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Chapter Text

Katsuki

It took a few days for Katsuki to get around to it, but Izuku finally pressured him into texting Eijiro. They hadn't had a real conversation since that day. The day Katsuki lied to his face, and almost got killed. 

He was worried the longer he went without talking to him the more likely Eijiro was to leave. 

So Izuku spent an entire day pestering Katsuki into picking up the phone, and texting him. He wanted to get a new phone, because Katsuki was forced to put on a front with this one. The lock screen– which had since been changed– was of Katsuki and his mother. Her contact lingered in his storage, and the longer it stayed there, the more Katsuki wanted to use it, and scream at her. It wouldn't do anything, but it was worth a shot. He turned his phone off the day he went to live with Aizawa, and it hadn't been on since. 

Katsuki hadn't been to UA since his mother got arrested, and that only added to the drama. 

Booting up the phone, he realized two things. One, this was going to be way harder than he thought. And two, he didn't account for Eijiro previously trying to contact him. There were dozens of missed calls, and unread messages. Time to face the music, then.

::Katsuki is Online::

(3d. 9:15am)Eijiro: 

You aren't in class today

Are you sick?

I'll text later. Mr Aizawa is here


(3d. 4:57pm)Eijiro: 

Schools out. 

You missed a pretty cool lesson.

Are you okay?


(3d. 10:28pm)Eijiro: 

Katsuki?

Are you okay? 


________________ 


(2d. 8:03am)Eijiro: 

Good morning!

The sun is shining

I'm ready for you to read these messages now

Katsuki? 


I gotta go

Text me when you can


(2d. 12:43pm)Eijiro: 

lunchtime! 

Are you just really sick?

Are you okay?


[Missed Video Call]


(2d. 12:47pm)Eijiro:

Seriously, are you alright?

Are you mad at me?


[Missed Audio Call]


(2d. 12:52pm)Eijiro: 

Katsuki, if I did something wrong, can you at least tell me what it is? 

________________ 


(1d. 12:23pm)Eijiro: 

lunch again.

Katsuki, I miss you

Are you okay?

Please text me when you get these...


(1d. 5:15)Eijiro: 

I stopped by what I thought was your apartment building

They said that no one with the name Bakugou lived there. 

Was that a lie?

Katsuki, please answer me

This is important

Did you lie to me? 

________________


(Today. 12:39am)Eijiro: 

I'm here if you need to talk, okay?

I just want to know you're okay.

Are you mad?

Was it something I did?

If you are, and it is, I'll listen to that too

Just please don't ignore me like this.


(Today. 7:50 am)Eijiro: 

I'm about to go to school.

Will I see you there?

Please?

(Today)Katsuki: 

Hey Eijiro

Sorry for the late replies

I'm so sorry I worried you

My phone was off 

(Today)Eijiro: 

I'm so glad you're okay!

What happened?

Did you get hurt? 

Katsuki: 

No...

I mean

Not really.

Not physically

There's a lot to say

And I don't really want to say it in here

Because it sucks and I don't want you to learn about this while I'm hiding behind a screen.

Eijiro: 

Not physically?

Wait what?

Katsuki: 

I'll be at school tomorrow.

He cleared me for it

Eijiro: 

He cleared you???

Who's 'he'

Are you okay? 

Katsuki: 

Yeah, for the most part.

I'll tell you tomorrow

I'm sorry again for the inconvenience

And not seeing your messages... 

Eijiro: 

I was super worried about you!

Katsuki: 

I know

I'm sorry again

I'll explain everything tomorrow.

Eijiro: 

You better

Everyone in class is freaking out about your absence.

Except Mr Aizawa

And Little Aizawa

I have no idea what to call him. It's still weird that they share a name 

Katsuki: 

You should call him Izuku

It'll be funny 

Eijiro: 

Knowing him...

He would bite my head off

I'll stick to calling him Aizawa, unless he says I can do otherwise

I'm slightly scared of him 

Katsuki: 

To be honest, that's fair.

Just don't call him little to his face

He will eat you alive

Eijiro: 

Yeah…

Please never give me that image ever again.

He's in my nightmares.


I gotta go

Lunch is ending

I'll see you tomorrow!

I love you!

ᕙ(`▽´)ᕗ

Katsuki: 

See you

I love you too

::Katsuki is Offline::

That was way easier than it sounded. He felt bad for putting it off so long. Katsuki was about to do a celebratory dance around his bedroom (still packed up, just in case), but then he remembered that he still had to actually talk about it tomorrow. He had to look Eijiro in his deep red eyes, and say "I have been lying to you". Ugh, why couldn't recovery be easy? 

The house was empty, and quiet. But it wasn't an unpleasant sort of silence. It was neat, and safe. Like the noise that would usually fill the lived-in rooms was only absent because it had to be. 

Katsuki had been home alone plenty of times in the last three days. When Izuku heads out with his friend Mei– Katsuki didn't know her, but by Izuku description of her, and his excitement on similar personalities had Katsuki shuddering– and Aizawa went out for "work". Katsuki was only half sure it was work, because Izuku was oddly giggly  whenever he said he was heading out. Aizawa never paid it much heed, but Izuku was starting be be obnoxious about it, so Katsuki had asked what was up. 

"He does actually have work, but a few months ago, he started going on more patrols with Present Mic. So I'm making a joke about this "work" actually being secret dates with his crush," Izuku had said, grinning like it was the most amusing thing in the world. 

Katsuki gathered two things from that. One, Izuku was a maniacal little asshole. And Two, Aizawa was either gay, or Izuku liked saying he was. He didnt know which. Maybe it was both. 

He talked to Aizawa, and he allowed him to bring Eijiro here, to better explain the situation. He had to tell him that they were dating, but he had no reaction to it. So at least, if he wasn't gay, he was okay with having a gay son. 

Izuku was also over eager to share his home with Eijiro, and Katsuki made a mental note to not let him be around Eijiro if he was going to try anything. He wasn't sure whether or not his brother(?) would do so, but Katsuki learned quickly that he was better safe than sorry. 

So he started planning how he was going to break all this to his boyfriend. There was the cut and dry explanation, where Katsuki just said it all at once, and shut it down. The lengthy way that Katsuki was quite sure he didn't want to take, where he explained slowly, let Eijiro ask questions, and build up the story as it progressed in real life. There was the simple, yet heart wrenching way, where he explained exactly what lies he told, and why, and coupled that with telling him about his mother.

He knew which one he would prefer, but Katsuki had an issue with saying he'll do one thing, and then not doing it. 

He'll see how it goes.

The next day, he stood in front of the classroom, with his brother, and new dad(?) flanking him, protecting him, something Katsuki greatly appreciated.

He didn't know what was waiting for him on the other side. He had been absent for four days. Almost an entire school week. It was Friday, because of course. Why not? Just send him back on the last day. He thought he would be ready, but now, he wasn't so sure.

Aizawa, not usually one to wait, opened the door, and everyone instantly hushed. Katsuki felt like a dead man walking, with the way his classmates stared, and asked silent questions with their expressions alone.

He and Izuku, and Aizawa, were the last ones to enter. And they all entered at the same time. Which was strangely similar to how the Aizawa's revealed their relation. Katsuki wondered if they felt this nervous, and shuffled awkwardly to his seat. Eijiro, two rows back, and slightly out of Katsuki's line of sight, sent him a barely visible thumbs up, and a smile.

The class clearly knew better than to hound him with unpleasant questions, but maybe Katsuki would prefer that to the scrutinizing silence. 

He took deep, supposedly calming breaths, in the hopes to drive off their eyes, but it didn't work, so he focused on ignoring them, instead.

The rest of the day followed in a similar fashion. 

Classroom? Staring.

Training? Staring.

Eating? Staring. That one made Katsuki a little more uncomfortable. 

Finally, at the end of the day, Izuku gave him a big hug, and told him 'that's how it feels', or something similar, and then comforted him.

Any second now, Eijiro would show up at his usual spot, and they would walk home. But you know, actually walking home this time. When that moment came, Katsuki prepared himself to tell his tale. His… pitiful… tortuous and problematical story of woe. 

He sent a brief text to Aizawa, and told him not to wait up and just take Izuku home. He's walking. Hopefully the man would understand.

"Hey Kat," Eijiro smiled when he sat on the bench, angling slightly away from his own boyfriend. Maybe Katsuki was trying to preserve what little dignity he would have left after this gets out into the open, he didnt know.

"Hello," he greeted back, grimacing, "I owe you an explanation, right?"

"That would be nice, yes."

"I'll tell you as we walk. It's a longer trip now," Katsuki prompted, standing up, and offering Eijiro a hand.

"Because you lied about where you live?" Eijiro pointed out bluntly. He obviously wasn't happy about that. And, more or less, that was true.

They walked in silence for a moment, neither wanting to start any sort of conversation, in case it goes awry. 

Eventually, though, Katsuki took a deep breath, "I hope this will make sense. So… I don't know, please bear with me here."

Eijiro nodded patiently, and took Katsuki's trembling hand. He didn't seem to mind how warm it must be. 

"So… my mother. She's… Okay, that's hard to talk about. I'll start with the lie about my home. I was redirecting you away from where I actually lived because I was scared. I thought if you knew who I was related to, or if my mother found out, things would happen. She's… a touch homophobic."

Eijiro hung onto every word, and Katsuki could feel the hand around his own tighten. 

"As you can see, that causes an issue. When I transferred to Mustafa Private, it wasn't because of my Quirk, like I told you. I transferred because she thought it was my old school that made me gay. It was actually because boys are really pretty, but she couldn't see that. She didn't like the man she married, so why should she care for the one I do?

"Well, I met you, and it was really only a matter of time until she found out. But I wanted to prolong that as much as possible, so I lied. At the time, this is actually where I lived."

Katsuki paused the explanation as they arrived at his old house. There was police tape surrounding it, and a few silhouettes inside, and Katsuki made no move to step closer. 

Eijiro did, though, and marveled at the house that used to host Katsuki's worst nightmare.

He didn't like looking at it, he decided, and took a miniscule step back.

"I don't live here anymore. I just wanted to show you, so you know the whole story. The other day, I came into class with a big bruise on my jaw. That was the last day I lived here."

"Why did you leave?"

"Because of my mother. She gave me the bruise, and every other one before that," he said slowly, sadly. Eijiro's head snapped to look at him, with his eyes wide and shimmering with tears, "I knew from the beginning that what she was doing was child abuse, but I didn't care. She's famous. I couldn't ruin her life over something I could hide with makeup, or a flimsy, confident smile. Sometimes I wonder if she was aware that she was an abuser. But I don't know."

Eijiro took his hand back, and started guiding him away from the house, "Oh my god, Katsuki… are you okay now? Are you still living with her?"

"No," he answered, hearing Eijiro sigh in relief. If only he knew. Katsuki supposed he would soon, though, "It came to a head that day, four days ago. It all started when I left my phone at home, instead of taking it with me. Mother thought she should look through my stuff. See, I keep a little flag, and a picture of us underneath my phone case. So she found it. She, being the homophobe she is, did not like that."

Katsuki started walking in the direction of Aizawa's house, several blocks away. He hoped he had enough life-story to get there. 

"Umm, long story short, of that, she attacked me. With a knife."

"Oh my god.."

"But before she actually got to hit me, I called Izuku. He was with Aizawa, since, you know, they're family. Aizawa showed up at my house before Mother actually got me with the knife, and he saved me. I fully believe that if I hadn't remembered I had Izuku's phone number, I would not be alive right now."

Eijiro was actually crying now. Katsuki couldn't blame him. It wasn't every day that one's boyfriend says he's a victim of child abuse, and an attempted murder. 

"Anyways. Redirecting the conversation to where I'm currently staying, here it is."

Katsuki gestured to a house larger than their last stop. There were blossoming flowers, and swaying vines on the willow tree, and it looked strangely majestic. Eijiro looked to be admiring the home, and Katsuki walked along the path to the door, gesturing for Eijiro to follow him. He thought he heard muttering coming from his stunned, and worried boyfriend, but he didn't know what he was saying. 

"So maybe I should reintroduce myself. My name is no longer Bakugou Katsuki. Or, well, it won't be once he actually adopts me, but this is me," he opened the door, and there they were. Izuku was lying on the floor, fiddling with gears and cardboard, with one of their three cats curled up in the small of his back, and Aizawa was in the kitchen. He had an apron that said 'Your Opinion Isn't In The Recipe', and was kneading some kind of dough.

But, when the door opened, and Katsuki announced their arrival, they looked up.

"Hey kid," Aizawa greeted, smiling at Katsuki, and nodding to Eijiro, "Kirishima."

"Hi Kacchan and Kacchan's boyfriend," Izuku said, preoccupied with whatever experimental weapon he was attempting to build.

Eijiro looked stunned, glancing from Katsuki, to Aizawa, to Izuku, and back.

"My name will be Aizawa Katsuki," he finally finished, "Please don't tell our classmates."

"I won't," he mumbled, pulling Katsuki into a warm hug, "I'm so sorry you went through all that and I had no idea! I'm glad you're happy! You are happy, right?"

Katsuki looked over his new home, his new family, and smiled at Eijiro, "Yeah, I am."

Shouta

If someone were to ask him, at literally any given moment before he brought Katsuki home, "Shouta, you had a dream to be a father. How many kids would you like?" He would say "just one is enough". 

The gods know Izuku is a lot to handle, with his sass, and penchant for mischief, and the weapons he has a habit of building (No, Izuku, the answer is still no for the gun). He didn't think he'd need anyone else in the family to be happy. And then Katsuki came along. 

The kid obviously went through a lot, considering his crystal clear distrust toward Shouta. He didn't like being in the kitchen if Shouta was holding a knife, which made him think that those threats were made regularly, and that made Shouta want to go on ahead and kill the bitch before her trial. 

The open and shut trial that was taking place in two weeks time. During those two weeks, Tsu was going to have to deal with her attitude a great amount, and maybe he felt a little bad.

Just a little.

Maybe.

He would send him a gift card to the best cafe ever, just because he was working so hard on putting her behind bars. He was doing so much to help avoid making Katsuki go on trial, because the last thing that kid needed was to see the bitch again.

Yeah, if anyone asked that question a week ago, that would be Shouta's response.

Now, in the present, he would say…

"I would not let him go if the world was on fire."

The social workers hounded him for information, maybe trying to take him away, maybe not. Either way, his point was made. The glorious point that had Katsuki starry-eyed. 

A quick meeting with Tsukauchi, and a formal introduction done by all of Shouta's friends gave Katsuki some much needed confidence. He's pretty sure Hizashi is just glad Katsuki isn't a hero-anti like Izuku. 

His friends, Tensei, Hizashi, Nemuri, and Naomasa were eager to introduce themselves as aunts or uncles. Except for Hizashi. He just urged his kids to call him by his given name, Mic, or some other variation of those. Nemuri didn't seem to think it was an issue, so Shouta decided not to make a big deal of it.

"It's pretty cool to meet Aizawa 3.0, little dude," Tensei laughed. Katsuki, for his part, did not seem to enjoy being called that. 

"Isn't Izuku the 3.0? I'm older than him," Katsuki defended. 

"Yeah, that may be, but Izuku was here a whole year before you, so," Nemuri waved him off.

Katsuki didn't seem to mind, though.

Naomasa tried to start some kind of discussion about the Bakugou Debacle, but Shouta was quick to shut him down, "Look at him, over there. He's happy. Let's talk about it later."

Izuku was off somewhere. Shouta didn't know if he should worry about that. Tenya was looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. 

Katsuki seemed content to be surrounded by adults he could trust, even if he did stiffen when Nemuri got a little too close to the knife block. Shouta should sign him up for therapy. He wondered if that conversation would be as difficult to bring up with him as it was for Izuku.

"Hey, where's mini-you?" One of his friends asked him. He didn't know which.

"He's not a mini-me," Shouta sneered, "And he's probably in the attic."

"The fact that you just automatically knew who we were talking about says everything Sho-Sho," Nemuri purred, draping herself over the sofa.

"You found me," Izuku giggled maniacally, hanging by his knees on the ceiling fan.

"I think you found us, little menace," Shouta sighed, stepping over to give Izuku room to drop.

Nemuri looked a little perturbed by Izuku's wall climbing chaos habits, but Shouta lived with him. She didn't know anything about their life. Shouta loved Izuku very much, and Nemuri probably would never understand that. Izuku has a touch of issues, but nothing so bad he's scary.

He was just a little unconventional, but he and Katsuki got along so well, it was great. Two kids. That sounds just right.

He felt a mid-level weight on his back, and a warm sigh against his neck. He supposed he could carry Izuku around for a little bit. 

Despite how little she knew of Shouta and Izuku, she was a great figure in the kid's life, and one of the only heroes that Izuku tolerated. Midnight = Kayama Nemuri = Good. All Might = Bad. Yamada Hizashi = Good, but Present Mic = Not The Best At All. Izuku showed him all the math. It checked out.

His favorite equation was Eraserhead = Aizawa Shouta = Good Hero = Best Dad. Maybe that was on his father's day card this year. Maybe it was enough to have Shouta tearing up. The world may never know.

Yes, Shouta had his answer to the previous question that no one really asked, but he's pretending someone cares. But, he mused, he didn't know what Izuku would say.

"Hey, Izuku? What is the ideal number of siblings, in your opinion?"

"As many as you're willing to adopt. If that's me and Kacchan, that's fine," Izuku hummed, propping his elbows on Shouta's back. It was enough to have him wincing in slight discomfort, "But, if you adopt, say… two other kids, after Kacchan, that would also be pretty cool. Why?"

"No reason. The question's been on my mind since you came to live with me, kid, that's all," Shouta replied. He felt his kiddo's weight slump against his back, and arms snake their way around his neck to make sure he doesn't fall. Not that Shouta would drop him.

Katsuki looked completely content, over there. He was talking to Tenya like they were equals. That's great. Izuku had long since accepted that he and Tenya were sort-of-but-not-quite cousins. Tenya had been quick to accept him, but sort of pulled back when Izuku fully came out of his shell. Tenya obviously liked him, but he wasn't one of the 'I can trust you with my secrets' cousins yet. Which was smart. One probably couldn't do that. Izuku would probably sell your secrets for pocket change. He likes to say he takes after Shouta in that department, which Shouta highly resented. He was an excellent secret keeper.

Katsuki, despite only having been settled in the house for a few days, took to the life of a pro-hero's kid like a fish to water. He and Izuku got along great, and Shouta thought it best to look the other way when he saw them planning some sort of mischief a few days back.

He took to it almost suspiciously well, and Shouta took the liberty of googling Bakugou Mitsuki, to see what must be going on.

Her name, however tainted, was well known. She (was) a fashion designer and model. But, further scrolling revealed that the world already knew what she had done, and Shouta was right to take Katsuki away, and out of the spotlight.

'Shocking turn of events! Popular model, and rising star of fashion Bakugou Mitsuki has been arrested for crimes related to the son no one knew she had, Bakugou Katsuki!'


'Fashion Industry Failure? Bakugou Mitsuki's arrest leaves the world speechless as they contemplate what's next!'


'New articles all over Japan are talking about the arrest of Bakugou Mitsuki with an enthusiasm they don't show for everything. Are the charges true? Did Bakugou actually commit all these heinous crimes? Does she deserve a second chance, to preserve her career?'


'Nationwide accusation of false charges following Bakugou Mitsuki's arrest! Was it staged? Is her son even real? The answer will shock you!'


'Does the recent controversy of Bakugou v. Japan hold a candle to the mysterious disappearance of Bakugou Masaru two years ago? Click here to debate similarities!'


It was all bullshit, in Shouta's opinion. Of course she deserved the charges. And no, of course she doesn't deserve a second chance! What kind of bullshit question is that? Just because someone's famous, doesn't mean they get a free pass. 

Although… he should probably look into Bakugou Masaru. It's a terrible idea to ask Katsuki, but he does need to figure that out. He disappeared. But Shouta didn't know if he disappeared like he went poof, or if he was murdered. He kind of hoped for the former, but there was really no helping it.

He was pulled out of his reverie when Katsuki laughed. And he smiled. Izuku was right. Two is enough, but if there are more coming along, no one would oppose. At least, he wouldn't.

Katsuki

Mr Aizawa and his friends were weird. He's not complaining, Katsuki was weird too, but these people had whole different lives outside of heroism that Katsuki just never considered. 

He had all day to contemplate that. All the time after they left for various patrols, or personal duties. He had all day in class, too. When his peers weren't staring at him with concern or apprehension, that is. And then he had the afternoon at home(?).

No one could blame him for not knowing why they stared. After all, the only thing he used his phone for nowadays was texting Izuku, Aizawa, or Eijiro, and even then they weren't super long conversations. Apparently, according to Ashido and Iida (he said to call him Tenya, because they would technically be cousins, but Katsuki didn't want to), there was some kind of media investigation of his family, which, in all honesty, was something he would like to avoid. 

He was proud that he avoided the news stories thus far, and wondered how glorified his mother is in them. 

'Following Bakugou Mitsuki's arrest, the nation is wondering… Where is young Katsuki? Where is he hiding? The population questions his whereabouts with unease.'


'Bakugou Katsuki, the son of former model Bakugou Mitsuki, has been reported missing by officials handling this unfortunate case.'


'Bakugou Mitsuki awaits trial! What will she say about these pedestal charges? Click here to find out!'


'Do you think Bakugou Mitsuki is innocent? Take this Quiz to find out!'


'Groups of Japan's population start an uprising! Witnesses say they are advocating for the release of Bakugou Mitsuki.'


'The Jury is in! The Japan v. Bakugou Mitsuki case is in full swing. The court announced the trial date to be June 3rd. Stay tuned.'


Wow. That was… a lot. Japan thought he was missing? That's strange. He thought the country knew he attended UA. 

He was missing?

Was there a ransom?

Could he technically 'turn himself in' and collect it?

"No," Izuku sighed, like he was answering Katsuki's thoughts, "You don't have a ransom. People just really like drama."

"How do you know? That I don't have a ransom," Katsuki questioned. There were a great many mysteries when it came to Aizawa Izuku. 

His new brother gave him a flat look, and Katsuki immediately knew he googled it or something. Now the question was… "Were you going to collect my bounty," he asked, a little offended.

Izuku was startled, like he was shocked. Katsuki instinctually checked the room for Kaminari. Of course, they were at home, so he obviously wasn't there.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Izuku breezed, "You were thinking about doing it yourself. I just took the initiative."

Katsuki supposed that was fair. He put his phone down, and sighed. He should probably talk to Aizawa about his disappearance. And also what he's supposed to call him now that calling him Mr Aizawa was getting awkward. 

So, to avoid putting it off, he strolled out of his room, "Hey, Aizawa?"

"Yeah? That is it, Kid," Aizawa asked, not hesitating to look up from his papers.

"I'm legally missing?"

"Yes, that's an issue Tsu and I are working to resolve. Has it started to affect you?"

"No, not really," Katsuki dismissed, taking a seat in one of the chairs near Aizawa, "I was just wondering."

"Just wondering, huh," Aizawa huffed, peering at Katsuki with eyes that seemed to read his soul, "There's something else, right?"

"How'd you know," Katsuki asked. That's a pretty cool skill to have.

"Call it intuition," Aizawa replied, "I've dealt with Izuku's issues for a while, and he has a habit of not telling me the full story."

Ah. That made sense. Izuku didn't seem like the type to make things easy for people. 

"Well, two things, I guess," Katsuki started, watching Aizawa push the papers away, and give him his full attention. Katsuki appreciated that, "My dad. He left, but when he did, he said he would be back. I guess I'm worried that he'll come and take me."

He watched Aizawa's face fall, and he winced. He did not want to have this conversation.

"Well, I can promise that he won't do anything. Tsu and I handled it," Aizawa reassured him, "He agreed to leave you alone. On paper. Essentially, he gave you up to foster care following your mother's arrest, and I am now legally your guardian. I can't say I was for a single moment before that, and what I did is technically considered kidnapping. But Tsu looked the other way because A, he knows and trusts me, and B, it's a sensitive situation and I promise you would be worse off if you spent even a moment in foster care. You're stuck with us, kid."

That… made Katsuki feel tons better. Well, some of it. Hearing that your birth dad abandoned you on a legal document felt like a kick to his heart, but he could handle it. He always would.

"Well, that brings up my next topic," Katsuki cringed. This topic was one he wanted to avoid, also. It wasn't as bad as the others, and was, dare he say it, positive, but it felt like such an awkward thing to ask.

"Shoot, kid. I'm all ears."

"What… uh.. What do I–" Katsuki hadn't stuttered this much since elementary school. Huh, "What do I call you?"

That stunned him, Katsuki noticed. He looked completely shell-shocked. 

"...what?"

"It's just that calling you Sensei, or Mr Aizawa, or something in your own home gets a little awkward. I feel like I shouldn't do that. So what should I call you?"

Katsuki trailed off, hoping for Aizawa to continue the conversation without Katsuki's voice getting in the way. He didn't, and Katsuki was about to question whether or not he was going to answer it at all, Izuku dropped from the ceiling fan. Katsuki wondered how strong that thing was, and how often Aizawa had to replace it. 

"You should call him dad," Izuku casually slurped on a juice box, "It might make him cry, and I'm trying to collect his tears."

"...why?"

Izuku stared at him intensely for a long, agonizing second, before he took the little plastic straw out of his mouth and said, "No reason."

Katsuki felt, in that moment, that he was right to be afraid of him. 

Aizawa, ever aware, snapped out of his dad-trance, and scolded Izuku for interrupting them, "Izuku, it's rude to barge in."

"Maybe don't have your private conversations in my house, then," he justified, throwing his empty box into the garbage can several meters away. Katsuki heard a little whisper of 'first try', but decided to focus on the issue at hand.

"So, what am I supposed to call you? If you want me to continue just calling you Aizawa, that's fine, but I thought I'd ask."

"Were you listening to me?"

"Frankly, no," Katsuki admitted. 

"Fair enough. Caio," Izuku shrugged, pattering down the hallway, and into his bedroom.

"Izuku's right, Katsuki. You can call me whatever you'd like, as long as they are masculine terms," Aizawa told him, looking right at him as if that would improve his focus on what he was saying. Magically, it did, "Seriously, whatever term you'd like to use. Whatever you're comfortable with. And as long as it's still Mr Aizawa in school, because I'm pretty sure enough you'll get in trouble otherwise."

"Izuku doesn't call you that," he pointed out.

"Izuku doesn't do a lot of things, even though he should," he countered, "was that all you needed?"

"Yeah. Thanks dad."

As he walked away, he saw him stiffen in surprise, and his breathing hitch. Izuku was right. It did make him cry.

Shouta

"How long will it take," Shouta demanded upon his arrival in Tsu's office.

"How long will what take, E," he sighed, not lifting his head to look at Shouta.

"How long will it take for this adoption to go through," he clarified, feeling worked up by what happened earlier in the day, "he called me dad today!"

He sighed again, and looked up. Wow. He looked exhausted. "That's great, I'm so happy for you," he said, monotonous.

Shouta fiddled with his pockets for a second longer than necessary, and flipped the gift like a coin. Tsu's eyes tracked it with wariness, and flinched when Shouta launched it at him, "Gift card for that book cafe you like," he said while his friend examined it. His eyes widened in realization, and the face he made at Shouta had him laughing.

"It's not that big a deal. I figured you deserved it with everything you're going through right now," he gestured to Bakugou, glaring at the two of them from behind her cell gates. When she opened her mouth, no sound came out. Odd. She yelled at them from behind the bars, screaming obscenities at them. Shouta didn't even want to think about what see was saying.

"Shizukana came back from vacation today. Sweet, sweet silence, E. I have never been more thankful for that lovely woman."

"What did she do?"

"Her Quirk is called 'Soundproofing'. She makes an area of at most fifteen meters completely soundproof," he sighed in obvious relief, "Best of all, the person inside the bubble can still hear themself, so with best luck, Ms Bakugou assumes I just got really good at ignoring her all of a sudden."

"That's glorious. I'm happy for you," he said honestly. That actually might be one of the most vindictive things they could legally do to her for now, so it felt good to have that victory.

"How're the kids?"

"Izuku is still a little menace, but did you really expect otherwise?" Tsu shook his head no, "And Katsuki called me dad for the first time. Which is why I'm here."

"To gloat?"

"No," Shouta sighed, "I'm here to ask how long you think the trial and adoption will take?"

"I don't know the exact date, but I have an idea for a surprise for Katsuki, if you're up for it," he started. Say what you want about this detective. He was known to his friends as the life of the party. The one who would suggest all those crazy things you thought about doing because it looked fun. The one to raise the roof at events. As long as he did so legally. 

"I'm listening," Shouta replied. Surely this will be interesting.

"I'll bet the paperwork will go through in… say, a month. But we tell him it'll be two," he said conspiratorially, like this was a heist, "So when the adoption goes through, when it does, you can hold some kind of party. If he likes parties. I don't know what kids like."

"Don't you have a little sister?"

"Yes, but when she was Katsuki's age, I was in my late twenties, and having a time and a half with my job. Besides, as far as I'm aware, all kids are different, and Katsuki has trauma. Makoto doesn't. Probably." Tsukauchi said, defending his stance on the subject.

"So, moving on, you want me to, what, lie to my son?"

"Not lie," he corrected, "Misinform." 

"To 'misinform' intentionally is like, the definition of lying," Shouta pointed out.

"If you don't want to do this, literally just say that."

"No, I'm in," Shouta affirmed, excited, "Sounds like fun."

"Great. Do you want the others in on it? And do you want to tell Izuku?"

Shouta gave him a flat look, followed by his eyebrow raising,"Izuku would sell you to Satan for a corn chip. You think he won't tell Katsuki just for drama?"

"Fair enough," Tsukauchi replied, like it was new information that Izuku would intentionally be obnoxious, just because he could, "Nem, Hizashi, and Tensei?"

"Uhh… I suppose. It depends on whether or not Katsuki cares for house guests, because I really just want to make that day as special as possible."

Shouta didn't know a whole lot about Katsuki, but he supposed bonding time was in their direct future. He began planning this cute little reveal, thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong. Maybe he should buy dinner, and a new movie? He knew cooking is out of the question, because knives and all that. Shouta, a professional overthinker, started thinking about Katsuki's birthday as well. The court date was the 3rd of June. That's in two weeks. Katsuki's birthday was back in April, and Shouta may or may not have started planning a surprise (late) birthday party. He could use that as an excuse to plan a party, and surprise Katsuki with the adoption.

Surprising Katsuki was a feat in and of itself. The kid was incredibly perceptive, and Shouta didn't know if that was because he was naturally vigilant, or if it was a habit he picked up from his old house. He always planned everything. He made sure he knew what to expect. That's why he was caught off guard so often. Things just don't go the way he thought they would. Shouta didn't let himself feel so bad that he wasn't what he expected, because in most cases that was a good thing. At least he's so open about making sure Shouts knew that he appreciated all those little things that Shouta never considered. He and Izuku both pointed out little things Shouta did to support or accept them, but they were second nature to him. It felt right to do those things. He never considered that something so insignificant in Shouta's eyes meant so much to those kids.

He never did those things because he thought he had to, or because he thought the kids needed an extra eye (they do, but not that way). He wondered if they thought he did.

Back to planning, he needed to figure this all out. Depending on when the adoption goes through, Shouta could be looking at anything from two weeks to two months on the paperwork, and Shouta really wanted to give him the actual documents, not just a promise that it'll happen very soon.

At least he could plan everything in advance, and make sure everything goes smoothly up until that point.

He didn't have to worry about Izuku's birthday, because that wasn't until mid to late July. School events and planning always got in the way, so he was determined to have them go exactly as planned.

Starting with….

"The Unforeseen Simulations Joint, or USJ," Thirteen proudly explained. This was their project, their entire UA lifeline. Shout could tell how much work they put into construction of the nine different domes. The building itself, the entrance, the central plaza, and the six different disaster zones circling it. 

He could tell the kids were excited. He only has nineteen students with him today. The absentee? His son, Aizawa Izuku. The kid was in the class for the spite, but did not want to spend all day, quote "getting sweaty and bruised doing stupid circus tricks for spare peanuts", and "why would I spend my time participating in the clown act when I can blow things up". Which is why he was with the support course students, and his best friend, Hatsume Mei. 

Izuku and Maijima got along fine, both being harbingers of chaos and misery, so Shouta wasn't worried about leaving Izuku with him. 

Katsuki woke up with a tiny cough, but he wasn't worried about it, and went to school anyway.

Shouta very much wished he stayed home. What he wouldn't give to have any of those kids safe at home instead of right here right now. 

The swirling purple mist in the very center of the USJ clashed strongly with the fun little peace of the building. The same peace that was quickly dying.

Shouta immediately jumped into the fray, taking out villains, as many as he could. There's only so much a single hero could do, but he could not let those kids know how terrified he was. They were off guard. They were ambushed. 

Thirteen was up there, corralling his kids, and keeping them safe.

God, he wished All Might wasn't so flaky. So unreliable. Shouta wanted to punch him too. He wasn't at fault for this, but Shouta's fear of one of his kids or his colleague or himself dying stemmed directly from All Might's glaringly obvious absence. 

He was getting tired. He already took out something close to ninety of the two hundred henchmen, and he was starting to get sluggish. He was glad these thugs were all second rate, two bit criminals, instead of big shots with crusty over there. A terrifying thought creeped into the back of his mind, when he realized that the pale, lean villain standing off kilter on the ground near the fountain was the only one there. Where is the mist?

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, in the lake. He saw Asui, and Shinsou clamber onto the ship, and he froze. Why were they over there?!

A split seconds hesitation could mean the end. He knew that. But he wasn't prepared, and that may have just cost him his own, or someone else's life. He felt his flesh peel away from his elbow, and the wound burned. That was incredibly painful, what is that?!

His arm, now useless, was limp at his sighed and he panted with exhaustion. He saw the mist return, but he was not happy with it. Asui and Shinsou in the water meant his kids were scattered. 

Regardless of his useless arm, he had to keep going, he wrapped his scarf around a villain, and he watched them go down. The villain, the boss, Shouta thinks, was saying something, but Shouta didn't know what. All he knew was that there was a large shadow looming over him, and he felt agonizing fear before it attacked.

There he was, the creature sitting atop his back. It snapped both of his arms, slamming his face into the concrete with enough force to knock him out. But it didn't. He persisted. He had to keep these kids safe. He had to stay alive. He had two kids at home, and they both relied on him. He could not, would not, die here. He was in unimaginable pain, but maybe he was grateful. If he wasn't in pain, he was dead. 

He heard Shigaraki Tomura speed somewhere else, and he distantly heard the splash of water. Water? Where was the water? There was a water zone. His students were in it. No. Nonono. It took all of his might, but he lifted his head, and erased that fucker's Quirk. Asui would die if he didn't. 

His students did not look happy with his state, but, well, he wasn't either. He had to get out of here.

A huge weight got off of him. Oh no. Where was the creature going now?! He had to– he had to stop it. He couldn't breathe.

He heard a crash, something exploding. Katsuki. Another, louder crash, and someone started cheering. 

"All Might!" They screamed excitedly. All Might was here? No, he had the time limit. His class was going to die. He was going to die. No…


He had to get them out of here. He couldn't…. He couldn't get up.


How was he going to protect them?


He passed out.

Izuku

He had been in the teacher's lounge with Hizashi when he got the news. The USJ had been attacked. Tenya came barging in, out of breath, tears shining in his eyes, and he delivered the news that a class trip was ambushed.

The same trip that his dad and brother were on. 

He wasn't allowed to go. Hizashi wiped his tears when they fell, and gave him a hug, "I'm going to make sure they're okay. Stay here, okay? Stay safe."

And then he was alone. No teachers. His dad wasn't here. He was being attacked. His brother was being attacked. What if they were dead?

Izuku just got a family. He can't lose them. He couldn't even wait with Recovery Girl, because she went too. Tsukauchi was supposed to go. Police, heroes, doctors, everyone but Izuku was there, and he wasn't allowed to go. Even Nezu was going! He knew his dad wouldn't want him to go, but frankly he didn't give a shit about what he wanted right now. What if his dad was dying? Izuku wanted to be there. What if that was the last place he ever lived in? Izuku wanted to be there. What if that was where Aizawa Shouta took his last breath, and Izuku wasn't there to say goodbye? 

What if he died?

What if Katsuki died?

What if his classmates and acquaintances all died?


What if there was no one left?


He felt like he was alone for a long time. It felt like forever. Eventually Hizashi came. He was fine. No scratches, no injuries. He volunteered to come back and get Izuku. 

He announced to the school that they were free to go home. Then he got Izuku buckled in his car, and they wordlessly sped to the hospital. Well, almost wordless.

"Is he okay," Izuku asked, choking on his tears.

Hizashi seemed to immediately know who 'he' was. Which he was glad for. He didn't want to talk any more than necessary.

"He's alive."

"That's not a yes," Izuku snapped, "Is he okay?"

"Izuku they're doing their best. I'm not a doctor. Last I saw, he was alive, and the doctors had hope." 

Looks like Hizashi was also distraught. Izuku didn't doubt that. His best friend was at risk of dying in the incredibly near future. Izuku didn't question him further. Every so often, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hizashi's grip on the steering wheel tighten, and they sped up just over the speed limit. Then they would slow down a little, and he would hear a sad, slow, almost silent deep breath. He bets they were supposed to be calming, but it didn't seem to be working.

Upon their arrival at the hospital, very few students were admitted. Most of them were just incredibly exhausted. Katsuki was nowhere to be found. Maybe he was one of the few in the beds. Maybe he was with their dad.

Izuku wanted to find him before he went in there. He didn't think he was ready to go in alone.

Hizashi gestured for Izuku to go in, but when he looked in, Katsuki was not there. He shook his head.

"Izuku, I think your dad would have liked you to visit him," Hizashi prompted, his voice uncharacteristically downtrodden and raspy.

He twitched. 'Would have liked'? It sounded like he was already dead. He shook his head again.

Then Hizashi nodded, and walked in without him. He had to find his brother. 

A quick headcount revealed six students missing. Koda, Kaminari, Todoroki, Yaoyorozu, Aoyama, and Katsuki.

"Little Aizawa," he heard someone say, "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think he's doing here, Hagakure? His dad's in the hospital!"

"Poor kid. He must be so sad."

"Why isn't he in Mr Aizawa's room?"


"Do you think he's scared?"

"He just looks numb."

"Little Aizawa—"

"Izuku," he heard a very distinct voice call to him, putting their hands over his ears. He didn't realize how much that would help. It was Lavender. Hitoshi. It was relief in the form of a person, "Come with me."

He walked with Izuku, after he put lightweight headphones on his ears. The lack of noise, and everything hitting him was making him cry. 

Hitoshi led him up several flights of stairs, and up to the roof access door.

"Your brother is out there. I figured that's who you were looking for."

"I didn't tell you…"

"You didn't need to. It's plain as day. Go talk to him. You need each other," Hitoshi soothed, giving him a gentle hug.

"Your headphones?" 

"Keep them. You need them more than I do. I'll see you later, Izuku," he walked away, and left Izuku to talk to Katsuki.

Sure enough, he was out there. He was sobbing, shouting silently, if that made sense.

"Hey, Kacchan," Izuku sighed, taking a seat next to his brother, "how are you doing after all that?"

"Izuku, what if he dies?" 

And there was the dreaded question. Izuku didn't know. He supposed they be sent to foster care, stuck together until some kind family decided to take pity on one of them and separate the two of them. Because of their enrollment at UA, they'd see each other every school day until they graduate, but that's only if the fosters are okay with them staying in that school. Some people hate heroes even more than Izuku did. He supposed they'd have a chance of being together for the rest of their time as teenagers, and lose touch when Kacchan becomes a hero. Perhaps some other hero would take their dad's place. But it wouldn't be the same. But he didn't say any of that. That's not what Kacchan needs right now.

"I don't know," is what he said instead. It was a lie, but he didn't have another option.

"I don't want him to die."

"No one does. Do you want to go see him?"

"No. That makes it real. If I stay up here, I can pretend I'm just being dramatic, and making a mountain out of a molehill. If I leave, I have to see all of our classmates with their injuries, and I get to see dad in a coma."

That was… fair. Izuku couldn't lie, "Hizashi is waiting for us. I know this is hard, but I'm sure dad would like us to be there."

"I'm not ready yet. Can we wait just a few more minutes?"

"Of course."

It took another ten and a half minutes, but Katsuki finally stood up, and held a helping hand out to Izuku. Together, they walked back down all those stairs, and into the room with their dad attached to a heart monitor. He was in a coma.

"The doctors came by a few minutes ago," Hizashi said quietly, on the other side of the bed, "they said he's stable, but they don't know when he'll wake up. He lost a lot of blood. I'm sorry kids." 

Izuku choked on his sorrow. He could handle this. He had to get through this, for Katsuki. He just joined the family, and now they were at risk of losing their guardian, and dad.

Izuku didn't consider it before, but surely Hizashi would take them if their dad died. Maybe.

Hopefully.

Hopefully, their dad wouldn't pass, and they would have nothing to worry about. But Izuku couldn't help but think the worst.

Two hours after they came and joined Hizashi in the hospital room, there was a knock on the door.

Hizashi, asleep, and Katsuki scared, Izuku went to answer it. His eyes darkened with malice when he laid eyes on who was on the other side.

"May I come in to see Aizawa," All Might asked sadly. Izuku had no tolerance for him right now, so he shook his head. "Please, child. I would like to make sure he's alright."

"He's in a coma. He lost a lot of blood. That's how alright he is, you asshole," Izuku sneered, "How hurt did you get, huh? Any fatal injuries that I can celebrate?"

"Young man, that is not very polite! I was simply asking to make sure he would be alright in the future!"

"We don't know if he will be," Izuku replied, glaring at All Might with all of his might, "let's step outside."

He clicked the door shut behind him, hoping to avoid disturbing his family. 

"May I have a list of his injuries?"

"Why?"

"I was late to the lesson. I would like to know what injuries he had, to study the villain that did this," he said, like that justified the question. 

"You… were late to the lesson? To the ambush? To the attack that nearly killed my dad, and left him in a coma?" 

Izuku was… angry. That wasn't a new feeling in fact, it was quite common for Izuku to feel that way. Especially when it came to All Might. 

"Yes, I would say I was a little over half an hour late," he said airly, like it was no big deal, "By the time I arrived, Aizawa had already taken several hits. He must have been nearing unconsciousness."

"So, if you had been on time, my father would not be injured? Or at least, not to the extent where his two sons are worried he'll die?"

All Might looked at him confusedly. Izuku thought, not for the first time, that All Might was an idiot. A cruel, stupid, emotionless idiot.

"Yes, I believe so," he agreed. 

Izuku felt a rage bubble in his chest. He didn't like this man before. Now, it was worse. This man not only crushed his dreams, but he admitted to being the problem, and a main catalyst to his dad's status.

"You stupid! Stupid! Poor excuse for a hero! My dad almost died! It's all your fault!" Izuku screeched. He was hitting All Might over and over, in the chest, anywhere he could reach.

"He might never… he might die. Because of you! Why were you late?! I was at the school, I was safe, but You weren't there! That's your entire thing! My dad might not wake up because you weren't where you were supposed to be! It's all your fault, and I hate you!"

Izuku continued to hit and fight him until he drew the attention of everyone in the halls. Katsuki, and the rest of his classmates, some pedestrians, and a few off-duty heroes saw him trying to fight against this really tall blond man, but Izuku didn't care. This man almost tore his family apart, and Izuku would never forgive him.

"Izuku," Hizashi shouted, trying to pull him away from All Might. The force of Izuku's pure rage kept him from succeeding, "Izuku, calm down! Get off him!"

"No! Dad might die because of him! I won't stop! I want to hurt him!" Izuku screamed, sobbing.

"Your dad is fine! Get off of him," Hizashi soothed, but it didn't work. Izuku broke away from his embrace, and glared at All Might. 

Then, he turned and sprinted down the hallway, and away from his family and friends, and the nurses shouting for him to stop running.

He ran.


And he ran.


For a while, he thought he was lost, but lost faded into familiar streets, and he ran all the way home. His lock wasn't sufficient. He needed somewhere no one would look for him.

There's only one place in the world like that. Only one place that everyone knows not to disturb. His clubhouse.

There he sat, in the corner of the Aizawa residences attic, wailing for his dad. And there he sat for hours and hours. It felt like it was all night. Then he heard the front door click shut, and a familiar voice called out to him.

It was…


Hitoshi.

Hitoshi

Shinsou Hitoshi, Aizawa Izuku's best friend, hero course student with a brainwashing Quirk, member of Class 1-A, and, according to his friends, super charming, did not know what to do. Izuku's brother, Katsuki, had told him that Izuku stormed out of the hospital after he had a meltdown and attacked All Might. Present Mic said they should leave him be. He needed time.

Hitoshi begged to differ. When his dad passed away in a villain attack a few years ago, his mum 'gave him time', and that was exactly what he didn't need. Katsuki agreed. The kid wasn't sure he wanted to leave his dad's side, just in case, so he was given a key to their house to go check on him. (Katsuki checked the 'stalker' app on his phone, and confirmed that Izuku was, in fact, at home). 

Hitoshi walked along the streets as quickly as possible, while also conserving energy. It must have taken hours to actually navigate these streets, regardless of the Aizawa's address punched into his phone, and the semi-constant directions said in a monotone voice with a fake American accent. 

Eventually, though, Hitoshi reached a house with a majestic front lawn. The swaying willow gave off vibes of toned magic, despite the sad energy the property gave off, with Hitoshi's knowledge of Mr Aizawa's current condition.

He let himself in, knowing that no one would answer if he knocked, and called into the house, "Izuku?"

No answer. Hitoshi didn't really expect anything different, but it would have been nice if this interaction was cut and dry. 

He checked every room. Izuku's had a lock on it, but the door was wide open. The bathroom, storage, and utility closet were all void of Izuku as well. Katsuki's room was almost distressingly empty. Also Izuku-less.

For a brief, sad moment, Hitoshi may have thought that he would be in Aizawa's room. It felt the most like a place Izuku would go if he wanted to be close to his dad, but not next to him.

But he wasn't there.

"Izuku?" He called again, hoping for some kind of answer. He checked the cabinets, under the table, under the couch, in the backyard, and everywhere else he could think to check. 

"Izuku," he shouted through the house. He could have sworn it echoed. 

It was a beautiful home. The front yard had a willow tree, and a rose garden that Hitoshi admired. In the backyard, there was a large oak tree, with a tire swing that looked a little too homemade to be safe. The grass was green, and the siding on the house was a rustic brown colour. If Hitoshi didn't know any better, he'd say it was a family home. Maybe it was. 

When he counted the rooms (looking for Izuku), on the first floor there were two bedrooms, a bathroom, a closet, the second floor had another two bedrooms, another bathroom, two closets, but one looked more like another bedroom considering how large it was.

He heard a slight shuffling in the ceiling, and Hitoshi made the connection that there was somewhere else he entirely forgot to look. Katsuki talked about a 'secret clubhouse' that Izuku spent a lot of time in. He looked all over the hallways for the ladder, or stairs. 

There was a trapdoor, and a ladder in Izuku's room. Hitoshi pulled it open, and shimmied into the 'attic'. It looked more like the roof space was intentionally closed off from use, but Izuku got in anyway. There were empty boxes, and a grubby window that overlooked the front lawn, and another on the opposite end that reflected the back. He felt like he was intruding on this personal space.

There was a workshop of sorts in the far corner, and Hitoshi spotted various projects. But, of all the very Izuku-like things he saw, he did not see Izuku himself.

"Go away," he heard Izuku's tearful voice command. It echoed, and Hitoshi wasn't sure where it came from.

"I'm here to check up on you, Izuku. Your brother sent me," he soothed. He hoped Ashido was right, and his voice was calming.

"I'm fine," he sniffled in response. Hitoshi didn't believe that for a second. 

He started looking for Izuku, rummaging through some of the larger boxes, and under the furniture, "Okay, then. Can we talk?"

"Go away," Izuku repeated. Hitoshi was getting closer. 

"I just want to make sure you're alright."

"I said I'm fine! Please go away," there he was. Hitoshi moved a somewhat heavy box off the the side, and he found Izuku curled up with his knees to his chest on a makeshift futon, and a pile of blankets. It looked like a bed. 

"Can I sit down?" He asked politely, ignoring Izuku's request for his departure, "Just for a little bit?"

Izuku looked up at him skeptically, but Hitoshi supposed he didn't see any hint of interrogation, and gestured for him to sit, "I guess,"

"Thank you," Hitoshi said politely, sitting right next to Izuku. He made no move to initiate physical contact. Izuku, however, did, and leaned into his side.

"Why do heroes get to hurt people," he asked sadly, still crying, "Why do they get to hurt people, and I get punished if I fight back?"

Hitoshi had to think for a moment on how to word that, "I think the world got too used to having heroes that they forgot what they're really for. You've been hurt by heroes before, then?"

"So much. They failed me over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again," Izuku cried, "They never care about what they ruin for people. It's all for fame, now. It's not fair."

"No," Hitoshi agreed, "It's not…"

"Have you ever been hurt by the heroes," Izuku asked quietly, like he didn't want to speak anymore. 

"Yeah, a few times," Hitoshi sighed, "My dad passed away in a villain attack a couple years ago. Endeavor didn't save him."

"The Mustutafu Bank bombing?" 

"Yeah," he cringed, "why?"

"That's where my mum died…"

Oh. Oh wow. Looks like they share a bit of trauma. That's a terrible thing to share. He freed his arm, and pulled Izuku into a side-embrace. He felt Izuku's arms wrap around his mid-rim. They were comforting each other?

Huh.

Hitoshi got plenty of love from his moms, but he supposed he hadn't gotten quite enough comfort and closure, and being near and close to someone who had gone through the exact same thing helped a little.

Eventually, tears built in Hitoshi's eyes as well, and they restarted with Izuku, and they cried together, arms holding the two of them close. 

Maybe ten minutes later, Hitoshi felt Izuku's breathing even out, and his tears slowed as he fell asleep.

Soon after that, the effects of what happened that morning caught up to him, and the exhaustion creeped up on him, and he fell asleep as well.

It didn't feel like very long, but eventually his ring tone woke him up. It was obnoxious, and loud, and Hitoshi worried that it was going to startle Izuku, and ruin his sleep.

Little did he know, right then…

"My dad's awake!" Katsuki exclaimed excitedly, "I called Izuku, but he didn't pick up. Is he okay?"

"He's with me. He fell asleep," he informed him, smiling. Izuku was so cute, "That's great news! We're on our way to see you guys."

Katsuki thanked him absently, and hung up.

That was great news! He's sure Izuku would be happy. Now the dilemma. Wake Izuku, and inform him of the update, or let him sleep. Both had benefits. On one hand, Izuku probably really missed his dad, and keeping him from knowing that he's alive and well could have drastic consequences. But on the other hand, he had a really long day, and needed his rest. Never mind the fact that he was super cute curled up on those blankets, dead to the world, and snoring softly. 

Not the time.

He reached over and shook Izuku. Like it was even a question on what he should do. It took a little work, but he shook Izuku awake, and watched him rub at his eyes sleepily. His heart may have skipped a beat when he mumbled his name in that sleep-heavy voice, but he ignored it in favor of the good news, "You're dad's awake," he cheered, smiling pleasant at Izuku.

"...What?" Izuku sounded so hopeful, but also so scared. Like he was scared of Hitoshi being wrong. He was scared that it was all a dream. He was just… scared.

"Yeah! He woke up, and he's asking for you," Hitoshi laughed, pulling Izuku into a hug, "let's go see him."

"...Okay!"

It took way less time to walk from the house back to the hospital, Hitoshi noted. Maybe it was because Izuku knew the way back. Maybe it was because of the lighter feeling in his chest.

Upon their arrival back at the hospital room, Izuku glanced around warily for All Might. Of course, he wasn't there. No one but close friends and family were allowed in the room, and Hitoshi hesitated at the door. Was he allowed to come in?

Izuku pulled him in anyways. It felt nice to be included, and see Izuku so excited, and see Aizawa up in bed, and smiling. 

Izuku rushed to give him a hug, and Katsuki leaned in too. Present Mic hung back, smiling, and crying a little. Well, crying a lot, and trying to hide it, so Hitoshi gave him the benefit of the doubt.

"Thanks, kid," he whispered to Hitoshi while they both watched the Aizawas embrace. 

"No problem," he replied. It was good enough to just see this reunion happen.

"We're going to be okay," he heard Aizawa whisper to his kids. Then he looked up at Present Mic, and Hitoshi, and smiled at them too.

Chapter Text

Katsuki

The attack at the USJ was fresh on both he and Izuku's minds for the past couple of weeks. They were given a few days off of school, and Katsuki used that as time for self improvement. Since his dad was told, with little room for argument by literally everyone that cared about him, to stay off his feet. He tried complaining that he needed to do some things around the house, when his work excuses flopped, but Izuku and Katsuki were on it. They could tell that he was caught between being proud of them for taking on the responsibility, and being upset because they were against him getting up and around to help them.

Katsuku sat Izuku down, and told him that they needed to hash out a plan in case their dad tries to help, and how they were going to divide chores. 

Izuku volunteered to do literally everything except cook. Because, apparently he tried when their dad got sick way back when, and he almost (he did) burn the kitchen down. He said he would usually love to try again, but he wasn't sure it wasn't going to happen again, and burning the kitchen down wasn't very helpful for the healing of one's mind and body. 

But that was okay, because Katsuki liked cooking. He was running out of recipe options that don't include knives, but he was working on that. It was taking longer than he would have wished, though.

Izuku volunteered to do the knife-ing when the recipe required it, and Katsuki would temporarily leave the room. He felt stupid. What a sad thing to be afraid of. His brother isn't going to stab him, what is he thinking?

They walked to UA every day, and either Hizashi or All Might taught their dad's class. Supposedly, Hizashi threatened the number one hero. With what, Aizawas 2 & 3.0 did not know. It was best not to question it.

Izuku disappeared during the lessons that he knew All Might was going to teach, which cut his time with their classmates in another half. He spent all his time with Mei, whom Katsuki met during this whole shit show. She was nice. A little manic, but Katsuki didn't mind. Izuku was right when he said they had similar personalities. 

Izuku was also getting super close to their shared classmate, Shinsou. Like Katsuki was close to Eijiro kind of bond. 

"Hey, Izuku, I have a question for you," Katsuki asked that morning. Shinsou had yet to arrive. 

"What's up Kacchan?" Izuku replied.

"Do you have a crush on anyone?"

"What is this, a middle school slumber party?" Izuku asked, stiff. If Katsuki knew Izuku at all, he was trying to redirect the conversation.

"It's Shinsou, isn't it?"

"Yes, oh my God, he's so pretty!" Izuku exclaimed, sighing, and leaning onto his desk, "Just look at him! He's the most perfect boy ever."

Katsuki's eyes drifted to Eijiro, who was doodling puppies in his notebook, "No, you've got it all wrong."

"Eijiro is the most perfect boy for you," Izuku replied, poking Katsuki's cheek, "Hitoshi and I are made for each other."

"Then tell him," Katsuki prompted, taking a good long look at Eijiro before he tuned back into the conversation, "It's not that hard."

"Were you the one to ask Eijiro out?" Izuku asked.

"Yes, actually," Katsuki sighed, gripping Izuku's shoulders like he was a sports team member, and Katsuki was hyping him up, "I promise you nothing will go wrong, if you time it right. Tell him."

Izuku stared back at him for a long second, before Shinsou walked into the room, Izuku's green eyes tracked the movement, and he blushed, "I'll think about it."

All Might began the heroics lesson the next afternoon. Of course, that meant that Izuku was hanging off his friend's shoulder in one of the other classrooms. Far, far away from All Might and his bullshit.

Shinsou, ever the skulker, approached him during the lesson. Like he was counting on his brother being absent.

This was either about to go really well, or really poorly. Katsuki didn't know which.

"Hey," he started. So far so good. 

"What's up? Is this about Izuku?"

"It is, actually," Shinsou confirmed. Oh good, so Katsuki was right, "How did you know?"

"Just a hunch," Katsuki shrugged. This was bound to be way more fun than listening to All Might's droning voice go on and on about flashiness (again), "What do you want?"

"Is your brother single?" 

"Do me a favor, and count the people in line to date him," Katsuki pointed out.

"So that's a yes?" He asked.

"Of course, that's a yes, dumbass. Why? Are you interested?"

"Let's say I was," he said slowly, like he was afraid of Katsuki's reaction. What was he going to say, No? Izuku was dead over heels for this guy. "How would you respond?"

Katsuki stared at this kid for a long time. He thought, 'What the fuck? Is this guy legitimately asking for my blessing? What is this, an eighteenth century courting ritual?'

Shinsou hovered nervously around him, but to his credit he was very good at hiding it.

"Literally just ask him out," Katsuki said when he was done staring. Izuki was right. Making people uncomfortable with just one's eyes was really easy, "It's not that hard, eyebags."

"What do you know?" Shinsou asked. Katsuki raised his arm and pointed at Eijiro. His redheaded boyfriend noticed the attention, waved, and blew him a kiss. Dork.

"Fair enough," Shinsou sighed, "So you're cool with me asking him out?"

"Birdie, this isn't a romance novel. Just do it."

"I'll think about it."

Izuku was right (again). They really were made for each other. 

He wondered if he'd have to deal with any more of this shipping drama.

_______

The answer was yes. He did.

"Katsuki!" Izuku screamed from his bedroom. 

Katsuki was in the kitchen, inching towards the knife block. He had just gotten his hands on the handle of a small one when Izuku showed up at the counter, and started interrogating him. Looks like homemade knife exposure therapy would have to wait.

"What. Are you doing?"

"You said I should ask him out!" He screeched. 

Katsuki put a hand to his mouth, to try and shut him up because their dad was asleep, but Izuku just licked him. Instead of being vocally disgusted, he simply wiped his hands on a disinfectant wipe, and instructed Izuku to not do so again, "You should wash out your mouth before your tongue starts burning. Remember my explosion Quirk? Take a wild guess as to how it's activated."

Izuku, for his part, only hesitated for a second, before he was dashing to the other side of the kitchen counter to rinse the nitroglycerin off his tongue. 

Then he ran back over to the other side of the counter, sat back down, and hounded Katsuki for answers. Answers to what, he didn't know. And he wasn't going to focus on it either. He had cookies to take off the tray.

"You said I should ask him out," Izuku restarted. Katsuki hummed, noncommittal.

"Did you?" He asked, "Ask him out, that is."

"No! I didn't get the chance to, before he did it first!" He yelled, flapping his hands angrily.

"Izuku, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a good thing?" He asked, not pausing in plating the cookies.

"It isn't when you have an idiot brother who had every opportunity to spill my secret!" That sounded like an accusation.

"Izuku, I swear– One: I promise I did not say anything to him about your die-hard cutie-pie crush. And Two: it's not a secret. Ask literally anyone."

"DAD!" Izuku yelled. Katsuki really hoped he wasn't asleep.

"What do you need, Izuku?" He heard his dad answer, fully awake, and sounding slightly panicked.

"Did you know I have a crush on Shinsou?"

"That purple-haired kid in my class?" He asked loudly. Katsuki should talk to Izuku about loosening the reins on their dad's recovery. Especially since he was moving just fine, now.

"Yes!" Izuku screeched, right next to Katsuki. His hearing aids didn't like that.

"Yeah, I knew that," he shouted back, "You aren't very good at hiding it kiddo."

Izuku grumbled, "I'll accept when I've been defeated," he replied, picking at the charm he attached to his phone case, "what am I supposed to do now?"

"I don't know, Izuku, maybe accept the date?" Katsuki asked. It really wasn't difficult. Katsuki didn't understand why they were having so much trouble, "Unless you don't want to, in which case politely decline."

"No I want to go," Izuku said, then sniffled, "But I don't know how. What if we go on this date, and he decides he doesn't like me? What if I'm not good enough?"

Katsuki took a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. It would take a lot of patience to get over this next hurdle, "Izuku, he asked me yesterday if it was okay that he asked you out. Like I was some prestigious noble in medieval times, and he was but a lowly commoner–"

"Are you sure those aren't just your complex fantasies?"

"Can you wait for me to finish before you try to roast me?" He sighed, "Anyway, he asked if you were single."

Izuku looked at him in disbelief, like he was surprised that Katsuki was telling him someone liked him. 'Bullshit,' Katsuki thought, 'you're the most annoying, lovable little shit.'

"Seriously, the dudes got a major crush," Katsuki confided, "Besides, if he goes on this date with you and quote 'decides that he doesn't doesn't like you', I have class with him all day, every day. I spar with plenty of people. What stops me from going just a little bit harder on him if he's an asshole to you? Offer pending for any and all couple fights, by the way."

"Katsuki's right," his dad walked out of his bedroom, leaning slightly on the wall, like he had bad balance. Izuku looked two seconds away from sending him back to bed, and it looked like his dad was just waiting for it to happen. Katsuki, however, thought that he would be useful in this discussion, and motioned for him to come sit down. He looked so relieved to be able to join them. 

"That kid is so in love, I wonder if he's even paying attention in class," he said, sighing as he took a seat next to them, "He sits right behind you Izuku, and I can see his eyes glaze over while he daydreams."

Izuku looks a little disturbed. Katsuki supposed he just didn't know about that. Huh.

"Give me your phone," Katsuki demanded, "You want to go, you don't know how to respond, I do, give me the phone."

Izuku, albeit reluctantly, handed over his phone. 

::Izu is Online::

(Today. 2:34pm)Toshi: 

Hey zuzu

I have a question for you.

You're not here right now, but now that I've sent the message I can't take it back and I think if I wait too long to say it I'll weasel out of it and never tell you. 

(Today. 2:35pm) Toshi:

Izuku, are you there?

Okay then here goes

Sorry this is nerve wracking

Asdkejshsbs

Crap, sorry I dropped my phone

Okay, now here goes

There's a new cat cafe opening down near the grocery store.

Would you like to go with me to check it out?

Like a date situation?

(Today. 2:37pm)Toshi:

Fuck I'm sorry thats super awkward

I wanna ask you properly

Shit you just read these messages

So is it a yes or a no?

Don't feel pressured to say yes, please

(Today. 2:38pm)Izu:

I'm here

Ummm

Give me one sec

(Today. 2:38pm)Toshi:

Okay

Take your time

(Today. 2:48pm)Izu:

I'd love to!

When are you free?

(Today. 2:49pm)Toshi:

Oh shit really?

Fuck yea!

I'm free any day

(Today. 2:54pm)Izu:

I'm free tomorrow

At what time

(Today. 2:56pm)Toshi:

How about 3

That seems like a pretty open time

(Today. 3:00pm)Izu:

It's a date!

♡♡♡

::Izu is Offline::

"All done," Katsuki handed the device back to Izuku, "Are we going to talk about how your chat names are Izu and Toshi?" He asked. He saw Izuku stiffen just a little as he watched, and he waved an arm to brush it off.

"I won't if you won't," Izuku snorted.

"Are you sure you aren't already dating?" Katsuki teased. He felt a steady, pleasant warmth in his chest when he thought about how happy this made Izuku. His little brother was going on a date.

Izuku smiled at him, head inclined slightly to the left, silently thanking him, Katsuki thought. His dad smiled at both of them, "I've missed you both." He said. 

"You haven't left. We haven't been gone," Katsuki pointed out, finally placing the plate of cookies between them. Izuku offered them to their dad, and then took the rest of the plate.

"No, but someone," he looked pointedly at Izuku, "didn't want me to walk around my own house, and justified it by calling it healing."

"I stand by that decision," Izuku defended himself. Katsuki wondered how this debate would play out, "If you walk around the house, you wouldn't heal, and if you don't heal, you don't be a good hero, and then you lose brownie points."

"Brownie points," he echoed, bored, "what the fuck are those?"

"It doesn't matter, because what I did is called 'backseat healing'. Basically I'm your live, laugh, loving nurse in this situation."

Katsuki and his dad shared a long look. They agreed, silently, that Izuku was not the most desirable caretaker. They would not, however, voice that fact to him. It was better to have Izuku positive in this situation anyways. The opposite is… Izuku was very reactive when he got upset. 

"While we're one the subject of healing," Katsuki said, turning the rest of his attention to his dearly beloved dad, "Speaking as Recovery Girl's messenger, you are allowed to return to work on Monday morning. Teaching only."

"Oh, that's great! Finally," he sighed, leaning back in his chair. 

Katsuki felt rather nice about his family. He had a troublesome little brother (but who doesn't, right?) and a dad that truly cared. Sure he worried about the potential of this arrangement going wrong, what with what Shinsou would describe as "daddy issues", but nothing that would actively harm his relationships. 

Izuku liked causing problems, Katsuki kind of followed his lead, and their dad stood to the side and either let it happen, or did his best to stop it, depending on the severity of what they planned to do. He must like fixing things, since he has adopted two children with a genius knack for inciting agitation.

Katsuki and Izuku may (or may not) have kept him on bed rest a little too long, and they were both quite certain that Recovery Girl thought that it was hilarious that two teenagers were willing and able to all but lock Aizawa "Eraserhead" Shouta in his bedroom until his bones stopped being weak. Essentially, the student has become the teacher, and they grounded their dad.

He could tell he didn't mind too much, though.

Izuku soon waved them off with a 'later losers' and Katsuki was pretty sure he heard the ceiling creak. Shinsou described it as a clubhouse, and Izuku requested that he avoid intruding. His dad also said he should avoid that area. Katsuki Wondered if it was for his protection or Izuku's. Maybe both.

He hoped Izuku's date goes well.

For Shinsou's sake. 

Izuku

Izuku's date with Hitoshi was right around the corner, and he's so excited! A cat cafe with the cutest boy in the entirety of UA. Cafe. Date. Izuku might swoon.

Hitoshi messaged him a few more times throughout the night, and at some point during each conversation he tentatively brought up the date. Like he was silently asking Izuku if he actually wanted to go. Which was a terrible question to ask. Of course he wanted to go. He wanted to go more than anything.

And that's how he found himself in front of 'Flavourly Latte', with an electronic sign that had a chibi mug with latte art styled like a cat. Huh. The sign was cute. Hitoshi, right next to him, was bright red. 

'It kind of clashes with his hair,' Izuku thought, 'It is now my life's mission to make him as flushed as possible.'

Hitoshi ushered him inside like he was a prince, and strode awkwardly over to one of the far booths. It was obvious he was uncomfortable, but Izuku tried to avoid letting it bug his insecurities. He was probably just being weird because this was a date. A date with a person that he apparently had a huge crush on. Izuku felt good being that person.

Hitoshi insisted he order whatever he wanted. Don't worry about anything. Izuku told him that that was sweet, but he was not going to let him pay for everything.

"I have been preparing myself to give you the perfect first date. I can't do that if you're going to be stubborn."

"Well, I'm naturally stubborn," Izuku reminded him, crossing his arms on his chest. He was hoping it made himself look bigger, but Katsuki told him he looked like an angry toddler when he did that, and that wasn't the energy he was going for, "So you should prepare yourself for that."

"Oh, I did. But little do you know that I'm also stubborn, and I'm paying," Hitoshi also crossed his arms. Whoa. That worked for him. It left his muscle-y arms on display.

"Bring it on Lavender," Izuku challenged. 

Turns out, Hitoshi was not kidding when he said he was paying. He and Izuku playfully fought over it every few minutes, until they agreed that whoever got to the bill first got to pay. And Hitoshi won by a landslide. He looked like he was going faster than light as he dashed to their table to pay before Iduku could even get up. He would like to state his case and condition as 'incapacitated'. Why? There was a cat that had been deciding where he wanted to sit, and Izuku didn't know if he would pick his lap or not. 

The rest of the date continued like that for a long time. Hitoshi would offer to pay, Izuku would fight him, they would banter around, then Hitoshi would pull some stupid scheme to pay before Izuku could first. 

Maybe he resorted to trickery because he knew that Izuku would win otherwise. 

Eventually, they arrived at the beach. Takoba Beach. Izuku noted that it was clearer than he remembered, and Hitoshi moved along past the rubble to an old train car. Izuku thought it looked well used.

"What is this place?" He asked cautiously. He hadn't heard of any murders in the area, but he thought it was okay to be nervous.

"You have your attic clubhouse, I have my beach clubhouse," Hitoshi justified the secret, "I come here to hide from my mums."

"Your mum's are… bad, then?"

"Oh," Hitoshi paused, "No, they're not bad. They just don't understand me. And the fosters are mean."

Fosters? Was Hitoshi adopted?

"They like taking in 'kids like me'. Kids that lost one or both parents in villain attacks. A lot of the kids they bring are older than me, though," Hitoshi sighed, sitting on his own little makeshift bed in the corner of the old car, "They're nothing like me."

Izuku sat down on one of the old seats, and waited for Hitoshi to continue.

"Sorry, this isn't really a first date conversation," he apologized, "I'll change the subject."

"No, no you can keep talking. Your voice is calming," Izuku prompted, resting his head on the back of the chair. 

"Okay, but I stand by changing the subject. Do you have a preferred topic?"

"No… just talk."

He did. He talked for what felt like hours. Time blurred when he spoke, and Izuku was getting tired. He'd close his eyes for just a minute. Just a minute. Then he'd open them and keep listening.

When he opened his eyes, they weren't in the train car. Hitoshi was carrying him, down streets not unfamiliar. The sun was barely set, bathing the alley with a vivid orange hue. It also clashed with Lavender's hair, and Izuku was reminded that he wanted to make him blush a whole lot. Oh well, there was always next time. 

When they rounded the corner, and spotted Izuku's house, Hitoshi stiffened. When Izuku looked, Kacchan was waiting for them, leaning against the door. He looked pissed. Uh oh. What was he mad about?

"Izuku, are you okay?" He asked hurriedly, panicked. 

Izuku wiggled off of Hitoshi's back, and yawned, "Yeah, why?"

"Because you were supposed to be back two hours ago!" 

Oh. Izuku didn't know that. He never considered planning a time for the date to end, "I'm fine. We just fell asleep."

"Actually, you fell asleep. I just kept talking." Hitoshi corrected, taking a small step back after he set Izuku down.

"Where did you go?" 

"The cafe, a toy store, and the beach." Hitoshi was taking this concern really well. That's probably good. If Hitoshi panicked, Kacchan would likely get even more upset.

"We laughed at Endeavor merch," Izuku sighed with content, "and he bought me this rubber dinosaur, and this frog plush."

He showed Katsuki the items, and he relaxed a little, "I was worried. Please be better next time."

"Sorry, Katsuki."

"Yeah, I'm sorry Kacchan."

"Just get inside," he pointed at the door, and moved out of the way. Izuku waved goodbye to Hitoshi, and he caught the tail end of Hitoshi's smile.

Once the door was shut, the voices resumed, and Izuku could hear them through the wood.

"Did he have fun?"

"We both did. I promise he's fine, too. He just fell asleep while he was listening to me talk, which I did at his request," Hitoshi's voice confirmed, "I promise I would never let anything happen to him. You don't have to worry."

"I'll worry anyways."

"That's fair. I would too."

Izuku had nothing to worry about, so he went up to his clubhouse, and put his dino, frog, and pictures away.

Yeah.

He hoped he would get a second date.

Shouta

The same day as Izuku's date, the adoption finally went through. Shouta happened to be in Tsukauchi's office when he got the call.

"Oh my god, it's official!" He screamed, hitting his hands together to avoid picking up and throwing things. He had to set his phone down, out of his easy reach, or he would, in Izuku's words, yeet it, "Tsu, he's my kid now! He was my kid before, but he's mine now!"

Tsukauchi looked up from his paperwork, looking at Shouta with excitement, "Really?"

"Yeah! I get to tell him!" This was one of the days days off his life, Shouta decided, "Katsuki is an Aizawa!"

"That's great!" Tsu cheered. Shouta didn't quite hear him. His excitement was roaring in his head, and he had to sit and bounce his leg up and down to stop himself from running around the room.

"Shouta, you should go home, go celebrate," Tsukauchi did his best to calm him down, but it did not work. Nothing would, at this point. The last time he was this excited was when the adoption went through for Izuku, and he called him dad for the first time. 

He nodded quickly, stiffly stood up, and walked robotically out of the room. He had two legal sons, two little kiddos, two additions to the crumbling Aizawa name (not that it was all that honorable to begin with), and two whole family members that he helped. He saved. He protected. He couldn't wait to give them the good news.

How was he going to do that?

The obvious answer was Tsu's party idea, but how was he going to pull it off by himself?

He had to tell someone.

And that is how he found himself at a book cafe with Hizashi, and Nemuri. Tensei was, regrettably, on a mission, so he could not join them. 

"I need your help," he started, drumming his fingers on the table anxiously, "I'm planning a party."

"Whoa. Who are you?" Nemuri teased, leaning forward in her chair, and gazing at him attentively.

"I'll admit, it is a little out of character, Sho. What for?" Hizashi agreed, sipping on his venti mocha half-caf salted caramel iced coffee with extra chocolate drizzle, and a dash of cinnamon.

"It's for Katsuki," he admitted, "The adoption is official, and I wanted to surprise him."

"Dude, that's awesome!" Hizashi cheered, "You must be so excited!"

"I am. I was with Naomasa when I got the call, and he could see me leap around with boundless energy."

"Okay, so what do you want to do for the party?"

That needed a little bit more thought than an impulsive friendly phone call so he can inform his friends of what's going to happen. He wanted Katsuki out of the house for at least a few hours so he could cook. He wanted to have Izuku be part of the planning, being how else are they going to send Katsuki away long enough to prepare the party? Nemuri was best at colour coordination, but Tsukauchi knew how to not go overboard. 

Hizashi, a man of several talents, would have to wait until we found the right thing for him to do, so officially he was on standby. Shouta needed to inform Izuku, pull him away from his brother, and explain the plan, what he needed to do, and get him to promise he won't say anything to anyone. 

He should also get Kirishima in on it. Surely Katsuki would like to see him there. Kirishima was probably the easier of the two tasks, but they were both up to Shouta to complete. Otherwise, the entire operation would crumble like the sand just out of the sun. The thing was, he had no idea how to go about this. It was Sunday, so Shouta supposed he could pull the chipper student behind after class, and break the news to him then, but there still came the issue of Kirishima and Katsuki telling each other literally everything, so maybe Shouta had two teens to convince.

Maybe.

"Okay, so here's the plan…"

The next morning in class, Monday, oh how much he usually hated this day, and how much he claimed to hate teaching, he really didn't. He missed caring that it was Monday.

The day passed, uneventful. Well, kind of. His class was really excited to see him, especially since they hadn't seen him since he was in the hospital, and that was a month ago. So other than all twenty (sixteen. Katsuki, Izuku, Tenya, and Todoroki were all happy, but not actively partying). 

After class was when the real treat happened. He called for Kirishima to stay behind after school, and he watched with moderate amounts of amusement as his class all went 'ooooo, you're in trouble'. Kirishima, he supposed rightfully so, was freaking out, and Shouta could see the gears turn in his head while he tried to figure out what to do. 

After the lesson, Kirishima's close friends all bade him farewell, and told him they would provide a poetic eulogy. Katsuki lingered, but Kirishima motioned for him to go, signing 'I'll meet you at our spot'.

And then he was gone.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Kirishima asked stiffly. He was nervous.

"Yes, it's about Katsuki," Shouta affirmed, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Yes, of course. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. In fact, everything is right. Can you promise to keep this a secret?"

"Indeed I can," Kirishima promised, "I swear on everything I own that I will not tell a soul."

Shouta considered it for a moment. Kirishima wasn't one to lie, but he was still a little skeptical, "Not even Katsuki."

"Of course not. If I may ask, why me?" He asked, "Why pick me for this secret?"

"Because, all things considered, you are likely Katsuki's favorite person," He explained, kind of tired, "I'm planning a surprise party for Katsuki, and I would like you to attend. The kid needs all the happy things."

Kirishima looked to be considering it. If anything, he looked confused, or impressed. Shouta had remarkable patience. He could wait forever. But now, though, he would really like Kirishima to hurry up the thought process.

"What's the party for?" He finally asked, "Because his birthday is in April."

"We are celebrating his adoption."

"Oh," Kirishima replied, before it hit him, "Oh, that's amazing! You must be super happy!"

"I am. I thought I would inform you, because I would like Katsuki's favorite people to be in the room when I tell him," Shouta reasoned, "The event takes place at my family's house, the place you walk him to. Monday. Will I see you there?"

Kirishima nodded vigorously, "Of course, sir. I would love to!"

"Thank you. That is all, you're excused," Shouta said, leaning down to gather his things to leave, "and remember, don't tell anyone. Especially not Katsuki."

Kirishima nodded again, and skipped out of the classroom. He was really excited for the event. They all were.

Izuku sat on top of Shouta's car, munching on something that Shouta thought, for his sanity, not to question. Quickly scolding him, and motioning to get in the car, they were off down the road.

He and Katsuki, and Kirishima, agreed that he was allowed to walk home, if he would like to. Izuku was not, unless he was tagging along with Katsuki, or with Shinsou. Simply because of what happened last time. (Internally, he shuddered. Never again). He needed to bring it up, while they're alone.

"What do you need to bring up?" Izuku asked. Wait, what? What was that?

Did Shouta say that out loud?

"Dad?" 

"Oh, yes?" He replied, gripping the steering wheel in confusion. 

"You said you needed to bring something up. What's wrong?"

He was quite certain that he hadn't said that, "Yes, but I need you to promise not to tell anyone."

"Yeah yeah–"

"I'm serious, Izuku. Not a soul," Shouta pressed, sending glances at Izuku's way to make sure he got the message, "do you understand?"

Izuku faltered for a long moment, then nodded, "I promise. Actually, this time."

Shouta nodded, and told Izuku, "We're planning a surprise for Katsuki," he could see Izuku gear up to ask why, but he stopped him before he did, "The adoption is official."

Izuku beamed, screaming right next to Shouta in some form of excitement. He had an (official) partner in crime. Well, partner in not legal stuff, but they may as well be crimes, right?

Shouta told him all about the plans all the way home, including his part as house decorator alongside Hizashi. Nemuri and Tsukauchi would get decorations, Shouta would cook, and Kirishima's job is to keep Katsuki away for as long as possible. The entire event would fall apart if it weren't for Kirishima's job. 

Izuku agreed with all of it. He weirdly stressed that he was not going to tell anyone. Like… he was incredibly insistent on the fact that he was not going to tell anyone. 

The other members of the surprise planning group were at the house already. Kirishima was going to stall, to give them time to hammer out last minute flaws in the plan. He was taking him to his place, to place some kind of board game that Kirishima's dad invented, or something. Katsuki was excited about it.

He learned why Izuku was being weird about it just an hour later, when they were planning.

"Sho-Sho, you got Izuku up to speed, right?" Nemuri asked.

"I did. He's going to help Hizashi decorate."

"Okay Izuku," Hizashi chirped, "We need to talk about our game plan. How are we going to go about decorating this entire house?"

"Sorry, I'm not allowed to divulge anything to anyone." Izuku smirked. He leaned against the refrigerator, eating an onion. Like an apple. 

"Izuku, I'm part of the planning, please talk to me." Hizashi pleaded. 

Izuku was obviously having fun with this. He was making things entirely too difficult, and he was probably ecstatic about it, "I think you have the wrong number. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Izuku, you little shit!" Hizashi screeched, finally fed up with Izuku's attitude, "The one time you dutifully follow instructions, you figure out how to be annoying then too!"

"It's a talent," Izuku agreed. He had a wicked smirk on his face, and clearly relished in how angry Hizashi was getting, "Anyone else?"

"Izuku, quit being difficult." Shouta scolded. There were only four adults Izuku listened to. Shouta, Nemuri, Recovery Girl, and Nezu. He claimed his right to be a nuisance to everyone else. Izuku pouted, but didn't outwardly object. He took a seat at the table, while Shouta flicked through recipes in the kitchen.

"I'd say divide and conquer, but you and I have wildly different styles of decoration, so we'll have to go room to room together." Izuku said.

"How about we limit the event areas to just the main area here? Have a few trailing down the hallway, and up the stairs, but I don't see why the entire house need to be decorated," Hizashi reasoned. He had a good point, Shouta noted, "also, no glitter." 

There. Izuku was definitely pouting. 

They had a lot to work on.

Over the weekend, everyone was rushing to get everything done. They informed Kirishima of all that had changed about the plan, and he altered his own accordingly. The plan was for Kirishima and Katsuki to arrive at six thirty. That allowed for two and a half hours for everything to get done. 

Now it was Monday. The day of the party. Shouta freaked out for a while, thinking that he wouldn't have enough time to cook and bake all these things, because he also had to buy the things he needed. But Nemuri to the rescue. She got off early on Monday. She would head to the precinct, get Tsu, and go shopping for decor, and ingredients. Izuku will claim to be bored of heroics, and leave to go see Hizashi. Hizashi will get don't with his paperwork an hour early, and take Izuku home, and they'll start on decorations. 

That leaves Kirishima, and Shouta. Kirishima had help with his homework in advance, and already turned it in, so he was allowed to leave study period early. Katsuki would fo the same, but that's only because he always did his homework before study hall.

Shouta had to stay later than some of the other teachers, because he had heroics, so he got Snipe to cover for him in light of the circumstances.

That just left them to actually fulfill the plan, and get it all done just in time for the surprise. 

Kirishima quite loudly exclaimed, "And you're back home!"

Which left everyone hurriedly putting the final touches on whatever they were working on. 

Katsuki opened the door, and invited Kirishima inside. The redhead walked in first, gently failing his arms in excitement while Katsuki had his back turned to shut the door.

"Oh, what's this?" He asked, drawing Katsuki's attention from the door. The door that was still cracked. 

The room was decorated with balloons and streamers, a sign that said 'For Aizawa Katsuki' in bold writing, and a cake and little foods on the counter. The decorations were all the colours of the rainbow. Izuku got his way, as usual, and coated a little less than half of the surfaces in fine glitter, under the premise that he would be cleaning it up. Shout knew for a fact that he wouldn't.

He looked quietly surprised, like frowning a little, and looking like he was more confused than excited, "What's all this?" He asked after a long moment.

"We're celebrating!"

"What are you celebrating? Why is my name on that banner? My birthday was three months ago." He wondered aloud. He still looked confused.

Shouta walked around the counter, holding a little gift wrapped packet. It wasn't so big it would hold much, but inside was everything.

Katsuki looked at Shouta for a very long moment, while Shouta smiled, and motioned to the gift.

As the paper fell away, the manila folder with Aizawa Katsuki on the cover was revealed. Opening that showed a stack of paper. 

Shouta watched Katsuki face morph from silent, odd confusion, to excitement and hope, "I thought it wasn't going to be official for another month!" Heexclaimed, tearing up.

"We lied," Aizawa smiled. It made him so happy to see Katsuki like this.

"Not lied," Tsukauchi reminded him, "Misinformed."

"Tsu, it's the same thing, stop doing that," he scolded, teasing. He was doing his best to keep the situation light. 

Katsuki stood in the middle of the room, gently holding the official paperwork for his adoption.

"Its really real?" He asked quietly.

"Yes! Now legally you're mine, and no one can take you away."

"Thank you so much…" Katsuki cried. 

Now it was officially official. Shouta had two legal children.

He was…

He was a dad.

Shoto

Dad. A foreign word to Shoto. Sort of. He had a dad, and a mum, and siblings, but he wasn't sure they liked him very much. He knew for a fact he was created to make someone feel good about himself.

That person?

Dad.

Or, more accurately, Todoroki Enji, or Endeavor. Father to Shoto and his siblings. Not dad, not papa, not even parent. Just Father. But that was okay, because he wasn't much of a parent. 

He was on a mission. A quest. His brother Touya went on the same mission when he was still alive, but he failed. Apparently, Shoto was better than Touya, so maybe he would have better luck.

It wasn't as easy as it looked, and as much as Shoto wished the opposite, the public loved him. Sort of. He was the same in public as he was at home, with the exception of hitting his kids and calling it training. He still did that, but it was supposed to be a secret, and Shoto wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

Until he did anyways. He never was great at following the rules.

He broke the news to Aizawa. The little one. Well, one of the little ones. Could he even call them that? Shoto was younger than both of them. It's something to think about. Most everything is something to think about, but Shoto pushed the debate of who is the smallest Aizawa, and if he was legally allowed to call them small if they weren't to the front of his mind, under 'Very Important'. 

Aizawa Izuku. He wasn't sure he cared for Shoto either, but he really wanted to tell someone, and Aizawa seemed like the least likely to judge him out loud. 

"That is… quite the tragic backstory," he said when Shoto finished telling him, in the hallway, during the sports festival. Not his best moment, but what was, right?

"Quite." Shoto agreed, "I apologize for having you share my pain."

"You mean trauma?"

Shoto blanked, "If that is what one defines as trauma, then yes, I suppose."

"Oh yeah, that's trauma," Aizawa affirmed, taking his hand and walking down the hallways, "And I know just the person for you to speak with. He's known for helping kids like us deal with our trauma, and relocating our abusers. To jail."

Shoto followed after him, his hand still captured by Aizawa's. He may have felt hopeful, because he mentioned prison for his Father. That was the mission objective. But then Aizawa turned and faced him, "I can't promise jail time for Endeav-whore, because as much as I hate it, the people love him. But I can promise a new kind of relocation. For you." He said.

They arrived at a door that had a sign. It said "Do Not Enter Without Entry", and Shoto thought that was a little redundant. 

Aizawa, without hesitation, leapt into the air, and grabbed the vent grate. His body weight, combined with rigorous wiggling loosened the nails, and he dropped to the floor, grate in hand, "Hold this," he instructed. 

Then, he leapt again, and held the edge of the vent. Then he was gone. Shoto was standing there with a metal vent cover, looking a little incriminating if anyone caught him like this. Was he supposed to follow him into the vent? He didn't think he'd fit, regardless of his energy for the task. 

Soon, on the other side, he heard three voices.

"Whoa, kid, where did you come from?"

"Vent." That was Smallest Aizawa's very distinct voice. He still needed to figure out that title.

"You're not allowed in here. Nezu had the grates nailed shut, kid," Said the third voice, and the deepest of all, "how did you get in?"

"Oh please," Aizawa scoffed, "did you really think that would work?"

Shoto set the metal down, leaning against the wall, and out of the way. Who was on the other side? Were they a therapist, like Natsuo had suggested he get? Were they a doctor for his trauma? Were they Father, coming to collect him? Were they–

"I present," said Aizawa's voice, opening the door, cutting off Shoto's train of thought. 

Inside the room was Smallest Aizawa, Present Mic, and Aizawa the original. Okay, so none of his theories. But still… this might be the worst to deal with, "Hello," he said simply, deciding quickly that a greeting was probably for the best.

"Don't just stand there, come in!" Aizawa– um. Now there were two Aizawas in the room. He couldn't just call him Smallest Aizawa out loud.

"Okay," he said slowly, stepping into the room, "Why am I here?"

"To discuss trauma," Smallest Aizawa said.

"Hate to interrupt this riveting conversation, but can you guys have that discussion somewhere else?" Mic asked, strained. He was nervous, but not like he was afraid, "I'm trying not to embarrass myself on live television. Skedaddle. There's a sign for a reason."

"You mean the incredibly superfluous sign with less use than my grandmother's kettle?" Shoto asked, and his mask fell for just a moment. He was supposed to be calm. He was not supposed to disrespect his teachers. 

"Oh, I like you," Smallest Aizawa gaped in pride. 

"Yes, that sign," Mic replied, obviously annoyed. Shoto would have to apologize later, "Now, I have duels to commentate. Scoot. Shouta, you should probably go with them or that one," he pointed at Smallest Aizawa, "will never leave me alone."

Mr Aizawa, who had been passively watching this happen, nodded, and hustle-bustled both he and Smallest Aizawa out of the room.

Present Mic had a lot on his plate. Shoto felt kind of bad for interrupting him like this. 

"You know it was unlocked, right?" Mr Aizawa asked as they walked down the hallway with the two teens in tow, "You didn't have to come in through the vents and piss Hizashi off."

"But if I did that, I wouldn't have made a big enough entrance for Prince Trauma," his classmate replied, literally skipping down the hallway. He kind of regretted telling him in the first place. 

"Why was it unlocked if he wanted to keep people out?" Shoto asked what might have been the most relevant question he ever had. He also filed that away as 'Very Important'.

"Present Mic works in mysterious ways, Todoroki," Mr Aizawa replied.

"You mean 10 Hour Energy and spite?" 

"What?" what the fuck is that...?

"10 Hour Energy is when you mix 5 Hour Energy with Red Bull, trip-shot espresso, and DayQuil," Smallest Aizawa explained, "I'm pretty sure he drinks it daily."

"Does it work?"

"So far, no. He still passes out at his desk, and still has burnout syndrome," He shrugged sadly, "but there's nothing I can do."

Oh. That sounded like a cocktail of misery. Mr Aizawa made no conversation, but Shoto could tell that he was suddenly very tense. Call it intuition. (Literally anyone else would call it trauma). 

Soon, they turned a corner, and came face to face with his Father. Shoto felt that familiar, creeping feeling of fear and anger in the back of his mind, but he instinctively looked down, and avoided eye contact with him. The Aizawas noticed his discomfort immediately, and tried to ignore his Father as well. But Todoroki Enji wasn't a big fan of being ignored, and grabbed Shoto's shoulder. To his credit, he only flinched a little. 

"You are not performing at your best!" He shouted. Shoto felt his hand heat up just past uncomfortable, and suddenly it stopped. His Father's hand was as cold as ice.

When he looked up, Mr Aizawa was glaring at his Father, hair raised, and eyes red. The lack of his Father's Quirk flickering on his shoulders obviously made the man uncomfortable, and he told Mr Aizawa to turn off his freaky Quirk. He did not.

"My student is currently preparing to participate in the one on one battle trials. My son and I are escorting him to a waiting room," Mr Aizawa snapped, "So I would appreciate it if you left us to do the task. You are more than welcome to watch the matches from one of many pro-hero boxes provided for speculation."

Father scoffed, glared at Mr Aizawa for several minutes, (during which Mr Aizawa did not blink even once), and then walked away, seething and searing. Shoto wondered how it was possible to look so red with anger, he looked like he was on fire, but inevitably decided that it was for the best that he did not learn.

Mr Aizawa, Shoto, and his classmate continued their trek to a prep room, because that's where Shoto assumed they were going. 

He wondered how much of his tragic backstory he would have to give Mr Aizawa to get him to believe that it's the truth. Hopefully not a lot, and he would believe him no matter what he told him. But Shoto's experience with adults that claimed to want to help him did not improve his hope for the situation.

"Alright, so what's going on? Why did Izuku crawl through the vents to get my attention?"

"Since when does he not do that?" Shoto replied, with a valid point. 

He could see Mr Aizawa falter, just for a second. Then he nodded, "Okay, you're right. But what's going on?"

"I have a tragic backstory. According to him," he pointed at Smallest Aizawa, "I have trauma."

"A lot of it, my guy," Izuku agreed, "So, dad, I'm making you a part of my get Endeavor arrested or worse plan! Congratulations, you're no longer in the dark."

"Okay, okay run that by me again. I don't doubt you have trauma, in fact, I suspected your father had something to do with it. Do you have details?"

Shoto explained almost everything in extreme detail. The origin of his scar, the death of his brother, his uncanny prowess with his quirk before starting at UA, his Father's critical behavior towards people of his community. The homophobia, the transphobia, the bigotry. He explained everything that fucked up his childhood, and everyone that stood by and watched when he asked for help. He told him about the training. He only skimmed over that one, but he could tell Mr Aizawa knew it was the truth, and that it was so much worse than Shoto described.

Mr Aizawa told him he was going to be just fine, and that he was going to try and do something about it. He quickly wrote out a message on a little slip of paper that Shoto supposed he just kept in his pocket, and gave that to Shoto. 

"Do you believe me?" He asked, just after Mr Aizawa gave him a hug, and told him he had to go.

"I believe every word."

That was… new. He, of course, had hoped he would be taken seriously, but he didn't figure that it would actually happen. 

Eventually, his father came by again, and collected him from his classmate, not long after Mr Aizawa went back to whatever he had been doing.

Shoto felt an uneasy pull towards looking at the note. But he could not, in the company of his Father, so he restrained himself.

That evening, at the Todoroki estate, he had no such hesitation, and carefully unfolded the paper to peek at it. It was a phone number. Mr Aizawa's phone number. Beside it, a message: "Call this number if you ever need any sort of help, and I will be there", it said. 

Immediately, he put in the phone number. He felt safer, having it with him. He didn't think he'd need it any time soon, but it might be helpful for his mission, so he may debate calling it later.

______

Soon comes way sooner than Shoto hoped. The week after the sports festival, the very same day they returned to school after the weekend, he heard distantly from Fuyumi that his Father was going to take away his binder, and make him train.

Originally, he only allowed the binder and new pronouns because Shoto got terribly sick when they weren't used. He didn't have any qualms with his name, considering his Father's lack of creativity. He guessed that Shoto was his birth name only because he thought that naming a kid after what he wanted would give him better luck. Historically, it didn't work, but Shoto believed his Father to be slightly above average IQ for his grizzly old age. 

The lack of his binder wasn't even the worst part. It was training without it that would be a problem. Sure, most people out there will tell him that repeatedly being kicked in the chest would hurt less if you weren't simultaneously binding your chest down with tight fabric. Supposedly it made it easier. But Shoto didn't listen to most people. He'd rather die of numerous injuries at least being happy with his body, thanks.

But he didn't want to start training again. With how rough it was from age four to now, it was bound to be something his teachers noticed. Maybe. He had never been to a school before, so he wasn't sure if that was generally something teachers noticed.

Mr Aizawa would notice, Shoto believed. Mr Aizawa could help. 

::Todoroki Shoto is Online::

Todoroki Shoto:

Hello.

I have a question.

What are the parameters of what you are agreeing to help me with?

Aizawa Shouta:

Are you in danger?

Where are you?

I can help you,

But I don't know where you are.

Todoroki Shoto: 

I am not currently in danger, no.

But I imagine I will be in a certain amount of pain very soon.

What do you mean by help?

Aizawa Shouta:

I mean get you out of danger, kid.

How much pain, and why?

Scale of 1-10.

10 is the highest pain you've ever experienced.

1 is no pain at all.

Todoroki Shoto:

On this scale, I would say maybe six. 

Seven if he is angry.

Aizawa Shouta:

Who's He?

Todoroki Shoto:

My Father.

He trains me, but he is going to take away by binder again, and he will make it hurt worse because I said I am a boy today.

Aizawa Shouta:

Where are you?

Todoroki Shoto:

At home.

Why?

Aizawa Shouta:

I'm coming to get you

Hang on

Todoroki Shoto:

Okay.

You know, I never noticed how similar our names are.

Shoto and Shouta. 

But I am not allowed to call you that. 

Aizawa and Todoroki are not very similar.

That is a shame.

Aizawa Shouta:

It is.

I didn't notice our names were so close

Good eye, kid

I'm almost there.

Todoroki Shoto:

Okay.

I will wait for you, then.

By the way, you don't have to kick the door down or anything.

Natsuo hasn't been here in weeks, Fuyumi is at the school, and Father is at his agency. I heard from Fuyumi that he intends to restart training, and I took measures to prevent that from happening.

I apologize if helping me has become an inconvenience.

Aizawa Shouta:

Don't worry kid.

Even being afraid that your father will hurt you is enough to warrant a call for help.

Especially since he's hurt you in the past.

Todoroki Shoto:

Okay.

That is good to hear.

::Todoroki Shoto is Offline::

He sat and waited for maybe ten more minutes, until there was a knock on his door. A very polite knock. Loud, though.

It was Mr Aizawa. Not that he expected literally anyone else, but still.

"Got your stuff?" Mr Aizawa asked, glancing around anxiously. Shoto believed he had nothing to worry about. His father sucked at getting home on time.

"No." He replied, offering to let Aizawa inside, "I'll go do so now, then. I don't imagine it'll take very long."

"Alright. I can wait," Mr Aizawa breezed, still warily scanning the streets surrounding the estate.

Shoto didn't think he'd need very much, considering he didn't have a whole lot to begin with. To his understanding, he was not going to be away from this house very long. At most, a couple days, and then Shoto would resume planning his mission. It really wasn't as easy as it looked. 

In the end, he packed a suitcase, full of clothes, his various forms of ID, his extra binders (just in case), and a yarn shawl that his grandmother on his dad's side made for him before she died. The woman that led him to, and through, his transition.

Aizawa continued to stand in the threshold, silent, and watchful. When Shoto reappeared with his suitcase, and a handful of residual hope, he motioned for him to get in the car. 

"By the way," Aizawa said during the drive, "This technically counts as kidnapping, but it's fine. For the greater good. My friend, a detective, knows this is happening."

"Do you always 'kidnap' kids, while justifying it with the knowledge and hope that your friend will look the other way?" Shoto asked. He was genuinely curious, "Also, how many kids have you helped?"

"Three, but one of them was obtained legally. I only call it kidnapping because that is what the law titles it. In this case it is called the relocation of an abused child, even though you aren't legally in foster care."

"So it's not kidnapping?"

"No, it is, but for now we'll call it a sleepover. You're friends with Izuku and Katsuki, yes?"

Friends was a strong word. They co-existed with a predetermined mutual agreement to leave each other out of their own shenanigans. And that was only with Izuku, or as he's still called in his head, Smallest Aizawa (he still hadn't the time to debate the logistics of it). 

The roads to Aizawa's house were actually strangely familiar. He wasn't sure why. He just felt like he belonged among these considerably well-off houses. He started to wonder (not for the first time) if he, Yaoyorozu, and Iida weren't the only affluent members of the prestigious UA. If Aizawa happened to be flourishing in at least some level of wealth, then it would bring the number of known wealthy members of Class 1-A from three to at least five. 

They arrived at a super lovely home, and Aizawa stepped out of the car, and led him inside. Aizawa Katsuki was at the counter, sipping some unknown drink. He gave him a polite nod when he walked in, though, so Shoto had reason to believe he had previously been briefed on the situation.

Mr Aizawa directed him upstairs, and to a door with a blackboard sign that read Shoto. Very neat handwriting, so it couldn't be Smallest Aizawa's. Maybe it was Aizawa Katsuki. He wondered if he was supposed to call them by their given names while he stayed in their house.

The room was nice. A little empty, but that was probably because it was a guest room. Shoto didn't mind. There was a window overlooking the backyard, and a bed with large fluffy comforters.

"Make yourself comfortable," Mr Aizawa told him, "I'm going back downstairs. Izuku will be home soon. If you need anything, or would like to look around the house, you're free to do so, but please be mindful of bedrooms."

Shoto could handle a few instructions. Besides, they were really easy to handle.

He could get used to this.

Izuku

Izuku was in the workshop with Mei when he got a phone call for him to come home, because there's been a development. 

His dad abducted Todoroki Shoto.

"Wow, your dad really does collect kids," Mei pointed out, loudly constructing some kind of rocket, or more accurately, a brand new baby.

"Indeed. I gotta go now, sorry Mei-Mei," Izuku gave her a two finger salute, and bolted down the UA hallways. Despite how he claims that he hates this place, he probably spends the most time there, out of all of his family members.

His family really was growing. At first he thought it was only going to be him and his dad, but apparently he had a secret family that Izuku didn't know about until a month after the majority of them died. His dad had been super casual about his mother's death, and Izuku couldn't have helped being curious. She had been emotionally unavailable. Literally. She physically felt no emotion besides anger, and that was the only thing she expressed to anyone. Turns out his brother, someone by the name of Kennedy, died just before Izuku went to live with his dad, and Izuku didn't know until the adoption went through, and he got around to sharing his family history. 

His dad left. Died in a villain attack. But the only difference between his dad's dad's death, and Izuku's mom's was that his dad was the villain in the situation. The man never cared much for having kids, despite the fact that he had three. Kennedy, Shouta, and Lilith. Lilith spent her time in Tartarus. Izuku didn't know what she did. His dad refused to elaborate. He also had an uncle, and his uncle's wife. His wife was dead. Shot and killed in a home invasion. The uncle went mad after that, and was in a psychiatric hospital. Or was. Izuku didn't know if he was still alive, and neither did his dad. He said he escaped once. Lilith tries, apparently, to escape. But Tartarus held the most dangerous, unstable people, so she wasn't going anywhere. 

Apparently, during high school, Hizashi, and his other friends knew him as Ebina (deadname), and only after that did he change his name fully to Aizawa Shouta after he graduated UA, and fully transitioned. 

Only Izuku, Hizashi, a man named Oboro, and his dad knew the full extent of what happened in his childhood. He didn't like to talk about Oboro, so Izuku didn't ask.

Anyways, past Aizawa Shouta's horrible backstory, Izuku could understand why he was insecure, protective, loving, cautious. He was the king of acceptance. The king of adoption, considering he had done so twice, and most likely planned to do it again, considering his cryptic "I have acquired the dual colour child. Please come home" message, and his well-placed urgency. There was a time constraint on the situation with Shoto, considering his status as the son of the number two "hero". If his dad is caught, he'd go to jail, or worse, in school suspension. 

Maybe Izuku can keep Endeav-whore from realizing he's missing by creating a few distractions in the workplace. Maybe. If he couldn't, he could redirect him from his home by means of framing someone. There was that road strip villain, Ending. He wanted to be killed anyway. If Endeavor happened to think that he took his son, they might both get what they wanted. Besides, he might get arrested for excessive force, in which case it's a win/win/triple win for every human involved. Endeavor didn't count because, come on, what human hits their kids?

He sighed as he opened the door. Another siblings indoctrin– introduction (sike). Izuku was so excited to welcome Shoto to the family.

The sight that greeted him was not at all unexpected. Shoto sat stiffly at the kitchen counter, Katsuki was sipping away at a mug of what was probably just water, but he was drinking it like it was aged Victorian wine from whichever year made the best wine, to make himself feel special. His dad sat to the side, completely relaxed. No doubt he just had a lot of practice. This wasn't his first rodeo, or something. It was his third.

His family did not skimp a single detail of Shoto's willing extraction from that clearly toxic household. Homophobia, transphobia, physical and emotional abuse, and neglect? Izuku was not prepared to wait until they had a plan. Izuku had been recording this from the start. Tsukauchi figured out recordings, so they're good and set. He can verify literally anything, now. Phone calls were tricky. In Tsukauchi's words, the Quirk answer was fuzzy. Like if they tried hard enough, someone could trick him over the phone. 

The best case scenario is Izuku (Izuku's dad) takes Shoto to Tsukauchi to verify his story, and they at least relieve Endeavor of his spot as Number Two.

Then Hawks will move up as Two, and inevitably one, when Izuku gets his hands on that semiautomatic.

"I'm sure he'll start some sort of disparaging redemption arc sometime soon to win back the public's favor, but for now he's likely going to be stuck below fifty, when this gets out. And it will. I'll make sure of it," Izuku scoffed, patting Shoto's back to comfort him, "You're stuck with us."

He looked so incredibly confused, "I'm not going back?"

Katsuki, Izuku, and their shared dad all looked at him softly. They definitely didn't want to spook him.

"Don't worry little Sho," Izuku assured him, "You'll fit right into our merry band of misfits."