Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It started when he was a child; technically speaking, a toddler. In a world of quirks, he was excited to see what his was going to be. This society, however was a flawed one: it didn't care for those born with "villainous" quirks. And it was just little Hitoshi's luck that he happened to be born with one; Brainwashing. The moment his quirk appeared and people knew what it did, they avoided or shamed him and his parents. It got so bad, in fact, that his parents sent him to an orphanage on the outskirts of Musutafu. The kids there weren't pleasant either, worse even. They all had heroic, flashy quirks prized by the staff, meanwhile he was treated like chopped liver. Everyone there hated him, the boys going so far as to make up a game just so they could beat him up.

Sometimes they would lie to staff too, blaming their misbehavior on him. "Oh he used his quirk on me! He forced me to break the vase to try and get me in trouble..." One of them would pretend to sob. The staff, believing that the kids with heroic quirks could never lie, simply muzzling him or locking the boy in a broom closet. This meant that from the ripe age of six up until he was twelve was spent being passed from foster house to foster house. The dreaded muzzle followed him everywhere too, digging more and more into his face as he grew: staff said he didn't deserve a new one. Most houses sent him back after the first month or two, and he'd stay at the orphanage for the long stretches of time in between. 

Hitoshi learned very quickly that being quiet and agreeable when presented with any demands was the best way to prolong a house stay. And, in most cases, kept his guardians from beating or muzzling him. Hence why when the opportunity to like with one "Mr. Chisaki Kai" was presented, he agreed immediately. The man was very friendly and even attempted at small talk with Hitoshi after learning of his quirk. He didn't recoil in disgust at the boy and definitely didn't glare at him like he was a burden. 

Unfortunately, Overhaul (as young Hitoshi learned to call him) was an incredibly bad man. He didn't live in a house at all, favoring a laboratory within town. The lab was a horrible place: Hitoshi was forced into some sort of "special project" that his master needed him for. One of the worst parts of being a "project" was the needles. There were so many; one or two at the end of the week with experimental compounds and sedatives to keep him "compliant" almost daily. One of the needles that Overhaul gave him had caused him to grow a light yellow scaled tail with a purple tuft at the end. He didn't even know until he woke up from heavy sedation that it had happened. The other successful one gave him small pointed fangs and sharp claws. 

Now where did this leave poor Hitoshi?

Currently dodging an attack, he uses his tail to huck a piece of rubble at his assailant. He know who it is, obviously; it's Eraserhead, renowned underground Pro-Hero! Eraserhead's hair was floating around his face and a faint red glow shone through the slits in his metal goggles, indicating his quirk is active. The man's face was pulled into a sharp scowl as he dodges the rubble. At the same time, Eraserhead reaches for his capture weapon to shoot it out at Hitoshi. The indigo haired boy stumbles as he dodges, using his tail to quickly regain his footing. Unfortunately for him, he didn't see the other end until it wrapped around his ankle. Eraser gives a sharp tug, causing the teen to topple backwards onto his ass. From this position, he can see the rest of the battlefield. The whole damn reason the fight started, a green haired boy, was fighting his master. The other one who came in with Eraserhead, a taller teen boy with red and white hair, was moving towards Eri. Hitoshi thrashes as the Pro pressed his knee into his chest, protective instincts taking over.

"Get away from her!" He snaps after finally mustering enough air. The boy glances at him, raising an eyebrow before returning to trying to reach the sobbing girl. Hitoshi snarls, finally freeing one arm and swiping at the man holding him down.

Surprisingly enough, he succeeds, managing to draw blood from the man's shoulder while narrowly missing his throat. If Eraserhead wasn't already pissed off, his is now. This is shown by the piercing pain of fingers digging into the pressure point on his neck. Hitoshi's vision starts to blur and panic overtakes his compliance with Overhaul's orders. His breathing becomes sharp, quick gasps as he helplessly kicks his legs. The only upside or Eraserhead's new position is that Hitoshi can breathe again, though his gasping might be counterproductive.

Another hand, presumably Eraser's other one, grips his thrashing tail harshly. All of his training kicks in and he stills his entire body, even the slightest of trembles gone. When his master grabbed his tail, it always meant that he should calm the fuck down if he didn't want it shattered. The man holding him down pauses, seemingly confused by the sudden halt in movement and how pure panic replaces the rage in Hitoshi's eyes. Eraserhead shakes it off a moment later, pressing more harshly into the pressure point until Hitoshi goes slack. The thud that sounds a moment later indicates that the boy's master has also fallen.

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Aizawa casts a glance over his shoulder just as Midoriya sucker punches Overhaul until the chin, the villain toppling to the floor in an unconscious heap. While Todoroki and Midoriya work together to try and coax the small girl out from under the table, assuring her that it's safe now, Aizawa calls in the authorities with his earpiece. He throws a glance down at the person underneath him. He is clearly in his teens based on physical form and his speedy downfall; most adults lasted longer against that specific point.

Aizawa elects to watch over the kid once he starts to show signs of waking up. The police really were not sure what to do with him, seeing as he was like Eri in the right that he too was an experiment. After the fight had ended, Aizawa propped him against a nearby wall to keep him out of the way. He had also stationed himself and the boy close to the door so that once he woke up, the paramedics would have easy access to him. The boy was pretty banged up; bloody knuckles, cuts across his arms, scrapes and bruises coating almost every inch of his upper body. 

Speaking of the boy, his hand kept twitching. That's how Aizawa knew he was regaining his senses. The pressure point he used temporarily shuts down that entire side of the upper body depending on what side is hit. He crouches beside the kid, snapping his fingers beside his ear. That gets a reaction. The boy's hand twitches and his lips pull into a slightly droopy frown. Aizawa continues to repeat this action until the teen's eyes start to flutter open. He flags a over one of the paramedics not actively checking on the girl just as his eyes open. Almost instantly, they go wide with panic as they frantically dart around.

"Calm down." Aizawa huffs in his trademark gruff voice, moving into a position where he can restrain the boy if necessary. Indigo eyes instantly lock onto him as he jolts away and tries to rub his neck.

"Don't," He starts after catching his arm, "You touch it and it'll knock you right back down. The kid's eyes widen in fear at the touch and he attempts to pull away again. Aizawa frowns, glancing upwards at the paramedic and telling her to take his vitals. Unfortunately for everyone involved, the teen becomes incredibly hostile when she even dared to recommend getting him into the second ambulance. She crouches down to whisper to Aizawa.

"It may be easier to give him a mild calming agent, take his edge off?" his eyes dart back onto the boy and then to the paramedic as he nods slowly. He sighs slowly, trying to find the right words to explain this to him without setting him off.

"Hey kid," indigo eyes snap back onto his face. Aizawa sighs again. "The medic is going to give you something to make you calm, alright?" Instantly, the boy's facial expression morphs into one of fear and defiance. Out of the corner of his eye, he can see his fist clench into a tight ball. His lips pull back into a frown as he takes a hold of the boy's other wrist. A frustrated yet gentle look crosses his face as he keeps the gentle hold on his wrists until the paramedic returns. 

"No!" he snaps when he sees the medic return with a capped needle loaded with some form of medication. Aizawa moves to the thrashing boy still enough for the woman to do her job. Once she inserts the needle, his angry shouts turn to panicked ones. He is at least glad that the kid didn't squirm and risk breaking the needle in his arm. The paramedic leaves to put the used needle in a biohazard sharps bin within the ambulance. The boy continues to gasp for breath, trying to struggle.

"Breathe." He states a moment later, using one hand to hold his wrists and the other to rub the back of the boy's neck. He can vaguely remember Nemuri telling him that this was one of the best way to stimulate deep breathing. This method, along with the medicine, actually seems to be mellowing the teen's harsh attitude; replacing it with a form of dazed curiosity while he is strapped to the ambulance stretcher. Aizawa sits to his left, watching as a multitude of monitors are hooked up to his body. His lips are still pulled into a frown, though his muscles have lost their tenseness. 

After finished the phone call with Midoriya and Todoroki to make sure they both made it back to the dorms safe, checking that the little girl is stable and sleeping, then calling his husband as backup for when she wakes up, he plops into the chair beside the hospital bed where the sleeping boy resides. Laid on the bed like this gives him an innocence he lacked on the battlefield. Aizawa sighs for the millionth time, pulling out his phone to check the time. It is close to two in the morning, and he is starting to feel the residual effects of the battle. The nurses here patched up the cut on his shoulder, so all that's left is the tight soreness in his muscles and the aching bruises. He is fully exhausted at this point, sleep slowly starting to creep in and take over. Aizawa groans and tilts his head backwards to rest it against the wall. He might as well get some semblance of sleep tonight.

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He doesn't fully start to stir until he feels gloved hands on his face. The hands are prodding at different parts of his chin and neck. Is his master making sure he isn't sick again? Hitoshi knows how much the man loathes germs. Well, now is as good of a time as any to tell him about his batshit wild dream.

"Master..?" he asks, voice hoarse. The hands pause and he takes it as a sign to continue. "I had the weirdest dream last night... we were fighting a Pro-Hero and-" His voice is cut off as a sharp, strangled noise erupts from his already sore throat. His whole body jolts backwards as he stares at the man in front of him. It's not Overhaul; or any of the man's lackeys for that matter. Hitoshi's eyes frantically dart around the room as he attempts to figure out his surroundings. The doctor moves backwards, hands up in a placating gesture. 

"Where am I?!" he snaps before the doctor has a chance to get a word in. The man frowns under his surgical mask, glancing to his left. Hitoshi does the same, spot a very awake Aizawa. The Pro-Hero looks like death, as if he was startled awake mere moments ago. Hitoshi snaps his focus back onto the doctor when the man whistles to get his attention. 

"Easy kid, you're in a hospital. You were rescued late last night." Hitoshi's eyes widen at the fact that the man isn't under his control. He glances to Aizawa. To his surprise, the Hero's quirk isn't active either. As if the doctor was able to read minds, he starts speaking again.

"Don't worry about your quirk either. That little cuff on your wrist keeps you from activating it." His eyes snap onto his left arm. Surely enough, a metal quirk suppressant bracelet has been securely around his wrist. Not only that, but Hitoshi's arms are bandaged from his knuckles up until right under his elbows. The bandages look fairly similar to Eri's-

"Holy shit- Eri!" His eyes widen as he sits up and before he knows it, he is attempting to clamber out of the bed; bandaged arms be damned.

"Eri!" He cries out "Where is she!" Hitoshi kicks and squirms as the doctor tries to wrestle him back into the bed. The ordeal gets so messy and chaotic that Aizawa needs to join in to hold the teen down while the doctor frantically calls for a nurse. Thankfully, the noise attracts one within moments. Unfortunately, Hitoshi ends up high as a kite on local anesthetics. Now loopy, his cries for Eri become slurred though still determined.

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"What was that about?" asks the nurse who rushed in. 

"Kid was shouting for someone named Eri." the doctor's voice causes a reaction from the boy; it causes him to quickly babbles back the name.

"The other kid!" Aizawa suddenly stands from his seat. "the girl we rescued from the lab! He's looking for her!" his eyes are wide with realization. The doctor and nurse quickly catch on, the two soon departing from the boy's room and searching for the girl's room. Aizawa moves back to his chair, sighing. Within moments the small girl is in the room, being cradled by a very confused Hizashi.

"To-Toshi?" she asks, rubbing her eyes. Evidently, both her and Zashi had been sleeping. Indigo eyes lock onto the little blue haired girl and he sighs in relief. 

"Eri!" Aizawa can make out the meaning of the teenager's squirming, moving to raise the bed so he is sitting mostly upright. Hizashi, being the one who is better at understanding social cues, moves to set Eri on the dazed teen's lap. Almost instantly, the girl latches onto the front of his hospital provided shirt. 

"T-Toshi!" she sniffles, staring at him with big red eyes. "They got us out!" 

The boy, dubbed 'Toshi,' blinks before giving a small received smile. "We're out?" he slurs, tilting his head to the side. Eri blinks, frowning and tilting her head too.

"What's wrong with your voice?" Hizashi and Aizawa give each other a small, almost imperceptible, nod. 

"The nice doctor had to give him some medicine becausue he was scared. He'll be okay Little Listener..." The blonde man explains gently. Eri turns to look at him, lip trembling. The boy frowns too.

"M' fine Eri..." he manages to grumble out. The little one turns her head back to him and snuggles into the crook of his arm, calming both herself and 'Toshi.'

Hizashi clears his throat. "So your name is Toshi, right?" the boy's foggy indigo eyes lock onto the voice Hero's face. 

"Hitoshi." he corrects, eyes narrowed. Hizashi flashes one of his signature massive smiles at Hitoshi. 

"Nice to meet you Hitoshi. How are you feeling today?" the teen's eyes narrow further. 

"They gave me sedatives..." He grumbles, running his fingers through Eri's hair as she begins to doze off. 

"Local anesthetics, and I apologize. The doctor had to make sure you wouldn't accidentally injure yourself or others." Aizawa clarifies, taking note of his husband's concerned look. Hitoshi grumbles under his breath before turning his attention back to the little girl in his lap.

Hizashi clears his throat again. "I'm sorry that happened. Other than that, are you doing alright?" The blonde attempts to move closer, but stops and raises his hands when Hitoshi tenses.

"Yamada." The voice hero turns to look at Aizawa, an eyebrow raised. "Don't press him He's had a rough night. Plus the police are probably going to ask an insane amount of questions. 

"Oh right..." he says almost sheepishly as he steps back and settles into a chair beside the erasure hero. Hitoshi's focus falls off him and back onto Eri. 

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As if Aizawa knew the future, a detective that the adults referred to as "Tsukauchi" asked questions for almost two hours. Many of the questions scared Eri and aggravated Hitoshi. Most of the talk went as followed.

Tsukauchi would ask something.

"How did you end up in Overhaul's possession?" 

Eri would cower into Hitoshi, who was less than polite with his answers.

"I don't know." 

"Remember, my quirk tells me when you lie. Again, how did you end up with Overhaul?"

Tsukauchi was very patient with them and would redirect some questions to Aizawa and Hizashi. Hizashi was acting as moral support while Aizawa answered as many questions as he could.

"Hitoshi." The detective stated after the first hour, "It would be easier if you complied. Your answers are the difference between Overhaul walking free after a few years in prison or him going to tartarus with a life sentence. Everyone involved would prefer the second one so he can't hurt people the same way he did to you. Think of the people you would be helping." That last sentence got Hitoshi's attention. He glanced down at the nervous girl in his arms before looking at the notebook in Tsukauchi's hands, a contemplative look on his face. One one hand, he felt as if it wasn't any of the detective's business. One the other, he could protect kids like Eri.

"You could be a hero, Toshi..." Eri says in a small voice, drawing the indigo haired boy's attention. A mild look of surprise crosses his features before a determined look took over his face. It was his dreams to help others anyway.

 "Fine..." he says after another moment. The detective smiles. 

"Thank you. Now, can I get your full name for the record?" And so they talked for another hour. Hitoshi was a bit hesitant to answer questions, but Eri offered some support by asking about certain things that happened while they were with Overhaul.

Chapter Text

Hizashi, being the one who is better at communication, spent an hour arguing with staff to move Eri's bed into Hitoshi's room so that the little listeners would feel safe. He also spent thirty minutes pestering his husband into going home and freshening up. Sho begrudgingly agreed to do so once hizashi promised to stay by the kids' side. So here they are now, Eri watching cartoons and Hitoshi trying to keep himself from dozing off.

"It might be help to take a nap? Local anesthetics don't feel too good if you haven't slept off the effects..." he offers, resting his hand on intertwined fingers. Hitoshi blinks back to full awareness and frowns, glancing down at Eri.

"I can watch her if you want to snooze for a bit." Hizashi's mouth twists into a gentle smile, trying to reassure the boy. Hitoshi glances between Eri and him a few times, clearly debating on trusting him with the little girl. About after five minutes of silent arguing with himself, he caves.

"Wake me if you need me..." the indigo haired boy mumbles to Eri, moving her off of his lap and rolling onto his side in the hospital bed. She gives him a quiet "good night" and a hug before Hizashi moves her into the chair right next to himself so she can continue watching cartoons. Once he gets her situated, he fishes out his phone to check the notification bar. He had turned it off last night so that the buzzing wouldn't wake up Eri. Most of it is nothing, just emails from work or texts from Nemuri with book recommendations. His eyes flick up at the slight movement within the bed (Hitoshi was rearranging himself) before moving back to his phone as it buzzes. It's from Nemuri.

How are the kids doing? Zawa let me in on the details. His lips purse as he glances at the two. One of his hands moves to a faint scar on his left cheek. Hitoshi has one two, albeit more aggravated and new. He reminds himself to check in with the nurse about some ointment for the cuts. He glances at Eri and gives her a reassuring smile. She seems so much happier since being away from the laboratory. She isn't the most talkative, but very sweet and respectful.

The girl and I are watching some cartoons while the boy sleeps.

After shooting off the text, he turns to Eri. "Little listener? Are you hungry? Sho could get us some food while he's out and about." Eri glances over and, much to Hizashi's relief, nods quickly. He smiles as pulls out his phone to find a place when she points to Hitoshi. 

"Yeah, I'll have Sho pick up enough food for the four of us. Do you two like anything in specific?" She shakes her head no and Hizashi simply scoots closer to her so that she can see the menus he's pulled up on his phone. They talk for a few minutes and, just like that, a text is sent to his husband asking him to pick up some bento boxes (Extra rice for Hitoshi in case he is feeling queasy.) Once that issue has been dealt with, Hizashi lets Eri return to watching her cartoons. 

Poor boy, hope you they get discharged soon. I can't even think how stressful a hospital visit would be after what they went through. A sad look crosses his face as he reads the reply, but he quickly cheers up at the look Eri has in her eyes. They're shining with joy as the cartoons play out.

About an hour after the text was sent, Sho returns to the hospital room with two bags of food and his laptop.

"Have to put in some grades for my problem children..." He responds to Hizashi's raised eyebrows, making sure his voice is loud enough that the man's hearing aid pick up on it. Shouta sets the takeout bags and his laptop down on a counter by the sink, beginning to pull out containers. The smallest container, a kid-sized teriyaki chicken bento, is handed to Eri while Zashi moves to wake Hitoshi. 

"Heya... Sho brought some food. You up to eating?" he says, gently shaking the boy's shoulder. Hitoshi jolts awake, blinking in surprise before sighing as he sits up. Zashi can tell he's still a bit groggy, but he seems alert and responsive enough to eat. Aizawa shuffles up beside the bed to hand him one of the bentos and a pair of chopsticks. 

"Didn't know what you liked so I went with Teriyaki chicken, same for Eri." He states after he's handed over the box.

"Thanks..." he mumbles, not daring to make eye contact as a pink tinge takes over his cheeks. Aizawa nods and moves to sit by Eri so that he can teach her how to use chopsticks properly. 

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The nurse came back a little while after dinner, attempting to take his vitals. The only reason he actually allowed her to do it is because he really did not want to end up back in the hell that was anesthetics. Eri was dozing in her bed when it happened, clearly exhausted by the whole day. The nurse was at least decent enough to do it before she fell asleep and give her an extra blanket afterwards. Boy was Hitoshi embarrassed when the nurse said he didn't have to give her his own blanket, that she could just go grab another, but he wouldn't ever admit to being embarrassed about such a stupid thing. He was also glad to see that Mr. Yamada did not injure her while he was asleep.

Speaking of the Mr. Yamada, the man was currently engaged in a conversation that was too quiet for him to hear through the room's sliding glass door (which was currently shut). Hitoshi could guess that it was about him though; both men kept glancing into the room, Aizawa gesturing in their general direction. It clearly couldn't be about Eri since he met Aizawa's eyes on multiple occasions. Aizawa had his phone out, seemingly explaining something to a very hesitant Mr. Yamada. Maybe it was about his discharge? Since both he and Eri were physically healthy, minus the small cuts and bruises, they would be discharged midday tomorrow. Hitoshi hoped with all his heart that he and Eri wouldn't be separated: it would devastate her. 

"Yeah... I'll tell them..." Aizawa's voice cuts through the static of his racing thoughts. He glances up from his bandaged knuckles to look at the men's faces. 

"Tell us what?" his tone was bitter and sharp. His tail twitches under the bed, tuft peeking out from under the blanket. It's been doing that a lot since he regained total control of his limbs. Aizawa sighs slowly after inhaling a deep breath. 

"Your new living arrangements. Felt it would be smarter to tell you first: you're a bit older and more mature. Plus, I didn't want to wake Eri, she definitely needs some good rest after the past few days." Hitoshi's eyes narrow at the explanation. New living arrangements. One of the worst things a previous foster care could ever hear. It almost always ended with a too tight muzzle clamped over his face. 

He zones back in as Aizawa starts talking again. "Since you're fifteen now, you'll need to be enrolled in a high school. I'm trying to make arrangements with Principal Nedzu to get you in either mine or Zashi's homeroom class at UA-"

"wait." Hitoshi splutters, coughing on the water he just sipped. "UA? The most prestigious school in all of Japan? That UA?" Aizawa doesn't bat an eye at the interruption, continuing his explanation.

"Yes. That UA. For now, you are required to be under supervision by a Pro-Hero at all times. Hence why I believe that UA would be the best option right now. Lots of heroes, dorms, and Nedzu already agreed for Eri to stay in the staff dorms with Zashi and I. Along with that, you have potential... we could test it in a supervised spar in front of the principal. That way he would have to accept you..." Aizawa starts to mutter to himself about feasible ways to get Hitoshi into the hero class. He, however, was still trying to process the fact that he was about to be in one of the most prestigious hero schools of the world. He stares at his plans, trying to figure out what the catch is. Why would he be put in a hero school? Didn't they know his quirk was destined for villainy?

"You good over there?" Mr. Yamada's voice cuts through both Aizawa's planning and Hitoshi's thoughts. Both glance at the blonde.

"Oh." He says after realizing he was the one who was addressed. "I'm fine.." He mumbles. The blonde lets out a small chuckle. 

"Don't worry, you'll be on campus with Eri anyway. We'll just need to figure out schooling arrangements and classes. Were you taught anything?' Mr. Yamada's voice isn't mocking at the end, it's genuine curiosity.

"yeah... I-uh- know some heroics history, little bit of math. I used to excel in science and writing before Overhaul." he replies, trailing off as some memories stir up in the back of his mind. The thought of his previous master disgusts him. He glances back down at his hands as Aizawa nods along. The dark haired man mutters something about fighting styles to himself. The blonde settles his focus back on Hitoshi after a moment. 

"Nedzu'll probably have some standardized testing then. Just to check if you need extra tutoring in any of your subjects. Based on Sho's muttering, I'd say he's trying to get you into the heroics course.." Hitoshi's face goes pink. The Hero Course? The most prized course in the history of ever? He was expecting the only realistic option was to get into the general education class. 

"Hero course? You..." he swallows the lump in his throat. "You think I could be a hero?" His voice is filled with surprise and a smidge of hope. Mr. Yamada's smile goes brighter.

"Not only do I think you could be a hero, but I think you could be one of the best with some training." A moment passes as Hitoshi processes the words before his eyes well up with tears abd he starts sobbing. Almost instantly, the two adults are on either side of his bed. 

"Hey, hey... what's wrong little listener?" the blonde asks, gently placing one of his hands on the teen's shoulder. He flinches and shakes his head, tail thrashing wildly under the covers.

"N-no one ever told me I could be a hero..." he hiccups through broken sobs "they-they said I'd always be a villain with a quirk like mine..."

"No! no.... you aren't a villain and I doubt you could ever become one...: Hizashi soothes, gently squeezing Hitoshi's shoulder. He continues to sob as Hizashi tries to calm him while Aizawa is attempts to explain what's happening to Eri. The blonde by his bedside seems to realize that he isn't only crying from happiness: Hitoshi must have bottle his emotions for so long that they're all exploding out of him at once. Instead of trying to calm the sobbing boy, Hizashi pulls the kid into a hug and lets him cry. 

"That's it... just let it out." He coaxes, using one hand to rub circles into the boy's back. He keeps repeating this motion until Hitoshi is calm enough to let go of the hug. The boy sniffles a few more times, wiping his eyes and turning to a very panicked Eri.

"m' fine Eri. Pinky promise..." He reassures, holding out a shaking hand to link pinkies with the small girl. She, however, insisted on giving Hitoshi a giant hug by latching onto his side after the promise was made. 

Chapter Text

UA. The highest ranking hero school in the world. And here he was, wearing a basic long sleeve shirt and pants made to accommodate his tail, standing in front of the school of his dreams. Now that he is freed from Overhaul's laboratory, all his childhood dreams of being a hero are finally within reach. He glances at Eri, curling hus tufted tail around her small wrists. Hitoshi would hate to lose her in such a massive place. 

"Ready?" Hizashi asks with a bright smile, suddenly pulling him out of his thoughts. Eri nods with a mix of hesitation and excitement. Hitoshi does the same, taking a deep breath as the two pro heroes walk him through the massive gates. 

"It's a saturday, meaning that most students are in their dorm buildings or hanging around campus." Aizawa explains to Hitoshi, giving a reassuring nod. The teen nods back, glancing around as they enter the main building. Toshi is glad that they came on the weekend: He doesn't know if their him or Eri could handle that many people at once. He could barely handle going to a store to get clothes yesterday. 

"Hello Hello!" squeaks an excited voice. Hitoshi looks down to see a talking animal wearing a nicely pressed suit. 

"Hello Principal Nedzu. This is Hitoshi and Eri." Aizawa returns the greeting, nodding to each kid as he says their name. Eri seems to shrink behind him, Hitoshi can't help but feeling a well of protective instincts in his chest. The... mouse? smiles at him, reaching out a paw for a handshake. He hesitantly returns the gesture, mumbling a small 'Hello.'

"Nice to meet you Hitoshi! I hear plenty of great things about your potential." He smiles and moves to face Eri. "Nice to meet you Eri. Young Midoriya has been asking for updates since Overhaul's apprehension." A confused look crosses both of their faces before Eri's brightens considerably. 

"The green hair boy?" she asks after a moment of trying to remember. Nedzu laughs cheerily. 

"Yes! You have great memory. He will likely try to visit once you two are settled in." He turns back to the Pro-Heroes and begins going over paperwork they'll have to work on. Hitoshi's purse into a thin frown. That green haired boy punched him square in the chest back at the laboratory. Although, according to Eri's side of the story, he is the one who found her and alerted the authorities.

"Let's head to my office to finish up the admission paperwork and get young Hitoshi his uniform." Hearing his name returns him to the present for the second time today. Hizashi and Nedzu are both looking at him and he takes the cue to start walking alongside the adults. He walks slowly to make sure that Eri can keep up with the group. The adults, as they walk, talk about how the project this year's annual Sports Festival to go. The event isn't for a few more months, but Aizawa keeps going on about his 'problem children' who strive to be the absolute best at everything.

"I have a feeling that Bakugo is going to be a problem if there are any team sports...." He grumbles, rubbing his eyes. "Kid can't go two minutes without boasting that he is the 'real deal.' Whatever he means by that." Hizashi huffs a laugh, glancing behind him to make sure Hitoshi and Eri are following along. 

"Whatever happens, I'm hoping that our students bring their very best!" Nedzu squeaks in a cheerful tone as the come to a halt at his office. Everyone quickly files in, Hitoshi leading Eri to a armchair in the far corner. He sets her onto his lap as he listens to the adults talk.

"Since we plan on making young Hitoshi a heroics student, He'll need a dorm in class 1-A's building. Yes Aizawa, I remembered your many requests for him to be placed in your homeroom. One of the classrooms had an extra desk so we moved that in there for him. " Nedzu pauses to take a breath, sipping some tea from a cup on his desk. "We have also set up one of the spare dorms for him with both normal and training uniforms in the wardrobe. Textbooks, notebooks, and other necessary items have been placed on the bedside desk. Any questions?"

Hitoshi had started to zone out some point around the time that the discussion geared towards more of the logistics and paperwork. Eri had also started to play with the tuft of his tail at one point in the conversation. This managed to drag him out of his thoughts for a quick second before he disappeared into his mind again. Lots of thoughts buzz by as he absently stares at the floor. Most thoughts are full of excitement; he is going to be in the best hero school in the world after all. But one little though has planted itself firmly in the back of his mind.

What if they decide he isn't good enough for UA?

Hitoshi picks at a stray fuzzy on his pant leg, glancing at Eri while she plays with his tail. For the first time in a while, a smile crosses his face. A real, genuine, smile. As Eri messes with the tuft, she hums. This makes his smile widen slightly. Eri hasn't smiled a day in her life since the two met, always scared of every little thing. But for the past few days they've been free, she's been smiling, talking more frequently, and even humming to herself. 

"So, I do believe that that concludes the paperwork portion!" Nedzu announces, cheery tone still there. Hitoshi's eyes snap back onto the adults as they shake each other's hands. 

Nedzu turns to him. "Young Hitoshi! It is my pleasure to welcome you to UA High School. I have scheduled some standardized testing tomorrow to check which subjects you may need tutors in. Monday you will report to class 1-A. I have created a printed schedule with class times for now and will get a tutoring schedule for you by the end of tomorrow!" he holds out a fuzzy paw for another handshake. Hitoshi rises, gently setting Eri down in the chair and walking over to shake the principal's paw.

"Thank you sir..." He manages to say, earning another smile from the principal. 

"You are very welcome! I will see you tomorrow morning for your testing. Now then," He puts his paws together "you should get to the dorms and introduce yourself to your new peers." Hitoshi thanks Nedzu again as Aizawa leads him and Eri out of the office. Hizashi decided that he would stay back and enjoy some tea with Nedzu. 

-->

"Fair warning, "Aizawa starts when they reach the dorm building. "My students are hectic at times. If you need a break let me know and I'll get you to the dorm room you'll be staying in." Hitoshi nods, gently scooping up Eri so that she doesn't get lost somehow. 

"Midoriya may also approach you to see Eri. He is the one who alerted staff of her situation after all." Hitoshi nods again, glancing down to meet Eri's shining red eyes with his own indigo one. The moment they step inside, four pairs of eyes are on him. He holds back the urge to shrink away. Two of them, a pink girl with horns and a boy with bright red hair, go back to trying to explain something to another boy with shock yellow hair. The fourth, a dirty blonde boy with sharp red eyes, scowls and turns to Aizawa. 

"Who are these extras?!" He demands, crossing his arms.

"Hitoshi and Eri. Hitoshi will be joining your class." Aizawa sighs, rubbing one of his temples as if he is already getting a headache.

"What?!" he shouts, small explosions crackling in his palms. "We all had to pass a test and he gets to waltz in here halfway through the semester?!" Eri gasps and cowers, turning her head away to hide in Hitoshi's arms. A scowl forms on his own face as he tenses, preparing himself for if a fight breaks out. Thankfully, Aizawa butts in again. 

"Bakugo. The decision is final. Hitoshi is staying. Now shut up, you're giving me a migraine." He internally sighs in relief as the boy grumbles and goes back to what Hitoshi believes is a study session. Unfortunately, they don't make it another three steps before another person comes into the room.

"I heard shouting from my room, is everything alright?" The boy asking the question is easily six foot and has many extra arms to his arms by webs.

"Yes, just showing the new student where his room is." Aizawa grumbles. The dude thankfully doesn't ask any other questions and simply steps out of the way so the three can pass. Eri turns her head to look around as they walk down the hallway. A few doors are open and he can vaguely hear music coming from one of them, though he can't place which song it is. At the end of the hallway, there are a pair of stairs. Hitoshi shifts Eri into on arm, using his tail to balance her, so that he can grab the railing; it would be a shame to fall down the stairs, especially if he is carrying a small child. 

"Eri!" a bright voice shouts. Hitoshi's first instinct is to turn his body away from the source as a shield while he locates the speaker. A green haired boy (was his name Midoriya?) stops in front of his, seeming confused. He glances to the man for an explanation.

"Sensei, why is he here? Is he joining our class?" He blinks in surprise; how did he figure out what was happening so quickly?

"Yes, he's joining the class. I expect you not to bombard him with questions." The green haired boy nods and turns to Hitoshi with a friendly smile on his face.

"Nice to meet you, I don't think we formally introduced ourselves yet." He says, holding out a hand. "I'm Izuku Midoriya!" He slowly turns back to face Midoriya, holding out his own hand after situating Eri in his other arm. 

"Hitoshi." Midoriya beams at him before turning to Eri and waving.

"Heya! How are you doing?" The little girl squirms, Hitoshi taking the hint to set her down so she can hug him. (Even if the back of his mind tells him not to. He'd rather Eri be happy.) Midoriya laughs happily and hugs her back. After a few moments, the other boy stands, scooping up Eri and handing her back to him. 

"Nice to meet you! If you need any help settling in, my room is at the end of the hall!" He says, waving and taking off back where he came from. Hitoshi blinks a few times as Aizawa returns to showing him to his room. Hitoshi is exhausted by the time they get there, the three interactions he had with other students wearing him out. 

"Lunch is in about an hour. I'll send one of the students to come get you since I need to bring Eri up to staff dorms and get her settled in." He explains as they step inside the room.

"She isn't staying here?" He asks, taking a defensive step away from Aizawa as he cradles the girl. Aizawa sighs again.

"Nedzu and I agreed it would be safer to have her stay in the staff dorms to avoid the chaos of my students. I'll make sure one of the staff bring her by during lunch so you can see her." Hitoshi frowns, eventually complying and handing over the little girl.

"Fine, but if there is a single injury on her, this whole place is going to hell." He grumbles, tail twitching as he retreats into the room. Aizawa nods and closes the door, leaving him alone with his thoughts. He groans in frustration, flopping onto the bed and burying his face into the pillows. He knows he should probably check his schedule, try on his uniform, or even just shower but he feels that doing any of that is a waste of effort. So there he is, laying in bed and listening to the minutes tick by. After a while, he starts to comb his fingers through his hair, trying to smooth out the tangles. 

He sits there for who knows how long, picking at the tangles in his partially matted hair while listening to the clock. He's been there so long that he starts to wonder if they forgot-

"Hitoshi?" The green haired boy sounds through the doors after a series of soft knocks. "Staff dropped off some ingredients for us to cook with, do you want to come down and eat?" Hitoshi raises his head and glances over at the door. 

"Yeah... I'll be right there..." He calls out, sitting up and rubbing his tired eyes. Midoriya voices an 'okay' but he doesn't hear footsteps departing. He finds out why quickly enough; turns out, Midoriya is standing right outside his door waiting for him. The green haired boy smiles when he exits the room.

"There you are! I think the boys were going to try and make sushi..." he says, rubbing the back of his own neck. The indigo haired boy nods, trudging down the stairs as the other talks about what people in the dorms do.

"-and sometimes we have game nights, but that's only really on the weekends. Normally kids divide into groups to work on different classes. Oh, hey guys!" Midoriya shouts the last part, running over to a fairly normal looking brunette girl and a boy with blue hair wearing a name tag that says 'Tenya Iida.' Quickly, the three dissolve into conversations about the green haired boy's latest quirk analysis; whatever the hell that means. Hitoshi, used to being forgotten or ignored, glances around the room. Two boys are at the kitchen counter, the blonde from earlier and one with big lips and spiky brown hair, both arguing over counter space. He elects to ignore them for now, instead focusing on a boy with a bird's head and red eyes. He is talking to a girl with headphone jacks for earlobes about music. Well, he's guessing it's about music because both of them are tapping their feet and looking at a phone. A couple kids are looking over at him, and he schools his expression into one of bored disinterest as to not show his nervousness. He hasn't been around this many people since the orphanage so excuse him for being a bit unnerved. 

An crash sounds nearby, Hitoshi jolts and looks over. It's the blonde boy (Bakugo?): he flung a bowl across the room in a show of dominance over the big lipped boy. The boy who dodged the bowl rolls his eyes and backs off, letting Bakugo go first in the kitchen. His frown tightens at the display, though he doesn't say anything.