Chapter Text
Eri
Eri woke up every day with an unbearable ache in her body. She had bandages around her arms and legs pretty consistently from ages two to six.
Living with Overhaul was quite possibly the worst thing that could ever happen to a person.
The pain of having your body used, and torn apart, and put back together was so regular in her life, she was starting to wonder if she remembered ever not being in pain.
She woke up every day to candid suffering. Every. Day.
Or, well, she used to. Then she crashed into a hero with a long grey thing around his neck. The man asked who she was, where her parents were, was she okay? No, no, no she doesn't know! His hand came close, and all she saw was her captor.
"Now you know… you can't go around bothering the heroes," Overhaul's voice drifted through the alley, and onto the street, with a steady confidence that only a man of his caliber could possess. Eri's trembling picked up speed. His voice meant pain, "I'm sorry about my daughter, hero. She plays pretty rough, and gets hurt a lot.
"Well, I'm sorry too. For bumping into her."
"I've never seen you around, hero. What agency do you belong to?"
"Please don't go…" Eri whispered to the hero, grabbing his costume, and the end of his grey scarf thing.
The hero stiffened, just a little. His hands went from her shoulders to her back, comforting her, "Your daughter seems frightened," he said gruffly. Who was he?
"That's because she got scolded."
"It's unusual for a child to be trembling like this, especially without noise." Eri didn't want to go back to him. Maybe she could get away from him today. "What are you doing to this girl?"
Overhaul was quiet for a moment, with the tension on the sidewalk increasing rapidly. The next moment, when Eri was sure he'd start brushing it off, he sighed, "You heroes really are sensitive to the little signs of others… I suppose it can't be helped."
The hero stood, taking her with him down the alley, following Overhaul.
"Recently I've had problems with Eri. She just keeps defying me no matter what I tell her. Do you have kids, hero?"
The hero looked cautiously at her, like he was worried for her, and looked angrily at Overhaul, "Yes. I have three."
"Then you must know the struggles of trying to protect them," Overhaul said strongly, pulling off his glove, "I have to do this to you now. I hope your kids know you loved them."
Eri wiggled in the hero's hold, trying to escape so this hero doesn't die. He had three kids at home, he couldn't just not come back.
Eri was halfway back to Overhaul when her captor lunged at the hero anyways. Eri wanted to scream, but she couldn't.
But when Eri thought the Hero would die, he didn't. Instantly he had Overhaul wrapped in his soft grey thing. It looked tougher than it did a little bit ago, and Eri noticed his hair was floating above his head, and his eyes were red, like her own.
The hero continued to keep his eyes open, staring at Overhaul, while Eri hung back. What was happening?
Was she actually going to escape today?
Not likely. Overhaul always escaped, and took her back.
"I need someone to come pick this guy up. Child abuse, attempted assault, and threatening a pro hero." The man that captured Overhaul spoke into his phone, with his hair falling back onto his shoulders when he closed his eyes, "tell the detective to bring the papers. He knows which."
The hero leaned forward, to do something to Overhaul, but Eri recognized the bumps on his arms. If he touches him, he'll be seriously hurt, or worse. So she did her best to prevent it, "No, don't touch him!" She stepped in front of the hero, with Overhaul's bound and gagged body behind her.
"Kid, I'm going to restrain him. You don't have to do what he wants anymore." The hero said calmly, looking at her with eyes that promised to protect her. But he can't do that if Eri can't do the same right now.
"That's what he can do. See? The bumps," Eri explained, getting worked up about it, stopping the hero from getting closer, "He can make you die."
The hero looked at his arms, saw the bumps, and Overhaul's devious smile, "Okay, so let's just do this," he said, making his hair float again. Instantly, the bumps on Overhaul's arms receded, and the hero put new cuffs on his wrists. When his hair fell yet again, the bumps stayed gone.
"Now he can't hurt you," the hero said, smiling politely at her. This man was scary. But in a good way. Eri didn't know if she'd ever had a positive interaction with a scary person before.
She clung to the end of his scarf thing, and his shirt sleeve, but the hero didn't seem to mind. He seemed to notice that Eri didn't like silence, and filled the air with endless chatter. Eri sat on the edge of the street, with the hero poised above her, still standing. Overhaul was so quiet, with the duct tape the hero put over his mouth, Eri almost forgot he was there. Almost.
She was getting sleepy.
Eventually a whole bunch of cars swarmed the area, pulling her away from the soft lull of sleep, and the Hero stopped leaning on the building, and motioned for the two of them to go over there together. Overhaul remained on the ground, cringing and shuddering at the grime.
"Eraserhead," one of the men greeted, stepping out of the car, "he's over there."
The hero looked at one of the other cars, where a man with a brown hat and coat stood with a few others, pointing around the streets.
"Tsu," said the hero. What had that man called him? Eraserhead? "Wonderful to see you."
"You could be more obvious about your techniques, you know that, right," the man sighed, pulling off his hat and running a hand through his hair, "'he knows which ones', come on man, I'm not saying stop adopting kids, I'm saying stop involving me!"
Eraserhead motioned to Eri, standing behind him, still holding his scarf. When the man looked, he gasped, "That is the cutest child I've ever seen. Where is the man that did this to her?"
"Over there," the hero pointed, "Sansa's got him."
The man looked behind Eri and the hero, and choked, "E, do you know who that is?"
"No. Should I?"
"Yes!" The man shouted, startling Eri, "That's Chisaki Kai! The leader of the Shie Hassaikai! Night Eye and the police station in Shizuoka! And you just caught him?"
"I mean, it wasn't hard. The guy sucks at hand to hand, and I had him caught in less than fifteen. You know how I get with kids," the hero shrugged, "did you bring the papers?"
"I did." The man said. Eri had no idea what was going on, now, "Did you know I have an entire desk drawer dedicated to you and your bullshit?"
"Aww, that's sweet. You shouldn't swear on duty. It's a bad look," the hero scolded playfully. Seriously, what was Eri supposed to be doing?
"Said the most foul-mouthed man I've ever met," the man retorted, "on and off duty."
"Last I checked, that's part of why we're friends," the hero replied, stopping the conversation and looked at Eri with that same calming look, "do you have any family?"
Eri shook her head. She never heard much about her family, or who she was before she was kept in the compound. The hero's eyes widened with sadness, or maybe protective rage. Again, that scary feeling came back.
"Do you have a name?"
She nodded slowly, "I'm Eri…"
"Would you like to come home with me, Eri?" He asked, "If it doesn't work out, I can set up somewhere else, but I'd like you to have a safe place until then."
"Okay…"
Eraserhead took the offered papers from the man in the coat, and asked Eri to come with him.
He called out to the man that he would pick up an extra shift to make up for it, but he'd be taking Eri home. The man, the detective, Eraserhead's friend, gave him a thumbs up, and a wave. Then he turned back to some of the officers, and got back to work.
On the way home, Eraserhead spoke to her of his kids, and their ages. She would be the youngest in the house, by far. It made Eri sad to realize that she didn't know exactly how old she was. She just guessed that she was around six. According to Eraserhead, that made her ten years younger than his other kids. Why he said "other", she didn't know, but she didn't particularly care.
Eventually, he paused the conversation, and pulled out his phone. He showed Eri pictures of his three kids, in matching outfits. They were all smiling, "We have to call them, to let them know you're coming. So I'm going to do that, okay?"
"Okay," she whispered. She was still holding the end of his scarf, and his hand. But he had his other hand, so Eri didn't give it back.
"Hey!" He said into the phone, lightly squeezing Eri's hand in comfort, "Are your brothers there, Izuku?"
"Yep! Katsuki's making cookies, and Shoto is under the table again."
"You're rubbing off on him," Eraserhead chuckled, "Can you get them?"
"Of course!" The voice said, "KATSUKI! SHOTO! DAD WANTS TO TALK TO US!"
"Smooth, kid," Eraserhead sighed, "You all there?"
"Yeah we're here," a gruff voice, deeper than the first replied, "You're supposed to be on patrol, are you okay?"
"Better than okay, Katsuki, I have a surprise you all," Eraserhead said into the phone, giving Eri a wink and a pleasant smile, "Make sure everyone there is prepared to meet someone."
"It's just us. Da-Tou went out with his little birdie, Lavender went home, and Hizashi left for a radio emergency," the first voice that Eri assumed was Izuku said, "So who's this someone?"
"You'll meet her soon."
"Okay, so it's not a boyfriend." Katsuki said. Someone Eri believed to be Katsuki, but she wasn't quite sure.
"Wait, who's out with Hawks?"
"Da-Tou." Izuku replied.
"Why do you call him that?" A third voice asked, small, and almost inaudible.
"Da-Tou. Dabi plus Touya. It's clever, Shoto." The first voice said. Names were very confusing.
"Alright, well I'll be home soon," Eraserhead mused, smiling at Eri again, "Don't destroy the house."
"You mean more than it already is? Izuku blew something up." The tough, deep voice said.
"IloveyousomuchI'llseeyouwhenyougethomeokaybye– KATSUKI!"
And then the phone call ended.
Eri spent the rest of the fifteen minute walk completely silent. She held onto Eraserhead's hand the entire time, listening to him talk about her new siblings, and their personalities. He assured Eri that she would get along fine with them.
He told her that they would love her, and are completely respectful of boundaries, and limits. They're carefree, and peppy, but boundless and hoppy. They're high energy, so Eri would probably get along the best with Katsuki, but Eri didn't care. These people that her savior loved so much were instantly special to her.
She couldn't wait to meet them.
Shoto
Having two– three– four brothers was strange. Shoto was sure it would stop after Touya's death (or undeath, because he was still alive) but then Endeavor got exposed all because Fuyumi heard distantly that he would be restarting training, and everything changed. He was whisked along to the Aizawa's house, his two new brothers, and that rounded to four (three, because at the time Touya was "dead").
He remembered the revelation with crystal clarity, even after the long month since it happened.
"No…" he said slowly, "call me Touya. It is my name, after all.
The world came to a halt after that. Hizashi's cup clattered on the ground, his dad stopped making any sort of noise, Izuku stopped moving, and stared at Dabi (Touya?). And Shoto… how long would he have lived near him without knowing? How long would he have kept it from him? In an instant, Izuku was hugging his side, leaning against Shoto, and allowing their warmth to travel through him, to comfort him.
Was this just some big reveal? Was Dabi ever going to tell him if they didn't introduce him to the family? Was Shoto just supposed to live without the knowledge that the brother he mourned and cried for for nine years was still alive? Shoto didn't know if he could handle having those answers.
"Are you really Touya, or are you just saying that?" Shoto asked bitterly, "because if you're joking you're a terrible man, and I'd like you to leave my home."
"I'm not joking, Shoto. I was born a Todoroki," Dabi replied, wincing as he sat up, "And I'm so sorry for hurting you when I left."
Shoto could not handle that. His dear eldest brother died, but he didn't. It wasn't fair that Shoto mourned him for so long, and he was just out there. Free. He didn't have to deal with Endeavor. He didn't have to deal with training. He didn't have to deal with Shoto.
He stood. He walked. He walked out of the house. He walked, and walked until he was right in front of the old Todoroki Estate. There were cobwebs, now. All Might's catchphrase, his mother's encouragement, and the distant sounds of shouts in his memory gave Shoto some unwanted thoughts. He used to belong here.
This very house is where Touya left him that night. He said "I'll be back, Shoto," and Shoto had been five. He had been five years old when Touya promised he would come back, and he was sixteen when he finally did. And it wasn't even because he wanted to.
He didn't want to be here. But this is where his mind and body took him, so he wandered the abandoned halls. He didn't know what for. He could have sworn he saw apparitions of Touya, red hair turning white, and a much younger Shoto, five years old, then three, two, and then an infant. Eight year old Touya cradled him (her?) in his arms, promising the baby the world.
The world was terrible. Shoto wasn't sure he wanted it anymore.
"I'll protect you, Shoto."
He couldn't tell if that voice belonged to his brother now, since his Quirk majorly affected him. He didn't even recognize the man.
"I'll protect you, Shoto." The voice said, closer. Distinctly young.
He wasn't sure if he could even call him his brother, now. Their childhood bond was gone, just like the good memories that fade with age.
"I'll protect you, Shoto," said a new voice, raspy, "That was one of the last things I said to you, before I turned and never looked back."
Shoto turned, and there he was. Dabi. He supposed it was Touya, now, but he wasn't ready yet.
"I meant that, back then," he continued, "I still mean it now. I was never a villain for personal gain. I was doing it for you. I was going to send Endeavor somewhere he could never hurt you again."
"He hurt me anyway," Shoto said, "I can't exactly believe that you mean no trouble. You always were a liar."
Dabi nodded, walking towards the edge of the deck, and swaying his feet, "Do you remember when we would count the stars? Name the constellations?"
"Yes," Shoto replied, sitting down next to his lost family, "If I remember correctly, I was way better at it than you."
"You were four, I was twelve. I think that you think you were better," Dabi chuckled, "Doesn't mean you actually were."
"It's perspective." Shoto replied.
"How old were you? When did you realize the trans bit?" Dabi asked.
"Nine. Endeavor wasn't the best about it, but Fuyumi was nice. Natsuo was just proud of me."
"I was proud of you," Dabi sighed, tilting his head back to see the stars, obscured by looming clouds, "I didn't hear about it until I saw you during the sports festival, but when Present Mic introduced you as the trans flag hero student, I knew, and it made sense."
"You didn't come back. Even then," Shoto hummed, leaning forward on the deck, leaning over the side, to see the empty courtyard. Shoto had never noticed it, but there was an old ball tucked away under the wooden boards. It looked like a soccer ball.
"I know… and I know I should have. I figured after the UA attack at the beginning of the year, you wouldn't want to see me."
"Were you involved in that?" Shoto asked calmly.
"Well, no, but I figured since I have been involved in the League shortly after that, and everything I did to you before, you wouldn't want to see me," Dabi muttered, "So if you want me to stay away from your home, that's fine, just say the word, and I'll go into hiding, and–"
"Stop, please," Shoto interrupted, "You're being irrational."
"Oh, is that word important to you now?" Dabi asked sarcastically. He knew he wasn't supposed to respond to it, or risk being laughed at because he took the joke too seriously, but when did he ever do things the way he was supposed to?
"I'll have you know that's it's not, but your incessant muttering is getting on my nerves," Shoto grumbled, "If you're going to keep wallowing in your deep pools of self pity in the ashes of what our childhood was, be my guest, I'll just find somewhere else to question my life."
Dabi chuckled, neither making any move to leave, nor restarting the conversation, until, "So, you don't want me to leave?"
"I don't want not want you to leave. You can stay, but I'm not sure if you're my brother anymore. Is Touya dead, and Dabi the phoenix, or the other way around?"
"Well, considering my approach to villainy thus far, and the name I chose for that being Dabi, I'd say let the bitch die in a fire," Dabi said, scooting closer to Shoto, and initiating some kind of awkward side hug, "Ironic, right?"
"I suppose."
"Good," Dabi said, leaning back, and laying down on the dusty wood of the deck, "wanna count the stars with me?"
"I'm still better at that than you are."
"Keep dreaming."
They stayed there for hours, watching the stars sail across the sky as time marched slowly, endlessly forward.
It must have been nearing the early hours, not quite morning, not quite night, when they finally got up, and dusted themselves off. True to his word, Shoto actually was better at naming and locating the stars.
Eventually, though, they started to head back.
"I'll lead the way back home, Touya."
Shoto teared up when he thought about it. It had been a month since Touya finally came back for him, and they were growing closer every day. He was back to being Touya, Shoto's older brother, but to Izuku and Katsuki he was not. To them, he was more like that weird cousin that nobody hates. He got brownie points for being close to Shoto.
The two of them went out pretty regularly, either with the other scattered Todorokis (and future Usagiyama, congratulations Fuyumi), or by themselves. They talked about everything and nothing. Shoto's least favorite topic was crushes, but only because Touya found out he was gay, and wanted to know who he was gay for. His 'no one, boys are just pretty' argument only lasted a week, though, until Touya caught him texting Sero.
Sero. Tall, effortlessly handsome Sero. Maybe one day.
Present day, his dad had a surprise for him and his siblings. Izuku (bless their soul, because he needs the blessing) anxiously washed the walls of soot from the explosion just in case their dad was actually angry about it. Hopefully, for Izuku's sake, he was too excited about the surprise to remember what Katsuki accidentally told him.
The door opened slowly, almost cautiously, and when Shoto peeked around the corner of the kitchen there was…
A little girl?
Shouta
It was supposed to be a clock-in, clock-out patrol, slow, monotonous, boring. Then the most bizarre thing happened. A little girl tumbled into him, and hit the ground with a yelp.
Maybe it wasn't all that uncommon, because no one even batted an eye, but to Shouta it was one of the weirdest ways he had ever encountered a child.
Taking this girl away from her abuser was one of the greatest pleasures in life. Helping kids. That's what he signed on to do, and that's what he had already done. Numerous times. Izuku, then Katsuki, and Shoto (who had officially been adopted about two weeks ago), and now Dabi had shown up, and now Shouta was attached. He didn't adopt him, because he was twenty-four, but he was part of the family now, and called himself Aizawa Touya, which Shouta really didn't mind.
But Shouta was so excited for his kids to meet little Eri.
The child was shy, maybe scared, but Shouta could see her trying to put on a determined face for the occasion. Not smiling, though.
He wondered how long the kid had been trapped with that apparently important big-shot villain. Hopefully for less time that Shouta had a feeling of, but it wouldn't be helped if it had been years. All he could do was help her heal now that she was safe.
He also wondered how she would adjust from likely being alone for years to suddenly living in a house with four other people, and ten semi-regular visitors. Hopefully she'd learn to trust them all at some point. Judging by her white-knuckled grip on Shouta's scarf, and her other hand in his, she had a good first impression with him. If he could take a guess, she'd probably attach herself to Katsuki, the least energetic kid in the family. In terms of chaos, it was Izuku in first place, then Shoto, and Katsuki after that. Shouta wasn't sure where Eri would fall on the roster, considering her fearful approach to doing anything beyond protecting herself, but Shouta could tell. She was a lot like Katsuki.
Maybe Shouta was a little worried about his kid's influence on others, because of the level of freedom he's given them, but the house isn't unsafe. Just weird. Most people thought weird was weird, but Shouta and his family thought weird was cool, and embraced it. Katsuki enjoys cooking, true crime, and history, Izuku's love of weapons and anything that has to do with explosions, and Shoto having known hobbies in reading (novels or manga, it didn't matter to him as long as it was fiction), and painting.
He could go on all day about his kids, and likely will. He spoke of them to Eri, on the walk back home, and it seemed to soothe her, to know what to expect. Shouta could also tell that she didn't like silence, but that was good, because the Aizawa household was never quiet, except in the little hours of the morning, and even then, Shouta could hear Izuku tinkering away with a few non-lethal objects that Mei gave him, up in the attic. The kid's insomnia was being treated, but he was still a night owl, and not an early bird. He very much did not enjoy mornings, unlike Katsuki and Shouta. Shoto also disliked watching the sun rise.
Shouta remembered the threat Izuku gave him when the kid first came to live with him. 'Don't interrupt me, I have knives'. He'd never gotten around to asking if he did, but it was never brought up again, so Shouta just assumed it was empty.
He thought about those things, and talked up the house and its persons to Eri as they finally entered the neighborhood that held the house and its memory. Eri marveled at the house, and it's wonder, likely being so different from what she's used to. A cold, uncaring, hostile compound was so much worse than a loving home and family.
Shouta had never encountered a kid that didn't like the Aizawa house (because it was more family-oriented and loved that the Ebina Estate had ever been to him), but there was a first time for everything, so Shouta hoped introducing her to the people that he regularly associates himself with would go well.
He motioned for Eri to open the door, in case she would like the experience of opening the home to herself, but she seemed to hesitate. She looked at the door, then Shouta, then her hands, both of which held something. Eventually, she decided, and put the end of his capture scarf in his other small hand, so both his hand and his weapon were still being held, and she could open the door.
Immediately, when the door swung open, she retracted her hand, and his behind Shouta. Maybe someone had waited for them at the door, and they startled her.
So Shouta pushed the door open, and led her into the threshold. He was about to remind her that she should take off her shoes, but he noticed she was barefoot, and he felt bad for having her walk instead of offering to carry her. Maybe that wouldn't have ended well, though.
He took his shoes off, and walked slowly into the open area of the ground floor. All three of his kids were in the kitchen. Katsuki was baking something, Shoto had yet another book, and Izuku was chattering endlessly with them, not caring that Katuki wasn't following, and Shoto wasn't listening. Shoto, being the closest to the door, was watching Shouta and Eri walk slowly into the house.
"Hello, everyone," Shouta said calmly, quietly, "this is Eri."
Shoto stood up, and walked around the kitchen to greet her properly. Eri leaned back into Shouta's leg, but that was fine. This was a completely new experience.
Katsuki and Izuku followed shortly after, and they were all completely silent, until Katsuki stepped forward. The most mellow, but the most outgoing, "My name is Aizawa Katsuki," said his eldest son.
"Aizawa Izuku," Izuku chimed in. They were all speaking pretty quietly, and Shouta wasn't entirely sure what it was about.
"And Aizawa Shoto…" Shoto spoke up from behind the other two. He had put his book down on the counter, to greet the (hopefully) new Aizawa.
"...Why do you have the same names?" Eri asked curiously.
"It's a family name," Shouta explained, "So it will be your name if you want to stay here."
"My name is Aizawa?" She whispered. She didn't seem to fully comprehend the concept, but that's okay.
"Your name will be Aizawa Eri if you want," Katsuki smiled at her, trying to persuade her to let go of Shouta and joining them elsewhere. It would be kind of nice to have his hand back, but he wasn't about to ask her to stop.
Eri wasn't easily convinced, though. She let go of his hand, but his scarf remained in her clutch. She wasn't terrified, Shouta could tell, but she was skeptical.
"We're scary?" Izuku asked suddenly, taking a step back from Eri, to give her space, "Is it a general thing, or are we scaring you, and you'd like us to leave you alone?"
Eri shrugged, leaning back into Shouta. Izuku, watching for any kind of sign, "Okay, so good scary, then. Would you like a cookie? Katsuki made them. Don't worry, he's really good at it."
Eri said nothing. She was watching Izuku weirdly, but to be fair, so was everyone else. Why did Izuku understand her? Not that that's a problem, because it wasn't. It's good that Izuku could communicate with her without her speaking. She obviously didn't care for speaking too much. He shared the sentiment. Shouta understood that his friends all saw him as a chatterbox that almost never stopped talking, but strangers, or people he doesn't like, like All Might, saw him as a sentinel, almost mute to the world.
"Okay! I hear ya, good scary. Let's go," Izuku said, holding his hand out for Eri to grab, waiting patiently for her to decide whether or not she would like to. Shouta looked at her, watching her go from skeptical to wanting, looking at her hand, still holding his scarf, and up at his expectantly.
"Can I?" She asked timidly, tightly clutching his weapon with nervousness.
"Of course you can," Shouta replied, unraveling his scarf from his shoulders, and wrapping it around Eri. Shouta had a few things he needed to do, and since she wanted to go with three out of four goblins of the Aizawa house, she needed something to help calm her down.
Eri looked incredibly excited to have the scar with her, and let go of Shouta's hand when it was finally fully rested on her shoulders.
The dirty nightgown that she was currently wearing wouldn't do in the long run, and leaving the house, and Eri, after the day he's had is kind of out of the question.
He'd had to take her to see Recovery Girl for the injuries under the bandages hiding her arms, betraying how thin she is, and to Hound Dog for therapy. Shouta winced when he thought of how much work he had been putting on his friends and coworkers, and made a mental note to apologize to them. That would have to wait, though, because Shouta would like to do so in person. Maybe Nemuri would be happy to have a little girl in the family. He'd ask her to go out shopping for a few last minute things for Eri, because she'd likely want to change.
::No Sleep is Online::
No Sleep:
Hey Nem
Can you do me a favor?
Yes Sleep:
Sure, Sho. What's up?
No Sleep:
Do you have the time to go to the district and get clothes for a little girl?
Around 6 years old btw
Yes Sleep:
Why the fuck do you need clothes for a six year old girl?
No Sleep:
.image.png.
[Eri sitting on the couch with Izuku, Katsuki, and Shoto. She is eating a cookie, and wearing Shouta's scarf]
Yes Sleep:
That is the cutest fucking child I've ever seen.
What is the angel's name?
No Sleep:
Eri.
I took her from the hassaikai.
Yes Sleep:
Dude.
No Sleep:
What?
It was totally legal this time!
Yes Sleep:
…
Whatever.
Yeah, I'll go in to get something.
I assume you'd like to go in later, and get something, so I don't need to get an entire wardrobe?
No Sleep:
Honestly do whatever
I doubt she's the kind of girl that likes big crowds.
She's really shy
When you drop the clothes by, make sure not to make too big an entrance.
Yes Sleep:
Aww, Sho-Sho…
I would never!
Do you even know me?
No Sleep:
Yes.
You've been warned
Thank you for doing this for me
Yes Sleep
No problem kid
No Sleep:
Stop calling me that.
Yes Sleep:
No <3
No Sleep:
Whatever…
Thanks again
::No Sleep is Offline::
'That probably won't be a disaster,' Shouta thought, dismissing the bubble of uncertainty he felt heavy on his chest.
It's probably best to stay where Eri can easily find him, so he quickly moved through the house, to gather some things to do while Eri got settled. He put his work down on the dining table, across from the couch that his kids were lounging on, and started at it.
It was long, and so boring. But grading the classwork was part of his very important job.
One of two of his jobs. Three if you count being a parent. Does being a parent count as a job?
Did he really have time to teach, be a respectable hero, and take care of four kids? Not to mention how dangerous hero work is. Shouta has nightmares about dying, or nearly dying, while he's out on patrol, or a particularly longing case against some dangerous villain and their petty group of yakuza thugs. He didn't believe in ghosts, but he often imagined that he would come back as a spectral anomaly, wandering his old home's premises, seeing his kids pack up, and leave.
He couldn't leave the area, so he couldn't chase after them, and make sure they're safe wherever they're going. The TV, somehow always on despite Shouta deeply wishing otherwise, remained on a news channel, and Shouta could track the progress of all the good in his life, reverting itself back the way it was. Endeavor getting out of jail, appealing a case on the Bakugous, and Katsuki and Shoto are sent back, Izuku thrown right back into the foster system, and Eri left all alone. His friends (and Hizashi, because surely they're more than friends now) are nowhere to be found, and aren't coming by to help his terrified children?
Was that really something he wanted to risk? He knew Nemuri, and Hizashi, and Tsu would all take care of them should something happen to Shouta, but he didn't want that to have to be a plan. He didn't want to wrap the capture scarf around his neck, put on the hero's cape, and intentionally sign his own death certificate.
But on the other hand, he had a connection to his friends because of his career in heroics. He had four kids, and three of them were allowed to stay with him because he was known as the silent watcher, the backstreet protector, or whatever else his fans called him to keep his real name anonymous. He had saved so many lives. Was he about to give that up?
How would his friends react to his thoughts? He'd still see them, or at least occasionally. Hizashi and Nem work with him at the school, and he's not giving that up, Tsu would be trickier because he'd have no reason to just randomly go to the station. And Tensei… practically all the time they ever had together was because they went on missions together. Would he see it as betrayal? Would any of them? How would his kids react to him retiring from when he had done for half of his life because of them? Izuku hated thinking that he was being treated like glass, even when this isn't because Shouta is afraid they'll be hurt by some amoral desperado (he is), it's because he's afraid he'll hurt them if he dies. Is it right to retire, and do that to everyone he knows.
That's another thing. It's not often a hero gets to an age when they can't fight anymore, or to the point that they don't want to, because they got too old, but Shouta isn't even thirty one yet.
He wiped at his eyes, trying to stave off his tears, when he heard Izuku speak up, "Dad, there's someone at the door. Are you okay? You're mumbling a lot."
Had he been? Shouta always thought he'd been a silent thinker, "Yeah I'm alright, kid. Don't worry about it."
'I'm worrying about it for you,' he thought. Izuku frowned deeper, and Shouta got up to answer the door.
Nemuri had her hand raised to knock again, when Shouta opened one of the two front doors, "Thank you so much, Nem," he mumbled, stepping aside, and allowing her entry to the kitchen, where his work sat, nearly untouched.
"Of course," Nemuri smiled, setting the bags down, "It's my pleasure to help."
"I'll send you the money–"
"It's my pleasure. To help. " She reiterated, smiling somehow threateningly, "where is the kiddo anyways,"
"On the couch. I think she's curled up with Katsuki," Shouta replied, looking through the bags, different sizes and colour. She likely went to different stores.
Nemuri walked further into the open floor plan of the first floor, calmly, and quietly, for once. Izuku looked up at her and waved, Shoto didn't acknowledge her, and Katsuki smiled, hands tied. Eri was cuddled up to him, it seemed, getting sleepy. Not sleepy enough, though, considering how she flinched when Nemuri entered her line of sight.
"Hey," she said placatingly, "I'm Nemuri. Its nice to meet you."
"Don't worry," Katsuki soothed, "she's another hero. She's a friend of Eraserhead's."
Eri listened to Katsuki, obviously, because she immediately calmed down, and looked at Nemuri with a more neutral gaze, still not smiling, "Hello. I'm Eri."
Shouta watched all this happen with a pleasant smile, before he turned back to the clothes, and looked through them. Mainly loose shirts and dresses, things that looked easy to put on, and comfortable to wear. Shouta realized that he forgot to mention the bandages, but she seemed prepared either way, and figured it out on her own, so it wasn't a huge deal.
None of the clothes were overly cutesy, and that was probably a good thing, because no one knew what the kid liked.
"Apples," Eri exclaimed suddenly, drawing Shouta's attention away from a cute red dress in one of the bags.
"Apples are yummy," Izuku replied, swiftly getting up from the couch, and strutting to the fruit bowl on the counter, plucking a bright, shiny red apple from its wooden container. They let themself into the open area of the kitchen, or what Izuku liked to call 'the lake' for no known reason. He washed his hands, and methodically sliced the apple into little pieces, and putting them on a plate, "here you go," they smiled, handing the plate to the little girl, and sitting back down.
'Sorting the clothes can wait,' Shouta thought, 'This is more important.'
And it was. In that fifteen minute conversation, Shouta learned that Eri liked the colour red, her favorite fruit was apples, she hates locks and confined spaces, and she has always wished for a big family.
And pets.
Apparently she really liked dogs.
Shouta didn't mind dogs, as long as they weren't tiny. Small dogs freak him out. Shouta hadn't considered getting pets, but seeing as how all of his kids chirped about their own ideal pet when Eri mentioned a big dog, it was probably a good conversation to have.
Nemuri stood by and watched the conversation, adding in her own two cents about bearded dragons and how cool they are, but eventually she got a chime on her phone, and waved goodbye. Shouta, not wanting to yell, and frighten Eri, mouthed 'thank you' to her, and motioned to the clothes. She nodded, smiled, and then she was gone.
Eri seemed to really mesh into the family well. Shouta used to think a lot about what kind of big brothers they'd be. Overprotective and vigilant, laid back and kind, or maybe watchful and happy. Or all at once. Shouta didn't think they'd be bad older siblings at all.
He really hopes Eri decided to stay long term.
Touya
Touya was really cursing his come and go nature right about now. Aizawa told him not to startle people if he came in without telling anyone, but in his defense there was one less kid in the house than when that conversation happened, so Touya was very unprepared for a little girl to be standing in the kitchen when he walked silently into the house.
The little girl was pretty young. Not usually Aizawa's area of capture. Was it capturing? Aizawa would surely see it as relocation, if not something else entirely. The kid had Aizawa's scarf on her shoulders, dragging the long weapon that he used on him along the floor, way too big for her to wear.
She looked frightfully up at him, and Touya said nothing. What was he supposed to say? "Hi, sorry for low-key breaking in. I didn't know there was a new kid in the house"? Yeah no, Aizawa would rip his head off.
Speaking of Aizawa, where was he? Didn't he usually stick by the kid's side until they felt fully comfortable in the house? Further proving the theory that this child is either really sneaky, not someone Aizawa rescued, or Toga in disguise. She grabbed a cookie from the plate on the counter, and ran to the guest room, where Touya heard a new voice. An old voice. A voice that wasn't his, or the nearly inaudible fearful whimpers coming from the girl. Aizawa was in that room, and was aware that the child was there.
"There's a scary man in the kitchen?" Aizawa's voice asked, "What did he look like?"
Touya walked slowly over to the guest room, double doors pulled wide open to allow for easy coming and going. The little girl was whispering in Aizawa's ear, with Izuku and Katsuki making themselves comfortable on a bed without sheets and covers.
"Him?" Aizawa asked the little girl, not setting her down quite yet, but pointing to Touya nonetheless. All eyes in the room turned to him, and awaited answers.
The little girl nodded, and Aizawa chuckled, "He may be scary, but he was saved just like you."
"..Oh."
"He's part of the family."
That warmed Touya's heart to hear. Oh, you know, just insecurities about bothering people because he happened to exist right next to them.
"Then… he is also my brother?"
"That's up to you, if you want to get to know him. He comes and goes in the house, and he's a little stalkerish, but I can pinky-swear that he will never hurt you." Aizawa affirmed, smiling at the little girl, and nodding in greeting to Touya.
"Hey, Kat." Touya greeted Katsuki, still leaning back on the bed.
"Hey," he replied, "You scared Eri when you came in?"
"Yeah, to be honest seeing a little girl in the room was a jumpscare for me too." He laughed nervously.
"Shoto's in his room, probably painting, if you're looking for him. We're helping Eri settle in."
"You mean I'm helping Eri settle in," Aizawa corrected, "Because you're not doing anything to help."
Touya had a feeling that this wasn't the first time this conversation happened.
He walked back out of the bedroom, not wanting to crowd the little girl, and took a seat on the floor in the family area. He didn't want to stain the couch with ash… again. The League didn't mind when he did that, and thus he had no limits except don't do that or die, and that carried over to this house, and the apartment he shared with Keigo on the off chance he got away from the Commission, or the League for more than a few hours. But it was nice not being threatened with murder. It almost seems like that's most of his life, now.
To be honest, he had not been looking for Shoto. He was just looking to chill (ha), and spent time with people that seemed to want him around. He and Katsuki were actually pretty close, despite the… interesting way they met. Shoto, after their conversation at the estate, warmed up to him quickly. Izuku was a little rocky, and Aizawa was just there, but that was fine.
He was working with some good heroes to get an exchange going. It had been a month since he defected, but to be honest, he was not very excited to tell other heroes, other than Aizawa and his friends, that he existed between morals, for now.
He hadn't even been gone all day, having been out with the bird, and suddenly Aizawa had another kid? It makes you wonder where they come from. He knew where Shoto had come from, but not Kat, and not Izuku. He was almost afraid to ask, even if he did trust the man who's name he lovingly bestowed upon himself.
Spending time with Keigo was one of his favorite pastimes, neither one wanting to admit to the crooked little dance they were doing to avoid saying the dreaded three words.
(You're kinda hot)
No. Touya would not be the first to say it, even though they basically already have.
"Hello…" a little voice broke his train of thoughts, and brought him out of his inattention.
"Hello," he greeted the little girl, "I'm sorry for scaring you, earlier."
"It's okay. Zawa says I can trust you. You're scary."
"Eri, was it?" He asked, letting his brotherly instincts (or what was left of them) take over. She nodded, and sat on the couch, all the way away from Touya.
"Well, my name is Touya," he smiled, hoping the scars didn't make it look worse than he was hoping, "Welcome to the family."
"Zawa said he can find me a new family."
Did he get this entire thing wrong? Was Aizawa not going to adopt the cute little girl?
Honestly, if he didn't, Touya might. The girl was super cute.
He'd have to speak to Aizawa about it.
Shouta
"Hey, Aizawa," Touya called while he cooked. He looked worried, for some reason. Maybe confused. It was hard to tell with him.
"You know you can call me Shouta, right?" He replied, not taking his eyes off the cutting board.
"Well, yeah, but that seems weird to do after I kidnapped your son?"
"How long are you going to hold that over yourself?" She asked calmly, proud that he hadn't stiffened like he usually did when someone mentioned Katsuki's disappearance that long month ago.
"I don't know, how long will it be until I die?" Touya asked, but it seemed more like he was asking himself than he was Shouta.
"What did you need?" He asked noncommittally, "Because I suggest you ask quickly. I can't split my focus on cutting these vegetables and listening to you, while also doing my best to go fast so Katsuki doesn't become unnerved."
Katsuki was sitting with Eri in the living room watching Super Why, or some other cartoon. Turns out Eri couldn't read or write, yet. All in due time.
"Right, sorry," Touya shrugged, "I just wanted to ask about Eri. I was talking to her earlier this afternoon, and she mentioned that you would find a safe place for her, and a new family."
"Yes, I did. Of course, I meant that to be a last resort in case she didn't fit in here, but she's doing great, and it's only been a day. Why?"
What an intriguing question.
"Well, she seems to take it as her place here is temporary, and you're going to send her to a different safe place anyways."
"Oh," he winced, faltering slightly while he chopped the vegetables noisily. He hurried to pick up the pace and finish with the knife so he could put it away, "Well, then I'll speak with her. Thank you for bringing that to my attention."
"Of course. Do you need help cooking?"
"If you could stir this every few minutes while I talk to Eri, that'd be fine, thank you." He directed, wiping his hands on his apron, and leaving the kitchen, after taking it off.
Touya washed his hands, and took the spoon to stir the soup.
Shouta went to find Eri, and fix his mistake.
A week later, Eri was becoming a bit more confident in the house. She had taken to playing with Katsuki all over the house, and the backyard.
During this week, Shouta learned a few more things about her. She doesn't like Hide & Seek, pineapple, dolls, or needles. Recovery Girl had to explain everything she was doing to Eri before she did it, and the check up took way longer than it usually would.
Today, they were at the shopping district. Shops upon shops in a row where people flock to socialize. Coincidentally, this is the same district that he and Izuku talked about boundaries in. He had only been here a couple times since then.
"Hey Dad, let's go over there," Izuku called, pointing at a hairdresser a few stores down, "Sho's got a cool cut, and I have a shit ton of split ends."
"Okay, let's go," Shouta replied, smiling down at Eri, and leading her along. He called to Shoto and Katsuki that they were leaving, and to not get caught up in anything, and stay safe, if they didn't want to come with them.
Honestly, he's just glad Izuku didn't decide to cut their own hair, again.
Sitting in the hairdressers waiting room with Eri and Izuku, waiting for one of the stylists to be ready to take Izuku back was long and boring. There were magazines and coloring books for kids, so Eri was occupied, but Shouta twiddled his thumbs, waiting. He closed his eyes, not hoping to sleep, but to get out of accidentally staring at people, and resting his eyes at the same time.
Eventually, Eri gasped, and tried to get Shouta's attention by tugging at his sleeve. He opened one eye, and then the other, looking at the stylists catalog that Eri was attempting to show him. It displayed a woman, maybe a teenager, with short hair. She had a similar hair colour to Eri's, but it looks like it had been dyed.
"You want a haircut?" Shouta asked, making sure to keep his tone serious, but noncommittal, in case she was nervous about asking again.
Eri looked skeptical, like she was afraid to answer. Shouta knew it'd take time, but sometimes he really wished healing was linear. She looked at the model, then at her own long pale hair, and nodded, "Yes please."
"I'll talk to the lady up there, and we can get you a haircut. Just like that?"
Eri nodded again, and gave Shouta a hug. He hoped to get her a nice smile soon. She sounded so distraught when she told him how she didn't know what it felt like. It broke Shouta's heart to hear, and see. Eri wasn't broken, but she wasn't all together either. She needed a little bit more time to heal.
"Zuku…" Eri called, walking over to Izuku, sitting in a different chair, "look…"
"Wow, Eri, that's so cool!" Izuku exclaimed calmly, patting the seat between Shouta and himself for Eri to sit in.
Only a week, and Eri was asking for things. Sort of. Shouta's really proud of her.
Katsuki
He and Shoto had no destination in mind. They had already been to a clothes store, making each other try on dumb outfits, and laughing at each other.
They sat on a bench, sipping on their respective drinks, bored out of their minds. It must have been nearing half an hour since their dad, sibling, and little sister walked off to the hairdresser, and they had nothing to do. Every once in a while, some college students will walk by with armloads of books, and the two brothers looked at each other.
"Books." They said unanimously, nodding, and walking down the sidewalk.
The store was a haven of stories come to life. Literally. There was a display where a girl was making the pictures leap off the page, and prance around dazzled children. Dragons, castles, trains, mystery, true crime, whatever you can imagine. Manga wordlessly animated, moving swiftly through the air like a jet, protagonist versus antagonist locked in battle with swords or magic.
Katsuki made a beeline for the mystery and crime section, after giving Shoto their signal for ten minutes. They regroup then, because if they didn't they'd buy too many books (as if there was such a thing).
He skimmed the shelves, looking for new books in his recent series, but either this bookstore didn't carry it, or it was sold out, which, while pestiferous for Katsuki, was also plausible. It was a really good series.
He decided on a few new books in the sci-fi/adventure category, picking up a lost book that looks like something Shoto would enjoy, and made it to the table the two brothers designated as their meeting spot before the clock hit seven minutes. Shoto hadn't arrived yet.
'Ha!' Katsuki thought, 'I win.'
He opened the book, and smelled the printed pages, with the slight breeze it makes giving him that pleasant scent of stories written in ink. This was a second hand store. It obviously took donations, considering the worn spine on this copy of 'The Great Gatsby', and the crumpled edges where past readers told their own stories while they puppy-eared the pages.
He flipped to the first page, and got lost in the story of mayhem, modernism and tragedy. He must have gotten all the way to chapter three by the time reality swam back to the forefront of his mind, and he set the book down to avoid temptation.
He wondered how many lives this book has seen, passed down from person to person, as it made its undestined journey to the shelves of this family owned bookstore, among which he wanders, seeing countless books told by countless authors from countless countries, as he searches for nothing in particular.
Eventually, though, he was snapped out of his fancy, and focused, reluctantly, on reality. Shoto was sitting across from him, smiling politely at him. Katsuki would not admit it out loud, because it simply sounded like the wrong thing to say, that he was grateful that Shoto did not interrupt his lofty daydreaming.
"Ready to check out?" Shoto asked when Katsuki regained full awareness of his surroundings.
"Yeah," Katsuki said, wistfully, "Let's go, before we're sucked into the vortex of good literature."
Shoto chuckled, and on the way to the register, he showed Katsuki the books he had picked out. Somehow more than a dozen, despite his time limit only having been ten minutes. Had it only been ten minutes? He might have been drifting for a while.
Checking out took longer than Katsuki thought it would. Shoto kept trying to pay for his books, but when Katsuki asked why he was trying, when they had the same amount of money, and Shoto had more books, he said, "Don't worry about it."
Fifteen minutes of struggling, and thankfully an almost empty story, Katsuki bought his own books, and Shoto followed him out, laughing lightly.
They sat, and read their new books until their dad reappeared with Izuku and Eri. Izuku had his hair just a bit shorter. It looked like the stylists took off only as much as was necessary for Izuku's hair to no longer have split ends, and their hair reached just past his chin, still crying and puffing.
Eri, also, had hair that reached just past her chin, framing her small face with the pale waves. What used to be long and dirty was now short, and it suited her well.
She was also smiling, which was a huge first. Her smile was big, and infectious, giving everyone around them a touch of positive energy. Their dad trailed behind them, hands in his pockets, and hair untouched.
"Katsu! Look!" Eri squealed, one of the loudest tones he'd ever heard her possess.
"I'm looking! Wow!" Katsuki gave her a hug, pulling her close, and brushing her short hair, "Oh, you look so pretty!"
"Thank you! I feel like a princess."
"You look like one," Shoto praised, putting one of his many books in his bag.
"You really like it? I saw a pretty lady in a book, and she had this hair. Zawa let me cut my hair." Eri smiled, trying to climb onto Katsuki's back.
"I love it," he replied, asking Izuku to carry his bag, since he's got Eri now.
It was now one of his life's missions to make her smile more often.
Shouta
It took two weeks of contemplation, two weeks of borderline crying, but he finally decided.
Shouta took a deep breath, sitting across from his friends. They were at a park this time. Shouta figured it would be best to take them somewhere that noise wouldn't be an issue, and he could tell them.
Naomasa, Nemuri, Tensei, and Hizashi were all watching him eagerly, awaiting the announcement that he said he would be making.
It was long, it was a difficult choice, but it was one that had to be made, with an answer clearer than glass.
"I'm retiring." He said, finally ready. Then, he sat in silence, eyes driving off like a ship on a stormy ocean. He occasionally glanced up to see their reactions, but so far it was all silent.
"What?" It was Tsu. The first question.
"Yeah," Shouta hummed, "I've given a fair bit of thought. It's been on my mind for a week now. Since Eri came to live with us."
"Why?" Nemuri.
"Well, I have four kids now, I have the life I've always dreamed of," Shouta explained, smiling pleasantly despite the somewhat deep conversation this is, "I've fully transitioned, and I have been so for years, I have kids, a stable home, and a job. I don't want to lose all that because I make mistakes out there."
"That's understandable," Hizashi smiled, taking his hand, "Do you have a timeline set? A date that you're going to stop going out as a hero on?"
"What's your plan now?"
"Are you still going to be a teacher?"
"Is teaching enough to support your kids?"
"Are you sure?"
"Are you sure?"
"Are you sure?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!" He shouted, effectively making all of his friends stop talking, "Yes, I'm sure. I still plan to be a teacher, and yes, it's enough to support me and my kids for a long time. Not to mention the money my parents left me when mom went crazy. Don't have to share if my siblings are in jail, am I right?" He joked. His friends did not think it was very funny, "anyways. Yes, my plan is to stay and teach at UA, and stay at home with my kids when I'm not doing that. I'll adopt a writer slash teacher slash hobbyist aesthetic, get a dog, and maybe a few cats, and live life one day at a time. I'll go out and spend time with you all whenever I get the chance, and I'll support my kid's dreams. I'll build a shed in the backyard, and make a workshop, or a studio. I'll build, create, live. I'll start wearing reading glasses, and write children's stories, and study the stars, and be happy, and love myself."
His friends were speechless, watching him go on and on about the things he can do when he's free of the career he chose for himself, "I'm only thirty. There's plenty of time to live, still. And I can actually love, now. I'm sorry if this decision will hurt you. I've thought about the cons. I'll see you, Tensei, less, and maybe Naomasa too. I'm not giving up teaching, so I'll still see Hizashi and Nemuri. I'm sorry."
"No!" Nemuri shouted, just before Tensei did, "Don't you dare apologize for doing what's right for you and your kids. There's four of the little monsters, you have to take care of them. And this is an excellent way to do that! I support you, and so do they, right guys?"
"Yeah!"
"You do what you need to do, Sho."
"Keeping those kids safe, and being happy with yourself are some of the most important things."
"See?" Nemuri prompted, smiling gently, "We're all on your side, kid."
"You're really milking that you're older than me," Shouta sighed, "it's not even by a full year."
"Hey, don't change the subject!" Tensei scolded, coming around the group to sit next to Shouta on his other side. He had really expected him to take this so much harder, but he didn't. "I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that you're going to be fine."
"We're going to need to see that new aesthetic, though. You're going to rock that stay-at-home mom look."
He wasn't a stay at home mom, he was a… fuck, he didn't think he was "mom" at all. Huh.
"I'll let you know when I tell my kids about this."
"You didn't tell your kids?" His friends stress.
"No, I wanted to do the harder part first!" He defended himself.
"Did you think that maybe that would be the harder part?" Naomasa asked, leaning back in the grass.
Shouta, a professional overthinker, replied, "Yes."
"Go home, and tell your kids that you're doing this!"
"Okay!" He scoffed, getting off the grassy lawn of the public park, "I'm going… I'll see you all later."
He was going, indeed. He hoped his kid would take it well.