Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Like many things, the soulmarks began with the rise of quirks. Although this time was a sort of dark age with few records, the few that lingered gave credence to the theory that soulmarks were an intergenerational byproduct of a quirk. In a time before regulation, when quirk use was rampant and unpredictable, an individual with a quirk called Spirit Animal began to “infect” others. Unlike most quirks, the effects of this one passed from parent to child and by the time the dark ages had ended, the majority of the world had a soul animal marking.

The quirk was theorized to work much like a virus, mutating as it spread. Another theory was that it was not the effect of Spirit Animal (the individual’s name long lost to time), but rather their offspring – a quirk that developed from Spirit Animal and a quirk similar to one called Red String of Fate. Regardless, inside of simply having their own soul animal prowling or swimming along their skin – a visual representation of their innate demeanor - people also developed marks for those most important to them. It was not unusual for small children to have three or four marks and adults ten or more. Anthropologists who study the phenomenon have developed a sort of guide to understanding the bond between souls – romantic, parental, platonic – based on the location the mark formed. Mothers would become aware of their pregnancy now not by a missed menstrual cycle, but by an amorphous color on their wrist. Ideal romantic partners would appear over one’s heart, though these are the least common of marks; only around 70% of the world’s population has one. Parental soulmarks would appear along the shoulders of the child; these have become some of the most controversial as there were times when the marks of a child did not match those of their parents. The least predictable was that of platonic soul marks – once formed by a close bond, they do not disappear regardless of the state of the relationship down the line.

Soul animal markings were animate – they behaved in a way that mimicked the emotions and behaviors of their person. This is on a far more limited scale and as of yet, no research has shown that people can detect more information about their soulmates than what can be gleaned from an animal’s behavior. Indeed, anthropologists and zoologists have begun to work closely together to publish guides for animal behavior as they relate to soulmarks to help people understand when their soulmates are joyful or seeking comfort (during which time their soulmates’ marks will typically respond, regardless of an individual’s awareness of the other). Despite the amount of attention and research on the subject, there is much uncertainty about the origins or meanings of the tiny creatures that have adorned human’s skin for the last few generations.

The first clue for Inko was the slowly growing green dot on her wrist. Still shapeless, the tattoo grew alongside her stomach, a sign of the soul she carried within. She and her friend Masaru, whose wife was also expecting, would venture guesses about the shape the blobs would make once the children were born. Inko’s soulmark, a badger, would often be found laying beside the mark on her wrist or visiting with the crane and porcupine that represented her best friend and his wife.

Katsuki was born with a voice rivaling a banshee. Inko aided Masaru in the tradition of capturing pictures of the boy’s initial soulmarks; the location a soulmark formed very often suggested the type of relationship the two would have. Mitsuki grouched at her husband from the bed, “Check everywhere. I wouldn’t put it past our brat to have hidden one of them.” She cackled when the brunet gave an exasperated, but fond sigh. Masaru carefully held the red-faced infant to his chest, allowing Inko to photograph the crane and porcupine on his left shoulder and her own animal on the right. They checked for other creatures (signs of older familial or romantic bonds), but, aside from the boy’s own baby jackal, there were none.

Months passed from that bright April day. Inko’s husband had reluctantly left the country on business at the tail end of June, and just over two weeks later, Inko was rushed to the hospital in unbearable heat as the labor process began. Mitsuki coached her through the agonizing pain, leaving Masaru to manage the blond baby. Once her breathing slowed, once the baby’s pictures taken, once her tiny little boy was in her arms, she marveled at the sight of her badger curled around a baby bunny.

Masaru smiled at her. “He has quite the menagerie already, Inko.”

She let out a wet laugh. “My little baby is going to be so loved.” She cooed over the child, kissed the green fluff that graced his head, and missed the way the couple exchanged worried looks; neither was willing to mention Hisashi’s snake was nowhere to be found on the boy’s body. Instead, they pointed out how mobile his other animals already were – the shaggy lion stalking around his ankle and panther prowling near his collarbone. The two felines were of drastically different ages; the lion was clearly much older than even the badger or crane or porcupine that graced his skin, and the panther was not yet fully grown.

In October, the two families were enjoying a picnic lunch. Masaru went to change the boy’s diaper and called to his wife and friend. “Suki, look! When I lifted up his onesie, I noticed a new animal by his heart. Our boy’s soulmate must have been born!” Pride filled their eyes and they shifted around so Inko could see the pinecone-like pangolin that rested near the blond’s heart. While soulmarks didn’t leave any sensations, the baby giggled and grabbed at his arm where his jackal stalking to the pangolin so that he could carry it to his favorite resting spot on the boy’s hip.

November came and brought Hisashi home with it. The man fawned over his son, only to receive a harsh yank on his hair from the tiny, inquisitive child. Even through the wince, both he and Inko chuckled at the boy’s behavior. The father was not planning to leave on another trip until February, aside from a weekend here or there. He was happy to be exhausted from caring for his infant son instead of from mindlessly filling in paperwork.

December passed in a rush of lights and snow and the new year welcomed the two families with swiftly growing boys. Katsuki was getting into everything, crawling around to explore, and screaming furiously when something was taken away from him. He was after his All Might ball when his attention was stolen by his friend and he started to grab on Izuku’s clothes, causing the boy to cry out. Inko gasped when she removed the tightly balled fist from her son’s shirt. “Oh, look! His soulmate must have been born!” A small red panda lay by his heart, quickly joined by Izuku’s bunny and his soulmate’s panther. A distant part of her considered that his romantic soulmate would share a familial soulmate with him, but she was quickly torn from any contemplations with a startling (though painless) slap to the face. Her attention returned firmly to five-month-old in her arms.

Shouta Aizawa was changing in the locker room after an intense hero class when his friends noticed a new animal on his shoulder. A tiny green bunny joined the small purple kitten that rested there, new familial soulmates and most likely in a parental capacity. “Oh, Shou, it’s so cute! A little bunny to join your little kitty.” Shouta’s panther joined the two animals, lifting the kitten by the scruff of its neck when it started batting at the bunny. “Already parenting.”

“I’m not sure why you’re so excited – it’s not your mark.” He pulled on his uniform shirt and began to button it. “Besides, we don’t want to be late for class.”

A lanky arm was slung over his shoulder, eliciting a disgruntled sigh from the teen. “I just think it’s sweet!” The blond pouted. “And unfair! Why do you get another when I don’t?” The same kitten that had inspected the bunny slunk around Hizashi’s wrist.

“I don’t have any and you don’t see me complaining!” Oboro’s words rung with joy and his cardinal flitted around all three of their bodies. “Besides, it’s not like it’s common at our age. Shouta is just special!” He had sped ahead of them, walking backward to chat.

“Yeah, but we’re soul partners! Wouldn’t it make sense to show up on both of us like the kitten?”

“Maybe, but that’s the future! A lot could happen between now and then.” The chattering continued around Aizawa, who contemplated his boyfriend’s words. Several months later, to Hizashi’s extreme joy, a red panda would join their kitten.

Yagi didn’t have many soulmarks. This wasn’t a concern for him; it wasn’t safe to be connected to the Symbol of Peace. He had a frozen one for his late mother and a frozen one for his late mentor. He had one platonic mark for his dear friend David and, a recent addition, his daughter Melissa. Even at his age of thirty, he hadn’t developed a romantic bond. It was just as well, in his mind.

As it was, the man kept most of his skin covered. His costume was carefully designed to hide any potential soulmarks, leaving only his face exposed since soul animals almost never ventured into that territory. Even when relaxing, he found he preferred long sleeves and full-length pants to t-shirts and shorts. Because of this, it took him longer than expected to find his lion grooming a green bunny kit. “Well, who are you?” He mused aloud, sleeve pushed up to scratch an itch and reveal this new information. He didn’t have time to dwell; his phone pinged with a reminder that he needed to complete paperwork before midnight.

Rei Todoroki often glanced at her soulmarks; her own beluga often swam with her daughter’s manatee. Her eldest son’s wolverine often stalked Natsuo’s swan, playfully fighting with the aggressive bird. She rubbed at the growing red dot on her wrist; her youngest child, the one she prayed would be the answer to Enji’s ridiculous goal and desperately hoped it would not.

Rei’s skin was far more engaging than the desolate house that the family lived in. Across her skin, creatures would play and dance – she could imagine the cheerful noises they’d make if they could; around the house, children crept from room to room with grave faces. There were few moments for these children to be children, and for their sake, she hoped this one would be the last. As she did for the others, each night that she laid in her lonely room she would whisper hopes and dreams to her unborn child. “Please, let my baby be loved. Let their skin writhe with joyful critters. Let them be strong; strong enough to withstand the extremes of our world.”

Chapter Text

By the time the boys had turned four, Izuku had Kacchan’s jackal racing about his skin. They were each other’s only platonic soulmarks, something that made Izuku’s chest swell with pride. He often watched the jackal and rabbit play, though there were times the jackal would nip at the bunny as if to warn it to stay away. Izuku understood, though. Sometimes Kacchan didn’t want other people around.

One day on the playground, Katsuki started to pop small explosions from his palms, rendering Izuku and their classmates speechless. The green-haired boy was in awe of his friend even more, which was reflected on their skin with the bunny always following the jackal around. After all, Kacchan was amazing!

The thing about soulmarks is that once you’ve gotten one, they don’t go away. Katsuki’s jackal became more aggressive to the rabbit that chased it, much like how the boy began to tease or yell at Izuku. It was during these times that Izuku’s panther, lion, and badger would appear to comfort him. No matter how happy his parental soulmates made him, Izuku wanted his friend back. The longer it took for his quirk to appear, the less involved he was with the other kids. Izuku slowly moved back and forth on the empty swing set, watching the other kids play; this time, instead of being proud of being the only platonic mark on Katsuki’s skin, he thought it looked lonely.

Then came the diagnosis and with it, the vocal rejection of his peers. However, Izuku was a stubborn little boy. He continued to chase after his friend, determined to become the hero duo they talked about, determined to change the destiny placed upon him after being declared quirkless. Less than 48 hours after the life-altering doctor’s appointment, he watched from his bedroom doorway as his father packed his bags once again and wondered where his dad’s business was this time.

“Hisashi, please!” Inko pleaded.

“Why should I stay? The brat doesn’t have my snake on him, and he’s quirkless for goodness’ sake!” The man’s voice was filled with ire but quiet; both adults assumed Izuku was sound asleep.

“And what about us?” Tears dripped down the young woman’s face.

“When was the last time you thought about us, Inko?” The man’s voice sounded hollow. “I can count how many times we’ve had a night to ourselves since the kid was born. I tried to ignore the fact that you’ve been distant, since the boy is distant. I tried to justify why we haven’t had a date in nearly two years.” He ran his hand through disheveled hair. “I’m tired, Inko. This diagnosis will only cause problems, and I don’t have the energy to deal with them.”

“But…”

He cut her off. “I’ll send child support. And I will miss you, Inko.” He paused, continuing with a murmur, “I have for the last few years.” These were Izuku’s father’s parting words, not sparing one good-bye for his kid. Inko, who had stared after her leaving husband, had turned from the facing the front door and caught sight of her wide-eyed child.

“Oh, Izuku!” She rushed forward and cradled him in her arms. “We’re going to be okay. Aren’t we?” Izuku was silent, watching as the snake that often coiled itself around his mother’s badger isolated itself, slithering into spaces that others would avoid. She led him back to his bed and lay beside him, running her hands through his wild curls. She would wake in the morning with a throbbing back and a throbbing heart, but she refused to let herself feel despair. She looked into the peaceful face of her child, soft and worry-free in sleep, and resolved to give him the life he deserved. She let the minutes flow past her in a turgid stream of time, watching the rise and fall of his chest and the group of animals cuddling him and thanking the heavens that her boy would have so many people to care for him.

Inko kept Izuku home from preschool that following day. After waking up, she helped him climb a chair to mix batter for pancakes. The radio blasted an upbeat song, and Izuku wiggled along to it, careful not to fall off the chair. Inko let out a twinkling laugh and dabbed some batter to the freckled nose. “Momma!” He squealed and scrunched his face up tightly, rubbing at his nose to remove the offending batter.

The day was bright and somewhat chilly, the epitome of a pleasant November day. Izuku accompanied his mother while she ran errands. He cheerfully greeted the shopkeepers and cashiers at the stores they stopped in, leaving smiles in his wake. It was nearing lunchtime, and Izuku was sucking on the lollipop the person at the post office gave him, lost in his own head and muttering about the many quirks he had seen. He stumbled, nearly falling into traffic, if it weren’t for a strong hand with quick reflexes.

“Are you okay?” The dark-haired stranger asked the boy, who nodded solemnly. “That’s good. Be careful, okay?” Nodding again, Izuku grabbed his mother’s hand, who thanked the young adult profusely, much to his chagrin. Izuku lamented the loss of his candy, but it was soon out of mind as his mother tugged him along to a café.

Yagi strode down the street on his way to visit his alma mater for a guest talk. The people parted before him on the crowded streets, some in admiration of his position as number one hero, others in intimidation of his large stature. He passed by a café, not noticing the tiny green child vibrating at the window, pointing animatedly, and gawking at his passing.

The blond had considered allowing himself to blend into the crowd. While he was still extraordinarily tall outside of his All Might persona, his muscles looked far more natural – toned instead of bulky. Yet, he knew that appearing here and there, broad shouldered and hulking, was a deterrent for criminals. Even rumors of him in an area would help quell nefarious behavior for a little while; a confirmed sighting would have an even more significant impact.

He good-naturedly waved and greeted those brave enough to approach him. A crowd flocked to his presence, clogging the sidewalks with civilians and slowing foot traffic. All the while, he smiled and waved whilst reviewing his speech in his head. The faces all blurred together around him. After so many years in the spotlight, he was able to project his persona perfectly on the outside while the inside pulsed with an array of thoughts.

Shouta was on his way to lunch with Hizashi when a small child nearly fell into oncoming traffic. Before he processed what he was doing, his hand was gripping the boy’s arm and stabilizing him. Wide viridian eyes stared up at him, and he crouched down. “Are you okay?” He spoke softly, trying not to frighten the child. At the boy’s nod, he let out a relieved sigh. “That’s good. Be careful, okay?”

The shy boy grabbed a woman’s hand. The woman was teary-eyed as she repeatedly thanked him. “We were just on our way to the café down the street. If you would like, I’d love to buy you a coffee or something as a thank you.”

Shouta awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, feeling a bit naked without his capture weapon. “It’s alright. I’m on my way to lunch now, anyway.” It took several more platitudes before he was able to escape through the increasingly crowded streets. Hizashi, when told why exactly he had been running late, thought it was hysterical and sweet. Still, through the laughing and teasing, the blond’s eyes shone with admiration and love.

Shouta sipped at his coffee as the blond settled down. The life-giving fuel spread warmth throughout his body. He allowed himself to close his eyes and take in the moment, focusing on the sweet scents that soothed his soul and the white noise of a coffee shop. His eyes fluttered open when a cool hand covered his. “What do you want to do tomorrow, babe? You never did tell me.”

Shouta groaned. “I was hoping you’d forget.”

Hizashi gave an exaggerated gasp and grasped at his chest. “Me? Forget your birthday? I would never!” The blond winked at him.

“I don’t know, Hizashi. I don’t want to do anything much. It’s just a birthday.” Shouta ignored the thought of his last birthday that pounded against the door of repressed memories. If he pretended the entire day didn’t exist, then maybe things would be better.

“I still want to celebrate you.” The voice hero pouted. “What if we just have a date at the new cat café? Just us. You’re turning nineteen!” Shouta rolled his eyes before huffing out an agreement, hiding a slight smile behind the rim of his cup when his soulmate beamed at him. Hizashi wouldn’t let him hit rock bottom again, he thought as the vise on his heart loosened.

The following day, Izuku returned to preschool so his mother could begin to look for a fulltime job. She had been helping out part-time at a local convenience shop, but without Hizashi’s steady paycheck, she would need something more to provide for her family of two. Inko dressed smartly and after she dropped her son off at school and said hello to Katsuki, she rolled back her shoulders and set off, determined to have at least an interview before the day was over.

Kacchan waved to his aunt while he was rushed by Izuku. The little boy wanted to tell his friend all about his day off, but the blond shoved him away. Izuku stumbled but caught himself before he fell to the floor. The teacher shook her head at him. “Be careful, Midoriya! You could get hurt.” Nothing was said to his tormenter.

No one asked him about his day off; many didn’t seem to even notice he hadn’t been there the previous day. During art time, he thought about how sad his mommy was the other night. His face settled to a determined smile; he would make her something that would make her happy and then she wouldn’t be sad anymore! He got to work with his crayons, working very hard to draw a badger and a bunny like the ones on his skin. He even had the teacher write “I love you” on it for him, since he was still learning and Kacchan wouldn’t help. With his masterpiece safely tucked into his bag, he rushed to try and play heroes with Kacchan and the other kids.

Across town, the bell above the door of Cats & Coffee jingled, announcing the presence of a rather grumpy birthday boy and his eager partner. After ordering and paying for their treats, the blond worked to find the ravenet. His eyes scoured the room, finally landing on a cat-covered lump. He soon discovered that the lump was fast asleep, exhaustion remaining from a late patrol.

Shouta grumbled when several cats jumped off of him. He cracked one eye open to see the smiling face of his angel, who held out a steaming mug of coffee. He accepted the peace offering, shifting to lean against the man as carefully as possible to not lose any more feline companions. He took a large sip. “Thank you.”

“Of course, Shou! It’s called Cats & Coffee for a reason.” He winked when his boyfriend groaned at his terrible joke. Hizashi broke into a spiel about his idea for his next podcast episode and how a local radio station was willing to allow him to intern there, which could potentially lead to a job. It would be one step closer to reaching his goal of having his own radio show. Shouta interjected occasionally, offering his input, suggestions, and encouragements. He was content to remain in the shadows, but he knew how much the other desired this and would support the man with everything he could. This meant that their small two-bedroom apartment had one room dedicated to a recording studio, carefully padded to reduce noise (though so was much of the rest of their apartment). Shouta would spend hours sitting in their living room while Hizashi showed him new playlists and show topics.

They remained wrapped in their own little world, interrupted only when the pieces of cake were ready to be eaten. They moved from the padded ground to a table in an attempt to reduce the likelihood of a cat catastrophe with the food. Before he could take a bite, Hizashi leaned across the table and pecked him on the lips.  “Happy birthday.” Shouta ducked his head with a blush and reluctantly accepted the bite his partner offered to feed him, embarrassment radiating off his body.

Rei watched with tears in her eyes as her eldest child stormed off, her youngest dragged into a training room, and her middle two staring wide-eyed at what they had just seen. She had worked hard to delay her husband’s discovery not only of his quirk, but the parental and romantic soulmates already painting his skin. She was relieved to find her mark on all four of her children; the fact that several had other parental marks was no discouragement. She knew she was a failure of a mother, but her husband – a man with nearly clear skin, was that much worse. Her bond with him was platonic, a faint reminder of the brief time they were happy together.

Rei straightened her back. “Fuyumi, Natsuo, dears, would you please start washing and peeling the vegetables for dinner? I’ll go check on your brother.” With resolve in each step, she followed the lingering scent of smoke to the barren bedroom of her eldest child.

“Go. Away.”

“Touya.”

“Are you really just going to let him do this? Toss us each aside when he gets a newer toy? One that finally does what he wants? Destroy another child?” The eleven-year-old hissed at her, venom coating in word and echoing the same thoughts that ran through her mind on the daily. What kind of mother am I? I can’t even help my own kids. She looked down in shame and turned tail.

Izuku and his mother decided to spend his fifth birthday at a nice playground across town. Katsuki was begrudgingly present, his parents lavishing the younger boy with attention and gifts. Still, even with the new toys, Kacchan refused to play with Izuku, leaving the boy to play alone near the big slide. His new Gang Orca figure was going up against an unnamed villain, represented by a stick he had found.

“Take that, you big villain!” Gang Orca punched the wooden villain with a battle-ending blow. Izuku made a fake deep voice. “Oh no! Not a hero!” The stick fell to the ground in defeat, and Izuku giggled.

“You’re playing heroes and villains.” The almost question came from a purple-haired boy his age, scrawny and bruised.

“Do you want to play with me?” Excitement built in the green eyes that stared up at the other child.

“You want to play with me.” Another almost-question, but Izuku just barreled ahead.

“Of course! We can take turns being heroes!” The unknown child blinked in confused at the brilliant smile he was given. “I’m Midoriya Izuku! What’s your name?”

“Shinsou Hitoshi.” He ungracefully sat in the shaded space and accepted the long-worn All Might figurine handed to him. “I… I don’t really know how to play.”

“Do you like heroes?” He nodded. “We just pretend that one of us is a hero and the other is a villain and the villain is attacking somewhere and the hero comes in like BAM! and beats the villain to save the day.” He illustrated his speech with wild arm movements. Midoriya allowed the other boy to play hero first, and the two played contentedly for over fifteen minutes. “Do you have a favorite hero, Shinsou?”

“He’s not really well-known.” The boy frowned at the figure in his hand. “No one believes me when I tell them about him.”

“I’ll believe you!” His violet eyes met eager green ones practically in his face. He startled back a little.

“His name’s Eraserhead. He’s an Underground hero… He sometimes comes into my neighborhood.”

“That’s so cool! I love All Might, but all heroes are amazing! I only know of one Underground one, but that’s so awesome! And you got to see him in action?” The embarrassed child nodded and told him about the time that Eraserhead stopped a guy from robbing the convenience store across from his home.

The fun between these two would have continued if Bakugo hadn’t gotten frustrated that Izuku wasn’t paying attention to him for so long. He huffed as he hunted down the quirkless boy. When Izuku saw the explosive boy coming over, he started talking so fast that his companion could barely keep up. “Oh, no. Kacchan’s coming, and he looks mad! You might want to leave before he gets over here…” Izuku stood and shuffled his red shoes. “I liked playing with you.”

“Oi, Deku! What kind of lame games are you playing?” His tone made the purple haired boy flinch before meeting understanding eyes, turning around, and running off. Kacchan berated him the entire way back to their waiting parents.

Katsuki turned six right before the boys started elementary school. Their parents wept as they took pictures of the boys in their new clothes standing outside the gate of Aldera Elementary School. The two made their way to the classroom they would be sharing. The school loomed over Izuku, even as his excitement built. He was finally going to a real school! He would learn to be smart like Kacchan!

The desks were lined up in rows, each labeled with a name. Midoriya frowned when he saw how far away he was from his blond classmate, but when they went syllabically, it couldn’t be helped. Kacchan was near the front, and Izuku was all the way in the back. He carefully hung his new backpack and took out the All Might pencil case he had picked out the previous week. He swung his legs, kicking back and forth to try and contain his excitement. He eyed his friend, confidently sitting at his desk, watching the numerous students enter. There were several from their preschool, but many more joined the class that Izuku couldn’t recognize.

A tall, stern man entered the room. Izuku scrambled with the other kids to greet their new teacher. They followed him quietly to the orientation, before returning to class to begin to get to know one another. Izuku, in his excitement to make new friends and learn about new quirks, didn’t consider how others would react to him being quirkless.

“Children, it’s incredibly uncommon for people to be quirkless. It’s because their bodies are not fully developed. People who are quirkless are weaker and less smart than the rest of us. So, make sure you treat Midoriya gently, he won’t be able to handle a lot of what you can.” He waited for the class to vocalize their understanding before moving forward. Some of the kids, including Bakugo, had laughed when they heard about how the quirkless are lesser. Izuku shrunk in his seat, embarrassed to be the topic of mockery.

Each day that week, their teacher reminded the students about how fragile Midoriya was. It seemed to be the first thing mentioned during the day, even before their Japanese lessons or math lessons. Each day, this drew derisive comments from his peers. Young brains soak up information like sponges, especially from authority figures. Their teacher had to be right. When Izuku tripped while running during gym class, he was made to sit out the rest of the time. “We shouldn’t have tried to have you participate in the first place. You won’t be able to keep up.” He watched mournfully as his classmates played games that looked like fun, but he was told he needed to stay where he was and practice his writing, since it would take him longer to learn it than it would the other kids. This first week set the precedent for his elementary school career.

Izuku began dreading school. As excited as he had been, he was devasted. He loved to learn; he spent most of his time on his computer, learning more and more about heroes. His writing and reading abilities rapidly increased through his decision to analyze heroes and their quirks. But his teacher refused to give him assignments that were as challenging as his peers and laughed coldly at him when he asked for something more difficult. His spirits lowered each day he attended, drudging to school each morning and slumping home each afternoon.

Inko had no idea how bad things were for her son. With him in school, she was able to take classes herself and was on her way to becoming a CNA. Her evenings with her boy consisted of cooking dinner, reading with him a little or watching TV, putting him to bed, and doing homework before passing out herself. She pushed herself, taking more classes at once than recommended, relying on Hisashi’s income to pay for their apartment and groceries. When he learned of her desire to go back to school, to get a better job, he willingly increased his monthly support payments and encouraged her to follow her heart in the matter. Still, each night she caressed her son’s curls, guilt swirled around her gut.

Izuku discovered hero forums when he was nearly seven. He already relied on the internet to keep up with his classmates, since his teacher refused to believe he was capable of more than the average four-year-old. His typing skills were far beyond that of his peers, though his writing lagged behind. It was difficult to learn his hiragana and katakana from the internet and make sure that he wasn’t making mistakes with the figures. His mom helped when she could, and when he had to stay with Kacchan on occasion, Auntie and Uncle would help him and he could sneak through Kacchan’s old work. Still, lurking on the hero forums helped increase his vocabulary exponentially. He had his mom help him make an account, MightyBoyGreen. He didn’t post a lot but would occasionally ask questions of the other members. He discovered that they were a wealth of information and began to befriend a few users. These forums were also where he learned about forums for the quirkless, an area of the web he quickly migrated to. Without these forums, he may not have managed to make it through his first years of elementary school.

Hitoshi was a bright child. Even from infancy his mental abilities outpaced others. He theorized it was because he had a mental quirk. That was also probably why he had an “untamable mane of hair” according to his mom.

His mom was his hero. She could make him smile and laugh at any time and would always sing or read to him. Mama didn’t talk about it, but she was originally going to be a singer. Her quirk allowed her to relax people by singing. But then she got pregnant and devoted all her time to him.

They shared a room in a two-bedroom apartment; an older woman named Miku lived in the other. They didn’t have much. Hitoshi knew they were poor. They could fit all their combined belongings into a suitcase and backpack. His mama always worked. She barely made enough to get by, but she was saving for Hitoshi’s future. The two frequented the library when they could and when she was busy, he would find playgrounds to explore.

He met a kind boy at one playground shortly after his fifth birthday. His mama had gotten him a cupcake and stuffed cat – black – and she had made it a little scarf and goggles. They dubbed it Erasercat, after one of the few heroes that patrolled their neighborhood. It was his prized possession.

Hitoshi was six when his life fell apart. His kind, loving mother was killed in a villain attack at work. It was late, and he should have been asleep, but even at his young age he was plagued by insomnia. He heard Miku answer a knock on the door, heard the police officers break the news, and heard them tell her that a social worker would come and get him in the morning.

He heard them talk about him in a detached manner. They discussed his quirk in low voices, hushed fears. Miku told them about Hitoshi’s father – a music producer with a charisma quirk who seduced and dropped a teenage girl. He heard them mention a foster that specialized in difficult quirks, which he knew was the polite way to say villainous. One asked if they already owned a muzzle, and Hitoshi made up his mind.

Heart pounding and tears streaming down his face, the child got to work as quietly as possible. He crept around the room, gathering his clothes as well as his mother’s to pack into their suitcase. He carefully removed drawings and pictures from the wall to stash in the photo album his mother had of the two of them. The boy worked quickly and efficiently to add his pillow and sleeping bag to the luggage.

When he was positive his neighbor was asleep, he slunk to the shared bathroom to get his soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, and his mom’s perfume. He filled his backpack with as much of their food as he could, leaving anything perishable.

Hitoshi glanced around the empty room, the only home he could remember, before silently shutting the door. He pulled on his coat and shoes, slipping out the front door to begin his new life. Dawn was barely breaking over the trees and rooftops.

Around two years before he was born, a neighborhood that separated the good side of town from the bad was nearly demolished in a fight. The villain had some sort of acid quirk and most of the homes were damaged by it. Those that weren’t had been subjected to the wind from the hero blowing out windows and uprooting smaller trees. It had been abandoned since, aside from the occasional squatters. Police would chase them out every week or so, protecting the divide of city quality.

It was this neighborhood he was walking to. Unstable as it may be, it was shelter and relatively safe. The liminal status of this space deterred the worst of criminals. Hitoshi walked deep into this area before selecting a relatively put together building that seemed empty of other squatters.

He made his way to a small room on the second floor that overlooked the front. He let himself relax at last, unrolled his sleeping bag, and slept through the late morning and early afternoon. He awoke to a thud and curse from down the hall and crept to peek out the door. He wasn’t afraid to share the building if the other person was okay and he wasn’t afraid to use his quirk to make a bad person leave.

Shouta stumbled into his apartment, fumbling with the lights and removing his boots. He winced with each movement, pain radiating from the wound in his side. He pulled himself to the kitchen so he could grab the first aid kit stored there and a bottle of sake. After a night like he had experienced, it was the closest thing to comfort he could manage. He hissed while he cleaned the wound. A voice that sounded suspiciously like his soulmate’s sounded in his head that he should have accepted the offer of a ride to the hospital.

He begrudgingly got off the couch and dropped his bloodstained costume into the laundry basket specifically designated for their work clothes. He sat on the edge of their bed, sake in hand, and dropped his head to his chest. He took a deep, shuddering breath while his eyes burned with the urge to cry. He knew going into heroics, especially underground heroics, that he would see some horrific things. Knowing that and witnessing it were two separate things.

A hollow darkness spread through his body, a familiar nemesis revisiting. His reddened eyes took in his panther comforting his three soul-children. He cursed. How am I supposed to take care of them? I can barely take care of myself. He scoffed and scooted back on the bed, sinking into cold blankets. When was the last time Hizashi was home? The dark-haired man was proud of his soulmate for finally getting his radio station up and going, but between that and their opposite patrol schedules, they hadn’t seen one another for more than a few minutes at a time in what felt like ages.

The bitter feeling fueled the darkness within him. He continued to watch his soulmarks, but it didn’t take long for his eyes to settle on a frozen cardinal. Ice spread through his chest. He wasn’t fast enough then, and he wasn’t fast enough now. He drained the bottle he had brought to bed with him and laughed cynically. In what universe was he capable of being a good soulmate to as many as graced his skin? He failed one already. The degrading thoughts swirled around his head like a tornado, leaving disastrous damage in its wake and ripping open repressed memories. He fell asleep to the chants of his childhood. Villain. Useless. Waste of Space. Undeserving. Unworthy. Unwanted. Unwanted. Unwanted.

Hizashi returned in the dawning hour of the day. His heart was light, filled with delight at discussions with his callers and the ability to play his favorite songs all through the night. It was exhausting and fulfilling, and he wondered if he would ever not feel exhilarated at the end of a shift. His drooping eyes took in the open first aid kit, blood droplets, and empty sake bottle in the living room, and his smile vanished. “Oh, Shou.” His heart dropped further when he saw the man lying in their bed in a restless sleep. The blond changed and climbed next to his soulmate, kissing his forehead and murmuring reassurances.

Yagi internally groaned at the banquet he attended; an occasion more suited to the celebrities that graced the red carpet than heroes who wanted to get work done. Still, with the rising conflation between the two occupations, he was forced to give his signature smile at the myriad of flashing cameras. He towered over most of the attendees, making it nearly impossible to fade into the crowd, even if he status as the number one hero allowed it.

Finally inside the venue, he slowly made his way to the buffet of snacks laid out for the pre-dinner socializing. It seemed with each step he took, a new person appeared at his side to talk. There were some he knew from various events and fundraisers, others he knew from their involvement in the heroics industry, and others he did not know but pretended to. Every person in that room was influential in some capacity; regardless of his status as All Might, he needed to avoid alienating them.

Yagi couldn’t help but smile at the polite little kids that were trying to get snacks ahead of him. The eldest, a teen with red specks streaking her white hair, was assisting the four children with her in reaching the snacks that were just too far for their tiny arms. His eyes crinkled. “Hello, there. Would you like some help?”

“You’re All Might.” The words were soft as they flowed from a demure girl whose head barely topped the table.

“I am! And what is your name?”

“I’m Yaoyorozu Momo.” She curtsied, dark hair bouncing with each movement. “This is Iida Tenya,” she gestured at the dark-haired boy by her side.

“It’s wonderful to meet you two.” He turned to smile at the three remaining children, carefully masking his shock at the large scar covering the side of the youngest’s face. “And who are you?”

“I’m Todoroki Natsuo. This is my big sister, Fuyumi, and my baby brother, Shouto.” The speaker was a sturdily built young man, possibly in middle school, as far as the blond could tell.

“Ah! You must be Enji’s kids then! I thought there was a fourth…”

“My eldest has recently been through a training accident.” A cool voice accompanied the excessive heat of the number two hero. “These three had best be getting back to their table.” Yagi took in the resigned look on the girl’s face, the hateful look in the middle child’s eye, and the numbness that radiated off the youngest.

“Well, it was lovely to meet your children!” He boomed with a smile at his rival. “We should catch up at some point tonight!” He grinned and was met with a scowl. The Todoroki family left without another word.

“That wasn’t very polite.” The young boy stated with a frown.

Yagi turned to him. “No, Young Iida, it wasn’t. However, sometimes people have bad days, even heroes. Maybe he was cranky from not getting a nap.” Yaoyorozu giggled at his comment, but Iida did not look impressed in the slightest. “Do you two need any help getting anything else from the table?”

“No, thank you, sir.” The two collected their plates, adding a few more cookies to them, and headed off to join their families. Yagi sighed. He would rather be talking with the children than many of the adults that attended events like this. He made himself a hefty plate of snacks and worked on finding his own seating placement. It would be a long evening.

Hitoshi watched as a clearly drunk teen covered in burns stumbled his way through the hallways. He tried to discreetly close the door, but instead made eye contact. Both of their eyes were wide in shock as the two froze. “Kid?” Hitoshi squeaked. The teen rolled his eyes and followed him into the room, letting the kid see the extensive burns covering his skin. Hitoshi resisted the urge to cower. “Who are you?”

“I could ask you the same.” He pretended to be full of confidence.

The man snorted. “You’ve got sass. Seriously, kid, you’re like my baby brother’s age. What’re you doing here?”

“Does it matter? I’m here.” Hitoshi was defense and his quirk reaching to the other’s head, just in case.

“Okay. Alright. I haven’t decided on my new name, so you can just find a nickname for me. My dad is a total asshole, shit, don’t use that word, kid. And I just couldn’t handle things at home. So, I ran. I’m almost an adult, anyway.”

“Is he the reason you have the burns?”

“Some of them.” He sighed. Why am I telling him any of this? “Kiddo, you’re too young to be out here. Living like this… it sucks even at my age.”

“Better here than muzzled in a foster home.” The two had settled against the wall.

“Damn.” Silence settled over them like a heavy blanket. Minutes passed. “Well, not that I’m the best option, but I’ll give you a few tips.”

“Hitoshi.” The teen looked at him. “My name. Hitoshi.”

“Alright. So, first things first. The cops sweep randomly, at least once a week, all hours of the day or night. There’s a spot that I keep my extra things, just in case. The cops will take anything they find to attempt to push us out of here. But, my spot, it’s a good back up spot even for sleeping.”

“Why are you helping me?”

Excellent question. “You’re practically a baby. You’re like my brother and I shouldn’t have left him there. The least I could do is give you some tips.”

“I… I can’t go to school anymore. Can you help me with academics?”

The older boy chuckled and ruffled his hair. “We’ll see, brat.”

Weeks passed. The older boy finally settled on a name, Dabi. This had come about during a sleepless night in the treehouse that Hitoshi had been led to. It had survived the villain attack those many years ago relatively intact; it was protected from the elements by the many trees that had blown its way, creating a hollow to the left of the tree. It wasn't large; the two could barely lay down in it together with their meager belongings. This haven, however, was difficult to find and even more difficult to climb to. Their getaway was less comfortable than the house the two would normally dwell in; but it was safer on nights like that one, when police would raid the neighborhood with foul smelling gasses and quirk-cancelling cuffs.

Dabi had had a good education growing up, and eventually began to tutor the eager kid. Dabi refused to let Hitoshi do anything criminal; when he had run out of food, the teen took it upon himself to acquire some. He also refused to allow the kid to spend more money than necessary, promising to take care of him while they were on their own. The two had settled into a comfortable brotherhood, became platonic soulmates even, when everything went up in flames. Quite literally.

Maybe this area just had a penchant for villain attacks. Maybe Endeavor figured that he wouldn't have to worry about property damage fees. Regardless, Dabi carefully shuffled Hitoshi out of the house and to the wooded space beyond the neighborhood while the pro hero demolished the buildings, paying no mind to the many fleeing occupants. The villain didn't seem too terrible, in Hitoshi's young mind. He looked rather porcupine-ish and seemed unstable rather than evil. But as Dabi reminded him, it wasn't up to him to make that choice. He just needed to survive.

The boys now only had the treehouse as a form of shelter. The weather was turning colder as November approached. Dabi had "found" a tarp and nails which the boys used to try and cover the holes in the ceiling. Despite Hitoshi's pleading not to, Dabi would use his self-destructive quirk in the clearing near their home to make a fire that they could cook over and keep warm with. 

Hitoshi had always been a thin boy; living the way he was did not help him with putting on weight. He would shiver violently at night, even sharing a sleeping bag with his older brother. The morning of November 10th, Dabi decided enough was enough. "C'mon. Let's go to the library and while you study, I'll see about getting us some warmer clothes. Maybe I can figure out how to insulate these walls."

The two carefully packed up their belongings to store in the treehouse. Hitoshi climbed down first, jumping the final few feet to the ground. Dabi thumped down next to him. Wiping off as much dirt as possible, Hitoshi couldn't help but mutter. "Maybe we need to get more wipes, too." Dabi chuckled and ruffled his messy hair, receiving a squawk of disapproval from the kid.

They went to the library, warm air washing over them and bringing a flush to the lavender-haired kid's face. Dabi set him up in a corner at a computer. He had enrolled in an online elementary school, and on the days they were able to go to the library, he would work as far ahead as he could. Dabi squeezed Hitoshi's shoulder. "I'm off. I should be back to pick you up around dinner time, kay?" The boy nodded; eyes riveted on the screen in front of him.

Shadows grew as the hours passed. Hitoshi had brought a granola bar with him for his lunch. He broke up the time with stretches and pacing the library, smiling at the kindly old woman behind the desk. He would glance at the clock as the sky darkened. A frown graced his face; his brother still hadn't returned. He didn't leave until the librarian sadly informed him that the building would be closing soon.

Hitoshi bundled up the best he could, mind racing with thoughts of what may have happened to his brother. Fear engulfed his stomach, the hunger he had felt earlier drifting away with the unknown. Hitoshi anxiously looked around him as he slowly made his way back to their home. Unfortunately, a small unattended child made an easy victim and Hitoshi was forced to use his quirk to defend himself. Still, a six-year-old boy against two adult men was not a match. The boy shrieked and thrashed, doing his best to avoid being taken.

A dark figure swung down from one of the rooftops, kicking one of the attackers away from the boy. He landed in front of an awe-struck Hitoshi, hair raised and capture weapon moving as he worked to dispose of the two villains. It seemed like no time at all before he had them bound. Still in shock, it took Eraserhead calling the police for him to realize that he couldn't still be there. If the police had him, he would go into the system and never get to see his brother again.

The boys were curled up in the shared sleeping bag, a cold air whistling through the cracks of the structure. "Dabi, do you think I can be a hero?"

"You could. Not sure why you'd want to." Dabi had not concealed his distaste for heroes.

"I want to help people like us."

"Heroes don't help people like us."

"Some do! Eraserhead does!"

"Eraserhead?"

"He's so cool, Dabi! He doesn't like attention and fights in the bad areas." He leaned up on his arm to look down at his brother's face.

"Alright, alright. He doesn't sound bad." Dabi placated the child. "Now, can we sleep?" He received a 'hmph' in return, but the child curled up against him to rest.

"Th-thank you, Eraserhead, sir!" Hitoshi bowed awkwardly. "I'll just be h-headed home, now!" His voice raised in pitch with each word, and he moved as quickly as his little body would let him in a fruitless attempt to escape.

"Kid, I've got a few questions for you. First, are you hurt?" He paused, and Hitoshi shook his head, his hair waving like a tree in a strong wind. "Okay, good. Second, why are you out here alone? You're far too young..."

Hitoshi cut in. "Oh! My br-brother just got caught up at work, is all." The lie was blatant and Eraserhead sighed.

"What's your name, kid?" The kid's eyes widened like a deer in the headlights. "How do you know my name?"

That was clearly the right question, as the boy beamed up at him. "Oh! You used to, well maybe still do, patrol my old neighborhood! You're so cool!" He rocked on his heels in excitement.

"Well, let me walk you home. You need to be safe." Nothing Hitoshi said would dissuade him, and the kid was unsure what to do. Eraserhead knelt down. "Kiddo, I want to help you." He took in the way the kid shook, the way his eyes darted about furiously, the way he wrung his hands. "Please let me."

The universe seemed to make the decision for Hitoshi. His soulmarks, his kitten and panther, emerged from his shirt collar and settled below his ear. Eraserhead took in a deep breath at the sight. His own panther and kitten made their way to the palm of his left hand, which he held out for the boy to see. "Y-you... you're..."

"It seems that we're familial soulmates." Aizawa summed up the question in an instant. "Will you trust me?"

"B-but Dabi..." Tears pricked at the kid's eyes. 

"Is he your brother?"

"So-sort of. We b-be-became soulmates after a bit. He was supposed to get me from the library at dinner time and I'm so worried!" The kid rushed into the hero's arms, and they encircled him. The man smoothed the wild hair and murmured reassurances. When the sobbing slowed, the kid muttered out, "Hitoshi. M-my name's Hitoshi."

"Well, Hitoshi, why don't we get your stuff together and stop by the police station," the kid grew rigid in his arms, but he continued, "to get the paperwork sorted for me to take you home."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Can we... can we get my stuff? And maybe... maybe write Dabi a note?"

"Sure thing, kid." The man lifted the boy in his arms. "Why don't you tell me where we're going?"

Shouta clutched the young boy to his chest while he quietly directed the man to a dilapidated neighborhood that he recalled Endeavor recently fighting in. The child had him move past the ruins of the houses and into the woods beyond. They came across a clearing and the boy scrambled down in order to climb a tree. Within the branches, Shouta was able to discern an old treehouse. The boy tossed down some belongings and then there was a quiet pause, during which he could only assume the child, Hitoshi, he reminded himself, writing the note to the older boy that had helped care for him.

While waiting, the hero texted his husband, letting him know it was time to bring home one of their children. He grinned into his capture scarf when he received a keyboard smash in response. The boy came down, looking a little sullen, and picked up the few belongings he had.

"Ready to go?" The boy shrugged but held out his hand, his earlier excitement had drained all energy from him. 

The police station nearest Eraserhead's patrol route was a constantly buzzing hive of activity. Being in the less fortunate side of town meant that they were constantly processing criminals for crimes from simple robbery to those that unsettled even the seasoned veterans. For all the heinous things that he had witnessed in his career, he did not envy the poor men and women who had to deal with the never-ending cruelty they witnessed (not to mention the paperwork). The line between criminal activity and villainous activity was clear, and though there were plenty of times that Shouta would involve himself in criminal activity like he had done earlier that night, it was not part of his job requirement.

The hum of the yellowed lights caused goosebumps to break out along Shouta's arms. He nodded at the woman who worked the main desk, long since recognizable at this particular station, and made his way back to the office of one agent he worked well with. 

"Eraserhead! Long time no see!" The aquiline man joked with him. 

"Officer Tahaki, I came across this young man during patrol; we are familial soulmates - likely parental."

"Well, kiddo, I'm Washi Tahaki. What's your name?"

"Hitoshi Shinsou." The boy's whisper was barely audible, but the officer's quirk enhanced his hearing. 

"Well, it must have been exciting to meet your soulmate, hm? Let's get some paperwork filled out quickly to make sure everything checks out, then you two can head home and get some rest." They followed the man into his office, and he sat behind the desk, feathered fingers flying across the keyboard. "Well, Shinsou, it seems like you have had a difficult year." The boy nodded, and Aizawa raised an eyebrow. "You lost your mother several months ago, and it seems that you were not found by the social worker sent to collect you. Though the missing person's report is oddly empty..." 

"They don't like my quirk." The little admission angered the pro-hero and police officer. 

"Well, that's wrong on their part. Thankfully, though, you're here, healthy, and officially in the care of Shouta Aizawa, pro-hero Eraserhead." The man's grin somehow came through his beaked mouth. "Is there anything else I'll need to add?"

"My husband, Hizashi Yamada. He also has the soulmark." 

"I'll get that added to the paperwork. You two are free to go. I'll email you the paperwork over the next couple of days for finalization."

"Thank you, Officer."

"Any time. You've done so much for us around the precinct, we'll help you out however we can."

The two exited the station, still bustling, and were greeted with an enthusiastic yell from a car's window. Shouta sighed. "Ready to meet my husband and your other soul parent? He's loud, but nice." Shouta placed the child's belongings into the backseat and made sure the kid was buckled up before climbing in the passenger seat. "Hizashi, this is Hitoshi. Hitoshi, this is my husband Hizashi." 

"Hi there, Hitoshi!" The blond flashed a bright smile before starting the car up. He continued to chatter as they drove to the nicer side of town. Hitoshi's eyes were drooping and every little bit he'd shudder awake. Finally, they pulled into a driveway. "Home sweet home!" The man announced in English.

They plodded into the house and were met by a chorus of meows. Aizawa worked to push back the critters while Hizashi carried in Hitoshi's luggage. The boy was quiet as he took in the cozy home. "It isn't too large, but we do have a room for you." Hitoshi followed him down the hall and to a sparsely furnished room. "We don't have much right now, but we can go to the store and get what you need tomorrow. If you want to take a bath, the bathroom is just down the hall." The boy nodded and yawned, blushing at the sign of exhaustion. "You're also welcome to just go to bed now. Though, are you hungry?" The boy shook his head and glanced at the bed. "If you need anything at all, the door at the end of the hall is mine and Hizashi's. You won't bother us a bit." He ruffled his hair and left the door cracked as he slipped out to join his husband in the kitchen for a mug of tea.

"How're you holding up, Shou?" Thin arms embraced him; tension fled his body.

"It's a lot to take in. He was living in a treehouse. In the neighborhood that Endeavor razed recently." The blond let out a curse. "His mother died several months ago, apparently. He met a teen while living on the streets, and that teen was taking care of him. But I guess he never showed tonight to pick him up. Hitoshi was being cornered by a couple of adults when I found him. Zashi, what if I hadn't been there? What if we lost our kitten?"

"But you were there, and we didn't. You found our kitten and brought him home." He kissed the man's forehead. "Let's not focus on what could have been and be grateful for what is, hm?" The two separated to finish their tea in silence. Shouta washed the two mugs before Hizashi pulled him by his hand to their bedroom so that they could finally rest.

Inko smoothed down the apron she wore. She was finally starting at a new job, after months of hard work getting her CNA. The building was designed for long term care and had people from a variety of backgrounds. She glanced down at the list she’d been given of the patients she would be focused on. Scrawled across the page were six names with a brief description of their ailments. The first had been victim of a quirked attack and was learning how to manage the effects that had left her with an inability to form words or write correctly after being partially turned into an animal. The others were more traditional patients, with two having severe cases of dementia and one woman who had had a rather severe surgery and would require months of rehabilitation before being able to function on her own. The last woman on her list, Rei Todoroki, was listed as having had a mental breakdown leading to the harm of others. The name rang a bell in her mind, but she couldn’t quite figure out where she had heard it from. Regardless, it was time for her to introduce herself to the women she’d be helping care for.

Inko was pleasantly surprised at how kind her patients were. They had varying levels of needs, but she felt quite content with her workload. Plus, she mused, she may have made a new friend. She had schooled her shock at the youth of Rei Todoroki, but the quiet woman and she had a conversation about children. It turns out that that the white-haired woman had four of her own, one of whom was Izuku's age. The woman had proudly shown off her children's soul animals. 

The woman had a lot of restrictions on her file, particularly avoiding discussions of heroes. That would have been less of an issue if she had had any meaningful conversations outside of the topic in the last few years. Given her restrictions, Inko and Rei decided it would be nice to read books and talk about those, as well as complete puzzles. One of her goals was to be able to build social skills, something that had diminished greatly over the last ten or so years and given her ultimate goal of independence, it was the area that Inko was supposed to focus on. 

Inko settled into a routine quickly. Her mornings were spent greeting each patient before assisting Akari with getting ready for the day. The woman was making progress with adjusting to her claws, but still struggled with aspects of washing and dressing, not to mention feeding herself with utensils. Inko would then check in with her dementia patients and make sure they were completing their morning routines along with overseeing them take their medications.

Inko had always been a firm believer in the healing power of the outdoors. Each late morning or early afternoon she would take half of her patients either to the courtyard of the square building, which contained a vegetable garden, or up to the rooftop gardens, where they could look out over the city while surrounded by flowers and trees. This morning, Inko had her two dementia patients and Rei with her on the rooftop gardens. A chilling wind swept over them, and the tiny woman tightened her shawl around her, checking to ensure that her patients were okay. The two older women had been bundled up fairly well before they left, wearing hats and scarves with their jackets. In a way, Inko supposed the weight she’d gained over the last few years contributed to her ability to get away with a cardigan and shawl. Then, of course, there was Rei. The silver-haired woman delighted in the cooling air, a slight smile gracing her face. She wore a sweater and jeans, having reminded her companion earlier that she had a significant resistance to cold temperatures. She had punctuated this by using her quirk to make a small ice butterfly, leaving Inko to laugh at her antics.

“Yuki, dear, why don’t you come see this flower? It matches your eyes!” Inko called over to her patient, who had begun to wander away from their little group. Although she couldn’t go anywhere really, it made Inko feel better to have the woman nearby. Her appeal worked, and she tucked the flower into the woman’s greying hair. “Beautiful!” Rei complimented her as well, bringing a smile to Inko’s round face. The women wandered around the rooftop, pausing at the different plants intermittently, until lunch time.

That evening, Inko busied herself with cooking dinner. She grinned as her son insisted on helping, and she set him to washing the vegetables before she chopped them to add to their meal. The boy rambled about his day, glancing up at her for approval every now and then. She wished she could introduce her sweet boy to Rei, whose animal had recently appeared on Inko’s skin. However, she also knew that it could be detrimental to the woman’s health, since she was still grieving the lost relationship with her own children.

Chapter Text

Shouta sighed in frustration. Strong arms wrapped around him, easing some of the tension from his shoulders. “It’s okay, babe. We’ll get it sorted.”

“That’s the third school we’ve tried. And they’ve all mistreated him!” The paper in his hand crumbled; another false report of Hitoshi’s misdeeds.

“Maybe we just need to put him back into his online school. He was learning quite a bit that way.” The blond started to massage the knots out of the other’s shoulders.

“What about social skills and stuff?” Shouta mumbled.

“We’ll figure that out. It’s not like you’re the poster child for that, anyway. And you’re still wonderful and amazing.” The man teased his husband. “There are other options. We can put him in an evening class for a hobby or something. Let him meet kids that way.”

“You’re right. I just… I wanted this to work for him.”

“I know, babe.” He kissed his neck. “You’re doing an amazing job, Sho.”

“It doesn’t feel like it. I feel like I keep making things worse.” Every time that he patrolled, the erasure hero checked on the treehouse Hitoshi had shown him for signs of the teen he had bonded with. The note would eventually be taken, but that was the only thing that was different. Between the failed attempts at getting him into a decent school and the inability to find his pseudo-brother, Shouta was sliding back into the belief that he didn’t have what it took to be a decent parent. His eyes were drawn to the dejected animals on his arm; he was supposed to have several soul-children. How would he help them if he couldn’t even help this one?

“He’s made an online friend his age, hasn’t he? He has enough to eat, a warm and safe place to live, and two parents that love him. He’s opening up more and more each day.” Hizashi had his own doubts and insecurities, especially given how his husband had more soul children than he did. But he also believed that they were doing the best they could by their lavender-haired son. “We’re all figuring this out.”

Shouta sighed and nodded. He pushed back the chair and gripped his husband’s hand; together they walked to Hitoshi’s room, where they heard him chatting through the headset he’d gotten for his birthday. There was an online role-play game based around heroes, and the boy had made a friend his age in the Underground hero area for the game. The website was one that was well vetted, where players could only interact with those in their set age range. The adults had researched it well before signing the kid up. The parents leaned against the doorframe, watching the eight-year-old’s eyes gleam as his fingers flew across the keyboard. “We did it!” The boy cheered.

“Hitoshi, can we chat for a sec?” Hizashi called to the kid.

“Sure, Papa! MightyGreen, I have to go. Talk later!” Taking off the headset revealed his gravity-defying hair. He turned in his computer chair to face the two heroes, their Maine Coon covering his lap. “What’s going on?”

Shouta’s heart warmed at the question. It had taken weeks to get the boy comfortable with asking them anything. Maybe we are doing an okay job. “We wanted to talk about school.” The boy’s face scrunched in dismay. “We think that maybe we should put you back into your online school and find a different way for you to make friends your age.”

“Really?” The boy was clearly trying not to get his hopes up, but it wasn’t well masked.

“Really really. The schools we’ve tried haven’t put your education first, and they should. We don’t want you to be disadvantaged because they’re stupidheads.”

“Hizashi.” Shouta warned his husband, even as the boy giggled at the last bit. “He has a point, though. They aren’t treating you right, and it’s not fair to you to keep switching schools. We will need to do something to make sure you spend time with kids your own age, but for now we’ll focus on your education.” The boy dislodged the pet and leapt into the arms of his fathers, who easily caught him. He mumbled his thanks over and over again into their chests. Shouta couldn’t help but kiss the boy’s head. “We’ll have you switch over summer break. You only have a week left until then, okay?”

Each year on his birthday, Izuku requested that they have a picnic at the same park he had once met the purple-haired boy at in hopes of seeing him again. Each year, Kacchan would mock him for being so desperate for a friend that he’d “go sit like a loser waiting for someone that would just leave when he learned you’re quirkless.” This year was no different. Inko had noticed that her boy was struggling in school, but there was little she could do about it. His grades didn’t reflect his abilities; she watched Izuku read and write at a much higher than expected level, not to mention his decision to learn English! Hisashi was willing to send the boy some items from America to help in this regard, too. The two boys didn’t speak, but little things like this reminded Inko why she had fallen in love with the man so many years ago.

Like always, the Bakugos accompanied them on their birthday trip. Izuku and Katsuki’s relationship was as rocky as ever, but the quirkless boy refused to completely give up on his platonic soulmate. The day was fairly cloudy, but there was no rain in the forecast for their outing. Izuku pestered the blond boy about playing heroes with him or trying to find bugs, but to no avail. The older was also faster, making it difficult to keep up with him when he was running around the playground.

After nearly an hour of chasing Kacchan, Izuku slumped onto the blanket that his mother had brought with them. The three adults chuckled at his apparent exhaustion. “Izu, why don’t we start lunch? Maybe that will give you the energy you need to keep running around.” He nodded at his aunt, who then screamed for her child to come back and eat.

Izuku hummed in delight when he took his first bite of the bento that his mom had made him. It was fairly quiet while they ate, everyone enjoying the delicious food. His uncle had baked cupcakes for the occasion, and once they had eaten their dessert, it was time for presents. The Bakugos had given him three gifts – one from each of them, they said. The first was a new All Might hoodie, a size too large so he could wear it longer. The second was a new action figure, this one of the hero Present Mic, whose popularity was quickly rising due to his radio show. The third was a new headset for his computer, styled as Present Mic’s hero gear. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” The boy practically launched himself into the arms of the adult Bakugos.

“You’re very welcome, Izu.” Masaru ruffled the boy’s hair. “Why don’t we see what your mother got you?” He shifted back into his spot, a blush dusting his cheeks.

His mother handed him a large package and an envelope. “Happy birthday, baby boy.”

“Mooooom!” The boy protested being called a baby, especially in public. He was already eight!

His mother laughed and hugged him. “You’ll always be my baby boy. No matter how old you are.” With that, he opened the large gift first, at her urging. He pulled out a beautiful quilt made from his old hero t-shirts and sweatshirts. His lip wavered as he thanked his mom, who simply smiled and nudged the envelope towards him.

Izuku carefully broke the seal and pulled out a card. He read through his mother’s writing, eyes widening at the end. He couldn’t hold back the tears. “Re-really?”

“Do you like it?” Inko was fairly confident he would, but a sliver of her insecurity slipped into her voice.

“I love it! Thank you, Momma.” Gymnastics lessons! He couldn’t wait. He had wanted to take a form of martial arts, but there weren’t any dojos in the area willing to take on a quirkless student. Gymnastics, however, was more lenient. It would still help him become a hero, too!

Hitoshi left his room for dinner, feet guided by the sounds of playful bickering between his fathers. Moments like this had him contemplating just how quickly he fell into pure comfort around them, like his mom or Dabi, who he regularly worried about. His dad assured him that he checked their treehouse while on patrol, just in case. This was one of the secrets he’d disclosed to his best friend, whose real name he didn’t even know.

“Hey, kiddo! How was your game?” Hitoshi’s Papa grinned as he filled the boy’s plate with food.

“Good.” He gave them a small smile, trying to figure out how to ask them the question that had been on his mind for the last few hours.

“Learn any new things for it?”

“I think I’ve almost managed to make an in-game replica of your directional speaker.” He blushed at the admittance. He and his friend had decided to try and create as many real-life support gear items as possible in the game. He wouldn’t dare admit their failed attempts at a capture scarf, though.

“That’s cool.” His dad nodded at him across the table. “How’s your friend?”

“He’s doing good! He actually just had his birthday, so he’s only like two weeks younger than me.” He paused. “Actually, um, you know how you guys said that I should take up an activity to socialize since I’ll be doing online school?”

“Yeah, did you have something in mind?”

“Well, for his birthday, his mom enrolled him in gymnastics lessons. I thought that maybe I could try it, too? It would be cool to talk to him about what we’re learning and stuff…” He trailed off.

“I don’t see why not. We can take a look at what programs there are around here for your age group and would be at a reasonable time.” He gave his fathers a grateful smile. “Plus, it’ll be good to have some physical activity along with socializing.”

“Wouldn’t it be neat if you ended up in the same class as him, too?” The blond chimed in.

“It’s not very likely… I don’t even know if he lives anywhere near here.” Dejection seeped into his words.

“I suppose that is information you don’t want to share with people online. But maybe someday you two can meet up, when you’re older.”

“He wants to go to UA and be a hero.” It had taken Hitoshi weeks to admit that he wanted to become a hero, and he naturally wanted to attend the school his parents attended.

“Well, if the universe doesn’t align before then, you have a place in mind to be able to meet.” The blond encouraged the boy. “Though, you won’t be getting very far towards heroics or gymnastics if you don’t make sure you eat up!”

Purplecatnap71: My dads say that I can join gymnastics and train to be a hero like you

MightyBoyGreen: That’s awesome! How cool would it be if we got to meet through that!

Purplecatnap71: Papa says if we don’t, we can always meet at UA

MightyBoyGreen: Yeah! We’ll be the best hero duo the underground has ever seen!

Purplecatnap71: Isn’t the point of going underground to NOT be seen? *eye roll*

MightyBoyGreen: Rude.

Purplecatnap71: Just saying

MightyBoyGreen: Yeah, yeah. Oh! Did you hear about the Water Hose fight the other day? They totally took down this villain group that was trying to rob a jewelry store!

Purplecatnap71: Don’t they usually do rescue work?

MightyBoyGreen: They do! But they just happened to be having lunch nearby and when they heard the alarm they jumped into action! It was so cool! I wonder if I can replicate their quirks on here…

Purplecatnap71: Wouldn’t that require you doing a major format change? Right now you’re focused on agility and stealth, so it would be hard to bring in a flashy quirk like theirs.

MightyBoyGreen: Nah, their quirk is so versatile! You don’t have to use it like they do. I’m going to try it!

Purplecatnap71: I’m here for when you need to be told ‘I told you so’

MightyBoyGreen: blocked.

Purplecatnap71: rude.

Inko looked at the letter in her hand in defeat. After nearly six months of lessons, the gym that Izuku had been attending lessons at was under new management and had placed new “safety” requirements on those who attended the facility. This meant that they would be separating quirked students into a separate class from those without quirks; they also wouldn’t hold classes unless there were ten or more students. Inko couldn’t afford to pay the private study rates, and there would never be ten quirkless kids enrolled in Izuku’s age range.

The phone buzzed, pulling her from her mental slide. “Hello?”

“Hi, darling.”

“Hisashi.” Relief filled her voice.

“What’s wrong?” Hisashi had always been attuned to her emotions.

“Izuku’s going to have to drop gymnastics.”

“I thought you said lessons were going well?”

“They were. He’s one of the top of his class! But the gym has new owners and they’re segregating students based on quirks. And he won’t have a class unless nine other quirkless kids join, which would mean any lessons would be on a private lesson pay rate.”

The man cursed. “That’s ridiculous. Are there other gyms in the area that aren’t so discriminatory?” Moving to America had forced the man’s views on quirklessness to change, as it had the largest population of them. He still remained aloof and distant from his son, but no longer held the bigoted views that had forced him away initially.

“I’m going to look. This one was just so convenient. I know another local one permits quirkless students but have an increased “safety” fee for them.”

“I can help you call around.”

“Thank you, Hisashi.”

“Anything to make your life easier.”

Inko’s heart clenched. “I wish you would come home.”

The man sighed. “You know why I can’t. I do miss you, but I can’t.”

“Mama, I’m home!” Izuku’s voice echoed through the small apartment.

“Good-bye, Inko. Have a good rest of your day.” The dial tone echoed in her ear as her son shuffled into the living room.

“Hey, sweetie. How was school?” She eyed the nervous shuffle her son gave as he spouted vague comments about his classes. She really wished he would be more honest with her about what happened. They made more chitchat before the boy ducked away to his room, probably to play his online games with his friend. Inko had theorized that as soon as the two met, their soulmarks would appear on each other’s bodies. Platonic marks required in person interaction, but the two were already extremely close.

“Mom! Purplecatnap71 is so cool! And guess what! He likes Eraserhead, Mama! No one knows about Eraserhead!” Her son bounced in his seat at the dinner table.

She let out a laugh. “What else is he like?”

The boy’s entire face wrinkled in thought. “He likes cats and naps. He’s adopted! He says that his dads are really cool and strong. He had a big-brother soulmate, but he disappeared. But his soulmate took care of him after his mom died.” The boy’s face fell. “Mama, don’t die. Okay?”

The woman slipped over to wrap her arms around her child. “I would never willingly leave you, Izuku. No matter what, I will always do my best to be here for you.” His tiny arms encircled her waist, and they allowed the moment to wash over them. “It sounds like your friend has some wonderful people in his life.”

“Do you think we’ll be soulmates, Mama?” The boy spoke around the fish he’d shoved into his mouth.

“Wait until you’ve swallowed, baby. But yes, if he’s as wonderful as you say, I can’t imagine that you wouldn’t be.”

That evening, once she’d checked to make sure Izuku was tucked into bed, Inko pulled out her computer and started to research gymnastics classes again. She pinched her nose in frustration and resisted the urge to throw something. So many times she wished she had the power to change the laws that allowed discrimination to take place.

After an hour of searching, she finally found a gym that looked promising. It was a small gym and was several train stops away, but they permitted anyone (“regardless of quirk status”) to participate in the classes. It was more expensive than Izuku’s current classes were, but still much cheaper than paying for individual lessons. She immediately sent them an email for more information; these classes were the highlight of Izuku’s week, and she would be damned before she let society take that away from him, too.

Izuku was a little sad to leave the gymnastics lessons he had gotten used to but was excited for the new location at the same time. He hadn’t made any friends during his lessons; he hoped he would at the new ones. He sat next to his mom on the train, antsy even as he carefully noted which stops he would need to take. Finally, they arrived at their destination. And it was near UA! Izuku bounced in place as he waited for his mother.

They entered the small gym, owned by a young woman named Ashido Yua. While Inko spoke with her about what Izuku had already learned and what he would be learning, the boy eyed the class offerings. In addition to the gymnastics series, she taught three different styles of dance. “Izuku, dear, let’s go watch the class you’ll be joining next week.” His mother called to him, and the young woman giggled when he scampered over to them.

“We have two classes for your age group each week: one on Wednesdays and one on Thursdays. You are welcome to join either class or switch between the two. I’ve found a lot of parents appreciate the flexibility. Students are at all different ability levels, and we do our best to focus our attention on individual strengths and weaknesses rather than assume everyone can do the same things at the same time.” Izuku’s eyes were blown open when he entered the main training area. It was the largest room in the building with a vaulting horse, uneven bars, balance beam, rings, and a huge floor space. The horse and balance beam both had pits filled with colorful foam cubes at the end of them. Each space was color coordinated, too. There was an instructor and two teenaged volunteers helping the kids with different activities; it was loud, chaotic, and joyful. “We always have volunteers from our older age groups help out with the younger kids; anywhere from two to four on a given night.”

The trio spent a few minutes at each station, watching how students would practice different moves and how the instructor and volunteers aided the different kids. Izuku was amazed at the diversity in quirks at this gym; his other gym didn’t seem to have a lot of mutant quirks, but most of the kids in this class seemed to. A boy Izuku’s age with fluffy purple hair made his way across the balance beam, face scrunched in determination. When he reached the end by the foam pit, the boy took a deep breath before jumping off and doing a front flip into the cushioned landing. Yua-san called out her encouragement to the boy, who blushed at the attention. The class was doing a group cooldown when Izuku and his mother followed the owner back to her office.

“It seems like a lovely facility.” Inko was very impressed by what she had witnessed in the other room.

“Thank you. I was partially inspired by my niece to get this place up and running. She’d be around your age, I think.” She smiled at the boy. “She adores dancing, and I used to teach her different styles. She faced some discrimination when trying to take dance classes, and I decided that no child should have to deal with that. I finished up my degree and opened up this place, two years strong now.” As the woman spoke, an otter paddled around her arm.

“How soon would Izuku be able to start his lessons?”

“Next week, if he’d like. We’d have him run through a series of tests to see where his skill levels are at before he would join in the regular class activities, but that can be done during class time.” The women discussed a few more matters while Izuku looked out the window at the families leaving.

Inko cherished the evenings that she had off; she especially loved the evenings that she had off and had the time to cuddle up with her baby and watch one of his movies. A small smile crossed her face, even as the boy in question snuggled up against her side, because he would cringe if he knew she was calling him her baby, even just mentally. Indeed, at his age, it was a surprise that he still had so much baby fat clinging to his face. Inko let out a content hum and ran her fingers through wild hair.

“Mama, who’s that for?” Her boy’s voice broke through the haze she’d fallen into, dwelling on the past. Izuku was pointing at her newest soulmark – Rei’s beluga.

“One of my patients, sweetheart. Ms. Rei is a lovely woman, and even though she’s a patient, I think we’ve become quite good friends.” She looked down at his wonder-filled eyes, and her heart felt fit to burst. She was one lucky woman.

“Can I meet her?” His eyes were drawn back to the creature that swam along her arm, small fingers tracing its movements.

“I would need to ask her doctor. She – well, she has a very complicated history. There are many things that can upset her that we need to avoid, and we’re still figuring out what those are.”

“Can I draw her a picture?”

“I’m sure she’d like that, Izu.”

“Do your patients get lonely? They don’t get to live with their families…”

“I think they do, sometimes. That is part of my job, to make them feel less lonely. Two of Ms. Rei’s children visit when they are able, and they do write her letters. She says that helps her feel less lonely.” Her boy had such a big heart; before the movie had even ended, he had paper out for each of her patients, drawing them pictures and writing to get well soon.

Inko delivered the pictures the following morning. She fixed them onto their mini fridges with smiley face magnets, giving them something nice to look at each day. Rei’s eldest daughter was visiting and cooed over the crayon drawing. “This is so sweet! Did your son do this?”

She smiled at the teen. “He did. Izuku said he worried that my patients would be lonely, and since we don’t know if he would be allowed to visit, he wanted to make everyone a drawing.”

Rei traced the green lines of the bunny, surrounded by a rainbow of flowers. “He did a good job.”

Inko laughed. “I’ll tell him you said so! That boy loves to draw, though he does more people than animals.”

Fuyumi hummed. “I wonder if I could get Shouto to draw something.”

“Don’t push him if he doesn’t want to.” Rei spoke to her daughter firmly.

“I know! It was just a thought. He should get more opportunities to just be a kid, anyway.” The girl’s face grimaced before smoothing over. “Oh! I got my acceptance letter to the education program at the local university.”

“Congratulations!” Rei wrapped her daughter in a hug, and Inko stood off to the side with a smile. She knew she would never have a daughter, but she imagined that they would be close like Fuyumi and Rei were, despite all the circumstances that attempted to tear them apart. “You want to teach elementary school, right?”

“Mhmm. They’re such important years, and after seeing Natsuo as a teenager, I doubt I could deal with a whole classroom of them!” The women all laughed, easing into chatter about Fuyumi’s plans for college and beyond.

Shouta leaned against the wall of the gym, texting his husband. It was about fifteen minutes until Hitoshi’s class started, and he had begged his dark-haired father to come see his progress. There was little that would prevent him from watching his son flip and jump around, finally feeling proud of himself. He ignored the dirty looks thrown his way; a scruffy man leaning against a wall in the opening of an alley would have most people in this neighborhood on guard.

Despite how absorbed he was in his conversation with his husband, Shouta was always on alert. A pro-hero never dropped their guard; they couldn’t afford to. Which is why the sound of small explosions had him swiftly moving toward the noise. A blond boy around his son’s age had bursts popping from his hands as he tormented a smaller boy, who begged the boy to stop. His quirk flared, stopping the boy’s in its tracks, and creating fear and confusion. “I’m sure by your age you know that unauthorized quirk usage is illegal.” He drawled out his irritation.

The blond, to his credit, didn’t let his fear stop him. “And what’s that to you, hobo-man? You just used yours, didn’t you?”

“Ka-Kacchan! You can’t say that to him!” The smaller child’s arms waved frantically.

“And why not, you stupid Deku?” The glare the boy turned onto his companion rivaled Shouta’s own.

“B-because! He’s… He’s a hero!”

“No hero I ever heard of.” The boy scoffed, though Shouta eyed the green-haired child more closely.

“Your friend here,” Shouta heard the boy mutter about them not being friends and ignored it, “is correct. I am an underground pro-hero. I have my license to prove it.”

“See, Kacchan! It’s Eraserhead! I told you about him!”

“Whatever, dumb nerd.” The boy rolled his eyes and stalked off with hands shoved deep into his pockets.

Shouta knelt next to the awe-struck kid, who seemed oblivious to the tattered state of his uniform. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Mr. Eraserhead, sir!” The boy scrambled up, making sure he had his belongings. “Thank you, for stepping in. No one’s ever done that for me before!” The kid seemed to ramble before a fleeting expression of doubt crossed his face. “An-anyways! I have class that I need to get to. Thank you!” The boy gave a bow and rushed off to the same gym that Shouta had planned on entering in just a few minutes. He sighed as he stood, knees protesting. Maybe Hitoshi would know more about the strangely knowledgeable child.

Izuku rocked from his toes to his heels as he listened intently to his instructor. It was his fourth week of class, but he had to come on a different night than usual this week, because his mom’s schedule had shifted a little while one of her coworkers was off for the week. Not that I mind. There are so many new and amazing quirks here! His eyes continuously flitted around the room at the other children.

He finally got the chance to practice what he had been working on – the vault. He was on the smaller side, and despite the practice, he could rarely maintain his position on the thing for more than a moment. More often than not he would tumble into the green and yellow foam pit headfirst or end up colliding with the vault and knocking the wind out of himself. Still, he was determined to master the basics. His teachers had already complimented his balance and flexibility; he knew he could work on the floor or balance beam and make a lot of improvements. His unruly green hair, wide-eyes, and freckles hid the sheer determination the boy held inside, though. He wanted to be well-rounded, and the vault was his first obstacle to tackle. Literally. He thought to himself as he barely avoided barreling into it again. His entire face lit up when his leg remained on the equipment, and he flushed under the praise of his instructor.

“Great job, Izuku! Why don’t you take a break to do some tumbling? You can practice some more in a bit, but it’s always good to end before a break on a good note.” The young woman smiled at him, her eyes flashing between cool blue and excited yellow.

Izuku wandered over to his belongings, where he was shuffling around to find his water bottle. He was so focused on getting it out and taking a long gulp, he didn’t notice the boy standing by him and knocked into him – both falling over with a grunt. “I’m so sorry! I should’ve been paying attention and I wasn’t and are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” The boy was already standing and reached down to pull Izuku up to him. “I wasn’t looking much, either.”

“I’m Midoriya Izuku!”

“I’m Shinsou Hitoshi.” Izuku paused before eyes growing wide in shock.

“You’re the boy from the playground!” Shinsou’s eyebrows furled together. “From my fifth birthday! We played heroes together until Kacchan interrupted us.”

Hitoshi’s eyes lit up. “That was you?”

“Yeah! We go there for my birthday each year now.” He grinned. “This is so exciting!” Hitoshi gave a small smile at his enthusiasm. Izuku began to ramble about his last birthday and his old gym, before the other interrupted. “Sorry! I ramble sometimes.” He stared at his socked feet in shame.

“I don’t mind, but we should probably go back to practicing.” Izuku nodded in agreement. They both took a final sip of their water before returning; Izuku to the red tumbling mats and Hitoshi to the balance beam.

By the time class ended, Hitoshi had demonstrated for his father his ability to do a flip off the balance beam and Izuku had managed to keep steady on the vault twice more. His legs and stomach ached from the failed attempts, but the pain was nothing in the face of excitement he had over reuniting with his friend. He rushed back to their belongings, determined to talk to him again. “Hitoshi!” Izuku called out to the approaching boy.

“Izuku.”

“Do you play on HeroZone?” He had thought it over during his practice, and since he still didn’t have a phone, this would be a good way to keep in touch when they didn’t get to meet on the same day of lessons. Plus, it worked for him and his other friend!

“Yeah.” It was one of the only places he regularly talked outside of his parents; he could perfectly hear his friend’s distorted voice through his headset. There was something in the programming that worked to protect voices, which the two kids occasionally lamented over. Still, it had a great message feature.

“I don’t have a phone and I usually attend the other class… but I want to be able to talk to you and get to know you! And so, I thought, if you wanted to and stuff, we could exchange usernames?” His bravado was wearing down as he got to the point, not realizing how close his hero from earlier was standing to him.

“Sure. My name is Purplecatnap71.”

Izuku froze and then practically screamed. “That’s you???? I already know you! I’m MightyBoyGreen!” The child vibrated with delight. Even Hitoshi’s usually stoic face expressed wonder.

“It seems you two also just needed to meet to become soulmates.” A gruff voice responded from behind Izuku, who yelped and jumped to the side.

“E-eraserhead, sir!” Hitoshi was staring at the animals playing on his arm right around his sleeve cuff while the greenet sputtered.

Shouta let out a sigh. “I’m sure you two can get this sorted later, on that website you’re always chatting on. But if we don’t head home, Hizashi is going to complain that we let dinner get cold.” The man nudged his son out of his stupor.

“Oh, um, right. I’m really glad we got to meet in person, Izuku.” Hitoshi awkwardly bowed, not sure how to act in this situation. (He was too focused to hear his father mumble about how gymnastics was supposed to improve his social skills.)

“And we’ll get to meet more times here! And maybe play together sometime?” He flashed a hesitant smile towards Eraserhead, who was also apparently his best friend’s father and boy did he have some explaining to do later!

“Sure. I’ll just have to talk to your mom at some point. Nice meeting you, kid.” And with that, the father and son walked off, leaving a flabbergasted and amazed boy behind.

It was a joint family dinner night, only two days after meeting his best friend, and Izuku was sick. There was something going around the school, so he wasn’t the only one – Kacchan was also sitting on the couch wrapped in a blanket while the adults finished up dinner. The two boys sat in uncomfortable silence, keeping their attention firmly on the television screen. Flashes of yellow, red, and blue appeared before the number one hero himself did; even with the sound turned low, the boys could hear the theme music play.

Normally this would hold Izuku’s attention much longer; but between being sick and the excitement earlier that week, his eyes continued to be drawn to the purple cat slinking around his arm. He didn’t even realize he was muttering until the blond next to him nearly shoved him off the couch. “Oi, shut up already.”

“S-sorry, Kacchan!”

“What’s so fascinating about your arms anyway? It’s the same thing it’s always been.”

Izuku perked up. “Actually, um, I met another platonic soulmate the other day!” He shoved his arm into Kacchan’s face, forcing him to watch the sleek animal’s tail sway among the freckles. “We’ve been online friends for a while, but apparently we go to the same gymnastics classes!” He pouted, his entire body pulling in on itself, and he pulled his fleece blanket tighter around him. “I probably won’t get to see him this next week, though.”

Bakugo crossed his arms beneath his own blanket and glared at the television screen, where All Might was blowing a group of villains away with a single punch. “I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s just another stupid animal.”

“Kacchan, don’t say that!” Izuku looked scandalized. “Our soul animals are special!”

“Whatever. I don’t need them. I’m going to be the number one hero without any, just like All Might.”

“But you already have…” Izuku was interrupted by his uncle bringing them their food, their mothers soon following. The families crowded together, the adults chatting while the boys silently ate their soup. Now and again, Izuku would peek over at the blond, who would glare whenever he noticed the attention.

“Hopefully all this illness blows over soon.” Uncle Masaru was talking, and Izuku began to tune back in. “It’s been sweeping through the elementary schools. One of the girls from work said that it’s in her daughter’s school, too.”

“Luckily, it seems to only last a couple of days. I’m glad our boys are over the worst of it. Last night was miserable.”

“Kat was up all night. And when the baby isn’t happy, nobody is happy.”

“Oi!” Kacchan tried to sit up and interject into the conversation but was quickly shushed by his parents. He scoffed and leaned back into the couch.

“Izuku, too. He was able to sleep most of the afternoon, though. And he’s been keeping food down since lunch.”

“It’s a shame that the Tsubasa family had to cancel the party they had planned. But with all the sick kids, I wouldn’t want to bring Kat anyway.” Masaru spoke calmly, not realizing that Izuku hadn’t been invited to the party with the rest of his classmates. The three adults missed the crestfallen look on his face when the blond smirked in his direction.

“I am hoping Izuku is feeling up to going to his gymnastics class on Wednesday. Though if not, we could let him go to the Thursday class again.”

“Really? Hitoshi usually goes on Thursdays because of his dads’ schedules.” The boy’s arms swung wildly, and only Inko’s quirk saved them from flying food.

“Who’s Hitoshi?” Mitsuki asked her nephew.

“He’s my bestest friend besides Kacchan! We met at gymnastics and found out that we’re soulmates!” He immediately showed off his arm to the two adults, even while their son rolled his eyes. “We’ve been online friends for a while and now we know each other in person! He’s so cool!” The adults chuckled at his enthusiasm.

“Perhaps once you’re feeling all better, you two can have a sleepover.” Inko held up a warning finger to Izuku’s near outburst. “We would need to talk to his dads, though. I’m sure they wouldn’t want to let their son stay at a stranger’s house any more than I would.” Green hair flopped around as the boy nodded, itching to go to his computer and his friend.

Hitoshi and Izuku regularly lamented to one another how slow it is for adults to trust one another. It took two months of coffee and lunch meetings for all parents involved to trust one another well enough to allow a child to stay the night at the other’s home. Izuku was a little disappointed that it was going to be at his home first; as excited as he was to show Hitoshi all his stuff and have him eat his mom’s yummy food, he really wanted to see what a hero’s house looked like. His mom didn’t even let him go to coffee or lunch with her when she met up with his dads!

His disappointment was short-lived. The weather was warming up and the school year just ended – perfect for having a sleepover! Izuku woke up the morning of the big day and rushed through his breakfast. He decided that he would impress Hitoshi and began to help his mom clean. He helped her fold laundry, sweep and mop floors, get out extra blankets, and make sure all his toys were put up where they belonged. He even helped dust the shelves he could reach! Inko had never seen him more willing to help with the chores and couldn’t help but laugh to herself at times when his eagerness caused him to trip or slip while hurrying around.

Mid-afternoon, long after Izuku had deemed everything around the house as good enough, the doorbell rang. He pouted when his mom beat him there, but a smile lit up his face at his friend’s stoic face. “Hitoshi!”

“Hey, Izuku.” The boy greeted Inko kindly, and Izuku watched as she chatted with the tall blond in the doorway. “Papa, you don’t need to stay.”

The man dramatically clutched at his heart. “My own son! Abandoning me!” Inko giggled when Hitoshi rolled his eyes; Izuku snorted. The man laughed good-naturedly. “Thank you, Midoriya-san. Don’t hesitate to let me or Shouta know if you have any issues with him.”

“I’m sure he’ll be just fine!” Inko assured him. With a final wave, the man headed out. Inko had barely shut the door when the boys raced into Izuku’s room, the greenet talking a mile a minute. She leaned against the wall for a moment, eyes glancing over pictures of Izuku at various ages. She hadn’t seen that smile much in the past four years. Laughter echoed down the hall, and she pulled herself together, wiping the unshed tears from her eyes. While the boys played, she had a new book to start on.

Long after dinner, after the movie the boys watched, after they’d changed into pajamas and brushed their teeth, the two boys lay on futons in Izuku’s room, whispering to one another. Izuku laid on his stomach, propping up his upper body on his forearms while Hitoshi stared at the ceiling and its handful of glow-in-the-dark stars. “Do you really think we can be heroes?”

“Dad and Papa say we can. I trust them.”

“No one says I can.”

“I think that my dads would. Dabi would, too.”

“What was he like?”

“He was a grouch. He had burns all over and he acted like he didn’t care about anything. But he would help me learn and get me food. He told me I could be a hero, and he doesn’t even like them.”

“How can someone not like heroes?”

“I don’t know why he doesn’t; he wouldn’t tell me. But I think a hero hurt his family and it’s why he had to live out on his own.”

“What do you think happened to him?”

“I don’t know. He’s strong and smart, but the cops aren’t always nice to people who are homeless and sometimes gangs would mess with homeless people, too.”

“If he’s smart and strong like you say, then I’m sure he’s okay. He just had to disappear to stay safe.”

“I hope so.” Izuku noticed the way that his friend’s hair seemed to almost glow in the slivers of moonlight.

“One day, he’ll come back, and then you can introduce us. And maybe you’ll get to be his hero.” Izuku finally let himself relax onto his pillow. “We’ll be the best heroes that no one knows about.” A yawn wracked his body.

“Go to sleep, Izu.” Hitoshi chuckled next to him.

“Only if you do.” In the morning, Inko snapped a picture of the two: wild bedhead, blankets strewn everywhere, and hands held between them. She would wake them up and have a delicious breakfast before Hitoshi’s dad would pick him up and make plans for the boys to spend time together again soon.

The next day, while Izuku stayed with the Bakugos, Inko eagerly showed off the picture of the two boys to Rei and Fuyumi. They cooed over the sweet picture. It was when they were zooming in on the crazy hair that Izuku had that Fuyumi noticed the tiny red panda curled up on Izuku’s neck – a very familiar one that she saw whenever she helped bandage her baby brother’s wounds after training. Her gaze shifted to the drawing that Izuku had made her mother; a green rabbit, just like Shouto’s soulmark. Her stomach flipped and she withheld a grin. If this sweet boy was anything like his mother, Shouto would be in good hands when destiny was ready for them to meet.

It was remarkable how quickly time passes; it seemed like only days before the Yamazawa family and Midoriya family were planning birthday sleepovers (and it had to be two separate ones even though their birthdays were so close together). Summer flitted by, the temperature cooled, and the boys moved up a level in gymnastics. Then it was Christmas. Inko had the pleasure of being babysitter to both Hitoshi and Katsuki, letting their parents enjoy a romantic night off. She had often thought that young boys were gremlins, but the dynamic between these three solidified that belief within the hour. Both of Izuku’s platonic soulmates were headstrong and stubborn; Izuku would play peacemaker when they butted heads. But on the rare occasion they were all on the same page, Inko found herself praying for the fate of humanity.

The new year came and went; Shinsou and Katsuki seemed to fight for Izuku’s attention. The separation of school and gymnastics is probably what kept the quirkless boy sane, the guilt building when the blond would sneer about the other or when Hitoshi would criticize Bakugo’s treatment of Izuku. With Katsuki’s deepening resentment towards the purple-haired child, his behavior and attitude at school worsened. The teachers and other kids didn’t pass up the opportunity to fall into the explosive child’s good graces. Izuku couldn’t appease them in any way and hid the evidence under long sleeves and makeup pilfered from his mother. Though his friend suspected things were getting worse, Shinsou didn’t have enough evidence to bring it up to his pro-hero fathers; the weight on his heart grew with each new bruise the smaller of the two sported.

When the trio of boys were ten, things began to shift dramatically. Bakugo enrolled in Muay Thai classes, increasing his strength and precision in hitting. Izuku became a great tool in demonstrating what he had learned when the blond wanted to show off to his classmates. Izuku and his mother had started to do yoga together in the mornings, something that she had been learning with her patients. His increased flexibility and ability to maneuver, however, did not spare him from the blows delivered by his classmates.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s computer screen flashed with a message from Hitoshi, asking him about a villain fight that had been on the news that afternoon. Izuku winced as he patted at a cut on his shin with antiseptic. His classmates were particularly rough that day, since they couldn’t play outside due to the rain. He put away the first aid kit before turning to type a response; he had watched the fight while working on his homework. Not that doing it matters. I likely won’t get a decent grade anyway. A frown settled on his face. If his teachers were fair, he’s pretty sure he’d be in the top three of the class beside Kacchan.

Izuku let the depressing thoughts drift away while he rambled to his friend about the quirks displayed that morning and how they were used. By the time his mother announced her arrival, he was deep into analysis mode. It took several calls, including one from his doorway, for him to register her presence. He flushed and rubbed the back of his neck, offering a bashful smile. “Izuku, you haven’t been on there all afternoon, have you?”

“No! I did my homework earlier and watched the news before I came in here.” She laughed softly in response before reminding him to come out for dinner in a little bit. He typed a quick response to Hitoshi, telling him that they’d talk the next day in gymnastics. They had officially arranged to attend class on the same nights.

The small creatures on Inko’s body shifted around during dinner, leading Izuku to lose focus on their conversation. For the past year, the lavender haired boy had become obsessed with his fathers’ newest soul-child, a tiny narwhal that appeared on their wrists. The two boys had decided that they would secretly work towards finding Hitoshi’s soul-sibling. They had very little to go off of, but Izuku didn’t want his best friend to miss years with another one of his platonic soulmates. He startled back into attention with a blushing apology and stammered an excuse for his absentmindedness.

The nighttime lights of Musutafu were a comfort to the young man that stumbled his way into town. It had been years since he had been here last; years of internal and external torment that slowly tore at the remaining shreds of sanity and goodness he held. Each step he took through the criminal infested streets aggravated one of his many injuries, but now that the end goal was in sight, he couldn’t let himself rest.

Dabi woke with a bump on his head, and if his experiences were anything to go by, a minor concussion. The man cursed out his employers; he had taken the job since they paid daily under the table and opted to ignore the fact that it was most likely a front for criminal business. He figured that as long as he got paid, he wouldn’t ask any questions. He just needed to bring home money so he could help support Hitoshi. Of course, not even two weeks into working there, everything went to shit.

The teen knew he was being transported somewhere and that he wasn’t alone in the back of this truck. He tried to put together what he knew – he had been working and washing dishes when he had been struck pretty hard outside the head. He didn’t know how long he’d been unconscious or who had taken him or why. There were no windows in the truck to help him figure it out, either. He worked on keeping steady as the road grew rough beneath them. When the truck finally came to a jerking stop, he estimated it had been two or three hours since he had woken up. They could be anywhere by now.

Dabi limped through the neighborhood that he had once called home; many homes were in worse shape than he remembered, and he didn’t recognize many of the squatters that glared at him as he passed by. He ignored them all as he turned at vaguely familiar landmarks until he found a dilapidated treehouse, barely visible in the overgrown trees and grasses. Pain shot through his damaged arms as he climbed into the sanctuary, and he collapsed onto the comforting blankets in the corner before passing out.

Rusty doors creaked open, revealing several men armed with various weapons. Dabi took in his surroundings – he didn’t recognize any of the other captives, but as they were prodded out of the truck and towards an old building, his heart sank at the approaching dawn and smell of a forest that had recently experienced rainfall. He was nowhere near home, near Hitoshi. He refused to stumble under the harsh commands of the captors, glaring them down when they threatened him. While he refused to accept that Endeavor had helped him with anything, deep down the boy knew that his sperm donor had given him a skill set to survive and escape.

Dabi absorbed all he could – they were in the mountains, in a forest. The building was old, possibly some sort of factory given its size and layout. The captives were forced to a basement level, but it seemed to have only the one. The room stank of unwashed bodies, many more than had been in the truck. His nose crinkled in disgust. The thought that they were quirk traffickers crossed his mind before he set it aside in favor of assessing the skills of the guards. There were five of them left in the large room with close to seventy people between ages six and forty. They were stocky with unknown quirks and seemed to have no problem assaulting the people around them, many of whom begged for food. Dabi wouldn’t be able to wait and observe, it seemed. He would need his strength to escape from this place.

Dabi thrashed in his sleep, fending off faceless attackers. Blankets were strewn around him; the wind creaked and whistled through the gaps in the walls. He awoke with a start, chest heaving as he took in his surroundings. He was home. His old belongings were still there. His heart dropped when he saw no sign of Hitoshi’s.

His skin burned from the inside out. Shouts filled the air around him – some in panic, some in fear, some in anger – the prisoners did their best to escape the inferno that kept their captors at bay. Dabi cackled in spite of himself. These bastards didn’t know what had hit them. He let his quirk turn off and coughed through the smoke. He needed to get out of here – he didn’t have a death wish – and find a way back to Hitoshi. He had made it out of the flaming building only to be confronted with more attackers. A series of curses streamed from his mouth as he shot fire at them. He was running off pure adrenaline; he didn’t realize how badly he was being affected by his quirk until he fainted.

When Dabi came to, he heard a quiet gasp and felt some sort of slimy goo covering his arms. He was completely unable to sit up, barely able to raise his head. “Relax.” A soft voice whispered at him. “And stay quiet.” A girl’s face come into view and the slimy texture was applied to his face, much to his disgust.

“What is that?” His voice was hoarse from disuse.

“It’s a natural burn cream. You’ve been dealing with some awful burns. Here.” She helped him prop up to drink something from a crude bowl. “It’s… call it tea or broth, it’s hot water with plant in it.”

“How do you know it’s safe?” He was skeptical to accept help from a strange girl, regardless of how much she appeared to have helped him thus far. She only rolled her eyes.

“Drink up. It’s my quirk – I can analyze a plant’s effect on the human body just by looking at it.” He acquiesced, drinking the rather tasteless liquid. “I can only do so much with them out there looking for us.”

“How long was I out?”

“About a week; you’ve woken up a couple of times feverish. I was able to get you to drink some water and broth each time before you would pass out again.” She turned away from him to a small pile of leaves and grasses.

“So, what happened?”

She sighed and then froze as a strong wind created the sound of branches brushing past one another. Her shoulders dropped when it passed. “After you set everything on fire, most of us were able to escape. I was on the edge of the woods when I saw you pass out. You saved us, and I couldn’t just leave you there. So, I grabbed your ankles and dragged you behind me until we reached a river. Which was freezing. It did cool you off enough for me to actually hold you in a less dangerous position. I walked us downstream for a while until you were normal temperature; you were concerningly hot. Then I did my best to cover our trail and find a safe hiding spot. This little cave is really difficult to see from most angles and it’s near a hot spring. I’ve done some exploring since we got in here. Anyway, your temperature rose again and warmed things up in here. I used some fallen branches and bushes to better hide the entrance and gathered what I could to allow us to have something to eat and treat our burns. I used my spare time to make two bowls so we could keep water in here. I’ve heard them out there hunting several times, but so far we’ve been fine.”

“Great.” The sarcasm dripped from his lips.

“Yeah, well, better than dying.” He couldn’t really argue that point. They stayed in silence for a while; eventually the shadows grew longer. “You should go back to sleep. I’m going to refill our water bowls and then get some sleep myself. It’ll probably be another few days before you have the strength to move around much.” Dabi was prepared to argue with her, but he caught sight of a small purple cat nosing at his own soulmark, and all words died on his lips. He needed to do whatever he could to heal quickly and get back to his brother.

Even once he’d regained his strength and Sakura deemed him capable of moving, it took them a few days to leave their little cave. They were miles from the nearest town at best, and although she said that the hunting parties were becoming less frequent, it was still a concern for them. They also lacked adequate clothing for the journey – Dabi had burned off most of his own clothing (his pants had become shorts and he had the remnants of his shoes) and Sakura’s had been ripped up fairly badly. If it wasn’t so cold out, it would have been more manageable. But he was in no condition to use his quirk for warmth without the risk of getting another bad fever. They had determined that the group had taken them north, and if they were hours away from home by vehicle, moving by foot would take them forever.

It took the two of them over a week to reach a small town. Dabi knew that without his companion, he wouldn’t have survived that long. She knew what they could and couldn’t eat. Still, the townspeople were untrusting. The two slept in a small shed with a family’s sheep and come morning, they stole the ratty blanket from the shed to use as cloaks to continue their travels. By the end of the month, they reached a larger town. Dabi’s skills came in handy here. He was able to convince a small café to let them help out in exchange for a small amount of food and a place to stay for a night or two. The ability to take a bath was downright luxurious and the kind couple who owned the café were willing to give them a set of clothing after – sweatpants and sweatshirts, as well as socks. They had to improvise shoes, using cardboard, plastic bottles, and duct tape, since the couple didn’t have any that would fit the two. They spent three days in the café, getting enough strength built up for the next leg of their journey.

Dabi woke up properly when he heard the birds outside chirping and the sun slipped through the cracks to fall across his face. If things hadn’t gone so wrong, he might have been back to Hitoshi after only a couple of months. But not long after he and Sakura had parted ways, life had to remind him of what his place was. He never enjoyed theft but would need to steal food or clothing on occasion during his travels. Even with phone access, he had no way to call his brother. In fact, the only people he could call believed he was dead. With theft came risk; Dabi spent many nights in different jails (at least he had food and shelter) and a few nights bloodied in alleyways. He couldn’t risk using his quirk without Sakura on hand or at least knowledge of a nearby doctor. The only doctor he did encounter was sketchy; he had promises of a colleague that could fix his quirk problem in exchange for some loyalty and occasional assistance.

Dabi found the letter his brother had left him, however long ago. His heart broke and soared at once; Hitoshi had been taken in by his soul parents. He was safe and cared for. Dabi had spent years hating his quirk; it was Hitoshi that made him think otherwise. Hitoshi was kept safe and warm by curling up against Dabi’s heated body. This awful, destructive quirk kept them both alive when things seemed beyond hope. The doctor’s offer crossed Dabi’s mind, and he shook his head. He had done many things he was not proud of over the last few years, things he hoped his brother would never learn of, but he would not go to a sketchy organization to help him with his quirk issues. Hitoshi would be far too disappointed in him.

Hitoshi couldn’t sleep. This wasn’t a new phenomenon; it seemed as he got older the insomnia only worsened. His dads always let him come and talk with them when it happened; they would make him tea or hot cocoa and curl up together on the couch or in their bed. Sometimes, when it was his thoughts running wild that kept him up, he would confide in his fathers. He’d share the multitude of thoughts that cascaded through his mind, ranging from whimsical (“If bat wings are really just like giant fingers, could they use them to write?”) to philosophical (“Without soulmarks, do you think that people would end up together the way they do? Do they influence our decisions in being around people?”) to worried (“I don’t think that Izuku’s school treats him okay.”) to longing (“When it would get cold, I would curl up against Dabi at night and it’d be like curling up under a kotatsu. He’d tease me, but never stopped me from doing it.”).

That night, laying between his fathers, his eyes couldn’t be drawn from his soulmarks. His cat was interacting a lot with Dabi’s wolverine. It wasn’t that the two animals never interacted, but rather that the two hadn’t interacted to this extent in a long time. “What’s going on in your brilliant brain?” Hitoshi scrunched up his face when his blond father ruffled his already crazy hair.

“Dabi’s wolverine is more active than usual… I don’t know what that means.”

Strong arms wrapped around him from behind, and Hitoshi couldn’t help but let himself melt into them. “I’m no expert, but usually marks interact more when one of the soulmates is focused on the other.”

“Sometimes it’s proximity or strong emotions, too.” Hizashi added to what Shouta had just said, tilting their son’s head up to meet his eyes. “I wish we had an exact answer for you.”

“I’ll check your treehouse in the morning, okay?” The chest he was leaning against rumbled, soothing his lingering concerns.

“Thanks, dad. Papa.” His eyes fluttered shut. He let himself take in the scent of home and safety – the floral and coconutty scent of his Papa’s hair products, the lingering aroma of coffee that mixed with his dad’s subtle bodywash, the fragrance of their laundry detergent on his parents’ freshly washed sheets. His stray thoughts – memories of his mother’s perfume, of Dabi’s smoky leather jacket – faded away to a sound sleep.

Shouta held his boy against his chest and reached to entwine his fingers with his husband’s. The boy’s breathing began to even out, and Shouta finally looked away from him to meet the soft eyes of the man laying across from him. “He’s got such a big heart.”

“Sounds a lot like his father.” Hizashi teased, running his thumb along the side of his husband’s calloused hand. “You think that his soulmate is back?”

“I don’t know, but I have a feeling he’s nearby at least.”

“We’ll get them reunited, Sho. We’ll get our baby’s family back.”

“It’s been a long time. Depending on how old the kid was, he’s not necessarily a kid anymore. And living on the streets for that long… it’s hard to know if he’s still the same person he was before he left.” There are few that Shouta would voice his fears to, but Hizashi had always listened to them, acknowledged them, considered them, and then refuted them.

“The world may be cruel, but I don’t see anyone that could take care of a sweet boy like Hitoshi willingly giving away such a large part of their humanity. Whoever he is, whatever he’s been through – he is a good person. And even if that has been buried under trauma, it’s still there.” Hizashi carefully leaned over their son’s head and kissed his husband, resting their foreheads together for a beat. “Why don’t we join our sleeping prince, hm?” He let go of the other’s hand to remove his hearing aids and glasses, letting Shouta turn off the single lamp that illuminated their room.

Izuku bent over in an alleyway, panting. Things were getting ridiculous at school; the teasing and shoving continued to escalate. He’d been shoved down a stairwell earlier and made a promise to thank his gymnastics instructor for teaching him how to fall – this skill had reduced his injuries by a lot. At least, he thought so. The nurse refused to see him at school for any “attention-seeking” injuries, which were all of them as far as she was concerned. Still, getting chased down after school while on a badly twisted ankle was not pleasant.

Just when he had caught his breath, it was stolen away again. “Come with us, kid.” A gruff voice grunted into his ear. He could barely hear over the pounding of his heart, but he could feel something sharp against the small of his back. He squeaked as he followed the command, moving down the alley and turning into an even smaller one. A river of possible escapes and plans raged through his brain, and it was only the shock of the situation that kept him from murmuring these ideas aloud. The narrow space echoed with the heavy footsteps of his kidnappers’ boots and his own stuttering steps. His heart nearly stopped when he spotted the van idling at the end of this alleyway. He had only a short space to make his escape before he would inevitably lose the fight to get him into the vehicle.

I don’t think I can run. With my ankle and how tired I am from earlier, they’d catch me. He stumbled over a loose rock, his backpack throwing him off balance further. Crap! He could hear the man growling at him, shoving him along despite his struggles. Think, Izuku, think! What would All Might do? Or Eraserhead? What would Kacchan do? Kacchan would probably blast them in the face… but I can’t do that! Stupid, useless, quirkless Deku! Tears sprung to his eyes and his lower lip quivered. What would they tell him mom? Hitoshi? How long would it take for them to find out?

He couldn’t help the hiccup before the sobs broke loose to the disdain of the men prodding him along. There are two here with me. At least one with the van. Neither have shown their quirk and both are pretty burly. They probably don’t need to rely on their quirks, which makes it harder to identify them. The boy was full-on bawling as they neared the van. A hairy man’s head stuck out of the driver’s window; he shouted something that the two men responded to but sounded like gibberish to the kid. The first man, the one who had something pressing against Izuku’s back, shoved Izuku against the van while the other man opened the back doors. Izuku broke and let out a wail. He wanted his mom.

It wasn’t his mom who swooped in to save him, though. The events seemed to happen in slow motion. One moment Izuku could feel his body shaking against the cold exterior of the van, could hear his own harsh breaths and the rattling of the van, could smell the trash that filled the alley and the gasoline that filled the vehicle he was shoved against, could taste the blood and bile in his mouth, and could see the dark figure that dropped down on the man behind him. He heard the thwick of a light-colored item flick past his head and smash the second kidnapper against the van’s door.

Strong arms that vaguely registered as safe wrapped around him and then he was in the air, his savior kicking off the van’s side and ascending the building with the kid firmly held against him. Izuku took a trembling, deep breath and processed the smell of sweat and coffee. The two landed in a jarring manner, and he was speaking to Izuku, but the panicked child couldn’t process the words. The events of the last ten minutes flooded back to him. He was reduced to a panic attack, curling in on himself on the hard roof.

“Hey, breath with me, okay?” A warm hand pulled the smaller away from clutching his knee and rested it against a firm and steady chest that moved with exaggerated breaths. He instinctively imitated the process, clarity slowly returning to him. He realized that his bag sat to the side and arms were wrapped around him now that he had unfurled himself. “There you are, Izuku.”

Despite feeling dizzy and nauseated still, he turned at the sound of his name coming from the deep voice. “E-eraserhead!” His eyes widened at the sight of his best friend’s father.

He sighed good-naturedly. “Call me Aizawa, kid. You’re Hitoshi’s friend, aren’t you?”

He chuckled awkwardly. “Y-yeah.”

“How’re you feeling?”

“I- I don’t know.” He realized he was trembling, still held by the hero.

“Anything hurt?”

A lot of things. My ankle. My back. I have cuts all over my arms and a burn on my shoulder. “I’m okay, sir. Tha-thank you.” He averted his eyes, not wanting his idol to detect his lie.

“It’s okay if you aren’t okay.”

Izuku’s mind screeched to a halt. “Wait! Those guys! What are… who is going to… how are they…” He wanted to groan in frustration at how his words would twist in on themselves instead of making sense.

“I called the police before I jumped in. Gave them the license plate number and descriptions. Plus, those two grunts were unconscious.” Izuku let out a small, shaky breath of relief.

“I didn’t know what to do.” He frowned at the ground and properly settled against the man’s chest, like a doll resting in a devoted child’s lap. “I thought that maybe if I knew their quirks, I could do something… that maybe I wouldn’t be such a useless Deku… but all I could do was cry.” Tears welled up again.

The arms around him tightened, and he felt the man rest his forehead in his curls. “You are a child, Izuku. That would be a scary situation for most adults. You should never have been in that situation to begin with, and no one would expect you to get out of it yourself.” He stroked the kid’s hair. “You are not useless. From what I hear, and trust me, I hear a lot about you, you’re a very intelligent and kind person.” Izuku let out a wet sniffle and smiled.

“Thank you.” It was quiet, but it came out clearly spoken. He hoped his friend’s father would continue to hold him like this. He didn’t think he’d ever felt so safe. He shifted slightly and rested his forehead against the man’s shoulder. “Not a lot of people think that.”

“Is that why you called yourself a deku?” The boy flinched but nodded. “Oh, kid.” Izuku expected the man to let him go before helping him back to his apartment. Instead, once he let go, he gathered Izuku’s belongings and lifted the boy into his arms. He encouraged Izuku to relax and using his capture weapon, he leapt from building to building until they arrived on the roof. He carefully brought Izuku down and to the front door; they could hear singing from the inside and the smell of katsudon wafted out to them. The boy hesitantly invited him in for dinner, but Shouta gave him a half-smile and shook his head. “I’m sure Hizashi and Hitoshi have food cooking for us.” He leaned to ruffle the kid’s curly locks. “Have a good night, alright? And make sure you talk to your mom.”

Izuku nodded and waved to the hero who walked down the stairs but waited at the bottom for the child to enter his home. “Mama, I’m back!”

“Welcome home, sweetheart. Did you have a good day? You were out pretty late.” He could sense the concerned frown on her face at the final comment. He heard the sizzle of frying pork while he slipped off his shoes and set down his backpack.

“Smells delicious.” His mom laughed at his blissed-out face. “Sorry I’m late. I ran into some difficulties on my way home. But! Hitoshi’s dad was there and helped me out; he actually walked me home.”

“You should’ve invited him in!” She scolded him, and he just rolled his eyes.

“Mama! I did. He said that he had to get back to Hitoshi and Hizashi-san.” He took the plates down from the cupboard while his mother finished the katsudon. For several minutes, all that was heard from the apartment was the familiar clatter of plates and utensils. The two finally sat down to eat and share the highlights of their days. Izuku was particularly interested to hear how his mother’s soulmate patient was doing. The boy waited until they were full and doing the dishes to inform her about the difficulties he had while coming home – leaving out the part about the bullies.

His shirt was soaked when wet arms embraced him and tears dripped onto his shoulder. He wrapped his mother in a hug and whispered reassurances. She insisted on calling the man to thank him that evening, despite her son’s protests. When she started dialing, he slunk away to his room and hopped on the computer to complain to Hitoshi about how embarrassing his mother was being.

In many ways, it was enough for Hitoshi to know his big brother was doing okay and was back in the area. They still hadn’t gotten in contact with him, not really, but his dad said that someone had been occasionally staying in the treehouse and that he had found a letter for Hitoshi from Dabi. It was just the one letter, even though he’d had his dad leave another and weeks had passed at this point. Hitoshi kept the letter in the drawer of his bedside table for days he needed a reminder that things would be okay.

Hitoshi,

I am sorry for disappearing on you. I didn’t want to. A lot of shit things happened before I could come back. I am glad you found your soul parents. I’m going to do better so that when I see you again, you can be proud of me. You keep on being your amazing self and I know that you’ll be an amazing hero. Don’t give up on your dream, no matter what.

-Dabi

The paper was soft with wrinkles from how many times it had been read. More than once Hitoshi had fallen asleep with the paper grasped in his hand. His dad still swung by the area and sometimes left snacks in the treehouse, things that would last a while, in an effort to keep the missing boy healthy. He wouldn’t let Hitoshi join him, though, no matter how much the child pleaded. Shouta remained firm that until he had made contact with Dabi personally, the boy couldn’t go into that area. The neighborhood was steadily growing more dangerous and the uptick in villainous behavior was something that the man was determined to keep his son away from.

Hitoshi would complain about these things to Izuku, especially when they had sleepovers at the boy’s house. Under the watchful eyes of All Might posters, the two would admit to the darker thoughts that plagued them. They were disgruntled at their inability to locate Dabi or Hitoshi’s mysterious other soul-sibling. They talked about what they thought their romantic soulmates would be like based on their marks.

The boys were having one such sleepover when life turned upside down. Dinner had passed, and the boys were watching the newest All Might movie while designing their future hero costumes. They had a bunch of papers strewn around them with colored pencils scattered on the floor. Hitoshi was content to listen to his friend chatter while they drew, only occasionally giving his input. They didn’t register the ringing phone or Inko responding to it. It wasn’t until the woman began to softly cry and turned off the movie that the two sat ramrod straight, looking at her with concern.

“Mama, what’s wrong?” The woman fell to her knees and pulled both boys into a tight hug. “Mama?” Izuku’s voice trembled.

She sat back on her heels, wiped her eyes, and took a deep breath. “Hitoshi, honey, you’re going to need to stay here for a few days.”

“What’s going on?” Izuku asked for his friend, who had gone mute in fear. “What’s wrong?”

“Hitoshi’s parents were a part of a large operation tonight. Shouta-san broke his leg, and they are keeping him in the hospital overnight until they can have someone with a healing quirk take care of it.” She gulped.

“And Papa?”

Inko’s entire body softened at the boy’s tiny voice. She often looked at the two and saw how fast they were growing, but now she just saw the scrawny kid she’d first met several years ago with baby fat clinging to his cheeks. “Hizashi-san… He was hurt pretty badly. He’ll be okay, but he will need to stay in the hospital for several days.” She wiped away the tears that were forming in the boy’s eyes. “Hitoshi, sweetie, both of them will be okay. It was a scary night, and you’ll need to stay here for a while so they can heal.”

“I want to see them.”

“Hitoshi…”

His bottom lip quivered. “Please. I need to see them.” She glanced at Izuku and back to Hitoshi.

She smoothed down his hair and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “In the morning I’ll call and ask if you can visit.” The boy nodded and wrapped himself in the oversized blanket that the boys had left on the couch. He was barely visible under the fabric; he wished he could disappear altogether. First Mama… then Dabi… I can’t lose my dads, too. I can’t. A nearly inaudible whine escaped his throat. It didn’t matter what the Midoriyas did; Hitoshi was closed off from the world from that moment until he fell asleep over an hour later.

Inko had lifted the boy, blanket and all, and carried him to the futon laid out in Izuku’s room. When she had turned to leave, her baby boy gripped her hand tight. “Please stay.” She planted a kiss on his curls and promised to be right back; she changed into pajamas and joined the two boys on the floor, holding her son to her bosom as if she could protect him from the dangers of the world.

Hitoshi’s foot tapped to the beat of the music floating out of the kitchen, intent on completing the day’s assignments. His hand smudged the graphite across his scrap paper – it was always easier for him to work his thoughts out that way, much like his best friend. So regardless of his online classes, he kept notebooks dedicated to each subject. The soft lilting notes paused in the air before a delicate laugh filled the momentary silence. Hitoshi closed the notebook with his completed work and stretched before joining his mother in the kitchen. “Mom, you should sing with Papa sometime. You two both have such nice voices.”

The boy hopped onto the counter to watch her finish putting cookies into the oven. His mother was finally well rested; she hadn’t had to work multiple jobs and now the light falling across her face showed a healthy color. “Don’t worry, my sweet boy. When your Papa joins me, we’ll sing all the time.” In the time it took for her to speak, shadows were cast through the window, catching on the tattered curtains. The alarm went off, and the kitchen smelt of cookies and whatever had charred onto the bottom of the ancient oven. He could hear their neighbors through the shabby walls. “Just be sure to take care of your Dad, okay?”

“Mom, what’re you talking about?”

It was like she didn’t hear him. “Of course, you guys have Ms. Inko and Izuku, too. They’re such sweet people.”

“Mama, you and Papa aren’t going anywhere!” Hitoshi’s voice rose higher in urgency. He couldn’t lose her again and definitely not his Papa!

“You’ll be fine, my baby boy.”

Hitoshi shot up in tears. It had been a while since he’d dreamt about his mother like that. He watched Inko carefully settle Izuku aside; the mother pulled him into her arms and let him sob. “I can’t lose him like I lost my mama.”

“Oh, baby, you won’t. Your papa is strong, and the doctors are talented.” She ran her fingers through his wild hair. “Let me call your dad, okay? See when you can go visit.” He nodded and froze when she stood. “Come on with me, dear.” She helped him stand and wrapped her arm around him. He clung to her like Izuku did as a small child. She actually pulled him into her lap when she settled down to call Shouta. He tuned her out, his dream at the forefront of his mind, unaware that he was picking at the skin around his nails.

Not long after the call, where they were told they could visit in about an hour, Hitoshi woke Izuku. The two got dressed while Inko made them breakfast. Despite this, Hitoshi couldn’t eat. Food only made him think of baking with his mother – something he also did with his papa, who was in the hospital and injured. He forced himself to eat a few bites when Izuku gave him worried looks, but he may as well have been eating sawdust.

It seemed like forever before the trio was on the train to the hospital. He gripped the soft material of Izuku’s sleeve, rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger. The announcer called out their stop and Inko wrapped an arm around the boys’ shoulders and guided them down the sidewalk to the looming building. Hitoshi froze on the sidewalk; it was like his feet had a mind of their own and wouldn’t listen to what he wanted.

He might have stayed there for a minute or ten, he wouldn’t know. However, his trance was broken when he saw his dark-haired father limp out of the front doors on crutches. He didn’t process moving any more than he did stopping. He just clung to his dad’s capture scarf and sobbed, letting the familiar smells and texture soothe him. He babbled about his dream, and despite his injury, his father crouched down and wrapped him in a hug. “Everything is okay, Hitoshi. Everything is okay.” Shouta smiled over the boy’s head, gratefully nodding at Inko. “Let’s go see your papa, okay?” Shouta lifted the boy onto his hip, suppressing a grunt while at it.

Inko and Shouta spoke briefly before Shouta helped them through the security that was provided outside the hero wing of the hospital. Inko offered to have Izuku and herself grab the family some drinks and guided the kid down the hall so that the family could reunite in peace; her son was trying to break the tension with his chatter. Shouta pushed the door open where his husband’s blond hair was splayed out on the pillow while he slept, hooked up to several machines and covered in bandages. Hitoshi started crying all over again.

“I know it’s scary, buddy. There are a lot of wires and bandages. But it just means that the doctors are healing him. And he’s sleeping because it takes a lot of energy to heal.”

“I don’t want him to leave like Mama did.” Shouta just pulled the boy his chest, murmuring soft words of reassurances. His little kitten had been through so much. Eventually, though, the boy fell into a restless sleep. Shouta settled into the comfortable chair beside his husband’s bed. His leg was starting to throb, but he ignored it in favor of taking care of his boys. When Izuku and Inko returned, he accepted the coffee gratefully. The green haired child drug a chair across the room, making the adults wince with the screeching it made against the flooring. The kid pushed it in front of Aizawa for him to set his leg on and then Izuku sat at the end of Hizashi’s bed, worrying on his lip. It scared him to see his hero so vulnerable. Present Mic was always so energetic, and it just felt wrong for him to be so still.

 It took a few days before Hizashi was permitted to go home. He was off patrols for the rest of the month, and since he was able to be off from work, he spent the time spoiling his son – especially after he heard about Hitoshi’s nightmare. He also spent it talking to Nedzu about the possibility of becoming a teacher. He had considered it for a while; Nemuri had gone back to school for her certification and was always talking about her classes. Hizashi loved working with people, he loved sharing the knowledge he gained (it was one of his favorite segments on his show), and he loved the idea of a steady job – one that could last beyond his hero career and that would help him support his family.

Nedzu was looking for a new English teacher; the last one they had was still an active pro – and he had unfortunately been severely injured in duty and was still in the hospital, nearly a month later, with no changes. Recovery Girl hadn’t been able to help. After his recent injury and seeing his soulmarks – soul children that he still hadn’t met, Hizashi began to think that it would be in his best interest to cut back a little from the physical side of his job.

Shouta had promised to support him, regardless of his decision. He understood, to an extent, Hizashi’s reasons. This recent mission had terrified him, too. Neither man wanted to leave their children, especially not before they had found them. They didn’t want to take the security of family away from their baby boy – even if he was quickly growing into a young adult. There was another open position – that of a heroics teacher – and Nemuri was pushing Shouta to apply. She touted the benefits of the couple working together: increased time together, consistent schedules, extra resources for their family.

Hizashi put away the latest batch of cookies and glanced at the clock, it was nearing four in the morning. He would admit to being a stress baker, and neither of his family members complained about the sweets. Hitoshi had fallen asleep a couple hours prior, and now he was waiting for his husband to return home. The blond straightened up the kitchen, smiling when the door creaked open and shut with the thud of boots. Shouta entered the kitchen and kissed his neck, holding the man close. “Smells delicious.” The scruff on his face rubbed against the other’s throat.

Hizashi laughed. “Unlike you, handsome.”

“Shower?”

“Sure.” He agreed easily, gripping the man’s hand and following him to the back of the house. Hizashi carefully took the time to run his fingers through Shouta’s wet hair. He told him about his conversation with Nedzu from earlier – that the chimera had said he could begin teaching without his certification and take classes while he taught.

“Sounds like a plan.”

“He wants you to teach.”

The man groaned. “Yeah, Nem has been bugging me about it.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I like the idea of changing how students are taught to think about the career. But, Zashi, who on earth would want me as a teacher?”

“I don’t know, I wouldn’t have minded have a sexy Underground hero teacher while I was at U.A.” The dark-haired man gave him a little shove and an eye roll, even as he grabbed a washcloth to scrub at his husband’s chest.

“Seriously, though, babe. I don’t think I’d be good at it.”

“Nedzu is offering me the opportunity to shadow a teacher, maybe you could as well. See if you like it.”

“Zashi.”

“It’s only an idea. You know that I will always support you. No matter what you decide.” Shouta hummed. Despite being clean, the couple made no move to leave the warm water. “I’m kind of excited.”

“Well, you’ve always been a nerd.”

“Rude! Besides, you were always in the top five in class.”

“But not first.” Shouta smirked at the look on his husband’s face and leaned in to kiss him. “What would Hitoshi do during the day?”

“Nedzu said he could work in the teacher’s break room. There would always be someone to keep an eye on him, help him if needed.”

“Better than keeping him as a personal student.”

“Says his personal student.”

“Exactly. Hitoshi needs to be at least sixteen before he gets that close to the rat.” They took turns drying each other off, combing through their long hair. They were silent while blow drying their locks, but occasionally made eye contact in the mirror and would have a silent conversation with soft eyes. After reapplying Hizashi’s bandages, they climbed into their bed, letting the heavy blankets cover them. “I want to teach them self-defense.”

“Who?”

“Hitoshi and Izuku.”

“I don’t disagree with that. But why?”

“Izuku was nearly kidnapped a couple months ago. He’s being bullied, and Hitoshi doesn’t know the extent. They both want to go to U.A. and neither have the physical advantage to get in. They’re almost in middle school.”

“Do you think Inko would be okay with this?”

“If we’re the ones doing it, yes. I suspect she’s wanted Izuku to have some skills, but there aren’t places that would accept him.”

“Then let’s do it. Let’s get our boys capable.” They snuggled in together, letting the steady beats of their hearts – a sign that they’re alive – soothe them to sleep.

Izuku held back tears as he looked at his desk. The desk being covered in slurs was nothing new; the spider-lilies sitting on it and the article beside it were. Ten Quirkless Dead in Tokyo. He tried to resist reading through the article, but it was like a magnet pulling his eyes to each word, lingering on the horrid things said about people like him. The laughter of his peers was buzzing like a shaken beehive, full of creatures ready to sting at a moment’s notice.

Numbly, he cleaned his desk. He ignored the teacher’s scolding for his vandalism and took out a notebook and pencil. In minutes, he was at lunch, eating alone in a closet. He was listening to his teacher explain a grammar topic, and then he was running from the bullies at the final bell. A moment later and he was home. The entire day was gone, just like that. He started to prep for dinner, aware that his mother had a late night that night. He wanted things to be easier for her on nights like this. To be a good, useful son.

He didn’t get online that night. He didn’t watch the news. He waited for his mother to come home and asked her about her day. He smiled and cleaned up after dinner. He went to bed and read a comic. He pretended the world outside of their small apartment wasn’t there at all. His dreams that night constantly shifted.

Hitoshi saw the headlines about the group of quirkless suicide while watching the news with his dads. He rushed to the computer, logging on to his HeroZone account. Izuku hadn’t been on at all that day. “Dad! Papa!”

The two men came into the room and hugged their distressed son. “He’s okay, baby. I just texted Inko and he’s been helping out at home just like normal.”

“Does he know?”

They shared a quick glance. “I don’t know, sweetheart. Inko didn’t say.”

“We’ll check with him tomorrow if he doesn’t message you, okay?” He nodded.

“Why don’t you leave that open, so we can hear if he messages you. Alright?” He nodded again. He didn’t want to lose his best friend. “Why don’t we also get you an appointment with your therapist? This must have been scary, especially with everything you’ve been through.” He just nodded again. His voice was gone, like his mother, like Dabi, like all those quirkless kids in Tokyo.

Hitoshi kept waiting for Izuku to say something about what happened. But Izuku went about life as usual. The two talked about hero fights, their advances in gymnastics, and their classwork. Everything seemed normal, and after two weeks Hitoshi let himself relax. Izuku was fine.

Izuku was not fine. His only consolation at school was that Kacchan didn’t participate in the suicide-baiting and discussion. He continued to bully him, use his quirk on him, harass him; but he never made a comment about death. Still, it was wearing on him. Every day he was being told he deserved to die. He needed to die because he was born differently. He found himself hiding on a rooftop after school, curled into a ball and crying. Why did everyone hate him?

The sun moved across the sky, peeking from the clouds before hiding again. The sky shouldn’t have been so bright for such an awful day. He didn’t realize he was moving until his legs were swinging over the edge of the building; tears dripping down his face. He faintly registered a presence sit next to him; a whiff of coffee and sweat. He let himself go; he fell against the body next to him and sobbed out the entire story: the physical and emotional abuse, the suicide-baiting. Calloused fingers buried themselves in his hair and a gruff voice muttered platitudes. He let Eraserhead soothe him. He let the tears wracking his body dehydrate him. “It feels like I’m hollow. Nothing is real.”

“Izuku, are you in therapy?”

He shook his head and scoffed. “No one will take me.” Shouta cussed out their society and pulled the boy closer. It was then he saw the animals, the verdant bunny and sleek panther curling around one another, and his eyes widened. “Why do they all hate me?”

“People fear what they don’t understand.” Shouta murmured to his soul son. “It’s been a problem for a long time. It’s why they discriminate against me, against Hitoshi, against you. It’s why things are difficult. It’s why there are so many villains.”

“I hate it.”

“I know. It’s awful. But that’s why, when we find our people, we hold onto them.” He guided Izuku’s attention to the creatures gracing their skin, gently tracing their shapes. “Things aren’t going to be easy for people like us. But we have each other. And we always will.” Izuku nodded against his chest. “I’m going to teach you self-defense, okay? You and Hitoshi. We’ll cover aikido and we’ll teach you two how to take care of yourselves. And you will be heroes that can change the system that has hurt you all.”

They sat there, letting the beautiful sunset colors wash over them. Izuku clung to his soul parent, the man who knew about his quirklessness, his weakness, and chose to care for him anyway. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for telling the truth.”

“You believe in me.” Izuku was still disbelieving. “You said I can be a hero.”

“You can.”

“Even my mom doesn’t think that.” He looked down at his lap, his patched school pants. “And she’s the only one who has cared for so long.”

“You have more potential than so many of the would-be heroes studying at high schools because they have a strong quirk but no sense of what is right.”

“You’d set them straight.” Shouta thought about that. Thought about the offer given to his husband and himself. “You’re a better hero than most of the ones on the charts.” Izuku shyly glanced up at the man holding him. He paused. “You’ve always been one of my favorites. You gave me hope.” A scruffy kiss was placed on his curls. Izuku melted and let out a small yawn.

“Let’s get you home.” The man pulled him into his arms, gathered the boy’s belongings, and swung them down from the building in a move that mimicked the day that he saved Izuku from kidnappers. Izuku let himself drift off. As long as Eraserhead was there, he would be fine. When the two arrived at the Midoriya home, Shouta gestured at Inko to be quiet and personally tucked Izuku into bed. He hadn’t been in the boy’s room before and took in the many posters and figurines. He was surprised to see his own hero persona amongst the plethora of merchandise.

He quietly shut the door and sat down in the living room, lifting a mug of tea that Inko had made for him. “What’s going on?”

He sighed. “Several things. Did you know that Izuku is being bullied?”

The woman frowned. “I suspected, but… the school never says anything, and Izuku is very good at hiding things from me that he thinks will worry me.” She fiddled with the edge of her apron. “I wish I could tell more or do more for him, but I also don’t think it would be different at any other school.”

“His classmates have been particularly cruel since the incident in Tokyo. They’ve been harassing him, and the teachers aren’t doing anything about it.” It was times like this that Shouta wished he had his husband’s tactful communication skills.

“I’ll talk to Mitsuki, see if Katsuki knows anything.”

“I was thinking of teaching him and Hitoshi aikido. It’s a non-offensive martial art and may help the two protect themselves.”

“I worry that if the teachers are doing nothing now, they would blame him for it if he did defend himself.” Inko’s voice wavered.

“I suspect so. Hitoshi is enrolled in online school because of discrimination. I would be glad to help you get Izuku enrolled.”

“I will look into that. It would be nice to see him happier. Plus, he is a very smart kid. I don’t think they’re letting him show that at that school of his.”

“I’ve noticed how intelligent he is.” He paused and rolled up his sleeve. “I also discovered tonight that he’s my soul child.” Inko’s eyes widened over the appearance of her son’s soul animal. “Hizashi doesn’t have Izuku’s mark, but we share others.”

Inko traced her son’s animal on her own arm. “Hisashi and Izuku never bonded; it was a source of contention for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if Izuku has latched onto you as a father figure. The closest he has had is Masaru, and the two aren’t super close.” She gave him a soft smile. “If it had to be anyone, I am glad it’s you. You and your husband are good people. And Izuku needs all the support he can get.”

“Thank you.” He nodded gently at her, not realizing until he had it that he ought her approval.

“Maybe we should start inviting you to family dinners.” She teased him a little. It wouldn’t be any different from inviting them to dinner any other time.

“Maybe we should.” The two chatted for a little while before Shouta excused himself to go home. He had a lot to share with his husband.

The months leading up to their twelfth birthdays were some of the most fulfilling of the boys’ lives. They spent several evenings a week together between gymnastics, aikido, and “family” dinners. Izuku was set to transfer schools after the summer break. When they broke the news to the Bakugos, Katsuki didn’t know how to respond. So, he did what he usually did and let sparks fly from his palms. That stupid Deku! Why does he think he’s so special that he doesn’t need to come to our school anymore? It’s that stupid purple kid’s fault, I bet. The boy stormed off from the group lunch; Masaru just shook his head.

For their twelfth birthday, each boy was gifted a cell phone. They wasted no time in adding one another to their contacts list (the trio of parents were already in there). The adults sat them down to discuss the responsibilities and expectations that came with having the phones. Neither kid minded much. The excitement over being able to talk at any time – no HeroZone needed – was too immense.

Izuku immediately added an animal icon for each of his soulmates’ contacts. He was frustrated when he couldn’t find one that matched just right but accepted the one that was closest. He wasted no time in adding an All Might background, either. His aunt got him an All Might charm for it, as well. The boy beamed at how cool his phone was! He would cradle it to his chest when no one was looking. It was the first big step towards being a teenager.

Chapter Text

Izuku flourished in online classes. Inko worked out a semi-rotating schedule for the boys with Shouta and Hizashi; on days she had off, the boys would come and work at her apartment; their notebooks and pencils covered their dining table. The other weekdays the two would work at the heroes’ home. Izuku quickly rose to be one of the top students in the class, carefully and painstakingly taking notes. He’d tried to explain his method to his best friend, but it didn’t seem to stick with the taller one.

Hizashi came home from shadowing a teacher at U.A. and saw his husband crouching next to the coffee table, meticulously demonstrating how to work through a particularly complex math problem to Izuku. The future-teacher paused to watch how his husband prompted the boy to explain his thought process for each step of the equation and ruffled his green curls in encouragement when the boy was able to do a problem entirely on his own. The underground hero then turned to assist his son with his classwork, only to wince and call out to the blond. “English was never my strongest subject. However, your papa has always been really good with it.”

“That’s right!” The man shot them finger guns with a lopsided grin while strolling into the living room. “I’ve taken a few trips to America, even.” He kissed his husband as they swapped roles and took his position at the kid’s side. “Let’s see what we have here.” The man’s eyes rapidly shuffled back and forth as he took in the assignment. Shouta stood in the entryway to the kitchen and discreetly took a picture of his boys together.

Shouta texted Inko to come by after her shift and attached the photo. When he got a positive reply, he set about prepping for dinner. Izuku slipped away from the English practice and silently began to help his soul parent with chopping vegetables. With the amount of time the two families had spent together, the boy had started to think of Hitoshi as his brother and Shouta his father. He felt guilty that he didn’t have a neat way to fit Hizashi into this box; he suspected it was that he still had the occasional urge to fanboy over the man.

Dinner was delicious and filled with laughter; Inko and Hizashi had become quick friends and were both extroverted enough to carry the entire group. Still, Izuku was a frequent contributor and even the two introverts of the group would make remarks when it fit. It was as the two chatty adults did dishes that Inko shared her idea. “You know, we have monthly lunches with the Bakugos at a park. Why don’t you all join us next time? It’s a nice way for the boys to get some energy out and to be around more adults who understand what it’s like to have a boy at this age.”

“I’d have to talk it over with Shouta, but that could be nice. I do worry about how much time indoors the boys spend. Even though they’re active and all.” Inko turned off the tap and with the absence of the running water, she was able to hear her sweet boys giggling over something or other. Hizashi noticed where her attention was drawn and smiled. It was a truly heartwarming sound.

Inko became Hizashi’s confidante; their friendship had grown strong enough to spawn each other’s soulmarks. The blond was slowly taking on more responsibilities at UA. It was a delicate balancing act, maintaining three jobs and parenthood. Inko would listen and empathize – she understood the challenges the man faced from when Izuku was little.

Izuku was observant. He had to be – vigilance is what kept him alive when the bullies were at their worst. It’s because of this that he noticed Shouta’s slight shift in behavior. He didn’t mention it to anyone; he wanted investigate first or see if it became worse. His attention on his schoolwork wavered when at the Aizawa-Yamada household; his focus was on the way the underground hero acted. He wasn’t the only one whose attention was out of balance. The man in question would occasionally zone out. Izuku worried at his lip while he tried to take science notes. Every few sentences his eyes would dart to his soul father. Hitoshi seemed oblivious to both of them, his entire focus devoted to the history assignment he was working on.

Izuku carefully ripped out a sheet of paper and scribbled an encouraging note for Aizawa. When he took a bathroom break, he slipped into the adult’s bedroom and placed it on his side table. Maybe that would help lift the mood of the only father figure he had. This settled in the back of his mind, lingering as he finished up his daily work and even longer when his mother picked him up with a smile and forehead kiss for Hitoshi. Izuku didn’t get a text of acknowledgement until the next night.

Shouta glanced at his phone after Hitoshi went to his room for the night. Tech Issues. Won’t be home until really late. He tossed the phone onto the couch without responding. He began to clean the living room, making sure to sweep and dust. Hitoshi and Izuku always made sure it wasn’t a wreck at the end of their schoolwork sessions, but these chores would get neglected by the preteens. Shouta carefully dusted off the picture from his wedding day that the couple had put on display, fingers trailing over the two figures whose foreheads pressed together in the setting sun. It felt like a lifetime ago, even though it’d only been a few years.

Shoving the thought down, Shouta opened his laptop to work on some investigative pieces that he’d been requested to help with from the Nighteye agency. The man excelled in gathering information, but there were benefits of being underground when it came to things like this. He didn’t register the hours passing or falling asleep on the couch. When Hitoshi woke him in the morning, the only sign his husband had been home at all was a mug drying on the countertop. Shouta checked his phone for any notifications, but it was as empty as usual. He buried down his emotions and made breakfast for his quiet son.

The two families joined the Bakugo family at a nearby park the following Sunday. The blond tween was conspicuously peeved about being forced to spend time around the other two, especially when they made no move to include him. Sparks crackled out of his palms as the scrawnier boys scrambled up trees to relax in the shade of the leaves. Stupid pretentious nerds. Katsuki aimed a kick at the base of the trunk of the tree Izuku had climbed.

Shouta laid out across the picnic blanket while Masaru and Inko caught up on the last couple of weeks. Mitsuki had her phone out, responding to work emails even though it was supposed to be her day off. Shouta resisted the urge to nap, one ear out for the problem children. The conversation petered out between the adults; the quiet had Shouta frowning. The families had planned to meet around 11:30 but it was approaching 1pm and Hizashi was still nowhere to be seen. Shouta sat up and shielded his eyes from the sun to check his phone, but the only notification was that Nemuri had posted a new video to her personal Instagram.

He let his head fall into his hands. So much for family time. He was the one who planned this, even! When Masaru asked if he was okay, he simply claimed he had a headache, which wasn’t actually far from the truth. The relentless tension of life, bright sun, and incessant thoughts contributing to the pressure behind his eyes. Inko’s phone let out a brief shrill before she huffed out a laugh. “Hizashi says he’s on his way; he ran into a few issues at the station and got held up.”

Shouta pushed himself off the ground, muttering an excuse about going to the nearby corner store to get some medicine. He was vaguely aware that his green-haired problem child joined him, trailing not quite stealthily behind him.

The bell rang above their heads as they entered, Shouta beelining for some acetaminophen. He grabbed a small bottle and then got them two bottles of tea. He threw in a chocolate bar for the kid who muttered a shy thank you. They paused near the exit and the child munched while Shouta threw back a few pills. “Are you okay?” The boy was twisting the bottom of his shirt in his anxious hands. “You’ve been acting different.”

Shouta ruffled his hair. “Don’t worry, kiddo. I’m fine.” Izuku frowned and shoved his hands into his pockets to quietly follow the man. When they reentered the park, Hitoshi was talking with Masaru about the practicality of different clothing designs while Bakugo scrolled through hero news, a near permanent scowl on his face. Hizashi was animatedly talking about something or other with Mitsuki and Inko, the ladies laughing quite hard. Shouta schooled his face before approaching with Izuku. The remainder of their picnic, Shouta was more taciturn than usual.

Inko had a late shift, Izuku was sick, and Shouta offered to watch the boy. Hizashi and Hitoshi took advantage of the time for some father/son bonding. Shouta pushed the sweaty hair off Izuku’s forehead, resting a cool, damp cloth on the heated skin. He sang softly, trying his best to soothe the restless boy.

“Dad, how did you know that Zashi was the right one? Besides the mark… how do we know that there is someone out there perfect for us?” Shouta froze at the name, emotion sweeping through his chest. The question had him pausing, though.

“There’s no such thing as a perfect relationship. Just because two people’s souls are connected on a deep level, doesn’t mean things will be easy.”

“Like Mama’s and Hisashi’s.”

“Right.” Or Hizashi and myself. His treacherous thoughts stabbed at him, but he pushed forward. “Any relationship requires work. We’re lucky to have our animals help us know who our people are. But, when it comes to your romantic soulmate, there will be little details that can clue you in, even if you don’t notice the soul marks.” The boy hummed in acknowledgement and yawned. He then cuddled against Shouta’s side, burying his face against the man’s stomach. “Get some rest.”

“Night, dad.”

“Goodnight, Izuku.” It took mere minutes for the boy’s breathing to level out. Shouta carefully repositioned them so that he could get some rest, too. No point in wasting the time he was given to do so, especially since he would be patrolling once Inko returned.

Inko woke Shouta with a smile. “Want some coffee?” He thanked her as he stood and stretched out his stiff limbs. He ran his fingers through curly green hair once more before joining Inko in the kitchen, a hot cup of coffee and tea on the counter. They drank their respective drinks in companiable silence before Inko wished him a safe night and he slipped out the front door, prepared for another night of dealing with the scum that took advantage of poor neighborhoods.

Quiet nights may be the worst. He helped a few drunk ladies get a taxi home and stopped a mugging. But for the most part, it was just hopping from roof top to roof top, stuck in his own head. His thoughts burst through the dam he had constructed to get through each day; there was no Hitoshi or Izuku to keep his cool around. Hopefully Hitoshi was able to sleep tonight. He frowned to himself. Does Hizashi know how to deal with Toshi’s insomnia? When was the last time he was home overnight? Shouta had never been sure about his ability to be a parent; each soul child had exposed another level of his insecurity and self-doubt.

Shouta barely caught himself on the fire escape when he misjudged the distance to the next rooftop. He cursed himself for his distraction. Distracted heroes were dead heroes. That was the first rule of heroics. He hopped off the stairs when he heard a clatter down the alley. He slunk along the shadowed walls, one hand on his capture weapon. It should have been an easy takedown, and maybe if he weren’t still stumbling over his personal life, it would have been. He still managed to get them tied up, but he took a knife to the side. It didn’t hit anything major, so he brushed off the concerns of the police and ended his patrol early so he could go home and patch himself up.

It was just his luck that mere minutes after he arrived, Hizashi left the bedroom to make his pre-show coffee. “Shouta?” He turned the corner to find his husband applying butterfly stitches to his own wound. “What happened? Why aren’t you at the hospital?”

“It’s just a stab wound.” He grunted it out when he finished, grabbing a bottle of sake that Hizashi then grabbed from him.

“A stab wound means you go to the hospital! Not come back home like a bruise. And you don’t need sake, you need actual medication.” He pushed a bottle of prescription strength painkillers towards the sullen man. “Can’t you take care of yourself?”

“I am!” He hissed at his husband.

“Seriously? You call this taking care of yourself? How am I supposed to be okay working without knowing if you’re going to be okay? That you aren’t going to just spiral again!”

He didn’t even realize his quirk activated when Shouta responded. “Don’t you dare. I haven’t done that in years!”

“You haven’t been acting yourself lately! How am I supposed to know that you aren’t falling into old habits?”

He scoffed. “Like you would know if I’ve been myself! When was the last time you actually spent more than five minutes with me?”

“I know I’m working a lot, but I’m trying to make sure that we can support our family!”

“Support our family? You barely spend time with the kids! I didn’t sign up to be a single parent!”

“Kids? Last I checked, we only had one. Izuku is Inko’s kid, Shouta!”

“I’m still his soul parent! I still have a responsibility for him.”

“Did you ever ask if she wanted the help? Or did you just assume, like you do everything else?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t have time for this. I’m running late already.”

“Bury yourself in your work, just like you always do. Avoid any hard conversations.”

“So sorry I paused my schedule to make sure my husband is okay!” He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving the dark-haired man cursing. Hitoshi scampered back to his room from where he was hiding outside the kitchen. Tears streamed down his face. He waited until he heard Shouta settling into bed before he slipped out of the house. What would happen to him if they didn’t get better? He carefully moved through the dark streets to a vaguely familiar neighborhood; climbing into the old treehouse and curling up in the blanket nest that Dabi had left behind.

Hizashi sighed over his cooling tea, forehead pressing against the palm of his hand. He had music queued for the next half hour; normally he would take this time to do something productive, but he just kept replaying the fight he’d had with Shouta in his head. They didn’t fight a lot, but when they did, they were volatile. He hated it. He knew he wasn’t being the best partner lately. The man let out a deep sigh and slumped against the table. The clock slowly ticked forward the end of his shift. His shift as a DJ anyway. It would give him around an hour and a half to nap and get ready for shadowing at U.A. Then a brief break before a short patrol shift. Maybe Shouta had a point about me never being home.

“Speak of the devil.” Hizashi murmured in English as his husband’s ringtone pierced the air. “Sho?”

“He’s gone.” Hizashi sat up straight in his chair; his husband rarely sounded panicked.

“What?”

“Hitoshi. Zashi, he didn’t come down for breakfast like usual. So I went to his room, maybe he had a rough night sleeping or caught whatever Izuku had.” He heard the rough voice break. “He wasn’t there, Hizashi. I can’t find him anywhere.”

“Okay, I’m on my way home.” Hizashi motioned for his assistant to take over and started texting Nedzu about missing the day. He rushed out of the building and booked it to the apartment, discovering his frantic husband pacing. “Shouta!” He gently pulled the man into his arms, barely mindful of the man’s injury. “We’ll find him.”

“I called Inko, and she and Izuku hadn’t heard from him.”

“Okay. That crosses their place off the list.” He froze. “You don’t think he went back…”

Shouta frowned. “That’s really not safe for him. Zashi, if he did, he could be in real danger.”

“Let’s go, then.” The couple couldn’t get to their destination without stopping a few crimes along the way, much to their disdain. Eventually they arrived at the base of an old tree. “This is where he was staying?” Hizashi’s heart broke at the wooden structure.

“I think it’ll only support one of us.” He froze. “You’d proba…”

“Go.” Hizashi’s hand rested on the man’s shoulder. “We’ll talk more later, but you were right about a few things last night and you two are closer.” Shouta nodded and climbed into the treehouse, wincing when his stitches twinged from the effort.

Shouta saw a small lump in the blankets in the corner of the shelter that he regularly stocked with snacks and health supplies. “Hitoshi?” His voice was soft, like he was speaking to a stray kitten.

Hitoshi sat up and pulled a blanket around him. “D-dad?” His voice was rough from crying.

“Oh, baby boy.” He carefully shifted closer to the boy and cradled him in his arms. “You really scared me and your papa.”

“Papa’s here?” The thirteen-year-old didn’t seem like a teenager, but rather the small child that Shouta had found all those years ago on a dark street.

“He sure is. Why don’t you come down and we can all go get breakfast.” The boy nodded, still clinging to his father. Shouta carefully maneuvered them back to the ground, doing his best to hide the brief jolts of pain. Hizashi stopped his pacing and wrapped his boys in a huge hug, frantic eyes asking Shouta if he was okay.

They sat at a small café, huddled around a table with hot cocoa and coffees. They spoke while they waited for the food to arrive. “Toshi, why did you go back there?” Hizashi gently prodded the boy.

“I heard you guys fighting…” He wrapped his arms around himself, and the adults made guilty eye contact over his head. “I was scared that you two would leave and then I wouldn’t have a family anymore.”

“Hitoshi, sometimes people fight. And it doesn’t mean that they don’t love each other. And it definitely doesn’t mean that we wouldn’t stay together as a family.”

“We will always be your dads, Hitoshi.” Both of them held the boy’s hands. He gave them a wobbly smile. Their silence didn’t last long, the arrival of their food spawned lighthearted chatter about Hitoshi and Izuku’s studies and training. They were in the most advanced gymnastics classes, had been doing self-defense with Shouta and Hizashi for over a year, and had started endurance training. The UA entrance exams were in sight, though still over a year away.

After brunch, the trio returned home. Hitoshi took a warm shower and fell asleep to cartoons on the television. The couple sat at the kitchen table, talking in hushed voices. “I think that we should look into therapy.” Shouta was the one to broach the subject, though he didn’t make eye contact with his husband while doing so.

“I think you’re right.” Hizashi sighed. “I can ask Hound Dog for some recommendations for therapists that work with heroes.”

This wasn’t the first time Yamada and Aizawa had gone to therapy, but it was the first time going together. Their counselor, Minami Yuna, was a kind woman and gave them homework before their first appointment: Individually develop a list of five goals or issues for therapy. Minami was an unassuming woman, but the two heroes knew better. According to Hound Dog, she was a retired pro-hero who opted to go into her current field to help other pros. While she specialized in PTSD, she also focused on relationships, an area that many pro-heroes struggled with due to inadequate work/life balance or paranoia.

In her office, Hizashi anxiously shifted in his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs, as the doctor compared their lists. “You two have similar lists, although worded differently. It seems we will have several issues to address in our sessions, and to be honest,” she paused, looking at them over the papers she held, “I suspect that we’re going to need to dig up past trauma as a possible root cause for at least some of these issues. That is something we will address in our individual sessions, as well as couple sessions.” She gave them a moment to absorb what she said, putting the papers into her notebook. “Now, a few things that you both mentioned, at least at the core: quality time together, childrearing, communication, and self-care. So for now, we will have these four topics as our main items to address.”

Shouta glanced at his partner with guilt, his fists tightening on his pant legs. Minami observed the couple, men who displayed their tension in opposing ways. One seemed to display his unease by pushing outward with fidgeting and restlessness, while the other withdrew into himself. She spoke again. “What do you know about the premise of love languages?”

The initial half hour of their session wrapped up quite quickly; Minami wanted to meet with them individually this first session before reconvening as a group. Shouta remained seated while she dismissed Hizashi for a ten-minute break. “Aizawa. Will you tell me about the events that led you to the decision to start counseling?” In halting sentences, he recounted the recent fight and the ways he’d felt neglected; he brought up the stress and worries he felt he was shouldering alone. He admitted that there might be an easy solution for their lack of quality time, but he felt insecure about following it.

When the ten minutes were up, it was time to swap. Shouta took the time to go downstairs to the lobby to get a coffee, then paced the hallway outside of Minami’s door. Time stretched on as he wore a path in the carpet. Finally, he was called back into the room for their ten-minute debrief. As he took his seat, his heart lurched at the swollen, red eyes of his husband.

“I have an additional assignment for the two of you.” She handed them each a notebook. “In addition to writing down when you have made a point to show your partner affection via his love language, I want you to each form a ‘Want, Will, Won’t’ chart for the four areas we’ve identified as needing to be addressed. What do you want that category to look like? What would be acceptable? What would be unacceptable? This assignment should be page one. Next session, we’ll share the lists and discuss.” The men silently nodded in agreement. “Before I let you go, however, you both mentioned ways to improve on your time together.”  She nodded at Shouta as encouragement to share.

He turned to look at his husband. “I think I’ll accept Nedzu’s job offer.” Hizashi took his hands into his own.

“I’ll cut back on my patrol hours and will try to delegate more at the station.” Their fingers entwined and when Hizashi raised his eyes from their hands, the two shared a shaky smile. It was the start of what would undoubtedly be a long journey, but their relationship was worth it.

Chapter Text

Shouta was resting against his husband, who was reading some American novel before bed. Every now and again, Hizashi would chuckle, and Shouta would hear the rumble in his chest, bringing a smile to his face. He was fully content to pass the time like this, but then his phone chimed. With a sigh, he rolled over to check it. “Hey, Zashi. Inko wants to talk to us for a minute.”

The two called the woman, who answered promptly. “Hey, Inko!” Hizashi greeted his close friend.

“Hey, guys.”

“What’s up?” The blond pulled his husband against him again.

“Um, I may need your help with Izuku.”

“Is he okay?” Hizashi squeezed his alarmed husband’s hand to soothe him.

“Oh, he’s fine! It’s just… well, Izuku’s voice cracked. I realized that I could only help him to an extent concerning puberty. I could ask Masaru, but Izuku is much more comfortable with you two, and I figured that you would probably be addressing that with Hitoshi soon if you haven’t already…”

Both men laughed. “We’ll take care of the green bean. We do need to show Hitoshi how to shave… he’s got a few hairs coming through.

Izuku squeaked as he was led inside the UA main building. Hitoshi’s awe was far more subtle. Even after hours, the campus was jaw-dropping. Hizashi had forgotten his computer there earlier, and since they had dinner with Inko once she was off work, he brought the boys along with him to retrieve it.

He patiently answered Izuku’s endless questions about UA as they navigated to the staff office. After one of the boy’s more complex queries, a small voice piped up. “Those are some excellent thoughts! Hello, children. I’m principal Nedzu!”

“H-H-Hello!” Izuku awkwardly bowed to the chimera perched on one of the desks.

“You must be Midoriya and Shinsho.” They nodded. “I’ve heard much about you.” He grinned. “As I understand it, you take online classes. Since your fathers are teaching here, I would like to invite you to an occasional lunch with myself for extra tutoring. Especially since I hear you two are aiming for our hero course!” After many thanks, the trio left for the Midoriya household.

Shouta, Izuku, Hitoshi, and Hizashi stood in front of the double sinks in the master bathroom, razors and shaving cream spread along the counter. This was phase one of their puberty talks; they would address different things throughout the day, saving the most awkward parts for last.

Izuku had found it odd when he was invited over for a ‘boy’s day’ when the household was only guys to begin with. His confusion grew when he and his best friend were crowded into a bathroom to learn how to shave – he certainly didn’t need it, even if Hitoshi had a few scraggly hairs popping through.

The worst was yet to come. Deceived with mochi, the teens almost choked with hysteric panic when Shouta gave his most demented grin and Hizashi pulled up a slideshow entitled “What’s Happening to Your Body.” Shouta’s capture weapon was a silent deterrent from any escape attempts.

After listening to the adults explain things such as pimples, pubic hair, and morning wood, the boys clung to the hope that things were over. This only grew when Inko entered the home; they could move on with their lives as if the last hour had never happened. They glanced at each other, hopeful expressions that were dashed at Shouta’s laugh. “Since Inko is a nurse, we felt that she should deliver the talk about safe sex.” Color drained from their faces as the teens made inhuman noises.

Inko’s talk was straightforward and basic. As she reasoned, because they had not yet met their soulmates and were very devoted to their future partner, the full talk could wait until then. However, she walked them through diagrams of body parts, did an overview of types of sex, and explained possible consequences of unsafe sex. Her final message, one that had the boy’s cowering behind throw pillows, was that masturbation was a perfectly normal activity for their age and that they shouldn’t be ashamed to explore their bodies.

When they were finally released from their torment, the boys fled to Hitoshi’s room. They escaped into books and video games in silence, trying to wipe the events of the day from their mind. Later, Izuku would be grateful that his mother chose for him to experience the torture with Hitoshi, rather than Kacchan.

Izuku was absorbed in his notes; he had been lucky enough to get close enough to see Mt. Lady’s debut fight that morning on his way to Hitoshi’s. He was also considering updates to Kamui Wood’s page. As he flipped through the notebook, he murmured to himself about the items he should grab from the store before he got home that night, anticipating the remainder of his walk home. When the voice claiming he’d be perfect sent shivers down his spine, he could faintly hear his soul-father scolding his lack of awareness.

Sludge slipped into his nostrils like the world’s worst booger and prodded at the tight seal of his lips, Izuku’s eyes watering at the lack of oxygen. He fought, grabbing what he could of the sludge from his face, desperately trying to think of the best way to fight an opponent without a solid body. As his eyesight turned blurry, he cursed himself. His eyes. Eyes are solid.

Izuku woke to incessant tapping on his cheek and rolled onto his side to vomit up bits of sludge until he could only dry heave next to the disgusting puddle he’d created. His notebook lay a little way away, and he feebly reached for it. The huge figure by him helped him stand and set the notebook into his grasp; Izuku nearly lost consciousness again when he saw “All Might” scrawled across the pages. Despite the globs of slime on the pages, Izuku cradled it to his chest.

Things happened quickly after that. Despite his heaving breaths, he was babbling, then he was soaring through the air, then he was landing on an extremely tall rooftop. He was still woozy and light-headed from everything, but he was desperate to ask All Might, the number one hero, about his future as one. He knew that Shouta and Hizashi and Hitoshi believed in him, and even his mom to an extent, but this was the number one hero. It was a miracle that they were sharing the same space! Even after the man deflated in a puff of smoke, making Izuku’s head spin, and the man explained his horrid wound (which was odd, why tell a random middle schooler this information?), Izuku didn’t lose excitement over speaking with the pro. His fingers twitched with the urge to write in his notebooks, but then All Might paused and Izuku was finally able to ask his question.

His stomach couldn’t have dropped so badly if he’d fallen off the roof with the response the blond hero gave him. Be realistic. The words rang in his head as tears filled his eyes, the image of the pro leaping forth from childhood shattering into a thousand pieces as the lanky man before him slipped through a maintenance door. Izuku slumped to the ground. His soul animal marking was reflecting his distress, and it shouldn’t have been a surprise when Shouta’s name flashed across the phone he forgot he was carrying.

“H-hello?” He found a dry spot on his shirt to wipe his eyes with.

“What’s going on? Where are you? Are things okay?” The man’s tone was gruff and monotone, but Izuku could hear the concern behind it. He stumbled over the words and sat there, listening to the sound of wind rustling clothes from the other end of the call. In no time at all, Shouta was there. He helped the boy to the street, muttering curses about the number one hero; Izuku hadn’t said much but it was enough to know that the utter buffoon was responsible.

Explosions rang out through the city, and both turned to the sound and rushed forth. Izuku’s throat closed at sight of the blond teen in the grasp of the sludge villain he had been attacked by earlier, and Shouta was already moving towards him, passing the so-called heroes already on the scene. Izuku pushed through the gathering crowd, gut rolling. Everyone is just watching… like it’s some sort of event to watch a middle schooler die in front of them! “Kacchan!” Izuku cried out as the sludge solidified under Eraserhead’s piercing gaze and he reached out a hand as the teen stumbled away, gasping for air.

He ignored the irritated shove he received when he reached the boy, fussing over him. He was lectured by the medical staff for rushing in, but faithfully followed Bakugo to the ambulance to get checked over. Shouta arrived before they had finished checking the blond and insisted that they check Izuku over as well, since he had been attacked earlier. In both of their cases, one of the staff members had to use their quirk to pull debris from their airways.

“I’m taking all these idiots to Nedzu. Let him handle their incompetence.” He grouched out while the kids were treated, phone in hand to let the chimera know about the actions – or lack thereof – of the heroes today. Shouta insisted on walking both of them home, ignoring the blond’s complaints about his ability to take care of himself. Izuku just wanted a shower, tired of the smell of sewage sticking to his clothes.

A tall, skeletal man interrupted their quiet walk. “Young Midoriya, may I speak with you a moment?” The trio stopped, and the boy hesitantly stepped forward, wringing his fingers. Piercing blue eyes stared at the other two. “Privately?”

“Anything you say to him, can be said to me.” Shouta asserted, arms crossed and hinting at the muscles hidden beneath his baggy clothes.

“I don’t fucking care. Do what you want.” Bakugo started walking away, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Fabric quickly restrained his wrist, pulling him back to the hero.

“You aren’t going home by yourself. Put in some headphones or something. You teens always have them on you, don’t you?” The blond begrudgingly obliged and leaned against the cool brick wall. Shouta stared down the taller man.

“This really is meant to be a private discussion. It’s highly classified information.” The man looked unsettled at Shouta’s demeanor, and Midoriya shuffled uncomfortably between the two.

“Why would a middle schooler need that type of information? And how do you have it?”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind talking to him privately.” The greenet quietly interjected. A firm, calloused hand rested on his shoulder.

“Maybe, but random men shouldn’t be speaking with minors privately. Especially about highly classified information.” He sighed. “As a soulparent, I can act as guardian in legal situations.”

“It’ll be okay.” The steel backbone that occasionally overpowered Izuku’s anxiety revealed itself. “We’ll speak at the end of the alley; you will be able to see us and if I need you, I’ll call you over.” Shouta reluctantly agreed. Izuku followed the transformed hero to the darker end of the alley, near dumpsters and trashcans, the scent making Izuku’s stomach roil. “What did you need, All Might?”

The man coughed violently. “While I look like this, my boy, I’m Yagi Toshinori.”

“Yagi-san.” Midoriya acknowledged him and waited.

“I realized that I should have informed you of my personal identity and role as All Might’s secretary. I also wanted to discuss with you the possibility of receiving a quirk.”

“Receiving a quirk?” Midoriya was incredulous.

“Yes. You see, young man, watching you intervene to help the victim whilst the pro took care of the villain, I was reminded of what is truly important in a hero.” He coughed again, red specks on his handkerchief. “You have the heart of a hero, my boy.”

“Th-thank you, All… Yagi-san!” The boy grinned, heart lightening.

“That is why I wanted to offer you my quirk – a sacred torch passed from one hero to another for generations! With this, you could be a hero.” Midoriya’s grin faded as Yagi’s grew. “You could be a hero like me, just like you said before!”

“N-no.” Fists clenched. “I appreciate the offer, Yagi-san, but I don’t need to be a hero like you to be a hero. I don’t need a quirk to be a hero!” His blank eyes burned with determination. “I will be a quirkless hero.” With that, he turned and moved towards his soulparent. “Let’s go home.”

Aizawa noted the melancholy tone, but he didn’t press with Bakugo there. Izuku was quiet the entire walk, occasionally frowning and clenching his fist. Once they reached the Bakugo’s, he stood to the side while the hero filled Masaru in on the events. The quiet man thanked them and invited them in for tea, but the dark-haired man shook his head. He walked Izuku back to his apartment, since it was nearer, and sat on the couch while the boy washed away the day’s events. He texted his husband about what happened, smiling a little at the man’s exuberant messages. He could practically hear the man through the phone’s screen, his personality bleeding into each text.

Izuku came out from his room, damp curls dripping onto his Gang Orca t-shirt. He curled up on the couch next to Aizawa, drawing comfort from the man’s presence. The man allowed the teen to lose the tension that had built up over the afternoon. “Wanna tell me what happened today?”

“I… I…” He scrunched up his face in frustration. “I don’t know where to start.”

“Well, what was with the man on the way home?”

“Um, that was, uh, All Might’s secretary, Yagi-san.” The man raised his eyebrow. “I guess that All Might had, uh, talked to him about me after I was attacked?” Izuku hated lying. He also knew he was awful at it, given Aizawa’s disbelieving look.

“So, he was there to apologize for the incompetence of the number one hero?”

Izuku frowned. He never did apologize for what happened. For how he woke me or for leaving me on the roof. And he clearly didn’t believe in me. “No. All Might had let something slip when I was with him, and he wanted to make sure I didn’t tell anyone.” It was part of the truth. They sat in silence for a while. He never even asked if I was okay. Tears welled up in his eyes. “I don’t think I want my room to have All Might all over it.”

“Why don’t we see what you want out, then? We can store anything you don’t want to have up or around; you can decide what to do with it later. But we can make it more comfortable for you for now.” With that decided, they went into the shrine that was Izuku’s room. Together, they removed the decorations from the walls, carefully storing them in the round container that he had for his numerous posters.

Shouta helped the kid select new posters – the teen had no shortage of hero merchandise. In addition to the many more All Might posters stored, he found ones for several other heroes: Ryuku, Fat Gum, Gang Orca, Thirteen, and of course, plenty of Present Mic. They pinned the new posters in place and turned to the figurines that lined the bookshelves.

“Izuku, I’m home!”

The kid brightened and slipped out of the room. “Hi, mom! Aizawa is here! We’re redecorating my room!” The woman’s eyes widened.

“Who are you and where is my son?” The woman teased the teen, who gawked when she messed with his curls. “Give me a moment and I’ll bring you some fresh bedding.” She smiled at his back before going into her room where they kept the spare linens. She knew that there was a basic grey bedding set in there that should fit his bed. When she returned to the boy’s room, it was surprisingly organized as they selected what to keep displayed and what to store.

“Inko-san.” Aizawa greeted her. He was carefully wrapping the figurines that had already been selected for storage before placing them in the tote Izuku had pulled into the room. She turned to the bed, removing the All Might sheets and taking them to the laundry room. She would wash them before storing them in the linen closet. Aizawa stepped out and intercepted her. “He had an unpleasant encounter with the number one hero, earlier.” The man answered her unasked question calmly. Inko’s entire body caved in on herself. She had always worried about how her son would handle it if something bad came out about the hero.

“How’s he taking things?”

“As well as could be expected. It wasn’t horrific, but it definitely put a dent in the worship he’d had before.” They glanced at the room that had music starting. “He decided he didn’t want to be confronted by the man’s face when he tried to sleep tonight.”

Inko let out a wet laugh. “And you wouldn’t turn down a chance for that.” She wiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I’m crying. I guess I never imagined the day that he would want something other than All Might for his room.”

“He’s certainly growing up.” Aizawa agreed. It was difficult enough to acknowledge how much Hitoshi was growing as well, and he hadn’t raised the kid since birth. The two would always be his little boys, but Izuku would always be her baby. Izuku came out of the room at that moment with the storage tote and shifted around the storage closet so it would fit in neatly. Inko shuffled into the kitchen and made tea for the three of them, letting the remainder of the evening be a calm one.

“I think we should do something for the community.” Izuku moved a chess piece on the board, causing Hitoshi to groan dramatically when it took his bishop.

“Excellent move, Midoriya! Shinsho, how do you plan to counter this?” Hitoshi murmured a few possibilities, to Nedzu’s delight. “While he is planning, that does sound like an excellent idea. The core of heroics is to help others.”

Hitoshi made his move. “Where would we even start?”

“I took a different running route yesterday, and…” Izuku paused to process his next move. “I was running by Dagobah Beach. I remember Kacchan and I building sandcastles there when we were little. Now, it’s just a dumping ground for junk. Checkmate.” Hitoshi sighed as Nedzu marked Izuku’s latest win on his scoreboard.

“That would be a good way to train various muscle groups, in addition to being a great community service project.” Nedzu commented as they put away the board and pieces. “Did you have a plan in mind?”

Hitoshi watched Izuku get flustered with a smile. His soul brother was still embarrassed when complimented on his ideas. Hitoshi jumped in with light teasing. “I’m sure Izuku has a fully developed plan, even if he only thought of it yesterday.” The boy mentioned muttered something about betrayal. “It would make sense, though, to divide it into sections and begin with smaller items. Things that we would be able to reasonably move and throw away.”

“We could also assess items for parts or ability to be repaired.” Izuku thought of the support students he had met during his visits to UA. Many liked to tinker in their spare time and bemoaned the cost of parts.

“So, sort into trash, recycle, repair, and parts?” Hitoshi asked.

“Start small and then as we become stronger, we can tackle some of the larger items. We might need help with the really big things, though.” Nedzu grinned. “Our schedule is flexible, but we would need to consider that of the shops we would be working with and the trash routes.”

“I’m sure that U.A. would have students willing to help with driving for the repairs and parts. And we would be able to negotiate extra trash routes with the local facilities to ensure that the dumpsters are emptied regularly.” Nedzu grinned at his two students. They had been making major strides in their studies, outpacing the program they were in. The principal looked forward to pulling them from English and working with them further once they started at UA.

Izuku grinned, his face resembling that of a scheming Aizawa. Hitoshi and Nedzu were immune, but they both knew it would send shivers down the spines of most individuals. “I bet we could get the entire beach cleaned before the entrance exams! I would want to talk with Powerloader about having some of his students teach me basic repairs, too. I know I’ll be relying on support items and would love to be able to design and work on my own. Plus, if I can get decent at it, maybe some of those repairs we do could be sold…” Izuku devolved into muttering at a breakneck pace.

“I am sure that we can arrange for you to attend some basic support classes. As it is, you two are far ahead of your peers in many areas, and I am sure that by the time you enter U.A. you will be able to substitute some of the courses you would ordinarily need to take with others.” Nedzu always spoke as if it were a given, and Izuku felt it kind of was, given their connections. But they would still need to pass the recommendation exam to get in. And none of the judges would be people they were connected with in any regard.

Izuku got to know the support course students quite well the next several months. As predicted, they were more than eager to help shuffle through old electronics for parts and show him how to perform basic repairs. They even taught him and Hitoshi basic circuitry! The two boys were also growing quite strong, now able to move fairly sizable junk together. Nedzu had been a great help with organizing for trash pick-up, even for the larger items. By the end of summer, the beach was looking less like a trash heap and more like a child’s paradise.

In celebration of their accomplishment, their families invited the Bakugos to join them for a picnic on the soft sand. Inko laughed at Katsuki’s bewildered expression, one that quickly morphed into anger, when Hitoshi and Izuku removed their shirts and exposed the muscles and tans they had gotten during their months of work. He growled and shouted, chasing them into the water, not considering that it would give them an advantage over him. After nearly an hour of the boys rough housing in the water, they slunk back to the towels and devoured the food that sat waiting for them.

By the time of the recommended student entrance exam, the boys were hauling the abandoned vehicles away for the support students to take apart. Izuku was impressed with the way his body looked for once in his life. He’d been caught by his mother on more than one occasion admiring his toned muscles in the mirror. He hadn’t noticed her, the most recent time, until he heard the distinct sound of a camera. He’d dropped his shirt hem and brightened like a strawberry as he groaned at his mother. Inko had simply laughed and texted the picture to Shouta and Hizashi, who took the time to embarrass Hitoshi while they were at it.

Chapter Text

The morning of the entrance exam, Izuku woke earlier than usual. He went on a brief run, inhaling the light scent of dew drops still clinging to the grass and leaves. His mother had promised to make a hearty and healthy breakfast for the two teens, and when he exited the shower, Hitoshi and his dads were already there. The pro-heroes then drove them to U.A.’s campus.

Izuku froze outside the gates. He had walked through these gates a hundred times by now and not once had they seemed this menacing, looming over the teen and reminding him just how insignificant he was. Hitoshi squeezed his hand, the pressure pulling him back to reality. His chest filled with air as he took a deep, clarifying breath and returned Hitoshi’s squeeze. They were ready. First was the academic exam, something that was laughable after studying with Nedzu. Izuku nearly ran out of ink in writing his essays and stepped out into the sunlight when he had finished before nearly every other candidate. He spent the time waiting by noting the different quirks he had observed and theorizing on them.

They had an hour for lunch before interviews and the practical portion. Hitoshi found Izuku sitting in a tall tree, staring out over the grounds. Hitoshi whistled up at him, laughing when Izuku startled and had to catch himself on another branch to keep from falling like the numerous leaves around him did. “Dads packed us lunches. Want to find somewhere to eat?”

Izuku hopped down. “Sure!” They wandered around the grounds, exploring while trying to find the ‘perfect’ spot. During this search, they noticed a lone boy sitting against the wall of one of the towering buildings. His body was tense, even if his face didn’t reveal any emotions. Izuku frowned when he noticed the teen didn’t have a lunch. “Hey, Hitoshi.” He nudged him with his elbow and subtly pointed out the solitary figure.

“Freaking extroverts.” Hitoshi grumbled. “Fine. Go make new friends.” Izuku giggled when the taller teen slumped against him in exaggerated defeat.

The teen stared at them blankly when they approached. Izuku fidgeted uncomfortably for a moment, but thanks to the support students, he had developed quite a bit of confidence in initiating conversations.  “Hello! I’m Midoriya Izuku. This is Shinsho Hitoshi.”

“Yo.” Hitoshi gave a half-hearted wave. Izuku stared at the boy expectantly.

After minutes of awkward silence, the boy gave in. “Todoroki Shouto.”

“Could we eat with you, Todoroki-kun? Do you have a lunch? If not, I don’t mind sharing. Hitoshi’s dads always overpack our lunches.” Izuku grinned at the boy who just shrugged and finally pulled out a protein bar. Izuku scowled at that. Once the two were seated and bentos distributed, Izuku sectioned out some of his and offered it to the new teen. “I don’t mind, Todoroki-kun! That doesn’t seem like enough to get through this afternoon, either. Did your family not send you with a lunch?”

“I have money.”

“That would be fine, if there was anywhere close enough to really go and get something decent to eat. But it’s quite a walk off campus and all.” He took a big bite of his curry and hummed in appreciation, the small smile growing when the teen took a bite of the proffered food. “Do you have a favorite hero, Todoroki-kun?”

“Not really.”

“I’m not sure exactly if I have a favorite anymore, either.” Izuku paused in his eating. “It feels weird to say that Eraserhead is my favorite, since he’s my soul-parent.”

“Same.” The lanky teen had finished his bento already and was resting on Izuku’s shoulder with his eyes closed.

“What do you think of Endeavor?” Todoroki spoke softly, hesitantly testing the waters.

Hitoshi scoffed. “Pretty sure he has a multi-step project in process for removing him from heroics.”

“Toshi! You make it sound like some big effort or something… Sorry, Todoroki-kun.” Izuku awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “I know he’s your father and all, but he’s a real…”

“Dick? Asshole?” The heterochromatic boy suggested with a hint of a smile, and Izuku cackled in response.

“Oh good! You won’t be offended if I hate him then.”

“Hate. Loathe. Despise. Abhor.” Hitoshi listed more synonyms. “I’m pretty sure I’ve heard it all.”

“Rude.” He shoved the boy off, and the teen just continued to lay in the grass where he fell. “Any-ways.” His attention returned to Todoroki. “I don’t want to head to interviews steaming, so I think we should talk about other things.”

“Okay. Are you nervous?”

“A little!” Hitoshi laughed. “Okay, fine. A lot! It’s just that… I’m worried that they won’t approve of me and I know I won’t be able to pass the general entrance exam so it’s kind of my only opportunity to get into the hero course without transferring from a different course after the Sports Festival and that is a lot of wasted time.” He slapped his hand over his mouth with a shrill noise. “Sorry. I ramble sometimes.”

Todoroki frowned. “Is it that difficult?”

“Less difficult and more discriminatory.” Hitoshi sat up and stared down the other teen. “Unless you have a powerful physical quirk, it’s nearly impossible to pass the practical portion.”

“What are your quirks?”

It was clear the boy asked in genuine curiosity, so after a brief glance at one another. Hitoshi spoke first. “Mine is brainwashing. It works great on people, but rumors on the internet claim that there are robots involved.”

“I can see how that would be challenging.” Todoroki nodded and turned to Izuku expectantly.

“I, uh…” He took a deep breath. “Idon’thaveaquirk.”

“Zu, breathe. I could barely understand you and I’ve been around you for years.”

“Right. Sorry. Um. I don’t have a quirk?” His voice raised at the end, subtly seeking approval of his new friend.

“The recommendation exam is a far smaller group of people to compete against with more opportunities to demonstrate that we deserve to be heroes.” Hitoshi firmly stated.

“I see.” Todoroki stood, brushing stray grass off his pants. “I look forward to seeing you at U.A.”

“Wait! We still have plenty of time for lunch, you don’t need to rush off. Unless you don’t want to be around people like me.” Izuku shrunk in on himself.

“It seems that I have something to take care of. But I do look forward to being in the Hero course with you.” He bowed slightly before leaving. Hitoshi shrugged and nudged Izuku, shifting his attention back to his meal.

Izuku and Hitoshi gripped the letters tightly in their hands. Inko and her son had come over to the Yamada-Aizawa apartment so they could open them together. Nedzu had been particularly secretive, not allowing a hint of news concerning acceptance to leak to Eraserhead or Present Mic. The boys did a round of rock-paper-scissors to determine who would open their letter first. Izuku ended up in the position. He ripped open the envelope, and a small silver disk clattered to the table.

Nedzu appeared in holographic form. “Am I a bear, mouse, or dog? One thing is for sure – I am the U.A. principal! Midoriya Izuku – you ranked fifteenth in the physical portion of the exam. On a scale of 1-10 for interviews, you earned a composite score of 7.5.” Izuku frowned and heard someone say something that sounded suspiciously like ‘quirkist bastards’ but no one would admit to it. “Finally, for the academic portion, you had 93% correct on the exam – second highest in U.A. history!” The creature smiled, small fangs showing. “You have been accepted into class 1-A in the Heroics course, taking one of two coveted recommendation spots. Congratulations.”

Inko nearly flooded the living room. “Oh, my baby boy! My baby boy is in the hero course!” She squeezed the boy in question until he had to squeak out a request to breathe. Tears also streamed down his face, and the two pro-heroes quietly handed them tissues, already prepared for the Midoriya waterworks™.

It was Hitoshi’s turn, and his message was extremely similar. He had scored higher than Izuku in the interview portion and only came one place lower in the physical section. His academic scoring was not as high as Izuku’s, but it was still significantly higher than many of the other candidates. The two proud parents gripped the boy between them, the blond nearly in hysterics. Inko smiled as she handed the tissue box back to the man.

“Toshi.” Izuku’s voice was in a reverent whisper. “Toshi, we’re going to be heroes.” A smile brighter than the sun beamed at him, and Hitoshi couldn’t help but smile in return.

“We are.”

Izuku sat on the couch, reading through a book recommended by Powerloader for those interested in learning more about engineering. While Izuku preferred non-tech weapons (less likely to be used against you by a villain’s quirk), it would be useful to understand how a lot of tech worked. He was pulled from the book when a knock sounded, and he greeted his aunt and uncle cheerfully. “Mom had to run to the store quickly, we were low on milk. But she should be back any minute.”

Masaru laughed. “That’s fine. We’re earlier than expected – Katsuki’s appointment didn’t end up running late like appointments often do.” He glanced at the book lying face down on the couch. “What’re you reading?”

“Oh! It’s about the basics of engineering. I’ve been working with support students a lot at the beach, and this will help me understand some of what they’re talking about. Plus, I want to be able to do more with support equipment while I’m in the hero course and get to really understand what my friends and I will be using on the field.” Mitsuki and Masaru were willing to listen to Izuku talk about what he had been learning in his online classes and with Nedzu, asking him occasional questions to show that they were paying attention. Even when Inko returned, they finished up their conversation with their nephew before leaving him to read.

Inko quickly made the three adults tea. It was rare for them to be able to sit and chat just the three of them (Izuku was quite good at tuning them out while invested in a topic). They each spent a little time discussing their work – Inko had a new patient come in, another elderly woman. With age came a deteriorating vision, and as a woman with a vision-based quirk, it was more alarming than the typical adult would react. Masaru and Mitsuki told Inko about their upcoming spring fashion line and the drama that getting it ready entailed. (“Honestly, you’d think the extras were completely inept at reading basic directions!”) Before long, though, the conversation turned to their boys.

“Izuku made it into UA’s hero course, class 1-A. He’s been extremely excited. You would think that he would relax after the entrance exams, but I think that it has only fueled his desire to learn more before classes start next month.”

“Kat has his exam this weekend. We’re all confident of his ability to get it – that boy has never struggled with academic or physical challenges.” Masaru shook his head with a half-smile.

The blonde huffed. “That child has got way too much of me in him.” Mitsuki cursed at her tea. “He lost his temper with one of the kids that has always been hanging around him.” Her face scrunched in irritation. “Not that the brat didn’t have it coming…”

Her husband cut her off. “But it was still inappropriate. We all know that Katsuki’s always been hot-headed, and his quirk certainly doesn’t help him with that. And it seems that the teachers and students are all fueling his ego; without Izuku there to keep that in check, it really went to his head.”

Inko shook her head. “Masaru, don’t kid yourself.  Izuku didn’t keep him in check.”

“Not directly. But he never pandered to Katsuki the way these others do.”

Mitsuki snorted. “Greenie over here clearly is not lacking brains. And my brat could use humbling. That teacher of his let slip once that Katsuki was top of the class by more than a little bit.” She gestured to the boy lost in the book.

Inko chuckled at the compliment. “Well, UA will be quite the wake up call for him. Especially if he gets into 1-A with Aizawa.”

“We knew he needed one. We actually set him up with a few meetings with a therapist.”

“This woman, she is fucking terrifying. In a good way.” Mitsuki laughed. “She takes no bullshit. Oh, Inko, Katsuki was furious the first couple meetings. We didn’t tell him where he was going the first time, like taking a dog to the vet.”

“Why not?”

“Do you really think he would have willingly gone? Nah, we just told him he had a doctor appointment so that we could monitor how prepared he was to get into UA.”

“He goes voluntarily now?”

“It’s only his sixth visit, but yes. The boy is as stubborn headed as my lovely wife, but denial will only get you so far.” Masaru glanced at his wife, whose phone had gone off. “Go ahead. Take it.” Mitsuki nodded in apology to the two and slipped out the front door to take the phone call. The brunet sighed while Inko refilled his cup. “She’s going, too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. After his first session, they got into a bad fight. Inks, you know as well as I do that they communicate in the strangest way but that… that was a real argument. They didn’t talk for nearly two days; the tension was unbearable. The second night, she and I talked about what influences Katsuki and why he was so mad and the next morning, she announced that she would try therapy, too.”

Inko’s hand rested on her friend’s arm. “How has that been?”

“She won’t talk about it, but she has definitely cried during sessions.” He looked towards the door. “I love that woman. But it doesn’t take a psychologist to see that we all needed something to change.”

“You’ve been in therapy for years, though.”

“Yeah. But you know mine has been related to anxiety and depression, not familial issues.” She squeezed his arm and he brough his hand to rest on hers. “I don’t know how you do it, Inks. You always seem unflappable in the face of storms.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” She laughed and stood. “But I do try. That’s all any of us can do.”

Mitsuki returned, taking calculated breaths. “I know that this out of anyone’s control; we don’t control the weather. But shipping has been delayed in Nagasaki, which will delay everything here by at least a week. Which will cut things really close to the deadline.”

“That’s why we build in wiggle room, ‘Suki.” Masaru reassured her. She remained silent as she counted in and out her breaths, a distinct difference from her past attitude. A small ding from her phone had her groaning. Her husband grabbed from her hand. “It’s just our reminder that Katsuki will be done with his appointment. We promised him we’d make spicy curry for dinner tonight, and I think we’re out of his spices for that.”

“You’re right. Thank you, Inko, for having us over. And listening to us gripe.”

“It’s not at all a problem! I always enjoy catching up with you. Enjoy your dinner with Katsuki.” Inko waved them out of the apartment and cleaned the dishes from their tea. They left her with a lot to think about. Katsuki and Mitsuki in therapy? It was practically unimaginable. As she walked to join her son on the couch, she paused to look at one of the pictures on the wall – the two mothers with their infant sons in their laps, reaching over to grab at one another. She smiled at the memory. Therapy for those two may seem unimaginable, but it could only mean good things for future.

Chapter Text

Inko insisted that the families meet up together before school began on the first day of high school so that she could take pictures of Izuku, Hitoshi, and Katsuki in their U.A. uniforms. The grass in the park they met at was still damp from the morning dew, and Hitoshi was still rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as Inko arranged them to her satisfaction before she, Hizashi, and Masaru began snapping away at their boys. Shouta was watching with subtle amusement at the misery the boys projected between camera flashes.

Once Inko, Mitsuki, and Masaru were done fussing over the three teens, they loaded them into Hizashi’s car so they could ride together to the school. It wouldn’t be the usual method – Izuku and Katsuki would typically be taking the train, but since they were already all together and the two men were teachers at the school, they accepted the opportunity to relax a little. Hitoshi fell asleep as soon as the vehicle started. Izuku resisted the urge to mutter about the upcoming day – he knew that the three of them were in his dad’s class, but the man had only smiled his creepy smile when prodded about the first day’s activities.

After their arrival, the two adults headed off to the teacher’s lounge. The trio of teens headed for the 1-A classroom; Izuku and Hitoshi dropped off their belongings before heading to Nedzu’s office. The principal had requested they come by before classes so they could get a copy of their customized schedules. Izuku skimmed over his, biting the inside of his cheek to keep his thoughts to himself. So instead of English, we’re going to have an independent study with Nedzu to focus on whatever skill set we would prefer. Instead of quirk history, I have a class with the first-year support students on traditional support items. I wonder what they consider traditional support items to be. I suppose basic weaponry or maybe defensive items? Things like goggles are quite common amongst heroes… Instead of our math class, I have a course on fabrics and other materials for the first half of the semester. I suppose I did get a bit ahead in the curriculum and it would be helpful to know what type of fabrics are best for different situations.

Hitoshi rolled his eyes at his best friend when they reached the classroom again. He nudged the boy, drawing his attention to the much fuller room. Glancing around, the taller teen saw two people he recognized from the recommendation exam. Judging by the huge smile that crossed his friend’s face, the other noticed them, too. “Todoroki-kun! I’m so glad you’re in the class with us! I was concerned when we got the two recommendation spots.”

The boy nodded. “After speaking with you two, I opted to participate in the traditional entrance exams instead. I’m glad to see that you both made it into the course.”

“Why would you do that?” Hitoshi didn’t understand why someone would throw away the easiest path.

“For two reasons. One, my quirk would easily work in the regular entrance exam. And you were correct, there were robots. Two, it was a way to piss off my dad. I can do this without him.” The boys laughed at the second part. They didn’t chat for long, all three returning to their desks with minutes to spare before the bell. Hitoshi was a little overwhelmed at the noise level in the room and decided to lay his head down until his father arrived to begin class.

Izuku changed quickly, paying no attention to the others in the locker room. He vaguely heard exclamations and jokes, but he had little desire to test his dad’s limits on the first day of class. He and Hitoshi were inevitably the first ones on the field, the rest of the class trickling onto the field after them. It was early enough for the air to be crisp and refreshing, and the teen took the time to stretch and keep limber from his earlier work out. He remained zoned out until the chatter disappeared, a sure sign that Aizawa was prepared to talk.

The man in question gave his spiel about the illogical nature of middle school fitness tests and scolded the students who commented on the course being fun. It was amusing to watch the exhausted man repeatedly startle or frighten his classmates, but he knew that the threat of expulsion was real. Izuku and Hitoshi had grown up with two pro-heroes around; they had seen firsthand how difficult and painful the career could be, and that was with the two men censoring how challenging things could really be.

Izuku smiled as Kacchan was pulled forward to demonstrate the softball throw. He had been surprised to learn that the blond had only gotten third in the regular entrance exam; then again, the top two were also in his class and had been at the recommendation exam. Todoroki had taken first, and Yaomomo had taken second. Izuku couldn’t wait to learn more about their quirks! Though it was interesting that Aizawa chose Kacchan over the top two placements for a demonstration…

“Izu, you’re mumbling.” Hitoshi nudged him in the side. Thankfully, they were far enough away from the others so that only he had heard. They watched the ball explode into the distance; an electronic reader told them it was over 700 meters. Izuku pulled out his notebook and began to draft profiles for each of his classmates, beginning with Kacchan. He would record everyone’s baseline scores in the test. He couldn’t wait to learn more.

50-meter dash. He watched his classmates in awe – Iida’s speed quirk propelling him into first, Asui’s frog quirk allowing her to hop great distances, Uraraka’s quirk lightening her clothes. His hands moved nearly as fast as his classmates did, scribbling down information in a barely legible scrawl. Soon enough, it was his turn. He knew that he wouldn’t do fantastic in this test, but his speed had increased exponentially from middle school (their online school required them to be tested at a local middle school for fitness classes). He was recording his scores (and Hitoshi’s) next to his middle school ones.

Grip strength. Izuku and Hitoshi were amazed that they didn’t end up in the last slots on this one. Their classmates were extremely strong!

Standing long jump. Izuku cursed his tiny legs and lack of quirk for this test. Even those without a useful quirk, like Kaminari or Kirishima, had long legs to assist in this endeavor.

Repeated side steps. Izuku was at least confident in this one – agility was something he was good at. However, Ashido did amazing. He noted down her comment about dancing. I bet she’s related to my gymnastics coach! That would make sense… I’ll have to ask her.

For the ball throw, the boy grinned when Hitoshi told Uraraka to remove the gravity from it for him. Izuku could’ve asked her, she seemed nice enough, but he decided to showcase a different technique and politely asked Yaomomo to make him a slingshot – something that wouldn’t affect her quirk usage much but would be extremely helpful for him. He managed to make it nearly 300 meters, much to his relief and his classmates’ shock. He glanced at his dad’s expression, a nearly imperceptible smile of approval on his face.

Sit-ups. Seated toe-touch. Long distance run. The first two he excelled at, only Ashido beating him at the toe-touch. Ultimately, though, he landed in the top ten of students. Unfortunately, the student that came in last, Aoyama, was ultimately expelled. Midoriya frowned; he knew Aizawa wouldn’t honestly expel someone just for coming in last, there would be another reason. He’d have to ask later.

In the classroom, many students lingered to talk to one another after collecting the papers they needed. Izuku took the opportunity to congratulate Todoroki on his creative quirk use during the tests – he never would’ve considered ice skating for the sprint!

The taciturn boy was content to let the boy ramble and ask questions, responding when necessary; Bakugo, however, had reached the end of his rope and snapped. “Oi! Shut the fuck up, you stupid deku!”

Hitoshi raised his head from the desk, ready to shut the explosive boy down, but an icy response had already dripped out of Todoroki’s lips. “I don’t recall you being a part of this conversation.” His blank expression angered the other, who spewed out obscenities left and right. He ignored him, turning back to his new friend. “Midoriya, you were saying something about support items?” Hitoshi caught Bakugo’s eye and smirked, raising one eyebrow. The boy shook with silent laughter when the blond stormed out of the room.

Before long, it was just the three of them remaining. Hitoshi’s dad needed to stay late for a staff meeting, so the two had planned on going to Inko’s for a snack and video games. Izuku paused in his rambling when Hitoshi caught his attention. “I didn’t realize everyone had left! I’m so sorry for holding you up, Todoroki!” He bowed slightly, face flushed.

“I was enjoying it. I’m in no rush to return home.” The boy calmly replied. “Though, I understand if you need to get going. It seems that Shinsou has been waiting for you.”

“Oh! Well, um, would you want to maybe trade phone numbers?” Izuku looked at the ground.

“Sure.” He pulled out the latest model phone and handed it over to the smaller teen. Izuku put in his number and then texted himself. “Shinsho, did you want to?”

“Whatever.” He immediately started a group chat for the three of them. Then, with a salute, he headed out of the classroom, leaving Izuku to scramble after him.

Chapter Text

The first day of classes drew unwanted attention to the shy recommendation students. Hitoshi and Izuku had to awkwardly explain that they had tested out of certain classes and were taking replacement courses in other departments. They did their best to discreetly slip in and out of the classroom, but inevitably their classmates’ eyes would dart to them as soon as the door moved. The day passed quickly, and it was finally time for their first heroics class.

All Might burst into their classroom to the cheers of many of Todoroki’s classmates. Their costume cases ejected from the wall, and the class headed to the locker rooms. Todoroki was quiet as he quickly changed into the ice-themed costume he had sent in. He only took a glance at what the others wore, deciding he’d take a closer look once they were all gathered in the gym for class. While he did not know what to expect from the number one hero, Aizawa and Endeavor stressed punctuality. It seemed to the teen, however, that only a few of his classmates had truly heeded that lesson. All Might gathered everyone together and explained that they would be conducting battle trials on two versus two teams. Todoroki’s eyebrows furrowed. His suit was more challenging to move in than expected and looking around, he couldn’t imagine many people had truly functional suits.

“You’re kidding, right?” All heads turned to the small green-haired boy, whose scowl looked out of place on his usually cheerful face.

“Excuse me, young Midoriya?” All Might seemed affronted by the remarks, another out of place expression to the dual-quirked teen.

“Having a bunch of over-powered teens who are unused to using quirks against another person fight one another? In costumes with support items they’ve never used? And no offense, but some of the costumes people are wearing are not… functional.” He looked at the other students with pity. Todoroki was impressed; Touya was the only other person he’d seen with that kind of temerity.

“This is a way to assess where everyone is starting with all of those things! The best way to learn is to act.” All Might boomed his explanation, completely confident in his decision.

“Yet you could accomplish the key portions with quirkless sparring. With the exception of probably about six of us, most of the class has probably not had actual training.”

“Young Midoriya, I assure you this is the most effective way to assess your starting point.”

“I will not participate in an activity that willingly puts my classmates in danger when there are safer alternatives to accomplish the same.”

“You realize by refusing to participate, you will receive a failing grade?” All Might’s voice resonated over the stunned silence.

Midoriya’s eyes narrowed. “I would rather fail an assignment than be complicit in putting my classmates in unnecessary danger.” He stalked to the viewing area, pulling out his notebook to analyze his classmates – costumes and costume improvements, first and foremost.

Todoroki watched as Shinsou joined the other without a word to their instructor. The dual-toned boy felt conflicted about joining them; it did not seem any of the others would join them. “I agree with Midoriya, All Might-sensei. My costume is not efficient and would hinder me. Further, I am only accustomed to fighting against Endeavor. I do not yet know how to effectively moderate my quirk usage against an opponent.” He turned and heard a scoff behind him.

“Half and Half has a point.” All heads turned to the fiery blond. “My costume came out nearly perfect.” He grinned maniacally while raising his arms. “Which means that these babies are near lethal. Let the extras figure out what they need.”

All Might cleared his throat and attempted to look intimidating to the rest of the class; Todoroki resisted the urge to laugh. Although it seemed to work on the others, he grew up with Endeavor. It seems the classmates he had joined had similar thoughts. “Geez, he looks constipated. Is that enough to make villains squirm? Even Papa looks scarier when he wants. And Dad is downright terrifying.”

“Oi, dickhead. Speaking of your parents, when were you going to tell me they were heroes?” The blond growled.

Todoroki couldn’t tear his eyes away when Izuku giggled. “We just thought you’d figure it out, Kacchan.” Todoroki tuned out the curses that came from beside him.

Everyone joined the four in the viewing room, and All Might began the battle trials. Todoroki saw Izuku using his scratch paper to make uncategorized notes on loose paper, something he had no doubt would be later organized into his cherished notebooks. Todoroki half-listened to the mumbling of the teen, the rest of his attention on the monitors. The first trial ended with Sato and Koda receiving various scrapes and slight burns from the building and from Iida’s mufflers. The second battle was far worse: Hagakure and Ashido against Kaminari and Sero. Sero was only somewhat injured when Kaminari went overboard with his lightning; he had already swung high to avoid Ashido’s acid which had spread around the floor. Hagakure was by far the worst off – barefoot on the ground, she fell victim to her teammate and her opponent’s quirks. The entire group ended up in the nurse’s office. Out of the last two groups, only Uraraka ended up with her classmates, her high heels causing her a sprained ankle when fleeing from Kirishima.

Izuku returned from his second day of Introduction to Fabrics to a combined Fundamental Heroics class, taught by four of the professors. Aizawa started things with a drawl. “Due to certain events yesterday, it became clear that the classes would benefit from a thorough costume review.”

[Shinsho muttered to his best friend, “Only nine of twenty students from 1-B ended up in the nurse’s office, though.” Todoroki thought that his sentence was odd; nine seemed like a large number for that.]

Vlad took over. “To streamline this, we elected to have several of us explain crucial elements for costumes. Then, we will split back into our classes for costume critiques.”

“Yeah! So the first thing: why do we wear costumes?” Present Mic called out to the thirty-nine students. A class B student raised her hand. “Yes!”

“To be recognizable for civilians?”

“Righty-o! That is one piece. We are easily recognized by civilians, which allows them to come to us when they need help. It is also helpful for branding and merchandising purposes. But that is only half of the reason!”

Izuku raised one shaking hand and responded once recognized. “To be unrecognizable.” Several students muttered in confusion.

“Isn’t that the opposite of what you just said is important?”

“Yes, it is. But it is also the second reason! If you notice, a crucial part of each of our costumes helps to conceal our civilian identity.” Students murmured to one another at this, stilling once Aizawa glared.

Midnight laughed. “I wear a mask. Present Mic wears his tinted glasses. Even Vlad King here has his visor. It is helpful for most heroes to keep their public identity and private identity separate.”

“What about Eraserhead?”

Hitoshi was the one to speak up. “Underground heroes benefit from blending in and looking like everyone else. The reality is that out of a crowd in the evening, he would be hard to identify from another person.”

“Exactly.” Aizawa nodded. “Underground and Limelight heroes have different goals in their costuming. Which brings us to our next point. Costumes are helpful for creating identities, but they are also useful in providing protection. My costume is slightly reinforced to be slash proof. It cannot be completely cut proof, that would inhibit my movement, but it will protect against scrapes and random slices. I also have extra padding for my back and knees to protect myself from falls.”

“My leather is specially made to increase movement, but it still offers protection the way that traditional leather does. The spikes on my costume assist in my themed look, but they also make it difficult for villains to grab me.”

“My suit requires to be easily torn for my quirk to be effectively used. However, my jumpsuit is reinforced much like Eraserhead’s to protect my critical organs.”

“My armor is designed to protect my joints and to act as support for my quirk.”

“Support items can serve for quirk support, like Vlad King’s and my own. They can serve to aid where a quirk cannot help, like Eraserhead’s capture weapon or Midnight’s whip. They can also serve as protection, like my speaker protects my neck. Your costumes must be multi-functional, listeners! They must project your hero identity, protect your civilian identity and your body, and cover what your quirk cannot.”

“Keep these things in mind. We will run you through your paces in your current costumes. You will critique your classmates’ costumes, as will two of us for each class. We will be harsh.” Midnight punctuated her statement with a sharp crack from her whip. “But we will be harsh because your costumes are far more crucial to your future than you may have initially supposed.”

Before the class truly started, Eraserhead and Present Mic asked students who had already found concerns with their costumes to step forward for assessment. Hagakure, Uraraka, and Todoroki all stepped forward. Aizawa didn’t look surprised, even to his kids who could notice the slightest change in his mood. He asked the class to theorize why these three were concerned. Izuku raised his hand to comment on them.

“I’ll begin with Hagakure. Um, I don’t mean to be, uh, awkward… or make you uncomfortable! But are you wearing… anything?” The boy turned red.

“Um, no. I didn’t know what to put since I need to be completely invisible… so I don’t have anything other than my gloves and shoes, which need to be removed to be, you know, completely invisible.”

Izuku frowned and glanced at his notebook. Todoroki suppressed a grin at the now organized notes. “So, um, I’ve been working with support department students and there is, uh, a 3^rd year student that has a quirk that would result in him losing his clothes when activating. They developed a fabric utilizing his DNA that would work with his quirk. I don’t see why that couldn’t be arranged for you. Even if you keep the gloves and maybe add a band or something for recognizability when necessary.”

“Really?”

He blushed at her enthusiasm. “I’m sure a quick trip to see Powerloader would get that fixed fast.” He turned to his classmates and made eye contact with Yaoyorozu. “Um, that would be true for you, too, if you’d prefer a costume with more coverage.” He looked at Uraraka. “I have a few suggestions. First, I think you mentioned not liking how tight your costume is. And your boots should definitely not have heels.”

“That was my biggest issue. I injured myself during the battle trials the other day because I couldn’t run well. And I’m not very comfortable with a skintight suit. I do want to go into rescue work, and after listening to our teachers before, could probably use something that would be beneficial against the elements.”

Todoroki spoke up. “My costume is difficult to move around in. I haven’t tried my quirk in it, but I don’t know how it would handle the extreme temperatures.”

“Frankly, it is ugly, Todoroki.” Hitoshi spoke up. “I don’t know what you were going for… but don’t.”

“Shinsho.” Aizawa sent him a look that he knew all too well.

“It’s okay, sensei. I’m aware of that after seeing everyone else’s costumes.” He paused. “Present Mic, I do not know what sort of image I wish to project. I do intend to be limelight; it seems that I am not sure how I should present myself to the public.”

“We will work on that, listener! I think for now, the key will be to make a simple costume that will be easy to modify once you get that image in your mind!” He looked around the group. “Many of you may have your look in mind, but if you are unsure, we can help as a group!”

They took turns explaining what they were going for with their images, ran through some exercises to look for any obvious movement issues, and ran through the checklist they’d gotten from their teachers during the lecture portion of class. Some students didn’t need much for adjusting – alterations in material for protections, a more discernible and identifiable theme, or more streamlined support items. Bakugo didn’t appreciate his gauntlets being told to be smaller, but Yaomomo did like the suggestion of a tablet instead of a book. Iida begrudgingly listened to his classmates’ comments about the challenges that his costume presented him in terms of mobility and range of visibility.

Izuku almost pitied the amount of work that would be sent to the support classes based on the sheer number of suggestions for improvements in his class alone. He did receive praise from the principal for the thoroughness of his analysis on his classmates based on the day dedicated to costumes. He even showed his two personal students some clips of All Might’s reactions to being forced to watch how the other teachers handled the class; Izuku in particular appreciated the bits with Nedzu scolding him.

Chapter Text

Izuku was exhausted each day after school. The routine was physically exhausting – his morning consisted of a run and yoga and the afternoon classes of phys ed and heroics were nothing to scoff at – but thanks to Nedzu, Izuku’s brain was getting just as much of a workout. Just this first week of classes the boy had to use his independent study to create analysis reports on all the third year heroics students. He was only given one period to talk to them and observe in person. Each time he felt he was finished, he forced himself to go over everything again – Nedzu wouldn’t be happy with anything less than a Plus Ultra approach.

Inko fretted over the exhausted teen, a smile in her heart at the clear contentment on her son’s face as he pushed himself through hours of homework. The boy would eat whatever meal she made heartily. Hizashi and Shouta had warned her that his first few weeks would wipe him out as he adjusted to UA’s intense schedule. The man had also boasted about Izuku standing up to All Might in class, something that was unfathomable for the woman. Her baby had always been so anxious, especially in the face of authority figures.

By the third week of classes, Izuku seemed to have adjusted to his new routine. He once again was eager to help her in the kitchen. She would catch sight of him texting all the time, and even caught him blushing a few times while doing so. Part of her wondered if he had met his romantic soulmate, though she firmly believed that he would’ve told her if he had. Based on what he told her over dinner, however, she suspected his friends were teasing him. He had mentioned several, though most stories still revolved around Shinsho.

It wasn’t unusual for Todoroki to linger after school with his new friends. It was a Thursday that the teen noticed their teacher linger, too. He made eye contact with Shinsho, who went up to speak with him. It was a brief conversation and before he left, Aizawa suggested they start off toward home. They took their time heading to the front gates, upgraded after the media scare the first week of classes.

“Izu, we should pick up some sodas.”

“Are you two walking home together?”

“Yeah, we’re going to my house after this. If you want, you could come. My mom always makes plenty of snacks and we’re just going to hang out and play video games.” He glanced anxiously at Hitoshi, who nodded in approval.

“I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“You wouldn’t be. Plus, I’m pretty sure Miss Inko would be thrilled that Izuku’s made a new friend.” He gave the two a lazy grin.

“I probably won’t stay too long, but I would enjoy spending some more time with you two.” With the final agreement, the trio headed to the train station together with Izuku chattering away.

Izuku second-guessed himself as soon as the text to his mother was sent. He knew she would be fine – elated even! But as for making friends? Was it too soon to invite someone new over? It’s been a couple of weeks since school started, but we’ve never hung out outside of school. Did Todoroki feel pressured? What if he was just waiting for more reasons to make fun of me? No, he’s not done that at all even from when we met at the exam. I’m just nervous because he’s the first person to come over since Hitoshi.

Izuku called out to his mom when he opened the door, slipping off his shoes. He noticed a couple of his animals had been playing around his ankle, and he smiled softly. Inko greeted all the boys with hugs, much to the bicolored teen’s shock. “You must be Shouto!” Izuku and Shouto looked shocked at how familiar she addressed him.

“Mom?”

She chuckled and responded to the stunned teen. “I work with your mother. She and your sister have told me quite a bit about you. I didn’t initially put it together when I saw Izuku’s text, but you resemble her greatly.”

“You… you kn-know my mother?” The seemingly unflappable teen was visibly shaken. Izuku’s lips turned downward, remembering Todoroki’s lunchtime trauma-dump the previous week.

“I do.” She rolled up one of her sleeves. “We became platonic soulmates, even.” The teen’s hand instinctively reached out and hovered near the woman’s arm, and she gently placed his hand to the peaceful animal. “She loves you dearly.” The boy couldn’t speak and Inko quickly realized how overwhelmed he was – he hadn’t seen his mother in a very long time. “I’m going to get you three some snacks, why don’t you all set up some Mario Kart?”

Hitoshi took the hint more quickly than the other two and practically dragged them to the living room. Todoroki finally broke free to ask the two about Mario Kart. Izuku enthusiastically explained the concept, arms flying, while Hitoshi knelt by the television to set up the gaming system. Each boy had a controller, and they played a few easy practice rounds to get Todoroki accustomed to the controls. The tension lessened as the boys got into the game. Hitoshi and Izuku made snide comments at one another, their competitiveness building. By the time Inko set down snacks and drinks, even the quiet teen had a slight smile on his face at the ridiculousness of the other two boys.

Tuesday of the fourth week of school was their first field trip. Hitoshi and Izuku had a good idea of where they would be headed, but for all their prodding, Shouta wouldn’t give up a detail. Even that morning on the car ride in, all he gave them was a drawled out, “You’ll see.”

Izuku was excited to see his classmates’ upgraded costumes; although many were only minor changes, a handful had undergone extreme alterations. They had been advised to wear them and their support gear for today’s training trip as a sort of final test for their costume decisions. Izuku was personally excited about bringing his gear – only four people in the entire school (aside from him, of course) knew what he had. They loaded onto a bus; Izuku and his closest friends chose to sit near the front by Midnight and Eraserhead.

It didn’t take long before they arrived outside a large dome building. Izuku and Uraraka freaked out upon seeing Thirteen in person. They both were rattling off facts to the person beside them, leaving Aizawa to hide his amusement. The entire class listened to Thirteen’s spiel about dangerous quirks and understanding the way they interact with the environment they are used in. They entered the giant building in awe, taking in the elaborate setup designed to simulate a ton of different rescue scenarios. Having discussed the theoretical part of rescue in the classroom, they would be on four teams and each team would attempt a rescue in two different areas.

“Um, if each team is supposed to have a teacher with them… why are there only three of you?” Kaminari was the one brave enough (or stupid enough) to ask.

Their homeroom teacher groaned. “It seems our fourth teacher is running late today. Hopefully, he will show soon.” Izuku recalled the headlines he’d skimmed at lunch, so many with All Might performing small heroic acts. “In any case, I’ll give you your teams.”

Kirishima was the first to notice. “Sensei, is that part of the exercise?” Everyone turned to the plaza of the USJ, attention drawn to the portal with villains pouring out of it.

Midnight ran forward without hesitation while Aizawa called to his other coworker. “Get the students to safety! Contact the school!” Izuku and Hitoshi stared in horror as their father ran down to join his friend, ranks of low level villains already asleep on the stoned walkway.

Ashido whined. “There’s no service!”

“Iida.” It was Hitoshi to speak. “Run to the school.”

“But…”

Thirteen spoke quickly. “Go! If we cannot contact the school via electronics, you’re the fastest here! Get us backup!”

“Y-yes, Sensei!” As he moved towards the door, the warp gate villain arrived between the class and the door. Their teacher moved to distract the villain while Shoji and Sato muscled through the electronically locked doors to release the speedster.

Izuku was watching his classmates when he heard the blasts and screams, turning around to see an injured Thirteen on the ground while Kacchan and Kirishima leapt to hit the villain. Izuku had just managed to turn around to look for his father among the chaos of the central plaza when everything went dark.

Hitoshi gripped his best friend’s hand just as the mist engulfed them. With a sickening feeling akin to going on a Tilt-a-Whirl or Scrambler at the fair, the two appeared over the shipwreck zone and began to fall. Izuku pulled him closer while he pulled out a small gun and fired at the boat, a grappling hook flying out and catching on the railings. “This isn’t going to feel good!” The smaller boy shouted at Hitoshi as the two slammed into the side of the ship. They climbed on board and saw Asui leap onto the deck with them as villains chased after her.

The villains continued to float in the water, spending minutes watching what the three would do. Izuku took that time to unravel and reload his grappling gun. “They don’t know much about us. For all the research they did about getting in here and who would be here, they don’t know us.”

“What do you mean?”

Asui hummed. “They put me in the water zone. This is the spot I can perform best in.”

“That makes sense. And why they would separate us. We’re less dangerous to them that way.” Hitoshi looked at Izuku. “I’m assuming you have a plan?”

“Ideally we’ll get back to the front where Thirteen is, and anyone else who didn’t get warped away. Although, that is a really cool quirk, especially since he sent us all to different locations with one warp. I wonder how far it reaches…”

“Zu, focus!”

“Right.” He chuckled sheepishly. “So we need to get to the front. Hitoshi, I need you to brainwash at least three of them into attacking each other. Focus on the back of the boat, where we will be escaping from. I’m going to tangle as many as possible towards the front to keep them from assisting. Asui,”

“Call me Tsu.”

“Tsu. Get ready to grab Hitoshi and leap for the shore. My grappling gun should reach the coconut trees on the beach and I can hold back a bit to make sure no one is going to follow us.” A loud screeching sound filled the air and the trio tumbled as the boat rocked violently. “We’re going down. Get into positions.”

Izuku made it look like he was sliding down the sloped boat towards the right side. Several villains began to close in on him, making it the perfect opportunity to use his capture net. He’d designed it with Powerloader during one of his support classes – ultra light and easy to throw, but covered with small hooks to latch onto itself and clothing upon impact. The worse the four villains struggled, the more entangled they got.

The teen didn’t take time to gawk at the results and instead jumped to the other side of the ship, where Hitoshi and Asui should be leaving from. Izuku had heard Hitoshi yelling some awful Spongebob jokes at those in the water and then a lot of splashing. He reached the edge in time to see Asui midair, Hitoshi wrapped in her tongue. He pulled out his collapsible staff and whacked the only remaining villain in the head before grappling to freedom.

The trio reunited as they assessed the best route to their teacher. They crept along the treeline, freezing when they saw the giant creature (“He called it a Nomu? The hand guy must be in charge. And with a five point quirk.”) follow up the leader’s attack by smashing Aizawa’s head into the ground. Asui tried to speak to them, but the boys heard nothing but static. Finally, she literally shook them out of it. “We need to go.”

“We can’t just leave him!” Hitoshi and she began to whisper shout at one another, while Izuku stared on in horror. They seemed to get the attention of the hand guy, who approached with eager eyes, ready to disintegrate one of the students. As always, Izuku found himself saved by Eraserhead whose eyes flashed red behind the blood on his face.

“Toshi, get him.” Izuku gave his brother the command, both knowing he didn’t mean it physically. The villain, though, stepped back to assess the lanky teen and sneered at what he saw.

Izuku reached into his coat, applauding Hatsume’s idea for waterproof pockets on the inside, and Hitoshi began to sing, much to the villain’s vocal confusion. “Izuku’s got a gun. Izuku’s got a gun. The whole world’s come undone…” He caught the irritated man in his quirk, which froze not only him but the creature by their teacher. Izuku aimed his gun at the creature’s head, having loaded his foam bullets into it when his brother started the song. It hit the creature on the side of the head, foam rapidly expanding and hardening around it’s face.

The three moved towards Aizawa, Hitoshi’s face beginning to contort in pain. “Asui, help me move him. He can’t stay here.” Hitoshi stood aside while they carefully lifted the man between them, only to fall to his knees cursing as both villains were released from his quirk. They began to tremble, only for the doors to the building fly open with a bang. Tears streamed down all three’s faces as All Might moved to try and prevent the villains from getting to them. Hizashi’s scream echoed across the building as the staff flowed into the building and collected the students they could to handover to the police and EMTs.

Asui had had to let Aizawa go, trying to gather Hitoshi who was nearly unconscious from quirk overuse. They moved slowly, trying to not aggravate any injuries further. All Might was engaged with the giant creature, a being that was fully able to hold its own against the Symbol of Peace. The man finally managed to punch it through the ceiling, chest heaving and hair flattening from exertion. As the man fell to one knee, a concrete wall separated Aizawa, Izuku, and All Might from Hitoshi and Asui, who had made more progress.

Cementoss looked from All Might to Izuku in concern, mouth opening in silence. Izuku rasped out, “I already know.” He and his father had never discussed that he knew, neither liked to recall the day of the slime villain attack. It was as he spoke that the hero deflated, skinny body shaking. Izuku looked at him, tears flowing and his voice vitriolic, “You should have been here from the start. He never would have been hurt like this if you had just done your job!” Instead of arguing, the man in question hung his head in shame.

“I know emotions are high, but let’s not assign blame to anyone other than the villains.”

“They were after him!” The boy hissed. “He ran around doing small-time hero work and used up the time he had, making him miss class! He should have been here!” His entire body was shaking, either in fury or despair. “I know it’s the villains fault, but he should have been here.”

Moments passed in silence before the paramedics reached them. Cementoss had to physically remove Izuku from Aizawa, reminding him that they could best help him. The stoic teacher then carried the blood-covered boy out to the emergency services, Yagi trailing behind them. Hizashi shrieked when he saw Izuku, rushing over from where he was hovering around Hitoshi in order to grab him from Cementoss’s arms. “Oh, baby! What happened?”

“It’s not my blood. It’s… It’s dad’s.”

“Oh, green bean.” Wrapped in Yamada’s arms, with Hitoshi coming to join them, Izuku bawled freely. “We’ll go see him as soon as we can, okay? You promise you aren’t hurt?”

He sniffled. “Toshi and I will both be badly bruised from a rough landing, but otherwise we’ll be okay.” He sighed, still crying. “I should’ve shot the leader, not the creature.”

An officer heard his statement while he approached. “I assume, then, you’re responsible for the foam on that thing’s head?” He nodded. “It was a decent plan, though next time you want to aim at the legs or arms. Immobilize them.”

“Th-thanks.”

“I’ll need to take your statement, then you will be free to go.” Izuku nodded from Yamada’s arms. Then, he began talking. It took until the sun was setting for everyone to be released; Mrs. Bakugo had offered to bring Izuku home when she collected her own son. Inko had agreed from work, but the boy begged both of them and Yamada to stay and go to the hospital for Aizawa. He and Hitoshi went to the locker room to change out of their costumes and into their gym clothes so they didn’t enter the hospital coated in blood.

They had to wait for hours while the hero was in surgery. Izuku frantically wrote in his notebook everything he could about the fight and the quirks he encountered. Hitoshi slept with his head in Yamada’s lap. During that time, Recovery Girl filled in Yamada about the status of everyone else. The kids were all fine, nothing more than a sprained ankle and quirk exhaustion. Thirteen was currently stable, but would need time to recover. Midnight had sustained a broken leg and a few cuts, but nothing that the old woman couldn’t fix on the scene. Yamada thanked her profusely for the update and for staying until she could assist his husband after surgery.

Chapter Text

After much deliberation, many students simply chose to make minor alterations to their costumes. Some, like Kirishima, used a reinforced material as a tank-top to allow for more bodily protection. Izuku had suggested that this way he could focus on hardening the rest of his body and still have protection. Bakugo reluctantly agreed to more streamlined grenades. Iida was the most challenging to convince to make any alterations; he loved his homage to his brother too much to agree to change. Others, however, made prominent changes.

Momo's costume was completely different. Hiding a tablet in her new jacket, her only bare skin was her midriff. She felt more confident in what she wore. The girl had always felt beautiful; her costume still allowed for that, but now she felt like a badass.

Hagakure's costume was now an actual costume. They used her DNA to create a bodysuit and added pink removable features - a large hairbow, gloves, and boots. Yet for her secrecy, she could simply remove these and become truly invisible.

Uraraka's costume became more streamlined yet less clingy. Her helmet settled closely to her head, offering more protection. She added gloves to protect her fingers and waterproof boots to protect her legs when she would work in a rescue zone.

Shouto's costume was fire-resistant to fireproof and ironically resembled All Might's color scheme. His blue tunic and pants were overlaid with white protective padding on arms, shoulders, and legs. His boots were white and reached his knees. He would be able to alter it more once he had a more complete idea of what his hero persona would be.

Koda's costume was more covering, his shorts becoming cargo pants. His color scheme and theme were kept, but the long sleeved shirts and hiking boots would lend to his skills in rescue heroics.

Izuku and Hitoshi went for a combination of fantasy and military. They both had protective gear and their support equipment; Izuku had holsters inside his coat as well as strapped to his thigh. They both had belts with pouches of first aid supplies and small support items. Izuku kept to tight clothes aside from his jacket for better movement, while Hitoshi went for a homage to his fathers.

Chapter Text

Yamada knew that Inko was an angel long before she showed up to the hospital after working a twelve hour shift, bearing gifts of fresh food, coffee, and a change of clothes for the man. She wrapped their boys in a hug, kissed their foreheads, and took Yamada’s thin hand in hers. She provided support for the three until the doctor emerged from the back and announced that Shouta was finally out of surgery. The boys were offered a chance to see the unconscious man before Inko took them home, letting her platonic soulmate know that she would take care of them and to let her know if he needed anything. “Focus on your husband. Don’t worry about the rest.”

After she left, he was finally able to collapse. He showered and changed in the attached bathroom, shoving his hero suit in a bag to worry about later. He dragged the large chair that visitors in hero rooms had to the bedside and sunk into it, folded over to rub his hand along his husband’s shin – too much of his upper body was covered in bandages. The linens rapidly grew wet, a combination of damp hair and salty tears. “Don’t leave me, Sho. Please don’t leave me.” He finally cried himself to sleep, head resting on the man’s hospital bed.

All too soon morning shift came around, checking on Shouta and fiddling with medical equipment far above Hizashi’s threshold of knowledge. The doctor came in, a new one for a fresh shift, and filled the exhausted man in on what they had been able to do and what the upcoming weeks would look like. “Frankly, he’s lucky to be alive. After surgery, Recovery Girl said he had enough stamina to focus on improving the damage to the optical floor. Hopefully this immediate attention will reduce the chances of his quirk or eye sight being affected. However, to be on the safe side, we’re going to proceed as if she had not and will not know the extent of damage until tomorrow, keeping his eyes wrapped to prevent possible exertion on them.” Yamada nodded while wringing his t-shirt hem viciously. “Most of the time in surgery was spent on ensuring all pieces of bone were in the correct location for healing; thankfully our specialist was on rotation last night when he came in. Her quirk can manipulate bone matter and she was able to ensure everything is in its proper location. She’ll be back this afternoon to see if anything has changed and work on strengthening the connections between all fragments. Because of the decision to focus on his optical floor, the rest of his body has not had enhanced healing and will have to wait.”

“Okay. What does this mean going forward?”

“Your husband will be more prone to migraines and should not use his quirk for several days at least. Ideally, a week. In the papers I’ll be giving you before his discharge, it’ll have a rundown on what can be done at home to help his eyes. For his arms, they’ll remain bandaged for at least a week. This will depend on Recovery Girl and his stamina. While we were lucky enough to meld the bones back to their original shape, which would reduce natural healing from around 10 weeks to closer to six, unless he has the stamina for her quirk, it will still require to be bandaged for around a month. After, there will be physical therapy, particularly in the arm where the muscle was exposed.”

“Thank you, doctor.”

“Of course. If you have any questions, ask myself or Recovery Girl. We’re keeping her in the loop as she’ll be his primary care provider once he’s discharged.” The room felt too quiet once the doctor left, the only noise was the steady beeps from machines that proved that Shouta was still alive. Not wanting to focus on his thoughts, Hizashi decided to act. They already were guaranteed three days off from school due to the events that happened. He wrote out emails to his station and his agency explaining he would be taking the foreseeable future off, though he would be able to do some radio work at home. Once he took care of work that would pull him away from acting as caregiver, he set up appointments with their therapist and Hitoshi’s for the coming week. While he was working away on his laptop, his phone chimed with a message from Nemuri. Took care of cats. Doing some cleanup and laundry. He chuckled wetly. That woman was just in here yesterday after fighting alongside Shouta, and now she’s at our house prepping it for our return and taking care of our fur babies. His best friend was always one to help, but he suspected a part of it was her own need to be busy after an event like the day before.

Yagi had been given a large stack of papers to grade alongside the answer key. Nedzu had determined that his recent actions had put too much responsibility on the other teachers, so he must relieve some of that pressure by taking on their grading. That being said, the man had always detested the paperwork aspect of heroics and was going crazy staring at the repetitive worksheets. Still, he didn’t know whether to be grateful or offended he wasn’t allowed to grade essays or other subjective styled assignments.

Yagi groaned as he took the next stack of mathematics assignments. He had never really considered how many students UA actually enrolled, given his sole focus on the heroics classes. Yet here he was, grading eleven classes worth of first year worksheets. He still had the second and third years to go – that was just for math. The man stretched and shuffled into his kitchen to make tea, his entire body sore.

In the safety of his home, he often wore a t-shirt and shorts, which allowed him to watch his soul-child’s animal wander around his skin. The last two days, the bunny seemed to alternate between despondence and would cuddle against his own mark or nerves and would shake and thump its leg. He couldn’t help but think about the strange behavior from before the events of the USJ. His animals tended to stay out of view, like most. Yet, while the man was being lectured by the principal, the rabbit raced across his hands and face, searching for the lion that represented his own soul. Neither hero had ever seen anything like it, but they hadn’t had time to talk about it. Iida Tenya had entered the building and alerted the first teacher he found about the emergency they rushed to. Now, however, the scrawny man had nothing but time to dwell on this odd phenomenon.

“I wonder if Dave has done any research on soulmarks. Or maybe he knows someone who has. I could ask him, I suppose.” He glanced at the coffee table strewn with papers. “Perhaps it should wait. Nedzu doesn’t seem to have much patience left with me and I still haven’t found a suitable candidate for the quirk. After discussing the difficulties he experienced with his own quirk, Nighteye’s suggestion doesn’t seem like the right choice. His demeanor is great, but this close to his debut inheriting One for All would only hinder him.” He rinsed out the cup and set it next to the one drying plate on his counter. Sinking into his couch, red pen in hand, he murmured, “I never imagined that teaching would be so tedious.”

Three days later, school was back in session. Nedzu had requested his presence in his office, so after delivering the graded papers to the correct teachers, he sank into one of the supple leather chairs across from the chimera and sipped at the proffered tea. “So, All Might, how did the grading go?”

“It was surprisingly tedious.” The man admitted. “Though I have never been inclined towards paperwork. I have been lucky to have staff to assist on that end during my career.”

“Oh yes. There is a lot to consider when teaching, not just the part where the teacher actually presents the content.” He sipped out of his cup. “Preparing the lesson, thinking through the possible pitfalls, and deciding how to assess the students; then to work with the students and understand whether the lesson is sinking in, to assess their skills, to help them reflect on their progress; finally, to review the assessments and adapt for the future.” He grinned sardonically. “These are crucial components to teaching; when you find a successor, they will be essential for mentoring and guiding them, as well.”

“Y-yes, Nedzu-san.” The creature’s smile had sent shivers down his spine.

“Consider the events of the other day as a lesson. As a student, your job after the lesson is to reflect on what went well and what did not. Of course, as a student, there are those that will help you in these reflections.”

Yagi winced. “Well, yes. I know I have acted irresponsibly and…”

He froze when the door opened, revealing the green first-year. “Hello, Nedzu-sensei. Hitoshi went to observe the third-years as you requested. And I brought my notebooks on the hero students of all levels.” The boy only then realized the other person in the room. “OH! Yagi-san, I’m so sorry.” He bowed. Guilt and shame flooded the blond hero; his colleague had insisted on coming to school today, even as wounded as he had been, and now he was facing the child that called him out on his role in the man’s injuries.

“I thought that today, we would include the number one hero in our lesson.” Izuku sat in Hitoshi’s usual spot, as far from the pro as he could be. “As I know you are aware, Yagi has a particularly unique quirk in his possession. He is rapidly approaching a necessary retirement, and needs to find the best possible successor.” He paused and they all took the moment to sip their tea. “I believe that your analysis of all the students will be beneficial in this selection.” All Might coughed up a combination of blood and tea at that statement and immediately started to protest. Nedzu continued as if none of that had occurred. “We must consider many aspects of this. The successor’s personality, current quirk, strengths, weaknesses, and willingness to work will all be taken into account before this decision can be made.”

Izuku’s shaking leg was rattling the teacups. “You really think that I can help with this?”

“Your analysis on heroes is nearly on par with professionals. Your role as a student allows you to see the integrity of the students and their true personality in a way that teachers are not always able to do. Plus, this way, no one else needs to be brought into the loop as this is, of course, completely confidential.”

“I see. If you think I can be of assistance, of course I will help, Principal Nedzu.” The boy bowed his head. “Yagi-san, are there any physical requirements for the quirk?”

“They must be extremely strong. Without enough muscle mass, the power inside the quirk could burst at the joints, rending their limbs useless.”

“And you wanted my scrawny ass to take this?” Izuku’s eyes were wide. “Do you not hear how ridiculous that is?”

“I would’ve trained you so you could bulk up!” Izuku couldn’t help his scoff and sarcastic remark. “If they are not already physically capable, we must help them become strong.”

“You may use the remaining time of the period to begin to filter out those who will not make suitable candidates.” He handed each a roster from each heroics class. “Of course, we cannot completely rule out possible heroics transfer students.”

There were only two weeks until the sports festival. Hitoshi had been tasked by Izuku to observe as many students training (hero and general education) as he could and report back to him what he could about their personalities. This took up his usual time in Nedzu’s office so that Izuku could work with All Might on the selection process. They had immediately crossed off the UA’s Big Three, a handful of second years, Izuku himself, Hitoshi, and Kacchan.

They were now looking more closely at quirk compatibility as far as a cover story goes. Any differences needed to be a reasonable mutation from their original quirk. This had them crossing several more off their lists, including several of Izuku’s classmates; the only 1-A students that remained were Sato, Hagakure, Uraraka, Kirishima, Shoji, and Ojiro. Still, his class fared better than 1-B who only had three students pass this round of eliminations (Testutestu, Monoma, and Shishida). Hitoshi had been able to report back on the personalities of several of their second year candidates, leading them to cross two more from the candidates.

“I think that now we must wait until the sports festival. That will be the best way to assess personality and skill in person while looking at our specific lists. Plus, it may be our only chance to assess the possibility of a gen ed student transfer. Then, there is the possibility of training them during internships.” Izuku looked down at his list. “All Might, you might want to poke around and see what the other teachers think of these students and maybe Nedzu-san, you could share their grade report? Midterms are right before internships, and we could use those as a benchmark if there are close candidates.”

“Excellent plan.” The principal grinned as Yagi wondered how the student seemed immune to the unnerving expression. “By the time internships roll around, we should have a candidate for you.”

“One other thing.” Izuku took a few deep breaths. “Who knows about this quirk?”

“Recovery Girl and you two.”

“No one else at all?”

“Well, my master’s friend and my mentor – Gran Torino. And my friend on the police force, Tsukauchi. He, uh, he has a truth quirk. I can’t get anything past him.” He gave an awkward laugh.

“Why do you ask?” Nedzu inquired with a knowing look.

“Do either of them have teaching experience? Because, to be frank, All Might, you are not a good teacher. And if the quirk is powerful enough to blow up someone’s limbs, we need someone who knows what they are doing.”

“Gran Torino was my homeroom teacher for a year while I attended UA.” The man admitted. “Though he is also getting on in years, considering.” He was barely audible for the last bit. “And terrifying.”

“I would recommend we bring Aizawa or Yamada in on this.”

“We can’t tell more people!” All Might scolded him harshly.

“They’re perfectly trustworthy! And both are close to certification in quirk counseling. Yamada has experience with quirks that are nearly too large for a person’s body and Aizawa can erase quirks. If you want a successor, that person will benefit from those things.” He paused and picked back up when Yagi’s mouth opened. “Besides, they’re both really good teachers.”

All Might sighed and glared at the boy. Nedzu grinned once more. “I believe he has a point, Yagi-san. You have time, though, to consider his words.” The bell rang. “Midoriya, you need to get to your next class.”

“Right! Bye, Nedzu! All Might!” He gathered up his papers into his notebook and rushed out the door. It wasn’t until he was seated behind a sewing machine, falling into the rhythm and hum of the class, that he was able to release the tension that accumulated each time his independent study included the number one hero.

Dabi had just finished his shift at the factory and was trudging along dimly lit streets to the apartment he shared with another factory worker, an older man who was willing to let a newbie pay a little a month to sleep on a futon in the living room of the decrepit apartment. It’s better than the streets or even the treehouse. He paused when he heard a strange noise from the alleyway beside the apartment. What am I doing? I’m not the hero. Hito is. Still, he was compelled to enter the dark space filled with refuse from the apartment complex.

A teenage girl was lying against the wall, blood covering a fairly new looking uniform. “Are you okay?” She giggled before coughing in pain. He approached her and knelt down. “Where are you bleeding from?”

“Not mine. It’s so pretty…”

Well, shit. “Can you stand?”

The girl stumbled against the wall as she tried to stand on her own. “Nope!”

“You are way too cheerful for this situation.” He sighed as he lifted her into his arms. “Shit. You feel feverish. Have you eaten?”

“Blood.”

“Alright. Off we go.” He took off away from the futon calling to him and headed to a police station he knew of. I should take her to a hospital but that is way too far away. The station was only around six blocks away from where he lived, which should’ve made the area safer than it was. The place was buzzing and no one seemed to stop to hear what the burned shell of a man had to say. At least until a man dressed nicer than the other officers walked in casually, and froze when he saw the two of them.

“Has anyone helped you?”

“If they had, would I be standing here with a strange and bloody girl in my arms?” He couldn’t help the snark. His patience was low when he left work. Still, something about her wouldn’t let him just leave her and walk away.

The man groaned in a fair approximation of how Dabi felt. “Let’s get a room. How badly is she injured?”

“She’s running a fever, but when I found her in the alley, she claimed it’s not her blood.” The man had taken over an empty interrogation room and set his hat and coat on an extra chair. There was a bench along the back that Dabi laid the girl on.

“What else do you know?”

“I don’t know when she’s last eaten, but she might need blood. Her clothes look too nice for her to have been on the streets long.” The girl in question let out a soft groan as she woke from her brief nap in Dabi’s arms.

“Where am I?”

“You’re at the police station.”

“I didn’t mean to!” The girl panicked as she looked around the sterile environment. “I swear! I was so hungry, and he just looked so pretty…”

“Slow down. You aren’t in trouble here.”

She glanced at the guy next to her. “I’m not in trouble?”

“As far as I know. I brought you here because a hospital is too far away to carry you.”

“Oh.”

“What’s your name?” The detective asked.

“Toga Himiko.”

“And how long have you been on the streets?”

“It’s been a few days. Since the incident. Mom and Dad said if I was going to be a monster, they wouldn’t let me stay home.”

“Why the fuck would they say that shit?” Dabi interjected with irritation. Shitty parents deserved a unique place in hell.

“I drink blood for my quirk to work. But they don’t let me drink the blood and it just looks so pretty on people!”

The detective frowned from the notebook he was writing in. “When you do drink blood, how do you feel? Or how does it feel different from when you don’t?”

“Things are dizzy and giggly when I don’t get it for a few days. But when I drink it, it’s like everything is a super sharp photograph! It makes everything so much prettier.” The man hummed.

“If someone is bleeding near you, how do you react when you’ve had blood recently versus when you haven’t?”

“Why does that matter?” Dabi glared, but the man held up a hand and looked to the girl.

“Um. If I haven’t had blood in a while, I have to have it if I see it. But usually I can resist.”

“Okay. It seems that your health is tied to your quirk’s requirement for blood. Based on this information, it seems your parents have neglected a key portion of your diet.”

“So what does that mean? You can’t send her back to those bastards!”

“I won’t. We’ll find a foster family that is good with people who have dietary accommodations for their quirks.” Dabi reluctantly accepted that answer. “I’ll leave you two in here while I make a few calls. Toga, would you like to change clothes? I’m sure the station has some you could fit in.”

“I’m good in my uniform!” The man nodded and exited the room. “So, who are you?”

“Dabi.”

“Do you like blood, Dabi?”

“No.”

“Aw! It’s so pretty though. Stain understands! Mr. Stainy makes pretty blood appear everywhere! I wish I could go with him…”

Dabi looked at her carefully. “Who’s Stain?”

The detective walked in at that point with two bottles of water and a granola bar, which he gave to Toga. “Stain the Hero Killer. He’s a vigilante turned villain who believes that ‘false’ heroes should be purged and has taken that mission upon himself.” He looked at Toga, who had eaten the granola bar and was chugging her water. “You should slow down a bit so you don’t get sick. Also, it might take a bit, but I put in a request for someone to fetch you a blood bag. That might help you feel better.”

Dabi paused. “Eh, what the hell. If you have a knife or some shit, I don’t mind her having a little of mine.”

“You don’t even know what my quirk does with your blood!” She swung her legs and hummed to herself. “I get to be that person when I drink it.”

“Pretty sure you don’t want to walk around with my ugly ass mug.” She just giggled in response.

The man sighed. “I can’t just let you cut yourself, even if it is for an okay reason.”

“Can’t hurt worse than anything else on my body.” Unfortunately, they came to an impasse. The room was silent for a bit apart from the girl’s humming. “So what’s with this Stain character?”

“What I said before pretty much sums it up.”

“He’s one man, but you made it sound like he was leading a revolution.” Dabi picked at his jacket with feigned disinterest.

“We believe he is trying to start one. But his actions don’t inspire change and only result in more bloodshed.”

“It’s not like his belief is without merit.” The detective raised his eyebrow. “False heroes. At the very least, there are plenty of heroes who shouldn’t hold the title. I’m not saying they all do, but maybe some of the heroes deserved what they got.”

“You sound pretty sure about that.”

“I’ve known about plenty of corrupt people in the heroics business. Not that anyone cares.” He had no idea why he was still there. He could be asleep instead of standing in a police station, a place that could get him recognized, with a slightly crazy teen. “Probably a good thing I didn’t end up suited for it, anyway.”

“Were you planning on becoming a hero?”

“My dad didn’t give me a choice. It was be a hero and when I wasn’t what he wanted, it was stay out of sight and out of mind.” He scoffed. “Believe me or not. I have only one reason to stay on the straight and I haven’t even seen him in years.”

“Hm. I should let you know,” Tsukauchi spoke, “that my quirk is called Lie Detector. You’ve been pretty honest up until that last bit.”

“Okay, maybe there is more than one reason.” He rolled his eyes. “Doesn’t change anything.”

“I could help.”

“No offense, but you look more exhausted than I feel.”

The man huffed out a laugh. “I’m afraid with the recent events at UA, things have been more hectic than usual around here. But that doesn’t mean we can’t work towards helping you.”

“What’s happened at UA?” The math added up and his brothers, assuming they got in, would be the right age to attend the prestigious school.

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard; it’s been all over the news. A villain group attacked a first year class during rescue training.”

Dabi took measured breaths. “I don’t have access to a television or radio regularly. Was anyone injured?”

“The teachers received varying levels of damage and one student was severely injured, but everyone else made it out with nothing more than bumps and bruises.”

“Thank fuck.” Odds are that even if Hitoshi and Shouto were in that class, they were okay.

“Do you know a student there?”

“Possibly.” He wasn’t even lying, which the detective apparently knew.

“If you watch the Sports Festival, you’ll probably find out.”

“No TV, remember?”

“We often watch it at the station. I’m not usually in this one, doing some paperwork transfers today, but you’d be welcome to come and watch.” The man smiled. “No one will mind if you don’t get in the way.” He scribbled on a sheet of paper and handed it to him. “Here’s my precinct station. It’s only about a week away.” A knock sounded at the door. “Come on in.”

A prim looking woman walked in. “Hello, I received a call about a specialty diet foster child?”

“Yes, yes. It’s this young lady.” He gestured to where Toga had once again fallen asleep. Another knock sounded, and a man handed over a blood bag. “Toga, we have the blood bag.” She didn’t respond so Dabi kicked the end of the bench, startling her awake (with a knife).

“Put that shit away and drink your blood, you little vampire.”

“Yessir!” She saluted him while grabbing the bag from the detective. “Oh, Dabi, we should be friends!”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. If you find me again.” He smirked at the group. “I wish I could say it was a pleasure to meet you all.” He left the three behind to discuss the next steps. That brat better be taken care of properly. He barely noticed the night’s chill as he walked back to his apartment. He got a few hours of solid sleep before his next shift at the factory.

Chapter Text

Dear Toshinori,

I always enjoy receiving emails from you. Melissa is doing fantastically at school and wanted me to remind you to come visit soon. As for the topic at hand, I do in fact have a colleague that is studying soulmarks. Of course, it’s a controversial topic for scientific investigation and there are limited volunteers to be participants in a study considering the amount of analysis and scrutiny they and their soulmates would be under.

So far, it seems that to understand the actions of the marks, you must understand the soulmate’s disposition and personality as well as the common communication methods of the animal species. They seem to react only to exceptionally strong emotions or strong bonds, but this is a source of contention amongst the researchers. I wish I could tell you more. Perhaps, once you discover who your soulmate is, you will be able to better understand the way the mark behaved the other day. In any case, please record it in detail – I’m sure my colleague would love the chance to add it to his investigations.

I see from the news that you are still overworking yourself. Slow down and take care; you have people who love you.

-Dave

Inko, eyes wide at the chaos of those trying to enter the main gate, was driven to the VIP entrance to the UA Sports Festival with her friend. Although they were still subjected to security measures like bag checks, this entrance was for staff and their invited guests. She linked arms with Rei while waiting in line. It had taken a lot of discussions and precautions to be able to bring the woman – they needed assurance she would not accidentally encounter her husband or her youngest son and that she would have an easy way out if the event became overwhelming. She was forever thankful for Hizashi and Shouta; they allowed the two women to join them in the announcer’s booth.

Inko was texting the Bakugos, who were watching from home, about recording it for her and Izuku, especially the 2^nd and 3^rd year stages. She was a little disappointed that they could not attend, but she was not going to be in the general audience anyway. Hizashi had promised to get them some souvenirs from the festival stalls that filled the main entrance to the festivities, but neither woman felt like they needed any. The only request was for some fried food during lunch, to accompany the bentos that Inko packed for the four of them.

They finally made it through the security checkpoint; Hizashi called out to them, using a little of his quirk to get their attention (and everyone else’s). “Hello, beautiful ladies!” They blushed and laughed as they hurried to join the man and get away from the stares of other VIP guests.

“Hizashi, this is my friend Rei Todoroki. Rei, this is Hizashi Yamada, or…”

“Present Mic.” She bowed. “It’s wonderful to meet you. I’ve heard great things about you, your husband, and your son.”

“I have heard a few lovely things about you and have enjoyed having your youngest son in my class.” He offered her a genuine smile. “I hope you are ready for some stairs.”

The warning was far too lighthearted to fit the situation. Inko was huffing up the fifth flight of stairs. “I think this is more exercise than I’ve had in the last week!”

The man’s laugh echoed through the stairwell. “Maybe you should join Izuku with his light workouts.” They finally entered the booth, overlooking the packed stadium. “Ms. Todoroki, this is my husband Aizawa Shouta.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“I’m glad to meet you as well. I apologize for my appearance.”

“Oh! Don’t! From my understanding, we owe you a great amount of gratitude. Thank you for protecting our sons.” She bowed briefly.

“I did what I needed to.” The gruff man was clearly uncomfortable with the praise.

Inko jumped in. “You get to get the casts off today, right?”

“Finally.”

“Recovery Girl is going to take care of him after the final event. We’re not announcing the podium, so we’ll slip down there while everyone is involved with that.” Hizashi smiled. “You’re welcome to join us, or you can wait up here and I’ll collect you after.”

“Oh, I don’t know.”

“You have plenty of time to decide! Now you ladies get comfy over there; you’ll have plenty to see but shouldn’t be picked up on the mics.”

Izuku was nervously shaking his leg until Hitoshi sat on his lap. Uraraka giggled at their antics, while Iida scolded them for unsuitable behavior. Izuku finally managed to get his friend off and stood, pacing the room until Kacchan yelled at him for that. Shouto saved him by issuing a challenge. “Objectively, I’m stronger than you. And although we’re friends, I intend to win.”

Izuku’s eyes flashed. “I won’t make it easy for you!” The entire class burst into chaos as challenges were issued left and right. “That said, if this year follows the patterns from the past, it might be beneficial to work together the first two rounds.”

Hitoshi shrugged. “Not me. I need to do well in round one and get out round two. Don’t need to draw attention to myself.”

“Why’s that, Shinsho?” Uraraka leaned closer.

“I’m going Underground. I don’t want my name and quirk out there, and Aizawa said that he can help me make connections with other Underground heroes.” He smirked. “I’m planning on asking Monoma to join my team for whatever round two is.”

“Shinsho! That is unheroic to purposely sabotage someone else’s path!” Iida looked scandalized.

“It’s a competition. Besides, he drives me crazy and I wouldn’t mind putting him in his place.” A buzzer sounded through the room. It was time to enter the field.

Despite his earlier words, Shinsho had no intention of moving to the second round. Based on Izuku’s intensive research on several years worth of festivals, roughly 50 students should move to the second round, and so he wanted to place between 51^st and 75^th place. High enough to show he is capable, but low enough to escape notice from the general public.

When Todoroki froze the tunnel’s floor, the purple-haired teen leapt onto the shoulders of the students in front of him. He didn’t bother to apologize as he slid down to the icy ground, maneuvering around the frustrated students stuck in place. He couldn’t help but smile at Izuku’s intense movement forward. The boy was stubborn and capable, and Hitoshi couldn’t wait for the first quirkless winner of the UA Sports Festival.

When he approached the robots, he eyed them with disdain. The entrance exam for the other students had to go against these? He wouldn’t have had a chance of getting in without the recommendation exam. With a thought to thank his fathers later, he followed the students ahead of him, trying to keep track of how many there were. He needed to focus on that and his actions only; anything else could wait until round two.

Dabi lounged against a wall, eyes fixated on the small television suspended in the corner. Two voices —one loud and energetic, the other seeped with exhaustion – narrated the obstacle course race the first years were set on. He kept a calm visage, even as his baby brother froze over nearly every other contender and aggressively raced against an explosive blond. The two seemed unrivaled as they passed robots and then tight-ropes over steep drops.

The cameras weren’t solely focused on those in front; it was split screen, offering half the screen to these contenders and two quarters of the screen to other locations. His eyes rapidly moved between the three screens, knowing he could see his brother in the one to the left but searching for his soul brother in the others. Joy leapt at his heart when he caught the wild purple hair being transported across the tight-ropes.

Hitoshi had his full attention while on the small screen, until a huge blast sent a small green boy flying past the two teens warring for first place, using them as a springboard to launch himself to the finish line. Dabi refrained from laughing at the events, but the others in the room had no reserves and enjoyed the last minute turning of the tides.

Eventually, he watched as Hitoshi crossed the finish line, looking nonplussed at having just barely missed the cut-off for round two. His eyes widened a little when the once-scrawny boy approached the first place winner and playfully ruffled his hair. They even brought Shouto into the conversation, the green boy bright and animated compared to his companions.

There was a small break before the second event. The cameras scanned over the students leaving the field, a steady stream of frustrated faces; Hitoshi’s was perfectly content. That little bastard planned to fail. He had no intention of moving forward! But why? If he wants to be a hero, this is the perfect time to show the world what he can do.

Dabi tuned out the conversations around him; he had barely acknowledged Tsukauchi when he had greeted him. The cavalry battle would begin soon, and he had every intention of cheering on his little brother. In the meantime, the channel would be broadcasting the 2^nd or 3^rd year events.

Hitoshi wandered into the stands where 1-A would be sitting as they left the field. He didn’t mind being the only one there. It would be quieter. He overheard a few business students deliberating on the marketability of the various students; of course Shouto and Bakugo would be easy to market, as well as Asui and Momo. He frowned when they commented that Izuku would be difficult to market since he hadn’t shown his quirk. Dumbasses. Just one more reason to go Underground.

He watched as his classmates and other students formed teams. He was surprised by one group made up of two gen-ed kids and one support student. He grinned at the ingenuity shown by Jiro and Asui hiding inside Shoji’s giant arms. Hagakure was the rider for Koda, Sato, and Ojiro (Of course. I wonder if they’re dating yet.).

He pulled out his phone to text his dads and Inko, who he knew was watching from the announcer’s box with Todoroki’s mother. PurpleCat: Izuku did great! His group is odd for this, but I guess Shouto and Iida weren’t keen on starting with the million. Specifically to Aizawa, he texted, PurpleCat: Any word from Ms. Joke? After discussing the pros and cons of participating in the festival and having his quirk be known to a wide audience, Izuku had suggested he talk to Aizawa about heroes he could intern with without being displayed on public television. They discussed what he would want to improve, and ultimately decided that Ms. Joke would be ideal if Aizawa could swing it.

TiredCat: She’s here and headed to you, out of costume. Said she’d decide after the cavalry battle.

Hitoshi’s eyebrows raised at the text just as his name was called from the bottom of the stands. He gave a wave to the hero, dressed down for the day to blend in with the general crowd. She climbed the stairs and laughed at him. “Wow, way to make a woman work for your company! I suppose that’s why you’re still single?” Her giggles exasperated the teen and he discreetly texted his father. PurpleCat: I understand everything and it’s been less than a minute.

TiredCat: You asked for this.

He slipped the phone into his pocket. “Hi, I’m Hitoshi Shinsho. Aizawa and Yamada’s son.” He greeted her politely. “I’m thankful you were willing to attend and speak with me.”

“Ms. Joke, or Ms. Fukukado. Glad to meet you! You acted with a lot of intent in that first round.”

“I wanted to do well enough to demonstrate my abilities, but not enough to make it into the second round. They typically do a team activity, and I didn’t want to sabotage a team to avoid the one on one event.”

“That’s very smart of you. You want to go underground, I hear?”

“That’s the plan. My quirk works best with the element of surprise, so limelight wouldn’t be great. Plus, all that attention seems awful.” He shuddered at the thought of what his classmates would be going through.

She laughed again. “Just like your father. Well, tell me about your quirk.” Her entire body, sprawled in the uncomfortable seat, tilted towards him in attention.

“Um, it’s called brainwashing. When someone responds to a question, I can link to their mind and tell them what to do. It doesn’t work on complex tasks, but we’re still seeing what it can do if I strengthen it.”

“So why me?”

“Well, part of it is getting people to respond to me. You seem to have a similar aspect to your quirk, according to Izuku. He’s, um, the green-haired one down there with the million points.”

She laughed yet again. “He’s a good friend to have on your side! He’s quite right. They need to be responsive for my quirk to take effect.”

“You’re also known for working limelight and underground missions, which I think would help give me a broader view of what is involved in being a hero.”

“That makes sense. Tell me about what you think will happen down there, with the teams and all.” She loosely gestured to the where students were taking the field.

“Well, according to Izuku’s research, usually between 16 and 20 students advance to the final round of one on one activities. His team is nearly guaranteed to move forward; their team has a solid defense group and paired with Hatsume from the support department, who is terrifying by the way, they should be able to maneuver well. Their offense isn’t horrible either, but the real skill lays with Izuku’s ability to analyze and act. He’s brilliant with that.” She hummed in acknowledgment. “Bakugo’s team is a solid contender, as well. He picked people that would be mobile and sturdy. His group will focus on offense, but Bakugo isn’t bad with analysis, either. He’s routinely in the top few of the class, which will make up for the lack of defensive actions. Todoroki’s team is well built for versatility and mobility. However, both Todoroki and Bakugo feel they have something to prove against Izuku’s win and that will either be a huge benefit or their downfall. Shoji, Asui, and Jiro’s plan is brilliant; it will be difficult to take their headband and both Asui and Shoji will be able to grab at other team’s. Jiro is probably assisting in detecting threats. Hagakure’s group has a very solid base, but unfortunately they aren’t a group that is as determined to win as the others. I also haven’t seen enough of the other groups to give a solid testament, but Tetsutetsu’s team and Kendo’s team both have very strong players. Monoma, if he plans well, will be difficult to deal with, also. He can copy quirks, so he will have access to his teammates’ quirks, but also anyone he can get close enough to touch.” Hitoshi swears he hadn’t spoken this much in ages. “I think the time limit will be more of an obstacle for the top teams; the weaker teams won’t necessarily be aiming for the million, but the top teams need to be evasive for longer. If they can manage that, it doesn’t matter how strong the other team is.”

“Interesting. You do know that I am a teacher, right?”

“Dad mentioned that.”

“My students are second years, so they aren’t doing an internship week that week you are. This means that we’ll need to balance evening work and day work. I will take the first half of the week off to introduce you to daylight heroics and how agencies run. The second half will be focused on underground and nighttime work. I’ll be in touch officially after the festival with a request for you.” She grinned. “Tell your dad that if things don’t work out with Hizashi, I’m always an option.” With a wink, she gathered her things and left while the timer counted down from ten.

PurpleCat: Am I going to regret this?

TiredCat: You’ll learn a lot.

PurpleCat: That’s not what I asked.

TiredCat: *evil grin*

Chapter Text

Shinsho rejoined his friends for lunch. The group followed Uraraka’s twitching nose to the festival stalls that lined the walkways. He waved to his blond father, who was collecting a variety of foods to bring back to the announcer booth. After hitting up several stalls, Hitoshi sat in the comfortable shade of a tree as part of a circle. Izuku sat to his right, with Shouto next to him. On Hitoshi’s left, Tsu sat with Uraraka and Iida. Hitoshi had been surprised by this, he’d met the teen a few times growing up, but never really found him to be very sociable.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I saw Iida while I was getting us mochi!” The group had decided to each get several servings from different booths and share when they reconvened. “I figured he could join us!”

“Welcome, Iida.” Izuku smiled at the stiff boy. “You did great in the events earlier today! You and Shouto were an amazing team with Yaomomo and Kaminari!”

“Thank you. Your team did well, also.” The boy’s movements were stiff, but Hitoshi had noticed that since becoming the class representative, he had been comfortable speaking with other students. The conversation shifted towards the upcoming one on one event while they ate their food. Only Uraraka and Izuku (much to Iida’s disdain) chose to begin with their dessert of strawberry mochi; everyone else selected something that could be considered ‘real’ food.

Hitoshi was starting to drift into a nap when the unmistakable sound of Bakugo’s voice carried over to them. He sat up and saw the blond being pulled towards a booth by their outgoing classmates – Kirishima, Kaminari, and Ashido. Despite the very loud verbal opposition, the teen didn’t seem to be resisting particularly hard, and the others were laughing and joking with(at?) him.

“Ten minutes until the final event! Those who won their recreational games, make sure you stop to get your picture taken! Competitors should make their way to the field to see what they will be up against and spectators should find their seats!” Hizashi’s voice called out over the speaker system, causing a flurry of nervous mumbles from his classmates.

They gathered up their trash and disposed of it while heading back to the student-only entry point. Hitoshi gave a lazy wave to his friends before he and Tsu separated to head up to the less-crowded stands. He chose to sit next to Koda, a student he knew would be quiet. They shared a brief greeting in sign as he settled in, the frog girl following to sit next to him. Jiro, Shoji, Hagakure, Ojiro, and Sato crowded around them. Hitoshi internally lamented the loss of quiet while the students that moved into the next round streamed onto the field.

Inko had brought her knitting with her to the stadium. The activity was helpful when the nerves hit and she needed something to do with her hands to keep from panicking. Rei was starting to learn how to knit as well, so after eating lunch, while the two teachers got ready to begin commentating, the two pulled it out of their bags. Inko was working on a blanket for Hitoshi’s birthday; she hadn’t told the others, but it was going to be discreetly Eraserhead-themed. The top would be a thick black stripe with a thin yellow one, more black, then different shades of white and gray below it.

Midnight’s voice rang out for the spectators and competitors. “We will be doing one on one battles. You’ll be given a marked arena. Any student to exit the marked lines will lose the match. Students may also lose if they are unable to continue the fight or choose to yield. Students may use whatever means they have at their disposal during the fight – quirks, hand-to-hand fighting, pre-approved support equipment. Should the fight go too far, the refs will call the match. You can see the match-ups here.” She gestured to the board behind her, which flashed before revealing the bracket. “You’ll have five minutes before the first match. There are rooms students may prepare in before their fight. Those who wish to watch may join their classes in the stands.”

“First up! From class 1-A we have the million point boy himself – Midoriya Izuku! From class 1-B, the illusive and skilled Monoma! Who will come out on top? What skills and talents will these two display? Who will gain the upper hand? Let’s find out!” Mic’s voice echoed in the room and through the speakers as Inko’s anxiety sky-rocketed as her baby stepped into the arena against a slender blond.

“Oh, I hope it doesn’t get too dangerous…” Inko fretted, her needles clicking rapidly against one another.

“It’ll be a quick one and shouldn’t have much injury to it.” With the microphones momentarily off, Eraserhead spoke to her. “Izuku is going to give Monoma the shock of his life, I think.” He grinned at her.

“Monoma moves in quick! Midoriya dodges, rolling out of reach! He grabs a whip from inside his jacket! No worries, folks, it was pre-approved!” Yamada called into the mic. “Monoma moves in again, expertly dodging the leathery weapon! He grabs the other student! Will this be a grappling match?”

Izuku grinned at the shock on Monoma’s face as he froze. Inko couldn’t hear what the boys said to one another, but she noticed that that moment gave her son the opening he needed to trip the boy and bring him to the ground. Izuku didn’t let Monoma up, moving fast to pin him and keep him from escaping. “Monoma, can you move?”

“No.” The petulant voice was caught by the mic Midnight wore as she leaned towards the two.

“Midoriya wins!” The woman proclaimed, and Izuku offered to help the other up. Inko frowned when the boy swatted away her son’s hand.

“A quick and decisive match! Next to take to the arena are two of 1-A’s student – the one who can weather anything, Todoroki Shouto, and the one who is good with sticky situations, Sero Hanta!”

“Oh, Rei! Shouto is up.” Inko smiled at her friend.

They watched as tape shot out of the plain-looking teen’s elbows, capturing the woman’s son. “Oh, Shouto.” Rei sighed. The words were barely out of her mouth when her son’s position shifted. A glacier shot from his foot large enough to nearly hit the announcer’s booth. Mic and Shouta’s shocked breath materialized in the air. Mic barely stuttered out his commentary while the bi-colored teen defrosted his classmate. “I hope he’s okay.”

“Which one?” Inko teased softly. “I have no doubt that Sero is fine, though Recovery Girl will make sure he is. Shouto did seem a bit overly aggressive… but maybe that is just his fighting style.”

“It is, but not to that extent. He’s gained some awareness of how to measure the amount of force necessary against a person, and that was too much. I suspect something clouded his judgment.” Aizawa sighed.

Izuku sat in the row in front of Hitoshi, scribbling away in his notebook. He was updating his profiles on his classmates, as well as adding ones for the gen-ed and support students he had encountered. His mumbles reached Hitoshi’s ears and had a few of his classmates smiling or chuckling. He was absorbed in it, pausing only when the ice nearly hit him in the face. He made predictions for each match, enthralling some of his classmates, who encouraged him by asking questions about his thoughts. Bakugo would scoff and roll his eyes at the teen.

Kaminari and Shiozaki took to the stage, a quick and decisive fight ended by Kaminari’s self-debilitating move. When Iida entered the stadium, the teen winced. “Oh, Hatsume…” Not long after that, the girl’s voice rang out to begin her demonstration: a ten-minute exhibition of her babies before walking out of the arena of her own free will.

“That has to hurt.”

“She probably tricked him into doing that; he would be easy to approach with a sympathy or justice related lie. He’s probably really mad about it, but at least he can move forward and show what he is actually capable of.” Izuku had barely looked up from noting Hatsume’s inventions onto her profile. “The next match should be interesting. We’ve seen what Ashido is capable of, and Honenuki’s quirk is basically useless out here.”

“Why’s that?”

“He can manipulate shadows. Without anything on the field aside from themselves, and with the sun high, there aren’t shadows down there. He may be good at hand-to-hand and hold his own against Ashido, but we’ll see.” Eyes focused on their pink-skinned classmate, who was using her acid to skate around the arena. The girl was able to slowly corral her opponent into a corner with her quirk, finally pushing him out of bounds.

The next two matches were less than enthralling. Tokoyami used his speed to his advantage to defeat the class’s vice representative. Kirishima was unfortunate enough to be up against his metallic twin, ending with a tie that would be determined after they visited Recovery Girl. Finally, it was time for Bakugo and Uraraka.

Izuku resisted the urge to stand against the railing to watch this match. “Toshi, keep an eye on the match for me?”

“Sure. Why?”

“I don’t want to risk missing anything. I’m invested in their battle.” His eyes took in the determination both competitors showed.

“Bakugo won’t really beat up a girl.” Kaminari commented as the two eyed each other before Midnight called a start.

“He will. This is a fight. In his eyes, she is just an opponent. Gender doesn’t matter.” They watched her determination, her tactics to battle against a true powerhouse. Bakugo’s intense explosions. They listened to their teacher call out discriminatory pros, showing his belief in both of his students. Izuku even eyed his former opponent with a critical and appreciative eye when he drew the class’s attention to Uraraka’s back-up plan. “Her strategy is phenomenal and if she were against anyone else, she could win.” Bakugo’s concise blasts destroyed her plan, and through her clear exhaustion, the girl struggled forward. Bakugo offered his assistance in getting the girl to the school’s nurse, much to their classmates’ shock. “He respects her. He respects opponents who fight seriously and give their all. She had a good strategy and he recognizes that. She literally fought until she couldn’t.” As Kirishima and Tetsutetsu took the field again, Izuku furiously scribbled in his notebook about the match. He was leaning towards Uraraka more and more for his suggestion to the number one hero.

Shouto didn’t particularly want to fight against his closest friend. Not that he had many; he only felt he could really consider Izuku and Hitoshi as friends, maybe Yaomomo. And after he let his anger at his father out on Sero, he wasn’t sure about himself. Still, he walked out when his English teacher called his name over the speaker system. Relax, Shouto. You can do this. Just like class. We’ll beat Izuku fairly and using Mom’s quirk. Don’t think about him.

He watched the smaller teen approach with an amiable smile. “Good luck, Shouto!” The other called and even though he didn’t smile, his heart felt a little lighter while he returned the encouragement. Midnight called for start, and he shot out ice towards his opponent. He wasn’t expecting it to work, having fought the boy before. While Izuku leapt over his initial attack, he prepared another wave of ice. He wasn’t prepared for Izuku’s whip to have extra features, but he pressed a button and used it to smack away the ice. The boy looked irritable. “Fight me seriously!” His whip thwicked through the air and slapped into the ice. “Everyone else is giving their all! Why can’t you?”

“You know why! I can’t use his quirk.”

“For fu-, for goodness sake, it’s not his quirk! It’s yours! You know that I have had to fight to get here!” Frost was starting to creep along his body, burning his skin with pinpricks. Crap. I’ll get frostbite at this rate. I need to end this. “Are you seriously going to disrespect me as an opponent? Kacchan took Uraraka seriously, you could at least give me the same consideration!”

The boy flew overhead, and Shouto ducked with a grunt. “I do respect you!”

“Funny way of showing it!” A fist shot forth, and Shouto dodged.

“Izuku…”

“Shouto! I would have given anything growing up to have even a fraction of what you have! You’re seriously going to waste it? Do you think you’re better than all of us? That you don’t need to use all your strength to win?”

“No!” What is with him? Why can’t he get it?

“Then show us what you’ve got! Use your quirk and fight me seriously!”

Flames erupted on his skin, melting the frost that had begun to slow his movements. The roaring of the crowd, of his father, of the teachers commentating on the fight was an incomprehensible clamor. The brilliant viridian eyes of his friend, pride glinting in them, was all he could focus on as the flames continued to grow. He leapt forward, caging in the other teen, until Izuku had no choice but to back out of the arena.

“Todoroki wins!” Midnight’s voice broke him out of his stupor.

“You did fantastic, Shouto!” Izuku’s smile could’ve blinded the entire stadium. “I’m proud of you. Are you feeling okay? I noticed your frost before…”

“I’m fine, thanks to you.” He walked out of the arena with the other, joy in his steps.

Shouto sat next to Izuku for the next several matches. The seating arrangements kept shifting, since most of the class was in the competition. They watched Iida beat Shiozaki, using his speed to his advantage. Tokoyami defeated Ashido. Kirishima gave a good defense against Bakugo, but ultimately couldn’t hold up against the explosions. Shouto and Iida finally headed down for their fight. Their friends cheered on both.

Hitoshi noticed the gleam in his best friend’s eyes when Todoroki took the field. He shouldered the other with a knowing smirk, body shaking with silent laughter when the other resembled a strawberry from the sheer amount of blushing he was doing. Present Mic announced them as two legacy family’s going head to head; Todoroki defeated Iida, but not without a good fight. Hitoshi noticed the lack of fire coming from the teen, but didn’t think much on it.

The next battle between Tokoyami and Bakugo was over faster than they wanted. Bakugo’s explosions were not a good match-up for Tokoyami’s Dark Shadow. They gave a brief break before the final match; during this time, Iida’s phone startled the classmates around him and he ended up leaving for a family matter. Izuku frowned and Hitoshi signed to him. Are you alright?

Worried about Iida. Izuku shrugged before signing back.

Hopefully everything is fine. Izuku nodded before everyone’s attention was drawn to the class’s two powerhouses. Explosions and ice warred on, each boy supplementing their quirks with physical skills. Finally, however, the fight came to an aggressive close, leaving Bakugo with a begrudging win.

Inko and Rei moved into the vacant announcers’ chairs for the award ceremony. The two praised their boys, proud of how well they had handled themselves on the field. All Might arrived to ecstatic applause and cheers, in preparation for the podium. The two women’s joy turned to horror at what they saw when the podium rose from the ground. “Katsuki!”

“Shouto!”

Eyes were wide as they saw the teens restrained on the platforms. Midnight continued to announce the third place winners, podium empty of one, like nothing was wrong. Inko’s heart was breaking, and she had her phone out to text Hizashi and Shouta. Midnight and All Might’s announcing of the podium was interrupted by Izuku and Hitoshi floating down to the field, courtesy of their nauseated classmate’s quirk.

Izuku was screaming something, Inko noted through her tears, but the mics were too far away to catch it. “Those babies…”

Hitoshi brainwashed the number one hero when he tried to stop the two from rescuing their friends. Tokoyami was willing to help when Izuku called to him. Hitoshi tackled the small restraints on Shouto’s ankles while Izuku worked to unmuzzle his childhood friend, with Tokoyami lifting and releasing Katsuki’s bound arms. “Your boy is going to be an amazing hero.”

“He really is.” Inko sniffled while Rei held her. “Yours will be, too.” They noticed Midnight’s mic had turned off as she yelled at the boys on the podium.

“Heeeeeeeyyyyy, everybody!” No microphone was necessary when Present Mic ran onto the field, drawing attention off the teens, All Might, and Midnight. “Today was a brilliant day of letting the students demonstrate their amazing skills!” The crowd politely clapped, clearly off put by the other events and confused by the hero’s appearance. He headed over to the released boys, asking quietly about what had happened. “Let’s give a cheer for our top performers: Tokoyami Fumikage, Iida Tenya, Todoroki Shouto, and Bakugo Katsuki!” The applause was much louder this time. “If you enjoyed watching these talented teens, make sure you watch the replays on television of our second and third year competitions!”

His comments were a clear dismissal for the crowd. His attempt to put his arm around Katsuki was shoved off, but the man hovered behind the teen as he urged him to see Recovery Girl. Izuku was talking to the other teens, All Might and Midnight glowering at the group before leaving the stadium as well. Inko’s phone rang in the silent room.

“Hello?”

“Inko, Shouta is going to escort you two out. I’ll update you on everything later, but the boys are going to be okay.”

“Thank you, Hizashi.” Her voice wobbled with heartbreak.

“Of course. Take care of Todoroki-san.” The call ended and the ladies cleaned up their belongings and waited for the underground hero to collect them.

They traded niceties when Aizawa approached, bandage free. He led them to their waiting ride, and Inko wiped her tears as she said goodbye. “Inko… I heard what happened. I’ll be reviewing the footage tonight, but it sounds like Izuku was a real hero out there.”

“How did that happen?”

“Trust me, I’ll find out. And there will be consequences.” She nodded and closed the door behind her. Rei rested her hand on the woman’s arm. The ride back was silent.

Chapter Text

Izuku fumed. At this point, Shouto wouldn’t be surprised if he spontaneously had Endeavor’s quirk and fire flared from his body. It was extremely unsettling; his experience had told him that fury was loud and wild, but Izuku’s simmered like a tea kettle, whose pressure continuously built until it howled. They sat in silence in Recovery Girl’s office along with Tokoyami, Shinso, and Bakugo. The old woman had checked them all over, kissed Bakugo, and left them there to meet with some other adults.

The tension in the room made the minutes feel like hours; Izuku’s phone occasionally buzzed against the chair, but the boy ignored it. Finally, Present Mic entered the room and the bubble burst. Izuku was on his feet before Shouto had even processed the hero’s presence. “What the fuck happened?”

The leather-clad hero knelt to the floor, hand resting on the boy’s shoulder. “That’s what I’m finding out. I wanted to ask you all your side of things. If you don’t mind, I’ll record this so you don’t have to speak again.” The teens all nodded. “Bakugo, do you want to start?”

All eyes turned to the boy, but instead of a fiery response, blank eyes didn’t seem to register the question. Shouto sighed internally. “I will.”

“Thank you, Todoroki.”

“Bakugo and I were the finalists for the competition; he was upset with me for not using both sides of my quirk.” Shouto shot a glance at Izuku. “Before today’s match against Iz-Midoriya, I had refused to use my fire side in battle. Even in that match, it was not planned. Bakugo was able to defeat me, but when the match had ended, I was losing consciousness. He had grabbed my clothes, yelling at me about not using my quirk, about it not being a real win…” He trailed off, eyes drawn to the still blond. “I woke up in Recovery Girl’s office and headed to the location I was told to for the podium.” I know I sound far too unconcerned… I wish I could express to Mic how terrifying it was it. “I saw Bakugo asleep. Tokoyami was not in the room yet,” he glanced at the bird-headed boy, who nodded in agreement. “They showed me,”

“Do you mind specifying who?”

“Oh. Cementoss and Midnight showed me where I would be standing for the ceremony, and explained how the platforms would rise up into the arena. Bakugo had started to wake up, still angry. He was thrashing and yelling at the heroes and they…” He gulped. “They told him to calm down, or they would sedate him again. His hands were popping, and they seemed to think that he was going to hurt someone… Tokoyami was coming in at this point, I think. I had gone to speak with him about what I was told about the platforms, since I thought they were trying to help calm Bakugo down. But when I turned around, they were putting him back to sleep.”

“What happened next?” Mic was soft and gentle in his questions, but the violet and green eyes boring into him had him uneasy.

“They were putting him up on the top pedestal; they had started to fasten him there, and I admit, I figured it was because he would be a bit sluggish after being asleep and the movement would make him unsteady. It wasn’t until they were attaching the… that thing to his arms that I started to act. I don’t remember what I said… but then I was light-headed. Next thing I really noticed, I was on the pedestal and they had small cuffs on my legs. I tried to freeze them off… but I think they were quirk suppressants. Bakugo had been muzzled and the platform was already moving.” His eyes plead with Izuku’s. Bakugo was scared. He was trying so hard to look angry, to mask it. I know that look, though. Touya used to have it when he stood up for me.

“Then you were in the arena.”

“Yeah. All Might was trying to give us the medals, and Bakugo was getting more upset. Then H-Shinsou and Midoriya were there. Shinsou used his quirk on All Might when he tried to stop them. He helped me get the restraints off my legs. Midoriya and Tokoyami were helping Bakugo. Then you showed up.” He felt lame ending the way he did. When I’m a hero, I’ll need to be more specific. I can’t let my brain be clouded like this. Details will be important.

“Thank you, Todoroki. Tokoyami, can you add anything?”

“As Todoroki said, I had entered late. My parents had called me beforehand. He explained to me what would happen when Dark Shadow noticed the darkness on the other side of the room. She asked me what the thing they were putting onto Bakugo was, and I still do not know the purpose of such a device. She asked me if they would use it on her, and her fear spread to me.” He looked down. “A future hero should not have behaved in the manner that I acted. Todoroki moved to interrupt the adults from what they did to our classmate. I was not intentionally caught in Midnight’s quirk use, but I was slowed. I witnessed the fettering of Todoroki and the subjugation of Bakugo, but fear of the same treatment cowed me.”

“Tokoyami, you are still young. There is nothing to be ashamed of in your behavior.”

The dark teen nodded, but Shouto could tell he disagreed. “We rose into the stadium, and all eyes were on us. All Might moved to award me a medal I truly do not deserve. My podium-mate was removed from the premises for a familial emergency. Our classmates, Shinsou and Midoriya, descended onto the field with righteous fury. Midoriya approached the blond. His actions and words urged me to action. He took it upon himself to remove the muzzle from his face and instructed myself and Dark Shadow to lift his arms before removing the encasement. This proved to be beneficial when the item was removed and Bakugo’s quirk erupted above our heads. I am faintly aware that Midnight was scolding us, her words more potent with the silence of the number one hero. You then arrived to divert attention and bring us here.”

“Shinsou?”

Shinsou had watched his classmates reveal what happened behind the scenes and instinctively gripped both Izuku and his father’s hands. The first to soothe, the second to be soothed. His father’s attention turned to him. “Izuku noticed what was happening first. When he drew my attention to it, the muzzle in particular was infuriating. It was something that I have been threatened with.” He gulped, willing his mouth to retain moisture. “Izuku convinced Uraraka to use her quirk so we could get down from the stands quickly. When All Might intervened, I used my quirk to stop him; the man had reached towards Izuku. Izuku had immediately climbed to Bakugo, and I was not able to do that much while holding my quirk. I did, however, see where to unlock the cuffs that held Todoroki’s legs to the podium. When you arrived, I released my quirk.”

He squeezed Izuku’s hand. “Everyone who is employed at the school and interacts with him should be aware of Bakugo’s medical background. His quirk affects his blood pressure; Midnight should never have used more than a sprinkle of her quirk on him! That in and of itself was dangerous, but no hero should ever, ever use that type of restraint on a student! Most wouldn’t even dare to do so on a villain!”

“Midoriya, I understand that you’re angry, but please focus on the events.”

He huffed. “Right.” Shinsou rubbed a soft circle on his hand, willing him to calm down. “Hitoshi and I were discussing the final battle when Midnight and All Might had appeared to announce the winners. Kacchan and I…”

Hizashi interrupted for the recording. “Please note that Kacchan refers to Bakugo Katsuki.” He nodded to the trembling boy.

“Kacchan and I have known each other forever, so I was looking to see him on the podium. He was terrified!” That was the first thing said to get a reaction from the blond, a barely audible scoff. “Kacchan’s quirk should never be restricted like that! Especially with something metallic! His quirk utilizes his sweat as an explosive! If that… that… torture device had stayed on too much longer, he might have seriously injured his hands! The amount of control to not let off explosions when his sweat was coating his hands… that is not something many people possess. Let along when having a panic attack! Last year, Kacchan was attacked by a sludge villain that restricted his breathing access! Even if he doesn’t want to admit it, that was traumatic! Any hero worthy of the title who is aware of this, and as I said, all staff who work with him should be aware, would have seen the small things that Kacchan does because of this! He doesn’t wear a tie, doesn’t eat foods that very soft but still solid… to muzzle him is to directly trigger the trauma related to that event!”

“Izuku, breathe.” Hitoshi wondered if he would need to use his quirk to keep the boy calm, but his friend did listen to his suggestion, albeit only for a moment.

“Then! Then these adults felt it was appropriate to put a traumatized, restrained teen on national television! And why? Because he didn’t agree with his win? He didn’t feel he deserved first place? They put their own pride above the well-being of a minor! So yes, when I saw Kacchan muzzled,” the boy spit the word with more vitriol than most would expect him to possess, “muzzled and restrained and panicking, I worked to get down there and remove him from the situation! All Might and Midnight were trying to stop us, I guess, I tuned them out. Tokoyami and Dark Shadow were best able to help remove the contraption on Kacchan’s arms, so I worked to remove that thing from his face. Then you came onto the field and distracted the audience so we could all get off the podium. You asked us if we were okay and if we needed Recovery Girl and we did, so you wrapped up the event and led us out of there.”

“We will see if we can get Bakugo’s statement later. Thank you, boys.” Mic turned off the recording. “Do any of you need anything? Recovery Girl said she treated any injuries that you might have sustained, but do you need water? A snack? We should be free to let you return to your parents soon. Bakugo, we’ll be driving you home so we can talk to your parents directly.” No response.

Shinsou didn’t care that not everyone in the room knew his relationship to the hero. “Papa, what’s going to happen?” His eyes were drawn to the faint marks covered by make-up on the man’s face, repressing memories of the night his mother died.

“I don’t know, yet. But I promise you,” he paused and took the time to look each student in the eyes, “I promise you that there will be consequences. This was gross misconduct.” Izuku finally burst into tears, sobbing out unintelligible words. “Oh, baby.” The blond wrapped the two in a hug. “I am so sorry that you all had to deal with this. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop it sooner.”

“Where were you?” Bakugo finally spoke from his cot, his voice scratchy and dull.

Hitoshi could see the turmoil in his father’s eyes. “I had taken Aizawa to see Recovery Girl. Since we weren’t needed for the ceremony, we thought it would be a good time for him to get another healing session. He was able to remove most of his bandages.” He sighed. “If we had known… we never would have let that happen, Katsuki.” The teen nodded. Shinsou considered what it must have been like, to have known these two men for so long and wonder if they had allowed something like that to happen… the brain-washer wasn’t sure he could be able to recover from such a betrayal.

Nedzu offered the group of adults in his office a cup of tea. All Might, in his thin form, accepted. The others declined. He sat there looking at his three employees – Cementoss, Midnight, and All Might. “Working at UA comes with the expectation that we will employ the best role models of what heroes should be.” He was calm, on the surface. “Our desire to produce the next generation of not only heroes, but productive citizens of this country, demands nothing less than exceptional attention to the well-being of our students. While they may often experience physical injury depending on their course of study, we do our best to avoid them when possible and treat any injuries immediately.” He sipped from his china cup. “UA’s image may not be impeccable; the incident at the USJ certainly dealt us a blow. But our reputation is maintained because of our dedication to high standards, not because of our desire to uphold a particular image.” He set his cup in its saucer and made silent eye contact with each of his employees. “As such, I cannot help but question the continuation of your employment here after such a display as was made during the first year’s award ceremony.”

All Might froze, Cementoss shrunk into his seat as much as a pillar of cement could, and Midnight’s eyes focused on the intricate detailing of the principal’s carpet. “Sir, if I may.” All Might was the first to speak.

“You may not.” Nedzu’s voice chilled the room. “The school traditionally has a few days off following the sports festival; during this time, the incident that occurred today will be thoroughly investigated. I have already announced to trusted news sources that I will be holding a news conference in three days’ time.” Tiny eyes bore into the three. “If you have any succinct statement to make now, please do so. I have parents to meet with.”

Cementoss cleared his throat and bowed. “I cannot justify my actions. I will accept any consequence you deem fitting.” Nedzu nodded in his direction. The other two did not speak.

“Just as well. I will be contacting you within forty-eight hours. I recommend you take this time to remain at home and consider your actions.” The three took the clear dismissal for what it was. As they exited the room, they saw two colleagues leaning against the wall opposite the door. All Might glanced over them, took in their posture, and practically fled the scene. Cementoss bowed his head shamefully in their direction.

Midnight paused to speak. Aizawa, whose arms were crossed and face was free from bandaging, cut off any attempt she made. “Nemuri.” The iciness in his voice rivaled that of Todoroki’s quirk. “I have no words for you.” He pushed off from the wall and entered the principal’s office, leaving his husband to face her.

“Hizashi…”

“Nem.” He cut her off, as well. “I have known you for around fifteen years. I never, never would have suspected you capable of the behavior you demonstrated today.” Tears filled his eyes as he ripped them from her. “I need to go.” He left her in the hallway, staring after the two men she had known and loved for half of her life. One look at the skin under the torn costume saw their animals stalking away from her own.

Chapter Text

Nedzu was a strategist, so the following morning he invited his two personal students to join him in planning how to handle the press and backlash from the Sports Festival. “After all, whether you go underground or not, managing the media is a crucial skill for any hero. The ability to manipulate them is something you should consult Yamada for, of course, but to simply handle them, I’m sure you will be able to pick up a thing or two.” The first step for this, once he had finished his investigation, was to determine what the consequences would be for the adults in his employment.

Hitoshi looked uneasy when asked for his input. “I… I don’t know. I’ve known Kayama-san for years, and this seems very out of character for her! But at the same time… she did this.” He gestured aimlessly.

Nedzu nodded, showing his acceptance of the answer. “Midoriya?”

“I think…” He paused. “I think that they shouldn’t be allowed to be with students without another adult.”

“But they should retain their employment?” Nedzu found that there were really three type of people who approached situations they were angered by: those who wanted revenge, those who wanted separation, and those who wanted reparations.

“There haven’t been any other incidents during their time at UA, have there?” He sipped at the tea the principal always provided.

“No. This is the first.”

“Even though it was public… and extremely awful… I don’t think they’re beyond re-rehabilitating.” The boy’s words were measured, though he didn’t sound like he liked the final word choice.

Nedzu sipped at his own tea, hiding a smile. Teenagers, with their hormonal fluctuations, often leaned towards revenge. It was something his animalistic side also enjoyed. But he was pleased that his student was of the third category. Too few humans have the foresight to consider the effects that revenge might have or the effects that a second chance offers. “I agree. As Shinsou stated, this is out of character for the two teachers who were present during the initial issue.”

“So, what, they just can’t be alone with students?” The quiet teen looked unsure. That didn’t seem like enough of a punishment.

“That would be a first step, yes. However, that is not an adequate response to their misdeeds.” He smiled at the boy’s subtle relief. “I believe that taking sensitivity courses with a professional psychologist, as well as personal psychological evaluations, would be pertinent.”

“From what I heard, Midnight was the one who was the most active in the situation.” Izuku gripped his teacup tighter. “Her actions put Kacchan’s physical health at risk, not just his mental health.”

“What do you suggest?” Beady eyes twinkled.

“The classes on discrimination and sensitivity would be good; especially if they can focus on trauma responses. But I don’t think that those would help with the fact that Midnight’s quirk use put Kacchan in danger.” While unfortunate for the field, Izuku does flourish when given the ability to think aloud. Many might find his circumlocution as a sign of stupidity; those who do will sorely underestimate this child.

“Maybe she should also have a class on the physical effects and interactions her quirk can have on others?” Hitoshi asked his friend.

“Something like that. I’m not sure what the best approach would be.” His eyes searched the tea for answers, and in a lighter situation, Nedzu might joke about the wisdom of such a beverage.

“These are good points to bring up.” Nedzu set down his cup and reached for a notepad, more for the students’ benefit than his own. “If we divide the consequences by person and their involvement, I believe that we should then be able to draft the press release.”

“They all need the sensitivity and trauma training.” Izuku’s lips pursed. “That is already something that we had discussed for All Might; I don’t think they should be allowed to work with students without someone else present until cleared by a professional for that. I also think that they need to apologize to Kacchan and Shouto.”

Hitoshi nodded. “I can’t speak for Shouto… well, not really for Bakugo, either, but I know him better… I think that he would benefit from having the option to take a different class in place of Kayama’s. Unlike Cementoss, it isn’t part of the required curriculum for graduation. He could substitute a different art related course. It would have to carefully suggested…” Both boys flinched slightly thinking of how the teen would react to anything that even hinted he was incapable.

“I think that if you offered him classes that would clearly align with the goal of heroics, he would make the switch.” Izuku cut in. “Kacchan doesn’t want to appear weak, but if he and Shouto and one or two others were ‘selected’ to have the opportunity to take a class from the support or business course related to the arts, it wouldn’t single him out and wouldn’t make it obvious that it is so he doesn’t have to take a class with Midnight. I just don’t see him trusting her any time soon, and I know from his time at Aldera he is already skeptical of a teacher’s objectivity.” Nedzu considered the blond’s intelligence to recognize that he was being given unfair advantages by his former teachers; perhaps, though, it was more that he recognized that his peers were being treated unfairly for circumstances outside their control.

“Who would you suggest also be given this opportunity?” Nedzu grinned as he made notes under Midnight’s name. He had already reached a conclusion, but this was an instructional activity for the two teens under his tutelage.

Hitoshi hummed. “I think Bakugo, Shouto, Tokoyami, and Iida would be good choices. They were the top four at the festival, so it could be viewed as a sort of winner’s opportunity.” Izuku nodded.

“Excellent thought! I will see what classes meet during that time block that would be most suitable as a replacement.” Nedzu already had a couple in mind, but would need to check the composition of the students before suggesting such a switch. “Having the adults write letters to the students and parents will also be implemented.”

“If Kayama does the training on her quirk… maybe she’ll need to pass a test or something to show it stuck?”

“Would you two like to design that test? I’m sure that Midoriya has already compiled an analysis on her quirk, and I would of course check over and approve it before administering such a test.” The boys nodded. Perhaps, Nedzu thought, he would find the inkling of pettiness from Izuku in such a matter. Revenge is far too much, but having a healthy dose of pettiness does make for delightful chaos. “Thoughts on Cementoss?”

“From what you said about the meeting… he seems to feel guilty about his role in the situation. I think that the sensitivity training and the letters will be enough for him.” Izuku had considered the minor role, comparatively, that the man had played. “Maybe a few one on one lessons about standing up to his senpais? For all that he is a great hero, his rescue focus typically requires him to follow the lead of a coordinating group.”

“You think he was uncomfortable standing up to her?” Hitoshi frowned.

“I think that most people, when they feel conflicted, will tend to bow towards the will of someone who is more experienced in their field.” He paused. “Plus, Midnight is an intimidating hero. Many female heroes must cultivate that aura to be taken seriously.”

“That is something we can have the professional he meets with emphasize in their training.” Nedzu cut in and marked that down. Human psychology is amazing; the way that these two are able to parse out the underlying motivations at a young age may need some extra attention to fully develop. “All Might?”

Izuku groaned, his head rolling back as he eyed the ceiling with despair. “I don’t think he has a choice anymore on who gets to know about the upcoming decision.”

“Upcoming decision?”

“All Might has been working on a personal project; you and Midoriya have been assisting with gathering information. Midoriya suggested that he bring in someone with more experience in the field, such as your fathers. The man is quite stubborn, however.”

“That’s an understatement.” Izuku grinned at the sarcasm his friend gave.

“Is there anything else that you would suggest for him?”

“Honestly, considering his already probationary actions and the delicate situation surrounding him, I’m not sure what else could be added.”

“Last time, I had him take on some of the grading workload of other teachers. I believe that may be once again implemented.” The boys nodded in acceptance. It wasn’t an act of reparation, but rather a true punishment.

“Now, then, it’s time to write our press release. We must first anticipate the questions that journalists and the public would want the answers to.”

Dabi once again stood in the lounge of the police station. The way that the first year sports festival had ended was infuriating; he had barely held back his flames when he watched Hitoshi and his friend free the restrained students. The previously jovial atmosphere had darkened, and Tsukauchi had slipped out, phone dialing the UA line. Now, three days later, Principal Nedzu was hosting a press conference about the events that had occurred.

Tension filled the room; all available officers had filtered in to watch the event. The chimera stood behind a lectern. The noise of the media had silenced when the creature lightly coughed into the microphone. “I would like to thank all of you for attending our press conference today. I appreciate the quality of journalism each of you possesses and hope that you will be able to convey the current stance of UA High School accurately for your readers, listeners, and viewers.”

“During our annual Sports Festival, a day of lively and spirited competition, mistakes were made by the UA staff at the first year stadium.” The chimera’s voice was riveting. “UA has long held high expectations for students and staff, and I am deeply concerned about the way my employees chose to handle a delicate situation. I assure you, these actions are not without consequences.” He paused, making eye contact with various cameras in the room, and it seemed to Dabi, even himself.

“Each staff member involved will be on probation. Their probation comes with a number of stipulations. The most immediate and effective one is that no teacher involved with the incident shall be teaching, tutoring, coaching, or otherwise working with students without another carefully vetted adult present to supervise their behavior. They will be receiving re-education training with professionals contracted outside of UA and in coordination with the HPSC’s list of approved individuals. The utilization of outside resources is to remove any potential biases from our community and ensure quality improvement.”

“These are only two of the conditions that the staff members have for their probationary period. Others have been implemented after discussion with a committee of involved parties. Although this was the first and only offense from employees, the school is dedicated to handling it with the gravity the situation deserves. The families of the students involved have offered their input and given their approval of the final stipulations placed on the instructors. We aim to demonstrate that their belief in our institution is founded. Above all, we deeply regret the actions that occurred and appreciate their willingness to let us improve.” The principal bowed when he reached the apology.

A low whistle sounded in the room; Dabi had nearly forgotten that he was at the police station and not in the conference room with Nedzu himself. He was aware that the creature had a presence unlike any other, but had never witnessed it. He could only imagine how much more powerful it must be in person. Tsukauchi leaned in to speak to him whilst murmurs filled the room. “What do you think?”

“Of UA? Or Nedzu’s speech?”

“Both.”

“UA’s reputation and decision to hold the Sports Festival has already been under scrutiny. For something like this to have happened from its own staff members… UA is hard pressed to continue to have community support without a strong response to what happened. Few others could have given this speech and still make people feel confident about the school.”

Tsukauchi nodded. “I’m meeting with Nedzu this afternoon to see how he is handling everything in house.”

“Seems like you’re on UA duty for everything.”

The plain man chuckled. “It does seem that way. However, my quirk is most suitable for handling a critical staff issue like this, and we happen to be working on the same case otherwise.”

“How is Toga?” He ignored the redundant questions being asked of the principal on screen. How many ways can they ask the same thing? Do they really think they can trick one of the most intelligent beings in the world?

“She is doing much better. The family that has taken her in has experience with blood-related quirks.”

“Good.” He didn’t want to get more involved than that, but the condition in which he found her occasionally haunted his dreams. He had woken several times recently with nightmares of Hitoshi and Toga being mistreated in a home, and he was unable to save them.

“Have you considered a career on the force?”

“Excuse me?” Dabi’s face scrunched at the bizarre question.

“Just a question. You seem like the observant and caring type. We could use more officers like you.”

“Trust me. No one on the force wants someone like me around.” Even if his looks didn’t put them off, his history wasn’t exactly clean.

“I think someone with a questionable background may be more helpful than you think.”

Dabi scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I’m out.”

Tsukauchi eyed the retreating figure. He had things to discuss with Nedzu, that was for sure.

Chapter Text

Toshinori,

I’m including a little bit of information on the research done on parental/child soulmarks. It is a very delicate subject; there are few willing to discuss the topic. As such, much of this is focused on the topics of adoption/abandonment of children. There seem to be a few distinct viewpoints of parental soulmarks that are not of the biological parents, and the reasons that children with parental soulmarks end up in foster care/orphanages vary. One woman told my colleague that she knew, when she was pregnant, she would not be in a position to raise her child. When the baby was born with multiple soulmarks, it filled her with relief that there would be people to care for and love the child. Another woman, however, gave the child up for adoption when there were other marks but not her own because she resented this fact. It is difficult to know which viewpoint is more common - resenting the soulmarks because they grew a child that didn’t have theirs or adoring the soulmarks because their child would have a life filled with love.

Many with parental soulmarks scour orphanages and foster homes looking specifically for their soul-child. This, however, means that many are reluctant to look into children that don’t have a matching mark, and children are left to the mercy of the system.

 As for behavior, it seems the stronger the bond the more understanding of the behaviors of the animals. It also requires understanding of animal behavior for the species. In general, marks are most active when there is a strong emotion at play. I wish I had more to tell you, but perhaps you should study the animal your soulchild presents as.

I watched the UA Sports Festival. Toshinori, I am disappointed in the way the school handled things. I watched the press conference that was held, and I am not reassured. As a parent, I would be devastated if anyone dared to treat Melissa the way that the students were treated. I know you have a big heart, but it didn’t show. I hope that you are learning something from what happened, because I don’t know how to explain things to Melissa otherwise.

Your friend,

David

“Welcome back.” Aizawa’s monotone voice forced all attention on him. “Much has happened in the few days you’ve had off since the Sports Festival. I’m sure many of you saw the press conference.” Several students nodded. “Vlad or myself will be joining your heroics classes that were previously taught by All Might.” A few murmurs broke out but were quickly quashed by the teacher. “Today, however, we will be looking at two things: internship requests and hero names.” This time, it took a moment longer to stop the side conversations. “Everyone will be going on an internship, regardless of any offers you received. The first page you will all have is the list of hero agencies that will take on any UA students for internship purposes. Any consequent pages will be from agencies that have requested you as an intern. You will select your top three for review and finalization from a committee of teachers. Do not take these decisions lightly – you should consider your strengths, weaknesses, and goals for the future and how well the hero would help you with these.”

Aizawa had Iida and Momo distribute the folders. Izuku was antsy waiting for his but also looking at the thickness of the folders for his classmates. Their teacher gave them nearly ten minutes to review the pages and begin to make notes on who they might want to intern with. Then, Present Mic entered the room ahead of his usual English time-slot. “Hey, hey, hey! It’s time for hero names!”

“Why isn’t Aizawa-sensei doing this?” Ashido asked.

Izuku let out a restrained giggle. “Present Mic-sensei is the one who picked out his hero name.”

Aizawa sighed. “Problem Child is right. I’m no good at this stuff.”

“Here are some white boards; take one and pass them back. And of course, markers!” The loud man handed the supplies to the first student in each row. “I’ll give you all a few minutes to start before you present your names to the class and myself. I’m sure some of you have had ideas about this for ages, but it will need approval!”

The first few volunteers went quickly – Froppy, Uravity, Creati, and such. Others seemed to struggle, like Todoroki and Iida. Still, the most entertaining for Izuku was the frequent dismissal of Kacchan’s puerile ideas. That said, the boy in question struggled with his name. “Toshi, what’re you going with?”

“Mind Jack.”

“That’s pretty good. I don’t know what to do…”

“Yeah… I think a lot of us are tying in our quirks.”

“Right? Which works well. But I don’t have that.” The other hummed in acknowledgement. “Maybe that’s the idea.” He scribbled on his whiteboard and raised his hand.

“Hey! Midoriya, yo!” Mic ushered him up. “What do you have for us?”

“The Primordial Hero: Zero.” 

“That works!” Izuku’s attention shifted onto his stack of papers. 

“Have you narrowed down your list, Shouto-kun?” Izuku inquired of his friend. 

The boy shrugged. “Not really. Most of them only requested me because of my father, not my performance.”

“Did he put one in?”

The boy scoffed after swallowing some of his soba. “Naturally.”

“I’m glad I already have mine organized.” Shinso grimaced. “Though Joke is unsettling to be around.”

Izuku beamed. “She’s such a good hero for you to intern with, though! I’m sure you’ll learn a lot!”

“Dad says I will. But his texts about it during the Sports Festival were ominous.” The boy slid his phone across the table so his friends could see the messages. 

“At least you have a plan. I don’t even have a name.” Shouto stared at his soba. “I don’t have an image or name in mind anymore.”

“Getting rid of what you had come in with was a good start.” Izuku reminded him. “Few of us will be impactful enough now for our current names or images to stick.” He hummed. “Have you been thinking of what type of hero you want to be? I know you said limelight, but even within that there are different categories.”

Uraraka sat down next to them and jumped in. “Right! I want to be a rescue hero! But I was thinking of interning with Gunhead to improve my combat skills.” She missed Izuku’s frown at that, but Hitoshi did not. “Rescue focused or not, fighting Bakugo showed me that I need to improve.”

“I think you’d do a great job at rescue heroics, Shouto-kun.” Izuku smiled gently. “Your quirk would be helpful for nearly all situations. But there’s of course combat based heroics like All Might or your father. Support heroics like Power Loader or Cementoss. There are also Twilight heroes, like Sir Nighteye and Ms. Joke who balance aspects of limelight and underground. They tend to focus on information gathering or large scale operations.”

“That seems like something you’d be good at, Midoriya-kun!” Uraraka smiled at him.

“I’m leaning that way. Or a combination of support heroics and twilight heroics. Nedzu has been helping me with analysis and I’ve been taking a support course that has been really helpful.” The boy blushed. “I, uh, might actually intern with Ms. Joke as well. She’s one of the few that actually requested me.”

“That would be great! You and Shinso-kun could work together!” While Uraraka was talking, Izuku watched Iida stiffly leave the lunchroom.

“Have you guys noticed Iida acting weird since the thing with his brother?” He didn’t mean to speak aloud, but it wasn’t out of character for him to, either.

Uraraka frowned. “He keeps saying he’s fine. But I don’t know. What happened to his brother is awful, and I worry that he’s taking it harder than he’s showing.”

“Everyone reacts to trauma and grief differently. We should try to support him, but we can’t force him to open up.” Shinso stated plainly. 

“I know, but I worry.” Izuku pouted. “We aren’t really close, but I don’t like the idea that he’s hurting all alone.”

“You know, you’re like the poster child of refusing to ask for help for fear of burdening others, right?” Hitoshi teased much to Izuku’s obvious displeasure. “You’d gladly try to bear it all alone if it meant others were happy.”

“You don’t have to call me out like that.” Izuku stated at the same time that Uraraka whispered, “Shots fired.” Shouto watched them in interest. 

“Uraraka, Nedzu wants to see you in his office with Midoriya today.” Aizawa stated lazily. “Shinso, he said that you should work with Power Loader to test a new piece of support equipment designed to aid those with vocal quirks.” Uraraka looked frightened as she joined the other two in leaving the room. They walked in silence to the principal’s office.

“Welcome!” The small principal smiled at them. “Tea?”

“Um, okay?” Uraraka nervously agreed and followed Midoriya’s lead in sitting in one of the oversized chairs that faced the creature’s desk. She accepted the proffered tea cup and took a sip, a small smile crossing her face at the delicious flavor. “May I ask what I’m doing here?”

At that moment, a tall skeletal man entered the room. “That would have to do with me, young Uraraka!” With the door closing, he buffed up into All Might’s form and Midoriya intercepted the tea cup that she dropped in shock. 

“Dumbass.” Midoriya muttered. “Uraraka, there’s a lot to fill you in on. And I want you to know that I’ll support whatever you want, but this is classified information.” 

“O-okay.”

All Might deflated again. “There’s a lot to explain, but the short end of it is that I would like to offer you my quirk, a sacred torch passed through the generations to strong-hearted heroes.”

“How is that even possible?”

“Well, it started with two brothers.” Yagi explained the origin of the quirk and how it passed from holder to holder. “Several years ago I fought All for One and defeated him.” At Nedzu’s sharp look, he amended. “At least, that is what we believed. With the information on the Nomu, it is possible he survived the battle. However, he would be severely debilitated and operating as a behind the scenes type of villain. I am only able to hold my form for a few hours a day, and my retirement is upcoming. However, before I do, I want to pass my quirk on to a successor. And after much discussion, we believe that you would be the ideal candidate.”

“Me?” She squeaked. “Why me?”

Midoriya laid his hand over hers and spoke softly. “You have a huge heart. You want to go into heroics to help people. You are strong and talented and determined.”

“But…”

“It’s your choice. But we all believe in you, if you want it. If you don’t, that’s okay, too. It’s a lot to take in and you don’t need to answer now.”

“How would it even work?”

Nedzu smiled. “Well, you would take an internship with myself and be based out of UA while we adjust your training to make sure you are physically capable of handling a strength enhancement quirk of this magnitude. You would work with us, Gran Torino, All Might’s former teacher, and your teachers Aizawa and Yamada to learn how to control it.”

“Actually, I think her original plan for her internship would be beneficial.” Midoriya spoke up from his notes.

“Oh?” His mentor asked.

“Well, she plans to be a rescue hero, but the Sports Festival made her realize that her physical skills need work. She wants to intern with Gunhead, who specializes in combat. If we let him know that she is receiving additional training to focus on strength, he could probably help her with that as well as we could here and she’d be able to experience a true internship.”

“You make good points. We wouldn’t be able to start quirk training right away until she receives her quirk, probably at the end of the semester to ensure she has built up a good base for it.”

All Might opened his mouth but Midoriya spoke over him, giving him a glare. “This is all subject to you, Uraraka.”

“I… I think I need to think about it.”

“Would you be able to tell us by the end of the week?” She nodded. Nedzu clapped. “Wonderful! In that case, you are dismissed for the last fifteen minutes of your class. Midoriya, do you have your analysis on the Sports Festival?”

Uraraka walked back to her homeroom in a daze. What was happening?

Aizawa sighed. He’d finally collected all of the forms for internships and met with his students about who they wished to work with. His two problem children, his sons, would be going to Ms. Joke. Bakugo would be accompanying Gang Orca, after Shouta discussed his first choice of Best Jeanist. He was a great hero, but Shouta knew from previous students that he focused more on image and “correcting” the image of students he deemed unruly. Rather, Shouta had pointed out to the surly teen, Gang Orca balanced his “villainous” appearance with his heroic duties and could help direct Bakugo on turning his temper and attitude from a negative to at least a neutral aspect of his reputation. 

Uraraka had explained her choice in Gunhead, and Shouta fully supported her reasoning. Asui had chosen Selkie, which made a lot of sense. Hawks had surprisingly put in a request for Tokoyami. Kirishima had elected to join Fourth Kind, who had also requested Testutetsu to Aizawa’s mild amusement. He purposefully didn’t tell the teen that. Despite his hesitance, Yaoyorozu had chosen Uwabami. He worried that this internship would worsen her self-esteem, which had taken a hit during the Sports Festival, but he also didn’t know how to approach that conversation without worsening it himself. Jirou was initially recruited by Death Arms, and Aizawa hesitantly signed off on it. Nedzu had assured him that the man had attended several remedial classes after the Sludge Villain incident and was thus reinstated on UA’s list of approved agencies. 

The two biggest challenges for internships were actually Iida and Todoroki. Regardless of his desire to keep Iida away from Hosu, the teen laid out a good argument about why he should accept Manual’s offer. He added that the proximity to the hospital would allow him to more easily visit his brother, something that Shouta felt guilty about not doing himself. Other than a bad feeling, there was no good reason for him to not approve the internship. Still, as he would complain to his husband later, it left him with a bad taste in his mouth. 

Todoroki had clearly worked with Izuku on digging through his long list of internship offers. Aizawa had watched the boy take a red pen and cross out over 2,000 from the get-go, explaining to his new friend how they would not be able to assist him with quirk control (the boy was finally open to using his fire, a little) or were focused on improving their standing and reputation more than helping others. Eventually, the boy had selected Backdraft. During their talk, he’d told the teacher that Izuku had suggested him since he was well-ranked and focused on rescue, an area of heroics that Todoroki didn’t know very much about due to his father’s focus on combat. Izuku had apparently also theorized that Todoroki could use both sides of his quirk at once to create water and Backdraft could help him fine tune that. Which would have been fine, if it didn’t mean that Aizawa had to sit through Endeavor storming into Nedzu’s office full of fury over his son’s decision to not intern with him. Thankfully, Nedzu handled it, but he still had an awful headache after that encounter.

He joined his class at the train station to give them a few reminders about behavior on internships. The biggest positive of this week was the extra time to get ahead on paperwork and grading and spending time with his husband, since hero students would not have classes. However, he mused to himself as he got home, his house was far too quiet without his sons around.

Chapter Text

“You know, I have an extra bedroom at my place.”

Dabi turned to Tsukauchi. “What’s your point?”

“If you want a nicer place than what you currently have. I have room.”

He scoffed. “No thanks. I’m perfectly fine where I am.”

Tsukauchi shrugged. “If you say so. Just know the offer’s open.”

Dabi rolled his eyes and tossed his empty coffee cup into the trash. He had to work. I really need to stop hanging around here, but they give me free coffee and snacks. 

“Inko, if I mention this to my doctor, I’m afraid that he’ll decide that I’m not actually making progress.”

Inko settled next to her friend. “You’ve made a lot of progress. They’re talking about the possibility of being released within a year.”

“That’s why I’m afraid to bring it up.” The woman fiddled with her shirt. “I know I’m not crazy, though.”

“Then why don’t you talk to me? I’ll only bring it up to your doctor if you are truly posing a danger to yourself or others. And I don’t believe for a second you are.” Inko gave the woman her warmest smile.

“I told you about Touya. How Fuyumi told me that he had died in a training accident years ago. Not long after I was admitted here.”

“You did.”

“The thing is, Natsuo would insist he’s not actually dead. But Fuyumi says they have proof. He’s legally dead.”

“And?”

Rei hesitantly made eye contact. “I believe Natsu. It was only a moment, but I saw his soulmark move.”

Ms. Joke greeted them playfully and obnoxiously. “I regret this already.” Hitoshi hissed to his friend, who giggled in return. The hero led them to her agency, located near Ketsubutsu High School.

“So, my students are also off on internships this week! And since I primarily teach heroics, the principal gave me the time off to focus on you two. So, what do you want to get out of this internship?” They had settled in the dining hall of the agency.

Izuku spoke first. “I want to know more about how agencies are run and learn more about hand-to-hand. I am on the, uh, smaller side,” he ignored Hitoshi’s sarcastic remark on the subject, “and as nice as it is to learn from the teachers at my school, most of them are…”

“Freakishly tall?” Ms. Joke teased. “That sounds like a good focus for you! We’ll definitely be looking a bit at the administrative side of things as well as patrolling. As I told your buddy here, we’ll do daylight focus for the first portion of the week and a night focus for the second half.” She turned to the other teen. “What about you?”

“I need to work on my quirk and on getting people to respond to me. You need people to acknowledge you for your quirk, according to Izuku, so I was hoping you could teach me some tactics for that. I already told you I wanted to see both sides of heroics.”

She nodded. “Well, no point in wasting time! Let’s get changed and take a short daylight patrol, and we’ll talk about the purpose of them and whatnot.”

Tsukauchi sighed at his desk, cold coffee sitting in the mug by his elbow. He was running himself ragged over all the UA stuff. Plus, things with Toshinori were quite uncomfortable. They hadn’t seen eye to eye on his continuation of hero work since his major fight, but they still had amicable conversations at coffee shops once a month. Now, though, every time they interacted it was dealing with the USJ and League of Villains and now his major foul at the Sports Festival. 

Tsukauchi pushed away from the computer and stretched, eyes drawn to the creatures that were wandering around his forearm. He couldn’t help but think of the one that no longer moved, and hadn’t since he was in college. It was a small bat that used to flutter around his own soulmark. He never got to know the person it was attached to; he could only theorize that his romantic soulmate had died in the earthquake that killed over 100 people and injured nearly 600. He had noticed the movement stop, the animal graying, shortly before news stations began reporting on the severity. 

In a way, he felt sort of relieved that he never got to know the person connected to him from birth; it would have made the grieving much worse. Still, he thought, it would have been nice to know what they were like. There had been talks of creating a database connected to obituaries to document soulmarks so that people would be able to identify their soulmates who had died, but it was not even considered at that time. He stood over the gurgling coffee maker, probably as old as the memory that surfaced, staring blankly at the wall.

Why did I offer Dabi my place? Granted, only Makoto ever uses that second bedroom, but I barely know him. Tsukauchi groaned into his mug, only to be laughed at by his cat-headed friend. Scowling, he shuffled back into his office. Paperwork, he had learned quickly at the precinct, was a Sisyphean task.

Todoroki’s first day working with Backdraft was entirely done in the agency. The hero walked him through different types of rescue heroics, something he didn’t realize had sub-specialties but made complete sense once he’d learned; sea rescue, wilderness rescue, urban rescue, and natural disaster rescue. The last category often overlapped with the other three, he’d explained, but tended to involve more work with scientists and meteorologists. 

“Personally, I focus on urban rescue. I do a lot of my work with fire departments; responding to fires, conducting training, and spreading awareness to civilians. However, I will sometimes be called for combat work against villains with fire quirks.” The hero spoke calmly but quickly, and made sure that Todoroki had time to write in his notebook. It was something Izuku had encouraged him to do, not only to help remember the information (and this first day had a lot of it), but also for him to analyze when he returned. “Now, the core focus of any hero is to save civilians. In combat heroics, this often means securing perimeters and neutralizing villains, as well as performing public patrols to deter crime. In rescue heroics, this often means comforting victims and performing basic emergency medical care. Unlike hero medics, such as Recovery Girl, we aren’t trained doctors. However, we do have to pass a more rigorous test on first aid than other specialties. Now, some of us have quirks that work well in rescue scenarios, such as yours. What can your quirk do in terms of rescue, not fighting?”

They had finally settled in Backdraft’s office after combined lecturing and touring of the facilities. Todoroki’s lips twitched downward for a moment. “I can ice over unstable buildings.” His mentor gave an encouraging nod. “Provide ice for people with injuries?”

“What else?”

“I suppose my ice can provide stability for any unstable location.”

Backdraft nodded again. “You could thicken ice on lakes to speed transport, create clear zones for dangerous and safe areas, also. What about your fire?”

Todoroki frowned. “I can regulate my own temperature, so I could help if it’s cold out?”

“You could also use it to start fires in wilderness rescue to warm others. You could use it to signal others. You could burn away brush or wooden objects and then use your ice to put it out when you're finished. In extreme cases, you could cauterize a severe wound.” Backdraft listed. “There are plenty of other applications, but I want you to work on figuring those out this week. At the end of the week, I’ll have you tell me about them.”

Todoroki nodded in agreement, his smile not yet showing on his face. Backdraft said they would do quirk training the next day, so he could start to get used to using his fire side with someone there who is trained in putting out and controlling them. This was far better than going to his father’s agency.

Yagi had never been called into the principal’s office when he was attending school; he could only assume, then, that the dread that formed in the pit of his (now missing) stomach was akin to what his classmates felt when they heard the same summons he was now receiving. His meetings with Nedzu had not been pleasant this year, and he didn’t expect this one to differ in that regard. His suspicions proved true when he entered the overly familiar office to see three unexpected faces: Aizawa, Yamada… and Gran Torino. He gulped.

“Welcome, Yagi. We have much to discuss.” Nedzu’s beady eyes gleamed at his announcement. “Especially since Uraraka has given us her affirmative answer to the question of being your successor.” 

Goosebumps broke out across his skin when he hesitantly met the eyes of his two colleagues. He settled into a chair and accepted the teacup his boss handed him. “I must begin with the story of two brothers…”

Chapter Text

“Toshinori, I really don’t know what to do.”

Yagi adjusted the phone to sit between his shoulder and ear while he worked on paperwork. “What’s going on?”

“It’s Melissa. Ever since she was diagnosed as quirkless, and can I say how much I hate that phrasing, like it’s an illness,” he hummed in agreement. It was a bit much. “She’s been bullied at school.” 

Yagi looked at the picture he had on his desk. It was when David’s daughter was three and he had gone to visit them in the U.S. He held her on one shoulder while her entire face was lit up with glee and smudged with chocolate ice cream. Her parents weren’t in the picture, but he could recall with ease the teasing and joking they did during that time. It was one of the few vacations he took after returning to Japan.

“What have you considered?”

“We’ve looked at online school, but you know her, she’s too much of a social butterfly to do that. We could change schools, but I doubt the reception would be better at those.” 

Yagi glanced over the invitation he had for I-Island’s Hero Expo. He grinned. “What if I get you in touch with people who will appreciate the clear intelligence your daughter has and has no room for discrimination?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Get your family ready for a trip in about four months’ time. I think I may just have a solution.”

Yagi woke up with his heart aching. He glanced at his bare arms, David’s barn owl fluttering around his lion. It was one of his three soulmarks; Nana’s dragonfly had been still for many years now. He groaned as he lifted his legs over the side of his huge bed and lumbered to his desk. He was working through the online education courses that Nedzu had assigned him, but he realized there was something he needed to add to his schedule now that his students were on internships.

A quick search later, Toshinori scheduled daily visits on his calendar as his skinny self. While he could do a lot of good as All Might, Yagi Toshinori would be more accepted at the Inclusion Advocacy Center. They were Musufatu’s largest non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of those whose quirk status was typically discriminated against. 

He looked at the two framed pictures on his desk with a heavy heart. “I’m sorry, Nana. Melissa. I’ll do better.”

“I often travel to do my work; sometimes other agencies request a team up, but I also have freedom in my patrols much like your homeroom teacher does. Underground heroes don’t have set patrol areas like limelight ones. Why do you think that is?”

Hitoshi and Izuku made eye contact and in unspoken agreement, something they had improved upon even more since the internship started, Hitoshi spoke first. “Well, it’s more dangerous, right? If you have a set route, villains could predict it.”

“That’s part of it, yes! We work with nastier villains, the ones who don’t cause major destruction and headlines, but rather the ones with insidious plans or darker motives. This isn’t always the case, thankfully, but it does help prevent groups from getting revenge when one of their own is arrested. Midoriya?”

“You often work in areas that are under-patrolled and often work at night when there are fewer heroes in general. Unfortunately, these areas are spread out and without an adequate number of heroes, if you stick to one area consistently, many areas would be in worse condition than they already are.”

“Right.” Ms. Joke was really no nonsense when it came to discussing their roles as heroes. “We tell our agency, since they need to know where we will be in case of emergency, but that freedom allows us to pick where we feel our attention is needed most. For example, if there is an uptick in assault cases in one sector, I might decide to focus my attention there for a couple of days. If there is an investigation that would benefit from more information, I might choose to spend my patrols in areas that relate to that case. Since we’ve finished with our daylight patrols, we’ll be traveling to a different area to do night patrols. This area tends to be well covered due to its proximity to a hero school!” She beamed at them. “I suggest you rest up before our train ride this evening.”

The boys talked to each other while getting prepared to take a nap, or at least try to. Their day patrols had gone well, with Joke handling a few muggings and one breaking and entering incident. They had crossed paths with one or two other heroes during those patrols, too. “Do you think she’ll take us somewhere where they don’t get much attention from heroes?”

Izuku shook his head. “Probably not. At least, if she does, it won’t be an area with as high a crime rate as others. We’re only first years, so she’s probably going to want to give us a taste of what it is like while avoiding any nasty situations.”

“Dad says that he often has to stop assaults, especially ones on women…” Hitoshi trailed off uncomfortably.

“He also says that he has to help drunk civilians make it to their cabs or trains. I’m sure it won’t be that bad.” He yawned. 

“Famous last words, Izu, famous last words.” They chuckled as they finally settled in for the night.

“I think today will be helpful for you in getting an understanding of protocols and procedures for urban rescue. We tend to deal with fires most often, but other natural disasters, like floods or earthquakes, aren’t isolated to rural areas. I’ll be conducting a training on collapsed building rescue with the Hosu fire department. They have a lot of new recruits, so it’s useful to review this.”

“Okay, Backdraft.”

“After that, we can work with Manual to do a patrol. He and I often work together to do these trainings, but he does more active patrols than I do and I want you to get a feel for how those go.”

“My classmate, Iida, is interning with him, I think.”

The hero smiled. “Then all the more reason to join them.”

Everything went to shit all at once; Shouto looked around anxiously. Backdraft had instructed him to create a safe evacuation route for civilians using his ice; he had done so in an alley, covering it overhead and making the entrance smaller. Nomu seemed to be swarming them, though he knew it was only three wreaking havoc on the city. Then, when he turned back to his mentor, he heard Manual calling out for his classmate in distress! “Manual, I’ll look for him! I… I think he may be looking for Stain!”

The hero’s entire body shook with the weight of his sigh. “You may be right. I give you permission to use your quirk for defensive purposes only! Please, find him!”

“Tell Backdraft where I’m going! I’ll have my location on!”

The teen raced off, frantically reviewing what he knew about the hero killer. His father had ranted about the man on more than a few occasions, so he had an idea on his pattern. He searched each alley he passed as he moved away from the commotion, occasionally calling out to civilians to either stay indoors on a low level or to evacuate to one of the designated areas.

He finally heard the sound of metal on metal and rushed to the dark alley, sending his location to his contact list.

Izuku regretted ever opening his mouth. Famous last words indeed. Despite the hero killer’s recent presence in Hosu, Ms. Joke had decided to bring them to the city to patrol; her reasoning was that with the recent attention garnered by the villain, many heroes were flocking to the city, making the area safer for an evening patrol. They had just finished eating a delicious dinner when the city seemed to burst into flames and a terrifyingly familiar creature appeared on the horizon.

“Joke! That’s a nomu!” He called out to his mentor from where he and Hitoshi were helping citizens evacuate.

“We need to focus on the civilians! None of us are equipped to deal with one of those, not really.” She was calm in her response, attention on the frantic people around her. Izuku and Hitoshi’s phones went off in unison, the two making eye contact before Izuku fumbled for his. 

His eyes widened. “Joke! I think there’s a problem! Todoroki just sent us his location and it’s a few blocks away here in Hosu!”

“What did he say?”

“That’s why I’m worried - he didn’t say anything! It’s just his location!”

The heroine cursed. “Let’s go. The other heroes can take over this.” The trio rushed out, their panic and determination deterring others from questioning them.

The scene they came upon was horrifying. Iida and pro-hero Native were paralyzed on the ground, blood pooling around them. Todoroki’s costume was torn and his arm bleeding. The alley had been easy to find, flares of fire peaking above the rooftops like a beacon. “Shouto!” Izuku called to his friend. 

“More fakes!” Stain hissed. It was clear that Todoroki had been doing his best to hold him back.

“Mind Jack.” Joke’s voice was low, barely audible over the crackling flames and Iida’s yelling.

“How are we fakes?” Hitoshi called out to the man, hoping against all odds that he responded. Thankfully, he did. Hitoshi immediately fell to his knees. “He’s fighting, hard. He’s even more difficult to control than that hand guy.”

“Good job. Izuku, foam his feet. Todoroki, can you help move the injured two to the street?” The woman stalked forward once Izuku’s bullet had flown and encased the villain up to mid-calf. She fastened quirk suppressant cuffs on the man. “Mind Jack, you can let him go now.” She had begun to de-arm him as soon as the cuffs snapped close.

“Thank god.” The boy closed his eyes as the villain began to rage, throwing his body violently from side to side.

“Toshi, are you okay?”

“I think being hit in the head with a jackhammer would be less painful than this migraine.” Izuku helped his friend up. “Thanks.”

“I might have some pain medication on me, let me check.” Izuku ruffled through his pockets and cheered triumphantly. “Here you go!” He winced as the boy swallowed it dry. 

“I could’ve made you water.” Shouto spoke from behind the two, making them jump.

“Oh! How’s your arm? I have some bandages.” Izuku fretted over his friend, who shrugged and let the teen bandage his arm. “That will work for now, but you’ll need to see a doctor for sure.”

The group migrated to where Iida and Native rested on the sidewalk. Backdraft and Manual were just rushing down the road towards them, calling for their interns. Shouto stepped forward. “We’re okay, thanks to Ms. Joke.”

The two heroes thanked her profusely before turning to their interns, one to scold and the other to discuss what would happen from here. As they were assisting Iida and Native and requesting that an ambulance be on the way, a deep yell called out, “Get down!”

Izuku’s body, unfortunately, chose to turn towards the voice of the number two hero rather than follow his directions. Pain flooded his body as he saw the ground grow smaller while the winged Nomu flew higher. He vaguely registered shouts and a blast of heat before he was falling, falling, falling and then it was cold and he saw Shouto’s relieved face. That was the last thing he saw before he fainted.

The four teens were roomed together in an overcrowded hospital. Due to the number of victims admitted, they were fairly low on the priority list; still, their wounds were bandaged while they waited for the tests needed to determine the extent of the damage. Izuku felt awkward laying in a hospital gown alongside his classmates, but at least they were friends.

“Todoroki, Midroiya, I don’t mean to pry or appear rude,” Iida spoke into the silence, “but may I inquire when you two became soulmates?”

“What do you mean?” Izuku asked the boy in shock. He hadn’t had a new mark appear in months! 

“I just noticed that you both have a green rabbit and a red panda on you. I may be overstepping or assuming!” The boy was quick to backpedal.

“I… I’ve always had the red panda. As long as I can remember…”

“Same for the rabbit, for me.” Shouto added. The two made eye contact before Izuku shyly looked down. “What does that mean?”

“Um, well, you see… you know how there are different types of soulmates?” Hitoshi laughed from the next bed and Izuku resisted the urge to throw something at him.

“A little. My mother touched on the types, but it was a long time ago. Endeavor never viewed them as important.”

“I was born with a lot of animals…” Izuku began an explanation that was equal parts textbook and anecdotal, trying hard to not wilt under the realization that he knew who his romantic soulmate was.

Chapter Text

Dabi watched the news reports of Hosu from the comfort of Tsukauchi’s office’s torn leather couch. The officer was juggling phone calls with UA and Hosu’s police department. Dabi casually sipped at his coffee, only half paying attention until he saw his little brothers on screen. He muttered curses as the to-go cup slipped from his hands and spilled onto his pants. Tsukauchi silently raised an eyebrow and handed him a handful of napkins from various fast food places. 

Finally, the news station reported that the minors involved with Stain’s attack were in the hospital with minor injuries. Dabi’s entire body sagged in relief, something that did not escape the detective’s notice. Once again ignoring the silent question, the scarred man stood and left the building. He wandered the dark town aimlessly, too restless to return to the apartment. 

The drive home from Hosu was extremely uncomfortable. Shouta’s conversations with the police and heroes on scene were exhausting and then to discover Izuku and Todoroki were romantic soulmates? Add to all that that traffic was moving more slowly than a snail, and he wanted to bash his head against the steering wheel. Instead, he just gripped it even tighter. 

Hitoshi leaned over to whisper to him. “Bet you're glad that we get to sit up front. Poor Iida.” He smirked at the teen that leaned back in his seat. As punishment for his involvement, he’d forced the speedster to sit between the two lovebirds in the backseat. After hours of driving, the group arrived at the Midoriya house just as the sun was rising.

They were greeted by frantic parents who fussed over all four of them before ushering them to the living room. Hizashi and Inko had pushed the furniture aside so all the boys could sleep on futons supplied from both households. The teens collapsed and fell asleep immediately; Shouta envied them but still had to update his husband and Inko, as well as Nedzu.

They sat around the dining table with hot beverages, the familiar scent of coffee giving him the courage to start the story. He told them everything he’d learned from the various heroes and officers about the Stain attack the boys were involved in. He would fill Hizashi in on the League of Villains bit when he called Nedzu, but there was no need for Inko to get the details of what little they knew about that attack. He paused to drain the dregs of his mug. “Oh, and Izuku found out who his romantic soulmate is.”

“WHAT?”
“Really?”

Shouta’s eyes flashed red at his husband to stop the man from waking the boys in the other room. “Apparently the owner of Izuku’s soulmark is also the owner of one of our soulchild marks. The red panda belongs to the youngest Todoroki.”

“Wait, that means…”

“That we need to look into his life? Probably.” His head fell onto his arms.

Inko chuckled. “It also means that one of our boys is gay and it’s your turn to give them the talk!”

Hizashi groaned and mimicked his husband by allowing his head to thunk against the wood. “We’re doomed! Doomed!” Shouta was glad to have the two of them lift the mood and shifted to lean against his husband.

“Should we call Nedzu now or in the morning?”

“Babe, it is morning.”

“Ugh.”

“I’m going to rest for a little bit before heading out to work. If you need anything, you know where it is.” They waved her off before retreating to Izuku’s room for the privacy to update Nedzu.

"What are we going to do about our internships?" Izuku asked his soul parent over a late breakfast. Hitoshi nodded over the mug of coffee he clutched like a lifeline. 

Shouta sighed. "That's up to you. Ms. Joke said she's willing to let you rejoin her tomorrow for the final two days. Backdraft offered the same, Todoroki-kun."

"What about Iida?" Izuku glanced nervously at his friend. 

"He will be returning to UA to discuss things." The boy in question hung his head in acceptance. Shouta pushed off the counter he had been leaning against to rinse his coffee cup. "Recovery Girl will be visiting today to make sure you're all fully recovered. Take today to rest. I have meetings I need to attend, but I'll be back for dinner."

"Okay." Izuku reluctantly agreed. After everything the night before, he'd rather cuddle up to his soulmates - as many as possible. But he knew that Shouta had other responsibilities, so he got up from the table and hugged the man tightly, face pressing into his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, too, kiddo."

Tsukauchi sighs into his coffee, glad the only person to witness his slow descent into madness was Shouta - a man equally dependent on the beverage. An amused grunt, however, made that thought a lie. “I don’t think the answers to the universe are going to be revealed in a cup of shitty coffee.”

“I don’t need the answers to the universe; I’d accept one or two hints towards the solution to any of my cases.” Dabi slunk into the uncomfortable chair across from the desk, since Shouta was laying across his couch. He slung one leg over the arm and leaned back. “You know, chairs weren’t designed for that.”

“But I was.” Dabi grabbed a pen and notepad to doodle. “What’s with the hobo?”

“That’s pro-hero Eraserhead.” Sharp blue eyes surveyed the yellow sleeping bag. Naomasa wished he knew what Dabi was thinking. “We’re working on a couple of cases together.”

“Oh, fun.” Sarcasm dripped from his voice while he gave half-hearted jazz hands. “Get stuck with the Stain stuff?”

Tsukauchi snorted when Eraserhead let out a soul-suffering groan. “Thankfully no. Hosu police get to handle that mess.”

“Understatement of the year.” Shouta grumbled. “I cannot believe my problem children got caught up in it.”

“They wouldn’t be your problem children if they didn’t.” Tsukauchi scribbled more onto the notes for a recent kidnapping case. “What’re you doing here, Dabi?” Shouta stiffened on the couch.

“I was bored.”

“I doubt it’ll be any more entertaining here.” 

Sansa stuck his head into the room. “Hey, detective, update from the profilers. They said it is unlikely the League of Villains and Stain were working together.”

Naomasa and Shouta both straightened up at that. “Reasons?” Shouta asked the cat-headed officer.

“Their goals. From what we know of the League, they’re only focused on destroying All Might; but videos about Stain’s ideology practically worship the man. They’re opposing views.”

The hero hummed in agreement. “That won’t stop the League from trying to take advantage of the implied association.”

“I’ll tell Hosu police to make a statement denying their involvement with one another.”

“The sooner the better.”

“Right.” He groaned and looked into his coffee again. “I guess that is a hint or two about one of my cases, huh?” He gave a dry chuckle. “Well, gotta shoo you two. Official business and all.” Shouta nodded and bundled up the sleeping bag, stowing it under the couch.

“I’ll keep you updated if I hear anything else.” Eraserhead nodded at him. Dabi saluted him and followed the other out the door, with Sansa closing it behind them.

“Dabi?”

“Yeah?”

“You know Hitoshi?”

The scarred man froze and narrowed his eyes at the older man. “Yes. And you’re his favorite hero and soul-father.”

“I am. And you’re the older brother he’s been worrying about for years.” Dabi flinched.

“I need to do better. He’s so… good. And I just bring trouble everywhere I go.”

“He misses you.”

“Please don’t tell him. I need to… to prove myself first. I’m glad he’s found you.” The man stalked out of the crowded station, and Shouta sighed. He’d tell his husband and Inko, but he wouldn’t let the teen know.

Dabi cursed a storm. The apartment was gone, and he couldn’t afford anywhere else. The young adult shuffled back to the treehouse with his duffle bag of belongings. He’d store things there while finding a new place; his savings would only get him so far. You could always take Tsukauchi up on his offer. He brushed the thought aside. For whatever reason, he couldn’t bring himself to impose on his acquaintance? friend? 

Regardless, the man slunk into a skeevy bar planning to buy a couple of cheap beers and wallow. He came here on occasion and knew it was very heavily populated by those with questionable backgrounds who didn’t ask anything of others. Before he found a bar stool, a greasy man waved him over to his booth and ordered him a beer.

“Dabi!” The man grinned.

“Giran.”

“Heard about the apartment building. Got plans?”

“What do you want?” Dabi took the beer from the waiter.

“Less of what I want and more of an opportunity.” The man puffed on a cigar. “There’s a relatively new group, the League of Villains, and hold on, don’t go, hear me out. Here, I’ll get you another beer.” He gestured to the passing waiter. “They’re looking for street-smart guys like yourself. They have lodgings, funding, all that good stuff.”

“What do they want?”

“Social upheaval. Destruction of hero society.” The man shrugged. “Think about it. I’ll be around.”

Dabi left the bar and ambled aimlessly. He rolled up a sleeve to watch Hitoshi’s animal frolic. With a new determination, Dabi picked a destination.

Chapter Text

Internships were finally over. Katsuki was glad he listened to Aizawa’s suggestion about whom he went with; Gang Orca was a fantastic mentor. After the nonsense that was the sports festival, the blond knew he was getting bad press. He wasn’t an idiot and no matter how hard his parents tried to shield him from the news in the days that followed it, he saw what people said. But Gang Orca gave him a lot of tips for handling bad press. He even commended the boy for attending therapy, after a challenging discussion of the things he’d been through.

They didn’t have an exciting week. They did patrols, volunteer work at the aquarium, workouts in the agency, and PR meetings. Katsuki recounted all of this to Aizawa during their post-internship reviews. Apparently, their teacher had these twenty to thirty minute sessions with each student after their internship week to assess what they learned and how the mentor hero behaved. “You seriously want our input?”

“Yes, Katsuki, I do. I get to read the report that the hero sends over, but what they tell us and what you tell us isn’t always the same. And if you didn’t have a good experience, it’s important to know why.”

“Why? Cuz anything will happen to the hero?” He scoffed.

“Maybe not publicly. If it’s bad because you aren’t a good fit, that’s one thing. If they’re behaving in an improper way, Nedzu will blacklist them.” The tired man sighed over his notes. “You’ve had shitty luck with heroes, kid.”

“Not you or Mic.” The blond admitted. “And Gang Orca wasn’t so bad. He didn’t try to change me.” Aizawa cracked a menacing grin, but after all these years, it didn’t faze the teen.

“Well, I’m glad you got something out of your internship. Not all of your peers were so lucky.”

“Deku fought the Hero Killer.”

“Izuku practically gave me a heart attack is what he did.”

Yagi had spent most of the week his students were away either slaving away at his computer, both for his coursework and for his work towards implementing a new outreach program with his agency, or he was working in the resource room at the advocacy center. The resource room was a sort of community closet and food bank. He mostly helped with stocking and inventory - being tall had its perks. He helped people with mutant quirks get clothes that fit and people with ‘villainous’ quirks get food they couldn’t otherwise afford. The center had a legal department, an employment training department, and an education outreach department. All of this was severely underfunded, which was what All Might was working on fixing, but Yagi Toshinori was simply a volunteer who folded and hung clothing and marked on paperwork what the community center needed more of.

He watched as people, kind and polite, sought clothes for job interviews that wouldn’t pay a living wage because nowhere else would hire them. He watched people take basic food necessities because they were fired from their jobs because people complained about how they looked. He saw quirkless people, many older than him, seek legal advice after being kicked out of their homes. His heart broke each day, but his resolve strengthened. Soon, he would be quirkless Toshinori again. If he didn’t have the world at his feet because of his identity of All Might, because of the quirk he was granted as a young teen, that would be him - probably homeless and jobless, learning from the one place that would accept him that the laws made to protect citizens didn’t protect him.

Now, he was back at work at UA. He would be reviewing the progress the heroes-in-training had made during their internships. After much deliberation, he had opted to do an urban race and was impressed by the speed and skill demonstrated by the students. His eyes especially tracked Uraraka, his young successor. They would be meeting for the first time after school let out, with Gran Torino and her two senseis. Of course, Midoriya would be there, too, the quirkless boy moving through the cityscape effortlessly. He had heard, of course, how Midoriya, Shinsou, and Todoroki had intervened with the Hero Killer under Ms. Joke’s supervision. He regretted ever telling the young man he wouldn’t make it as a hero and hoped that one day he would be forgiven.

Dabi warily eyed the blonde girl at his side. He followed Giran’s obnoxious purple-suited self leisurely, layers concealing his skin - and soulmarks. The girl was chattering about getting to meet a Nomu. They entered a dingy bar - worse than the one he usually occupied - and were rudely greeted by a guy younger than him with nearly as bad skin. Tora excitedly demanded the ‘hand guy’ as she so eloquently put it let her join the League of Villains.

Dabi’s hands settled in his pockets, forcing himself to appear disinterested. “Kurogiri, get rid of these guys. Everything I hate came together in one set. A brat and a rude guy.” Dabi watched as Kurogiri told Shigaraki to listen to them, especially since Giran was the one who brought them. Dabi resisted the urge to laugh. Giran wasn’t as much of a hot shot as he pretended to be - the broker barely knew a thing about him. Still, he listened to the man’s introduction of the homicidal teenager who was clearly unhinged, and apparently Shigaraki agreed. “This is Takahashi Toraji-”

“Call me Tora!” She giggled.

“-and her quirk is called Animorph.” The girl grinned. “I don’t know her full catalog, but she can shapeshift into any animal she has previously touched for fifteen minutes.”

“Only fifteen measly minutes?” Dabi scoffed. The girl may be crazy, but at least she couldn’t hold a more powerful form for a long time. Her amber eyes flickered to him with a piercing glare.

“And this asshole?” Shigaraki gestured at Dabi.

“He hasn’t committed any flashy crimes, but he holds fast to the hero killer’s ideology.” When Dabi had returned to Giran, that was the story he’d fed him. His dislike for heroes wasn’t new information; he was plenty vocal about how Endeavor and other limelight heroes were undeserving of the title. Still, he played the part of a Stain fan, questioning the leadership and cause of the League. Given the recent press release that the Hero Killer and the League weren’t in cahoots in Hosu, the skepticism felt more warranted for his character. 

It seemed to hit a nerve; the three launched themselves at one another - one wielding deadly hands, another flames, and the third shifting into a stocky dog. Purple mist intervened, their limbs all popping out harmlessly away from the others. The bartender scolded them and released them. The petulant leader stormed out and Giran laughed before admitting the man was a bit too young. “He makes me sick.” Dabi scoffed. Regardless of how the man acted, the young adult had a role to play and would need to work his way into Shigaraki’s good graces. He glanced at the mercurial girl. If this is the type of person they’re finding, I might find my way to the top of the chain by the simple fact of being the most sane.

“I heard our practical final will be against robots!” Hitoshi overheard someone from the other hero class boasting excitedly to one another as he passed them in the lunch line. He plopped down next to his best friend and their slowly growing group of friends. 

Kaminari slammed his tray down on his other side, causing him to flinch. The boy didn’t notice. “Guys! Guess what I overheard from Class B!” Everyone’s attention turned to him as he recounted the rumor about their finals.

“Ah, I don’t think it will.” Izuku’s comments brought the energy down and the blond slumped against Hitoshi. “In the past, sure. But with the way things are shifting… and that we’ve already been attacked by villains… I don’t think our teachers will have something so simple for us.”

“Oh, Mr. Nedzu’s student, enlighten us!” Their pink-skinned classmate teased. While Hitoshi wasn’t paying attention, the entire class had ended up seated at the same table.

Hitoshi laughed at his friend’s spluttering. “I… I don’t know! He doesn’t let me in on things like that. Just… it seems too easy for what we’ve been through, is all!”

Todoroki hummed in agreement. “I agree. You all had them in the entrance exam and then again at the Sports Festival. Robots wouldn’t provide new information for them.” The teen slightly blushed when Izuku beamed at him. Hitoshi shoveled more food into his mouth. Since the incident in Hosu, the two had been nearly inseparable and when they were apart, Izuku was always talking about ‘Shouto this’ or ‘Shouto that.’ It was adorable, but annoying.

Bakugo spoke up after swallowing a bite of food loudly (and angrily?). “They’re going to test our weaknesses and what we learned on our internships. It’ll be more than just fighting.”

Chapter Text

“Uraraka, your report of what you learned from Gunhead is very positive.” The girl beamed at her sullen sensei. Class had just ended, and she was accompanying him and Midoriya to meet with her other mentors. “We will need to focus on building muscle and understanding the quirk.”

“Okay.”

“Today we’re meeting with all the people who will be working with you on this process! You know most of them, but one is new. His name is Gran Torino! He’s a retired pro who taught All Might, and All Might seems to be afraid of him!” Izuku chirped up, his attention half on them and half on his new notebook dedicated solely to Uraraka’s progress. Aizawa held back a snort at the kid’s excitement over that last tidbit. 

Ochako smiled. “I can’t wait!”

They entered Gym Kappa. Her stomach flipped when she saw the adults lined up, before taking in a deep breath. She could handle this! She could handle anything. “Alright. You know All Might and Present Mic. He’ll be helping more after the training camp. Mic knows how to handle quirks that are too strong for a person’s body. That is Gran Torino. He apparently taught All Might years ago.”

“That zygote could only learn through hard lessons. I hope you aren’t as obtuse.” The tiny old man eyed her. She gulped.

“I am open to learning.” She pumped her arm. “I am going to help as many people as I can.” The retired hero huffed, but he seemed to approve of her. 

Aizawa spoke up again. “Today we’re going to get your physical baseline in a number of tests. A few will be similar to the ones we did at the beginning of the semester, but this time no quirk use. There are a few other tests that aren’t designed for monitoring with large groups. Once we have your baseline, Izuku and I will develop a nutrition plan and workout plan so you can gain muscle in the weeks before camp.”

“What about Gran Torino?”

“He will advise, but he will be more use once the quirk is actually transferred. Today he’s simply getting to see what you are capable of.”

“Okay! I’ll start warming up!” She began the warm-up that the class had become accustomed to doing before any strenuous activity. She would prove she deserved this. She would become a great hero!

“Final exams. We aren’t using robots this year.” Nedzu stated in the morning staff meeting. His beady eyes darted from teacher to teacher, many of whom were yawning into their coffee cups. “They were useful last year given the events in the sports festival, but we want to keep things interesting.” He sipped his tea. 

“I’m assuming you already have a plan?” Vlad spoke up.

“Of course! In fact, it will be one that will allow 3rd years and possibly some 2nd years extra credit opportunities!” All staff straightened up, several narrowing their eyes at the principal.

“Extra credit?”

“Extra credit! We need a plethora of individuals - villains, civilians, and so forth.”

“Dare I ask?” Aizawa glared into his empty coffee mug.

Nedzu grinned. “Escape rooms!”

Midnight sighed. “How do you intend for this to work?”

“We will have several rooms that students must complete group and individual objectives in. One is a hostage rescue scenario, one a bomb threat, one a natural disaster, one a drug bust, one a case of stolen goods, one an investigation, and the final one a kidnapping!”

“We haven’t covered most of those in depth.” Vlad reminded his boss.

“Of course! We aren’t looking for them to handle things perfectly. Rather, looking at their existing strengths and weaknesses, their strategizing, their teamwork, and their interactions with victims.” Nedzu stood on the table to disperse his guides. “Each team should be of two or three individuals. Don’t give the students the scenario they would be most comfortable in; we want to challenge them!”

“According to this, the heroes are the ones kidnapped.” Mic spoke up while flipping through his papers.

“Yes! That one is probably the most aligned with a typical escape room.” He settled at the head of the table. “You have until the day before finals to select the teams and, of course, ask me any questions you might have. Cementoss, Power Loader, you’ll be assisting with setting up the rooms. First-year homeroom teachers will focus on organizing the teams; second and third-year ones should be seeing who would be interested in playing a part.”

Inko hummed as she prepared for the ever-growing family dinners. She heard her boys - Izuku, Hitoshi, Katsuki, and Shouto - laughing and griping at one another while playing video games in the other room. Shouta, Hizashi, Mitsuki, and Masaru would be joining them soon. Inko couldn’t help but smile at the situation. Things weren’t how she had imagined them when her son was born; Hisashi wasn’t home and she’d only had one child. She did, however, have her makeshift family with her best friend and his family, her son’s soulfather and his family, and now her son’s romantic soulmate, too.

He’s even admitted to gaining a few more marks since the incident in Hosu. Inko mused to herself as she used her quirk to pull spices from the shelves to add more spiciness to the meat. A dolphin for his friend Uraraka and an ostrich for Iida. She knew Izuku was helping the young girl with her training after school hours; Iida’s had appeared after the harrowing experience in Hosu. She couldn’t wait to see what others he would develop.

“Hello, Inko.” Hizashi stepped into the kitchen and greeted her with a smile. “I brought dessert!”

She laughed. “You and Masaru both!”

“I didn’t see him.”

“Well, he’s not here yet. But he said he would stop and pick up some treats on his way here.” The two friends caught up while Shouta rested in the living room, eyes closed as he slouched in the armchair. It didn’t take long for the Bakugos to arrive and dinner ready to be served.

He’s so quiet. Inko watched as Shouto awkwardly interacted with the rambunctious group. A quiet person at the table was far from unusual - Shouta and Hitoshi were far from garrulous. Still, his didn’t seem to stem from innate introvertness but something else. Something, she suspected, that had to do with his soulmark appearing on Shouta and Hizashi, and according to Rei, the lack of Endeavor’s mark.

“Are you boys ready for finals coming up?” Masaru asked the teens.

Izuku pouted dramatically. “Dad won’t tell us what the practical is!”

Inko laughed. “I’m sure he has good reason.”

Hizashi jumped in. “We can’t give you listeners an advantage!”

“I don’t need one anyway.” Katsuki grouched.

“I think we’re well prepared for the written portion,” Shouto commented blandly.

“Izuku and I don’t have a choice in that matter.” Hitoshi rolled his eyes. “Nedzu won’t give us an option but to pass.”

“Not everyone is under the rat’s tutelage.” Shouta dryly remarked.

After they had eaten all the food, Mitsuki and Masaru offered to wash the dishes. The others said their good-byes; Shouto would stay the night with his soulparents. Inko knew they were working on gaining official guardianship over the teen, which Rei supported wholeheartedly. But for now, they were taking him as often as possible.

“What are your groups?” Vlad asked his coworker.

“Having trouble with yours?” Shouta asked.

“Aren’t you?”

“Only a few. Some are rather obvious in terms of which challenge will give them the most difficulty.”

“Like?”

“Bakugo will be going to the bomb room. Removing his quirk advantage will challenge him, though teamwork in general may be his downfall. Mina and Kaminari will be doing the information-gathering; they had to jump in without a strategy. Iida and Koda for the hostage situation; Iida can be too blunt and Koda struggles with communication.”

“So you’ve already gotten yours? I only have four of my groups picked. I swear the principal…”

Nedzu interrupted. “What about me?”

“For fuck’s sake,” Shouta grumbled. 

“Nothing.” Vlad turned his gaze back to his papers.

“I would like to hear how you’ve divided your groups, though, Aizawa, if you have finished.” The mammal happily continued.

“The hostage scenario will be Iida, Koda, and Hagakure. The bomb threat will be Uraraka, Sero, and Bakugo. I have Jiro, Tokoyami, and Todoroki on the natural disaster.”

“Why Todoroki?” Nedzu asked.

“His training has primarily been on offensive work, aside from his internship. Depending on the scenario you have planned, his quirk may not be helpful unless used creatively.” He waited for his boss to acknowledge this before continuing. “Kirishima, Sato, and Shinsou will work together for the drug bust. Ojiro, Shoji, and Yaomomo will handle the stolen goods. Mina and Kaminari will do info gathering.”

“Leaving Midoriya and Tsuyu to the kidnapping one?” Vlad asked.

“They’re the most well-rounded duo I have. My only request is that you don’t have them begin in the same room.”

“Easily done!” He chirped. “Now, Vlad. I have some theories on who you may want to pair together…” Aizawa tuned out their conversation. He had the never-ending paperwork that came with teaching, even at the end of the semester.

Katsuki cracked his knuckles and stretched after their final written exam. The tests weren’t difficult for him, but they were certainly tedious. Once the papers were all collected, the murmuring started amongst the extras about their practical exam the next day. Hobo Sensei finally came into the room, making everyone shut up in an instant. It was one thing that the blond begrudgingly envied of the hero. 

“You all have your practical exams tomorrow. You will be working in a pair or group; there is an individual task and a group task you will need to complete within your situation. You will find out your group and task on the shuttle to your exam. After the exams are complete, you will watch a recording of your exam and one other group’s to analyze what was done well and what needs improving. That will be a quarter of your grade for the practical exam. I expect nothing but your best.” His gaze swept over the room. “Any questions you have can be answered tomorrow.”

The class immediately broke out in speculations about the exam. It didn’t sound like the robots that Pikachu had mentioned, which only cemented the class’s belief that they would need Izuku to pass. “Dumbasses.”

“Kacchan!”

“What? There’s no point in freaking out. They already have the groups planned. None of us know what the exam will be, so there is no point in this mindless jabber.” He grabbed his shit and stood. “I’m going home.”

Izuku was called to a golf cart shuttle, where his dad was waiting. He nervously smiled at the man, who had him sit in the passenger seat. “I’m going to blindfold you; it’s part of your exam. I’m putting your task sheet in your pocket. Until the exam begins its countdown, I will be with you. Understood?”

“Yeah. I trust you, Dad.” Izuku took a deep breath as fabric was wrapped around his eyes and tied securely at the back of his head. The cart rumbled below him as Aizawa drove him to his exam location.

He heard a garage door open and muffled voices. A firm grip on his elbow led him across pavement and grass. He was moved into a room that smelled vaguely of coffee - cheap coffee, unlike what his dad drank. Hands guided him to sitting and his hands were then cuffed behind his back. An automated voice called for a thirty-second countdown. 

“I love you, kid. Good luck.” Izuku heard his dad’s footsteps retreating.

“You have 90 minutes to complete your objectives and escape the villains that have abducted you from your stakeout. Once you leave the premises, the exam ends. Begin.”

Izuku immediately began to shift to maneuver his blindfold off. Glancing around, he realized he was in a dark pantry. He curled up to get his cuffed wrists in front of him and hunted for a tool he could use to unlock them. “Gotcha!” He muttered. It took a few minutes, precious minutes, to get freed. Recalling this is a group exercise, he stuck the tool in his pocket and pulled out the task sheet.

Group Task: Release the prisoners.
Individual Task: Use a phone to call for backup.

“Okay. First, I need to find my partner - partners? Find exits. Maybe a phone during this, but first, partner.” He crept out of the room, cautiously looking around. He heard voices come from wide doors leading to a dining area, where three teens in all black were sitting around a table strewn with papers. He immediately left the other way, hiding in bushes across the pathway when a black-clad girl moved past.

The rumbles of laundry machines almost had him miss the soft ‘kero’ that came from the room. Once the coast was clear, he tried the handle and was pleased to discover it was unlocked. “Froppy?” He quietly called.

“Zero!” He moved closer, seeing both her hands and legs bound. “I used my tongue to remove the blindfold but can’t get the ropes off.”

“I have a knife.” He got to work freeing her. “What’s on your task list?” They looked over it together; the group task was the same, but her individual goal was to get the name of the group that kidnapped him and the name of their leader. “I have to get ahold of a phone for backup. I think it won’t actually matter who does these, as long as they’re done.”

“Agreed. Now what?” He hummed in contemplation. “How long do you think we have left?”

“I’d guess it’s just over sixty minutes. There were papers in the dining room and at least three people around. If we come across them, we need to take them out without drawing attention.”

Izuku led her to the now-empty dining room. They shuffled through the papers. “Zero, I found floor plans! ” He moved over to join her.

“Let’s take this to the pantry to plan.” Once settled, he pulled a pen from his pocket. “We’re pretty close to the exit. Logically, where would they keep prisoners?”

“One or more of the guest suites, kero. And phones or info are probably in one of the two studies.” She pointed to the two locations.

“The master suite is probably the leader’s, right?”

“Probably.” She agreed.

“We can probably skip the great room and terrace aside from a quick look. Too open and public.”

“The guest suite 3 is probably for henchmen.” He nodded for her to continue. “It would be a good defensive spot.”

“True, but I think the henchmen might be in suite 2 and the victims in 3. As you said, it’s more defensible but it also offers fewer escape options. Suite 1… it’s very secluded. Could go either way.”

“So should we stay together or split up?”

“Based on time, it’s probably better to split up. Meet at the garage in 40? Scream if one of us gets in over our head?”

“Might as well. They’ll know we’re out at that point.”

“I’ll take the master suite and two guest ones.”

“I’ll cover the study and suite 1. If either of us come across the phone, we’ll call. Better to have called twice than not at all.” With the plan set, they began their search.

Izuku was able to find the leader’s name, but not the group’s in the master suite. The study was filled with information - profiles of victims, locations. He jolted down a bit of the information before moving on. Unfortunatley for him, he had to subdue someone outside suite 3, and the guy managed a shout before Izu could muffle him and bind him. He pulled the heavy upperclassman into a shaded area by some potted plants.

“Locked.” He carefully used his tools to unlock the door, where he found four victims in dog cages with “Key card access? Seriously?” He muttered. “Do any of you know where the key is?”

Grateful the hero-in-training asked one of the anticipated questions, the teen gave a scripted response. “The pink-haired one usually has it… I think she usually naps around now.”

“Okay. Hang tight, I will be back for you.” He calmly asserted his claim. Sneaking into the henchmen’s room was less eventful than anticipated. He swiped the key card and unlocked the cages. “Quiet, and stay to the shadows.” He led them to the garage. “Hide. I’ll be back soon; there is another hero here that I need to assist.”

He ran into Tsuyu on a sweep of the great room and terrace. She led one person to him. “I called for backup.”

“I have the leader’s name. But no group name.”

The tiny kid accompanying Froppy spoke up. “They’re the Pestilence.” They looked at him in shock. 

“Why didn’t I think of asking the victims?” Izuku facepalmed. “I left the others in the garage.”

“You found them?”

“I did. Four.” As they began to leave the terrace, they were caught with a cry of exclamation from someone on the pool deck.

“Run. We should have everything we need.” The trio booked it to the garage, dodging projectiles and beams of light from a quirk. Meeting up with the other four, the group escaped through the front gate as they were pursued by the villains. Outside, their homeroom teacher stood waiting with a phone in hand.

“What did you discover?” Izuku told him all the information they had gathered, including the extra from the study. “You finished with four minutes remaining. Anyone we need to help in there?” Izuku told him about the person he subdued and Aizawa disappeared into the place.

He returned with the teen. The four villains, five victims, and two heroes climbed onto a shuttle bus that the teacher drove to return to the main campus. Izuku leaned to his teammate. “I think we passed.” When she smiled at him, his eyes widened when he saw his animal appear on her cheek before hopping out of site.

Chapter Text

“It was so unfair! How were we supposed to be able to pass?” Mina whined to the class, waiting for their homeroom teacher.

“We still have the essay portion.” Kirishima tried to be optimistic. “Maybe that will be enough to pass?”

“That will depend on the quality of the essay and how close you were to passing in the scenario.” Aizawa blandly stated, startling the students who hadn’t noticed him lounging in the corner of the room. “I will review the groups and scenario topic; you will be watching the recording of your exam and one other of your choosing.” He turned to the board. 

Hostage: Iida, Koda, Hagakure
Bomb Threat: Uraraka, Bakugo, Sero
Natural Disaster: Jiro, Tokoyami, Todoroki
Drug Bust: Kirishima, Sato, Shinsou
Stolen Goods: Ojiro, Shoji, Momo
Information Gathering: Kaminari, Ashido
Kidnapping: Midoriya, Tsuyu

Izuku immediately began to scribble on a sheet of paper and murmur about which one he should choose. “Zuku, should I do yours?” Hitoshi asked him. He was genuinely curious. Izuku is always fascinating to watch. Then again, Bakugo up against a bomb threat? Ha! That could be a laugh. Then again, as a critique… Ashido and Kaminari don’t seem confident in how they did, which might make for an easy paper.

“Hm. I don’t know… I feel like we should watch each other and give feedback, but I also feel like it’s almost cheating for us? Since we’re so close we could just help one another. I’m thinking of doing the Drug Best or Stolen Goods… Do you think Dad will let me watch all of them?”

“Nedzu might require you to.”

“Fair. But yeah, I’m trying to avoid doing one with one our close friends. It’ll be more of a challenge.”

“Of course that’s what you’re wanting.” Hitoshi rolled his eyes. “You never could pick the easy way.”

Izuku spluttered. “Wh-, But!”

“You have fifteen minutes left to make your selection, or I will make the selection for you.” Aizawa announced.

Hitoshi wandered up to the front. “Kaminari and Ashido’s.”

“Interesting choice.” He watched the man write it down next to his name. “I’ll send you the file after class.”

“Thanks.”

Shouta smiled softly from his spot in the couch corner. He absentmindedly rubbed his husband’s aching feet (though at this point, what part of the two of them didn’t ache at least time to time?) and watched his boys, all three, work on their final essays. They were watching over video recordings on their laptops, pausing and rewinding often to get as many details as possible. Somehow the sounds of muttering and computer clicks had become a soothing noise for him, and he let his eyes flutter shut.

“Sho, let me.” He hummed as a response, not sure what his husband meant until his body was turning so he could rest his head on the blond’s lap. Long fingers stroked his long tangled hair and he drifted off again. 

A few hours had passed by the time he awoke. His husband still had one hand resting on his head, the other holding his book. One glance to the floor revealed two of his boys asleep - one on the coffee table, sprawling over his notes, the other curled around the side of the table on his side. Hitoshi made eye contact with him and rolled his eyes. He chuckled quietly. “I suppose I should get them to bed.”

His body crackled as he stood and stretched. He smirked at his husband’s longing stare at the exposed skin on his stomach. Leaning to kiss his cheek, he whispered, “Maybe later, hot stuff.” The blond covered a squawk that managed to not wake the boys.

“Right. I don’t want to know. I’m going to my room.” Hitoshi hugged them both before slipping into his room. 

Shouta nudged his husband and they each lifted a teen into their arms. Izuku immediately snuggled against his dad’s shoulder, and Shouto curled closer to Hizashi. They brought the boys to Shouto’s room and laid them on the futon, covering them with the blanket even if Shouto could self-regulate his temperature. Hand in hand, the husbands left for their own bedroom.

“Let me, Sho.” Hizashi repeated his words from earlier, hands running under his shirt. Shouta’s eyes shut as he sighed. He let his husband undress him until he wore only his boxers, and then he returned the favor. They kissed, unheated and unhurried. “Bed, my love.”

They climbed under the covers and turned off the lamp. Shouta pulled his husband in close, spooning him. He nosed the silky hair out of the way and placed scattered kisses on his shoulder. “I love you, Hizashi.”

“I love you, too.” Shouta hummed and gave the man another squeeze before letting himself drift back off. This was one of the rare few nights that he had few responsibilities to worry over and could let himself sleep as much as he wanted. They had one last school day in the morning with kids, then a staff development day before they began summer break.

“You will be getting your results via email within the next two days.”

“How will we know who gets to go to camp, then?” Kaminari asked.

“Everyone goes. Those who fail will have additional remedial lessons in place of any fun activities that occur.”

“We should all go to the mall, then!” Ashido announced joyfully.

“The mall? What for?” Hitoshi asked.

“Supplies! Fun!” 

“I think it sounds like a good idea.” Momo added. “It would be nice to see everyone outside of class, and I’m sure many of us need supplies for the trip. Even if we don’t know where it is at, we have been given a list of required and recommended items.”

Katsuki scoffed. “I have all of it already. I’m not wasting my time at a stuffy mall.”

“C’mon Kacchan! It’ll be fun!” Izuku pestered him.

Kirishima joined in. “Yeah, Bakubro! Even if you aren’t getting stuff for the trip, you can find stuff! I’m going to look for new weights!”

“I’m not going.” He crossed his arms. “I have stuff to do.”

Shouto looked conflicted. “When are you going?”

“Tomorrow would probably be good, right?”

“I won’t be able to go. I have plans for that day. However, I do hope you all have fun.” The boy spoke coolly, and if Hitoshi didn’t know him as well as he had, he wouldn’t have noticed the nervous hesitation when he said he had plans.

“What plans?” He leaned and whispered to Izuku.

“Mom’s taking him to see his mother. They got clearance.” He smiled. “He wanted to go alone. Well, besides Mom, of course.”

“So he won’t be joining us?”

“Nah. But that means you’re willing to go!” He beamed.

“Might as well. I think we need a couple of things.” He leaned back in his seat. “Dad has us pretty much prepared, but honestly I think I need a new swimsuit. Definitely sunscreen and bug spray.”

“Good point. I already asked Uncle Masaru about borrowing supplies - he and Kacchan go hiking and camping all the time.”

“Let’s all meet at the mall at 9am then!” Iida announced to the class, drawing the boys’ attention back to their peers. 

They were immediately recognized upon entering the mall as UA students. Hitoshi and Izuku hid behind their larger statured classmates to avoid the stares. Still, he wasn’t prepared for Hitoshi to be dragged off by Kaminari, who had apparently heard his comment about needing a new suit. He was left with Uraraka, whom he had gotten to know better with the extra training. They meandered for a little while, picking up bug spray and sunscreen - Izuku texted Hitoshi to let him know he bought it - before her phone rang.

“So sorry! I’m going to step out to take this!” She apologized and he smiled, encouraging her to go.

Izuku couldn’t help but glance around in awe at the mall. He didn’t really go - Hizashi would take him any time, but no one else in his family was particularly interested in such crowded places. He started to wander to a nearby bench when a deep voice called to him, asking for his autograph. The aggressive fan wrapped his arm around the teen’s neck, making Izuku extra nervous. The man continued his ramblings to mention Hosu and then referenced meeting him again.

His hand was on Izuku’s throat, one finger raised. “Why don’t we have tea for something, Midoriya Izuku?” He let himself be maneuvered to the same bench he was eyeing before with the underlying threat of the villain attacking the general public. He listened as the man complained about Stain and the lack of attention the LoV was getting; somehow, Izuku found himself explaining the hero killer’s ideology and what drew people to him, hoping that he was buying enough time for someone to notice.

Finally, Uraraka returned from her phone call and called out to him. “Midoriya?” 

“Uraraka! You’re back!” He hoped his eyes conveyed his message, but to his surprise, Shigaraki simply let him go. Still, he called to the man by name to make his classmate aware and asked what All for One was after. He didn’t get an answer, not that he expected to, but Uraraka was going to be most affected going forward. 

His throat was sore. Uraraka texted Aizawa and called the police; the mall was evacuated, but the villain was nowhere to be found. The two of them were driven to the police station to interview with Tsukauchi, and his dad was already there waiting. He sat with them as they gave their statements. Despite Tsukauchi’s reassurance that he did the right thing, it still grated at him. Why was I so useless? Did I end up helping him?

As they left, they saw Yagi approaching. “I’m sorry for what happened to you two. Are you okay?” After giving platitudes, he continued. “I have a meeting with Tsukauchi, but I am glad to see you for myself.” 

They dropped Uraraka off, and Izuku immediately cried into his mother’s arms when they got to his apartment. The two were comforted by Aizawa’s presence, his quiet strength. The man didn’t offer reassurances, but simply stayed by their side; it was worth more than any words.

“Rei, there’s someone here to see you.” Inko announced their arrival at her doorway. “C’mon, dear.” Inko watched the woman’s eyes fill with tears when her youngest son stepped into the room.

“Shouto.” 

“Hi, Mom.” 

“Can I hug you?” He nodded, and Inko stepped aside while they embraced. “I’ve missed you so much. I am so so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for. I’m sorry I didn’t come see you sooner.” The two sat on her bed while Inko busied herself at the small kitchenette. “A lot has happened.”

“Want to share?”

“I met my romantic soulmate.” Inko could hear the smile in his voice, though even without looking she knew it wasn’t evident on his face.

“You have?” Her eyes widened in shock and joy. 

“His name is Midoriya Izuku.”

“Mido-Midoriya? Inko! You never said anything about it!” She scolded her friend, who had turned to the duo with juice and a snack.

Inko laughed softly. “I thought it would be better to hear it from him.”

Shouto spent the first twenty minutes of his visit talking about how he met Izuku at UA. “Honestly, I was impressed by him when he stood up to All Might during class. Not to mention he’s Nedzu’s personal student. He’s so brave, Mom. At the USJ, he didn’t hesitate to help against the villains that invaded the place. And you saw him as the Sports Festival. He didn’t win, but he did really well. He really wanted to help me.”

“From what I’ve heard about him from Inko-san, that sounds like something he does all the time.”

Shouto gave a small smile at that. “He really does. He’s the type of hero I want to be.”

“I’m glad you found someone so special to you.”

“He’s not the only soulmate I’ve found.”

“No?”

“You know my parental soulmates?”

“The cockatoo and panther?” From birth, these symbols inspired hope in her more than All Might ever could.

“Yeah. They’re our teachers - Eraserhead and Present Mic.”

Rei smiled, heart breaking and swelling all at once. “They’re wonderful men. They’re good friends with Inko-san, and meeting them at the Sports Festival showed me just how lovely they are.”

“They have a room for me.” He whispered. “I stay with the Midoriyas or with them a lot. Endeavor… he tried to stop me, and they told him if he didn’t allow it, they’d take him to court for custody. With the soulmarks and his…” He stumbled over the words, “behavior at home, they would probably win.”

“Is that what you want?”

“I… I think so. They said they’ll wait until I’m ready.”

“I’ll support you the whole time. I’ve always regretted not being able to be the mother you deserve; I’m glad you have people in your life to love and care for you the way you should be cared for.” Inko knew how difficult it was for Rei to say this; it was something she admitted to spending a lot of time in therapy discussing.

“Mom…” His face fell when she raised her hand towards his face before dropping it to her lap. “I never blamed you. Not once.” He lifted her chilled hand and placed it on his scar. “It wasn’t your fault.”

Her eyes fluttered shut as she leaned her forehead against her son’s. “I hurt you. I hurt all my children in some way or another… but you were left with a permanent and public reminder.”

Inko had to interrupt. “Rei-san, remember what your doctor said.”

“In order to move forward, I need to forgive my past self.” She smiled at her friend and turned her gaze back to her son. “I’m trying. I’m getting better every day.” She took a deep breath. “Tell me about your finals.”

“I did well on the written exams; I’m in the top five again.” He chuckled. “Izuku placed above me, of course. He didn’t come first, but I think that’s because some of his finals were different than the rest.” The trio all smiled at the comment, but Inko wondered if he realized the way his voice dripped with pride when talking about her son. “We had our practical exams. We did simulations of potential events. I was partnered with my classmates Jiro and Tokoyami. Jiro has a sound quirk with enhanced hearing, and Tokoyami has a sentient quirk called Dark Shadow.”

“Oh, I remember them.”

“We had to rescue civilians from a natural disaster simulation. There was an avalanche and blizzard and we needed to get them all to shelter and safe for rescue services. We did really well; Jiro could find them based on the heartbeats,”

“They used actual people?” She exclaimed, interrupting Shouto.

“Other students, yes. They weren’t actually in danger of hypothermia or anything. There were 10 of them in various locations we had to bring back to our base. I used my fire side to help warm them on the way or move snow banks and used my ice to stabilize them. Tokoyami and Dark Shadow carried any that couldn’t walk. We passed the scenario.”

“That’s great.”

“We haven’t gotten our essay results back yet, but we had to analyze our situation and one that our classmates did. I watched Izuku’s…” He blushed a little when the two women laughed. “He and our classmate Tsuyu had to escape from being kidnapped while rescuing other kidnapped people.”

“Oh, wow.” Inko personally agreed. It had been difficult to hear about it when Izuku had come home that day.

“He did really well. They both did. Only a couple of classmates didn’t pass the practical, but we don’t know how close they were and if the essay will be enough for them to pass.”

“You all get to go to the summer camp, though, right?” Inko asked him, sure that Izuku had mentioned that… or maybe Hizashi. 

He nodded. “Most of the class is shopping for supplies at the mall today. Though the students that don’t pass apparently have to take supplemental classes while we’re there.”

“Oh, Shouta will make them regret not doing their best.” Inko laughed. The trio continued to chat, catching up on one another’s lives. 

Uraraka’s entire face scrunched in disgust as she swallowed one of Yagi’s hairs. “For now, just jog around the track. Let us know when you notice a difference in how your quirk feels.” Shouta instructed the girl. “Recovery Girl is on her way just in case for when we start to test it.”

“Okay!” She immediately took off around the track, sticking to a jog. They had been working on her endurance in addition to her strength during these sessions.

“Midoriya, may I ask you something?”

“What is it, Yagi?” Shouta subtly shifted his attention away from Uraraka.

“I actually wanted to request a favor from you.”

“Which is?”

“You are good with analysis. I… I don’t know how long I will hold One for All now that it has been passed on. My master died only a few months after passing it to me, though that was… not of natural causes. I would like to work on improving my body and health without a quirk.”

“Wouldn’t Recovery Girl or a doctor be who you should see about that?”

“For my health, yes. But I… I’m not ready to give up being a hero.” 

“I’ll think about it. I will let you know after summer camp.”

“I thank you. And, I am very sorry for how I’ve behaved towards you in the past. I don’t have an excuse; I should have been better. I am trying to be better. And I admire you and your courage and compassion for others.”

“Thanks…”

Whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by a flash of pink light and a scream. Uraraka had crumbled and her leg was horribly discolored. “Shit!” Shouta ran to her. “Did you mean to activate it?”

“N-no.” She held back a sob. “All of a sudden instead of a normal step, it was like I stomped into the ground and this happened!” 

Yagi had rushed outside in full form. He returned only a moment later with the Youthful Heroine in his arms. “She wasn’t too far away but I figured…” 

“Thank you, Yagi.” Shouta explained what the girl had told him. Izuku had come over and was summoning the stretcher bots so they could place his classmate on it with Recovery Girl’s approval. “At least you were only jogging and weren’t doing anything more strenuous.”

“What happened?” Uraraka asked for clarification, forcing herself to breath through the pain.

Izuku is the one who answered, bushy hair showing over where his face was practically pressed into his laptop screen. “From what I can tell from the cameras, the quirk spontaneously activated in your left leg. There was a pink blur… an excess of energy being released from the quirk, maybe. It was only wrapping around your left leg, so all of the power output was focused onto that limb and it activated during the moment both legs were off the ground so when you pressed down, the force did that,” he gestured to her mangled leg, “to you. The pressure was too much…” He noticed her confused face. “It’s kind of like how, if you step on someone’s foot, it hurts. But if you’re wearing stilettos and step on their foot, it’s extremely painful because all the pressure in moved to one point.” He waited for her to nod. “Things like regulation and stuff I’ll need to see more of the quirk at work for, but obviously not right now.”

“Obviously.” Shouta said dryly. “Please give us the full report when you finish examining her.”

“Of course. Now let’s get you to my office, dearie.” The old woman and the bots carrying his student left the area, and all three of those remaining released a heavy sigh. 

Yagi looked ashamed and embarrassed. “I… I am glad you made sure she was in a safe environment for this.”

“I’m not going to put my students in danger, Yagi.” Shouta pinched between his eyes. “Contact Gran Torino about today’s events. I’ll update Hizashi. I’m sure Nedzu already knows.”

“He does, and he said that he’s researching other manifestations of strength quirks that may have negatively affected a person’s body and what they were recommended.” Izuku peeped up from where he was still immersed in his computer.

“Right. There isn’t much else we can do for now. She’ll need time to recover, and there are only two weeks until camp. She will probably need 3 or 4 days for rest before light activity. I’ll send out a schedule once I have Chiyo’s input.” He looked at his son. “Izuku, go home. Get off the computer. Do something teens do.”

“Last time I did that, I was attacked.” He muttered grumpily, but he closed the computer anyway. Both adults flinched at his comment.

“Izu…” Shouta’s voice was pained, colored with the guilt he felt over what happened to the kid.

“Sorry, Dad. That was uncalled for. But I’m pretty sure Hitoshi and Shouto are busy, and Kacchan is doing his own thing.” He sighed. 

“What about calling Iida? You guys are soulmates now, right?”

“Yeah, ever since Hosu. But he’s not exactly a shining beacon of being a typical teenager.” He bounded up to the man and hugged him. “Love you, Dad.”

“Love you, kiddo. Now, shoo.”

Yagi felt a pang of longing watching the two and slipped out of the door to return to his empty apartment.

“Yeah, it really sucks! I’m cleared for light activity tomorrow, but Recovery Girl wants me to take it easy before camp.” Ochako spoke into her phone, doodling on a notepad while she chatted with her girlfriend. Learning about her soul-connection with Tsuyu had been electrifying and nerve-wracking. It was surprise, since after meeting the girl, she would have assumed that her soul animal would be a frog like her quirk, not the fierce komodo dragon that lounged on her skin. She and Tsuyu weren’t the only girl/girl romantic soulmate match in the class, either; Momo and Kyouka discovered their marks while changing in the locker room as well on that first day of class.

“What if we ask for a pool day at UA, kero? That would be light activity and fun. I don’t think Aizawa-sensei is going to give us a lot of free time for fun at camp.” Uraraka laughed and agreed, the girls texting Momo to organize the day for their class.

Ochako was running late. She had wanted to visit with Recovery Girl one more time before heading to the pool. She slipped into her school issued swimsuit and paused at the mirror before she left. Her lips fell into a frown as she looked over her body. She knew it was going to happen, but somehow she wasn’t prepared for the muscled teen in her reflection. She tore her gaze away with a shake of her head and exited the locker room.

She could hear the commotion from their class as she approached the poolside. Brown eyes took in the way many of the boys competitively played ball, how some classmates lingered on the chairs in sunglasses. Her arms crossed her stomach as it tangled into knots when she took in the cute bikinis that Momo, Toru, Mina, and even Tsuyu wore that emphasized their curves. Kyouka, even though she wore a tankini instead of a bikini, hadn’t arrived in a school swimsuit.

“Hey, Uraraka. Are you okay?” Fighting back tears, she looked to where Midoriya and, by extension, Todoroki approached.

“I’m fine!” She forced a smile on her face. “No Shinsou?”

“He’s hiding under an umbrella with Tokoyami.” Todoroki pointed to one of the shadier areas of the pool.

“It’s okay if you aren’t fine. How’s your leg?”

“Oh! I just saw Recovery Girl and she said that it’s all healed up! She still wants me to take it easy before camp, but otherwise all good.” She let her face fall. “I’m just… I feel self conscious, I guess.” She was finding it easier and easier to talk to the teen since they spent so much time after school together. 

“Why?” The boy sounded genuinely confused, and Ochako couldn’t help but let out a wet laugh.

“I stand out so much! All the other girls have these cute swimsuits… and here I am in the school one because it’s the only one I have. The other girls are all soft and curvy and I have these muscles and angles…”

“Most female heroes are fairly muscular unless their quirk doesn’t necessitate it. Mirko’s legs are super thick and muscly. If you actually look at her, Ms. Joke has defined muscles, too. Back in her prime, Recovery Girl also did. Sure, Midnight’s and Mt. Lady’s aren’t super noticeable, but that’s because Midnight’s quirk doesn’t require much hand to hand combat and she isn’t often in rescue scenarios whiel Mt. Lady’s quirk affects the way her muscles grow! You’re just ahead of the game in that way. All the girls in the hero courses will get more muscle definition as we go through the program.” He was gesticulating wildly while rambling, though his volume remained low for just the three of them.

“Let’s go shopping tomorrow.” Todoroki broke in, stopping Izuku’s rant.

“What?” Ochako blinked in confusion.

“Hizashi, my soul parent, loves to shop. I have access to Endeavor’s credit card. We can get you a new swimsuit or two or three… as many as you want.”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly use your money!”

Midoriya laughed. “He loves spending Endeavor’s money. Especially on things that would confuse the man. And he’s right, Hizashi loves shopping and has a good eye for fashion.” He paused. “Bring Tsuyu, too. It could be like a double date?” He hesitantly asked. Ochako smiled, and nodded in agreement before heading over to the other girls, contentment in her heart. 

Chapter Text

“Don’t keep me up. Even if you losers don’t care about proper sleep habits, I do.” Katsuki glared at Izuku and Hitoshi.

Even without his glasses, he could see the smile on the nerd’s face. “Of course, Kacchan! We’ll be quiet!”

“Like you know what that means.” He snarked before rolling over on the bed to face the wall.

He heard Izuku from his spot on the floor. “Goodnight, Kacchan!”

“Tsk.” He tried to settle in despite the rustling of blankets from the futons on the floor. Why must I be the one to host this shitty little sleepover? His parents had been quick to offer when they discovered all three boys and Yamada were going to I-Island. Inko had a rare overnight shift, ad his parents wanted the two pros to have one night together before the trip without kids (and Katsuki still wanted to grimace at the memory of his teachers blushing when his mom winked while making that comment).

Despite his efforts, Katsuki couldn’t sleep. He’d had trouble with sleep since his quirk came in; it was why he kept to such a strict schedule and routine when he did. He didn’t enjoy his routine being disturbed, and the two boys on his floor definitely disturbed his routine. From the sounds on the floor, neither of them could sleep either. One, Izuku probably, was turning like a rotisserie chicken while trying to get comfortable.

“Hey, Zu?” The rustling stopped at the whisper.

“Yeah?”

“Did you feel… drawn to Shouto? Before you knew?”

There was a beat of silence. “Maybe? I mean, even at the entrance exam, I thought he was attractive. But I’ve found plenty of people to be attractive before. And I liked talking to him and wanted to be his friend… but I’m not sure if there was a specific pull? Not that he was my soulmate. Though, I, uh, I definitely started to have a crush and hoped he would be but it’s not like I knew…” His rambling was cut off with a small smack. “Ow! Toshi!” There was silence again, and Katsuki took measured breaths. “Why do you ask?”

“I, uh, I think I might have a crush? Maybe? And I, um, I guess if I do, I’d want them to be my soulmate.” Katsuki heard the teen sigh. “I just… i don’t want to get attached, y’know? If they aren’t?”

“I get that. I’m lucky. Most don’t mee their romantic soulmates until their 20s.” The conversation petered out. After a while, the breathing of one of the two leveled out, and Kastuki was left to ponder on his own soulmark. The red pangolin wasn’t inactive - he saw it interact with his own mark often. He just wasn’t concerned. They’d meet when they met. He had other things to focus on until then.

Shouto laced his fingers through his boyfriend’s. His eyes were soft as he watched the boy excitedly ramble about features on I-Island. I’m so lucky. He couldn’t help but think it when he watched his soul animals play on his arms. His mother’s mark was more active now that they were communicating. He had his siblings, his soul-dads, Shinsou, and Iida all represented in addition to Izuku. 

“Everything okay?” Izuku interrupted his thoughts, head tilted to look at his face.

“Yeah. Just thinking about everyone…” He gestured to the animals on his skin. “I never thought I’d have this.”

Izuku beamed. “I’m sure it’s just the beginning, too! You’ll see!”

He laughed softly. “I like your optimism.”

“I’ve always thought I was lucky to have so many marks. I was born with five parental marks. Then I got yours, and then Kacchan’s. Then I met Hitoshi. Now, I have Iida and Uraraka and Tsuyu, too.” He paused. “They gave me hope when things were bad. I still don’t know who the lion belongs to… one of my parental marks. But I know that it means that there is another person out there who cares.” He glanced at their sleeping chaperone. “I feel a little guilty that Hizashi isn’t one. He’s really great.”

“He is. They both are.”

Please fasten your seatbelts, close your tray tables, and return your seats to their upright position. We’ll be landing on I-Island at 9:00am. The skies are sunny and the temperature is a balmy 75 degrees F. 

The boys grinned as Yamada woke and they prepared for arrival. They weren’t the only classmates on this flight, but only Momo and her guests were also in first-class seats. Shouto sighed. When Momo first mentioned going to I-Expo in the class chat, it had exploded. She had mentioned representing her family and getting to bring two guests; it was unsurprising that she chose Jirou and Hagakure. He admitted then that his father Endeavor asked that he represent the Todorokis and he would be bringing his soul parent and Izuku. Iida was representing his family, since his brother was not currently cleared for an international trip. Bakugo was given a pass for winning the Sports Festival and could bring a guest, so he chose Kirishima. Uraraka mentioned that she was given a pass for herself and her romantic soulmate. When they heard how many of the classmates were going, he and Momo worked together to pay for the remaining classmates.  They wouldn’t get to attend the pre-expo events, but they could still enjoy the main event this way.

“This is so exciting!” Hagakure announced once through security. The only two who hadn’t been on their plane were Uraraka and Asui. Whoever was sponsoring Uraraka had a private jet to bring them, and Izuku laughed when Shouto shared his conspiracy theories with him. 

“Izuku! Everyone!” Uraraka came running up in one of the outfits that Endeavor’s credit card had paid for, hand in hand with Tsuyu. There was another girl with them, a blonde he didn’t recognize. “Oh! This is Melissa! She attends the academy here and her father is one of the scientists on the island! She offered to show us around.”

“Let us check into the hotel and freshen up, then we would love a tour!” Momo suggested with a smile. “It shouldn’t take us too long, I don’t think.”

“Sure! We’ll wait for you guys in the lobby.” Shouto let Hizashi handle the front desk and lead him, Izuku, and Shinsou to their suite. He and Izuku would be sharing the queen bed, leaving Hizashi and Hitoshi the two twin beds. The teens took turns in the bathroom washing up while Hizashi waved them away to have fun. He told them he’d see them later at the reception (Shinsou had scoffed and mentioned he didn’t mind being left behind for that; Shouto smiled when the other two teased him for being like Shouta).

The entire group congregated in the lobby and Melissa gave them an apologetic smile. “I’ll show you all around the general area, but only those with passes can enter the expo early. However, there are some great cafes and some local businesses are hosting small events for guests who don’t have early access.”

The blonde led the group through the general area before they split into two groups - the ones with pre-opening passes and the ones without. It didn’t take long for Izuku and Melissa to chatter away about various inventions and when his boyfriend learned who her father was, he about melted in excitement. Shouto was more than happy to watch them converse and take in the improvements from the last time he had been on the island four years ago.

Hitoshi sighed as he watched his brother and his brother’s boyfriend split away to enter the Pavilion. He glanced around at the remaining group and slid over to the quiet ones. “Do you guys mind if I hang out with you? Izuku is my buffer for the extroverts.”

Tokoyami nodded. “Revelry in the dark.” Hitoshi blinked, then shrugged. Good enough for me. 

Tokoyami, Kouda, and Shoji were content to wander the streets and see what the businesses had to offer the tourists. They occasionally passed some of their peers (it was easy to identify the voices of Ashido and Kaminari in particular. They sometimes saw Sero with those two, but other times he was with Sato and Ojiro trying various foods. As dinner time approached, the groups joined together along with his father to get a meal.

Hitoshi enjoyed listening to the various things the pre-opening had to offer his friends and classmates. Izuku couldn’t shut up, not that that was new, but the new girl - Melissa, he reminded himself, could keep up with her. His dad always could, and it was practically headache-inducing listening to the trio converse. Still, it was better than listening to Kirishima try to tame Katsuki’s temper, since he apparently set a record at a villain game until Shouto froze it over.

He followed them back to the hotel and watched as his three roommates dressed up for the reception. After taking a long, hot shower, he curled up in bed with the book he’d been reading recently and slowly slipped into a deep sleep. He didn’t hear the alarms sounding across the island, nor his father’s shout.

Chapter Text

Shouta missed his family while they were away. He had taken increased patrols and only ate at Inko’s insistence. Once his boys were back, however, he turned completely to all last-minute preparations for the summer camp they’d be attending. He and Vlad had to plan the training for each individual student and create lesson plans for the students who failed the exams. He had to make sure he and his boys were packed properly for what they would experience.

That didn’t stop him and Hizashi from embarrassing their boys; the two only had a few days together before separating again. The boys would groan and complain each time they stumbled across the couple making out in the kitchen, living room, hallway… Shouta would feel bad but their reactions were hilarious. Shouto would just blink at them, completely deadpan; Hitoshi would loudly gag and make comments about how gross they are; Izuku would blush and squeak and run away. 

The day came around that they needed to leave. Hizashi woke up before the sun to make breakfast for his family. Inko would drop Izuku and Katsuki off after she made the two breakfast, so it was just Shouta, Hitoshi, and Shouto that morning. The blond hummed as he made them their favorites. “Thanks, Pops.” Hitoshi smiled at him as he bit into his pancakes. 

“Thank you.” Shouto agreed, though he chose to eat the more traditional offerings.

Shouta kissed his cheek. “You’re the best, Zashi.” He poured a large cup of coffee.

“Eat some food, too.” His husband pestered him as they joined the teens at the table. After a filling meal, the teens did dishes while Shouta moved all their bags to the genkan. He paused in their bedroom and wrapped his husband in his arms. “I’m going to miss you.” Hizashi murmured against the other’s neck.

“I wish you could come.” Shouta’s eyes were closed.

“Well, next time have summer camp in a city or something with fewer bugs.” He teased, but his voice was melancholy all the same.

“Dad! Hizashi! We’re here!” Izuku announced as he and Katsuki came through the door. The couple pulled apart but kept their hands entwined as they left the room to join the rest of their family. It was time for a tearful Midoriya goodbye, and then everyone loaded into Hizashi’s too-small car, and they were off to UA.

“Alright, hellspawn, listen up!” Shouta stood at the front of the bus and called out over his nineteen students. All eyes were on him. “We’ll be making stops every hour. Get some rest.” He sat down and immediately chattering filled the bus. Their funeral. He smirked and closed his eyes.

It felt like minutes later that the bus pulled to a stop at a small pullout on a cliffside. The students gladly poured out of the cramped space, stretching and commenting on the beautiful view. Two heroes and a child got out of a car that had approached, and Shouta grinned as his students began to put together that something wasn’t quite right. Still, Izuku fanboyed over the cat-themed heroines. “Kitties that don’t make it to camp by 12:30 pm don’t get lunch!” 

Shouta instructed the bus driver to follow the car down to the camp, and he climbed into the back next to the sullen child. “Thank you for doing this.”

“I admit, Eraserhead, I was surprised by your request. It seems like an intense introduction to camp.” Mandalay commented from behind the wheel.

“They can handle it. It’s good training. Besides, they should be kept on their toes.”

“Vlad isn’t doing anything like this, though.”

Shouta snorted. “That man is particularly… traditional in his teaching methods.”

“Still, you two have done a good job planning out the training camp, even for last-minute changes.”

“We’re grateful you’re willing to accommodate us. With the villain attacks this year, these students will need to be moving faster through training than ones in previous years. We’re hoping to have them ready for the provisional license exam at the end of summer.”

“Already?”

“Unfortunately.” He sighed. “I wish they had more time to be children.”

The woman hummed in agreement. She briefly glanced at the boy sitting next to Shouta. “It seems they all grow up too soon.”

When they got to camp, Shouta took the initiative to unload his kids’ belongings. They’d be working hard enough, he could offer them this one kindness. He ingored the fact that he felt antsy without anything to do. He raised an eyebrow as Vlad’s class arrived, chipper and excited for lunch. “Where are your students, Eraser?”

“They’ve already started training.” He said coolly. “Maybe yours could help with food prep?” Much to 1-B’s chagrin, their teacher agreed, and they were set to work preparing lunch for their class and the heroes. As evening approached, Shouta’s students broke through the treeline looking worse for wear. The Wild, Wild Pussycats praised the teens for their time, though teased the group about how long it took them. Finally, the group was dismissed for showers and food, prepared by the heroes for the only night that trip.

After dinner, his students slunk into their rooms and dropped to sleep. He slipped into his small room and fell asleep to the faint sound of class 1-B. He would be waking the kids up with the sun, and he valued the sleep he could get.

Shouta drank his coffee as bleary-eyed teens made breakfast for themselves. He’d already had a small meal and set up the stations for his students. He’d forced the kids up and going before his colleague had even woken. So when Vlad brought his students, bragging about the upcoming semester being their time to shine, he smirked at the man and gestured to his already working kids. “Try to keep up.”

He took turns with Tiger working on students’ hand-to-hand combat. They had a fairly strict schedule. Quirk work in the mornings. Basic training in the afternoons; this involved a variety of skills - swimming, climbing, endurance, and strength. Vlad had the opposite schedule, allowing for adequate space for everyone to train. Shouta watched Izuku try to connect to Kota, Mandalay’s nephew during dinner, and his heart broke. It was always a possibility in their sphere of work, but he couldn’t imagine the pain his boys would go through if he or Hizashi didn’t make it home, let alone both of them. That night, after the kids had taken time to relax in the hot springs, he pulled his boys into tight hugs. “I love you.” When they looked at him oddly, he murmured. “I just worry sometimes.”

“Everything is okay, Dad. We’re fine. We’re here with you and the Pussycats and Vlad.” He kissed their foreheads and sent them to bed. Things were fine.

Chapter Text

Tsukauchi sighed over his supposedly calming tea. Toshinori winced a little and resisted the urge to shift in his chair. He didn’t meet the detective’s questioning look, choosing instead to stare into the depths of black tea. Finally, the silence was broken. “A heads up would’ve been nice, Yagi.”

“I told Nedzu.” It was a weak rebuttal, and he knew it.

“Nedzu doesn’t have to deal with the general public’s uproar over the number one hero retiring.” 

Yagi winced, his mind fleeting back to the press conference he’d held shortly after returning from I-Island. 

Yagi’s large form stood behind a podium. The room was crowded with press, noticeable even with the camera’s zoomed in position on the number one hero. “Hello, esteemed guests.” All Might’s voice boomed into the room, immediately commanding all attention and silencing the eager reporters and journalists. “I thank you for taking the time to attend this last-minute conference. I am sure many questions will be raised, but I will remind you that all questions will wait until the dedicated time. Anyone who is unable to respect this will be escorted out.” A small murmur shuffled through the crowd before the blond opened his mouth again. “I called this conference to announce my retirement from active hero work.” The murmur started again, louder, but was once again silenced by the domineering presence in the room.

“I’m sure some of you have noticed my reduced patrol time over the last few years. Unfortunately, as it does to many heroes, the time I have spent working for our beloved public has begun to take its toll on me. I was resistant to this change, but working at UA has reminded me to consider my priorities and the best way to serve you citizens. Moving from active hero work to reserve hero work will allow me to do this. Do not be alarmed, I am not leaving the field entirely! As a reserve hero, rather than patrolling, I will physically assist on arranged missions and provide consultation to active heroes. There are many wonderful heroes that have taken the stage in the last few decades that I have had the pleasure to work with. I can retire because I know that our country is safe in their hands.”

“By stepping away from active hero work, I can focus on my new position as a teacher to our future heroes - I can share my experience and help them become the heroes you all look to for safety. I have also been working on many philanthropic endeavors, and I look forward to being more than a financial aid for these efforts. More information on these charities will come soon, but I assure you that I am working to save people from more than just villains. I have been opening my eyes to the other types of injustice the citizens of this fine country face, and I shall work just as hard to fight these as I have fighting villains.”

“I know that many of you have not expected my retirement. However, it is time for me to entrust the peace of this country to our many fine heroes. I hope you will show them the same support that you have shown me during my tenure as an active hero.” The conference room fell silent. “I have allotted some time for questions. I’ll now open the floor.”

“It was long past time. You all were right about that years ago. I’ve found a successor. And I’m not the hero I used to be. Not just physically,” he added at the look his friend gave him. “I seem to have forgotten some important things; I’ve had a wake-up call. It’s time to dedicate myself to helping in a different way.”

“I’m not arguing that. I’m just saying that the abrupt retirement of the number one hero without adequate warning for the police or other heroes was a little impolite. We’re the ones who are dealing with emboldened criminals and upset citizens.”

“I had hoped that by retiring this way, it wouldn’t lead to such a power vacuum than if I had to retire due to fighting.”

“Do you really believe that will happen?”

Yagi set down the teacup. “All for One isn’t dead, like I had thought. I have passed on One for All; I need to preserve the strength I do have to fight him. I can’t put that on the shoulders of a teenager. If I don’t die in that fight, I doubt I’d come away still able to do hero work.”

The two sat in silence. “I understand. And maybe the unrest will last a couple of days and then fade.”

“That’s all we can hope for.”

Chapter Text

"Your father is a sadist.” Uraraka grouched to Izuku as they finished washing their dishes after dinner.

“Normally, I’d try to argue, but I’m too tired for that.” He groaned as he shifted closer to the brunette and slumped against her. 

“He won’t even let me use OfA.” She groaned. “It would be so much easier if I could.”

“You mean breaking your bones would be.” He teased her, but the concern was still audible. 

“Yeah, yeah. Stupid strength enhancer.”

Kaminari came bounding up behind them. “Guys! They have hot springs! We’re all going to go and get in before the other class!” The friends laughed but separated so they could get ready to relax for a while.

Izuku wasn’t very self conscious as he stripped and washed before heading out to the natural springs. He sort of forgot about all his soulmarks, until someone gasped while he was sinking into the hot water. “Midoriya! Bro! You have so many marks! That’s so manly!”

He blushed. “Thanks, Kirishima.”

“Wait! I recognize that one!” The redhead moved into his personal bubble, and Izuku resisted the urge to flinch at the larger boy’s proximity. “That one… that’s my romantic soulmark!” Izuku followed his finger to see a jackal nipping at his bunny, who thumped a leg in response. Kirishima pointed to his bicep, where said jackal was somehow lying aggressively.

“R-really?” 

Kacchan entered the baths. “What’re you doing to the nerd, shitty hair?”

“He’s soulmates with my romantic soulmate!” 

“Whatever.” 

“K-kacchan! You, um, you should listen to what he has to say.”

The blond tched but came over to the two. Izuku escaped the tight space by leaving to see Shouto and Hitoshi, who had just left the showers. “What’s so fucking interesting?”

“My soulmate! Midoriya has the jackal.”

“Jackal?” Kacchan’s voice was strained. 

“Yeah! Look!” He pointed again to his bicep, where his own pangolin had joined the jackal. Wordlessly, the blond lifted his own arm to show Kirishima the same pangolin and jackal on his skin. “Wow! That means!”

Kacchan shoved his hand over the other’s mouth. “Not so loud, dumbass! Let’s just… let’s just talk about it between us, first.” The other nodded and they slipped into a corner to sit and talk quietly.

“That was something.” Hitoshi commented.

“I wonder how many others will discover their marks in here,” Shouto said calmly, even as he held his boyfriend’s hand. 

The rest of the boys had filed in by now. Someone had overheard Shouto’s comment and soon, the teens were arguing about the benefits of comparing marks while they hung out in the onsen. Reluctantly, the trio joined in. Izuku and Shouto admitted to being romantic soulmates. “Shinso! You’re a cat!”

“Uh, yeah?” The teen looked over at Kaminari with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m a sugar glider! I think we’re romantic soulmates!” The blond beamed and Hitoshi shoved Izuku under the water for his comment (“Like father, like son! Two loud blonds!”). Before the end of the evening, the boys had learned that Kouda, Tokoyami, and Shoji were a trio of romantic soulmates. Ojiro admitted that he and Hagakure were soulmates. They shared their platonic marks, too. Many of the classmates had already become close enough to share marks. 

As they dried off and readied for bed, Izuku smiled. This camp was getting better and better. His brother found his romantic soulmate (who was a grade-A clinger), as did his childhood best friend. He gave his boyfriend a hug and slipped into his sleeping bag, falling asleep nearly instantly.

Chapter Text

He’d weaseled his way into Shigaraki’s good graces, somehow. Dabi sighed as he entered the bar again. Despite being the leader of the “Vanguard Action Squad,” he was still to follow the psychopath’s orders. I might only be a few years older than him, but I feel generations older. His scowl deepened upon hearing the haughty voice of the shapeshifter. The redeeming feature of this organization was Kurogiri; the man provided them with quality food and strong drinks and would even transport them to their rooms if they got particularly sloshed (not that Dabi let himself indulge to that extent, no matter how tempting). 

The AC cooled his skin, overheating from the summer heat, his quirk, and his perpetual long sleeves (an unfortunate necessity to hide his handful of soulmarks). He slumped at the bar and accepted the tall glass of water from Kurogiri. In one more day, their small group would be attacking the UA first-year’s training camp. His stomach turned, wanting to reject the soothing water, as he thought about who will be accompanying him.

Shigaraki grinned at him and crossed the room. “Our quest is set and objective clear, yes?”

“Yeah, yeah. Attack the kids, take the Bakugo kid in the confusion, yada yada.”

“Good. And bonus objectives?”

“Do we really need to review this, again? You could at least be grilling those morons,” he gestured at the people across the room, “instead of me.” He didn’t like some of who they were bringing along. Despite Shigaraki telling them to listen to Dabi, the man couldn’t trust they would follow directions.

“Whatever. Tomorrow evening you’ll lobby together.” The man continued along like Dabi hadn’t spoken. “You have eight players and the nomu in your party. Tora has a fetch quest of her own. Make sure she gets to touch one of those kitty cat heroes; if it goes well…” Dabi tuned him out while gulping back a drink. “And I’ve given them the kill list.”

Dabi made eye contact, or as close as possible, with Kurogiri and gestured for another drink. It would be a long night.

They stood on a cliff overlooking the forest belonging to the Wild Wild Pussycats. Tora complained about the lack of animals available to her, and the baby teen chided her for it. Dabi glanced at the six that had arrived - Spinner, a Stain fanatic who felt that the league would take up his mantle (despite all the evidence to the contrary); Tora, a Nomu fanatic and psycho; Mustard, a child with a quirk that Shigaraki liked and a lack of parental figures; Magne, a career criminal with a knack for quick-thinking; and the two he detested most: Muscular and Moonfish. Those two were nothing but bloodthirsty opportunists, and Muscular was impatient at the lookout, begging to be let loose. Dabi used a rehearsed speech to wrangle him for now. 

They slept through the day, waking before dusk to attack the students. Twice and Mr. Compress arrived during that time, and before he knew it, it was time. He and Mustard were tasked with making the forest a challenge to maneuver through by setting a blaze and circulating gas. Still, he slipped away as soon as he started a fire. Dabi tracked down Muscular, the one he worried about most.

The hulking figure was looming over a kid. Shit! Once he got closer, he saw it was the child of the heroes that Muscular had killed… and that man wouldn’t hesitate to end the little one. Dabi burst in front of the child, flames at the ready. If nothing else, I can always blame Shouto. He justified his lethal actions to himself and hissed at the child. “Get back! And cover your eyes.” The boy retreated into a cave not far behind them. Good enough. He turned on his “comrade” and grinned maniacally. “Nothing personal.” He dodged a superpowered punch and the scent of burning flesh assailed his senses. It was something he would never get used to. He didn’t let up until the only thing left of the A-rank villain was a mountain of charred flesh. “You can come out.”

“Y-you… you’re a villain!”

“Kind of.”

“You killed him!”

“He would’ve killed you.” Dabi couldn’t help but admire the spunk of the boy in front of him. He heard a teen’s voice calling out for a ‘Kota’. “Guess that’s your hero, huh? Before I go, give this,” he reached into a pocket on the inside of his trenchcoat, “to Eraserhead. He has to have it as soon as possible. That’s your job, okay? No one else. Eraserhead.” He turned to leave and check on the others.

“Why?”

“Don’t worry about it. Just deliver it.” He left, faintly hearing a hero student checking on the little boy.

Somewhere, a clone of him was harassing students and heroes alike. Twice claimed that the clones would act like they would (though the freak contradicted himself several times in the process), but he had become adept at figuring out what the man actually meant. Hopefully, that meant that the clone wouldn’t attack anyone in a particularly painful or lethal way and would only threaten to. No one had been around when he ordered the nomu to wander and intimidate the students but to only damage property.

He walked with a purposeful swagger, not as fast as he would like, but he couldn’t risk running into one of his ‘associates’ and appearing ruffled. As far as they were concerned, everything was progressing the way it should. He had two goals of his own: deliver a detailed message to Eraserhead and keep the (student) injuries to a manageable level. 

***

Midoriya had run to Kota’s hideout, worrying about what he might find. He was not prepared for a sobbing child and the still smoking remains of… something. Human? Bear? The concerning part was that there wasn’t anyone around capable of such a thing. He shook his head. “Are you okay?”

The boy nodded, tears still dripping. “That man… killed him. To protect me. He killed the man that killed Mama and Papa.”

“Could you describe that man for us later?” The boy nodded again, probably in shock. 

“He… he had a message for Eraserhead. He said it was important.” Izuku noticed the paper in the boy’s clenched fist. 

“Let’s get you back to camp as fast as possible. Eraserhead should be there, and it’ll be the safest place for you.” He lifted the child to his back and raced through the forest, encouraging the boy to periodically spray water to put out a small fire or help clear the path. Finally, he ran into his soulparent along a trail. “Eraserhead!”

Ignoring all formalities, the man wrapped him in a hug. “Are you okay?”

“We both are. But he has something for you.”

Kota handed the man the wrinkled note. “A scarred man gave it to me after killing….” He trailed off with a sob.

Alarm spread across his face. Izuku jumped in. “Muscular. He was dead when I got there… burnt.” A look of relief mixed with horror crossed the adult’s face in a flash, too quick for most to catch. He unfolded the note and his eyes moved over the page, panic clutching his heart. 

“Get him to the lodge. Stay there! I need to get to Mandalay.”

“But!” 

“Izuku, please. Stay there with Vlad.” Izuku could hear the desperation behind the man’s plea and reluctantly agreed. “You can protect Kota, okay?” His body drooped, but he agreed nonetheless. He ignored the pit in his stomach at the sound of his soulparent running into danger and forced his feet to move towards the building that he could almost see. The shaking of the child on his back was what motivated him to continue.

Muscular? Shit! And Dabi killed him… to protect the kids. Shouta moved quickly through the trees to deliver the message to Mandalay. There were villains in the clearing, a tall woman with an equally tall magnet and a lizard with more swords than reasonable to fight with. “Mandalay! I need you to send out a message! The students have permission to engage with villains! They want to take Bakugo and have a kill list of other students.” He left out the part where two of his sons and their soulmates too were on it. That terror he would keep for himself. He got close enough to be out of earshot of the villains. “Don’t seriously fight the fire user.” He heard her relaying everything through his head. 

With the immediate message sent, he focused his efforts on restraining the villains in the clearing. His quirk helped Tiger, but that woman was strong even without her quirk to aid her. He was poorly matched against the lizard, but he never let that stop him before. With the additional person, the three non-injured heroes were able to knock the villains unconscious and secure them. “I’m heading along the trail to collect as many students as possible!”

“I’ll join you,” Tiger stated, placing his injured comrade gently by Mandalay. 

“The students are smart, but they are first years.” He relayed information to the other hero as they ran. “Muscular is defeated, but there are some other concerning names on the list of people here; there’s Moonfish,” the cat-themed hero cursed, a sentiment that Shouta agreed with, “and a kid that makes mustard gas. There’s a guy who can clone others and one who can compress things into marbles. The one I’m worried about, however, is a girl who can shift into the shape of animals; it would be near impossible to know if she tries something.”

They ran into a handful of students wearing masks, courtesy of Aizawa’s top student. He applauded her quick thinking as they directed the teens back to camp. Still, they did not see the explosive blond that Shouta was terrified of losing. Images of the boy growing over the last several years flashed through his head as they maneuvered through the thick trees. Tiger stayed several feet off the path, still within shouting distance, to try to find any students who had tried to hide in the brush. They quickly reached gas, but within a minute, it dissipated. “Someone must have taken out the one that makes the gas!” Tiger called out. “It disappeared too quickly to naturally fade.”

A scream pierced the air. “I’m heading that way! Keep looking for the kids. See if you can locate the kid with the gas.” Tiger and he split, and Shouta headed towards the feminine scream. Vaguely, he acknowledged the familiarity of it. It had to be one of his kids.

Shouta found Uraraka and Asui fighting against a girl, except even as he watched she shifted into a large dog and bit at them. His eyes flashed and hair lifted off his shoulder and the girl fell from her quirk-powered leap. She glared at him and hissed. “Eraserhead!”

“Girls, head back to camp!”

“But, Bakugo!” Uraraka started, even as her girlfriend tugged at her arm.

“Camp! Now!” His eyes didn’t move from their target, who had already gotten up and was slowly stalking around the clearing. Suddenly, a loud cracking noise exploded down the path ahead, and Shouta blinked. He cursed as the girl immediately shifted into a small enough animal to escape into the bushes. He ran alongside the girls towards the giant glacier that had appeared. He didn’t even scold them. They stumbled upon Shouto fighting Moonfish, and the hero slid next to his son. “Status?”

“Bakugo disappeared while we fighting this guy. I don’t know how.” The ice was already cracking from the pressure of the knife-like teeth. 

“Shit. Shouto, take the girls back to camp. I’ll handle this.”

“I’m not leaving you.”

“Shouto, I’m not asking. Izuku is back at camp. I would feel a lot better if you were there with him. And hopefully Hitoshi, as well. I want all of you there. You, your classmates, everyone. You’ll be safer.”

“I can fight.”

“Then go and help protect your class. I can’t fight while worrying about you getting hurt, too.”

Shouto relaxed his position. “Come back safe.”

“Go!” Shouta shouted as the ice holding the villain fully shattered. His quirk came to life, shrinking the other’s teeth. He heard retreating footsteps and sighed. His entire focus shifted to the villain in front of him. Moonfish, one of the most demented villains he had read about; the reports had made even him nauseated. Thankfully, without his quirk, he wasn’t a match for the pro and was quickly knocked unconscious. “Fuck. I can’t just leave him restrained… his quirk is no match for any sort of restraint aside from quirk-cancelling cuffs and I don’t have those.” 

Footsteps thundered down the path behind him and the man turned, quirk on. He dropped it in relief when Tiger burst through the trees. “Eraserhead! The kids brought the gas one back to camp. I saw the ice and came this way.”

“Bakugo was taken during a fight. Probably by Mr. Compress. I knocked Moonfish out, but I don’t have anything strong enough to restrain him.”

“I’ll take him back to camp, we have some cuffs there. Go find your student.” They quickly traded off. Shouta ran down the path, hoping to find the blond before it was too late. His hopes were in vain when he saw the villains retreating through a portal. He fell to his knees and made eye contact with the scarred man. He could barely make out the words he mouthed. Kamino Ward.

Dabi went through the motions of binding the aggressive blond to a chair. Even as he woke from his short-lived unconsciousness, the boy fought back. “Knock it the fuck off!” The young adult scolded him loudly and as he adjusted the cuffs behind the boy’s back, he whispered in his ear. “Seriously, I’m trying to help you, but I can only do so much while they’re around.”

Dabi finished his task and went to get a drink from Kurogiri. He had seen Hitoshi in the woods, and he’s pretty sure his brother saw him. His heart burned with the pained expression that crossed his brother’s face. He never wanted Hitoshi to hurt. He never wanted to hurt Shouto, either. He wanted to protect all of them. 

He glanced at the fuming teen in the bar with him. I gave them as much information as I could. I told them about the members and I think Eraserhead understood me at the end. They’ll come and get the kid and everything will be okay. Dabi gulped down the entire glass of burning liquid in self-loathing and settled into a booth with his eyes closed. He wouldn’t sleep; not with Hitoshi’s friend there. He had to protect the boy from any particularly stupid ideas the others might come up with.