Archive of Our Own ^beta

Izuku bit on the inside of his lip as he sat in the car with Neito and Hitoshi while Aizawa-Sensei, Yamada-Sensei, and Nemuri-Sensei (who had apparently adopted Neito, which in hindsight made so much sense) finished up a couple details of fostering him.

“Izu?” Turning his head, he looked at Neito who had been almost entirely silent since Hitoshi had decided to be an avenging angel.

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you're a part of our pack now.”

“It’s only temporary Nei.” Hitoshi cackled to his right.

“Wrong! Dad and Papa collect strays like Pokemon.” Neito nodded along to Hitoshi’s explanation.

“Uncle Zawa has also been planning on kidnapping you since he was 90% certain you were at bare minimum neglected.”

“Plus, me and Nei are claiming you now as our brother and cousin. No take backs or exchanges.” Izuku laughed at Hitoshi’s remark as he contemplated it. Most adults didn’t really like him, but Aizawa-sensei had been different so far. Maybe he could at least try to trust him. Just a little.

Aizawa climbed into the passenger's seat. “Alright Problem Children, time to go home. Midori-Izuku?” Izuku relaxed hearing his given name rather than the one associated with people who never loved him. He silently thanked whoever had taken pity on him that Aizawa was as perceptive as he was and nodded.

“Izuku. Our family-”

“Izu knows we call our family a pack because of Jiji.” Aizawa glared at Hitoshi, with no actual heat behind it.

“-Pack, is rather large and we all live very close to one and other, and we-”

“Are nosey and overprotective and you will now be smothered in affection.” Neito finished, smiling as Aizawa groaned. “I’m not wrong!”

“No, you aren’t.” Izuku frowned.

“But why? I’m just intruding on your pack, which I’m really sorry about.” Neito groaned before shifting to turn Izuku to him by his shoulders.

“You have been claimed by Toshi and me. You aren’t intruding, this pack is entirely made up of strays and you won’t be the last to be added, I’m sure. Besides, all of our pack is going to enjoy having a new member to mess with. That said, if you're uncomfortable, just say so and they’ll back off. They won’t care so long as you say something.” Izuku studied Neito’s face before nodding once.

“Alright Listeners, time to go home!” Yamada said as he got in the car, smiling brightly and receiving four in return.

Izuku looked around the apartment in silent awe. It was so different from what the street had been like. Inko’s apartment had also been so very different. Where Inko’s had been cold and empty and lonely, his Sensei’s seemed warm and homey and full in a very comforting manner he’d never even dreamed of experiencing.

The warm cream colors, with a dragon mural on the wall featuring a yellow, black, and purple together in the center. The mural was very detailed and clearly had taken a while to complete. The furniture was soft and had blankets and pillows of every color strewn among them. It was a little messy, but it just made it feel more like a home. His mothers had always been clean, and whites had covered everything. His room had been the only thing that had had color in it and she had hated it.

“Come on Izu, you need to meet Bastard and Coffee.” Izuku nearly ran after Hitoshi to meet the two cats.

Izuku bolted up in the bed, or well, his bed as Neito had stressed to him. His eyes darted around the shadowy room, looking for greedy hands that just wouldn’t stop-

His head snapped to the doorway, where Aizawa was standing, watching him in concern. It was only now that his mind realized that he was, a, sobbing, and b, on the floor.

“Izuku?” Aizawa’s voice was soft and comforting in a way Izuku had never heard directed at him. He wanted to ask for a hug, but he was a worthless, quirkless, Deku. He was a burden and made everyone leave. But Aizawa was different, he was fair, and said he could be a hero, and took him in even though he knew the whole situation, he said he wanted him. He protected him-

Apparently, Aizawa could sense his dilemma and sat down next to him, carefully telegraphing his movements as he pulled him into his arms. Another round of fresh sobs were torn from Izuku’s chest and Aizawa rocked them back and forth, whispering soothing words to the boy in his arms. Eventually, his sobs of pain and fear turned to sobs of relief, then just sniffles. Bastard, a black cat who’s name matched his disposition, had climbed into Izuku’s lap, purring with his head on the boys chest. A dark brown cat with one green and one yellow eye rubbed against their legs, purring along with their mate to attempt to get both to calm down.

“Do you want to talk about it, or do you want a distraction?” Aizawa’s voice held no judgment as he carded one hand through Izuku’s hair.

“Uh, d-distraction, I think, for now.” His voice was barely above a whisper. The raven haired man hummed, thinking for a moment.

“You okay with physical touch right now?”

“Y-yeah.”

“How about a family tradition for having nightmares?”

“O-okay?” The older one nodded, standing up while holding Izuku bridal style, who squeaked in surprise as he was carried out into the living room.

“Cuddle Pile?” Izuku could just see over the couch back and into the darkness to make out Hitoshi from where he had been dropped onto the couch.

“Yep, gather up people while I get blankets?” The purple boy nodded, going back down the hall he had come from.

Twenty minutes later, Izuku was cuddled between Hitoshi and Neito with Aizawa next to Hitoshi on the couch in his obnoxious sleeping bag as well as Yamada on the floor in front of them. Auntie Nemuri –as she had been insistent he call her– on the floor to their left, and Jiji cuddled where the table had been in a nest of blankets while Baba was sipping tea in the overstuffed armchair with several fluffy blankets wrapped around her. She smiled at the rest of them as they argued about what movie to watch.

“Maybe we should let Izu decide?” All of them turned to her, nodding.

“Wonderful idea Chiyo! What do you want to watch Izuku?” Jiji’s normally terrifying smile was comforting as he asked for the newest member of his pack's opinion.

“Uh, Maybe a true crime documentary?” A chorus of excited agreement followed the green childs suggestion as Aizawa sighed and pressed play on an older case.

Halfway through the documentary, almost everyone was asleep. The two remaining awake being Nedzu and His Dark Kit.

“You are doing well with your Kits, Kit.” His Dark Kit smiled at him.

“I learned from the best, ‘Jiji-san.’” His Dark Kit chuckled as he huffed at the name His Green Grand-Kit had used before being told he could just use Jiji. His Kit sobered after a moment. “I want him destroyed, Oyagi. He,” His Kit paused to compose himself. “The information I know is bad enough, what I can infer is worse, Oyagi.” He reached his hand out to place it on His Kit's hand.

“We will ensure nothing like this happens again.” He moved to sit next to His Dark Kit, who scooped him up like a stuffed toy, burying his face into his fur. “But for now, it is time to sleep and be with our pack.”

Later, when Izuku would wake up screaming, he would immediately be comforted by his new family, his pack. He would sob into Yamada’s shirt with tears of relief instead of fear, and would drink lavender tea before falling asleep to Yamada’s voice as he sang lullabies.

Later, once all of this had passed, Nedzu would meticulously plan All Mights demise. Aizawa would make sure he got at least a few minutes alone with the man. Yamada would ensure the same in the morning. Nemuri would plan to keep all three children occupied the next day so they could keep Izuku’s mind off of what happened, as well as get him things for his room.

But now, in the haze of one in the morning, Nedzu cuddled into His Dark Kit’s chest, and sighed contentedly as he let himself fall asleep, His Pack surrounding him.