Work Text:
Shouta's weekend had started off rather typical. He'd signed off on his students' visits home, finally gotten some much needed sleep, and now nearing midnight, he had sitten down to start grading homework.
Hizashi would say this particular habit played a role in his insomnia, and try to pull him to bed, but Hizashi wasn't there, now was he?
He was halfway through Kaminari's paper, getting closer and closer to tearing his hair out. The boy wasn't stupid, the fact he was regularly top of the class in English proved that much. He might need his ADHD medicine readjusted, it had been awhile, Shouta thought. He'd make a note.
A knock at his door stopped him from sending a text on the matter to Nedzu.
There was no reason someone should be knocking. Hizashi shouldn't be home until the next day, and the Hell Class wouldn't bother him at this hour for anything short of an emergency.
Something they would classify as an emergency.
So nothing short of imminent death.
Shouta sighed, and stood up.
"What have you done now— Midoriya?"
Midoriya stood there, shaking like a leaf. He had his arms wrapped around himself like he was either trying to comfort himself, or trying to hide just how much his hands were trembling. He was supposed to be home for the weekend, what had he gotten himself into?
"I— I didn't know where else to go, Sensei."
Shouta frowned. His Problem Child had been crying, not an unusual occurrence by any means, but something seemed off. "Sit down and tell me what's happened," He said, leading him into his apartment.
Shouta moved the papers, and motioned for Midoriya to sit.
"Weren't you supposed to be at home this weekend?"
"Yes, Sensei, I just got here."
"The gate won't open past eight."
"I jumped over it."
"You— of course you did. That doesn't explain why you're here, though."
Midoriya froze up. His mouth was set in a tight line, and he was breathing through his nose in a pattern Shouta knew Hound Dog had taught his class after the USJ.
"Midoriya, was there a villain, or did something happen at home? Are you safe?"
"No, yes, I don't know," Midoriya said, before realizing what Shouta was implying. "Not that— Mom would never— Mom..." He let out a sob.
Shouta moved to comfort him, telegraphing his movements just in case, but Midoriya didn't move away. If anything, he melted into the side hug.
"We had ordered take out and were watching a movie. She had got a promotion. We were celebrating, and— and then—" He squeezed his eyes shut, and his breaths began coming quicker.
"Hey, breath with me," Shouta said. He began to take exaggerated breaths for Midoriya to copy. It took awhile, but eventually he was breathing at a normal pace again. "I have an idea of what you were saying, but I do need confirmation. I'm not going to make you recount it, but would you be able to nod if I ask you a few questions?"
"Y— yes, Sensei."
"Okay. Midoriya, did something happen to your mother?"
A nod.
"Did she get in an accident?"
He shook his head.
"A medical problem."
Midoriya nodded.
That narrowed it down, and with how Shouta's Problem Child was acting, it wasn't something minor. "Was it a heart attack?"
Midoriya frowned. "I— I don't know. They didn't tell me. She was dead when they got there, and I— I was preforming CPR. I tried. I tried so hard, Sensei." His voice was shaky and barely above a whisper by the end. Then he surged forward, and Shouta had an armful of sobbing teenager. "She's gone. She was all I had left, Sensei."
Shouta found himself running his hand through Midoriya's hair. He didn't tell him he was sorry, or that it would be okay. It would be eventually, but no one wanted to hear the empty platitudes at times like this, and the kid would have quite a few in his future.
"What do I do?" Midoriya asked.
Shouta let a breath out of his nose. It was a logical question, albeit not one with a simple answer. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Will I have to go into foster care?"
"It would be illogical to entirely rule out the possibility, although it probably wouldn't be hard for Nedzu to petition for UA to take over your guardianship."
Midoriya nodded, mulling it over. It wasn't as if he had any other options, legally anyway. "Okay."
"We can talk to Nedzu tomorrow. This is something we need to get sorted out sooner than later."
Midoriya gave Shouta a weak smile. "Thank you."
"Of course, Problem Child."