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Chapter Text

It was a dark, cloudy day. The wind was blowing, and cold droplets of rain were hitting Izuku's raincoat. He was currently at a scrapyard searching for spare parts to build an android. For years, he had been collecting components, as his mother couldn't afford to buy one. They were simply too expensive.

As Izuku searched through a pile of scrap, he stumbled upon some useful cables and an intact android hand. It was rare to find parts in such good condition; usually, the company that disabled the androids tore their components apart and disposed of them here. He carefully placed the cables and the white plastic android hand into his backpack. This could prove useful later.

The wind howled more fiercely, causing his hoodie to whip off his face as the cold rain splashed against his green hair and cheeks. It felt uncomfortable, but he couldn't allow the harsh weather to deter him. He pressed on, using his phone as a flashlight, illuminating a pile of destroyed parts. As Izuku walked around, he stumbled upon something else: a broken android head. Although it appeared damaged, the blue eyes remained intact. Kneeling, he took out a screwdriver and carefully removed the eyes, placing them into a bag before stowing them in his yellow backpack.

Izuku got up to move again when he slipped on the mud and fell backwards, hitting a pile of metal parts. In that moment, the materials came tumbling down on him, and he cried out in alarm. Bringing his arm up to protect his head, Izuku felt the weight of various technological materials hit his body, and it felt crushing.

Once it stopped, Izuku pushed his arms forward and tried to kick the debris off him with his legs. After a few attempts, he finally managed to break free, and the materials fell to the ground like ocean waves.

“That was scary,” Izuku muttered to himself as he brushed off the small remnants of cables from his clothes. He hoped he hadn’t gotten any oil or blue blood on his rain jacket, as that would be difficult to clean.

Upon closer inspection, the android was missing its lower half and one arm. Aside from that, it appeared mostly intact. The plastic was in good condition, with only a few scratches here and there, which could easily be replaced.

Carefully walking on the cables, metal parts, and other components, Izuku reached the android and turned it over to see its face.

“Ah!” Izuku shouted as he jumped back. The android had a metallic skull, lacking any features of a face or eyes. Its chest appeared to be intact.

Izuku walked over to the droid once again and began to examine it using the flashlight on his phone. He carefully opened the chest compartment with the help of his screwdriver. The interior of the droid appeared to be mostly intact. Although some of the circuits showed signs of rust, Izuku was confident that he had replacement parts at home. He could fix that.

“You are in good condition and more intact than any android I have ever seen here,” Izuku mumbled to the android, knowing it couldn’t hear him while it was offline.

He couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to this android. Who was its previous owner? What kind of tasks could it perform? How did it end up here? Was the android discarded by its family? It was common for androids to be thrown away when newer models were released. Perhaps he could ask it once he repairs it.

“It will be alright. I will fix you,” Izuku smiled, feeling a pang of sadness for the android. He realised this could be the opportunity he had been searching for. He could repair the android and return if he needed more parts. From what he could see, he would need to search for a pair of legs. He was confident he had an android arm lying somewhere at home.

Izuku knelt, closing the android's chest to shield its circuits from the rain. He grabbed the plastic left arm and pulled the android onto his own chest, attempting to carry him like an injured princess.

“Oh, you are quite heavy!” Izuku managed to get him into his arms, then headed back home. He prayed that no officer would spot him. It wasn’t illegal to take parts for scrapyards, a lot of people came and took what they needed. However, it was illegal to build a brand new Android from old parts.

“It's a good thing you're already an existing model; I can’t get into trouble with you. I wonder what kind of model you are. Are you a basic model or perhaps a bodyguard? What if you’re a chef, a gardener, or even a teacher droid?” Izuku mumbled to himself. The very thought of the unknown potential of this android excited him, making him eager to get home and start working on it.

It took Izuku about half an hour to get home with the android. Along the way, he had to stop a few times for short breaks, as it felt like his arms were about to give out. Why was this android so heavy?

When he finally saw his apartment building, Izuku felt immense relief, but he knew a nightmare awaited him: he had to walk up the stairs.

“This will be worth it! I can do it!” He yelled at himself. He felt like a battery on 5%.

Once he reached his floor, Izuku rested against the wall before continuing towards his apartment door. He put the android down, unlocked the door, and dragged the droid inside.

“I’m home!” Izuku greeted, taking off his shoes, rain jacket and backpack.

“Welcome home, Izuku.”Inko greeted her son kindly. Then yelled in panic. “Ahh! What is that?!”

"It's our new android! He might be missing a few parts, but he's in great condition! I have some spare parts, and I know I can repair him!" Izuku picked up the droid, and its head rolled backwards, facing Inko, who paled at the sight.

“I-It d-dos-en’t ha-ve a face.” She barely managed to speak. Did all androids look like that beneath the plastic frame that could mimic human skin?

“It’s okay! I can fix it! I found some eyes that I can use. I think I might have some plastic skin in my room. If not, I will have to look for some,” He assured his mother. To be fair, he knew this wouldn’t be a small project. Repairing the Android would take time.

“Izuku, are you certain about this?” Inko asked. She knew her son was skilled at repairing things around the house. It wasn’t like they could call someone to come over and fix issues.

“I can help! Everyone has an Android these days. You have to pick me up from school because we don’t have one, with him.” Izuku pointed at the broken droid. “I can walk home without bothering you at work, and the droid could help around the house. You wouldn’t have to worry about cleaning or cooking anymore.”

“That would be lovely. I appreciate your help at home, but an extra hand would be nice,” Inko agreed with the idea. She worked long hours in her bakery to pay the bills.

“That is why I am going to fix him! He can get a second chance in life.” Izuku said excitedly and began to take the android to his room to fix him.

“Alright, I trust you. But clean him first before you do anything else, alright?” Inko noticed dirt on the droid.

“I will. Call me if you need anything.” Izuku walked into his room and placed a few old newspapers on the floor before setting the android down. Right, he probably should clean up the andorid.

As he walked out of his room, he pulled the android into the bathroom and used soap and a cloth to clean the dirt off its body. After a while, the plastic was no longer grey; after several rounds of scrubbing away old marks, it had turned white.

After he was finished, Izuku took the android back to his room and opened his closet. Inside, he retrieved an android arm that he had found a few years earlier. This was a valuable discovery since intact parts were rare to come by. He then pulled out a box filled with smaller components, including plastic skin, wires, circuits, and motherboards.

Izuku started to attach the arm to the android, knowing this would be the tricky part. He opened his phone and played a step-by-step video tutorial. After two hours of hard work, during which he cut and connected wires, he finally completed the task. Exhausted, he realised he was done.

“That was harder than I thought," Izuku said as he lay on the floor, turning his head to look at the android. The android appeared more human now that it had a right arm, but the face was unsettling to Izuku it resembled a scrambled potato.

“Alright, I have the eyes from earlier today. These should be easy to connect.” Izuku got up, opened his backpack, and took out the bag containing the blue eyes. He then walked over to the android, connected the wires, and carefully inserted the eyeballs.

“There, looking friendlier already,” Izuku smiled, pleased with his progress. However, he knew there was still a lot of work to do. He needed to find a pair of legs, investigate the android's software to determine if it was operational, and replace the rusted circuits with the spare ones he had lying around. He could tackle that next.

“This will take some time,” Izuku said, still feeling tired. He could work more on his android tomorrow. For now, he wanted to take a nap.
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This week had passed like a blur for Izuku. He would wake up and prepare for school, which he dreaded attending. The other young teens and Kacchan would tease and bully him for not having an Android. It was obvious when the androids came to pick up their children from school, and since he didn’t have one. Inko was forced to pick him up, as such was the law.

At home, Izuku would finish his homework, eat dinner, and then work on the android. He had successfully replaced all the rusted circuits and motherboards in its chest and head, where the more critical systems were located. Izuku examined the android twice to ensure he hadn't overlooked anything and used video tutorials to guide him through the process.

He had visited the scrapyard several times in search of spare parts to build a leg. While Izuku did manage to find some components, he only acquired enough for one leg and a second foot. He would need to keep collecting more parts.

Izuku had removed the electricity cables and battery from the droid. Older generation droids used electricity as a power source, but this method quickly became too expensive. He found some soft, flexible plastic tubes and an Android metallic heart, which he installed into the robot. Then, he poured a small amount of blue blood into its systems to provide just enough power for the next step.

The android was technically halfway operational. He just needed to connect it to his computer to check if any of the original programming and software had survived. If not, he would need to install a basic personality and software until they could go to the store to register the android as part of their family and update its software.

Izuku decided to do that today. He needed to check whether everything was intact or if he would have to purchase basic personality and software to make the android functional.

“I watched the video five times. It shouldn't be too difficult to do this.” Izuku moved the android closer to his computer and connected it to his PC using a few cables.

On the screen, he noticed that the computer had already detected the android. Izuku smiled at this and opened the program he had downloaded for the check-up. It took a little time to load everything, but gradually, he saw the screen displaying files that were one hundred years old. He wondered if the dates on these files were accurate.

“No way! You can’t be that old, can you?” Izuku exclaimed, shocked by the revelation. He gazed down at the emotionless android, pondering the possibility that it was a hundred years old. If that were true, he had stumbled upon a true relic.

“I need to focus,” Izuku reminded himself as he went back to work, sifting through file after file to ensure there weren’t any lurking viruses and utilising the program to restore corrupted files to their original state.

Unnoticed by the young teen, he didn’t see the android twitching its fingers or how the blue eyes began to glow slightly.

“Y-y…h-h ii?” a small whisper of the android voice echoed.

“Hmm, some of the files are damaged. The program is effectively repairing many of them,” Izuku muttered to himself as he typed away on his keyboard.

“D-am-aged?” The faint voice of the android asked. As the android attempted to move, he realised he had wires connected to him and began to pull at them, but they wouldn’t disconnect. He demanded in a louder voice, “What is this?!”

“Huh? Y-you aren’t supposed to be online,” Izuku said, flabbergasted as he stared at the droid, who looked back at him with confusion and anger.

“A child? Was it you who destroyed me? Are you trying to finish me off?! I won’t let you!” The android shouted in anger and yanked at the wires again, causing them to disconnect this time. As he attempted to get up, he fell forward onto his chest and face, hitting the floor. Turning his head, he glanced down and realised that his lower half was missing.

“Where are my legs? What have you done to me, you wretched child!” The android demanded, his voice dripping with venom and confusion as he struggled to comprehend his surroundings.

“I didn’t do anything. I’m trying to help you,” Izuku said to the android, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He got up from his chair and reached out in an attempt to assist the robot. Just then, he barely managed to dodge a clenched plastic and metal fist that swung dangerously close to his face. That was way too close.

“Lies! You want to destroy me! Did my creator put you to finish what he started?! Where is he! I demand to see Yoichi!” The android’s eyes glowed menacingly.

“I don’t know who that is!” Izuku replied, wondering how he could get through to the android. It was clear that the robot was far from rational. But how could he make an old robot understand that he posed no threat, or explain that he was in the future?

“Who is Yoichi?” Izuku asked cautiously, contemplating the connection. He guessed that Yoichi must have been the droid's previous owner, someone important to the android. But why would the android believe that its owner wanted it destroyed? Could that be what had truly happened to this robot?

“Who is Yoichi, you ask? Honestly, you must be quite the fool if you haven't heard of my creator! He is the brilliant mind behind all androids in the world, tirelessly working to push the boundaries of technology." The android explained, pride radiating from its voice as it spoke about the human who brought him to life. “I was crafted with exceptional care, as he designed me personally to be his helping hand, equipped with advanced capabilities and a strong sense of purpose.”

“Wait a minute, did he really create all the androids?” Izuku asked. The name sounded familiar to him.

Could it be that Yoichi was the man who created the first android? He sat in his chair and began searching for information about him, and soon found the result he had suspected. Yoichi wasn’t just anyone; he was the founder of One For All, a pioneering company that had once been at the forefront of android technology. This revelation stirred a whirlwind of thoughts. Was this android truly a remnant of his legacy? It was hard to believe that this android had once belonged to such an important man.

Izuku’s face turned pale as the weight of his discovery sank in. He had unearthed a relic, an artifact imbued with history, once owned by the legendary figure who had fundamentally shaped the society he knew.

“Is this your previous owner?” Izuku turned his monitor to face the android, who looked at the image on the screen along with the information about the man's life.

The glow of the display illuminated the android's features as it focused on the image and the information about the man’s life. The data detailed his life, and the circumstances that had led to his death, sparking a flicker of recognition in the android's eyes as it processed the implications of its past.

“Yes, that is him,” the android confirmed, examining the image displayed on the screen. The familiar features of white hair, green eyes, and pale skin revealed Yoishi's twenties.

“But why does it say he is dead? This doesn’t make sense. There must be a glitch in the system.” As he processed this unexpected information, questions raced through his mind. How could a reputable web engine supply such misleading data? Was it a simple error, or did it point to a larger issue? The android felt a sense of urgency to uncover the truth behind this.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, he is dead. You have been offline for one hundred years.” Izuku backed slowly away to his desk and reached for his calendar that was on the wall, holding it up in his hand as it showed the year was 2100.

“Do you take me for a fool? That is obviously a fake calendar!” The android snarled. He wished he could torture the truth out of the child, if he could reach him. But he couldn’t move much with only his arms.

“I’m being honest!” Izuku exclaimed, pulling out his phone to show the android the calendar. However, the droid just frowned at it.

The android stared at the mobile phone, baffled. It wasn't supposed to look like a flat, clear screen. What kind of brand calls itself Sunny? It was a ridiculous name for a company. He should destroy the device and put an end to the lies the boy was trying to tell him.

The phone displayed the same year as the calendar. How could two seemingly unrelated items reflect the same moment in time? The thought gnawed at him: what if it wasn't a mere glitch or error? The idea that he could have been offline for an entire century was simply preposterous. It was impossible, wasn’t it?

"Here, use my phone." Izuku placed the device on the floor and gently nudged it towards the droid.

He picks up the mobile phone and gently taps the screen. Instantly, the display lights up as the familiar search engine appears. It couldn’t hurt to look for the truth. As he types on the screen, he soon stumbles upon information about Yoichi's company, One For All.

A sense of disbelief washes over him as he realises that everything this child had revealed up to this moment was indeed accurate. The staggering truth hits him. He has just woken up a century away from the life he once knew, and Yoichi, who had shaped his world, has long since passed away into history.

“Y-you been telling me the truth.” The androids said in disbelief. He thought he had been kidnapped to be destroyed. But maybe he was already destroyed. After all, he was missing his lower half, a grim reminder of his condition. The child who stood nearby insisted that he was working on a way to fix him. He couldn't help but ponder: what else had been taken from him during this ordeal? As memories flickered like shadows in his mind.

“That is what I have been trying to tell you,” Izuku replied, finally happy that the droid believed him and hopefully wouldn’t try to attack him again. “I found you in the scrapyard, surrounded by rusted parts. I hoped to repair you, so you could join our family with me and my mom.”

“You wish me to join your family.” The android stated, its voice calm yet probing. "But tell me, what would happen if I were to refuse your offer?"

Izuku stood in stunned silence, unsure of how to respond. He had always believed that androids were designed to seek companionship and family connections, so meeting one that didn’t want to join a family was a shocking revelation. In society, androids without families were often regarded as defective or unwanted. Such beings were at risk of being collected by authorities and sent to be dismantled, stripped of their memories and abilities. An android without a family was unthinkable; it signified a loss of purpose.

"The One For All company will find you and dismantle you. I don’t want that to happen, especially after spending time fixing you," Izuku said, feeling sad that the android didn’t want to stay. And pleaded. "Please stay. I know we may not have much, but you'll have a home here, and we would be happy to have you."

The android carefully studied the boy's expression, in his eyes as he expressed a desire for him to join his family. It was quite bold for the child to make such a request, but there was an innocence in his plea that struck a chord within the android’s circuits. If he knew what kind of model he had found, he wouldn’t ask him to become a carekeeper. This alone was a profound insult to his design, programming, and purpose, as Yoichi had assigned him. Yet, where would he go? It’s been one hundred years, and currently, his body is missing essential components, such as legs, and who knows what else.

“Very well, I accept your offer,” the android said, his voice steady despite the flicker of annoyance that coursed through his circuitry. He couldn't shake the nagging feeling that he might regret his decision.

“Really?! Thank you so much! We truly do our best to take care of you!” Izuku exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. He flashed a radiant smile, filled with genuine warmth.

“I’m sure.” The android said without any interest. He didn’t care if the boy lived or died tomorrow. For now, he has a roof over his head, and hopefully, he won’t have to stay here for too long. “Do you have a mirror anywhere? I wish to examine myself.”

“Only in the bathroom, but I can help with that if you could give me back my phone,” Izuku said and saw the droid holding up the phone to the child. He took it and captured a picture of the android on his phone and then displayed it on the screen. “This is how you currently look.”

The android stared frozen at the screen, feeling utterly ruined. Not only had he lost his lower half, but his handsome face was also gone! He knew that Yoichi had tried to have him destroyed, which wasn't surprising, but the extent of the damage was beyond what he had imagined. It felt too cruel. What had he done to deserve this? All he ever wanted was to protect his creator.

“I know it looks bad, but I will soon have you running again,” Izuku reassured him and walked over to a large box where a few parts were sticking out, mostly plastic skin. “I have enough materials in this box to build you a new leg. However, I will need to visit the scrapyard again to gather more parts.”

“This is worse than secondhand parts! Can’t you order me new limbs?” The android exclaimed, his voice rising in frustration. He would never stoop so low, the thought of having his missing superior limbs replaced with new limbs that were built by garbage angers him.

“I’m really sorry, but my mum just can’t afford those... they’re way too expensive,” Izuku said softly, his voice tinged with a mixture of disappointment and understanding.

The android's gaze remained fixed on the child, unblinking and full of a strange intensity, as if it were trying to comprehend the weight of the boy's words. In that moment, it felt as if the world around them had fallen apart.

“Your right arm is from the scrapyard too, you were missing your original and eyes too.”

“That explains why my eyes are blue,” The android said with disgust. Yet, he could see clearly with these and zoom in much further than he could with his old eyes. But he would never admit this to the child, and it made sense that in one hundred years, there would be improvements in technology.

“By the way, my name is Izuku. What is yours?” The boy introduced himself with a bright smile.

“My designation is AFO-001. It stands for 'All your work is in my care, for your convenience it will be done, and one droid is all you need.' I am also the only unit of my model; that is what 001 signifies.” The android replied with pride. He knew his worth, but he began to question whether he still held the same value. Technology advances over time, and he realised he was becoming a relic. He decided not to dwell on it. After all, he was still important, right?

“Wow, that sounds so cool! We no longer have droids explaining their names.” Izuku smiled, his eyes gleaming with interest in the android.

“Have you been working on me all by yourself?” AFO-001 asked. There was no way a child this skinny could have accomplished so much work to get him operational.

“I have. I am good with tech, and I also use video tutorials to help me if I get stuck.” Izuku replied shyly. It wasn’t often that people asked about his skills.

AFO-001 moved his right arm around, everything felt right, as there was no joint pain and no delay in movement. The eyes were clear, too. Perhaps the child isn’t as stupid as he appears.

“How long would it take you to give me legs?”

“Um, I don’t know how to build legs, it will maybe take weeks. Plus, I need to get more parts for your other leg,” the child explained in disappointment. He wanted to help more, but he just didn’t have much knowledge in that area.

“What if you already had the legs?” AFO-001 questioned and saw the child light up a bit, and said.

“Well, I attached your arm. I could do the same for your leg, it would just take two hours.”

“Here’s my suggestion: I’ll assemble my legs, and you can attach them to me,” AFO-001 said as he glanced at the box the boy had previously pointed out. He disliked the idea of using such a repulsive part for limbs, but he figured that if he built the legs himself, at least they would be done properly.

“Sure, I don’t mind the help. Do you know how to assemble one?” Izuku asked curiously. He was quite certain that the android didn’t come with self-repair programs; otherwise, the company would have gone out of business.

“No, I don’t. But give me your phone as a guide, and I will have one leg ready by tomorrow.”

"That sounds wonderful! I can head to the scrapyard tomorrow to look for more parts and hopefully find some faceplates for you," Izuku said with an excited smile. With this additional help, he might be able to get the droid operational sometime this week.

“Then it is decided. Hand me the phone, and go and look for more parts.” AFO-001 commanded. He couldn’t wait to get started. The loss of limbs weighed heavily on his conscience, making him feel like a shadow of his former self and a disgrace.

“I can’t go out now, it’s getting dark outside. But I can continue to repair your software, you interrupted me while I was working.” Izuku explained. He sensed the droid’s gaze fixed on him, as if it were processing his words and whether he would give permission.

“Make it quick,” AFO-001 told him, his voice sounded as if he was out of patience.

“Sure, I was almost finished before.” Izuku walked over to the android and helped him sit down, then reconnected the wires. AFO-001 just sat there unbothered, while letting the boy continue with his work.

Izuku moved over to his computer and continued to repair the files he was working on earlier. While working, he looked down at the android, and wished to ask questions about Yoichi. However, it felt awkward to do it as he didn’t know the android well enough, and the droid might not want to answer his questions. After all, he was a stranger to him.

Perhaps, he could change that now that they were supposed to be family.
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Notes: I had a lot of fun writing this chapter.
AFO is so unhappy, hehe.
The next chapter will hopefully arrive soon.

Chapter Text

A few hours had passed since the child went to sleep. Android leaned against the wall, reflecting on the events of the day. Not just that he had woken up in the future, but he also had some files that were still corrupted. The child had tried to fix them, but had no luck. Instead, he was told not to worry about it because he would later receive a large update on those after being registered to the family.

AFO-001 felt a surge of frustration upon realising that his programming was still damaged in some areas. He had been designed into perfection, every line of code crafted with precision. Yet now, he grappled with the unsettling truth of how far he had fallen from that. This hurt his pride far more than it did his circuitry.

Before going to sleep, the boy had offered him a shirt, a small gesture of kindness on the child’s part and the sweater was acceptable at best. It did make him feel a little better to wear something.

He shifted his attention to the sleeping child, who claimed to be skilled with technology. If that was true, he might have a better future or fall right back where he is. Why would he care about what this child becomes? It was none of his concern. The child might have repaired him a little, but that meant nothing.

“Sitting here is a complete waste of time,” AFO-001 said, feeling restless and eyed the box with the parts the boy showed him. It wouldn’t hurt to start building that now, would it?

AFO-001 slowly crawled over to the desk, feeling around blindly until he found the child's phone. He then continued to crawl to the box that lay in the corner of the room, which took him some time to reach.

“Now, let’s get to work.” AFO-001 turned on the phone, and surprisingly, it didn’t have a password. Seriously, what kid didn’t protect their own privacy? He had to help Yoichi with that. Back in the day, he created a few different passwords to keep competing companies away from their data files.

Why was he here again? AFO-001 looked down at his hand, saw the phone, and eyed the box with the spare parts. Right, he was supposed to assemble his new grange leg. How did he forget that?

As he looked around, he quickly spotted the toolbox and carefully dragged it closer. He also kept an eye on the child to make sure he wouldn’t wake him. Opening the search engine on the phone, he typed in some queries and found several videos on how to build an Android leg.

The video played while the phone was muted, allowing him to read the subtitles easily. He picked up a screwdriver, reached inside the box for some parts, and began assembling them. He worked tirelessly all night, pausing the video to follow along. At times, he found himself staring at parts in confusion. This was not as easy as he had regularly thought.

As daylight filled his vision, he blinked slowly, wondering if time had passed so quickly. A few hours later, he heard the child's alarm clock ringing.

“Good morning,” Izuku said with a yawn. He got to his feet and began his routine to put on his school uniform.

Then he saw it: the android was holding his tools and had built a brand new android leg. Izuku couldn’t believe his eyes. Yes, the android had said it was going to build it, but in just one night? That was incredibly fast!

“Wait… did you just?” The child questioned, surprised.

“This was child's play,” AFO-001 confidently declared, though he would never admit that he got stuck a few times during the process.

“I’m glad you had fun, and I see you used my phone,” Izuku remarked, noticing his device charging on the floor as he walked over to pick it up.

“Yes, it was very useful and disappointing at the same time. Your phone's battery life is laughable at best.”

“It’s just an older model, but you may be right. I should be looking for a new battery for it.” Izuku replied as he unplugged the phone and put it in his pocket. When had the android gotten his hands on it? He didn’t mind sharing, but he guessed the android must have taken it while he slept.

“Will you get me more parts today?” AFO-001 asked, the young teen. While trying to tidy up the floor from the screws and cables.

“I will, but I won’t come home until later because of it. You will be alone at home for a while.” Izuku informed the droid and remembered that his mum didn’t know that the android was operational. “If you see my mum, please don’t scare her. She might panic.”

“Isn’t she aware of my existence?” AFO-001 questioned. He thought the mother knew about him.

“She does know about you, but she doesn’t know that you’re online. Could you please pretend to be offline when she arrives?” Izuku asked kindly, as he walked over to his desk to grab his backpack and some books for school to put inside it.

“Why this request?” AFO-001 tried to study the child's reactions.why would he ask such a silly thing? But the boy seemed more focused on getting ready for school.

“She almost fainted when she first saw you. It would be best to introduce you later. I have some faceplates in the drawer that I can install on you, after my visit to the scrapyard.”

“Wait, you are telling me that you can restore my face?!” AFO-001 inquired, a mix of surprise and excitement dancing in his eyes at the prospect of having his old face restored to its original glory.

"Well, not entirely. You used to wear realistic plastic skin, didn't you? Nowadays, androids don’t require it. The material they're made from can mimic human skin effectively. It’s really fascinating, but to make this work, you need a 3D model of a face already built into your system so that you can activate this feature."

“Are you able to accomplish this task?” The android asked as it observed the child reaching for the door handle.

"I've never done anything like that before. However, I know that Android stores offer various options for faces. I'm sure you'll find something you like. I need to head to school, I can't be late." Izuku replied and waved goodbye. “I will see you later.”

AFO-001 crawled to the door and listened in. He could hear the child talking to his mother about unimportant things. Moving away from the door, the android looked around at the child's room. It had the basic things, a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, a wardrobe and a few posters of comic book heroes.

It would be beneficial for him to gather more information about the family he agreed to join. After all, it makes sense to understand what kind of people they are and how much money the mother earns each month. The child mentioned that his mother couldn't afford new parts for him, which seemed ridiculous. Yoishi had fought with his hired help to keep costs low. Did they raise the prices after his death?

“Right, let’s explore the apartment once the humans leave,” AFO-001 said to himself. He had scanned the room, but couldn’t find anything useful.

The closet was filled with clothes, and the bookshelf held mainly tools and books on androids, as well as a manual on how to repair an oven. Who would give a child a book about repairing an oven? Wait, did the child actually have to do that? In a way, he isn’t that surprised by it.

He waited in the room for a little while longer until he heard the family leave for work and school. Then, he opened the door and began to explore the small apartment. The walls looked like they could use a fresh coat of paint, and the flooring appeared worn. Never mind that, he needed information.

He had discovered the mother's room, which contained nothing fancy, just basic items. He then moved to the kitchen, which looked average, but his eyes were drawn to the papers on the table. Climbing onto one of the chairs for a better view, he could see the mail. He grabbed the letters and noticed they were already opened. Looking at the papers inside, he found exactly what he was looking for: the bills. The prices shocked him as he stared at the paper.

Every single one had ridiculously high prices. It never cost this much back in his time.

“Either inflation has reached a high degree, or money has lost its value,” AFO-001 said, but he suspected it was the former.

He returned the letters to their original place and crawled into the last room, the living room. Inside, he saw a couch, a TV, and several other items, including family photos. One of the photos featured a family of three: a child, likely around four years old, along with the mother and father.

“Interesting,” AFO-001 said as he studied the pictures. He soon noticed that in the photos from when Izuku was younger, his father was present. However, in the other photos where the child was older, the man was absent. “He likely abandoned his family. I wonder why?”

He could only get so much information from pictures, perhaps he should ask the child once he returns from school.

AFO-001 continued to explore the apartment for a little while longer. However, he soon grew bored and returned to the child's room. There, he used the computer to research the current era and try to catch up on what he had missed over the past decade. Apparently, there was a lot.

He spent a long time in front of that monitor, examining the economy, which had been affected by rising taxes and inflation. He also looked into what had happened with Yoichi's company, One for All. They remained the leading company in the field of androids, but it seemed the company had become greedy, and maintenance for an android was no longer affordable for lower-class citizens. The child wasn’t exaggerating when he mentioned that the parts were expensive; it was ridiculous how much they charged for an arm replacement.

A few hours later, he heard someone step into the bedroom. AFO-001 turned around and saw a child standing by the door.

“I'm back and I found an intact leg for you!” Izuku smiled as he held the leg in his arms. He walked across the room and placed it next to the other one.

“How did you find it? Didn't you say that parts like these are hard to come by?” The Android questioned while scanning the appearance of that leg, it seems to be in good condition.

“Yes, it is very rare. I was looking around at the scrapyard when a man came by and left his android there. He swore a lot and hit the Android a few times.” Izuku explained what he had witnessed and continued. “I hid and waited for him to leave, then I saw the droid. Its upper body was completely ruined. It's sad that some people treat androids so badly. I took the opportunity to get this leg from that android.”

“You did well to hide yourself. However, do you know if this leg is functional?” AFO-001 asked the child. The leg would be useless to him if it were broken, but the child would certainly be determined to fix it.

“I’m not sure, but we can figure it out. I can attach both limbs to you and your new faceplates,” Izuku said excitedly, knowing that the android would be completed after this. He could have it registered at the store tomorrow.

“What are you waiting for, an invitation? Repair me at once.” The android demanded loudly.

“Sure, you sound eager to be whole again.” Izuku put down his backpack and reached for his tools.

“Wouldn't you be in my situation?” The Android questioned. Honesty, who asked a stupid question like that?

“I guess, I would. But I, too, am excited to have you fully restored.” Izuku smiled, grabbed one of the legs and began to connect the two cables.

“Let me guess, you are excited because you get to show me off. It's only natural that you would, I am quite an expensive model, I have you know.” The android bragged that it wouldn't be the first time someone admired him.

“I know, you were Yoichi's android. But that isn't why I'm excited to have you fully restored.” Izuku said as he worked. It was a bit sad that the android thought he wanted him because he was expensive.

“You may have been expensive once upon a time, but the RK units are the most expensive androids today. They have very advanced programming and many features that other androids don’t have. But only the rich can afford.”

“Cheap imitations! I am far superior to them!” AFO-001 snapped, feeling upset that the child called him outdated. He wasn’t that outdated, was he?

“I’m sorry. But it's the truth, for you to be equal to an RK unit, you would need to replace everything about you. But then you wouldn't be you anymore.” Izuku apologised. It seems the android is sensitive to being called old, he should avoid calling him that in the future.

“I don't need any fancy new motherboard to prove that I'm better than another android. How much longer will this take you?” The android asked impatiently.

“I just started, it will take a while,” Izuku informed him and returned to tinkering away.

After a few hours, both legs were attached, and Izuku was fixing the Android’s face by attaching the white plastic plates. The process was much faster and smoother than working on the legs. It was like playing with Legos.

“There, it is finished.” Izuku smiled tiredly after working for so long. He got up and began to stretch his limbs and saw the android using the wall for support as it tried to stand up.

“Do you need help to stand up?”

“Do I look like a child in need of help? No, I can manage just fine on my own.” AFO-001 replied rudely. He still used the wall for help.

“Oh, okay. But you look a little unstable there.” Izuku pointed out in worry.

“That is just your imagination.” AFO-001 took a few steps forward, but each step felt so heavy, like he was slow on battery. Suddenly, he lost his balance and fell to the ground. “What is this?”

Izuku rushed over and knelt next to him. “Are you alright?”

“No, I’m low on power.” The android complained. How could he have forgotten about his energy levels? They were fine just a few hours ago.

“You don't run on power anymore, remember? I switch it out with a core that runs on blue blood… You need more blue blood!” Izuku realised why the droid fell and took a box out from under his bed, where he had three bottles of the liquid.

Grabbing one, he picked the rest back under the bed and walked over to the android and held the bottle in front of him. “Here you go.”

“What am I supposed to do with the bottle?” The Android snapped, this wasn't helpful at all. Was the child playing a cruel game with him?

“You are supposed to drink this, it's what you run on now. Your new energy.” Izuku explained gently, opened the bottle for him, and encouraged him. “Try it, you will feel better soon.”

AFO-001 kept his eyes on the bottle. It wasn't anything he wanted to do, but he also knew the boy wasn't lying about this new power source he had now. It matched what he had read earlier about droids. Besides, it wasn't like the child wanted to ruin him after fixing him, otherwise, he would be very stupid.

“Fine, I will.” He reached for the bottle and began drinking the blue liquid inside, but it didn't taste like anything at all. His system popped up a small window where he could see the number of the energy going up. Once he reached 100%, he stopped drinking and handed the bottle to Izuku.

“Feeling better?” Izuku asked, closed the bottle and put it away.

“That is a stupid question. Don't you see that I am standing perfectly fine?” AFO-001 asked as he tried to stand up again, this time, he had managed it. Taking a few steps inside the room felt stable and so wonderful. He had missed walking.

“This is amazing, let's introduce you to my mother! She shouldn't freak out now since you have a robotic face.” Izuku took the Android's hand and began to pull him, but the droid didn't budge.

He looked confused behind him at the Android and asked. “Huh? What's wrong?”

“Aren't we forgetting something important?” AFO-001 questioned and saw the puzzled look the child was giving him. Did he really need to spell it out for him? “As my owner, it's your responsibility to provide me with clothing.”

“Oh, that is true. The rules require you to wear android clothing that displays your name and model.” Izuku said, and sounded worried. “We don't have that. For now, you will have to wear what we have. I suppose we can buy you some clothing at the second hand butiks.”

The Android watched as the child rushed out from his room and heard him speaking to someone, probably the mother, soon after, the child returned with some clothing in his hand.

“Here, try these.” Izuku handed him a pair of black pants, a pair of socks and indoor shoes.

“A temporary solution.” AFO-001 mused as he accepted the clothing and put it on.

“Yeah, we will get you some clothing later. That is, if we are lucky enough to find something on sale in a shop or second hand websites.”

“Surely, clothing isn’t that experience?” The android asked.

“Everything is expensive nowadays.” The child told him and smiled. “But it's okay, we have everything we need.”

“I doubt that. What is your mother's work?” He asked, surely it couldn't be that bad for the family. However, he didn't know how much the mother earned each month.

“I'm sure she will be happy to tell you, come on.” Izuku smiled brightly and led the fully dressed Android to the kitchen. And called. “Mum, mum, look. He is as good as new.”

Inko, who was preparing dinner, stopped what she was doing and looked at her son, then at the fully functional android. It had all its limbs now and a robotic white face, then a skull.

“Oh, how nice, it looks much better now after you fixed him.” Inko smiled happily. Her son had actually fixed the android, she was so proud of him.

“My name is AFO-001, not it.” The android corrected, it was insulting to consider him a mere item.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. My name is Inko, and you have already met my son.” She introduced herself and watched her son look at her.

“Mum, he is curious about your job.”

“My job? It's nothing big, I just own a small bakery.” Inko smiled shyly. It was her life's work, and she loved working there.

“You’re a business owner?” AFO-001 asked as a glint of light showed in his eyes, as he became very interested to know more about this Bakery. Perhaps the mother was brighter than she seemed.

“Yes, I have had it for a few years now. I opened it when Izuku was just a child.” Inko informed him. Has it really been a few years? It felt like yesterday she had opened her Bakery.

“Interesting, how much do you make each month? How much do the ingredients cost? How much of the money remains for basic needs, and what is left of it afterwards?”

“What is it with these questions?” Inko felt uncomfortable telling the droid how much she made each month. “Izuku, is it supposed to do that?”

“Yes, I am,” AFO-001 answered her question confidently. Didn't she realise that he could improve her income? Some humans are just simple minded. It would be best to explain things.

“I am a business model unit programmed to manage a company’s affairs, meetings, and economic strategies to ensure prosperity. However, I require more data to accomplish this.”

“Okay, but I have handled my store for years.” Inko tried gently to deny the information the droid wanted.

“Yes, and from what I understand. You are soon one customer short of being in debt to the bank. I have seen your bills.” The Android stated straightforwardly, while the woman's eyes showed fear. So he wasn't wrong about that.

“I have everything under control.” Inko insisted. Yes, some days she didn't sell as much. But everyone has those days sometimes.

“Hmm, we will see. I calculate you will continue to struggle and have an 85% chance of ruin if you continue as you are. But if you wish for your Bakery to survive, there is no shame in calling me for help.” AFO-001 told her. He could now see her worried expression as she trembled at the thought of closing her Bakery.

“After all, not everyone understands business better than a unit of my kind.”

“I-I will keep that in mind.” Inko felt very uncomfortable being in the Android's presence. Robots weren't supposed to look through their owners' stuff, right?

“We aren't in debt, right Mum?” Izuku asked his mother in concern.

“No, we are alright.” Inko hugged her son and looked at the android, who gave her a questionable expression. The robot wasn't too far off with his counting. But she can manage this, can’t she?

“Is this a bad time to ask you if we could register AFO into our family?” Izuku asked innocently. He didn't want to burden her with this, it would cost a bit. But he had also saved up some spare money, maybe that will be enough for the registration.

“It’s alright. We can do that tomorrow.” Inko shufted her gaze to the android, who turned around and inspected the kitchen lazily.

“Thank you! You are the best!” Izuku rejoiced and hugged his mother.
____________________________________________________________________________
The next day, Izuku went to school as usual, while Inko headed to her bakery. The android remained at home, and like the day before, he searched for more information on the internet. However, he quickly grew bored without any orders, other than to wait. There was nothing for him to do.

When the mother and child returned, he was delighted in their presence, but didn’t show it.

“About time you two returned,” AFO-001 complained and put on a pair of black shoes that were set for him. “By the way, whose clothing am I wearing?”

Inko and Izuku, who stood by the door, looked at each other in sadness.

“My husband's. H-he died a few years back.” Inko answered and closed the door when the android walked out of the apartment.

“Really? Died how?” AFO-001 questioned. He remembered the family pictures, the man had dark curly hair and green eyes. So the man hadn’t abandoned his family, he passed away. What a pity. But that did explain why the mother struggled so much.

“His lungs were weak, and he didn’t survive the car accident.” She explained, a few tears falling from her cheek. She missed her husband, he was a good man.

“My apologies.” The androids replied without emotion.

“That reminds me, Mum. I need a new inhaler.” Izuku took out his current one from his pocket and showed it. “This is my last one.”

“Oh, dear. Looks like we will need to stop by the pharmacy later.” Inko took out a piece of paper and wrote that down.

"Shall we go and get my registration, or do you want to stand here all day?" The android asked, sounding annoyed. His gaze landed on the inhaler the boy was holding; the child wouldn't need it unless he also had weak lungs. It seemed that the illness affecting both the father and the child could be genetic.

“He is right, let's go.” Izuku headed down the stairs and could hear his mother and android right behind him.

They walked down the apartment building and exited the building. Walking through the street, AFO-001 took notice that the cars had changed and saw more androids walking about the people, following their owners or running tasks for them. Was this the dream Yoichi had? It was sad he couldn’t see it.

As they approached the city, it took some time to reach it. There, they found an android store on display, where several androids showcased their features while smiling at passersby. They entered the store.

“Welcome, customers. I am VB800 and your assistant for today. How can I help you?” The android with brown short hair asked warmly.

“Oh, we're just here to register our android,” Inko replied shyly, and moved closer to her son. He knew this sort of thing better than her.

“Of course, wait here while I call a co-worker to assist you.” The android smiled before he walked away.

“This is the modern androids?” AFO-001 questioned, he watched the android approach a human and spoke to her.

“I guess it must be different from your time. It must feel strange, right?” Izuku asked and saw the unimpressed expression of his droid.

“Oh, please, I can do a better job selling a pen than that pathetic unit.” AFO-001 mocked, these models couldn’t possibly be better than him.

“Right… that isn’t very nice to say.” Izuku scolded him gently. “You might hurt his feelings.”

“He can’t feel any emotions. Just like me, you could insult me and I wouldn’t feel a thing.” AFO-001 stated uncaring, it didn’t matter unless someone insulted his creator.

“Hmm, that isn’t true. I have seen you upset at home.” Izuku pointed out. He believed that all dorids could feel emotions, they were just very good at hiding it.

“Hello, my name is Lin. VB800 told me you wish to register your android.” The lady looked at the android brought to the shop. The android didn’t have its human disguise on or wear the required clothing.

“Yes, I repaired him, but he is an exciting model.” Izuku quickly pointed out, and the lady gave him a questioning look of doubt. “You repaired this android? Sure, kid. Just follow me to the lab.”

The family followed her to the back, where she entered a code that opened a large door. They quickly stepped into the lab, where they saw various pieces of equipment. In the center was a ground platform, and along the sides and ceiling were robotic limbs resembling those of a spider.

“Command your android to stand in the center of the assembly equipment. We need to run a diagnostic and a few other things on him.” Lin said as she walked over to the laptop that lay on a working desk.

“Right, AFO would you mind doing what she said?” Izuku asked and watched the Android take off his shirt and handed it to him as he walked to the machine without a word.

The limbs of the machine began to move, and one plugged itself into AFO-001 from the back port. He waited and watched Lin work on her laptop. But as she worked, he looked around the room and saw that there were a lot of spare parts that were whole, and a large box filled with old android clothing. That is interesting.

“From what family did you say you bought this Android from?” The lady asked and looked at Inko.

“Oh, well.” Inko tried to explained, but wasn’t sure how to do so.

“I found him outside. He was broken and looked so sad, so I took him and repaired him.” Izuku told her. It was the best answer he could give her, the stores didn’t like that people would go to scrap yards to get spare parts for androids, but there were no rules against it. But that didn’t stop them from scolding the people.

“Did you steal him?” She questioned, eyeing them.

“They did not! M-m-y… my owner discarded me.” AFO-001 answered her question, his voice holding a hint of sorrow. He knew their laws better than the child and the mother after studying it today.

“That does happen at times. I can see why, you are a fossil unit.” Lin typed away at her laptop and failed to see the death stare the android gave her. And added. “And your files are corrupted too, that tends to happen to older androids.”

“Can you fix him? I tried to restore as many as I could.” Izuku asked her.

“Well, I can’t restore what has been lost. I can only upload newer software of the same program.”

AFO-001 felt the new, updated programming and software being downloaded to his frame. At least the woman could do basic servers. But the money sticking out from her pocket caught his attention, and he smirked.

“There, he is getting up to date on everything. You do know you have a business unit, right? They aren’t great androids for families.” Lin told the mother and child and suggested. “How about you switch him out for a newer model?”

“Switch him? Are we allowed to do that?” Inko asked unsure, this was news to her.

“Of course, this android is too old to serve. But the company loves studying them since they are so rare nowadays.”

“Well, Izuku? He is your android.” Inko looked at her son, who shook his head.

“No, he is more vulnerable to me because I fixed him.” Izuku replied. He smiled fondly at his android.

AFO-001 rolled his eyes; it wasn’t that he cared about the child’s opinion of him. However, he felt grateful that the child wanted to keep him. If the company were to capture him now, they would undoubtedly disassemble him to analyse his programming and understand how he functioned, all in order to enhance their newer models.

“Are you sure, kid?” Lin asked and looked at her computer, the data had finished transferring.

“Yes, he is part of our family. You can’t have him.” Izuku said strobbingly and decisively.

“Alright, the download is finished. All for one unit, activate your human disguise.” Lin commanded and watched as the android frowned at her, but activated his human appearance. His skin was pale, his hair short and white, and his eyes remained blue.

“Good, now tell me about you.”

“Hello, I am AFO-001. I can handle your bills, money, meetings, documents, and I can protect you from fraud calls and thieves that are after your company secrets. I am also equipped to keep the media away from your privacy. If you are ill, do not worry, I will attend to your work until you recover.”

“Good, now say it in French,” Lin ordered as she ran her tests.

“Bonjour, je suis AFO-001. Je peux gérer vos factures, votre argent, vos réunions, vos documents et vous protéger des appels frauduleux et des voleurs qui cherchent à accéder à vos secrets d'entreprise. Je suis également équipé pour protéger votre vie privée des médias. Si vous êtes malade, ne vous inquiétez pas, je m'occuperai de votre travail jusqu'à votre rétablissement.”

“How about singing a lullaby.” She ordered him, and was happy with the response.

“Sleep now, little one, I am here, chasing away each worry and fear. Safe and sound, in my loving hold, A blanket of warmth, more precious than gold.”

“In Greek this time.” She told him.

“Κοιμήσου τώρα, μικρό μου, είμαι εδώ, Διώχνοντας κάθε ανησυχία και φόβο. Σώος και αβλαβής, στην αγκαλιά μου, μια κουβέρτα ζεστασιάς, πιο πολύτιμη από χρυσό.”

“Good, you have passed the test. Now, let's scan those limbs.” Lin typed away again and had the equipment scan the android, and a few errors appeared in the monitor. “Hm, I see some bad part in you. Those need replacement.”

“Replacement?” Izuku and Inko asked at the same time. They knew what it meant and looked concerned about it.

“Is that necessary? He is functional.” Izuku asked in worry.

“For now, but his core is at risk of leaking, and the limbs have some rust on them. That isn’t good for an Android to have. They need replacement.” She told them firmly and began to type again.

AFO-001 found himself lifted up by the robotic limb and knew what she was doing. But he also knew the family couldn’t afford new parts for him. And so spoke.

“What do you think will happen if your boss found out that you force your customers to buy parts they can’t afford?”

“What? I follow protocol. You need new replacements.” Lin stated that she was doing just her job.

“No one would love these new parts more than I. However, would you accept a bribe to sell us those parts over there?” AFO-001 pointed to a large plastic box where many droids parts lay.

“Those are android parts to be sent to be destroyed.” She replied.

“Then you wouldn’t mind earning a bit of money if we pay you to use those instead?” He asked her and could see that the woman looked thoughtful at his suggestion.

“Very well, you have a deal.” Lin took a sticky note, wrote down a price, and handed it to Inko, who almost fell to the ground. The piece was far too expensive.

“That is too much!” Inko said in panic, she couldn’t give this much.

“Look, either you pay this or the original price for the new parts,” Lin told her ungratefully. The price was good, besides, if this family could afford a business model, then they had money to spare.

“I believe we can acquire those new parts for free, along with a few new suits,” AFO-001 said smugly. He noticed her confused expression.

“What are you babbling about? You aren’t getting anything for free.”

“No, we are getting those. After all, you're about to get fired.” He told her, and now she looked baffled.

“What are you talking about?” She demanded.

“I am talking about our recording. I am sure your CEO would love to learn that you have been swindling your customers for years and earned a substantial amount of money in the process. Hiding under the company's nose, you act like a rat. Showing your true self when it suits you, but run when the danger arrives.”

“AFO, what are you doing?” Izuku asked, confused. But saw the android smile at him.

“Trust me, boy. I know what I am doing,” AFO-001 replied, looking at Lin, who was sweating with worry. “Now, what will it be? I can send our lovely recording, and you won’t work with robotics ever again.”

“Y-you are bluffing!” Lin shouted at him. But couldn’t tell of his calm expression.

“Am I? Would you like to take that risk?” AFO-001 asked her, and he could see her arms trembling. “I am sending it in 1, 2, 3--”

“FINE! Don’t send the recording! I will replace all your faulty parts with new ones.” She quickly typed away on the laptop and shifted her attention to the family. “You two, out! Wait at the store!”

“O-okay.” Inko took her son and hurried back out to the store. She couldn’t believe what had happened. Did their android threaten the worker in giving him new parts? Was that legal? Wait, the lady was swindling customers. So did the android save them from that?

“Did you see what happened?” Izuku whispered to his mother, who nodded.

“I did, and I don’t understand it.”

“I knew business models were great in making deals, but what he just did. It was strange, but good. That lady wasn’t nice.” Izuku said, and he was amazed at how well their android dealt with the lady.

“No, she wasn’t. But, is this okay? These parts are expensive.” Inko asked her son. “It feels wrong to have it for free.”

“What is free, madam?” VB800 asked with a bright smile.

“Oh, nothing. We are just mumbling.” Inko smiled back.

“Of course, if you need assistance, just call upon me.” The android walked away as new customers entered the store.

“I have returned, and I am as good as new.” AFO-001 smiled as he walked back to his new family. His eyes were now red instead of blue, and he was wearing a black android suit that displayed his name on the right and on the left, a triangle with neon colours. He was also holding a bag with more clothing inside. However, it was disheartening that the store did not have the correct parts to restore him to his true height.

“How much does the registry of our Android cost?” Inko asked as she watched Lin standing behind the checkout.

“Zero, you may leave now.” Lin smiled stressfully and quickly added. “Please, leave the store.”

AFO-001 smirked at the state of the human, it served her right for trying to deceive him and his temporary family. “I suggest we do as she says.”

“But we didn’t--” Inko and Izuku were both grabbed by their android, and were led to the door.

“Thank you for your purchase.” VB800 bowed in gratitude as the family left the store.

They continued to walk through the street until they reached the pharmacy. And stopped outside of the store.

“What did you do?” Izuku questioned his android, who didn’t seem bothered by the question.

“Are you aware that she was deceiving customers to earn more for her job.” AFO-001 pointed out in response. “I simply put her in her place.”

“But we need to pay for--” But the android put his finger on the child's lips, to keep him quiet.

“Be quiet; I did you a service. Besides, she will be fired by the end of the day. I have sent the recording to the CEO of One for All. She is their problem now.”

“In that case, we can buy your medicine for you, Izuku,” Inko said. She didn’t like what had happened, but she understood why the android acted as he did. If they had been swindled by that woman, both she and her son wouldn't have had any money left for medicine or food.

“But, mum!” Izuku intercuted. This didn’t sit well with him.

“I know, but he did us a service,” Inko admitted. It felt wrong to accept this, but what’s done is done. “Come on, we can later go to my bakery and get something sweet.”
____________________________________________________________________________
Note: Done at last, now excuse me. I’m going to bed.

Chapter Text

A week later. Izuku had woken up and prepared himself for school by brushing his teeth, washing his face, changing from his pyjamas to his uniform and brushing his hair. Once that was done, he walked to the kitchen where he saw his mother preparing breakfast and their android reading the newspaper.

“Morning.” Izuku greeted while yawning, still tired from studying late last night.

“Morning, Izuku. I hope you slept well?” Inko asked as she placed a plate on the table and placed pancakes on it.

“I did, but I'm still tired,” Izuku answered as he sat down, took the plate and began to eat the pancakes.

“That happens when you go to bed so late, don't make that a habit, alright?” She asked and placed a jam jar on the table. “Do you want some strawberry jam on your pancakes?”

“No, thank you. Do we still have some Nutella?” He asked and looked at his mother, hoping for a response.

“I think so, look at the kitchen cabinet.” His mother advised him. She then heard her phone ring as a reminder. “Oh my, I am running late. Love you, I need to rush.”

“I love you too, Mum.” Izuku watched as his mother hurried to the hall. Soon, he heard the door open and then close. Getting up, he opened the cabinet and spotted the jar of Nutella. He tried to reach for it, but he was too short, and the jar was placed too high up.

“AFO, could you please help me get the Nutella jar?” The child asked kindly, looking at the Android, which shifted its gaze from the newspaper to the boy.

“Why do you need me for? You almost got it.”

“But, I can't reach it,” Izuku insisted. He was tired, hungry, and just wanted something sweet to wake him up.

“Come on, you almost got it. Stand on your toes or use the chair to reach it,” AFO-001 advised. Honestly, did he look like a maid to the child? Such tasks were beyond him.

“Could you please help me? I would be very grateful.” Izuku pleaded, trying his best to look as innocent and cute as possible.

AFO-001 watched the child closely, sensing the determination in the boy's gaze. He understood the importance of standing firm against a child's plea, yet he couldn’t help but be captivated by those large, innocent green eyes looking up at him. That vibrant shade of green stirred memories of his creator, evoking a deep sense of connection. How could he possibly turn down such a heartfelt request?

“No, do it yourself.” The android told him stubbornly. Ignoring the sad expression the child did. Returning to read his newspaper, but eyed the child.

“Aww, you never help when I ask for it,” Izuku said, disappointed. He took one of the kitchen chairs and climbed on it to reach the Nutella.

“Was that so difficult? You managed to do it yourself,” AFO-001 smiled. Children should be independent so they will leave him alone at least.

“The help would have been nice.” Izuku took a butter knife and began to put some nutella onto his pancakes.

As he glanced at the clock, he noted that he still had a bit of time before he needed to leave for school. He grabbed a fork and knife and hurriedly ate his breakfast. Once he finished, he quickly cleaned his plate, grabbed his backpack, and headed to the door where the android was waiting for him.

“You have twenty-five minutes left before class begins,” AFO-001 said calmly as he checked his arm clock.

“I know, I still have time.” Izuku walked out of the apartment with his droid and locked the door.

“If you say so,” The android replied, sounding bored. He begrudgingly accepted the task of taking the boy to school, despite the boy being thirteen and a young teenager. “Aren't you a bit too grown up to have an android taking you to school?”

“I’m not sure. The rules state that each family’s androids are responsible for protecting their children as they go to and from school. This responsibility lasts until the child turns eighteen,” Izuku explained as he crossed the street, aware that his android was walking closely beside him.

“What a joyful activity,” AFO-001 said sarcastically. What a joy, indeed! He was stuck waking this kid for five more years. Just excellent!

“I think so too, we get to get to know each other during this time. Like, I have noticed that you favour the colour black.” The child smiled and walked closer to him.

“And you, green. That hardly tells us anything about each other.” AFO-001 scoffed. He wasn’t here to make friends. Was this family important to him? No, they weren't.

"Let's fix that. You already know my name and that I'm good with technology. I enjoy watching superhero movies, especially Iron Might. Additionally, I help my mom whenever I can," Izuku mumbled. "School is going well; I really enjoy my history class. I don't go out much."

“Lovely,” AFO-001 replied, noticing the child’s excited gaze. “What is it?”

“Now it's your turn. Tell me more about yourself.” Izuku said.

“No, I don't do sharing.” The android replied, watching as they took the road to the school. Now, more children were showing up with their androids. Some of the droids weren't even adult versions, but teenagers.

He assumed that androids must be quite popular at the moment. A car passed by, and he noticed a child inside with half-red and half-white hair, while a teenage android was driving. It was a Toya-400, a well-known big brother android, perfect for large families, as it provided excellent assistance to parents, while the droid watched over the children.

Speaking of, they had arrived at the school, and the building was just ahead of them.

“Pretty please, just tell me what you like to do,” Izuku begged. Why was his android so closed off? Maybe this was a side effect of being abandoned.

“No, besides, we have arrived. So off to school with you.” AFO-001 pointed at the school building. Of course, he would register that he had left the child. He did that through the school's android that helped watch over the children.

“Fine, but I'm not giving up. I still want to know your interests.” Izuku said as he walked to the school building.

“I think not.” AFO-001 watched the child enter the white building. Why was this kid interested in him? He couldn't figure that out. He then shifted his gaze to the school's android, a nanny droid with basic childcare programming.

“Hello, AFO-001. Thank you for bringing--” The android looked confused as the other droid didn't even greet him or wait to hear him talk.

“Don't speak to me,” AFO-001 sneered, his tone cold. He had already turned around and was off to meet Inko in her Bakery. That android was beneath him, such a cheap model that made easy money, but wasn't the brightest model, just made to handle easy tasks.

On his way to Inko's place, it took him about fifteen minutes to arrive. Once he got there, he walked into the store. He could hear Inko baking something in the kitchen; she was probably preparing cakes and sandwiches that needed to be finished before eleven.

Grabbing the cleaning supplies, the android started to clean the tables. This wasn't what he had expected when Inko asked him to join her at work. At least she allowed him to sell the sweets and handled the costumes while she worked in the back.

Once the tables were set up, he started bringing out some of the sweets that were ready for sale. He felt a surge of excitement at the thought of working with money, but he also felt disappointed with the amount he earned each day. It wasn't as much as he had hoped to make.

During the first few weeks here at the bakery, he had to argue with Inko about how she ran her shop, but she, too, was firm on how things were done. Ultimately, she agreed to let him explore new recipes to improve her bakery and allowed him to work with customers, given his experience.

When the customers started arriving at eleven, AFO-001 was ready to greet them and take their orders. He enjoyed the smooth process to some extent. However, he found it frustrating when small children made a mess at his tables and on the floors. Didn't the parents realise they needed to clean up after their children? It was annoying, but there was nothing he could do about it since Inko had told him to be nice. She was lucky that he could be patient with some customers.

After a few long hours of work, Inko had finished baking and joined him at the front of the butik. Suddenly, his personal alarm went off, signaling that it was time to return to the school and pick up the child. The time had passed so quickly.

As he walked back to the school and waited by the gate, he noticed a child being shoved around by the other kids. Were they playing a game? He observed a blond boy who pushed a little too hard, causing Izuku to fall to the ground. The other two children laughed and pointed at him.

So, the child was clearly being bullied by his classmates. That did explain the bruises on the kid. But what did he care for? This wasn’t his problem. He was here only to pick up the child.

He watched the children walking to their androids while Izuku brushed off the sand on his uniform, and saw him watching him. The child smiled and rushed over to him.

“Just be quiet and follow me,” AFO-001 instructed, his voice firm yet calm, as he gestured for the child to come along. He could sense the child was about to speak, likely to voice some innocent curiosity or something silly.

“But, you don't know what I wanted to say,” Izuku said and watched as his classmates were long gone. “How much did you see?”

“That depends. If you mean I saw you being tossed around like a doll, then I witnessed it all, but I don’t care. That is your problem to deal with.”

“You won’t tell my mom, will you?” Izuku asked, his voice trembling with astonishment. A rush of anxiety coursed through him; the last thing he wanted was for her to find out. Yet, deep down, he couldn't shake the feeling that she sensed something was wrong.

“What did I just say?” AFO-001 fixed his piercing, icy stare on the child, who seemed to carry the weight of every word.

“It’s my own problem to deal with,” Izuku replied. If that was true, he didn’t need to worry about his mum finding out about the bullying.

“Correct, now be silent for the rest of the journey home,” the android ordered as they both continued to walk back to their apartment.

Once he got home, Izuku started his homework in the kitchen and made a sandwich to eat while he waited for his mother to arrive. However, he was having a hard time learning to read English, and it felt overwhelming. Just as he was about to give up, he had an idea.

“AFO, can you help me?” Izuku called out, hearing the TV turn off before he heard footsteps approaching.

“What is it now?” the Android replied, a notes of irritation creeping into his voice. The tranquility of the moment had been shattered the instant the kid called out for him.

“Can you help me with my English homework?”

AFO-001 looked annoyed at the child. Why was he called over for such trivial things?

“You are aware, that is not in my programming to be a teacher. I can't help you.” He replied, there were better things for him to do than be with this child. He stared at the child with an expression that suggested irritation. “Find someone else.”

“I know you understand English; all business androids come with multiple languages to assist their companies in translating different trades,” Izuku pointed out, noticing the android looked at him as if peering into his soul.

"You are right, I am familiar with the language. However, why should I assist you?"

“Because, we are family.” Izuku said with a warm smile. He looked down at his book, feeling sadness. “And I am struggling to pronounce the longer words.”

AFO-001 examined the book and scanned its contents. It was a simple book designed for older children to learn the language. Surely, if he helped the children with the words, he would eventually be free of his obligations.

"Very well, show me the word," the android said as the child handed him the book and pointed to a few of the words. It was time to get this over with.

The lesson went as well as he could have hoped. Fortunately, the child wasn't struggling too much and quickly learned the correct way to pronounce the words he had difficulty with. The question remained: how did the child manage to convince him to help with the whole chapter, which spanned a few pages?

After an hour or two of working on homework together, the child looked very pleased. Suddenly, they both heard the door open.

“I’m home!” Inko called as she entered the apartment.

“Welcome home, Mom,” Izuku replied, closing his books and walking over to her. She was holding a white bag, clearly filled with groceries. “Let me help you with those.”

“Thank you,” Inko said with a smile, handing the plastic bag to her son. He walked back to the kitchen to put everything away.

“While I was grocery shopping, I ran into Mitsuki, and we chatted for a bit.” Inko slipped on her indoor shoes and walked to the kitchen, taking a piece of paper out of her pocket.

“Guess what? Katsuki's birthday is this week!” She held the paper in front of her son with a smile.

“Oh, really? I didn't know,” Izuku replied as he took the birthday party invitation from her. It detailed the time and location of the party. He had seen Kacchan handing these out at school but hadn’t received one himself.

“You should go; I know he is still your friend,” Inko insisted. It would be good for her son to spend time with kids his age, especially since he was always at home. The poor boy needed some social interaction.

“I don’t know,” Izuku replied nervously. The thought of attending the party filled him with worry. What if Kacchan disapproved of him being there? Would the other kids push him around at the party?

“If you don’t wish to attend, then don't.” The android told him. How hard was it to decide to accept or to refuse an invitation?

“Are you sure you don’t want to go?” Inko asked, noticing the tempting idea of staying home. “The party might be fun.”

“I… I don't know what he likes anymore,” Izuku said quietly. He hasn't attended a birthday party in years because he wasn't welcomed, and the other kids preferred to play with their androids during the celebrations.

He looked at AFO. The android could accompany him to the party, which might prevent the other kids from bullying him. At school, they would leave early and refuse to believe that he owned an android. They claimed his mom had merely borrowed one from the neighbors to pick him up from school, but that wasn’t true.

What would happen if he decided to go? He would need a gift. What did Kacchan like these days? Could he find something suitable in a short amount of time?

“Alright, I will go. But I need to bring AFO with me to the party.”

“I refuse,” AFO-001 replied straightforwardly. Had the child forgotten that he wasn't an entertainment droid?

“Please join me. Every kid will bring their androids too. I don't want to go if you are not there.” Izuku insisted. The other kids could be cruel, especially in school. He didn't want to find out how bad it would be at a party. But if he had his android with him, then the other kids wouldn't have a reason to bully him.

“No.” The Android replied, his voice steady and unwavering. Why must he waste his own precious time at a birthday party that had no importance to him. He had better things to do.

“Please go with him. This might be his last chance to attend a birthday party.” Inko smiled sadly. It hurt her heart seeing her son so alone. It would be nice if he could have a few friends.

“He can go by himself. Why does he need me to attend?” The android questioned her.

"I don't know all the details, but something is happening at school. If you could go with him to the party, at least I would know that he is safe," Inko explained, noticing the surprise on her son's face. She understood what he was thinking.

"Your uniforms are getting ruined too frequently, and I know it's not due to you falling."

Izuku looked guilty about the lies he had been telling her; she knew all along.

“A trade, then. I will attend the party if you allow me to change the sweets in the bakery. The ones you are currently selling aren’t exactly best sellers, as they say.” AFO-001 looked intently at the mother. She had been reluctant to alter her menu, but if this was as important as she claimed, then it was a fair trade.

"Alright, you can go to the party, and I will allow the changes you've been suggesting." Inko agreed; it wasn't so bad. It was just a few cakes that she had no idea how to bake, which was why she had initially declined the android's offer.

"Excellent! I plan to implement the changes tomorrow morning," AFO-001 said with a smile. Finally, he could transform the struggling bakery. Honestly, he was surprised that Inko had managed to keep it open for so long, it should have closed years ago.

“I still need help finding a present for him,” Izuku pointed out. What could he give his friend that he would actually like?

“Don't worry, I know what gift you can get him.” The android smiled calmly and confidently. “I think we should hurry before the stores close.”

“Right, I will be back soon.” Izuku followed his droid to the door and put his shoes on.

“Alright, be careful, you two.” Inko watched them leave the apartment.
____________________________________________________________________________
A few days later, they arrived at Katsuki's house, where the cheerful sounds of laughter from the other kids bubbled up from inside.

“Maybe this was a mistake; let’s go home,” Izuku said nervously, his voice trembling slightly as he clutched the wrapped present in his hands. His he was shaking like a leaf, uncertainty swirling in his chest.

“It’s too late to back out now,” AFO-001 said calmly and softly as he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and led him to the door. He wasn't about to lose the deal he had made with the boy's mother just because the child had gotten cold feet at the last minute.

“But what if he doesn't like the gift? It is a little unusual.” Izuku pointed out. He didn't complain about the gift, it was also on a discount, which was nice.

“We have gone over this. He is turning fifteen, every young man should at least have this.” The android pressed the doorbell and waited. Soon, a blond woman opened the door.

“Hey there, kiddo! I was starting to think you might not make it!” Mitsuki beamed. “Come on in; the other kids are hanging out in the living room!”

“Thank you for having me,” Izuku said while bowing. He felt very grateful for the invitation to this party, it was all thanks to her. After entering the house with his android, he took off his shoes.

“Is this the android your mother mentioned?” Mitsuki asked, her curiosity piqued as she examined the droid. “Wow, you did an incredible job fixing him! He looks just like brand new!”

“T-thank you. I did my best.” Izuku brushed. The compliment felt nice.

“I can tell, you should study tech, kid. It will be a bright future for you when you are an adult.” Mitsuki encouraged him. The kid had a talent in this. Inko must be very proud.

“HEY! WHO ARRIVED?!” Katsuki walked over to them and looked annoyed at the green-haired boy. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! I DIDN'T INVITE YOU!”

Mitsuki smacked her boy on the head. “I INVITED HIM OVER AND WHERE ARE YOUR MANNERS! HE IS YOUR GUEST, BE NICE TO HIM, YOU HEAR!!”

“Happy Birthday, Kacchan! I hope you like my gift.” Izuku smiled nervously and held out his present.

“What are you waiting for? Thank him for the gift.” Mitsuki scolded her child. She wondered why her son was always making things so difficult for himself.

“WHATEVER, JOIN THE OTHERS!” Katsuki angrily shouted at him and walked away.

“He could have done that better,” Mitsuki said, disappointed with her son. So stubborn, like a donkey.

“It is okay. He is just excited.” Izuku smiled. That actually went much smoother than he had hoped for.

“Let me take the gift, I will put it with the other presents. Why don't you join the other children and play a little while you are still young.”

“Thank you, yeah, I will do that.” Izuku handed her the gift and happily headed towards the living room.

“Interesting family, wouldn't you agree?” AFO-001 said as he walked beside the child. He had observed the interaction.

“Huh? Well, Kacchan has always been like that. His mum and mine are friends, so I have known him since I was a little kid.” Izuku explained. He wasn't as close to the blond boy anymore. Once he got his android, like the other kids, they began to hang out with each other. He didn't have a droid back then and was left out.

“By the way he treats you at school and today's introduction. You’re delusional to believe your bully is your friend.” AFO-001 said bluntly and noticed the sudden shift in the child.

“He is still my friend.” The green-haired child insisted. Was it wrong to miss a person he used to know so well? Sure, Kacchan could be mean to him at times, but he was still his friend, right?

“I stand corrected. You are playing a treacherous game with the cat, positioning yourself as the helpless mouse that it will inevitably devour.” AFO-001 swung the door open to the cosy, sunlit living room, revealing the playful chaos within. “Only a fool would engage in such folly unless, of course, you are me.”

In the warm and inviting living room, the kids were having a blast as they dived into a fun PlayStation game. The cheerful sounds of laughter blended with the delicious smell of snacks, tempting some of them to take a quick break for a tasty treat. Meanwhile, a few kids were proudly showing off their Androids skills, and everyone gathered around as a droid worked its magic, creating a super cool drawing of a sporty car. The lively atmosphere was filled with joy, with each child lost in their own little world of gaming and creativity, making it a perfect day of fun!

“Now, will you be consumed by your classmates, or would you prefer a helping hand?” The android regarded him with a smug smile, as if relishing the moment.

“It doesn't have to come to that,” Izuku replied, uncertainty weaving through his voice. While his droid's observations hadn't been wrong thus far, he refused to resign himself to such a fate.

“What is he doing here?” One of the other kids pointed his finger at Izuku.

The other kids at the party stopped what they were doing and shifted their attention to him. Izuku felt uncomfortable already. Perhaps it was a mistake to come here.

“QUIET DOWN! THE HAG INVITED HIM OVER!” Katsuki yelled angrily at his classmates.

“HEY!! WHAT DID YOU CALL ME YOU UNGRATEFUL BRAT!!” Mitsuki yelled back from the kitchen and slammed the door open as she walked into the room with snacks that she refilled the table. She eyed her son. “PERHAPS THIS HAG WILL RETURN YOUR BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO THE STORE!!”

“DON'T YOU DARE!! IT'S MY PARENTS! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO RETURN IT!” Katsuki panicked. He knew his mother meant every word she said. It was so unfair.

“I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO RETURN IT, YOU BRAT! AND I WILL UNLESS YOU SHOW SOME RESPECT TO YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER! YOU HEAR!!” Mitsuki yelled at her son. Where had she gone wrong with him? Inko's son behaved like a lovely son, while her son lacked manners.

“FINE!! I AM SORRY!!” Katsuki apologised. If this meant he could keep his gift, then he would bite his tongue and bow his head.

“GOOD, NOW PLAY NICE! I WILL BE KEEPING MY EYES ON YOU!” Mitsuki nodded in approval. She then walked back to the kitchen.

The living room was silent, no one spoke a word. A kid took some of the new snacks and chewed on a sandwich. Katsuki eyed him, not in a great mood.

“Sorry, but your mom makes delicious snacks,” the boy said as he finished his small sandwich.

“LET'S OPEN THE PRESENTS!! THE NERD WAS LAST TO ARRIVE!”

“Open my present first! It's the best one!” One of the kids shouted and pointed to a yellow present.

“I can open any present I like!” Katsuki shouted, refusing to be told what to do.

He approached the pile of presents from his classmates and started to open them. Some of his friends had given him video games, one classmate had gifted him a skateboard, and another had given him an iPad tablet. When he got to Izuku’s gift, he was surprised by how small it was compared to the other presents.

“What did you get me? An action figure of a superhero?” Katsuki laughed as he began to rip the dark red paper and saw that he was holding a bottle of men's perfume.

“What the heck is this?” Katsuki demanded. He didn't expect to be given perfume.

“It's the newest brand and a very popular scent. I hope you like it.” Izuku explained and looked at AFO, who didn't seem bothered by the reaction.

“WHY WOULD I WANT TO HAVE PERFUME?! IT'S A STUPID GIFT!”

“HEY! PIPE DOWN, WILL YA!” Mitsuki shouted at her son as she and her husband carried a large box to the living room. She looked at the gift Izuku gave her son and smiled.

“Perfume is not a stupid gift, you can use it when you go out to a meeting or on a date.”

“That's right, it is a very thoughtful gift. Besides, that brand is of good quality,” His father interjected.

“WHATEVER! WHAT DID YOU TWO GET ME THIS YEAR?” Katsuki excitedly looked at the large present in the living room with the help of his mum, dad, and their family android Jeanist-500.

“That’s the surprise for you to discover, isn’t it, son? Well, your mum and I both hope you will enjoy this one.” Masaru smiled happily at his child. “Happy Birthday.”

Katsuki approached the box and pressed the red button in the center. Instantly, the glass transformed to become transparent, revealing a teenage android standing inside with his eyes closed. Bright red hair that is short and spiky.

“An android!?” A kid asked in the background in amazement.

"Not just any android, this is the newest model: the Kirishima-800! It's said to be the best model available and is programmed to be your best friend," Izuku eagerly explained to the other kids. This android was impressive on its own, designed to be a perfect companion right out of the box.

There was another model, the Toga-800, designed for girls to have a friendly companion.

"That's right! We thought you might appreciate having a friend around the house, along with someone to teach you good manners," Mitsuki said, hoping that this android could help her son learn better behaviour. Jeanist-500 had already made some progress, which was evident.

“SURE, WHATEVER YOU SAY!” Katsuki eagerly opened the glass door and activated the android.

"Happy Birthday, my friend! My name is Kirishima800, and I’m here to be your new best friend! We’re going to have so much fun together!" The android smiled widely, shaking Katsuki's hand. "What a strong grip! It's so manly!"

“Of course! I'm the best there is at everything!” Katsuki bragged. This was a great gift; he had his own personal android.

“I expected nothing less from my friend.” The red-haired android continued to smile, noticing all the other kids and their androids. “You have so many friends! Truly, you are an amazing person.”

“These extras? They are nothing.”

"And there are so many androids too. I feel like an amateur compared to them," Kirishima-800 said awkwardly as he glanced around. He noticed various models, including some older versions. His gaze lingered on the android standing next to a child with green hair; that android seemed to be ignoring his own child. That was strange.

“Jeanist-500, please help me clean up,” Matuki said as she knelt down and began picking up the paper torn from the presents.

“Right away,” Jeanist-500 replied, assisting her in cleaning up the mess.

“Who is that? Is he one of your friends?” Kirishima-800 asked with a wide smile, pointing at Izuku and his android.

"Huh? That's just Deku," Katsuki replied. He glanced at the nerd and wondered why he was accompanied by that Android he had seen at school. It couldn't be Izuku's, could it? The nerd claimed that it was his Android.

“Come on, let’s go say hi! He seems really excited to see you!” Kirishima-800 said with a bright smile as he took Katsuki's hand and happily led him over to the green-haired child.

“WHAT?! NO!”

The android paused at the command and looked at Katsuki. “What's the matter? Don't you want to talk to your friend?”

Katsuki heard the other children whispering and saw Izuku looking straight at him; he smiled. Then he noticed his mum giving him a stern stare as she walked out of the living room.

“FINE! I will talk to the nerd.” Katsuki agreed. He walked with his new android over to the nerd.

“Hi, Kacchan.” Izuku greeted him nervously.

AFO-001 pinched his child in the back, causing Izuku to stand up straight. This was much better; after all, greetings are important for maintaining a good image. Clearly, this child needs assistance in that regard. Yoichi had the same issue.

“Deku, I see you finally got an android,” Katsuki said, glancing at Izuku's android. He had spotted it at school and initially thought it was just borrowed from a neighbour. It turned out he was mistaken, and Izuku had been telling the truth over the past few days.

“Yes, he’s new to the family.” Izuku nodded and then moved to the side so his android could be seen better. “Would you like to introduce yourself?”

AFO-001 offered a slight smile as he studied Katsuki, aware of the other children observing them. He had no interest in being there; children were simply annoying.

“Greetings, I’m AFO-001. I am the new android for this boy. It’s my pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Such a fancy greeting! I’m Kirishima-800!” The android exclaimed with a cheerful smile. He was curious about the AFO-001 series droids and wished he had more information about them. His scans didn’t seem to have the details he needed. The only thing he found was about the younger AFO-800 models, which, it seemed, had a few glitches that other companies had mentioned in their feedback.

“I heard you the first time,” AFO-001 replied. He sounded uninterested in the android.

“You're so awesome for being online for such a long time!” Kirishima-800 exclaimed, eyes wide with admiration. He walked over, a big smile lighting up his face as he opened his arms to hug the other android. “Come here, Gramps! Let’s celebrate!”

“What are you doing, you imbecile?” AFO-001 pushed the other android away. He didn’t do hugs, much less let anyone touch him without permission; Izuku was a temporary exception. Why was this piece of plastic referring to him as a grandfather? Was this a joke? He wasn’t that old!

Kirishima-800 fell backwards and landed at Katsuki, who managed to catch the android by the armpits.

"WHAT THE HECK?! WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOUR ANDROID, DEKU?!" Katsuki exclaimed, a mix of surprise and anger flashing across his face at what had just happened.

"I am so sorry about that! I don’t know what happened. He has never done anything like that before." Izuku apologised sincerely to his friend. Why would AFO-001 push the other android away? Such action wasn’t standard for an android to have.

“STAY BEHIND ME KIRISHIMA! DON'T GET NEAR THAT ANDROID, IT CLEARLY HAS A GLITCH, IT COULD SPREAD!” Katsuki yelled furiously and looked at Izuku. “LIKE OWNER LIKE ANDROID, YOU GOT YOURSELF A DEFECTIVE MODEL!”

“What? No, AFO-001 isn't defective!” Izuku defended his android and looked at his red eyes. “Please, AFO, apologize.”

“I will not apologize; it was an act of self-defense,” AFO-001 responded. Referring to him as a grandfather, this blond boy is fortunate that he only pushed his new toy and did not tear off its arms. Now, this blonde boy is calling him defective? Did he have a death wish?

“LIKE HECK IT WAS! YOU ATTACKED MY ANDROID FIRST!!" Katsuki shouted angrily. He wouldn't let his own android anywhere near Izuku’s droid.

“Did I mention that my primary directive is to ensure the safety of both myself and my owner?” AFO-001 inquired, his red eyes glowing brighter as he stared at the blond child's soul. “Therefore, I have a program that enables me to defend myself.”

Katsuki and the surrounding children widened their eyes, a flicker of concern crossing their faces, hinting at the gravity of this revelation.

“It’s lying! Bodyguard androids are only sold to important companies and wealthy individuals!” Another child yelled, but he trembled at the thought that it might be true.

“Indeed, my previous owner was a wealthy individual. If your children are too short-sighted to comprehend this, then go ahead. Send your fancy toys at me, but I promise you, children, you will be taking them home in pieces.”

“AFO-001, please stop. We can’t be rude.” Izuku pleaded with his android as he noticed the stares from the other children. This was not good.

“It must be defective! No way it is a bodyguard unit, it’s too small for that!” A kid from the back said. This caused the other children to whisper and nod in agreement.

“Yeah! It must be lying!” Another kid agreed.

“What model is it? I don’t recognize it,” A girl in the front row asked, using her phone to try to find information about the unit before her. However, she couldn't locate the model; instead, she only found details about the 800 versions units produced after Yoichi's death. Those units had been quickly returned to the company, as they were deemed too glitchy to function properly.

“Look, he is a prototype version of the AFO-800. Those units were so faulty that they were recalled for dismantling.”

Everyone looked at the girl and smiled. Another girl then pointed at Izuku. “See, you got yourself a faulty android!”

“He is not defective! He is the best android I've ever had.” Izuku defended his android. He didn’t care what the other kids said about AFO-001. Sure. the robot could be rude at times, but that was just his personality.

“HEY, BRUNET. WHAT KIND OF ANDROID DID YOU SAY IT IS?” Katsuki questioned as he watched the girl type away on her phone, seeking answers.

“Apparently, it’s a business model.” She replied to him.

“Really, so it’s only use it to count then. How boring. ” Another kid, as he chuckled in laughter.

“Who wants android that can only count our parents' taxes?” The kid next to Katsuki asked.

“ONLY DEKU WANTS AN ANDROID LIKE THAT.” Katsuki said rudely and didn’t look impressed at the green haired child.

“How is everything going on? Is everyone having fun?” Masaru asked as he walked into the room with his wife.

“Let me handle this,” Mitsuki told her husband and looked at the children. “COME, ON. EVERYONE OUT TO THE BACKYARD! THE PINYATA IS READY!”

The children in the living room lit up with excitement, their laughter filling the air as they scrambled to grab their shoes to go into the backyard!

“Aren’t you joining them, Izuku?” Masaru asked, gently as he walked over to the child.

No, I am not good at those games," Izuku said, looking through the window as the children followed Mitsuki, who was showing them the large paper animal.

“If you don’t want to join them, do you want to help me in the kitchen?” Masaru saw the hopeful look in the child’s eyes and invited. “Come on, you can help me blend the orange juice.”

AFO-001 watched the children playing happily outside. Those children have been insulting him and bullying Izuku at school. Clearly, someone needed to teach them a lesson since their parents had failed to do so. However, what could he do? He couldn’t hurt those little monsters, or the focus would shift to him.

“AFO, are you coming?” Izuku asked as he stood at the hallway door looking at him.

“I am coming,” the android said, its voice smooth and reassuring as it followed the child into the expansive kitchen. Bathed in light, the space was both modern and inviting, a testament to the family’s affluence and refined taste.

AFO-001 observed intently as Masaru carefully handed fresh oranges to Izuku. With a warm smile, Masaru instructed Izuku to press the oranges, as Izuku began to work, the fragrant citrus aroma filled the air, invigorating and uplifting. Meanwhile, Masaru methodically extracted the seeds from the juice, his fingers nimble and precise, ensuring that nothing would spoil the refreshing drink they were preparing.

He then spotted the birthday cake on the table, already set and ready to be sliced. The rich chocolate frosting shimmered under the soft glow of the candles, each one flickering gently in the warm breeze.

An idea struck him as he noticed an open drawer filled with medical supplies. He saw that a package of adhesive bandages was opened, and when he looked at Masaru, he realized the adult had used one of the bandages to cover a cut from when he had sliced the oranges in half.

He focused on the medicine in the drawer. AFO-001 approached it and took an item from within. This would do nicely, he thought, smiling. Shifting his gaze quickly to the humans, he noticed that both seemed distracted while pressing the oranges. This was his opportunity to move.

Approaching the table with a purposeful stride, he unsealed the medicine and skillfully began to spread it over the cake’s surface. With meticulous care, he ensured every inch was covered, then swiftly returned the item to its rightful place in the drawer.

AFO walked over to Izuku and Masaru, who gave the child a glass of orange juice to taste.

“It’s so tasty!” Izuku smiled happily.

“Right? I added some lemon in there to bring out the flavours.” Masaru explained happily and took a glass himself to taste it. It was delicious.

“It really helped; it tastes better than the juice from the store,” Izuku praised him. He quickly finished his glass; it was so good.

Soon, the sound of children's laughter echoed through the house as they burst in, their voices bubbling with excitement. Clutching colourful candy in their hands, they walked toward the kitchen, their eyes sparkling with glee. Their eyes locked on the birthday cake, drawing them in like a beacon, excited to get a slice.

“HEY! NO PUNCHING! THERE IS ENOUGH SPACE FOR EVERYONE!” Mitsuki yelled as she walked over to slice the cake.

Izuku looked at the other kids eagerly waited for their turn to get a slice of the chocolate cake before them.

“There you are, Izuku. Here is your slice.” Mitsuki placed his plate closest to the child on the table. Izuku moved to grab it when AFO-001 stopped him.

“What are you doing?” Izuku asked, surprised, why would his android stop him from getting cake?

AFO-001 placed his hand on the child's forehead and hummed. “You’re not feeling well; I think it would be best if we left.”

“Huh? You not feeling well, kiddo?” Mitsuki asked, concerned.

“No, I feel fine.” Izuku replied. He didn’t feel sick or have a cold.

“Are you sure? My scan informs me that you are stressed and you are running a bit warmer than usual.” The android replied. The parents were looking at him, surprised.

“Your scans? Wait to you can see if someone is injured?” Mitsuki asked as she continued to serve cake to the children who didn’t pay attention to the conversation. But stuffed their faces with cake.

“Yes, I can.” AFO-001 faced the children and smirked smugly. “It would seem that all the children here are sick. I wish to take Izuku home before he gets worse by staying in their presence.”

Masaru took a device from the medical shelf and walked over to Izuku. “Let me check your temperature just in case.”

“Okay.” Izuku let Masaru check his temperature as he listened to AFO. Wait, where is everyone here sick?

“You are running a little warm there, but it is not enough for a fever,” Masaru informed as he looked at the results.

In that instant, the calm was shattered by the urgent growl of children’s stomachs, a sound that sent a jolt of urgency through the air. With an instinctual gasp, the kids abandoned their spoons and chairs, bolting from the kitchen as if a race was underway. The hallway erupted into chaos as they shouted at each other, each child determined to be the first to reach the bathroom.

“What just happened?” Mitsuki asked, confused and astonished by what she had seen. She had never witnessed children abandon their sweets so quickly before.

“Isn't it obvious? The children aren’t feeling well, and my scans indicate that they will need to remain in bed for a few days," AFO-001 replied, placing his hands on Izuku’s shoulders. "In any case, I need to take Izuku home before his condition worsens."

“I will go and check on the children.” Masaru said as he headed to the restrooms with concern.

“Right, scans from androids are never wrong. But how do you know the children are sick? Inko said that you are a business model.” Mitsuki asked as she walked Izuku and the android to the door.

“Indeed, I am a business unit, but I am also the only prototype of my kind. I have been equipped with protective programs to defend my owner, and I was also included in health care features since my previous owner was of poor health,” AFO-001 answered her question.

“I see, that makes more sense now.” Mitsuki opened the door. “Well, it was fun that you came over, kiddo.”

“Yeah, it was fun coming here.” Izuku put on his shoes and walked out with his android. “Bye, and thanks for the party.”

“Greet your mother for me and tell her to call me more often!” Mitsuki smiled before closing the door.

“Come on, now. We need to get you to bed.” AFO-001 said and took the child's hand, heading towards their apartment.

“I didn’t have a chance to taste the cake; it looked so delicious,” Izuku said, disappointed, looking up sadly at the android.

“I’ll buy you a slice of cake from the nearby store. Will that make you happy?” AFO-001 asked. The sad expression on the other person's face was difficult to see. Yoichi used to wear that same look when he missed an episode of his favourite superhero series. Usually, buying a comic book featuring that superhero would help cheer him up.

“Can it be a Strawberry cake?” Izuku asked as they took a turn and soon could see the apartment.

“Very well, I will get you a slice of a strawberry cake.” The android agreed.

“Yeah, I want to share it with mum!” Izuku smiled. He was sure his mum would be delighted to taste the cake.

“You know I can just buy her a slice too,” AFO-001 said. Why did the child want to share his cake with his mother? He didn’t understand it.

“It’s okay, one slice of cake is enough,” Izuku said happily as they reached their apartment, walked up the stairs, and got home.
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Note: This took longer than I had planned.
But it’s longer than the last chapter.
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter as much as I did.