Archive of Our Own ^beta

Shouta felt old.

Old and jaded and tired.

He’d been on the job as a hero for twenty years tonight, and as he watched a huge man drag a little slip of a thing into an alley, he wondered what possible good he’d done on the job or even in his entire fucking life.

Moving into position he pulled out a knife, new bought just for things like this so it would have no psychometric residue for anyone to track it back to him with, and paused for a brief moment.

The victim was pinned against the wall, a massive forearm braced across their throat pinning them in pace, high pitched voice trying to talk their way out of what was going down. Yeah, like that ever worked, and as the perp slammed their hand between the girls skirted legs causing the to cry out, Shouta drew back his hand and let fly, aiming with deadly accuracy.

Watching the big man fall screaming as the knife hit home, mid back, straight through his spine, he gave a savage smile, 'Rape somebody now fuck wad!' he thought savagely, only to watch in surprise as the victim didn't run screaming and instead stepped slightly to the side, took aim, and cut the screams off with a well placed kick to the temples.

Silence fell, blessed and calming, and the victim - short skirt, black, to match the long hair, face round and sweet, pink rimmed glasses slightly warping the bright red eyes, chest ample yet not enough to impede motion - looked up, clearly looking for her savior, and then she bowed and left.

Their completely unflustered state caught Shouta’s attention totally, and his time was his own so he followed.

Resisting the urge to jump down to redirect the teen, clearly young, fifteen, sixteen maybe but with how they moved, perhaps a few years older despite their size, school backpack in place giving it away that they were young, and then they went without hesitation into the most dive-ie of dive bars, leaving Shouta to wonder what on EARTH a kid was doing in a place like that!

****

It had taken him almost three years to track this place down, years spent listening to the news as UA was attacked over and over again, years of nightmares of roofs and heroes morphing from All Might to a skeleton screaming "YOU CAN'T BE A HERO!!!” as he fell and fell and fell.

Years of second hand stories of Bakugou getting expelled from UA only two weeks in - feeling sick as vindication flooded him because the fucker was a villain, not a hero, hadn't been a hero from the day he used his quirk on him when he was only six - and the only hero school that would take him then was one far more military/penal than anything else but from the snippets he’d gotten on how he was doing, he seemed to actually be doing really well in it.

Of course, that was all back when he'd only just turned sixteen, right before Inko kicked him out. Well, she asked him if he’d think about it and, as he already saw her a grand total of once or twice a WEEK, and then it was an interrogation on what he was doing/feeling/into that never failed to have him crying in his closet once she left him along again, to finally get away from the dizzying changes of attitude she had towards him, he agreed, as long as she would wait for him to find a job.

He already had one, had it for two years by then, no one online knew or cared if he was a kid, or quirkless, they just put his money where he said put it and raked in the profits.

So what he actually needed was a place to live but she didn’t need to know that. She didn’t need to know about his savings accounts either, or his working accounts, else she’d be all over them.

So he’d let a few tears fall, told her she was a wonderful mother, that he’d tell her the instant he found a job - she didn’t know he’d quit school the instant he was old enough - and double-checked his resources because if he could avoid renting, yeah, it was worth the hassle to do it another way.

Settling in to see what was for sale that might work, it took him several hours to create a short list, his favorite being a pre-quirk warehouse - he knew it was a stupid idea but the building had such character! Sadly though it was too high profile, too noticeable, and needed waaaaay too much work.

Still, reminding himself of his actual goals he cleared his searches and started over, finally finding three, two of them three stories with a small store on the ground food, living space above, in very bad areas indeed, and one a tiny little slice of a building, wedged in between larger buildings in a busy shopping district. Usually something in that location would be priced well out of his budget but this one had exactly five feet of road frontage, was shaped like a piece of pie, and was, like the other properties, three stories tall. 

It backed onto a service access way for both the buildings that bounded it, and had exactly zero land attached.  Its roof space was a full four stories below the other two buildings as well so it was in perpetual shadow.

Solidly in his price range though so he set up a time to view it, sitting back with a sigh.

He’d hoped to have another full year of using his mothers place to keep his overheads to almost zero but, it really was time to go.

When he pulled off his plan it wouldn't matter anyway.

Flopping onto the bed, he gave a tired giggle at owning his own home at only just barely seventeen and fell asleep.

He dreamed of roof tops and screaming, as usual.

********************

Sitting at the bar, Izuku swirled his lemon ramune just to watch the carbonation hisss and fizz, and gave his bag, now on the floor by his feet, a soft kick, three in fact, one and then a double.

Smiling at anyone who looked at him, he expected the approach, and nodded when the guy asked, "Mind if I sit here?"

"Sit where you like, ummm, you think anyone 'ud mind my taking pictures?"

"What the fuck? Why’d you wanna take pictures in here?"

The hostility was thick, so he threw himself into his college girl role, rabbiting on about a project, how he’d chosen Non-residential Buildings through time and how the older the place the better and this one looked pretty well used and and and....

He could go on for hours about architectural styles, building codes both pre and post quirks, use of space through time and all the other architectural babel he’d ever learned.  This was step one to the final plan, smiling with wide eyes at the clear villain, laughing at what they said, giggling and agreeing that her boyfriend was NOT impressed at her roaming the seedier side of the city for a school project but that he supported her totally and how lucky was she…..

The fictional boyfriend was so sweet Izuku wished he was actually real but, well, maybe not, seeing as what his end goal was. 

No one was to be found who might authorize pictures but they did let him draw some of the molding and architraves which he agreed didn't match the overall ambiance.

Well, it was hard to match ancient decor with villain hideouts.

Making sure he gave it double the time he’d allowed, he was the life of the party, eventually pulling five people and the bartender into a discussion of buildings through time and finally, finally, he tugged his bag into place and skipped out the door.

**********

Someone was following him, he knew it.

Feeling eyes on him so clearly he was about to give an artistic stumble to get a good look around when, with no warning at all, Eraserhead landed right in front of him!

Fucking ERASERHEAD!!!

Almost swooning as his fanboy heart almost stopped, he simply gaped when the hero said, "A little late for romping around this area, isn't it?"

Having succeeded in his mission for the night, riding the high of it, instead of anything sensible he said, "Can I have your autograph?"

The double take, and the shocked indignation, had him giggling, only just barely remembering to stay in character.

‘He looks like a cat someone just sprayed with a water bottle!’

"Sorry, sorry, I know unders don't give them but you're my favorite hero, so," clutching his bag straps he suddenly frowned. "Why are you wasting time with me, aren't there more important things to do?"

"Ohhhhh, shit," his eyes opened wide at the realization, "the knife, you threw it, didn't you? Thank you so MUCH, that fucker blindsided me, a speed quirk or something, you saved me, like, for realsies!"

Izuku thought he'd been doing it really well until the hero said, "Yeah, nice try, your eyes give you away, next time don’t try so hard."  Ignoring the kid's indignant squawk, he added, "Now, why are you here, and especially why were you in that bar?"

He’d have kept talking but he was caught and bodily shifted to be in deep shadow, the corner of a building shading him and he caught sight of the person strolling casually down the street towards them that the kid has spotted and taken precautions to not be seen with a hero and muttered, "Shit."

A whispered "Fuck!" and a strangled giggle answered his swear cause he had no route away, out of view, and only had about thirty seconds until he was spotted.

Mentally shifting his capture weapon to coil around his waist, grabbing and shaking out the emergency jacket he carried on him, shrugging it on and coiling his hair into a sloppy ponytail with a scrunchy, he said, "You up for a bit of role playing?"

If his guess was right...

"SURE!" A whisper yell, " Call me Mikumi yeah?”

Yeah, his adrenaline junky of a kid guess confirmed, and he stepped boldly into the light of a street lamp, saying, "So, what happened to meeting me at EIGHT Mi-chan?"

Catching the kids arm he spun them around, planting them against the brick of the building, and they laughed fearlessly up at him, "You idiot!" her voice clear and loud, "If you’d just LOOK at your messages, see!" holding up the phone as if to show a message, several pictures snapped of the incoming danger instead, "Seeeeee, I told you it was gonna be nine, not eight, I found a building that works for my project, its PERFEeeeemmmffffmmm….”

Cutting the kid off, knowing the villain was only a few feet away, he ruthlessly kissed them, smiling in approval as they made loud happy noises, small hands twining up and around his neck, them pulling back in a pout, “Stop it, you’re gonna get us a PDA fine!”

A scoff and the villain was past, continuing on his way with only a glance and muttered, "Get a room!” and he was gone.

Not willing to risk being caught out if anyone else was tailing the kid, he tucked them under his arm, laughing as they strolled along, non stop chatter about a project filling the air, and like that they traversed a solid mile.

*********

"I think we're clear."

They were holding hands by this time, instead of the way they'd started off, and Shouta asked, "Where are we headed?"

"I'm guessing you won't just pretend none of this happened, right?"

"Oooooh kid, never a truer word was spoken."

"Right, then, come on, we’ll go to my place, ah," he yelped and started to run, "it's the bus, quick, catch it!"

Laughing as he plopped into a seat, Izuku resolutely did NOT think about that kiss, cause, damn! He’d taken several online acting courses but it was the first time he'd actually done anything with someone else, he was still riding the high of pulling it off and, to keep in character, he kept up the chatter.

He always could talk endlessly about nothing.

****************

Three changes of bus, one of them actually doubling back on the route and they were finally at his door, and he palmed the door lock plate.

The tiny bit of warmth as it read his bio-metrics and a triple clunk as the locks drew back and he was in.

With a guest!

For the first time since he’d signed on the dotted line, handing over cash, he had a person with him.

A hero!!!

Trying to hide his excitement he asked, "Coffee or tea? Or I have water and juice too, if you’d rather?"

"Coffee."

That fit. Smothering a giggle of nerves he led the way to his kitchen, the ground floor was a living room kitchen combo, a single not over large room, and he put the coffee on and said, "I need the loo, you okay alone for a bit?"

Knowing he was leaving one of the snoopiest of all professions alone in his house, he almost ran up the stairs but he comforted himself that anything sensitive was upstairs on floor three and it would be very difficult indeed to get in there without Izuku actually opening the door.

Although as it turned out, all it took to get into his inner sanctum was a listening ear and a few deft questions but as Izuku stood and nervously watched the hero scan the dozens of computers, all hooked up and running together, the six monitors, his built in counters and shelves packed with bits and pieces and components and half finished project, ran his own eyes over his one wall painted into a white board, because he needed LOTS of space to work with, his stool ready to roll into place, and picked up his marker.

Walking with firm strides he ended at a red line and drew a tiny spider and put X-1000 beside it, put an address and added a quick sketch of the building.

It had taken him the better part of six months to make a thousand spider bots but because each one was tiny, and weak, he needed the numbers to get the info out.

As they spread out through the building each one would send back its info to the one behind it, like a bucket chain of information and instead of emptying onto a fire, the info would instead fill the main sink, mamma spider he called her.

Only the size of his thumbnail, he’d made sure he sat where there was a crack in the floor, not just to let his minions into the building but to give big mamma a place to hide.

He’d do a data scoop each time he visited. Although he could do it remotely but that risked a tech quirk catching it in action. The closer he could get the less likely he’d get caught and his plan depended on not getting caught.

Not until he wanted to, that is.

"Tell me what I’m looking at, kid."

And no, he was done with that name, "Not a kid!"

Which was as far as he got, "Seventeen? Eighteen?  So the age of my students which makes you a kid, so, kid, what am I looking at?"

Feeling his lips falling into a pout he forced them into a frown instead, and said, "You can call me Mizuni, and this is my inner sanctum. Here," he pounced into his chair and pulled up the pictures he’d taken of the villain, "do you know this one?"

"Yeah, calls himself Dabi, ranked double s, so tell me again why you were playing in any way that would get you the interest of this one?"

Spinning around Izuku tried to decide what to say, when the hero blew his world apart, "As assisted suicide plans go, yours looks like a doozie but you clearly have an agenda other than simply dieing so go on, convince me to keep it to myself."

Stunned the pro had spotted his ASP, he simply gaped at the man, who then added, "Until I have your actual name to use, I’ll call you Mikuni instead, you’re disguise is good but you need to spend more time on your wrists, they give you away as male pretty strongly. I’m guessing you're quirkless because if you had one you’d have used it by now, and I can’t feel one in you either."

"Not a fail safe way to tell but that, plus your eyes.... who are you hunting and what goal are you trying to meet before you die?"

Shouta knew the statistics, he also knew genius when he saw it, and this kid was clearly riding for a fall.

Leaning back against a counter with a scoff at the carp face the kid was making, "I’m a teacher, and a pro, have been for a long time, I’ve talked more people down than you’d guess at looking at me, and failed more times than I like to remember, this," he waved around the room, "is very impressive, so I’m not opposed to letting what you're doing slide, but you have got to convince me cause from where I’m standing, you are on very thin ice indeed."

"And please do not tell me vigilante action only counts if you have a quirk, cause you know damned good and well that isn’t true in real life, although it is on the books."

**********************

Past Izuku was a fool, and a moron, and an idiot, and a simpleton, and a fucking disgrace!

He’d fallen for a hero, again!

Granted this time it was different, but present him had to convince the man that what he was doing was justified, even if not legal.

About to start trying he stopped when the hero held up a hand, "Don’t lie to me, don't omit, don't sugarcoat, don't bend or flex or stretch the truth in any way, just tell me what this is. It's the only way you can bring me in on your side and I promise you, right now, you want me on your side."

Cursing the loneliness that had gotten him in this situation, he started because, if he was right about Eraserhead (he had a full notebook just on the hero so knew quite a bit about him) then the man would absolutely know if he was lying.

So he told him everything, words falling like rain, all about his growing up quirkless, his best friend hurting him, his mothers distant and overbearing nature, the villain attack, the number one, the rooftop, standing as he looked down and down and down at the fall that would end it all.

"I got mad, you know?"

"Well, I already was, mad I mean, so what if I don't have a quirk, I’m smart, and funny, and have so much to give, but no one wants it, and then I thought, if someone can hurt the number one so badly, and he can't find them, and seriously, I know the man told me the villain was dead but he also said they never found the body so you know the big bad is still alive and kicking."

"How much harm can someone like that cause? How many people can they hurt? How many can they kill?"

"I was fourteen, already into coding, and robots, and gadgets, I was going to go for the support course, but then, well," rubbing at his arm where it had been broken in three places when the teacher told the class he was going to try for UA, "no one liked that very much, and it was relentless after that. It had always been bad but, after that...." He paused for a moment, and then said with a sad smile, "I gave up, you know? For a bit, I just, gave up."

"I'd wanted to use the support course training I'd get at UA to find the person who hurt All Might. I don't like him anymore but he’s a good hero, at least if you have a quirk he is, but I was sitting in my room after another really pissy day, feeling really down but then...." he picked up a ball, "I'd just made this," he activated it and eight legs sprung out, a spider bot moved about on his palm, "and I suddenly wondered, can I find him without any help?"

"So next day at school I stood up, told everyone I was dropping out, giving up, they could all go fuck themselves, and walked out."

"Just up and left."

"People like me don't get happy ever afters. Even though there are millions of us, any time anyone tries to activate a movement it just gets us killed even faster, and all I ever wanted to do was help people, but if I try to help people like me then it’ll just end up hurting them so, I thought, I’ll find this villain, find out all about them, and then get the information to the right places, the right people, and sure I’ll die doing it but so what, I’m dead meat walking anyway."

"It took two years to just learn enough to get properly started, to invent the tech I needed, to learn to use what existed already that I could access," he grinned, "I started embezzling at fifteen, it’s easy to tap into money laundering streams, all it takes is a tweak to the interest rates and bam, money in my pocket."

"Then I learned all about investing, cause it’s dangerous to take from villains, but investing is easy, and then my mother finally told me to get out, and I had enough to buy this place, it’s perfect, no one even really knows its here, so I can work all the time now, I don't have to pretend to have a job or go to school or any of that shit."

A pang of loneliness hit and was shoved away, "It’s taken me another year to find the bar I was at tonight, and I almost died on the way there. Thanks again, really, I mean it, I don't have time to die yet."

"Here," he activated one of his back up spiders, letting it walk onto his finger tip, absolutely tiny, "this is what I have, I had to make a thousand of them, each one perfect, individually they're too small for a tech quirk to even notice, too low speck...."

A harsh bark of a laugh, "Like the quirkless, if someone actually managed to get them working together, no one’ud even noticed until it was too late, but barring that I have these, currently they're infiltrating the base, in ten days, maybe fourteen, depending on how easy it is for them to move through it, the entire building will be covered."

"Not a word, not an action, nothing will happen without my knowing about it."

"They all believe I’m a college student, trans and trying to save enough money to transition, so I’ll keep going back, the building really is interesting, I think it used to be a trading house, western style, so it has plenty of things to go back for, and they will certainly try to recruit me."

"A secondary location is a certainty, maybe even multiple locations, but it’s the LOV, I’m sure of it!"

"While I was there I spotted at least four members of the League, and a few other villains not publicly linked to them."

"I look like a piece of candy, a stupid desperate kid, harmless."

"My ID is rock solid, flawless."

"In every way I am exactly what they see, and I even hit the college hang outs," he laughed, "I even fall asleep in lectures a few times a week."

Look the the man in the eye he said, "I will get the information, I will get it out to the people who can make a difference, and I will die in the attempt.  If I survive, well, there are more ways to die than to live, it'll be easy then, once I manage to make a difference I can go happy."

*********************

Seeing the certainty in those eyes Shouta said, "Get changed, get your contacts out, and then show me what you can do physically, you clearly work out."

It took very little to convince the kid, and not very many more minutes later he was standing in a rooftop gym, deeply shadowed by the surrounding buildings, dawn not even a hint on the horizon yet, listening to the sounds of happy nocturnal shoppers and traffic. And then it lit like a wonderland, a single tiny light at a time winking on, until the entire space was like a fantasy, the light clear enough to work safely, to cast no shadows on the equipment, yet still allowing for soothing darkness to relieve tired eyes.

Looking closer at the lights he realized at the same time the kid started talking - "They were my proof of concept? I invented them for the support entrance exam, my spider bots are based on them, un-tethered lights I call them, each one is independent, and can move its placement to get better energy access and give more light to its surrounding area."

"Like the spider bots, each one is like a bucket in a chain, passing energy to the next one in line, only keeping enough to use for itself, the range is only about three inches max but that actually works out pretty good for fairy lights anyway, so I set them at two inches cause I like the look better that way and any time I get bored I make a few more, I’ve got about ten thousand now, I LUST after a replication quirk, even just someone with one to hire cause I dream about making them now, thousands of them, again and again and again!

I know each one is only a fraction of a candle watt but all together they light the space pretty good, I put the main solar collector on that roof," he pointed to the taller of the surrounding buildings, "and the ones that bring that power down don't have lights so no one spots the addition."

He laughed, "And then I decided they should be able to do this," and he did something and the lights all changed color, soft pastels and an even more subtle pattern delighted the eyes as they blinked on and off as if to silent music."

"Huh, pretty," Shouta said, "now, let's get started."  He’d make sure the kid got with Higari sometime soon because this was a totally marketable product and the stealth tech, if it held up, was pretty amazing too!

Letting the kid warm up, he told them to go through a typical routine and was pleasantly surprised at how competent he was.

"Good," calling a halt, he dropped into a ready stance and said, "come at me."

The kid was good. Inexperienced yes but brave, too brave even, taking several hits he could have avoided just to get one in on Shouta, and the pro let the fight continue for awhile, ending it at the five minute mark when the kid started gasping, finally dropping him on his ass with medium force to end it.

Stepping back to let the kid recover, he nodded, this would work.

For one thing it was the first real lead to All for fucking One any of them had gotten since the USJ, the mind guiding the League was as sharp as Nezu's, and even more experienced.

They didn't have a hope in hell of catching him until the villain set the stage, and if that happened, people would die, many many people would die.

"Right, up you get, we both need food, and you need water, so come on, feed me kid."

The dirty look was easy to overlook, considering ("You can call me Izuku." the words shy, the longing impossible to miss) how he was still sucking gasps of air in, and together they went back to the ground floor.

A quirk stir fry that Shouta whipped up (using tired almost out of date veg that he'd frowned at but, well, he'd eaten worse) as the kid drank a tall glass of room temperature water, slowly.

Good, kid wasn't stupid, or stubborn with things that didn't matter.

Plating up he said, "Right, this is what I'm offering."

Setting the plates down he hooked a stool out with his foot and sat down, "I can't get you into UA as a student but I can as an apprentice."

Waiting for the kid to stop choking he looked pointedly at the food sprayed across the counter, and flustered hands quickly wiped the mess up.

Seeing the kid start to speak he said, "Let me finish." and the kid frantically nodded.

"As my apprentice you get access to first rate equipment, you get help in using what you've already created, plus you get access to my support system."

A blink and he grinned, "No hero is a lone wolf, or at least not for long, wolves hunt in a pack for a reason kid and my pack is pretty kick ass."

"As my apprentice you gain access to Present Mic, Midnight, Loud Cloud, and Nezu. You also gain access to the rest of UA's teachers, because you're right, what you're doing is incredible, the League has been hitting us repeatedly, any time they want to, like they come out of the fog and disappear back into it, like it's a game."

He snarled, "My kids are getting hurt because some fucker out of time has a grudge against that dick munch All Might!"

Realizing the kid had totally stopped eating he asked, "You good?" Only to get a strangled "Mmmmhmmmm!" back. 'Huh, maybe calling the symbol of peace a dick munch was a bit much?' But the absolute delight in Izuku’s eyes was a relief to see, so far the kid had been far too detached.

"So, you just got eyes inside, and this is all fantastic, it is, however, you need Nezu, he can take what you have to the next level, and Nem and Zashi will get your acting to a better level again because if I could spot how much more you are than the college kid you're pretending to be, then so will the League."

"I’ll handle your physical training, you're good, sharp, but any blade can be got sharper."

"I am not playing though, I'm a Master Hero, if you take the position as my apprentice it will be for real."

"You will enter counseling, and therapy. I know you are planning on your death but a live hero saves so many more people than a dead one."

"So, what do you know about being a hero apprentice?"

*********************

Fumbling as he tried to recall a plan he’d tried to come up with years ago but he just wasn't enough, not back then anyway, to interest a hero.

An apprentice position was seriously a contract unbreakable.

Not to be interred into lightly.

It gave the master a position of power over the apprentice that combined teacher, parent, and employer as well as mentor and was so much more than all of them.

It didn't just give the master the right, but the duty to teach, guide, school, and discipline the apprentice.

The apprentice lived with the master, spent every part of the day and night with the master, or near them, they had to ask for time away and have a damned good reason to want it, they had to learn what the master set them, had to behave and dress and socialize and and comport themselves in a way that reflected well upon their master and woe unto the apprentice who fell short of the mark set for them.

Any mistake by the apprentice was a mark against the master, and treated appropriately as such, either by extra training or by extra special lessons to motivate them not repeating the mistake.

A hero apprentice was automatically given a provisional license, as soon as the paperwork was filed for the apprenticeship.

It was that fact that was making him even think about doing it, that and a tiny tiny piece of him, deeply buried, that wanted someone to see him, see what he’d done, how he’d managed where no one else had!

Tempted was an understatement!

"You knew who I was when I landed in front of you, do you know I’m a teacher?"

Izuku nodded.

"Do you know my reputation as a teacher?"

Izuku nodded again.

"I’m worse as a master."

He neglected to say he's not had an actual apprentice himself, although he’d stood in several times for trusted heroes with their own apprentices, when they’d had to go on missions and couldn't take their charge with them.

So he knew exactly how tough he was on apprentices, how tough they needed him to be, it was a hard industry, dangerous, not for the faint at heart but, at the end of the day, this kid was seventeen, still a kid, and still alive!

Alone, against not just the fucking world but was throwing himself at the worst villain in Japan.

SOMEONE had to be in his corner or he’d get his wish and die before he hit twenty.

"I’m not kidding kid, Izuku, I will be tough on you, tougher than you would believe, but I’ll never hurt you, or let you hurt yourself.  I was an apprentice myself so I know how it feels from your end, and because I remember what it was like we’ll be addressing all the issues you clearly have, I know quite a few quirkless, I know what you're dealing with."

"I also teach hero students, I can clearly see the issues you're dealing with on that front as well."

"Apprenticed to me you will eat right, you will sleep at least six hours a day, ten if I can manage it, teens need more sleep than adults, and I can easily see you don't get enough."

"You’ll also re-enroll in school, I’ll have a station set up in my class for you to work at, we’ll catch you up on the education front and you’ll join all my hero classes, as well as extra classes in support and espionage and anything else I think will help round you out."

"You’ll obey me in all things, and if you don't you’ll receive a short, very sharp lesson in why your decision to fail to obey me is not something you want to repeat."

"I’ll never restrict food, or isolate you or lock you in somewhere or any of the other fucked up shit people did when you messed up in the past, because you're a kid, you will mess up. You will make bad choices, and make rotten decisions, it’s to be expected, it's how we learn. After all, "Mistakes make us human, learning from them makes us wise."

"You will not disrespect me, and if you do wind up earning yourself a proper punishment, no matter what you get to drive the lesson home it will not injure you."

His lip twitched up in a wry smile, "Spankings from me hurt like hell, just ask my students, and for you I’ll make doubly sure it does, but I’ll never injure you on purpose."

"Now, do you need to think on it or can you decide right now?"

It was a risk to push it right this instant but if he could take advantage of the kid's tiredness to force him into the position he’d do it, this kid was on a one way road right now and Shouta needed to at least try to save him.

A kid with this much potential was worth the effort.

"Ummm yeah, um, I, can I, ummmm, can I r-read the contract first?"

Calling it up, he let the kid read it from his phone - it got it read without his having to climb any stairs until he got something hot to drink at least and let him see if the kid could keep his nose out of the rest of the phone - and brewed some tea. He was pleased at the choices available and went with linden and elder, a combo he knew was soothing for late night, before bed, moments.

Sure enough, the kid hummed as he took the first sip, reading carefully, not skipping anywhere, and by the time Shouta was finished with his cup the kid looked up and said, "Okay."

Shouta quirked his eyebrow and the kid went a bit pink, standing abruptly and bowed, saying as he stood upright again, "Thank you for the opportunity, please, I would like to become your apprentice, I’ll even do the mental health stuff, like, give it a proper try, it’d be a waste of your time and effort for me to not try my best at all of it, even that."

Then he blinked and yawned, and Shouta nodded, "Right, you have a printer? Come on then, print it out, we’ll both sign it and get the paperwork filed and then get some sleep."

It all became a bit of a blur for Izuku from that point, waiting for the multi page contract to print out, signing his parts, initialing where it said to, and waiting for Eraserhead to do his bits too, then when it was done, fed into the scanner, and securely emailed away, he was told to do his bedtime routine and THEN was dragged back out of his bed as soon as he face planted into it and made to brush his teeth and change into sleep clothes because a sleep routine that consisted of just falling into bed fully clothed wasn’t acceptable for some reason.

Ignoring how strange it felt to have someone caring about him for a change, he fell into nothingness and knew no more for hours.

************************

"Kid, come on, yeah, I’m sorry but I need you to answer a question, the fixed portal technician is on their way, where do you want it set up?"

Fumbling through the cotton in his head he managed to say, "Down, food, um food…."

"Downstairs near the kitchen?"

"Mmmhmmmm lemme lone.... jush'a few mins more shleee…..”

Tired teens may as well be drugged! Shouta laughed to himself as he went to meet the portal tech, it was important that from the outside the kids life didn't change, the League was dangerous, and would definitely track him back to his home to check him out properly, so they needed him to continue to be what the world thought him, a college student, male to female trans, minoring in architecture.

While in reality he’d be attending UA, training with Shouta, attending his two lectures per week at the college he was enrolled in - adding a mental note to himself to have Nezu beef that subterfuge up a bit - he looked around the room, spotting the best place for the fixed portal, and then stood back to let the tech work.

"Heeeey ‘Raser, yer gettin’ a triangle taday, one point here, one to a portal in yer house, and one to meeting room eleventy-one, cause Nezu-sama said you’d need to access all of UA like, all the time, he had me put it in yer hall closet, that good?"

"Yeah, fine."  Clutching his mug in both hands he grimaced at the thought of anyone in his house without him there but Nezu was right, he’d need access to his home for the kid not just as his apprentice but because the kid clearly wasn't taking care of himself properly so needed the oversight. They’d set up a holographic doppelganger today so any surveillance of the kid's property would know someone was home, even if they weren't.

Sighing he looked around the room again, then cleared out a corner, giving plenty of space for someone to stand in it, then called Nezu to get a second tech in for the holographic decoy, the sooner all this was set up the sooner he could get the kid home.

He’d just hung up the phone with his boss when he remembered his pack and gave a despairing moan, but, as he headed in to brew some tea he called up Hizashi, knowing if he told him then his brother would pass it on.

The conversation went as expected, loud and full of exclamation marks but it helped him to put it all into context in his own head so it was a relief to talk it all out, he didn't usually act on impulse, so to have done it now was a worry but as usual Zashi worked him through it all, giving meaning to the emotions, and helping him to find the links between emotions, feeling, impulses and actions.

Zashi was great like that, he’d take no shit but was infinitely patient when he knew you needed help. Damn, he was going to be so good for Izuku!

Agreeing to call Ryou next to sort out appointment times for the kid to meet some mind healers for the first deep dive into mental healing, eventually he had everything set up and the kid was staggering in, eyes still mostly closed, heading for the coffee that was now brewing.

Nope, not on his watch, "Eat first, it’s ready, sit down, I’ll get if for you, and you can have juice with your water but I want you to drink both before you get anything with caffeine in it."

Clearly still on autopilot the kid sat and began to eat, waking up a bit more with each bite and Shouta hid his laugh but Nemuri did the same thing in the mornings too so it was easy to handle.

Food, water, juice, quiet and a bit of time and just like his sister, his new kid finally woke up properly and asked, "Did I really become your apprentice last night or did I dream it all?"

**********************

The next few weeks sped past, filled with testing and online classes and actual teachers to help him catch up and new classmates and jealous remarks from some and honest overtures of friendship from others and every day had some kind of heroic focused lessons, practical and/or classroom based, Izuku spent most of his days with the hero class, 3A, and then after that he had one on one with his Master and members of his masters pack.

Then it was food and homework and working on his inventions - and he even had classes with the support course now as well as coding and all things spy related with Nezu who scared him spitless but was awesome too - and he always made it to his college lectures and, now that he had a support system they became a real thing, not camouflage, so he had to focus in those too so it was a good thing Master Shouta was so obsessed with his getting enough sleep because he couldn't sleep in those classes any more.

All in all, it was amazing, and the lessons on espionage and acting from Midnight-sensei were already paying off as he sat in the bar, laughing at something one of them said to him as he drew where the modern shelving units filled with drinks bottles cut into the ancient molding, today the bartender had even said he could come to the store rooms and see the decorative bits there too.

Knowing the info download was done for now, he started drawing how that bit of wall would have looked hundreds of years ago and asked, "Is there any wall paper anywhere? Or weird bits of paint or anything out of place, like in closets or behind stairs? I've been tracing this building through time, it was first listed in 1848, it was a trading house specializing in jade which is why it’s smaller than what you’d think of from then, if you thought about European trading houses at all, that is."  Adding some shading he ignored the breath on his neck from Dabi getting close to see, and went on, "then it was turned into a combined spice, jade, and weapons point a few decades later, which is when the warehouse was added."

"They started moving fine china wear through about then too, so the extra space was badly needed."

"The warehouse was knocked down a hundred fifty years later, but by then this area had been hit by three tsunami’s, only a few decades apart and then, while it survived all that, quirks happened not long after and…."

He could ramble about this building for hours, it had weathered the three quirk wars, so many other wars as well, not to mention economic upheavals uncounted across almost five hundred years, been repurposed dozens of times, maybe even hundreds of times, and was now a villain bar and hideout.

Izuku loved this place!

He loved it a bit less when an arm wound round his waist and a voice purred in his ear, "Your boyfriend too busy to come with you?"

Jabbing an elbow hard into the man leaning on him he enjoyed their wooooof of pain and said, "Look at THAT, you made me smudge a line, piss off if you can't respect my personal space!"

Turning he met bitter red eyes, and gasped in feigned shock, "Oh my gods Shigaraki-kun, I thought you were Dabi, I am soooooo sorry! No he was super busy today, he’s meeting me on my way home though, so, oh gosh, how is it that late, Kurogiri you were supposed to let me know when it hit seventeen hundred, I’ve got to go!" Rushing everything into his bag he babbled, "Homework, and a big test next week, I won't be able to come back for ten days at least, is that okay? Me coming back I mean?"

This time he didn't lean back, despite how bad the other man smelt, and let them put their hand on his arm, fearlessly looking them in the eyes and smiling when they said, "Anything for our building's biggest fan. And don't forget, our offer of a job is still open, I know you want to do it all on your own but we can help you out sweet thing, we'c'n even get that boyfriend of yours a job, just, think about it, okay?”

Running out the door he waved a smiling bye and that she'd talk about it to her boyfriend and see you later's and started jogging his way to the restaurant he was to meet Shouta at, knowing he was ready for the comfort of seeing his master, of knowing he was safe. Well, as safe as life could get anyway.

*-*

Walking in he waved and smiled, almost dancing up to get a big kiss and helped into his seat.  Pretending to be his master's girlfriend was a trip and a half, and he was grateful that he wasn't really interested people like that, which made pretending ultra easy. He gave a mental giggle at how bloody hard this all would be if he really was interested in the man, like, ewwwwwww gross!

Kayama-sesei had said he was really lucky that way and he agreed, to get his emotions all tangled up over someone was just not a nice thought, although he loved to look at people, and sometimes wondered how he was now surrounded by so many pretty pretty people.  Pretty inside and out too cause they were all just so nice, his sketchbook was filling up fast.

Smiling, he agreed the special sounded good and launched into the latest he’d learned about the building his project was based on, making the people around them smile at his enthusiasm.

*********************

It had all felt like a dream, it really did, the kind of dream you didn't want to wake up from, the kind you knew you didn't deserve so you tried to pretend, to work so hard just to keep it going, so he'd learned and practiced and worked so hard and tried to watch his tongue and mind his manners and not step a toe out of line so no one would give up on him, no one would throw him away....

But now it was feeling a bit much, cause Shouta was gone, “Just for forty eight hours kiddo, you’ll focus on your classes and I’ll be home before you know it. I know it’s the entire weekend but I need you to stay inside, either at home or your workshop, either one is good, just let Hizashi know where you are when you change locations. Alright?”

Being able to just step into the place he’d created, his very own retreat and sanctuary, was amazing, as was having a room of his own in a place he now called home, home with his master, and to be so close to his new pack, laughing to himself at calling it that but they were different to just friends, or family, deeper, and with Nezu as a part of it all, to be leading it really, then pack just fit.

It was him that didn't fit, not really, but no one had realized it yet, and if he just kept being careful then no one would, but, he'd already texted Hizashi where he was, so he was.... free? For the entire weekend?

Stepping into what he now called his chill out space - in his head anyway, out loud it was his workshop - he meandered to his fridge, grabbed a soft-drink and went up to his actual workshop, glad he no longer had to sleep in the room below, or anywhere else that wasn't home. He'd never slept so good in his life as he did down the hall from his master, maybe it was how safe the man made him feel?

And while Izuku owned the entire building, three stories plus the roof sounded huge until you realized there was only one room on each floor, then it was't so big at all, and it only had one window right at the back of each room, so it was dark, and cramped, and master Shouta's home was big and bright with so many windows open all the time and was full of fresh air and laughter and love.

It was no contest for which place he loved the most.

Settling in he decided to do his homework first so it wasn't hanging over his head and then do a few projects he’d been putting off because the hand in date was a few weeks away, but he had forty eight hours with no one looking over his shoulder to make sure he ate and slept properly.

Cracking his knuckles after getting the essential stuff out of the way, he set an alarm, he’d do a bit of junk food shopping later and then he fell into his happy space, the internet was a constant and safe friend in his life and he'd not gotten to spend much time with it for absolute ages.

 ******************

Shouta would never set anyone up to fail, not his friends, his students, or his apprentice.

However, he would give them all room and all the rope needed to hang themselves with, if they so choose to do so, and he’d already told his pack what he was doing because, just as he remembered feeling when he was the one newly rescued and apprenticed, it didn't feel properly real to Izuku yet.

He was busy, happy, working hard, making friends but it was like a soap bubble, all pretty colors but not all the way real.

When it was Shouta in that position, oh yeah, he remembered, remembered so well how every word he spoke was thought about first so as to not offend, every action was triple checked so as to not step past any boundaries, how the rules were kept so far back from he had no risk of breaking any even on accident, be silent, be good, take no risks of them stopping caring for you, learn what she wanted him to learn, be what she wanted him to be, keep the dream real cause kids like him didn't get this kind of life so it had to be a dream and Shouta didn't want to wake up!

Shouta knew one sure fire way to make it all real though, to settle his kid into place solidly, so he set it up to be gone for two days, for the pack to all be busy, to give Izuku two full days of free time to do with as he would and stepped back.

The kid could stick to his schedule - as he’d promised to do - and follow the rules, all of them, even the early bed time which was a sticking point every day -

Only to eyes that knew what to look for, to most Izuku would look willing and even eager to go to bed, to Shouta though, who'd been there at that age, had been the newly apprenticed (always unwanted) kid, the faint pause, the flicker of a frown was as loud as a yell or stamping feet.

- or he could look at the two days as free to do whatever the hell he wanted and just throw all the rules out the window.

Of the two options he suspected option two was the one Izuku was going to go with because again, been there, done that.

And sure enough, as he entered soundlessly through the portal, moving up the stairs with practiced ease, he found exactly what he’d expected to find, a very tired teen indeed, thirty hours worth of snack food wrappers and empty energy drink cans, crumbs and spilled bits of food, a hectic flush to his face as he muttered to himself, eyes jerking from monitor to monitor as fingers rattled across keyboards.

Settling into place, his reflection in the main monitor clear and easy to see, Shouta simply waited.

****************************

Frowning Izuku reached out, something was wrong on his main monitor and it was distracting him badly now. Swiping at it to try and wipe it off, he realized it must be a reflection rather than dirt or something, and was about to turn and see what it was behind him casting an image just so when his brain snapped out of the deep focus it had been revving along in, his skin suddenly tight and hot, his bones crumbling with dread, icy hot balloon in his guts because now his eyes were back in the real world, he knew exactly what he was looking at.

And facing!

"M-master-Shouta, ummmmm...." A quick glance to see his timer was still counting down to his latest alarm going off, he’d set it so he'd have six hours of sleep before Shouta got home, and he’d made sure Hizashi knew he wasn't going anywhere else when he’d gotten back with his snacks, he’d even smiled at the “Make sure some of your snacks are healthy, yo!”

"Go to the loo and meet me downstairs kiddo."

Watching his master disappearing back down the stairs Izuku took two tries to get up, he'd been sitting in the chair so long his legs didn't want to work, and he staggered down to the bathroom on the middle floor, a grand name for a curtained off space with a toilet/hand basin combo in it, but it did the job and he washed his hands and then froze, hand on the curtain.

He’d been convinced he’d not get caught, that he'd have a bit of fun and go right back to work when Shouta got home but now, he felt his hands start to shake, now he was caught bang to rights and about to die for it.

Well, maybe not actually die but he suspected he might find dying easier than what ever waited for him downstairs.  They’d had all the normal foster placement conversations already, rules, boundaries, limitations, rewards and....

Punishments.

So he knew exactly what he’d been risking by behaving the way he’d done.

Knew exactly what was waiting downstairs for him.

A pissed off master, and it only left how badly he’d fucked up to know how bad what he'd earned was going to be.

Maybe a first offense was going to be not too bad?

Yeah, and maybe pre-quirk pigs could fly too!

Feeling as if his feet belonged to someone else, he went down to his doom, wondering how past him could ever be so fucking stupid!

***************************

Resisting the urge to laugh at his apprentice - mainly because he remembered all too well how the poor kid was feeling right now, it wasn't too long ago he’d had to walk to the exact same doom when he’d fucked up badly enough for Nezu to call him in - he pointed at the corner he’d cleared right back in the beginning, and resolutely didn't react when Izuku blinked in clear shock and indignation at a corner being ready for him to stand in.

Shouta said, "Point your nose in the corner kid and while you're there, think about why you are cause I’m looking forward to hearing your rational on the situation."

Watching shame color pale cheeks as the kid shuffled into place, Shouta put a timer on and made sure he had room for the next part in the “Settle My Apprentice Fully Into Place” plan.

Oh, and teach him not to take advantage of Shouta’s absence to get up to mischief, that was important too.

Although he’d have a look at the kids schedule and see about giving him a day off, fully and totally, with a bit of oversight at first and then, once he earned some trust back, no strings attached to the time off.

And a few hours here and there scattered through the week now that he was settling in so well, he knew Izuku was used to setting a brutal pace with himself but part of his taking the kid on was to let him be a kid again.

Almost eighteen was still such a kid!

Watching tight shoulders tense even tighter when the timer went off, he said, "Izuku, to me please."

It was almost long enough to have him give a warning but eventually the kid peeled himself out of the corner and, eyes firmly down, made his way over to the couch where, if Shouta was any judge, he’d fit just fine for the next few steps.

"Now," he gestured to the floor, "sit down and tell me all about how we’ve reached this point."

*******************

Sitting at Shouta’s feet made him feel so small, so stupid, and so young, not at all the big almost eighteen grown-up he really was, and he was already crying, sniffles and hiccups breaking up his words as he tried to explain how he’d managed to fuck up so thoroughly in such a short space of time.

Even praying like mad though didn't save him when he finally wound down and was asked pointedly, "Did you expect to get caught?"

Shaking his head miserably he managed to say, "No Master, ummmm, no.”

Having it confirmed that his kid had knowingly thrown his schedule out the window made this all easier. "Thank you Izuku, you managed to give me most of where you went wrong this weekend, however, you have missed one crucial thing. Can you give it a moment and see if you can find it for me?"

Having already confessed to not sleeping, to eating and drinking so many many things on the banned list, to not eating anything good at all, and to over working by too many hours to even try to count, he panicked more than a bit at knowing he’d missed something but he tried, cause Shouta had asked, running the entire weekend through his mind, and then a bit farther back which is when he found it, the "Oh shit." falling unbidden from his lips and then he said, voice a whisper of horror, "I broke my promise, I promised to follow my schedule, I promised!”

Bursting into tears, his only comfort was that no one could break an apprenticeship contract over something this minor, Shouta wouldn't be able to throw him away, not like his mother had, but maybe he could, Nezu was a Grand Master and his master's boss so maybe they could and if they wanted to then they would and he'd be alone again and he tried, tried to say sorry, to say anything so they'd keep him, so he wouldn't be thrown away again, but he just couldn't stop crying.

Being pulled onto his master's lap was a surprise but a welcome one as he tucked himself under the man's chin, gripped his jumpsuit as tight as he could and just held on as he broke.

******************

The breakdown was expected, although Shouta did feel horrible for having triggered it, even if it was on purpose and was a healing and important step in making sure the kid knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was never going to be thrown away, ever ever again.

Knowing as well that his actions had solid real world consequences, that Shouta would never let them slide, that too was so important.

Shouta remembered when his own master had first done this to him, looking back he could clearly see how she’d set him up, not to get caught or to fail but to have the chance to choose what to do - what he knew was right, or what he wanted.

And how bloody much it hurt when he chose to do what he wanted when he knew it was wrong! Curfew was there for a reason, and not leaving the house without letting someone know was a rule for a reason, and risking his life just to go for a walk in the middle of the night was never something someone who cared, who loved him, would ever just let go.

That feeling, the dread and certainty he was about to be thrown away again when he saw his master standing in his room as he crawled back in through the window, the horror of that moment, it still lived with him.

But he also remembered how it felt to be shown, to have it proved, that she was in it for the long haul, that she wasn't going to drop him when he did something stupid, or made a mistake, or got things wrong.

How it settled that place in him where all his fears lived, all his hurts, all his what if’s and what if they's existed, how it made them all shut the fuck up and let him finally trust in her, to believe in her, and his place in his masters life and he’d be damned if he didn't do the same for his own apprentice.

And sometimes the way to a settled heart was via a thoroughly fired up ass.

Praying he got it right, did it properly, he smiled at the remembered brush of a kiss to his temples, the faint weight of a loving hug around his shoulders because she'd been dead for damned near twenty years at this point but she lived on his his heart, in his actions, in everything he was as an adult, as a teacher, as a hero, and as a master.

Sending a brief feeling of gratitude to her spirit, he simple breathed for a long moment, cradling his sobbing armful close.

Letting them both settle completely, it was a full hour later when, after a long period of silence, Izuku said, "I really am sorry."

Nodding Shouta said, "I know, and thank you for your apology, however, if you were watching us now, only knowing we are master and apprentice, would you approve if I simply said “That's okay, don't do it again?”

By the protesting whine that came from the kid, Shouta knew he fully knew the unfairness of the question, because anyone with as strong a sense of justice as Izuku had would never let something like this just go, and the reluctant words dragging into the air confirmed it, "No, b-b-but I’ll do better, I’ll I'll I'll write an essay on on on ummmm, why sleep is important and and and why rules matter an-an-and clean the entire house for ever and wash the dishes all the time and not have any deserts at all for like, a year! Please master Shouta! Please! I don't wa-wan-want one…..”

Clearly running out of ideas of what he could offer to avoid what he knew he had coming, Shouta said, "You will be doing a paper on healthy habits and why they are important, due in five days, and you will be on cleaning duty for a week and we will be working on a few shopping and cooking classes soon because that is clearly something you need a refresher on, however, right now, up you get, we have something to get through first."

When he had the kid standing before him at last, he said, "Midoriya Izuku, for the series of bad choices made this weekend, and for breaking my trust, drop your drawers kiddo and bend over, and," he said sternly when the kid whined again and frantically shook his head, "be grateful all I plan on using is my hand for this but that could and will change if you aren't over my knee in less than thirty seconds flat!"

That got his kid moving, thrusting his trousers down with desperate speed and, with a bit of fumbling and some adroit assistance on Shouta's part, he was finally in place.

Having not only been trained in how to discipline his students but having had so much practice over the years he gave the “Hands above your head” lecture without even having to think about it, made sure Izuku knew if he did put his hands in the way he’d earn extra and with a deft hook of his fingers had the kids underwear down and out of his way, despite the high pitched yelp of protest when he did so.

"Midoriya Izuku, your sleep schedule is NOT in any way flexible!”  Bringing his hand down for the first spank with practiced and precise force, he repeated it four more times, and his kid was sucking in whimpering breaths but trying to be stoic, to not react, which was a grand plan but ultimately futile.

He then said, "Healthy eating as an apprentice and as a hero student is not optional!” and proceeded to spank five more times, firmly and with a pause between each to make sure the point was driven home, and now Izuku gave a short cry, and wriggled slightly in protest.

"Food on the banned items list are on there for a reason, your health is not something I will ever risk and junk food is called JUNK for a reason!”

This time Izuku cried out as the spanks landed, six of them this time, and he squirmed ever more frantically, trying to dodge some of it, any of it, even knowing how impossible that was.

Knowing the kids ability to listen was fast being overtaken by his attention being firmly riveted on how his ass felt, he finished the lecture portion with, "Breaking my trust, promising to take care of yourself and then not doing it, not only hurts both of us, but makes it much harder for me to believe you in the future."

And now the kid reacted, a loud sobbing cry burst forth and he said, S-s-soooooory Master Shouta sorry sorry sorry won't do do do it again p-pleaaaaaaowwwww!”

This time Shouta didn't stop when he started, making sure to keep a firm hold as, with the concentrated effort he was now putting in, his lap full was crying and squirming like a box of eels, and yep, with a sudden move the kid had his hand right across as much of his bottom as he could protect.

Not bothering to pause, Shouta simply switched his attention from under curve to mid thigh, landing four precise spanks when Izuku, with a wail of despair, jerked his hand back out of the way.

Nodding Shouta went right back to painting that naughty ass as bright a red as he could safely lay down, finally lifting his right leg four inches higher, the corresponding change in position triggering Izuku to give up all pretense of being any way mature and instead he wailed, kicking the couch hard, hands scrabbling at the armrest and tried to scramble and flail his way to freedom.

"Last ten kiddo!" did nothing to stop the noise, in fact it redoubled it, and knowing the kid couldn't see him he let a smile of pure and total affection curve his lips, he loved this kid so much already but, he had a job to do so, in accordance with the progression of a proper spanking, he landed a much firmer spank right across the broadest expanse of his apprentice's buttocks, matching it with one on the other side, then as the kid HOLLERED he landed two more, lower down, and then with a slight upward angle he landed two on the under curve, and Izuku screamed, a long ululating cry as two more landed just below on his already very red upper thighs and then, finally, as the noise kicked up another notch, the final two landed again on the kid's under curve to make sure he'd feel it for a good while, and Shouta drew in a deep breath of relief.

As bad as being on the receiving end was, he’d always rather that then giving a spanking, but he was the master now and his duty was clear.

Relaxing as he kept hold on Izuku who didn't actually seem to know it was all over yet, only to fall totally limp and redouble his cries suddenly, relief now joining in the noise. Shouta simply rubbed his back, knowing already the calming down time would be long.

Izuku gave his entire heart to things, even to crying about a spanking.

***************************************

Sitting together later, Izuku once again tucked under his chin, Shouta simply talked, talked about how important Izuku was, both to him and to his pack, talked about how nothing he could do would ever make Shouta send him away or abandon him, how only death could take Shouta away, and even then Izuku had the rest of them now, all of them loved him, and would make sure he was cared for and trained and given his chance and support and all the love he deserved.

He talked as well about everything Izuku was doing right, how good he was, how it was okay to make mistakes and to risk failing at things and to not be perfect.

He also talked about his own master, about how much alike he and Izuku were, how she'd found him and saved him and now Shouta was doing the same thing for Izuku because his apprentice was worth it, was so good, so important not just to all of them, but to Shouta as well. He belonged to Shouta now and Shouta never let go of what he had, never!

Time was spent on how no one and nothing could ever convince, or make, Shouta let Izuku go, that he was here now and while it might come with the occasional spanking when his kid made poor choices which was never any fun but that life really was going to be worth living, that this was for ever.

His shirt was well soaked by the time he was done but, if Izuku was anything like Shouta at that age, he also felt about a million pounds lighter.

Smiling as he carried his apprentice home through the portal and tucked him into bed, feeling nothing but relief it had all gone as well as it had.

Gently stroking tumbled green curls, he wondered if this was how his own master had felt, all those years ago.

***********************

That day did spark a change, one for the better, because Izuku was solid enough in his belief in his place now to show some sass, and to question, and even argue, although only in a respectful way, ten warning swats and some corner time reminded him that respect cost nothing and the lack of same hurt like hell.

Watching him squirm as he sat on the hard chair writing his apology, Shouta made sure to not smile, to only show the strong master side of him because right now that was what Izuku needed, later there would be cuddles and hot chocolate and he could show his softer side.

Knowing his entire class were working hard to adopt Izuku into their ranks and how they all felt a touch of horror at Izuku having to live with him twenty four seven, he shared a glance with Hizashi, curled in a chair, the sole witness to the mini revolt, and they grinned, so pleased the kid was comfortable enough now to actually kick up a bit of a fuss.

And then, in the blink of an eye, everything changed again, because Izuku visited the bar later that week, getting a download and several drawings of the rest of the building, a renewal of the job offer, this time stronger and harder to brush off, and while the drawings only helped him towards his degree, the data he brought back this time finally cracked the case wide open!

Sitting in Nezu-sama's office listening to a three way discussion between All for One, his head doctor and researcher, and his heir, they got everything they needed to find the other two bases, and the other interactions between other key league members recorded this time gave them numbers, strengths, and timing.

Nezu made sure that all students were safe on campus, to disguise all his substitute teachers as his regular staff, to make sure the team doing the illusions were supported, that his own personal healing and rescue teams were ready to go, and then, using plan A9b, he and his team hit all three bases like a celestial hammer.

They won.

In slightly less than an hour the scourge of Japan was dead, as were half of his minions, and of the ones remaining, half of those had lost their quirks to All for One's efforts to survive the final battle.

Assisting in the mopping up, his people shone forth as consummate professionals, giving aid and help to all, even the surviving villains.

Nezu was so proud!

And all of it had happened because one quirkless child decided to go as elaborate as possible with his suicide attempt, trying to take out as many villains as possible when he inevitably lost his life.

Now though, that same child was more than halfway to being a seriously fantastic hero, and had reinvigorated Nezu’s very own favorite Shouta, who’d been worrying Nezu more than a little with his slow slide into despondency and depression. Having a child of his own, a son in all but name, had brought life back to Shouta’s eyes, had brought laughter back to Hizashi, and the sparkle back to all of them. 

Watching his grandson in all but name sit into the main console seat of his own work station as Nezu gave him lessons in tracking back criminal activity through the dark web so they could catch every strand of the net All for One had woven in his life, the relief that his school and students and family were no longer number one on a super villains hit list made him almost giddy but he kept it hidden as he patiently corrected a minor mistake, suggested an alternate route to the informational destination, and smiled.

Life was good, and only getting better.

Time indeed, after a short break for everyone to relax a bit, to start the equality for all campaign he’d been working the kinks out of for the last few years, Izuku was going to be a key player in that game, a figure-head even.

'Now,' he gave a wicked grin, 'how to bring Shouta on board?'