Work Text:
Izuku was only just slightly panicking. He'd told his mom for months that he had a boyfriend. It had only been to keep her trying to set him up with her friends' daughters. He didn't need to settle down, not when people just wanted him because of his status as a hero. He knew that's why they always agreed. And the two he did date had clearly only wanted him because of that as well.
But now his mom wanted him to bring his boyfriend to dinner. She wanted to get to know the man who had caught her son's eye. She also wanted this before Izuku moved to a different prefecture over two hours away which he was supposed to do the following weekend. Just this one last dinner and then he could go live his life while she "continues to worry about his safety".
Hitoshi had immediately opted to help him find someone. He would have done it himself if Inko didn't already know that he and Shoto were dating. That would have been an awkward conversation that no one wanted.
So that's where Izuku was at two hours before dinner with his mother and waiting for Hitoshi to show up with this mystery person who would "for sure be able to help" according to Hitoshi. He was currently pacing back and forth in his apartment, anxiously looking at the clock.
What he wasn't expecting was Hitoshi to barge into the room with Aizawa being dragged in by the wrist. Izuku's eyes widened in shock, staring at his old homeroom teacher. He was trying to comprehend why the man would be there, but his mind wasn't processing. He was just staring in confusion.
"Izuku," Hitoshi snapped.
He jumped at the sound of his name. "Y-yeah. Sorry. Um... what's Aizawa-sensei doing here?"
"This is who you're trying to set me up with?" Aizawa asked, looking unimpressed. "I don't date ex-students, Hitoshi. And definitely not top ten heroes."
"I know," Hitoshi sighed in exasperation. "But it's not a real date. Izuku's been lying to his mom about having a boyfriend and needs a beard to go with him to dinner at his mom's. And the agency doesn't want you involved in that meeting about the trafficking case because you aren't involved. So it's a win-win. Izuku gets his date and I can actually go to the meeting instead of having to play babysitter because I'm apparently the only one who you'll listen to."
Izuku raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything on the trafficking case they were talking about. He was pretty sure he was supposed to be involved in it, but he'd taken today off specifically because of this dinner. He would have to get Hitoshi to spill the beans on the case after this was all over.
Aizawa huffed at the statement before turning to Izuku and stared him down. It was nerve-wracking, but he'd kind of lost the whole terrifying teacher thing when Izuku had seen him in bright pink sweatpants and a pair of socks with squishy toe beans on the bottom when he'd brought Eri home one night. The man had also been seen with his hair braided and butterfly clips pinned all over.
It also didn't help that Izuku's stomach twisted for reasons that weren't fear. He'd had a crush on the man since before he'd even started UA. It had been hard enough to see the man as his homeroom and law/ethics teacher every day, but the dorms had only made things worse. He'd taken to dipping out and avoiding the man whenever he could even if it was impossible thanks to Eri being adopted by him.
"I guess it's fine," Aizawa sighed, turning back to Hitoshi. "Go tell Rei you pawned me off on someone else for babysitting duty. As payment for this, I want to be told about what was discussed at the meeting."
"Same," Izuku said. "I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be there, but I took today off and told them under no circumstances can I come in since I'm moving to the UA teachers dorms. Stupid rat bastard blackmailed me into teaching hero history and analytics."
"Karma," Aizawa grumbled, looking pleasantly amused at the fact. "You finally get to experience what your class put me through."
Izuku glared at him as the door shut and he realized that Hitoshi had run out, leaving them alone. He was going to get him back for this. His friend knew that Izuku had a crush that had never gone away. He just needed to find out how to hide the body.
"Alright, Problem Child," Aizawa sighed. "For starters, you should call me Shouta, not Aizawa, not sensei. Even if we were truly dating, I'm not into that kind of play. Not when I'm called Sensei every day."
"O-okay, Sh-Shouta," Izuku agreed, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Y-you should call me Izuku."
"Fine, Izuku."
The green haired man squeaked at the way Aiza... no, Shouta said his name. He was completely screwed. And it looked like he was very aware of it too.
"Don't say it like that," Izuku whined. "Mom's expecting us in two hours. She, um, she thinks we've been dating for the past six months."
"We're both underground heroes who have been on undercover missions," Shouta reminded him. "Just pretend that it's a job. Let's come up with a backstory."
They spent the next hour and a half going over what they would say to Inko before starting to head over. She was only a twenty minute walk away after all, which included Shouta insisting they stop and get her a gift. It was mostly to butter her up so she wasn't so angry about Izuku dating his high school teacher.
It turned out that Inko took it a lot better than Izuku anticipated. When he asked if she was mad, she just waved it off and told him that he was old enough to have his own life and make his own mistakes. That part stung more than he cared to admit.
"What do you mean by mistake?" Shouta questioned, looking at the woman with a curious expression. "Is it because I'm Izuku's former teacher or because I'm a male?"
Those words made Izuku freeze. He looked between Shouta and Inko, his eyes darting back and forth. That would never be be why, right? His mom was always supportive in everything he did.
"Of course it is," Inko stated. "He's just getting it out of his system. He needs to settle down with a nice young girl and have kids."
Izuku could feel tears welling in his eyes as he stared at his mom. She really didn't care about his happiness? All that really mattered to her was that he have kids.
"He owes me that much," his mom continued.
Shouta's arm wrapped tightly around Izuku as he coldly said, "I thought you were better than that. I thought your son's happiness was the most important thing to you."
"It is," she insisted. "I've done nothing but support him. He owes me a grandchild."
Izuku paled as his fingers found Shouta's shirt. He turned away as he said, "Come on, Shouta. Let's go."
"Izuku..."
"I don't want to be here anymore."
Shouta just led him back towards the door, the two of them grabbing their shoes before leaving as they ignored Inko's shouting. As soon as they were out of the apartment, Izuku turned and buried his face in Shouta's chest to hide his tears.
"H-how could she...?"
"I'm sorry, Izuku," Shouta said, rubbing his back. "Maybe if I hadn't come with you..."
He shook his head. "No, she's been trying to set me up with women since I graduated." He looked up at Shouta with a watery smile. "Thank you for being there though. It probably would have been worse if you weren't."
"Come on," Shouta muttered, leading Izuku towards the stairs to leave the complex.
"Where are we going?"
Shouta stopped walking and turned back to him, his fingers reaching up to cup Izuku's cheek. He leaned forward as he said, "I'm pretty sure we agreed to a date." His face was too close, his lips brushing against Izuku's in a gentle touch. "I know a place with some damn good katsudon."
Izuku stared after him as he turned to leave. "Wait... Wait, Shouta! What was that? Shouta?!"
Written by a human in Ellipsus.