ruffled her hair.
“He cried himself to sleep”, Hisako sighed and leaned back against him. Kazuya frowned as her face fell, “Unfortunately I hear it’s quite common for kids his age”.
“I know”, She sighed, “We got lucky up until now. But still, I wish I could help him”. Kazuya smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“I know my love, but there’s only so much we can do”. Hisako nods.
“Super powers makes parenting hard”, she says with a pout. Kazuya laughs.
“I’m pretty sure parenting has always been hard”, She huffs out a small laugh at his response. The two stand there for a moment for a moment longer before pulling apart and sharing a chaste kiss.
Hisako sighs and pulls back the rest of the way softly smoothing her blouse, “Suddenly being thrown into the deep end of parenting aside”, she looks over at Kazuya with a frown, “We still need to talk about what to do”. Kazuya smeared a hand down his face and wobbled off towards the living room, collapsing on the couch with a hefty sigh.
Hisako followed him, the living room would be easy for them to hear if Hitoshi opened the door and she’d be able to quickly get the cookies once the timer went off.
Hopefully the cookies would be cooled enough to eat, but still warm, once Hitoshi woke up.
Unfortunately, as the two settled in for their discussion of how to console their son, neither took notice of a small, dark patch on their window.