Chapter Text
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The city felt softer at night.
Not quieter- there were still cars humming past and distant laughter drifting from open restaurant doors- but softer. The sharp edges of the day dulled under the deep blue sky, streetlights flickering to life one by one. Storefront signs buzzed faintly. The pavement still held the warmth of the sun, rising in gentle waves against their boots.
Izuku walked a half step behind Endeavor, his green eyes scanning the street automatically- rooftops, alleyways, reflective glass. Routine. Calm. Predictable.
Beside him, Katsuki exhaled sharply through his nose.
“This is boring,” he muttered, hands shoved into his pockets. Small sparks crackled lazily against his palms before fading. “We’ve been walking for an hour and haven’t seen anything bigger than a parking violation.”
“That’s generally considered a good sign,” Shouto replied evenly.
Katsuki shot him a look. “You would say that.”
Shouto didn’t rise to it. He rarely did anymore. Instead, his gaze shifted subtly, scanning the crosswalk ahead before drifting- just briefly- to Izuku. Their shoulders brushed when they stepped around a trash can, and Izuku tried very hard not to think about it.
Endeavor’s flames burned low along his shoulders, controlled and steady, casting faint orange reflections in the shop windows as they passed. “Complacency breeds mistakes,” he said without looking back. “Stay focused.”
“Yes, Sir,” Izuku replied back automatically.
They turned down a quieter street lined with family-owned stores. Most were closing now- metal shutters halfway drawn, lights dimmed inside. A bakery owner locked her door and gave them a grateful nod as she passed. Izuku smiled back instinctively.
Peaceful.
Predictable.
Safe.
Katsuki’s pace slowed slightly until he was walking in line with Izuku instead of ahead of them. Their arms nearly brushed. Izuku felt it like static against his skin.
“Oi,” Katsuki said under his breath. “You’re overanalyzing again.”
Izuku blinked. “What? I’m not-”
“You get that look when you are.”
Shouto glanced over, curious. “You do.”
Izuku flushed, rolling his eyes. “I do not.”
Katsuki huffed but there was no real bite to it. “Just don’t zone out on us, ‘Zuku.”
Izuku sighed. “I won’t, Kacchan.”
The air carried the scent of cooling asphalt and distant takeout. Somewhere, a television played through an open window. A couple argued quietly at a bus stop. Ordinary sounds. Ordinary night.
For a moment- just a moment- it felt like nothing would interrupt it.
And then-
A store alarm screamed down the block.
The sound ripped through the street like a blade.
Not a distant wail- close. Sharp. Urgent.
All four of them moved at once.
Heads snapped towards the source. Down the block, a convenience store’s front door banged against its hinges, alarms flashing red against brick. A woman burst out onto the sidewalk, arms overloaded with plastic bags stuffed to the brim. Chips. Bottles. Boxes spilling out the top.
She laughed as she ran.
Not panicked.
Delighted.
“There!” Izuku yelled unnecessarily.
Endeavor was already airborne, flames roaring brighter as he shot upward for a better vantage point. “Cut her off from the north end!”
Shouto’s hand hit the pavement mid-sprint. Izuku spiraled forward across the street, slick and fast, racing to seal the intersection ahead.
Katsuki didn’t slow.
“Outta my way!” he barked, palms igniting.
An explosion crackled through the air, propelling him forward in a burst of orange light. Heat rolled down the street, rattling windows.
Izuku followed a split second later, green lightning snapping along his limbs as he surged into motion. The world narrowed- footsteps, distance, trajectory. He calculated without thinking. Speed. Angle. Wind resistance.
The woman glanced over her shoulder.
And instead of fear-
Her grin widened.
She skidded to a stop in the middle of the street.
The bags dropped at her feet.
The alarm continued to shriek behind her, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Didn’t care.
“Well,” she said breathlessly, clasping her hands together. “This is even better than I imagined!”
Endeavor landed a few yards behind her, flames flaring just enough to block the street. Shouto stepped up on her right, ice still creeping slowly along the asphalt, subtle but deliberate.
Katsuki touched down in front of her in a burst of sparks.
Izuku slowed to a stop at his side.
For a second, no one moved.
The woman swayed on her heels, eyes wide and glittering under the streetlights as she took them in one by one.
“Oh wow,” she breathed. “It’s really you.”
Katsuki’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah. It is. Drop the crap and put your hands up.”
She giggled.
Actually giggled.
Her gaze dragged slowly over to him, then to Izuku, then to Shouto. “Dynamight,” she said reverently. “Deku, Shouto.” She sighed like she was meeting idols at a fan event instead of standing in the middle of four heroes. “This is such a lucky night!”
Izuku exchanged a quick glance with Katsuki. “Ma’am,” he said carefully, “you triggered a store alarm. We need you to step away from the stolen items and-”
“I know,” she cut in brightly. “I took them.”
Katsuki blinked. “Yeah. No shit.”
She clasped her hands behind her back, rocking slightly. “I was bored.”
“...You were bored,” Shouto repeated flatly.
“Mhmm!” She beamed. “It’s Thursday. Thursdays are dreadfully slow. I thought, why not stir things up? Grab some snacks. Press a few buttons.” She nudged one of the fallen bags with her foot. “I don’t even like half this stuff.”
Izuku frowned. “You stole it because you were bored?”
“Yup!”
Katsuki let out a sharp, incredulous laugh. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope!” She popped the ‘p.’ “I was hoping someone interesting would show up.” Her eyes flicked back to Katsuki, gleaming. “And look at that. Jackpot.”
Endeavor’s voice cut in, low and firm. “State your name.”
“Ew,” she grimaced. “I don’t want to talk to you. We all know what kind of hero you are.”
“Then how about you tell the three of us, instead?” Izuku spoke up. “It’s clear to assume that you like us a lot more than him.”
“Oh, I do, I really do!” the woman exclaimed. “You three are all so fascinating! You can call me-” she placed her hand over her heart, “-Moonshine.”
There was a beat of silence.
Katsuki snorted.
“Moonshine?” he repeated. “What, your parents lose a bet?”
Izuku shot him a look. “Kacchan-”
“What?” Katsuki shrugged. “If you’re gonna pick a villain name, at least make it intimidating.”
Moonshine’s grin didn’t falter. If anything, it stretched even wider. “Oh, I think it fits.”
“Because you’re intoxicating?” Katsuki deadpanned.
She tilted her head. “Because I like bringing things out of people when they least expect it.”
Izuku’s posture shifted subtly. That tone had changed.
Moonshine stepped forward half a pace, eyes never leaving Katsuki’s face. “You’re fascinating, you know that? All that fire. All those ugly, messy emotions you try so hard to pretend don’t bother you.” Her gaze slid sideways to Izuku. “And you-” She hummed thoughtfully. “You swallow yours.”
Katsuki’s sparks flared.
“Careful,” Shouto warned quietly.
“Oh, don’t worry,” Moonshine waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not here to hurt anyone. I just wanted to see you up close.” Her smile sharpened. “See what happens when heroes get pushed a little.”
Endeavor shifted, flames rising higher along his shoulders.
Izuku noticed it at the same time she did.
Moonshine’s eyes flicked past them.
Her smile twitched.
And she finally seemed to notice the ice sealing off the street behind her- and the flames subtly boxing her in.
Her grin faltered for half a second.
Then she laughed.
“Oh,” she sighed, almost delighted. “You think you’ve cornered me.”
Ice finished sealing off the far end of the street with a sharp crack. Flames burned brighter behind her, heat rolling in controlled waves. Katsuki shifted his stance forward, palms already glowing. Izuku felt One For All hum beneath his skin, green lightning beginning to dance along his arms.
“Last warning,” Endeavor said, voice edged with fire. “Surrender.”
Moonshine rolled her shoulders like someone about to begin a performance. “You heroes are always so serious.”
She moved first.
Not forward- down.
She dropped low and slammed her hands against the asphalt. The air warped.
It wasn’t fire. It wasn’t ice. It wasn’t anything solid.
The space around her shimmered, bending strangely, like heat haze twisting off pavement. Izuku felt it before he understood it- pressure building behind his eyes, a faint ringing in his ears.
“Kacchan-” he warned.
Katsuki blasted upwards just as the distortion rippled outward. The ground where he’d been standing cracked under the impact. Izuku shot to the side, Blackwhip snapping from his arm to latch onto a lamppost and yank him clear.
Shouto countered instantly, ice surging towards her again, thicker this time.
Moonshine twisted mid-step, narrowly avoiding being encased as ice froze over her ankle instead of her torso. She laughed as she kicked free.
“Too slow!”
An explosion detonated inches from her shoulder. The blast lit the street orange and rattled the windows. She staggered back, singed but still standing, hair wild around her face.
Izuku lunged in, Blackwhip lashing out again to restrain her arms.
She ducked at the last second. The whip snapped against pavement instead, leaving a black scorch.
“You’re all so intense,” she called out, breathless and giddy. “It’s adorable.”
Katsuki clicked his tongue and propelled himself forward again, explosions bursting in controlled succession beneath his feet. He came down hard, aiming to pin her with a concentrated blast-
She rolled, barely escaping the direct hit, but the shockwave sent her skidding across the asphalt.
This time she didn’t laugh immediately.
She pushed herself up on trembling arms, breathing heavier now. Sweat dampened her hairline. Her smile strained at the edges.
Izuku adjusted his stance. She was tiring.
“Just give up,” he called out, trying to keep his voice steady. “You’re surrounded and running out of energy.”
Moonshine’s eyes flicked between them- Dynamight’s sparks, Deku’s crackling green lightning, Shouto’s half-frozen street, Endeavor’s blazing wall of heat.
Her breathing quickened.
Her grin sharpened.
“Surrounded?” she echoed softly.
Her gaze locked onto Katsuki.
Something in her expression shifted- anticipation, almost hunger.
“Oh, this is perfect,” she murmured.
She wiped a streak of blood from the corner of her mouth and laughed, louder this time, more unhinged.
“Come on, Dynamight! Let’s see all those nasty emotions of yours!”
The air shifted.
Izuku felt it before he saw it.
Moonshine’s hand snapped upward, fingers splayed, palms glowing an eerie, sickly green. The light wasn’t bright at first- it pulsed, like something alive. The shimmer in the air intensified, warping the space around her arm.
Katsuki was mid-step.
Mid-breath.
Mid-spark.
“-Kacchan!” Izuku shouted, but the sound felt wrong in his own ears.
Moonshine grinned, eyes wild. “There you are.”
The beam fired.
It wasn’t fast like a bullet.
It was worse.
It cut through the air in a steady, humming streak of green light, disorienting everything around it as it tore forward- straight at Katsuki’s chest.
There wasn’t time.
Shouto shouted something.
Endeavor’s flames roared.
The pavement cracked under Katsuki’s sudden attempt to move-
But Izuku didn’t think.
His body moved before his brain could.
One For All surged, green lightning exploding across his skin as he launched forward. The world dulled instantly, like he’d plunged underwater. The scream of the alarm down the block faded. The roar of flames blurred. Even his own heartbeat felt distant.
All he saw-
Was the beam.
And Katsuki in its path.
He didn’t calculate angles.
Didn’t weigh options.
Didn’t hesitate.
He just ran.
The street smeared past him in streaks of color. His lungs burned, muscles screaming as he forced himself faster- faster-
“Kacchan, move-!”
He collided with Katsuki hard enough to knock the breath from both of them, shoving him sideways with every ounce of momentum he had.
For one suspended, silent second-
The beam met Izuku instead.
Green light covered his entire body.
And then the entire street disappeared in a blinding flash.
Sound came back first.
But it was muffled.
Distant.
“-rested for assaulting-”
“-supposed to be Dynamight-!”
The voice was shrill. Fractured. Furious.
Katsuki’s eyelids felt heavy. His head throbbed like someone had detonated a grenade inside it. He tasted smoke.
He forced an eye open.
Everything was too damn bright.
A shadow moved above him.
“...Katsuki.”
Shouto.
His voice was tight. Wrong.
Katsuki blinked harder and the world swam into partial focus. Shouto stood over him, one hand half-extended like he didn’t know whether to help him up or hold him down. His expression wasn’t calm.
It was stressed.
And Shouto didn’t get stressed easily.
“What…” Katsuki’s voice came out rough. He pushed himself onto his elbows, wincing as his skull protested. “What the hell-”
“Don’t move too fast,” Shouto said quickly, eyes flicking away from him. Not to the street.
To something beside him.
Katsuki followed his gaze.
And froze.
There were bodies on the pavement.
Nine of them.
All curly-haired.
All-
Izuku.
Some smaller.
Some bigger.
All wrong.
Two of them looked how Izuku did when he was four. Another around six. Two looked about eleven. One maybe fifteen. Two looked sixteen. One-
One looked exactly like Izuku today.
But the hair.
It wasn’t green.
It was lime. Yellow. White. Red. Pink. Orange. Gray. One of the smallest ones was split down the middle- black on one side, blue on the other. One looked mixed with orange and red.
Katsuki’s stomach dropped.
“...What-”
And then the world crashed back in.
Full volume.
Endeavor shouting orders.
Police radios crackling.
The store alarm still screaming.
Sirens blaring closer.
Moonshine shrieking as officers dragged her towards a cruiser.
“It was supposed to be Dynamight! He was the target!”
Katsuki’s ears rang.
Shouto stepped closer to him. “Katsuki, stay calm. You might have a concussion!”
“Stay-” Katsuki pushed himself fully upright, staring at the bodies. “What the actual FUCK just happened!?”
Movement.
One of the smaller ones- orange- twitched.
Then another.
Then all of them.
One by one, they started to wake up.
Yellow blinked first, sitting up and looking around with wide, curious eyes. “Oh! Wow! Is this-?”
Gray flinched violently at the sirens, curling in on himself.
The split blue-and-black one whimpered, lower lip trembling.
The tiny orange one gasped, scrambling backwards on shaking hands. “Where- where are we? What happened? Are we hurt? Are we dying-?”
“Stop yelling!” Red snapped, pushing himself to his feet, fists clenched. “What did you idiots do!?”
Pink moved immediately.
Without hesitation, he sat on the pavement and pulled the smaller ones into his lap- Orange, Gray, Blue-Black- wrapping his arms around them.
“It’s okay,” he muttered softly. “It’s okay. We’re safe. Breathe.”
Gray buried his face in Pink’s shirt.
Orange clutched at him, hyperventilating.
Blue-Black started crying loudly.
Red-Orange was already pacing a few feet away, dragging both hands through his hair. “No, no, no- this isn’t right. This isn’t right. We need information. We need a timeline. We need-”
White remained flat on his back, staring up at the darkened sky like none of this concerned him.
Lime- their age- slowly sat up.
He looked directly at Katsuki.
And smiled.
Slow.
Knowing.
Katsuki’s skin prickled.
Red whipped around at Katsuki’s voice, eyes blazing.
“What did you do?” Anger demanded.
Orange whimpered loudly.
Gray recoiled.
Pink tightened his hold. “Shh. It’s okay. He didn’t mean to scare you.”
Lime stood, brushing invisible dust off his pants, gaze never leaving Katsuki or Shouto.
He licked his lips slowly.
And smirked.
“Oh,” he said smoothly. “This is interesting.”
The smirk on Lime’s face was subtle.
Confident.
Too confident.
Katsuki pushed himself fully to his feet despite the ringing in his ears and the rush of nausea hitting him full force. “Don’t look at me like that,” he snapped instinctively.
Lime only tilted his head slightly, studying him like he was something fascinating.
Behind them, Moonshine shrieked again as an officer forced her into the back of the cruiser.
“It wasn’t supposed to be him! He ruined it!”
“Enough.” Endeavor’s voice thundered over the chaos.
The cruiser door slammed closed.
The store alarm finally cut off, leaving the street feeling abruptly exposed. But the sirens still wailed. Police radios crackled. Officers barked instructions to each other as the flashing red and blue lights painted the pavement in erratic streaks.
It was too loud.
Orange clasped his hands over his ears and started shaking. “It’s too much, it’s too loud, it’s too loud-”
Gray flinched at every shout, shrinking further and further into Pink’s chest.
Blue-Black sobbed openly now, small fingers gripping Pink’s sleeve. “Did we do something wrong-?”
Pink rocked them gently despite sitting on the cold asphalt. “No. No we didn’t. It’s okay. We’re all okay.” His voice was warm, steady, older than the ones he held. “Just breathe with me.”
Red rounded on Katsuki again. “You don’t get to yell,” he snapped. “You don’t get to-”
“Anger,” Pink said softly.
Red’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t continue.
Red-Orange was still pacing, muttering under his breath. “Nine bodies. Same genetic structure. Quirk replication? Emotional manifestation? This doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense-!”
White still didn’t move from where he lay, staring blankly at the sky. “Can everyone just fuck off?” he muttered.
Yellow spun in a slow circle, eyes wide. “Woah… there are so many lights. Are those police cars? That’s kind of cool.”
Katsuki dragged a hand down his face.
Shouto stepped forward, positioning himself subtly between Katsuki and the more volatile ones. “Everyone,” he said carefully, voice measured despite the strain in his eyes. “Can we all just try to calm down so we can start figuring out what happened? And can you maybe tell us your names?”
Lime’s smile widened.
“Oh,” he said smoothly. “You know our name.”
He stepped closer.
Up close, his eyes were sharp. Brighter than Izuku’s usual softness. Calculating.
“But,” he added, gaze flicking to Katsuki briefly before returning to Shouto, “I suppose we could be more specific.”
Flashing lights washed over them again as another cruiser pulled up.
Heavy footsteps approached.
Endeavor stopped a few feet away and went very, very still.
His eyes swept over the nine Izukus.
The silence that followed felt heavier than the sirens had.
“...I see,” he said finally, voice lower.
Katsuki let out a sharp, disbelieving huff. “You see? That’s it?”
Endeavor ignored the tone. “Moonshine has been taken into custody. She will be interrogated immediately.” His gaze shifted to the smallest ones clinging to Pink. It softened- barely. “Until we know the full parameters of her quirk, we assume this condition will be temporary.”
“Temporary?” Shouto repeated sharply. “Define temporary. Minutes? Hours? Days? Weeks? Mon-”
Endeavor exhaled sharply through his nose, cutting his son off. “One of the patrol cars will transport all of you back to UA. Recovery Girl will check on all of you while I explain what… happened to Aizawa.”
At the mention of Aizawa, Blue-Black sniffled harder.
Pink pressed a kiss to the top of his head automatically.
Katsuki stared at Endeavor. “You’re telling me we’re just- what? Loading them into a squad car?”
“There is little else we can do here.”
Endeavor looked at the nine Izukus again.
Then at Katsuki.
“And,” he added dryly, “for my own sake, we will resolve this quickly.”
Shouto blinked. “Because of Aizawa?”
Endeavor’s jaw tightened slightly.
“...Yes.”
Katsuki barked out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, he’s gonna kill you.”
Endeavor didn’t deny it.
The hallway outside Recovery Girl’s office was too small for the amount of tension inside it.
Aizawa had Endeavor by the collar.
Not loosely.
Not casually.
Fisted in one hand, fabric twisted tight enough to almost choke. His capture scarf coiled around his shoulders like a living thing, and his eyes- bright, furious red- glowed beneath the harsh fluorescent lights. His hair floated upward in the activated current of his quirk.
Present Mic stood a few feet back, unusually quiet for once.
Nemuri leaned against the opposite wall, arms crossed, watching with narrowed eyes.
“You better explain to me,” Aizawa said, voice low and vibrating with restrained violence, “why the ever living fuck one of my students is now nine different bodies with different colored hair, or so help me, I will make sure you never see the living light of day again after I’m done with you.”
Endeavor did not flinch.
It was impressive, really.
But there was a tightness in his jaw that hadn’t been there before.
“It was not intentional,” Endeavor said evenly. “The villain- Moonshine- fired a quirk intended for Bakugou. Midoriya intercepted it.”
Aizawa’s grip tightened.
“And?”
“It manifested immediately. The detective interrogating her confirmed that it is temporary. It will last five days and then Midoriya will be back to normal.”
“Five days,” Nemuri repeated flatly.
Mic let out a low whistle. “That’s a whole week of chaos, Eraser.”
Aizawa did not look away from Endeavor. “What. Does. It. Do.”
“We don’t know the full mechanics yet,” Endeavor admitted. “The detective is working to obtain a detailed statement. From what we’ve gathered, it appears to be an emotional-based manifestation quirk.”
Aizawa’s eyes narrowed further.
He opened his mouth-
The door behind him clicked.
It swung open softly.
All four adults turned.
Pink stepped into the hallway.
Soft rose eyes.
Freckles.
Gentle posture.
He smiled when he saw Aizawa.
“Aizawa…” he said quietly. “Please let him go. There’s no need to be angry at him.”
The hallway fell silent.
Aizawa stared at him.
Really stared.
Same face.
Same voice.
But warmer. Softer around the edges.
After a long, tense second, Aizawa released Endeavor’s collar.
Fabric fell back into place.
Endeavor straightened silently.
“Is everything okay in there?” Aizawa asked, eyes never leaving the pink-haired boy.
Pink’s smile widened slightly.
He stepped forward.
And wrapped his arms around Aizawa’s waist.
It was sudden enough that Aizawa stiffened on instinct.
Mic made a small choking sound behind him.
Nemuri gasped, her hand going to her mouth.
But then Aizawa exhaled.
And his arms came up.
He hugged him back.
“...We’re okay,” Pink muttered against his chest. “Everyone’s okay.”
Aizawa swallowed once. “Explain, please.”
Pink pulled back but stayed close. “Recovery Girl finished her checkups. We’re healthy. All of us.” His expression softened. “We’re… parts of Izuku. Physical manifestation of his emotions.”
Endeavor inhaled slowly.
“We don’t know exactly how the quirk works,” Pink continued, “but that’s what it is.”
He stepped aside and gestured towards the open door.
“Come on in.”
The room was controlled chaos.
Katsuki sat on the edge of one of the recovery beds, boots planted firmly against the tile floor, shoulders squared.
Both of his arms were wrapped securely around two small bodies.
The split blue-and-black haired child was pressed tight against his chest, fingers knotted into the fabric of Katsuki’s hoodie. His crying had quieted to soft, shaky breaths, face buried against him.
The orange haired child clung just as fiercely on the other side, small hands gripping Katsuki’s sleeve like it was the only solid thing in the world.
Katsuki held them both without hesitation.
One hand spread wide across Blue-Black’s back.
The other firm and steady around Orange’s shoulders.
Grounding.
Protective.
Anyone who stepped too close got a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
When Aizawa entered, Katsuki’s eyes flicked up automatically- assessing. Not defensive.
Just ready.
Shouto stood a few feet away, one arm carefully supporting a small gray-haired child who flinched at every sudden sound. Gray’s fingers curled into the fabric of Shouto’s jacket, face hidden against his side. Shouto’s posture was deliberate- shielding without smothering.
Near the far corner, a younger boy, Red, stood with his arms crossed, jaw tight and eyes burning.
He watched everyone like they were waiting to disappoint him.
Lime lounged in one of the chairs, leaning back lazily, ankle propped over his knee. He was openly staring at Katsuki and Shouto, gaze slow and deliberate.
He smiled when he noticed Aizawa watching him.
Across the room, Yellow stood beside Recovery Girl, animatedly talking about police sirens and flashing lights like they were the most fascinating things he’d ever seen.
On the second bed, White lay flat on his back (once again), staring at the ceiling with detached interest (once again).
At the window, Orange paced in sharp, straight lines, muttering calculations under his breath. “Nine independent bodies. Emotional segmentation. Temporary? If five days is accurate, then-”
Pink stepped quietly back into the room beside Aizawa.
Recovery Girl tapped her cane once against the tile. “Physically, they’re fine,” she said, voice calm but assessing. “Katsuki had a minor concussion, but I handled that. These manifestations are stable. Healthy for the ages they appear.”
Aizawa’s gaze swept the room slowly.
He took in the way Katsuki was holding the younger ones.
The way Shouto had positioned himself between Gray and the door.
The way Red’s fists were clenched.
The way Lime was watching everything with calculating interest.
“Names and ages,” Aizawa said simply.
Lime stood first.
“You can call me Ego,” he said smoothly. “Eighteen.”
Yellow bounced slightly. “Happiness! Sixteen!”
“Anger,” Red muttered. “Eleven.”
“Stress. Fifteen,” came from the pacing figure without stopping.
“Apathy,” White said flatly, not bothering to sit up. “Eleven.”
Gray hesitated before whispering from Shouto’s side, “Pain… six.”
Blue-Black tried to speak.
His lip trembled.
Tears welled instantly.
Katsuki’s hold tightened instinctively.
“It’s okay,” he muttered under his breath, low enough that only the small child could hear.
Pink stepped forward gently. “Sadness,” he said for him. “Four years old.”
“Why is he blue and black?” Aizawa asked, looking to the side.
“Half of him is just sadness in general, but the black represents depression,” Pink explained, not wanting to say any more about it.
Aizawa nodded, understanding.
Sadness buried his face deeper into Katsuki’s chest.
Aizawa’s eyes flicked to that small movement- and something in his expression shifted.
Orange turned his face away from Katsuki’s arm, eyes widened a little. “An- Anxiety… Four.”
Aizawa smiled softly at him, pride swelling in his chest. Even though he knew Izuku was really anxious, Izuku always did his best.
Finally, Pink straightened.
“And I’m Love. Sixteen.”
Silence settled across the room.
Nine versions.
Nine different ages.
All undeniably Izuku.
Aizawa exhaled through his nose.
It was nearly eleven PM. The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead. Everyone looked drained.
“...It’s late,” he said at last. “We’re taking all of you back to the dorms.”
Katsuki didn’t argue.
He simply adjusted his hold on Sadness and Anxiety, pulling them closer like that had always been the plan.
“We’ll tell the rest of the class what happened and let them see all of… the Izukus…” Aizawa continued. “Figure out where they can sleep for the night. Hizashi and I have an extra bedroom in our suite where the three younger ones can stay if they’d like.”
“I’ll just have to move my books out of there, but yes, I’d feel better if the three younger ones were with us for tonight,” Mic spoke up, smiling at the three younger ones.
Aizawa sighed as he rolled his shoulders. “Alright everyone, let’s go to the dorms. And you,” Aizawa glared at Endeavor, “you can go back to your house.”
And with that, everyone left Recovery Girl’s office and headed out.
The dorm doors opened to a wall of noise.
Class 3-A had gathered exactly as instructed.
Aizawa’s text- Class meeting. Common room. Now. -had been blunt enough to prevent anyone from ignoring it. Students stood scattered across the lounge: some perched on the couches, some leaning against the kitchenette counter, others hovering halfway up the stairs.
The chatter died the second they saw who walked in.
First through the door was Aizawa, scarf draped loosely around his shoulders, eyes tired but alert.
Behind him-
Silence fell.
Katsuki stepped in with both arms wrapped tightly around two small boys- Sadness with the split blue-and-black hair and Anxiety with the orange hair. Sadness didn’t hawwve his face stuffed in Katsuki’s chest, surprisingly. Instead his head was up, looking towards where they were going. Anxiety on the other hand, his eyes darted everywhere, fingers twisted into Katsuki’s hoodie like letting go wasn’t an option.
Katsuki’s expression was sharp.
Protective.
Daring anyone to say something stupid.
Coming in behind him, Shouto walked in carefully, Pain tucked securely against his side. The child flinched at the change in lighting but didn’t pull away.
Then the rest entered.
Anger with a scowl.
Happiness waving like this was some kind of party.
Apathy looking half asleep already.
Ego with an assessing gaze, a confidence in his walk.
Stress looking everywhere, muttering under his breath.
Love with a soft expression and eyes, smiling warmly at everyone in greeting.
Nine.
Nine different versions.
No doubt in their minds that nine different Izuku Midoriya’s just walked through that door.
The common room was so quiet you could hear the hum of the overhead lights.
Mic slipped in behind them with an unusually subdued expression. Nemuri followed, eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she took in the scene.
Someone dropped a cup in the kitchenette.
No one moved to pick it up.
Aizawa stepped forward.
“Villain quirk,” he said flatly. “Temporary. Five days.”
That seemed to knock the air back into the room.
“They are physical manifestations of Izuku’s emotions,” Aizawa continued. “They are stable. They will be staying here.”
A collective blink.
A collective processing.
Happiness raised his hand cheerfully. “Hey! I’m Happiness! I’m sixteen!”
The silence cracked.
Kyouka’s eyes lifted. “Yeah,” she muttered. “That tracks.”
Stress didn’t stop moving. “Environmental instability. Lack of structural plan. We need sleeping arrangements, contingency measures, monitoring rotation-”
“Stress, fifteen,” Ego supplied lazily from a nearby chair, like he owned it already.
Anger crossed his arms harder. “Anger. Eleven.”
Apathy had found a nice little corner for him to sit in. “Apathy. Eleven.”
Pain hesitated against Shouto’s side before whispering, “Pain. Six.”
Anxiety tightened his grip on Katsuki when multiple eyes shifted his way, stuffing his face on Katsuki’s shoulder.
“Anxiety,” Katsuki said for him, voice low. “Four.”
Sadness tried to speak up.
His lip trembled immediately.
Katsuki adjusted his hold without thinking.
“Sadness, he’s four,” Happiness supplied gently.
Ego leaned back further in his chair. “Ego. Eighteen.”
That left one.
A sixteen-year-old with soft pink hair stepped forward quietly, offering a small, reassuring smile.
“Love. Age sixteen.”
The room shifted again.
Yaoyorozu was already stepping forward, expression focused. “Is there anything we can prepare? Bedding? Food?”
Ochaco stood near the stairs, polite concern on her face but no movement forward. Tenya adjusted his glasses, posture straight but stiff.
Ashido gasped softly. “Oh my Irene, they’re so tiny-”
Katsuki’s glare snapped towards her.
She raised both hands immediately. “Not touching! Not touching.”
Denki leaned sideways to peer at Sadness. “They’re kinda adorable, not gonna lie-”
A low warning rumble came from Katsuki’s chest.
Shouto shifted slightly, adjusting Pain more securely.
Hanta had gone quiet.
His eyes were locked on Anxiety.
Not in shock.
Not in confusion.
Something else.
Something softer.
Fumikage stepped closer to Apathy instead, studying him with thoughtful intensity. Dark Shadow peeked out curiously.
Hitoshi dragged a hand down his face and sighed long and deep. “Of course this happens. It’s always Izuku.”
Through it all, Aizawa’s gaze tracked every moment.
Every proximity.
Every reaction.
Katsuki had not loosened his hold once.
Shouto had not taken his arm from around Pain.
Anger had drifted closer to Katsuki without comment, like silent reinforcement.
Happiness spun slowly in place, looking delighted.
Stress was still pacing.
And for the first time after the fight-
All nine of them were under one roof.
The dorm, once loud and chaotic in the familiar way of teenagers, now felt like something else entirely.
Heavier.
Softer.
Fragile.
No one quite knew what to say after that.
The air felt different.
Not tense exactly- just careful.
Like everyone was afraid one wrong word might make something crack.
Aizawa stepped further into the room, forcing the class to shift their attention back to him.
“Listen carefully,” he said, voice level but edged with warning. “Classes will be normal tomorrow. This does not change your schedules. These manifestations will be attending.”
A collective groan started and died quickly under his stare.
“You are expected to assist when necessary,” he continued. “No teasing. No provoking. No treating them like pets.”
Ashido slowly lowered her hands.
Denki coughed.
Across the room, Stressed stopped pacing just long enough to mutter, “Academic continuity despite emotional fragmentation. Logistically inefficient but manageable.”
“Manageable,” Ego echoed, smirking at Katsuki and Shouto.
Yaoyorozu was already thinking five steps ahead. “We’ll need additional bedding. And perhaps labeled storage so nothing is misplaced.”
“We can grab extra blankets from the supply closet!” Ashido offered brightly, happy to have a task.
Hitoshi exhaled through his nose. “I’ll help.”
Eijirou had moved closer to Katsuki at some point- not crowding, just… present. “You good?” he asked quietly.
Katsuki didn’t look at him. “I’m fine.”
But his arms tightened slightly around Sadness and Anxiety anyway.
Hanta slowly lowered himself to sit cross-legged a few feet away- far enough not to intrude. His movements were deliberate, calm.
“Hey,” he said softly, not directly at Anxiety but close enough. “Wanna see something cool?”
Anxiety’s fingers flexed.
He didn’t let go of Katsuki.
But he did peek at Hanta for a few seconds.
And then he wanted down.
Katsuki almost struggled to let the little boy down but he, begrudgingly, let Anxiety go over to Hanta.
Fumikage had taken a seat near Apathy, who still looked rather unbothered by everything happening around him.
“You seem undisturbed,” Fumikage observed.
Apathy blinked once. “I’m just… tired.”
Dark Shadow hummed approvingly.
Near the staircase, Ochaco folded her hands together. “Is Midoriya… aware? Of all this?”
Love answered gently. “We’re him. So yes.”
That silenced her.
Tenya adjusted his glasses again. “Then we must ensure his well-being through structured support and-”
“Iida,” Kyouka cut in mildly. “They’re not malfunctioning robots.”
He sputtered.
Meanwhile, Anger had planted himself near Katsuki like an unspoken guard dog. Anyone who stepped too close to Sadness, Anxiety, and Pain received a sharp look.
Shouto knelt slowly so Pain’s feet touched the floor. “Would you like to sit down?”” he asked quietly.
Pain hesitated.
Then nodded.
Shouto remained beside him as they went and sat on one of the couches.
Aizawa watched all of it.
Cataloging.
Assessing.
Then Ashido clapped her hands once. “Okay! Sleepover mode is activated.”
That shifted the mood.
She gestured around dramatically. “We’ve got the common room. Tons of space. We pile up with blankets, make beds. The older ones can stay down here with us!”
Happiness gasped. “A sleepover!?”
Ego leaned back against the couch. “I refuse to sleep on the floor-” he paused, smirking at Katsuki and Shouto, “-and I want those two next to me.”
“You won’t sleep on the floor,” Yaoyorozu said smoothly. “I can create additional cushioning. As for the other thing… that’s up to those two,” she laughed, her hand covering her mouth.
Nemuri gasped playfully. “Yao-momo!”
Stress immediately began calculating sleeping square footage under his breath.
Aizawa considered.
Then nodded once. “Fine.”
Relief rippled.
“But,” he added, gaze sliding to the youngest, “the little ones are coming upstairs with me and Hizashi.”
Mic perked up instantly. “VIP suite treatment!”
Katsuki stiffened.
Sadness whimpered faintly at the shift in attention.
Aizawa stepped closer- slowly. No sudden movements.
Sadness peeked up at him with watery eyes.
Aizawa held his gaze.
Didn’t rush.
Didn’t demand.
After a long moment, Sadness reached out.
Katsuki froze.
It took visible effort for him to loosen his grip.
“It’s fine,” Aizawa said quietly- not to Sadness.
To Katsuki.
Anxiety hesitated next.
Hanta gave a tiny nod from his spot next to him on the spot.
Mic crouched down, voice softer than anyone had ever heard it. “We’ve got hot chocolate upstairs.”
Anxiety blinked.
Pain clung to Shouto’s sleeve before Shouto gently placed a hand on his back. “I’ll be right downstairs.”
That seemed to settle it.
Slowly, carefully, the three youngest transferred into Aizawa and Mic’s care.
Katsuki didn’t move until the staircase door shut behind them.
Only then did he exhale.
Shouto remained sitting for a few seconds longer before returning to the center of the room.
Blankets appeared.
Pillows multiplied thanks to Yaoyorozu.
Ashido directed placement like a general organizing troops.
Denki sprawled dramatically on a pile.
Hitoshi grabbed one and tossed it at his face.
Eijirou dropped down beside Hanta without a thought, grabbing his boyfriend and pulling him to his chest.
Fumikage dimmed the lights slightly as he and the rest of the class all went back to their own rooms.
Stress finally stopped pacing once a makeshift sleeping area took shape.
Happiness flopped onto his back with a grin.
Ego claimed the far corner, close enough to Katsuki and Shouto.
Anger grumbled but settled on the couch.
Apathy closed his eyes immediately.
Gradually, the noise softened.
Whispers turned to murmurs.
Murmurs faded to breathing.
Upstairs, the suite lights dimmed one by one.
Downstairs, the common room grew still beneath a mess of blankets and sprawled limbs.
For the first time since the fight-
The dorm was quiet.
And under one roof, nine fractured pieces of Izuku Midoriya slept.
✧❁❁✧✿✿✧❁❁✧