Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sound of plastic rustling and crackling underneath struggle. Their legs kicked and kicked as they fought for air. It was dark.. 

The metal against their back was cold. Their first true emotion… they were scared. 

It was a rather normal day for Hero. He had a job at a subway station as a pusher. A pusher is a person who tries to push as many people onto a train as possible. So normal for him was rather busy and chaotic for others who weren’t in that line of work. 

His shoes scraped underneath him as he pressed his back against another, pushing with all of his might for one last person to get in. There were people inside that were packed like sardines. Now being pushed more beyond the real person capacity. Groaning and shuffling could be heard from inside the cart. 

“They are not going to fit!” A man who was buried in the sea of people complained. 

Oh, he was going to make them fit. 

He pushed with all of his might against the man’s back, and squashed him in. 

The train doors closed between their backs, closing Hero from the man. He then promptly fell on his butt. 

Hero let out a long sigh of mostly exhaustion. This was his life now. The breeze of the train passing by behind him. All he could think about is when the next train was going to be. 

Time soon flew by, probably twenty more minutes. His shift was about to end soon. Thank God. Any more hours in that place, Hero probably would’ve died of exhaustion. But it was his job after all so he couldn’t really complain. He knew what he was signing up for. Still it left him with an aching body and sore feet after each shift. But knowing it was his turn to clean. It might run into over time. Hero sighed at the thought. He knew for a fact his lazy ass co workers didn’t clean the lockers in days. Despite knowing they had to empty them every three days. He had the grand key in his hand. A key that could open all of the lockers. 

One by one, he opened the coin lockers that weren’t paid to be used longer. Hero found nothing much out of the ordinary. Just bags, book bags and such. Well, the most strange thing he found inside was a dress on a hanger. Like it was their own personal locker. But besides that, it was just a normal clean up. Hero slammed the last locker close. He had gathered all of the items into a box which he labeled, “紛失したが見つかった” which translated to “Lost but found”. That wasn’t in protocol to do it. In fact, they were supposed to discard all items. But Hero felt like some things might hold value. Despite being in a coin locker. 

It was a normal day at work for Hero. 

That was the truth. Until he heard something. 

It was a faint shuffling noise as he walked by with the Lost and Found box.

Hero turned his head. That was strange. Was he just hearing things? He waited for a moment but nothing happened. He must’ve been. 

Hero just shrugged and went to walk again but it happened once more. “…” 

He set down the box in front of him. He turned to the top left coin locker. It was against protocol to open paid lockers. As it is seen as an invasion of property. Hero, however, wasn’t a one to follow. A bad habit of his. But it could be something alive in there. There was slight hesitation. Hero was certainly going to get in trouble. Hell, even fired but.. his curiosity yet concern was too intense to just walk away. He had the key. All he had to do was open it. So he did. 

What he saw made his body run cold. Hero dropped the key. He reached before putting them in his arms. He swiftly took off the saran wrap around their head. They said stiffly in his arms. Oh God.. oh God no. They.. they were dead.. His eyes watered. That’s what he thought until their small chest started to expand and fall. 

That made him cry in relief. There, in his arms, laid a coin locker baby. 

Chapter Text

A muffled commotion came from inside of a little home that was located in an apartment complex. Hero held out his key before unlocking the door to hear it at its full force. It was his children. 

They ran around like the little rascals they were. Kel, who was supposed to be watching them with the babysitter, wasn’t helping but in fact adding more fuel. He roared, acting like some form of monster. Sally and Mari shrieked into laughter then Kel started to chase them around the couch. 

Hiyori, however, was quite calm as usual. She sat quietly in her spot on the couch, scribbling down something on paper. The babysitter, Angel, was making them lunch at the kitchenette making something pot. From what he could smell was macaroni and cheese with some sort of greens. Hiyori was the first to notice Hero even had entered. 

The little girl turned her head to see behind her, “Oh hey, dad.” Her voice was mousy. Despite that, he could somehow make out she greeted him back home.
That made the others turn to see too. “Dad!” “Bro!” They ran up to hug him but saw something very peculiar in his arms. It was a small bundle. 

“What’s that?” Mari, 6, stared up at Hero. Sally was 4. She had short brown hair with pink bubble ponytail holders. They held her hair up into pigtails. They bounced as she came over. Kel, who was about 10 at the time, snot running down his face came over, standing up on his tippy toes to see what was in his arms. He gasped in delight. His sisters started to pester him on what he had seen. “It’s a baby!” Kel jumped up and down full of joy. That immediately caught Hiyori’s attention. She stood up from her spot to try to catch a glimpse of herself. Sally’s face lit up, “Lemme see! Lemme see!” 

Angel turned down the stove. “A baby?” Her flats clicked underneath her. Her yellow jumper swayed side to side as she walked over. “You want to hold him?” Hero asked. Once it was in her arms, she went to the couch so everyone could see. 

They all peered over each other's shoulders eager to look. 

The baby was bundled up in a small blanket. It wasn’t an infant. However, it couldn’t be older than a few months old. It had their eyes shut close, sleeping peacefully. 

“Aweee!” Sally squealed. She was quickly shushed by Kel. “Shhh!” He placed his finger on his lips. “The baby is sleeping.” 

Mari’s eyes shone so brightly, brimming with curiosity. “Are they a boy or a girl?”

Sally and Kel responded at the same time, “A boy!” “Girl!” They gave each other the stink eye. 

“Now, now. Don’t argue. They’re a boy.” Hero’s eyebrows furrowed upwards. His facial expression was a mixture of worry but not only that exhaustion. 

Angel took note of this, “Come,” She patted next to her on the couch. Hero took up this offer. He sighed back into the couch, outstretching his feet. He’s been on them all day. They were practically howling at that point. 

“Are you okay?” A mousy voice piqued. It was Hiyori. She and Mari were twins. So she was also 6. Hiyori hadn’t spoken since she had greeted him. Hero didn’t think too much of it though. She was simply just a quiet kid. “Yeah..” He rolled his neck as he tried to get the kinks out of his neck. “Don’t worry about me!” Hero forced himself to smile. “Dad is going to be a-okay!” He put up the ‘okay’ sign with his fingers. 

Hiyori didn’t seem to buy it but didn’t press any further. She gave a small, “Okay.” Before going quiet again. 

“Are you keeping him?” Angel turned to Hero. “Um—“ His children cut him off. “Oh pretty please, Papa!” Kel said Hero instead since they were brothers. 

“Oooh! I wanna keep him! I wanna keep him!” Sally placed a hand on her small hands on Hero’s knee, shaking it. Her pigtails bounced up and down. 

Hero let out a soft sigh. 

“How about you let your father rest for a while? He probably had a long day at work.” Angel suggested. That made Sally stop shaking Hero. 

Kel remained peeked over to look at the baby. “Coo!” He put his finger on the baby’s cheek in an attempt to tickle him. However, he remained asleep. 

“He’s so cute.” Mari whispered. Hiyori nodded in agreement. 

Soon the baby woke up. He had wide brown eyes. He stared up at everyone before crying his little heart out. 

Angel and Hero immediately started to coo him. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” She rocked him back and forth. 

That didn’t work. 

Kel made silly faces but that freaked him out. 

That didn’t work. It caused him to scream and cry.

Sally ran to grab a colorful stuffed animal. That didn’t work. He smacked it away. He was having a fit. 

Mari tried to sing him a lullaby but that also didn’t work. He simply screamed over her. 

Hiyori paused for a moment, “Did you feed him?” She asked. 

“Oh!” Hero perked up. “Uh..” He looked around. There was nothing really to— “The food!” Hero got up to the kitchenette. The macaroni was boiling over so were the greens. Angel gasped. She whipped her head. Her short brown hair spun in the direction of her head. 

“Is it okay?” Her voice was drowned over with screams. The response was noodles and water hitting the floor. 

Kel put his hands on his ears. “So loud!” “Just like you!” Sally giggled. Mari laughed also. “Hey!” Kel responded offended. 

Hero turned the stove completely off. The pots still gurgled, bubbling over. He had to stand back so he wouldn’t get burned. 

Once it stopped, he cleaned up the mess on the floor with a mop. 

“I’m so sorry!” Angel apologized. 

“It’s okay!” “We should really give him some food!” Hero looked around. “Macaroni?” He smiled sheepishly at her. Angel gave him a deadpanned look. 

“Really?” 

“What?” Hero smiled sheepishly with his eyebrows furrowed upwards. His shoulder raised up into a shrug.

“Call uh…” Angel started to snap her fingers to spark up her memory. “Call a food bank!” She pointed at him. “They usually have baby formula!” She then went back to trying to calm down the baby. 

Mari went over to the toy box. Hiyori, like her shadow, followed after her. The toys were overflowing. Mainly they came from the free store since Hero didn’t have enough money to buy them everything they wanted. Though, Mari didn’t complain nor did the others. Well, maybe Kel and a little bit of Sally too but it wasn’t too bad. 

Anyways, she started to dig through the sea of toys. Hiyori peered over the box to see what she was looking for.

“A-ha!” She pulled out a plastic tambourine. She went back over to the crying baby and started to shake it. Sure, it didn’t make the nice sounds of a tambourine since it was made of plastic but nonetheless it made a rattling noise. 

The baby opened his eyes filled with the brim of tears. He stared absolutely puzzled at what he was looking at and hearing. It made his screaming come to a halt. 

“He likes it!” Kel glowed with glee. “Hooray! Hooray!” Sally threw her arms in the air. “Do you want it?” Mari placed the tambourine into the baby’s hands. He grabbed onto it but he wasn’t strong enough to hold it. So it fell onto his forehead. There was a delay before he started to cry again.

Hero had just hung up the phone with the food bank. He stuffed his phone in his pocket. “Are there any other places for baby formula?” Angel thought for a moment. “Maybe…” She shook her head. “Not sure.” “I’ll check the stores.” He followed with,  “Angel, can you watch them for a little bit longer?” 

Angel nodded, “I don’t mind. Now go get that formula.” She shooed him off. 

Then Hero went out the door. 

Kel let out a scream. Maybe if he could out scream the baby maybe then he’d stop. That only made him more upset. The baby thrashed about.

“Kel!” They all shouted in unison. “What?” He shrugged. Sally hit Kel in response. “It isn’t working…” Hiyori added quietly. “Why would you think that would work?” Angel cradled the baby. 

He simply shrugged in response. 

“Dummy!” Sally commented, hitting him again. Kel went to say something but Mari cut him off. “Yes, Kel is a dummy but—“ “Hey!” Kel exclaimed as he hit Mari. That caused Hiyori to hit Kel. Which started a chain reaction of everyone hitting each other.

“Hey…” Angel’s voice drowned out from their bickering. “Hey.” This time more firm but no avail. “HEY!” She stomped her foot on the ground. That caused them to look over at her. Angel looked not angry. No. More of the lines of just pure irritation. 

It wasn’t anything new in the Ikari household but she couldn’t help but get frustrated from time to time. Angel was only human after all. 

“Stop fighting with each other!”

“She started!” “Well, you—“ It created another fight. This time more verbally than physical.

Hearing the baby cry and them fighting made her even more annoyed than anything. “You all fighting isn’t going to solve anything! Nor help the baby!” 

“Hmph!” Kel and Sally turned their backs towards each other. 

This was going to be a long day…

Soon, Hero came back with the baby formula and checked the temperature of milk before feeding it to the baby. The baby in response ate happily.

A wave of relief fell on everyone’s shoulders. “Man…” Angel yawned as she held the bottle for him. 

Hiyori sat down with the babysitter, looking down at the baby. “What’s his name?” There was a pause. 

“Good question.” Angel replied.

“How about we named him?” Mari suggested. Sally squealed in delight. Kel’s eyes were filled with stars. They all looked at Hero if they could.

Hero leaned his hands on the couch as he stood behind it. “Sure we can.” “Yes!” 

“What about Michael?” Mari was first on the bat with a name. She thought there needed to be more names in the house that started with M. “Nahhh!” Kel said rather obnoxiously. “What about… uh..” He sniffled his runny nose, “Charles?” 

Sally blankly stared at him, “Really? Charles?” She put her little hands on her hips. “What? Charles is a very nice name.” “Sure, but I like Elliot more—” “That’s stupid.” Kel cut her off. “You’re stupid!” “Guys…” Angel groaned.

“..ny..” Hiyori uttered something softly.

Hero looked down at her, “What was that?” “Sunny.” She repeated but this time ever so slightly louder. 

“Sunny?” Kel and Sally looked at each other. “That’s such a nice name, Hiyori!” Angel smiled. Mari nodded in agreement. 

Hero, in response, gave her a head rub. 

“So we’re all in agreement to call him Sunny until he finds a home?” Hero questioned. “Yeah!” Sally threw her hands in the air. “Mhm. It’s so pretty.” Mari replied. Kel crossed his arms, mumbling, “I still like the name Charles though..” Sally stomped on his foot. “OUCH!” He held his foot in pain, hopping backwards. 

“Sally!” Hero called out to her.