Archive of Our Own

Higari thought that nothing could frighten him anymore. He had spent years digging people out of disasters and watching people die in his arms. He had undergone years of surgeries to fix his heart defect and get his body to actually listen to him. He had spent countless hours in a workshop, further damaging his lungs and scarring his body.

But the first time he held her, he felt genuine fear. “She’s so small.” He whispered, cradling her in his arms. Her eyes were shut, her little bit of pink curls sticking everywhere. Even the pink blanket she was wrapped in made her look smaller.

“Say that again after you’ve pushed her out of you.” Chiaki muttered, running a hand through her hair. It caught in her curls and she sighed, untangling it. SHe reached out and Higari sat next to her, handing her the bundle. She brushed the messy hair back, sighing.

Higari took her shoulder, gently leaning her onto his shoulder. She relaxed slightly, holding their daughter in between them. They sat there in silence with each other, letting their breathings meld together. He had been so busy these past months that no matter how he tried, he couldn’t give her all of his attention. They hadn’t had a moment like this in months.

“She- is her heart okay?” He asked hesitantly, gently touching the blanket above her heart. She wiggled and he took his hand off, returning it to her lap.

Chiaki nodded, looking up at him. “The doctor’s said that it was all okay. Her heart beat is stable and they haven't found any abnormalities.”

“Good.” He muttered. She moved slightly, her little hands stretching out of the blanket. Her perfect unscarred hands bunched into little fists. He ran his thumb against her hand, studying the size difference. “She’s perfect.”

Chiaki shifted slightly and he looked up to her, her eyes glazed over, looking at something past them. He let go of his daughter’s hand to cup his wife’s face, turning her gaze to him. “Higari. I-” Her voice cut out as the door opened, a doctor walking in.

THe doctor paused upon seeing them, his hands gripping the clipboard. “I’m sorry for intruding, but something has come up in our tests.”

Higari’s heart stopped as he let go of his wife’s face to rest his hand back on his daughter. He pulled Chiaki close to him with his other hand, keeping them together. Chiaki’s gaze looked up at him, worry filling her beautiful eyes. “What is it?” He asked, rubbing her shoulder in comfort.

THe doctor adjusted his glasses, walking towards them. “After further inspection of our scans, Mei needs to be moved to the NICU. Her heart is showing some abnormalities.” He went to reach for Mei but Higari let go of his wife, standing in the man’s way. “Sir.”

“I thought you already looked at her scans.” He said softly. Chiaki reached for his hand and he put it behind him so she could hold it.

The doctor sighed, nodding. “We were waiting for some results of her scans. Now that they have come in, it’s imperative that she comes to the NICU with me.”

Higari shook his head, squeezing Chiaki’s hand tighter. “I can take her if you let me know where to go. My wife still needs rest.”

“Sir, we can’t allow you into the NICU. We have many sick newborns there.” He stated, stepping past Higari.

“I-” He started to say before Chaiki cut him off.

“Okay.” She whispered, readjusting Mei’s hands under the blanket.

Higari watched as the doctor took her gently, her little face yawning. “I’ll be back.” He stated, carrying her from the room and away from them.

Higari turned back to his wife, sitting back on the bed with her. “She’ll be fine.” He said softly, pulling her closer. SHe nodded, burying her face into his chest as he held her. If he was stronger, he would have picked her up to bring her closer, but he couldn’t. Not without his suit and other protections.

He had finally gotten her to sleep, moved her back to the head of the bed when the alarms started. They weren’t loud enough to wake her up, but the bright lights that started to flash set his mind on fire. Something was definitely wrong. He unhooked himself from her, pulling her blanket over her.

She needed rest.

He headed for the door, opening and closing it gently. He turned around, almost running face first into the doctor who rushed at him. “Powerloader.” He said quickly and Higari shook his head. “Right. Higari. There’s been a- Where is your daughter?”

Higari’s mind paused as he tried to think, looking around. “He- you took her. You said she needed to go to the NICU.”

“Sir, I-”

“Where is my daughter?” He asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. He needed to deal with this. He needed to find her before his Chiaki could worry.

THe doctor shook his head. “The hospital is on lockdown. We have doctors checking every room. Her emergency band alerted us that she had left the radius she was allowed to. She can’t leave.”

“But she can still get hurt.” He said roughly, pushing past him. “Take me to where the band alerted from. I need to find her-”

“Sir.” The doctor said roughly. “We have the heroes and police looking. You’re in the hero wing. No one is-”

“I am a hero!” He yelled and people paused in their hurry, rushing past him. “I need to be looking for her. If I can get my suit, I can use the tools to-”

The door behind him opened slowly and Chiaki stepped out, her hand over her stomach. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

Higari raced to her, wrapping his arm around her. “It’s okay. You need to get back to sleep.”

She shook her head, pushing his arm off of her. “Is it Mei? What happened? Where is she?”

THe doctor hesitated and Higari sighed. “She- They don’t know. THat doctor from earlier wasn’t a doctor. Her band went off.” He said slowly, each word cemented his worst fears. He knew it was his fault.

“Where is my daughter?” CHiaki yelled, not caring to keep her voice down. She lunged at the doctor but Higari caught her, keeping her up. “Where is my daughter?” SHe yelled again, her voice broken by sobs.

The doctor shook his head. “Ma’am I-”

“Why aren’t you out there?” Chiaki yelled, turning on Higari. Her fists smacked against his chest and he bit his lip to withstand them. “THis is your fault! THis is all your fault! Where is my daughter?”

Higari held her hands to his chest, kissing her head gently as she collapsed into him, sobbing. “They have other heroes looking. Without my suit, I'm-”

“Useless.” She said quickly, pushing herself away from him. She stumbled to the hallway but the doctor caught her this time. Hiagri went to reach for her but she shoved him off. “Don't touch me!” She yelled, turning her face away from him.

Higari hesitated before he stepped out of the doorway and away from her. The doctor was the one to take her back to the bed as he stood in the blinking red lights. The alarms seemed to grow louder as people and heroes ran past him. Real heroes. Who didn't need a suit to help people.

“Higari.” A voice said, calm and steady. He turned, his old friend standing there. “How are you holding up?”

Higari shook his head, stumbling to his friend. Sorahiko caught him easily, keeping his standing. “They took her, Hiko. Who would want her?” He asked, stumbling into the nearest seat.

Sorahiko shook his head, crouching low to face him. “We don't know yet. We caught a man trying to flee, but Mei wasn't with him.” He explained, his eyes shining with sadness through the mask. “They're searching.”

Higari didn't say anything else as he let his friend try to comfort him, his hands not stopping shaking. He should be there. He should be finding her and not be holed up here like a civilian.

“Breathe,” Hiko said softly. “We don't want to put more stress on your heart.”

He wanted to yell at his friend. To tell him that it didn't matter if his daughter wasn't found. That a hero shouldn't have to worry about his heart giving out on him. But that was what he had signed on for when he wanted to be a hero. To ruin his already shot heart by getting a damn rebar pipe through it years ago.

Eventually the alarms and lights stopped and he sat up, searching the halls. The doctor walked down them, cradling the small bundle in the same blanket Higari had let her go in. He shot up from the chair, Hiko moving aside as he ran to his daughter.

The doctor handed her over quickly, letting Higari study her face, red from screaming. She was quiet though in his arms. “She's unharmed. He ditched her in a laundry basket when the alarm went off.” The doctor explained, trying to reach for her again.

Higari shook his head, taking her the rest of the way down the hall in silence. Her perfect eyes were wide, trying to understand what had happened. She couldn't though. She was too young. Too small. Too new.

He opened the door, practically tripping over himself to get Mei to Chiaki. “She's safe.” He said, handing her off slightly reluctantly.

Chiaki sobbed, cradling their daughter to her chest. She looked up at him, her eyes filling with anger instead of relief. “This is ending now. I want a divorce.”

For the second time that day, Higari felt his heart break.

---

Higari sighed, leaning forward onto his legs. His class was empty now, the last stragglers leaving a minute before the lab closed. He glanced over to his desk, carefully picking up the picture that had started to gather dust on the top.

He slowly wiped it off, trying his best not to touch the glass itself. It was the only photo he had of her, curled up in her pink blanket sitting on Chiaki's chest. His ex-wife's eyes shone with a sadness that he could place now.

She had been debating it for a while. That day had just solidified it. The day when a man stole his daughter as revenge for him being too slow one day. He hadn't saved that man's daughter so he had wanted Higari's.

Not a day had gone by that Higari didn't regret it. Didn't regret letting that man take Mei under false pretenses. He had stopped being a hero that day. Not a full time one anyways.

His heart couldn't take it.

There was a gentle knock from the open door and he glanced up, forcing a smile onto his face. Nemuri sighed, carrying a large bag of something that smelt delicious. “Don't force yourself to be happy.” She stated, dropping the bag on the floor.

He watched her grab the piles of papers he still had to grade from the desk, shoving them onto one of the many project filled ones. “How many years has it been?” She asked, despite the fact that she already knew.

Once Nezu knew something, the rest of the staff followed. “15.” He said, setting it back on the desk. “To the day.”

Nemuri nodded, picking back up the bag, setting it on the semi clear desk instead. “Bought you some of your favorite food from that taco shop.” She shuddered slightly. “Don't know how you can stomach that.”

He shrugged, pulling his eyes from the photo. “It takes some getting used to.” He agreed, tearing open the sauce packet. He let it drip onto it, remembering the precise way Chiaki had to do it. All on the right. If it touched the left, she'd wipe it all off and try again.

“Hey.” Nemuri said, snapping her fingers. “Focus on eating. When was the last time you had any food?”

As if in answer, his stomach rumbled, making Nemuri sighed heavily. “If you had to deal with students all day, you'd be the same way.”

“That's what a lunch break is for.” She pointed out, opening her own dinner of rice and chicken.

Higari shook his head. “That might work for you. But I have kids in here from 7 in the morning to 8 at night. I leave the room and something is going to blow up.”

“You're overreacting.” She said, taking a bite. “I'm sure you have time to step away to eat in your office.” Rice flew out of her mouth as she talked but she paid it no mind.

He shook his head again. “The office I don't use? Because if I'm not in the eyeline of my students they decide to mix bleach and vinegar and then I have to evacuate the entire damn building because of the vents.” He gestured up to one, currently sealed just in case something happened.

“That was three years ago. Surely no one is doing that anymore.”

He paused mid bite, glaring at her. “I had to physically dive across the desks this morning to stop a student from using a blowtorch with a pile full of very flammable wood shavings on their desk. These kids are not smart.”

Nemuri chuckled, letting the room fall into an easy silence as they ate. He wouldn't consider himself particularly close with the art teacher. Given that she and most of the staff were a good ten years younger than him and were still active heroes, their lifestyles didn't meld the best.

He did appreciate this though. Hiko was on bed rest due to an injury in his hip so Higari didn't expect to see him anytime soon. It was nice to just be around someone on this day every year. It prevented him from reaching for the bottle anyways.

“Hey, Higari.” Nemuri said slowly as she pushed her last bit of chicken around her tray.

He looked up, raising an eyebrow. “Whats up?” He asked, suddenly very suspicious of her intentions.

Before she could respond, the door opened with a loud bang, making them jump. “Nezu.” He said, sighing as he rubbed his eyes. “I thought you were a student.”

The principal laughed, a joyous sound that made Higari shiver. “Not at all! I'm much too old to be a student.” He stated, carrying a stack of papers in. How old he actually was, no one knew. He made up different answers anytime he was asked, so Higari didn't bother asking.

“I'm not making another one of your ideas.” Higari stated. “The last one almost crushed one of the third years.”

Nezu shrugged, clapping his paws together as he tossed the papers onto Higari's desk. “I never asked for a remote control kill switch.” He stated and Higari sighed. “Anyways! That's not what this is about.”

Nemuri stood up, her bag rustling slightly. Nezu turned as if finally seeing her, his gaze narrowing. She shook her head slightly, tucking all her trash away. “I'm going to head out. Hisashi is trying to drag Zawa out so I'm going to go help.”

“Thanks for the dinner!” Higari called, raising a hand to her as she left, the door shutting behind her quietly.

The second the door shut, Nezu seemed to switch, his paws itching for the papers. Higari watched as he pulled a stepstool over, climbing onto it so he was level with the desk. He opened the file before he paused, staring at the still open taco box.

Higari sighed, cleaning it up to clear off the desk. “Good!” Nezu said, clapping his paws together before he laid the papers out on the empty space. Each one he seemed to lay down slower, as if to torture Higari.

“What are these?” Higari asked, picking one up.

Nezu sighed, taking the one he held to hand him another one. “It's about time for you to pick your students for next year.” He stated, a large smile on his face.

Higari raised an eyebrow, putting the paper down to stare at the rodent. “So why are you here? You've never sat with me before.”

Nezu shrugged, adjusting himself on the small ladder. “There is one student who has particularly caught my interest. I am here to ensure that she is allowed enrollment into our support course and that it will not be an issue.”

“So why don't you just accept her? You have final say on everything.”

Nezu shrugged. “It is better for you to accept her." He stated, pulling a stapled packet from the bottom. He set it in front of Higari instead of handing it to him, smiling slightly. “Here is her application and her previous inventions.”

Higari sighed, grabbing his glasses from under his desk. He set them on his nose, giving one last look to Nezu's grinning face. “I swear.” He mumbled, glancing down at the paperwork.

His eyes scanned past the personal information and he flipped the page, taking note of their inventions. They weren't crude by any means. It was a detailed spreadsheet of all the parts they had used for each invention. They had included 8 different ones despite the program only needing 4.

Each one seemed to take care to detail and even more seemed impressive in what objects they had used for each piece. He ignored the 2 page essay that was also stapled to the large packet, turning back to the front page.

It was all in order despite being thicker than most. He glanced up at Nezu who hadn't stopped smiling, his whiskers twitching in a dangerous way. He looked back down, scanning up towards the name. For some reason, this student was important to Nezu.

“What-” he started to say before he fully processed the name. He scanned it three more times, each time becoming more sure he was reading it right. “What is this?” Higari asked, taking his reading glasses off to properly stare at his boss. “Do you think this is funny?”

Nezu tipped his head, still grinning. “Do you think I am?”

Higari wanted to scream at the creature that this wasn't funny. That joking about something like this was serious. But he couldn't. Because Nezu wasn't the type to joke about things. Especially not something this serious.

“What is this?” He asked slowly, setting it down. He couldn't look at it.

Nezu shrugged, hopping off the ladder. Higari watched him walk to the door, his steps easy and calm. “Simply thought you should know before the semester starts. All other seats are free.” He raised his paw in a goodbye before the door shut behind him loudly.

Higari stared after him before he slowly turned back to the files. Her name was big across the top, stinging his eyes.

Mei Hatsume.

---

He had seen her only three times since that hospital bed. He cherished each memory despite them hurting him. They were all he had of his little girl and the life he could have had, once upon a time.

The first was in the court room. It was him, his wife, his daughter, and the judge. That was it.

For some heroes, a scandal such as this would be broadcasted. It would have been public. There were nights he lay awake wishing that it had been. If only so he would have more pictures and videos where he could see his little girl.

It wasn't though. It was just the four of them, crammed into a room filled with files and books, a document between them. He hadn't wanted to sign. He had stared at the paper for a month as he lived in hero housing, the two bedroom apartment feeling too big.

Chiaki looked beautiful, her hair tied in small braids behind her ears. Her eyes looked tired, their brilliant yellow dimmed with exhaustion. Still, she looked resolved. She had always been stubborn.

Mei was dressed in a small flower dress, not even old enough to fully grab the toy in her carseat with her. Her hair was tied into two little ponytails sitting atop her head. Her eyes already shone like her mothers, her irises small and black.

He remembered sitting there, studying her every feature. Knowing that once the paperwork was filed, he would never see his little bundle of joy again.

It was for the best though. He knew that.

“Higari Maijima.” The judge said, her voice thick with pity. “You understand that by signing this, you give up all parental rights and have no say over the future of Mei Hatsume?”

He remembered that pain when the judge had said Mei's full name. Knowing that she would never hold his last time as he had thought she would. She would be safer with her mothers.

“I do.” He said, trying to make the words sound stronger than he felt.

She nodded, turning to Chiaki who hadn't so much as glanced at Higari. “Chiaki Hatsume. You understand that by signing this form, all rights and responsibilities of parenthood in regards to Mei Hatsume are diverted to you?”

She nodded with no hesitation. “I do.”

The judge nodded, turning the paper towards her. The sound sent shivers down Higari's body, as her pen touched the paper, scratching out his fate.

Chiaki was gone the next second.

---

“Higari.” Hisashi said softly, knocking on the door to the staff room. He clutched a bag tightly and Higari could already smell the tacos. “How are you doing?” He asked, walking over.

Higari shook his head, pulling his glasses off his face. Hisashi hesitantly set the bag on the desk, a small smile on his face. “So uh. I got you some lunch. Wasn't sure if you had already eaten-” he paused, looking past Higari to the two unopened boxes from the same restaurant.

“Kan and Ishiyama.” He said, not even bothering to look at the boxes. “Not hungry.”

Hisashi sighed, setting the tacos by the rest. “Look. I know Nezu said that-”

“Hisashi.” Higari said softly. “Please don't. Trust me, I've heard it all today.”

Hisashi sighed, collapsing into a nearby chair. Usually the room would be filled with teachers preparing but they had all cleared out soon after Higari had come in. Word traveled fast between the staff. Especially when you were one of the veteran staff.

Higari managed to get through three more student applications before Hisashi sighed again, louder this time. He put his pencil down, looking up at the blonde. “You're worse than my students.” He said and Hisashi sat up.

He shifted slightly in the chair, clearly uncomfortable. He had never been one for confrontation. He had asked for Higari's help plenty of times when it came to confronting Aizawa or Nemuri. “I just-” he started before he stopped. He took a deep breath before starting again. “How are you doing?”

“With the fact that my daughter who I haven't seen since she was small wants to join my class?”

Hisashi nodded slowly. “I mean- yeah.”

Higari chuckled, leaning back in his chair. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose, his glasses pushing up slightly. “Not well. Dealing with it, I mean. On top of my student's finals and the paperwork for the incoming freshmans, I just don't have time to deal with it.”

Hisashi nodded along, pulling his braid over his shoulder. “Do you- do you need anything? Besides more food.” His gaze dropped to the ever growing pile of tacos, a small smile on his lips.

Higari shook his head. “No. I'll be alright. I'm going to do a late night and finish up the rest of my rosters, then I'll see about contacting-” his voice cracked and he cleared his throat to disguise it. “I'll contact her mother.”

Hisashi nodded as Higari pushed his glasses back up, looking at his paperwork. He saw Hisashi pick up the packet he had kept separate from the corner of his eye. He tried to ignore the growing ache in his chest as Hisashi flipped through it, slowly looking at each.

Higari had managed to get through reviewing another student’s and writing his rejection when Hisashi finally spoke again. “She takes after you.” He whispered.

Higari smiled slightly, nodding. “Yeah. She does.” He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “It's funny. I've looked at those pictures hundreds of times and I can see myself in them. How I used to create. I still don't know.”

“Don’t know what?” Hisashi asked when he stopped talking.

“If her mom ever told her who I was.”

---

The second time he had seen his daughter was on her first birthday.

~~~

Higari stared at the toys on the store wall, his hands sweating with anxiety. He wiped them on his pants quickly, finally stepping forward for an item. He hesitated before he stepped back, silently cursing everything.

He was good at stress. Even with his heart, he had always been good with stress. You had to be to be a pro hero. Especially now that he was working towards getting his teaching licence.

But he had never felt more out of place than he did in that aisle. The toys seemed almost to mock him, large labels and bright colors dotting his vision. He had always sped past them this past year, but it had finally caught up to him.

“How old are they?” Someone asked and Higari jumped slightly. The woman laughed, before she covered her mouth. “Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh.” She coughed into her hand, grinning widely.

He chuckled along with her, rubbing his neck. “How old is who?”

She raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slightly. “Your kid. I assume that's why you're looking at toys. Unless you're just a creep, in which case.” She took a step back, placing her hand on her cart.

There was a young boy strapped into it, fastened tight by the seat belt. He reached for her hand, a large smile on his freckled face.

“Oh right.” Higari said, looking away from them. “One. It's her birthday today.”

The woman nodded, pulling her cart closer. “Mine's almost there. They grow fast at this age, huh?”

He nodded hesitantly. He wasn't sure how to tell her that he had no idea. He hadn't seen her since she was more than a few months old. Not one already.

“Well.” The woman said, tipping her head. “What about a walker? She should be getting to that milestone soon.” She looked to the item he had first reached for, shaking her head. “Might be getting a bit too big for those tummy time mats. Doubt she stays down much. I know mine is a-” she stopped talking, her eyes going wide. “Oh my god, are you okay? Was it something I said?”

Higari shook his head, rubbing his eyes. He hadn't even realized he was crying. “I'm okay, I promise. It's just- complicated.”

Her face went red as she dug through her large bag, moving diapers and wipes out of the way. “Here.” She said quickly, giving him a pack of napkins. “Sorry, that's all I have.”

He chuckled, swiping his eyes with a napkin quickly. “It's- Yeah, I like the walker.” He said, taking it off the shelf.

She nodded, going to walk away before she hesitated. “Um-” she said, rifling through her purse. He paused, watching her scribble something out on a piece of paper before she turned back to him. “This is the information of a parent's group I go to. It's good for the little ones to socialize. And for us to talk to other adults.”

He nodded, looking down at the paper. “I'll- I'll keep it in mind.” He nodded slowly.

She chuckled right as her baby began to fuss. “Shh. Shh.” She said, reaching into the bag to give him a small ring of plastic keys. “I'm Midoriya Inko, by the way.” She said quickly. “Hope to see you there!”

He nodded, watching her walk away as he clutched the walker and information in one hand.

The drive to Chiaki's new place was slow, the streets backed up like they always were. He hated driving, but she had moved so far away and he didn't want to travel on public transportation with the package which he had filled with far more than just the rocker.

The note Inko had given him was stowed in there as well, in a card he had spent hours trying to get perfect. He had no need for the information of the group. He wasn't her dad as much as her father. Biological father. That was all he was.

His hand shook as he knocked on the door of the apartment, his stomach churning. He could hear people inside, laughing and talking. He could hear Mei’s laugh the loudest. High pitched, shrill, and perfect.

The door opened slowly, locks being unclicked. When it finally opened, his heart almost stopped. She was just as beautiful as the day she had signed the papers. Her hair braided behind her ears in the style she loved, her eyes brighter than the morning son.

Those brilliant eyes widened upon seeing him and she stepped outside, slamming the door shut behind her. “Higari.” She hissed, her voice cutting the last of his heart away. “What are you doing here?”

He hesitated, before he held the bag out. “For Mei. I thought that-”

“No.” She said quickly, pushing the bag away. “You can't see her.” She wrapped her arms around herself, shaking her head quickly. “Do you think some toys will suddenly clear you from risking her life hours after she was born?”

Higari shook his head, his hand tightening on the bag. “No. I just- it's been a year. I haven't- I haven't been as active on cases and I thought.”

“You thought wrong.” She said sharply. “Now go. I don't- I don't have the energy for this right now.”

He hesitated, pausing when he heard Mei laugh from inside again. “I-” he sighed, turning back to Chiaki. “Please. Please, I just want to talk. I can come only on holidays or-”

The door opened, a man stepping outside. Mei was propped on his hip, her bright pink hair visible. “Mei.” He whispered, dropping the bag.

Her little face turned to him, lighting up with a large smile. He could see her little teeth from here, though her eyes were covered by what looked like goggles. She babbled in her little voice, her hands reaching for him.

Chiaki immediately grabbed her, turning her away from Higari. “Are you a friend of Chiaki's?” The man asked, raising an eyebrow at Chiaki before he turned back to Higari.

“I-” he started to say before Chiaki shook her head sharply. He wasn't sure what made him listen but he sighed, swallowing loudly. “Yes. An acquaintance. From work.”

The man smiled, reaching a hand out. “Well then, I'm Kenji. Chiaki's boyfriend.”

Higari stumbled back slightly, his gaze flickering over to Chiaki. She looked away from him, holding Mei's head to her shoulder. Higari hesitantly took his hand, shaking it softly. “I just- I just wanted to stop by and give my gift.”

Kenji looked down at the bag, his smiling wavering. “You didn't have to go this far. Why don't you come in? Might as well join the festivities.”

He looked back to Chiaki who shook her head. “I just- can I just say hi to the birthday girl? I'm in a bit of a rush.”

He nodded, reaching out for Mei. Chiaki wrapped her hand around Mei tighter and he frowned. “She's really open to new people most times.” He paused when Chiaki still didn't let her go. “Is she- is everything okay?”

Chiaki looked back to Higari before she sighed. “Of course. Higari has to get going soon.” She said with a tight smile.

Kenji took Mei, bouncing her up to turn her around to face Higari. She grinned widely, making small noises he couldn't understand. She reached towards him but he kept his hands by his side, fighting every urge in him. “Hi, Mei.” He whispered, smiling at her.

She laughed, turning back to Kenji to bury her face in his shoulder. Higari took a deep breath, taking a step back onto the stairs. “I should- I'll get going now.” He said, turning around.

He fled down the stairs as fast as he could, his present left for Mei. She was happy. That was all he could hope for.

---

The apartment was where he had remembered it to be. The steps he had last departed down as he fled from his daughter's birthday. Each one felt like a step closer to his doom, his knees screaming at him as he climbed the four stories.

He could almost see where he had left the bag, directly in front of the stairs, in front of her door. He stepped up with the same level of hesitation he had had before, 14 years later.

He wiped his hands on his pants, reaching up to knock. Before he could do so, there was a large explosion inside, smoke billowing under the door the next second. He banged on it, his hands shaking. He couldn't kick it in. Not without his suit. But if something had happened inside-

The door opened and a teenager appeared, waving her hand in the air to clear the smoke. “Hi-” She said, her eyes shut tight as she coughed. “I know. I know- I'll get my babies out of here. I just wanted to-” she opened her eyes, her words stopping.

Her pink hair was twisted in locs, tied back by a large bandana. Her eyes were blocked by large gold goggles that contrasted against her complexion like her mother's gold jewellery once did. Even the way she stood reminded him of her mother, her hands moving to cover her arms.

“It's- it's you.” She whispered before her face lit up in a big grin. “Do you want to see my babies? Is that why you're here? Come in, come in!” She practically yelled, grabbing his arm tightly as she dragged him into the apartment.

Smoke still filled the room but small fans situated everywhere were working to disperse it. He still coughed slightly and she frowned before she dropped his arm and ran to the other side of the room. “Hold on! I have just the baby! Mom made me make some when my first baby blew up, but really that was just a precaution. I mean, just because they blow up, that doesn't mean they're failures.” She shrugged, tossing something at him without warning.

He managed to catch it though, staring down at it through the smoke. “A gas mask?” He asked, running his hand over the ventilation holes. It was rudimentary but well crafted, though he was slightly surprised to see actual welding marks on it.

She nodded, practically jumping over the large work table in the middle. She pulled her goggles up to her forehead, her brilliant yellow eyes almost glowing in the smoke. He could see her pupils moving though she was gone the next second, running to the kitchen. “Want some coffee? Mom says it's rude to invite guests in without something to offer.”

He shook his head slowly, putting the gas mask on. He hit the button on the side, feeling a small breeze as a fan based system went to work. It was noisier than it should have been but it worked, helping him breathe a little better. “Is she here?” He asked and Mei looked over her shoulder at him, the fridge wide open.

“Mom?” She asked hesitantly. “Oh no. She was taking Dad his lunch and-”

He heard footsteps growing louder before someone burst through the open door. “Mei! How many times do I have to remind you to work in the workshop? That's why Dad made-” she stopped talking, turning from Mei to Higari. “You.” She whispered.

Higari swallowed, his hands shaking again. Seeing her in front of him for the first time in years was like being back in the field for the first time. No matter how much he prepared, he couldn't be ready.

“I didn't mean-” He started to say before Chiaki whirled around.

“Mei, take your stuff and go to the workroom.” She said sharply, her fingers tightening on her purse.

Mei frowned, shutting the fridge. “Is this about my baby? Cause I promise if I can just-”

“Mei go!” Chiaki yelled and Mei froze.

She bit her lip, nodding as she suddenly rushed forward. Higari watched her grab the parts that were scattered on the table, dropping them into a cardboard box. He longed to help but Chiaki's eyes hadn't left him, filled with the same anger from 14 years ago.

Mei didn't even say goodbye as she rushed down the hall, a door slamming shut. Chiaki slammed the front door, her purse dropping to the floor loudly. “Why are you here?” She whispered, her words so much quieter than before.

Higari took a deep breath, taking the mask off. “I need to discuss something with you. I thought Mei would be at school.”

She shook her head, taking off her shoes and placing them by the door. Her movements were stiff, done so she never looked at him for long. “She does school online. Why are you here?” She asked again, moving past him into the living room.

“I've not come as her father. Not like last time.”

Her hands tightened on the items she cleared off the couch, tossing them into a bin. “Good. She already has a father.”

He nodded, watching her, his heart hammering. He suddenly couldn't remember if he took his medication. “I came as a teacher. I got Mei's application and-”

“What application?” She asked suddenly, looking up at him. He held her gaze for a minute before he looked away again. She sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Come. Sit. I'm- I'm sorry, okay?”

Higari hesitated, shaking his head. “I don't-”

“Goddamn it, Higari.” She muttered, rubbing her eyes. “Why did you never come back? Never try again?”

“I thought you didn't want me to. After the last time I-”

“I was surprised.” She said honestly. “Maybe frightened. I kept expecting a call. Something. Anything afterwards. How did you never get angry at me? I was dumb and hurt and-”

Higari didn't reach for her despite his body wanting to. He just nodded until she stopped talking, dropping her head into her hands. “I was trying to do what you wanted. I'm still- after the hospital incident, I thought you'd reach out. Then you signed those papers and I- I was hurt. Tired.”

She looked up at him, her eyebrows creasing. “Is that why you think I signed them? Over the hospital incident?”

Higari nodded slowly. “I thought-”

“God.” She mumbled, cutting him off. “I should have explained back then. That's- well it was the final reason but it wasn't the main thing. It was everything, Higari. The late nights I'd spend not knowing if you'd come home. The early mornings making sure you took your medication before you left. How dependent you were on that suit.”

A part of him wanted to correct her. To tell her it was called a mech and not just a suit. But he kept quiet. “Do you remember our anniversary a few days before you learned I was pregnant?”

He hesitated, biting his cheek. He didn't really. “No.” He said, looking down at his hands.

She chuckled, nodding. “I do. You had promised me dinner at one of those hero restaurants with fancy food and flowers. We spent the night getting dressed up with you right by me.” She smiled slightly before it turned sour. “Then that stupid call came. The same one that came every time. There was a hero fight and now you had to go clean up and rescue people. And I tried- I really tried not to be upset at it.

Watching you run out in that suit, grab the keys to your hero suit and just leave. You promised you'd be back in time.” She rubbed the back of her neck, lost in thought. “I didn't bother going. I knew you wouldn't finish up. I made us dinner at home and was going to tell you then. About Mei.”

“I didn't come home until the morning.” He whispered, remembering. He had been so caught up in the aftermath and the paperwork that he had dragged himself home after 2. He remembered the scent of food vaguely but hadn't paid it any mind.

She nodded. “I tried every day after that. I would leave the results near your meds or on our bedside table. You were never home for me to tell you though. And when you were, you were too tired to even look at me.”

He ran his hands down his pants again, feeling the way his fingertips caught on them slightly. “I- I'm sorry I never realized.”

She nodded, shivering. “Why are you here now? I thought you were done with us.”

“The-” he pulled his bag that had been dangling on his shoulder, opening it up. He pulled the application out, holding it for her. She was careful not to touch him as she took it, opening it slowly. “Mei submitted an application. I thought- it needs a parent signature.”

She nodded, flipping through it, her hands tightening. “She copies mine. I thought after the last time she ordered parts online she'd stop.” She sighed, rubbing her eyes. “I can't-”

“If you don't want me to accept her, I won't. I'll tell Nezu that-”

“No.” She said quickly, shaking her head. “She's been dreaming about getting into the support classes for years. I thought that- I thought I could talk her out of it but-” she shook her head. “She shouldn't, should she?”

He hesitated, adjusting how he was sitting. “Her application is good. One of the best. But I can't tell you what to do. I haven't been a part of any of her decisions.”

Chiaki nodded, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her legs. “I'll- I'll have to talk to her father-” she stopped talking, taking a deep breath. “Kenji. I'll have to talk to Kenji.”

He nodded, ignoring the sting in his chest. He was her father. He had raised her when Higari couldn't. It was only fair to him.

He stood up, nodding again. The room had suddenly become too small for him. He staggered slightly, grabbing the table in front of him. He could feel the sharp pain in his chest but tried to ignore it, forcing his feet to stay under him.

“Higari?” Chiaki said, standing up quickly.

He coughed, feeling his lungs contract. “I'm fine.” He wheezed, grabbing his chest. “Just the smoke.” He coughed, waving a hand in front of his face.

She clicked her tongue, running to the kitchen. “Did you take your heart medication today?”

He tried to answer but his words caught in his throat as he inhaled the last of the smoke in the room. He heard feet running up the stairs and the door slamming open. “Mei, get my phone!” Chiaki yelled, bringing a glass of water back. “Is it an attack or the-”

“I’m fine.” He said quickly, coughing loudly. “It's my lungs. Not my heart. The-” he shook his head, coughing again. “I'm fine.”

She sighed, trying to hand him the water but he shook his head. “Powerloader, sir.” Mei said quickly, handing him the mask again.

He went to put it on before he paused, his hands hovering over the interior of the ventilation holes. “Lavender.” He said, dropping it onto the table.

Chiaki's eyes went wide as she sighed. “Do you need an epi-”

“No.” He said, shaking his head. “Thank you for having me.” He managed to choke out, trying to keep his voice as even as he could. “Please contact me in regards to the application.” He said, his gaze drifting over to Mei.

“Higari, please.” She said, trying to hand him the water again.

He moved past them, heading for the stairs as he tried to breath fresh air. With so many things wrong with him now, he didn't know what anything was.

---

The last time he had seen his daughter was when she was 5. It wasn't like before. It wasn't a planned event at all.

~~~

Higari adjusted in the mech, pulling the arms towards him. The metal creaked and he sighed, knowing it would need to be re-oiled after this call. It was already late though. He'd put it off before class again.

He still wasn't used to that. Having to only work part time on rescue and every other moment of grading and paperwork was killing him. He still hadn't written his lectures for tomorrow. He would get to it. He would get to it all.

“Powerloader.” His dispatcher said, her voice as tired as he felt. “We need you at 6th and avenue. Endeavor is fighting a villain and he'll need damage control."

Higari nodded, stretching his mech up. He flicked on his sirens with his finger trigger, before he pushed his controls forward. Unlike other heroes who could fly or run across the rooftops, he was stuck to the same rules that a motorcycle cop had. Stick to the streets unless he needed to pass on the sidewalk.

People were as quick as they could to move out of his way, though he had to activate his flight capabilities to clear a few hurdles. They were still in the testing phase so he wanted to stick to short bursts of power.

He got to the scene quickly, his sirens turning off, though he kept the lights on. “Powerloader. Took you long enough.” An officer said, standing off to the side as Endeavor threw blasts into the cordoned off area, shaking the already crumbling building.

“Got here as fast as I could.” He mumbled, flipping on his heat vision. His computer took a moment to do so, before he could see all the heat signatures. Endeavor's was almost blinding so he kept his gaze down, searching the ruckus. “The remaining building is clear. But I have two people under rubble. Breathing. One is in worse shape.”

The officer nodded, relaying what Powerloader said into his walkie talkie. “I have medics on the way. My men can't go in there while Endeavor is still on scene though.”

Powerloader nodded, pushing himself forward. He passed up the first civilian who was trapped under an air pocket of rubble. He could see the solid concrete above her, not likely to break quickly.

The other was in more dire shape. He grabbed the biggest piece covering them, his mech groaning as it lifted it up and moved it aside. The others were harder to move, a jagged game of Jenga that left him having to move slow.

He could hear the fight above him raging on, pieces of fire falling to the floor as the building continued to rumble, threatening to crush them all. “You're okay.” He said, turning off his voice modifier so he was quieter.

The man screamed as Powerloader moved the last piece of rubble, a large safe that had landed itself on the man's leg. Once that was moved aside, Higari unstrapped himself from the mech, jumping down beside the man. He could feel the rubble scrape along his suit as he unlatched the neck braces he kept inside the mech. “Don't move.” He told the man, wrapping it around his neck slowly.

It didn't seem hurt to him, but you could never be too safe with spinal injuries. He climbed back into his mech, attaching the mech to his helmet. He extended the emergency stretcher, manoeuvring it under the man so he could pick him up.

Endeavor was getting louder now which meant he was getting frustrated he hadn't already won. Higari had cleaned up enough of his scenes to know he had to hurry. “His leg is badly broken.” He told the medics before he turned back into the rubble.

This one was easier as the woman just had a few scratches so he was able to carry her out. “I want to-” He started to say to the medic before he heard Endeavor scream in anger.

He turned around in time to see Endeavor aim another punch at the villain which missed, sending him into the roof of the remaining building. The large crack seemed to echo in the air and he quickly scanned the building again.

He went to turn back to the medic when he froze, his vision detecting movement on the edge, right where the police tape was. The building grew louder as it started to collapse, pieces of debris beginning to break loose.

He shot forward, his thumb hurting as he pushed the thrusters to their limit. It short circuited, the metal exosuit screaming as it stumbled forward and he was left to try to balance it, forcing it forward. A large chunk of concrete came flying down the side, heading straight for the form who was standing against the police tape.

He smacked into it, hearing the sickening crunch of his metal as the rubble crushed one of the arms under it. He ripped his hand out of the gloves, unlatching the front of the suit as he tumbled out.

“What are you doing?” He asked, turning to the person, inches from climbing into the cordoned off area. He froze as he spotted who it was, a little girl no more than five. Her hair was curled into braids that moved around her ear in a familiar pattern. “Mei?” He asked, reaching for the girl.

She stared up at him with wide eyes, her irises seeming to constrict as she stared up at him. “Powerloader!” She yelled, before jumping at him.

He managed to catch her as she laughed, staring at him. Her irises seemed to be constantly moving, shifting and changing. “Where is your mom?” He asked, turning back to look at the fight. He'd have to leave his mech here.

He took her across the street, ignoring the gawks from passerbys. He stood on the corner for a moment, Mei in his arms, as he watched Endeavor finish the fight, the building entirely demolished.

Mei shifted uncomfortably suddenly, shoving at Higari's chest. “Put me down!” She screamed with all the rage a five year old could muster.

He did so though he stayed beside her as she shifted between her feet, squinting at the wreckage. She covered her eyes suddenly, screaming in what could have been rage or pain as she started to rub her eyes.

Higari knelt down, taking her wrists gently. She screamed louder at his touch so he let go, instead taking a bandage he carried on a small toolbelt. “I'm going to wrap these around your eyes. They're bothering you, aren't they?”

Mei nodded, still rubbing them. He didn't bother pulling them away, waiting until she did so herself before he wrapped it around her head loosely. She seemed to calm down, humming as she shifted feet. “Better, Mei?” Higari asked and she nodded, smiling widely. “These little babies are quite handy.” He tossed it in the air, catching it even though he wasn't sure what she could see through them.

He heard someone yelling behind him and turned, frowning at the man who approached him. He seemed almost familiar, though Higari couldn't place him. “Mei!” He yelled, running forward. “Are you okay?” He knelt beside Mei, pulling something from his pocket. “Here, I have your glasses-” he went to put them on her but she smacked his hand away.

“I like this! It's his baby!” She yelled, pointing at Higari.

The man seemed to finally notice Higari's presence, standing up to face him. “Thank you so much for saving my little girl.” He said, taking Higari's hand. “I swear I looked away for two seconds and she was just gone.” He chuckled, realizing he was still shaking Higari's hand before he pulled his back.

“And you are?” Higari asked, looking back down at Mei who took the man's hand tightly.

“Her father.” He said and it clicked. “Kenji.” He introduced himself, though Higari remembered the name.

Hiagri nodded, coughing quietly. “Well. Yes. I would still take her to the EMTs we have. Some dust seems to have gotten in her eyes.”

Kenji looked down at her, his eyebrows furrowing before his eyes went wide. “Oh, the bandages! No, that's just her quirk. Still trying to learn how to function with it but I mean, yeah, I should probably take you up on that.” He knelt down, scooping Mei into his arms. “Thank you again, Powerloader, sir.”

Higari nodded, watching them walk away towards the EMTs and his destroyed mech. Two things gone like that.

---

Higari sat still as Hisashi droned on, his voice filling the large auditorium. This year’s class was by far their largest, despite 20 students and 1 teacher being gone. He had watched Aizawa cart his kids out to the field and could only pity them.

The other teachers were sitting around him and he could practically feel the buzz radiating off of them. “Is she here?” Nemuri asked, leaning over to whisper to him. The issue was that her whisper was not quiet.

The other teachers glanced over, their interest peaked. Higari wanted to ignore her and go back to ignoring the very obvious issue in the room. He had barely managed to get through it as he took attendance before escorting them all over here.

“Yes.” He said, hoping that would be the end of it. Of course, it was not.

Nemuri looked over the crowd of gathered students, majority in the darkness of the room. He knew where Mei was of course. Eight rows back and three seats from the left aisle. He hadn't been able to stop watching her. All the little mannerism that reminded him of Chiaki. He hadn't seen any of him.

“Is that her?” Nemuri asked, again; too loud. Higari shook his head without bothering to see who she meant. It didn't matter. Once they broke from orientation, it was lunch. Then he had to do his own orientation. Something he was not looking forward to.

Nemuri managed to stay quiet the rest of the time, as did Hisashi when he finally let someone else speak. It was a race to leave the room before they could corner him, heading straight for his classroom.

He threw open the door, turning to shut it before he paused. He turned back around, coming almost face to face with Mei. She was tall like her mother or maybe he was just shorter than he thought.

“Can I eat here?” She asked, though it looked like she had already made up her mind. A desk in the front was covered with an assortment of food items, including a juice box and an orange. As well as what looked like a slice of cherry pie.

He sighed, rubbing his eyes. He wanted to tell her no. To have the little amount of time without students that lunch the first week allotted. Many students still found it scary to ask to eat in the classroom. Mei apparently had no such issue.

“Okay.” He mumbled, kicking a peg to hold the door open.

She laughed, running back to her desk as she pulled out a very large sketchbook. “I have so many ideas!” She yelled, kicking her feet as she rocked back on the chair.

“Don't break the legs.” He said, unlocking the door to his office. “Don't touch anything. I'll be in here for the next 45 minutes.”

She nodded, opening up her phone as he left his door cracked open. His own lunch was more put together, though a lot smaller. He had never had much of an appetite after that last piece of rebar. He sat down, opening his lesson plans for the week, determined to get stuff done.

However, it didn't take long for the work to be forgotten as loud rock music started blaring through the room. He glanced up, his one way windows showing him the entire classroom. Mei had dragged over another chair, sitting sideways as she sketched in the book, her phone blasting music beside her.

She had earbuds in, though he doubted they were connected. With how loud the music was, she would have been deaf. He debated telling her to turn it down, but decided against it.

It wasn't everyday he had a student this eager.

---

Higari sighed, watching the clock tick down his last precious moments before the bell rang. Despite the loud music he had managed to get his lesson plans done for the entire week, leaving the rest to be decided depending on how this week worked.

He stood up, leaving his pen behind as he left his office, closing it behind him. “Mei.” He said, walking towards her. “I mean- Hatsume.” He corrected himself quickly, sighing.

She paid him no mind, humming along with the heavy metal that was blaring through her phone as she sketched vigorously. He tapped her desk softly and she paused, looking up. “Hi, powerloader sir!” She yelled, her earbuds still in.

Higari tapped his ear and she frowned, tipping her head. It took a moment for her to understand and she quickly took out her headphones. She paused as if realizing the music was still going before she scrambled for her phone. “Dang it! I thought these babies were finally working!” She yelled, turning off the music.

He sighed, shaking his head. “I'm opening the door for the other students. Can you clean up your desk? You'll have someone sitting with you.”

She nodded, staring at him without moving. “What?” She asked after a second. He gestured down to where she had food wrappers and pens strewn about the desk, some already falling to the floor. “Oh! Yeah!” She jumped up, running last him for the trashcan at the front.

He sighed, trying to hide a smile that threatened to creep up. He opened the door the rest of the way as the lunch bell sounded and his day got a lot more tiring.

He had managed to make it to the chalkboard, writing his name in large letters as the first students trickled in. Mei had gotten her spot cleaned, grinning wildly as students walked in hesitantly. Today would be when he figured out how many of them had tried out for the hero program but hadn't gotten in.

Those were the worst simply because they didn't want to be here. “Do we call you Powerloader or Maijima, sir?” Mei yelled and he turned to see her hand in the air waving quickly.

“I'll get to that, Hatsume.” He said, doing his best to keep his teacher persona. He couldn't favor her even if just hearing her talk made his heart soar for something he couldn't have.

She huffed but nodded, waving as more students passed her. He wiped his hands on the cloth, turning instead to open his computer and slideshow presentation. By the time the last bell had sounded, he had his computer loaded up, ready to drop the projector screen down when he needed it.

He walked over to the door, feeling the students shift as he shut it quickly. All the seats were filled, including the one beside Mei. The poor boy who had chosen to sit next to her seemed the exact opposite of her, closed off and quiet. Most likely a hero course failure.

“Welcome students.” He said, wiping his hands on his pants again. His fingertips seemed to chime against the metal rivets on his pockets and the whole class sat up as it echoed. Mei's hand shot up and he sighed. “Yes, Hatsume?”

“When do we get to build?” She asked, practically vibrating.

He nodded, turning back to the board. “I will get to that. As you all know, my hero name is Powerloader. I'm a rescue hero who specializes in mech technology and support gear.” He began to create a chart, showcasing branches and heroes he had worked with.

He was glad they seemed to be engaged for the most part, especially as he mentioned some of the larger heroes he had assisted with. “What was it like working with Endeavor?” One kid asked loudly.

Higari sighed, hesitating slightly. “Hot.” He finally decided, shrugging. “The number two hero has a very flaming personality.” A few students chuckled and he nodded, continuing his presentation. He could feel her gaze the most.

---

“How was it?” Nemuri asked, peeking her head into his classroom. He groaned, shoving his laptop back into his bag. “What?” She asked, raising her hands. “I'm just curious.”

“Don't you have a shift to go to?” He asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head, grinning. “Nah. I'm off today. I don't wanna deal with multiple batches of students and villains who won't stop ogling my tits.”

He sighed, rubbing his eyes as she walked further into the room. “You do realize this is like my only day where people don't stay until the lab closes, right? The only day I get a break between school and work.”

She grinned, picking up a packet. “Whats this then? Looks a lot like work.”

He rolled his eyes, snatching the paperwork away from her. “I'm just consulting with a smaller support firm. Not work.” He shoved it into his bag, zipping it up. In truth, he was going to take the papers to his favorite cafe just so he wouldn't be holed up alone while he worked.

She shrugged, sitting on the edge of his desk. “Do you have anything going for you outside of work? When was the last time you went to a club or something?”

He grabbed the strap of his bag, walking to the door. “Either stay or go. If you stay, I am locking you inside.”

She huffed, jumping off the desk to follow him. “I'm serious, Higari. You have to get out there sometime.”

“Mhm.” He mumbled, closing the door behind them, his keys jiggling in the lock. “In ten years, you'll understand exactly why I don't go clubbing.”

She sighed, draping herself dramatically against the wall. If he didn't know she was the art teacher, he would give money to her being a drama teacher. “You should come out with us tonight. Let loose on the dance floor.”

“Pass.” He said quickly, going to walk away from her. Unfortunately, she followed. “Look, I know you're just prying for information about Mei. You're not getting it.” He informed her, heading for the exit.

She trailed behind him. “You should be careful about not using her surname. It'll get you caught.” She paused as he left the school, sighing. “My offers are still open for any night.”

He raised a hand, not bothering to respond. This would be a long school year.

---

Higari pushed Tigger away with his foot yet again, shaking the wet food into his dish. Tigger meowed and Higari winced as a claw went into his foot. He set the can down, picking up the annoyed tabby gently. “You. Stay.” He said, dropping him on the couch before he went back to what he was doing.

He finally finished, mixing Tiggers's medication into the food. The cat was already back, yowling for it as if he had never been fed. Higari sighed, sliding the bowl across the floor. To his credit, Tigger did chase it, leaving Higari to a moment of peace.

He grabbed a beer from the fridge, plopping down on his couch.

Maybe things changing would be a welcome thing.

---

It was not welcome.

Higari ducked under a flying bolt, watching it smack into the wall behind him, creating a small dent. “Hastume!” He called, dropping his bag off by his desk. He had left the classroom for five minutes to use the bathroom. Five minutes.

“Hi!” She called, peeking out from behind her makeshift protection. In reality, she had just upturned every desk in the classroom, causing her classmates to join in her antics. “I'm working on a baby! Do you want to see?”

He rubbed his eyes, shaking his head. “No. I do not. Not when we were supposed to be working on our *paper* periodic tables.”

“Oh those?” She asked, pointing to a stack of papers on his desk. “Got 'em!” She jumped out from behind the desks, running over to grab the bolt from the floor.

“Did you all do these?” He asked, picking up the stack. They all had different handwriting, but it was filled out correctly. All of them were.

He was fine with them working together, but even then, some kids should have had them wrong. No class was great about communicating and helping this early.

“Hatsume helped us.” The boy who sat next to her said quietly. “She showed us all a song we can use.”

“Theres….” Hastume started in a singing voice and Higari quickly cut in.

“Okay.” He said and she grinned, skipping back to the other students. “But why are we throwing things around?” He asked, setting the papers back down. It would be an easy grading day.

“Mei was showing us how to create guns out of popsicle sticks!” Someone piped up, though he couldn't tell who.

“Mhm!” Mei said proudly, putting her hands on her hips. “I didn't know if it would hit the chalkboard and bounce back so I wanted to be safe!” She explained, gesturing at the tables.

He sighed, debating between options. “Alright.” He finally said. “These guns. Lemme see them.” He held a hand out and the students hesitated.

“You're taking them away?” Someone asked.

Before he could respond, Mei had already put one in his hand, rocking back on her heels. “There's my baby! She's rudimentary and one of many babies like her but-” she shrugged, grinning up at him.

He nodded, turning the gun around. It was basically just popsicle sticks and rubber bands she had most likely found in the back supply buckets. There was even a spot where it looked like she had tried to break through the popsicle stick with something though he didn't know what.

“Get me the box labelled 003 on the shelf.” He said, gesturing towards the back of the classroom. “Let me show you how to make some studier ones and then we take them for a spin outside.” He emphasised the last word, shooting a glance between Mei and the dent now in his wall.

She paid it no mind, grinning as she took her gun back. “Baby gets a new look!”

---

Higari watched the clock tick away, his anxiety rising in his throat. He had dreaded this moment since they had made Mei's position official. Parent teacher conferences.

He had postponed Mei's as long as he could, leaving her as the last kid without them. Part of him wanted to just not do it. Sure, it'd raise suspicions, but it would leave him without the pain in his gut as he thought about it.

Someone knocked on the door and he took a deep breath, readjusting his paper. He stood up, trying to stop the trembling of his hands as he walked to the door. He didn't have a chance to open it as Mei flung it out, grinning wildly.

“Dad!” She yelled, grabbing Kenji's hand. The man looked out of it, his skin pale and his smile taut. Higari barely got a look at it though as Mei pulled him into the room and up to her large stack of inventions.

It towered over the other stacks, her name scrawled across a large board at the top of the room. He was glad the support class was small. This room couldn't handle much more. With Mei's excitement, many of the other kids had also far exceeded the usual amount.

He watched her go to the back, carefully climbing up the ladder he had installed to get to the top. Working with her finished projects was one of the few times she was careful. He was glad for that. He had had enough blow up in the middle of class due to rough handling.

“Higari.” Chiaki said softly and he turned back to look at her. He wished he was taller in moments like this. Where she looked straight through him, seeing everything he thought he had covered. “Or is it Powerloader here?”

“Majima. That's what the students call me.” He said softly. His gaze flickered back to Mei, excitedly showing Kenji her newest support gauntlet. He had spent hours curled over it with her, trying to adjust it to the student’s odd quirk and power output.

Chiaki sighed, walking further in to set her bag by his desk. He realized he was still holding the door and shut it quickly, his hands steadier now for some reason. “Does he know yet?” Higari asked as he sat at the desk.

Chiaki's gaze narrowed. She went to respond when Mei came running back down the aisle, the large keyring of assorted items chiming her arrival. “Is it cool if I get out the wiring? Dad gave me a new idea for-”

“Sit.” Chiaki said, her voice softer than when she spoke to him. “I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to play around with them later in class time.”

Higari cleared his throat, the urge to protect not only his daughter but his prized student too much to ignore. “Actually, I wouldn't say she plays around at all. Mei is a very very skilled student. Her work is serious.”

Chikai could seem to notice the personality shift and she straightened slightly. Kenji still held one of the smaller prototypes they had worked on and he was suddenly very glad he had made Hatsume disarm it. His hands were shaking as he messed with it before he finally put it down.

Mei shifted slightly in the silence, frowning. “Why is no one talking?” She asked, her voice not quite a whisper. If she knew how to whisper, Higari had yet to hear it.

“You're right.” Hiagri said, moving his papers over. “Let's get started. Before I go over her work, do you two have any questions for me? Of course, I'll answer any you may have throughout or at the end.” The response was rehearsed and planned, the same one he gave all the parents. It was the same.

Chiaki shook her head before she paused. “Why has she needed to stay so long? It's insane that she's gone for 13 hours of the day at school and then spends even more time tinkering with her homework.”

Higari smiled slightly. He had once loved this part of her. “School itself runs 8 hours. An hour of lab is required for students falling behind everyday, however, Mei has always chosen to stay of her own accord. My lab is open until 8 at night when I assist students in cleaning up.”

He paused, grabbing a paper towards the back of the stack. “I have a written signature ensuring that Mei was allowed to stay at the campus until that time.” He slid it over, watching them closely.

Of course, he knew Mei could forge signatures now. But he trusted her when she had promised that this one was real. Sure enough, Chiaki looked it over before her gaze shot up to Kenji's. “Why didn't you ask me about this?”

He shrugged. “She just seemed so happy, love. It was late so I didn't pay it much mind I guess.”

She sighed, shaking her head. When no one spoke for a moment, Higari continued. “Now, I have little to say in regards to how Mei could improve in this class. She gets her assignments completed long before the due date which leaves her plenty of time to iterate. She also assists other students in her freetime.”

Mei beamed, her hands fiddling with a piece of metal as he talked. He longed to ask her what it was, but ignored that feeling. “The only thing I have to say of note is that she has caused a few students to be sent to the nurses with injuries.” Her smile fell slightly into a bit of an awkward grimace.

“What happened?” Kenji asked, leaning forward, his voice laced with concern. The same concern he had had years before when Higari had saved Mei from the building. It was real. It was genuine.

Higari pulled more papers from the stack, thicker than the single one he had handed over earlier. “Most were minor. Some burns from exposed wiring she didn't seal properly, some cuts from sharp edges she failed to sand off support work.” He paused, handing over the latest and worst one.

“Recently, we had a hero student come to request Mei's work specifically. However, due to a mixture of wrong ingredients in a chemistry experiment, she created what was essentially gunpowder.” Kenji sucked in a breath as Mei blushed. “Quite impressive if it hadn't ignited as the student knocked, blowing the door off of its hinges. Due to the nature of the door and the force, the student did sustain a broken nose and multiple bruises.”

He chuckled slightly, looking at Mei. “Somehow, Mei always comes out uninjured. Even if she needs to use other students as a crash mat.”

She chuckled, her embarrassment gone. Good. Unfortunately, he had to say what he had to say despite the fact he never wanted to throw her under the bus.

“Why weren't we notified?” Chiaki asked.

Higari shook his head. “The mother of the boy didn't wish to pursue action and our nurse is quite adept at her job. She was able to heal everything that day. With all incidents, the students were back in class a few hours later.” He didn't mention how that hero student had not even noticed the broken nose until Higari had had the discomfort of seeing it for himself.

“That doesn't matter.” She said harshly. “If something happens to my daughter, I should be made aware of it. Regardless of any other personal issues you might have in bringing it to me.”

Kenji went pale, his lips drawn in a tight line. Higari sighed, shaking his head. “It is not within our policies to alert you to any time a student has been injured. UA is a hero institute and as such, there is a certain limit to what injuries may occur while on campus without notifying parents. We don't discourage students from talking to their parents about any incidents at school however.”

Her eyes narrowed and Higari sat straighter. It was dumb. The sheer sight of her might have made him melt into a puddle all those years ago. Even a few months ago. But his concern was greater than the love he once had for her. His concern was for his daughter.

“I-” Kenji wiped his hands on his pants. “She hasn't been hurt, has she?”

Higari shook his head and went to answer but Mei beat him to it. “Nope! I'm careful, I promise! I'm even working on a new inflation device that would hide in someones outfit and when-”

“Look.” Chiaki said, cutting Mei off. “I want her removed from your class. That's final. You clearly are treating her differently and-”

“Mom, no!” Mei yelled, grabbing her arm. Chiaki seemed surprised but she didn't pull away. “I like it here! I have all my babies and I have friends and I really really really want to stay. Don't make me leave. Please. Please.”

Chiaki's face softened slightly as she looked at Mei, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked back at Higari and her gaze instantly hardened. He thought they had left off on neutral terms, though it seemed that surely wasn't true now.

“I'm late for work.” She said suddenly, grabbing her bag. She kissed Mei on the head and went to reach for Kenji's hand, but he shook his head stiffly. “It's up to you, dear.” She said softly before she was gone.

Kenji sighed, rubbing his eyes. They sat in quiet silence for a moment before he turned to Mei. “Is this something you like? Something you really enjoy?”

Mei nodded quickly and Higari was scared her goggles would go flying. “Yes! I really do. I don't want to leave. I still have so much more I want to do and this is the best program! And I really like Powerloader.” She grinned at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

“Alright.” Kenji said, almost relieved. About what, he didn't know. “Then you can stay. I like that you've found something you can enjoy.” He pulled Mei into an awkward little side hug and she returned it in full force.

“Mei.” Higari said and she looked up at him, her arms still intertwined around Kenji. “How about you work on some of your projects. None of the ones that I've deemed a risk, but I know you've been wanting to tinker with your new goggle design."

She grinned, nodding as she let go of Kenji. “Kay! I won't explode anything this time! I promise!”

She raced off and Higari stood slowly, his body less shaky without Chiaki's glare. “Let's go to my office. I want to discuss some things in private.”

Kenji sighed as if he had known it was coming, glancing at Mei as he stood up. “Are you sure it's okay to leave her out here?” He asked as she climbed up her ladder.

Kenji shook his head, holding the door to his office open. “Not particularly. But the hero students are on campus today which means that Recovery Girl isn't far away. For our safety.”

Kenji chuckled slightly as the door closed, though Higari could tell it was out of tiredness. He sat slowly, allowing Higari to walk around his desk. His eyes trailed over all of Higari's shelves, lined with things his students had given him over the years. His eyes eventually fell to the desk and the picture that sat on it.

He picked it up, his hands trailing over the glass. “I can assume she told you the truth?” Higari asked, afraid to speak above a whisper. That was until Mei's music started to rattle the walls and floor.

He sighed, opening a drawer as he gave Kenji a moment to think. He pulled out his remote, turning on the sound dampeners slightly. The music became a much more tolerable level and he could still hear out. They were the first new thing he had installed after Mei started.

Kenji sighed and Higari looked back at him. “Yeah. She told me yesterday.” Higari sucked in a small breath, leaning forward. He had expected Chiaki to tell him the truth after Mei had started. It had been months since then.

Higari nodded slowly, his voice taking a moment to find itself. “I think it's important for you to know that it hasn't affected her schooling. I understand that she is my student. Nothing more. Not anymore. I don't want you to feel-” he hesitated, struggling to find the words again. “-I'm not looking to be her father.”

Kenji sighed, rubbing his eyes. “I know.” He said softly. “I don't- I don't feel any resentment to you and I hope you don't to me. Chiaki had always- I didn't bring up her birth father much. It always seemed to make Chiaki mad so I didn't pry.”

Higari nodded. He could assume why. “My job put her in danger. I don't think Chiaki has ever forgiven me. Though, she had seemed distant those last few months. I assume I missed the signs.” He licked his lips, suddenly feeling very cracked and dry.

Again, the room fell into silence. Mei's music was still streaming through the walls and Higari glanced past Kenji to see her out the one way window. She was bouncing to the music, her chair literally thrown to the side. Her current goggles sat on her face and the new pair she was working on was deconstructed on the table.

“I think it's safe to say that she got a part of you.” Kenji said softly. “I've tried, but I'm not the best with my hands.”

Higari smiled slightly. “Mine have never been the best either.” He said truthfully, his gaze and most of his attention still on Mei. “I'm glad that she has something. And that you both are supportive of it. Despite how close it might be to me.” He glanced back at Kenji, remembering this was meant to be serious.

Kenji nodded. “Even if I had known the truth from the start-” he pulled his gaze from the window and back to Higari. “I could never have talked her out of it. It makes her too happy. And though I don't know the whole story, I'm not as angry at you as she seems to be. I've seen the work you do. It's good work.”

Higari nodded. “I want to make sure you realize that I would never reveal who I was to Mei. She has a father and I have no experience being one. As far as she will ever be aware, I am her teacher and nothing more.”

It took a moment before Kenji responded. When he did, it was slow and calculated. “Okay. I- I don't think I have any qualms to it. Chiaki will however. If I- if I could convince her, would you like to? Tell her the truth, I mean?”

Higari froze, his hands tightening on the table. He glanced back over to Mei and noticed the way her hands were actually still for once. Her music had seemed to be turned down as well. His heart leapt as he worried maybe the dampening had failed before she started to move again, running across the room for screws and nuts.

It still took a moment for him to respond, shaking his head slowly. Kenji seemed to deflate slightly until Higari spoke. “I don't think she needs that right now. She is excelling in my class and will go far. I don't want the issue to postpone her success. She's going to go far.”

Kenji smiled kindly at that, nodding. “I knew she would. You know-” he sighed. “She fell in love with inventing after you rescued her that day with Endeavor. I know it was so long ago and you probably don't remember-”

“I do.” He interjected. He couldn't forget it if he wanted to, which he didn't.

Kenji just nodded then, the words left unsaid. It was strange. To sit in a room with his birth daughter's real father and to not feel anxiety. In fact, he felt calm. Much calmer than he had whenever he had spoken to Chiaki. He didn't think he would get a heart attack scare this time.

“We should head out. I'm sure Chiaki is expecting you back soon so-” Higari stood, heading for the door when Kenji grabbed his wrist gently.

He paused and Kenji let go, his face having color again, though his lips were pressed in a tight line. “You and Chiaki were married for 3 years, weren't you?”

Higari nodded slightly, confused at where this was going. “Far less time than you too.”

“Actually-” he messed with his ring. “Chiaki hasn't wanted to get married. Not legally. I always assumed she had split with Mei's father on bad terms and the divorce had been a large fight but-” he shook his head. Higari knew it hadn't been but he said nothing.

“She's been acting differently since Mei started school. She got a job again and her- god this sounds awful to say.” He mumbled. “Forget I said anything.”

Higari glanced at Mei, a part of him wishing he could simply brush this off. But he was nothing if not a people pleaser, though the other teachers would argue it. “Her mood swings?” He asked softly.

Kenji's gaze shot up which confirmed Higari's suspicions. “She always had them?”

Higari nodded. “She has. I won't be much help though.” He rubbed at his neck, the years feeling like they were suddenly catching up to him. It had been so long. “I wasn't home often. When I was, she was usually out with friends. I loved her-” he froze but Kenji said nothing. “I never learned how to deal with them though. I was- they have calmed down around Mei, right?”

He hated it. Talking bad about his ex to her current husband, or partner. He had loved her with all his heart. As much heart as he had left to give after his job. But there were a few moments he had questioned it. Few and far between there were days she could flip on a switch. He had always assumed she had a form of bipolar, though she had never been tested.

He nodded. “She has. But recently- she can't even look at Mei most days. Since you came by the apartment.”

Higari swallowed hard. He didn't know how he was supposed to respond to all of this. He couldn't simply say that everything would be okay, because he didn't know that. He had lasted only 3 years in a relationship. He had almost no experience with them. But he did know he loved Mei.

“It's me.” He whispered. “Give some thought into Shiketsu. I can put in a good word and get her moved to the higher classes. She'd excel there and Chiaki would have no reason to worry.”

Before Kenji could speak, Higari reached for the door handle. At the same time, the main door opened and Chiaki walked back in. Higari could hear her muffled words, only catching the tail end as he started to open the door. “-Kenji?”

Kenji stood, moving to join him as Mei yelled over the music. “He's talking with Powerloader about how he's my biological dad!” Her voice may not have been much louder than the music, but everyone heard it. And everyone froze.

Except for Mei who continued to dance, her hands twisting in scrap pieces.

---

Higari wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. He had been in a state of utter confusion since yesterday's meeting. Chiaki had left him standing there in the middle of his own classroom as she rushed the other two out.

Nemuri had been the one to find him, still standing in the middle of the room as the school was closing for the night. She had driven him home, staying quiet the entire way. Uncharacteristic of her but he had appreciated it.

It had taken all of his energy to get out of bed the next morning. He had stayed up all night, simply watching the fan scatter the last traces of light across his ceiling. It was the weekend and he had no meetings planned, so there was no real reason for him to move.

If he did, then he would have to face it all.

So he had gone somewhere he knew by heart. Somewhere that he didn't have to think about.

Now he stood in front of his old friend's house, his hands raised to knock. As it had been for the past few minutes judging by the fact his arm was getting tired. Before he could knock, which may have taken even longer, the door cracked open, a wrinkled hand gripping the doorknob.

“Do I need to chase you off my porch with a cane?” He asked, waving his threateningly. He nailed Higari in the stomach with the base of it, knocking the wind from him. It worked almost as a reset and he shook his head, dropping his hand to his side. “Good.” Sorahiko said, nodding. “Now get inside. I have old people joints.” He nestled Higari inside with his cane smacking his ankles, though it wasn't hard.

It was an odd thing for Sorahiko to not be overly rough with his cane. Higari remembered when he had first gotten it because he had had the bruise on his calf for a month. Still, it just raised his suspicions more. He had to know what had happened.

He didn't say anything though, tapping the couch with his cane before he tossed it across the room, landing it right in the holder. Higari moved around the couch sitting down into the overly plush cushions. The TV was droning on about some local news and Higari tried to pay attention to it. To get his mind off of everything else. He failed though.

When Sorahiko came back, two plates of pizza rolls in his hand, Higari had run through the events three more times. From going into the office to leaving it. To Mei's surprising announcement.

Sorahiko sat across the way in one of those reclining chairs, kicking the legs out. He held one of the plates, the other already in front of Higari on the table. “Everyone knows now?” He asked, as seriously as he could.

Higari nodded numbly. It was true as it needed to be. Higari knew. Chiaki knew. Kenji knew. And Mei. She knew.

“She didn't seem to care. She said it so naturally- so- I didn't think she could hear us.” The words were quieter than he usually spoke. He was used to his teacher voice now, but this voice was so small. So unlike him.

Sorahiko didn't seem to strain to hear it, though he did turn off the TV. It left the room in an uneasy silence until he spoke. “Do you think she learned there?”

Higari hesitated. It was strange. He had expected Mei to treat him differently if she ever found out. He didn't know how differently though. Since he had met her when she was older, she was always happy. Always energetic and wanting to grab him to drag him somewhere. Even since the apartment.

Had she always known? Is that why she acted how she did? He shook his head. “I don't know.” And that was the truth. Mei didn't treat him any differently than other teachers or students. That's just how she was.

Sorahiko nodded knowingly though Higari doubted he knew. No one could know this situation. “Want to crash for the night? I should warn you-” Before he could finish, the door burst open, a kid appearing.

He groaned, dropping what looked like very heavy bags of groceries to the floor with minimal effort. “This should work to-” he stopped, making eye contact with Hiagri. “Powerloader! Sir!” He stuttered, his words going from easy to broken. “I didn't know you would be- I mean if I had known I never would have- Gran Sorahiko is-”

“What was that sonny?” Sorahiko asked and Higari practically snapped his neck around to look at his friend. His voice had suddenly become purposefully shaky and old, nothing like how he really spoke. There was a small glint in his eye so Higari said nothing.

“What?” The boy asked and Higari could now place him.

Higari stood at the same time Sorahiko did. Sorahiko however activated his quirk and shot across the room at the poor kid. He shrieked, ducking as his hands flew over his head. Higari watched amused as Sorahiko sprung off of the wall and landed beside the boy, grabbing the pack of frozen taiyaki from the bags.

The boy hesitantly stood up when he didn't feel a kick, glancing between Sorahiko who was badly faking a limp to Higari. “Sir. I didn't- well I didn't know you knew each other and I- I'm sorry, I should-”

“Your nose looks better.” He said, cutting off the boys rambling.

His hand flew to his nose and he smiled slightly, realizing what Higari meant. “Recovery Girl fixed it. And I- Hatsume apologized and I- well that was awhile ago and-”

Higari sighed and the boy quieted instantly. “Don't mind him, Izuku.” Sorahiko said, taking a taiyaki out of the bag already. “Even pros need a break.”

Izuku nodded, glancing over at Higari. “I don't mean to- well I don't want to pry. And it's none of my business really, but is this about Hatsume?”

Higari's face must have given something away because the boy took a few steps back before he tripped over his own shoelaces. Higari went to grab him but the boy moved with impressive speed to roll and stand right back up. He forgot how hard Aizawa went on training sometimes.

“You're right.” He said before he hated his tone. “Though what exactly do you think you know?”

Izuku swallowed loudly, his hands wringing in the hem on his shirt. They seemed less shaky than they had been when he had walked Hatsume through the first fitting. When he still had his nose all wrapped up. It seemed the gloves had helped.

He forced his attention away from Mei's support gear and to the boy. “Well I- I mean she didn't mean to and I- well I was nosy and-”

“He knows that Mei's yours.” Sorahiko said cooly from the kitchen. “And stop that mumbling of yours kid!” He yelled after, tossing a fork he had grabbed at the kids head.

He ducked, letting it hit the back of the couch instead. “Yeah.” He nodded, confirming what Sorahiko said. “I was there- when she learned about it.”

Higari stared at the kid, trying to figure out when that was. He had stopped by after the sports festival during lab time but that was the last time Higari had seen him. It could have been before that but there were always other students. “After the sports festival?” He asked hopefully.

The kid nodded slowly. “Yeah. I came in when she was watching- well she was watching a video and I didn't want to disturb her but I accidentally saw it-” He swallowed loudly. “Her uh- headphones weren't working.”

Higari sighed, collapsing against the back of the couch. The kid seemed surprised at him dropping his teacher act but he ignored it, running a hand through his hair. His fingers caught in the tangled mess and he groaned, pulling them back out. “What recording?” He asked quietly.

Tornio handed him the warmed up taiyaki, reaching up to tap him on the shoulder. Higari smiled at his friend but he didn’t return it. “It’s- I think it was her house.”

“Shit.” He mumbled, licking his lips. That brought up a whole new question. “Had she seen it before?”

The kid hesitated before he shook his head. “No. No, I don’t think so. She said she had gotten the files back and I- well I asked her and she shrugged and said- well she said she had suspected debut didn’t care. And I’m so sorry- I didn’t mean to-”

“Kid.” He said, standing up. She didn’t care. Well, that was what Mei had seemed to be like. He did smile slightly at the fact that she already suspected it. “It’s fine. You’ve been helpful.” The kid nodded hurriedly, licking his lips.

“You heading out?” Sorahiko asked, the fake old voice dropped. Higari nodded. “Rest tonight. Go over tomorrow. I doubt that Chiaki will let her back in your class until you do.”

Higari sighed. He had suspected as much of course. She had been hesitant enough before the reveal. “Yeah.” He turned back to the kid who was staring at Sorahiko with wide eyes. “Take care, kid. Mind keeping this under wraps?”

The kid nodded hurriedly, his green curls bouncing. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m good at keeping secrets. I can do that.”

Higari raised an eyebrow. With the kids mumbling, he doubted that was true. Still, he had to believe that before he crumbled completely.

----

Higari’s hand was steady as he knocked, forced by hours of going over this in his head. THe door opened slowly, no delay to it. They had been waiting for him. “Hi, Powerloader sir!” Mei yelled, a wide grin on her face. “Sorry I couldn’t come in. I was-” She was cut off as Chiaki rushed to the door, pulling her back.

“Higari.” She sighed, and he could see the exhaustion in her face. Her eyes seemed duller than usual and he forced himself to look past her at where Kenji sat on the couch, twirling his ring around his finger. “I- We can talk.” She seemed almost defeated when she said it.

He nodded and she opened the door more for him. He stepped in, glancing over to where Mei was practically vibrating with a small model in hand. “Bring it to class.” He said without thinking. He didn’t have the mental capacity to grade a model right now.

She nodded, rushing over to the corner to put it on an overflowing shelf. Higari and Chiaki walked over to the couch near Kenji, Chaiki sitting next to him and Higari sitting across from him. Mei came back over and seemed to sense the room because she quietly sat in her own chair. “Is this about what I said?” She whispered.

Higari was the one who nodded. “I heard from your hero student that you recorded me and your mother’s earlier conversation here.” He revealed and she shrunk slightly.

Chiaki and Kenji both looked over to the shelf by their tv, their expressions the same. “Her testing camera.” Kenji whispered. “I forgot we even had it.”

Higari nodded. He had assumed as much. “I guess- well, now that you know Mei, how do you feel?” He had to keep the teacher voice. The kind teacher voice, but the teacher voice none the less. Otherwise, he would collapse from exhaustion.

Chiaki nodded, saying nothing. “Well, I mean-” Mei hesitated, “I don’t like being lied to, but it doesn’t change anything. Kenji is my dad. And I don’t want any special conditions because of it in class. But Powerloader sensei hasn't done that and I mean- I can be a support creator on my own. I don’t want the nepotism.” Higari raised an eyebrow at that. He hadn’t even thought of that, but it seemed like Mei had actually put thought into this. “But- I want to know why. Why no one ever told me.”

Chiaki was the one who answered. “I didn’t because I was scared.” She admitted, grabbing Kenji’s hand tightly. “Higari- Majima- Powerloader-” She stumbled over his names before she shook her head. “His job kept him busy and it was hard and I didn’t think there would be anything dangerous. But that first day you were born-” She sighed and Kenji gently kissed her hand. The pang of jealousy that Higari expected to feel wasn’t there.

“Someone took you.” She admitted and Mei frowned. “They were mad at him and they took you and I thought I’d never get you back.”

Higari nodded. He remembered the fear Chiaki had felt combined with the anger directed at him. He remembered the pain of it all. “It was safer. And it meant she could find someone- Someone who could actually be there and be a dad to you.” He said. He knew that if they had stayed together, he would have stayed being only a pro. He would have stayed out in the field, and there might have been a time he didn’t come home.

Mei nodded. “I dont- I don’t like it. I should have been told but I-” She hesitated, and Higari watched as she picked at her nails. Without a machine to tinker with, he had seen her do it before. “I guess I have to say I understand, right?”

Kenji shook his head. “You don’t have to say anything.” He said softly. “It’s a lot and you shouldn’t know what to think now. None of us expected you to already know and not say anything.”

“I didn't- I didn’t want anything to change.” She whispered. “I don’t like change. Kenji is my dad. And I love Kenji. But if Powerloader- Higari-” She looked up at him and he nodded. The name made his heart soar but he wouldn’t show it. “If he wants to be my dad too, I think that’s fine.”

Chiaki shut her eyes and leaned back against Kenji. He rubbed her shoulder looking over at Higari. He shook his head slightly. It wasn’t his decision to make. As much as he wanted to, it was up to her real parents. The ones who had been there when he couldn’t. “We can figure it out.” Kenji said and Chiaki smiled slightly, though she didn’t sit up. “I don’t think you'll be in danger now.”

Higari nodded. “If you ever are, just give them one of your prototypes.” He joked and she smiled widely.

---

It was a strange thing to get used to. Higari hadn't really expected class to be much different. After all, Mei treated almost everyone the same. But she was different. She pushed the boundaries more and more, which also made her explosions more consistent. She came in with food for him from time to time, made by Chiaki.

She kept it quiet for all of one day. Higari had been working at his desk in front of the room, his lecture just finished.

“Dad!” SHe yelled from the back before she paused. His entire body froze up. “No, I don’t like that. Papa Majima!” She yelled again and Higari wanted to drop his head down to the desk.

Every eye in the room turned to him as he did everything he could not to collapse in exhaustion, his pen dropping to the table. Mei seemed to not notice, bouncing over to his desk. She dropped her newest creation on the desk, a pair of boots for her hero student. “What do you think, Papa Majima?”

And she had said it again. Now there was no getting around it. “Mei.” He whispered, doing his best to keep his calm. “What happened to keeping it quiet?”

Mei frowned, glancing around as if she had fully forgotten that they were in a packed room. He would have as well as all the chatter and metal sounds had stopped. Her eyes went wide as she realized before she ducked down, trying to hide behind the desk from him. He sighed, rubbing his eyes. “Sorry!” SHe squeaked before she stood up quickly and whipped around. “Everyone, Powerloader is *not* my dad! That’s Kenji’s job! He’s just Papa Majima.”

This time, Higari could not resist the urge to drop, and his forehead hit the desk with a loud crash. Mei spun back around to face him as laughter rippled through the classroom. “Thank you, Mei.” He said numbly.

---

“Everyone, bring your papers to the front!” Higari yelled as the timer for the test ended.

The first student came up, a wide grin on his face. “Here you go, Papa Majima!” He yelled, before he rushed off.

Higari sank lower into his chair as each student did the same.

---

“Papa Majima.” Nemuri called, knocking on the door. Higari spun to face her and she grinned, waltzing in like she owned the place. “How's classes going?” She asked, lounging onto his desk.

He shoved her off right as someone else knocked on the door. “Papa Majima!” Hisashi yelled, Aizawa trailing behind him. “How are you?”

Higari tossed a pen at them but they dodged it easily. “What do you guys want?” He asked, looking down at his papers to grade. He didn’t have a pen now.

“Want to go clubbing?” Nemuri asked and Higari glared up at him. She laughed, sitting on his desk again. He moved it backwards and she stumbled, growing as she stood back up. “Kan canceled on us to go on a date and we need a DD.”

He glanced over to Aizawa who set the pen back down. “I don’t feel comfortable driving even sober.” He explained. Higari rolled his eyes, putting the lid back on the pen.

“Two conditions.” He agreed and Nemuri and Hisashi perked up. “Stop calling me that.” He said quickly and Nemuri pouted slightly. “And tell your students to stop.”

---

Higari shifted uncomfortably in front of the apartment door, his hands tightening on the gift bag he had brought, stuffed to the brim with housing presents. He had read somewhere that it was polite to do it when you were invited over to someone's house, not that that happened to him much. His coworkers were just that. Work friends. Sorahiko had never been one for gifts as his house was pretty bare. He had never had much of a social life.

So the bag that was honestly growing heavier in his arms seemed like too much. He went to knock before he frowned, realizing he had no free hands to do so. He couldn’t just kick either, as that would be rude. So he shifted the weight of the bag into one hand, tilting so he could rest the base on his non-existent hip.

He went to knock right as two things happened. One, Mei opened the door widely, his hand passing right past where the door should have been. Two, he got surprised and his other hand tightened on the bag and he felt his fingertips rip straight through the paper.

He managed to save the first issue, moving his hand as quickly as he could to rest on Mei’s shoulder instead of smacking her in the face with metal fingertips. The other issue, he wasn’t so lucky. Stuff came pouring out of the now open body, crashing to the floor with so much sound he couldn’t figure out if something really had cracked.

He watched in horror as a candle that had managed to survive the fall, rolled towards the edge of the landing, straight towards the fence that was just slightly too tall. He tried to catch it with his foot, but with the already awkward position of everything else, he couldn’t reach it in time.

Suddenly, it flew back towards them and Higari then had to dodge the flying glass object as he used his hand on Mei’s shoulder to push her back out of the way. It landed in Kenji’s outstretched hands and everyone paused as they took account of what had just happened.

Chiaki suddenly burst out laughing from where she stood behind Kenji in the kitchen. Mei was the next to giggle and Higari couldn’t help himself from laughing along. He hadn’t managed to save any of his presents and they lay strewn across the landing but they were laughing.

“Still ripping things?” Chiaki asked and Higari had to calm himself down to get a good look at her. It had only been a week since he had last been over, but she looked better. Healthier.

Kenji sighed, setting the candle on the counter. “Still?”

Higari nodded, letting go of Mei’s shoulder when he realized he still had it. “Metal fingertips don’t pair well with much.” He confessed, shrugging. He went to lean down to the floor but Mei stopped him, grabbing his wrist instead.

“I want to show you something!” She yelled and Higari had to stop her, swaying a bit with how strong she was pulling. “Papa Majima!” She whined and Chiaki stopped where she had started stirring.

Higari just shook his head at her. “You’ve gotten the entire student body and my coworkers to call me that.” He told Mei and both her and the other two smiled. “I need to get the stuff I dropped. And I-” He paused, looking at Chiaki and Kenji, still by the counter. “Can I talk to them?”

Mei nodded but didn’t move. It took her a minute before her eyes went wide. “Oh! Alone!” She yelled, before she rushed down the hall.

Chiaki pulled something off the stove, turning off the heat as all three of them went to the landing to collect stuff. “THis is-” Kenji hesitated. “Alot.” He said, holding a pack of seeds. He looked at them, his brow furrowing. “Peonies? Those are-”

“Sorry.” Higari cut him off. “I wasn’t sure what to bring so I asked around and people recommended these to me. I saw some in your window last time I was over.”

Kenji chuckled, shoving them into his pockets as he grabbed more. “They’re my favorite.”

Chiaki smiled and Higari knew it was real. It wasn’t like the forced ones she had been giving him for the past while. “What did you need to talk about?” She asked, grabbing a set of coasters he had seen that he thought she would like.

He hesitated before he sighed. “There’s more.” He said, gesturing to their full arms now. “It’s in my car in the garage. But they’re- It’s the presents I got for Mei over the years.”

Chiaki paused as she went inside, turning to look at him. “You-”

He nodded and no one spoke as they all set the stuff on the now cleaned off living room table. “They might be-” He started before hesitiaing. “Too young for her. There’s well I started after that first year.”

Chiaki flinched a bit at that reminder, biting her lip. “I- I should have invited you on that day. Should have talked to you.” She looked over to Kenji who was sorting through books that Higari had bought. “I should have told you then.”

Kenji nodded, before his hands left the books to grip hers. “You should have. But it’s in the past now.” He said, nodding.

Higari rubbed at his shoulder, sighing. “Should I- I mean, I can leave the baby stuff but there's some new invention stuff she might like but I don’t want to overwhelm the apartment and I-”

Chiaki laughed out loud and Higari froze in his talking. Kenji chuckled as well before he shook his head. “I think you should go look at what Mei wants to show you. We can eat now and get the presents later?” He offered.

Higari nodded hesitantly before he was pointed down the hall Mei had run out of. It didn’t take him long to find her as she quite literally ran into him as she left a room. Her grin grew as she looked up at him. “Ready?” She asked, grabbing his wrist again.

He nodded and she ripped him into the furthest room to where a door lay at the end. She put her thumb on the lock and threw it open. Instead of a closet or bath which should have been there, it opened out into an entirely empty apartment. No walls or doors, just a wide open space.

Which was covered in every manner of inventions and work that sprawled all the way to the ceilings. There was a corner for painting and Higari could see Chiaki’s familiar signature scrawled across them, but the majority was all inventions. Metal. Wood. Cardboard. He swore some even looked made out of sheer glass.

“I made sure to get rid of all the lavender that I use to cover up smells!” She said proudly, running to open a door. Large fans already blew air through the area, but the slight chill from outside made him shiver. “Sorry about last time. I didn’t know you were allergic and I-”

“Wow.” Higari said breathlessly, turning to look at the shelf closest to him. It was filled with rudimentary crafts. Popsicle stick ferris wheels and even a train with rolling wheels. “Did you do all of this?”

She nodded, grinning. “Yep!” She popped the p. “Dad helped me organise it from my earliest to my newest and I-”

“Where did this space come from?” He asked, looking over at her.

She shrugged. “Dad bought the place when they were going to tear it down. He left this apartment empty so that I could work and Mom could paint whens he was home all day. It’s really nice!” She declared.

Higari nodded. It was impressive. Simply because so much was filled with projects. Sure, some from when she was far younger, but this was it. Everything he had missed for 16 years spread out for him to see. He trailed his fingertips along a metal sheet, smiling at the sound it made. Mei followed him as he examined everything, quiet as he looked.

It was strange to see his student’s earlier work. The majority had never worked on any large projects they had saved and the rest were usually too embarrassed to show it to him. Still, it was his favorite part of finals. Seeing their growth.

That’s all this was. The largest pile seemed to be in the furthest corner, mostly arrays of books and scattered pictures. “Kenji hasn’t gotten to this one?” He asked and Mei smiled.

“Nope.” She announced, popping the P again. “He doesn't touch any of the new ones I do. Not until I finish them.”

Higari nodded, his fingers brushing over the pages. One fell out and he frowned, reaching down to pick it up. It was a picture of the hero, Airjet, with different colored marks across his face and body, primarily around his arms. “What is this?” He asked cautiously.

He only knew who Airjet was because he worked with him on his gear. He was only a few years onto the scene and he only worked part time due to that. Higari had taken him on as a client due to a personal favor he owed the kid’s mentor, so there wasn’t any trail from the commission.

Mei hesitated before she snatched it from his hands and ran around the messy table to grab a simple plastic binder. ‘AIRJET’ was scrawled across the front, tabs sticking out of the top. “So, I was looking through some public records and I saw that Airjet had recently asked for some help finding support agencies and then he mentioned in a post on social media that you had helped him out. So I wanted to try my hand at it too.” She confessed.

He raised an eyebrow but couldn't resist smiling as he opened the binder she handed him. “And this quirk information?” He asked, looking at the front page.

“He graduated from Shiketsu.” She explained. “They have something like a sports festival but it’s a lot smaller than UAs. I got what I could from the videos I could find but then Nezu offered to help me get his student records so I had more information.”

Higari sighed. That sounded like something Nezu wasn’t supposed to do but would do. “So is this all your own?” He asked, opening further.

Mei nodded, biting her lip. She was practically vibrating as he glanced between her marked color tabs to the original picture. Each part of her design was labeled to a different part, green for the head and green for the helmet. It was unusually organised for someone like her, but he had seen similar things in class as the weeks went on.

The design was simple and around what the first sketches from Higari had been. There were detailed notes about the quirk and how each part worked. She had parts labelled on a separate page and around what the market cost of each would be.

“This is impressive.” He admitted, looking through the more detailed sketches. “Though, Airjet had some hesitations about a costume like this.” He admitted and she nodded excitedly.

“I thought so.” She admitted, bouncing on her heels.

Someone knocked on the door and they both turned to see Kenji leaning on the frame, smiling. “What do you think?” He asked, glancing around the room.

Higari nodded. “It’s impressive. Especially for working out of a cleared out apartment.”

“That’s Mei for you.” He said, walking over to ruffle her hair. She laughed, moving out of his hand. “Chiaki has dinner ready.” He said, looking over to Higari. “I was thinking that after we get the stuff from your car, the four of us can go to a hero store? Mei has been wanting to try to find Airjet merch.”

Higari hesitated, looking down at his watch. It was a few minutes to 6, which meant his meeting was scheduled for 2 hours away. He hadn’t meant to schedule them so close. He grinned, putting his hand down. “I can do you one better.” He said and they looked at him expectantly. “Want to meet Airjet and show off your designs?”