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Chapter Text

If he was going to die, Toshinori had seriously expected to die in a fight. He expected that his predicted death at the hands of a villain would happen face to face with his nemesis, All For One, striking a blow that finally killed him. He didn't expect it to be during a rescue mission saving kids from a building collapse. He didn't expect the attack, too comfortable in the fear he inspired in common villains to expect the thin, sharp knife slid in between his ribs and into his one good lung. If he hadn't been holding two stories of concrete and rebar up single-handedly maybe he would have been able to dodge, or move out of the way, get a kick off before, rather than after, the villain punctured his one lung. The two remaining students in the building screamed, one running for the exit, the other pinned down under a piece of rubble that had fallen from the ceiling when he flinched and moved. The villain rounded on the girl who was pulling desperately at her leg and crying. She was maybe nine, and fear looked wrong on her face. It usually did to Toshinori, especially on kids, but she was especially scared and kept looking over her shoulder at the window.

"Hey! What do you think you're looking at... When I AM HERE!" Toshinori yelled, kicking a rock towards the villain, knocking him back into the wall, unconscious. There was a snort and Toshinori looked over his shoulder to see the villain who had destroyed the supports for the school bearing down to charge. He had some ridiculous rhino theme that fit his mutation quirk, and he lowered his head to strike with one long sickle-like horn.

"Get away from him!" The little girl yelled and a stream of oil shot across the room and onto the floor as the villain charged. He spun, holding the roof up and it may have stopped there if he hadn't taken that moment to choke on blood, bursting from his mouth as the villain skid and slid into him and the building came down.

Mika coughed, spitting up blood and grit from the dust suspended in the air around them. She wasn't trapped under rubble anymore, but the trade off wasn't great. Her leg hurt but didn't seem broken, but it was dark and she was definitely underground, trapped in an entirely different way.

"Do not fear, for I'm still holding up the building!" All Might said and his voice was far shakier than Mika had ever heard it. She looked over to him and he was holding up the small space that they were trapped in. He looked rough, his eye swollen shut, blood down the front of his uniform, and his breathing was ragged and had a rattle to it.

"Are you okay?" She blurted out and he smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

"Never better." She didn't exactly believe him. They were quiet for a long time, until the silence felt too heavy to deal with in the small, cramped space.

"My brother was supposed to pick me up today." Mika said softly, and All Might nodded at her.

"Do you get along?"

"Yeah. We're both foster kids, and we've been siblings for a few years now. He came from a bad house before, but he's really strong, and smart!" She smiled, putting on a brave face. "He's trying to get into U.A. and be a hero!"

"Must run in the family then, you have a heroic spirit!" He declared and she flushed bright red.

"It didn't feel right to not help... Sorry it ruined everything." She said softly and All Might shook his head.

"No, you did fine my girl. If I had been able to move fast enough your assistance would have been invaluable!" All Might smiled and Mika nodded.

"Thanks."

Eventually Mika started babbling, All Might nodding or commenting as necessary. It was mostly for her, panic was filling her, the close walls of their trapped position filling her with a creeping anxiety. There was a clattering over them and All Might grunted, blood spilling over his lips and onto the ground, seeping into her stockings.

"Mika-chan, can you hear us?"

The voice was faint, but she recognized it from the group of heroes who had tried to evacuate the school.

"Ah, Kamui Woods, we are here!" All Might"s voice boomed in the small space and there was a scrabbling noise.

"Mika! Can you hear me?" Mika burst into tears.

"Nii-san! Yes! I'm okay!" She yelled, coughing hard after.

"Stay calm," those words felt like a soothing hug holding her in place. "We have to be very careful digging you out so nothing collapses, but there are a lot of heroes."

"Yeah, All Might is with me!" She said and her brother laughed, muffled through the many feet of dirt between them.

"That's cool Mika, we can get him to sign your autograph book after."

"Nii-san!" Mika whined and glanced at All Might who wasn't looking at her and maybe pretending he hadn’t heard.

"It's okay, I'm helping as much as I can so I have to go, Koji-chan is also trapped but he's all alone okay?"

"Please don't leave!" Mika said, suddenly desperate, hugging her knees tighter to her.

"Just stay calm Mika." Her brother instructed and she relaxed, her limbs suddenly heavy and relaxed.

"Okay." She said, her voice too small to be heard above ground.

"A good boy, your brother." All Might said, setting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded.

"He's my hero."

Kamui Woods watched the young man scurry off to help out at the other rescue zones, and worked to lattice a network of supporting roots as Mt. Lady lifted rock after rock.
"He has a good quirk for this."

"Creepy though! Yeugh! It gives me the willies!" Mt Lady said, shuddering visibly and Kamui Woods rolled his eyes.

"Does it matter if it keeps people safe and calm enough to rescue?"

"It just seems creepy is all, the way their eyes go funny especially." She pouted and lifted another rock out of the way, the pile shifting again, Kamui adjusting his network to support the loss of that piece of rubble.

It took two hours to safely move the rubble off of them to where someone could get them out. The boy slipped in and grabbed his sister, her clinging to him and covered in far, far too much blood.

"I can take her to the paramedics if you want to help get him out?" Kamui Woods offered and the boy nodded.

"I can at least help keep him relaxed while we make more room." The boy nodded and his sister clung to his sleeve.

"Nii-san?" She asked and he smiled calmly back at her.

"Go with him, they need to check you out." He said and she nodded, her cheeks streaked with tears and blood, not much of it looking like her own. Kamui Woods carried her off and he slid into the hole again, Mt. Lady clearing more space for All Might to be helped out.

The space was too small for a man his size and there was too much blood on the ground, too much of All Might's blood.

"Hi, how does it feel?"

"Lighter, if a little more comes off I can-" All Might suddenly seized up, breath rattling out, blood coming up with it, and he clutched at his chest.

It wasn't the lung that got him in the end, it was his heart. Toshinori felt his heart seize, fluttering weakly in his chest, and the kid in front of him was yelling, but he couldn't hear. His ears were full of cotton, blood rushing through them til everything was dull and muffled, the kid all he could see. His eyes were full of a terror Toshinori was almost glad he'd never have to see again.

"What?" He asked and suddenly the world focused in a bit, dialed down.

"Keep breathing, it's gonna be okay, just um, keep your heart beating." The boy's words had power to them, shocking through him and he felt his heart stutter and keep beating a moment longer before he coughed blood all over the kid's face.

"This... Wasn't how I thought it'd go..." Toshinori said weakly, smiling still, and then he froze. Izuku. Izuku was at the beach. This was only supposed to be a quick stop on the way. He still... He was waiting for his future to start, a future that couldn't, wouldn't if things ended here, now. His mind went quickly where it always did when he brushed with death.

Shimura Nana.

The boy was yelling, telling him to just keep breathing, forcing power into his words, Toshinori choking on his own blood. His face was panic, fear, and Toshinori closed his eyes a moment, feeling his form wavering.

"Calm down. Don't panic, just keep breathing. Help!" The boy yelled over his shoulder and Toshinori shook his head.

"You need to listen! I don't have a choice but... I'm glad it could be a hero." He wheezed, the kid's eyes going even wider as sheets of steam billowed off of him and he transformed.

"Just stay alive, please just stay alive a little longer." The kid begged him, holding onto one of his hands in a white knuckle grip.

"Yes, just a little..." Toshinori nodded and took a deep breath. "I need you to find him... my successor. Midoriya Izuku, he'll be at Degobah Beach."

"You can find him when we get out, the hole is big enough, just move with me." The boy said, pulling on him and Toshinori shook his head.

He had to hope it would be enough, the blood all over this kid's face, in his eyes. In his mouth. He reached out, noticing a second how shaky his hands were, and covered the boy's mouth.

"Swallow."

The beach was nothing to look at, cluttered with garbage as it was. He was still stunned frankly, still covered in blood, still running high on adrenaline and panic and fear. He had run here and the stitch in his side hadn't let up the whole time he ran. He felt, too much. Like everything was so present around him. The cars, the people, the noise. It was all so much, too much, closing in on him.

"Are you okay, hey, breathe!"

He hadn't felt the hands on his shoulders steadying him until the kid in front of him said something.

"God, we should get you to a hospital-" the other boy said, nervous and twitching. He was shorter, scrawny, freckled, but in workout clothes like he was on an evening workout on the most disgusting beach in Japan.

"It's... Not mine." He finally breathed. "Are you Midoriya Izuku? I... I have to find him."

"Uh what? No? I mean, yes that's me, what do you mean it isn't yours? Did you hurt someone?!" The boy asked, suddenly putting distance between them and he fell to his knees, finally spent.

"All Might... It's his blood he told me to find you and... To let you know I guess?"

"All Might? What happened to All Might?! What did you do?" Midoriya yelled, hands raised defensively. His form was bad, not like, the worst, but not great. It wasn't like he wasn't used to being treated like a villain but it still hurt to hear this from someone who wasn't even there.

"I tried to save him, there was an attack. I told him to keep breathing. To keep going until..." The boy choked on a sob and only then did he realize he was crying. "I'm so sorry. He's..."

"Who are you? What happened?" Midoriya said and looked down at him, and the fear on his face was obvious.

"My um... My name is Shinsou Hitoshi and an hour ago All Might died in my arms." Shinsou said, crying and when he looked up he saw that this boy he had just met's entire world had ended.

End chapter 1

Chapter Text

Shinsou knocked tentatively on the door to the Midoriya's apartment and leaned back against the railing. It felt... Weird to be here. His sister was in the hospital, both of his foster parents busy but also giving him space after what he witnessed. Breakfast had been quiet and quick and his mother had told him she booked him an appointment with a grief counselor she knew who specialized in trauma recovery. That was all she had said before kissing his forehead and telling him to take it easy for the day, his father nodding and handing him some money to eat dinner with in case they were still at the hospital.

"She's in ICU until they rule out pneumonia, if you want to come by call me." His father had said and they rushed off.

Shinsou didn't blame them, Mika needed them far more right now than he did. She wasn't doing bad, all things considered. Her leg had been pretty banged up and they had to basically cut her uniform off with shears it was so plastered with blood, but very little of it had been her's.

No most of it had been-

"Hello? Are you Shinsou-kun?" Midoriya's mother smiled and opened the door wide. He nodded, swallowing down the path his brain had been on.

"Ah, yes, Midoriya asked me to come by."

"Yeah he's in his room. He's having a rough day today after he got the news, but I'm sure you're not doing any better." She said, setting a gentle hand on his shoulder as he walked with her through the apartment to Izuku's room. She smiled and stepped back. "Have fun, I'll make you boys some snacks!"

Izuku was a big damn hero nerd. Not that Shinsou, or really anyone nowadays, wasn't. He wanted to go to UA for a lot of the same reasons, All Might's alma mater and all. The biggest thing was his room though, filled ceiling to floor with some premium All Might merch.

"Nice room." Shinsou said simply from the door and Izuku spun around in his desk chair. The boy had obviously been crying earlier, his eyes puffy and red.

"Oh. Hey. You came."

"Yeah, I uh, my whole family is at the hospital so I had the day free." Shinsou said softly.

"How is your sister?"

"She's okay, shocked, I um, told her about All Might last night and she cried for about an hour." Shinsou said and Izuku winced, moving from the desk to the bed, grabbing a notebook labeled "One for All" from the stack as he went.

"Yeah, I bet that was hard for her to hear. Being the last person he saved and all."

"Yeah, my parents had to threaten legal stuff to get the paparazzi to leave the hospital." Shinsou sighed and slumped down in the now vacant chair. He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "So, you figure anything out?"

"Not a lot. I've been going over what I know." Izuku said and chewed on his pencil as he flipped through the notebook. "Its uh... Not much."

"Cool. Great. Awesome." Shinsou groaned and rubbed at his face.

"I just don't understand why he had you swallow his blood. That's... A little gruesome." Izuku shuddered, not stopping his scanning of the notes he had.

"You said he had a way to... Pass on his quirk right? So maybe it had something to do with that?" Shinsou suggested and Midoriya paused thinking.

"God did he really want me to do that? Ugh." The boy shuddered and Shinsou laughed.

"He probably had a better way it was just... Easier then." Shinsou said, leaning back in Midoriya's desk chair.

"Well quirks are largely considered to be genetically linked, which is why hero families like the Iida's exist at all, why quirk marriages happen. So yeah, maybe just... Any genetic material would have worked?" Izuku suggested and Shinsou nodded.

"That doesn't change the fact that we don't know enough about this. About how it works, what I can do now, none of it."

"If it's his quirk you should be super strong now though, right?" Izuku suggested and Shinsou frowned down at his hands.

"I don't... Feel super strong though?"

"Maybe you have to like, activate it? Yagi-san seemed to have to like...flex? Sort of? Like, keep his bigger form up by effort?" Izuku said and Shinsou frowned.

"Yeah but it might have been because of his injury though. Maybe I have to like... Manifest it in my own way?" 

It was still hard to think of All Might as the man who had died in his arms. Skin and bone, hollow eyes. Midoriya, after they had both calmed down, had told him about All Might's injury five years ago, before they exchanged contact information. Shinsou twisted one of the myriad figures on Izuku's desk between his fingers, running his hands over the plastic muscles. He wondered for a moment if they'd ever make a figure of the man as he was last Shinsou had seen him. Izuku seemed to be deep in thought before he eventually sat up straight. 

"Well what's your quirk? We could do some tests and see if it got stronger!"

Shinsou froze and dropped the action figure on the desk. He swallowed.

"Maybe not... Maybe I should, I dunno, try to lift something impossible." Shinsou suggested. "Like a train or my algebra textbook instead."

Izuku laughed at that and shook his head. "No but, like, what's your quirk? I'm um... I'm quirkless but I've always been really interested in them, and what if this changed it, we should definitely try it out too. We could go to the beach and do both, unless it's super physical of course cause we don’t want you to get in trouble for unlicensed quirk use in public or something and..." 

Midoriya kept mumbling about training and tests to see what was different and how to test if his physical quirk, which Shinsou definitely did not have, was any stronger without getting in legal trouble, and Shinsou stood, knocking over the chair.

"I uh... Bathroom." He stammered and hurried out. He buried his face in his hands in the bathroom. He didn't have anyone else he could talk to about this. His parents were on edge, worrying about Mika. And him too obviously if the extra therapy was any indication. It's like they could tell something was bothering him, but if this was some big generational secret he couldn't exactly go blabbing to just anyone. He'd been with them longer than a lot of his foster parents, but that didn't mean he felt he could lay this big thing on them without knowing what exactly was even happening himself. The point was, if he told Midoriya his quirk, how long would it be before he didn't have anyone to talk to? Ten minutes? An hour? Maybe a few days? Especially if he thought it would be stronger now. Shinsou groaned and leaned forward on the toilet, letting the panic die down a bit before he ran a hand over his face and stood back up. He breathed out, looking in the mirror, and smiled widely, trying to look friendly, before sighing and walking out, blank faced as usual. Mika called him cool and collected, calm, like a hero. Most people seemed to think he just looked spooky or like he was trying to be better than them. Cocky and unapproachable. Only one of those was true. Being unapproachable usually meant people left him alone. He was always alone anyhow. What did it matter if Midoriya Izuku didn't like him, or thought he was a villain, or that he couldn't be a hero. He was used to it by now. It took Shinsou another few moments to open the door again, Midoriya's mom peeking down the hall, looking ready to cry as she waved at him.

"So this is the training regime that All Might gave me to get in shape before the entrance exam but your build is different so maybe we should go to a gym and see if they can help us adapt it to work for you too." Midoriya said as soon as he entered the room, holding out a printed sheet of paper.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea... so my quirk-"

"You don't have one either right? Sorry to put you on the spot." Midoriya smiled gently. "I um... I know what it's like to be... Well looked down on by people with flashy, heroic quirks."

That hit home, really tight in his chest. Shinsou took a deep breath.

"No, I um, I do. Have one I mean. It isn't big, or flashy, or even helpful really I think, but I want to be a hero regardless." Shinsou said and Midoriya seemed almost disappointed.

"Ah, what um... What is it then, if that's okay?" He asked and Shinsou clenched his jaw.

"Mind control." Shinsou said, bluntly, not meeting Midoriya's eyes. "Anyone who responds to me, I can take control of them for a while. If that's going to be a problem for you tell me now and I'll figure this out alone."

The room was silent and Shinsou grit his teeth.

"I'm not gonna do anything to you so just tell me if I need to leave or not." He growled and finally looked up to see Midoriya frantically writing in a notebook. Shinsou rolled his eyes. "Yeah sure write it down, I'm really not-"

"No, no, I'm taking notes. How long can you control someone? Does it have like, a range limit? What about other kinds of communication or other languages? Like could you control someone using sign language or does it have to be verbal?" Midoriya asked rapid fire one after another and Shinsou's head spun.

"Hold on, hold on, that's really not a problem?"

"Why would it be? That's a super useful ability, especially for villain apprehension and interrogation for investigation work." Midoriya answered and Shinsou was so stunned he just blinked back.

"No but like, you're not afraid I'm gonna, I dunno, control your mind?" He asked, waving his hands towards the other boy spookily. Midoriya shrugged.

"You said you wouldn't, and like, if you were gonna, wouldn't you have done it by now?" Midoriya said and Shinsou froze. That easily. He accepted what so many people kicked him around for, talked down to him for, avoided and mocked him for. What three kids had put him in the hospital for four years ago.

"Who do you want me to control for you then?" Shinsou bit out and Midoriya froze, pencil hovering over the page.

"I..." He started then glared up at him. "You asked me if this was a problem for me, but it sounds like it's a problem for you. I don't want anyone controlled. I just... I wanna help. He would have wanted me to help."

That stung, and that little part of Shinsou's chest that had been tight from before tightened more.

"Shit." He sighed and looked away. "I really fucked this up huh?"

"I can... I can get together all the stuff he told me for you then, if you don't want me to help. I know it's hard to trust that... That I could even help."

"Wait, why?" Shinsou frowned and Midoriya pointed at himself.

"I mean, look at me."

"Okay yeah you're short and scrawny, but like, you are the only person I know who even knew about this. Mt Lady didn't even know anything about a successor when I started asking or-"

"No I mean, I'm just a quirkless nobody who isn't ever gonna be able to be a hero now and--" Midoriya spat out and the pure venom in his voice made Shinsou wince first, then boil into anger next.

"What? Dude, no, listen, did you forget my quirk? I'm like, gonna have to beef up all to shit to pass whatever physical test the hero students need, how do you think my quirk is actually gonna help if they have us doing like, long jumps and shit? Nada." Shinsou said and paced back and forth. "You've already cleared like, half that beach in two months. That shit would take me a year."

"Yeah, but I don't have a quirk!" Midoriya said, and Shinsou shrugged again.

"So? I have a villain quirk, we're a match made in heaven." Shinsou laughed bitterly and Midoriya sighed heavily.

"Yeah. Yeah okay. So tell me about it. I like analysis and I'm pretty good at it I think." He said and Shinsou gestured at the notebooks labeled things like "Analysis for the Future", and "Hero Training Plans". 

"You've got like, 200 notebooks around here with analysis stuff in em, so I'll trust you've got practice at least." Shinsou grinned and Midoriya threw a pillow at him.

"Shut up and spill."

"Okay, as far as I know I have to understand they're talking to me, but not what they're saying. Nonverbal communication doesn't work so written stuff and sign don't count. They also have to be able to hear my commands and comprehend them. I was friends with a deaf kid in school before I moved here and I couldn't control him so yeah." Shinsou answered.

"What about range?" Midoriya asked and wrote quickly in the notebook.

"Shouting distance. If I had a way to amplify maybe that would work but over the phone or through like, an intercom doesn't work."

"What about a megaphone?" Midoriya asked, chewing on the eraser of his pencil and Shinsou laughed a little.

"I don't exactly have access to try it out honestly." He grinned and Midoriya nodded, still writing lightning fast. He had to be writing way more than Shinsou was saying frankly. Was he holding both a conversation and doing analysis at the same time? Shinsou blinked at him. And they were sure this kid didn't have some kind of brain enhancement quirk?

"Fair. Okay and how long?"

"Until there's a physical disruption, pain usually. But sometimes just being jostled enough does it. I don't really know how long overall, I haven't held someone more than a few minutes, maybe an hour at the longest, but I didn't feel strained. Once they're controlled they're controlled until they break out somehow. Not to say there isn't probably a limit, I just don't know it."

"Okay. Are there things you can't tell people to do?"

"Um, hurt themselves, even as an accidental side effect, cause then they break out. I um, don't know the limit on that either." Shinsou answered and shuddered a bit. There had been a few times he hadn't had a great understanding of how literal he had to be while telling a bully to leave that he left, and kept leaving until the effect wore off.

"So you could tell them to hurt themselves but that's the end of your control? Can you keep controlling the same person over and over?" Midoriya mused and Shinsou winced at that too.

"Yeah, but it gets harder each time in the same day." Shinsou nodded and he frowned a bit.

"Okay and like, how complicated can your instructions be?"

"I can tell people to physically do stuff but like, telling them to give me information is harder. Like I could tell a guy to sit and wait for the cops, and that's fine. But if I told him to tell me his confession or tell me who did a crime, it's less effective. I can usually work around that and find a physical way to execute that kind of stuff but it's less straightforward."

"Okay. Alright! That's cool!" Midoriya smiled and closed the notebook. "You've got a pretty comprehensive understanding of your quirk considering!"

"I've been in quirk counseling or related counseling since I was 5 so..." Shinsou shrugged and Midoriya's smile faded.

"Aren't you supposed to get out of quirk counseling when you're like, 8?"

"Yeah, normally you are." Shinsou scowled. "Turns out if you have a suspect quirk and people discriminate against you for it the system is designed to keep you in it for two years after each reported quirk use incident. Reported . Not verified." 

"Jeez..." Midoriya breathed out all in one gust and that mimicked Shinsou's feelings about it so perfectly he grinned.

"Yep. Anyhow, what do we wanna do then?" Shinsou sighed.

"Okay so control me." Midoriya declared and Shinsou choked on the water Midoriya's mom had brought to him when he arrived.

"What?! No!" Shinsou yelled and Midoriya rolled his eyes.

"God, just do it. Nothing bad is gonna happen, I just need you to test out some of the things you haven't done before and see if All Might made them stronger. So like, tell me to tell you something, try to like, snap me out of it on purpose, that whole thing." He said and set the notebook aside on the bed. It was quiet a moment and Shinsou tasted blood from worrying at his lower lip too much. Midoriya sighed. "I'm consenting, I could like, sign something?"

"No I.... I just don't want to make you hate me." He blurted and Midoriya blinked owlishly up at him at that.

"I won't. Like I said, we need to know what you're capable of. If you had a fire breathing power I'd be telling you to blast it off too." He insisted and Shinsou sat down.

"Okay. Um, okay. Yeah like, maybe it'd be better for you to sign something?"

"Yeah no problem, I drafted a general sort of thing while we were chatting!" Midoriya grinned and opened his notebook to a page, tearing it out after he signed it and giving it to Shinsou. "Since you can't get people to do super minute things like provide information without super specific instruction I put a bunch of personal info on it, so don't lose it or something."

Shinsou read over the 'waiver' and then choked a bit at the sheer length of information that he provided. Blood type, date of birth, family registry information.

"Geez, and you're sure you don't have an intelligence quirk?" Shinsou scoffed and Midoriya looked away.

"I'm sure. We tested for... A lot of invisible quirks growing up." He said softly and Shinsou winced. That was probably kind of insensitive.

"Sorry. Okay, are we ready?"

"Yeah, don't like, really hurt me bad or something to get me out if it comes to that. And don't hit my face. I don't want mom to worry." Midoriya said and Shinsou nodded.

There was a minute of terse strained silence, and Shinsou couldn't respond. He was silent, his tongue feeling too thick in his mouth. He hadn't really used his quirk, other than the other day or in self defense. Even the tests he had initially done with it when he was a kid had been limited. Most of what he knew was because of bullies forcing him to use it or have something worse happen to him. Shinsou's knee bounced and Midoriya's head thumped back against the wall.

"Are you gonna like... Start?" He asked and Shinsou pulled a pained face.

"I'm working on it!" Shinsou snapped, his face hot and Midoriya lifted his hands in surrender. Shinsou took a deep breath. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah it's fine--" the words cut off as Shinsou activated his quirk, Midoriya's face going slack and vacant. 

"What's your worst fear?"

The answer was choked, fearful, but devoid of physical response.

"K-Kaachan."

That hit him hot in his stomach.

"A bully." He didn't really ask so much as state it.

"He was my best friend." Again the response was garbled, strangled, restrained.

"Okay so I can um... Get information now. That's um, new. I'm going to the other room, answer your phone when I call." Shinsou said and Midoriya didn't even nod. That sort of instruction was simple enough that he knew it would work regardless and he stepped out of the room. 

He fumbled with his phone, waving awkwardly to Midoriya's mom who was still peeping as unobtrusively as possible. He called and the phone rang once before the phone picked up.

"Hello."

"Okay come out of the room." Hitoshi said softly into the phone so that he couldn't possibly hear him through the door. There was a long pause. "Did you hear me?"

"Yes."

"Okay." He sighed and hung up, going back in. He frowned at Izuku. This felt so... There was a crawling discomfort in his stomach frankly. While he didn't exactly have a lot of friends, the ones he had usually were around before because he couldn't control them, or because they felt confident that he wouldn't. Jinbei because he was deaf. Misa because she was mute. He had never used his quirk on a friend before. He had used it on classmates, at their request when he was younger, but they had never really been friends. More people using him so they didn't have to be truly responsible for their actions. He grit his teeth and closed the door.

"Put your leg behind your head." Hitoshi said and Midoriya didn't move. Okay, he wasn't that flexible then, and he still couldn't force him to attempt something he couldn't achieve.

"Okay I'm um, I'm out of ideas." Hitoshi said and leaned over, pinching Midoriya.

The boy didn't respond. He pinched again, harder, and Hitoshi grit his teeth when nothing changed. "Can you feel that?"

"I have a scar there so not really, here." Midoriya offered his arm and Shinsou crooked an eyebrow before pinching it, hard. Still nothing. 

"Okay um, I'm gonna... Hit you?" Shinsou said and leaned over, Midoriya still sitting in the same position. He slapped down on his arm, and blushed when there wasn't much power behind it. He wasn't exactly cool with hitting his friends. "Okay no, never mind." He said and released his quirk from him. Midoriya slumped and rubbed at his arm.

"Ow." He mumbled and Shinsou sat back on the bed.

"Sorry." He said back and Midoriya stretched.

"You could've been rougher if you wanted to try and see what the limit was." Midoriya said casually and Shinsou winced a bit.

"I'm not in the habit of beating up my friends." Shinsou sighed and Midoriya stiffened.

"Yeah." He said softly and Shinsou rubbed at the back of his head. It probably wasn't cool to say that kind of thing considering what Midoriya had told him about his friend. It wasn't like this wasn't going to destroy this budding friendship anyway though. Shinsou swallowed and looked away from him.

"Sorry I asked about... Your fears and stuff. I couldn't think of anything else." Shinsou admitted and Midoriya shrugged.

"You couldn't do that before though right? Question people? That's a jump!" He said, and Shinsou felt the tense atmosphere dissolve. For a kid who obviously didn't have a lot of social graces, he had this relaxing way about him. It kind of made sense that All Might would have picked him, there was that same sort of essence to them.

"Yeah, yeah that's definitely more powerful."

"If we wanna check like, if you can super strength bench press a car or something maybe we should meet at the beach? That doesn't seem to be a huge quirk power jump, and considering it is All Might..." Shinsou's heart dropped out. Ah yeah, that's how things usually went. Whatever moment they saw his quirk, however that went, it didn't take long for him to start hearing excuses and for them to be looking for a way away from him.

"Yeah they're not exactly comparable." Shinsou said and Midoriya nodded quickly.

"Exactly." He smiled. "Thanks for not like... Taking things too far."

"No, why would I? I want to be a hero, what kind of hero uses his powers to hurt people?" Shinsou scowled and Midoriya froze, chuckling awkwardly.

"Yeah, right totally. Anyway, you wanna meet me there in a bit?"

"Yeah I should um. Swing by home and see how my sister is."

"Oh, yeah, lemme know how she's doing." He sounded genuine. Not like he was just trying to get rid of him, which was nice. Even if it was fake, it was nice to not feel rushed as he gathered his things. Shinsou nodded.

"What time should we meet?" He asked, not really thinking that far ahead. Anxiety crawled in his stomach. He had maybe kind of hoped things could go well here, but he knew exactly how this would go from here out. He'd keep making plans, and keep flaking on them, until eventually Shinsou gave up trying to keep doing this. This was always the part he hated when friendships fell apart. He felt a bit sick as he closed his bag.

"Uh, seven? I should have dinner first."

"Okay yeah, I'll um head on out. Sorry about the invasion of your privacy." Shinsou said, voice less firm than he had initially hoped.

"It's fine! We're working on a project after all!" Midoriya smiled and Shinsou actually felt for a second like he might actually show up at the beach later. He walked out and through the apartment nodding to Midoriya's mother on his way out.

"Thanks for having me." He said on instinct and opened the door. Once outside he ran all the way to the train station.

Shinsou showed up at the park a bit late and was astounded to find Midoriya there, ready, and moving heavy garbage from the beach and up to the collection zone. Shinsou suddenly felt under prepared in his casual clothes while Midoriya had comfortable work out gear on. Shinsou looked down and scowled when he realized he didn't even have decent shoes on.

"Oh hey!" Midoriya noticed him and waved, "I found an old sedan we could practice on."

"Yeah, yeah sure. Hold on." Shinsou dropped his bag by Midoriya's stuff and jogged over to him. Midoriya launched in immediately on some analysis that he had done on All Might's quirk, based on old speculation, forum posts, and what he had heard directly. He also said a bunch of stuff about testing and training and threw an awful lot of numbers around. Shinsou was still stuck on the fact that not only was Midoriya even here at all, and hadn't stood him up even though Shinsou was late, but that he still even wanted to talk to him.

"So what do you think?" Midoriya asked and Shinsou blinked.

"Sorry, can you um, repeat that?" He asked, rubbing at the back of his head embarrassed. Midoriya flushed too.

"Oh dang, was I mumbling? I've got a bad habit of that, where'd you drop off?" He asked and Shinsou chuckled softly.

"You uh, found an old car for us to test things on?" Shinsou winced and Midoriya nodded, launching in all over again. God, was this guy just patience incarnate? Maybe. Maybe that was why he was a better hero than him already and he didn't even have or need a quirk. He was smart, knew quirks back and forth, understood all the minute details of strength training when Shinsou had barely even touched a dumbbell. He was cool under pressure, understanding, slow to anger. Everything Shinsou wasn't.

"Hey Midoriya?" He started and the boy stopped his flood of speculation and questions.

"Oh um, yeah, yes?" He asked, looking over at him, and Shinsou steeled himself.

"Do you um... If we figure all of this out, do you want me to give All Might's power to you if I uh... Can?" He asked and Midoriya looked shocked.

"I mean... I don’t know. That's not why I'm helping, if that's what you're worried about! I know without a quirk I'm not much use, but even then, I know some stuff and can help. I want to help for All Might's sake. And for you too Shinsou-kun. You didn't exactly have the chance to say no or prepare yourself for this like I was going to..."

"Midoriya you're like, worth a million guys who have quirks. You're way better suited for this whole thing than me even." Shinsou sighed and Midoriya went red. "I mean hell, I didnt even think you would show up after I used you earlier..."

"You didn't use anything Shinsou-kun!" Midoriya said and Hitoshi looked over at him. The boy looked... Mad frankly. His face was red, hands clenched into fists by his side. "Aren't we in this together? Just because I'm a useless quirkless nobody doesn't mean I can't make my own choices!"

"What? No, I never thought any of that! All Might chose you for a reason, I was just who was around!"

"If you don't take me seriously without a quirk then you might as well give it to me now!" Midoriya said holding his hand out in Shinsou's face, a scowl firmly in place. Shinsou gaped.

"I... I can't. I don't know how." He said softly and Midoriya nodded sharply.

"Fine! Then work with me to figure it out. If you still want to then we can!" Midoriya said and stomped towards the beach.

"Yeah... I suppose we can." Hitoshi said softly and started helping him move trash to the collection zone.

They worked for longer than Shinsou maybe should have based on the way he walked to their break space, stiff and limping a bit. Izuku had obviously pushed  his limit too, sweat running in rivers down his face as he drained his water bottle. They sat quietly for a moment.

"If you really don't want to do this you could just give me a hair to eat or something. I can do this myself if I need to." Izuku said softly, picking up the conversation he had stomped away from.

"Do you want that? It might not work but, if you wanted we could try." Shinsou said and to Izuku's relief he sounded reluctant.

"I only ever wanted to be a hero." He said back. It wasn't a real answer, yes or no. Did he want this? To be a hero, yes. There was a reason he accepted All Might's offer knowing as little as he did. But now he really wasn't sure he wanted to go through this alone. It was one thing to have a mentor, a teacher in all of this. It was a whole different thing to have to struggle through how to even use the damn thing.

"If it helps I think you're well on your way already." Shinsou said, leaning back into a sun warmed old tire, and Midoriya jolted beside him. He smiled, wide, and felt tears falling down his face. God, and now Shinsou was looking at him, and looked upset.

"No one else has ever said that to me before. Except..." He stopped and sniffled and Shinsou panicked.

"Oh, shit, please don't cry, like, I meant it as a compliment!" The other boy assured him, trying to soothe him with a small pat on his back. Izuku chuckled bitterly.

"No, no I mean.... I've been apologized to by everyone, for years. Doctors, teachers. Even my own mom. It's nice to have someone else believe in me. Other than All Might." Midoriya smiled through the tears and Shinsou nodded and looked out at the beach. Izuku dried his face with a towel Shinsou offered him, and Izuku expected him to say some kind of deep thought about how similar they were.

"I'm gonna try to flip a car." Was what came out instead and Midoriya laughed, wiping tears from his face.

"Lift with your knees!"

Shinsou hopped up and approached the sedan, sitting in the sand, surface pockmarked with rust and salt deposits. He appraised where to grab and then crouched, gripping the door panel and heaving.

The car shot out over the bay, the door he had held flipping and landing a few feet away, and Shinsou screamed in pain, Izuku shooting to his feet as his friend collapsed.

"Shinsou-kun! Hey! What happened-" he stopped when as he approached he saw his friend's arms a gruesome purple bruise from shoulder to fingertips.

"I fuck, I think I exploded." Shinsou said and then blacked out. Izuku was kind of proud of his friend because even in all that pain, Shinsou still managed to smile.

End of chapter 2.

Chapter Text

It took an impossibly long time for Midoriya to figure out how to access Shinsou's emergency contacts in his phone as the ambulance showed up.

"Hey kiddo?"

"Hey um, hello, my name is Midoriya Izuku, I'm..." Midoriya paused a moment, qualifying their relationship, "friends with Shinsou, there's been an accident and he's being treated by some EMTs right now."

'Is he okay, where are you?" The woman said, panic in her voice.

"At Degobah Beach, we were doing some physical training and a um... Car fell on him. Yep." Midoriya lied, wincing at how unconvincing he sounded.

"I'm on my way, can you hand me to the paramedics?" Shinsou's mom had that same straight to the point energy her son had, but more self assured, years of experience Izuku guessed.

"Oh, um, yes. Excuse me, can you speak to her, it's his mother." Midoriya interrupted the EMT on site, handing him the phone.

"Do you want to ride along? He's stable. I don't know how something like this happened but he's lucky his body didn’t immediately go into shock." The other EMT said, looking at him with a curious expression on her face. "What did you say happened?"

"Oh a um, a car fell off one of the stacks and crushed him. I have an enhancement quirk so I managed to get it off before I called." Izuku lied and the EMT nodded.

"Like I said, lucky. You kids should look into doing something safer for your workouts. Join a gym maybe." She said, hopping up into the ambulance.

"Yeah, yeah you're right. I'll um, I'll come along." Midoriya nodded and the EMT handed Shinsou's phone back. 

"She's meeting us there. Scoot back and we can move."

Midoriya didn't really know exactly how to handle the parents of friends. The only mom of a friend he ever dealt with was Kaachan's mom, and she had known him since he was a literal baby, so she was basically loud family. Shinsou's mother was calm, a simmering fount of anger that was very different from Bakugou-obasan's explosive temper.

"Explain it again." She said levelly and Midoriya felt like he was being examined. Interrogated. It was a very different form of quiet simmering anger than he was used to.

"We were training together and he got hurt and I called you right away. We had been trying to clean up the beach while we were at it cause it seemed like good community service." Midoriya said again, sighing. His mom still wasn’t here yet, but he really wished she was. If only as a buffer.

"Excuse me Mrs. Shimaiya?" A doctor called from the door.

"Yes, here." The woman in front of Izuku said, walking over.

Oh, was that not his mom? She was labelled as his emergency contact in his phone but...

You know what? Not his business. He shadowed her over to the doctor and the doctor met his eyes for a second.

"Frankly he's doing better than I expected. We have a few healing quirk users on staff so we managed to heal most of the broken bones. How exactly did this happen?"

Mrs. Shimaiya looked at Izuku sharply, and he nodded.

"He um, he was training with me at the beach and a car fell on him. I managed to move it before the paramedics arrived."

"Hm." The doctor said, clearly not believing him much but nodded regardless. "That would explain the state of his bones. Powder. That's how I would describe them. Frankly I'm astounded he didn't go into shock from the trauma."

Midoriya winced again. Mrs. Shimaiya examined him with a level, cold, angry stare then turned back to the doctor.

"How is he? He recently had a trauma with the events at Koboki elementary."

"He's resting now, the healing took a bit out of him, and he will have a cast on his right arm for about three weeks. Three pins and four screws. We couldn't just heal all of it with the state he was in. He also has a significant case of quirk exhaustion, we may need to keep him a few days." The doctor looked back to Midoriya. "Can we have a moment?"

"Oh, yeah, of course."

He walked back over and sat. The doctor and Shinsou's mother spoke for a moment, glancing at him occasionally and he buried his face in his hands. He shouldn't have lied about his quirk, that was something they could check on, but he didn't know what else to do. 

"Izuku!" He was wrapped up in his mom's arms before he knew it, and then he cried, he shook as she pet his head. "It's okay, it'll be okay."

"I'm worried he really hurt himself." Izuku confessed and his mom nodded into his hair, mussing it worse than usual.

"Mrs. Midoriya, may we speak with you?" The doctor asked and Izuku panicked a bit as she nodded and walked over. There was an obviously intense discussion and Izuku sat, wiping his face, and he watched. His mother seemed immediately just as defensive as Mrs. Shimaiya was, both women squared off in only the way women who had to raise their sons through trauma had to be. Things got louder for a moment, both women upset, and the doctor nodded and turned to leave, the women both still talking loudly as he gracefully left them to their argument.

Mrs. Shimaiya eventually walked outside of the waiting room with her phone to presumably make some calls and Izuku's mother walked up to him, sitting beside him. She sighed heavily and levelled a look at him that was kind but serious.

"What happened Izuku, and tell me the truth because there's a chance you could get in a lot of trouble." She said softly and Izuku felt himself tear up.

"He was... Trying to use his quirk to enhance his own ability. I think it really hurt him to try and I didn't want him to get in trouble."

"Okay. Okay. His mother is concerned that this was some kind of...bullying thing. I assured her that you're not a bully, you don't even have a quirk." His mother sighed and leaned back. "Its ultimately Shinsou-kun's decision to press charges so if what you said is true then I'm sure it will be fine."

"Yeah. I hope he's okay. I... I feel like I maybe kind of talked him into what happened." Izuku said, sighing and hanging his head.

"Well, it was his choice. You just have to trust him." His mother said sagely. Izuku nodded, worry eating at his chest.

Shinsou woke up still in more pain than he ever had been. His mother was in the room but she was alone aside from a nurse busily working on adjusting his pain medication. She was slumped forward, elbows on her knees, her face in her hands.

"Hey. How long have I been asleep?" He said, his lip splitting it was so dry. He winced. His mom jumped, surprised by him waking up, and quickly came over and set a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"All of last night and most of the day, relax, it's fine. The doctor is on their way back now." She said and he closed his eyes. "Hitoshi, what happened?"

"We were um... Training? I thought I could do something with my quirk and it went a bit.... Bad. I think I exploded?" He smiled embarrassed at her and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That isn't exactly encouraging. This Midoriya boy didn’t force you to do anything?" The cold in her voice made his eyes shoot open.

"What? No, we had an idea and I wanted to test it and things got out of hand. I think a car was involved..." He said softly, filtering through the drugs and the pain to look at her. She slumped, hand on her face, shoulders hunching.

"Okay. Okay I'm sorry. I may have been... Crueler to your friend than was appropriate. After the last time I was worried he maybe did something to you." 

Shinsou felt a heavy weight land in his stomach at the reminder and shook his head hard.

"He's quirkless, how could he have done anything to me?" Shinsou scoffed and his mother sighed heavily.

"Frankly I didn't believe it when his mother told me since he said he moved a car." She said, sitting down in the chair by his bed again. "I'm sorry honey."

"It's um, it's fine, is he here?" Shinsou asked and she nodded. He pushed himself upright. "Can I see him?"

"Yeah, um, yes. After the doctor comes you can have visitors. It's late though and they may have left again, he's been checking in when he can."

"I doubt it, he's pretty stubborn." Shinsou smiled and slumped down, starting to reach for the cup of water the nurse had left then registering his arm was cast and in a sling connected to his chest. He sighed. "God, I really messed myself up."

"Yeah, I haven't called Gorou or Mika yet, I wanted you to be able to rest." She said and slumped heavily into the chair. Shinsou was honestly grateful for the time. After his last stay in the hospital he didn't really want to worry them.

His mother sighed and rubbed at her forehead. "You're a handful you know. I worry about you, all the time."

"Sorry. I don't mean to worry you." He said. This wasn't an unfamiliar conversation either. His previous homes had said similar things before... Well, usually a lot before his case swapped hands.

"Is this... Going to be normal when you get to U.A.?" She asked softly and he froze. Not if, when. He looked at her, worry and concern and a million emotions running across her face. All he could feel was a confusion of gratitude and fondness.

"Maybe, I'll be using my quirk and doing physical training. Injury is a risk with any of that." He answered honestly and his mom nodded.

"I see. I... I know I'm not your real mom, and I don't know... I don't know how you feel about us, but you're still my son." She said, her voice level and soft. He looked up at her surprised and she smiled sadly. "I know you want this, more than anything, and I think you'll be a good hero. But I'm always going to worry about you."

"I... Thanks. I'm sorry you're going to worry mom." Shinsou said softly and she smiled, leaning forward and setting a hand on his knee. He didn't call her mom often, usually just her name, Kaori,  but it felt... Right. He felt more right calling her that right now.

"Just don't make this kind of stuff a regular thing. I've been in the hospital 2 too many times this week." She scolded, swatting him gently on the leg. He winced, the pain still there despite it being healed away hours ago.

"Same here." He said.

Izuku walked back into the hospital room, guided by the nurse. He had a barely warm cup of coffee in his hand because he couldn't seem to find a place to get rid of it and despite his protests they just kept bringing it to him. Shinsou's mother had told him to go by himself, she needed to make a few calls, and so here he was, outside the ICU room his friend was in because he had suggested a frankly stupid thing.

He walked in.

"Oh hey." Shinsou said, voice as level as ever, and Izuku laughed, relieved.

"How are you um, doing and all?"

"Well I turned my bones into jelly, so not the best but they managed to fix most of it. I'm on a pretty strong cocktail of meds to be honest." Shinsou laughed and Midoriya sat down. 

"I... God, that is pretty terrible. I never would have thought it could do that." Izuku said, Shinsou nodding.

"I guess All Might did have a long time to like, master it and all." He answered.

"Yeah."

The room fell silent and Izuku damned himself, feeling guilty and cowardly, knowing this could have been him instead and feeling grateful it wasn't, and Shinsou sighed.

"I'm not going to be able to train for a while." He said, looking up at the ceiling.

"No, probably not."

"Here." He said and Izuku looked up. The boy was holding out one purple hair. 

"Are you serious? You're going to just give up?" He didn't expect someone handing him his dream on a platter to make him so mad, but for some reason it did. It made him furious that after a day, one day, of having everything that Izuku had always wanted, this guy wanted to just let it go.

"No. All Might chose you to begin with, but in the end it was me he gave it to. Not Kamui Woods, or Mt. Lady, or any of the other pro heroes around. He picked me too." Hitoshi said, still holding his one decent arm out. "But I'd pick you too, so I am. Split it with me."

"What?" Midoriya frowned and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Swap off, I'm tapping out til my arm is better at least. Practice, tell me what you learn, be fucking careful this shit is... It's a lot. Then give it back. And we can swap off." Hitoshi suggests and Izuku stares at him like he grew a second head.

"What if that... Degrades it? Messes it up?" He gapes.

"Then fuck, maybe at least one of us can... Can handle it, Christ Midoriya, it's insane. I felt like that car was nothing but the backlash of it was like my muscles crushed every one of my bones at once." Shinsou chuckled and ran his hand back through his hair. "It's too much. I'll do some research and see if there's anyone who can um... Tell us more about it, maybe help us out but... But I want you to hold onto it for a bit."

Izuku was quiet and then nodded. 

"Just til you're better, if it even works." He declared and Shinsou nodded.

"It doesn't um, feel like much. Until you try to use it." He said and Izuku nodded back. He took the hair and Shinsou watched him swallow it down. "It's yours now too."

"Its... That was gross."

"Yeah imagine how it was my first time!" Shinsou laughed and Midoriya laughed along. 

Two days later Midoriya blew up his foot. 

"Hey, how ya doing?" Midoriya said, voice tense, and Shinsou balanced his phone on his shoulder. He really was struggling to make breakfast, his parents and Mika at the school trying to have her transferred since her school kind of fell apart.

"Oh good, my arm is healing a lot quicker than I expected." He answered.

"Could you uh... Meet me at the beach?" Midoriya asked and Shinsou dropped his croissant. He sighed and picked it up off the floor with his injured arm, wincing when he clenched his fingers around it.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"I uh... Well I think I broke half my foot? Well at least three toes and the arch if I'm looking at it right." Midoriya said and Shinsou dropped his croissant again.

"Fuck! What happened?" He cursed and dropped down to reach under the table in his living room to try and fish it out. At this point breakfast was maybe a distant thought but he shouldn't leave it there.

"Well, I was trying to see if One For All worked like a general enhancement thing so I tried to see if I could run faster. I kind of turned some of the beach to glass." Midoriya said and chuckled, Shinsou rolling his eyes.

"I warned you dude, I told you it's a lot!" He said and Midoriya grunted.

"Yeah I see that. I was uh, aiming for like 5%, so I didn't like, turn my bones to powder or something but seriously can you come meet me and help me get over to the clinic?"

"Yeah, yeah I can hold on." Shinsou considered his breakfast a loss and quickly threw on a hoodie and his shoes, heading out the door to meet his friend.

End of chapter 3.

Chapter Text

"Okay so take it for a bit, I've got some ideas but I gotta wait on this to be fixed." Izuku said and handed Shinsou a green black hair that shone in the light. Shinsou frowned as he took it, Midoriya crutching off towards the train station.

"You're being awful cavalier about this. You maybe didn't hurt yourself as bad but they still had to settle your bones where they should be and you'll be in a boot for a bit." Shinsou said and Midoriya shrugged.

"Trial and error."

"Okay but if we're gonna be heroes we can't afford to have this big of a piece be error." Shinsou said, clenching his fist. "If you shatter your leg and can't move around while there's a villain attack you're a sitting duck."

Midoriya stopped and hung his head, mumbling a bit in that way he seemed to when he was thinking something over.

"You have a point. How do we practice without breaking ourselves apart then?"

"You said you were at what, 5%, how'd you do that?" Shinsou asked and Midoriya mused, crutching over towards a bench near the park they were by.

"I kinda just... Okay so I focused in, and it's like there was a little flame inside me, burning. I kind of like, visualized only letting a sliver shine out, keeping the rest inside? Sorta like lowering the power on a microwave so you don't blow up an egg you're trying to cook." Midoriya said and Shinsou nodded. He didn't quite get it but maybe he could try. He swallowed the hair he had in his hand and then tried, visualizing the fire within. The quirk's power inside him. He sort of felt what Midoriya was talking about, and he breathed out as he punched in front of him, intending to use maybe 1% of the power inside him.

Wind parted and blasted out and the trees around them rustled but nothing broke in Shinsou. It hurt, a good bit, his muscles cramping along his arm and up into his shoulder and it was almost like his bones creaked but didn't give.

"Yeah, like that!" Midoriya said, slapping Shinsou on the back. "How much was that?"

"Like one percent." Shinsou croaked, rubbing at his arm. 

"Yeah I'm pretty sure the only reason I didn't totally mess up my leg was because the sand absorbed some of the force so the backlash wasn't so bad." Midoriya said and pulled the notebook out of his bag, quickly jotting down a few ideas he had. "I imagine that part of All Might's form was important, the muscle mass you know? So if we work on increasing our physical ability before using the quirk we may be able to slowly increase our capacity to harness it."

"Gotcha. I'm gonna look into a gym membership." Shinsou sighed and Midoriya nodded, holding the notebook out to him. Shinsou took it and put it in his bag. They didn't get up right away, sitting, the wind still blowing around them, kick-started by their quirk.

"I'm um... I'm gonna have to explain this to my mom and I'm not sure what to tell her." Izuku said, gesturing at his foot. Shinsou nodded. He hadn't exactly told his parents what exactly was going on either, or how a mental emitter type quirk had snapped back on him and broken the bones in every limb he had.

"You want to tell her the truth? That its... Not originally yours?" He asked and Izuku shrugged.

"No I... It's ours now, it is my quirk now. I think... I'm just going to tell her when you got hurt it like, triggered something in me? Like somehow my quirk activated because it was you in danger? That'll cover us spending time training together a bit too." He suggested and Shinsou grinned wryly.

"Yeah if nothing else I'm good for placing the blame on for weird stuff." He said and Izuku swatted at him, smiling himself.

"What did you tell your... Parents?" Izuku said and Shinsou felt the hesitation in him. He snorted and leaned back.

"Foster parents."

"What?"

"I'm a foster kid. I've been with them for 4 years now, before that I jumped around every four to six months. Once I was in a place a year before it got bad." He said firmly and Izuku nodded.

"Are they a good family?" He asked gently, face turned away like he wasn't sure that was okay to ask. Shinsou nodded regardless.

"They are. Like I said, I've been there 4 years. I like them. And my sister."

"Is she..." Izuku started then clammed up. Shinsou rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, she's in the system too. Her biological parents died in a villain attack and she didn't have any other family to take her in. She's been with them since she was a toddler though. She doesn't really remember her biological parents much." Shinsou said and glanced at him. "What about you, All Might was your dad and your mother raised you admiring him from afar right?"

Izuku choked and sputtered, looking sharply over to see Shinsou's mischievous grin and he stood.

"My dad's worked abroad most of my life, I haven't seen him in a long time. He calls sometimes. Mom basically raised me alone." Midoriya said firmly and Shinsou grinned.

"Mm-hmm, good cover." Shinsou nodded and followed Izuku who rolled his eyes.

"It's true! He has a fire breathing quirk."

"I'm just kidding." Shinsou said and then paused, thinking. "It's odd for you to be quirkless if both of your parents have quirks isn't it?"

"I don't know much about the genetics other than quirklessness is a recessive gene. So they both must have had a history in their families." Midoriya shrugged and Shinsou nodded, swiping both of them through the turnstile for the train.

"I guess. I've never met someone who was quirkless before."

"Really? Me neither." Izuku admitted and Shinsou crossed his arms, supporting his injured one. He should have worn the sling but it felt weird and he didn't actually like it much.

"Huh. The statistic is what, 3% of people? It's weird to think there's like a million folks in Japan without a quirk."

"Yeah, bad luck." Izuku grunted and Shinsou crossed his arms seriously, pointing as he spoke.

"Hey, they used to be the normal ones you know." Shinsou said, in a mock interpretation of his mom's lecture voice. Izuku laughed and nodded.

"Spot on impression of your mom. She's kind of scary."

"She's... She just worries about me." Shinsou said and Midoriya nodded. Shinsou swallowed thickly and glanced at him again. "I didn't um, make you uncomfortable asking about your quirklessness did I?"

"People don't usually is all. Like... It's impolite ." The way he says that final word has a kind of venom to it that Shinsou hears himself any time he says the word villain. The way he feels when people talk about which villains have the most appropriate quirks. 

"I just didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I can avoid it if you want, but it's fine to talk about for me too if... If you want." Shinsou offered and Midoriya cleared his throat.

"Yeah, yeah it's not like, bad. I just don't get the chance to talk about it a lot." He said and Shinsou nodded.

"So, my plans are to get a gym membership, practice with a small piece, and then you have some stuff you want to try with it when your foot heals?" Shinsou asked, changing the subject, and Izuku brightened.

"Yeah, we can talk about that more later if you want! Like, it's obviously an overall enhancement thing, so I want to try a few of All Might's moves but, turned way down." Midoriya said and Shinsou nodded.

"Ah, super move time huh?" He said and Midoriya frowned around the nearly empty train car.

"Also, if we... If we're going to keep talking in public we should, I dunno, come up with a way to talk about it without using its name right off?" Izuku said. "Like a new quirk name?"

"Yeah that makes sense, any thoughts?" Hitoshi asked,

"Mighty?" Izuku suggested.

"That's a bit on the nose." Shinsou said and Izuku shrugged, Shinsou looked out the window at the city passing them by and then as they entered a tunnel he could just see Midoriya musing himself reflected in the glass. "What about Power Coupling?"

"Like a piece joining two others? It has a certain symbolism I suppose." Midoriya hemmed and hawed a moment before nodding "Yeah I can see it." 

"Alright, yeah. Power Coupling then." Shinsou said. He paused and took a breath. "Are you… going to the vigil later?"

Midoriya looked ahead and didn't speak for a long moment before nodding.

"Where is this one at?" He asked and Shinsou looked back out the window.

"The school site." He said and Midoriya nodded.

"Yeah, are you?" He decided.

"My whole family was invited, since it was Mika's school, but I think I may go alone. Mika hasn't been back since that day and I think my folks are both worried about her seeing it now."

"Yeah. That makes sense. I could meet you there." Midoriya offered and Shinsou nodded.

"Sure, it'd be good to have a friend there with me, I think."

Shinsou walked to the park and stood on the edges as the crowd slowly formed. All Might's face waved on the banner over the collection of candles, stuffed animals, and flowers that had been placed. His grave was somewhere else, but the memorial had quickly rose up after the banner had gone up across the street from Mika's old school, the phrase "Heroes Never Die" painted across the bottom. The school itself was still a pile of rubble, a chain link fence around it to keep people from being hurt if they went into the unstable ground. A few people were organizing the event, a pop up tent set in the clear part of the park. A small number of heroes were there too, milling about and talking with attendees.

"Do you want to speak?" A woman asked and he shook his head.

"No I'm... I'm okay." He said and sat on the low wall that surrounded the park.

"Hey." Midoriya said as he crutched over.

"Oh, hey. You made it. They haven't started yet." Shinsou said and he nodded, sitting beside him.

"Yeah. Kaachan's mom drove us in. He's over that way." Izuku said and gestured, Shinsou looking to see a blonde boy with his mother standing by the organizers and talking.

"Are you going to say anything?" Shinsou asked softly and Midoriya shook his head.

"What do you say ?" He asked. "He was amazing, my hero. I always looked up to him and he was the first person to ever tell me that, even like I was, I could be a hero. Do I say that I think about him all the time? All of that? I don't know."

Shinsou set a hand on the boy's back.

"No, I get it." He said and felt Midoriya shudder.

"He was my friend. And he died." He said softly and Shinsou nodded, leaning closer.

"I know. I'm sorry." He said. It was quiet between them a moment, Midoriya crying and wiping at his face every few minutes.

"I've been to six of these, and every time I just... I wish they showed him like I knew him. Even if he was sick it feels... More real? More like him." He said and Shinsou nodded. He had thought about that before too, seeing the man, frail as he was, in his last moments.

"Yeah, less like he was some kind of god, more just a person doing good." He said and Midoriya nodded.

"Yeah."

"He was. Good I mean. He did a lot of good for a lot of people." Shinsou said softly and Midoriya nodded, sniffling and pulling some tissues out of his pocket.

"We're about to start." Someone said over the microphone and the crowd settled down.

The parade of people, each talking about the way All Might affected their lives, seemed like it would never end, going on forever, each person taking a moment to talk about what this man meant to them. Heroes, civilians, mothers and children, people from the school, everyone. Everyone spoke and Shinsou sat there, not knowing what to say. What he could say. Shinsou was surprised when Bakugou eventually stepped to the mic.

"All Might saved my life. I was attacked and no other hero could get near me... Because of my quirk. And All Might saved me." He said and grit his teeth, his mother patting his back but not saying anything. Bakugou looked up at the crowd and the anger in his eyes was impossible to mistake. "I'm going to be the best hero in the world. Better even than him. He didn't die for nothing, the next generation of heroes is ready."

Bakugou stomped away from the mic and out of the park. Shinsou scowled.

"Way to make it about you dude." He grumbled and Izuku sighed.

"He... All Might was his idol too. He has been taking this whole thing pretty hard himself." Midoriya said softly and Shinsou nodded.

"Everyone is. It's like the hope in the world left with him." Shinsou breathed out and Midoriya nodded slowly, looking straight ahead at the line of people still to talk.

"I know what you mean." He said and sighed. "I should go, they were my ride."

"Okay, yeah, I'll see you later." Shinsou nodded and Izuku waved, crutching off in the direction Bakugou and his mother had sped off.

Shinsou looked again to the banner, to All Might's face, and smiled a smile he didn't feel in his heart.

"So I broke my shoulder." Midoriya said, Shinsou pausing in his sit-ups to frown at the phone, set to speaker a few feet away.

"Oh dang, you have an accident?" He asked and Midoriya sighed.

"No I wrenched the door off a car cause my uh Aunt I guess she is basically, whatever, she said it sticks so I yanked hard on it."

There was silence for a moment between them, Shinsou laying backwards on the mat in the relatively private gym he had gotten a membership to.

"Okay how?" He asked slowly. Midoriya scoffed out a small laugh.

"I have no idea. You've got Power Coupling right now."

"Yeah, like, okay, I..." Shinsou started and stopped, falling silent. 

"Hello?"

"No I'm here I just don’t know what the fuck." Shinsou sighed and twisted, grabbing the phone and taking it off speaker as another person entered the gym.

"Same. Mom took me to the clinic, they're starting to recognize me there." Izuku chuckled nervously and Shinsou's face went blank.

"I don't think that's a good thing."

"Fair. Anyway I guess that it goes without saying I'm not gonna get much done tonight if you wanna work on cleaning the beach off today still."

"Yeah I worked it into my training routine, so I shouldn't miss it, especially since it took an arm and a leg to get my physical therapist to approve it." Shinsou sighed and heard Midoriya snort.

"Literally!" Midoriya said brightly and Shinsou sputtered in surprise and laughed. 

"God, yeah, literally it did. We can talk about this more when we see each other."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll see you then. I just thought you should know." Midoriya said and Shinsou watched the other attendant at the gym, a girl with horns and pink skin practicing some kickboxing moves. She wasn't in a class though, he could see she was basically practicing stuff she had maybe seen on TV, and he grabbed his bag.

"Yeah, see ya." Shinsou hung up and went to walk towards the door.

"Hey, hey you!" The girl yelled after him and he sighed. 

"Yeah?"

"Before you go would you mind spotting me?" She asked pointing at a piece of weight equipment and he sighed but nodded.

"Yeah, no problem."

"He started yelling at me immediately, accusing me of being a liar and all that."

"What a jerk." Shinsou said around a mouthful of sandwich. Midoriya chuckled.

"He's just... Hot-headed."

"He's a jerk is what he is. And this guy wants to be a hero? When he flies off the handle like that when someone gets hurt?" Shinsou scoffed and Izuku shrugged.

"I think he'll be a good hero. He has a really amazing quirk for it." He says and his voice is soft, cowed. Shinsou glanced at him and noticed Izuku was making himself small. Unapproachable.

"I dunno. Maybe I'm wrong." Shinsou shrugged and leaned back on the tire he had claimed as his sitting spot. "So, how long on the shoulder?"

"They said based on my usual healing patterns with this thing, probably a week? Maybe?"

"Wow." Shinsou said, looking up at the clouds drifting along. "This quirk really is something."

"Yeah. We should maybe see how long we can go before it burns out." Izuku said and Shinsou sat upright.

"Yeah! We should! Why didn't I think of that?" He said and smacked himself in the forehead.

"It's a talent." Izuku laughed and the general tension in him that he had since they met up relaxed. Shinsou smiled softly.

"This is why we're doing this together. And why were friends."

"Oh." Izuku said and Shinsou looked over to see his face red and his own went red too.

"What?" He asked. 

"I dunno, I just thought we've eaten each other's DNA enough we were closer than that." Midoriya said grinning widely and Shinsou snorted and shook his head.

"Sure, you're my DNA bestie. My blood brother. We swap fluids on the reg but not in the way people think. C'mon, I gotta get back to work." Shinsou said, Midoriya laughing and nodding.

"Yeah I can help out a bit."

Midoriya called him the second it was gone, but Shinsou already knew. He had felt the flame inside him flare up when his phone rang. 

"Okay it happened." Izuku said and Shinsou nodded.

"I could tell. It was like it got stronger, or more obvious in me too." Shinsou was already halfway to the beach.

"You think we could learn to recognize that, to like, increase our teamwork?" Izuku asked.

"I suppose but a week is a good long time." Shinsou frowned.

"A week at a consistent 2% output, only during training time. If I expended more energy on accident or later when we presumably have better control, that window could go down so learning how to swap back and forth better would make it easier and safer for us as heroes." Izuku said and Shinsou rounded the corner to the beach, Izuku doing some stretches.

"Frankly, we could just keep some of each other's DNA on hand I suppose." Shinsou said, waving to get his attention. Izuku jogged over and he hung up.

"I think... I think it has to be given in the moment? Like, okay, we could test it but I don't think if just anyone could snatch it that All Might would have had such an open look to his costume. He'd probably try to reduce the possibility of someone taking it, right? It can't be an accident or without the holder's knowledge. I uh, I think." Izuku suggested and Shinsou nodded.

"We can test that too, how recent permission has to be and stuff." Shinsou suggested and Izuku nodded brightly.

"Sure can. Okay so give me a sec." Izuku said and leaned forward, pulling one of Shinsou's hairs.

"Ow! What?" Shinsou jumped and Izuku took off running. "Hey! Come back here! I'm the one with the quirk right now you nerd!"

"I am a geek, and catch me if you can all powerful quirk holder!" Izuku called over his shoulder.

The truth was Izuku had gotten way faster over the last month, quirk or not, and his stamina was better too. Shinsou had to intentionally hold himself almost at the edge of his control over One for All just to barely catch up to him on the beach. He tackled him and they both went flying into the sand, rolling to a stop, Izuku hopping up almost immediately and taking off again. Shinsou groaned and laid in the sand, defeated.

"Okay fine, you can have it!" He yelled and Izuku laughed, a good distance away already.

"I think it worked!" Izuku called and Shinsou sat up.

"Okay but if I pricked myself on a buried needle because of that I'm gonna sue."

It felt like a torch, both of them kept burning while they held it, but the fire didn't go out right away, the fuel had to run out first. But a week at where they were, that was more than enough for them to both go into U.A.'s Hero Course test with a fresh quirk. Plenty of fuel for the flame burning inside, as long as neither of them burned too bright while they didn't actively have it. The next big hurdle was Math.

"I'm going to die. I'm going to have a heart attack from nerves in the proctor's room and die."  Izuku groaned and face-planted in his textbook.

"And here I thought you were the smart one. And the fast one. And the more emotionally available one." Shinsou said, not looking up from the practice exam he was currently absolutely failing.

"What does that leave you with?" Izuku laughed.

"Punch good." Shinsou nodded and Izuku leaned back in his chair.

"True, how's the gym by the way? I haven't been in a bit since we're close to finishing the beach." Izuku said, changing the subject. Shinsou kept working on his test a moment.

Close was... A maybe generous evaluation of the situation. True, they had gotten most of the smaller things, and neither of them had broken any bones recently, but there were also still a lot of larger things that local restaurants and homegoods stores had dumped there.

"The gym is fine, I've been doing more work on my own than there since the trainer looked over the schedule and told me I was insane and also that none of it was right for me."

"It wasn't that bad..."

"Izuku, the first draft you 'adjusted' left me with around four hours of sleep a night. Four." Shinsou rolled his eyes and Izuku crossed his arms.

"In my defense I may have done some math wrong." He said, gesturing emphatically at the complex math study guide he had in front of him. Shinsou huffed out a small laugh.

"Fair. Okay I'm done with this, you can check my grade in a minute. Whatcha having problems with?" Shinsou asked and Izuku turned the book around and explained, both what he was trying to do, and what the book seemed to want him to do, and all the things in between. Shinsou had gotten to a point hanging out with Izuku that the run on sentences didn't bother him, and in fact, they sort of relaxed him. It was like a stream of consciousness directly from his best friend's brain, and frankly, it was nice to see how exactly his brain put things together.

"So just do this." He said, writing out the theorem and Izuku stopped talking.

"Oh bullshit, it's that easy?" He grumbled.

"Yep." Shinsou nodded, popping his P at the end. Izuku groaned and went back to his worksheet. He pulled Shinsou's test over and Shinsou stood up, taking a break to stretch.

"Onii-san? Oh, hi Midoriya-kun." Came a small voice from the doorway and Mika stepped inside. 

"Hi Mika-chan." Izuku answered, distracted as he tried to work on his own thing and grade Hitoshi's test at the same time.

"What's up?"

"Mom wants you for a second, there's someone on the phone?" She answered and set down the snacks she had also brought on the edge of the desk.

"Huh, weird." Shinsou frowned. Basically the only people who ever called him were currently in the room, and not usually on the house phone.

"Go check it, I'll leave you some fruit." Izuku assured him and Shinsou gave him a look.

"You better."

Shinsou followed his sister down the hallway, both of them quiet but not uncomfortably so, but a tension filled him when he saw the stern, cold look on his mother's face.

"It's a hero agency, supposedly." Ah that was the distrust she had on her face. "I figured it may be related to the incident six months ago, so I didn't hang up right away. Don't agree to anything over the phone."

Shinsou nodded and she handed him the phone, walking off into the kitchen.

"Hello?"

"Shinsou Hitoshi? You were present at the event at Kobuki elementary correct?" The voice, way more chipper than he expected from a hero agency, asked him.

"Yes that's true, my statement was submitted to Kamui Wood's team agency, and should be available through interagency accessible records." For all his talk that Izuku was the smart one, Shinsou had been doing a lot of research on the side about how hero paperwork works, given he signed a mountain of it himself.

"This call isn't related to the events outlined in your statement. It is specific to the events that happened with All Might." She said and Shinsou felt his jaw ache from grinding his teeth.

"What agency are you with again?" He growled. He had gotten calls, in the dozens, right after the events and All Might's death, since despite it not being public knowledge he was the person who saw All Might's final moments, paparazzi are a really crafty bunch.

"Oh I'm sorry, I am Bubblegirl with Nighteye Agency, we're a largely investigative agency." She said and he relaxed, a little. "I'm calling on behalf of the head of our agency, Sir Nighteye himself. He would like to speak to you. Sir was All Might's sidekick back in the day."

"Oh, oh yeah that makes sense actually. When?"

"He said at your earliest convenience but I'm the person with his schedule so if you can work with me to arrange an appointment that would be suuuuper." Bubblegirl said, sounding a bit resentful.

"Okay, I would expect this is going to take a while. Given what happened." Shinsou offered helpfully and the clatter of keys on the other end if the line paused.

"Yes, it has been a very rough time. To be a hero right now especially. My condolences to you as well, I'm sure that was hard to see."

"Yes." Shinsou said, unable to really add anything.

"Gosh, it was more difficult to track down your information than we expected too, we almost started to get worried that you were planted by the villains." She laughed and Shinsou's teeth were on edge. "You'd have a good cover already built in for your family if you decide to be an underground hero!"

"Thanks." Shinsou grumbled and she hit a final key loudly.

"Okay I can put together a few hours Monday!" She said and Shinsou nodded.

"Okay yeah, also, this may sound odd, but put it down under my name and Midoriya Izuku."

"This... Isn't the kind of conversation I would recommend bringing a friend to." Bubblegirl said warily and Shinsou sighed.

"It's not like that, he has pertinent information to the topic."

"Ah. You're rather mature for your age."

"I've spent the last 2 months figuring out paparazzi tricks and avoiding the press." Shinsou said deadpan, and she laughed.

"That's funny, you sounded just like a colleague of mine when you said that. Okay, Monday at four, that should allow you both to finish school for the day yes?"

"Yeah I'll have to tell my competitive sledding club I can't make it but it's hot anyway so I think it'll be fine." Shinsou rolled his eyes and she chuckled again.

"Okay, hold a moment and if I can get your email I can send you the address through secure email."

"Yeah. That's fine."

Shinsou wrapped up and hung up the phone, his mother peeking her head out.

"Not a faker then huh?" She asked and he shrugged.

"They did all the protocol for calling an unsecured line right so that's that. I have a thing Monday afternoon."

"Is that... Good?" She asked, frowning and he shrugged again.

"Frankly I'm not sure but Midoriya is coming with."

"Okay good, he should keep you out of trouble."

Shinsou nodded and smiled, walking back towards his room. Midoriya was finished grading him and held up the paper, a solid 96 on the page.

"I don't know how you do this." Midoriya sighed.

"I'm good at multiple choice." Shinsou smirked.

"What was all that about?"

"Not much, we're just meeting Nighteye on Monday."

"Oh gotcha." Midoriya said then froze, looking up at him and snapping his pencil in half. "Wait, we're what??"

End chapter.

Chapter Text

The two boys sitting in front of him couldn't be more different than Mirai had expected. One was calm, looking around the meeting room with bored interest, the other a haystack of anxiety.

"I am going to start this conversation with this," Mirai said softly. "I am terribly sorry about what you witnessed Shinsou-kun."

The use of his name brought the purple haired, exhausted looking boy to attention.

"Yes. It has been, difficult. I'm currently in grief counseling already and trauma recovery." He assured him and Mirai nodded. The other boy looked tense, anxious, bouncing his knee with nervous energy.

"I'm also sorry for your loss!" He blurted and Mirai raised an eyebrow. "I only knew Yagi-san a few months before... Well, I know you had to be close as his only sidekick. Sorry."

Well, that was a development. When Bubblegirl had told him that he would be meeting with Midoriya as well, he had been confused, but now he was more understanding if Toshinori had been corresponding with the boy. But that was odd in and of itself, Toshinori made time for fans, of course it was part of his image, but wasn't known to have close ties to any of them. Even the head of his fan club had only ever been invited to public events. He certainly wasn't on the familiar basis that Midoriya seemed to be, using his given name and all. Mirai stewed in that a moment and then sighed.

"May I ask, Midoriya-kun, how you became acquainted with All Might?"

"I... There was an event, with a villain. The Slime villain attack on Bakugo Katsuki. We met before that as the slime villain had attacked me a bit prior but the villain escaped. In the course of the event All Might's disguise fell and we spoke briefly then about the injury he suffered five years ago." Midoriya said, and the way he recounted events was the clinical style of a person who had told the story rarely, but had organized the events so many times in their mind that details and peripheral were unnecessary. It was... A good quality to have in a hero, but concerning to see in a child. Mirai had looked into Midoriya's history before the meeting and found evidence of the event he was speaking of so his story checked out.

"I see." Mirai nodded and opened the folder in front of him before Shinsou cleared his throat, nodding slightly towards Midoriya, his hand on Midoriya's. Mirai quirked an eyebrow at that. The two had seemed close when they arrived but the fact he spoke up was interesting. Midoriya cleared his throat.

"I um, wasn't finished. We spoke a bit more after the villain was apprehended. A bit later All Might chose me as his successor. We had been in the process of training when he passed away."

A lightning bolt struck through Mirai at that. The date of the incident Toshinori had missed their appointment but hadn't called to clear up what exactly had happened or to reschedule. Despite all of his glowing points of redemption, Toshinori was terrible at scheduling his time appropriately.

"I see." Mirai said and even he could feel the chill in his voice. He took a breath. "Did he pass on One for All to you then?"

"No."

"He didn't get a chance. He gave it to me." Shinsou added and Mirai rubbed at his forehead, feeling a sudden headache developing in him. Tension, pulling from his scalp. He breathed a few seconds.

"Okay. Okay then."

"It wasn't until a few days later I gave it to Midoriya." Shinsou said and Mirai snapped the pen in his hand in half, ink spilling across the folder in front of him.

"You what?" He hissed.

"Okay Shinsou, be nice." Midoriya said glaring at his friend. 

"What? He called us into the Spooky Meeting Room, is doing this "you're not in trouble but" routine and obviously has information that would help us but is drawing this out. This doesn't have to be some kind of spooky reading of the will." Shinsou scowled and slumped in his chair a bit, Mirai blinking back. That was a relatively rude summation of events, but the fact that he had been able to get all of that from simply observing the situation was a bit impressive. Admittedly this boy didn't have all the facts, including the stack of cases that just kept growing on his desk in the months All Might had been dead. The requests to speak at vigils, to come to memorials. More than seven months and he couldn't go a day without seeing the face of one of his oldest friends plastered on the news. So he was tense, to say the least. He took a deep breath.

"What is the situation with One for All? I do have some information to assist, but as you now know, it isn't hard to pass it on and All Might and I had been in talks about choosing a successor before he met you Midoriya-kun."

"It's mine til Tuesday. I've gotta help my aunt move." Shinsou answered flippantly and Midoriya shoved him.

"It's not like that! Me and Shinsou have been trying to figure out how it um, works. Together." He declared and Mirai felt his veins fill with ice.

"You've been passing the strongest quirk in history back and forth between yourselves like a game of what... Catch?" The anger in his voice was unavoidable, and Midoriya winced. It wasn't fair, he knew, to take his anxiety about Toshinori's legacy out on them. They didn't know all the ramifications that his death had. Especially considering that he was still out there. He could visibly see the restraint snap in the Shinsou boy. He didn't really blame him.

" We have been working with what we have. We agreed that All Might's decisions were just as important as ours. He chose Midoriya. And then he chose me. It's our quirk." Shinsou declared, leaning forward over the broad mahogany table, eyes flashing with anger. "Unless you're going to help, we would appreciate you staying out of our business."

Mirai leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, careful to keep his ink stained hand off his suit. The boy continued to stare him down, resolute. Mirai sighed. Sorry Mirio.

"Okay. I will preface this with the fact that I do not accept you, either of you, as All Might's true successor." He said. It was harsh, but the truth. Neither of these boys was prepared for the hell that was to come, and both of them were still so young. Too young to clean up the mess that Toshinori had left behind.

"Good, it's not either, it's both ." Shinsou declared and Midoriya buried his face in his hands, the red of his ears showing.

"We couldn't just have a normal conversation with a hero could we? Just a normal, average, sorry your friend died conversation huh?" He mumbled almost too softly for Mirai to hear but he simply took the top page, the one with Mirio's information on it, off of the stack in the folder and slid it towards them.

"In that folder you will find a list of people who know the true nature of One for All. Heroes, doctors, teachers. Everyone in my agency that knows, including myself, and members of other agencies." Mirai said, Shinsou sliding the folder over to Midoriya without looking at it, simply continuing to stare him down. The other boy looked over it and Mirai continued. "It also includes a recommendation letter to U.A. to be signed by your family. I only included one, but can have another drafted. Nedzu, the principal at U.A. was aware of All Might's situation as he was scheduled to begin teaching this coming term, and may understand the situation we find ourselves in."

"You want to recommend us to U.A.?" Shinsou asked, suspiciously. Mirai had been prepared to accept that he had decided to keep All Might's quirk and planned accordingly, he just didn't expect the extra paperwork.

"You've been clear so far you're unwilling to accept anything less than both of you, so yes." Mirai answered and the room was silent, Midoriya still reading.

"What does that entail?" Shinsou asked and Mirai nodded.

"You will have to prove yourselves in a separate test for applicants applying under recommendation, and still have to pass the written exam, but wouldn't take part in the larger hero course general exam."

"Okay, what else?" Shinsou asked. Midoriya continued to read, setting aside a few of the papers as he did so.

"There are also recommendations for internships included for your first term, mostly heroes who were aware of All Might's situation. I would recommend since All Might will be unavailable to teach you about his quirk himself, this would be the next best thing."

"Who is Mirio?" Midoriya asked suddenly and Mirai froze.

"What?"

"Some of this paperwork is already filled out in the name of Togata Mirio." He said, holding up a few sheets. Mirai scowled, making a mental note to scold Bubblegirl later for that oversight.

"Apologies. That was my recommended candidate for All Might to review. He is going into his third year at U.A. and works as an intern here. My assistant seems to have misprinted the paperwork. I can have that corrected."

"Sure." Shinsou scoffed a little and skid the sheets back across the table, Midoriya still reading.

"You're recommending that we spend our second internship here? And the next term with Endeavor agency?" Midoriya asked, not looking up.

"Correct, our agency is specialized in information security and investigation. We have a lot of ties to other agencies as well, including Endeavor agency which I believe would give you a good base for physical combat training and coordination. You are welcome to refuse, it was just a recommendation to get you familiar with different agencies right off." And also prepare as quickly as possible in the event All for One makes a move.

"You have a whole training plan all the way through our final year at U.A." Midoriya said, flipping the folder closed.

"I try to be thorough."

"You don't want us to participate in the Sports Festival." Shinsou added and Mirai frowned. He hadn't seen the boy do much as glance at the paperwork as Midoriya read through it. His observation skills were already pretty well honed.

"It would be for the best that you not debut your ability until you are more comfortable with it." And also it would keep them from exposing themselves to any villains before they were ready, of course.

"We will take it under advisement." Shinsou said and looked to Midoriya, meeting his eyes. Shinsou nodded to him.

"We would like a minute to discuss your offer." Midoriya stated and Mirai stood.

"Understandable. I will give you some privacy."

"Take the camera in the ficus with you." Shinsou said and Mirai paused, reaching into the plant and taking the camera with him when he left.

They were certainly something.

"He wants to control a lot of how this goes." Midoriya mused.

"Yeah, but we also have final say. Once we're in U.A. it all comes down to us. How we do." Shinsou says, turning the rest of the cameras he noticed around away from them.

"Going against his wishes could net us a powerful enemy with a lot of connections." Midoriya said, flipping through the paperwork again.

"He's a hero, I doubt he's gonna put the hit on us or something." Shinsou chuckled and sat back down. "But I do get what you mean, it wouldn't be great to have him blackballing us at every turn and preventing us from having the opportunities we need to succeed."

"That's what I'm worried about." Midoriya nodded along and closed his eyes.

"If we refuse outright though who knows if we would even be able to apply then, right?" Shinsou sighed and turned towards his friend.

"Right." He sighed himself and looked over the recommendation letter again.

"So we get in and do what we want?" Shinsou asked and Midoriya nodded.

"If it happens to go along with the plan he has for us then great but otherwise..."

"Yeah." Shinsou nodded. There's a small pause between them before Midoriya set the paper down, closing the folder again and sliding it away from them.

"I wonder if All Might would have recommended me." He mumbled and Shinsou smiled, setting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah dude, of course he would have. You were his successor after all."

In another room Mirai snorted, fully positive that Toshinori would have made this kid go through the trial of applying as a regular student. He was always about grand gestures after all.

Shinsou stomped away from Nighteye's office, Izuku close behind him, and he could tell his friend was furious.

"Hey, slow down!" Izuku called and Shinsou slowed a bit, still antsy and tapping his foot when they stopped at the light. 

"Sorry, I'm just glad to be outta there." He grumbled and Izuku frowned.

"Yeah it kinda sucked, but he does seem to be willing to do a lot for us."

"I just don't trust him. What's in it for him?" Shinsou grumbled and crossed his arms.

"I mean, he was friends with All Might. He said he was looking for a successor too. Maybe he just… wants to finish the job…" Izuku frowned and Shinsou sighed heavily.

"Yeah okay I guess, I just don't like anyone coming up outta nowhere thinking they know best for me. He doesn't know me. Or you for that matter." Shinsou scowled and stomped on, Izuku hot on his heels.

"That's fair. Like I said before, we can always just… Take our own path if things get sketchy." He said and started jogging to keep up.

"Yeah I just don't wanna owe him anything." Shinsou grumbled and then stopped, sighing and rubbing his forehead. "Maybe we should just keep training on our own too, in case during the internship he turns out to be a creep."

"Yeah, we can keep working on the beach!" Izuku grinned and Shinsou nodded quickly.

"Totally. At least now we don't have to worry as much about the physical exam." Shinsou said and Izuku groaned.

"True. We still have the paper exam though!" He dragged at his hair and Shinsou laughed.

"Right. Want help with math?" He asked and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, and I can help you with literature." He offered and Shinsou nodded, staring ahead of them.

"You're the best bro." Shinsou said seriously and Izuku laughed, nodding.

"Don't forget it." He said and bumped Shinsou with his shoulder, the boy laughing.

"You really think this thing with Nighteye will be okay?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walked.

"Yeah, I'm sure it'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen?" Izuku laughed and looked over to see Hitoshi making a horrified face at him.

"Well now you jinxed it dude!" He said, punching Izuku in the shoulder and Izuku just laughed and rushed ahead.

"Cmon, my mom is expecting me for dinner." Izuku said and Shinsou groaned, following along behind him.

"You jinxed it! If this goes tits up it's your fault!" He declared and Izuku grinned.

"I accept full responsibility."

With the physical entrance exam off the table they doubled down on their studies and doing their normal routines. Living their normal lives. They still met for training, of course, but Shinsou found himself at home more than not for the first time in about 6 and a half months. Only one and a bit left until the exams. A month wasn't a long time, and Nighteye had recommended they also come in once a week for an informal internship as well, so they had a lot on their plates. Midoriya's mother had been ecstatic for him, excited and encouraging, crying about how she was proud of him. Shinsou's had been more wary.

"And you're sure you can handle everything, the training, the studying, and this too now?" She asked, not looking up from dinner. Shinsou nodded.

"Yeah. I'm ahead in all my classwork already. And this is my future after all." He said and she nodded.

"You trust him?"

"No farther than I could throw his lanky butt to be honest, but he does seem to be legitimately invested in us." Shinsou said and she grumbled.

"That's what I'm concerned about. He just heard about your villain run ins and thought 'oh these kids seem to be danger magnets, time to swoop in'." She said waving her spoon around and rolling her eyes. "It's just suspicious. Inko seems to be okay with it, but she can be too trusting sometimes."

"I know mom." He said and she started plating their dinner.

"She almost fell for an email scam the other day!" She ranted, opening the steamer basket, the smell of fish filling the room. As if by some siren's song he started hearing movement in the rest of the apartment.

"I know mom." He repeated.

"I'm just worried about her, she's always falling for things like that! Izuku is lucky they haven't ended up homeless cause she gave all their money to a Nigerian Prince!" She sighed and sat down

"I doubt it'd be that bad." Shinsou smiled and the rest of the family filtered in.

"What isn't that bad?" His dad asked.

"Inko! She's gonna fall for a phone scam and end up ruined! Or one of those ridiculous pyramid schemes!" His mom said, bringing things to the table. Mika grinned over at him and Shinsou shrugged.

"I'm sure if it hasn't happened yet it isn't going to." Their dad reassured her and she sighed heavily as she sat at the table.

"I'm just glad it seems like her son has more sense."

That finally got a full laugh out of Shinsou.

"I think I'm gonna try to use all of it at once." Izuku said over the phone and he could hear the exhaustion coming off his friend in waves.

"Midoriya are you insane ?" He asked his voice weary.

"Okay hear me out. Isolation, like, using a single part of the body or something like that to temporarily use all of it." Izuku suggested and Shinsou groaned.

"Yeah at the cost of losing that body part. We've talked about that. If you can't keep going you're dead weight."

"Okay fair but consider, I've got ten fingers." Izuku said and there was a long pause.

" Izuku ..." When his friend said his name it sounded like he had aged 10 years in that one word.

"Two are thumbs so I can't use them, one is my dominant hand, and I can't use all of those if I still need to punch or whatever. So we can say like, 4 of them are free game." Izuku gushed excitedly and Shinsou sighed into the receiver, a soft rattling in his ear.

"Midoriya, are you a masochist or something? You can't just break your own bones, have some self preservation." His friend suggested and Izuku frowned.

"It's not like that, I just, I wanna see if it works that way in case we are ever in a more dangerous situation." He said.

"You wanna take it or see how it affects your time limit?" Hitoshi asked and Izuku mused it over for a second.

"Two birds, one stone?" He suggested. Shinsou had only gotten One for All back a day or so ago, so he was freshly topped up.

"Okay fine. I wanna be there. And you're gonna spar with me for it." Shinsou said seriously and Izuku frowned.

"I don't wanna hurt you though."

"Then you better hope if I put all my power into a block it doesn't shatter my arm."

Izuku and Hitoshi were sitting in the clinic, Izuku with three of his fingers broken really roughly, and Hitoshi with a dark purple bruise across his whole arm and parts of his chest where the blast had hit him.

"It worked at least." Izuku said softly and Hitoshi grunted.

"I'm mad at you." He declared and Izuku blushed.

"Sorry I hurt you." He said and his friend glared over at him.

"I'm not mad about that. I agreed to once . Not... whatever that was." Hitoshi says and Izuku scowled.

"I was just trying-"

"It doesn't matter Izuku." Hitoshi sighed. "I'm not okay with you wrecking yourself for... I dunno, science? Understanding? I shouldn't have agreed to this to begin with."

"Sheesh, what does it matter if it's me? You're not getting hurt." Izuku scowled, and then frowned. "Well, usually."

"That's not the point . The point is, I don't want you to get hurt like this again. You wouldn't suggest I try this kind of stuff would you?" Shinsou asked and Izuku filled with dread. The idea of Shinsou getting hurt instead of him was... Unfathomable. Unconscionable. It was one thing for him to decide to do something like this, knowing the possibility and the risks, and accept the ones he didn't know as side effects. It was completely another to put his best friend in the world through who knew how much pain because neither of them knew for sure what would happen. Frankly, the idea made him feel sick.

"No, if it's my idea I should be the one to take the risk!" He declared and his friend rolled his eyes.

"Yeah sure that would be fine if the risk was, I dunno, some stuff, some money, something like that. Material possessions or something. But its not." Hitoshi says and Izuku frowns before his friend continues. "You're my best friend Izuku. I don't want you breaking yourself apart."

They're both quiet after that, waiting in the clinic waiting room, until Shinsou huffed out a heavy breath and looked at him finally.

"Okay no, this is the biggest thing. You're not less than me Midoriya. Your safety isn't worth less than mine, and if you're gonna take these risks then I'm going to too, because we're supposed to be in this together ."

"But at least you-" Izuku started and Shinsou's hand shoots out, holding it in front of his face.

"No I literally don't care what kind of logic you're cooking up. You're twice as good at this than me. You're faster, smarter, and sure I can take and give more hits, but if it came down to it, I'd lose. I'm only as far as I am because of your ideas and help working on this." Shinsou declared and Izuku felt his eyes tearing up.

"You could just tell me to lose." He said softly and Hitoshi rolled his eyes, Izuku sniffling back tears.

"Yeah, and I think that'd work for like 4 seconds before you figured your way out." His friend scoffed and put his arm around his shoulders. "Let me grow and help with this stuff too dude, I have to catch up eventually."

"Yeah. Sorry, yeah." Izuku nodded and then they called his name. Shinsou stopped him.

"I mean it, no more broken bones."

"Yeah, I can try."

Three days later Shinsou broke his collarbone. It was, admittedly, during a normal spar, but Izuku fussed and worried over him for ten minutes before they went to the clinic.

"Oh, the boys are back." The nurse called into the back and there was the faint chorus of "AGAIN??" and both of the boys went red.

"What is it this time?" Nurse Hatchin asked gruffly, crossing her arms.

"Uh, did a hold wrong and pop." Shinsou said, holding his arm. "In my collar."

"You boys are super lucky that Recovery Girl is the nurse at U.A." Hatchin sighed and leaned forward, laying her hand on his collar. Her hand glowed orange as her quirk worked on him, Shinsou wincing a little as the broken bone reset itself.

"Oh, she is?" Izuku asked, surprised.

"It's a prestigious school." The other nurse shrugged. Shinsou rolled his shoulder and nodded as they handed him a sling.

"About 2 days I imagine. But keep it on the whole time. I saw you last month at the store without one and wanted to strangle you." Nurse Hatchin said and Shinsou blushed.

"And Midoriya, no more stuff like the other day! If you keep doing that to your hands you'll have permanent damage!" The doctor yelled from the back, a small sheep shaped stress ball soaring out after. 

"And don't stress Recovery Girl out too much! She retired from heroics to teach!" Another nurse yelled and the boys both inched towards the door.

"Yeah, yeah, we're trying to be more careful." Shinsou said, chuckling nervously.

"No more broken bones, promise!" Izuku said, bowing at the waist before they snuck out of the door. 

"Those boys are gonna be the death of SOMEONE." The doctor sighed, walking into the lobby to retrieve her sheep.

"I'll warn Recovery Girl when they send for their medical records." Nurse Hatchin said and the doctor breathed slowly in through her nose and out her mouth.

" Please . Thank you."

End of Chapter 5.

Chapter Text

"You should just call me Izuku." Midoriya said and Shinsou craned his neck to look up at the boy from where his head was resting on his thigh, writing in one of his quirk analysis notebooks on the floor in his room. 

"Yeah, sure. Hitoshi then." He offered and Midoriya nodded.

"Okay." He said and went back to writing. Shinsou frowned.

"Why bring this up now?" He asked and Midoriya paused again.

"I was just thinking about everything. We're going into this internship with Nighteye, going to be recommended students at U.A." He said and shrugged. "It feels right."

"Okay, yeah." Hitoshi smiled and lifted his book again.

"Also you're my best friend, so you should use my name." Izuku added and Hitoshi felt his heart clench in his chest. He smiled and laid back on Izuku's lap, covering his face with the book he had checked out on quirk manifestation.

"You're mine too." He said and Izuku chuckled awkwardly and when he looked back up saw the boy's face was red.

"Oh. Thanks." He said brightly and Hitoshi covered his eyes with one arm, feeling his face get warmer.

"Don't make this weird." He groaned and Izuku laughed, shaking his head.

"No, no, it's just nice."

They arrived at the Nighteye Agency office and were quickly let into the lobby by Bubblegirl.

"Welcome, I'm glad we will be working together." Centipeter said, bowing as they entered.

"Yeah, so what do you want us to do?" Midoriya asked and the man nodded.

"Mostly orienting, we will show you your way around, tell you a bit about protocol and the process, and you'll get some hands on experience in our training facility." Centipeter said calmly and Shinsou nodded.

"We've been doing our own training too."

"That's good news! Well, come on!" Centipeter said brightly and led them into the main office. The main room past the lobby where the sidekicks were working was a big open office, people working at stations, running case files around, and generally working on office tasks as they passed. 

"This is the bullpen. As an investigation focused agency we tend to have a lot of cases open at any one time. Cases police are working on that require quirk assistance, interagency stuff, all kinds of things." Centipeter said, leading them further into the building. "You saw the meeting rooms on your first visit but they're all over here. All of them are monitored with sound and video."

"Why?" Shinsou frowned.

"All interactions with informants, people giving confessions, and witness testimony is recorded to prevent any liability on the part of the agency. We can't be accused of coercing a confession if we have the confession on tape." Centipeter said quickly and they went back into the bullpen. "As heroes we're not able to do official arrests, but we can detain a villain until police are available for up to a day, so we do have a few holding cells for that. Hero arrests are done in conjunction with police with hero testimony as an eye witness report."

"That's fair." Midoriya nodded and Shinsou shrugged

"As far as the office goes, here are your desks, all the interns share, but it's unlikely you'll ever be here all at once." Centipeter said gesturing at the small cluster of desks. They were relatively cleared and Centipeter grabbed the one file that was sitting out. "Damnit Mirio... I keep telling that boy not to leave cases just lying around."

"Is he... Here?" Shinsou asked, glancing around and Centipeter shook his head.

"Not currently, he has a few weeks off for final exams and such before the new school year ends and starts. He'll be back a few weeks after the beginning of classes for you both I believe." He said and Shinsou frowned, glancing at Midoriya.

"That seems... Calculated." He stated.

"We usually only have him. Sir figured between the two of you you should be able to handle most of Mirio's duties, being new and all." Centipeter shrugged. "Now, we don't have a huge support department because we don't actually have anyone on payroll specifically for support. Most of us have our prefered vendors and just get reimbursed."

Shinsou paused in the bullpen, taking it in, before Centipeter called after him to follow.

"Come on, you've got training in the dojo after this so hurry it along."

By training Centipeter might as well have said torture. Sir Nighteye was standing at the sidelines, just observing, as Centipeter ran them through drills. Hitoshi was currently trying to figure out the weights Centipeter had told him to use while Izuku did ladder steps until he looked ready to pass out.

"Midoriya, arms higher! Shinsou, keep your back straight!" Centipeter barked and Hitoshi groaned, dropping the weights.

"Hold on, gimme a second." He panted and leaned his hands on his knees, 

"We can go right into combat evals if you want." Sir suggested and he grit his teeth. He didn't trust him, hadn't since the beginning, and honestly, if combat training meant he'd have even a passing chance to punch him in his smug face he was all for it.

"Actually, yes, do that." Hitoshi said plainly and waved at Izuku to stop too.

"Alright. Come this way, both of you." Nighteye said and moved towards the door and into a cleared room. A few practice weapons on racks along the walls. The room was sparse but well used, and the floors were padded.

"Okay, whenever you're ready." Nighteye said from the doorway and Hitoshi scowled.

"Ready for what?" He asked and Nighteye raised an eyebrow at him.

"I assumed you and Midoriya had sparred before, is that incorrect?" He asked and Izuku shrugged.

"I mean, yeah, a little." He answered and Nighteye nodded, gesturing towards the ring.

"So spar, I want to see where you are before I make adjustments." Nighteye said and Hitoshi grumbled and nodded, pulling his shirt over his head and walking into the ring. Izuku walked in after and stood awkwardly at first, adjusting to the padded floor. He looked across at Hitoshi and closed his eyes a second, taking a deep breath.

"As I said, whenever you're ready." Nighteye said and Hitoshi clenched his jaw. Bored. The man sounded bored.

"You ready?" Izuku asked him and he nodded sharply.

"Yeah, lets go."

They went through their normal routine, each trying to knock the other off balance, surprise them, Izuku low and forward with his attacks, going for speed and brute force, Hitoshi dodging and weaving, taking hits but powering through them. He saw Nighteye yawn and saw red a moment, swinging wide at Izuku's side and connecting with more force than he wanted to.

"Oh shit, sorry." He said as Izuku skid to a stop, taking a few deep breaths. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Hold on." He panted and pulled his shirt off, tossing it out of the way. "How's it look?" Izuku asked, twisting to see. Hitoshi looked, trying to see if he had done any damage and bit his tongue. In the past few months Izuku had gotten absolutely shredded. He was cut, muscles defined. He looked like a hero.

"You look fine." He said then cleared his throat, stepping back. "I mean, your side does. No bruising. How's it feel?"

"Sore. I'll live, keep going?" Izuku asked and Hitoshi nodded, stepping back into stance and they fought, pulling punches, waiting for the other to approach to execute throws, calling out moves so the other could block in time.

"Stop." Nighteye said when Izuku landed a kick to Shinsou's arm, blocking the hit. "I've seen enough."

"Okay? And?"

"Midoriya, you need to be more mindful of your limits, you're already bruising up." Nighteye commented, poking Izuku in the shoulder.

"Good luck on that one." Hitoshi muttered and Nighteye turned to him.

"You're not exempt either. You get too emotional. Anger can be fuel but it can also be blinding. You need to work on reigning that in." He said seriously and Hitoshi grit his teeth.

"Noted."

"Neither of you has a solid stance and you end up sort of dancing around each other a lot." He said smoothly, moving on despite the other boy's anger.

"Okay, so show me a better one." Hitoshi said and Nighteye smirked. He fell into stance, low, arms wide for balance, and moved between a few stances.

"Midoriya's is closer, low, stable, secure. You want this to be as stable as possible." Nighteye explained. "Your movements should focus on being steady on your feet, being on your back in a fight is something we can train you on but it's a last resort, you want to stay up and in the fray."

"Right. So, like this?" Hitoshi mimicked and Nighteye nodded.

"Yes. You feel how your center of gravity is lower, more secure?"

"Yeah!" Izuku remarked and moved low, throwing a couple punches and kicks, even jumping around a bit. "My normal moves and such feel less all over the place."

"Exactly, having a default set of stances to fall into can help improve your mobility, flexibility in a fight, and stability overall." Nighteye instructed, adjusting Izuku's arms once and kicking Hitoshi's feet farther apart.

"Cool. So, wanna take us on?" He asked and Nighteye huffed out a chuckle.

"That won't be necessary today." Nighteye stated quickly and Hitoshi frowned. Pity.

"Ah, maybe next week."

"Maybe. Now, Bubblegirl has some paperwork to teach you about, then you're done for the day. Take these." Nighteye stated and handed them each a sheet of paper.

"What's this?" Hitoshi frowned.

"Your training regime for the entrance exams. You'll be doing the recommended student exams, so the physical exam isn't as intensive, but you'll still need to be in top physical condition." Nighteye stated and Hitoshi looked it over, wincing. They had trained a lot, and while he could definitely see it on Izuku, he wasn't blind to his own well earned gains. This, however, was on another level.

"This seems... Like a lot." Izuku said slowly and Nighteye nodded once firmly.

"It is. Prepare accordingly." Nighteye stated, leaving very little room for argument.

"Right." Shinsou sighed.

"See you next week." And Nighteye walked out.

"God, I cannot wait to punch him." Shinsou hissed and Izuku nodded, patting him on the back.

The next week Hitoshi arrived already in a bad mood, made worse when Centipeter wouldn't let him look at the case file that had been on the desk.

"It was on our desk, just let me see it." He grumbled, reaching for it, Centipeter's hand firmly on his forehead, the other holding the file away from him.

"Nope, you're not here to work cases. You're here to help out and learn." Centipeter explained and Hitoshi sighed heavily.

"Okay, fair, but I thought I noticed something." He scowled and sat into the swivel chair, and Centipeter looked down at the case in his hand.

"Okay, what?" He sighed after a moment and Hitoshi sat forward.

"I thought it said something about that gang, the Jimaki group, being in Kamino. They're not normally there." He said and Izuku glanced over at him too, confused.

"How do you know that?" Centipeter asked and Hitoshi frowned. How exactly do you tell a grown adult man that a member used to bully you in middle school? That you learned to recognize the members and avoid their usual hang outs? Not out of any heroic means but rather self preservation.

"Reasons. Now, am I right? That's anomalous in its own right." He stated and Centipeter sighed, looking over the case. He glanced down at Hitoshi.

"You got all that from the first page." He said and the boy shrugged.

"I read quick. You sure you don't want the help?" He asked, Izuku sitting forward eagerly, and Centipeter sighed, obviously grumpy.

"Fine, you have no resource access, so just write up observations and put them on my desk with the file." Centipeter said and then pointed emphatically at him. "And do not go into the field."

"Agreed." Hitoshi said and took the file from him, Centipeter wandering off to give him a chance to look over it.

"So, what's up with it?" Izuku asked, leaning over towards him. Hitoshi frowned and looked over the case, flipping through.

"Some kind of disappearance case they're working with Fatgum agency. A group of gang members vanished." He said and Izuku whistled.

"Oh, wow." He said and then pointed to a section of the report. "Witnesses saw a guy being all shady, could have been quirk related."

"Yeah, it's possible."

Izuku and him talked over the case, both making careful notes of their ideas, observations, and potential approach to investigating it. Izuku wrote up a separate page of potential quirk factors that may have been at play, and they collected the material, taking it together over to Centipeter.

"Here. This is what we came up with. Potential leads, a few hunches, and observations. Izuku did some quirk analysis in here too." Hitoshi said and Centipeter cleared his throat.

"Perfect timing, you're wanted in the dojo." He declared and Izuku nodded.

"Oh nice. I feel great, a good time to punch." Hitoshi grinned and Centipeter laughed.

Izuku managed to punch Nighteye in the face well before Hitoshi ever landed a single hit. It was a surprise move, aiming low at his body and when he moved quickly backwards to avoid him Izuku shot forward, pushed hard off the ground, and uppercut the man, landing a glancing blow on his chin. It still staggered him certainly, even 5% of One for All packed a hell of a punch, and the man paused their fight to assess if his jaw was broken. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Hitoshi was trying very hard to laugh quietly and without the endless sea of mirth inside him bubbling up.

"Good job." He said, snorting slightly and Izuku glanced back, looking proud of himself, smug even.

"Oh, thanks." Izuku said and had to bite his lip to keep from bursting out laughing himself once he saw Hitoshi's face.

"Indeed. That was a good move, taking advantage of my retreat as you did. See if you can do it again." Nighteye said and his eyes had a dangerous sparkle to them. The rest of the session went as expected, with Nighteye bouncing Izuku around the room, the boy exhausted by the time he tapped out and Hitoshi stepped in. He didn't do much better.

"Their talents seem to be in their teamwork, their investigative ability, and endurance." Centipeter said and Mirai grunted.

"Yes. I knew they probably worked well together given their situation as friends, but the casework is good. Sloppy in how they organized it but that's practice and you haven't shown them anything regarding that, correct?" Mirai frowned down at the case observations, flipping through them.

"No, I think they just sort of slapped it all together rather than sort relevant info all in groups. I think if I went over case-files and how we generally organize them, they would only need the once." Centipeter said. Mirai nodded and looked over the paperwork once more.

"Pull some cases, minor ones, for them to practice. Things that are low stakes, low risk." Mirai stated and Centipeter nodded.

"Of course, also," he started and made a soft hissing chuckle. "Which one of them got you?"

"Midoriya." Mirai answered sternly and Centipeter sighed.

"Ah, I lost the betting pool then." He said.

" Why were you betting on my mentees punching me in the face?" Mirai sighed and Centipeter shook his head, somehow managing to look smug.

"Oh no, that wasn't the bet, it was on which one of them would manage it first . I bet on Shinsou-kun, the boy really, really wants to hit you." Centipeter said and Mirai felt his forehead throb.

"Drive is important." He said with measured calm and Centipeter chuckled again.

"Hey, it's your face."

"Oh shit! You okay?" Shinsou yelled and rushed across the room, Mirai already feeling the side of his face swelling from the quick rabbit punch Shinsou had managed to catch him across the cheek with, throwing him a good few feet.

"I'm fine. Fuck." Mirai hissed and checked his face. Nothing seemed broken but he definitely was going to be bruised.

"Should we take you to medical to get that checked?" Midoriya asked, jogging over and Mirai shook his head, standing.

"That isn't necessary. Okay, good job, let's go again." He declared and the two boys looked at each other then at him.

"Are you sure? I think I hit 5%." Shinsou said gently.

"I'm fine." Mirai emphasized and fell into stance, "Come on."

"Okay. You asked for it." Shinsou grinned widely and Mirai sighed.

Both boys had made astounding progress both in quirkless hand to hand and in using One for All. It was amazing how quickly they were advancing, climbing in their use of Toshinori's power quicker than even they realized. He had pulled their medical records to find a decent trail of broken bones teaching them some very hard lessons, but overall, they were doing well.

Shinsou moved more carefully now, thinking about his moves well in advance of them instead of just doing what his body told him. And Midoriya was learning that fighting dirty was sometimes the only way. In life or death, sometimes you had to throw some sand in your opponent's eyes. Mirai blocked the few hits he didn't dodge and knew that he would have more than the one bruise, but kept moving, kept training these two boys. For Toshinori.

"Oh hi! You're Midoriya and Shinsou yeah?" A bright bubbly voice said and Izuku looked up at him, a broad, blonde high schooler in the U.A. uniform smiled down at them.

"Oh, hey. Yeah, you're uh, Togata yeah?" Shinsou asked and the boy grinned widely at them.

"I hope so, that's what it says on my underwear." He said and Hitoshi snorted once, Izuku grinning widely.

"Oh um, senpai, do you need the desk?" He offered and the boy shook his head.

"No, I was just dropping off some paperwork and figured I'd introduce myself if we're going to work together in the future." He grinned and leaned on the desk.

"Yeah, hopefully." Izuku smiled.

"Sir mentioned you don't um, seem to be getting along well." Mirio said and looked especially at Hitoshi.

"He's fine." Izuku shrugged.

"I don't really like him." Hitoshi stated blandly, not looking up from the missing cat case they were working with Crust, and Izuku looked sharply at him.

"Hitoshi!" He hissed and Mirio just laughed.

"Sir can seem abrasive at first but he does care a lot. He is the person I can honestly say is most responsible for my ability to be a hero now." Mirio smiled and then sighed, almost dramatic. "I almost quit before I came to the agency, and he really helped me realize my potential."

"That's great. I'm glad. I just don't think we have the same goals, me and him." Hitoshi sighed and Mirio nodded, arms crossed over his broad chest.

"That's fair, and you won't always get along with your internship mentors when you're in school too. Sometimes it just isn't a good match." Mirio said and then looked down at them seriously. "But give him a chance. It's hard to get him to warm up to you but if you can get him to laugh you've got him."

"Ah, he seems to hate my jokes though." Hitoshi sighed heavily, hanging his head and Mirio leaned in conspiratorially.

"Puns. Man loves puns." He declared and Hitoshi thought a moment. 

"Yeah okay, I'll work on it." Hitoshi agreed and Mirio grinned again.

"Great!" He smiled and Hitoshi smiled. He seemed like a nice dude.

"Mirio!" Centipeter suddenly yelled across the bullpen, all three kids jumping.

"Oh hey I gotta go!" Mirio declared and walked through the desk and over towards Centipeter.

"You can't leave cases laying around the office. I've found 3 different ones assigned to you in various places!" Centipeter scolded, Mirio laughing casually but looking awkward.

"I wonder why Nighteye wanted to keep us from meeting. He seems nice." Hitoshi said over to Izuku who swallowed and nodded.

"He seems a lot like All Might." He pointed out and Hitoshi froze.

"Oh."

Hitoshi pushed through the pain in his shoulder and kept moving, swinging a wide kick at Nighteye's stomach and the man jumped backwards, elbowing up into Izuku's gut and strafing away from them. Hitoshi shot forward, still moving, not standing still as he followed Nighteye around the room. The man's eyes fell on his shoulder and he stopped moving.

"Stand down Shinsou." He said and Hitoshi moved towards him, aiming a punch at his gut.

"I'm fine." He grit out and Nighteye moved around him, avoiding his strikes.

"I said stand down." He declared and Hitoshi felt his eyes tear up, but he kept pushing ahead, Nighteye looking to Izuku.

"Hitoshi, stop!" He called and he finally froze. The pain in his shoulder was radiating out and down through his arm and he found he couldn't really move it.

"Hold still." Nighteye said and walked up, gripping his arm. Hitoshi looked and saw his arm was definitely dislocated and slid to his knees, Izuku behind him.

"Wow, thanks for the hand." He said blandly and Nighteye snorted.

"Don't make me laugh right now I'm trying to put your arm back into socket." He declared and Hitoshi winced as he moved his arm up.

"Aw, but arm't I funny?" He asked and Nighteye sputtered and shook his head.

"That's terrible." He declared and Hitoshi looked away about the time Nighteye pushed and his arm popped back into socket. Pain rushed through him and he panted hard.

"Eh, I thought it was humerus." He grit out and Nighteye looked at him shocked a moment, before looking at Izuku and burst out laughing. Hitoshi chuckled softly, blinking tears out of his eyes, and Izuku came up beside him, setting a hand on his arm. Nighteye's laughter petered out and he looked over at the boys.

"There is something seriously wrong with you kids." He declared and stood fully, shaking his head.

"Hey, but I got you to laugh." Hitoshi grinned.

"Yeah. You sure did. Alright, we should get you to medical and make sure you don't have any joint damage." Nighteye said and Hitoshi grinned.

"I do tendon to be accident prone." He smirked.

"You're the worst." Izuku sighed while Nighteye chuckled, helping Hitoshi up to his feet.

"Oh now you're realizing." Hitoshi smirked and Nighteye looked between them and huffed once, still smiling. Hitoshi groaned as he stood. "If I have to be in this much pain so do you."

"Honestly." Nighteye rolled his eyes and moved them to medical.

"Surprise!" Bubblegirl said and Izuku blinked around the room, dazzled.

"Wow! Thanks guys!" He said, taking in the decorations on the walls and the myriad of agency sidekicks and heroes from other agencies they had met in their month here. One of the sidekicks, Kamodo, a larger lizard-like man, sidled up to them by the door.

"Yeah, we figured since it's your last day until the next time you intern with us, we should have a little party." Kamodo said, flicking his tongue once at them. Shinsou nodded and rushed the cake.

"I didn't eat lunch so you guys just saved my life." He declared and the room filled with chuckles and chatter.

"You kids did a good job. Not even in highschool and playing with some big cases!" Crust declared, patting Midoriya forcefully on the back, the boy staggering. "You really helped me out with that animal disappearance case!"

"Yeah, no problem." Midoriya said, blushing at the memory of the case. A cat in a tree. Japan's number 4 hero was thanking him for helping with a missing cat . Hitoshi returned to his side, filling his mouth with cake and Izuku smiled at his friend.

"Better?" He asked and Hitoshi grunted.

"Infinitely. I spent lunch on the roof avoiding a guy. This is a godsend." He mumbled around a mouthful of cake and Izuku frowned.

"You're still having trouble?" He asked and Hitoshi frowned over at him.

"You're not?" He asked and Izuku shrugged.

"Since I said I got a quirk Kaachan hasn't really so much as looked at me." He sighed and Hitoshi nodded curtly.

"Good. I'll feed him my fist." He said and Izuku felt a heat warming his chest.

"He really isn't that bad." Izuku muttered, glancing away and Hitoshi grunted.

"Based on what you've told me, beg to differ, but I'll let it lie." He stated simply and they stood in companionable silence as the crowd rotated through to wish them luck on their exams and future at U.A.

"Hey boys, how about a picture?" Centipeter offered, holding an old film camera, and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, we should capture this moment!"

"Sure." Hitoshi nodded and scooted closer. A moment before Centipeter said anything Hitoshi shot a pile of icing onto Izuku's face with his spoon, the other boy sputtering and Centipeter caught the picture, Izuku's face covered in icing, grabbing Hitoshi into a headlock, the taller boy laughing and barely keeping his plate from falling to the floor.

End chapter 6.

Chapter Text

Shinsou found himself sitting in his therapist's office a few days after the entrance exam. It wasn't terrible timing, he probably needed the session, he was mostly nervous about getting his acceptance still and it made it hard to sit still and just talk.

"So how do you think you did?" Dr. Chisaki asked and he leaned back into the couch, pushing all the pillows into the floor. He would pick them up, he always did, but there were like 8 and that was far too many.

"Well it wasn't terrible. Sharing my quirk did just about what it always does." He answered and she nodded, understanding. He had seen her the last few years. Since he was taken in by the Shimaiyas at least. He had been hoping a year ago to be out by now but the assault had pushed everything forwards again. Another 2 years. At least. Not that he hated therapy, he just wished it was something he was engaging in voluntarily. Dr. Chisaki Juuzo was good at her job though.

"Hmm. Hoping for a clean slate?" She asked and he nodded.

"I mean, yeah? Like, we were all there recommended by other heroes. I guess I kinda hoped that it would be different. Like the assumption would be, no matter my quirk, that I had the backing of someone already a hero. Midoriya kinda helped, just sorta, being there." He answered and she nodded and scribbled on a sheet of paper.

"How would you say your friendship with Midoriya is going?" She asked. She had been asking for months, just checking in. She had been his therapist when he ended up in the hospital, so it was kind of welcome.

"We're close. I mean I would say so, I don't know if he feels the same way for sure cause you can't always know what people are really thinking but I... I think so." He answered and she frowned a bit.

"More than just because you were both trying to get into U.A.?" She asked and he nodded.

"I mean, yeah. We had a celebratory video game night after. I suggested it cause he looked like he was gonna pop from nerves honestly." He smiled and she smiled back.

"Seems like you're both pretty invested in this friendship." His therapist said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, yeah that's true. I mean, yeah." Hitoshi answered and she nodded.

"So what exactly happened at the exam?"

"Oh well, we all introduced ourselves and mentioned who our recommending mentors were, just idle talk. One of the other students, I think her name was Yaoyorozu, or something like that? She asked about quirks and I um, answered." He said and thought about the look on her face, and the face of the boy with the wind quirk. "It just kind of made things tense."

"Tense how?" She asked and he sighed.

"Like, the way it always does, just, people kind of started talking around me, making sure not to directly address me or respond. Except Midoriya. Things sort of relaxed after a bit, I think because he was talking to me already, but it still just... Sucked?"

"Yeah, that does sound pretty awful." Doctor Chisaki nodded and leaned forward. "You know it isn't your fault that people do those things Hitoshi. You aren't the person they're scared of, and as long as you're true to yourself, you can prove that."

"I know I just wish I wasn't always having to prove I'm not this... Monster they all think I am? It's like I've got knives taped all over me and I'm like ‘hey guys I promise I wont cut ya come gimme a hug!’ It just sucks that I'm always the one who has to show they're fake knives? I dunno, this metaphor got away from me." Shinsou groaned and leaned onto his knees. 

"It isn't your responsibility to show them you're not bad, the only thing that is your responsibility is to be yourself. Maybe a more accurate way to say what I meant is that they'll realize in their own time who you are." She said and he nodded.

"Yeah. I get my class assignment and acceptance soon." He sighed and she smirked at him.

"That confident huh?" She asked and he blushed a bit.

"I breezed through the exam, and the physical was pretty simple standard quirk enhanced physical fitness stuff."

"I imagine with all the training you've been doing that wasn't so bad then." She nodded and he shrugged.

"I think Midoriya and the ice guy did better than me, but I would say I got a solid 3rd place."

"Ah don't count yourself short Shinsou-kun. You're pretty talented in your own right. From what you've told me you've grown a lot." She said and he chuckled.

"Yeah, Midoriya's grown more than me though. And it's hard to compete with a crazy powerful quirk like that other guy had. I'm still getting stronger though." He smiled and she nodded.

"And I'm sure being at U.A. will help. Speaking of, do you want to keep seeing me or one of the school counselors?"

"Oh um, I think I'll keep coming here if that's okay." He said and she nodded, writing something down.

"Of course. I'm not trying to get rid of you, I just know that's a decision that you would need to make given they do have a lot of resources. Hero work is something that, I at least think, should have required counseling." She said and he realized she was filling out his next appointment card. He glanced at the clock and saw he still had a few minutes but already had gone through most of his appointment. 

"That makes sense. Do you do um... Hero specific counseling?" Shinsou asked and leaned back again. She nodded.

"I do, usually for heroes much older than you," she smiled. "My stance isn't the most popular in a machismo fueled field like Heroics. Rescue and underground heroes are more likely to use my services."

"Ugh. Yeah, I'm not looking forward to weird macho posturing to be honest." Shinsou sighed and she laughed gently.

"I think given your history, you'll be able to shut that sort of behavior down if it becomes toxic."

"God I hope so."

"Are you worried something will happen like what did with Gin?" She asked and he froze. How did he explain that he was always worried about that, with anyone who learned his quirk? How did he explain that even after months and months of friendship he still sometimes worried that Midoriya would snap and suddenly be just another bully trying to use him? How do you tell someone that you lie about your quirk casually to people so that you can actually have a normal conversation in line at the corner store?

"I'm sure it'll be fine." He said instead.

"I can't believe we did it..." Hitoshi panted, laying on his back on the sand. Izuku smiled down at him. It had taken a while, almost 8 months, but they had it done. Izuku looked away from Hitoshi out over Degobah Beach, the sand sparkling in the late evening light. They had to ask Hitoshi's neighbor to use their truck for the last few big items, but now that they had it was finally done. Izuku looked out over the water and felt his heart so full.

"I'm sure he'd be proud." Hitoshi said and Izuku looked back down at him, the boy sitting up with an arm propped on his knee, smiling. "We did a good job."

"Yeah." Izuku smiled widely.

"I'm glad we finished before school starts back." Hitoshi grinned up at him.

"Me too." Izuku nodded.

"Hey! Hey, you guys!" A woman called to them waving a hand over her head. She was wearing a spring dress and sandals, running through the sand and eventually stopped in front of them.

"Oh, you okay?" Izuku asked when she bent forward to catch her breath, holding her hat on with one hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I just shouldn't run, sorry." She said, panting and holding her chest a moment and then stood up straight and smiled. She was probably late forties, and pretty, long blonde hair cascading down her back as she smiled. "I'm Kabuki Asano, glad to finally meet you."

"Midoriya Izuku." Izuku frowned and glanced to Hitoshi who nodded.

"Shinsou Hitoshi."

"Good to meet you!" She smiled and took Izuku's hand, shaking it firmly.

"What do you need?" Hitoshi frowned and got to his feet. She smiled over at him.

"I wanted to thank you! When I was a little girl I used to come here with my mother and father." She smiled and pointed off as a big building. "I've been staying with my father since mom passed away last year. He's frail and I have a heart condition, so we take care of each other."

"Oh, here, take a seat then." Hitoshi offered and laid his hoodie on the sand. She shook her head.

"No, no it's fine, I'm okay. I just... Mom always hated that looking out the window meant seeing a place she loved so much reduced to a dump for the neighborhood." She said and smiled down at them. "You guys really worked hard! I meant to come down and meet you before but it seemed like any time I would spot you by the time I made it you had left!"

"Oh, wow, that's wonderful. I'm sorry for your loss, but I am glad we could help make this place better too." Izuku smiled widely and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah I've been here all day waiting cause I figured you wouldn't have much left." She smiled and Izuku noticed the little bit of sunburn she had on her face and shoulders.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay? It's been hot!" He said and she nodded.

"Yes, I promise, I had a friend bring me lunch and I had plenty of water and a shady spot. I just really wanted to thank you!" She smiled and Hitoshi nodded, face red.

"Okay, well thank you. We didn't really do this intending to like, be thanked, but I'm glad we improved someone's life." He said and Izuku nodded.

"Where's the man who was with you originally?" Kabuki asked and Izuku looked down at his feet.

"Oh um, he passed away. That was why we kept going to um, finish what he started." He said and she covered her mouth.

"Oh, I'm so sorry dear." She said and Izuku wiped his face and looked at her resolutely.

"It's fine." He said and Hitoshi set a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you." He said.

"Well, I bet he would be proud. You both did a great job. I can't wait to be able to bring dad down to walk along the beach again." She smiled and reached in her bag at her hip. "It isn't much but some of the old timers in my building got this to thank you."

"Oh, we could never take anything!" Izuku declared and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, like I said, we didn't do it to be thanked or anything." He said and she shook her head.

"No I promise, it isn't much." She said and pulled out a box. It looked to be some kind of chocolate. Izuku glanced at Hitoshi and the other boy looked away. She held it out. "Please, it would mean a lot to us."

"Fine. We'll take it. But could you also do us a favor?" Hitoshi said and Izuku elbowed him.

"Hitoshi!" He hissed, looking at his friend, his phone in his hand.

"Oh, of course, anything." She nodded and Hitoshi handed her his phone.

"Can you get a picture of us?" He asked and Izuku frowned, face red.

"What?"

"I wanna remember this. Our first big accomplishment as heroes on our own." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku found himself blushing, flustered.

"Oh, uh, yeah, of course." He nodded and Hitoshi threw an arm around him and drug him around towards the water.

"Okay! Say cheese!" Kabuki said and smiled widely. Hitoshi grinned down at him and nodded and Izuku sighed.

"Yeah, okay." He smiled and stood straighter as Kabuki took the picture.

"Deku you piece of shit, what are you doing here?" Hitoshi wouldn't have even responded to Bakugou screaming if Izuku hadn't gone entirely stiff beside him, frozen in place. His eyes glided over to the fuming blonde at the front of the classroom, standing with his hands clenched into fists. Nobody else seemed to be paying much attention, still absorbed in their own conversations. The girl with the brown hair behind him at least had the grace to look worriedly at them.

"I um, I passed, this is my classroom?" Izuku answered and Hitoshi grit his teeth as the other boy started walking towards them.

"Like hell it is!" He yelled, his quirk crackling off and Hitoshi saw red. He knew a threat display when he saw one. He knew a bully when he saw one. He wasn't about to let his first day at the school of his dreams start with this dickhead intimidating and maybe hurting his best friend.

"Sit down." He said levelly and stepped between them, Izuku setting a hand on his shoulder. The room was quiet around them except for the crackling and popping of Bakugou's quirk and the high pitched anger noise he was making that filled the space.

"Hitoshi--" Izuku started and then Bakugou started moving towards them again.

"Who the hell are--" he started to scream and Hitoshi felt his already tenuous control snap.

"I said sit down!" Hitoshi yelled and Bakugou snapped his mouth shut so hard his teeth clacked and he turned and sat in his seat. He was struggling in his seat but unable to stand up, his mouth closed. He hadn't actually said for him to shut up, Hitoshi realized, but he had thought it when he put the power in his voice. He had wanted it so that was what he got. Izuku would have thought that was an interesting development, if he mentioned it.

The room was silent, and his ears were ringing, tinny and bright as he looked at the faces of the people who were going to be his classmates from this point on. He felt his stomach lurch and the ringing turned into a loud rushing.

"I have to go." He said softly, Izuku still holding his sleeve.

"Are you sure?" He said softly and Hitoshi nodded frantically.

"I have to go now ." He said firmer and Izuku nodded, the only sounds Bakugou's muffled anger.

"Okay." Izuku said and let him go.

Shinsou ran from the room.

He didn't exactly know his way around, it was only his first day. His first day, Christ, and he already ruined it. He used his quirk on another student, he hadn't even hit him or anything. He hadn't hit anyone . He used his quirk without it being legal self defense. Two more years. Two more goddamn years. How old was he going to be before he got to stop going to fucking quirk counseling? He was going to be an adult, still sitting in the waiting room with four and five year olds, with parents whispering to their kids and sitting as far from him as possible. Telling them that if they don't behave that's what they would be doing at his age. Shinsou kept running until he spotted a door that didn't have a classroom sign and slid inside shaking and barely breathing, crying. Everything was a blur around him, he couldn't hear anything, see anything. He slumped down against the door and started counting, trying to calm down, trying to match his breathing to the numbers as he touched each finger to his thumb. Calm down. Just calm down. He wished he could control his own mind and keep this kind of shit from happening. He choked on a sob and coughed roughly, unaware of things around him until a hand settled on his shoulder.

"Hey, hey kid, are you okay?" A voice said firmly, breaking through as Shinsou pulled away from his hand, and the panic came back doubled over as he looked up at Present Mic and Midnight standing by their desks.

Oh cool he went right to the office. That seems like the perfect place for a shitlord delinquent to end up.

"Yeah I just cry for fun." He answered, sarcasm not sounding quite right in his mouth right now, his voice sharp and too high and too loud, and his face was wet and he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes and felt his head thump back on the door.

"Okay, hey, calm down, it's okay. It's homeroom right, who do you have?" Midnight's voice broke through and she sat beside him on the ground.

"I'm um, I'm in class 1-A." Shinsou answered, looking at her in her sharp casual suit, Midnight rubbing soft circles into his back. She shot Present Mic a look and he looked at his phone for a second, sent a message, and then shrugged.

"C'mon Listener, let's get you some tea and you can hang out with the cool kids for homeroom!" Present Mic smiled and led him to the couch with a thumbs up. "At least until you're ready to go back. Or he comes to get you, whichever happens first."

"Yeah, yeah. Okay." Shinsou nodded, gulping down mouthfuls of air.

Shinsou rode out the rest of his panic attack with a cup of tea and Present Mic talking about the school in the vague direction of him. Despite him being loud, he was easy to listen to, probably a bonus to being on the radio, and Midnight was a nice, quiet presence as she worked on a lesson plan beside him, smiling at him occasionally. He felt, welcome honestly, it was a nice change to the hostile environment a lot of his school faculty offices had been previously. He didn't exactly have a lot of positive experiences with them in the past.

"Shinsou Hitoshi?" A voice said from the door and he jumped, turning to see a rather grizzled looking, whip strong man wrapped in a sleeping bag. He looked about as tired as Shinsou felt.

"Ah um, yes?"  He asked and the man nodded, bowing the smallest amount.

"My name is Aizawa Shouta. I'm your homeroom teacher. Are you prepared to attend school with the rest of your classmates?" He asked, his voice wry. "You're only about twenty minutes late."

"Y-yes, I think so. I feel better." He nodded and scrambled to get to his feet and figure out where to put his tea.

"Good, because I need you to undo what you did to Bakugou Katsuki. He still can't move. Or speak, but frankly that part could stay forever should you choose to forget to do it." His teacher said in such a deadpan voice Shinsou almost thought he was serious until Present Mic snorted beside him, hand over his mouth to hide it.

"Shouta!" Midnight scolded and Shinsou barked a single small laugh before nodding.

"While we walk why don't you tell me what happened?" Aizawa said, and Shinsou nodded.

"Oh, um, yeah."

"Your P.E. uniforms are on my desk," Aizawa said and Shinsou noticed the room was empty except for Bakugou who was grunting and trying to stand, the surface of his desk blackened by explosions, sweat on his brow from exertion, eyes positively mad with rage. Shinsou walked over towards him and Aizawa cleared his throat. "Before you release him I have something to say."

"Ah, yes sensei." Shinsou nodded and his teacher pointed to the desk beside Bakugou's. He sat.

"I do not tolerate bullying in the classroom." Aizawa stated and Shinsou winced. It wasn't the first time his self defense had been used as an accusation, but he had thought Aizawa understood when he told him what happened was the truth. Then again this situation had not exactly been self defense. He struck first.

"Yes, sir." He nodded and Aizawa looked at him, frowning deeply and blinking slower than Shinsou had ever seen a person blink.

"I am not speaking to you Shinsou, I am speaking to Bakugou." The boy jumped at his name, looking shocked. "You will not so much as think of any form of retaliation for this, is that understood?" He said and Bakugou's grunting got worse, louder and more angry. Aizawa glared at him, his eyes red and the explosions coming from Bakugou's palms ceased. "Do you understand?"

Bakugou nodded slowly, glaring at Shinsou out of the corner of his eye.

"I am proud of your ability to see a potentially dangerous situation and step in for your friend, but you handled the follow up poorly. This wouldn't have gone as far if you had been here to explain yourself." Aizawa said, directing his attention to Shinsou. He nodded.

"Yes, sir." He tried not to smile at the mixed praise.

"As it is, there were enough people who witnessed the event and spoke in your defense. Midoriya explained a more in depth explanation of the events from his side and I would suggest you hold onto him. He is a good friend." Aizawa said, raising an eyebrow and Shinsou nodded, unable to keep the smile from his face now.

"I will." He said, looking down at the surface of the desk.

"Now, do what you were brought here to do and then get changed, we have a lesson to attend to."

Shinsou felt like his skin was crawling with the way his classmates stared at him.

Izuku, currently surrounded by a few classmates, the girl with the short brown bob, and a boy with sharp square glasses, spotted him and jogged over, setting his hands on the boy's shoulders. Shinsou relaxed, feeling steady again. Grounded. He shouldn't have left honestly, if anyone could have helped him stay together it was Izuku.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked and Shinsou nodded.

"Had a panic attack, cried a bunch, met our other teachers accidentally, was pretty sure I was expelled. Did you know Midnight teaches art?" He said casually and Izuku frowned.

"I did not, but also you're not gonna distract me from the first bit you said. Feeling better?" Izuku said and Shinsou shrugged.

"Got some tea and um, spoke with Aizawa-sensei. He seems… understanding." He said and Izuku pulled a face, leading him over to the group of people he had made friends with in his absence.

"Oh well, wait til you hear what he has for us." Izuku sighed heavily. Izuku quickly introduced him to the group then continued on to the class as a whole, a couple people eyeing him, sizing him up.

"It was really cool how you stood up for your friend Shinsou-kun." The girl Izuku had been talking to (Pachinko? Something like that, he had already forgotten and was too embarrassed to ask again) said smiling up at him. Was he the tallest person in the class? It almost looked like it, with the exception maybe of the boy with the mutation quirk. Shojou or something.

"Yeah. Thanks." He said stoically and Izuku elbowed him.

"Don't let his standoffish nature fool you, he's a marshmallow." He declared and she laughed, stepping in to close their little circle.

"Well now you're just gonna give away all my secrets. How am I supposed to have a cool facade?" Shinsou sighed morosely and the serious student beside Izuku chuckled, instantly fulfilling one task Shinsou had made for himself which was make this stiff nerd smile.

"Master Sit Up Artist!" Came an excitable yell from across the field and he looked over to see the pink girl he occasionally spotted at the gym pointing at him. "I'm gonna jump twice as far as you!"

"Please focus on your tasks." Aizawa said from under his sleeping bag, not even looking before he seemed to be asleep again.

"Master Sit Up... Oh! Is that Hey Spot Me Girl?" Izuku snapped his fingers and Shinsou nodded.

"Yeah, that's her." Shinsou smiled and waved and she pouted, winding up to slide on her acid and get a faster start. She shot across the field and got a good dozen yards on her leap before running over.

"How was that!" She grinned and poked a finger in his chest. "You really surprised me, making a bigger entrance than me!"

Shinsou stiffened and she laughed.

"You were really cool back there, work out with me more! I'm Ashido!" She offered her hand and he took it, her grip firm but friendly.

"Ah, Shinsou."

"Yeah I heard! I have been calling you master sit up artist since I met you. He did a 300 set rep like it was nothing! It boggled my mind!" She said to Iida (was that his name?) And he looked at them agog.

"Surely you took breaks?" He asked and Shinsou blinked at him.

"What are breaks?" Izuku and Hitoshi said at the same time and Ashido cackled, slapping her knee.

"We can work out too Midoriya!" She grinned and he blushed, scratching at the back of his head.

"It is important to pace yourselves! And stay hydrated!" Iida said and then held out his water bottle. "Take some!"

"Nah I'm good, I had water yesterday." Shinsou said straight-faced. He had maybe gotten too used to Nighteye agency's joke policy.

"Yesterday??" Iida hissed and Ochako (Ah that was it, thanks for saying it someone by the track) grinned setting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure he's kidding."

"Oh no, don't put your guard down. He's kidding now, but keep the mom friend thing going. Last week he forgot to eat." Izuku ratted him out. Shinsou pouting.

"I was studying. Not that you were any better."

"You're both going to give me a heart attack." Iida sighed and both boys grinned.

"Midoriya, you're up!" Jirou called from across the field near a pole vault.

"Okay, wish me luck." He smiled and Shinsou rolled his eyes.

"You don't need it!" Shinsou called after him, Izuku waving him off.

"You guys seem close, how long have you been friends?" Iida asked and 

"Almost a year? Eight months? Something like that. We met shortly after All Might passed away." Shinsou answered and suddenly the conversation halted around him, the atmosphere uncomfortable. Iida coughed into his hand and nodded.

"Oh. Yeah, well like I said, you seem close." Iida said, excusing himself to stand near where the long jumps were still happening.

"Oh shit, that was maybe a bad move huh?" Shinsou muttered and Ochako nodded.

"Everyone is dealing with the loss in the community differently than others." She said, frowning. "I think Iida is from a hero family so it might just be hitting him worse."

"Reminder that heroes don't all live to a ripe old age and all." Ashido nodded along. 

"Right. Yeah." Shinsou said and then took a sharp breath through his teeth. Now or never. "Uh, fun fact: I was there that day. It was my little sister's school."

"What? No way! Did you meet him before..." Ashido gasped loudly, her voice quickly dropping to a conspiratory whisper.

"Yeah, yeah he saved her, my sister." Shinsou nodded.

"Wow. That's nuts. Small world huh?" Ochako nodded along and shook her head. "Tsuyu has a bunch of siblings that went there too, she mentioned it during introductions. She wasn't there that day, but still, wow."

"Yeah I met Midoriya that evening. It was kind of awkward. He's a huge All Might fanboy." Shinsou smiled and crossed his arms. 

"Aren't we all though?" Ochako laughed and slapped Shinsou's back. He grinned.

"Yeah I guess so." He watched Sero face-plant into the ground and then leaned in. "So what exactly are we doing here?"

"Standard fitness test with our quirks. Whoever does the worst is expelled." Ochako answered and he froze.

"Wait really? He's going to expel someone on the first day?"

"Maybe? He has a bit of a reputation."

"He expelled a whole class last year." Another boy with some kind of lightning thing going on said, huffing and puffing after having done his 10 meter.

"Okay, shit, what's first?" Shinsou asked and Ochako pointed.

"Long jumps." She said.

"Thanks Ochako..." He started and she grinned.

"Uraraka. Uraraka Ochako." She introduced herself and also offered her hand. He shook it.

"Uraraka-chan." He said nodding firmly, and jogged across the field.

Izuku was practically biting his nails. He wasn't doing terribly, but there was only so much he could do without the explosive power of their quirk, and none of the events had been something 2% could beat the others in their specialty. Shinsou did better, placing first in sit ups to Ashido's enthusiastic cheers, which kept him out of the bottom tier.

He held the baseball in his hand and considered, meeting Shinsou's eyes for a second before looking away from the panicked nervous look his friend gave him. Hitoshi wasn't stupid, and Izuku knew his friend could feel the pull on their quirk. He wound up and started to throw, infusing his whole arm with One for All.

The ball fell a few meters away with a soft bounce.

"What..." He said and looked over at the others standing at the sidelines, Shinsou's face in his palm. Aizawa-sensei's eyes were red, hair floating over his shoulders, and he glared Izuku down.

"Midoriya." He said, breaking the silence. "What exactly were you planning on doing?"

"I... I don't know." He said, suddenly panicking himself.

"If you had done that where would that have left you?" He said and Izuku flushed.

"Down one arm." He answered honestly and murmurs broke through the group of students. Aizawa's forehead twitched.

" Incapacitated . In the field any injury should be considered major, even small cuts can, if a mission drags out, become infected and cause a burden to your team, or the victims you are trying to save." He said seriously. "If you lose an arm, you're out of commission. Period ."

"Yes sensei." Izuku said. He was burning, shame filling every part of him. Shinsou had told him, and as usual he tried to push farther than he should. This was why despite what he said, Shinsou was better than him at this. He knew how to manage and control a quirk, even if it was a very different one. His eyes cast over to Hitoshi across the field and his friend was anxiously shifting, waiting.

"Your scores have you finishing in last place." Aizawa said and Izuku flinched.

"Yes sensei." He should have known this wouldn't last. He should have just accepted that All Might gave One for All to Shinsou and left it at that. He should have just become a policeman like All Might had said.

"However," Aizawa said slowly, Izuku looking up. "You have yet to show that you have zero potential. Join your classmates."

Relief flooded through him, and tears came to his eyes unbidden.

"Yes sensei!" He nodded and rushed over, Uraraka hugging him and Shinsou nodding at him, an "I told you so" look clear on his face despite him not saying it. His friend patted him on the back through Uraraka's hug and he tried to not cry all over her.

"Alright, change and shower then on to your next class. I can work with this." Aizawa said deadpanned and slunk off, the students celebrating and congratulating each other as they went towards the showers.

"Good job taking first Yaoyorozu!" The invisible girl said brightly and the girl smiled.

"Thank you, I got lucky my quirk was well suited for this kind of test." She said demurely and Shinsou laughed.

"Your quirk seems to be suited for most kinds of tests."

"It is super adaptable! And impressive you know as much as you do for it to work!" Izuku added, and she blushed.

"Thanks." She smiled and walked over to join Jirou and Ashido near the girl's lockers.

"Kiss ass." Bakugou grumbled as he wandered past, and Izuku could feel Shinsou rankle beside him

"It's fine." He said softly.

"It isn't, but I'll leave it alone." Shinsou grumbled.

"Ah I wonder what's for lunch, after all that I'm starving!" Sero said and Izuku smiled as he followed everyone back into the lockers.

Aside from making a fool of himself, not a terrible first day.

Shinsou instinctively went for a table in the corner, so his back could be to the wall, and Izuku followed. What he didn't expect was that Uraraka and Iida also followed. He also didn't expect Todoroki to be sitting a few seats down from them, alone.

"Todoroki-kun, you can sit with us if you like." Uraraka offered brightly and the boy didn't look over.

"I'm fine."

"Okay ice prince." Shinsou nodded and dug into his food. He glanced at Izuku's and then looked at his friend. "Cheat day?"

"They had katsudon." He whined and Shinsou grinned.

"I won't tell if you don't." He said, pulling the secret dessert he had hidden under the table out and setting it on his tray.

"Are you guys doing a bunch of physical training with the hero who recommended you?" Iida asked and Shinsou nodded.

"Um... Kinda?" Izuku answered, rubbing at the back of his head.

"Yeah we sorta set our training up before exams and then he modified it to include more strength training a month or so ago. We should honestly run it by Aizawa-sensei and make sure it isn't going to conflict with in class training."

"Good point." Izuku nodded, enthusiastically shoving food in his mouth.

"It is important to not push yourself too hard, it can end up doing more harm than good." Iida said sagely, digging into his own food.

"Iida, you're from a famous hero family right?" Uraraka asked and he went a bit red.

"Ah yeah, guilty as charged." He laughed and waved it off. "My parents are heroes, and my brother is too, Ingenium. I will be the third generation in my family to be a hero."

"Wow, that's crazy. I've followed your brother since he debuted!" Izuku smiled.

"Me too!" Uraraka added and the conversation devolved into hero nerd stuff and Shinsou kind of zoned out, glancing over at Todoroki. Despite the temperature he was still wearing his uniform jacket, his tie tight to his neck. He looked familiar in a way he couldn't place, and it had been bothering him since the recommended student exams.

"Is Todoroki part of a hero family?" Shinsou blurted and the other three looked at him like he was stupid.

"Uh, yeah Hitoshi. He's Endeavor's son. The number one hero?" Izuku said and Shinsou made a face.

"Oh, that jerk." He nodded and Izuku spat rice across the table, narrowly missing Iida and Uraraka.

"Hitoshi you cannot just call the number one hero a jerk !" He hissed.

"Sure I can, he is. Did you see the way he was at the exam. All looking down his nose and standing with his arms crossed." Shinsou said, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest. "I'm Endeavor and I am the number one hero and also a huge asshole who never signs autographs, but it's actually because if I bent down that far the stick up my ass would break in half."

The sharp bark of laughter from down the table caught everyone off guard and they all looked over to see Todoroki absolutely losing it, hand on his stomach and his elbow barely keeping him from slamming his face into the table.

"Oh, shit, sorry Todoroki, he didn't mean it." Izuku said quickly, waving his hands to clear the air and Shinsou huffed, poking at his food again.

"Oh I absolutely did . He made my sister cry once." He declared and Todoroki calmed down enough to take a breath.

"That impression was spot on." He said, his face slowly schooling back to the blank face he had usually, but there was a glimmer of something in his eyes.

"Oh, I do a really good All Might, but like, a really specific one, see if you can guess." Midoriya said and pulled his face into an almost exact match to All Might's, Uraraka losing it this time.

"Oh, oh, hold on, it's the vinegar one right?" She said laughing so hard her face was red.

"Yeah! You got it!"

"Okay okay, I have one too." Iida said and quickly messed his hair up and held his arms out in a casual shrug. "It's almost like you other heroes aren't even trying for a newbie like me to climb to number 2 so quickly."

"Hawks, I got that one." Todoroki said and Iida grinned and nodded, fixing his hair. "My father didn't shut up about that press release for weeks."

"Oh, I've got one!" Uraraka said and sat up super straight, pushing her hair back. She held her hands up in front of her like she was holding something. "Buy Serpent, today."

"Uwabami!" Izuku stated and Shinsou laughed too.

"You got the voice spot on, wow."

They swapped impressions for a moment, Todoroki even doing a rather good Aizawa impression after Shinsou's did his impression of the tired hero, and that had the group trying to vote on which was better. Shinsou laughed and smiled, and looked at his friend doing the same. His friends. Well. Maybe friends.

Hopefully friends. 

-- 

"Hey, how was--" Shinsou's mom started then stopped when he smiled up at her. He quickly looked confused.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing. You just look... Nothing. How was school?" She asked and his smile returned.

"Pretty great." He grinned and went to hunt for his sister to give her the few autographs he covertly collected for her through the day from his teachers.

Shimaiya Kaori watched her son walk into the house, lighter than he had ever looked, and sent Inko a text that simply had a smiley face in response to her worried question about how she thought school went, getting one back in turn.

"Great huh?" She smiled softly, and went about finishing the project she was working in on her laptop.

End chapter 7

Chapter Text

It was weird to be taught normal subjects like English and Math by pro heroes. Active pros at that. Something about it just felt weird . Especially in the classes where they wore their hero costumes, sometimes just after punching the clock on a hero case. Sitting and working on a painting with Midnight still in uniform instructing them in proper watercolor brush techniques, whip at her side, or Cementoss missing a good chunk out of his costume from the claws of a villain while he taught them about the differences between historical and sociological readings still felt surreal. It was almost a relief to see them teach hero classes.

"Yoooooo, how are you all doing my loyal listeners!" Present Mic said, strolling in the door. There was a general buzzing of confusion but he flashed them some finger guns and they silenced. "Today I'm doing your Hero Foundational training!"

The group of students excitedly buzzed back into sound, talking a bit as Mic set up at the front of the classroom.

"We're down a faculty member for a few more weeks, so don't get too used to seeing me, we're all splitting the work up to teach you something different!" Present Mic flashed a winning smile and hit a button, a panel in the wall opening up. 

Amidst the chaos and excitement as Mic explained that these were their hero suit designs, Izuku and Hitoshi shared a look between the two of them.

Nighteye had mentioned that All Might was supposed to be teaching, and what better position for the world's number one hero than Hero Foundationals?

"Now, we're going to Ground Beta for an exercise! Go get changed!"

Mic had an enthusiasm that was contagious, everyone grabbing their equipment and following him out, Aizawa-sensei pulling up the rear. 

"I'm excited to see everyone's costumes!" Hagakure said, twirling her case in her hands.

"Me too! It's going to be really cool!" Ashido nodded enthusiastically. 

"Yeah, it's great to be doing actual hero stuff!" Kirishima added and Hitoshi fell back to join Izuku who was holding the case to his chest, embarrassed.

"A missing faculty member huh?" Hitoshi said quietly as he fell into step beside his friend.

"Oh, what?" Izuku asked, looking over like he had only just noticed him.

"What's up, you seem distracted?"

"Oh um, it's nothing, I just thought we'd have more time before we used these..." Izuku said, his face going redder. Hitoshi stared at him then grew an evil grin.

"You did something embarrassing without thinking again didn't you?" He asked, smug, and Izuku groaned.

"No! Just... My mom made mine." He said softly and he nodded, understanding

"Oh, she's a good seamstress though." He said and Izuku sighed.

"Yeah but everybody else probably has fancy support department gear." He said. "Even you probably got something really cool."

"I mean, you got some too right?" Hitoshi said and glanced at his friend, Izuku's face a bright crimson. "You didn't get anything?!"

"I panicked! They didn't have a list of what they could and couldn't do and I didn't want to ask for something extravagant, so I just got the extras that mom couldn't make herself like a belt to hold tools and stuff."

"Oh my god Izuku..." Hitoshi sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"That's why I'm nervous! I don't want to be under-prepared!" Izuku said, defensive and Hitoshi waved a hand to clear the air.

"Okay, so top down, helmet?" He asked.

"Uh, no, I have a reinforced padding in my hood." Izuku frowned down at his case.

"Close enough, braces or arm guards?" Hitoshi asked.

"Braces yes."

"Okay, knee pads?"

"Yep."

"You wearing those shoes?" Hitoshi pointed down at the bright red sneakers and Izuku nodded.

"Uh, yeah?"

"Okay. Any reinforcement?"

"Not uh, really. They're no-slip.” Izuku said lamely and Hitoshi sighed,

"Okay, as long as you stick to punches and stuff you should be okay for now. Lemme see your tool belt." Hitoshi asked, Izuku holding the case away.

"No we don't know what the assignment is, we could be on opposite sides."

"Fair."

"What about you?" Izuku grumbled.

"Hm?"

"Your costume. Did you get any cool support gear?" He asked and Hitoshi smiled softly

"Yeah, you could say that." He said and Izuku narrowed his eyes.

"You didn't get anything either did you?"

"I did, I totally did! It's just... Not much." Hitoshi said and frowned. "Or rather it's one big thing and not much else."

"Fair."

"At least mine doesn't have an All Might theme." Hitoshi teased and Izuku crossed his arms huffily.

"It doesn't! It's a unique design with a small homage!" He declared.

"Yeah, yeah." Hitoshi laughed and Izuku pouted.

"It is."

"Of all the elements you could have picked..." Hitoshi laughed, muffled under his hand, Izuku rolling his eyes and pushing his hood back down.

"Yeah, yeah. And what was that about not having an All Might Theme?" He asked, Hitoshi looking down at the red white and blue pinstripes down his sleeves, the rest of his costume black and grey. He had gone with a practical body armor as his base, the one little pop of color on the arms the only thing that could give him away in a stealth situation. He also had a belt, with a myriad of tools attached, and it looked close to the same as Izuku's.

"It's an homage ." He said with a grin, Izuku rolling his eyes.

"And what is that?" He asked, pointing to the mask hanging around his neck. Hitoshi smiled

"A surprise." He held a finger to his lips.

"Fine, don't tell me." Izuku huffed.

"Oh, hey, swap?" Hitoshi asked and Izuku nodded, handing him a single hair. "Cool. You want it back if you're first?"

"Yeah, just in case. Unless it's both of us, then I'll beat you with what I have left." Izuku grinned and Hitoshi opened the pouch on his hip.

"Oh, can I have three more?" He asked, Izuku frowning.

"What?"

"I have a pouch for topping off and swapping in case we're teamed up and need extra firepower, as long as we agree that when I eat it you're giving it to me now we should be good yeah?" He asked and Izuku frowned, nodding slowly.

"Why didn't I think of that..." He mumbled, continuing for a moment to speculate on if the trigger really did have to be verbal or if they could make preemptive agreements.

"Just empty one out, here." Hitoshi said, handing him three shiny purple hairs.

"Hey, what are you two doing? Mic is about to start!" Uraraka called over to them and they both jumped.

"Yeah, coming!" Izuku said, handing him the three hairs as he pulled them from his head and started on over to join their class. 

"This is a simple test, you are in teams of two, 1 team is the villains, protecting the stolen bomb and planning to blow up a building. The second, the heroes, trying to stop them. The goal of the game is for the villain team to either keep the bomb away from the heroes until the time runs out, or incapacitate them and make them surrender. The opposite for heroes, you can take the bomb from them and win, or arrest them to win. The villains will have a head start to find a good place to hide the bomb, and the heroes will have to track them down and execute their plans." Aizawa said, showing the monitors. "The whole area is on cameras and mics, and you will have earpieces to communicate."

"So run wild young listeners!" Present Mic struck a pose and the class laughed softly. Aizawa cleared his throat.

"Do not do that. You will be graded on your ability to plan and work as a team." Aizawa said, shooting a look at Mic who shrugged, embarrassed. Hitoshi looked towards Izuku who nodded back.

"Pick out of that box, and decide your fate!" Mic pointed to a box illuminated ominously from above, sitting on a small pedestal. Even Iida snorted.

"White slips are heroes, black slips are villains." Aizawa sighed, zipping himself into his sleeping bag.

"I'm not a damn villain!" Bakugou yelled from the box, having pulled the first black slip. 

"It's just a game Bakugou! Lighten up!" Kirishima laughed and slapped at the boy's back, Bakugou grumbling but simmering down.

Hitoshi took a deep breath and grabbed a slip, relieved to find it white, scootching over to Izuku.

"So, whatcha get?" He grinned and Izuku held up his slip.

"I'm in team one."

"Ah, guess we couldn't get that lucky. I'm third." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku nodded.

"Probably best for us to learn how to team up with other folks too though right?" Izuku said, and Hitoshi smiled at how fired up he seemed.

"Totally."

"Shinsou-kun, I believe we're teamed up."  Momo said, waving her slip. He smiled and nodded.

"Let's save the day!"

Izuku sighed heavily when he realized Kaachan was on his villain team, and Hitoshi stiffened beside him. It was unavoidable he would eventually have to either confront him or join him in a team up. He couldn't just ignore the boy forever.

"You okay? You could talk to Aizawa-sensei. He doesn't seem thrilled about the match up either." Hitoshi said. Izuku looked over at Aizawa, studying the monitors seriously. He didn't look much different than he had moments prior.

"Does he? I can't really read his expressions..." Izuku asked and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah he's super worried. Look at his forehead, it's really obvious." He pointed between his own eyes and Izuku frowned then sighed again.

"It'll be fine. I can't avoid it forever."

"If he hurts you I'm going to kick his ass." Hitoshi said, steely, and Izuku remembered a similar look on his mother's face when he met her. Despite being adopted, the similarities were uncanny sometimes.

"Not if I kick his ass first." Izuku grinned with a confidence he didn't really feel.

"Deku, do you want to talk to Aizawa-sensei?" Uraraka said, beside him all of a sudden and Izuku jumped, thrown off by the nickname, especially in the mouth of someone smiling and meaning it when she said it.

"Oh um, no it's fine." He said, shifting, her eyes going wide.

"Oh sorry, I heard Bakugou say it our first day and thought it was a nickname like 'I can do it'!" Uraraka said and Izuku clammed up. It didn't seem on the surface like a lie, or malicious. And he had every reason in the world to believe her. She shifted from one foot to the other, awkwardly scratching the back of her head. "I can not if you don't want me to, I shouldn't have if I didn't know the history or anything."

"It's fine if you call me that." Izuku quickly said and she smiled.

"Okay, so we ready to kick butt?" She grinned and he nodded.

"Totally." He looked at Hitoshi. "Wish me luck?"

"You don't need it." Hitoshi grinned and Izuku followed Mic to the entrance of the training grounds. 

It took an embarrassingly short time to find them, on the top floor of a concrete high rise. They quickly snuck in, Izuku moving them quickly while Uraraka floated them into a 4th story window.

"As soon as they know we're here Bakugou will come at me first because he is going to assume I'm the bigger threat."

"I can provide back up then, if you need it." Uraraka said and Izuku shook his head.

"It'd be smarter to split up. If I can keep him distracted and you deal with Iida, we can avoid a two on one situation."

"Okay, so, what's the plan? I can hold a good bit up with my quirk if I need to."

"Focus on tagging the bomb, but Iida will probably have some kind of plan in place to move if he needs to, so exits are important."

There was a loud scream from a few floors up and Izuku winced.

"Okay, he's coming, go out the window and up the side." He said and she brightened, suddenly seeing the whole plan.

"Ah, and then I can slip in behind Iida and maybe get the drop on him." She finished and he nodded.

"If he sees you he'll move but I'll try to get Bakugou farther up the building so if he goes to run he has to get past a brawl."

"Okay, and if I can't tag it, you have a strength quirk right? You could destabilize the floor." She suggested and Izuku frowned. He wasn't sure he could with only 2%, but with Bakugou running around like a raging bull, he could perhaps use that to his advantage.

"Yeah, we can adjust as we go." He agreed and she smiled, pushing off the wall and out the window, seconds before Bakugou wrenched around the corner, breathing heavily and growling.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you Deku."

"You can try." Izuku said, falling into stance.

Hitoshi was biting his nails. The fight on screen was... Brutal seemed too light a term. Izuku was playing dirty. Ducking and dodging, kicking dirt in Bakugou's face, playing the defensive and retreating farther up the building when he could. Bakugou had caught him with two explosions already, Izuku's nose bloody and the side of his costume ripped as he ran. It just made him look cowardly to Bakugou, and he said as much, the vitriol coming off him in literal waves. Uraraka had gotten in the building but was spotted quicker than she expected, the game of keep away with Iida getting intense as he got... Maybe too in character. She kept touching things, bits of rubble and debris blown up by his quirk lunging him around the room, jumping out of the way when Iida struck out at her, and he hadn't noticed the cloud of rock slowly accumulating overhead.

Hitoshi turned back to the other monitor, following Izuku. He'd managed some space and slowed slightly, looking over his shoulder as he ran through the halls, his lips moving as he muttered too softly to hear on the comms. He slid to a stop and swiped at a pillar in the center of a large room with a marker. He did that four more times and Hitoshi grinned widely.

"Uraraka-chan, you're in position?"  Izuku's voice crackled over the earpiece feed they had, unwinding the capture tape until he had a good few feet, tucking the excess in his belt.

"Yes! I've got him right above the mark."

"Okay. This may take a minute but I'll give you a signal." Izuku said, and Hitoshi saw him turn, Bakugou panting and furious in the doorway.

"Roger!" Uraraka chirped and dove out of the way of Iida's charge attack again.

"You're a fucking coward. Running away like you always do. You lied to everyone about your quirk and now you're gonna act like a coward on top of it?" Bakugou hissed and shot forward, blasting behind him to give himself some extra speed. "Just fucking fight me."

Izuku pulled back right as Bakugou shot towards him and spun to dodge, throwing his arm out and clothe-slining him, Bakugou choking and sputtering as Izuku moved towards his first mark, keeping his eyes on Bakugou.

"Well, he asked for it." Hitoshi mumbled and Momo covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

Bakugou went into an almost feral looking fury, shooting blow after blow at Izuku, who dodged or caught his hands effortlessly. It seemed random at first glance, but there was a discernible pattern when Shinsou watched for long enough. He always led with his right, no matter how much it threw him off, and despite the random nature of his blows, he was still keeping to a pattern of where he struck. It may have been different types of punch or kick, but his aim was for the same spots. Spots that would hurt when he hit. Stomach, kidneys, nose, temples, joints. It was dirty fighting too, it just didn't look as much like it. Bakugou hit the first pillar Izuku had marked with his Nitro, and Kirishima cheered.

"That's such a cool plan honestly." Hagakure said, punching a fist in the air.

"Yeah, Iida can't get traction if there isn't a floor." Sato nodded and Hitoshi felt... Proud. Yeah, he would go with that. His heart was full to bursting as he watched his best friend lead his enemy around by the nose.

On screen Izuku strafed and flipped out of the way, isolating his 2% in his legs and dashing quicker than Bakugou could follow, Bakugou crashing through two more pillars and finally landing a punch, solidly to Izuku's stomach. Hitoshi grit his teeth and glanced at Aizawa, whose hand was hovering over the button to call the fight as Izuku retched on the floor. The boy looked up, locking eyes for a moment with the camera and then pushed off the ground, shooting himself straight up in the air and kicking off a pillar towards the other side of the room. 

"Yeah! Kick his ass babe!" Hitoshi yelled and the group all looked at him, stunned a moment. He shrugged. "Sorry you don't know memes."

The fight continued, blows exchanging a few times, Izuku catching one of Bakugou's hands with the tape and redirecting a shot towards one of the pillars before it snapped and he was backhanded into another. There was only one left and Izuku panted, rushing Bakugou and getting him around the middle, Bakugou going to hit him in the head before Izuku suplexed him into the final pillar, yelling as he did. Bakugou shot to his feet but the work was done.

"See ya. Uraraka, now!" Izuku grinned and jumped, fist aimed at the ceiling.

The floor broke apart beneath Iida, the boy yelping as he fell and Uraraka shot across the room. Tagging the now free falling bomb with her whole body wrapped around it, Izuku flailing but managing to land relatively soundly on the next floor up.

"Yes! Did you see that? That's my best friend!" Hitoshi yelled and pointed at the monitors, Kirishima and Ashido also losing their minds. He looked back to the monitor to see Izuku grinning widely and giving the camera a thumbs up. Hitoshi felt like he could cry. Izuku was amazing .

"Win goes to the hero team. Please return to base if you can." Aizawa said and then turned to the others. "Okay, so our next phase is to evaluate their performance."

"Yes sensei." The group quieted down, a few excited whispers still running through the class.

Izuku stumbled in with Uraraka's help, Iida close behind them, Bakugou grumbling and sullen at the rear, a dark purple bruise growing on his face.

"Take a break, you've earned it!" Mic said and they sat. Izuku waved, and Hitoshi noticed his hand was most likely broken again. Izuku shrugged apologetically. 

"Okay, so for the villain team, what would you say you could have improved?" Aizawa asked the class.

"Communication. From the outset both parties came up with their own plan, whether by choice or not, and neither really enhanced their chance of success as a team." Todoroki said blandly and Hitoshi nodded.

"From go Iida decided where the bomb should be placed, not really taking into account how Bakugou's quirk works, or the enemies he would be up against. That could be considered vital information that was disregarded as well." Jirou added and Iida blushed.

"Ah yes, you have a point." He agreed and looked down at the floor, Bakugou silently fuming beside him.

"Bakugou fixated too much on who he thought the biggest threat was instead of working with his team mate. If he didn't know who was who in a real defense situation he could have chosen to go after the wrong person infiltrating and left the package unsecured." Momo said and Bakugou's jaw clenched so hard Hitoshi heard it pop.

"All good points, I hope you both take something from them." Aizawa said curtly and nodded towards Izuku and Uraraka. "And the hero team?"

"Izuku broke his hand again." Hitoshi blurted. "In a real situation if hostages had been present he wouldn't have been able to assist with any rescue efforts after the fight."

"Again?" Aizawa asked, fixing a level, serious look at him. Well he looked mad. Hitoshi clammed up a moment.

"Ahh, you know what I mean, he threw his safety out to complete the objective but didn't think far enough into the future." Hitoshi said, looking away from his teacher and to Izuku who hung his head.

"Uraraka did a good job establishing a back up plan with the debris, if things had gone wrong with Midoriya she would have potentially been able to bog Iida down long enough to retrieve the bomb. The fact Iida thought ahead enough to remove the initial debris does lead me to think Uraraka got lucky that anything was destructible to begin with, however." Tokoyami commented and some of the others nodded.

"If I had to say one thing they did poorly it was to rely too much on their own abilities and not trusting the other to do more complicated things for the mission, but that's something that takes time with hero teams!" Kirishima said excitedly, giving them a thumbs up. Aizawa nodded.

"Okay. Midoriya, head over to the nurse, Bakugou too. On to the next."

Izuku got back from being scolded by Recovery Girl just in time to give Hitoshi a thumbs up and join the others.

"Good luck!" He said his friend waving as he walked off.

"They have something up their sleeve." Uraraka leaned over conspiratorially to tell him. "They were talking in the corner the whole last battle."

"Who won?"

"Jirou and Kaminari surprisingly, he kinda fried his brain a bit but they managed to take down the hero team." Uraraka laughed and Izuku nodded, looking at the monitors. Tokoyami and Tsuyu had set up their bomb towards the bay, most likely to force an amphibious confrontation, and Tokoyami seemed to be using Dark Shadow to guard both sides himself. Tsuyu had lowered down into the bay, pretending to be elsewhere patrolling. Hitoshi and Momo stopped a few meters into the test ground and started having Momo make things. They looked like dummies. Izuku frowned.

Hitoshi picked up one of the bodies and flashed a thumbs up at Momo, shooting off down the main drag towards the bay. He deposited the dummy on top of a building he scaled quicker than Izuku had thought he could and shot across back towards Momo who was still making objects as quickly as possible.

"Okay that's all of them." Momo said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Okay, part 2, you have what you need?"

"Yeah. I'm ready." She nodded, hefting a bag on her shoulder.

"Okay, hop on." Hitoshi said and knelt, Momo hopping on his back. He took off around the city, moving the long way around.

"What is he doing?" Izuku mumbled and Uraraka shrugged.

"Dunno, they seemed excited though." She grinned. "This is fun right?"

"Yeah," Izuku confessed and grinned back. "It really is."

Hitoshi dropped Momo off near the bay a bit away from the others and it suddenly dawned on him what they had been making. Momo donned the scuba gear quickly, grabbing the small propulsion thing she had created and handing the rest of the bag to Hitoshi.

"Okay I will tell you when I am in position." She said, descending into the water.

"Perfect." He said and took off towards where he had stashed the dummy.

"Are they coming, ribbit?" Tsuyu asked, the camera on her a bit blurry but visible and Tokoyami looked around. 

"Dark Shadow, look around." He instructed and Dark Shadow shot into the air. The mic barely picked up that he didn't see anything yet. 

"Be on guard, I'm sure they have something planned." Tsuyu said and Tokoyami grunted in agreement.

"I'm in position." Momo, said and you could see her vague shape taking form behind Tsuyu.

"Good, me too. Go ahead." 

Tsuyu yelped when Momo tased her, protected by her wetsuit and the distance between them and she quickly grabbed her, taking off in the opposite direction.

"Tsu-chan?" Tokoyami said into his comm, panicking after a second. "Please respond!" 

"We have captured your teammate. Surrender and hand over the payload." Momo said into Tsuyu's comm and Tokoyami spun around, looking for them.

"Dark Shadow, find them!" He ordered and Dark Shadow shot away, spreading around the alleys and streets. He spotted Hitoshi on the roof, the dummy disguised to look like Tsuyu now and flew back down to Tokoyami.

"He's on the roof with her." Dark Shadow said and Tokoyami scowled.

"Is Yaomomo with him?"

"No."

"Damn!" Tokoyami cursed. "Dark Shadow, bring it with us."

Dark Shadow picked up the bomb and they both took off towards the roof. Hitoshi kicked the dummy off the roof.

"Ahh, Tokoyami-kun!" Shinsou yelled and it was a perfect replication of Tsuyu's voice.

"A surprise huh?" Izuku smirked as Tokoyami fell for it, calling back and sending Dark Shadow to catch the dummy. The second he answered asking if she was okay, Hitoshi had him.

"Give me the bomb. Please." Hitoshi said, still using Tsuyu's voice, and Tokoyami stepped back, Hitoshi quickly taping him up and grabbing the bomb.

"Hero team wins." Aizawa announced into the comm and Momo cheered. The rest of the room burst into excited chatter, Izuku smiling widely.

"Midoriya-kun you're crying." Uraraka said and Izuku wiped his face.

"That's my best friend." He said softly and Uraraka smiled and set a hand on his shoulder.

"He did good huh?" She smiled and he nodded, looking back at the monitor to see Hitoshi helping Momo and Tsuyu out of the water, grinning widely. Hitoshi really was amazing.

Hitoshi hadn't expected Izuku to hug him when he got in.

"You didn't even get hurt, that was amazing planning." He gushed and Hitoshi blushed.

"Yeah well, when you have basically unlimited resources this is kinda easy." Hitoshi said, glancing back at Momo.

"Oh I didn't do much." She said, embarrassed.

"No, no, if I hadn't had you on my team it would have been way harder!" Hitoshi said decidedly and Momo nodded, twisting at a lock of hair, embarrassed.

"Okay, so, the villain team first?" Aizawa grunted.

"Playing to your strengths with the bay was a good idea, especially since you picked a spot with the most cover from the sun for Dark Shadow. The weakness came in your preparation and not expecting an attack from the water." Sato commented musingly and Tsuyu nodded.

"In Tsuyu's defense I don't think anyone else would have made that bet." Kaminari chuckled. "It is her turf after all."

"She still should have expected with the versatility of Yaomomo's quirk that anything could happen." Jirou added and Kaminari nodded in agreement.

"Tokoyami had a good idea with keeping the bomb with him, even during his rescue attempt, but that crippled you a lot." Izuku added and saw Tokoyami turn crestfallen.

"I admit to having not been able to keep my cool in that situation, the darkness quickly consumed my spirit." Tokoyami sighed heavily and shook his head.

"Losing a comrade is always demoralizing, I doubt anyone would have faulted you if this had been a real scenario." Aizawa added and looked at Hitoshi. "The heroes?"

"It was great, the level of coordination you both had was stellar. Frankly it was like watching two old pros." Ashido declared and Momo blushed.

"If you hadn't had 2 whole battles before you to strategize and prepare you wouldn't have been able to pull it off." Bakugou grunted and a few of the others cast him dirty looks. "What? It's true."

"Bakugou does have a good point. You didn't communicate much once you started, how much did you plan out before you went in?" Aizawa asked and Hitoshi rubbed at the back of his head.

"Most of it. We had some ideas for back up plans that we could execute if one or the other saw things going poorly as well. The list of items to prepare hadn't needed to be as extensive once I saw where they had set up, and that burned through a lot more of Momo's stamina than we needed to." He answered and she nodded.

"Correct, we hashed out almost everything before we even went in, assuming that Tsuyu would pick a defensible spot from the water and Tokoyami as dark as possible. The narrow areas around the dock seemed perfect. Given our having seen most of the layout we figured that would be the best spot for them to pick." Momo added and he nodded.

"We also assumed with my quirk and Momo's ability, that they would expect a more head on assault. Something a bit more direct. If Tsuyu had been more aware a good portion of our plan would have been impossible to execute as that would have alerted both of them right off that we had made our move." Hitoshi added.

"Taking our time also helped them to be on edge rather than prepared." Momo added and Aizawa nodded.

"It seems both of you are fairly aware of your flaws. In either case, well done."

"Feels a bit... Not manly to attack that way though..." Kirishima said and Bakugou scoffed.

"Cheap is all." He said, snorting softly.

"Knowing your terrain and your opponent is a valuable tool for a hero. Investigation and preparation is a huge part of any kind of hero work, even villain apprehension." Aizawa said sternly. "I would expect nothing less from someone recommended by Nighteye."

Hitoshi's ears went red all the way to the tips and he ducked his head.

"Thanks."

The rest of the battles passed smoothly, Hagakure having to visit Recovery Girl for frostbite after Todoroki froze the whole building her and Ojiro were hiding in. Other than her though there weren't a lot of other injuries and Izuku had the worst of it. Bakugou had a cracked cheekbone, but Recovery Girl had patched him up fine.

"Nurse Hatchin ratted us out to Recovery Girl." Izuku said as he and Hitoshi walked to lunch, still in their hero uniforms.

"Monstrous. We should kill her." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku laughed.

"So what's with that support gear? It changed your voice?" He asked and Hitoshi popped it off his neck, handing it over.

"Yeah, it puts pressure on different parts of my throat depending on the setting to change my natural voice tone. I called it the Artificial Vocal Cord System, or AVCS for short. Whoever designed it left a note calling it her Mockingbird baby."

"How do you know it was a girl?" Izuku frowned.

"She left like a million hearts all over the note, I assumed." Hitoshi shrugged and Izuku nodded

"Fair."

"Did you ever swap in or is it still mine for the day?" Hitoshi asked, voice low, and Izuku shook his head.

"I used what I had. Probably still good for the rest of the day." He answered and Hitoshi nodded.

"Gotcha. Well lemme know when we swap so we can keep track and neither of us like, try to do something and fall flat on our faces." Hitoshi chuckled and jumped when Todoroki sat down four or five seats away. He had been slowly inching closer and Hitoshi was starting to think he was maybe part alley cat.

"What are you guys laughing about?" Uraraka grinned and joined them.

"Bakugou's new super move, where he falls flat on his back like a turtle." Hitoshi said and Izuku snorted so hard rice came out his nose. A moment later, Izuku still coughing and trying to clear his sinuses, the alarm for an intruder went off, and the cafeteria was filled with screaming.

End chapter 8.

Chapter Text

The thing about being a super visible, established, prestigious hero school that employed a lot of well known heroes who were active in their field, was that it made you a target . The security at U.A. was beyond reproach, top of the line, no parent or student could say that they didn't make their best effort to protect every one of their students. The U.A. Barrier was the first line of defense, the active heroes that taught there another, and an integrated security monitoring system and intercom, including drones that could subdue would be attackers with quick hardening goo was the last. The final back up in the event that these systems failed was a series of bunkers beneath the school that could hold every student and teacher safely within until the attack or event had passed.

As Hitoshi and Izuku were battered and shoved by their fellow students' panic, they saw those drones deploy out of the top of the pillars that dotted the pathways. They also saw the huge, hulking villain standing over the powdered remains of the U.A. Barrier.

"Everyone calm down! Is this any way for heroes to act! You're going to do more harm than good trampling each other!" Iida, suddenly floating above the crowd, yelled and pushed his glasses up his face. "Move in an orderly fashion towards the stairwell and down into the evacuation routes! Calmly!"

The crowd murmured, some kids talking about the huge villain attacking the school with horror and fear, a shudder shaking the building and a couple people shrieking, but they moved quickly and calmly out. Izuku jumped and grabbed Iida's hand, Uraraka tagging him and letting gravity return to him. He straightened his uniform.

"Okay, thank you Uraraka-chan." He said and looked out the window, the fight starting to heat up outside as the heroes also arrived.

"No, you're the one with the quick thinking. I'm just glad they all listened." She shook her head and glanced at the window herself just as another great blow shook the building, almost like an earthquake. Other heroes were arriving from the city as well, including some familiar faces on Shinsou's part as Edgeshot's team arrived, Kamui Woods attempting to entrap the huge hulking thing and failing as it ripped its way out of his wood prison like it was paper.

"We should... Do something right?" Hitoshi said softly and Iida shook his head.

"No, the best course for us is to stay out of the way. They're pro heroes, if we go rushing in it could keep them from having the space to work." He said and Izuku grunted, hands fisting at his sides, shoulders shaking.

"I hate not doing anything."

"We are doing something, we're making sure folks stay calm and organized so that everyone makes it out alive." Iida said and set a hand on Izuku's shoulder. "That by itself is a hero's job too."

"Wow Iida, you're just full of hero knowledge today." Hitoshi whistled lowly and the other boy shrugged.

"I try."

"Okay so should we try and get to the bunker space then get our class together?" Izuku asked, resolve suddenly on his face,

"That's what the student handbook says, yes. That way it is easier for missing or injured students to be identified." Iida nodded and Uraraka shrieked seconds before the windows in the hall they were evacuating shattered inward, the huge, hulking form of the villain crashing through. It skid to a halt across the floor, and laid there, unmoving for a moment.

"Keep going." Hitoshi and Izuku said at the same time, looking at each other. Uraraka shook her head.

"I'm staying. You don't even know what it is."

"It" was the best way to describe the thing in front of them, the skin pitch black and stretched over rippling muscles that looked taut to snapping. The brain was exposed, and its face had a curved beak that looked wickedly sharp.

"Everyone keep moving!" Iida called to the students cowering and crouched, some nursing injuries from the broken glass, and they started to move again, filing out quickly. He looked at them and nodded sharply, continuing to lead the panicked students out. The villain laid unmoving on the ground, and Izuku took a step forward before Hitoshi quickly grabbed his arm.

"Don't. It jumped up here, it wasn't thrown." He said and Izuku nodded, watching the creature. It was breathing, it did do that , and in a moment a voice rang out through the cafeteria.

"Ah, Noumu, that's where you ended up." The villain's voice was like nails on a chalkboard, walking out of a swirling void as he was. He was covered in hands.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Hitoshi called over to them and Izuku clenched his fists, ready to strike if he needed to.

The villain looked at him and laughed.

"It's none of your business, you're just part of the mob I--" his voice stopped and he went still, stiff, his eyes getting that far away look when Hitoshi exercised his power.

"Sit down, put your hands behind your back." Hitoshi said, his voice quavering a bit as his head absolutely exploded with pain. He looked to Izuku. "You still have that capture tape on you?"

"Y-yeah."

"Tie him up please." Hitoshi said, setting a hand on his forehead. "He is resisting a good bit so make it fast."

"Got it." Izuku nodded and Uraraka rushed over to help, binding the villain's legs while Izuku got his arms.

"Why are you here?" Hitoshi pressed and the man's face contorted as he attempted to resist.

"To undermine this sick hero society. Heroes are a poison on the world. We're sending a message, that even heroes aren't safe in this world." The villain spat and he felt a throbbing in the back of his head, radiating out around his face.

"Is anyone else here with you?" He asked softly and the villain nodded.

"You're going to meet them, soon enough." The villain grinned and his voice came out stronger, more assured. He had wanted to tell them that part.

"Stay there and don't move from that spot until the heroes you have been fighting retrieve you for arrest." Hitoshi said, choosing his words carefully, and leaned against the wall behind him, broken glass crunching underfoot. his head throbbed, like his own brain was trying to squeeze out his ears, and he closed his eyes.

"I have never had anyone fight back this hard before." He said when Izuku walked over to him, concern clear on his face. 

"Villains are all different huh?" He said and Hitoshi shook his head.

"No I don't know, actually it feels more like there's something already in there working. Like I don't have enough space, cramped." He said and rubbed at his temples. "I think we're good either way it just hurts, unless I get hit or something I should be able to hold him a bit."

"Good, if things go bad on your end I can always suspend them and keep them from getting away to buy us some more time." Uraraka suggested and stood between them, ready to touch both or either if Hitoshi gave her the word.

"Can you ask him one more question?" Izuku asked and he nodded.

"Yeah, sure." Hitoshi said and Izuku turned to the man. "Answer him as you would me."

"Who sent you here?"

The noise that came from the man's throat was wretched, strangled, and almost painful to hear.

"All for One." He said and the words cut like glass.

"And who are you?" Izuku asked, crossing his arms over himself, not in any kind of defiance, but because he was scared, uncomfortable. The villain started to laugh, harsh and sick sounding, grinning like a madman.

"I'm the person who killed All Might."

Aizawa ran, the villains had started out attacking one, maybe two at a time but as more and more somehow appeared it had gotten slower to make his way towards the cafeteria. He hadn't been able to keep eyes on the black skinned creature long enough to stop it's quirk before it barreled into the building. It hadn't come flying back out or collapsed anything so he assumed something had failed on the villains plans. That or they were searching for information that was more valuable than just attacking a school. When he skid into the cafeteria, his feet sliding in glass and saw his problem children standing over two villains, incapacitated and restrained, he sighed heavily.

"Why aren't you three in the evacuation bunker?" Aizawa groaned and Midoriya jumped.

"Sorry sensei, we can head there now, we were just waiting for someone to arrest these guys." Midoriya assured him and Aizawa knocked the one guy out, the Noumu looking almost catatonic.

"Go on. Now." Aizawa said and Shinsou dithered for a moment.

"Sensei... He said he was the one who... The one who killed All Might. He was under the effect of my quirk and I'm not sure how much of that is even able to be a lie, but I asked who he was, and that was his response." He said.

"He said All for One sent him." Midoriya added, and that chill in his veins spread to full blown ice water.

"Go to the bunker. Right now." Aizawa said, voice more urgent than he had intended, and the boys gave each other a look before nodding.

"Listen to him, follow his instructions." Shinsou said to the man on the floor before grabbing Uraraka's hand and rushing with Midoriya out the door.

"You're not going to beat him Eraserhead. None of you will." The villain mumbled from the floor, barely conscious.

"I disagree. And didn't I mention? Keep your mouth closed." Aizawa said and the villain's mouth slammed shut. Aizawa sighed. That was almost worth the trouble those two brought into his classroom, he just wished he could do it on demand.

The school rocked overhead as they ran down the stairs, parts of the building blown off, a couple students hurt in the halls that Izuku helped up and moved along.

"Hey, hey help!" A familiar voice called to them in the hall and pointed at an area where a piece of rubble was blocking the door to a classroom. Mirio looked at them and suddenly recognized them. "Midoriya! Shinsou! My friends are stuck in there but we have our provisional licenses so we can go help."

"I got it!" Uraraka said and touched the debris, floating it out of the way. The door frame wiggled a bit, unstable and she quickly slapped it too, keeping it in place. The two other students came out and Izuku recognized them immediately.

"You're the big three!" He blurted and Mirio flashed a thumbs up.

"We sure are! Amajiki, you okay?" He asked and the dark haired boy rubbed at his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's mostly just a bruise." The other boy said softly and the girl beside them started levitating. 

"Mirio, put your costume on and meet us out there, I'm going ahead." She called to him.

"On it!" The boy vanished into the floor and left his whole uniform behind as the girl grabbed Amajiki by the shoulders and flew down the hall. 

"That was..." Izuku started and Hitoshi shook his head.

"No time, come on." He rolled his eyes. What a time for him to get hero nerdy.

"Should we make sure no one else is trapped? My quirk has always been geared more towards rescue efforts." Uraraka said and Izuku nodded.

"As we go."

--

It felt like hours before Iida saw Uraraka, Midoriya, and Shinsou come in through the door, each of them helping another student along.

"I think that's everybody for 1-A." Momo said softly and Iida nodded.

"Yes, we're lucky." Iida said, looking at the other groupings, some only three or four students waiting for their classmates.

"Hey, we ran into a few provisional heroes who went to help out, so don't worry about the numbers too much yet." Shinsou said, still holding a girl under the arm, her head lolling worryingly, eyes unfocused. "I think she's from class B, do we have medical set up or anything? She might have hit her head."

"Some students with healing quirks are set up over there helping out. The intercom said Recovery Girl was on her way but I don't know how long that's going to take given everything happening." Momo answered, pointing out the group, and he nodded.

"This way guys." He called to Midoriya and Uraraka, and they quickly walked them over. They rejoined the class in a moment, and the school crashed overhead, dust settling from the ceiling. Shinsou sat down on the ground and took a few deep breaths.

"You okay?" Uraraka asked, setting a hand on his back.

"Yeah this is just a lot like what happened when... When those villains attacked my sister's school." He said, breathing out through his mouth and in through his nose, counting his breaths. She rubbed at his back softly.

"Yeah, damn, that's true. I didn't think about that." She said and Midoriya sat on his other side.

"Can I help?"

"Just being around helps." He said softly and the building shook again, his eyes screwing shut tight. "Unless you can single-handedly stop all of those villains."

"Don't tempt me. I hate sitting here like this." Midoriya scowled and he nodded.

"Yeah, at least then I could... Do something? I could help, instead of just sitting here." He scowled and rubbed at his head. He was still feeling the strain on his quirk from holding hand guy in place, but it wasn't as bad as when he had tried to question him.

"Hey, how was it out there? I was in our classroom grabbing something when everything happened." Kirishima said, looking far away himself, staring at the door.

"About what you would expect. Nobody was dead as far as we saw." Izuku said softly, hands clenching on his pants.

"Good. I hate this." Kirishima scowled. "We should be out there helping, we're heroes too."

"We are heroes in training . Technically we could still get in trouble for using our quirk against another person without licenses." Hagakure said from beside them and they all jumped, her still in her hero gear as well, so just a floating pair of gloves and boots.

"In the event of an emergency, such as life or death threat or natural disaster, an individual may use their quirk in self defense or the defense and well being of others without repercussion." Hitoshi said and the others blinked at him. He shrugged. "I know the law, people have tried to bend it to fuck me over enough. Plus, I helped out at my sister's school. I was recruited as assistance on the spot and technically was a part of the chain of command once verbal permission was given by Kamui Woods."

"Shinsou that's so manly." Kirishima said, eyes watering. 

"It's not that big a deal. Either way, none of us have been given authorization to help." Hitoshi sighed. "So right now we can defend ourselves and each other, but that's it."

"If anything Aizawa-sensei's orders were the exact opposite." Izuku sighed as well, leaning back against the wall, thunking his head against it. 

"Aren't you cold?" Jirou blurted suddenly toward Hagakure and she laughed.

"Oh I am freezing down here, but what can I do?" She shrugged, or that's what they assumed with the exaggerated raising of her hands.

"Oh, here." Izuku said, taking the top of his uniform off, still wearing a white shirt with the words "under shirt" across the front.

"Yeah take mine too." Hitoshi nodded and took off his jacket.

"You can sit on mine too!" Kaminari offered, laying his jacket on the ground.

This escalated until Hagakure was sitting wrapped up in about ten different jackets, looking like a pile of laundry.

"Ahhhh, thanks guys, that's a lot better." She sighed and Izuku laughed.

"You look like the floor of a college dorm room." He said and Hagakure laughed too.

"Just don't throw me in the wash!" She said and then waved at Momo. "Feel free to join me if you're cold too!"

"Ah, yes, thank you." Mono said and sat daintily beside her, wrapping up in one of the multitudes of jackets.

There was a huge crash and the whole shelter shook violently, dust filling the room. Hitoshi took another deep breath through his nose, counting out on his fingers to focus back in.

"I have a signal finally!" Kaminari said and the others crowded around him as he pulled up the news.

"They're really gonna call it that?" Todoroki scowled and Iida frowned.

"It certainly is a dour outlook." He agreed.

"The Siege of U.A. isn't entirely wrong though." Izuku mumbled.

"Doesn't look like there are any casualties yet that they've found, but a good number of heroes and students have taken injuries." Kaminari read off, scrolling down. "Looks like a calculated attack on multiple hero schools, Ketsubutsu was also breached from the inside out, some kind of warp quirk."

"Christ." Bakugou huffed, looking more nervous than Izuku had ever seen him look.

"Yeah. Shiketsu had an event but the villains didn't manage to fully invade before their security shut down the school. The students are still inside but it's got a release protocol that it does or something. I don't really get it." Kaminari continued and Hitoshi peeked over his shoulder.

"Anything else?" He asked and then froze at the next headline.

"Oh. Oh fuck." Kaminari said, lowering his phone, biting his lip for a moment before he continued. "Someone desecrated All Might's grave."

Those words sunk in, the whole bunker getting quiet, the only sounds the battle raging overhead. Chatter returned with just as sudden a rush.

"What the fuck?!" Bakugou yelled, punching a wall. Izuku would have been startled if he didn't feel like doing the same. "Who do those fuckers think they are?"

"That's so fucked up, even for a villain." Sero hissed softly, shaking his head.

"How dare they? How could anyone ever..." Iida growled and wiped at his face.

"That's awful." Tsuyu whispered and shook her head. "He's already dead, what more could they want?"

"To make sure he can't come back..." Hitoshi muttered, meeting Izuku's eyes. The other boy nodded, his expression hard, even for Hitoshi, to read.

"Terrible. I hope they get these guys." Shoji grunted, shaking his head. 

"Who has gotten injured?" Todoroki asked softly and Kaminari jumped, not seeing him until he said something.

"Oh, oh shit, yeah hold on." He mumbled and unlocked his phone again, scrolling back up. "Uhhhh, okay so heroes who have been removed from the fight include Crust, Ryuukuu, a member of the Wild Wild Pussycats but it doesn't specify who, some sidekicks from Nighteye Agency and Fatgum Agency, Gunhead took a serious injury and is in critical condition... Um..." Kaminari kept looking and Todoroki sighed.

"Is the old man on the list?" He asked more directly and Kaminari slapped his own forehead.

"Oh, duh, lemme see." Kaminari mumbled and kept scrolling. "Looks like he's fighting some horrible monster with Hawks outside Shiketsu, but he's still going. It's apparently getting pretty intense and he's taken some injuries but isn't down yet. A couple of his sidekicks have been considered out of commission. Firebrand and Jetstream it looks like. Iida, your folks seem to be working on dealing with stuff outside now, even your dad."

"He's retired ." Iida said and his voice sounded distant, shocked.

"Nobody could blame him for coming to help, you're his son." Jirou said, setting a hand on his arm and Iida nodded, sniffling.

"Who from Nighteye, does it say?" Hitoshi asked, Izuku nodded.

"Um, no, there hasn't been any comment from the agency yet but they're dealing with a lot." Kaminari said, looking closer. "Looks like they're directly handling the U.A. case and coordinating the heroes up there."

"Gotcha." Hitoshi sighed wearily.

"Oh, looks like a couple other retired heroes have joined the fray, including speed hero Gran Torino, lightning hero Arcstone, and teleport hero Killer Queen." Kaminari read and continued. "They're all U.A. alumni or former faculty. There's a few others too in pictures and stuff, but none by name."

"How does it look?" Izuku pressed and Kaminari waved a hand at him.

"There's a stream hold on." He muttered and pressed a button, raising his phone a little to get a better signal.

"We are here in the sky over U.A. as the Siege continues. Heroes are clashing with hundreds of villains, more reinforcements appearing every minute. They are organized and tactical, the pro heroes have made the call to have the provisional student heroes fall back to safety as more heroes across the city, new and old, band together to defend their alma mater."

"We have received news that one of the leaders of this organization, calling themselves the League of Villains, has been captured and taken to Tartarus by the hero Eraserhead. Other heroes have made multiple arrests over the course of the attack, but there doesn't seem to be any break in it. Now going live over to Kimitaro at Ketsubutsu. Kimitaro-san?"

"I have to go to the bathroom, here." Kaminari handed his phone over to Todoroki who took it like he didn't know what to do with it as students pressed in around him.

"Thank you, I'm currently here with Blue Lightning, who came out of retirement to help with the crisis today. Blue, what can you tell me about what is happening."

The older man stood straight, the mask he had on not quite fitting his face anymore and nodded.

"Yes, we've currently gotten the students to a safe location but a bomb threat has been made. This is a truly villainous event. These children aren't only some of the brightest stars of their generation, but also the future of heroics."

"What made you come out today?"

"I have spent the greater number of years in my youth protecting the peace. All Might may be gone but heroes never truly die and the actions of the common man as we have seen for ourselves these last few months, prove that."

"What is he talking about?" Hitoshi frowned and Momo glanced at him.

"You don't watch the news much, huh? There has been a skyrocket in vigilantism since All Might died, not always in costume as unlicensed heroes, but also everyday people using their quirks to stop petty crime." Momo said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Oh. Wow."

"Yeah. The police have been against it mostly." She nodded sagely. "Frankly I think it's a bad idea, dangerous for regular folk without training, but that's me."

"Do you approve of the vigilante justice that has been rampant in the country since All Might's death?" The reporter asked, shocked.

" Officially , no. Heroes require training and there are structures in place to assure that we are protected legally." Blue Lightning said then looked directly at the camera. "But I also feel like no person should be able to witness a crime they could have prevented, do nothing, and still be able to sleep at night."

The reporter looked at him, stunned and Blue laughed and scratched his head.

"But then again I'm an old timer you know, there's a reason I retired!"

"Ah, strong words from Blue Lightning, I will let you get back to work." The reporter said and Blue saluted and shot back off towards the tent the commanders had set up to deal with the crisis.

"I guess there's a lot of that kind of thinking happening, especially since villain attacks have gone up so much." Izuku mused and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, god, it would be terrible to see someone get hurt because the heroes can't keep up." Uraraka frowned at the phone.

"This just in, Nighteye will be making a statement shortly." The reporter announced and Izuku glanced at Hitoshi.

"Here, do you want this?" Todoroki said, offering the phone to Izuku. He frowned.

"I'm fine?"

"Oh. I thought you were his son." Todoroki declared, utterly serious.

Hitoshi nearly fell over laughing at the look of pure shock on Izuku's face.

"No! I'm not!" Izuku declared and Todoroki frowned.

"Ah, the resemblance was there, I guess it was you Shinsou-kun?" He asked and Shinsou laughed harder, almost unable to breathe, barely holding himself up with a hand on Izuku's shoulder, the shorter boy bright red.

"No, neither of us! Nighteye showed an interest because of some villain attacks we helped with before All Might's death." Izuku said quickly and Todoroki narrowed his eyes like he didn't believe him.

"Ah. My mistake."

"Can you shut up, Centipeter is on screen!" One of the students from another class said elbowing Hitoshi and they all quieted, Hitoshi unable to keep the smile off his face.

"Hello, Nighteye is currently dealing with a sudden complication. Meanwhile I will brief you on the situation." Centipeter said and Izuku smiled. He was glad to see he wasn't harmed. A little beat up but still put together.

"As of twenty minutes ago a good number of the villains have either fled upon hearing news their leader had been captured or surrendered. There are still some fights currently ongoing but we expect that the situation should be resolved shortly. Recovery Girl has been assisting with keeping our forces in the action and we are grateful to the paramedics and other emergency responders doing their best in this crisis. That is all I have to report. Thank you." Centipeter bowed and walked off screen, the feed switching to the reporter at Ketsubutsu.

"We have also seen less villains, some kind of warp quirk taking many of them out of the fray. SWAT is still on standby to sweep the building for explosives, but it seems the worst has passed."

"Except that it hasn't." Hitoshi grumbled and Izuku nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, this was less about killing anyone or hurting us, but that man said that they wanted to prove that even hero schools weren't safe. They have definitely done that." Izuku said and looked away from the footage of the fights happening outside, even as he could hear every bump and crash above them.

"True." Uraraka sighed and went to sit back down, the majority of students splitting off, leaving Todoroki holding a phone awkwardly with just his own classmates and a few class B students. Kaminari eventually relieved him of phone duty and Todoroki visibly relaxed, sitting near Izuku and the others.

"Worried about your dad?" Iida asked and Todoroki bristled a bit.

" No . He will be fine. Like always." He declared and Iida looked embarrassed.

"Of course, I didn't mean to imply otherwise." He said and Todoroki waved him off.

"It's fine." He grunted and relaxed a bit more.

"So, how freaked do you think our moms are right now?" Hitoshi grinned over and Izuku and he buried his face in his hands.

"Oh god it's going to be the worst. I'm surprised we didn't spot them stomping towards Centipeter to ask him what the hell was going on."

"My mom, maybe, your mom, doubtful."

"Shimaiya-san brings out the worst in her." Izuku sighed, Hitoshi laughing. 

"How the heck did Kaminari even get signal down here? My phone has been sitting at zero bars since we closed the door." Uraraka grumbled, shoving her phone in her pocket.

"Dunno." Hitoshi shrugged and Izuku leaned against his shoulder. 

"Probably something to do with his quirk. Or he has a jailbroke phone or something." Izuku suggested and yawned. Oh right, he went to Recovery Girl about his hand after the battle test. He was probably running on fumes by now.

The others continued talking, Izuku nodding off, saying something in response only occasionally, and Hitoshi lowered his shoulder to keep him from falling over when he dozed off. Despite the crashing and banging above, and the students still talking around them, Izuku eventually fell asleep leaned against Hitoshi's shoulder, and he smiled softly down at Izuku's tangle of curls.

End chapter 9.

Chapter Text

Izuku woke up to people yelling and loud metallic slamming.

He peeked his eyes open and realized he was laying on a small cot he didn't remember falling asleep on, in the bunker, and a bunch of kids were at the door yelling at each other.

"Just because you're class A doesn't mean you can make all the calls!" A blonde boy was yelling in Iida's face, the boy stammering.

"We're not trying to, I'm just saying he could at least seal up the door so nothing gets in until the all clear hits the news!" Kaminari yelled back and the other boy snorted derisively.

"What if the heroes are trying to get in and it's obstructed?" The other boy shot back.

"Just wait, we can block it and remove it just as easy, right Todoroki?" Hitoshi asked and the other boy nodded.

"What is going on?" Izuku asked, stretching.

"Oh, you're awake. There has been someone trying to get in for a bit." Hitoshi said, looking at the door rattling.

"And if it was the heroes why wouldn't they just use their authorization to get in?" Momo asked and the shark toothed boy next to their antagonist frowned.

"She has a point, Monoma." He said and the blonde scowled.

"The door could be stuck, or damaged in the attack."

"The news still says that they're continuing to make arrests and capture villains." Hitoshi said slowly, holding his head with both hands. Izuku frowned.

"Okay so if it is a villain attack, what are your plans in the event they breach that door?" He asked and Monoma gaped and sputtered a moment.

"Well I um..." He started, looking frustrated as he looked to each of the other members of his class.

"Exactly. We can either put everyone at risk with a plan that leaves them vulnerable, or we can shore up and keep laying low." His classmate with the ponytail said sharply. "You need to put your own feelings aside. If it is the Heroes then they will make their intention clear, otherwise it's possible that the villains are surrendering as a smokescreen to secure hostages."

"And I, for one, refuse to be a hostage." Another of his classmates spoke up and Monoma grumbled and crossed his arms.

"Fine, do it."

"Okay, Todoroki?" Hitoshi asked and the boy nodded once before the other students cleared the door and he blasted it with a few inches of ice. The temperature dropped in the room by a few degrees, and they could still hear the banging on the door, but muffled through the ice.

"Okay, show's over." Iida said, shooing the other students away. The girl who stood up to Monoma bowed to Iida.

"I apologize for him behaving as he did. As heroes we should do our best to work together." She said.

"Thank you, it's no trouble." Iida said, also bowing back. 

"Good. I'll deal with him." She said, grabbing him by the ear and dragging him back towards the area their class had claimed. Izuku did a quick head count and blinked. They were missing two students. That would maybe explain their urgency to get out of here. There were whole classes missing from their bunker, but others were all over. If they were rescued then there was a chance the others were still safe.

He would have wanted to know too, if his friends were alive. Or even if they weren't.

"How was your nap?" Uraraka grinned and Izuku groaned.

"I can't believe I managed to even fall asleep. How long was I asleep?"

"Two, maybe 3 hours." She smiled.

"Any change in the news?" Izuku asked.

"Ah... Aizawa-sensei was carried out. He's in critical condition." Hitoshi answered, sighing.

"Shit, what was it?"

"There was some famous villain who hadn't been seen in years? He was enormous. He caught sensei with a solid hit and threw him through the support department, like, all the way through." Hitoshi winced and Izuku shook his head.

"Shit."

"Yeah, condition is reported as stable for now. Nighteye keeps updating the news on their progress. Some very dangerous villains have been captured, or in the case of one, recaptured. They announced who in the agency was hurt, Kamodo and Briar, but neither of their wounds are critical." Hitoshi said and Izuku twisted at the fabric of his pants. He hated knowing this was still happening, that other students were even possibly in danger. The ceiling rattled again and he noticed Hitoshi jump.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really, but I don't have a choice do I?" Hitoshi scowled and Izuku threw an arm around his friend.

"Hey, it'll be okay. These things are sturdy, they're meant to take this kind of battering." Izuku said, slowly speaking. He could feel Hitoshi's breathing, quick and shallow, relax to a more average speed, matching Izuku's intentionally slower tone. He nodded a few times, quickly, and Izuku saw him touching the tips of each of his fingers to his thumb slowly, his breathing eventually matching it.

"Yeah. Yeah that's true." He breathed out, swallowing thickly. He chuckled but it sounded hollow. "Before a few months ago I didn't really have a problem with small spaces or being underground."

"That makes sense though." Izuku said. A few days after they met Hitoshi had told him the whole story, how he saw All Might die, how his sister had been cramped and covered in blood and he had squeezed himself into that small space to help the man, only to watch him die. He knew Hitoshi was in therapy to process the event, but it was still hard to see him like this.

"Yeah. Some hero I am." He snorted and Izuku sighed. It was quiet between them for a long moment, just the sound of banging and crashing around them filling the silence.

"I think Crimson Riot said in an interview once that being brave isn't about not being scared. It's about facing what scares you regardless." Izuku said softly and pulled his knees to his chest. He smiled softly. "At least I hope that's what he said. I'm literally terrified all the time, Hitoshi."

"You don't show it, if that helps." Hitoshi said, smiling over at him. "You're like, the coolest under pressure."

"Well that does make me feel better I guess." Izuku smiled, face going red.

"No problem." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku checked his phone to see if he could at least try to call his mom. Still no signal.

"Anyone else getting signal?" He asked, setting his phone off to the side.

"A couple folks, but overall it's still out. Might be some kind of signal jammer."

"Right."

There was a sudden smashing noise, like shattering glass, the ice covering the door cracking and splitting, and Todoroki shot over, shoring it up. The door itself was crushed inward a bit, a hole just big enough for a person to slip through, and a huge hand reached through it, a voice growling lowly.

"Come out, come out little birds." A voice said, laughing with an insane bent to his voice. Izuku felt the terror hit him a moment before he and Hitoshi were both at their feet.

Gigantomachia had gotten away, breaking down through the floor and leaving them unstable and injured. Fifteen heroes out of commission with a single blow. Sorahiko sprinted, trying to find a stairwell down to the bunker directly below them that hadn't filled in with rubble behind the man. He knew where that monster was headed, and too much of this had already gone terribly. He had only come because he was in the area working with Naomasa in the All For One case after Toshinori had died to begin with, and seeing U.A. in this state lit a fire in him he wasn't soon to forget. This whole thing reeked of All for One's influence, and when Sorahiko had spotted Gigantomachia crashing through the school, his suspicion turned into resolve. This man had killed thousands, and the man behind him even more than that.

Sorahiko grit his teeth and kept running, pushing down and up stairs, shooting around corners and past heroes doing their own fights. He knew what Gigantomachia's goal was, and he wouldn't be a very good teacher, retired or no, if he let the man get a bunch of students where they should have been safest.

He ran. Winding and whipping deeper into U.A. backtracking along blocked routes, using every bit of knowledge he had from years of teaching to guide him, hoping to head Gigantomachia off before he arrived at any of the bunkers under the school.

He arrived to Gigantomachia reaching one too large arm down into a bunker, and the sounds of children screaming.

"Everyone get back, stick to the walls!" Todoroki yelled, layering ice over the villain's arm, it crackling to the ground with a single movement, and Izuku looked to Hitoshi.

"Do you have a plan?" He asked and he saw the panic in Hitoshi solidify for a moment into clear resolve.

"No I... Hit it a bunch?" Hitoshi scowled and Izuku nodded.

"Works for me." He said and scooped up his jacket, covering his face with his hood. 

"We can iron it out as we go." Hitoshi added and grabbed his as well, the other students of 1-A looking at them, just as terrified as Izuku knew they both felt.

"Anyone with ranged quirks go ahead and attack, we're moving in close!" Izuku called over his shoulder. He looked to Hitoshi and slid his hand in his belt pocket, pulling a single hair out and swallowing. Hitoshi nodded back and went to move to an attack position but paused when he felt a hand on his arm, gripping his jacket tight.

"Hey, let me help." Bakugou said seriously, and Hitoshi pulled his hand off his arm.

"You can shoot with those right?" He asked, pointing at the grenade themed bracers, and Bakugou nodded.

"Yeah."

"Okay, so do that." He said and pulled his mask up.

"I'm not just gonna cower here and do nothing." He hissed and Hitoshi glared back at him.

"So don't. But don't get in my way."

"Bakugou, I may have an idea..." Momo said timidly, and Hitoshi ran off. He still felt One for All kicking full bent through his chest and he caught Izuku's gaze.

"I'm gonna give it to you!" Hitoshi yelled, making eye contact for a moment before moving in, smashing punches and kicks to the wrist and elbow of the absurdly large hand reaching in, Todoroki continuing to ice over the surface, sweat crystallizing on his forehead as his body temperature dropped.

"Todoroki-kun stop!" Ochako yelled, running up to him. He stopped for a moment and she shook her head. "You're turning blue, take a break."

"I've got this." A gloopy boy from class 2-C who was radiating heat said, slumping forwards and throwing streams of molten metal at the villain.

"You kids are starting to get on my nerves!" The villain growled, shaking the rapidly cooling metal off and going to grab Hitoshi.

That was Izuku's cue. He rushed in, putting himself on the opposite side of the hand and he and Hitoshi coordinated to each hit either side of his wrist simultaneously, a loud crack echoing through the bunker, even over the yelling of coordinating attacks, treating injuries, and sobbing students, too scared to fight. The creature screamed and Tsuyu grabbed one finger with her tongue, wrenching it and dislodging the now broken bone more. She slipped out of the way as Izuku dropped a hammering kick on the injury, the villain trying to yank his hand back but Hitoshi grabbing his thumb in both arms and pulling.

"Oh no you don't!" He growled through gritted teeth and Izuku saw him sliding forward before green and red lightning crackled around him, arcing softly, and he stood firm. "You come into our house?"

Hitoshi took a step backward, the bunker shuddering. Izuku watched his friend and felt his heart thundering in his ears. God, Hitoshi looked really cool right now.

"You hurt my teachers? My friends ?" Hitoshi took another step. "You make me have to be in this awful place?"

"There! Hitoshi, right there!" Izuku yelled and shot forward, pushing more of One for All than he maybe should as he threw a fist solidly into the top of the villain's shoulder, now stuck in the hole, and where it met his collarbone, gripping tendon and yanking with all his strength.

The creature screamed. The other students screamed. Izuku felt something snap and slide away, like a wet rubber band, under his hands and realized he was screaming too, but with anger. Hitoshi had said it best.

"You come into our house?" He hissed and the villain pulled, Hitoshi sparking out and getting wrenched forward before he let go and the villain retracted his arm.

"You little brats are going to pay for that!" He snarled and fed his other, uninjured arm in, grasping around. Izuku nodded when Hitoshi met his eyes and swallowed down a hair. That put Izuku on a clock. One he wasn't sure he even knew the end time for with as hard as he was pushing himself. Some of his muscles creaked with exertion, and he tried to keep his breathing calm to reduce the tension in his body as he whipped across the room to Hitoshi's side.

"I don't think that plan is gonna work twice." Hitoshi panted, obviously wiped after that last push.

"No, no me neither. He's going to hurt someone or exhaust us long before we figure out how to stop him." Izuku scowled and grit his teeth. "But I'm not gonna stop trying."

"Good to hear." Hitoshi said and Kirishima and one of the class B students ran up, Kirishima hardened and the other boy gleaming chrome beside him.

"Guys, hey, we can distract him, give him something to go after. If he grabs at either of us we can stand it long enough to get a few hits off at least." Kirishima offered and Izuku felt his stomach drop. It was one thing to use himself as bait, or to take advantage of Hitoshi doing that, but the idea of anyone putting themselves in danger before he did was impossible to imagine.

"It's really risky, none of us have been caught so far and if you can't harden enough..." Hitoshi thankfully spoke up and Iida rushed over.

"Then allow me to assist." He declared with a grin and shot forward, kicking the man's wrist once and in the other side of his elbow in almost an instant.

"Okay yeah, he isn't likely to get caught, if you wanna try and pull some distraction too, we can keep hitting him where it hurts." Izuku nodded.

"Or, if you would step aside please." Momo said politely, Bakugou beside her, his gauntlets removed and both of them stepped behind an old cannon. Izuku gaped and Hitoshi cheered.

" There's my girl! Totally! He stepped aside and Momo kicked the cannon forward a bit, lining up the shot, Bakugou quietly shoving his nitroglycerin filled gauntlets deep into the cannon, and Momo covered her ears with a pair of noise cancelling earmuffs.

"I would recommend covering your ears. Iida, left!" She called and Iida zagged wide, covering his ears and diving the last bit out of the way as she pulled the detonation cord and the cannon shot, nearly point blank, into the villain's palm.

"Die!" Bakugou yelled in triumph.

There was screaming.

Sorahiko shot across the space between them and slammed a kick down onto Gigantomachia's head about the time a deafening boom shook the bunker and the stairwell, and the monster screamed. He pulled back, bleeding all over and trying to hold his hand together, blasted to smithereens, with a now obviously broken wrist that Sorahiko hadn't seen before. The creature staggered, Sorahiko adjusting midair and landing a few meters away as the man cursed and yelled his anger to the stairwell and bunker, threatening the children. There was sobbing, he could still hear sobbing, but then he heard, clear as day, from the other side of the door.

"Put something else in here. We dare you!"

"Yeah we will blow your ass sky high!"

The monster of a man growled loudly in frustration and anger, and then stood. He shook his head.

"I have better fish I can go after."

"No, I don't think you do." Sorahiko growled and shot across the area, landing a solid hit to the base of the monster's skull, his teeth clacking loudly and the creature went forward to one knee. He growled.

"Oh, you caught up old man." The villain rasped and lurched forward, Sorahiko moving now, jumping from place to place, trying to get enough speed that he wouldn't see it coming. About the time he blasted into the monster's side a jet of red flame shot clear across the area and splashed up into the creature's face, him screaming and swiping at himself. 

"You kids stay back!" Sorahiko yelled and flipped, propelling himself faster and faster, bouncing off each surface to build his momentum, and he launched into the man's back, hearing a rough snap and bouncing off again, the creature spinning around and swiping at him. A boy shot out and slammed a hit to the creature's knee, quickly dashing back into the bunker before a barrage of ice shot out as well. Sorahiko growled and managed, with Gigantomachia distracted, to wrench the monster's wounded shoulder and drive him to his knees, shakily holding himself up.

"I am serious , you kids stay in that bunker or so help me!" Sorahiko yelled and another flash of green lightning shot out, whipping a spinning kick to Gigantomachia's face before vanishing back into the bunker.

"Hey, old man we were here first!" Came a petulant shout and then a blast of explosive power shot from inside the bunker, lashing over Gigantomachia's back. Sorahiko felt his eyebrow twitch.

"Listen up you shitty kids, I swear to god I will kick this guy's ass then your asses if you don't stay put!" He yelled and a kid dashed out then really quickly dashed back before he finished.

"S-Sorry sir!" Came a formal voice and Sorahiko nodded, spinning and shooting across the space to slap Gigantomachia around, the man slowly wearing down, eyes unfocused.

"Okay kids, this isn't gonna last long!" He yelled and punched right into the area behind the creature's ear, knocking his inner ear and disorienting him, the creature dropping a moment, not unconscious, but disoriented and off balance. "All of you up the stairs, right now!"

A group of kids ran out first, coordinated, patterned to protect the students with less protective quirks. It frankly was amazing to see a group of students organized to this degree when rarely did he see pro heroes manage to organize this well in a real emergency. The next group passed out, rushing up the stairs after their classmates, and another round following. Gigantomachia rustled and Sorahiko shot over, kicking hard at the monster's other ear. A group of students approached him.

"Oh no you don't, you go with your friends, now." He grumbled and the kids looked among each other until a kid spoke up.

"You sure you don't need help gramps?" He asked, hands cockily on the hips of his flashy hero uniform and Sorahiko narrowed his eyes.

"I've dealt with this guy before. Seriously, you should go. All of these heroes are here to save you right now, sticking around and getting hurt would just let all of them down." He declared strongly and the boy growled.

"I'm not gonna get hurt you old--" the boy started before another two boys covered his mouth and drug him off. A short kid in the front bowed.

"We will be going, thank you for the assist." He said respectfully and Sorahiko nodded.

"Same to you kid." He grunted and the group fanned out, following their classmates upstairs. One boy stood back and looked once at the monster on the ground.

"Hitoshi, come on." The short kid called, rushing after the others, flashing with black and green a moment before he vanished, and the boy, Hitoshi nodded.

"Keep the others grouped together, we're bringing up the rear. If you run into a fight report." The other boy said blandly into an earpiece. He met Sorahiko's eyes. "Izuku mentioned with his quirk this guy probably has some quick rebound time, I could give you an edge."

"What do you mean?" Sorahiko growled and the boy stepped forward, kicking Gigantomachia weakly in the head.

"Hey there big guy, what's your deal?" He asked and the creature growled, rumbling the floor.

"Fuck off." He grumbled and then went stiff.

"That'll do." Hitoshi said and leaned down. "You're going to stay down, not move, and surrender for arrest to this old man."

"Yeah." The man growled reluctantly and the boy nodded.

"Awesome. This should last at least until his bearings come back or he regenerates or whatever and can fight back against me more." The boy bowed at the waist. "Thank you for saving us."

"No... No problem, now get outta here." Sorahiko said, shocked.

"Listen to the old man you big fuck!" The kid called and quickly ran after his friends, a red and green lightning flashing over him. It was... Strangely familiar, but Sorahiko couldn't place it, after all he had bigger fish to fry.

"Midoriya, Shinsou!" A voice called and they looked around in unison, spotting Centipeter, suit ripped and a bit bloodied, quickly striding towards them.

"Oh, hey." Hitoshi said in his signature bland tone.

"Oh my god it's him." One student muttered to another and the other girl nodded excitedly.

"I can't believe it!"

"So we left some old guy with a speed quirk by the bunker with a huge terrible villain, if someone wants to give him back up." Hitoshi said, pointing a thumb back over his shoulder.

"Frankly he didn't seem like he wanted or needed it, but still." Izuku agreed and shuddered a bit. Centipeter nodded back.

"That would be Gran Torino. He is plenty capable but I'll call in backup for him since some folks just cleared up to try and evacuate the school."

"Oh see, we're ahead of the curve." Hitoshi smirked and Izuku nodded.

"Well, I'm glad it worked that way." He said.

"Is anyone injured?" Centipeter asked and they both shook their heads.

"We do have a few but we have been checking in on them and helping them along." Izuku answered.

"Our med tent is over there. Both of you should report in to Nighteye. He has been worried." Centipeter pointed and heard Hitoshi laugh.

"That guy? Worried?"

"He is responsible for you both still as former interns. And he worries a lot actually." Centipeter added, his expression the same as always as he shrugged. "It may actually be full blown anxiety, but I'm not a doctor."

"Fair." Izuku nodded and looked back to the other students, still making their way out of the building. Hitoshi patted his shoulder.

"It's okay, if you wanna have a private talk with your dad before I join you guys, I don't mind." He said, his face serious before breaking out in a grin. Izuku groaned and shoved him, stomping away towards the command tent.

"Oh my god shut up." He yelled back over his shoulder and Centipeter looked at Hitoshi calmly.

"What the fuck was that about?"

Hitoshi just laughed and explained as they walked over to the group to help them get treatment.

End chapter 10.

Chapter Text

Mirai had a headache before his two other interns even showed up. He had been using Foresight, attached to Centipeter, to keep the events in order and knew they were coming, but he had also been awake for two days straight before this whole debacle had even started. Frankly he was about as tired as Shinsou usually looked.

"Hello boys." He said, not turning around, and they stood behind him as he rubbed at his eyes, and erased something from a white board.

"Yo." Shinsou waved and Midoriya cut him a sharp look.

"Hello Sir." He said politely and Mirai felt his head throb. This certainly wasn't going to help his head.

"How are you?" He started and Midoriya frowned at him.

"Fine. A bit tired." He answered shrugging, and Shinsou nodded.

"What's this all about? Do we know anything?" Shinsou asked and Mirai sighed. He did appreciate that both of them seemed invested in their path as heroes, but the bigger problem was that they didn't seem to realize that, despite their history, they weren't heroes yet .

"We are doing our investigations. I'm glad both of you are unhurt despite the bit of action I heard you got." He said, trying to be stern, and Midoriya nodded.

"Not much, we tried to stay out of trouble." He said gently, Shinsou crossing his arms. Mirai wasn't sure if it was something about their arrangement that rankled Shinsou so much, or if the boy was automatically distrustful of most adults in general, but it was frustrating, to say the least.

"I do think that may be entirely impossible for you two, but I appreciate the effort." Mirai sighed and Shinsou rolled his eyes.

"We stepped back when requested, stepped up when needed, and followed protocol to the letter. What more do we have to do for you to take us seriously?" Shinsou scowled and Mirai frowned.

"I do take you seriously, and the answer to your question, rhetorical or not, is a provisional or above license." He stated and Shinsou opened his mouth, Mirai cutting him off. "And before you explain the letter of the law to me, I am aware that this is an emergency, but it is also a registered case now, and it would be irresponsible for me to invite you on when we have it well enough in hand."

" In hand , that's why a giant monster attacked us in the bunker huh?" Midoriya spoke up with a level of venom Mirai hadn’t heard from him and he stepped closer to them.

"Our predictions have this event ending with all parties fled or arrested in the next two hours. It's a war of attrition at this point." Mirai said firmly, standing straighter. "I am proud of the things you did and that all of your classmates are safe, but it is time to relax, call your families, and process this traumatic event you've experienced."

Both boys were silent a moment before Midoriya nodded and looked firmly at Shinsou.

"Okay. Fine. But we would like to be included on the brief as the arresting party for that monstrous villain and the hand guy." Shinsou stated.

"Why?" Mirai frowned. Other than that they had been present, Eraserhead hadn't told him much else about that encounter, and now it would likely be a while before he got to read the briefing.

"He confessed to killing All Might. We have a right to any further investigation information related to him." Midoriya said, firmly, brazen with Shinsou by his side, and Mirai felt his stomach drop.

"I was unaware of that." He said shakily and Midoriya panicked.

"I mean, he said that, it doesn't mean it's true. I just mean we want more info off the guy if we can." He said quickly.

"He was under the effect of my quirk hopped up on One for All juice, so there is that." Shinsou said and Mirai rubbed at his forehead. The boy could be so flippant sometimes.

"He also mentioned All for One." Midoriya said softly and Mirai almost fell over.

"Yeah, and don't get me wrong but, that sounds like it might just a little bit be related to us. Being named what they are and all." Shinsou added. Mirai chewed at his lip and nodded curtly.

"I would prefer you not mention that name for a bit, until you're properly briefed. That is a highly classified case. I will see to it that you obtain certain information." Mirai said quickly and Shinsou narrowed his eyes at his phrasing. Mirai sighed. " Relevant information, both to this new villain and All for One. I had preferred to brief you under less dire circumstances but if he is making a move I will make arrangements for the relevant parties to be present. Anything else?"

"Take a nap, you look exhausted." Shinsou said, not looking at him and Midoriya nodded.

"Yeah, have you slept?" He asked and Mirai sighed.

"That is my business but I will take your advice under consideration. Now go rest." He said forcefully and the boys left the pop up building they had as their temporary headquarters. Centipeter slipped in after them and stood beside Mirai as he rubbed vigorously at his face.

"So..." Centipeter started and Mirai waved a hand at him.

"No. Not a word." Mirai sighed and Centipeter laughed.

"You could be less stiff with them. More casual. They're good kids." He said, crossing his arms.

"That's the problem. They're kids who think they're active heroes." Mirai groaned and Centipeter fiddled with his buttons on his jacket.

"They've seen a lot of action for students. I know that isn't a great thing, but being patronizing towards their experiences isn't going to help. You don't know better than they do why they made the choices they did." He said, Mirai shaking his head.

"No. I don't. But they are children. They shouldn't have to deal with what we do each day." 

"They already have Mirai, and they still decided to go into this line of work. Have some grace for that decision." Centipeter said and met his eyes for a moment before saluting and leaving the room. Mirai sighed, and looked back to the monitors as the battles were starting to come to a close.

Grace huh? That hasn't ever really been his strong suit.

"So, did he tell you anything?" Iida asked as they approached. The boy kept looking around the area, distracted as his eyes shot from group of heroes to group of heroes.

"Nothing useful, like usual." Hitoshi sighed and Iida looked back sharply.

"I take it he's not the most forthright mentor?" He asked, eyes glazing quickly back towards the chaos around them, and Hitoshi sighed again.

"Go look for your dad, you've been working hard and you're no help to anyone if you're worried." Hitoshi said and Iida sagged with relief.

"Yes, thank you. I will be going then."

"Be careful!" Izuku called and Iida smiled over his shoulder before lowering his mask and running off. Izuku slumped to the ground and dug at his pocket for his phone, then realized he left it in the bunker. A bright ringtone chimed and Hitoshi answered his phone.

"You can use it next," he said over his phone. "Hello?"

"Hitoshi! Thank God, I've been calling for hours, are you okay?" His mother nearly yelled, frantic, and there was shuffling in the background.

"Yeah Kaori, I'm fine, I've just been stuck in an underground bunker for most of the day, signal wasn't a thing." He answered and she grunted in agreement.

"And Izuku-kun? His mother has been on and off the phone with me since the news hit." She asked.

"Yeah, were both okay. He's gonna call her next, his phone may have been destroyed." He answered scratching at his head. Izuku watched the interaction with a small smile.

"Okay, I'm on my way, there's apparently somewhere they've set aside for parents to pick up their kids and stuff? I'm not sure, either way, I'm coming ." She said resolutely, and there was the jangling of keys.

"Okay, I'll find out where to go and meet you there." He answered. There was a pause and he frowned down at his phone for a second to make sure the call wasn't dropped.

"Hitoshi, you're really okay?" She asked softly and he felt himself relax a bit. 

"Yeah, I'm um, a bit shook up to be honest, but I'm not hurt. Nobody from my class got hurt either, nothing more than a scrape at least." He answered honestly and there was another noise of confirmation before he could hear the sounds of wind in her receiver.

"Good, good, I'll see you soon, I'm out the door now." She answered and he nodded.

"Kay, see you soon." He answered and Izuku stepped closer.

"Bye." She said and hung up. He lowered his phone from his face and realized he was crying a bit.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, she's just worried. It was kind of a relief to hear her voice." He confessed and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, you seem to get along well." He smiled and Hitoshi sniffed once, clearing his throat.

"Yeah. Here, call your mom, she's apparently been calling mine nonstop." He said, handing Izuku his phone, and the boy juggled it for a second.

"Oh no, yeah okay."

Mrs. Shimaiya and Midoyiya showed up at about the same time, both hugging their sons, Kaori flanked by Hitoshi's little sister Mika.

"Oh my gosh Shinsou-kun, your sister is adorable!" Ashido gushed and shot over, smiling down at Mika. "Hi! I'm Ashido!"

"Hello! I'm Mika. Hold on one moment please." She smiled and then walked up and swatted Hitoshi in the head. "You jerk when my school collapsed that wasn't supposed to be an example!"

"I didn't have any control over this!" Hitoshi argued and Mika sniffed, crossing her arms.

"You're just a trouble magnet!" She declared and then looked at Izuku, still wrapped up in his sobbing mother's arms. "Both of you are."

"Your sister has spunk." Sero whistled slowly and Hitoshi glared at him. He shrugged in defeat.

"She should, having to put up with him all the time." Tsuyu said softly, smiling fondly at Hitoshi.

"Aw you're not still upset about training are you?"

"You had me tazed. Underwater!" She declared in mock outrage and Hitoshi laughed.

"Well I'm glad you're having a good time but depending on what Mr. Nighteye tells me you may or may not be grounded so, there is that." His mom said and he deflated a bit.

"Yeah okay, that is fair. I didn't do anything I shouldn't have if that helps." Hitoshi said and she raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing him right off. Inko finally released Izuku, blushing head to toe, and walked over to his classmates, only Iida and Todoroki missing. She bowed lowly.

"Thank you all for helping to keep Izuku safe." She said, her voice still thick with tears, and his classmates looked awkwardly at each other.

"He helped us a lot too ma'am." Uraraka said, blushing brightly. 

"I'm sure, but thank you regardless. He can be a bit reckless."

"Mom!" Izuku whined and Ashido laughed.

"Yeah, we can tell! Don't worry Mrs. Midoriya! We kept him from doing anything too dangerous." She said brightly and Inko nodded, satisfied.

"That's good to hear. Now, let's go home." She said to Izuku, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. He smiled, relieved.

"Yeah, that... That would be great ."

"I feel like I could sleep for a week." Hitoshi sighed and his mom nodded.

"Dinner first, then you can sleep. I doubt with the damage you'll have much school for the next little bit." Kaori frowned up at the building.

"If they have school at all..." Inko muttered and both women met each other's eyes. They had both speculated about the state of the school on the phone, but that was a conversation to have at a different time.

"Let's go home." Kaori said and looped her arm around Hitoshi in turn, the boy going without complaint, waving at his friends still waiting on their families or escorts home.

U.A. was scheduled to be closed for a week to repair the damage and Kaori was working on sewing a button on a shirt when the door rang. She frowned and stood, walking over and nearly having a heart attack at the man on her doorstep.

"Is this the Shimaiya residence?" The man asked, wrapped in bandages, one arm in a cast, his face covered in gauze to the point he was almost a mummy.

"Um, yes, may I help you?" She stammered, still shocked by his appearance.

"My name is Aizawa Shouta, I am your son's homeroom teacher. May I come in?" He said and she nodded quickly, opening the door wide.

"Ahh, yes please, make yourself comfortable. I'll grab some tea." She said.

The kitchen was quiet, Aizawa sitting at her table as she made a couple glasses of tea for them. She returned and set a cup in front of him, setting it on the side without a broken arm.

"I'm sorry to intrude, I just wanted to come personally to speak with you regarding your son's continued education at U.A."

"Are you sure you should be doing anything ?" She asked, gesturing at him and he smiled.

"My injuries are manageable but I appreciate the concern. I wanted to speak with you regarding new security measures being taken by U.A. as an institution, and whether you feel comfortable with them."

She nodded along as Aizawa explained the monitoring system, the security robots, the emergency alert system similar to Shiketsu's. He explained each detail minutely, down to the few flaws in the system, and their failsafe. He explained the protocols and preventatives, and their plans should the school be attacked, breached, or in the event of a natural disaster. He spoke plainly, but thoroughly, and Kaori found herself glad this man was her son's teacher.

"And now, due to these increased security measures, we are also planning in the next few weeks to establish dorm spaces for our students. Until now U.A. has always been a day school, but preventing unneeded comings and goings could reduce the possibility of infiltration and potential danger." He finished, tone frank and direct.

"Ah, I see. Well, I suppose you need my permission." She frowned at him and he nodded.

"Yes ma'am. And..." Aizawa started and met her eyes, his left one covered in bandages. "I wanted to apologize for this whole mess. As their teacher it is my responsibility to ensure their safety, and even though none of your son's classmates were injured, that was largely due to their own efforts than any effort of mine."

"You couldn't have known that they were going to so openly attack U.A. Honestly, it's an insane idea." Kaori said, shaking her head gently, and Aizawa sighed.

"Well, it worked. That's the problem. We have increased security. Other than thoroughly vetted people and family with permission, no visitors are going to be allowed on campus, even for the Sport's Festival this year. It's a big step, but in my opinion, well worth it." Aizawa said, standing and dropping down to his knees with a soft thud, and bowed deeply. "I promise to do everything in my power to maintain your son's safety."

"Okay get up, you look like a yakuza member begging back in the gang..." Kaori said, pulling on his arm and blushing bright red. "I believe you, all of you did your best. The injuries were minimal, there weren't any deaths at U.A. despite best efforts. I don't think it could have gone better."

"Yes. My only concern is the impact this will have on students psychologically." Aizawa nodded and sat back into his chair. 

"Ah, yes, Hitoshi is in therapy as it is, but I did talk with his therapist about trauma recovery programs specifically."

"Is he using a school therapist?" Aizawa asked and she shook her head.

"No, he kept his original youth quirk counselor and grief counselor."

"He's still in quirk counseling?" He frowned and she nodded.

"It's a long story." She sighed and he set his cast on the table for support.

"I have time."

"Fine. Hitoshi!" She called and there was shuffling in the other room. Her son appeared, baggy shirt and pants, rubbing his face and music playing from the headphones looped around his neck. He rubbed at one eye then stood straighter when he noticed Aizawa.

"Oh, sensei, I didn't... How are you holding up?" He said, hands sliding up to straighten his hair a bit. Kaori smiled.

"I am as well as to be expected. I have a bit more recovery, but was cleared for light duty, so I'm doing home visits today." Aizawa said seriously.

"Oh, good. What um... What did you need?" Shinsou said, looking to his mother.

"Aizawa-sensei and I were talking about you returning to U.A. and the topic of your therapy came up. I wanted to make sure it was okay with you before I filled him in." She explained and he blinked.

"Oh, uh, yes? That's fine with me. I figured he had read my med chart before classes started anyway." Shinsou said, scratching at the back of his head.

"Unless it is specific to the classroom they keep those as limited as possible, for privacy." Aizawa said and he nodded.

"Right so you knew I was in therapy but not what for or anything." Shinsou mumbled and sagged a bit.

"Correct. I assumed it was due to your villain close encounter a year ago." Aizawa nodded.

"No. Well, partly that yes, but also, other stuff." Shinsou said and shuffled his feet against the carpet. "You can tell him what you want Kaori, can I go?"

"Are you sure, you don't have to?" She insisted and he nodded.

"Yeah, I trust him not to like, be a huge jerk about it. I just don't want to talk about it myself right now, I've had a rough week as it is." He sighed and she nodded.

"Okay, I get that. Go on, I can handle this."

"Thanks mom."

Shinsou scooted back down the hall after grabbing something from the fridge and Kaori waited for him to be fully back in his room before she leveled a look at Aizawa.

"I trust you will keep what I am about to tell you confidential. Part of this is information related to his foster case and isn't something the school should need to know about." She said and the man gave her a curious but intense look. Most things about him seemed to be intense.

"Understood, I will be discreet."

"Hitoshi came to us about 4 years ago, he was 12. According to his file when we accepted the case he had been in about ten different homes, some as short as a few months, before we took him in, and had been in the system since he was 5. He had run away twice." She stated plainly.

"Oh. I see." Aizawa said, that sort of history butting heads with the snarky kid he knew from his class. She nodded.

"Yes. He had been court ordered extensions to his quirk counseling, mostly due to reports of unlicensed quirk use, so many times that by the time he came to us that he was going to be in counseling until he was 14 at least." Kaori said and Aizawa looked taken aback.

"I see." Aizawa said, warily and she held up a hand.

"Now, Aizawa-san, I don't want this to color your opinion of Hitoshi, let me finish my end before you come to any conclusions." She added and he nodded.

"Of course."

"As a lawyer, once he was in my care I looked into the cases regarding this. Most of them seemed to be cases put forward by parents of fellow students, and former foster families. Few of them had witnesses. It is my belief that most of these cases were put forward due to bullying and abuse. Families trying to justify returning him to the system under no fault of their own." She stated and took a deep breath. "A few years ago there was an incident with a group of students, and they attacked Hitoshi. He refused to use his quirk until it became obvious that their physical assault was not going to stop unless he did, and the injuries he sustained were severe. He was in the ICU for three days and physical therapy for several months. The court, despite my best efforts, still found he had used excessive force with his quirk and extended his counseling."

"Quirk discrimination isn't a thing I am unfamiliar with." Aizawa said gently and she nodded once.

"Then you understand. He has been in trauma recovery and quirk counseling for a long time. I'm not even sure how much of his previous homes abandoning him to the system the way they did has affected him. He has been with us longer than any other family and still barely ever calls me mom." She confessed and sighed, rubbing at her forehead.

"This... Well it does explain a few things." Aizawa said and Kaori narrowed her eyes a moment, waiting.

"I'm sure." She said.

"He seems to have a good measure of anxiety about using his quirk, so this is good information for me as his teacher." Aizawa elaborated and she relaxed a bit.

"Yes well, I would expect so. He doesn't... Well he doesn't like to talk about it much, even with me or Gorou." She added. "Him and Midoriya-kun spend a good amount of time talking about quirks and such, but even that tends to focus more on Izuku and the other students."

"I see. Okay. Anything else?" Aizawa asked and she sighed, looking over towards the hallway.

"He acts tough sometimes, but he is a fragile kid in a lot of ways. Abandonment is the smallest part of that, but also he doesn't seem to have much faith in his abilities. He trained for months with Izuku-kun before they got into U.A. but even still seems to think he isn't as capable. Impostor syndrome or whatever you want to call it. Distrustful, both of himself and others. If that is something you can help him with, I would be glad, for his sake." She said softly.

"Self-esteem isn't easily won but the course is designed for students to find their stride, to grow and develop on their own and together with others. I hope that Shinsou-kun finds that too." Aizawa smiled gently and she nodded, satisfied.

"I do want to add one more thing." She said quickly as he went to grab some papers from his briefcase.

"Yes?" He asked.

"If you allow my son to be hurt I will come after you." She said coldly and Aizawa shuddered.

"Ah, yes Mrs. Shimaiya. I will certainly do my best to protect him." He coughed into one hand and she nodded soundly once, satisfied.

"Good. Now what do I need to sign?"

Izuku opened the door and Aizawa waved with his one good hand.

"Hello, is your mother home?"

"Sensei! Oh, yes, mom!" Izuku called.

"What is- oh my goodness!" She said, startled.

"Hello, before you ask, yes I am fine to be up and about, I'm recovering but able to return to some of my duties. May we speak?" He asked, noting the t-shirt Midoriya wore that simply said 'Pajamas' across the front.

"Oh um, yes." Izuku shuffled out of the way of the door and his mother sat down at the table.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Aizawa Shouta, your son's homeroom teacher." He said, stepping into the apartment.

"Nice to meet you. Inko." She bowed slightly and he nodded. 

"I wanted to talk to you about Midoriya-kun's return to U.A. and what security measures will have changed by the time that will be possible."

Aizawa did his explanation, by this point in the day a script he had well memorized. Izuku shadowed his mom, standing behind her and a bit to the side, hand on her shoulder. When Aizawa finished she looked to her son.

"Can you make some tea dear?" She asked and there was a cold note to her voice that made her son hesitate before nodding.

"Yeah."

"Aizawa-san, you expect me to, after what happened, allow you to take more of my son's safety into your hands?" She asked and he winced. It was going to be that kind of conversation huh.

"We can secure the student's safety more effectively with the dorm setup, as I explained, the defense systems would be harder to get past if they opened infrequently." Aizawa said and Izuku rushed back with two cups.

"No, I understand that, but this most recent attack on Ketsubutsu ignored their security entirely. You cannot tell me you can guarantee his safety." She said moving her tea cup over to her left hand with a gentle pull of her quirk.

"Mom!" Izuku objected and she cast him a short look.

"Please wait in the other room Izuku." She asked and he frowned, walking towards his room and closing himself in. Aizawa sighed.

"No. I cannot. Villains are widely varied, ever changing. All I can promise is that unlike this last attack, we can be prepared." Aizawa said firmly. "I can promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that no harm comes to any of my students.'

"I see. Are you visiting every parent today?"

"Those that will see me." He answered, remembering Bakugou's mother screaming at him in the doorway for half an hour without letting him in.

"Right. And how many have agreed to these terms? Agreed to let the people who allowed something like this to happen take their children?" She asked and he sat straighter.

"Most of them, frankly. U.A. is the best, because we care about Heroics, we care about the future of our students. I want them not only to succeed as heroes, but as people, Midoriya-san." Aixawa declared and she nodded.

"If I told him he couldn't go back, he would anyway. He'd find a way. This is all he has ever wanted his whole life." She sighed and Aizawa nodded.

"Yes. I can tell."

"How is he doing?" She asked suddenly and Aizawa was quiet longer than he should have as he collected his thoughts.

"Honestly, he has a rather worryingly cavalier approach to personal injuries, but overall, he is leaps ahead of a majority of his classmates in physical ability, protocol, and teamwork. I largely chalk that up to his involvement with Nighteye Agency, but he is very cool under pressure." He commented and she nodded along. 

"Yeah. He is a good kid. A good student." She smiled softly down at her tea.

"That he is."

"Did Kaori agree to let Shinsou-kun go back?" She asked after a long pause, and he nodded.

"Yes. After threatening me in a rather ominous way." He answered and Inko smiled.

"Ah, then I suppose telling you I'll hunt you down if you ever abandon my son is her line huh?" Midoriya Inko laughed lightly and Aizawa felt a cold twist in his stomach as she looked at him. "If you let anything happen to him I might just have to take that line for myself."

"Y-yes." He said, clearing his throat. He almost preferred Katsuki's mother's outright screaming at him.

"Great, since I have you here, tell me about his grades?"

"Of course."

End Chapter 11

Chapter Text

"So, how goes your break?" Izuku asked and sipped at his soda. They were sitting in the lobby of a local burger place eating, both simply just trying to wrap their heads around going back into school.

"It has been... Boring, frankly." Hitoshi sighed and lounged back in the seat. "I haven't done a lot. I'm surprised mom let me come out here to see you today."

"Yeah, same here. Mom has been... Really worried. Especially with the move and stuff too."

"Yeah. Kaori didn't really have a problem, considering the increased security. Mika is the one more worried about it, but she also keeps making jokes about turning my room into something cool."

"Yeah, that sounds like her." Izuku grinned and Hitoshi dropped his burger, looking past Izuku. He twisted in his seat to see a silver haired high schooler walking towards them, casually slumped with his hands in his pockets.

"Oh! Hey there Hitoshi, what's up!" A boy around their age said, sliding up with a few other kids flanking him. They had mostly the same uniforms for their high school, but a couple had different styles. The boys seemed friendly enough but Izuku noticed the way one whispered to another that this wasn't exactly what it appeared to be and was proven right a moment later. The atmosphere immediately turned cold around them, Hitoshi instead of being casual and open, closing in, drawing his elbows close to his body and looking up at the other boy.

"Hi." Hitoshi said stiffly and the boy grinned down at them. Izuku watched his friend stiff, nervous, his thumb touching each finger slowly as he tried to keep calm.

"Whatcha doing? Hanging out with a new friend?" He grinned and looked at Izuku. The boy didn't have a mutation quirk but the energy he put off made Izuku think snake .

"Yes." Hitoshi answered shortly and took a breath. "He's a classmate."

"Oh? You guys skipping today then? You should come hang out with us!" The boy smiled and looked again to Izuku. "Hitoshi used to hang out with us all the time." 

He smiled widely and Izuku finally knew what Nighteye had meant by good smiles and bad smiles. This kid didn't smile to help save your heart, he smiled to put the fear of God into it.

"We're not skipping, we're U.A. students." Izuku said and instantly regretted the sharpness to his tone, and having said anything with the desperate look Hitoshi gave him. The other boy barked a laugh, elbowing another kid.

"Wow! That's a good one. No way Hitoshi could get into a hero school. Not with his record." The boy grinned widely and patted Hitoshi on the shoulder. Hitoshi gripped his wrist quickly.

"Don't touch me Gin." He said and Gin gripped his shoulder tighter.

"Oh? Why don't you make me." The other boy smirked and Izuku shot to his feet.

"Hey, why don't we all calm down." Izuku chuckled, trying to diffuse the situation. The boys looked among each other, one snickering to another and when Izuku glanced back at Hitoshi he noticed his friend was scowling as he glared out the window, Gin's hand still firm on his shoulder.

"Why don't you guys get something to eat, the food is great here." Izuku said firmly and Gin grinned in a way that made him want to run away.

"Oh, are you buying? Great , I just wanna catch up with my old friend here." Gin said and slid into the booth beside Hitoshi, the boy gritting his teeth. Gin cast a look at Izuku that told him to scram, but Izuku resolutely sat across from them, Hitoshi propping his elbow on the table, chin in hand, not looking at the other boy. "So where are you really going to school?"

"U.A. I got in." Hitoshi said icily and the other guys filed into the booths around them, surrounding them in a way that Izuku could read clearly as a threat. Don't make a scene or else, don't try to leave, or else. Gin grinned.

"Oh? You ask them to let you in real nicely?" Gin asked, patting Hitoshi's hand, the other boy moving it just for Gin to follow it.

"No." He said firmly.

"Well, how did it go seeing a bunch of villains running around? Bet it felt just like a family reunion." Gin grinned and Hitoshi flinched. That was it. The final straw. Izuku grabbed the boy's wrist and took his hand off Hitoshi's. Gin glared over at him and Izuku cleared his throat.

"Don't talk to him that way." He said seriously and the other boy smirked down at him.

"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" He asked, tone haughty and superior in a way Izuku was far, far too familiar with, and Izuku gripped his wrist tighter, the other boy's eyes going wide. He stood and pulled the boy out of the booth, the boy scrambling to stay upright.

"I can walk you to the station if you need Gin-kun." Izuku offered with a smile, tightening his grip the smallest bit, the other boy crying out sharply as his friends all shot to their feet.

"Okay! Okay! Fine, shit, okay." Gin cried and pulled his arm back, Izuku crossing his arms. Despite a good 6 inch gap in height, the other boy backed down. "Fine. C'mon guys, we don't want to eat here." He said loudly and adjusted his collar, stomping to the door. A couple kids hissed the word "villain", each one earning a very subtle flinch from Hitoshi, as they filed out, chuckling among themselves. Once they were gone Hitoshi covered his face with both hands.

"Fuck." Hitoshi breathed and Izuku set a hand on his friend's shoulder, squeezing gently.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked softly.

"Not really. Fuck. That was fucking awful." he grumbled and sunk deeper into his seat.

"No kidding, who the hell was that guy?" Izuku frowned and looked out the window to make sure they had all left.

"I've um... Mentioned some guy with a shifting quirk put me in the hospital right?" Hitoshi breathed and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, that was him?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded, still not looking up. 

"Yeah. They pretended to be my friends, buddied up to me, took advantage of me, then decided that when I wouldn't use my quirk to get them something I wasn't worth the trouble." Hitoshi scowled and then finally met Izuku's eyes, his red rimmed and wet. "I didn't want to use my quirk. They didn't give me a choice."

Izuku felt a rage he had never felt before pounding in his ears.

"I should've broken his wrist." He growled and Hitoshi shrugged.

"You would have gotten in trouble." He said and Izuku grit his teeth.

"I don't need Power Coupling to break that weak fucker's whole arm." He hissed and Hitoshi chuckled, wiping his face.

"Yeah, true. You're ripped as hell. Absolutely shredded." He said with a weak smile and Izuku smiled back over at his friend, the rage bubbling down with Hitoshi's calming presence.

"I work out." Izuku shrugged and Hitoshi laughed again. 

"Thanks. I've... Nobody ever stood up for me." He said and Izuku nodded, setting a hand on Hitoshi's.

"You stood up for me too." He said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah. I guess we gotta stand up for each other." Hitoshi smiled widely and Izuku felt his heart skip a beat.

"Always. Together." He smiled and offered his hand, Hitoshi taking it and shaking it once, firmly. He wrapped the rest of his burger up and sighed.

"A shame, I don't have much of an appetite anymore."

"Not surprising when you were just sitting next to so much garbage." Izuku grumbled and earned a solid laugh from Hitoshi.

"Now see that's an agency approved joke. You'd get Nighteye with that one." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku grinned back. He was just glad to see his friend smile, it was when Izuku felt happiest. His best friend, smiling, joking, happy. That was all he ever wanted to see.

As they sat, Hitoshi slowly opening back up and falling into his normal patterns Izuku felt himself relax, but that clenching around his heart hadn't stopped and he felt panic grip him as he slowly realized what all of these feelings had to mean.

Oh shit. I'm in love with my best friend.

Izuku walked along the stone path towards the monument for Yagi Toshinori. His real name wasn't carved into the stone, and the slab where his remains had been buried was cracked, a large hole in the center. Flowers, candles, and letters from fans and grateful victims he had saved spread from the grave site out into the surrounding area, and for a moment, Izuku wondered if Yagi would have hated that his grave was towering over the graves of other heroes. There was a statue, of course there was, a famous American artist had carved it specifically for the site, and it looked nothing like the man Izuku had known.

The man who had told him even he, quirkless , could be a hero.

Izuku stood there, looking around the area. It was late enough in the day there weren't any memorials, any press covering the desecration of his grave, police tape still directly around the site where Izuku knew his mentor's body was buried. 

"Hi All..." He started and his voice stopped in his throat as he choked on tears. He hadn't been, not even to the funeral. It had been televised, of course it had, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to be there, even as part of the massive crowd of fans and friends. He had watched on T.V. with his mom, both of them crying. It had been a beautiful service, of course it had. Izuku turned around. He couldn't look at that statue and still say what he needed to.

"Hi, Yagi-san." He said softly and looked up to the sky, so blue overhead. He took a deep breath. "I miss you. I know... We didn't know each other long, but I still miss you. You helped me through a pretty rough patch in my life. If I hadn't met you that day I might have taken Kaachan's advice..."

Izuku glanced back over his shoulder at the gravestone. Yagi's real name wasn't even on it and he distantly wondered who's decision that was. If Nighteye had decided that preserving his legacy as a hero was more important than his identity. If it wasn't him, who? Yagi didn't seem to have a family, no wife or children that he knew about. That didn't mean they didn't exist, Izuku just never even thought about it. How long had Yagi been alone? How long had All Might been alone in his life ? He stood as the Pillar of Peace, the shining light of heroics. That didn't leave much time for friends, he was sure.

"You must have been lonely too." Izuku said softly. He laughed softly as he looked away again. "I should be grateful that you brought us together, but I can't help but miss you."

He took a breath. This was hard, harder than he had thought, because as much as he knew for a fact that All Might, Yagi Toshinori, was dead, some part of his heart had still expected to see him round the corner at Degobah Beach. To see him walking the halls at U.A. as big and bold as he always had been. To see him on the news, live, defeating a villain.

Izuku didn't watch the news much anymore. He didn't even frequent the hero forums that he used to as much anymore. Didn't watch videos of All Might's greatest take-downs caught on tape, or interviews, or that debut footage he could probably draw from memory he had seen it so often growing up. He still had posters, memorabilia, the plushes and the figures. He couldn't bring himself to throw it all away, he had worked hard for it, put time and effort into acquiring each piece. That still meant something , even if it hurt to see the face of a man who had believed in him even when nobody else, even himself, had.

He wished Hitoshi was here. This stuff always seemed easier around him because he knew he was grieving too. He may have only met All Might the day he died but they both carried him with them. That was why Izuku had come alone to begin with. Hitoshi knew All Might, he didn't know Toshinori Yagi. Izuku had known both, however briefly. Izuku smiled.

"I really like him. I think you would have liked him too." He said softly and looked down at his feet, flower petals and pieces of paper strewn by the wind under his shoes. "He's my best friend. You gave me a best friend right when I needed it most. And now I... Well..."

Izuku stopped, and felt his heart beating fast in his chest. He lifted a hand to his chest and smiled widely over at the statue of All Might. 

"I think you pointed me right to where I needed to be. Thanks." He said and then nodded once. He turned, said a quick prayer, and moved on from the cemetery, feeling just a bit lighter.

The week passed and Izuku and Hitoshi met at the station to ride into school together. As they approached the gates, they spotted Uraraka and waved.

"Shinsou-kun! Deku! How was your break?" She asked and Shinsou sighed.

"Mom didn't let me out of the house basically at all, so I played a lot of video games." He answered and she nodded.

"Same here. I had to beg my parents to let me come back. They were really worried about the whole thing since they're not in town." Uraraka sighed heavily.

"Yeah that would do it." Izuku nodded and she sighed.

"I hope everyone was able to come back. I would hate to see anyone drop out because of that." She said, frowning as they hopped the stairs up to their classroom.

"That might be unavoidable." Hitoshi muttered, casting a pointed look around them at how empty the lobby was.

He was more right than he had thought. Iida wasn't present, which felt wrong in and of itself for him to miss class. Tsuyu and Aoyama were also missing, and surprisingly, Bakugou.

Aizawa stood in front of the class and waited a good five minutes for anyone else to show before starting class.

"Welcome back. I trust you have spent the time since the attack on our school reflecting on the events and figuring out your own goals." Aizawa said and cleared his throat. "I understand you may be inclined to push yourselves harder to be better, faster. Please remember that your teachers are here to help, as are the school's counselors, and pushing yourselves too hard can only have negative consequences." He declared and Shinsou saw Izuku's ears go red. "Now, onto our first order of business."

The class sat forward at attention, leaning in for his reveal.

"The sports festival starts in a few weeks. In the meantime we have a few special training events to do. We had planned a visit to the USJ but given the current events, we are putting that off indefinitely."

"Aww, that's a shame." Uraraka frowned and Aizawa nodded.

"The sports festival is proceeding as normal and you have all been cleared to compete except two of you."

"Who didn't..." Izuku started then heard Hitoshi slam his hands down on his desk.

"That four eyed jerk blacklisted us didn't he?" He yelled, shooting to his feet, and Aizawa rolled his eyes.

"You have a meeting in the latter half of fourth period regarding this. After which a decision will be made." Aizawa said, sighing softly. "Please take a seat Shinsou-kun."

"Bullshit." He grumbled but sat back down.

"I also want to announce that your foundational heroics course is being taken over by our newest faculty member, who you will be meeting tomorrow. In the meantime," Aizawa said, handing a pile of hand-outs to Momo to spread to the class. "You need to pick a class president. Please consider both students here and absent as all students have agreed to resume the term, there were simply family matters at play."

There was an almost audible sigh of relief at the normalcy of the moment.

"Please cast your vote for who you feel is most likely to help us all excel as students and heroes." Momo said and handed each of them a sheet of paper. Izuku labored over the page a moment, thinking about who held the most leadership, the strongest conviction. He wrote his first and second choice and handed it back to Momo when she collected them. She wrote on the board each student's name and then started tallying votes. She got a good number, and Izuku was shocked to find he had gotten a good number as well.

"Me?"

"You're a good leader." Was all Hitoshi said, shrugging, topped out the charts shortly after him, but Iida won by a single vote.

"Okay so Iida and I will be your class representatives. Thank you for your consideration." Momo said and Uraraka tried to covertly text Iida under her desk.

"Why is he out today anyway?" Sero asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Something to do with his father I think." Kaminari shrugged.

"Did he get injured?" Hagakure asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah I saw something about that, he was retired for a reason." Kaminari nodded and Hitoshi frowned.

"Please take a moment to look over the training sheets Momo-chan is handing out. Then you may resume talking the rest of the period. I expect you all have a good bit to catch up on." Aizawa sighed and zipped himself inside his sleeping bag, almost instantly asleep, Izuku turned to look at Hitoshi.

"Did you vote for me?" He asked and Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"Duh. I bet you voted for me too. I also voted for Momo."

"I mean, yeah, I voted for Iida given how calm he was with everything when the school got attacked. He really rallied everyone together." Izuku mumbled and his friend nodded.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I didn't get it. I don't really want the responsibility." Hitoshi shrugged and Izuku nodded.

"You think that meeting is the one Nighteye mentioned?" He asked, leaning in to speak more quietly,m and Hitoshi nodded.

"Maybe? Or he is just going to lecture us about how important it is for us to not expose ourselves prematurely." He sighed and Izuku shrugged.

"Either way. I'm surprised they're having it here instead of the office." Izuku frowned musingly and Hitoshi shrugged again, slumping in his seat.

"It may be a security thing. Aizawa mentioned at my house that they were severely limiting comings and goings." Hitoshi said and leaned back in his chair, glancing over at Aizawa asleep in his sleeping bag. The man's forehead, even in sleep, was a mask of tension.

"Yeah, true. Dorms huh?" Izuku grinned, obviously excited.

"In a month or so. Probably right after the sports festival." Hitoshi nodded.

"You think we'll be roommates?" Izuku grinned.

"If we get to pick. Might have single rooms though." He smiled back.

"That would be nice. How's your sister taking it? Still nervous?"

"Frankly, she's worried I'm going to get in trouble without her around, and she isn't entirely wrong." Hitoshi grinned. "But otherwise she supports it. I have to visit for holidays though."

"Of course." Izuku smiled and Uraraka leaned over.

"Hey I texted Iida, I think he's crying about how nice everyone is and wants to thank you. Do you guys have his number?" She smiled and Izuku shook his head.

"I have 3 numbers in my phone, my mom, Hitoshi, and Nighteye Agency." He confessed.

"I'm not far off. Go ahead." Hitoshi nodded and Uraraka gave them Iida's number, then hers.

"In case we all want to do something together!" She smiled.

"Hey, here's mine too." Todoroki leaned in and gave them his number. They took it in mute shock. He frowned. "What?"

"I honestly didn't think you'd have a phone." Hitoshi blurted. 

"Of course I do." He scowled and crossed his arms.

"You just seem, old fashioned? I dunno, it just didn't fit in my brain." Hitoshi added, Izuku nodding along.

"Well I do. It would be nice to arrange sparring sessions." Todoroki said firmly.

"Oh yeah, if we're living together, we could probably get some good training in on our downtime." Uraraka smiled widely.

"Iida has invited me to join him on his weekend runs, I just haven't taken him up on it yet." Izuku confessed and Hitoshi nodded. 

"Yeah and Ashido always wants to work out, so yeah."

Todoroki nodded and sat back in his seat again, looking over the page in front of him diligently.  

Hitoshi glanced at his own sheet and then slid it towards Izuku.

"It's way lighter." Hitoshi said and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, mine too."

"Should we... Adjust down?"

"That seems counter intuitive. We could just keep going?"

"Or talk to sensei about it." Hitoshi said and Izuku hissed through his teeth.

"Or we could just... Keep going?" He suggested and Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"You're so opposed to talking to Aizawa-sensei." He said and Izuku nodded.

"Frankly he scares me."

"Fair but that's part of his charm." Hitoshi grinned and threw a balled up piece of paper at Aizawa to get his attention, Izuku panicking in front of him. The man cracked an eye open and grumbled.

"Yes?"

"Can me and Midoriya talk to you about our training schedules?"

"What about them?"

"They're too easy." Hitoshi said and Aizawa blinked at him.

"Pardon?"

"Hold on," Izuku said, digging in his bag for their training log. "This is what we have been doing each day up until this point."

Aizawa looked the schedule over for a long moment, flipping back about a month, and then set the notebook down on the desk.

"Did you both make this?"

"Partially. We modified it to fit in our school schedule and the training we're getting here from the regime that Nighteye had us on." Izuku answered and glanced at Hitoshi.

"I see." Aizawa said and took a deep breath. "You are to begin this new training regime immediately, with no changes. And I will be speaking to Nighteye."

"Are you sure? We don't even do anything half the week..." Izuku frowned at the schedule and Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, that's because as teenagers your body is still growing and you have to give it time to recover. It's like... Does Nighteye understand how kids work?" Aizawa grumbled the last bit under his breath and Hitoshi shook his head.

"Frankly I don't think he knows how people work. But okay." He snorted and Aizawa shook his head grumpily.

"Yeah, we can start. I'd rather not hurt ourselves." Izuku mumbled and wrote a few things on the margins of the page.

"Ah, sensei, can I also talk about my previous training with you, privately?" Todoroki said stonily and Aizawa nodded.

"Anytime." He turned back to Izuku and Hitoshi. "May I make a copy of this?"

Mirai had only been in the building five minutes when Aizawa was walking towards him with murder in his eyes.

"May I speak with you, privately, Nighteye?" He said seriously and Mirai swallowed. There were few heroes Nighteye ever wanted to be on the wrong side of, but Eraserhead was at the top of every list when it came to heroes he never wanted to cross.

"Yes of course." 

Aizawa led him to a small, private meeting room and closed the door, setting a few pages on the table between them.

"Do you want to explain to me why you had two 16 year old boys doing such an extreme work-out routine that even I wouldn't give it to seasoned pros?" Mirai froze, looking over the training logs he had assigned Shinsou and Midoriya when they had joined his agency.

"I... It was what they required at the time." He answered, noticing the dates on the pages were from a few days ago.

"And did you tell them that they were allowed to stop once they left your agency and began school?" Aizawa pressed and Mirai gaped.

"I didn't think I needed to." He said and Aizawa nodded, sighing heavily.

"Okay. You're new to this whole thing, okay. You have to tell kids everything Mirai. And frankly this was too extreme for them to begin with, especially with Midoriya's penchant for self-destruction."

"To be fair I didn't know them very well then." Mirai said, musing. "And they were fully capable of executing it."

Aizawa sighed again, steepling his fingers in front of his face.

"No. No they weren't. A routine is supposed to establish good habits and goals, this is a short term intense fitness regime. Why were two boys with very different abilities given the same routine, and to such an extreme, and be honest or I am simply going to have to do something and I'm not sure what." Aizawa said, his voice tense with strained patience and Mirai narrowed his eyes.

"Is that a threat?"

"Is it? I don't know Mirai, but tell me the truth." Aizawa said and Mirai frowned down at the table.

"That was the last routine I worked on for Toshinori, adapted to fit their current mastery of his quirk." He answered and Aizawa stared at him.

The room was silent, Aizawa examining him closely. The silence was eventually broken by Aizawa cursing softly.

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked and Mirai didn't look up at him.

"I wasn't." He declared.

"They're my students Nighteye. Mine. If they have quirks they don't understand, and I don't know that, how can I even begin to help them? If they can't control their quirks it is my responsibility to help them learn and grow." Aizawa declared and Mirai crossed his arms.

"This is bigger than two students--" he started and Aizawa cut him off.

" No . No it isn't Nighteye, you sent me two boys who somehow are related to All Might, and didn't inform me that I would be working two quirks for one of them, and helping both of them figure out how the one even works? Hell, does Midoriya have another quirk he just isn't using?" Aizawa was nearly yelling and Mirai was glad to know the meeting rooms at U.A. were soundproofed.

"Not as far as I know." He answered levelly. Aizawa slumped back in his chair.

"Well that's a relief. Jesus though Nighteye, I thought you were more responsible than this." He sighed and Mirai saw red.

"You want to talk to me about responsibility after what happened here?" He shot back and Aizawa's eyes narrowed.

"You know none of us could have predicted what would happen here, and it is unfair of you to put that on me because you feel guilty ." Aizawa spat back and stood. "I would appreciate any extra curricular training you plan on doing be run by me in the future. And any information on their quirks be sent to me directly, secure mail is fine."

"Fine." Mirai growled and Aizawa nodded.

"I will be sitting in on your meeting with them in an hour, if you want to deliver that information to me then."

"That case is classified!" Mirai shot to his feet and Aizawa glared back at him.

"Then register me officially as part of the case, or a need to know official. You know my hero registry number, I'm sure." Aizawa said, opening the door, waving once, and walking out. Mirai stared down at the photocopies on the table and scowled. He really was a terrible teacher. Toshinori would have been so much better at handling all of this. If he wasn't...

Mirai sniffed softly and wiped a hand over his face, putting himself back together, and stood.

He had a meeting to go to.

Izuku and Hitoshi stood outside the room they had been directed to and waited. Aizawa had told them shortly after lunch that he would be meeting them there, and so now they were waiting for him to arrive. 

"Maybe we should just go in?" Hitoshi asked, shifting awkwardly in the hall.

"What if they're not ready?" Izuku asked, and Hitoshi sighed.

"Frankly I don't care that much."

"Fair."

Hitoshi knocked and opened the door, Nighteye and another tall, bland looking man standing at the far end of the room.

"Hello boys. We're waiting on a few more people." Nighteye said.

"Hello, I'm Detective Naomasa, the lead investigator for the case we will be briefing you on." The man beside Nighteye said.

"Midoriya Izuku, nice to meet you." Izuku bowed and Hitoshi strode up.

"Shinsou Hitoshi, glad to be working together." He shook his hand and Naomasa glanced at Nighteye.

"Well, please sit, we can start shortly." Mirai said, and they sat about the time the door opened.

"Who you calling short?" A grizzled, small old man walked into the room and Izuku recognized him from the fight in the bunker.

"We didn't say anything Torino. These are them." Naomasa sighed and gestured at Izuku and Hitoshi.

"They don't look like much. Kinda scrawny. Then again Toshinori was scrawny too at first." Torino laughed and hopped up into a chair near them.

"Are you talking about All Mi-" Izuku started and Hitoshi kicked him under the table, shaking his head. 

"We have one more." Nighteye said and looked at the clock.

"Who? We're all here, unless Toshinori is gonna pop outta the ground." Torino grumbled and Izuku gripped the edge of the table hard, Hitoshi setting a hand on his shoulder.

The door opened again and Aizawa entered, in his hero costume, and sat nearest the door.

"Apologies for being late." He said seriously and Torino looked between him and Nighteye, tension strumming between them.

"Eraser? Nighteye what's he doing here?" Torino asked and Nighteye sighed.

"Due to his involvement with Shigaraki and Midoriya and Shinsou-kun, I decided to brief him on the details of this case." Nighteye said calmly. The tension did not lighten.

"Fine." Torino nodded easily, his defensiveness gone in a breath. Nighteye stepped back, leaving the floor to Naomasa.

"Thank you all for being here. I will go ahead and jump in." He said and pulled a casefile from a briefcase, sliding it towards Izuku and Hitoshi. Hitoshi didn't even glance at it before sliding it to Midoriya. Nighteye frowned at that but nodded to Naomasa to continue.

"All for One, also known more casually as the Lord of Darkness or the Leader of Villains. He has several other aliases that are listed in his file. We're still unsure how old he truly is, but All Might crossed paths with him multiple times in his life, most notably 5 years ago when he wounded All Might pretty terribly."

"It was bad enough I asked All Might to retire, he refused of course." Nighteye added and Torino snorted.

"Of course he didn't, how could he? The other big time he ran into All for One I was present. He killed Toshinori's teacher, the person before him who held One for All, Shimura Nana." Torino declared and Izuku frowned.

"White Heron? I thought she died in an earthquake rescue?"

"That was the official statement, yes." Naomasa said. "Her fight with All for One leveled half of the city, and she was unable to defeat him."

"I see."

"He can take quirks?" Hitoshi asked and then frowned. Nighteye watched him. "Why hasn't he just taken One for All?"

"He can't. It is the only quirk in the world that has to be willingly passed on, so it is immune to his attempts. And according to our sources, he has attempted. Repeatedly." Nighteye added and Izuku nodded, still reading. 

"I see." He mumbled and slid a page towards Hitoshi who scanned it quickly.

"Go on." Hitoshi said softly as he read.

"We believe the League of Villains, those villains who claimed credit for attacking the school, are directly supported or controlled by All for One. The villian you helped apprehend, Shigaraki Tomura claims to be responsible for orchestrating All Might's assassination and that he is directly being taught by All for One as his protege." Naomasa said and glanced away. "He was honestly a little too forthcoming with that information, which makes me suspect his motives, but he was telling the truth."

"How? I was there when All Might died, how could they have predicted that?" Hitoshi frowned and Naomasa looked away.

"They had knowledge of his injuries, likely because All for One inflicted them. They struck at his weak points then when the building came down it assured their victory. If it hadn't, there's no telling how things would have been different." Nighteye said softly and Hitoshi nodded.

"Okay. What are their plans, their goals?"

"All for One has always been a shadowy figure, mythic, but it seems with All Might out of the way he is making moves to more overtly control the world. The League of Villains as a group seems to be aiming to topple hero society and make quirk use fully legal, which would set us all back about 200 years."

"Well, the laws could use a bit of tweaking if you ask me." Torino grumbled. 

"Why are you here?" Izuku asked and then bit his lip. "Sorry, that came out rude, I mean, what is your involvement with the case?"

"Don't worry kid. I'm involved because Shimura Nana was my friend, and I worked with her back in my prime to help track All for One down initially. He was ready for her and we were not ready for him. I'm here to make sure you are both ready." Torino grunted and Izuku frowned.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Being the successor to All Might means that whether you seek him out or not, All for One will eventually come for you. You were going to be entangled with the case the second you accepted One for All." Nighteye explained and then leaned heavily back in his chair. "I simply had hoped that it would be longer before they made any moves."

"Are they the ones who desecrated All Might's grave?" Hitoshi asked and the room was silent a moment before Naomasa nodded.

"We believe so. They may have been trying to verify if anyone had inherited One for All before he died." He said and Hitoshi nodded.

"I see."

"That brings us to my next point. I would strongly discourage your participation in the sports festival." Nighteye said and Hitoshi crossed his arms.

"No." He declared and Nighteye pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Shinsou-kun, I am not saying this because I don't want you to compete or because I am trying to control you. Midoriya, please talk some sense into your friend?" He asked, looking over at the thoughtful boy.

"No, I also don't think it's a good idea for us to hold back." Izuku said and Nighteye pinched the bridge of his nose.

" Why , pray tell?" Nighteye asked and Hitoshi couldn't keep the smile from his face at the blood vessel that seemed to be blooming in Nighteye's forehead.

"Well, like you said, this man is dangerous, his intentions are to topple hero society. Right now, more than anything, U.A. needs to present a strong unified front. We need to present a strong unified front as the future of heroics, and as the future after All Might. It would be noticeable if two of Class A's students simply refused to compete, and it would be noticeable if we did . Either way we stick out, we may as well send a message."

"And what kind of message is that?" Nighteye said wearily.

"You don't come into our house." Izuku said with such vitriol Hitoshi was proud of him.

"Exactly." Hitoshi nodded. "The world needs to see us, see all of us here, and see that there isn't a reason to be afraid."

"Because we are here." Izuku finished and the room fell quiet.

Torino whistled lowly.

"Well they certainly have spunk. I'll take the job." Torino announced, laughing loudly.

"You already took it." Aizawa sighed and Torino hopped out of the chair.

"Yeah well, I'm not gonna just quit after a month. I'll see you boys tomorrow." He said, clapping a hand on each of their shoulders then walking out of the room. Izuku frowned.

"What does that mean?" He asked and Mirai sighed.

"That means I would get a good night's sleep. I'm not sure why but Toshinori used to get very scared anytime he mentioned Gran Torino."

The boys exchanged a long look then nodded.

End chapter 12.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi hit the ground, face blooming with pain, and growled lowly.

"You have to be faster, who's been teaching you kids!?" Torino yelled and shot across the training grounds away from him as he tried to push himself to his feet. The other students groaned and tried to hustle after him, Izuku going after him like a shot. Izuku barely caught up in a turn and shot a fist out, Kirishima going low behind him to block Torino's escape, and the old man leaped up and over them, Izuku landing a fist squarely in Kirishima's face, the other boy flying backward.

"Kirishima-kun!" Izuku yelled and the boy held up a thumbs up.

"I'm okay!"

"You're all too slow. I'm going to have to give Eraser a talking to." Torino said from behind Izuku and kicked him across the field, Izuku bouncing four times before he rolled to a stop, wheezing. 

It wasn't as big of a surprise that Gran Torino had returned to teaching for Izuku and Hitoshi, after all they at least had a little warning. The bigger surprise for them was how frustratingly fast the old man still was.

"Sorry!" Iida yelled as he slammed a kick at the old man, the hero flipping over his leg and landing a punch to his gut, Iida losing his breakfast.

"You can't hold back against an opponent just because they look frail!" He yelled and Iida nodded from the ground.

"Tag!" Uraraka yelled and Torino floated up towards the ceiling. 

"That's what I'm talking about! How did you get me? Tell the class!" He called, fifteen feet off the ground and still rising.

"I floated myself to make myself quieter and Tsuyu threw me into him while he was yelling." Uraraka said, wiping her face, a bruise blooming on her cheek from a barely held back kick.

"Excellent team work! Now get me down and we can go again."

The class groaned and Kaminari collapsed onto the ground.

"This is ridiculous, what kind of training is this? We're obviously outmatched." He groaned and Bakugou nodded. He hadn't said a word since returning to class that morning, and frankly, it was a blessing.

"How do any of you expect to do well in the sports festival with showings like this?! Stamina, speed, agility! That's the key to a good hero!" Torino ranted as Uraraka floated him down from the ceiling. "Well? I'm talking to you!"

"Yes sensei!" The class said with a tone that screamed exhaustion.

"Louder or I'm giving you all laps!"

"Yes sensei!!!" The class said, all at their feet.

"Now, I'm it." Torino grinned in such a way that sent terror down their spines and the class scattered.

"Midoriya, Shinsou, hang back." Torino grunted and the two stopped, looking over at him. The rest of the class cleared out, wandering towards Recovery Girl's office, all in various states of injury, and Hitoshi felt like his wrist was about to explode.

"What's up?" He grunted and Torino looked up at him seriously.

"Here." He handed each of them a page of paper and Izuku glanced it over.

"What is this?"

"I revised your training with Eraser to include one on one quirk training with me for One for All on Saturdays." Torino stated and Izuku sighed heavily.

"Oh."

"It's still lighter than what Nighteye had us on before…" Hitoshi frowned at the page and Torino hopped up, flicking him in the forehead.

"Don't insinuate that I'm going easy on you or I'll double it." Torino said seriously and both boys stood straight.

"Yes sensei!" They declared and the man nodded once.

"We start later this week. I'd recommend a light breakfast, Toshinori used to puke regularly despite my warnings." Torino said brightly and Hitoshi groaned.

"Okay, can do." He sighed.

"Oh, and boys?" Torino called as they turned to leave.

"Yeah?" Hitoshi frowned.

"Yes sensei?" Izuku asked.

"You're doing better than I expected." Torino said and Hitoshi glanced at Izuku, both of them filling with pride.

"That was the longest Hero Foundational class I have ever had." Hitoshi groaned.

"I'm surprised Recovery Girl didn't chew his head off." Izuku said, wincing as he sat at their lunch table. Todoroki was already seated in their usual spot, with room for Iida and Uraraka.

"It wasn't so bad." He said, slurping a noodle and Izuku sighed.

"Yeah I guess. We all had to see her though." He answered, breaking his chopsticks apart.

"He's tough but fair." Iida said, sitting with a pile of food to rival Momo's. 

"I like him! He has experience!" Uraraka said and Hitoshi thunked his forehead against the table.

"No, he's a good teacher, definitely, but I'm allowed to complain." He grumbled.

"True." Izuku nodded.

"Oh absolutely. He caught me real good in the face!" Uraraka said, showing off her bruise.

"Recovery Girl didn't fix that?" Iida frowned and she shook her head brightly.

"I didn't see her. I feel pretty okay honestly." She grinned and poured some sauce over her rice, digging in brightly.

"Ugh, teacher's pet." Hitoshi grumbled and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah he likes you." He said.

"He even complimented your quirk!" Hitoshi groaned.

"I mean, he wasn't wrong, it's useful for a lot of things..." Iida said and Uraraka blushed.

"Yeah, I suppose. It's nice to stand out for once." Uraraka said, face red as she ate. Bakugou briskly passed their table and sat over near Kirishima and Sero, still silent. Hitoshi frowned.

"Bakugou has been quiet." He said softly and Todoroki nodded.

"I wonder if anyone has checked on him after the attack." He said.

"Bakugou? He's probably fine." Izuku scoffed and Uraraka nodded.

"Yeah but what if all of us are thinking that and he isn't you know?" She asked and Hitoshi watched him.

"We could ask Kirishima to, they seem close." He said and the chatter stopped, the others staring at him.

"He tells Kirishima to die like, every day." Uraraka frowned at him and Hitoshi sighed. 

"Yeah? And they seem close." He said, the table blinking back at him. "Jesus, am I the only observant person in our group?"

"I'm observant." Izuku frowned at him.

"Socially, Izuku. I mean socially." Hitoshi said emphatically and Izuku shrugged. Hitoshi glanced at Todoroki and he shook his head.

"Ah. Yes then." Iida laughed and Hitoshi smiled. 

"Well I can talk to him."

"Okay, just don't get in a fight." Izuku said and he rolled his eyes.

"I only get in fights on Wednesdays. Hey Kirishima!" Hitoshi grinned back at his friends and Izuku huffed once.

"Oh hey! What's up?" Kirishima smiled brightly over at him, waving, and Hitoshi waved back.

"Could I talk to you a second?" Hitoshi asked and Kirishima smiled. Hitoshi noticed how the others glanced at each other, but let it slide. It isn't his responsibility to make anyone trust him.

"Yeah, gimme a sec guys." Kirishima smiled and followed him a few feet away.

"Hey, I know this is weird cause he isn't my friend or anything, but is Bakugou okay?" Hitoshi asked, voice low and Kirishima frowned.

"He um... It's private, family stuff mostly. His folks didn't want him to come back and wanted him to transfer to Shiketsu. He um… he was set to start there and everything but last minute decided to come back." Kirishima said awkwardly, scratching at the back of his head.

"Oh. Okay yeah. That would do it. I just wanted to see if anyone had checked in on him. He always seems fine but it's good to be sure." Hitoshi explained and Kirishima nodded.

"Yeah, he tries to put on a brave face, but I know it's bothering him. Don't worry, I'll sort him out!" Kirishima grinned and flashed a thumbs up and Hitoshi smiled softly.

"You're a good friend Kirishima." He said and Kirishima laughed.

"I try. And hey, just cause you guys aren't friends doesn't mean I don't think of you as a friend, okay!" Kirishima said, poking a finger into his chest.

"Uh, yeah, same here dude." He said, surprised. Kirishima was aggressively friendly, he knew that, he just... Well he didn't expect it to be aimed at him. He wasn't exactly sure how to respond to be honest.

"Awesome! Keep up that manly spirit Shinsou!" Kirishima said and walked back towards his table.

"You got it man." He nodded and headed back.

"So?" Uraraka asked when he got back.

"Kirishima's got this. I wouldn't worry." Hitoshi shrugged.

"Whaddya mean I got my ass kicked! I landed three hits on him!" Bakugou yelled, loud even to them across the cafeteria and the table laughed.

"Yeah he's back to normal." Izuku nodded.

"Well, I'm glad we checked." Uraraka sighed with relief.

"Yeah, me too." Hitoshi nodded.

The thing about being in love with your best friend and not ever having had a real best friend before is that sometimes you didn't know what was normal friend stuff and what was weird, lovey dovey stuff you shouldn't be doing. Izuku currently found himself hanging out with Hitoshi in his room, in exactly one of these situations. They were just hanging out, like normal, but Hitoshi had his head in Izuku's lap, reading some book on the initial manifestation of quirks, and Izuku was about to die. They had always been... Physically close, hugging, touching, bumping into each other, setting hands on hands, or knees, or shoulders for comfort. Not that Izuku had minded really, but now that he knew where things stood on his part, they felt embarrassing. Like he was somehow taking advantage of Hitoshi's comfort with him to be creepy. He sighed and shifted, Hitoshi adjusting his head to fit onto Izuku's new leg arrangement, and eventually huffing when Izuku didn't settle down. 

"If you're uncomfortable I can move." He said and Izuku flushed red, glad his friend was still reading.

"My uh, foot is falling asleep." Izuku lied and Hitoshi grunted, scooting over to sit beside him, pressed up against his side, in direct contact with so much more of him. It was cozy, Izuku would admit that, but he felt guilty for enjoying it.

"Better?" Hitoshi asked and Izuku coughed once to clear his throat.

"Yeah. Way better." He lied and went back to trying to focus on his collected All For One data notebook. He had been slowly adding sources to the list he was keeping, case file numbers they had been shown, myths and legends he found researching that portrayed a man who could give and take quirks, shorthand notes of things he remembered from their meeting with Nighteye, and casual things Torino said during training. He had also pulled a newspaper clipping from White Heron's death and had it pasted in. He hadn't pasted in anything from All Might, even though Detective Naomasa seemed to believe this Tomura guy that All For One was ultimately responsible.

"Do you think he knew?" Hitoshi said softly and Izuku started, looking over at him. Hitoshi's eyes were glued to the page of notes Izuku had made on Tomura, and he frowned.

"What?" He asked and Hitoshi sighed, laying his book over his face.

"All Might? Do you think he knew he was going to die and that's why he was looking for a successor?" He asked and Izuku frowned.

"Maybe. I hope not. His injuries were extensive though." He sighed and Hitoshi nodded.

"I hope not too. I think even if I was sick I'd rather not know about if I was going to die. It would make me way more anxious about everything." Hitoshi said, shuddering a bit, and Izuku smiled.

"Wow, and you're already so anxious." Izuku said smirking and Hitoshi lowered the book to give him a long suffering look.

"Shut up, you know what I mean." Hitoshi swatted him in the leg and Izuku felt himself relax. Even if he did like him like he did, it was still Hitoshi. Same as ever.

"You think Nighteye knew?" Hitoshi asked and lowered the book entirely.

"Oh my god, you're still going on about that premonition theory?" Izuku sighed. He had plenty of his own theories, but the man's quirk was kept pretty secret, even in the office.

"It just makes sense, he's always one step ahead. How, unless he can see the future?" Hitoshi said, grinning, and Izuku rolled his eyes.

"Experience, talent? He used to work with All Might so he knows how his quirk works." Izuku sighed, rolling his eyes and Hitoshi huffed, lifting his book back up.

"All I'm saying is he hasn't told us what it is. A premonition quirk would be really useful as long as it was kept under wraps." Hitoshi declared.

"Or he's always using it and it's an analysis quirk, which also would have been a big help with All Might." Izuku suggested.

"Okay fair but also consider..." Hitoshi said and looked over at him slyly. "His quirk is the ability to piss people off. Superior Asshole quirk."

Izuku snorted and shook his head.

"It'd be a good distraction."

"Oh definitely. Like he could say the shittiest possible thing to draw attention, then boom, All Might punches their head in." Hitoshi said, miming All Might's signature slam.

"Are we sure that isn't your quirk?" Izuku smirked and Hitoshi clutched his chest.

"Ouch! Dang, going for the throat." He said dramatically, leaning heavily into Izuku. He felt his face go red and looked away.

"Hey, isn't that half of how we beat up that villain? It's a sound strategy." Izuku smiled.

"Can't argue with that." Hitoshi sighed, smiling softly. They were both quiet a second, Hitoshi about to go back to his book before Izuku spotted a quote on the back.

"Oh, they talk about quirk transfer in rodents huh?" He asked and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Yeah, it's mostly selective breeding. I was hoping they would have a bit more along the lines of giving or taking quirks entirely, like if they modified the genetic structure. There is some of that, but it's barely touched on." Hitoshi sighed and set the book aside.

"I get why you're interested, but why now?" Izuku frowned and Hitoshi frowned, thinking.

"I'm curious about the whole.... Mechanics of us using this. I was hoping maybe to find some tidbits or history that pointed us towards the previous people who used it too. I doubt they're alive, but maybe they have family that could help us out." He answered finally and Izuku nodded.

"I mean we know it's based on DNA which I guess means there's a genetic factor for this quirk." Izuku frowned and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah but like, is it changing our DNA entirely? Or like, grafting onto our existing DNA? If we did a test would we see a difference between before we accepted it vs now, and even between burn outs? Like, does my DNA go back to normal when you have it, or is it permanently altered? Does All for One STEAL whole chunks of people's genetic code? That's fucked if true." Hitoshi said, sitting up and turning to look at Izuku head on, their knees brushing.

"God, yeah I didn't think about it like that but you have a point. Could that have, like, disease based repercussions farther down the line for people who had their quirks stolen or given?" He frowned and then looked up sharply. "Like heart disease has genetic factors, could he steal someone's quirk and boom, now their DNA has the right combo of stuff to suddenly have an autoimmune disease?"

"It might explain why it doesn't seem like people live very long even with our quirk." Hitoshi said, rubbing at his forehead and Izuku frowned.

"I mean, All Might was older." He said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, but Heron was like, 38. And heroics is dangerous sure, but Torino is proof that you can retire to old age." Hitoshi said, waving around as he talked and Izuku smiled at his energy.

"You have a point..." He nodded.

"Do you think recklessness is a part of it? Like, danger doesn't feel the same to us now?" Hitoshi asked suddenly and Izuku shrugged.

"I'm... Certainly not as scared as I was before, but I think that also comes from knowing you always have my back, and that I can defend myself now, versus before." He said and Hitoshi smiled at that, then frowned suddenly.

"Okay now we're in some nature vs nurture shit and I dunno anymore." He sighed wearily.

"Either way we should be careful. With All for One out there we're basically always targets." Izuku pointed out and Hitoshi groaned, rubbing at his face with both hands.

"Is it bad to hope other heroes get to him first and we don't have to face him?" He asked and Izuku thought about it a moment.

"No. I get it. He is frankly terrifying." He answered.

"Like, the quirk stealing is one thing, but those creatures are awful. Like, 0 out of 10 would not observe with my eyes again. They suck." Hitoshi groaned and flopped back on the bed beside him again. "It's just lame of me I think, to want out of it."

"No I mean... We're still kids. It's a lot of pressure." Izuku admitted and Hitoshi groaned, covering his head with a pillow.

"Yeah, like it isn't enough to live up to All Might." He mumbled through it and Izuku nodded.

"No, no, of course we have to have a whole weird shadow organization we have to deal with on top of like, surviving school." He nodded and slumped down, his hand brushing Hitoshi's. He went to move it but the other boy turned his, squeezing it slightly.

"At least we're in it together." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku nodded silently.

"Yeah." Izuku smiled, feeling his face get hot, and they sat there for a while, holding hands, until Hitoshi started to gently snore and Izuku snuck out of his room, face still a brilliant red. As he went to put his shoes on Mika came out of her room and spotted him.

"Oh hey, you leaving?" She asked and he nodded, ears burning.

"Yeah. Hitoshi fell asleep." He said and she looked at him a long moment before turning and grabbing an orange off the counter.

"Cute. Well, get home safe." She said and his face flushed brighter.

"Yeah, I will." Izuku said and she waved and went into the hall. Izuku grabbed his bag and opened the door, quickly fleeing. Was this whole family full of weirdos who were too observant?

End chapter 13.

Chapter Text

The day of the sports festival arrived and Hitoshi was probably two hours early, having woke up too early and taking a long bike ride to clear his mind beforehand. He still showed up way too soon, a few staff working the event milling about, barking orders, or moving things about. He let himself in after locking up his bike, changed in the locker rooms for his class, and then loitered around the school entrance waiting for his classmates to arrive. The air was cool, sky clear, and frankly, a good day to spend outside. He sighed and took a breath, trying to calm the nerves that had been jumping in his stomach since he woke up.

"Shinsou-kun, morning." Todoroki said, waving as he approached. He was already in his gym uniform and wandered over like he had just found himself here without really knowing how he had arrived.

"You're early too." He observed and Todoroki nodded.

"My father is helping set up the perimeter. He wants it to be... Perfect." Todoroki scowled and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, its your first sports festival, I'm sure he's really anal about it." Hitoshi said and Todoroki frowned over at him.

"I have a question for you." He said levelly and Hitoshi frowned. While he and Todoroki weren't exactly on bad terms, they weren't the closest friends either. They texted, sparred, worked out, but Hitoshi did that with everyone now. They didn't exactly... Chill. Shoot the breeze. Most of their interactions were either silent, or the casual relaxed conversation of two people who didn't know each other well.

"Shoot." He said and Todoroki sighed.

"Can I tell you something?" He asked and Hitoshi sighed. That wasn't exactly what he had expected but, okay.

"Um, yeah, sure." Hitoshi said, then looked up at Todoroki. "Is this about your dad?"

The surprise was clear on his face as he looked sharply up at him.

"I hate him." Todoroki said, looking away from him and down to his feet.

"I can tell." Hitoshi nodded and Todoroki flushed.

"Oh. Do you know what quirk marriages are?" He asked and Hitoshi felt a weight drop into his stomach.

"Yeah, illegal is what they are." He declared and Todoroki scoffed.

"Well, yes. They often fall under the radar, however, because it can be hard to declare why a person has entered into a marriage." Todoroki said slowly and Hitoshi looked at him, a frown firm on his face.

"Is... This about your parents?" Hitoshi braved the question and chewed hard at his tongue to keep from shouting when Todoroki nodded.

"Yes. My father married my mother to produce a child that had the best elements of both of their quirks, with none of the down sides." He said it as simply as it was fact, so easily, and a roiling anger sat just above the panic that Hitoshi was always keeping in check.

"I see." He said slowly, trying to keep his voice calm.

"When I was small..." Todoroki started and lifted a hand to his face. Hitoshi looked away from him.

"Did he do that, or did she?" He asked and Todoroki looked up at him sharply.

"My mother did. She's been... Institutionalized ever since. He drove her mad, using her to create children, blaming her when we didn't turn out how he wanted, punishing her." He said and Hitoshi cringed, shaking his head. The phrase 'create children' hit him right in the gut in a way he hated.

"You don't have to tell me everything." He offered and the resolve on Todoroki's face told him the answer.

"I do." He said.

"Okay." Hitoshi nodded, crossing his arms. This... Wasn't what he had expected, even early on in their conversation. They weren't close, or at least he hadn't thought they were, but Todoroki was pouring out his heart, telling him things he never imagined the other boy would tell. He knew the kind of life Todoroki was about to share with him, he had lived it in his own way.

"I have three siblings, none of them ended up with the fusion of quirks Endeavor demanded of us so they were tossed aside. I've been training to be a hero since my quirk manifested." Todoroki said and took a deep breath. "His training was brutal, and I endured it."

"Right." He said. If he saw Endeavor again he felt like all he would be able to do is deck the man as hard as he could. Maybe Hitoshi hadn't thought they were close, but at this point he knew Todoroki. It was… too familiar. Abuse, neglect, pushing him too hard. The pain he could see peeking through him was too closely mirrored in his own heart. 

"I hate him, and I refuse to be his legacy. I refused before, when all I was for was beating All Might, and refuse now that he has a position to protect as the number one hero." Todoroki said bitterly and Hitoshi frowned at that.

"He wanted you to surpass All Might?" Hitoshi asked, frowning at him. Todoroki looked... Upset was too light but he kept this calm facade up. It was like a stucco wall where all the wood underneath was rotting and falling apart, but the stucco held firm. Little cracks showed the damage beneath and Hitoshi suddenly felt himself wanting to comfort the boy. 

"He never could because of his limits. My quirk is his, but with the balance he never had to push him beyond. I've only ever been a pawn to him to secure the fame and recognition he has always craved." Todoroki said and his voice wavered the smallest bit, Hitoshi taking a step forward. Todoroki shot him a look like getting closer was a bad idea and he stopped moving. He sighed. Just like an alley cat. 

"Why are you telling me this?" Hitoshi asked and Todoroki scowled suddenly, the expression cutting through the facade he held.

"I want you to understand ." He declared.

"Why?" Hitoshi pressed and took another step forward, slowly inching towards the other boy.

"Because, I'm going to defeat you, with just my right side." Todoroki declared and Hitoshi crossed his arms.

"Why me?" He sighed.

"I know you and Midoriya have some connection to All Might. Your quirks are too similar." Todoroki said and Hitoshi felt the knot in his stomach twist like a knife. The certainty in Todoroki's eyes was irrefutable, so he didn't even try.

"Why? If you want to refuse the path he put in front of you, why make enemies of us?" He asked and Todoroki clenched his fist, looking up at him.

"I'm not fighting you for him. I want to surpass you with my own power. This power that I have honed in spite of him." He declared and Hitoshi snorted softly, the resolve on Todoroki's face wavering a bit.

"Well, I'm always one for spite." Hitoshi grinned and Todoroki nodded.

"I'm going to win."

"I dare you to."

Izuku was running late.

"I'll be watching on T.V. with Mrs. Shimaiya! We're having a viewing party." His mom said, still hugging him.

"I know mom, I'm going to be late!"

"I know, tell Shinsou-kun good luck for me!" She said and kissed his head. "Good luck and I love you! I'm proud of you!"

"I will! I love you, bye!" Izuku called as he ran out the door, rushing through the alleys. He didn't like to use his quirk before he had to but he was a bit too late to make it otherwise. He kicked into gear and ran to the gates. There were several policemen at the gate and he entered quickly with his student I.D.

"Hey! Deku!" Uraraka said waving and he caught up, breathing hard. "Whoa, you run all the way here?"

"Can't skip leg day." He panted and she laughed.

"Oh yeah?" She smiled as they walked towards their class locker rooms.

"That and my mom was impossible to get away from. She is really excited." He smiled, face red, and Uraraka nodded.

"Yeah, my parents had me on the phone all the way here." She grinned and he nodded.

"Well, good luck to you too Uraraka-chan!" He smiled and she flashed a peace sign.

"You too Deku! I'm gonna win!" Uraraka cheered and he smiled.

Izuku scanned the small crowd for Hitoshi and spotted him talking to Todoroki a little ways away, near the main entrance, and jogged over.

"So what is your connection to All Might?" Todoroki said and Izuku froze on approach, Hitoshi simply looking bored.

"I don't know what you're on about." He sighed.

"Whether you’re illegitimate children or what, it doesn't matter, I'm still going to beat you both. With my right side." Hitoshi snorted a bit at the kid remark and shook his head.

"If you want to beat both of us, you're gonna need to give it your all." Izuku blurted and they turned to him, Todoroki surprised.

"Yeah, what he said. If you half ass it, we won't forgive you." Hitoshi said seriously and patted Izuku on the shoulder.

"I will win." Todoroki said seriously.

"Go ahead and try us." Izuku said, nodding. Hitoshi grabbed his shoulder and pulled him off, scowling a bit as they ducked into the area they had been told to meet for the opening ceremony.

"Shit, what a way to wake up." He grumbled and Izuku frowned.

"Todoroki? He's just trying to psych us out." Izuku frowned and Hitoshi shook his head.

"No he... I'll tell you later. He told me some stuff and I'm not sure how to take it, but yeah." He said softly and Izuku glanced around, hand going to his head.

"How many you need?" He asked and Hitoshi thought a second.

"Four." He said.

"You're sure?" Izuku asked, plucking four shiny green-black hairs.

"Yeah. Four to start. If I need more I'll ask in between." Hitoshi said and pulled four himself.

"Okay. Same here then." Izuku said and his friend nodded back.

"I provide blanket permission for you to swap in anytime during the proceedings." Hitoshi said seriously, offering his hand.

"We could be up against each other." Izuku frowned.

"Yeah. I plan on it." Hitoshi grinned.

"Okay. Same here, anytime you need it." Izuku smiled and took his best friend's hand.

"Deal."

They shook hands and Hitoshi nodded.

"I'm gonna kick your ass into next week." Izuku grinned and Hitoshi laughed, punching him in the arm.

"Not if I kick yours first." He said.

"Deal. Wish me luck?" Izuku laughed and Hitoshi nodded.

"Good luck." Hitoshi smiled and walked off towards the locker rooms to enter the athletic fields. Izuku distantly realized that was the first time Hitoshi had ever told him anything other than that he wouldn't need it.

"Welcome to the U.A. Sports Festival!" Midnight announced and the crowds went wild. Despite the strict security guidelines they were still packed with family and heroes scouting out the school. Izuku swallowed thickly. He had never seen this many people at once.

Bakugou stepped up onto the stage and Midnight lent him the floor.

He looked out over the crowd and leaned in.

"I'm going to win." He said, grinning widely, dangerously cocky, and the crowd of students around him went wild, screaming their objections.

"Ugh." Izuku groaned and covered his face with both hands as students from other classes yelled at Bakugou, him casually slumping off the stage.

"That's Bakugou for you. I can't believe he got first place in the entrance exam." Hitoshi rolled his eyes and Izuku shrugged.

"I told you, he's a good student." He mumbled.

Midnight quickly cleared Bakugou off the stage and took the mic back.

"Our first round is an obstacle course! Wish our first years luck everyone! This should be a doozy!"

The crowds screamed and they lined up at the starting line.

The gun hit and Todoroki was off before Izuku could even register, shooting across the field and towards the entrance, ice flying. 

"Oh shit." Hitoshi cursed and shot off, Izuku close on him, leading after a moment, and they both managed to get through before the tower of ice Bakugou had blown up blocked off the entrance, the other students scaling it to get in.

"Hey Bakugou, your speech sucked ass!" Hitoshi yelled and Bakugou glared back at him but didn't retort, keeping his mouth closed and pushing forward. "Ah, it was worth a shot."

"I suppose." Izuku nodded.

Iida shot past them after a moment, and Hitoshi frowned.

In a game of speed, Iida was the one to beat, but the other challenges might slow him down. He just had to think more tactically. Izuku grinned as he pushed forward, running with all his strength.

Bakugou Mitsuki arrived at the Midoriya house with all of the grace of a pigeon trying to manage a water landing.

"Sorry, sorry I'm late. I just had to take Masaru something at work. Damn man would forget his head if it wasn't attached." She sighed, tossing her coat on the coat-rack rather messily, kicking her shoes off, and shuffling through a bag of things from the corner store. Kaori liked her, even if Hitoshi didn't seem to get along with her son, and Inko, despite all her worries, was a pretty good judge of character. They had met up occasionally since Izuku and Hitoshi had started spending time together, almost on accident, Inko forgetting she had invited Kaori over one day she had agreed to spend time with her old friend. They all got along, a good balance struck by Mitsuki's loud mouth, Inko's overly emotional nature, and Kaori's indulgence in their antics and (maybe more than was helpful) encouragement of their enthusiasm.

"It's fine, you only missed the opening ceremony." Kaori said and watched as their sons took the line for the obstacle course.

"Damn, did I miss his speech? He was up half the night writing and rewriting it." Mitsuki frowned, handing each of them a drink, Inko's a small box of wine she carefully poured into a glass, Kaori's a tall can of cider, and Mitsuki keeping three cheap beers for herself.

"Uhhh." Inko started and Kaori nodded firmly.

"Yeah, you missed it. Inko is taping it though." She said and Mitsuki flopped on the couch beside her.

"Oh thanks, yeah." Mitsuki said and cracked open a can of beer, taking a long swig. "How's the commentary? Good?"

"It's Present Mic and our boys' homeroom teacher, so it has been nice." Inko said and Mitsuki scowled.

"Ugh. I hate that guy." She said and waved at the T.V. Aizawa going over some of the expectations he had for the race.

"Mic?" Inko frowned and Mitsuki shook her head.

"No. Eraserhead. Cocky good for nothing." She grumbled and slurped her beer.

"I found him quite capable. And definitely a good teacher. Hitoshi seems fond of him." Kaori said and Mitsuki scowled.

"I don't care how good a teacher he is, you don't fail to keep your kids safe and then ask to keep them." She growled and drained her first beer. Kaori glanced at Inko who sighed and sipped her wine.

It was going to be one of those conversations. 

Since Aizawa had made house-calls Mitsuki hadn't stopped talking about how ridiculous it was that U.A. wanted to dorm the students. Her stance was that they were making the opposite move from what they should, providing more online access to school materials instead of holding in-class time. The students weren't the problem, the school was, was her stance.

"The updated security is very tight." Inko said weakly and Mitsuki snorted with derision.

"I just wish he'd transferred to Shiketsu like I told him to." Mitsuki scowled and then leaned forward. "Yeah! Kill em kid!"

"Oh they're starting!" Inko said excitedly and leaned forward, clapping as Izuku shot ahead of the pack close to Katsuki and the Todoroki boy.

"He probably didn't transfer because he's doing well." Kaori said and Mitsuki shook her head.

"He isn't actually." She sighed and whooped when Katsuki knocked part of the arena in front of the students behind him, blocking their path.

"What? That's unlike Katsuki to do poorly in school!" Inko said, suddenly all worry, and Kaori watched for Hitoshi, spotting him and smiling widely as she saw he was pulling up on Katsuki and Izuku.

"Yeah. He was struggling at the beginning of the year and has been catching up since. Everything still... Well he still isn't over All Might. He still has every poster of his in the closet, boxed up." Mitsuki sighed and Inko nodded.

"Izuku packed a lot away too. I get that. But his grades? Really?"

"Yeah, like, they're not bad, but you know how Katsuki is. If they aren't perfect he starts stressing out about it." Mitsuki said and then shot to her feet. "What the heck, cut back to the front!"

"Oh come on, they have to show the other kids too." Inko said waving at her friend to calm her down. Mitsuki huffed and sat back down, the camera focusing on some students struggling over the ropes portion.

"I just don't get it. He was stoked about U.A. and then, day one, he comes home like he confronted his worst fears about himself and locks himself in his room." Mitsuki sighed heavily and plopped her chin in her palm as they watched.

"You don't think he's being bullied do you?" Inko asked and Mitsuki snorted. Kaori shook her head.

"Katsuki? Pah, that kid wouldn't put up with that." Kaori chuckled and Inko frowned.

"Well, maybe he was shocked." She suggested, all of them wincing when Hitoshi fell into a mud pit.

"By what?" Mitsuki asked.

"Well, I mean, I was shocked when Izuku presented a quirk. And Katsuki has always been competitive. Maybe he was surprised to see him and also how much he worked for the exams." Inko said gently, Mitsuki nodding along musingly.

"He didn't take em though did he?" Mitsuki frowned over at her friend and Inko shook her head.

"No, but he still trained a-- OH MY GOD!"  Inko gushed, shooting to her feet. "He won! My baby won!!!"

"Oh my god Inko congratulations! That's awesome!" Kaori said, hugging her as she teared up, and Mitsuki frowned from her spot on the couch.

"Yeah, maybe that's it. Second place never sits well on Katsuki." She said and sighed heavily.

"Oh, no, of course, I'm sure he's gonna push through!" Kaori said, clenching a fist in front of her and Mitsuki smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, I don't doubt it. That boy of mine is stubborn to a T. He basically told me to my face he wasn't going to leave U.A. even if he had to find his own place! After all that work I did to get him set at Shiketsu! I even paid tuition!" Mitsuki barked a laugh and wiped her eyes. "Imagine that dork, working a part time job?"

"Oh, like a waiter, with the little suit and tie?" Kaori askes, schooling her face in Katsuki's traditional scowl. "May I take your order?"

"Oh, or a convenience store, with his name badge? It reads 'Lord Explode Kill'!" Inko suggested and Kaori snorted, Mitsuki laughing loudly.

"Shitty little edgelord. He'll settle out as he gets older." Mitsuki smiled fondly and shook her head as they splayed multiple rounds of statistics on the screen. She opened her second beer. "They better take care of him."

"Oh absolutely. All of them, one of those kids gets hurt, even not mine, and I'm roasting that little rat." Kaori said simply and Inko laughed.

"Oh, you think a lemon rosemary, or a teriyaki?" She asked and Mitsuki shook her head.

"Oh no, definitely like, yakitori style, on the little stick." She said and all three of them paused and burst out laughing.

Miles away Nedzu felt a shiver go up his spine

Izuku won. Shooting out over the field of play on a piece of scorched metal. Todoroki pulled up second, and Bakugou third. Shinsou was fourth. He panted across the line and leaned forward, Iida catching up to him in fifth.

"Ah, a sprint and I didn't win. That's a shame." Iida sighed.

"There were land mines, don't beat yourself up." Hitoshi said, panting.

"Izuku's idea was smart." Iida said.

"Yeah. I should have thought of it." Hitoshi said. And he meant it, he should have, but something about chasing after Izuku's back kept him from thinking clearly. He had started strong, and at the ropes portion lost time, and then he had followed Izuku through the whole rest of the course. It had gotten in his head.

The points were totalled and the next event announced, and Hitoshi smiled over at Izuku.

Well, how the tables turn.

"Uh, Hitoshi, you want to-"

"I'm already set." Hitoshi said and Izuku gaped.

"What?"

"Oh, I have a team already. I'm coming for you." Hitoshi said and Izuku felt his blood go cold. He hadn't expected them to be on opposite fields so soon, but maybe he should have.

"O-okay."

"I can't keep chasing your back Izuku." Hitoshi said and walked away towards his group. Iida and Momo strategizing already.

Izuku panicked, looking around and Uraraka rushed over.

"Hey. I got one more. Did Shinsou-" she started and Izuku shook his head quickly.

"No, no he already has a team." He said and she looked at him, shocked.

"Oh. Oh wow. Okay, um, who's left?" She asked and he scanned the crowd.

"Tokoyami-kun!"

The buzzer sounded and Hitoshi pointed over towards a grouping of other students.

"That way." He said and Iida frowned up at him.

"What? Midoriya is over there." He said pointing to the other side of the field, things already heating up.

"Yeah, and everyone is going after him. It'd be better for us to pick off a few of the others and then go for him towards the end." Hitoshi said and reached out, snatching up some points.

"He has a point, it'd be the smartest way to secure our victory even if we don't manage to get that ten million." Momo nodded as they moved, quick and low key through the crowd.

"We also have an advantage of range, ribbit." Tsuyu said and shot her tongue out to snag a bundle of points off a class B student who looked around confused.

"Yeah frankly Momo you have a good grasp on our defense and Iida on mobility so I can just focus on close range points while Tsuyu gets more ranged." Hitoshi agreed, Tsuyu nodding.

There was a blast from across the field and Todoroki streaked past, Ashido sliding on her acid as Bakugou's team strafed wide around them, and the ground freezing. 

"Jump!" Momo and Hitoshi both yelled and Iida launched them up, barely managing to avoid being frozen to the ground. They skid backwards on the ice and Todoroki shot past, snatching points from each person as they passed them. 

"Shit!" Hitoshi cursed and directed them around the side as Bakugou chased after Izuku. His strategy wasn't terrible, he just had to last the full time so prioritizing evasion was a good move, but Bakugou kept leaving his horse, flying through the air at him, corkscrewing towards them and trying to blast them out of the air. Add to that Todoroki dominating the field on the ground and you had a mix that wasn't just bad for Izuku, it was bad for him too.

"Okay, new plan. We're aiming for Todoroki." Hitoshi said, and Momo looked at him, shocked.

"What? That's insane!" She declared and he nodded.

"Momo, make us a shield, for Kaminari's lightning, and Iida, how often can you use your recipro if it stays cold enough?" He asked, thinking about the field of play being frozen and if that could help.

"It isn't an overheat, it's a backfire. I can go once, but then I'm stuck for a bit. There isn't any avoiding it." He sighed.

"You two think you could get us moving again with him as dead weight?" Hitoshi asked, looking down at both girls.

"No. No offense but he's heavy. Both of you is too much, ribbit." Tsuyu said and Iida nodded, looking crestfallen.

"Okay, then we need to time it just right then. We're gonna feint, make out like we're joining in to gang up on Izuku. Then, we take whatever points we can with one blast from Iida right at the minute mark." Hitoshi offered and Momo frowned.

"Seems… underhanded." She sighed and he scowled.

"Yep. That's the kind of plan I usually come up with, you know that." Hitoshi looked at her and Momo nodded. 

"I didn't say it was bad, I just said I wasn't sure I could feel good about it." She sighed and shook her head. "If they were villains I wouldn't feel this way."

"But they are our friends, ribbit." Tsuyu said gently and Iida groaned.

"True. Ugh, what else do we have?" Iida scowled and Shinsou shrugged.

"Stay the course, claim as many points as we can from the rest of the groups, maybe see if Bakugou will split the field and we can go for Todoroki, and then last second still blast the hell out of everyone." He suggested and the others were quiet.

"That still feels cowardly." Iida sighed.

"It's a good strategy though." Momo nodded.

"Okay." Hitoshi said and guided them through the field towards the fray, picking up points here and there. Monoma shot across with his group, Shiozaki upsetting the playing field more with her vines, and Iida dodged through them. A big thunk shook the ground, letters falling in place around the field and Shinsou glared over at Monoma, a hefty number of points dangling around his neck. He shrugged haughtily.

"Guess we're pulling ahead now, aren't we Class A?" He smirked and Shinsou rolled his eyes.

"We're still gonna win." He called back and Monoma's face went red with anger.

"Like you could ever take down--" Monoma started then fell backwards, Tsuyu snagging his points before he hit the ground as Hitoshi grabbed him with his quirk. They left him in the dust and kept on forward, aiming for Todoroki.

"Hey! Bakugou! Team up!" Hitoshi yelled and the other boy's eyes flashed with anger.

"Like hell!" He screamed and shot across the field at Izuku once more, the boy twisting his team midair with a blast from a rocket boot.

"You got it!" Ashido flashed a thumbs up and shot over towards them, Sero prepping his tape to reel Bakugou back in when he got too low. 

"What's the plan?" Kirishima asked, grinning as Bakugou screamed obscenities across the field.

"I'm aiming for Todoroki, so you guys can keep focusing on Izuku, but I need Ashido to do one thing for me." Hitoshi smirked and she nodded.

"Give us a net and we're even." She stated and he looked to Momo who nodded.

"Okay, so, I need you to, last second, blast as much acid between us and Todoroki as you possibly can." He said and Ashido grinned.

"Got it." She nodded.

"Here." Momo said and handed Sero the net.

"You traitorous fucking pinky!" Bakugou screamed as he was reeled back in. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Take care of Izuku, I've got Todoroki." Hitoshi said and Bakugou scowled.

"I was already planning on it!" He yelled and pointed Ashido over towards where Izuku had landed finally. He looked over one shoulder. "And I'll handle Todoroki too you shitty voice!"

"Sure, sure, okay, edges Iida." Hitoshi ordered and they moved quickly around the edges of their now more limited field, avoiding the teams trying now to reclaim as many lost points as possible.

Todoroki had Kaminari funneling lightning through Tetsutetsu, the boy cackling as they knocked out half the teams on the field, and Hitoshi looked at Momo.

"You ready with that?" He asked and she whipped out the insulated blanket. He looked up at the time.

Two minutes.

"Okay, Todoroki first." He said and wrapped the blanket around them. "Full steam ahead!" 

They moved quickly, Hitoshi calling out orders to move away from the blasts of lightning Tetsutetsu was shooting from his free hand, and closed the gap. 

"Keep to his left side." Hitoshi ordered and Iida spun them around, moving to come along Todoroki's left side. The boy gave them a glance and Kaminari shot lightning at them. Hitoshi smirked and absorbed it in the rubber shield.

"Hey Todoroki, I'm going to win." He said seriously and the other boy simply looked ahead, eyes on Izuku.

"Tsuyu, get him." Hitoshi said and uncovered her head, her tongue shooting out and grabbing the collection of bands around his neck, reeling them in quickly.

"Reverse!" Hitoshi ordered and Iida threw on the brakes, shooting back and away.

One minute, thirty seconds.

"Left!" Hitoshi ordered and they started towards Izuku, the boy meeting his eyes with a steely resolution before he shot up into the sky, keening to the right as the boot fizzed and sparked. Sero used his tape and shot a net over them, Ashido cheering and Bakugou shooting towards them, hand outstretched.

"Tsuyu!" Hitoshi yelled and her tongue shot out, pulling the ten million points from Bakugou's outstretched hand and Todoroki launched forward, hand reaching for the ribbon. His face was angry, and a flicker of flame shot up his arm before he roughly pulled it back.

Hitoshi grinned and snatched the ribbon as it got closer and looked at Todoroki, the boy's face furious, hand gripped around a collection of points on Hitoshi's arm.

"Ashido! Iida!" He yelled and Ashido shot acid between them, Todoroki shooting backwards to avoid it, the handful of points going with him, and Iida used his Recipro burst to get them across the field. Momo threw out a quick shield, roughly constructed, and they hunkered down.

Ten seconds.

Izuku broke through the shield and grabbed at the ribbon in Hitoshi's hand.

"I'm going to win!" Hitoshi said, excited, adrenaline thrumming through him, and kicked his best friend in the chest, knocking him across the field with a good 5% blast of One for All. He took a ribbon with him but Hitoshi grinned.

Zero seconds. 

Hitoshi cried, Momo and Iida hugging him, laughing and cheering, Tsuyu patting him on the back as they celebrated.

He won.

"Oh my god!" Kaori shot to her feet and jumped around. "He won! He won!!"

"Congratulations! I wish he hadn't kicked Izuku so hard, but wow! What a play!" Inko clapped and Mitsuki clapped as well.

"I can't believe it! He did so good!" Kaori said crying, and Mitsuki laughed.

"He's one to watch out for. Really good at managing and such at the least. And that alliance worked out well for him. I bet Katsuki is pissed." She grinned and crushed her second can of beer.

"Oh yeah, look at him, he looks about to go nuclear." Kaori snorted, the boy on screen red in the face and so tense every vein in his neck was throbbing. He was loudly berating his teammates for sabotage but they seemed excited about the results, each of them showing off a few points they snagged while he had been shooting around, earning his greater ire.

"Oh no, is Izuku not going to move on?" Inko frowned and looked at the board as the points were tallied.

"Oh I'm sure he got some points." Kaori frowned herself, watching the points rise for the other boys, but Izuku sat at zero for a long time. 

Then he shot up the ranks and all three women cheered, shooting off the couch to celebrate.

Izuku barely made it through, only by Tokoyami's foresight and pure luck.

"Hey, congrats." Izuku smiled and Hitoshi wiped his face, tears all over him and nodded at his best friend.

"How's your chest?" He asked and Izuku shrugged.

"I'll live." He said.

"You Class A jerks think you're so clever!" Monoma yelled and Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"Yes actually. Smart enough to beat you." He said and Monoma scowled, stomping away. 

That guy had some kind of inferiority thing happening and he was so over it.

"We have a lunch break." Hitoshi said, looking over at Izuku and the other boy grinned.

"Yeah. I could eat a ton!" He declared and Hitoshi smiled widely.

"Same!" He had been worried, that Izuku wouldn't forgive him for winning, but it felt good. That his friend supported him even if it had been at his expense.

"That was really cool Shinsou!" Ashido said, shooting over to them, a big knot on her head.

"Ooh, yeah, sorry Bakugou got pissed at you." He smiled sheepishly and she pumped a fist in the air.

"Nah it was worth it to snag Midoriya, no offense! We still passed!" Ashido grinned and patted Izuku roughly on the back.

"Still, thanks." Hitoshi smiled and they walked on to find a place to sit and eat.

"I about had a heart attack when they announced the point values. It was insane." Izuku sighed and shook his head, Hitoshi patting his arm. Momo and Uraraka laughed gently and Iida nodded.

"It surprised me too!" He declared and Izuku smiled.

"You held it together really well though." Uraraka said and Hitoshi dug in his pocket, his phone vibrating.

"Oh, hey." He answered his phone and his mom laughed.

"Hitoshiiii! I'm so proud you did so well!" She declared and he heard Izuku's mother cheering in the background. He smiled and wiped at an eye.

"Thanks mom."

"I don't care what happens the rest of the sports festival, you did so good! I'll be rooting for you!" She said and he nodded.

"Yeah, I wish you guys were here." He smiled and heard a crash over the line.

"Mitsuki don't stand on the table!" Kaori yelled and then chuckled. "Me too, but frankly I think both of them would be hard to deal with in public."

"Sounds about right." Hitoshi smiled and the phone clattered.

"Tell Katsuki to get his shit together and win!" Mitsuki Bakugou yelled into the phone, Izuku snorting and trying not to laugh.

"Mitsuki you're drunk!" Kaori called, wresting the phone back.

"The hell I am!" The other woman declared in the background and Hitoshi snorted.

"I would die. But I'm sure he'll do good in the next leg." He answered indulgently and his mother sighed.

"I need to go, but I'll see you later. I'm proud of you, always Hitoshi."

"Thanks mom." He said and Uraraka gave both of them a look as Hitoshi sat back down.

"Are your moms all friends?" She asked, Iida pointedly trying not to laugh.

"Mine and Kaachan's have been friends since they were in middle school together, Hitoshi's mom started being friends with them a bit after we met." Izuku explained and she nodded.

"Mom squad." She declared and Hitoshi laughed.

"They're scarier than any villain." He declared and she snorted, Iida finally laughing.

"I finally see where Bakugou gets it." He said and Momo nodded, holding a hand over her mouth as she chewed.

"She's always been like that." Izuku let out a long suffering sigh and they all jumped a bit when Todoroki plopped down with them in the grass.

"Oh, hi. I didn't expect you'd be joining us." Iida said and he frowned at them.

"Why not? We're still classmates." He stated simply and unwrapped the contents of his bagged lunch. The others looked at each other then Hitoshi grinned.

"Yep! We sure are!" He said.

The tension evaporated and they devolved into chatting about the upcoming brackets.

"I hope I get to fight you Deku!" Uraraka grinned and he nodded. Todoroki snorted.

"He'll have to beat me first." Todoroki said and Hitoshi leaned over, grinning and poking Todoroki once in the cheek.

"Confident huh?" He smirked and Todoroki simply nodded.

"Yes."

"Hey! Midoriya! Shinsou! You guys are doing great!" They heard a voice call across the arena and in a second Mirio was running full tilt towards their group.

"Oh, hey senpai." Hitoshi smiled and Mirio stopped, swiping hair from his face.

"Mirio-senpai! You're full of energy!" Izuku grinned and he nodded, pumping a fist in the air.

"I'm pumped! Especially after seeing your cavalry battle!" He declared and looked around. "Oh wow! You're all friends!? That's so cool! You're doing great!"

"Mm." Todoroki nodded and Uraraka looked at him.

"Wait, I know you! We helped you out during the siege!" She said, pointing and he nodded.

"Oh yeah! Your quirk really helped us a bunch. Thanks for the help." Mirio said and bowed deeply at the waist a few times. Uraraka flushed red and shook her head.

"No, no, thank you for giving it your all against those villains!"

"That's what heroes do. Can't wait to see your tournament results everyone, I've gotta run to the third year events, but good luck! Plus Ultra!" Mirio declared and saluted, running full tilt away from them, charging through students.

"Yeah he really reminds me of All Might" Izuku sighed and Hitoshi laughed.

"More energy. But yeah." He nodded and caught Todoroki's suspicious look as he pulled a small notebook out and jotted something down. Hitoshi chuckled. 

The time went off signalling lunch would be ending soon, and Momo sighed.

"One on one's are next." Momo said and Shinsou nodded.

"Yep." I should get ready, I'm up first." He said, stretching.

"Good luck!" She called and Hitoshi smiled.

"I won't need it."

Shigaraki Tomura was watching the small television he had been allowed from his cell when Detective Tsukauichi Naomasa entered. He glanced at the screen then over to the man scratching at his neck.

"I didn't think you'd be interested in the U.A. sports festival." He said calmly and sat in the chair just opposite the thick plate glass that split the room.

"It's good to know your enemy." Tomura mumbled and Naomasa's quirk buzzed in his head.

"No need to lie. If you enjoy something you should say so." He said and opened the folder in his lap. "Why don't we talk about All for One."

"No. I'm busy." Tomura stated simply and Naomasa frowned at the lack of a lie in his statement.

"With what?" He asked and the man rolled his eyes.

"Watching." He said, pointing to the T.V. Naomasa glanced over at the screen and then swallowed.

"Why?" He asked.

"None of your business." Tomura grumbled and his quirk went off like a klaxon.

"It very much is." He said carefully and Tomura crossed his arms.

"One of them has it. Sensei told me he didn't die with it, so he had to pass it on." Tomura scowled and waved him off. Naomasa waited a moment and when his quirk didn't go off he felt dread ripping through his stomach, churning in his guts as he glanced over and saw Nighteye's boys on screen, rushing towards each other. Naomasa scowled and grabbed the remote.

"T.V. will rot your brain." He declared and turned it off.

"Too late detective." Tomura grinned widely and Naomasa looked at the man, underweight, unhealthy, poison. 

Tomura smiled widely.

"I have what I need."

End chapter 14

Chapter Text

Hitoshi's first heat was over in five seconds, Oijiro walking out of the ring. The crowds had gone nuts, Present Mic elaborating on his quirk and its myriad of uses in heroics, Aizawa commenting on his path as a student. Aizawa made something up for his enhanced speed and strength, that he could, for a limited time, control his own mind and mind over matter his way through things. It was clever. Ridiculous, but clever. He looked at the brackets and saw Izuku's first fight was Vs. Momo and winced.

"Bad match bud." He sighed and Uraraka nodded beside him.

"Yeah, it's gonna come down to stamina and willpower I think. Momo tends to be a bit... Well she doesn't have faith in herself like she should." Uraraka mused, tapping her chin with a finger.

"Which is insane to me because she is a literal genius and can do literally anything with her power." Hitoshi scowled, waving his hand around in a vague sort of gesture. Uraraka grinned, leaning closer to him

"Does somebody have a crush?" She asked, smiling widely, and Hitoshi felt his face flush hot.

"Me?! No!" Hitoshi said, shaking his head quickly. "She's just a good friend, and honestly, way out of my league even if that was the league I was in, which I am not ."

"What?" Uraraka frowned and Hitoshi composed himself

"I mean I'm not interested in Momo, and she has other more likely suitors." He explained and she crossed her arms with a huge.

"Oh yeah? Like who Mr. Social Observation?" She asked and he blinked at her like it was obvious.

"Jirou." He said, pointing at the girl cheering loudly for her friend.

"But they’re..." Uraraka frowned, looking thoughtful.

"What? Both girls?" He frowned. He hadn't pinned Uraraka as being ignorant in any regard, but the blank look she had painted a different picture.

"Yeah!" She said, shocked and amazed all at once, and he realized the thought hadn't ever even crossed her mind that was possible, let alone that it may be a thing in their class. 

"Uh-huh, and that's the difference in league I was talking about. I'm not even in the brackets." Hitoshi nodded soundly and Uraraka sat back.

"Oh my God." She said softly, looking over at Jirou cheering loudly.

"Yep." Hitoshi popped his P and shrugged. 

"I didn't know you could... Do that."

"I know you're from the country, but I'm gonna admit sometimes I forget." Hitoshi said, chuckling softly, and Uraraka frowned.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting.

"It means you have a lot of growing up to do." Hitoshi said sagely and Uraraka smacked him in the arm.

"Oh don't turn this around on me, you still haven't told me if you like anyone." Uraraka said, poking him in the cheek. Hitoshi sighed and looked out at the field as Izuku walked on. He was smiling, sleeves rolled up, light from the sun settling in his hair, and he waved awkwardly both at them and the cameras. Hitoshi smiled and waved back, heart full as he watched his friend ready up, muscles tensing in his shoulders.

"No. I don't." Hitoshi lied.

"I can't believe how quickly he beat me." Momo sighed and Hitoshi patted her back.

"Hey, don't be so down. Your quirk takes time, he knew that and took advantage of it." He said and she nodded.

"Yes. Well, at least now I know where I need to improve." 

"Yeah, and I'm always willing to help you spar and learn more hand to hand stuff if you want." Jirou offered, setting a hand on her knee.

"Thanks Jirou." Momo smiled and Uraraka met Hitoshi's eyes over Momo's head. He nodded and mouthed the word 'crush', Uraraka going red.

"Well uh, don't you need to get going? Your fight with Deku is next!" Uraraka said and he nodded.

"Yeah, yeah I'm off. You girls don't have too much fun without me now." Hitoshi winked and rushed off, Uraraka turning brighter red.

"What did he mean by that?" Jirou frowned and Uraraka shook her head.

"Nothing, he's just a jerk." She declared.

Hitoshi swallowed a hair, topping up his stockpile, and took a deep breath. He had worked towards this. He was ready to face off against his best friend. The kid All Might chose to be the next symbol of peace. The kid he shared a quirk with. The guy he had seen go from scrawny middle schooler to absolutely shredded brick shithouse in the span of 7 months. He was ready to fight Izuku.

Shit, no, he really wasn't.

He sat down and ruffled his hands through his hair, thinking over strategies and plans, and he bounced his knee. Straightforward wouldn't work, but maybe something trickier? That felt wrong, especially after everything they had shared. Every moment they had spent together, every secret divulged in the dead of night when Hitoshi couldn't sleep.

"Does somebody have a crush?"

Oh now this was not the time for that . Hitoshi stood, rubbed at his face, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and walked towards the field. He could see Izuku across the pitch, and he waved.

Hitoshi waved back and swallowed thickly. Now or never. He was announced and walked onto the field, Izuku across from him.

"You ready for this?" He asked as the bell announced the start of their fight and Izuku nodded once, then shot forward. Hitoshi smirked.

Izuku kicked him around the ring, Hitoshi rolling, ducking and avoiding his hits as much as he could, which admittedly wasn't many of them and he definitely was going to feel this tomorrow, Recovery Girl or not. And the whole time Hitoshi was talking.

"You couldn't possibly understand what it's like, to be a second choice, to be viewed as a villain even here." He said. "You're the golden boy, the true hero, how could you get it?" Hitoshi babbled, trying to lie, to get Izuku to refute him, and he caught Izuku's fist, throwing him to the edge of the ring. Izuku shot around, determined, and went low, trying to knock Hitoshi's legs out, but he jumped and spun in midair.

"You don't know what it's like to be powerless, to wait for the other shoe to drop. Every friend you ever had turning on you in an instant." He said and Izuku met his eyes and he knew he struck a chord then, because Izuku looked hurt.

"Nothing in my life has ever been easy, and you get to just walk right in here and win against the most powerful, versatile quirk in our class? What kind of charmed life you must have." He said and tried to put as much bitterness in it as he could. It was surprisingly easy, even with Izuku kicking and punching at him, aiming pointedly at his mouth. His throat.

"You could never understand what it's like to be afraid to use your quirk, to walk into a room and feel every fearful eye on you. To always be afraid of what people will say, will do. To be thrown away by people who are supposed to love you." He said and Izuku bit his lip, swinging a haymaker towards his side, and Hitoshi took the hit, grabbing his arm and both of them sliding a few feet. Hitoshi felt his muscles throb keeping Izuku in place with him thrashing like he was. He knew it wasn't fair to mention his past, especially since he hadn't told Izuku everything. He hasn't told anyone everything.

"I've always been nobody Izuku, always. How could someone who matters possibly even want to be near me? Let alone be my friend?" He said and Izuku met his eyes, stopping his struggle. "If we hadn't met the way we did you wouldn't even look twice at me."

That gets him, Izuku's eyes wet, and Hitoshi knows he maybe went too far.

"You're my best friend Hitoshi. I--" Izuku says and Hitoshi feels his heart clench as he grips Izuku with his quirk. It's the same fear he felt the first time he ever grabbed Izuku with his power, and he had to take three full breaths before he could get his next words out.

"Walk out." He said. Izuku turned and the crowd started screaming, yelling for him to stop, to keep fighting. Hitoshi knew he wasn't the favorite to win in this fight, but it hurt to hear it directly. Hitoshi followed Izuku a few feet behind.

"I'm sorry. You're my best friend too. I... I didn't mean any of that." He said softly, hoping the cameras didn't pick him up, and then there was a gust of wind and Izuku turned and decked him in the face.

Hitoshi slammed into the wall, well outside the ring, and laughed.

"Shit." He laughed and coughed, blood coming up when he did. Izuku jogged over and offered him a hand up.

"You got 7 seconds. Not 4. Your quirk is definitely getting better." Izuku said, and pulled him to his feet.

"I'm so sorry." Hitoshi said and pulled him into a hug, terrified, but so glad to see Izuku smiling like nothing changed. He hated letting that little voice in his head think for even a second that he had alienated the one person he cared about more than anything. Izuku laughed.

"I know. I heard. I... I have something to tell you after." He said softly and Hitoshi frowned, pulling back and touching his face gingerly.

"Yeah. You broke my nose." He said and Izuku shrugged.

"Yeah. You gotta admit, you kind of asked for it."

Hitoshi sat in Recovery Girl's office and held an ice pack to his face.

"Who's next?" He asked and looked over, Recovery Girl hitting the side of his face with her cane until he straightened his head. He was responding to a text from his mom saying how well he had done and not looking at the screen.

"Iida and that girl from support." Kaminari said, sitting a few feet away on a cot with Recovery Girl looking at his leg.

"Okay, I'll skip it, she doesn't care that much." Hitoshi said and Recovery Girl huffed.

"If you're not going to keep it upright I'm going to kick you out."

"I'm trying." He said and huffed as Izuku walked in.

"Hey, how ya doing?" He asked, shifting awkwardly.

"Well you cracked two of his sinuses and shattered his nose so about as well as expected." Recovery Girl said blandly and lifted the ice pack, tsking softly. "Keep it on."

"Okay. Yeah I'm fine, she fixed most of it, this is just swelling." Hitoshi said, his voice muffled and nasally.

"Right. You gonna at least be back for Uraraka's fight with Bakugou?" Izuku asked and he looked to Recovery Girl.

"Yeah, probably. Can I go?"

"Fine, yes, obviously you're not going to behave here." She huffed again and he smiled.

"Thanks."

"I'll be along in a minute." Kaminari said and Hitoshi nodded, following Izuku out. He slipped into a small room on their way back and gestured Hitoshi inside. It was obviously some kind of storage room for sports equipment and Hitoshi's guard immediately went up. He hated that it did, this was Izuku , there was no way he'd ever hurt him. But then that was always what he thought.

"What is this?" He asked and Izuku closed the door.

"I need to tell you something." He said and Hitoshi nodded, moving to have his back to the wall.

"Um, okay?"

"When you mind controlled me, while I was trying to break out I... Saw something." Izuku said. Well, that was unexpected.

"Like what?" Hitoshi asked.

"Like... I think I saw All Might. And some other figures. But mainly... Mainly him. And it was like this weird moment where tuning into that broke me out of your trance long enough to hit myself and break free entirely." Izuku explained and Hitoshi's brow furrowed as he crossed his arms.

"Those other figures, how many were there?" He frowned.

"Seven."

"Oh. This is some weird One for All stuff huh?" Hitoshi said, relieved and Izuku frowned.

"Yeah? What did you think it was?" He asked and Hitoshi shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Frankly I kind of thought this was a 'hey I don't want to be your friend anymore' moment, but I'm glad I was wrong." He answered and Izuku looked like he had been slapped.

"I meant what I said Hitoshi, you're the person I..." Izuku started and then stopped, sighing heavily. "You're my best friend, but more than that, you're the only person I would ever want to share this with. You are strong, and smart, and funny, and so so much more suited to this whole thing than me."

"Bullshit, you're better than a million of me Izuku. Hell, you just kicked my ass live on T.V." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku growled with frustration, tears filling his eyes.

"You had me though. If you hadn't hesitated because we're friends I would have lost." He said and Hitoshi sighed again.

"You don't know that."

"I do." Izuku declared and it was silent for a long moment between them, the occasional sniffle from Izuku all that filled the room.

"Well, then I have to prove it next year." He said lightly and Izuku looked sharply at him.

"What?"

"I'm out of the running now, next year is when I get to prove I'm stronger. For now, you won." Hitoshi said, pointing a finger into Izuku's chest, and Izuku frowned.

"It doesn't feel like it." Izuku grumbled and crossed his arms. Hitoshi lifted a fist.

"Should I hit you, would that help?" He grinned and Izuku shoved him.

"Jerk. Now, seriously, I'm sorry I hit you." Izuku said, smiling.

"I'm sorry I hit you where it hurt. I..." Hitoshi paused and took a breath. "I said a lot of things I didn't mean."

"I know. Apology accepted. Now let's go cheer on Uraraka." Izuku grinned widely. Hitoshi nodded then paused a moment, grabbing Izuku's arm.

"Hold on, uh... One more thing." He said.

"What?" Izuku frowned. Hitoshi sighed heavily.

"You're probably going to fight Todoroki next, Sero doesn't stand a chance, but there's something you should know."

Uraraka waited anxiously for Shinsou and Deku to get back. Shinsou had said... Well, he said a lot, and she was worried about her friends. There was a lot of that happening recently. She sat bolt upright when they came into view, smiling and joking around as always, but Deku seemed tense, nervous.

"Hey guys!" She called and they walked over, Deku slumping into his seat, and Shinsou sliding in beside him.

"It'll be fine." Shinsou said and Deku bounced his knee.

"It's Todoroki though." He said, whining slightly and Uraraka realized why he looked nervous.

Oh. Of course. If things kept on as they were Deku would be fighting Todoroki next.

"It'll be great! Don't worry!" She said brightly and watched the tension ease from Deku a bit.

"How about you? Bakugou isn't an easy fight." He started and she held up a hand.

"Don't um... I want to win on my own." She said and he nodded.

"Strategy is one thing but how do you feel?"

"Like I shouldn't have had such a big breakfast." Uraraka laughed and the boys laughed with her, tension relieved. 

How she could have thought for even a second that those two couldn't make up and sort things out after, she couldn't say for sure. They really were best friends.

Like Jirou and Momo were best friends. Uraraka felt her face flush and looked over to see Shinsou leaning across Deku to look at her closely.

"What are you so flustered about huh?" He asked and she noticed how close the two boys were, Deku simply watching the end of the spectacle that was happening on the field as if he was bored with Shinsou practially draped over his lap.

"Nothing!" She declared sharply and returned her attention to the field, and Shinsou snorted.

"Right." He rolled his eyes and sat back down in his seat, leaning over once to whisper something to Deku, who laughed lightly.

No way.

"You're gonna do fine. Don't worry about it." Hitoshi said, sitting in the backstage area as Izuku paced.

"I'm... Mostly concerned about what he told you. About his dad."

"He's the number one hero right now. Unless Todoroki wants to do something there isn't much we can do." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku chewed at his lower lip.

"I know. I still hate it."

"I knew he rubbed me the wrong way but I didn't expect him to be terrible. He is the number one for a reason." Hitoshi frowned and Izuku continued pacing, a bit faster, chewing on his thumb.

"Yeah because All Might died." He grumbled and his best friend sighed.

"He was still number two then."

"Uuugh, I'm psyching myself out here..." Izuku groaned and sat heavily on the bench beside Hitoshi, who turned towards him.

"Okay, take a breath, calm down." Hitoshi said, holding Izuku's shoulders. He took a breath, another, and nodded. Hitoshi smiled. "You're gonna kill it man."

"Thanks Hitoshi." 

"I'll be here when you get out." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku felt his heart clench in his chest at the sheer sincerity he had in that smile. He had almost said something, when Hitoshi said he thought he didn't want to be friends. Of course he did. He just also maybe wanted to kiss his best friend square on the mouth, and that was maybe a problem he would have to deal with eventually.

"Okay. Yeah." Izuku nodded, focusing in on the fight to come. Trying to think about strategies to offset Todoroki's quirk.

"Go tell them we're here." Hitoshi grinned and Izuku hugged him.

"Both of us." He said, pulling back and grinning widely.

Hitoshi sat beside Uraraka and drummed his fingers on the railing. She blearily looked over at him, still wrapped in gauze from her match with Bakugou.

"You're more nervous than he was, it'll be okay." She said clapping him on the shoulder and he sat back, sighing and trying to relax.

"Yeah, he has a good strategy in place but I'm worried that he's gonna get too in his head." Hitoshi frowned and Uraraka laughed softly.

"God, you guys really are close huh?" She smiled and he looked at her like she had a second head.

"Yeah? I mean, of course we are." He answered and she nodded.

"How did you meet again?" She asked and she shrugged, still distracted by the impending fight.

"We met the day All Might died. I was uh... On my way home after um, everything happened. He saw me and thought I was hurt cause I had a lot of blood on my uniform." He answered and she winced a bit.

"Oh wow yeah, that sounds like Deku for ya!" She brightened and he nodded.

"Yeah, it wasn't mine. It was from a... victim at the site, but he helped me through a lot that night and I told him about All Might and everything. We exchanged info and then kept talking after that." Hitoshi answered. The thing about lies of omission is that they came so readily to him they didn't feel like lies. He hated lying to his friends, but this was bigger than either of them. "We ended up training together for the exam and a bit after that Nighteye sought us out."

"Must have been exciting, Nighteye is a big name in heroics after all." She said casually and Hitoshi almost felt bad about how easily she trusted him, lying to her face like he was.

"Yeah. I'm not sure about him to be honest. It always feels like he has some angle." Hitoshi sighed and the fanfare announced the start of the battle. 

"I'm sure he isn't all bad." Uraraka said, smiling widely.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I just haven't seen it yet." He said and stood when Izuku was announced, cheering for his friend. 

Todoroki said something when they met in the center of the arena and shook hands, but was too far away to hear. All Hitoshi could hear was Izuku's reply.

"I'm giving it my all. If you don't, then I can't promise what will happen."

The fight started with an enormous blast of ice, the same as Todoroki and Sero's fight had, and for a moment it seemed the crowd expected it to be over already, simple as that, but the mist cleared and Izuku stood firm, the ice deflected by a chunk of the arena he had shattered with a blow and hid behind. 

"My turn." Izuku said and shot forward, lightning crackling around him, throwing blow after blow at Todoroki, the boy dodging and weaving through his punches. He was in close, like Izuku had said was his plan, keeping Todoroki from being able to throw around his weight in a ranged fight, and he was fighting dirtier. He looked cool, like a real hero, and Hitoshi smiled, pride filling his chest. Izuku kept striking out at Todoroki's left side, his knees, his side, his face, blasting around faster almost than Hitoshi could keep up. Eventually Todoroki was entirely on the defensive, slipping back, farther and farther, ice around his arm to block attacks, and Izuku growled and smashed a kick into his knee, Todoroki crumpling.

"Come on! You expect to beat me like that?" He yelled and went to punch him in the jaw but Todoroki caught him with a blast of ice, closer ranged than Izuku had thought he could, and sent him sprawling backwards. Izuku flipped up to his feet and shot a blast of air at Todoroki when he blasted him with ice. 

"Damn it!" Hitoshi scowled and slapped the railing.

"What? He managed to hit Todoroki!" Uraraka said, excited.

"Yeah but his hand. Look." Hitoshi pointed and Uraraka saw that his hand was a deep purple of bruising. She winced.

"You spend all this time saying you don't want to be like him, then tell me you're going to win with half your power? Don't make me laugh!" Izuku yelled and shot forward, lightning whipping around him, and kicked at Todoroki, who shot backward, running up an ice ramp he had made and sliding down the other side.

"How do you expect to win running away?" Izuku yelled and Todoroki froze a moment. Hitoshi noticed the tremor in his hand, the ice starting to wear on him.

"I'm not running away." Todoroki said and rushed forward, shooting ice at Izuku, who blasted it away quickly, reaching in his pocket and swallowing something.

"You can do it Deku!" Uraraka said and Hitoshi shot to his feet, hands tight on the railing.

"Kick his ass Izuku! Make them say your name!" Hitoshi yelled and Izuku staggered forward, Todoroki not doing much better as he moved, slowed down by the obvious damage his own ice was doing.

"Don't you want to be a hero? It's not his power, it's yours!" Izuku yelled and headbutted Todoroki in the gut, knocking him back a few steps. Hitoshi was gripping the railing white knuckled, leaning into the arena, bits of ice peppering his face as Izuku deflected blast after blast. His hand was a mess, crooked and purple, wrong, and he kept moving. He was slamming into Todoroki, again and again, hitting at his left side until Todoroki retreated, ice crawling up his uniform.

"Show me what you have! Show them what you can do!" Izuku yelled and ran at him. 

It was like something snapped in Todoroki and the temperature change was immediate as fire bloomed like a flower up his left side, and Izuku skid to a stop, retreating a few steps. The heat was intense, even this far away, and Hitoshi could feel the skin on his face tighten. 

"Shouto I see, you've finally--" a voice boomed and Hitoshi shot over his shoulder without looking.

"Can it! Some of us are trying to watch!" He yelled.

"Shinsou-kun!" Uraraka said urgently

"How dare-" the voice said and Hitoshi kept his eyes on Izuku.

"Sit down and shut up!" He ordered and the noise ceased as Todoroki laughed in the arena.

"I can't promise what will happen because of this." He said, smiling widely, to Izuku, who dropped back into stance, bracing his arm with his broken hand.

"Bring it on. If you can beat me with your own power I'm satisfied." Izuku smirked and they shot at each other.

The match was over quickly after that, Izuku managing a good number of solid hits and nearly getting him knocked out of the ring, but he blasted apart his arm to do it. Even if he had won, chances were that he wouldn't be able to take the next match. Hitoshi looked down at the railing, warped and bent from his grip and released it, the rushing in his ears dying down to Uraraka pulling on his shirt.

"Shinsou let him go! That's Endeavor!" She hissed urgently and he spun, the world's number one hero sitting, arms crossed, mouth shut, glaring fire through his very soul and Hitoshi let his quirk drop.

"I'm sorry were you talking?" He said softly and the man stood, towering over him.

"You impudent monstrous child." The man hissed and Hitoshi frowned. He was already done with this.

"Listen. I have places to be, if you want to call me names do that on your own time." He said and went to walk past Endeavor, the hero gripping his arm with a hand that burned. He froze on the spot, instinct keeping him from moving at first.

"Apologize." He said and Hitoshi felt that fleeting wave of panic quickly settle into cold rage.

"No. I don't think I will. Sit down." He ordered and the man sat. Two years was worth the shitty look on the man's face. "God, that's probably the first time you've ever followed orders. Good dog. In ten minutes, go congratulate your son, he did a good job."

"Shinsou! You can't do that! Shinsou!!!" Uraraka yelled at him and he kept walking.

Hitoshi collapsed beside Izuku as Recovery Girl worked on finishing him up. He had finally been let into the emergency triage room she had set up to do some quick surgery on his arm to re-situate his bones after he had shattered his hand and wrist.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked and he shrugged.

"I bullied a pro hero so I'm not feeling great." He said miserably and she scoffed.

"Endeavor deserves it. Ever since he became number one he's been impossible to work with." She said and he frowned.

"How did you know..."

"Cameras dear. As soon as you used your quirk they were on you and him. Drama and all." She shrugged and continued wrapping Izuku's arm in a plasticast.

"Oh. Shit. Well I'm not proud of that ." Hitoshi groaned.

"You should be." Todoroki said from an adjacent bed. He looked Hitoshi in the eye a moment then smiled gently down at his hands. His right was still shaking. "You told him?"

"Before Uraraka's fight. He deserved to know." Hitoshi nodded and Todoroki sighed, leaning his head back against the headboard of the medical cot.

"Yes. I was hoping to tell him myself." He sighed and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Sorry. How are you doing?"

"Fine." Todoroki said.

Todoroki was not fine. Everything about his body language screamed that he was very not fine. Distress, fear, anxiety. All of it was bubbling under the surface of his physical wounds, his eye swelling on top of everything, knee bruised a deep purple at the edge of his sports uniform, hiked up to the knee.

"I'm sorry about your dad. For your sake." He said and Todoroki looked up, puzzled.

"Why?"

"I just don't want him to take it out on you." Hitoshi said softly and Todoroki's eyes widened a moment, understanding there.

"Is this something I should know about?" Recovery Girl asked and Hitoshi met Todoroki's eyes, the boy looking more than anything, scared.

"No. I just don't want him to ground him or anything." Hitoshi said smoothly and Recovery Girl looked at him levelly a moment before turning back to Izuku. The room was quiet the rest of the time, Todoroki staying all the way up until he had to rush out to prepare for his fight with Bakugou.

"I'm not doing this again." Recovery Girl grumbled. "If you boys can't keep your bones in order how are you supposed to be heroes?"

"Sorry miss." Hitoshi apologized and she huffed.

"Hey, did I win?" Izuku asked, peeking an eye open. Hitoshi grinned.

"You kicked the shit outta him." He said and Izuku laughed weakly.

"Dang. That's awesome." Izuku said, wincing as Recovery Girl set his arm in a sling. 

"I did what I could but you're going to need a few days. And like I told your friend, no more of this . You're going to go six months without a broken bone or I am going to break all the others when you come in!" She declared and pointed at Hitoshi. "That goes for you too! Thorns in my side, making all this extra work for me."

"Yes ma'am." Izuku said weakly and Hitoshi offered him a shoulder.

"Wanna watch Bakugou and Todoroki?"

"My money is on Bakugou."

"Yeah, he only gets stronger the more he wears down, Todoroki looked like he was barely standing."

"Nice." Izuku smiled and Hitoshi laughed, helping him around to the stands. Uraraka waved weakly from her seat and Hitoshi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Endeavor was gone.

"Shinsou! I cannot believe you! I had to sit here while he glared me down and I almost caught on fire, I could feel it!" She said, punching Hitoshi in the arm.

"What happened?" Izuku mumbled, barely keeping his eyes open himself.

"Shinsou-kun used his quirk on Endeavor!" She hissed, a couple people around them whispering among themselves. Hitoshi tried to ignore the heat of their looks and focus on the fight. Izuku grunted and sat.

"Oh. Good job." He said and Hitoshi smiled.

"Deku!!!" Uraraka groaned. "You're supposed to be the one with sense!"

"Nope, too busy being a rascal." He smiled and slumped in the seat, Hitoshi grinning as he leaned against his arm.

"Izuku is tired of being good, so he just went feral instead." He declared and Uraraka stared at them

"You're both hopeless." She sighed, crossing her arms gingerly, and started watching the arena, the match about to begin.

"You're just now realizing that?" Hitoshi smirked and Izuku snorted once.

Shouto was waiting in the back, rubbing at his left hand. Midoriya had landed a pretty solid hit on it at one point and it was really aching, despite Recovery Girl's best efforts.

"Shouto." His father's voice boomed from behind him and he shot a look back over one shoulder. "You did well."

Shouto watched his father visibly relax and scowl over one shoulder at the hall before closing the door. The hero Endeavor moved closer to him and Shouto held his ground, unwilling with his next bout to stand down against the man.

"I'm surprised you've interrupting me before a match." Shouto said smoothly, forcing calm into his voice even as his fight or flight reflexes were hammering flight into his heart, despite Enji's efforts to train that out of him.

"That classmate of yours used his quirk on me." His father scowled and Shouto nodded. He had seen the interaction played over the instant replay in Recovery Girl's office. Shouto tried not to smirk.

"You can leave now." Shouto said and Enji gave him a level look. 

"You did well, I was glad to see you using your left side." Enji said, and the lack of a scowl was almost the kindest expression Shouto had seen on his father's face.

"I didn't do it for you. He was right, it's my power, not yours." Shouto said firmly and turned away, rubbing at his hand.

"Regardless of your power or mine, you're my legacy, it looks good for you to use the abilities I have trained you to use." Enji said and Shouto felt anger curling in his stomach, and he gripped hard on his hand. He wasn't Todoroki Enji's legacy, he was Shouto. He was going to be a hero like All Might, not Endeavor. He was going to see people smile when he saved them, not cower in fear until the danger had passed.

"I'm about to go out. you should leave." Shouto said firmly and he felt his father stand and set a hand on his shoulder.

"Good luck Shouto." He said and then left, the door closing behind him, and Shouto scowled, shoulders shaking as he tried to keep his mind off the instant terror that filled his chest when his father had touched him. He hated him, if he disappeared the world would be nothing but better for it.

"I don't need your kind of luck." Shouto hissed and stomped towards the pitch, still shaken as he went to meet Bakugou.

Izuku managed to fall asleep during Bakugou and Todoroki's match, somehow , despite the crowds going wild around them. Bakugou won, not only because Todoroki's match with Izuku took a lot out of him, but also because he refused to use his left side again. Hitoshi sighed. Can't win ‘em all. He kept quiet through the match to not wake Izuku, but clapped gently when Todoroki landed a good hit or dodged really well, and he clapped when Todoroki got the silver. Bakugou was furious, practically foaming at the mouth as he demanded a rematch, having to be forcibly restrained during the medal ceremony.

"Hey, you going to wake him up?" Uraraka asked, pointing at Izuku. Iida had hurried off after a phone call during the fight and had left them alone with him. He still hadn't come back and while they had speculated a bit during the fight, the worry for his friend hadn't really gone away as Hitoshi watched the end of the ceremony.

"I'll carry him home." Hitoshi shrugged and Uraraka frowned.

"You sure? I could help." She offered and he nodded.

"Yeah, make him lighter and we can walk him back together. You can push my bike." He smiled and she tapped him with all five fingers, and Hitoshi grabbed him, sliding him around onto his back.

"Okay, lets go. I've never seen Deku's house, is it nice?" She smiled and they walked towards the entrance, a man in a suit stopping in front of them.

"Shinsou Hitoshi?" He said, digging in his jacket pocket, Hitoshi cleared his throat.

"Yes?" He asked and the man handed him an envelope.

"You're being served." He said and Hitoshi scowled, tearing it open and reading.

"You're serious? This happened less than two hours ago!" He yelled and the man shrugged.

"Endeavor Agency prides itself on speedy resolution." He said, bowing and taking his leave.

"Fuck." Hitoshi sighed and Uraraka patted his shoulder, Izuku barely moving through the exchange.

"Hey, it wasn't a big deal. I'm sure they'll be lenient, you were in the heat of the moment."

"No, I guess it isn't that bad. I just... two more years is all. I had hoped I was a small enough fish..." He grumbled and hiked Izuku up his back.

"You embarrassed him live on television." Uraraka said seriously and he nodded, heading towards the gates of the school.

"Fair." He sighed.

"And two more years of what?" She asked and he shifted awkwardly.

"Quirk counseling." He said and felt his ears heat up, stopping just outside to unlock his bike, sliding the lock in his pocket.

"You're still in quirk counseling?" She frowned, grabbing the handlebars to pull the bike off the rack.

"Yeah, every time there's an instance of quirk misuse that is reported they extend it two more years. Right now I was at a year left, but this puts me at almost 18 before I get out. If nothing else happens, which I doubt." Hitoshi sighed heavily and felt his nose running. He wiped at it and his sleeve came away wetter than he had hoped. He stopped a second and took a few breaths, Uraraka rubbing his arm, Izuku snoring away on his back.

"Hey, it's okay, like I said, they got it on camera, I'm sure it'll be fine." Uraraka said gently and he nodded.

"Yeah, I hope so. Christ, I'm gonna have to tell my mom." He sighed and adjusted Izuku on his back.

"Think about that later. Let's get Deku home." Uraraka smiled, walking beside him.

"Shinsou-kun!" Someone yelled and Hitoshi groaned.

"Oh Christ, no more." He sighed and turned to see Todoroki running, as well as he could with his knee still beat up, towards him.

"Here take him." Hitoshi said, slumping Izuku, nearly weightless, into Uraraka's arms, her juggling him and the bike.

"Whoa, hey, hold on!" She said but took him, careful not to press all five fingers to him as she held Hitoshi's bike up with one hip.

"Hey." Todoroki said and caught his breath.

"Hey. What do you need?" Hitoshi frowned and Todoroki pointed at the summons.

"Give me that." He said and Hitoshi squinted at him.

"What? No." He said and Todoroki sighed heavily.

"I'll get him to drop it. Just give it to me." He said, extending a hand towards him.

"No. I won't." Hitoshi declared, putting it in his pocket. Todoroki rolled his eyes.

"Shinsou, just... Let me help." He said and Hitoshi scoffed.

"I could say the same to you." He said and Todoroki took a sharp breath.

They were both quiet and Uraraka floated Izuku over to them, Hitoshi's bike abandoned on the sidewalk.

"Hey can we have this conversation not in the street?" She asked and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, let's go. Izuku's mom can let us talk if you want."

"I need to be home by dark." Todoroki frowned and Hitoshi nodded.

"Fine."

--

Izuku's mom looked close to tears as she fussed over them walking in. This was the most friends Izuku had ever had over to his house, unconscious or no. The living room was still a bit of a mess from the viewing party but she quickly cleared away the snacks and cups.

"He's just asleep, can we hang out for a bit?" Hitoshi asked and she nodded quickly, throwing together some quick drinks for them.

"Yeah of course Shinsou-kun, I'll call your parents." She smiled and set the tray of drinks in the living room

"Thanks. I sent mom a message but that would be nice." He smiled.

"You all really did so well! And I'll forgive you for hurting Izuku this time!" Inko said brightly to Todoroki and he flushed.

"I wouldn't normally." He muttered and she waved him off.

"Oh I'm sure." She smiled and nodded gently, walking back towards Izuku's room to clear his bed.

"I'll take him to bed if you wanna just unfloat him?" Hitoshi asked and Uraraka nodded, tagging him out, and he went heavy in Hitoshi's arms, not that he noticed, carrying him easily to the other room.

Uraraka looked at Todoroki, sipping his tea slowly.

"It's nice right?" She smiled and Todoroki looked around, spotting a hoodie of Hitoshi's on the coat rack.

"They're brothers right?" He said and Uraraka laughed.

"No! Just um... Good friends." She said and Todoroki narrowed his eyes at her.

"Right." He said, suspicious.

"No, I'm serious. They obviously care about each other and know each other well, but I think that's all there is to it." Uraraka said and glanced around to make sure Shinsou was still in the other room.

"I'm still pretty sure they're related." Todoroki said resolutely and Uraraka giggled.

"They look nothing alike though!" She said and he shrugged.

"Cousins?" He suggested and she couldn't help but laugh. Frankly it was about as insane as her theory they were maybe in love, but anything was possible she supposed.

"So what is this all about?" She asked and Todoroki frowned, obviously irritated.

"I just want to help. Shinsou... Listened to me, this morning. While I got a lot off my chest." He said softly and sighed.

"He's kind of proud, and stubborn." She said, sipping her tea.

"He doesn't deserve what my father is trying to do. It was an honest mistake."

"Right, but you can't decide that for him."

"Hey, I'm back." Hitoshi said blandly and they both jumped as he flopped comfortably on the couch. Todoroki arched an eyebrow at him and Hitoshi sighed, sitting more properly. "I'm not giving you the summons."

"Why? I can ask him to reverse it." Todoroki scowled and Hitoshi sighed.

"At what cost? He takes it out on you and what then? Holds that over my head forever?" He rolls his eyes. "I'd rather spend the next forty years in counseling."

"I can take care of myself. Just let me help, please. You and Midoriya have done a lot for me today. Let me do something." Todoroki said, frowning down at his hands in his lap. They were all quiet and then Hitoshi sighed.

"Fine, here." He said and handed Todoroki the letter. He sighed and crossed his arms. "I don't regret it. After what you told me especially."

"Hey can um, I get in the loop here?" Uraraka raised her hand, her voice small and Hitoshi grumbled.

"Endeavor is an abusive sack of shit is the loop." He said and Todoroki bristled, glaring at him.

"Shinsou, this isn't your place to share my business. I understand telling Midoriya given the circumstances, but it's..." Todoroki was nearly shouting, the loudest Uraraka had seen him other than in a fight, and she shrunk back, surprised. His eyes went wide and he collected himself. "It's my business. I'll handle it."

"If um... Todoroki-kun, if your dad is hurting you or um, your mom or anyone else, you can say something you know?" Uraraka said softly and he sighed, pulling a face like he was in pain.

"This is why I prefer to tell it myself." He said and she looked between the two boys, clearly confused. Hitoshi sighed.

"Uraraka, sorry if I gave you the wrong idea. Todoroki is right. It isn't my story to share and if he isn't ready, it isn't fair to push. I'm sorry." Hitoshi said softly and reached a hand out to pat Todoroki's shoulder and thought better of it, pulling his hand back. "You can do what you can. Let me know how it goes. If worst comes to worst I can talk to my mom."

"Okay. I think I want to just do this. I can tell you later Uraraka-san." Todoroki says, looking his phone and frowning

"You can text me if that's easier?" Uraraka offered and he paused, nodding slowly. Hitoshi lifted a hand as well.

"And you can always call me if you need to." He offered and Todoroki gave him an astounded, surprised look.

"Yeah. Yeah I might." He sighed and Inko took that moment to wander into the living room, hanging the phone up.

"You guys need anything?" She asked and Todoroki stood.

"No thank you. I'm going to head on out." He said, bowing graciously, and she nodded.

"You're welcome to stay until Izuku wakes up." She added and he shook his head.

"Sorry, I have to get home. It has been a long day." He said, smiling that small smile, and Hitoshi nodded.

"No, that's fine, I have to catch a train and get ready for the move-in day myself." Uraraka sighed and stood as well. "I still have things all over my place to pack."

"That is soon isn't it?" Inko sighed sadly and Todoroki nodded.

"A week now." He said then glanced at Uraraka. "I can walk you to the station if you want."

"Sure!" She smiled and Hitoshi looked over the couch at Inko.

"I'll stay if that's okay." He said and she nodded, as if she expected him to anyway.

"Of course! You're always welcome. I wouldn't stay too late though, your mom went home to surprise you with something." Inko grinned and he frowned.

"What?"

"Well it wouldn't be a surprise then." She smiled brightly and he huffed.

"Thank you, Shinsou, for today. Thank Midoriya for me too." Todoroki said and bowed, Hitoshi looking away from him.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Thanks yourself." He blushed and he felt Uraraka's eyes boring into him.

"No problem." Todoroki said and turned, Uraraka meeting Hitoshi's eyes and mouthing the word 'crush' at him and his face flared redder.

"Ochako!" He hissed and she grinned.

"See ya Shinsou!" She said brightly, saluting with a wink, and grabbed Todoroki's arm, heading out the door.

"Well, he seems like a nice young man." Inko said, sitting beside Hitoshi on the couch.

"Yeah, he's a good guy." Hitoshi smiled softly and Inko nodded.

"I'm sure your mother will approve." She said and his face went instantly red.

"Oh my god." He muttered and covered his face.

"Unless you're more interested in another classmate." She added and he slumped into the couch.

"Oh my god ..." He said softly and she hummed thoughtfully.

"I know Izuku is fond of you as well." She said and he choked.

"Midoriya-san you're going to kill me." He whined and she laughed again.

"I'm just kidding around. Except about your mother approving. She loves you." She said and he peeked out of his fingers.

"Yeah, I know." He said, still embarrassed but smiling.

--

It was well after dark when Hitoshi got home. He opened the door and the kitchen was set up like a party.

"Hey, I'm home!" He called and Mika ran into the kitchen.

"Surprise!" She yelled and popped a party popper, shooting confetti all over him. He grinned and picked confetti from his hair, sitting at the table.

"Is that Hitoshi? Ow!" His father said from the other room, tripping over something, and wandered in, his mom close on his heels.

"How is Izuku?" She asked and he shrugged.

"He's fine, just tired. He woke up and ate something and went right back to sleep." He smiled and shrugged off his coat.

"Well Mika kind of did it already but congratulations! You placed 6th overall!" His dad grinned and Hitoshi smiled. He had been so wrapped up in his loss to Izuku, he hadn't even looked at his overall ranking.

"Thanks guys."

"You did really well! I was surprised when Izuku-kun broke free of your quirk! You were amazing!" Mika said, bouncing beside him and Hitoshi ruffled her hair.

"Thanks. Wish you could have been there."

"Next year for sure!" His mom said emphatically. "We got a cake!"

Hitoshi let his family buzz around him, excited and talking about all the events, his dad excitedly talking about Iida's showing with Hatsume Mei and her support gear, and Mika talking going on about how cool Momo was. It wasn't going to be long before he moved on campus, but until then, he was going to enjoy this.

It was good to be home.

End chapter 15.

Chapter Text

It was late. Hitoshi had been sitting at his desk just listening to music and scrolling aimlessly through twitter and trying to convince himself to finally go to bed for the past few hours. The apartment had quieted but that nervous energy that sat on him in the silence of the night was still crawling around in him. He bounced his knee and finally closed his browser, leaning back in his chair and rubbing at his eyes. There was a creak upstairs in the apartment above him and he froze for a second before he relaxed again. Nights like these were the worst, and admittedly, less frequent than they used to be. When he had first moved in he had been basically unable to sleep, and had been a walking zombie for weeks. He wasn't looking forward to moving into the dorms for that one reason. Sleep wasn't easy in a new place, no matter how many friends he had around.

His phone vibrated against his desk and he spun around in his chair, grabbing it. Todoroki's name popped up and he frowned, quickly accepting the call.

"Hello?" He answered, blinking in the dark of his room.

"Hey. I didn't know if you'd be up." Todoroki's voice said over the line, sounding soft, like he was trying to be quiet. 

"It's late." Hitoshi answered and leaned back in his chair. Todoroki grunted softly in agreement.

"Yes. I can't sleep. My father just got home from a patrol and is just stomping through the house." He sighed and Hitoshi scoffed, swapping ears.

"Rude, it's like 1 am." He frowned and turned to see the clock put it squarely at 2. "Shit, 2 am, sorry, that's worse ."

"I didn't wake you up did I?" Todoroki asked and sounded legitimately worried.

"No, I was up. I should go to bed soon though." Hitoshi sighed and then rubbed his face. "I've been trying to get settled for three hours."

"That's true. We shouldn't ruin our sleep schedules." Todoroki sighed, obviously stifling a yawn. Hitoshi chewed at his bottom lip and frowned.

"Yeah. Hey, Todoroki, it's fine that you called though. Any time you need to." He offered and the other boy sighed heavily into the phone.

"Thanks. I just... It sometimes just makes it hard to settle, knowing he's there. And you're soothing." Todoroki said plainly, like it wasn't embarrassing or weird to call a friend soothing. Hitoshi chuckled awkwardly.

"Ahh, like a throat lozenge." He said.

"Sure." He could feel the shrug in Todoroki's voice. "I just needed to talk a second."

"Okay. How are you? Were you asleep and woke up?" Hitoshi asked, leaning an elbow on his desk, propping his chin in his palm.

"Yeah. I go to bed early usually." Todoroki answered and Hitoshi sighed.

"Yeah, that checks out. I have trouble getting down but once I'm asleep, I'm out." He said and Todoroki chuckled softly.

"That explains why you always look tired." He said plainly and Hitoshi chuckled himself.

"Insomnia and hyper vigilance is a bitch." He said and then bit his lower lip. The line was quiet a moment.

"What... What happened to you? You seemed to really understand at the sports festival..." Todoroki asked, hesitant in a way Hitoshi hadn't expected from the boy.

"Yeah." Hitoshi sighed and swallowed thickly. "Yeah, I've been in the foster system for most of my life. I was regularly hit and kicked around by a couple of my homes. People would get scared of what I could do and then they'd lash out. The worst one was when I was ten, cause it took longer for it to come to that and I really thought for once they wouldn't."

"It changed though. Your family is good now?" Todoroki asked and he could hear the worry in him.

"Yeah. I think maybe it's because of my situation, but I think family is a lot about you picking people who make you feel safe, and comforted, and right, and less about blood relationships. You just fit." He said and Todoroki was quiet a moment.

"Ah. I see." Todoroki said then yawned. "I'd pick you too. You're very comforting."

"Thanks." Hitoshi said, face red. "We have a bit until move-in, do you want to come by and hang out? I'm not doing much tomorrow?"

"Make it some kind of training thing and I can make it for sure." Todoroki said and Hitoshi chuckled.

"You really wanna work out with me after all we've had going on this week?" Hitoshi chuckled and Todoroki grunted, obviously rolling around in his bed.

"No, I mean I have to tell my father where I'm going. Training is a lot more likely to be approved than just seeing a friend."

"Oh, right, yeah um, meet me at The Rock gym then. I have a membership." Hitoshi said and Todoroki yawned again.

"Yeah. Okay." He said and Hitoshi paused.

"Do you want to stay on the phone?" He offered and Todoroki made a noise, considering.

"Is that okay?" He asked and Hitoshi smiled in the dark of his room.

"I mean, I don't mind. I'm gonna lay down though." He said and the line was quiet a long moment, Hitoshi looking down at his phone to make sure the call hadn't dropped.

"Yeah. That would be nice." Todoroki finally said and Hitoshi sighed, throwing his shirt on the floor and hopping in bed.

"Okay, I'm still here but I'm gonna try to sleep. If you need me just shout." He said and curled under his blanket.

"Okay. Goodnight Shinsou-kun." Todoroki said and he smiled.

"Night Todoroki."

Hitoshi woke up to the call having ended only a few hours previous and a text from Todoroki saying he had woke up and was doing something about breakfast before they met. He groaned and checked the clock, seeing it was later in the morning than he wished it was. He popped a message to Todoroki saying he could meet in a few and hopped up to get ready. He threw on some loose work out clothes and tossed something to wear after into a duffel.

"Hey, mom, you here?" He called into the apartment and heard a shuffle.

"In the kitchen, I'm trapped under work." She called back and he smiled, walking out to the kitchen. As she said, she was on her laptop at the table, surrounded by sealed case files and legal texts.

"Hey." He waved and she looked up.

"Going somewhere?" She asked and he nodded.

"A uh, friend of mine was having a bad night last night and I offered to meet at the gym to hang out, is that okay?"

"Be home before dark. And tell Izuku his mom still has my tupperware." She said pushing her reading glasses up her nose and Hitoshi shifted.

"Oh uh, it isn't Izuku." He admitted and she paused a moment before continuing typing.

"Oh? Is it that Todoroki boy? Inko said you seemed to get along." She said and Hitoshi's face went very red.

"Ah, yeah." He answered and she smiled over her laptop at him.

"Good, I'm glad you're making more friends. Before dark, call me when you leave the gym if you decide to go somewhere else just in case." She said and he rolled his eyes.

"I'm not gonna get murdered in the street in broad daylight." He sighed and she gave him an intense stare.

"Oh I wouldn't put it past you to figure it out. Be safe." She waved and returned to typing, glancing over a book for a passage and then resuming.

"I will. I'm heading out then." Hitoshi said and opened the door.

"Seriously, if something happens I'm never letting you outside again!" She called and he chuckled as he closed the door behind him. She went back to working on her law text and paused.

"What was he even wearing?" She muttered then shook her head. Teens .

Todoroki was wearing casual, if somewhat more formal and buttoned up than any of Hitoshi's other friends would have worn, clothes when Hitoshi walked up and he suddenly felt incredibly under-dressed.

"What is that shirt?" Todoroki asked and Hitoshi blushed.

"It's my work-out shirt." He said and flexed his arms. "Suns out guns out. These are the guns."

"That's stupid." Todoroki smirked and Hitoshi laughed. "What even is the thing flexing?"

"The American Mothman, but like, super ripped." He explained and Todoroki laughed. Hitoshi sighed. "Yeah well. I guess you didn't actually want to work out huh?"

"I figured it was a ruse." Todoroki said, smiling. Hitoshi's face went red and he chuckled awkwardly.

"Ah, one of Aizawa-sensei's famous logical ruses." He said and Todoroki nodded.

"Correct."

"Well I can change, gimme a sec." He sighed and went to open the door to the gym but Todoroki set his hand on his on the handle.

"It's fine if you don't." He said seriously. "It suits you."

"Nah, I should at least put on real pants." He muttered, looking down at himself.

"Those are pants." Todoroki said and Hitoshi looked down at his scraggly looking work-out pants. They had taken some damage in a run with Izuku at the beach where they had been pushing towards 10%. Luckily neither of them had broken anything, but the knees were completely blown out.

"Yeah okay fair. Hold on." He dug in his bag and pulled out a button up, throwing it on over his tank top. "There, at least now I won't freeze. So, whatcha want to do?"

"I... Don't know." Todoroki said and frowned. "I've never exactly hung out before."

"Well, ya hungry? We could grab something to eat and hit the park for a walk." Hitoshi suggested and rubbed at his forehead, trying to not think of all the ways this felt like a weird date. He popped his mom a text while Todoroki thought.

"Yeah, yes. That sounds good." Todoroki smiled and Hitoshi felt his heart clench. He was pretty and it was entirely unfair to his weak gay heart. Maybe Uraraka had a point. 

They walked down the street, Hitoshi fidgeting with the bottom button on his shirt, and Todoroki looking ahead.

"What are you wanting to eat?" He asked and Hitoshi jumped.

"Oh um, anything is fine. If we want to go to the park maybe something portable?" He suggested and Todoroki pointed at a noodle bar. 

"Not quite what you meant but I've been meaning to try it, if that's okay." Todoroki said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Oh yeah, totally. I'm down for whatever." He said and followed Todoroki in. It was surprisingly upscale for the very traditional exterior and Hitoshi found himself staring agog at the prices in seconds.

"Heeeeey, so I didn't invite you to like, buy me lunch or anything but I've got like, half this." He said, pointing at the menu and Todoroki shook his head.

"I'll pay." He said without argument and Hitoshi wilted.

"Are you sure, it's kind of a lot?" He said and Todoroki looked over his menu, one eyebrow arched.

"Is it? Hmm. I'm sure Endeavor's Platinum card won't mind." Todoroki hummed and lifted the menu back up,  Hitoshi staring a moment before sputtering a laugh.

"God, you're petty too huh?" He smiled and Todoroki shrugged.

"If I'm going to have it I should use it how I see fit. If he wants to make a stink about it he can take it back." He said simply.

Their meal passed uneventfully, both of them casually talking about everything from movies, Todoroki was surprisingly knowledgeable, to street cycling, which was Hitoshi's time to shine, and when Todoroki thunked Endeavor's credit card down on the bill it made both of them feel marginally better.

"Has he said anything about... The whole me thing?" Hitoshi asked tentatively and Todoroki shook his head.

"He has been doing a lot of late night patrols, so I haven't had a chance. He's off duty Sunday so I'll speak with him then." He said and Hitoshi nodded. That explained the 2 am stomping around at least.

"Thanks, again, for that. You didn't have to do all that." Hitoshi frowned and Todoroki looked down at the card when it came back.

"He's being stupid and I'm not going to let him hurt a friend." Todoroki scowled and Hitoshi leaned on the table, stretching.

"Well I spoiled the mood, wanna do that walk?" He asked with a sigh and Todoroki smiled.

"Yes. I'd like that." He grinned and they stood, leaving the restaurant.

"It was good but I think the portions are too big." Hitoshi sighed, stretching his arms over his head as they walked, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"Yes, it was a lot." Todoroki nodded and he sighed heavily.

"Gonna have to do extra laps later to make up for it or Torino will have my ass." He said then winced. He hadn't exactly been allowed to tell other students Torino was giving him and Izuku extra lessons.

"Why? He isn't regimenting anyone else's diet." Todoroki frowned and Hitoshi chuckled awkwardly.

"Oh um, I asked for some extra stuff cause I'm used to more intense regimes and the structure suits my lazy attitude. If I am accountable I'm less likely to cheat or slack off." He quickly lied and Todoroki sighed.

"Fine, don't tell me." He said simply and Hitoshi's face went red.

"What? It's true." He declared and Todoroki shook his head, stopping a moment.

"You're the least lazy person I've ever met Shinsou. Aside maybe from Midoriya. Your work ethic is scary." Todoroki said blandly, picking a small flower from the side of the sidewalk.

"I... I'm totally a slacker. I was up until 2 am!" Hitoshi insisted and Todoroki shook his head again.

"Yeah and then you woke up at 9 fully intending to work out with me." Todoroki said and handed him the flower. "For Mothman."

"What?" Hitoshi frowned down at the flower and Todoroki frowned, thinking.

"You have a tiny hole... Hold on." Todoroki sighed and leaned forward, sliding the stem of the flower through his shirt around where Mothman's hand was flashing a peace sign. "There."

Hitoshi looked down at his shirt then up at Todoroki and laughed.

"You're weird . Good weird, but weird." He said and Todoroki blushed and continued walking, Hitoshi falling into step beside him.

"You're the one with the stupid shirt." He declared.

"Fair, my shirt is stupid, but I love it." Hitoshi grinned as they walked, sliding his hands in his pockets.

"It's fun." Todoroki agreed.

"So how goes your packing?" Hitoshi asked.

"I'm done." Todoroki answered and it didn't surprise him. Hitoshi figured Todoroki of all people would be the first one ready to leave.

"Me too. I don't own much." He said.

"Me neither. Most of my things are staying home aside from essentials." Todoroki said and Hitoshi nodded. They walked a bit, stopping a moment to watch a kid playing with her dog.

"Can I ask you something?" Todoroki asked as the dog caught a frisbee in its far too small mouth and trotted over to the kid.

"Shoot." Hitoshi said and Todoroki took a deep breath.

"Is Uraraka-san mad at you?" He asked and Hitoshi snorted.

"Pfft, no? Why?" He asked, looking over at Todoroki. The other boy shrugged, embarrassed.

"She kept suggesting we all hang out when I walked her to the station. I was concerned it was because she didn't want to do things alone with you and Midoriya." Todoroki said and Hitoshi scowled. Uraraka was really pushing this crush angle huh?

"Ugh, no, she's just trying to get everyone to know each other better I think."

"That isn't a terrible idea. If we're all going to be heroes it's good for us to be able to work well together." Todoroki nodded and Hitoshi gave him a pained look.

"Oh gee, thanks. I'm also your friend Todoroki." He snorted and the boy looked over at him sharply, frowning.

"Are you?" He asked and sounded incredulous, unbelieving, and Hitoshi chuckled and patted Todoroki on the shoulder.

"Yeah? I mean, I thought we were friends, are we not?" He smiled over at him and Todoroki shook his head quickly.

"No, no, I would like to be. I just... Haven't had a lot of friends before." He said, seeming to be thinking hard.

"Welcome to the club." Hitoshi smirked and started walking again.

"You and Midoriya are friends." Todoroki said and he stopped again.

"There was a time before I met Izuku." He said and frowned. The dramatic part of him wanted to call it the Dark Times, but he refrained. Todoroki put a hand on his shoulder and nodded at him.

"Yes. I'm glad to have you as a friend." He declared and Hitoshi felt his ears get hot.

"Me too." He smiled. "Now c'mon, let's get ice cream." 

"Not much of a workout huh?" Kaori said when Hitoshi walked in, wearing a nice button up over his work out clothes and carrying a milkshake. He also was wearing a hat she hadn't seen before that just said "you should see the other guy" on it and she had never seen a piece of clothing that more encapsulated her son.

"A ruse apparently. It was nice to hang out." He said, kicking off his shoes and setting his work out bag on the floor by the door. He was smiling, had been since he walked in.

"Hmm." She nodded and looked up over her laptop at him. "Is he cute?"

"You should know, he was at the sports festival!" Hitoshi said defensively, his whole head red. Kaori lifted her hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry, it just looked like you had been on a date." She smiled, covering her mouth with her hand and her son somehow managed to turn even brighter red.

"I wasn't! I don't think I was..." He muttered, suddenly panicking. "We talked a bunch about things like if we were even friends so... Oh no... Did I friendzone a guy trying to take me on a date??"

"Hitoshi, calm down. I'm sure it's fine. You just looked happy." Kaori said, her son trying to pull out his hair. "What all did you end up doing?"

"Oh, we got lunch and took a walk and then ended up at this little shop and he bought me this hat. Then we got ice cream." Hitoshi said, pointing at the hat. Kaori smirked. That definitely sounded like a date but if he said it wasn't, she wasn't going to make him have a melt down about it.

"Well if you like him, you should tell him. He seems like a good kid." She said and her son covered his whole face with both hands.

"Mom, Jesus." Hitoshi huffed and flopped on the couch. She smiled and went back to working on her book. Mika walked out, glanced at Hitoshi and frowned over at her.

"Oh, did Nii-san finally take Izuku on a date?"

"No! I wasn't on a date!" Hitoshi yelled, throwing a pillow from the couch at her. "And why would I take Izuku!?"

"It's obvious!" Mika rolled her eyes and Kaori sighed.

"Don't confuse your brother dear." Kaori said, not looking up. Mika grinned and stuck her tongue out at him, skipping off towards her room. Hitoshi looked desperately over at her and Kaori sighed.

"Okay, I can take a break." She said, closing her laptop

End chapter 16

Chapter Text

"Hey, aren't you Shinsou Hitoshi?" A business man asked and Hitoshi jumped.

"Um, maybe, why?"

"I saw you on the sports festival! You did really good!" The older man said and Hitoshi brightened, relaxing a bit. He wouldn't have put it past Endeavor to serve him twice.

"Oh thanks?" He smiled, scratching at the back of his head.

"Yeah, and your friend, Midoriya right? You were phenomenal against Endeavor's kid!" He commented and the train car started buzzing with excitement as recognition settled in.

"Yeah after the first match I didn't think anyone would be able to take him down!" A college aged kid said excitedly.

"We're in good hands if kids like you are going to be heroes." An old woman said serenely and Hitoshi went a little red.

"We sure are! Can you sign this for me?" The college kid asked and Izuku stammered, signing their autograph book.

"Thank you for your support!" He stuttered and the boy smiled. Hitoshi grinned.

"Same here. It's regular folks that help us do what we're going to be doing." He smiled and the college kid laughed, holding the book out to him.

"Well you guys are really amazing! Keep training hard!" He said, taking the book back after both of them had signed. "I'll keep rooting for you!"

They both got off the train and walked towards school.

"That was so cool." Hitoshi confessed and Izuku nodded enthusiastically.

"It really feels like we're part of the hero community now!"

"Yeah I didn't think we would be so recognizable. Well, except for awful reasons." Hitoshi sighed. The video of him and Endeavor had gone viral over the weekend and was unfortunately still trending on a good number of social media sites. There was even a meme. It was… embarrassing was too light to say. Though he had liked a few of them...

"Hey guys!" Uraraka called and they waved at her as they walked.

Uraraka caught up to them and grinned slyly at Hitoshi.

"So, have you heard from Todoroki?" She lingered on his name and Izuku frowned.

"Yeah, we met up on Saturday. Why?" Hitoshi asked, trying to be casual, and she shrugged.

"When I was talking to him after we left he said he would be getting in touch. I just wondered." She said, feigning innocence and Izuku looked between them.

"Okay what is going on? What happened?" He frowned.

"Nothing. I got served by Endeavor and Todoroki offered to try to help." He said and Izuku whistled.

"Oh wow, that quick huh?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded as Uraraka skipped ahead, a devious grin in place.

"Two hours." Hitoshi sighed and Izuku shook his head.

"And why is Uraraka acting like you both have some kind of secret?" He asked quietly and Hitoshi's face went deep red.

"She thinks I have a crush on Todoroki." He answered and Izuku flushed as well, cheeks dusted pink, and Hitoshi bit his tongue. It was bad enough with his quirk but being gay or whatever wasn't something he wanted to have to deal with ruining his friendships either. It didnt exactly help that he had been looking at Izuku more and more either. The last thing he wanted was his best friend looking too deeply into why he was keeping him at arm's length.

"Do you?" Izuku asked, and the casual way he did loosened the knot in Hitoshi's stomach.

"I... Don't know. I hadn't really thought about it but he's nice, and he opened up to me, and he never treated me like I was some kind of villain in waiting, so like, I at least like him I guess." He frowned and Izuku grinned.

"Well, if you like him you should tell him." Izuku said, bumping into him with his shoulder. He seemed encouraging, but nervous. Like he didn't know how to act in the situation. Hitoshi sighed again and wracked his brain for a better explanation.

"No I mean like, I like him the same as I like you, like I want to get to know him better and be better friends. I don't... Well, I don't know what feelings I have for him. I like him, I guess, but as much as I like you if that makes sense." Hitoshi frowned and Izuku shrugged.

"Nothing wrong with that." He said and there was the slightest relief of tension there that Hitoshi could see, like Izuku was suddenly in more comfortable waters. Hitoshi sighed heavily.

"Like, he's pretty, but so are you, and so is more than half our class, so like, I don't know if I can say I'm for sure attracted to him?" Hitoshi said, frowning and Izuku's face went red.

"You think I'm pretty?" He asked and Hitoshi flushed, realizing what he had said. It wasn't a lie, he did think Izuku was pretty, his freckles and the way his curls frame his face, and that blinding smile that he gave him. Izuku was attractive, plain and simple. Not that he was really prepared to have that conversation...

"What are you two mumbling about?" Uraraka asked, stopping and letting them catch up.

"Nothing important. Well, maybe. Not really." Hitoshi mumbled and she shook her head. Izuku's face was still red and he kept giving him glances but Hitoshi just cleared his throat and looked away, walking a bit ahead.

"Fine, keep your secrets. You guys have plans after school?" Uraraka asked and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Packing." Izuku sighed and Hitoshi nodded, pointing with his thumb over at Izuku.

"Helping him pack. I've been packed for two days." He said.

"How ? I'm not done either." She sighed, shaking her head.

"I travel light. And I don't have a lot of stuff." Hitoshi answered and Izuku nodded in agreement.

"It's true, his room looked like it came out of a minimalist magazine, but with more clothes on the floor." He said and Hitoshi nodded sagely.

"Laundry should never be completely finished is my motto." Hitoshi shrugged casually as they reached the gate to the school.

"Well I wanted to go do some small shopping before the move for some essentials, you want to join me for a bit before you split off?" Uraraka asked and Izuku smiled.

"Sounds good." Izuku nodded and Iida walked up, Hitoshi finally realizing how odd it was for the boy to not already be here.

"Hey Iida! Want to go..." Uraraka started then paused when she saw the serious expression on his face. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yes. I'm... Fine. Okay. Yes." He said curtly then fell silently into step with them.

"You left out of the festival pretty quickly and we didn't see you after, is everything okay?" Hitoshi added.

"Yeah. I'm fine." He said stiffly, a forced smile on his face as he waved off their questions.

Iida was not fine. His shoulders were tense, his eyes were red, but dry, like he had been crying and hadn’t slept it off well. He kept walking like he was preparing to wage a war, and Hitoshi frowned.

"You're not . Sorry dude, but it's pretty obvious. What’s up?" He asked, a bot quieter to avoid being overheard. Iida pinched the bridge of his nose, knocking his glasses askew a bit, took a deep breath, and then shook his head.

"I... I don't want to talk about it right now if that's okay?" He said and Izuku grunted in agreement, nodding but worry clear on his face.

"You doing anything after school?" He asked, Hitoshi smiling. Izuku was getting a lot better at social niceties.

"Not really?" Iida said, looking down at him in confusion.

"Okay. Then come with us shopping." Izuku smiled and Iida frowned, Uraraka nodding enthusiastically.

"Just at the mall near the station. I have to get a few things for the move." Uraraka said excitedly.

"Yeah, that's practical actually. Sure." Iida smiled weakly and Hitoshi nodded.

"It's a date."

"Oh? What would Todoroki think?" Uraraka said, amused, placing a finger on her chin like she was deep in thought.

"Ochako!" Hitoshi hissed and she grinned, breezing ahead.

"What?" She asked innocently and Hitoshi groaned.

"Oh my god you're going to kill me and we aren't even in first period yet." He mumbled and Uraraka crossed her arms.

"I'm just saying. What about Todoroki?" She declared with a grin.

"What about me?" Todoroki said, frowning at them and Uraraka waved brightly.

"Oh hey!" She smiled, casting a sidelong glance at Hitoshi who slapped a palm to his forehead.

"You should just tell her you don't have a crush on him if you don't." Izuku said quietly and Hitoshi shook his head.

"Yeah I've been trying to but I don't think she believes me." He sighed. In all honesty he wasn't sure he believed himself either. "I'm pretty sure she just wants to match-make."

Uraraka quickly invited Todoroki to their shopping trip, him nodding along as she explained.

"Maybe. She does seem to like to meddle huh?" Izuku smirked.

"Yeah, it seems like maybe her thing." Hitoshi frowned as Todoroki gave him a baffled look over Uraraka's shoulder.

Today was gonna be a long day.

Izuku was surprised to have gotten any offers from scouts, let alone ten. Hitoshi got a few himself, but only one overlapped.

"The Underground Hero Association huh?" Izuku frowned.

"I know my quirk is suited for underground stuff but I figured they didn't want someone as visible as a kid from the sports festival." Hitoshi frowned down at his offer as well.

"Yeah I mean, people recognized us on the train and everything." Izuku nodded, looking over the other offers.

"Maybe they scouted us because we work well together? I know that's a big draw for them is people who can teamwork in a pinch." Hitoshi commented and Izuku frowned.

"We were on opposite sides mostly." He pointed out and Hitoshi stared at him a moment.

"Observation though Izuku, even a rock could tell our styles are pretty well matched because we've trained together so long."

"Fair." Izuku nodded and leaned back in his chair, deliberating.

"Honestly I think they scouted everyone. I got an offer too." Uraraka said, holding up her few offer letters.

"Me too." Kirishima said, flashing his two.

"Their caseload must be immense right now. Even Aizawa-sensei has been more exhausted than usual." Hitoshi frowned down at the pages in front of him. He had a few promising options, the biggest thing was whether he wanted to try and stick with Izuku or not.

"I really don't know how you can tell, he looks the same always." Izuku sighed, shaking his head.

"No, it's his forehead. You can tell if he's stressed or not cause he gets a little wrinkle right here." Hitoshi said, pointing out a spot on his forehead to Uraraka.

"Okay, but that's always there?" She frowned.

"He's been really stressed lately. It wasn't there the first few weeks." He shrugged.

"Geez, what don't you notice?" She sighed, ruffling her hair and slumping in her desk.

"Can't say." He answered and leaned forwards. "Want to cross reference these with that list Nighteye gave us? I doubt I'm going to get a chance to work with Endeavor at this point, so I should look for options that line up, right?"

"Maybe. It wouldn't be a bad idea to see. Not that I want to work with him either at this point." Izuku sighed and slid the offer from Endeavor under his stack. Hitoshi shrugged.

"He's number one right now though, it may be worth it to put up with him for a bit just for the experience." He said and Izuku glanced at the letter again and shook his head.

"Nope." Izuku said softly and Hitoshi shrugged again.

"Your choice."

"Okay settle down, we have one more thing today." Aizawa said and Midnight strolled in, fully in costume.

"Hello! Today I want to talk to you about hero names!" She smiled and the room burst into excited chatter. She gave them instructions and handed out a few white board slates to write their hero names on. 

Hitoshi groaned and rubbed at his face, Uraraka peeking over at him.

"Having a hard time?"

"Yeah. I have no idea." He mumbled and Izuku leaned over his tablet too.

"Same here. All of my old hero name ideas from when I was a kid are… Embarrassing." Izuku groaned and Hitoshi smirked.

"They're all All Might themed huh?"

"Shut up!" Izuku swatted him with the tablet and Uraraka frowned.

"I dunno Deku, it's a hard thing to decide. Something that fits your image, the style you want." She said and Hitoshi frowned at her.

"Are you having a hard time too?" He asked and she shook her head, holding up her slate.

"Oh, no, I picked my hero name ages ago!" She laughed and he glared at her.

"I see."

"Why not something like Mimic? To fit your support item without giving away your quirk?" Izuku suggested and Hitoshi frowned. 

"I dunno. It doesn't really fit the vibe. I want to… be inspiring? Not just descriptive." He mumbled.

"You could do something like Mirio-senpai, his hero name doesn't have anything to do with his quirk." Izuku suggested and Hitoshi frowned. 

"How about… Crusher." Uraraka said and he laughed.

"Not quite the vibe I'm going for."

"Persona could be cool!" Hagakure suggested from behind them and he shook his head.

"Or something like Audible, since your quirk is so sound focused!" Uraraka said and he frowned.

"I dunno, I don't want to entirely give it away."

"What about Puppetman!" Hagakure chimed in and he scowled.

"I'm not a villain." He declared. "I want something that is symbolic but not going to immediately give it away."

"What did Hatsume call the vocal cords? Some bird name right?" Izuku said and he frowned, then nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah hold on." Hitoshi nodded and wrote on his tablet, walking up to the others.

"Mockingbird! That's fun! A lot of interesting stylistic components for that too!" Midnight said and he smiled, rubbing at the back of his neck.

"Yeah. I think it fits."

"Hey, can I talk to you?" Todoroki said softly and Hitoshi nodded, lagging behind the others chatting amicably in front of them as they browsed the department store. He was hesitant, after Iida claimed his brother's name in class to leave them behind but he seemed to be chatting normally with Uraraka and Izuku so he let it go.

"What's up?" He asked and Todoroki sighed.

"My father has decided to drop the case. Bad public image going after a kid just because he was embarrassed." Todoroki said plainly and Hitoshi nodded as they split off from the others in the store.

"Oh, good." He said. It was a relief, he would admit it.

"He um, does want something in return." His friend said, not meeting his eyes.

"What?" Hitoshi frowned and Todoroki looked visibly disgusted.

"An apology, a public one. Or an agreement to do your internships after provisional licensing with his agency for the PR." He said and Hitoshi made a face himself.

"Fuck." He said softly, but with feeling.

"Yes. I'll likely be doing mine there myself, given he does know the business well, but I understand not wanting to." Todoroki scowled and they browsed silently for a moment, Hitoshi picking up a few things as they walked.

"You don't have to you know. You got plenty of offers, you could work with anyone." He said carefully and Todoroki nodded.

"I know. That's why, despite my feelings, I'm choosing to work with the best." He said and shrugged. It wasn't a bad idea, but it was maybe also exactly what Endeavor wanted, and that rubbed Hitoshi the wrong way on principle alone. He nodded along regardless.

"I'm supposed to do mine with Nighteye, but I can always tell him things had to change given the circumstances."

"It is unlikely you'll work well with him or several other agencies he's close with if you don't." Todoroki sighed and picked up a travel toothbrush set, seemingly just to fiddle with it. "My father can be very petty."

"I've noticed. I'm not apologizing to him." Hitoshi stated blandly and Todoroki fiddled with the zipper on the set.

"That may be a problem in the long run, but I understand." He said softly. They were silent a moment before Hitoshi took a deep breath.

"How has... Everything been?" He asked and Todoroki scowled.

"He ran me ragged Sunday. Second place isn't good enough if I'm going to be better than him ." Todoroki shrugged and set the travel set down.

They both knew he wasn't talking about Endeavor.

Todoroki had told him a simplified version of what his life was like when he pressed him over the weekend via text after their, Hitoshi was going to say, not-date. Mostly training, meals were regimented out based on caloric load vs calories burned in training, he didn't see his siblings unless Endeavor was out of the house, and then he never saw his eldest sibling, Touya. None of them even knew where he was. The level of minute control Endeavor exercised over him was uncanny. Hitoshi was frankly stunned he didn't seem to screen his phone.

"I did... I went to see my mother Saturday, after we split off." Todoroki said firmly after a long moment and Hitoshi looked over at him, the boy's hands fisted in his pockets as they walked the aisles, not really looking at anything.

"Oh. How did that go?" He asked.

"I told her about the festival. She had been watching. I didn't think she would." He smiled softly and Hitoshi felt his heart skip.

Fuck, maybe Uraraka was a little right. Then again, he felt like this towards Izuku all the time. Maybe he was just… emotional? Susceptible to friendship? Either way it didn't uncomplicate how he was feeling.

"Well, that sounds really nice. I'm glad you were able to see her. Did um, he say anything?" Hitoshi asked and Todoroki shook his head.

"I didn't tell him. Fuyumi tends to visit her occasionally, and Natsuo always has, but neither of them talk about her or their visits with me. Or him. I'm pretty sure they thought I hated her." Todoroki said and chuckled weakly. "Isn't that awful?"

"That's terrible, yeah. But hey, now you guys can talk freely between each other. You wouldn't be visiting if you hated her." Hitoshi said softly. "And even if you did, you would have every right to. I'm glad you're trying to reconcile with her though, that's a hard thing to do."

"True. I'll probably not be able to visit as much if the restrictions are too tight on the weekend, but I'm sure sensei would give me a day pass for that." Todoroki mused.

"Absolutely." Hitoshi nodded and they were quiet another moment, Hitoshi grabbing a pack of socks as they went by them. Can never have too many pairs of socks.

"You're really easy to talk to for some reason Shinsou-kun. Is that part of your quirk?" Todoroki asked and the way he said it cooled the instant on edge feeling Hitoshi would have gotten normally. It was simple curiosity, nothing accusatory, or prying. Just wondering, and that was refreshing too.

"No, I don't think so at least. I'm just a good listener. It's literally all I do, watch and listen, so yeah." He answered honestly and Todoroki nodded, fiddling now with a pencil bag, testing the zipper.

"A useful skill." He said.

"It's easy to pick up if everyone is afraid of you the second you say anything." Hitoshi said, trying to keep it light when he said it and Todoroki looked at him and shook his head.

"I don't see how, you're nice enough." He said and Hitoshi dropped the things he was holding, quickly scrambling to catch them all before they hit the ground.

"Well, oh um, thanks." He smiled weakly and Todoroki cocked his head a little.

"Uraraka is looking at us like we have done something very impressive, what's that about?" He frowned and Hitoshi glared over his shoulder at her, looking at them doe-eyed and giving him a thumbs up.

"Ugh, do not ask. I don't know what her deal is."

"She's odd huh." It was a statement not a question and Hitoshi laughed.

"Yeah, definitely." He said and when he looked back to Todoroki he saw the boy had a small blush on his face and Hitoshi felt his heart clench again.

Oh no, I'm too gay.

"Anyway, you want to join the others?"

"Yeah, that sounds good. Oh," Todoroki started and Hitoshi glanced back. "One more thing, how could you tell? Before I told you, that something was going on with me and my dad?"

"It was a familiar story. I'm a foster kid, I've seen a lot of that kind of stuff." He confessed and Todoroki looked surprised.

"Oh. Sorry." He said.

"It's fine." Hitoshi said quickly.

"Because you...?" Todoroki started but didn't seem to know how to ask so Hitoshi filled in the blanks.

"Yeah. I'm not really in a headspace to talk about it more than we did the other night right now, but yeah."

"Okay, yeah. Sorry again." Todoroki said, his voice small and awkward and Hitoshi shook his head.

"No, it's fine, seriously." He declared.

"Okay. Sorry."

"If you apologize again I'm going to make you charge my stuff to your dad's fancy credit card." He sighed dramatically and Todoroki smiled that small amused grin that reached his eyes.

"Oh, that isn't a punishment. I was planning on covering it anyway."

"Oh, you don't have to if it'll get you in trouble." Hitoshi insisted and Todoroki shook his head.

"Please, I wouldn't have taken it without planning to abuse it." He said and Hitoshi pinned down the look he had. Mischief. Well, if there was one thing he was good at it was mischief.

"Fair. Hey guys, Endeavor's buying, whatcha wanna eat?" He called over to the others and Iida frowned.

"There's a place up the street--"

"Steak. Lobster. Where's the most expensive restaurant..." Izuku said casually and started looking things up on his phone. Todoroki laughed, a real, solid laugh and Izuku flushed, Hitoshi clearing his throat after his heart had jumped into it.

"Maybe the noodle bar up the street?" He suggested and Todoroki nodded.

"Sounds great."

"So... Todoroki?" Izuku asked, working on wrapping a bunch of his All Might merchandise and putting it into a box.

"What about him?" Hitoshi sighed wearily. His shin still hurt from where Uraraka had kicked him gently through the course of their whole meal, scooting closer to him so he had to sit closer to Todoroki in the booth they had been in. It had been painful, not just because of her kicking, but also because he maybe did like the other boy and her obvious machinations were the most embarrassing thing on the planet. Izuku had tried to get her to cut it out, which helped, but made her give him a look like she had some kind of idea, so Hitoshi had just resigned himself to bruised shins.

"It seems like you hit it off today." Izuku said, not looking over, his ears pink, and Hitoshi groaned.

"Oh god, did Uraraka recruit you to this whole thing?" He asked, covering his face with the pillow on Izuku's bed, flopping on his back. Izuku made a small high pitched noise and he peeked out at him, the boy's face bright red.

"No! God, I'm your friend, I just wanted to ask and see how it went. You seemed to be talking about some heavy stuff for a bit." Izuku declared, dusting off the tops of a few mint in box All Might figures before putting them into the box. Even before they had started packing there had been fewer than when Hitoshi first visited. Izuku was still a huge All Might fan, it was just hard being surrounded by the face of a friend who died as well.

"Yeah. He visited his mom the other day and was telling me how it went. It seemed like a good experience." Hitoshi said softly and Izuku smiled softly down at a few of the boxes, nodding once.

"Oh, that's good." Izuku said and took a sip of his tea his mom had set out for them. Hitoshi watched him, seemingly lost in thought, and a heavy weight settled in his stomach.

"Izuku, do you like him?" Hitoshi asked and his friend spat tea across the room.

"W-what?" He sputtered and coughed and Hitoshi patted his back until he calmed down, that nervousness gnawing at him.

"I dunno, it just seemed like... You've been flustered since I mentioned it, that Uraraka was trying to set us up or something." Hitoshi said and Izuku wiped his face on his sleeve, shaking his head vigorously.

"No, I mean, I'm glad he's opening up more and he is pretty cute, but also I don't know if I'm looking right now." Izuku frowned and looked up at Hitoshi, his face still scarlet. Hitoshi felt all the tension in him relax at that, unwinding.

"Yeah. Same here. Like, we have enough on our plates without trying to date." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku deflated a little, looking away from him, ears pink, and Hitoshi looked away from him too. He just had to go and be cute huh?

"I mean ugh, I've had someone I like for a while, so I'm not really looking at anyone else." He confessed and Hitoshi blinked at him. That pit was back, drilling into him and he swallowed hard.

"Oh. Oh wow, I never noticed, you hid that really good." He said, stunned, trying to hide the disappointment he was feeling, and Izuku sighed, rolling his eyes.

"It isn't a big deal. I've already decided not to act on it for that exact reason. We have a lot on our plates with trying to become heroes without complicating everything by dating." He declared and Hitoshi nodded. He looked away a second and thought hard. He hadn't really seen Izuku act differently around their classmates, and they spent a good amount of time together so he was surprised he hadn't noticed. But, if Izuku had already decided not to do anything about it, he wouldn't have been acting differently. Hitoshi glanced back at Izuku, wiping tea off or things and scowling softly.

"Fair. Is it someone I know?" He asked and Izuku froze mid swipe of his towel.

"Yes." Izuku said warily and he leaned in, Izuku's face getting redder. It was really, really easy to tease him. That maybe had to be illegal.

"Can I know?" He asked, grinning, and Izuku stood.

"I'd rather not." He declared finally and kept packing silently. Hitoshi frowned. They didn't really keep secrets from each other, not on purpose, but he still had things he hadn't told Izuku about his past too. About his parents. He sighed.

"Okay, no problem." Hitoshi said and they continued packing things, the music playing from Izuku's phone gently filling the silence. Hitoshi hummed along and waited for Izuku to relax a bit.

"Is it Uraraka?" He asked and Izuku's whole head went red again, making him look like some kind of strawberry.

"No! God, I'm not telling. It isn't important." Izuku scowled, and Hitoshi shrugged, smirking.

"Kay, okay, sorry, I was mostly kidding. I won't bother you about it. If you want to tell me I'm here." He said, raising his hands in surrender then going back to sorting through posters.

"I know." Izuku smiled and Hitoshi sighed, digging down into a stack of stuff on the bed with him and pulling out an old game console.

"Hey, wanna take a break?" He asked, holding it up and Izuku sighed with relief, nodding.

"Finally, yes ."

They did manage to get all of Izuku's things packed by the time Hitoshi left, but not without a good bit of goofing off. They moved at the end of the week. Five days. He rushed home and was happy to find family movie night still happening when he slipped in the door to his apartment.

End chapter 17.

Chapter Text

"Wow. It's big." Tsuyu said, looking up at the building and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, way bigger than I expected honestly." Kaminari whistled lowly.

"Doubt roommates are going to be a thing." Hitoshi nodded and Izuku smiled brightly up at him.

"Neighbors then?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded quickly.

"Totally." He grinned.

"Well let's go in, you nerds!" Kaminari declared and rushed into the building. The others quickly followed, everyone looking around at the common spaces and chattering excitedly.

Hitoshi went to the fridge and grabbed the note there, reading over it.

"Girls on one wing, boys on another." He announced and handed the note to Izuku, who scanned it.

"Well that's expected. Even for a co-ed dorm." Iida nodded, pushing his glasses up his face. Hitoshi had kept an eye on him all week since the news reported his brother's attack from the hero killer. He seemed to be handling it, occasionally leaving to visit his brother in the hospital in the afternoons instead of walking with them to the station. His reveal of officially taking the name Ingenium in class had been bittersweet to say the least.

"It's so big! Even the rooms are big!" Hagakure yelled from up in the lofted space over their kitchen. She ran down the stairs and off into the girl's side of the dorm.

"Well, better get to work!" Kirishima grinned, rolling his sleeves up and rushing back outside to bring his things in.

"We should have a housewarming party!" Ashido suggested, bouncing on her heels, and Iida huffed.

"I know it's Friday but we shouldn't make a racket after ten. We should keep to our normal schedules as much as possible."

"Aw c'mon you worry wart, it's fine to hang out just for now! We only move in once!" Uraraka smiled and Iida snorted but didn't say anything else, going outside to gather his things. Hitoshi frowned and wandered on into the halls to pick a room, Izuku having already gone out to grab his boxes.

A bunch of his stuff had been sent ahead, and they had arbitrarily assigned him a room. He started out moving in by going up to the fourth floor and sliding into the room closest to the staircase. Something about being at the top of the building and nearest the escape route felt right and comfortable. He wrote his name on the plaque on his door, and got to work moving up his boxes and unpacking. It was muscle memory by now, unpacking his few spare things, and he slid the box he kept of more personal items deep under his bed before anything else.

He took a breath, breathing in the space, and nodded. It would do.

"Room contest?" Hitoshi frowned and Izuku jittered near him, anxious.

"Apparently. The girls thought it would be fun."

"Can I sit out, mine isn't much." Hitoshi frowned and Izuku shook his head.

"I asked too, apparently if it isn't everyone it isn't fair." Izuku grumbled and Hitoshi grinned, poking him in the forehead.

"It's embarrassing isn't it?" He asked and Izuku's face went red.

"You know what my room looked like before, it isn't much different!" He said and Hitoshi grinned.

"Like they don't expect you to have hero merch everywhere. It is you after all." He teased and Izuku huffed a moment before starting at Uraraka rounding the corner quickly

"C'mon! We're starting on the ground floor!" Uraraka called and they knocked on Tokoyami's door, everyone commenting on the decor before moving on. 

It was hard to beat Sato's cake and he easily took best on ground floor before they went upstairs. Iida's room was exactly what they expected, a poster of his brother over his bed, and Bakugou had slammed the door in their face. Kaminari and Kirishima had rooms that fit them both to a T, Kaminari's somehow managing to be messy already, and Kirishima's filled with what they assumed he thought 'manly' things were. Hitoshi spotted a stuffed tiger on his bed but made a point to not call him out about it.

So far, Sato was still winning in Hitoshi's mind.

"Whoa, Todoroki, this is crazy!" Ashido exclaimed, the boy still sitting on the floor with tools, having installed tatami mats across it.

"It's what I'm used to." He shrugged and Hitoshi was glad to see that in addition to being on the same floor with him and Izuku, he also had a pretty sparse room, alterations aside.

"Midoriya, you're next!" Uraraka said excitedly and he went red.

"A-are you all sure? It's just what you would expect." He stammered and Ashido set a hand on his shoulder.

"Open the door Midoriya." Ashido said, her voice bright, but the threatening aura around her shook Izuku to the core. He mumbled and opened his door, the others breezing in.

"Oh wow, you have some rare stuff Midoriya!" Hagakure said looking at his desk.

"Is this a picture of you and Shinsou?" Uraraka asked and Izuku flushed, snatching it from her.

"Yes! It's from our last day at Nighteye Agency before school." He said, putting the picture back.

"I have that same photo." Shinsou nodded and Izuku looked at him, grateful.

"Is that the 30th anniversary poster?" Kaminari whistled and Izuku nodded, going off on a tangent about how he got it last second on an auction site. Hitoshi kept towards the door as everyone poked around. Izuku's room wasn't exactly big news to him.

"You're next." Ashido said menacingly and he simply shrugged.

"It isn't anything special. Todoroki won for our floor for sure." He said easily and opened his door. The inside was sparse, clothes put away in the dresser (that would quickly change as the week went on but it was worth the effort to be done with the room), a desk with a laptop, some pencils, and a single picture that was the candid Izuku and he had taken at the beach when they had finally cleared it. He had nothing on his walls, nothing on his bed but a plain bedspread and an extra pillow, and his suitcase sat empty in the closet. The box of his personal items was under the bed but not visible from the door.

"Did you even bring anything dude?" Kaminari asked and Hitoshi shrugged as the others walked in.

"I don't have a lot of stuff." He answered.

"I keep expecting a secret panel or something to open up and boom, it's a different room." Hagakure commented and Hitoshi smiled, sitting on his new bed.

"It feels like a movie set." Uraraka said, sounding nearly in awe.

"What's this?" Sero asked and Hitoshi slapped a hand on the box as he started to pull it out from under the bed.

"It's personal." Hitoshi said seriously, his tone sharp.

"Oh I knew this room was full of secrets! C'mon Hitoshi-chan, show us!" Ashido said and he cast her a look. He definitely had not given her permission to call him that. She held her hands up in surrender at his glare.

"Like I said, it's personal. It wouldn't be interesting anyway." He said seriously and Kaminari wrapped an arm around him.

"Oh c'mon! Then it's not that big a deal!" He said and Izuku frowned at him over Kaminari's shoulder.

"Fine." He said firmly and sat on the floor. He opened the box, everyone crowded in around him, and scowled.

"This is my parents," he said, pulling a photograph out of the box of two people, very similar to him, and a scarf. "This was my mom's. And this,"

He pulled a small ceramic fish sculpture, missing its back fin. "Is from my first house after they passed away."

"Hitoshi you don't have to do this." Izuku said softly. The room was quiet now, all jokes and goofing off having ceased.

"No, it's fine ." He said. And it was, really. He had shared this stuff before, a couple times, and it didn't really bother him to show off his memories as long as he didn't go too in depth. "Anyway, the fish was a gift from a sibling, they did a lot of art and I think they were in college for it. It's not super clear in my memory. I liked it a lot so he gave it to me as a gift on my birthday a few months before I moved." 

"Oh, this is cute." Uraraka said, pointing out a small stuffed animal alligator. Hitoshi smiled.

"That is Charles, he was left behind by another kid at the second group home I was in and the lady who ran the place couldn't bear to take it from me when I left." He smiled. "Charles was my best bud for a while there. I didn't name him though, I think he looks more like a James."

"What about this?" Ashido asked, and she wasn't loud, but reverent, pointing to a frame wrapped in blue packing paper. Hitoshi unwrapped it and showed it off.

"That's my fourth family, the Kanai's. They had a lake house, I never got to go though." Ha said, the picture of him standing with their two other children, the parents in back. The two kids pointedly were holding hands with each other and not him.

"Geez, you moved around a lot." Sero frowned and Hitoshi shrugged, pulling a few things out of the box.

"Yeah, people had a hard time with me when I was little and my quirk was first coming in." Hitoshi chuckled and looked down at the box, pictures and items and memories. "I used to have tantrums, especially when I was little, and I'd demand things with my quirk. Any kid does, but for me it was bad ."

"I mean, yeah I used to discharge until I was nothing better but a screaming baby if I couldnt have a cookie after dinner. My parents never gave me up." Kaminari grumbled.

"Kaminari!" Uraraka scolded and Hitoshi held up his hands for her to stop.

"No I get it. I think it's different when it's someone's head you're messing with. And they weren't my parents anyway." Hitoshi said and he scowled at the bitterness he put into his voice.

"What's this?" Izuku asked and Hitoshi glanced at the ticket in his hand.

"My first bus ticket, when I ran away the first time." He said and Izuku's eyes went wide.

"The first time, geez, you've got like, the most tragic past of all of us." Sero frowned and Hitoshi chuckled.

"Not by far, but yeah. I ran away twice. It isn't uncommon in the system and I thought it'd be better than where I was." He shrugged.

"Was it?" Ashido asked and he shrugged again.

"For a bit, yeah. Then it turned towards winter and I got caught convincing a guy to buy me a coat." He said and pulled another photo, this time a shot of him with a police officer in the station that one of the other officers had taken to send to missing persons.

"You were a little homeless criminal! That's kind of cute!" Ashido said and Hitoshi scowled.

"I didn't use my quirk. He just got concerned and reported where I had been. Cops picked me up later." He said firmly, and she stammered.

"No I mean, I wasn't saying you had..." She said softly.

"What's going on in here?" Todoroki asked from the door and Hitoshi glanced at Uraraka when she jumped.

"Oh, Shinsou-kun was just showing us some stuff from his past." She answered, trying to be casual.

"Oh. Can I see?" He asked, scooting into the room. Hitoshi swallowed hard and nodded.

"Sure. This is my first all As report card. I got it at my most recent home." Hitoshi said and Uraraka pulled out another photo.

"Oh, is this them?" She asked and he shook his head.

"No that's the Shikaru folks, the fifth or sixth house, this is them." He said, pointing out a photo from the day they took him in.

"Oh my god your sister is adorable." Hagakure said seriously.

"Yeah. They took her in a year or two before me? I think her folks died in a car crash during a villain attack." He said and Todoroki cleared his throat, moving closer.

"How did your parents die?" He asked and Hitoshi met his gaze, that same innocent curiosity in them, and he swallowed thickly. Todoroki didn't have an ounce of maliciousness in him huh?

"You don't have to answer that, that's sorta personal." Izuku said, casting Todoroki a serious look.

"No, it's fine. My parents died in an attack by Destro." He said and Todoroki's eyes widened. "They were heading to work and the train derailed. My dad tried to help a woman get out of the train and was crushed when the train car fell. My mom was thrown from the train car and they found her a bit later." He answered and looked down at the photo he had of them and him. "I looked up the obituaries once, I can't remember them very well."

"And you didn't... Have any other family?" Ashido asked and he shook his head.

"I had an aunt. She couldn’t take me in with her own kids." He said and frowned. "I think I've met her twice in my life, but she sends me birthday cards when she can."

"Oh." Ashido said softly. The room was quiet for a moment before Hitoshi started packing things away, avoiding even looking at a few of the photos and items entirely.

"Anyway, I thought we were gonna have a party, not sit around here in sad sack land." He grinned and Uraraka threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, it's okay. You can be sad about it." She said softly and he smiled, patting her back as he felt her tears drip onto his shoulder.

"I've been sad about it my whole life, Uraraka-chan, I think I'm allowed to do something else." He said seriously and glanced around, Ashido also tearing up and Todoroki simply looking thoughtful. "Now, party time?"

"Yeah! Party time." Ashido sniffled and smiled brightly. "But first, the girl's rooms!"

Izuku sat next to him on the common area couch, Hitoshi holding a cup of soda and staring off into the building.

"Hey, you okay?" Izuku asked gently and Hitoshi glanced over at him, broken out of his reverie. The others were abuzz around them, chatting and dancing to the very low music Iida had insisted he control the volume of.

"Yeah, I'm just glad to be doing something else. I didn't really expect to be thinking about all that today." He sighed and Izuku bumped him with his shoulder.

"Why hadn't you shown me before? I mean, you don't have to show anyone that stuff, but I'm just curious." Izuku said and Hitoshi sighed.

"My life is hard enough? No, I mean, we had enough going on when we met, I was glad just to have a friend, but wasn't used to it enough to think it would last." Hitoshi answered honestly and Izuku nodded.

"I think I understand that. It was similar for me too." Izuku said, glancing over at Bakugou talking loudly with Kirishima and Sero. Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, so you get it. I was just glad that the second day you didn't completely ghost me and didn't want to jinx it I guess." He chuckled and Izuku grabbed his hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"I wouldn't have." He said seriously.

"I know. Now I do I mean." Hitoshi smiled and Izuku smiled over at him.

"Well hey, you want to have fun, lets have fun." Izuku grinned and Hitoshi nodded.

"Anyone know any good games?" He called out and Ashido held up a bottle.

"Spin the bottle!" She grinned and he rolled his eyes.

"I said good games!" He said and she sat on the floor in front of the couch.

"Oh you're just a coward! C'mon!" She said, a few others straggling over towards them.

"I can confidently say that I am not, but fine." Hitoshi declared, sliding down onto the floor, Izuku beside him. Todoroki sat on his other side and smiled.

"I'm going to bed, forget you idiots." Bakugou grumbled and Ashido smirked.

"Baby!" She called after him and he froze, spinning on a heel and stalking back over.

"What did you call me you shitty pinky?" He yelled and she smirked.

"I called you a baby! Play with us!" She said, leaning towards him in challenge and he growled back, palms sparking.

"Fine. I'll spin it into oblivion." He declared and flopped down beside her, rolling his sleeves up.

"Be responsible. It's already ten." Iida said from the hallway, already in pajamas. 

"I'm going to bed too." Tokoyami said, looking near exhaustion, Shouji nodding beside him.

"Goodnight!" Ashido called, Uraraka sitting beside Izuku, between him and Tsuyu.

"Oh what and they're not babies?!" Bakugou growled and she shrugged.

"The circle is already full anyway and I don't wanna move." Ashido said and put the bottle in the middle, giving it a few practice spins.

"It'll be fun bro." Kirishima smiled and clapped a hand on Bakugou's shoulder, the other boy grumbling and crossing his arms.

"I'll go first!" Ashido said and spun the bottle, she landed on Tsuyu and grinned. "Okay, truth or dare?"

"Dare." Tsuyu said confidently and Ashido grinned mischievously.

"I dare you to jump rope with your tongue!"

"Fine." She said and stood, moving to the middle of the common room space. She extended her tongue and not only started skipping with it but also started reciting a rather garbled jump rope rhyme which had nearly everyone in stitches, before resuming her place.

"My turn?" She asked, her voice a little garbled as her tongue settled and Ashido nodded, wiping tears from her eyes. She landed on Izuku.

"Truth or dare Mido-kun." She said and he thought a moment.

"Truth." He said.

"Laaaame." Bakugou said and Izuku glared at him. Tsuyu thought for a moment then met Todoroki's gaze, he nodded slightly. She cleared her throat and pointed at Izuku accusingly.

"Was All Might your dad?" She asked and Izuku scowled, Todoroki conspicuously leaning in, the rest of the circle laughing, Bakugou maybe a bit too much.

"Why does everyone think that heroes are my dad? No. My dad is on business in America." He says and pulls out his phone, flipping through a few pictures before settling on one. "This is him."

"Wow he looks nothing like you." Ashido frowned at the photo then up at him. Izuku shook his head.

"I look a lot like my mom." He said and Uraraka nodded.

"It's true." She said. Hitoshi glanced over to see Todoroki crossing something off on a list in a small notebook.

"What are you doing?" He asked and Todoroki leaned away from him so he couldn't see the list.

"Nothing important." Todoroki said, slipping the small notebook back in his pocket.

"Midoriya it's your turn." Kirishima grinned and Izuku nodded.

"Okay." He spun it and landed squarely on Todoroki. "Okay, truth or dare?"

"Dare." He declared and Izuku smiled.

"Okay. I dare you to sneak outside and make it snow." He declared and Todoroki frowned.

"It's after curfew though." He said  and Izuku smiled, leaning one elbow up on the seat of the couch.

"Be careful then." He said and Hitoshi was proud of his best friend's snark levels for a brief moment. Todoroki and Izuku stared each other down a brief moment and then Todoroki nodded firmly once.

Todoroki stood and walked to the door, slipping outside and then back in an instant. They all rushed to the window to see a good two or three inches of snow on the courtyard outside, one of the security drones looking around in confusion.

"Nice job!" Ashido gave him a thumbs up and Todoroki shrugged but had a small blush on his face.

"Okay, it's your turn Todoroki." Uraraka said as they sat back down and he spun the bottle, frowning when it landed on Bakugou.

"Truth or dare."

"Dare, duh." Bakugou snorted, like it was the obvious choice.

"Okay I dare you to run through the dorm, top to bottom, saying nice things to anyone you come across." Todoroki declared and Bakugou grinned.

"Easy."

"If you make it back in fifteen seconds I'll give you my spicy noodles from the other day." Kirishima grinned and Bakugou got even bolder.

"Double easy." He said, planting a fist in his palm and grinning widely.

They set him a line on the floor and Kirishima pulled out a stopwatch, signalling him to go.

He shot off, quirk popping and they distantly heard Bakugou yell "your hair looks nice!" Which made every one of them crack up, Izuku especially rolling on the floor. Bakugou skid to a stop yelling "kick ass pjs Kaminari!" With one second to spare.

"Okay it's yours." Kirishima agreed and they waited a moment for Bakugou to claim his prize. He got back, thumping down on the floor gracelessly and then spun the bottle hard enough it clattered loudly on the floor.

It landed on Hitoshi.

"Truth or dare shitty voice." He said, pointing emphatically and Hitoshi huffed.

"Do you just not know my name or is that really the best you've got?" He frowned and Ashido snorted, Bakugou rolling his eyes.

"Just pick." He said, slurping some noodles.

"Truth." He said and Bakugou huffed irritated then pointed between him and Izuku.

"You and shitty Deku dating or what?" He asked and Izuku's face went insanely red.

"What?! No!" Izuku said quickly.

"I didn't ask you, did I?!" Bakugou snapped and looked seriously at Hitoshi.

"Why are you all so interested in my love life? No. We aren't." He said and Bakugou grunted.

"You want to?" He asked bluntly and Hitoshi's face went red.

"Hey, you can't ask two questions!" Tsuyu said and Bakugou huffed.

"What, I'm sure we've all thought it, as touchy feely as they are." He said pointing at them with his chopsticks. Hitoshi ran a hand back through his hair and pointedly didn't look at Izuku.

"Maybe. Not that it's anyone's business but mine, but I'm not looking to date right now. In the future, he'd make a good partner." Hitoshi said blandly and Bakugou barked a laugh of triumph.

"W-what?" Izuku stammered and Hitoshi sighed.

"I'm 16 not blind. Most of you are good people and would be a pleasure to date." He declared blandly and the whole group went red, Bakugou included.

"Cop out." Bakugou grumbled and Ashido coughed into her hand, embarrassed.

"Except Bakugou." Hitoshi revised his statement and Bakugou shot to his feet.

"I would be a damn catch !" He declared and Hitoshi rolled his eyes.

"Yeah if you didn't light your significant other on fire first. You have the romantic appeal of a spoonful of pepper." He scoffed and Bakugou turned redder.

"Hey!"

"Okay calm down!" Kirishima said and pulled on Bakuhoucs arm to settle him down. Bakugou scowled and wrenched his arm from Kirishima's grasp.

"Fine!" Bakugou grumbled and returned to his noodles, Hitoshi gently spinning the bottle. It landed on Uraraka and he grinned evilly.

"Truth or dare Uraraka-chan."

"Oh God, I'm going to regret either aren't I?" She said warily, and Hitoshi grinned wider.

"Probably." He sing-songed at her and she sighed.

"Okay fine, dare then just get it over with."

"Okay, kiss Tsuyu." He said seriously and she went red all the way to the roots of her hair, Tsuyu covering her mouth with shy shock.

"What?!" Uraraka hissed and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Anywhere is fine, but you have to keep kissing her for two whole minutes." He said and Kirishima pulled out his stopwatch, grinning over at Hitoshi.

"It's okay Ochako-chan, it's just a game." Tsuyu croaked and Uraraka took her hand, kissing the back of it and holding, Ashido and Bakugou both cheering her on. Tsuyu blushed and held a hand to her face, looking all the world like a princess with her prince charming.

"There!" Uraraka declared when the time came up and she slapped the bottle hard, it landing back on Hitoshi.

"Okay you had to have cheated." He said and she grinned.

"Just luck I guess. So pick." She said, glancing between him and Todoroki and Hitoshi sighed.

"Dare." He said seriously, glaring her down. She leaned forward across the circle and was smiling with a menace that rivaled Bakugou's.

"Kiss Todoroki." She declared and his face went red. He had expected it but it didn't really make it less embarrassing to hear out loud.

"Is she allowed to steal my dare like that?” He asked, looking to Ashido.

"I'll allow it!” Ashido declared and he sighed.

"Todoroki?” He asked and the other boy shrugged.

"It's fine.”

"Okay." Hitoshi shrugged and leaned in, kissing Todoroki squarely on the lips. Uraraka screamed in shock and Todoroki made a small noise of surprise before relaxing. Neither of them moved, simply locked at the mouth, and Hitoshi instantly regretted making it a full two minutes. Todoroki was warm against him, soft, head tilted into the kiss, and when he peeked his eyes open the boy was looking at him with shock and wonder like he had never even considered the possibility that someone might want to kiss him. Hitoshi screwed his eyes back shut, embarrassed and maybe a little too into this joke. Todoroki was honestly precious. He pulled back eventually and looked at Uraraka.

"Was that two minutes?" He asked casually and she nodded mutely, Ashido cheering and punching Todoroki in the arm, him flushing and covering his mouth. He spun again landing on Ashido and dared her to confess to her crush. She ran off down the boy's hall and then came back, triumphant. The game continued on and Hitoshi didn't get picked for a while and leaned back against the couch. Todoroki and Izuku both were avoiding his gaze, Todoroki glancing at him occasionally, a small dusting of red on his cheeks, and Izuku looking any direction other than at him.

Oh. Oh no.

Hitoshi felt the rushing in his ears before he heard it and the next bit passed by in a blur. Cleaning up from their party, Bakugou and Kirishima heading towards bed together, Tsuyu and Ashido breaking off with thanks to them for finishing up. Uraraka punching him in the arm with embarrassment and then heading to bed herself. 

Todoroki went up before them and Hitoshi didn't even quite realize when they hit the top stair and Izuku kept walking.

"Hey, um, do you want to hang out for a bit before you go to bed?" He asked and his voice cracked, sounded distant to his ears, and Izuku shrugged, scratching at the back of his head.

"I'm actually pretty tired. I'm gonna go on to sleep."

"Okay, sweet dreams."

"Yeah you too." Izuku said not really looking back and Hitoshi managed to get inside his room before he slid to the floor, shaking.

Shit, he ruined everything. He should have known that the reason Izuku hadn't wanted to tell him who his crush was was because it was Todoroki, and now he had just messed everything up by kissing his best friend's crush right in front of him on a dare. He knew why he had gone as far as he did, it was mostly to get back at Uraraka. But he was an idiot, an idiot who didn't deserve friends like Izuku, or Uraraka, or Iida, or Todoroki. Or any of Class A for that matter. He wasn't the kind of person who got to have friends, and he should have known that from the beginning. Just because he got lucky once , happened to make his dreams come true with a power that wasn't even his own. Wasn't even meant for him. Had a friend he somehow managed to convince he wasn't a piece of shit. Hitoshi tried to breathe, tried to count out his breaths on his fingers but his hands wouldn't move fast enough to keep up. He tried to hold his breath but it exploded out of his chest in a rush. Fuck he ruined everything . He ruined his own life so why shouldn't he ruin someone else's? This whole agreement had been a mistake, pulling Izuku into his shitty life had been a mistake , no matter how lonely or desperate he had been. No matter how much he cared about him and always wanted to be with him. No matter how much he liked Izuku and wished that he liked him back. Hitoshi tried to get himself under control, ground himself by focusing on what he could feel. He reached down and gripped fingers in the carpet, felt the fibers stretch then tear, and he felt tears streaming down his cheeks, and he felt a soft vibration in the door behind him.

"Hitoshi you have to move from in front of the door." Izuku's voice was soft, sleepy, and he looked across the room to see light peeking in his blinds. Christ how long had he been sitting here? And now Izuku was sitting there, right outside while he had a total mental breakdown about his best friend.

"No." He said, covering his face. His voice sounded wrecked, absolutely destroyed from his trying to be quiet and crying.

"I'm not gonna break it down, please open up." Izuku said softly, and his voice was right behind him, reaching out. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve anyone trying to help him. Not when he had just, who knows how long ago, hurt his friend like that. Hurt the person that mattered more to him than anything like that. He clawed at his scalp and bit his lower lip, feeling his chest tighten as he cried and finally feeling how wet the neck of his shirt was from tears trailing down his face almost all night.

"Hitoshi, please . Let me in."

Hitoshi crawled away from the door and it opened, Izuku quickly kneeling down and pulling him into his arms, holding on tight to him, Hitoshi gripping fistfuls of Izuku's shirt. They sat there a while, Hitoshi's breathing slowly evening out, feeling grounded by Izuku's arms, his warmth, his soft shushing noises.

"What time is it?" He asked, already feeling better with Izuku holding him on the floor, rocking gently.

"Around 6. I just woke up. I could hear you in the hall. Just barely." He said softly into his hair and Hitoshi bit his lip hard.

"Fuck." He said, softly but emphatically. 

"It's okay. You had a rough day. Did you sleep at all?"

"No. I've been here since..." He started and bit back on his answer, not wanting to mention fucking up as badly as he had. He needed Izuku right now, and he hated it, but being selfish was what he needed.

"Since I went to bed. Okay. Come on." Izuku said, hopping to his feet and grabbing Hitoshi's arm. "Hop up."

"Okay." He said and let Izuku pull him to his feet and drag him to the bed. Izuku pulled back the covers and settled him into the bed.

"Okay. Just calm down." Izuku whispered and sat on the edge of the bed beside him, gently petting his hair. Hitoshi screwed his eyes shut and took a few more deep, long breaths.

"I'm trying. It isn't working well."

"I'll stay until you fall asleep okay?" Izuku said and laid down beside him, on top of the covers. Hitoshi couldn't help the hard rough noise his throat let out.

"Why? I hurt you." He asked and Izuku looked down at him.

"You've never hurt me Hitoshi." Izuku said softly and he covered his face with his hands.

"No last night. I'm sorry." He said and it was quiet a moment.

"It's fine. You can do what you want." Izuku said and Hitoshi scowled.

"No, it wasn't... It was cruel. I'm a shit friend Izuku." He insisted and Izuku shook his head, setting a hand on his chest when he went to sit up.

"You're not. What exactly do you think you did?" He asked and Hitoshi winced.

"I kissed him and it hurt you. You said you didn't want to tell me and I said it was fine but I didn't think ." He hissed through his teeth and Izuku shook his head.

"It's fine Hitoshi. I told you I didn't want to pursue it. If you want to date Todoroki that's fine." He said softly, but the look in his eyes told Hitoshi more than enough. Izuku was hurt, he had the most resigned look on his face and seemed to be trying really hard to not cry.

"I don't . I don't want to, especially if it's going to hurt you. I just wanted to shove it in Uraraka's face. I used him to I dunno, get a laugh? Fuck. I should apologize to him." He said and went to sit up again, Izuku's hand firm on his chest holding him in bed still.

"Nope, you need to sleep at least a bit."

"I'm sorry." He muttered and Izuku nodded.

"Me too. I thought I hid it better." He said softly, hiding his face by burying it in Hitoshi's hair, holding him gently in place in the bed.

"If you like someone you should just tell them." Hitoshi said softly and Izuku froze.

"Fine, I will. Later." He said firmly and Hitoshi let his eyes fall closed.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"Okay."

And Hitoshi slept.

End chapter 18.

Chapter Text

Izuku called Gran Torino to tell him Hitoshi was sick. It was the least he could do after… 

Shit his best friend had a god damn panic attack over him . 

Izuku had left a few minutes ago and when he finally hung up with Gran Torino he felt like a puppet with his strings cut. He had to tell him. He had to confess and… explain himself. Explain why seeing Hitoshi kiss someone else had made him upset.

Izuku took a deep breath and went down to the kitchen to grab some water and was surprised that Iida was already there, ready for his morning run. He hadn't been around much, even during move-in leaving in the middle of the day to visit his brother.

"Oh good morning Midoriya, how did you sleep?" Iida asked, puttering around the kitchen, making rice and miso for breakfast, and Izuku slumped to the table.

"Fine. It was fine." Izuku heard himself say and Iida spun to look at him, frowning.

"Doesn't sound fine." He said and Izuku sighed.

"Hitoshi had a rough night. He only just went to sleep." He said and Iida frowned at him. 

"I heard that there was some… Well Kaminari told me at the party that he shared some stuff about his past yesterday." Iida said gingerly and Izuku nodded.

"Yeah, stuff I didn't even know." He answered and felt a sort of guilt chewing at him. He should have just sucked it up and hung out with Hitoshi for a bit last night, no matter how awkward he felt. Maybe then they could have talked all of this out before he… Well, he maybe could have at least headed this off.

"It's not your fault Midoriya." Iida said gently and Izuku met his eyes, realizing he had been muttering. He looked away again and sighed.

"Yeah. It just sucks when a friend is hurting and you can't do anything." He said and Iida nodded.

"Yeah." He said. Izuku looked back over to him, his shoulders slumped.

"How are you doing? Your family?" Izuku asked.

"Dad can walk around a bit. I'm visiting this afternoon." Iida said and swallowed hard. "Tensei is still in the hospital. Might be for a while longer."

"I'm sorry." Izuku said softly and Iida nodded.

"There isn't much anyone can do for him. So I understand what you meant about wishing you could do more." He said and Izuku nodded.

"If you need to talk, I'm here you know?" Izuku said and Iida smiled thankfully at him.

"Yeah. Thanks. You want to go on that run?" He asked and Izuku felt his shoulders relax. Exercise was easy . Way easier than dealing with all of his feelings at least. Especially the guilty feeling that holding Hitoshi while he cried had felt right.

" Yes . Absolutely." He said and Iida grinned. 

"Well you should eat something then." Iida smiled and dished out breakfast. Izuku relaxed a bit, enjoying spending time with his friend, and made confessing to Hitoshi a future-Izuku problem. Iida was someone he could help.

Hitoshi woke up at 2:30pm and felt like he had been hit by a truck. He staggered to the bathroom, blew his nose for ten minutes it felt, and then staggered back to his room. The carpet near the door had eight very obvious tears in it, and he sat on the edge of his bed, breathing regularly and deeply, trying to calm his already racing mind. He grabbed his phone from the charger, Izuku must have done that, and checked it. Two messages from Izuku, one telling him he was okay, just went to go on a morning jog with Iida then to grab breakfast and to not worry about Torino, and another one later saying he would be back soon and was just going to grab something from the corner market for them. He also had another message from Todoroki saying he was visiting his mother today and to wish him luck. He quickly sent Todoroki something and then responded to Izuku.

Shinsou: hey im alive

Izuku: oh! Im on my way back! I grabbed snacks.

Shinsou: cool, ttyl

Hitoshi set his phone on the bed and fell backward on it, sighing heavily. His phone chimed again.

Todoroki: Thanks. Can I talk to you when I get back?

Hitoshi deliberated a moment then, rock in his stomach, took a deep breath.

Shinsou: sure

Todoroki: Okay. I’ll be back around dinner time.

Hitoshi rubbed at his face, grossed out to find it was crusty with snot and tears, and ran back to the bathroom. He was in the middle of washing his face when he heard someone on the stairs.

"Hitoshi?" Izuku called and he wiped at his face with a cloth.

"Yeah, in here, gimme a sec." Hitoshi called back and dried his face on his towel, hung in between Izuku and Todoroki's.

He walked back towards his room and Izuku was already inside, digging through a few bags. Hitoshi looked down at himself, still wearing yesterday's clothes and sighed.

"Hey, gimme one more second." He said, pulling his shirt off and grabbing a clean one. Izuku grunted in agreement behind him and continued his rustling. He sighed and flopped back onto the edge of the bed.

"Okay, hey, what's up?" He asked and Izuku turned a bit, shaking two bags at him.

"I brought you some food. Also snacks cause that was the one thing conspicuously absent during room showings yesterday." Izuku smiled and handed him a box of steaming food. Hitoshi took it and opened it, sniffing the contents once before digging in as Izuku stuffed a couple bags of chips in his desk drawer.

"Thanks. I don't deserve you." He said, mouth full of food, and Izuku chuckled sitting down in his desk

"Yeah keep thinking that." He said and Hitoshi realized Izuku was looking anywhere but at him. He paused his eating and sat up straighter.

"Hey, um, sorry about this morning." He said and Izuku finally looked at him.

"What? Oh, no that was no trouble. I'm glad I could help." He said seriously and Hitoshi frowned. Izuku always helped, that was sorta the reason he loved being around him. Even when things were bad they were better with him. And all the good things were even better if he was doing them with Izuku.

"What's up then?" He asked, suddenly a bit nervous.

"I said I'd do something, so I am." Izuku said softly and covered his face with his hands. "Give me just a second."

"Okay? Seriously Izuku what is this about?" Hitoshi frowned and his friend breathed out heavily, pulling his hands down his face with exasperation.

"I'm getting to it, don't rush me." He said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Okay, sorry." He said and slurped at a noodle in his bowl. The only sounds for a long moment was his quiet eating before Izuku leaned forward and sighed.

"I don't want you to not date Todoroki because of me." He said, expression serious but pained in a way Hitoshi wasn't used to seeing, and Hitoshi rubbed at his forehead.

"I mean if you like him you should tell him. It should be his decision." Hitoshi said and Izuku stared at him.

"Like him? Oh." He said and then went red. "You think I like Todoroki?"

"Yeah? I thought that was why you were upset last night?" Hitoshi frowned and Izuku sighed heavily and stood.

"I was upset because you were kissing anyone Hitoshi." He said and Hitoshi blinked at him vacantly a moment then frowned.

"Okay?" He asked and Izuku scowled, pacing the floor in front of him.

"I… I was jealous." He declared and Hitoshi felt the knot in his stomach untie a bit.

"Oh. Izuku you don't have to be jealous or think that I'm like, leaving you behind or something." Hitoshi sighed, frankly a bit relieved. "You're still my best friend no matter what."

Izuku stared at him a moment then laughed and sat back heavily in the desk chair.

"Wow. Yeah. You're mine too Hitoshi." He nodded and Hitoshi frowned at him.

"What?" He asked. Izuku gave him a look like he was really trying to figure him out and then sighed.

"Nothing. You're just… for a guy who is normally so observant you're kind of an idiot when it comes to things directed at you." Izuku said and Hitoshi crossed his arms, a bit offended.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked. Izuku stared at him a second and then sighed heavily.

"Nothing. I think Todoroki likes you too. You should tell him if you like him." Izuku declared with a small shake of his head and Hitoshi frowned more.

"I don't know. Like I said before, I'm still… figuring it out." He said and Izuku nodded firmly once, patting him on the shoulder brusquely.

"Okay. Good talk." He stood and went to the door and Hitoshi frowned.

"Okay? Hey, you should tell who you like that you like them too!" He said and Izuku looked back at him like he was stupid.

"Maybe later." Izuku sighed and shook his head. "I've got some homework to do but message me if you need me."

"Oh um, yeah. Can do." Hitoshi nodded and Izuku left the room, closing the door a bit too hard.

What the heck was all that about?

Hitoshi was a big dumb idiot and Izuku hated his stupid dumb kissable idiot face. 

How much clearer did he have to be ? Screaming from the rooftops? Sending him a long letter pouring all of his feelings out on the page? Writing him a damn sonnet ?

Well, Izuku had done that last one, not that he ever planned on showing anyone.

This whole situation was just… The worst . The absolute worst. And it was especially bad because he didn't even have anyone he could talk to about it because his best friend was who he was crushing on, hard, and Uraraka was too much of a meddler to trust with this. 

Iida wouldn't be a bad option but he hadn't been around much and talking between classes wasn't exactly a great idea if he didn't want half the class to find out.

He looked at his phone and saw Nighteye's number, thought a moment, finger hovering over the call button, and closed his phone holding his head in both hands.

God what was he thinking ?? That would be a disaster .

He took a deep breath and let it out, wiping tears from his face and growled his frustration to his room.

"Hey Midoriya you have any-- oh, am I interrupting something?" Kaminari said from his doorway, having not knocked, and he wiped his eyes.

"No, you're fine, what do you need?" Izuku said quickly and Kaminari raised an eyebrow.

"Nope, I'm coming in. What's up?" Kaminari said and slid in, closing the door behind him, and Izuku sighed.

"No, really, it's fine." He said and Kaminari snorted.

"Ya don't look fine. You and Shinsou have a fight or something?" Kaminari asked, plopping down in his desk chair.

"God, that'd be easier, then I could at least apologize." Izuku groaned.

"Okay. Cool , so what's up then?" Kaminari prodded and Izuku scowled and looked away.

"I've got a crush on someone and I don't know how to tell them without ruining my friendship with them and also I'm pretty sure they like someone else anyway, so yeah." Izuku said all in a rush and Kaminari nodded sagely.

"Oh. Did you try to tell him you like him?" He asked and Izuku frowned.

"Why are you assuming it's a him?" He asked and Kaminari shrugged.

"Well it's Shinsou right?" He asked and Izuku groaned, burying his face in his hands again.

"Ugh. Am I really that obvious?" He mumbled and Kaminari chuckled.

"I mean, to me, yeah. To him, absolutely not." Kaminari grinned. Izuku flopped backward on his bed and groaned, frustration filling his whole chest, and Kaminari chuckled softly.

"Dude is so observant when it comes to literally everyone else. Kaminari, I literally told him I was jealous of him and Todoroki and he told me it was okay cause I'd always be his best friend." Izuku said and Kaminari winced.

"Ooh, that's rough buddy." Kaminari said softly, patting Izuku on the knee.

"I just wish things would go back to normal." He sighed and Kaminari frowned.

"So do that. If you don't want to act on your feelings, don't." He said and Izuku screwed his eyes shut.

"Yeah but I… I don't want to hold him back from being with someone else if he wants, but I… can't see that. It hurts." He sighed and wiped at his eyes, sitting back up.

"Yeah well, that's sorta gonna come with the territory. You either take a risk or nah, but you've gotta make a choice. Tell him outright that you like him, or don't and deal with whatever that means." Kaminari shrugged and Izuku looked over at him.

"Why do you know so much about this kind of thing?" He asked and Kaminari shrugged.

"I'm really book dumb, but I'm good at giving relationship advice." Kaminari shrugged. He frowned and looked off towards the floor. "Not great at taking it though."

"Fair. How do I even tell him? He's my best friend." Izuku said softly, sniffling.

"The thing is, if you like each other, it'll happen naturally. But you should be straightforward." He said and Izuku sighed.

"Right. Natural and straight." Izuku mused and Kaminari laughed.

"Ah, two things I'm not, eyyyyy." Kaminari grinned and shot some finger guns his way, Izuku laughing.

"Are you coming out to me?" He asked and Kaminari shrugged.

"It seemed appropriate given the conversation. I'm not like, dating anyone though." He said and shrugged, Izuku chuckling.

"Right. Thanks. I really… needed to talk."

"I could tell. And hey," Kaminari smiled and set a hand on his shoulder. "I believe in you. Get it through his thick skull."

Izuku was in the common area working on some homework when Hitoshi finally felt put together enough for company and joined him.

"Hey. How you doing?" Hitoshi asked and Izuku shrugged.

"I'm… fine." Izuku answered slowly and frowned. "As good as I can be. I'm not feeling great."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't realize." Hitoshi frowned and Izuku resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Yeah. Anyway, good to see you up and around. How are you feeling?" He asked and Hitoshi sighed.

"I set up an appointment with my therapist. I'm seeing her tomorrow." He said.

"That's for the best. I'm… thinking of seeing one of the school counselors." Izuku nodded, still not really looking up at him.

"That's probably a good idea. My therapist told me once that she thought heroes should all be in therapy and frankly just from what we've seen so far, I'd agree." Hitoshi sighed and slumped into the chair across from Izuku who glanced up at him.

"Yeah." He mumbled, looking back down at his homework.

"Whatcha stuck on?" Hitoshi frowned, leaning in.

"Oh. Cosigns I think?"

"Oh, I can help."

And just like that the tension was gone. Izuku listening to his explanation and laughing along at his jokes, tossing a few back. He wasn't sure what had shifted but he was glad Izuku felt better, and he felt better knowing his best friend was happy.

That's all he ever wanted.

Midoriya and Shinsou were sitting on the couch in the common room, Midoriya playing a game on a small handheld console, and Shinsou reading, his head resting gently in Midoriya's lap, when Shouto walked in.

"Oh, hey." He waved and Shinsou glanced over.

"Hey. How you doing?" He asked, not bothering to sit up, and Shouto smiled gently.

"It was good." He said and Shinsou smiled wide.

"Good to hear."

"Yeah. Can I..." Shouto asked and gestured over one shoulder, Shinsou nodding.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be back." Shinsou nodded, directing the last statement to Midoriya who nodded, and Shouto smiled, walking a little bit away.

"Thanks. I just kinda wanted to tell you how it went." He said, Shinsou untangling himself from a blanket and tossing it back at the couch.

"Totally. Still weird?" He asked and Shouto nodded once.

"A bit. Mostly just awkward. We have a lot to talk about but sometimes it feels like neither of us can take the first step. I mostly wanted to thank you for everything. You've been really helpful with all this." He said seriously and Shinsou flushed red.

"Oh, yeah man, it's no problem." He said and Shouto frowned.

"And um. About last night." He started and Shinsou filled with panic, stiff and awkward in front of him.

"Sorry. I shouldn't have done that. It was crossing the line just because I wanted to mess with Uraraka. Sorry I used you in that way." Shinsou said, apologizing with a bow on instinct. Shouto bowed back, a bit flustered.

"No, no, it is fine, I promise." He said soothingly, genuine. "Sorry if I caused problems between you and Midoriya."

"No, it wasn't your fault." Shinsou shook his head and Shouto glanced away from him and over to Midoriya. They had seemed relaxed, both just comfortable in each other's presence again. Maybe he shouldn't pry.

"Okay good. Do you want to get dinner?" He asked gently and Shinsou looked like he had slapped him.

"Um, like, as a date?" He asked and Shouto frowned.

"To the cafeteria?" He asked and Shinsou breathed, relaxing and chuckling with relief.

"Oh. Oh! Yeah, hey Izuku, wanna come with us to dinner?" He asked and the other boy lowered his game.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded and Shouto nodded.

"I heard they have some weird italian food tonight." He said and started to grab his coat again.

"Weird how? Like, calamari?" Midoriya frowned and walked in step with Shouto as he explained.

"Hey, Iida, come with us to dinner!" Hitoshi called and Iida jumped at the door, coat barely off his shoulders.

"I just got in." He sighed and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, have you eaten?" He asked and the other boy shook his head.

"Not really."

"Okay, so come eat some weird italian food. I'm not sure how it's weird but Todoroki is on the fence." Hitoshi said and Shouto shrugged once.

"It seems weird to stuff a shell with anything." Shouto said firmly.

"I doubt it's a seashell Todoroki." Izuku snickered and he snorted.

"I'll be the judge of that." He declared and Iida smiled.

"Okay. Yeah. I'll come with."

"Awesome! Guy night!" Hitoshi grinned and Izuku laughed along. Iida couldn't help but get caught up in their contagious energy, and followed along, glad to be spending time with his friends.

Nighteye tapped his fingers on the table and waited, the two boys eventually rushing in.

"Sorry, sorry, we're here." Midoriya called as they entered and Shinsou followed behind, a flurry of activity as he shed his hoodie and sat at attention.

"It is well after curfew. What took you?" Nighteye asked.

"We were in the middle of something." Shinsou said at the same time Midoriya said, "We were helping a friend."

"Well, you start your internships Monday, I'm frankly... Surprised by your choice." Nighteye said, looking over their Underground Hero Association applications.

"I mentioned Endeavor's whole thing. I figured if I was going to wreck the plan I could at least work with an organization I support." Shinsou said and Nighteye nodded.

"Frankly I'm glad you chose to work in an area that would give you the fundamentals of hero work that working here would, but I'm also concerned about the lack of training in One for All specifically." He said and Shinsou slumped in his chair a bit, having the grace to at least look a bit embarrassed.

"Isn't that why Gran Torino stepped in as Hero Foundationals?" Midoriya frowned and Nighteye nodded. 

"Yes but I was hoping you'd be able to get a more specialized education. I've reached out to a few specific mentors in the UHA and have a list of names of people who worked closely with All Might on various cases." He said and slid a folder towards them. Shinsou slid it directly to Midoriya and kept staring him down.

"Okay, do they know about One for All?" He asked and Nighteye frowned.

"No. It's a fairly rare breed who are in the loop, but they're familiar with how he operated on underground missions and could fill you in. It's unlikely you'll both be assigned the exact same cases though, so variety won't be a problem." He said and Midoriya nodded, still reading.

"We're just shadowing though correct?" He asked.

"Yes. Similar to your initial operations here, you are unlikely to be needed in a combat situation or doing any heavy investigative work depending on your cases and who is working them. Mostly getting familiar with the operations, routine, and paperwork." Nighteye answered and Midoriya closed the folder, sliding it to Shinsou who skimmed it quickly.

"Got it." 

"May I ask, why do you have Midoriya look over every piece of information before you even glance at it? It's a strange habit and I've noted it several times." Nighteye asked and Shinsou frowned. He honestly hadn't even realized he was doing it.

"I like to read everything very in depth, to make sure I'm getting everything." Midoriya answered and Shinsou nodded.

"He has a basically photo perfect memory if I just leave him to it. I can glean most of what I need just by looking it over a bit. It's just how we work best." He said and Nighteye nodded.

"I'm going to be honest, it's a bit unnerving." He admitted and Shinsou cast a look at Midoriya who smiled softly.

"Oh. Good. Keep you on your toes I suppose." Shinsou grinned and Nighteye sighed.

"Please, I have enough on my plate as it is. I expect you'll both be pretty busy. Try to stay focused and learn as much as you can." Nighteye sighed again and gently pushed his glasses up his face.

"You got it." Shinsou nodded and Midoriya looked resolute, staring him down.

"Can do." He said.

"I have a question before we leave?" Shinsou asked and Nighteye frowned.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Who has the hero killer case right now?" He asked and Nighteye's frown deepened. That particular case wasn't exactly the kind of things some kids should be involved in. It was grisly at best and downright stomach churning at others. The hero killer had been at large for a while but his attack on the hero Ingenium had skyrocketed his name to headlines. The particulars of the mutilations he was committing were kept out of the papers, but it wasn't a case he really wanted them anywhere near. Especially with their tendency to draw trouble to such a point he was certain it had to be Midoriya's actual quirk.

"Endeavor agency. Why are you interested?" He asked and Shinsou seemed to relax a bit.

"It's probably nothing then. I'm just concerned about a classmate but he isn't interning there so I'm not going to worry about it." He said and Nighteye felt a jolt of realization.

"Iida Tenya, yes?" He asked and Shinsou nodded.

"Yes."

"Who is he interning with?" He asked and Shinsou swallowed.

"Manual, in Hosu."

"I'll keep an eye on him. Hosu is where... Well, it's the most recent patrol area for that case." Nighteye answered and Shinsou seemed to think very hard for a moment.

"I see." Shinsou said, and Nighteye gave him a stern look.

"Stay out of it. You're just out there to learn. You're not a hero yet, and that case is... Hard, even for pros." Nighteye said softly. He had lost friends to the hero killer, people he had worked with. It was part of why he hadn't taken the case himself.

"I get that. But if it comes to me that isn't my fault." Shinsou said and Nighteye felt the vein in his forehead throb.

"Turn it down. I don't want you on it." He said seriously and Shinsou swung an arm over the back of his chair.

"Nope." He said casually and Nighteye rubbed at his forehead.

"You're infuriating." He said softly and Midoriya chuckled.

"Yeah, but it's part of his charm."

End chapter 19

Chapter Text

It was freezing for some reason, Hitoshi wrapped in a few layers, sitting in his bed on his phone. He had been trying to unwind enough to actually get some sleep but the new place combined with his thoughts from the day had him on edge. Plus, he had slept most of the day so he wasn't exactly sleepy. He spotted the message icon on his phone and swapped to it.

Todoroki: are you awake?

He frowned and typed a yes back. It was four in the morning. That seemed a bit early even for Todoroki.

Todoroki: can i come over?

Hitoshi frowned and slid out of bed, unlocking his door and sending him a reply. A minute later the boy walked in, a chill following him.

"Jesus dude, are you why it's so cold?" He asked and Todoroki sat in his desk chair. He looked exhausted, frost sitting on the edges of his pajamas. Hitoshi realized his teeth were chattering.

"Sorry. Yes. I had a bad dream and it's… very cold in my room." He said and Hitoshi hopped up, throwing his blanket over him.

"Hey, calm down. It's okay." He said and Todoroki met his gaze, looking grateful and surprised all at once.

"Sorry I'm always bothering you so late." He said and looked away, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.

"I was awake anyhow. New places are hard to sleep in." Hitoshi said and there was a glimmer of recognition in Todoroki's gaze.

"Yes." He nodded and looked away. "It's hard to believe he isn't going to just walk in."

"Yeah." Hitoshi nodded, pulling his knees up into his sweater. "I get it. Are you okay?"

"It'll pass eventually." Todoroki said, tucking his chin into the blanket.

"Have you considered… going to a therapist?" Hitoshi suggested gently and Todoroki sighed.

"They have to report abuse." He said and Hitoshi flinched.

"Ah, yeah. They do." He nodded and Todoroki looked away from him.

"Thanks." He repeated and Hitoshi huffed.

"You don't have to thank me. Anyone would do this for you." He said, and Todoroki shook his head.

"No. They wouldn't." He said and there was a weariness, a depth of experience there that made Hitoshi angry a moment at whoever had refused to help this boy in the past.

They sat in silence a moment before Hitoshi started getting too cold, shivering.

"Do you want this back?" Todoroki offered, flapping the blanket at him and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah. You um, could join me if you want?" He offered, patting the bed. Todoroki frowned.

"Are you sure?" He asked and Hitoshi thought a moment then nodded.

"Yeah." He said and Todoroki nodded, sitting beside him, back to the wall, and settling the blanket over them both.

"Midoriya isn't going to be upset?" Todoroki asked and Hitoshi frowned.

"Why would he?" He asked and Todoroki shook his head.

"After the other night I… I guess I assumed he wasn't happy about how close we are." Todoroki said softly and Hitoshi shook his head.

"We talked about everything. It's fine." Hitoshi answered.

"Okay." Todoroki nodded and leaned his left side against him, that side pretty warm despite the chill still in the air. Hitoshi sighed heavily and glanced at Todoroki.

"Do um. Do you like me?" He asked outright and was shocked when the other boy nodded.

"Yes. You're a good person Shinsou. I'm glad I got to be your friend." Todoroki sighed contentedly, his left side warm and comfortable against his arm. Hitoshi sighed, relaxing a bit. That… was better, he thought. Than an outright yes.

"Hitoshi." He said softly.

"Hm?" Todoroki mumbled sleepily and Hitoshi smiled at him.

"Call me Hitoshi." He offered and the other boy nodded once, stifling a yawn.

"Okay. Shouto." He said in return and Hitoshi looked away.

"Are you really going to use that as your hero name?" He asked.

"I want the world to see me . Not Endeavor's son." Shouto said and Hitoshi felt his heart skip a moment, his face going red.

"Yeah. That makes sense." He said softly.

"Thanks again, for being cool." Todoroki smiled and Hitoshi nodded.

"I'm the least cool, but anytime dude."

"Well, then you're at least good." Todoroki said firmly and Hitoshi blushed, looking away.

"Thanks."

"Good luck." Shouto said to Midoriya, smiling gently as they split off at the station.

"He doesn't need it." Hitoshi smiled and bumped his best friend. They were all in their hero uniforms and ready to go to work, but Shouto wasn't quite willing to walk into the lion's den yet.

"You too." Midoriya said sincerely and Shouto smiled. He looked to Hitoshi.

"Can I call you later?" He asked and Hitoshi smiled widely.

"Yeah, if you need to." He said and Shouto breathed a weary sigh.

"I'm going to need to." He said and Midoriya chuckled weakly.

"Aw, it might not be that bad." Midoriya said and both he and Hitoshi stared him down.

"Izuku if you jinxed it I'll beat you up." Hitoshi declared and Midoriya snorted.

"You've tried, and failed."

"Then I'll beat you up." Shouto said and Midoriya sighed dramatically, unable to keep a small smile off his face.

"Fair." He said and Hitoshi laughed.

"Come back in one piece." He smiled and glanced back at Uraraka who was nearly crying as her and Iida said goodbye themselves. He was trying to soothe her but she was also scolding him.

"You're the one more likely to come back in multiple pieces." Shouto said and Hitoshi shrugged.

"Again, fair." Midoriya said and Hitoshi hugged him, Shouto momentarily shocked.

"Seriously though. I am only like, 2% scared to kick your dad's ass." He said softly before he let him go with a pat on his back and they wandered over to Uraraka.

"Hey, Iida. Be careful." Hitoshi said, a knowing look on his face and Iida laughed nervously. 

"I'm going to be in a pretty average area. I'm sure it'll be fine." He said calmly.

"But it is where the--" Midoriya started and Shouto noticed Hitoshi elbow him.

" Okay . Don't go looking for trouble is all I'm saying." Hitoshi said firmly, a knowing look in his eyes and Iida hesitated a moment before nodding once.

"I'll do my best." Iida said.

"I can't believe we're all gonna be so far away when we just got used to hanging out all the time!" Uraraka said sadly and Midoriya patted her on the back.

"Hey, the week will be up before you know it."

"Hopefully. My anxiety can only take so much." Hitoshi sighed and Shouto smiled over at him.

"I'm sure it will all be okay."

Hitoshi's mentor, Salamandus, was flashier than he expected of an underground hero, red streaks in his hair and a sort of biker theme that clashed oddly with his rather laid back personality.

"My quirk is Soul Fire. I can sort of feel the essence of others and use it to track them down if I've made physical contact. I can also harness it into a physical manifestation for combat purposes, and absorb ambient heat to fight fires." The hero explained loudly as they walked through the big open plan office. It was a war zone in here, phones ringing off the hook, papers flying, heroes coming and going in a rush. Compared to the bullpen at Nighteye, this was a disaster area.

"It's um, busy huh?" Hitoshi said and his mentor sighed.

"Yeah well, everything has been upside down since All Might died. Frankly every low rate criminal who had been toeing the line decided they were going to try to push it once the Symbol of Peace was gone." Salamandus sighed and flopped into a desk chair. He gestured vaguely at another chair, piled high with case files. "That's for you, just move those wherever and we can get started."

Hitoshi's entire first shift was a tour of the regional office, their resources, and filing. More filing than he had ever thought he would do in his life. Salamandus didn't leave the office for hours, sliding reading glasses up his face and examining case file after case file, making notes.

"What are you doing?" Hitoshi asked, halfway through sorting his stack for easier filing.

"Notating patterns, zones where crime has been heavier, so that our patrols can reflect that. Hero work isn't always glamorous." He grumbled and kept reading. "It's important so we can find if there are patterns indicating organization."

"Like the Villian Alliance?" Hitoshi asked, peeking over at the stack Salamandus was working on. He nodded and kept working.

"Unfortunately so. There are other groups, of course, that we track, smaller ones, but yeah. We're currently working with Nighteye agency on that case, to track their movements, if they make connections or try to expand into other territory." He said and Hitoshi frowned.

"They have territory?" He asked. Salamandus scowled and waved a hand vaguely in the air around him.

"No, and that's what makes them both difficult and easy to track. It's harder because we can't concentrate our efforts in any one place to really try to smoke them out, but easier because when they are getting up to something it's easy to see the waves they make because they disrupt the status quo. We had suspicions before the attack on the hero academies because man power was vanishing from basically every small gang of thugs in the area. We knew someone was organizing but where and how was impossible to figure out." Salamandus said and sighed heavily. "Warp quirks are like, the bane of my existence."

"Yeah, I bet that makes it harder." Hitoshi said and Salamandus pointed at him, nodding emphatically.

" Way harder. Anyway, what about you, strengths, weaknesses, what your approach to field work is? You came from Nighteye so you at least have some background with this sort of thing." He said, folding his reading glasses, obviously intent on taking a break, and Hitoshi rubbed at the back of his neck.

"It's... A lot more filing. I mostly learned reports and personal training at Nighteye, though I did help with a few cases." He confessed and Salamandus perked in interest.

"How?" He asked and Hitoshi shrugged, glancing away.

"I'm... Observant I guess? My hero partner, Midoriya Izuku, he's the planner, but I'm good at seeing the flaws, places it'll fall through." Hitoshi answered and the man nodded.

"Ah. Gotcha. So, first impressions of the office, go. KangaPow?" Salamandus pointed at a hero, with some kind of ninja theme in the corner.

"Confident, assertive, maybe too much to be actual confidence. Might be compensation. Seems to be pretty fresh despite drinking their third coffee in the last few hours so I'd guess some kind of resilience or regeneration effect from their quirk." Hitoshi said, and Salamandus grinned widely.

"Good, good, Jerome there?" Salamandus pointed and Hitoshi frowned.

"Quiet, reserved. Probably hadn't slept in a few days. Irritable. Keeps shredding things so either their case isn't going well or they're doing busy work." Hitoahi said and Salamandus sighed.

"Yeah, he's liaising with Endeavor Agency. That's always... Fun." Salamandus said distastefully and Hitoshi smirked.

"I'm sure." He said and Salamandus sighed, shrugging dramatically.

"I'm not going to lie, working with big profile agencies is always a pain, well, except Mighty, but they're not in ops anymore. Nighteye isn’t bad cause he's basically one of us, but Hawks? Endeavor ?" Salamandus scowled. "Might as well write off your whole week to frustration and caffeine."

"I'm not surprised, he's a dick." Shinsou grumbled and Salamandus smacked his forehead.

"Oh, oh my god, yeah you're the kid that-- Jerome!" Salamandus shot to his feet. "My kid is the guy that fucking told Endeavor to sit like a dog!"

The other man looked up over his mound of paperwork and nodded at him cordially.

"One, thank you on behalf of like, every liaison ever. And two, I would shake your hand but it is full of reports that bastard simply threw out because the facts didn't fit his hunch ." Jerome scowled and tossed another pile of reports into the shredder.

"Are you working the hero killer case?" Hitoshi asked and the man nodded.

"Yes. It isn't going great. Anything that dickhead doesn't like just gets thrown out and that's my whole week's worth of work. He'd rather stymie the whole investigation so that he's the one who definitely finds this creep than let anyone else get the glory. Not that we want it." Jerome scoffed and Salamandus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah that's sort of the whole opposite vibe of what we do." Salamandus said and then clapped him on the back. "Alright, you're due your four hours, go lay down, I'll be here when you get up. As you can see, I have a lot left."

"You sure, I can help?" Hitoshi offered, looking at the sea of work on Salamandus' desk.

"Nope, you've got strict legal guidelines kid. Take a nap, text your friends, whatever, but you literally have to take a break." He said and Hitoshi scowled.

"Bogus." He sighed and Salamandus cackled with glee.

"Already sounding like us. I'm so proud." He cooed as Hitoshi wandered towards the barracks.

Hefalump led Izuku down through the facility and into the lab. So far, he liked her, she was bright and cheery, despite drinking her sixth coffee since he met her. They had finished a very in depth tour and met a few integral office staff, but in the middle Hefalump had received a call.

"Sorry this probably wasn't what you expected, I got reassigned to apprehension last minute so investigation is on hold for now." She smiled and grabbed some support gear. It was very different from what Izuku was used to seeing at U.A.'s support department, flashy and bombastic, and instead more low key. A pen that could shoot a laser to cut glass, a mint that when thrown was a smoke bomb. He grinned. Hitoshi probably would have been having a field day with all this spy stuff.

"It's fine, I'm just happy to help." He said and she smiled.

"Your quirk seems better suited to apprehension anyway. We've got a patrol in ten, so suit up and meet me at the door." She smiled and drained her coffee, bouncing off. She had explained her quirk as Acid Trip, able to produce auditory and visual hallucinations in anyone she touched. Not a bad villain apprehension power either. 

Izuku was already suited up in his hero costume, but he grabbed a few useful looking support items, sliding them into his belt pockets and signing them out, and ran up the stairs to meet his mentor.

She explained as they patrolled, her costume more akin to a reinforced catsuit and helmet but with pink elephants on her sleeves, that underground heroes operated slightly differently. Their goal was crime, period. They worked closer with police than a lot of higher profile agencies, and apprehended criminals regardless of charges, but still working within the bounds of the law. Evidence, witness testimony, and such. Unlike with higher profile villains, where their crimes were more obvious or televised, they had more paperwork, legwork, and investigation to do.

"It's really just like being a cop except we can use our quirks to assist. It's not a bad career. Long hours though." She grinned widely and he frowned.

"When was the last time you slept?" He asked and she laughed in that way Hitoshi did when he asked the same question.

"Every 16 hours we're required 8 consecutive off duty hours. I've been pulling 14 hour shifts for 15 days straight. I nap when I can in the bunks I showed you." She said, seemingly unbothered. "It isn't for everyone, and a lot of us find a niche or retire from underground heroics and switch to sidekicking a major agency after a few years or so. I'm career though, I love it."

"Right. That's... A lot." Izuku said and she nodded.

"Yeah, it is, but passion is key. I also hop around departments a lot, so we might be back in investigation before the week is out. I'm a floater so I go where they need me. Someone got caught up at a big drug bust, which is why we're on this patrol." She explained and checked her watch, making a turn in their route.

"Wow so you guys do that kind of thing too huh?" Izuku mumbled and she nodded.

"Yep! We've got a SWAT sweep later tonight too, so you can hang back in mission control while we do a raid." She said and Izuku bounced beside her.

"A raid? Really!?" Izuku gushed and she grinned.

"Yep. It's a rough case, but we finally got a break. Hopefully it'll pan out and you'll get to see me in action!" Hefalump grinned widely, flexing, and Izuku smiled back at her as they walked.

Suddenly he was caught up short, her arm in front of him.

"Hold on. Wait here kid." She said quietly and walked forward a few steps. A man in a mask was walking down the street and she walked up to him, tucking her helmet under her arm, tossing her cotton candy pink hair. She addressed him and he turned, talking to her a moment before she nodded and put her helmet back on, tucking her hair up into it and walking back to Izuku.

"Come on. Quickly. Don't stop." She said urgently and gripped his shoulder tight.

"What's going on?" Izuku asked and she clenched her jaw.

"We've got movement on another case, but we need to get back to base and report it before anything happens." She said urgently, pushing him ahead faster. She activated a communicator in her helmet and cleared her throat.

"Hey, Hefalump reporting, tell Sal we got movement on the Precepts. They're way outside their normal zone, I just ran into Mimic on the main drag of my patrol." She said and Izuku couldn't hear the response. "Yes, it seems he's still in the pocket, but he... Seemed off. Might be compromised."

Izuku watched, and walked, keeping his eyes open. He spotted movement in an alley and stopped a second.

"Hey, kid." Hefalump said, stopping behind him and he pointed.

"I saw something." He said and she cursed softly.

"I have eyes on Overhaul. Repeat, eyes on the big boy."

"Hey kid, we're heading out. Now." Sal called up into the bunk Hitoshi was in. He'd fallen asleep somehow, but woke up with his back in knots.

"How does anyone sleep in these?" He groaned and kicked off the scratchy blanket.

"Suit up, as quick as you can. We have a... Well I need to get moving now." Salamandus said, tossing him an earpiece. "Once you're outside I'll coordinate you to my location, but I'm going on ahead."

"Okay, I'm up, I'll be out in five." Hitoshi groaned, swinging his legs over the edge of the cot.

"Make it two." Salamandus said seriously and rushed out, putting a helmet on over his shock of red hair and sliding off his gloves, tucking them into his belt.

Hitoshi groaned and hopped out of the bunk, putting the earpiece in to hear the chatter of the mission in progress.

"I've got Deku here with me on the scene. We are pursuing at a distance but you need to be here now ." A female voice said and Hitoshi stood straighter, grabbing his briefcase and sliding his uniform on over his civvies.

"I'm en route. Do not let him spot you. If your kid has a real flashy look get him out of there." Salamandus said and then sighed. "Frankly you should leave regardless, but keep eyes on, do not approach."

"I think we're okay, he doesn't seem to notice us. Shit, is that who I think it is?" The woman said and Salamandus cursed. Hitoshi threw his boots on and ran towards the door, shooting up the stairs three at a time. He strapped the AVCS to his face and kept moving.

"Hefalump respond. Repeat Intel." Salamandus ordered and the woman cleared her throat.

"I believe Overhaul is meeting with Kurogiri, the Villian Alliance member with the warp quirk." She said softly and earned a groan.

"Just my fucking luck. I'm almost on scene." Salamandus said, wind rushing around him.

"I'm in route, where do I need to be?" Hitoshi announced.

"Take Main and then duck down Cherry. They are in an alley off of Pine. Cover their retreat from that side but only to report, do not engage under any circumstances. Christ, Hefalump why doesn't your boy have a comms?" Sal grumbled and another channel opened.

"Deku checking in." Izuku said.

"Hey. It's me." Hitoshi smiled.

"Designation, Hitoshi." Izuku reminded him and Hitoshi chewed at his lower lip.

"Mockingbird. I'm in position." He said and skid to a halt, just barely spotting Izuku on the far side of the alley.

"Jesus that was fast. Okay, hold." Salamandus said and Hitoshi spotted him moving towards the two villains, casual in his approach, helmet left with Hefalump.

"I didn't expect to find this on my way through on a pre-sweep for Killjoy's case later." Hefalump grumbled and Salamandus sighed.

"Keep the comms kid, just in case. Okay. I'm moving in." He said and the woman waved at him.

"Sal! Shit." Hefalump cursed.

"Is he going to be okay? He was really insistent that we not get near them." Izuku said and she grumbled.

"Overhaul has a... Disassembly quirk. He can take matter apart and put it back together. It isn't pretty." She said.

"Hey there! So I'm looking for the bistro Machiavelli, you guys don't happen to know where to go do you?" Salamandus said laughing as he approached the two villains. The misty one started and Overhaul glared him down.

"Seriously? Is he an idiot?" Hitoshi hissed.

"Kind of." Hefalump grumbled.

"We can’t help you, sorry." Overhaul said levelly.

"Oh dang, that's fine guys, hey, you wouldn't happen to know where I could get some uh, Trigger at? I've got a flexibility quirk and I'm meeting my girl later if you get what I mean." Sal said, laughing and walking closer, leaning in conspiratorially towards the man. 

"Can't help you." Overhaul said firmer.

"Oh c'mon, I've seen you guys with your masks all over with it. I'm not a narc. I've got cash." Salamandus said seriously, setting a hand on the man's arm. The change in demeanor was instant, going from bored disinterest to aggression in a split second.

"Take your hand off of me." Overhaul said and his voice was pure murder but he didn't move. There were too many people about, which was both blessing and curse if his quirk did what Hefalump was saying it did.

"Sorry, sorry, yeah, how about you bud?" Sal retreated a foot or so, still well within touching distance, and turned to Kurogiri, setting a hand on his shoulder.

"No. I would suggest you find another place to do business." Kurogiri said icily, shrugging him off. Salamandus shrugged and moved a few feet away.

"Okay alright. I can see when I'm not wanted. I'll take my business elsewhere." He said and started to walk away.

"Oh, hey." Overhaul said casually, filling the space between them quicker than Hitoshi's eye could follow.

"Yeah?" The hero asked, looking back.

"You shouldnt touch people without their permission."

And then Sal was screaming.

End of chapter 20.

Chapter Text

"Hey!" Hitoshi yelled, and the two villains turned to look at him.

"Mockingbird do not engage! Backup is inbound! I repeat, do not engage!" Hefalump said in his ear and he cleared his throat, the two villains staring him down, Salamandus sobbing and thrashing on the ground.

"Hey! That's um, my uncle, is he doing that thing he does where he pulls his own arm off? He has a regeneration quirk and likes to freak people out with it." Hitoshi lied and walked closer. The two villains looked at each other. Hitoshi bit the inside of his cheek. Keep them talking, get them to answer, anything.

"What should we do about the garbage? I could take care of it." Overhaul said, drilling holes through Hitoshi with his glare. He lifted a hand and Kurogiri cleared his throat. Hitoshi's eyes drifted once to Sal, curled over himself and gripping the bleeding stump where his arm had been, the wound rough and irregular, a shiny white piece of bone showing.

"We should go. You have an important meeting to keep." Kurogiri said, not even looking at the Hitoshi. He opened his mouth and nothing came out as Overhaul nodded to the other man,

"Yes." Overhaul said and the two men vanished into a swirling purple vortex.

"Hitoshi!" Izuku yelled and ran over to meet him, Hitoshi rushing to Salamandus on the ground, bleeding and convulsing like his had hypothermia. He thrashed a moment then calmed when Hitoshi settled his hands on his shoulder, trying to steady him as he shuddered.

"Sal!" Hefalump yelled and skid onto her knees beside him, she was already digging in her belt for her first aid supplies, dousing his stump in iodine.

"Heeeey." He said, expression more grimace than smile, holding a hand over his bleeding shoulder, something fell from his shoulder to the ground beside him and Hitoshi didn't look. Sal snorted and shook a bit and met Hefalump's eyes. "Could you give me a hand?"

"Oh my god Sal." Hefalump sighed, quickly tearing open a bandage with her teeth and slapping it on his wound. It quickly reacted with his blood and formed a foam that solidified around the wound, covering from collarbone to shoulder blade. Izuku wrapped Hitoshi up in his arms and held him a moment, the other boy shaking. He saw it, the one touch that vaporized a man's whole arm. A man he had been talking to mere moments before, hours before cracking jokes and reading case files about petty theft. Hitoshi's gaze didn't waver from Sal.

"Gotta laugh or you'll cry right?" Salamandus chuckled, shaking violently, his teeth chattering. "I'm definitely in shock."

"Well he evaporated your damn arm , I'm not surprised." Hefalump grumbled and lifted him up into her back, surprisingly strong despite her lithe frame. She looked over at the boys, gaze soft but urgent. "Backup is still inbound, you kids hunker down, I'm going to scoot towards the street so we're more visible. If they come back, do not engage. Evade and return to base."

"I got them both though." Sal muttered blearily and she sighed.

"Yeah, and lost your arm!" She said, exasperated, and Hitoshi laughed, manic and high.

"Okay. Okay." He whispered and Izuku squeezed him tighter.

"It's okay." Izuku said and Hitoshi's laughter quieted.

"Yep. Sure is." He said, strained.

"We saw a man's arm turn to mist ." Izuku said, his voice still managing to be calm, and Hitoshi nodded frantically.

" Yeah we did." He said and Izuku took a breath in.

"We're going to hold out here for a second and then we're heading to base." He said softly but with conviction, like having a plan helped steady him, and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yes." He said and finally looked away from the pool of blood and disassembled flesh that Sal had left behind up to Izuku's eyes. He saw an unexpected look of terror clear on his face.

"I'm freaking out." Izuku hissed and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah. No that's totally valid. The most valid." He breathed and the other heroes arrived. Three of them. Not nearly enough for either of them to feel safe after what they had just witnessed.

"Are you hurt?" One of the heroes from the support lab asked and Izuku shook his head.

"No. We're going back to base." He answered and the man nodded.

"Check in with your mentors when you get back." He said and Hitoshi giggled.

"Well mine just had his arm turned to mist so I'm not sure when that's gonna be." Hitoshi laughed, high and uneven, and the hero gripped his forehead and looked at his eyes, then looked to Izuku.

"Can you take him to medical?" He asked and Hitoshi shook his head.

"I'm fine."

"You are experiencing trauma induced shock, go to medical. Your mentor should be there too." He said and looked around. "Bellini, can you escort?"

"Yeah, it's just them?" A woman with a bright peach and sky blue dress asked, shooting over to them.

"Yes." Izuku nodded. She grinned and offered a hand.

"Alright, come on. Sorry, but they're going to have to call it for your training today."

"What precisely happened?" Mirai asked, standing in the lobby of the UHA branch Midoriya and Shinsou had been assigned. It was closer to Hosu than he wished it was. Closer to the hero killer's current hunting grounds. Bellini, a rather flashy but small town hero who worked in the area, nodded, crossing her arms, her dress flouncing.

"While on a routine patrol new Intel came in on the Precepts case. Hefalump informed command and Salamandus was sent out since he's your liaison for that case. They had an interaction with the villians in question and Salamandus suffered an injury. As they were your kids' mentors, they were present and witnessed the attack. Shinsou-kun is currently in the counseling office with Buck, and Midoriya is waiting in the other room." She explained and Mirai frowned.

"What happened to Salamandus?" He asked and she scowled, the expression at odds with her cute, sweet aesthetic. He glanced down and noticed a baton at her hip, a weapon he was sure blended in flawlessly with her skirts normally.

"One arm was deconstructed by Overhaul's quirk. He's in the onsite right now, they're working to make sure he lives but emergency triage happened on scene so he lost less blood than we worried he had." She answered and he took a breath. No villain attack was pretty, but of all the things to run up against as a first year, Overhaul was one of the worst.

"Right." He said and Bellini cleared her throat.

"You should... Go talk to Midoriya. At least ." She said, firmly, and he nodded.

"I will. Has anyone debriefed either of them?" He asked and she shook her head.

"Not yet, but I mean, talk to him. Don't debrief him. He's fragile right now. And he's worried for his friend." She added, and gave him a level look. "I know they're here for hero training, but they're still kids ."

"I know, that's what I keep saying." He said, solemn, and walked into the building, swiping his visitor pass at the entrance. This particular facility brought back memories of his own early career, before joining Mighty Agency and All Might. Before starting his own agency after. They were… not the best parts of his life. Underground heroics was hard, mentally, and there were still cases that gave him nightmares, even years later. Mirai took a moment outside medical to collect himself and walked in, Izuku looking up at him, eyes red from crying and nose still running. Mirai reached into his jacket and offered him a pack of tissues, sitting beside him.

"Thanks." Midoriya said, sniffling.

"It's not a problem. How are you doing?" Mirai asked and the kid chuckled softly.

"Not great. Better than Hitoshi. He was closer."

"I'm sorry you had to see any of that." He offered and the boy shrugged.

"Yeah well, we're going to be heroes right?" Midoriya was leaned forward, staring across the waiting area at the door. His face was blank, aside from tears still in his eyes, and it was a haunted look Mirai had hoped to never see on someone so young.

"Yes." Mirai sighed and leaned back. "I haven't told you boys my quirk yet, have I?"

Izuku looked over at him and shook his head, looking the most alert he had seen him since he arrived.

"We speculated a bit. I think it's some sort of analysis quirk. Hitoshi thinks it's... Something else." Midoriya said, smiling and looking away.

"You can tell me, even if it isn't complimentary." Mirai chuckled. He knew the boy didn't have a high opinion of him, but it seemed he didn't really have a high opinion of most adults. Given his history, he wasn't exactly surprised.

"He jokes around about it, saying your quirk is supreme assholishness, but we're both pretty sure it's some kind of sight based quirk. Premonitions or analytics, maybe a threat analysing quirk or something. His bet was on premonitions." Izuku said and Mirai nodded.

"Premonitions isn't far off. I'm good at analytics, but more because I have foreknowledge and work ethic. My quirk is called Foresight." Mirai said and Izuku chewed at his lip.

"Have you ever..." He started and Mirai quickly shook his head.

"No. I don't use my quirk unless there is a sure chance to discover something we couldn't with old fashioned legwork." He said. "I... Used my quirk on a friend once, and it cost me that friendship."

"All Might." Izuku said, much quicker than he expected him to. Mirai paused a moment to collect himself. It shouldn't still bother him so much to hear his friend's name.

"Yes. I foresaw his death at the hands of a villain." He said and Izuku took a sharp breath, looking over at him again.

"You warned him." He said and Mirai nodded.

"I did. I asked him to retire, to try to change fate. My quirk is notoriously accurate." Mirai scowled. "He refused, as you know. He told me that if that was his fate he couldn't escape it, and he would save as many people as he could before then. I… I couldn't stand by his side knowing it was coming."

"That... Must be hard in this line of work." Izuku said, changing the subject from All Might. Mirai noted the tears in the boy's eyes but didn't say anything.

"It is. I don't use my quirk on fellow heroes anymore. I have, in the past, but seeing your friends die once is enough, let alone twice." Mirai said softly and Izuku was quiet a moment.

"We could die doing this couldn't we?" He said softly and Mirai nodded.

"Yes. That's the danger. Even as a police officer your life is on the line. Heroes push that line every single day. Walk along it." Mirai said, setting a hand on his shoulder. "You've seen more than a lot of kids your age ever have to, and you still decided to be a hero. Why?"

"I... I've always wanted to help. To save people. I want to save the world. Make it a place that is better." He said resolutely and Mirai sighed.

"You could do that by curing cancer, or world hunger. Why heroics? After the scar it has left on your life, why stay the path?" Mirai asked and Midoriya looked over at him, a fire burning in him.

"I'm the only one who can do what I can do." He said, resolute and Mirai nodded. "I want to save as many people as I can."

That sounded dangerously familiar, and Mirai thought about Mirio. Lemillion. One million people saved, the bare minimum. He smiled.

"I understand. I'll do my best to help you." Mirai promised and Izuku smiled.

"Thanks." He said. Mirai settled his hand on the boy's shoulder and nodded, looking back to the door.

"Shinsou-kun should be fine. It's hard to see an injury that grisly and walk away unscathed. I'm aware he sees a therapist, but I'm sure this emergency session can't hurt." Mirai smiled down at Izuku and the boy smiled back, but it was half-hearted.

Hitoshi was holding a small stuffed beaver and slumped down in what had to be the most comfortable couch he had ever sat on. The therapist Bellini had led him to hadn't pushed, or tried to get him to open up. He mostly seemed to be sitting at his desk doing paperwork.

"You don't have to talk, but I'm here if you want to. They figured you needed the space, less stimulation." The therapist said, sitting at a desk and writing on a legal pad.

"I'm familiar with therapy." Hitoshi said and winced when his voice came out more sardonic than he intended. "Sorry, I'm not trying to snap."

"It's fine. You're not fully in control of your emotions right now, that's understandable." The man said and Hitoshi scowled. Kid gloves. Great.

"I'm... Fine. Any news?" He asked and the therapist looked at his phone, sitting on the desk.

"No. Unfortunately not." He shook his head. Hitoshi took a deep breath. Might as well dump some of this.

"I've never seen a wound like that. Not since..." He started and the therapist frowned.

"You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to." He said and Hitoshi closed his eyes. Kid gloves. Again. He looked up at the man and stared him down.

"All Might died in front of me. I don't tell many people, because I assume they won't believe me. But I was there. I was going to pick my little sister up from school and then the school collapsed. I rushed in, not even thinking, and the heroes eventually caught up to me. Once I told them what I could do they recruited me to help the rescue effort." He said and the therapist looked surprised but composed.

"That's a lot to put on a teenager." He said and Hitoshi nodded. He'd heard it before. His therapist hadn't let him forget that he was a teenager, and that being asked to perform, even in an emergency, had been above and beyond what should have been expected of him.

"I was glad for it. Standing by the sidelines when she could have been hurt and scared, or worse... That would have been harder. Acting is always easier." He sighed and the therapist nodded.

"But he died in front of you?" He asked and Hitoshi barked a small laugh.

"Yes. He said... He told me to smile, that it would be okay." Hitoshi said and tears tracked down his face. "I try. I do. I smile all the time, and I've got lots of reasons to, but I'm also terrified ."

"Heroics is a scary field. Villains, monsters, natural disasters. We see a lot of suffering in our line of work." The therapist said with a nod.

"It's hard to... Put that aside. Sometimes I just get overwhelmed with everything happening and I panic. I can't stop thinking and it's all too much, every dumb bullshit thing running through me at once and now I can't stop thinking about every little thing I could have done differently to save him and keep this from happening." Hitoshi said and he felt that wave cresting over him, about to drown him and a hand grounded him on his shoulder, the big man in front of him breathing steadily and looking him in the eyes.

"Breathe Shinsou-kun. It's okay. The field is full of what-ifs and a million things that can go wrong. We cannot control every little thing that happens out there, but we can control what happens in here." The therapist said, pointing to his head. "You can keep thinking about your faults, about what you did wrong, but you were there. You interrupted them. Things could have continued, or gone worse, and they didn't."

"I don't feel like I did enough." Hitoshi said, running his fingers back through his hair, elbows on his knees.

"You likely never will. You could save every person effected by an attack, and still feel like you didn't do enough to prevent it in the first place. The thing isn't if you did enough , it's that you did anything . You stood up for what you believe in, for what's right." The therapist said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah." He said, leaning bacj on the couch. The man nodded and backed off.

They were quiet a moment, the therapist moving around to his desk and sitting once more, Hitoshi flapping the tail of the beaver back and forth, focusing in on his breathing. Keeping it steady and deep.

"I just got some news if you'd like to hear it now." The therapist said softly and he closed his eyes.

"Yes, please." Hitoshi nodded and the therapist continued.

"Salamandus is stabilized and recovering, he will likely be out of commission in the field for a bit but his place in investigations is still secure. He'll likely be up and about by tomorrow evening knowing his healing factor."

"What um... Is going to happen to me in the interim?" Hitoahi frowned and the man gave him a serious look.

"You're going to rest tomorrow, no field work, and you'll be working with another mentor temporarily for the day. For tonight your scheduled shift is cancelled, get some rest." He said, firmly, and Hitoshi sighed. Did this place specualize in kid gloves? Gonna need a whole new shelf to put em all on.

"Okay. I can do that." Hitoshi nodded and stood, setting the stuffed beaver on the couch. The therapist cleared his throat and met his eyes.

"Shinsou-kun, if you're panicking, have you mentioned this to your regular therapist?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded. 

"Yes. I've got... Some methods I use to try and calm down."

"Have they been helping?" He asked and something about the look he gave him made Hitoshi certain that lying about it wasnt going to help anything.

"Sometimes." Hitoshi admitted. Recently they've helped less, but still helped. The man nodded and moved back around the desk towards him, he gestured at the couch and Hitoshi sighed, sitting back down.

"Have you considered meditation?" He asked.

Hitoshi walked out of the office and Nighteye and Izuku were waiting for him.

"Hitoshi, are you okay?" Izuku rushed over and Hitoshi set his hands on either shoulder as the boy looked at him. His eyes were red rimmed and a bit swollen. He'd been crying, like usual. Hitoshi smiled down at him, a small one, but one that felt real.

"Yeah, yeah I feel alright. How about you, you're a mess." He smiled and Izuku raised an eyebrow at him

"Thanks." He scoffed and Hitoshi grinned.

"Seriously, you look ready to fall over." He said and Izuku nodded. He ran a hand back through his hair and sighed heavily.

"I am exhausted." He confessed and Hitoshi nodded.

"You've both been set up with a temporary housing arrangement for the duration of your internship. I can take you there." Nighteye said and Hitoshi nodded. 

"Go ahead. I think I could sleep a full day." He sighed himself, slumping a bit and Izuku snorted.

"No one would fault you for it." Nighteye smiled and Izuku stopped, turning to him.

"Oh, shit, do we need to debrief?" He asked and Nighteye shook his head.

"You can make your official report tomorrow. For now you should rest." He declared and Izuku nodded.

"How is Hefalump?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded along.

"She is fine, from what I saw. You can ask her yourself in the morning." Nighteye said and led them out to a waiting car.

"Hey, Denki here, what's up Midoriya?" Kaminari said brightly and Izuku turned the volume down on his phone, locking the bathroom door.

"Kaminari I need your help." He said desperately and there was a quick shuffle.

"Oh shit, are you okay? Do I need to call a hero?" He asked and Izuku groaned.

"No, no it's nothing like that, um, our internship only gave us one room." He said and there was a pause.

"So? I'm sharing with three other interns." Kaminari sighed. "You're lucky you got your own space. It's tighter here than the dorms."

"We only have one bed Denki." Izuku said, his voice sounding too high even for his ears. Kaminari hissed in sympathy.

"Oooooh. Rest in pieces, Midoriya." He said and Izuku groaned, cutting the shower on to block out the noise.

"This isn't a joke, help!" He begged and Kaminari sighed.

"Just... Haven't you guys slept over together before?" He asked and Izuku whined.

"Yeah but not like, in the same bed or anything." He answered.

"You could crash on the couch." Kaminari suggested and Izuku groaned, pulling at his hair with one hand, pacing in the tiny bathroom, two steps one way then turning quickly to keep going.

"No cause if I offer, he'll do it and then I'll feel bad." He said.

"Well, just share it then." Kaminari mumbled, crunching in the receiver, and Izuku glared down at his phone.

"Are you eating ?" He asked, aghast.

"I figured this was a popcorn conversation." Kaminari answered and Izuku groaned, sitting heavily on the toilet lid.

"Why did I call you?" He asked and Kaminari sighed.

"Cause I'm right. You're two buds sharing a bed while working, it isn't like, sexual." Kaminari said and Izuku could feel the heat rolling off his face.

"I just don't wanna be creepy." He said softly and Kaminari grunted softly, crunching more.

"So don't be." He grunted and Izuku groaned.

"Ugh, no I mean, what if I... Like it?" He asked and the line was quiet a second.

"So?" Kaminari finally asked and Izuku stood back up to pace again, nervous energy running through him.

"Isn't that creepy?" He asked and Kaminari grunted, noncommittal.

"Nah, you like sleeping next to someone, unless you go making it some weird sex thing or something I think you're probably fine dude." He assured him and Izuku sighed, rubbing at his eyes.

"You're sure?" He asked and Kaminari crunched again in his ear.

"Yeah, positive. Just sleep my dude, it's all good." He said and Izuku sighed.

"Natural and straight." He said softly and Kaminari chuckled.

"Natural and straight. And hey, if something comes of it, that's a win, right?" Kaminari said and Izuku could hear the leer in his voice.

"God, I don't want him to like... Make a move or something..." Izuku said, face burning, and Kaminari snorted.

"You're precious Midoriya. Stay innocent and adorable forever." He declared and Izuku scowled.

"Shut up." He grumbled and Kaminari chuckled.

"Can do, it's late as shit and I've gotta be at the office first thing."

"Sorry to call so late. Thanks Kaminari." Izuku smiled and Kaminari made a derisive snort.

"Yeah, no problem. Feel free to text me and scream about shit if you need." He offered.

"Yeah, will do." Izuku said and hung up. He looked at his phone a long moment before setting it aside and pulling his uniform off to actually shower.

"So I've got you both today since Sal is still in the tank, welcome aboard." Hefalump said and sighed, looking at both of the kids in front of her as she sucked down iced coffee like it was air. "I am sorry your first day had to be... So much ."

"It's fine." Izuku said and rubbed at one eye. He hadnt exactly slept well it seemed. Not that Hitoshi blamed him.

"Frankly we're sort of used to the sink or swim treatment. It had only been a few weeks when our whole school was attacked, so there ya go." Hitoshi said offhandedly and Hefalump stared at him a moment. Then she burst out laughing.

"Oh dang, no wonder Sal liked you, you've got his sense of humor. Did you hear that dumb pun he pulled yeaterday? God, if he hadn't been bleeding all over I would have smacked him." Hefalump laughed and patted Hitoshi on the back, slurping another iced coffee.

"How is he doing?" Hitoshi asked gingerly and she shrugged, spinning in her chair to grab a pile of case files and hand them off to Izuku.

"Gonna miss the arm probably, but he woke up long enough to ask for a breakfast pouch and then zonk back out." She smiled and Izuku frowned.

"So his arm is just..." He started hesitantly and she nodded brightly.

"Poof. No getting it back really. Likely he'll fit a prosthetic in a few weeks after some OT, but yeah. At least it was his left." She sighed and Hitoshi winced.

"Wow." He said and she paused, looking back at him like she just realized something.

"Oh, sorry, shit. I didn't think about... Okay so injuries happen, and aids and prosthesis are pretty normal in heroics. I've got hearing aids from a bomb event a few years back myself even." Hefalump said, pushing her hair back to show them her hearing aids. "Limbs are trickier cause they take more work, and nobody would fault him taking time off, but he's on limited duty if he wants, and he said he'd be back in ASAP. That's just how he is ."

"Is everyone here a workaholic?" Hitoshi asked and she nodded.

"Everyone who stays, basically yeah. Like I told your boyfriend there, passion for the job is key." She said and both of them went red.

"Oh, no we're not…" Izuku said quickly and Hef laughed.

"Oh dang, was that a secret?" She asked and both boys looked at each other, more embarrassed, and stepped away from each other.

"No, we aren't dating." Hitoshi said firmly, clearing his throat, and Izuku nodded. She blinked blankly at them then shrugged.

"Ooh, gotcha. Sorry to assume. Anyway, want to head to the support armory and grab some things for Killjoy and his team? They had that bust last night without us but they think the merchandise got moved." She asked, handing Izuku a list, his face still bright red. "You know where most of it is after yesterday but don't feel embarrassed to ask the staff."

"Oh uh, Roger!" He nodded and hurriedly ran off. Hitoshi sorted through the files Izuku had been working on and added them to his stack. He paused on one, skimming over it. Hefalump interrupted him with a thump of one hand on top of the filing cabinet.

"Hey now, filing , not reading." Hefalump scolded and he shook his head.

"No hold on, has Nighteye seen this one?" He asked, pulling the file and handing it to her.

"Why would he? It's just a protection racket." She asked and he flipped to the witness testimony, what had specifically caught his eye.

"A protection racket where the proprietor had a quirk and then after they busted up shop he didn't anymore." He said and her eyes widened.

"That's insane, no way." She frowned, skimming over the page.

"Are these files digitized?" He asked and she looked back up at him a second before looking back over the page.

"Archive gets them and puts them on the intranet. Most agencies can access them after that. What case is this even for?" She asked and he shuffled through the stack he had.

"Hold on, is there other stuff about this one? In Kamino?" He asked, eyes flitting over each file and she tapped him on the head with the file in question.

"No no, quick debrief kid, what's this about?" She asked and he sighed.

"All for One." He said seriously. Hefalump stared him down and then laughed.

"Wow, they really got you chasing spooks at Nighteye huh? Sure, I'll requisition the other Kamino reports for you if you want." She said and he nodded.

"Yeah, please."

"It's a long running case. I've never found anything of interest before." She mused and typed a requisition request on a computer old enough to be Hitoshi's grandmother.

"It might just be a crazy guy, but if not it's better to check it over." He said, flicking through the other case files she had. She paused and looked over her shoulder at him.

"Wow you really do already sound like one of us." She grinned. He smiled back.

"Lets just say I'm a bit of a workaholic myself."

Hefalump went back to her requisition and Hitoshi pulled out his phone and called the secure line for Nighteye Agency.

"Nighteye, how can I help you?" Bubblegirl said brightly and he smiled. He liked her, she was professional, even if she didn't have the best jokes.

"It's Shinsou, can you send me up to Sir?" He asked and she laughed.

"Oh hey! Good to hear from you! Heard you had some action, how are you holding up?" She asked, typing filtering through the phone.

"Better." He said, and he meant it. The meditation he had done the night before and this morning had left him clear headed, even if he could still feel the panic sitting deeper down.

"Sir is in a meeting but I can take a message." She said, and he nodded even though she couldn't hear him.

"Okay, tell him I'm sending secure mail on a lead relevant to a case I'm cleared on." He said and there was a moment of silence on the line.

"Shinsou-kun you're not cleared on any cases." She said and he sighed.

"I'm cleared on one." He said and she typed again then scoffed.

"Okay and I don't have access. Is this a side project?"

"Classified." He said, smiling. He kind of liked being able to say that.

"Fine, fine, don't tell me. I noted the incoming transfer. Anything else?" She asked and he grinned.

"Tell him I'm staying out of trouble."

"I severely doubt that but will do." She laughed and hung up.

He turned back to Hef, still working, and started sorting files. He paused a moment in his filing and went red again. Everyone always seemed to think they were dating. Was he really that obvious?

"Hey so how's investigation?" Izuku asked and Hitoshi rubbed at his forehead.

"It's a lot of filing honestly." He answered and Izuku nodded.

"I've been mostly running errands myself." He answered. After their morning spent seperate Hef had kept Izuku busy with apprehension, running gear, files, and taking reports to their requisite departments. For having the same mentor Hef had been pretty good about keeping them in their respective departmental tracks.

"Huh. I figured apprehension would be more exciting." Hitoshi sighed and waved his chopsticks around, Izuku shaking his head.

"I see heroes come and go on assignments but Hef has been keeping me mostly on errand boy duty." Izuku sighed and slumped over his lunch.

"Yeah, she's got me doing what Sal had me doing before everything happened..." Hitoshi said and Izuku went to set a hand on his at the far away look he got in his eyes.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked and Hitoshi nodded.

"Yeah, still shaking it off but I'm better." He answered, smiling softly and going back to his lunch. Izuku smiled. If he was eating his anxiety couldn't be too bad. Hitoshi grunted to get his attention and Izuku realized he had zoned out looking at his friend's mouth and blushed.

"So, you want me to sleep on the couch?" Hitoshi grunted and Izuku went redder.

"What? Why?" He asked, suppressing the embarrassment he had rolling through him. Hitoshi shrugged and slurped a noodle.

"I dunno, you got really awkward about sharing a bed last night, but then I woke up and you were absolutely wrapped around me like a python so I dunno." Hitoshi said and Izuku stammered a second.

"Oh sorry, I uh, didn't mean to." Izuku eventually managed to stammer out and Hitoshi shrugged, seemingly unbothered.

"I didn't mind really, I just figured I'd offer if you were embarrassed." He said and Izuku paused a second. Reasonably, as just a good friend, it wouldn't matter right? If he made a big deal about it would that be a red flag or something? If Hitoshi said it was fine, he knew he meant it, but... Izuku still felt like it was selfish to do this. To keep... Sleeping in the same bed beside him, being close and snuggly and like... Like they lived together. Izuku felt his heart jump into his throat at the thought. God. Is this what it would have been like if they had been roommates?? Constantly sharing the same space, maybe the same bed occasionally as if they were... Boyfriends... 

Hitoshi waved a hand in front of his face.

"Hey, dude, you still with me?" He asked and Izuku noticed Hitoshi had pushed his food out of the way to lean over the table.

"Yeah! Sorry, I don't think I got enough sleep, I think I kinda zoned out." He said quickly and Hitoshi nodded slowly.

"You've been doing that a bit. Try to take a nap next break." Hitoshi said, frowning with worry at him. He nodded. He really didn't deserve him.

"Will do." Izuku agreed and Hitoshi sat back down, digging back into his food.

"So, the couch then? So you can get a good night's sleep?" He asked not looking up and Izuku cleared his throat.

"No um, if it doesn't bother you I'm fine." He answered and a part of him cringed inside, hating himself for even thinking it was anything other than them sleeping near each other. Letting himself get carried away thinking about stuff like this was only going to end up with him hurting Hitoshi and that was the last thing he wanted.

"You're sure?" Hitoshi asked and Izuku felt his heart clench. He hadn't been less sure of anything in his whole life.

"Yeah. We're the ones who decide what is comfortable for us right? If it's cool with you it's cool with me. I just didn't wanna be weird." He said and it felt like the most honest part of this conversation. Hitoshi smiled and smacked him on the shoulder.

"Nah, it's fine man. We're best friends." He grinned and Izuku felt that part of him cringe again.

"Yeah. Best friends." He nodded, forcing a small smile and tried to listen as Hitoshi talked about hero paperwork sub-forms and archival processes and stop staring at his mouth the whole time.

End chapter 21

Chapter Text

"So, how was day 2?" Salamandus asked and Hitoshi shrugged, his eyes drifting every so often to the man's stump. He had some kind of shoulder support on, tight over his chest, and he grinned. The wound didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

"Heard you might have a lead on some big classified case. What you getting into huh?" Salamandus leaned in towards him and Hitoshi shrugged, grinning back.

"Classified is classified." He said.

"Oh c'mon." Salamandus whined and then got hit by a bag to the head.

"Stop goading my students into revealing classified information." Came a familiar if gruff voice and Hitoshi looked around his mentor to see his teacher.

"Aizawa-sensei!" He smiled and waved. The man waved back unenthusiastically.

"Oh hi there you." Salamandus grinned over his shoulder at Aizawa who raised an eyebrow.

"You lose weight?" Aizawa grunted and the man rolled his eyes.

"Ha ha. You definitely heard what happened." He said and Aizawa nodded.

"I did. Glad you made it out." He said and smiled a very small smile at the man who looked a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah, I should have moved just a bit faster I think. Not quite in one piece. Well, at least it's the biggest piece!" Salamandus laughed and Aizawa smirked.

"Oh um, Eraserhead, what are you here for?" Hitoshi asked, the hero name feeling awkward in his mouth as he said it, and Aizawa opened a bag at his hip.

"Reports." He said, holding up a stack of pages. "Where's Jerome?"

"In the pit still." Sal said, pointing with one thumb over his shoulder.

"How goes the hunt?" Hitoshi asked and Aizawa narrowed his eyes at him.

"He's laying low. Not that you are need to know Shinsou-kun." Aizawa said and walked past. He got across the room and Sal gave Hitoshi an impressed look and whistled low.

"Wow, he likes you." He said and Hitoshi shrugged.

"He's a good teacher." He said, secretly a little proud. Sal smirked and then glanced back over towards Aizawa talking in low tones with Jerome.

"You really want on the Stain case huh?" Sal sighed, looking a bit disappointed.

"I'm just trying to watch out for someone. What other agencies are working it?" Hitoshi said and Sal sat at his desk.

"Just us and Endeavor as far as I know. Eraser works with the UHA mostly, freelance otherwise." He said and Hitoshi frowned.

"You can do that?" He asked and Sal shook his head in a sort of vague way.

"It's more whatever he has time for and however he fits into his own investigations. He gets added and removed from cases so fast I doubt anyone but him knows what he's working at any one time. You think me and Hef are workaholics? Man has a full time teaching position and still closes more cases than half the agency. Don't know how he has time for anything else but he manages." Sal sighed and started typing up an incident report.

"He sleeps in class." Hitoshi said and Sal paused a moment before resuming his work.

"I am frankly unsurprised." He said and sighed. "Okay, typing is out, gimme that stack."

"This one?" Hitoshi asked and pointed and Sal nodded.

"Okay, time to work on those observation skills you're so proud of." He grinned and split the stack between them.

It was four in the morning when Hitoshi wandered into the small apartment he was currently sharing with Izuku. Izuku was asleep on the couch, not having gotten as far as bed before he passed out.

"Hey, at least take off your shoes." Hitoshi said, shaking him, and Izuku blinked blearily up at him.

"What time is it?" He grumbled and Hitoshi checked his phone.

"Four." He said and Izuku groaned.

"I've got three more hours."

"Come to bed then." Hitoshi yawned and kicked his shoes off. He didn't bother removing his uniform pants, but tossed his jacket on the couch and set the AVCS on the bedside table. The apartment was sparse, empty, with just their luggage in it and some food in the kitchen, but the bed was cozy enough. Hitoshi flopped into it and barely moved when Izuku flopped down beside him.

"How long you back for?" Izuku asked, throwing an arm over his face and scooting up to his side.

"Just my four. They offered me six but I'm looking into something and Hef said my requisition should go through by eight." He said, closing his eyes.

"Masochist. I took the six." Izuku yawned, nuzzling his head into Hitoshi's shoulder in his half asleep state.

"Maybe. Night." He mumbled, trying not to enjoy how nice it felt for Izuku to be so close on the bed.

Izuku responded with a snore and Hitoshi smiled, dozing off after a bit.

Izuku was standing in a vaulted chamber, and he couldn't speak. He lifted a hand to his mouth and found a sort of fuzziness filled his hand, like touching static. He looked at his hands, visible until his elbows, and then looked around himself. His heart clenched when he saw All Might beside him, Shimura Nana to the other side of them.

"So you're the tenth."

Izuku looked around, eyes casting about and saw a wavering silhouette in front of him.

"Ninth." Izuku thought and then he spotted a wavering figure, Hitoshi appearing beside him.

"You forget your friend so easily? He had it first." The man said kindly and then chuckled. "You have a rather unique arrangement. Not detrimental, however. The nature of One for All is that each of us cultivates it and passes it on. You just keep getting stronger, feeding into each other. It is impressive."

"Thanks." Izuku thought and the other presence seemed amused.

"Hey, kid." A woman's voice said to his right and he shot his eyes over to see Shimura Nana looking right at him. "You've got more in you than you think."

"Float, Black Whip, Stockpile, Spines, Drift, even your friend's Brainwash." The man in front of him said and Izuku looked at him. He seemed kind. Something about him seemed like he was reaching out with his heart, even if Izuku couldn't see his face. "I cannot show you much, with you only at 30%."

"I'm only at 5%." Izuku objected and the man smiled.

"You're farther along than you think. Both of you." The man said and Izuku looked over to All Might, smiling down at him.

"I'm proud of you." Yagi Toshinori said and Izuku felt his eyes fill with tears. The man snickered. "Still a crybaby huh?"

"You died Yagi-san." He said defensively and the man laughed.

"Heroes never die my boy, we always come back stronger." Toshinori said and Izuku nodded. The man in front of them wavered.

"We're always with you. Both of you. You have to be prepared. To fight him ." He said and Izuku felt frustration bubbling up inside him.

"How?" He groaned and the man in front of him looked to Shimura.

"Dig deep. Feel us inside you." Shimura smiled and Izuku nodded.

"And tell him how you feel." Toshinori grinned and Izuku went red. "Bonds are more important now than ever."

"I'll try." He said softly and Shimura grinned.

"You're both strong. Keep getting stronger." She encouraged and reached a hand out. He took it and they both floated up a few feet, him looking at her, surprised. She grinned. "Fun huh?"

Then Izuku woke up.

"I'm out, you've got an hour." Izuku said, suited up and leaning over him. Hitoshi covered his face with a pillow.

"I'm awake." He groaned and Izuku snorted.

"Sure. One hour. See you there."

Hitoshi threw his legs over the edge of the bed about the time he heard the door close behind Izuku and wandered to the kitchen to find oatmeal waiting.

"I have the best friend in the world, a real hero." He mumbled and graciously ate his breakfast. He looked over his phone and saw two missed calls from Todoroki and that he had maybe a half dozen vent texts from the boy. 

Todoroki: i guess youre busy but i just have to get this off my chest.

Todoroki: nonstop. The big flaming dick has been NONSTOP about me inheriting the agency when i graduate and i am so, so tired. I just want to go to bed but we're STILL on a patrol and my legs are killing me. 

Todoroki: and i have a headache from him screaming. I kind of wish you had been here now so i didn't have to deal with him alone. Not that i think it would help, im pretty sure he hates you. He DEFINITELY hates Midoriya though beats me why. I think ots cause he has like, zero respect for Nighteye or aomething.

Todoroki: which is apparently bullshit cause like, four of our sidekicks started there, and also, he cant be that bad if you both like him.

Todoroki: anyway, sorry to bother you. I hope your internship is going better than mine.

Hitoshi groaned, rubbed at his forehead, and glanced at the clock.

He now had only twenty minutes to get ready and leave. He groaned, sent a quick apology to Todoroki, and ran back to the room to grab the AVCS off the bedside table and suit up.

Hitoshi wandered into the office at eight and Sal was in the middle of a call so he started sorting.

"No, I know, tell the big blowhard to calm his jets and-- no you listen! I just got handed this case and I'm already going to fucking scream, why is he even on the ground right now? We don't have any leads or--" Sal paused and shoved half a doughnut in his mouth. "No. No you listen here, tell him to get his ass off the streets and let us do our damn jobs. All he's doing is causing a damn scene and pushing this guy deeper into hiding."

Sal waited a second then swore, hanging up.

"New case?" Hitoshi asked casually and he cut the boy a sharp look.

"You cursed me kid. You wanted it, here it is." He scowled and slid a folder towards him.

"Stain?" Hitoshi asked, eyes wide and he skimmed over the file. It was considerably lighter than he wished it was.

"Yeah, and that dick Endeavor isn't doing me any favors. He has his goddamn son patrolling Hosu with him, has most of the damn night, and they're getting jack shit for Intel." Sal acowled and shoved a stack of papers in the shredder. "They have fucking live coverage following them around. Press !"

"Todoroki? Oh hold on." Hitoshi frowned and pulled out his phone.

Shinsou: sorry I missed your call, hours are super weird.

Shinsou: Hey, I have the Stain case with the UHA, what's up?

Todoroki: the fiery asshole is just strutting around daring anyone to come out. It seems counter intuitive.

Shinsou: what's your patrol route?

Todoroki: central channels, I'll send a map.

"What are you up to?" Sal asked, leaning over and Hitoshi shrugged.

"I'm friends with Endeavor's son, he just sent me the patrol route." He said and held up his phone, a picture of the map on it.

"Oh shit, for real? Christ, some good shit right here!" Sal said and quickly copied the map onto a transparency. "Dope. Okay so, can you ask him what engagement looks like?"

"Yeah hold on."

Shinsou: engagement?

Todoroki: seems a bit soon to me, we only met a few months ago

Todoroki: jk looks like they are hoping to engage him in the open, full frontal. A few sidekicks are sweeping as we go to funnel anyone out. He's hoping that the number one hero will draw him out.

Hitoshi snorted and gave Sal a thumbs up.

"Suspicion confirmed: they're doing it the dumbest way possible. Multiple sweeps to draw him out, Endeavor hoping for a head on confrontation." He said and Sal scowled deeply.

"Well that's a good way to get his sidekicks killed without ever even seeing the perp but I don't run his agency." Salamandus growled. He grabbed his comms and put it in his ear. "Dispatch, I need two teams, stealth quirks if possible. Apprehension if not. On ground in Hosu, I'm sending you mail now with my directives."

He started to type with one hand then grumbled and looked back to Hitoshi.

"Can you take this down, I'm not doing great with the one hand thing right now."

"Yeah, sure." Hitoshi nodded and took Sal's chair at the computer.

"Diagonal sweeps, avoid detection and Endeavor's parade of bullshittery. We're looking for a perp by this description..." Sal said and leaned back, grabbing the description he had and handing it to Hitoshi. "If spotted, do not engage but inform Salamandus via comms channel 663, and keep eyes on target. Once eyes on is confirmed, apprehension will be deployed to bring the target in. Endeavor will be notified once eyes on is confirmed. Unfortunately." Sal sighed and looked up. "Don't write that last bit. I'll notify him if we find this cuck."

Hitoshi snorted and continued typing, finishing the email and sending it out.

"Alright! You just made your first dispatch directive! Exciting!" Salamandus said, patting him on the back.

"Yeah, sure." He nodded and Sal held up a finger.

"Hold on. Dispatch confirm?" He asked and then frowned. "Denied. Who else?"

There was a moment and Sal cursed.

"We've mismanaged their case enough, who else do we have, I'm not having a kid on this one."

Hitoshi frowned and gripped his phone tight in one hand. Sal growled and sat heavily in the desk chair.

"I'll go then. No, I know I'm light duty. Okay so send Franxx. Not avail my ass, I literally saw them ten minutes ago. Fine. Fine! Tell her to be careful." Sal growled and tossed his comms on the desk, rubbing at his face.

"Hef is going out huh?" Hitoshi asked and Sal gestured grandly around the investigation office. There were currently two other heroes even in the office, and Hitoshi honestly hadn't seen many people over the whole week, the few people he had working insanely hard.

"I don't think you've noticed but we're a bit short staffed." Sal scowled and snatched the comms back up. 

"Is Deku going with her?" Hitoshi asked and Sal paused a moment before answering.

"We have 4 apprehension staff right now. Including your boy. He's being ordered to stick to main roads, so he's way less likely to run into him, and they're stealthing out his kit, but yeah." Sal said and then kicked a trashcan across the room. "He isn't staff, he isn't even licensed !"

"He can be eyes and ears though." Hitoshi muttered and Sal flopped back into his chair.

"Yeah that was dispatch's thought too. You're kids . This isn't a case kids should be on at all. Frankly if I had someone I trusted I'd toss the case, or swap you out." He sighed and Hitoshi sat down on the floor.

"But we're what you have."

"It isn't right." He said seriously. "We shouldn't operate this way."

"Nope. But hey, at least you've got premium goofs." Hitoshi grinned and Sal cracked a smile.

"Yeah sure, when you make one be sure to let me know." He said and Hitoshi clutched his chest, wounded.

"Ouch, I'll have you know I'm the premium jokester at Nighteye." He said and Sal smirked.

"Ooh. High praise." He said and Hitoshi nodded.

"Quite. I've made Nighteye laugh three separate times. I've made him swear like, way more, but that's beside the point." Hitoshi grinned and Sal laughed, for real that time.

"I wonder why. Are you two magnets for trouble?" He sighed, still smiling and Hitoshi nodded seriously.

"I'm pretty sure it's part of Izuku's quirk." He said and Sal nodded.

"Gotcha. Well, back to work huh? Crime waits for no one and all that." Sal said and slid a stack of files towards himself.

"Salamandus, eyes on target." Came a report and Hitoshi froze in his filing, the comms still in his ear.

"Designation report?" Sal asked and Hitoshi already knew.

"Deku." Came the reply. Sal cursed.

"I swear to god. Do not engage." Salamandus said and Izuku took a deep breath on the line.

"There are two victims down." He said and Sal grabbed a piece of paper.

"Report location." He ordered.

"Alley off of Broad and--" the line fizzled out and popped several times.

"Deku, repeat, report location." Sal said and the line fizzed and popped again. 

The line was dead and Salamandus punched his desk.

"Kay, Broad, we have a couple places to look." He mumbled and pulled out the map of Hosu right as Hitoshi's phone chimed.

The door to Investigation slammed open.

"We have a problem! Channel 609." A hero said, black brackish liquid covering his suit, and Hitoshi flipped channels with one hand the other opening his phone.

"Hosu is currently under attack, Noumu are swarming, multiple attack vectors. All heroes required to report."

Hitoshi grit his teeth when he saw there was a message sent, mass text. To everyone on Izuku's contact list.

A single GPS pin.

End chapter 22.

Chapter Text

Hitoshi was running down the street, quirk singing through him, lightning sparking off his arms and legs. Fear sang through his veins as he ran, his knees creaking under the force he was putting into them. He felt the asphalt under one foot crack as he ran and wiped one eye.

"Dispatch to the location I'm sending for Stain. I'm in route." He said into his comms and Sal cursed.

"Kid I swear to god do not engage, report ." He ordered and Hitoshi bit his lower lip as he ran, eyes scanning for street signs, dodging around cars and pedestrians as he went.