Work Text:
Tomura was so excited he could hardly wait to bring Sensei his present for Christmas. The twelve-year-old watched his breath cloud the air on the cold night street as he moved under the street lights. A sniffle behind him had him pausing and turning back to where he held the other boy’s stick-thin wrist. The six-year-old stared back at him with a wobbling lip and a wind-bitten red nose.
“Your scarf keeps slipping.” Tomura tsked as he stopped to readjust it, winding it around the small boy several times until only those pitiful green eyes could peek at him. Now that he thought about it, he probably should have brought some winter clothes for the other boy. The boy was shaking from the cold wrapped in the hastily grabbed blanket.
But he hadn’t wanted to ask Kurogiri for anything. Not even an easy teleport because he knew Kurogiri would ruin the surprise by telling Sensei all about his plans. With the other boy adjusted, Tomura quickly started walking again. After all, they only had two more blocks before they were back to the bar. Tomura could feel his pride spiking in his chest as he kept a tight four-fingered grip on the other boy’s wrist. Sensei was going to be so surprised and happy!
He couldn’t believe that he had spotted little Izuku weeks ago. He had recognized him instantly because Sensei had a photo of the boy that he thought Tomura never paid attention to. But Tomura had noticed the way the newly blinded man would hold the photo in front of him. Tomura imagined that if he had a picture of Mon, he would stare at it like that too. And after the horrible accident that had left Sensei disfigured earlier this year, Tomura had been determined to find the perfect present for the man.
Izuku had been playing at a park when Tomura spotted him from a distance. He was a rather plain-looking child but Tomura had memorized the photo Sensei cherished. He knew instantly that it was the same child. And he knew he just had to return him to Sensei.
“Come on, we are almost there!” Tomura said excitedly picking up the pace and making the younger child stumble, still wearing just the house slippers that had been next to his bed that Tomura had plucked him from in the middle of the night.
“A-And then I can go back to Mama?” Izuku asked as he panted keeping up with the much taller boy. Ugh, he wouldn’t shut up about that woman. He would be with Sensei soon and Sensei was so much better than some lame lady.
“Yeah, sure.” Tomura said without really thinking about it, just wanting the boy to stop dragging his feet. They descended the short stairs and Tomura pushed the bar door open forgetting momentarily about the bell that would jingle at his entrance. He paused cringing as the door swung shut behind him in the dark.
The lights immediately turned on and right in front of Tomura purple mist formed. Izuku for his part nervously grabbed onto Tomura’s pant leg and hid behind him at this new threat. Izuku must just see Tomura as a bullying older child, something that seemed familiar judging by how Tomura had seen him treated at the park. But the mist man who formed in front of them was very new to the boy.
“Tomura, where did you run off to?” Kurogiri said with narrowed yellow eyes as he materialized. “If you had wanted to go out I would have been happy to assist you.”
“I wanted to go get Sensei’s present myself.” Tomura huffed at the mist man before shirking past him and heading for the back area of the bar.
“Present?” Kurogiri muttered before seeing what Tomura was dragging behind him as he passed. Izuku kept glued to the other child as he felt the mysterious gaze of the stranger fall upon him. Fresh tears rolled down his cheeks at the stranger’s attention, his tiredness, and the cold from the outdoors that still clung to his skin despite finally being in warmer temperatures.
Kurogiri said nothing to this and simply watched as they went behind the curtain further into the building. After all, if it was Tomura’s will and it wasn’t self-harming, who was he to interfere? Tomura eagerly took Izuku to a big door down a dimly lit corridor where he knocked loudly and waited with Izuku. Izuku just wanted this nightmare to be over and to wake up in his warm bed to spend Christmas morning with his Mama.
The door opened and Izuku felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he was dragged into the dark room with the other boy leading him, keeping Izuku tucked behind him which Izuku felt grateful for in case there were other strangers here.
“Ah, Tomura, it's fairly late. Did you need something?” a deep baritone voice asked making Izuku freeze.
He knew that voice.
“I wanted to bring you your Christmas present. It's technically already Christmas Day.” Tomura announced proudly before peeling Izuku away from him and around to stand in front of him. “Merry Christmas, Sensei.”
Silence followed Tomura’s pride and for a moment Tomura internally began to deflate. He was sure this was the kid from the photo! He looked exactly like him!
“P-Papa?” Izuku’s voice was incredibly quiet and tearful as he stared up at the frozen man in front of him. His Papa had left so abruptly from their lives that Mama had cried a bunch. Izuku had even wondered if it was because of the quirklessness like all the bullies had said. But now staring up at the nearly faceless man in front of him, he had the horrifying realization that maybe his father hadn’t wanted to leave them after all.
“Izuku.” the man whispered as if he couldn’t believe it himself. And then all at once Izuku burst into tears as this scary night led him to this. The man hesitated in an almost instant reaction to reach out to him but Izuku couldn’t handle that. He jumped straight into the man’s chest, house slippers flying from his feet as he did so, and wrapped his tiny arms tight around his father’s neck sobbing into his chest.
“Papa,” *hiccup* “W-where did you go?!” Izuku cried as familiar warm arms enveloped him. Chasing away the cold of Izuku’s journey. “Why d-do you look like this?!” he asked snuggling into him and hugging him with all his might.
“Thank you, Tomura. This was a good present.” All for One said as he rubbed the small boy’s back, in the months he had been forced to separate from his family he could already feel that Izuku had grown a bit. “You may leave and request anything you want from Kurogiri.”
“You’re welcome Sensei!” Tomura said feeling prideful yet again at the success. As he left the room he realized it was the first time he could remember ever hearing Sensei sound grateful. And he got a great bonus, he was going to get so many games from Kurogiri now there was no way the mist man could deny his requests!
When the door shut leaving them alone Izuku felt as his Papa curled over him, hugging him just a bit tighter and there was the slightest tremble to his chest. Something Izuku recognized as barely held in emotion. He tucked his fluffy head beneath his father’s chin and basked in a warmth he had been missing for so long. His father had always given the best hugs. Being as big as All Might made him so.
“I’m sorry, Izuku.” Hisashi muttered before kissing the top of his head. “Other people separated us and it's not fair to either of us is it?”
“No.” Izuku said choking on another sob. He had no idea what his father was talking about. No idea how his father came to be hurt so badly. Why he never came home after getting hurt like this? “D-Don’t go again. Let’s g-go home. Mama will b-be so h-happy.” Izuku begged as his father began to rock him.
“Ok Izuku. We will.” Hisashi said hushing the child as he rocked. Izuku’s heart felt like it was going to burst to pieces with relief and longing. “You can go to sleep. It's much too late for a boy to be up. I’m sure Santa is on his way to your house as we speak. I heard he only drops them off when your eyes are closed.”
“O-Ok.” Izuku easily agreed having been beyond exhausted already. “Will you stay with me?”
“Yes.” Hisashi promised, still rocking him. With that promise, Izuku felt safe enough to close his eyes. It didn’t take long for him to sleep leaving the crippled villain clutching his only child close. He kissed Izuku’s head again and sat relishing the warm affection he could never share with anyone but Inko and Izuku. And Yoichi if he were still here.
“K-Kurogiri.” Hisashi called moving to stand and needing to clear his throat to be heard. The nomu appeared immediately at his beck and call. “If you would, please send me home.”
And in an instant, he was home. Standing in a familiar tiny living room with a twinkling tree. Presents neatly wrapped beneath it, he was pleased to at least know Inko was strong enough to make it through the holidays without him. He quietly made his way to Izuku’s room. A route he could have walked even if he truly was blind and wasn’t assisted with quirks. He tucked Izuku into his bed, finding himself hesitating to depart as he twisted his fingers through Izuku’s soft curls.
It would be so easy to take Inko and Izuku with him.
But he couldn’t. Not now. Not when he was at his lowest. Perhaps in a few more years when plans come to fruition. When he could become a demon lord whom no one would dare to oppose. It would have to be meticulously set. Only when he stood at the top would Izuku and Inko be safe with him.
“I promise, Izuku.” Hisashi said eyeless gaze staring down at his son in the dark. He rested a hand on Izuku’s forehead letting a memory-altering quirk take effect blurring details of the night to be confusing and forgettable. “I promise that one day I’ll come back for you. I won’t leave you behind ever again when that time comes.”