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“Alright everyone, we’re here!” Shouto waited obediently for Inko to come undo his seat restraints, as she’d warned both him and Izuku several times before that rushing out of the car was dangerous, and that it was safer for them to wait for her or Fuyumi to help them out. Once he was free, Shouto quickly hopped out and gazed around, a curious look on his face.
Even though it was only 10 am, the parking lot was half full of cars, and there were already plenty of people heading towards the large building on the other side of the lot. Shouto shivered slightly, and pulled up his hood on his jacket, which had cat ears. As it was January, the weather still got rather cold, though today’s temperature was less biting than it had been before.
A warm hand pressed itself into his own cold one, and Shouto looked up to see Izuku looking at him, a mild look of concern on his face.
Ok? Shouto shrugged, looking unsure.
Just nervous. Kind of scary. Izuku nodded.
Don’t worry. We’re all here. Shouto nodded back and turned to Inko, who was getting out a foldable stroller that when folded up, could be carried on her back like a backpack. She’d bought it when Izuku was younger, and had found it again in the back of a closet. She figured it would be useful as Izuku was still struggling with his energy levels, due to his quirk being in constant use. After his quirk had been pressured into manifesting, it had begun draining Izuku of his energy, leaving him more easily tired and unable to run around as much as he had before.
Aizawa and Dr. Tanaka had reassured Inko though that this exhaustion would likely fade in time, as Izuku became more adept at handling his quirk. Until then though, Izuku was likely going to need more naps and longer resting breaks between playing and being active, which was why Inko had dragged his old stroller out of her closet.
In any case, if Izuku ended up being stubborn and not riding in it, at the very least, the stroller would help them carry their belongings, such as Inko’s bag and the inevitable trinkets they would pick up at the gift shop.
“Stay close everyone. We’re going to cross the parking lot and there’s still plenty of cars around today, even if it is a weekday. Be careful. Izu, hold Fuyu’s hand, and Sho, take Natsu’s.” Both children complied and soon, the five of them were crossing the parking lot carefully, making their way to the front entrance of the aquarium.
“Are you excited, Sho?” Shouto shrugged.
“The aquarium is fun. Mom took me and Natsuo once a few years ago. It wasn’t this one though.” Shouto nodded again as they approached the ticketing windows. Inko instructed the four to wait for her and she joined the queue, which wasn’t very long thankfully. Shouto was quiet as he looked around at the people milling about, and suddenly feeling nervous, pressed up against Natsuo. Natsuo just wrapped his arm around him, and Shouto nuzzled into his big brother, feeling more secure.
Next to them, Izuku was also snuggling into Fuyumi, as the increased flurry of emotions he received from the people around him was slightly disorienting, and he felt confused and a little shaken from the plethora of feelings he was experiencing.
“Okay, Izu?” Shouto looked over at his best friend, concerned. Izuku nodded, though he still looked uncomfortable. Inko returned then, holding five tickets, and she led them all over to the entrance, where there was a young man checking people’s tickets as they entered.
“Good morning. Do you have a pass for the stroller?” Inko nodded and handed over Dr. Tanaka’s note to him. Normally, strollers wouldn’t be allowed in the aquarium, but Inko had gotten a note from Dr. Tanaka that briefly explained Izuku’s need for one, equating it to a wheelchair. The young man studied the note, before tearing all of their tickets in two and handing the stubs back to Inko. He smiled and stepped aside to let them in.
“Enjoy your visit.” Inko, Fuyumi, and Natsuo all smiled at him and thanked him, while Izuku and Shouto both nodded shyly. Once inside, Inko carefully watched Shouto and Izuku’s faces, eager to see their initial reactions to the aquarium.
She wasn’t disappointed.
The front entrance of the aquarium only had a few small exhibits, as the other animals were grouped by theme further in the aquarium, but Shouto and Izuku’s eyes both widened as they stared in awe at the fish that swam in the tanks.
Fishy? Inko smiled and nodded at Shouto.
“Fishies. Want to go take a closer look?” Shouto nodded and the five of them headed over to the closest tank, which was filled with small, colorful fish. Shouto couldn’t help the way his mouth dropped open as he gazed up at the fish, watching them swim around.
Even though he’d had koi fish at home, there was something different, more appealing, about seeing fish through a glass, swimming contentedly despite the many pairs of eyes that peered in at them. Both Natsuo and Fuyumi had to press their hands against their faces to stop themselves from giggling as they watched both Shouto and Izuku reach out and press their palms against the class as they stared up at the fish. After a few moments, Shouto turned around and gazed up at Fuyumi, his eyes sparkling in a way they hadn’t since before the incident in December.
Onee-san, fishies! Fuyumi nodded, smiling down at him.
“Yup. And guess what? There’s a whole bunch more if we go further in. And penguins and sharks and seals and turtles and all sorts of sea animals. Are you ready to go in further?” Shouto nodded eagerly and turned back to Izuku, who was still staring at the fish. Izuku turned away though when Shouto tapped at his shoulder excitedly.
Izu! Fishies! Onee-san says there’s more if we go in more! Izuku’s eyes also widened and he nodded enthusiastically.
Let’s go! Both Izuku and Shouto turned and began walking quickly down the large entrance hall, which made Inko start and cry out after them as she hurried to catch up. Natsuo and Fuyumi both laughed and followed along as well, chasing after the two boys who were giggling as they made their way in.
“Izuku! Shouto! Wait up!”
----
“So? What do you two think of the aquarium so far?” Inko asked the two boys, who were each munching on an onigiri that Inko had packed for their lunch. All five of them had explored the aquarium for a few hours, and had finally stopped at 1:30 to rest and eat lunch on a bench that was near the exit to the outdoor area of the aquarium. Inko had chosen this spot as it was more secluded than the central area the aquarium had for eating. She knew that while Izuku hadn’t complained, that he’d experienced some trouble with his quirk, and she figured he could use the break from feeling strangers’ emotions for a little while. The five of them covered the entirety of the indoors exhibits, and were going to explore the outside once they’d finished eating, which meant they would be surrounded by people again, and Inko didn’t want to wear Izuku out before they finished exploring the aquarium.
I liked the p e n g u i n s. They’re cool. They swim fast too! Inko smiled at the bright grin on Shouto’s face. It was nice to see Shouto with such a carefree expression. She’d missed seeing his happy smile, which had all but disappeared after the awful incident in December. Izuku’s smile had disappeared for a while too, but as he had always had a happy disposition, he’d started giving hesitant smiles a few weeks ago, before finally returning to his mostly cheerful mood a week after returning home. Shouto had been much more withdrawn, which was understandable.
“Yes, the penguins are very nice. Would you like to go swimming sometime, just like the penguins when the weather gets warmer?” Shouto nodded eagerly as he took another bite of his salmon onigiri. Inko wiped at his mouth with a napkin, as there was some rice stuck to his chin, and gently bopped his nose when she finished.
“Let’s not save our rice for later, Sho-kun.” Shoto smiled and took another bite, his eyes crinkling slightly as he grinned.
“What about you, Izu? What did you like?” Izuku swallowed and excitedly waved one hand around.
Jellyfish! But I really want to see the seals. Can we go there next? Inko nodded and looked over to Fuyumi and Natsuo, the latter having already finished his onigiri and was looking hopefully over at Inko. Inko just smiled and handed Natsuo another one, and he grinned happily, thanking her.
“I also want to see the seals, but I thought the seahorses were cool. What about you, onee-chan?” Fuyumi thought for a moment before she answered.
“I really liked the turtles. And I want to see the rays that are outside. Did you know we can touch them?” Fuyumi looked over at the two five year olds, who had both stopped eating and were looking at her in surprise.
We can touch them? Inko nodded.
“There’s a special pool set up outside that’s shallow, and you can lean over and reach down to pat the rays gently. Only with two fingers though, and only along the top of them. And you have to be gentle, but yes, you can touch them.” Inko, Natsuo, and Fuyumi all laughed when Shouto and Izuku looked at each other, and then back at Inko with wide eyes.
Can we go right now? Inko clucked her tongue at them gently, nodding towards their unfinished onigiris.
“Once you finish lunch, then yes, we can go.” Both Izuku and Shouto finished their onigiris in record time, and were practically bouncing in excitement as they waited for Inko to clean up their trash. Once she finished, Inko smiled and nodded at them, and the two hurried out the doors, followed closely by Natsuo and Fuyumi, giggling in excitement. Inko couldn’t help her own smile and laughter as she hurried after the four excited children, trying and failing to catch up as they dashed off.
----
“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Shouto! Happy birthday to you! Make a wish, Sho!” Shouto looked slightly bemused as he looked down at the cake in front of him. He looked over to Fuyumi, who nodded at the cake.
“Blow out the candles, Sho.” Shouto turned back to the chocolate cake, and stared at it for a moment, before he hesitantly blew in the direction of the candles, and managed to put three of the five out. He looked back up to Inko, who motioned for him to blow again, which he did, putting out the last two candles. Fuyumi and Natsuo cheered, and Izuku joined in on the clapping. Inko smiled and ruffled Shouto’s hair, before plucking the candles out of the cake.
“Alright, while I go cut you all some cake, Fuyu, can you and Natsuo bring out Shouto’s gifts? They’re in the hall closet.” Fuyumi nodded and the two ran off down the hall, soon returning with 4 packages. They set the gifts down on the floor next to the table and sat back down, looking at Shouto expectantly. Shouto just blinked, looking confused. He understood that they were gifts, as he’d experienced Christmas in the Midoriya household, but the thought that they were gifts for him didn’t click in his mind.
Am I supposed to do something? Izuku nodded, pointing down at the presents.
Open them! They’re birthday presents! Shouto’s eyes widened.
They’re mine?
“They’re yours, Sho. It’s your birthday, which means you get presents today. We’re celebrating you today.” Shouto frowned, looking over at his three siblings.
What about everyone else? It’s not fair I only get gifts. Inko just gave him a soft smile as she walked back to the table, carrying several plates of chocolate cake before returning to the kitchen to grab cups of milk.
“It’s your special day, Sho-kun. When it’s Izuku’s birthday, he’ll get his own gifts, and Natsuo will get his own on his birthday, and so on. These are just for you. Go on, open them.” Shouto hesitated again, but at the encouraging nod from Fuyumi, slowly slid off his chair and knelt down by the smallest package. It was soft in his hands, and he slowly tore the brightly colored paper to reveal his own All Might onesie. Shouto’s eyes widened as he looked up at Inko. She just smiled down at him while passing forks to Natsuo, Izuku and Fuyumi.
“You lost the one you were wearing back in December, so I thought you might like a new one that’s all your own, instead of borrowing them from Izu. Now you and Izu can match together at bedtime.” Shouto nodded, looking at the soft fabric in his hands in awe.
Now feeling more confident and enthusiastic, Shouto immediately reached for another package to reveal a boxed lego set. Izuku cheered when he saw it, excited at the prospect of playing legos with Shouto. The other rectangular package turned out to be another lego set, which left Shouto gaping at the large amount of legos he now had in his possession. Shouto turned to Inko and signed a slightly emotional “thank you” at her, to which she just smiled and ruffled his hair again.
“Of course, Sho. You have one more that I think you should open.” The last package was the largest, and Shouto opened it to reveal a plastic bin that was filled with 10 pro hero figures- namely, the 10 figures that he’d lost when Endeavor had blown his room up that night in December, most of which had been gifts from Izuku. Tears suddenly pooled in Shouto’s eyes and he quickly stood and threw himself into Inko’s arms, who just plucked him up and gently rubbed his back as he cried. Izuku, Natsuo, and Fuyumi all watched quietly, having stopped eating their cake.
Slowly, Shouto’s tears stemmed and he was left sniffling on Inko’s lap as she sat back down, gently wiping away his tears with a tissue from a box that Fuyumi fetched.
“Okay, love?” Shouto nodded, eyes rimmed red and face slightly puffy, though he didn’t seem upset or disappointed.
I’m okay. Thank you for everything, Auntie. Inko teared up then and hugged Shouto tightly before letting him down on his chair and pushing his plate of cake and a fork in front of him.
“Of course. You’re very welcome. Now have some birthday cake. I think you’ll like it.” Shouto nodded and picked up his fork, taking a modest bite of the cake into his mouth. His eyes lit up and he immediately took another bite, savoring the sweet, delicious cake.
“Good, huh? Auntie is such a good cook.” Shouto nodded eagerly, and Inko flushed slightly.
“Oh you two. Oh that reminds me, Shouto, close your eyes for a second.” Shouto obeyed, wondering what on earth was happening, before his eyes flew open, startled when a cold substance covered his nose. The click of a camera met his surprised look and everyone burst out into laughter. Shouto poked at his nose and found that it had been covered in chocolate frosting, which made him blink. Inko turned her phone around to show him the picture, and Shouto found himself giggling, as his wide eyed stare was rather funny.
“That’s one for the walls.” Shouto felt a light blush surface on his cheeks but he just shrugged and scooped some more cake into his mouth. He’d worry about the embarrassment of the picture later- for now, he had cake to eat.
----
“You two should head up to brush your teeth and go to sleep. Both Izuku and Shouto are in bed.” Fuyumi nodded, a yawn splitting her jaw. Natsuo was already half asleep, and was slightly unsteady on his feet as he tried to stand. Inko just chuckled and helped him stand, before guiding him to the stairs. All four children had been running around after eating cake, as the cake had given them all sugar highs. Inko normally limited the sugar the children normally ate, Unsurprisingly, they’d all had spectacular crashes, and Inko had had to physically carry Izuku and Shouto up to their room, stopping by the bathroom briefly to brush their teeth before quickly changing into pajamas and being tucked into bed. (Inko was thankful that she’d insisted that all four children take showers immediately upon returning home from the aquarium, as they’d all gotten rather messy at the outdoors exhibits. Natsuo was particularly dirty, as he’d nearly fallen into the stingray touch pool after slipping on some water. The quick reflexes and handy quirk of a passerby had saved Natsuo from completely entering the pool, though his hair had gotten drenched.)
“Goodnight, Auntie. Thank you for everything. Love you.” Fuyumi yawned again as she stood, and Inko pressed a kiss against her cheek as she passed.
“Love you too, Fuyu. Sleep well, love.” Fuyumi nodded and waved as she headed up the stairs. Inko stood in the living room for a moment, before she walked up the stairs as well to make one last check on Izuku and Shouto. She knew she was being slightly ridiculous, as she’d just tucked them in, but she just had to make sure that Shouto’s birthday ended perfectly.
Inko carefully peeped in, poking her head around the door, trying to stay as quiet as possible. Izuku was fast asleep, but she could see Shouto’s sleepy eyes blink out at her from his bed.
Auntie? Shouto’s sign was clumsy, a sure sign that he was sleepy and didn’t have good control over his hands.
“Just making sure you’re okay. Need anything?” Inko’s voice was just loud enough for Shouto to hear her, as she didn’t want to wake Izuku. Shouto shook his head, his eyes closing as he drifted off.
No. Thank you, Auntie. Love you. Lots. Inko smiled, feeling emotional as she signed back and whispered.
“Love you too, Sho. So, so much. Goodnight, love.” Inko closed the door behind her gently, heart full and content after one very successful birthday.