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Chapter Text

Hizashi Yamada considered himself a pretty lucky individual. It wasn’t that he had a perfect life or anything. He’d been muzzled until he was six, because he was born with his quirk and it was volatile and uncontrollable for a baby or toddler. His parents had been unable to care for him and put him up for adoption. He’d been muzzled and avoided, locked away so he couldn’t hurt anyone else.

But he still considered himself lucky. He was adopted by an older deaf couple at seven, found his best friends in UA, and despite the death of Oboro, had gone on to become a successful hero and radio show host. He had married his Shouta two years after they graduated in a small ceremony that Nezu had officiated, with Tensei Iida and Nemuri Kayama, their best friends since high school as witnesses. His adoptive parents had been able to see him happy and successful before they passed away. A year after their marriage, they had agreed to get teaching licenses after Nemuri badgered them, and two years later, they started their first year at UA as teachers instead of students.

So all in all, he considered himself a lucky guy. And if some of that luck transferred to his family and friends, he was all for it. Luck may be the only explanation as to how he found the first of their eventual adopted children.

A year after they started teaching, Hizashi had been on a routine patrol on the outskirts of Musutafa. Most people just saw him as the loud, bright Daylight hero who could level buildings with his quirk, but Hizashi preferred working in the shadows, taking on a twilight hero role. Everyone knew him, knew his name and his jobs, but with his hair down and a uniform change, he was perfectly capable of blending into the shadows of the underbelly that his husband frequented. He was in the middle of his patrol, and the sun’s rays were dropping below the skyline as twilight bled into night. It had been fairly quiet and he was reviewing his plans for his radio show the next day when he heard a soft scuff of noise from an alley. His hearing aids barely picked up the noise, but it had him on alert, moving quietly so he didn’t spook whatever was hiding there.

Years of living with Shouta had acclimated him to moving slowly and quietly around the various feral cats his husband took care of, and he was oddly glad for the instinct when he carefully stepped around a dumpster and found a small child instead of the animal he was expecting. The kid’s face was buried in his knees, and dark straps cut through his pale hair, making Hizashi’s fists bunch for a second before he forcibly relaxed them.

“Hey, little listener… that can’t be very comfortable.” His words were a soft croon as he crouched down just out of reach. He was more than just a screamer, and Nezu had taught him how to use his quirk to simulate a soothing rumble. He laced that through his voice as he cautiously extended a hand, trying to get the kid to look up at him. “Can you tell me why you’re hiding in this yucky alley?”

A pair of lavender eyes peeked over a thin arm and then Hizashi was swallowing a curse when he saw the muzzle strapped to a too-pale face. “Mm, can I get that thing off for you, little one?” He stayed still until a single, small head nod gave him permission, and even then, kept his movements slow and obvious. “Okay, let’s see what we’re working with here…” The muzzle was locked on with a key, and now that he was closer, he could see where tiny fingernails had tried to pull it away, delicate scratches down cheeks showing a desperation that Hizashi could unfortunately relate to.

He really needed that muzzle off, probably just as much as this kid did.

“Okay, this should be easy. I’m going to grab the utility knife from my pocket and we’re gonna cut through the straps.” When the kid nodded slightly again, Hizashi grabbed his knife and showed it to him. “This is very sharp, little listener, so you’re gonna have to say suuuuper still, all right? We’re gonna get that thing off of you, but I don’t wanna hurt you accidentally. Do you understand?”

Another head nod, and this time the small child turned away, letting him see the straps easier in the dying light. “Good job, kiddo. Now stay very still.” He made quick work of the thick leather straps, holding them in place so the kid couldn’t rip the muzzle off and hurt himself more. “Okay, keep staying still for me, you’re doing great.” He shifted around the smaller form to grip the front of the muzzle, giving the child a gentle smile. “I’m going to pull this off, but we’re gonna go slow. It looks like you’ve got some cuts there and I don’t wanna make them worse. Can you hold on for just a few more minutes?”

Hizashi’s smile quirked a bit wider when he get a tremulous thumbs up and he very carefully pulled the metal and leather away. When it was completely off, the kid slumped backwards, terrified eyes staring at it as he covered his mouth. Hizashi set it to the side and gently pulled those slender hands away from his face. “It’s gone, sweetheart. You’re okay now. Can I see your scratches?”

Both hands gripped onto one of Hizashi’s and he cursed softly at how cold they were. Now that the muzzle was off and he could focus a little more, he could see how dirty and cold the little boy was, out in a t-shirt and jeans that looked about two sizes too small. Definitely not appropriate clothing if he’d just been out and about and gotten himself lost. The lines from the muzzle that had cut into his cheeks weren’t deep, but they looked inflamed and Hizashi worried immediately about an infection.

“Okay… okay, new plan. Can you tell me your name?”

One hand released the hero’s and trembling fingers spelled out *H-i-t-o-s-h-i*. “Hey, little listener, you know JSL! Good job! Hitoshi, yes?” The nod made him smile and Hizashi wiggled their hands gently. “Okay, Hitoshi, here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna give me my hand back for just a minute so I can get my coat off. You are suuuuuuper cold, kiddo, and I wanna get your warmed up. Can we start with that?”

Hitoshi looked reluctant, but nodded, watching Hizashi intently as he shifted just enough to get his coat free without hitting the poor kid. Once the leather was wrapped around him, pale fingers pulled it closer, clinging to the warmth. “Good job! Now, we need to get those scratches looked at, huh? I can clean ‘em up a bit, but we should really have a pro look at ‘em!” He kept his voice soft, but cheerful, keeping those purple eyes on him. “I should probably tell ya who I am, huh?”

He was interrupted when Hitoshi’s hands came up again, signing out, *Present Mic. Hero.* “Woah, you’re a smart kiddo! You’re absolutely right, I’m Present Mic. But my real name is Hizashi Yamada. Since I’m calling you Hitoshi, you can totally call me Hizashi, okay?”

Hitoshi nodded again, the fear in his eyes bleeding into at least a little excitement. “Excellent. You’re a rockin’ little kid, Hitoshi. Can I pick you up, or do you want to walk a bit? I’m gonna get us a super cool ride to the hospital so we can get you looked at, ya dig?”

The kid obviously considered this for a minute before tentatively lifting his arms up. Hizashi smiled and scooped up the destroyed muzzle before pulling Hitoshi up and against his chest as he stood. “All right! Ridin’ in style, am I right?” He was rewarded with a tiny giggle, which made him tighten his arms in a gentle hug. Adjusting the kid to sit on his hip, he shoved the muzzle into a pocket on his belt to free up a hand for his phone. “Okay, little listener, we’re gonna call my husband and he’s gonna bring a car to take us to get you looked at. While we wait, I’m gonna ask you some questions, okay? Just yes or no, you can just nod or shake your head, got it?”

Hitoshi gave a hesitant nod, resting his head on Hizashi’s shoulder.

“Perfect. Gimme just a sec.” He hit a button on his phone and it only rang once before Shouta picked up.

“Zash, you okay? You usually don’t call during patrols.”

“I’m fine, love. I found a little listener hiding where your strays usually hang out.”

“That’s…” It obviously took a second before Shouta grasped what he was trying not to say. “Okay. Do you need me?”

“You and the car. The little rockstar needs to be checked out. If you could grab some shorts and a t-shirt too, and maybe a blanket or jacket?”

“Got it. Where am I meeting you?”

“Corner of Eighth and Manju.”

“Heh, you weren’t kidding about the strays. I’ll be there in ten.”

The line went dead and Hizashi tucked his phone away, sitting on a bench with Hitoshi wrapped up in his arms. “Time to get to know each other, kiddo! If you don’t wanna answer a question, you can just pat my chest, got it?” When Hitoshi nodded, Hizashi cuddled him closer. “First question, did you run away?”

Hitoshi stiffened and held still for a second before lifting a hand to waffle it from side to side. “Did someone lock you out of your home and then you left?” He’d dealt with runaways and bad foster homes before; places like he was in before his parents adopted him. A nod was his response, tiny and obviously scared.

“That’s okay, sweetheart. You didn’t do anything wrong and you’re not in any trouble. You don’t feel safe there?” The almost forceful headshake broke his heart, but he just ran a hand soothingly down Hitoshi’s back. “That’s understandable. Did your parents put the muzzle on you?”

Hitoshi shook his head again, sighing very softly. “Not your parents… are you in a foster or group home?” A nod and Hitoshi held up two fingers. “A group home, huh?” Another nod.

“You’re doing amazing, Hitoshi. I’m super proud of ya. Did they do that because of your quirk?” The sudden trembling and ducked head was all the answer Hizashi needed. “Hey, hey, shhh… it’s okay. You’re safe. No one is gonna put one of those things on you ever again. I promise.” When the trembling didn’t settle, Hizashi gently started rocking them, humming with that soothing rumble of his quirk laced in. He had all the information he needed for the moment.

Shouta pulled up only a few minutes later and Hizashi gently tapped Hitoshi’s back to get his attention. “Our chariot is here, little listener. We’re gonna go get you checked out, and then we have some clean clothes for you to change into, at least for tonight, okay?” Hitoshi gave a little nod and Hizashi stood up as Shouta stepped out of the car with the blanket in his hands.

“I wasn’t sure how big the kid was, so I grabbed a longer t-shirt in case the shorts didn’t fit. I also snagged one of your sweatshirts for us to go home in.” He wrapped the blanket around both of them, noticing the way Hitoshi’s fingers clung to the leather jacket like he was afraid it would be taken away. Large purple eyes stared at him and then Hitoshi lifted his hands to get Hizashi’s attention.

*Eraserhead.*

Shouta’s eyes were wide and Hizashi stifled a laugh, nodding. “Right on, Hitoshi, that’s Eraserhead. You gotta keep it a secret, but his name is Shouta Aizawa. You can call him Shouta if you want.” Hitoshi nodded shyly, offering the dark-haired man a little smile and getting one back. “My back pouch, Shou… it needs to go in an evidence bag and then put it in the trunk. I don’t want it anywhere near me or the little listener.” The tightness in his voice had Shouta moving quickly and Hitoshi snuggling into his chest. His husband’s soft curse as the muzzle was pulled out helped alleviate some of the tension, and it was quickly shoved into a bag and tucked away in the trunk.

“All done, Zash. Let’s get the kid to the hospital. I let Nao know that he was gonna be needed there.”

Hizashi nodded, slipping into the front seat and pulling the seatbelt over both him and Hitoshi. “Good. Toshi here says he was locked out of his group home and wandered here. At the very least, quirk discrimination and neglect of a minor.” He rocked side to side, soothing the kid who was curled against his chest. “He’s non-verbal, but can speak and understand JSL.”

Shouta nodded, resting a hand on Hizashi’s knee soothingly as he drove them to the hospital. “Then it’s a good thing we both speak and understand sign too, huh? If you have anything at all you want us to know, Hitoshi, you can tell us, okay?”

The little nod and a soft yawn were his answer and Hizashi chuckled gently. “It’s been a long night, huh, kiddo? This shouldn’t take too long.”

Chapter Text

By the time they got to the hospital, Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi was already there and had alerted the staff to a minor being brought in with unknown injuries. They were taken back immediately and Hizashi kept a hand on Hitoshi the whole time he was being examined.

When the doctors finished up, Hizashi was handed paperwork and prescriptions for antibiotics and vitamins, as Hitoshi did have a mild infection on his face and was severely malnourished. He helped him get cleaned up after all the pictures were taken for evidence, putting him in the large shirt and using one of his hair ties to keep the soft shorts on his tiny hips.

While he was being examined, Shouta took the detective out into the hall to explain what Hizashi had been told and to hand over the muzzle so neither of them had to look at it again. By the time the doctors were finished, they were both back and Naomasa had a fire in his eyes despite his soft smile to Hitoshi.

“Okay, kid. Hizashi and Shouta say you’re not up for talking right now, which is totally fine. The doctors took some pictures of you and I’m gonna set up a camera right here, so we can have a little chat, okay?”

Hitoshi looked over at Hizashi, who nodded encouragingly, which prompted him to nod nervously at the detective. “Excellent. You’ve been very brave tonight and we’re almost done, I promise.” It didn’t take him long to get the recording set up and he motioned for Shouta and Hizashi to join Hitoshi on the bed.”

“This is Detective Tsukauchi with the Musutafu Police Department, interviewing the minor, Hitoshi Shinsou about quirk discrimination and neglect. Present are Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada, who are also being interviewed at witnesses.” He turned to look at them, smiling gently at Hitoshi again. “Hitoshi, my quirk is called Lie Detector. If I see or hear a lie, I’ll know. Can you tell me your full name and age?”

With a glance at the adults on either side of him, Hitoshi lifted his hands to spell out, *Hitoshi Shinsou, age eight.*

“True. For the record, he indicated that his name is Hitoshi Shinsou and he’s eight years old. Can you tell me why you were in an alley tonight wearing a muzzle?”

With trembling hands, Hitoshi explained that he’d accidentally asked his group home supervisor what dinner was. The director had been furious, strapped the muzzle on him and then kicked him out into the backyard. He’d tried the door an hour later when it got really cold, but it was locked, so Hitoshi had left to find somewhere warm to stay. He’d gotten lost and had just decided to bunk down behind the dumpster for the night.

Naomasa closed his eyes for a second before sighing. “True. Are you punished for asking questions often?”

*It’s my quirk. I can take control of people if I ask a question out loud. But I didn’t use it on him.* His hands were shaking and he looked at Hizashi and Shouta with wide eyes, desperate for them to believe him.

“True. And it’s okay, Hitoshi. We believe you. You shouldn’t be punished for asking questions, or even using your quirk accidentally. Accidents happen and that’s okay.”

Hizashi wrapped an arm around slender shoulders, hugging Hitoshi gently. “We believe you. Nothing that happened tonight is your fault.”

*But I’m a villain. That’s what they said. I’m a villain with a bad quirk and the police were going to take me away.*

The detective cursed silently and held up a hand. “Hitoshi. I am the police, and I’m telling you that you’re not a villain and you don’t have a bad quirk. You’re a child, and the only bad people in this scenario are the adults who hurt you and put you outside. You’re okay now. You’re safe, and you won’t have to go back there, okay?”

It took a few minutes for Hitoshi to settle, but he finally nodded, clinging to Hizashi. Naomasa looked at the blond hero. “To continue this interview, Mr. Yamada, could you explain how you found Hitoshi?”

Hizashi nodded, taking a deep breath. “I was on my regular patrol and heard a sound in an alley as I walked by. It was a little scuffling noise, and I thought it was one of Sho- Aizawa’s feral cats looking for food. When I went to investigate, I found Hitoshi curled up behind the dumpster. He was obviously scared and cold, wearing only a t-shirt and jeans that both looked too small for him. When I got his attention, he looked up and I saw that he was wearing a quirk suppressing muzzle.”

“True. What happened after that?”

“I spoke to him for a few minutes and found out that he could use JSL. I got his permission to remove the muzzle with my utility knife. Once I had it off, I gave him my coat and called Aizawa to come get us to bring us to the hospital. I noticed that he had small cuts on his face, and they looked like they might be getting infected, so I didn’t want to just treat them on the street with my first aid kit.”

“True. The muzzle in question has been retrieved and turned over to the police by Shouta Aizawa and the medical reports showing the mild infection and cuts on Hitoshi Shinsou’s face have been logged with the department.” He looked up at Hizashi and Shouta. “Will you be enacting your emergency foster licenses tonight?”

“Yes, we will. We would also like you to open an investigation into his caseworker as well, since he was placed into an unsafe home.”

“True. And that’s already in the plans. Let the record show that an attempt was made to contact Hitoshi’s caseworker, but we were forced to leave a voicemail. At this time, no contact back has been made.” He turned the recorder off and put it away quickly before turning back to them.

“All right, you can get out of here. We have all the information we need to get started. I’ll give you a call with any information or questions that pop up. We are not giving his caseworker any of your information for now… I’m going to speak to a judge in the morning and see what we can do about getting his information transferred to a different social worker.”

Hizashi snorted, scooping Hitoshi up again and wrapping his coat around his thin shoulders. The little boy seemed to use it like a shield, and Hizashi wasn’t about to take away something he considered safe. “I’ll be talking to Nezu when I get home. There’s nothing he enjoys more than destroying abusers.”

Naomasa chuckled and nodded. “Fair enough.”

Shouta pressed a hand against Hizashi’s back, getting them moving down to the car. The ride home was quiet except for Hitoshi’s soft yawns and Hizashi’s gentle humming. Once they all got inside, Hizashi flopped onto the couch with Hitoshi in his lap.

“Okay, little listener, here’s how tonight’s gonna go. You smell like that dumpster, so you’re gonna take a bath. Shouta and I are gonna source out some temporary pjs for ya, and then he’s gonna order in some takeout, cuz it’s late and I don’t think any of us are up to cooking tonight. After we’ve eaten, we’ll figure out the sleeping arrangements. Sound good?”

Hitoshi nodded a little, drowsy now that he was warm and safe. A bath sounded good, honestly and food sounded even better.

“Awesome. You’re coming with me so we can get a bath started then. I’ll show you where everything is.” Hizashi carried him into the bathroom, pointing out where their bedroom was. “We have a pull-out couch if you wanna snooze in the living room, or a futon if you wanna crash in our room with us for tonight. Whatever you’re more comfortable with.” Setting him down, he pulled out towels and a washcloth and pointed to the shower products while he started filling the tub. “You can use whatever’s there, just make sure you get yourself clean. If you need help or anything, knock on the wall three times. I’m gonna leave this door cracked a bit so we can hear you, but we won’t come in unless you knock or you don’t come out for a while, okay?”

Hitoshi tilted his head and gave three measured knocks to the tiled wall. Hizashi grinned and nodded.

“Exactly that, little dude! If you’re not out in like, 30 minutes, I’ll poke in to check on you, just to make sure you didn’t fall asleep in the tub.” He grinned impishly. “Shouta’s done that a couple times, so I keep an eye out.” He winked, making Hitoshi giggle behind his hands.

“Once we find something that’ll work for pajamas, we’ll leave them outside the door. Tomorrow we’ll get you some stuff that fits, but we’re making do for tonight.” Shutting off the water, he moved to the door and gave one last smile. “I’m really glad I found ya tonight, Toshi… you’re a rockin’ little kid and we’re gonna make sure you’re safe from now on, ya dig?”

He slipped out, pausing for a few minutes until he heard the small boy slip into the water. Once he was certain he was bathing, Hizashi headed back into the living room to find Shouta tapping away at his phone.

“I’m ordering ramen and chicken fingers. Nothing super heavy, but I think most kids like chicken fingers.” His husband didn’t even look up from his phone as Hizashi flopped down next to him.

“Good call for tonight. I think there’s a box of our old UA stuff in the closet. Hopefully I can find some smaller clothes for him to sleep in tonight.” The bouncing of his leg gave him away and Shouta looked up sharply.

“Zash. He’s safe. You found him, you got the muzzle off, we’re gonna make sure he never has to put one on again.”

Hizashi buried his face in his hands for a minute, breathing out a low whine before sitting back up. “I know. I know. I just… fuck, Shou, I didn’t even think you could get those anymore. I know they’re not legal, so… how the fuck did a group home director have access to one?”

“I don’t know, Sunshine, but we’ll find out. And we’ll make sure they can’t use them on any other kids.” A strong arm wrapped around Hizashi’s shoulders, pulling his head gently to Shouta’s shoulder. “I’ll go see if I can find the kid some clothes. You call Nezu, and then you call your therapist and leave a request for an expedited appointment. Then we’re gonna eat some shitty delivery and get some sleep. Got it?”

“Yeah… yeah, I got it. Shit, did you…”

“Call your agency and let them know someone else had to take over your patrol so you could take care of a civilian? Yes. I also got your agency to cover your shifts for a couple days and to set up one of your prerecorded episodes for your show. I also called off for tonight and got someone to cover my shifts as well. We have a week off. You get to tell the rat that we need a week from school as well.”

Hizashi chuckled and pushed him gently before reeling him back into a hug. “What would I do without you? If Hitoshi needs us, he’s gonna knock three times on the tile, so keep an ear out. I’ll go make some phone calls.”

Twenty minutes later, Hitoshi was sitting on the couch with Shouta, wearing a t-shirt with the UA logo on it and watching as the dark-haired hero stitched the waist of a pair of sweatpants to make it smaller. Once he was done, he held them up to Hitoshi. He’d already stitched up a pair of boxers that were currently covering the boy’s legs almost down to his knees. “There ya go, kiddo. They’re not fashionable, but they’re soft and warm. Comfort over fashion, no matter what the cockatoo says.”

Hitoshi quickly slipped them on, letting out a soft sigh when he realized how warm they were. *Cockatoo?* he signed as he sat back down.

Shouta grinned impishly and showed him Hizashi’s sign name. *Loud bird,* was signed as he said, “Hizashi,” out loud. The little giggle Hitoshi gave him felt like an award.

“Just so you know, he’s mostly deaf. Wears hearing aids outside and for hero work, but at home, he usually has them off. So we both know JSL and can read lips. If you want to get his attention, flicker the lights in the room he’s in.”

Hitoshi nodded easily, curling into the corner of the couch. *What happens now? After we sleep, I mean.*

“I’m not completely sure yet. There’s a lot of moving parts right now, so we have to wait a bit to see what’s going to happen. But whatever happens, Hizashi and I are gonna be keeping an eye on you. We’re not just gonna drop you off somewhere and abandon you.” He ran a hand through the slightly damp purple hair, making the boy look up at him. “We’ll keep you safe, one way or another, okay?”

It took a minute, Hitoshi’s eyes darting around Shouta’s face, before he finally nodded. *I believe you. I’ll try to believe you all the time, but…* His hands dropped and Shouta ruffled his hair.

“But it’s hard to believe in good things all the time. We understand.”

They all ended up crashing in the living room that night, with Shouta on the floor in his sleeping bag and Hizashi on the couch with Hitoshi on his chest. They’d fallen asleep shortly after dinner, watching a movie to wind down from the stress of the evening. When Shouta realized they were both out like lights, he grabbed his sleeping bag and put himself in front of the couch so he would wake up if Hitoshi got up in the middle of the night.

The next couple of days were a whirlwind of interviews, questions and unpleasant discoveries. At home, Hitoshi was a quiet but respectful child that was slowly coming out of his shell. He still wouldn’t talk, though a quick examination by Shuzenji showed that he could. He would, however, sign out snarky comebacks to the adults when they teased him, eyes alight with a shy humor that grew bolder as they laughed at his replies and playful retorts.

The time spent with him at home completely disproved the narrative that the group home director and the caseworker tried to present. They said that he was troubled and disruptive, starting fights with other kids and using his quirk to make everyone do things for him. According to them, the only way to control him was to keep him from using his quirk and separate him from the rest of the house. With Detective Tsukauchi leading the interrogations, their claims were dismissed and Hitoshi was removed from their care completely. The group home was restructured and the caseworker was dismissed from her job, with charges pending when it was discovered that she supplied the muzzle to every foster and group home Hitoshi had been taken to.

Nezu contacted the social worker that worked with UA students when they became wards of the school and within a week, Hitoshi was officially placed with Hizashi and Shouta as a foster child. The UA principal also helped them sort out a house rather than an apartment, giving Hitoshi his own room and allowing them to have a guest room and an office at home, with a yard for the boy to play in. They had enrolled him in Somei Primary Academy with Tensei’s younger brother after hearing the glowing reviews regarding their teacher qualifications and the zero tolerance policy on bullying and quirk discrimination.

With Hitoshi settled in a new home, and a new school, Hizashi and Shouta felt comfortable with returning to their normal work schedules. Nemuri and Tensei would come over and babysit if they ever both needed to be out, which may or may not have been a mistake because Hitoshi definitely picked up their chaotic humor and snarky clapbacks quicker than either of his foster parents preferred.

It took a little over three months for the small family to settle into a new normal, and Hitoshi was thriving, a little more willing to speak up as time passed, though asking questions was still difficult for him. He had made friends with Tensei’s younger brother, Tenya and another boy, Denki Kaminari, had transferred in a month after Hitoshi and had latched himself to the two boys. Hizashi liked to tease that their group was the opposite of Shouta, Hizashi and Oboro in school, but they were both just happy to see their foster son branching out and accepting friendships.

Chapter Text

If Shouta was being completely honest, he wanted to be at home. He made his way into the police station with two cups of coffee from the diner down the street, wondering how Hizashi was faring with all three boys having a sleepover at their place. He’d much rather be eating pizza and listening to Tenya scold Denki for being ‘a loud blond’ (a phrase the overly formal child had picked up from Shouta, which gave him a lot of amusement) than be doing an unscheduled patrol, but Atomizer was on a maternity leave that wasn’t supposed to start for another week and they needed the patrol covered in a hurry. When he’d heard who would be taking the shift, Nao had immediately texted him, so here he was, waiting for some sort of monkey wrench to be thrown into his already screwed night.

“Nao,” he murmured, holding up the coffee to the detective, who took it with a grateful nod and motioned for him to follow.

“We’ve had a strange report come through and it has me a little concerned, especially with how you found Hitoshi a couple months ago.” Naomasa walked behind his desk, settling in his seat and taking out a folder as Shouta collapsed in the chair opposite.

“Lemme guess, another kid?”

“Another kid, but this one… frankly, I’m concerned the kid’s gonna get himself killed. I’m hoping you can find him, and shut down whatever it is he thinks he’s doing.” He tapped the folder before sliding it across the desk.

“We got a call from a woman a couple weeks ago about a man who’d attacked her. Get this; she said she was saved by some kid with a brick. When we got there… the guy was still out cold with a knot on his head the size of a fist.”

“She said ‘kid’ or ‘child’, right?”

“According to the vic, he couldn’t have been older than seven or eight… probably around the same age as Hitoshi. She said she had been yelling for help, but no one was around… probably because it was like, two in the morning. This kid just appears out of nowhere, nailed the guy in the head hard enough to knock him out, and booked it out of there with the woman.”

Rubbing a hand over his face, he looked up at the detective again with a little sigh. There was no way a kid, especially his son’s age, should be out on the streets at two in the god damned morning. “There’s definitely more to this, so just spit it out.”

Chuckling, Naomasa nodded. “This kid asked her if she was okay, pointed her in the direction of that 24-hour coffee shop in the red light district and then just… vanished. She was holding the door open for him to follow her, turned around, and he was gone. It wasn’t a quirk, because she heard his footsteps run off, but she has no idea where he went or why. Or why a kid that young was out that late on his own at all, for that matter. We have a description of him, but no name and he’s not coming up on any of our databases.”

Shouta looked back at the papers. “Short, young, green eyes, dark hair. Apparently strong enough to whip bricks at people? A quirk?”

“Maybe. We just don’t know. There have been other reports of something similar in the area since then… someone who is small, fast, and apparently strong, popping on scene, disabling criminals with a bat and electrical wire, and then vanishing as soon as they’re done. Frankly, it would be really weird for there to be two tiny vigilantes running around. If this kid is the same person, and as young as the first woman indicated…”

“Then the last thing he should be doing is beating up criminals at all hours of the night. Shit. This kid’s gonna get himself killed.”

“That’s what the chief is worried about, honestly. Aside from the possible strength quirk, he’s pretty remarkably restrained… the criminals aren’t generally hurt anymore than it would take to incapacitate them, and the electrical wires are just used to capture them and keep them in place. Every time, he tells the vics to call the cops and then just… disappears. He never leaves a name, and he only lingers long enough to make sure they’re calling us. He also wears a mask and dark clothes, so no one’s been able to give a good description of him aside from ‘short’ and his voice ‘sounds young.’”

“Jesus Christ… I’m guessing you want me to keep my eyes out?”

“Yeah. Bring him in if you can. At the very least, try to talk to him? Maybe you can convince him to stop? I don’t know, Shouta, none of us wanna see this kid in jail or worse but if the commission gets wind of this…”

“He’ll be up on charges and they won’t give a shit about his age. Fine, I’ll keep an eye out. Any idea where I’m looking?”

“He mostly seems to stick to the red light district and the surrounding area. And generally, he’s only ever seen late at night… we’ve never had reports of him before one or after four in the morning. When it was just a couple sightings, we’d assumed he lived in the area, but now… well, it seems he’s gotten himself gear of some kind, so we’re not sure.”

Tossing the folder gently back onto the desk, Shouta pushed himself up. “Got it. If you hear anything, call me.”

Naomasa nodded and tucked the folder back into the drawer. “We’re keeping everything we hear on paper only, no database files to try and keep this quiet. The whole station has been on alert for information and everyone’s been keeping an eye out on regular patrols too. We’re all just worried about him, honestly. He’s definitely the youngest effective vigilante we’ve ever seen.”

Shouta gave a dark chuckle, shaking his head. “Hopefully we’ll be able to get him off the streets before he becomes the youngest dead vigilante we’ve ever seen. I’ll let ya know if I come across him or find anything out.”

Heading out to start his patrol, Shouta found himself peering in shadowy corners and back alleys with more vigilance than he’d normally use. His mind kept conjuring images of Hitoshi, out fighting adults instead of safe at home and it was making him a little paranoid. Thankfully, his patrol that night was quiet and he was able to sneak a look into his foster son’s room, soothing his paranoia with the view of three boys all dead asleep in a pile on his bedroom floor before crashing next to his husband for some much needed sleep.

He didn’t see hide nor hair of the kid for a couple weeks after their conversation, though Naomasa kept him updated with any sightings. He was still active, and apparently was able to give himself some upgrades on his gear, though two different victims that he’d saved had reported that it all looked ‘homemade’ or ‘scrounged together’. Apparently, the brat was figuring out what worked and what didn’t, and making improvements instead of staying safe.

It was both infuriating and mildly impressive.

Two and a half weeks after he’d first heard about the tiny vigilante, Shouta came across the aftermath of one of his successes. Two thugs were knocked out and had been apparently tossed into a drainage ditch, wrapped up tightly with electrical cords that looked like they’d been cut off old appliances. The victim, a young woman in a torn dress, was shaking slightly with a phone held tight in one hand. Her other hand held a pad of gauze to her forehead, and her shoulder under the tear had what looked like a drugstore bandage on it, secured with tape. She startled as Shouta appeared, but he held up a hand calmly.

“My name is Eraserhead, I’m a hero on patrol tonight and the police sent me to your location. Are you okay?”

She shrugged, finally pushing her phone back into her purse and eyeing the two unconscious men on the ground. “I… I think so. I’m a little roughed up, but… but they were stopped before they…” She shuddered, covering her mouth to muffle a whimper and he gave her a gentle smile.

“I’m glad you weren’t hurt worse, Miss. The police are on their way to take these two in. May I look at your injuries? I’d like to make sure you don’t need medical attention.”

“The… kid… jesus, there was a kid here. He jumped down from the roof and just…” She nodded slightly, taking a couple steps forward. “It all happened so fast. I was trying to get home from my shift at the diner, these two guys grabbed me and threw me around a bit, threatened to… well… this kid jumped from the roof and knocked them both out. He had bandages. A kid…” She seemed to be struggling with the thought, but to be fair, so was Shouta.

“He, uh… he bandaged my shoulder and gave me the gauze for my head, told me to call the police and have them check my head. Once he heard them pick up, he just… waved at me and ran off. Tied them up and dragged them out of the alley so they’d be easy to find and I wouldn’t have to stand there. He actually…” She giggled, but it was half of a sob as well. “He actually said that. ‘I wouldn’t want you to have to stand here in the dark after all that happened, let’s shed some light on the subject!’ He was so… chipper. Happy to help. It was… weird.”

Shouta returned her chuckle with a low one of his own, stepping forward to check her shoulder and head. “He’s a good kid, if a bit of a brat for doing this in the first place. But I’m really glad that someone was here to help you tonight. Your shoulder isn’t too bad and your eyes are clear, but I’ll happily call an ambulance for you if you wanna get checked for a concussion.”

She shook her head, cracking a half-smile. “I think I’m good. I uh… wouldn’t mind an escort home? If that’s not too much trouble?”

“No trouble at all, miss. I’ll walk you there myself once the police come to collect the trash.” He thumbed over at the thugs. “Can you tell me anything else about the kid? I’ve been trying to get him off the street before he gets in over his head.” He could see her starting to protest and held up a hand. “I’m not trying to arrest him or anything like that. Trust me, I know how sparse protection is in this area and the police can only do so much. I just wanna help him and keep him out of jail and alive.”

She stared at him for a minute, long enough for the sound of a car to fill the silence. Shouta asked her to wait a minute and went to talk to the officers that stepped out. Once the two thugs were handcuffed, he took the cords from around their wrists and ankles and helped the officers get them loaded into the car. They were starting to come around by that point, so he was saved from having to physically lift them. He signed the paperwork for the hand off and then walked back to the woman, stuffing the cords into a pouch on his belt.

“Okay, let’s get you home. Anything you can tell me about him would be helpful.”

Unfortunately for Shouta and the small file at the police station, she couldn’t tell him much. She noticed that he had green eyes, which was a point to this definitely being the same kid that had initially helped the woman by the coffee shop a couple weeks ago. She said he sounded young, but was definitely stronger than she thought a kid should be. And she’d actually seen him jump from the roof of a building, which meant he was agile. While it wouldn’t lead to an identification, it did give him a little more to go on. The brat had to be training somewhere, so maybe he could poke around at local gyms and dojos to see if anyone fit his description.

It wasn’t much, but every little bit gave them something to go on. He left his card with her, telling her to call if she ever saw him again, but so far, none of the victims had ever had repeat encounters, so he wasn’t holding his breath.

Chapter Text

The next day, he called Hitoshi and Hizashi into the living room once they were all home, sitting down with them and explaining the child vigilante. When he was done, Hizashi’s eyes were damp and Hitoshi was looking pensive. The boy was the first to speak, which was surprising, but it made both of them proud of how far he’d come in such a short time.

“You guys think he’s my age?” The question was still tentative, but the fact that he was actively asking questions at all made both men smile a little despite the seriousness of their conversation.

“Yeah, that’s what the reports say. Somewhere between seven to ten, but the more we hear, the more Nao and I think he’s closer to your age. Which, I’m sure you can understand, is unsettling and a little scary to hear.”

Hitoshi nodded, chewing his lip for a second. “I… I didn’t like being on the streets. And I don’t think I could have actually fought anyone.”

Hizashi wrapped his arms around their foster son, hugging him gently. “And we’re both so so glad you didn’t have to, sweetheart. This kiddo shouldn’t have to either, which is why everyone’s looking for him.” He looked over at Shouta with a little frown. “And no one has any idea where he came from or where he disappears to?”

“None at all. Last night he saved this woman from a couple of perverts and she said he literally jumped down from a roof. Two guys that were about my build, Zash. And he just rocks up with this bat and a ‘chipper attitude’ according to her report. It made me think about Tosh, honestly.”

The boy looked up, gently pulling out of Hizashi’s hug to tilt his head. “Why me?”

“Because it’s the same thing I can see you do in the future. You have this attitude that says that no one is gonna get in your way to achieve your dreams, and I think… I think this kid might have that same belief, but no one to back his play.” He wasn’t surprised when Hitoshi dove into his arms, and he let himself hold the kid for a few minutes, relaxing at the fact that even if this child vigilante wasn’t safe, his own child was.

That thought made him pause for a second and then he sighed, pulling Hitoshi a little closer. “If we manage to find the problem child, I wanna bring him home. There’s no way wherever he’s staying has proper adult supervision or he wouldn’t be out at the ass crack of dawn in gear he seems to have pieced together. I wanna… I wanna be in his corner, like we are with you.”

Hizashi gave him a watery smile and Hitoshi pulled back enough to look up, staring into dark eyes for a minute before nodding. “You guys… you said that no, uh… no kid deserves to be alone. And I get that. Just… I’ll still be here, right?”

“Oh, Toshi…” Hizashi’s voice warbled wetly and he joined the hug, pulling them both close. “Of course you’ll still be here, baby. You’re our child. We wouldn’t trade you for the world. If we can help another kiddo get off the street, then we’ll do it, but that doesn’t mean you’re any less ours, or that we’ll care about them more than we care about you. Okay?”

“Actually, I think this is a good time to talk about this.” Shouta pulled back a bit, running a hand through Hitoshi’s purple hair. “Hizashi and I spoke about this once we had permanent foster status over you. We were gonna do a whole thing during the holidays, but…” He looked at Hizashi, who kissed Hitoshi’s forehead and stood up.

“I’ll be right back.” It didn’t take him long to come back from their office with a manila envelope that he handed to Hitoshi.

“There are adoption papers inside. We wanted to make sure you were happy here with us before we made them official, but we can file those whenever you want. We aren’t getting rid of you, Tosh. You’re our brat, and you’ll stay our brat. Okay?”

Hitoshi was crying, pulling the papers out and looking them over before nodding and handing them back to Hizashi. “A-as soon as you can. I’d… I’d really like it if you guys were my dads officially.”

Shouta pulled him back into a hug, rocking him gently. “Then we’ll make it official. I can take those in with me tomorrow morning and the rat will have them filed before the end of the week. The only thing we have to figure out is the name thing. We kept our last names because Zashi’s limelight career would bring too much attention to my underground work. You can take his, mine, or a mix of both. It’s up to you.”

Hitoshi settled, wiping his eyes and leaning against his chest with a little sigh. “How would we mix them? I’d like that if we could.”

Hizashi chuckled and nodded. “Aimada, Aizada, or Yamazawa is what we played with when we were planning our wedding. We eventually decided against changing our names because we had both already started building our careers, but you’re welcome to use any of those.”

“Aizada is too close to Aizawa, and Aimada just… kinda sounds weird.” Hitoshi huffed playfully and nuzzled into Shouta’s shoulder. “I like Yamazawa. It’s a good blend, but different enough that when I get into UA, people won’t automatically link me with you two.”

“Hitoshi Yamazawa it is!” Hizashi pulled out the papers and grabbed a pen from the side table, filling out the last bit of the paperwork. “Shou and I already signed it, so it just needs to be filed.”

Shouta ruffled Hitoshi’s hair, playfully rough, before making him look up at him. “And that’s not gonna change if… when… we find the problem vigilante. You’re our kid, legally.”

Hitoshi laughed a little, pushing his hand away and nodding. “Yeah, okay. Bring the other kid home. If you’re right about him being like me, I think we can get along.”

True to their predictions, Nezu pulled a few strings and the paperwork went through before the weekend. They took Nemuri, Tensei, Tenya, and Denki out to eat to celebrate and Shouta returned to his patrols with a renewed purpose to find the kid vigilante and keep him safe.

Of course, that hinged on being able to find the little brat. As weeks stretched into months stretched into almost two years from that original conversation, Shouta despaired of ever finding him. Somehow, the kid had managed to evade all attempts at finding him, never staying on scene long enough to even catch a glimpse.

He was sure he lost a few years to his lifespan when he came across a pool of blood after one altercation. Neither the victim or the criminal that had attacked him were bleeding much, but the victim had mentioned that the thug had a knife that was nowhere on the scene. Shouta had followed the trail of blood until it vanished off the sidewalk and had almost panicked until he noticed a nearby fire escape.

On the roof, he’d found bandage wrappers and another small pool, but no kid, no knife, and no footprints. It was a small comfort that the little brat had stopped to tend to his wound, but Shouta spent several sleepless nights worried that he or the police would hear a report of a dead child found in an alley somewhere. When the kid was reported to be back in business a couple weeks later, the cheer that sounded from the station could be heard on the street. Shouta was more determined than ever to find the brat and bring him home… and maybe wring his neck just a little for scaring them all like that.

Chapter Text

When he was four, Izuku Midoriya was diagnosed quirkless. His best friend ignored him for three whole days before coming back with a plan for how they could still be heroes. It wasn’t a good plan, but Katsuki was only four himself and full of the confidence of an outgoing personality with no concept of reality or life yet.

Still, that plan carried Izuku through the quiet nights after his father left when he was five and through the lonely days when his mother had to leave him home alone to work. By six, he could cook simple meals, do his own laundry and got himself up and ready for school in the morning because his mother either wasn’t home or was sleeping off a 'late shift’. (It was amazing how her ‘late shifts’ as a nurse’s aide left her smelling like booze most nights, but Izuku wasn’t stupid… he knew his mom didn't want to be around him.)

By eight, he was well acquainted with bullies, unfair rules that only pertained to him (like traveling six extra blocks to do the shopping because the closest store refused service to the ‘Null’), and the concept of budgeting. He’d learned how to stretch every single cent his mother left on the counter for groceries and had asked Auntie Mitsuki for sewing lessons. Of course, he framed them as a way to help his mother’s financial strain as a single parent, because the most important thing he’d become acquainted with was lying. Lying about bruises he’d gotten when Katsuki wasn’t around, lying about his mother’s odd ‘work hours’ when he was pretty sure she was just avoiding him, and lying every time the words, “How are you?” came from some well-meaning adult.

He started supplementing his income with odd jobs in nearby neighborhoods. Carrying groceries for elderly folks in the retirement home, collecting scrap metal from the local beach, and after one awkward encounter late at night, delivering unknown packages for seedy people. It helped pay for the extra food Katsuki said they needed to ‘bulk up for training’.

Despite his best efforts at keeping it hidden, his best friend knew his mother didn’t really come around much. Izuku had done his best to hide the worst of everything from him, but Katsuki informed him that Izuku would be getting half of his allowance from now on. Auntie was always generous with his weekly spending money and the blond told him that if they were gonna be hero partners, then they should get used to sharing a paycheck now.

When he pointed out that they weren’t technically sharing because he didn’t get an allowance, Katsuki smacked the back of his head like Auntie. “You pay me in quirk advice, dumbass. We’re a team. So if you know something about my training or my quirk, you tell me. And if I get extra money you don’t, I share it. Don’t be fuckin’ stupid.” It was the last time he tried to protest his best friend’s help, except when he offered to tell his parents what was going on so they could help.

Izuku knew if he went to the Bakugous, they would try to help him, but there’d be all sorts of questions, and he was pretty sure that Auntie and Uncle would have to tell someone else. Someone official. And he had been researching quirkless statistics since his father had left. He knew being on his own was far safer than putting his trust in the foster system. He had to admit, though, that the extra money from Katsuki was a huge help. He made it a point to study the blond’s quirk inside and out, and not only gave him advice but also kept track of his health, learning how to get his heart rate back up if he couldn’t get rid of the nitroglycerin on his palms quickly enough. He even told Auntie and Uncle how to apply for a medically required quirk use license, and begged them for an extra pair of the gloves they soaked in acetone to carry with him if Katsuki needed them to neutralize his quirk.

He also realized another downside to his friend’s explosive quirk. The decibels it produced made his own ears ring sometimes, and no doctor had ever mentioned that Katsuki had any kind of protection from his own noise. Of course, none of them ever mentioned the possibility of him damaging himself either, but Izuku was not only aware of how sore his hands and arms could get when he was training, but also that over time, his friend’s voice got louder and louder. It could just be because Katsuki and Mitsuki were loud people in general, but Izuku worried that his blond friend would lose his hearing and he was worried that being his partner could damage Izuku’s own ears. Not that that was going to stop either of them from being the best. To that end, Izuku had dropped enough hints and brought over enough books from the library on JSL and hearing loss that it had put a bug in Auntie’s ear. She decided that they should learn sign language, and Izuku sold the idea to Katsuki by pointing out that the best heroes knew it to help disabled civilians.

Once they both got the hang of it, they used it frequently. They talked in class all the time, about their teachers, the other students, and Izuku’s continuous gossip mill about pro heroes. He had been trying for a while to convince Katsuki that Present Mic was married to Eraserhead, and he was certain that All Might and Nighteye had stopped speaking because they broke up. Katsuki often berated him for his wild imagination, but he couldn’t deny the proof that Izuku provided, especially about Eraserhead and Present Mic.

The late night deliveries were honestly the least safe thing he did, but they also paid the best. As long as the package arrived in one piece and wasn’t opened, he was usually given about fifty bucks, but sometimes if the delivery was really late, or the package was important, he’d be given anywhere from $100 to $200 for a successful delivery. Of course, if something happened to the package in transit or Izuku failed to show up, he might get beaten up or even killed, but he was good at disappearing and running, so despite having a few close calls, it was a lucrative business.

It was after one of those late-night deliveries that Izuku reassessed his own training. On his way home, he heard the sound of a scuffle and a female voice calling for help before she was cut off with another sharp cry. Before he could process his own movements, he was running toward the sound. At the back of an alley, one guy was towering over a smaller woman who was desperately trying to get his hands off of her. She already had a red mark across her cheek and eye and the guy was pulling his hand back to hit her again.

Despite his shaking hands and complete lack of any training but self-defense, he found himself grabbing a brick and whipping it with all his might at the assailant’s head. The thud of it connecting sounded far louder to Izuku than it really should have, but it made the guy drop like a rock. After taking a quick look to make sure he was out for the moment, Izuku looked over at the woman. “Okay, we should, uh, we need to get outta here. C’mon!” He grabbed her hand and tugged her down the alley, getting out onto the street and under a light quickly.

“Sorry about that. Grabbing you, I mean. I wasn’t sure if he would-” He was cut off when the woman swooped in and gave him a quick, desperate hug.

“Oh my god, thank you so much!”

Izuku flailed a little when he was released, flushing hotly. “No, no, it’s okay! I was just in the right place at the right time! Are you hurt?”

She glanced down at herself, then shook her head. “Nothing major.” She glanced back at the alley, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Okay, well, you should probably call the police. I would suggest doing it from that coffee shop over there so there are other people around. And I’d get some ice for your eye while you’re there.” She tried to get him to come with her, not feeling comfortable letting a child wander off into the dark, but he slipped away when she opened the door, disappearing into the shadows with the skills he’d picked up hiding from bullies at school and angry thugs trying to steal his packages.

Once he made sure she got inside the coffee shop, Izuku fled. The last thing he needed was to have to talk to the cops, and he could feel the panic welling up inside him. He had just done that. Holy shit, he’d done that. He had been training with Katsuki since he was four, both of them planning on being heroes, but he had actually been a hero to that woman. He couldn’t get it out of his head.

With the woman’s thanks ringing in his ears over the next several days, Izuku had taken out the training plan Katsuki had given him and started rewriting it. He’d be in trouble if he got caught by the local police or any patrolling hero, but honestly, he’d be in trouble if he got caught with a package even if he wasn’t totally planning on adding vigilantism to his rap sheet. A few research spirals later and he’d come up with a plan for gear, including something to tie people up with, because he really didn’t want to think about what would have happened if that guy had woken up before he’d gotten the woman safe and his own butt out of there.

Using the sewing lessons from Auntie and pieces he’d found around the trash beach, he fashioned himself ‘support gear’. It was obviously homemade, but some light metal sewn between layers of a dark sweatshirt, a pair of large boots that he modified with more metal on the inside and extra padding to make sure they didn’t slip, and a mask he made out of a pair of goggles and some dark green cloth to cover his face, he was as prepared as an eight year old could be to fight crime. The beach also provided him weapons… an old metal bat he padded with cloth and duct tape, and quite a bit of old electrical cords that would work well for restraining people.

The beach was also a really good place to train. Balance and climbing was built using the unstable piles of trash, and he learned how to jump across long distances without falling or injuring himself. He also learned how to do it silently, because the element of surprise was really all he had going for him. Strength and stamina came from running through the mess and moving heavier pieces of equipment. He even invited Katsuki to train with him, because his best friend was just as invested in becoming the best hero he could be. He kept his extra side gig to himself, because there was no way Katsuki would approve of him making legitimate plans and taking steps to becoming a vigilante, but he shared his new workout plans and helped the blond modify his own. With everything else going on in his life, Izuku needed some sort of hope, a light at the end of the very dark tunnel, and this was the only way he could think of to make it to that light.

By eight, he wasn’t fine. But he was surviving. At least, he was until a month had passed with no sign of Inko; no money on the counter, no movement in her room, no late night thud of the door opening as she came home to crash. He didn’t see her often, but usually she was there enough to make her presence felt. With the sigh of someone who’d been expecting this longer than he should have been, he realized that she’d either left or was dead in a ditch somewhere. Either way, she wasn’t at home, wasn’t paying for anything, and certainly wasn’t interested in or capable of taking care of him. It had only been a couple months since his eighth birthday, and aside from his best friend, he was alone in the world. It was as depressing as it was infuriating, and he threw those emotions into his vigilante work.

Knowing that his time in the apartment was limited, Izuku started on new plans. First and foremost, finding a place he could go. He certainly couldn’t afford rent, even if someone was willing to rent to a quirkless eight year old, so he had to make sure wherever he went would be as safe as possible and as hidden as he could make it. Again, the beach proved to be his salvation; he didn’t need much, just a place to sleep and store things. He found a little cave in an outcropping of rocks that was high enough to be dry when the tide came in, but hidden away behind mounds of trash. He found an old chest freezer that was actually quite roomy and served as an extra ‘room’ to his little cave while also keeping it hidden. He used the broken off door as a makeshift roof, providing a safe place to sleep that was out of the worst of the elements. Each day, he’d bring blankets, pillows, canned food, and some clothes. He found an old camping stove and battery-powered light that still worked buried in a closet, and those and some dishes and silverware were tucked into the little cave. He salvaged an old basin from the dump and washed it up to create a sink. It took him a couple of days of searching, and then a couple days more to move it, but an old military-looking footlocker gave him a closet of sorts for extra storage. He lined that with trash bags and used it to store his food and extra clothes to make more room. He brought his notebooks and important papers over to the Bakugous’, telling Katsuki that his mom didn’t want them around anymore but he didn’t want to throw them away. When he came home from school one day to find an eviction notice on his front door, Izuku was as prepared as he could be.

Before his ninth birthday, Izuku Midoriya was homeless. He had already raided the apartment for anything he could use, but took one last sweep of Inko’s room before he left, because he’d been too afraid to go in there and have her return before. Under her bed, he found a coffee can with cash in it that his mother had hidden away and probably forgotten about. It was added to his current savings, buried behind a rock inside his cave to hopefully keep it safe. The school gyms were always opened by five in the morning, so he could sneak in for quick showers. He became adept at swiping things from the various first aid kits around the school, going in for a bandaid and coming out with gauze, tape, burn cream and over the counter pain relievers stuffed in his pockets. For a while, school lunches were his main source of food and he knew he wasn’t getting enough calories to keep up with his vigorous training and nightly routines, but he was scared of spending any of the money he was getting unnecessarily.

Honestly, he didn’t have much of a plan outside of getting through school each day and hopefully applying with Katsuki to UA when they were old enough. He continued his routine, homework and training with his best friend until dinner, working the few odd jobs in different neighborhoods until the sun went down, and at night, after any deliveries, he would suit up and wander the streets. Thugs usually had wallets with cash in them, and every bit went into that coffee can and was doled out very sparingly. He only bought small essentials when bullies managed to catch him away from his best friend and ruin his food. He was small, always had been, but the side jobs and running away from street thugs and school bullies had turned his tiny form into a lean bundle of muscle that his vigilante activities and Katsuki’s training only enhanced.

Of course, he couldn’t keep his activities hidden completely. One, he was only sleeping a couple hours a night, which led to dark circles under his eyes and a konbini coffee addiction that Katsuki noticed quickly. After he dozed off in class once or twice, he deemed the caffeine fix a necessity, dipping into his funds for the dollar each day. And two, what he was doing was incredibly dangerous. He’d come to school with burns, bruises, sprained limbs, and on one less-than-pleasant occasion, a stab wound.

That was the point that Katsuki became aware of his extra-curricular ‘training’. The wound was in an awkward place and he stumbled his way to his best friend’s window at three in the morning, desperately holding a bloody bandage to it as he tried to wake the blond up.

To say his human explosion was pissed was an understatement. Even as he was swearing and threatening to end Izuku’s life himself, he was pulling out a sewing kit and giving him an old belt to bite down on. They had learned a long time ago that even if they could have found a way to afford it, the local clinics and hospitals wouldn’t take the green-haired child. Izuku had been told once that he was an ‘insurance liability’ since the quirkless life expectancy was so low.

When Izuku finally spilled about his late-night wanderings, Katsuki had demanded to see his gear, and then decided they should train even harder. He thankfully didn’t try to join in, but made Izuku promise to come to him whenever he was hurt. When Izuku developed a fever from the wound, his best friend spoke to his mom to find out how to get him medicine without telling her what the infection was from. The whole family was aware that Izuku couldn’t go to a doctor himself. Auntie Mitsuki had made some phone calls, coming back with prescription antibiotics that she later explained came from one of the physicians employed by her modeling contract. It wasn’t exactly legal, but she said it was better than him dying from something as stupid as a fever.

After that, Katsuki was more vigilant about Izuku’s injuries and daily needs. Quietly, without saying much, extra food showed up in his lunches that he ‘couldn’t finish, so you’d better eat this, shitty nerd’. Bandages and burn cream were stuffed into his school bag whenever the older boy thought Izuku wasn’t paying attention, and during the holidays the same year he was evicted, the Bakugous added him to their phone plan and gifted him with a phone. Auntie said it was to help out Inko, but Izuku had noticed the way she’d glanced at her son with worry in her eyes and knew he hadn’t been as subtle as he thought.

He was beyond grateful for the assistance they provided, and tried his best not to take advantage of their generosity. The Bakugous were the only support, the only family, he had, and he wouldn’t let them get in trouble for his problems. It didn’t stop him from his new normal, though, so he just continued what had become his daily routine with the added stipulation of calling or coming to his best friend if he was hurt or needed help. It wasn’t living, but it was surviving, and Izuku only had to manage for a few more years.

Chapter Text

By twelve, Izuku began to believe he might be able to survive middle school and actually make it into high school. He studied non-combative quirks and the heroes that made them work, becoming invested in local heroes like Eraserhead, who worked at night, and Present Mic, who only rarely used his quirk (an interview during his radio show revealed that his quirk was very destructive, so he trained his body to be a weapon when he couldn’t go all out). He spent hours with his best friend and Auntie Mitsuki, coming up with hero suits that would suit them both and made sketches of different ideas that he could use to mimic the quirks and fighting styles he’d been studying. Both boys were well ahead of the rest of their peers in both the school curriculum and preparing their bodies for hero work. He knew what he wanted, finally, and it seemed like it might be an attainable goal.

He should have known better.

That was the main thought in his head as he dove to avoid the knived hands that slashed down at him. It was dark, well after midnight and he’d made a successful delivery and was just trying to get home to grab his gear to start on his nightly patrol. Unfortunately, he’d turned down the wrong alley, exhausted and not paying attention. He didn’t even notice anyone there until they’d grabbed him by the scruff of his t-shirt and threw him back. Reflexes sharpened by the last three years kicked in and he twisted away, narrowly avoiding the sharp quirked hands of the man who’d attacked him. A quick glance around showed that there was no real escape route, no way for him to take advantage of his smaller frame and fast speed.

As he dove again, a metal pipe that looked like it had fallen off a dumpster came into view and he grabbed it, coming up swinging. “Batter up, bitch, I’ve had three years of PE and at least one homerun! Wanna be my second?” While he’d quelled the rambling for the most part, when he slipped into his vigilante mode, things spewed from his mouth without any filter. It was the thing most likely to get him caught as a vigilante, but adrenaline did funny things to a person.

The thug jumped back to avoid the swing, smirking wickedly. “I’m gonna enjoy cutting your tongue out,” he hissed, throwing himself back at Izuku.

“Gross and unnecessary imagery, dude!” The green-haired boy yelped, jumping back and swinging the pipe down as hard as he could. The bar vibrated in his hands as it connected with one of the thug’s, making the larger male scream as the crack of bone echoed in the alley. “Oh, shit, that probably hurt. I’d say my bad, but like… you’re trying to kill me here.” The metal felt wrong in his hands, not the comforting grip of the bat he’d become attached to, and he was worried that the lighter metal wouldn’t hold up against more than one hit, but the guy was already down a hand. He readied himself for the next attack, wishing he’d had the time to grab his gear… the armor would come in handy.

Shouta found himself thinking frequently of the kid vigilante as time continued to pass. Aside from the trails of blood a year after he’d been reported, there had only ever been sightings; victims that said he’d saved them, and no trace of where he’d gone after. That was pretty much how the last couple years had gone, and Shouta was beginning to think he’d never catch the problem child. He had taken a brief break on a roof at the end of his shift, preparing himself for the trip back to the police station and then home when a voice broke the quiet morning air.

“Batter up, bitch… three years of PE… homerun! Wanna be..?” The high-pitched voice had him turning slightly and launching himself onto another roof, inner musings forgotten for the moment. He headed towards the sounds of a fight, staying above the street as he jumped from roof to roof so he could asses the situation. It sounded like it was a couple streets away, the sound carrying in the still night.

“…Unnecessary imagery, dude!” As he landed on another roof, the same voice yelped out again and was followed by a deeper shout of pain in a completely different voice. “Oh, shit, that probably hurt. I’d say my bad, but like… you’re trying to kill me here.”

Now, suddenly, not only was the kid in front of him, but it looked like he was in trouble.

The man lunged again, but before he could connect, a white ribbon of cloth came from above, wrapping him up tight and suspending him in midair. He struggled and tried to get free, but one more swing of Izuku’s pipe against the side of his head had him sagging in the weird bindings.

Izuku turned, pipe bent slightly but held ready for the new threat as he tried to see what exactly had stopped the attack. A whisper of sound had him whipping around, but the pipe was caught in a strong grip before it could connect with anything else.

“Woah, kid, chill. I’m a hero. You’re safe now.” The voice was low, gravelly and soft in the sudden late night quiet. “Are you hurt?”

Izuku took a breath, stepping back and pulling the pipe with him. This guy could say whatever he wanted, but he wasn’t stupid enough to relinquish his weapon quite yet. That changed when he finally got a look at his savior and the pipe clanged to the ground.

“Holy shit. Holy shit, you’re Eraserhead! You… I just… oh man, I almost just domed the Eraserhead. I’m so sorry, so so so so sorry, I didn’t mean to, I didn’t know who… oh god, I’m going to jail…” A snort brought him out of his frantic mutterings, and a gentle hand in his hair made him look up.

“Okay, first of all, stay put. The guy you did ‘dome’, as you put it, could wake up. Give me a sec.” The hero turned to the still unconscious thug, checking his pulse quickly before nodding and wrapping cuffs around his wrists. Once he was properly restrained, the white ribbon wrapped back around his shoulders and he turned back to Izuku, holding up a finger. He pulled out his phone and quickly called in the assault, getting a confirmation from the local police before walking back over to crouch in front of the teen.

“Second of all, you didn’t answer me. Are you injured?”

Izuku started to shake his head, then winced a little. His throat was a bit raw from being dragged by his shirt, and now that the adrenaline was starting to drop, his head hurt from where it had connected to the concrete wall. “Uh… maybe a bit. But not bad or anything. I’m fine.” His eyes darted around, hoping to find an escape route now that the violent threat had been eliminated, but obviously Eraserhead was still watching him. Dammit.

With a soft huff, Shouta stood, keeping his movements slow and obvious. “Yeah, how about I be the judge of that, hmm? C’mon.” He motioned to a streetlight on the main road, using his scarf (Obviously support gear, but how did it work? What was it made of?) to lift and drag the thug with them. A hand on Izuku’s shoulder kept him grounded and stopped him from bolting, which he’d definitely been considering.

“My capture scarf is made of cloth and dense metal fibers. Anything else is classified,” he explained, making Izuku ‘eep’ and cover his mouth. “All right, lemme see your ‘maybe a bit’.”

With the light shining down on them, Izuku flushed and sighed. It’s not like he could run, after all, and maybe, being a hero, he wouldn’t have to dip into his always limited bandage stash or go to Katsuki’s before dawn. “It’s my throat and my head. He grabbed me by my shirt and I think I hit my head on the wall. But it’s not bad, honestly. I’ve had worse!”

The look in the dark-haired man’s eyes told him that maybe that was the wrong thing to say, but the hero didn’t comment on it, just took out a flashlight and looked over his throat before gently tilting his head forward to look at the back of his skull. Despite how gentle his hand was as he looked through dense, green-black hair, Izuku still hissed a little when he found a swollen knot. When his hand came back with red fingers, Izuku winced.

Shouta had planned on seeing to the kid’s injuries and then convincing him to come home with him. What he wasn’t planning on was for the kid to take one good look at him, call him by his hero name and then proceed to freak out completely. At least the kid was funny. And deeply concerning, with the way he flinched at quicker movements but seemed to melt into gentle touches like he wasn’t used to them. And the fact that he was brushing off an obviously bleeding and painful cut to the back of his head like it was nothing. It sent off blaring alarm bells in the hero’s head, but he knew he’d have tread carefully, at least until he knew a little more.

“Somehow, I don’t think you’re fine.” Shouta’s voice was dry, concerned but with a note of humor in it. “You crack your head open on things often?”

“Not intentionally,” Izuku muttered, turning when the hero’s hand on his shoulder pushed him around. “If I said it wasn’t my fault, would you believe me?”

“This time? Yeah.” A firm hand pressed gauze into the bleeding wound after another minute of inspection, making Izuku hiss again. “Any other time? I’d say maybe your mouth got you into trouble. Or, ya know… jumping into fights instead of calling the authorities?”

Really, the blushing was probably making the bleeding worse… “I’m not that bad! He was just… I dunno, kind of a dick for attacking some kid in the middle of the night.”

Another huff of amusement sounded from behind him. “You’re not wrong, kid, but that still doesn’t explain all the other trouble that you find. Hold that there for a few minutes, we’ll see if the bleeding slows down.” Once Izuku had a hold of the bandage, he walked back around to face him. “You know the cops have been looking for you, right?”

“Would you believe me if I said I needed to take medicine to a sick grandmother? That guy was obviously just a wolf…” Fuck fuck fuck, he didn’t realize that the police would be aware of him… he probably should have thought of that. His eyes darted around again, still trying to find some way to get out of this.

“Kid…”

“No, huh?”

“Not a chance.” He looked up as a car pulled up to the sidewalk, waving as a detective stepped out. “Tsukauchi. He’s over there. The problem child over here took him out with a pipe, so he’ll probably need some kind of medical.”

The detective blinked, head tilting slightly as he took in the scene. “Ooookay. Um… what?” He shook his head a little, motioning for another officer to grab the unconscious man and get him in the car. “Let’s start again, shall we? Hello, I’m Detective Tsukauchi of the Musutafa police department.”

“Hey.” Izuku waved sheepishly with his free hand, giving an awkward smile. “To be completely fair, Eraserhead already had him tied up. But you uh… you may wanna get his hand checked. They, uh… he could turn them into like, blades? And I may have broken one…” He glanced down at the sidewalk, unaware that his mouth continued to move without him realizing it. “The pipe was lighter than I expected and I was able to swing it a lot easier than normal, but it definitely couldn’t take the damage…”

The hero next to him startled slightly and then let out a short laugh, breaking off the muttering. “You didn’t tell me that, you little shit. Bats are generally heavier than pipes, which is why a lot of people train with weighted gear and use a lighter weapon or armor in an actual fight. Though, I guess a broken hand’s a fair trade for attacking you in the first place.”

“Right?” Izuku brightened, grinning a little before wincing as the sudden movement strained the bruises on his neck again. Then he registered what the hero said and flushed again. “Bat? What bat? There’s no bats here. Unless they’re in the belfries… we don’t have belfries around here, though, so maybe the eaves? Why is the saying ‘bats in the belfry’ anyway?”

“We need to get him to medical too… I don’t like the way his neck looks and he’s bleeding from the back of his head. The rambling might be a concussion.”

“No no no, that’s fine, I’m okay! Like I said, I’ve had worse. It’s not a big deal!” Both of Izuku’s hands were up and he waved them in front of him like a shield, forgetting about the bloody gauze in one of them. “I don’t mean to ramble. I try not to do it, but sometimes I’m told that I have too many thoughts and they spill out. Totally not a concussion, just a bump, all good here!”

“Not up for debate, problem child. You need to get that looked at, and the detective is gonna need your statement. Might as well just accept it.”

Tsukauchi nodded and smiled gently at the teen, amused at the exchange. “If you give me your name, I can contact your parents or guardians and they can meet us at the hospital.”

Izuku froze, face going paler now than when he’d been in a fight with a thug. “Kid… can you give us your name?” His head whipped around for a second, a last ditch effort to find an escape, but the realization that there was an extra officer, Eraserhead’s capture weapon, and this unknown detective made his shoulders droop.

“I, uh… Fuck.” The defeated expletive had both men raising their eyebrows as Izuku put the gauze back on his head finally. “I can give you my name, but uh… there’s no one to call. It’s Izuku Midoriya.”

Shouta nodded slightly. It was just confirmation on what they already believed. It only made his decision to take the kid in more final and he met Nao’s eyes over green hair and saw the recognition in them.

“Okay. That…” The detective looked at Eraserhead and nodded slightly, making the hero sigh. “Why don’t you call your better half to come pick you two up? I can meet you at the hospital once we have the other guy in a cell.”

“Fine. C’mon, kid, we’re gonna head to the 24-hour diner and get you cleaned up a bit while we wait for the cockatoo.” An arm loosely draped itself over Izuku’s shoulder, not restraining, but heavy enough to ground him and keep him from any more ideas of bolting. He fished his phone out again with his free hand, sending a series of texts as he steered them towards the diner.

Kitty: Need you to meet me at Yama’s diner, bring Tosh.
Birdy: Are you hurt? Why am I bringing Toshi? You’re supposed to be off in like 15 minutes, Sho!
Kitty: Found the kid in the middle of an alley fight. He’s hurt and we need to get him looked at, but it doesn’t look life-threatening. Nao’s gotta do the interrogation.
Birdy: OMG YOU FOUND HIM?!!?!?! We’ll be there in about 15, love. Be safe.

It felt like Izuku was being led to the executioner’s blade, honestly. He wasn’t completely sure why he wasn’t in cuffs, but Eraserhead and the detective hadn’t even mentioned it. As nice as the two adults had been, they were official. Even if they weren’t arresting him, they would have to try to ‘help’ him, and he’d end up going somewhere terrible. He knew the statistics, that’s why he never mentioned his issues to Auntie or Uncle. The system didn’t care about kids like him. He’d be ignored at best, but most likely… well, there was a reason quirkless death stats were so high.

He didn’t realize he was crying silently until they got into the restroom of the diner and he got a look at himself in the mirror. Sheet white skin, a ring of angry red around his throat that was already starting to darken, and a line of blood slipping from his hair to the back of his neck. He bit back a sob, moving to the sink to try and clean himself up a bit. If he ever got to see Kacchan again, the explosive teen was going to kill him. If he didn’t end up in jail. Or being moved out of the city by the foster system. Would he even be allowed to talk to the Bakugous again? What about UA? What about….

When Shouta realized he was crying, he crouched in front of him, keeping his movements slow as he ran a hand down his arm. “Oi, kid… Izuku… I don’t know what’s going through your head right now, but it doesn’t look good. Talk to me.”

“Why am I not going to the station? Or like… shouldn’t I at least be in cuffs?”

“Do you want to be?”

Izuku shook his head, gently this time as everything seemed to hurt worse now that he could see the damage. “It’s not… I don’t…” He bit his lip harshly before drawing in a shaky breath. “I mean, you’re a hero, and that detective… you’re supposed to arrest me, aren’t you? You, uh… you seem to know who I am, other than my name. But…”

“But nothing. One, you weren’t acting as a vigilante when I found you, you were just protecting yourself from an attack. And two, we’re not in the business of ruining a child’s life. Now, are you safe at home?” Shouta was pretty sure the brat was homeless and if he’d had to guess, it was similar to Hitoshi’s story without him being found in time. But he kept his tone clinical, not trying to sound like he was pandering or pitying Izuku, and he could see the kid calming down a little.

Izuku considered his words and forced himself to take a deep breath. An arrest would mean not getting into UA, so it was a relief that he wasn’t going to be charged, but a foster home was still a possibility…

Well, Izuku had lived alone and on the streets for years and he could always run away if he needed to.

“I don’t really have a home? Kinda been on my own for a bit.” He certainly wasn’t going to mention the Bakugous until he knew that they wouldn’t get into any trouble. “I know… I know that the system isn’t always terrible, but it… for me, it will be. Because they’ll look at my record…” His muttering trailed off into another sob, but before he could turn away, gentle hands were rubbing at his arms.

“Hey, breathe. Let’s get you cleaned up, okay?” Eraserhead gently moved him closer to the sink, grabbing some paper towels and wetting them down. He handed one to Izuku, motioning for him to clean his face before he stepped behind him to dab gently at the swelling on the back of his head. “I’m going to ask you some questions. If you don’t want to answer, just say pass, okay?”

When Izuku nodded slightly, he continued. “You don’t have a home.” That wasn’t a question. “What happened to your parents?”

“I don’t… My dad left years ago. Fucked off to America, I think. I’m not sure, honestly. I haven’t heard from him since. No idea if my mom knows, or knew, or whatever.” He took a shaky breath, using the sink to keep himself grounded as he wiped his face. “Mom… she said she was working. Late shifts, double shifts, two jobs… it changed a lot. Her story, or explanation or whatever. She stopped coming home a couple years ago, but she wasn’t exactly a huge presence in my life before that, ya know?”

“Izuku… how old are you?” There was a tension to his voice that hadn’t been there before, and it made Izuku lift his head to watch him in the mirror.

“Twelve. As of a couple months ago. Kacchan got me a cake, which was nice.” Whoops. Maybe he did have some sort of concussion. At least it was just a nickname, nothing that could be looked up officially.

Eraserhead took a deep breath behind him, gently holding the towel over his wound. “So… you’ve been on your own since you were, what? 10?” When Izuku shook his head, the hero cursed softly. “How long, problem child?”

The nickname actually made him smile… there was a weird fondness behind the words, like Eraserhead only gave nicknames to important people. It made him think of the way the detective had told him to call ‘his better half’ and he’d said they were waiting on ‘the cockatoo’. “She, uh, she left about six months before my ninth birthday. I don’t know if she actually took off, or if she ended up dead somewhere. I just kinda… realized that she hadn’t been around and hadn’t left any money for a couple weeks. Two months later, the landlord put up an eviction notice while I was at school, so I grabbed what I could take with me and just… left.” He shrugged a little, trying to keep his movements limited. “I’m still in school, I eat, and I have some jobs. I’ve got plans, ya know?”

“Fucking hell…” The curse made the brat smile again, despite the fear that he was obviously trying to push down. Shouta, however, was furious, and desperately trying to keep it under wraps. Someone or something made this kid believe that living alone, at eight, was safer for him than getting help from adults. And while Shouta could admit that he’d done well for himself, especially at such a young age, he could not and would not allow that to continue.

“I mean, it’s not ideal. But it happens. Qu- kids like me, it’s pretty common.”

“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned…” A knock on the door made him pause and pull out his phone, then straighten. “Stay put a sec. The cockatoo is here.” He stepped away quickly, unlocking the door and peeking out before opening it to allow a blond man to walk. He locked the door again, unaware of the way Izuku was staring at the newcomer.

“Holy shit, your ‘better half’ is Present Mic?” His words were a hoarse squeak as he stared at the man he’d only ever seen on TV and in magazines. He looked odd with his hair down and no leather to speak of, but there was no denying those sharp eyes or the mustache.

Hizashi looked a little stunned that he’d been recognized, and Shouta happily took a little pleasure in the fact that he wasn’t the only one caught off guard. As usual, though, his husband recovered quickly and gave Izuku a bright smile. “Woah, little listener, you gotta good eye! But keep your voice down a bit, ya dig? That sounded like it hurt. I hear you’ve had quite an evening.” He moved a little closer, but waited for Shouta to step next to him before trying to engage with the kid again.

“Zashi, this is Izuku. Izuku, meet Yamada Hizashi.”

“It’s… it’s a pleasure Mr. Yamada, sir. I’m a big fan of your radio show! And your hero work. It’s really impressive how you’ve worked around a really powerful quirk to-” Shouta’s hand covering his mouth playfully kept him from rambling more.

“Zash, we gotta take the kid to the hospital. Is Hitoshi here?”

“Yeah, he’s just outside. I didn’t wanna overwhelm the listener by having him come in. C’mon, Izuku, we’ll get that neck checked out super quick, ya dig?” The infectious energy of the Voice Hero had Izuku smiling a bit more, but he hung back, sighing.

“Eraserhead, I… I appreciate it, really. But we can just go to the police station. I can’t… I can’t afford medical treatment and… they probably won’t treat me anyway.” It wasn’t said reluctantly or with any doubt… it was a casual mention of a fact. There was no reason to take him there, because they had turned him away before and would do it again.

“Okay, that’s three.” Eraserhead leaned against the sink, pointing at the teen with a soft huff. It was hard to hide how angry he was on this tiny gremlin’s behalf, but he didn’t want Izuku thinking he was mad at him. But how in the hell does a twelve year old just announce that he knows he’ll be denied treatment like he’s stating that water’s wet. “That’s three times you’ve mentioned ‘kids like you’ or some variation. Do you have some deep criminal record other than the vigilantism or a habit of biting people we’re not aware of?”

“Shou! You can’t just ask if he bites people!” Hizashi’s voice was scolding, but there was laughter behind it.

“You didn’t see him take some two-bit thug out with a piece of pipe. Now spill, problem child.”

With the attention back on him, Izuku shifted awkwardly, glancing at the door as he calculated his chance for escape, again. Slim to none with the door locked, Eraserhead’s (Shou? Probably a shortened version of a name, a nickname, but underground heroes were careful about keeping their legal names out of the public) capture weapon still around his neck and the unknown ‘Hitoshi’ outside. Fuck. “Fuck. Okay… ummm, I’m uh… I’mquirkless.” It came out in a rush and he closed his eyes, waiting for the scoffs, the annoyance, the sound of the door opening as they left him. He didn’t think they’d actually hurt him, but he didn’t want to see their faces before they walked out.

What he wasn’t expecting was a gentle hand on his shoulder, or the Voice Hero’s voice from closer than it was before. “Izuku… I’m going to hug you, okay?” At the slight nod, he was wrapped in a warm embrace, tucked against a firm chest. He shuddered, squeezing his eyes closed to try to keep the tears from falling again. It had been far too long since anyone but the Bakugous had hugged him, and they weren’t exactly the most physically affectionate family. Unless playful swats and hair ruffles counted. “It doesn’t matter, okay? We’re not going anywhere but to the hospital, and I’ll be more than happy to DJ Punch a couple people if they try to refuse you medical service.”

Shouta shared a glance with his husband, knowing that the righteous fury he could see in green eyes was reflected in his own. He’d be more than happy to punch a couple doctors himself, but they had to maintain some sort of decorum for the literal child between them.

“Hizashi. You can’t just threaten doctors,” Eraserhead sounded firm, but the soft hand along Izuku’s back and the snort the blond gave said he wasn’t all that serious. “He’s right, though… we’re not going anywhere. Let’s get moving, okay?”

It took a few minutes, but Izuku finally nodded, stepping away from hug reluctantly and putting the towel back on his head. Hizashi’s arm draped over his shoulders, grounding as the Erasure Hero led the way out of the restroom. The dark-haired man pulled a purple-haired kid against his own side, ruffling his hair gently as they headed back out into the night. “Izuku Midoriya, this is Hitoshi Shinsou, our son. Hitoshi, Izuku.” The introductions were perfunctory, but once the boys were piled into the backseat and Hizashi had taken up the driver’s seat, Eraserhead turned in the passenger seat to look at them.

“Hitoshi, would you mind sharing your room with Izuku for tonight? Once we’re done at the hospital, we’re all gonna need a place to crash for a bit.”

The purple-haired boy blinked, lifting his hands and signing out, *So this is your problem child. He can crash, it’s cool. No folks?*

Izuku huffed softly, giving him a quick, shaky smile. He was ‘problem child’ to the hero’s family? That was… nice, if a bit concerning. “No folks, but really, it’s fine, though, Eraserhead. I’m fine, I just-” He stopped when he realized they were both staring at him. “What?”

*You know JSL* Hitoshi’s hands were quick, but Izuku just shrugged and nodded.

“I’ve been learning for years. My best friend has an explosion quirk… great for heroics, not so good for hearing.” He was testing the waters a little… you didn’t introduce someone you were going to throw away to your son, right? Maybe. Maybe he just needed the thought of his Kacchan to keep him from completely freaking out.

*Neat.* Hitoshi’s eyes went wide and he waved his hands quickly. *Not neat about your friend or whatever… just that you know it. A lot of people don’t.*

Izuku giggled softly and nodded. “I get it. We use it to talk shit about the teachers and our classmates. They’re all… well… he calls them ‘extras’. Ya know, extras in the grand story of our lives or something.”

Hitoshi laughed softly, a low, musical sound that had Izuku’s eyes snapping towards him. “Woah… do you have a voice quirk too?! I mean, it would make sense if your dad is Present Mic, and your voice is really pretty…”

Shouta snorted. “Adopted. But it’s been pointed out that he’s a pretty good mix of the two of us.” He paused and shook his head. “Dammit, got off track. No, you are not going to wherever the hell you’ve been denning up, especially not alone with a head wound. Unless you have a legitimate place to stay, with adults I can speak to directly and not just over the phone, you’ll be coming home with us for the night.” As Izuku opened his mouth, the Erasure Hero’s eyes turned red. “Not up for negotiation, problem child.”

Slumping back against the seat, mindful to keep his bloody hair away from the upholstery, Izuku huffed. Technically, he could call the Bakugous. But he didn’t want to drag them into his mess, and he certainly didn’t want to deal with Auntie’s scolding if she ever found out what he’d been doing. “I don’t wanna be a burden.”

“It’s no burden at all, little listener! We’ve got the space. We’re only suggesting Hitoshi’s room for the night so you’re not alone with that lump on your head!”

“Everything else can be figured out when it’s not the asscrack of the middle of the night, kid. Hospital, police report, sleep. That’s the only priority list tonight. Hitoshi, is that okay with you?” When Shouta looked at his son, Hitoshi nodded easily.

*Works for me.*

Once the hero had turned back around, Hitoshi nudged Izuku gently. *It’s not a problem or anything. Dad said you’d be coming with us if he ever found you. It just makes sense for you to crash in my room for tonight.*

Izuku nodded, signing back to him quickly. *I don’t know what to say to that… does he know you can’t just pick up kids like cats off the street?* He giggled at his own joke before continuing. *I won’t take up too much room.*

Hitoshi snorted, lips twitching in a grin. *No, no he doesn’t. And he definitely does it with cats too. We have two. Duck and Bastard. Plus all the strays around our house. Don’t worry about taking up space. No folks equals foster care and nothing sucks worse than foster care. My dads will get it sorted.*

Putting the towel back, Izuku nodded again before turning to look out the window. He didn’t know how they were going to ‘sort it’, but at least for that night, he wasn’t really in a position to disappear anyway.

Chapter Text

By the time they got to the hospital, Izuki was half-asleep and chewing on his own lip with worry. Hitoshi noticed and quickly planted himself at the green-haired boy’s side, keeping everyone but his parents away from him until they were taken back to a room.

Pops flashing his hero badge got things done quickly, though Hitoshi noticed that Izuku tended to flinch whenever one of the medical staff moved too fast or grabbed at him unexpectedly. Before long, he’d wrapped an arm over his shoulders, only moving it long enough for them to check over his neck before pulling the smaller boy into his side. He kinda reminded Hitoshi of Denki whenever there were a lot of noises around; overwhelmed and in need of physical touch to keep him grounded.

Izuku had a mild concussion and some deep bruises around his neck that would make his throat sore for a couple days, but nothing permanent. There was some concern about a couple broken fingers and a few burns, but they were quickly treated as well. Izuku cheekily reminded Shouta that he’d said he’d had worse. The exasperation as the hero pointed out that he didn’t tell him he’d had worse currently made him giggle softly. He did duck his head when Hizashi scolded him for using JSL with broken fingers, though.

Detective Tsukauchi came in as they were wrapping his fingers, giving him a gentle smile before greeting everyone else in the room. “Hello again, Izuku. I’m going to record your statement for the report, okay?” When Izuku nodded, he pulled out a recorder and set it between them, turning it on.

“This is Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi with the Musutafu Police Department, recording the witness statement of the minor, Izuku Midoriya. Acting as temporary guardians in the room are Shouta Aizawa-,”

He was interrupted by Izuku’s little gasp, looking over at the dark-haired hero. “That’s your name?”

Shouta blinked before dropping his head into his hands. “Jesus fucking christ, did I not introduce myself?” Hizashi’s raucous laughter and Hitoshi’s soft giggle made Naomasa smile as he stopped the recording.

“Seriously? You’ve been with the kid for over an hour, we’ve been looking for him for years, and you never bothered to tell him your name? I know we tease you about being a mess socially, but this is a new low.” The detective’s teasing tone made Shouta lift his head with a red-tinged glare, but Hizashi just wrapped an arm around his waist, playfully keeping him from lunging at his friend.

He looked over at Izuku and shook his head. “Honestly, you pegged me as Eraserhead in the alley and I didn’t even think to say anything else. Tonight’s been a mess.” He glanced at Hizashi, who nodded and turned back to Izuku. “I’m Shouta Aizawa. You can call me either Shouta or Aizawa, I don’t care which. Hizashi is either that or Yamada, whichever you’re comfortable with. And Hitoshi can tell you what to call him when we’re done here.”

Izuku giggled softly and nodded. He knew the names of two heroes and was told he could call them by their first names? Katsuki was going to freak. He shook his head, still a little wide-eyed at the new information as he turned to look at the detective who was watching them all with an amused smile. “It really has been a mess. Sorry, Detective.”

“Not a problem.” He quickly erased the interrupted recording and started over, still smiling slightly. “This is Detective Tsukaushi with the Musutafu Police Department, recording the witness statement of the minor, Izuku Midoriya. Acting as temporary guardians in the room are Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada, as well as their minor son, Hitoshi Yamazawa. I’m legally obligated to inform you of my quirk, Lie Detector. It allows me to know if you are lying. For the record, please state your name and age.”

“Izuku Midoriya, I’m twelve.”

“True. As completely as you can, please explain what led to the altercation tonight.”

“I was honestly just minding my business, trying to get home. I stepped onto what I thought was a side street, but it was late and I wasn’t paying much attention. It was actually an alley, not the street I thought it was, and there was a man who grabbed the back of my shirt as I walked by him and threw me into the far wall.”

“True. Did he say anything or ask you for anything during this?”

“No. He grabbed me, threw me, and started coming after me with what I think was his quirk… his hands turned into knives or blades… something sharp. I was just trying to get away, but I found a pipe. He was blocking the exit, so I tried to make him move.”

The detective winced slightly and gave him a raised eyebrow. “Partial truth.”

Izuku blushed and ducked his head with a sigh. “I really was trying to get away, but I knew I could defend myself with the pipe if I had to. When he came at me again, I hit one of his hands with the pipe to keep him from hitting me.”

“Truth. Then what happened?”

“He lunged at me again, but then Eraserhead showed up. He tied him up with his capture weapon, but he was still flailing and struggling. I knew he had the sharp hand things, and I wasn’t sure if he’d be able to cut the scarf, so I… uh, I hit him in the head with the pipe.”

Hizashi slapped a hand over his own mouth, eyes dancing with mirth as Tsukauchi nodded. “Truth. Thank you for your statement.” He quickly shut the recorder off just as the blond lost his fight with his laughter.

“Y-you hit him in the head?”

Izuku nodded sheepishly. “I didn’t know what the cloth was made of! I just knew he had knives and if he got free, I’d be in trouble!”

“I notice you also didn’t say anything about what you said to him, problem child. Something about 3 years of PE and wanting to get a homerun?” Shouta’s words set off another round of laughter, this time including the detective and joined by Hitoshi’s quiet giggles.

“I don’t have a filter sometimes! I didn’t think about it. I wanted to make him back off!” Izuku’s protests were only met with more amusement, and the detective shook his head.

“To be fair, I think you can definitely count it as a homerun. He’s got a nasty concussion and you shattered his hand. Off the record, completely deserved. That guy has quite a few warrants racked up, but he was good at evading law enforcement.” He turned a playfully narrow-eyed stare at Izuku. “Kinda like someone else in the room. To be honest, I’m surprised at the amount of damage you did… you usually have more restraint.”

Izuku flushed and ducked his head. That’s exactly he’d been thinking when the guy’s hand had broken so quickly with just one swing… “If I said I had no idea what you’re talking about, would you believe me?”

“Did you forget what my quirk was?” At the teen’s huff and headshake, he smirked. “Off the record, Izuku, you’re not in any trouble, okay? We just want to make sure you’re safe.” He tapped the recorder again, giving him a soft smile. “That being said, we do need to take a statement from you about your living situation so that Aizawa and Yamada can enact their emergency foster licenses for tonight.”

Izuku ran his good hand over his face and sighed, but nodded. “I get it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

“True.” He turned the recorder on again, speaking into it. “This is Detective Tsukauchi with the Musutafu Police Department, recording a statement of abandonment of the minor, Izuku Midoriya. Acting as temporary guardians in the room are Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada, who will be enacting their emergency foster licenses, as well as their minor son, Hitoshi Yamazawa. Please state your name and age for the record.”

Izuku sighed again, softly, but repeated, “Izuku Midoriya, age twelve.”

“True. Are you safe at home?”

“No, I don’t have a home.”

“True. What are the names of your parents or guardians?”

“Hizashi and Inko Midoriya.”

“Do you have any idea about the location of either of them?”

Izuku’s leg bounced against the bed in agitation, but he stilled when Hitoshi pressed their shoulders together. Taking a deep breath, he shook his head. “Not exactly. I think Hizashi might be in America, it was something my mother told me a long time ago, but I’m not sure where, or if that was even true. I haven’t seen him since I was five, and I haven’t seen my mother in person since I was seven. She stopped showing up completely when I was eight.” Even he could hear how flat and emotionless his voice sounded, but honestly, these were just facts, right? Even if they meant that his whole life had pretty much sucked, it was just facts.

Hizashi’s hand covered his mouth, this time not to hold back laughter, but in shock at how long it had been and how unaffected Izuku seemed to be. How could anyone just leave a child with nothing, and how in the world had Izuku lived like that for so long? Shouta rubbed his back gently, as Hitoshi’s arm draped tentatively back around Izuku’s shoulders and the smaller teen leaned into the warmth.

“True.” The detective looked pained, but his voice remained calm and professional. “Where are you currently staying?”

“There’s a beach near my school. It’s mostly a trash dump, but I have a little set up that I stay in. When it gets cold, I do more laundry, because the laundromat is open 24 hours and has heat. Sometimes I spend the night at my friend’s house, but they, uh… they don’t know. About my situation.”

“Partial truth. Again.”

Izuku huffed. “They know my mom isn’t the most present person, but I’ve told them it’s because of long work shifts or whatever. I didn’t want them to know because they’d have to say something about it. It’s not their problem, ya know?” He twisted his fingers together until Hitoshi pulled them apart. “They’ve already looked into fostering or adoption cuz they wanted more kids at one point, but weren’t able to have any more naturally. They were denied because they have to leave the country for work sometimes and the agencies said they weren’t able to provide stability. Which is bullshit, but there’s nothing they can do about it, so I just didn’t tell them everything.”

“Again, partial truth. Izuku, please explain who else knows about your current situation.”

Izuku whined a little, leaning a little more into Hitoshi. He didn’t want Katsuki to get in trouble, but he couldn’t figure out a way to say anything that wouldn’t get him caught for lying again. “My best friend knows. But he’s twelve too, and can’t do anything to fix the situation. He makes sure I eat when he can and gives me money and medical supplies. I swear, no adults know about me being homeless or anything else!”

“True.” Naomasa held up his hand, taking a breath. “I appreciate your candor. And I’m sorry that two children have had to put this on their shoulders. However, I’m sure that your friend’s parents would not consider it ‘not their problem.’” He turned to Shouta before Izuku could respond to that. “Shouta Aizawa, are you enacting your emergency foster license?”

Aizawa shifted forward slightly, nodding. “Yes, my family will be taking him in temporarily during the investigation.”

“True. Thank you both for your cooperation.”

As the detective turned off the recording, Izuku stared down at his hands. Temporarily. Temporarily. Temporarily. The word kept bouncing around his head. Everything was always temporary. His parents’ love, his home, his life… it was all just…

Temporary.

He was broken from his depressing musings by Naomasa standing up. “You guys can get home. The nurse has your discharge paperwork at the front desk. I’ll call you if I find anything. We’ll have a more thorough interview then. And Izuku?” When the kid looked up, the detective gave him a gentle smile. “I’m very glad you weren’t completely alone and very relieved that you’re safe.” He nodded to everyone before walking out of the room.

“C’mon, little listeners, let’s get home, huh?” Hizashi pushed himself up and motioned for Hitoshi and Izuku to follow him. Izuku’s feet were moving, but the whole family could tell that his mind was miles away. Hitoshi solved the problem by twining their fingers together gently, leading the boy out of the hospital and back to the car.

The trip from the hospital room to their living room passed in a blur. There were voices around Izuku, and gentle hands that kept him moving when needed, but between the exhaustion, the adrenaline crash, and the ringing of ‘temporary, temporary, temporary’ running through his head, he couldn’t focus on paying attention to his surroundings. The only thing keeping him grounded was a soft hand in his and it took far too long for him to realize that it was Hitoshi’s.

The effort of removing his shoes and walking to the couch seemed enormous at the late hour, but Izuku finally collapsed onto the soft material in the living room after a few minutes. Shouta crouched in front of him, and Hitoshi and Hizashi pressed themselves against either side of him, bleeding warmth into his skin.

“Izuku.” Shouta’s voice made him look up from where he’d been staring at his hands. The discharge, the car ride, the trip to their home… none of it felt real, like someone had folded time around him. That would be a neat quirk… “Izuku. Focus, please.”

It took him a minute but he finally nodded, gaining a small smile from Hizashi and a nod from Shouta. “I’m going to tell you something, kiddo, and I need you to actually hear me, okay?” When Izuku nodded again, he continued. “When we’re doing interviews with the police, there are ways that things have to be recorded, officially, to make them legally binding.” Izuku tilted his head, obviously exhausted, so the hero kept it short. “We’ll talk about this more once we’ve all slept. You have been alone for years, and I’m assuming that if there was another relative able to take you in, you would have already gone to them. However, the police have to investigate before any kind of permanent placement can happen.”

Hizashi ran his hands gently through green hair, avoiding the cut that thankfully hadn’t needed stitches, but still stung. “What all that means is that it’s your choice, but we’re not going to put you back on the streets. If there is someone else you’d rather stay with, we can help facilitate that once the investigation is over. But for now, you’ll stay here so the police can find you, and once they give us their findings, we can discuss next steps. No matter what, you’re not going to be living on the streets, and you’re not going to be alone again, okay?”

The echo of ‘temporarily’ still bounced around his head, but it had gotten quieter as the heroes explained. It still wasn’t permanent, there were still variables that he didn’t know about, and he couldn’t plan for what he didn’t know. But the tightness in his chest and numbness that had started creeping up his fingers abated a little. “O-okay. I, umm… Is it… fuck!” He shook his head, trying to reboot his brain. “Sleep now?”

Hizashi chuckled and nodded. “Sleep now, little listener. Hitoshi can pull the futon out and tomorrow, we’ll get everything figured out.” A pair of borrowed pajamas and a stack of soft blankets later, Izuku didn’t even remember hitting the futon before he was out.

Chapter Text

Shouta woke up the next morning with Hizashi wrapped around him and a vague stress headache. He was still tired, but that was a fairly normal state of being for him at this point. What he wasn’t, for the first time in quite a while, was worrying about whether or not he’d find the kid, or learn about his death. Izuku was asleep in Hitoshi’s room, safe. He curled back into his husband’s chest with a soft sigh, closing his eyes for a few more minutes. When the blond finally stirred, Shouta flopped lazily back against the pillows and stretched.

Hizashi quickly leaned over to kiss him before putting his hearing aids back in. “Morning, love. You’re in a good mood,” he teased, stealing another kiss before leaning back against the headboard.

“Mm… Found the problem child, got him home safe, woke up after being able to just sleep for a while and nothing on our plates today except acclimating the little gremlin and talking to Nao. I’m going to enjoy the few quiet moments of bliss I’m being afforded.” He rolled over and flopped himself across Hizashi’s chest, giving him a small smile. “That and your gorgeous face.”

Hizashi squeaked and covered his face with one hand, not hiding the blush on his face as his other hand was carding through silky black hair. “Shou… jesus, you can’t just say things like that.” He was laughing, and Shouta found himself laughing with him before glancing at the clock. “It’s almost noon. We should get some food in the kids, then we can talk to Izuku and see what he wants to do with the room. We should probably also go to wherever he was staying and get his stuff.”

Shouta nodded with a little sigh and pushed himself up, stealing his own kiss before shoving himself off the bed and towards the bathroom. Their morning routine was always simple; Shouta would take a quick shower and start the coffee while Hizashi made the bed, fed the cats and then got into the shower himself. They worked around each other easily after years together, and Shouta ruffled Hitoshi’s bed hair lightly as he realized the kid already had the coffee going.

“What do you think, kiddo, American breakfast that Zashi makes, or do you want something else?”

Hitoshi gave him a little grin, ducking his head at the ruffling. “American sounds good.” He was still a little too quiet, and Shouta knew it would probably be a bit before Izuku would actually hear him talk, but he was proud that he was talking at all with someone new in the house.

“Sounds good. Less effort for me too.” He winked, getting another little smirk from the brat. “Is the other problem child still asleep?”

Hitoshi nodded, glancing back at the door. “Left the door cracked cuz Duck was being a nosy bastard. I think the actual Bastard is under the couch… probably stalking toes again.”

Shouta nodded, glancing up as the shower turned off. “We’ll let him sleep until either Duck gets bored and wakes him up, or Zashi’s done cooking. Did you get any sleep?”

The purple-haired boy nodded, perking up as the coffee maker dinged. “I did, actually. Didn’t even spend much time on my phone or get up too early. Felt kinda weird.” Hitoshi really was a perfect blend of Shouta and Hizashi… Hizashi’s voice quirk and intelligence, with Shouta’s insomnia and mistrust of people he didn’t know.

The hero snorted and nodded a little. “Yeah, I get that. Woke up this morning with absolutely nothing to do and it didn’t feel real for a minute.” He fixed mugs for all three of them, sliding one gently across the table to his son. “Zash and I are off for a couple days to help Izuku get settled in, same as we did with you. You don’t have to force yourself to talk, obviously, but it would be helpful if you could be around to help him feel comfortable.”

After a sip of his coffee, Hitoshi nodded again. “He… seems nice. I just… I dunno.”

Shouta sat down next to him, pulling him into a brief hug. “It’s okay to be uncertain, Tosh. It’s okay to form your own opinion. Just remember that he’s in a similar situation to what you went through. We’re all part of the shitty parents club here, ya know?”

Hitoshi giggled softly, resting his head on his adopted father’s shoulder. “I dunno… I like to think we’re all part of the found family club.” He giggled again, a little louder, when Shouta made a face and pushed him away playfully.

“Ewww, you’ve been spending too much time with the loud blond. Away with the cuteness, it’s too early.” Shouta chuckled, dropping a kiss to his forehead and standing up to greet Hizashi when he came into the kitchen.

“Emotions before breakfast? Who are you and what have you done with my family?” The blond grinned widely, sweeping into the kitchen to pull Hitoshi into a tight hug, mindful of the coffee in his hands, before spinning to his husband and kissing his cheek. He swept up his own mug in wide movements, making Shouta shake his head and Hitoshi grin again. “Where’s the green bean?”

“Still in bed. Hitoshi let Duck in to see him, but I figured we’d let him sleep until there was something to feed him with. Your son wants American breakfast.” Shouta winked at Hitoshi as Hizashi spun again to get to the fridge.

“Then American breakfast he shall have! Waffles or pancakes, Tosh?”

“Pancakes, please, Pops.”

Though they stayed a little quieter in deference to their sleeping ward, the kitchen was full of laughter and playful jabs. It didn’t take Hizashi long to whip up breakfast and he set it all on the table before wiping his hands.

“Okay, you two get plates made up for us while I go wake the little listener.” He glanced at Hitoshi’s mug and sighed a little. “I guess we should do a coffee and a juice for him… we have yet to pull anyone into our circle that isn’t a caffeine addict.” His words were chiding, but his tone was playful and his eyes danced as he downed his own mug of coffee and set it next to the pot to be refilled.

Izuku woke up in borrowed pajamas, in an unfamiliar room, with an unfamiliar pair of orange eyes staring at him. He bit back a yelp and shifted backwards before realizing that those orange orbs belonged to a black cat that had been nose to nose with him as he slept. The cat gave a yawn, sharp white teeth on display before moving closer again with a soft ‘mrrp’ sound. Tentatively, Izuku reached out, letting it rub against his hand before stroking down its soft back. “Uh… hi?” He carefully sat up and smiled at the cat who crawled into his lap for more pets before looking around the room.

Memories from the night before flooded back as his brain woke up a bit more. The bed Hitoshi had slept in was empty, and sunlight streamed into the room from the window, so it was obviously well into the morning. The door was slightly ajar, which is probably how the black cat had gotten in, and as he familiarized himself with his surroundings, he realized he could hear muffled voices from somewhere outside the room.

“Oookay. This is… well, less than ideal,” he murmured down at the purring lap visitor, who just gave him a slow blink and nuzzled its head into his stomach. “Right, just get comfy, huh? Easy for you to say…”

The cat ‘mrrp’ed at him again, making him shake his head and laugh. “Well, pardon me, your highness. I’m allowed to be a little freaked here, okay?” He glanced around and saw his clothes in a small pile next to the futon, pulling out his phone and breathing a sigh of relief that it wasn’t broken after he’d been thrown around last night. There were a couple messages from his best friend and he chuckled a little at how annoyed the blond could sound through text.

Boomboi: Oi, nerd, where the fuck are you? I brought breakfast.
Boomboi: You missed class. You never miss class.
Boomboi: If you don’t fucking answer me before the end of school, I’m calling the god damned cops.
Broccoli Bitch: Sorry, Kacchan, just woke up. Don’t call the cops.

The reply came worryingly fast, and Izuku hoped that the teachers didn’t catch the blond on his phone.

Boomboi: Fucking hell, Zuk, I’m going to punch the shit out of you. Where are you? Are you okay?
Broccoli Bitch: I’m fine. Can’t talk now, but I’ll call you after school.
Boomboi: You have until 4. If I don’t hear from you by then, I don’t fucking care, I will tell the Hag and call the cops.

The voices outside grew a little louder, cheerful and closer to the bedroom door. A sharp knock on the door frame announced Hizashi’s presence just before he stepped in. “Morning, little listener!” He stopped and blinked at Izuku’s visitor before chuckling. “I see you’ve met Duck. I hope he didn’t wake you up.”

Izuku shook his head, continuing the soothing motions of his hand through soft black fur as he set his phone aside. “N-no… he just kinda… made himself comfortable when I sat up?”

Hizashi nodded, still grinning widely. “Yeah, he does that. Be mindful when sitting down in the living room. Bastard, our other cat, likes to hide under furniture and bite ankles and toes.” Stepping the rest of the way inside, the taller man plopped onto the floor, reaching over to scratch the cat behind the ears. “Did you sleep all right?”

“I think so. I don’t really, uh… remember falling asleep?” Or a lot of the night before, but he wasn’t completely sure how much truth was too much truth. He remembered ‘temporarily’, but everything after that had been a blur.

Hizashi nodded sympathetically, ruffling Izuku’s hair. “That’s not surprising, you were pretty exhausted and out of it by the time we got home. I do need to tell you one thing before we get moving.” He moved his long blond hair out of the way, showing off his hearing aids. “You mentioned you learned JSL because of your friend’s quirk. Hitoshi knows it because of selective mutism, and Shou and I are both fluent since I’m 90% deaf.”

Izuku blinked, tilting his head and looking at the aids before looking back at Hizashi. “That’s… it must make hero work hard.” It was a big worry for Katsuki after all; the fear that he couldn’t be a hero if his quirk damaged his ears had been talked about between them for years.

“It can, but with a good support company, and a family that understands, it’s not too bad. I’m not telling you this randomly, though… I wanted you to know that I sometimes don’t wear them around the house. They need to charge and sometimes they can get uncomfortable. So if you say something and I don’t answer, just get my attention, okay? Usually flicking the lights on and off works for Shou and Hitoshi.”

Izuku nodded easily, giving him a small smile. “I actually appreciate that. Thanks for letting me know.”

“Of course, little listener! Breakfast is ready, so why don’t you get yourself cleaned up a bit and then come to the kitchen. We can have a little chat, ya dig?”

Izuku nodded a little, though honestly if he could avoid the ‘little chat’, he’d prefer that. If he didn’t have to talk about the foster system before he got thrown into it, that would be just fine with him.

Hizashi scooped Duck up before pushing himself to his feet. “There’s clothes on the dresser for you. Feel free to hop in the shower if you want; towels are under the sink and anything in the shower is available for you to use.” He held out a hand with Duck curled into the crook of his other arm to help Izuku up.

After a second, he sighed and took the proffered hand, letting himself be pulled to his feet. As Hizashi walked out, he rolled the futon back up, tucking it in the corner with the blankets he’d apparently borrowed folded on top of it. Clothes were indeed waiting for him on the dresser and he decided a shower would probably be a good idea… at least a few more minutes before he had to face the music.

A few minutes later the table was set and Hizashi was back in the kitchen, setting Duck down just outside the kitchen door. “He’s getting himself cleaned up and dressed. I figured it would be better to give him a few minutes to get himself awake. Also, he has a phone and was definitely texting on it, but I didn’t ask questions.”

Shouta nodded, a little frown playing at his lips. “Probably the friend he’s mentioned a couple times. Hopefully Hitoshi’s clothes fit him well enough to go shopping.” He wasn’t a huge fan of the malls and shopping centers, but the kid’s clothes had been small and obviously repaired multiple times. They also had to figure out the school situation… And he had to talk to Nezu at some point, and-

His mental musings were cut short by Hitoshi, who had moved across the table from him to give Izuku a place between them at the table, lightly kicking him in the ankle. *Stop thinking so hard, you’re smoking out the kitchen.* The kid’s grin was impish, but Shouta noticed he’d reverted back to JSL.

Unfortunately, Izuku was only able to stretch his morning ablutions to about 15 minutes, because he quickly started to feel guilty about using up the hot water. He stepped out of the bathroom, swimming in the clothes he’d been given… he figured they must have been Hitoshi’s, as the other boy was a bit bigger than he was. He padded down the hall, heading towards the sound of conversation, keeping one hand on his phone, a lifeline to familiarity and help if he needed it.

“Hush, you, I’m just trying to figure out how to deal with two gremlins in the same damned house,” Shouta retorted, letting his son break his worried spiral. It wouldn’t do to get ahead of himself anyway. He broke away from the playful stare down with Hitoshi and noticed Izuku standing in the doorway, looking unsure if he wanted to come in or slink away.

Standing at the doorway of the kitchen, Izuku watched the family interact silently. There was a pain in his chest as he watched; the same longing he felt when he stayed with the Bakugous. This was what family was supposed to look like, to feel like, with warm banter and genuine smiles. It wasn’t something he was ever allowed to have. He was always just temporary, outside looking in. He started to turn around, to leave, to avoid getting too close, but before he could, Shouta glanced up and saw him.

“Izuku. Come here.”

With a little sigh, Izuku moved over to the table, sitting gingerly on the edge of a chair. A plate with eggs, pancakes, and bacon was nudged at him and Hizashi gently ruffled his hair. “Eat up, listener. We can talk while you eat, because I have a feeling there are a lot of blanks in that head of yours.”

Shouta nodded, leaning back in his chair with a cup that smelled like coffee. “You were pretty out of it by the time we got home, and honestly, I’m not completely sure I was making a lot of sense either. It was a long night for both of us.”

Izuku glanced at Hitoshi, who nodded encouragingly and handed over the syrup. “I mean… I remember some stuff…”

Shouta took a sip of his coffee before setting the mug down. “Okay, brief overview, then we’ll get into details. We have custody of you while the investigation into your parents is ongoing.”

Temporary. Temporary. Temporary…

Hitoshi’s long fingers pulled Izuku back out of the spiral he was starting to slide into, wrapping around his wrist and gently squeezing. When he looked over, realizing that he wasn’t breathing right, Hitoshi gave him a soft, encouraging smile that helped ease the sudden tightness in his chest.

It took a few beats, but Izuku got himself under control, looking up at Shouta again. The hero waited patiently before offering him a little nod. “Once the investigation is complete, we will be able to look into more permanent solutions, but at that point, you will be given a few choices on what you want to do, depending on what the police find. For right now, we’re going to clean out the guest room and get it set up for you.” He leaned forward, making sure Izuku’s eyes were on him. “We want you to know, Izuku, that that room is permanently yours. I don’t care if you end up going with someone else or stay here… whenever you are here, that room is yours.”

Izuku felt his head tilt as he pondered the seriousness of Shouta’s words and the firm tone they were spoken in. After a beat, he shook his head a little. “You.. You don’t have to do all that. I’m f-”

“I swear to god, problem child, if you say you’re fine one more time…” Shouta growled and pointed at him sternly. “You, Izuku Midoriya, are not fine. You’re a twelve year old child living alone in a dump, fighting adults twice your size or more in the middle of the night. Which you have apparently been doing since you were eight. That is not fine.”

Izuku flinched back at the tone, almost toppling his chair. Hizashi wrapped an arm around Shouta’s shoulders, pulling him back a bit as Hitoshi steadied Izuku.

“Ease up, love. He’s here and safe now.” The words were murmured against Shouta’s ear and he practically deflate. The blond glanced up at Izuku with a warm, but pained smile. “You’re not in trouble, listener. At all. We’re upset at your circumstances, and mad at the adults that were supposed to be taking care of you.”

Hitoshi gently pulled Izuku over so their shoulders were pressed together, signing under the table. *They’ve been looking for you for a while… a couple years now. Dad’s not angry. He just doesn’t want you to leave.*

Shouta felt a little guilty that he’d gotten heated and scared the poor kid, but he physically couldn’t stomach the thought of one more iteration of him saying he didn’t need anything. It was infuriating that someone… more than one someone… had made this boy feel like he wasn’t deserving of basic human decency.

With an almost inaudible whimper, Izuku dropped his head to Hitoshi’s shoulder to hide his face. “I know it’s not normal,” he started, voice quiet and almost unemotional except for the tremble behind his words. “I know they fucked up, and it fucked me up. But I only had two more years… that was the plan. Two years and then Kacchan and I could apply to UA and I’d be… okay, not fine…” He tilted his face up, offering a tremulous smile to the adults across the table. “But… better, ya know?”

Shouta nodded, forcibly calming himself back down and reaching across the table with his palm up. He offered a small smile when Izuku put his hand in it, brushing his thumb over the slender, scarred knuckles. “Kiddo, no one is saying you didn’t do well for yourself. I hate that you had to. And the vigilante shit scares the hell out of me, out of us, because part of being a vigilante is never having backup. You could have been killed out there, and no one would have known, ya know?”

It felt a bit like a victory when Izuku curled into Hitoshi like the purple-haired boy was safe, and even more when he willingly took his hand and his apology. He liked the fact that there was a plan in place for the kid to get off the street and stop being a vigilante, even if resources were limited and it would have taken another two years. It proved that he and whoever this Kacchan was were smart and were thinking ahead. Plans for the future meant that the world hadn’t destroyed this child yet, and Shouta was going to make damned sure that it couldn’t.

“Kacchan would know. But… I get it. I wouldn’t want him to have to make that call either.”

Hizashi tilted his head, still rubbing Shouta’s back. “That’s like, the third or fourth time I’ve heard that now. You said something about your best friend?”

“More like my only friend. He knows that Inko wasn’t… that she didn’t come home much. And he knows about the… about me going out at night. He helped patch me up once or twice. But he doesn’t know about… all of it.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket and set it on the table. “Auntie and Uncle got me this. I’m pretty sure they know at least a bit too, but… if I didn’t say anything, they didn’t have proof. And Kacchan and I were good at covering my tracks with them. I think I said last night, they don’t have foster licenses or anything, and can’t get them because they have to travel too much for work, so… If I… if I told them, they’d have to tell someone official, and then, well… ya know. Foster shit.”

Shouta nodded, sitting up a bit and taking his hand back after squeezing Izuku’s briefly. “I’m glad you weren’t completely on your own, even if they didn’t know the whole story. After Nao… Detective Tsukauchi comes over today, if you want, we can sit down and have a talk with them, okay? They’re obviously important to you.” He rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath. “In the meantime, how about we have a talk about what’s gonna happen now. You should finish eating… it’s already one, and I don’t know when you last ate, but you have to be starving.”

Izuku sat up too, shooting Hitoshi a grateful smile before turning back to his plate. “I mean… it’s pretty obvious. I stay here until after the investigation, then some caseworker shows up and hopefully wherever I get put isn’t too far away.” Or too prejudiced, but frankly, he wasn’t holding his breath on that one.

“Ah ha ha, nope.” Hizashi’s cheerful voice made him look up even as he was shoving a piece of bacon into his mouth. “You stay here, period. Unless there’s someone you’d rather live with that can legally take you. This is what we were talking about when we said you missed part of the conversation last night. Shou’s been looking for you for years, green bean. We decided a while ago that if he managed to find you, we’d be keeping you.”

“Keep… keeping me? Like.. No, I mean, but why? I’m not… the caseworkers wouldn’t allow… I can’t…”

Shouta slipped out of his seat and crouched next to him, resting a hand on his arm. “Breathe, problem child. Yes, keeping you. One, you deserve to have a home. A place you feel safe with people who will actually look after you. Two, we happen to have the police department and Nezu on our side. You’re not going anywhere, okay?”

There was a couple beats of silence before Izuku was crying, throwing himself into Shouta’s strong hold and getting a soft ‘oof’ out of the hero. “You’re safe now, Izuku. I promise. We’ve got you.”

The tears were expected when Izuku realized he wasn’t going to have to leave, but Shouta could admit the hug caught him off guard. He turned wide eyes to the rest of his family, but they weren’t much help. Hitoshi just smirked at him, and Hizashi was too busy cooing and taking pictures to fix it. With a soft sigh, he admitted defeat, wrapping his arms around Izuku’s small frame and holding him until he cried himself out.

It took a good ten minutes for him to settle and when he finally pulled away, his red-rimmed eyes were bright with a hope that he hadn’t seen in them yet. Shouta smiled and gently nudged him towards the table again, climbing off the floor and grabbing a fresh cup of coffee.

“Okay,” Hizashi chirped brightly. “Now that we all have a basic understanding, Zuks here is gonna finish eating,” he turned a playful glare on the green-haired boy, making him duck his head and stuff a bite of pancake into his mouth, “and then you two are gonna go fix up the guest room. Anything in there you wanna get rid of, put by the attic door. Once you get it rearranged the way you like it, we’ll head out to pick up your belongings and stop at the store.”

Chapter Text

Breakfast… lunch? Whatever, Izuku’s first meal of the day felt like a whirlwind and he was glad to finish his plate, chugging down the lukewarm coffee and escaping from the table with Hitoshi. The taller boy led him to another room, this one an obvious guest room with impersonal, generic furnishings.

As they walked out, Hizashi huffed playfully at the juice that was ignored, muttering, “Caffeine addicts, all of you,” while holding onto his own second cup of the day. It wasn’t really an issue to pour the juice back into the pitcher, and Shouta’s huff of laughter made it worth it.

“We’ll take him to see Shuzenji and then we can start working on better eating habits for him, but the fact that he finished his plate is a win, even if you’d prefer he drank juice.” Shouta wrapped an arm around his husband’s waist, kissing his temple. Hizashi just hummed an agreement, grabbing a tablet they usually used for grocery lists and starting to write a list of all the things they needed to get done before they had to go back to work. While it wasn’t a long list, it was time consuming, and Shouta was exhausted just looking at it.

He also wanted to speak to her about Izuku’s touch starvation… he was pretty sure that was at the root of the easy way he leaned into or clung to the people around him. It wasn’t currently a problem, but it was definitely something he wanted noted down.

When he stepped inside the room, Hitoshi held his hands out for a minute, like a game show host showing off prizes. *This is yours. It’s boring as fuck right now, but we can get stuff you like when we go out.* He moved to the bed, stripping it of the beige, boring blankets and folding them up to set aside.

Izuku watched him for a few seconds before stepping into the room and helping to fold up the bedding. “They really don’t need to go to all this trouble… I have stuff. It’s not much, but…”

Hitoshi stopped him, putting a hand on his wrist again. *Stop that. One, they like to spoil the people they care about, and you’re part of that group. Two, they want you to feel…* He paused for a second, looking for the right words. *At home, here.* He set the folded blanket down and sat on the floor in front of the bed, patting the space next to him. Once Izuku sat down, he looked over at him.

*You know I’m adopted, and that I know the foster system is shit. Pops, Hizashi, found me one day on a routine patrol. I’d been kicked out of the home, with a muzzle on and no coat, because I… I accidentally asked a question. Didn’t use my quirk or anything, just dared to ask a question. They brought me home that day. Same deal, temporary custody until after they investigated the foster home and my caseworker. They adopted me three months after the investigation, which took a couple weeks itself because the worker’s manager kept trying to argue that I didn’t deserve to live with heroes. I was a ‘villain in the making’ with a ‘villainous quirk’, so he kept filing all these petitions and injunctions and shit.*

Izuku blinked, tilting his head. “That’s bullshit. There’s no such thing as a villainous quirk. That’s like saying a razor blade is evil because it can be used to cut things. People are evil, sometimes, usually that’s because of circumstances or something wrong in their brain. Most people are just trying to survive, and generally want to be good, so I can’t see how you’d be considered villainous! Quirk discrimination is so fucking stupid!”

Hitoshi was staring at him with wide eyes, and suddenly Izuku was the one receiving the surprise hug. He didn’t hesitate to hug the taller boy back, squeezing him gently. “If it helps… I dunno, it might, but… I don’t even have a villainous quirk. I’m… the neighborhood Null.”

Hitoshi spat out a curse, surprising Izuku and apparently himself with how wide his eyes went. “Bull fucking shit. Don’t call yourself that!” It was the first time Izuku heard his voice, and he was happy to note that he wasn’t wrong when he said it was pretty in the car the night before. It made something twist uncomfortably in his stomach as he realized that Hitoshi didn’t talk around strangers, intentionally, because of how he’d been treated.

Izuku gave him a sad smile, letting his arms drop but tilting his head to rest on Hitoshi’s shoulder. “I don’t, generally. It’s literally what the people in my neighborhood call me. Sometimes it’s a curse, usually with a threat to get away from them, and sometimes it’s all pity and side eyes, like I’m infectious. It’s the reason my parents left, so…”

“I can brainwash people. If I ask a question, I can make people do what I want. My parents dropped me in an orphanage at four. Dad says we’re part of the shitty parents club.”

Izuku giggled softly, enjoying the soothing warmth coming from someone other than his best friend. “Sounds about right. We should make shirts.” He snuggled in a little closer, sighing softly. “You have a really nice voice, Hi-hitoshi. It’s… I dunno, soothing.”

A tilted head rested on top of Izuku’s. “And you’re a lot stronger than people think. You said you wanted to get into UA, right?”

“Mmhhmm. Kacchan and I are gonna try out for the hero course, but honestly, I’ll be happy just getting into gen ed… It’s not like I have a lot of options for secondary school otherwise.”

“We can… we can try together? I mean… all three of us, if… if you think he would?” Hitoshi paused. “I have a couple friends too… kids from school that are also wanting to try for the hero course, so… we could work together?”

Izuku nodded carefully, not wanting to dislodge Hitoshi from their cuddle. “I think he would. Kacchan… he’s kind of an asshole, but he’s my asshole, ya know? He’ll make a lot of noise about it, but if you can match his asshole energy, he’ll respect you.”

Hitoshi chuckled, giving Izuku’s wrist a gentle squeeze before finally pulling away. “Sounds like fun. We can all be assholes together. Except Tenya, but he’s a quiet asshole. He’ll be all rule-abiding and then whip out with the sickest burns when you don’t expect it.”

Izuku giggled, shifting and stretching his arms over his head and nodding. “Those are the best kinds, honestly. I’m so used to Kacchan’s mouth, and even Auntie’s mouth that their insults and language don’t even phase me. Having someone like Uncle pop off though, it’s hysterical. It sounds like your friend is the same way.”

Shouta had slipped down the hallway silently, wanting to make sure the boys were okay with each other. He had left them alone for a bit, but he hadn’t seen any movement from the room yet. There wasn’t that much in there that it should be taking so long. He was probably thinking too much of introducing new cats, expecting a fight, but he was pleasantly surprised to hear Hitoshi actually taking part in the conversation. He’d been worried that having a stranger in their home would make the traumatized boy regress. He allowed himself a few minutes of eavesdropping, and was rather proud of both of them. Neither of them had any real reason to trust strangers, but that’s exactly what it sounded like they were doing.

With another giggle, Izuku pushed himself up off the floor, pulling Hitoshi up with him. “C’mon, let’s get this done before they come to see if we’ve killed each other or fallen back to sleep. Honestly, the only things I don’t want or can’t use is the artwork. It’s… pretty, but…”

“Boring as fuck? That’s what Aunt Nem says whenever she comes in here.” He stepped up to one of the framed prints to pull it down. “You think you can reach it, shortstack?”

“I’m not short! I’m just closer to hell!”

Hitoshi was not only participating out loud in the conversation, but he was willingly asking questions. It was impressive, so Shouta waited until he determined the two were done with the serious part of their conversation. Once they started teasing again, he popped in to hurry them along, hiding a chuckle at the idea of them getting matching shirts just to be gremlins. He wondered if either of the nearby malls had a screen-printing shop…

Hitoshi barked out a laugh, just as Izuku pulled the other print off the wall and Shouta stepped into the room. “This doesn’t look like cleaning the room out, boys,” he grumbled, but it was easy to see the slight uptick at the corners of his mouth.

“Izuku was just admitting that he’s actually a demon, Dad.”

Izuku took in the slight widening of the hero’s eyes and figured that he wasn’t expecting Hitoshi to talk. “I didn’t say I was a demon, Toshi. But someone somewhere had to make some sort of deal with something to get me… I’m leaning towards a really spiteful demon, personally.”

“Great. There’s two of you. Between the three of us and the cats, 90% of the household runs on caffeine and spite.”

Izuku gasped excitedly, pointing at Hitoshi. “That’s the second shirt we need!”

Hitoshi giggled softly and nodded. “We may have to find those online. Think your Kacchan would want one?”

“Ha ha, yup! Except not the shitty parents club one… Auntie and Uncle are amazing. You’ll like Uncle, I think. Like I said, he’s sounds a lot like your friend; he’s the king of zingers that shut up both Kacchan and Auntie. Sometimes it’s the only way to make them stop scrapping with each other.”

“I’m regretting everything,” Shouta muttered, but his tone and the warm look he gave both boys let Izuku know he was only kidding. “Finish up in here. The detective will be here in 30 minutes, which gives you time to contact who you need to.”

“I think we’re done, honestly. I like the bookshelf and the bed is obviously fine. If… if I can get my stuff, I might, umm…” The jovial mood dissipated as Izuku bit his lip, glancing around. They said he could ask, could get what he wanted or needed, but…

“You might what, problem child? Spit it out.” Shouta’s words were rude, but his tone was soft, like Katsuki when he was checking Izuku’s injuries.

“A, um… a desk? I just… I like to write. And draw.” He shuffled his feet a bit, unable to lift his eyes to meet Shouta’s gaze.

“Already on the list, kiddo. You’d need it for schoolwork anyway. If you wanna leave the rest of the decorations up for now and rearrange once we get the rest of the furniture, that’s fine. Hizashi will put the pictures in the attic.” He gently took the frame from Izuku’s grip, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Good job, gremlin. I promise, it gets easier.”

Izuku nodded slightly, giving him a sheepish smile. He still wasn’t completely sure about anything, but so far, it seemed like everyone was exactly what they said they were on the surface. It was… nice, to not have to guess about what people were thinking. “I’ll text Kacchan. He should be finishing up school soon, and said I had to message before four or he was calling the cops, so…”

“For the love of cats and coffee, get in touch with him. The last thing I need is a call to the local police… I’d never hear the end of it.”

As the boys made made their way to the living room, Shouta’s cellphone rang. He moved quickly to his room to take Naomasa’s call, not wanting Izuku to hear anything upsetting until he could prepare him for it.

“Nao.”

“Shouta. I have information, some news, and a few curses to throw at you for setting the rat on me.”

Shouta snickered softly. “Throw them at the cockatoo, he’s the one who asked for his help. What have you got?”

“Most of this I want to talk to Izuku about, I’m about ten minutes out. But the main thing is that Inko Midoriya is no longer in Japan. Her passport was flagged, but… well, apparently it was flagged at three different airports at three different times, going to three different places. I’m assuming she got onto one of those flights, but she took the time to change her appearance, so we haven’t been able to catch sight of her on any cctv. She’s been gone for four years, Shouta. We have agencies in all three countries looking for her, but frankly, with this kind of headstart…”

“You’ll probably never find her unless she comes back to Japan or royally fucks up wherever she is. Any word on his father?”

“He’s in America, according to a phone conversation hasn’t spoken to Inko in years, and legally dissolved his parental rights before he left Japan. So… as far as custody goes, technically Izuku would go into the system and be assigned a caseworker. However, Nezu is apparently pulling strings in the background. He said to give him a call after you get the boys in bed tonight.”

Shouta grunted into the phone, pulling it away to see a similar text from his boss. As much as he complained about him, Nezu was the closest thing to a parental figure Shouta had, and was well aware how much time and energy he’d been putting into finding the kid in the first place.

“Fine. I appreciate you giving me the heads up before you tell Izuku. We’re all waiting on you to get here.”

“I’m literally pulling into your driveway. This won’t take long. I’m just glad the kid’s off the streets.”

Izuku giggled softly at Shouta, pulling out his phone and following Hitoshi to the living room, noting which room Shouta disappeared into. Apparently, the purple-haired boy forgot about the warning that Hizashi had given Izuku, because he cursed and jumped backwards as a white and brown paw shot out to clip the side of his foot. “Little shit!”

Mindful of swiping paws, Izuku hopped up onto the couch, curling his knees to his chest while he texted.

Broccoli Bitch: Okay, so you can call me when you’re free. I’m completely safe, and I even met a couple heroes!
Boomboi: How the fuck… ya know what, I’m calling you.

His phone rang a couple seconds later, Katsuki’s gremlin face flashing across the screen with his middle finger lifted. Izuku swiped the call, pulling the phone to his ear and trilling, “Kacchan!”

“Don’t you fucking ‘Kacchan’ me, you stupid piece of shit. Where the hell are you? Why did you miss school? How did you meet fucking heroes?!”

Hitoshi’s eyes widened at the loud, angry voice coming from the phone, even as Izuku seemed to vibrate with excitement. “Kacchan, be nice! I’m actually, ummm… well, it’s a long story and some of it you’ll want to talk to me in person about, so… They said we could meet up for dinner?”

“You’re going to fucking make me wait for hours to hear this bullshit? What the fuck, Zuk?!”

“No, just… umm, they wanna meet your folks too. Cuz ‘responsible adults’ and shit.” He looked up as Hizashi came into the living room, dodging the swiping paws to plop into an armchair. “Uh… could… ummm…”

“Spit it the fuck out, Zuk, you’re stuttering again,” grumbled the voice on the phone and Izuku huffed in fond annoyance.

“Fuck you, Kacchan, give me a minute. I wasn’t talking to you anyway.” He looked back over at Hizashi with a sheepish smile. “C-could Kacchan meet us at the mall? He’s worried.”

“I’m not worried about you, you leaf-looking pile of shit!” Hizashi blinked, then looked at the phone with a small smile.

“I don’t see why not. But I need to know… is your friend blond?” Shouta was going to lose his shit if yet another child introduced yet another loud blond… And Tenya might just have a coronary. The chaos gremlin in Hizashi couldn’t wait, honestly. Tensei would probably bust a gut laughing when he found out too.

Izuku nodded absently, already turning back to his phone conversation. “We’re going to the mall in a bit. I’ll text you when we’re on the way there.”

“Which mall, Zuk? You can’t go to Generals…” And boy, did his best friend still sound so angry about that.

“Shit, that’s right. Umm, they have a car, so… meet me at the beach? We have to make a stop anyway, so I can text you there instead and we can, ummm… go to High Ridge?” He looked over at Hizashi, who nodded easily.

“Yeah, fuckin’ whatever. I’ll tell the old people about dinner and they can probably meet us somewhere. I dunno what they’re doing tonight, though, so dinner may have to wait a couple days. They’ve got some show coming up soon and you know how the Hag’s been bitchin’.”

Izuku nodded like his friend could see him through the phone. “Yeah, I remember. Auntie was talking about us modeling for it, but it was during the school week.”

“Yeah, somethin’ like that. Hey, turn your fucking camera on for a few minutes.”

Izuku tilted his head, blinking at the request before swapping to a video call. He was careful to keep the blond hero out of the frame… he wanted to see the look on his friend’s face when they met face to face. “What’s up?”

“Just wanted to make sure you weren’t fuckin’ with me. You and I don’t have the same definitions of fuckin’ ‘safe’ and ‘fine’, Zukkun.” The blond snarled at him through the phone, but Izuku could see his eyes darting around, taking in the lack of injuries on his face and the room behind him.

“I didn’t say I was fine, Kacchan, I said I was safe. I have some injuries, but they’re super minor! Nothing like the stab wound!” He said it cheerfully, making both Hitoshi and Hizashi stare at him.

“Nothin’ was as bad as the fuckin’ stab wound, you dumb shit. You’re just lucky I’m good with a god damned needle. I wanna know everything when I see you, you fuckin’ hear me?”

“I hear you, Kacchan! I have to go for now, but I’ll text you in a bit… probably an hour or so.”

“You better, asshole.”

The call cut out and his phone went dark. He dropped it to his side, then blinked at the looks he was getting. “What?”

“Stab wound?” Hitoshi asked quietly, making Hizashi smile just slightly.

“Oh, uh, yup! All healed up, though, it was ages ago.” He pulled his shirt up a bit, showing off a nasty scar on his side. “It was just through my side, nothing major got hit. And Kacchan is really good with a needle. Auntie was even able to get me antibiotics by pretending she had an infection!”

Hizashi sighed, rubbing his forehead. “You know that’s really concerning to say so cheerfully, green bean. I’m glad you’re okay now, and super glad your aunt was able to help you, but…” He stopped and cursed softly. “But you couldn’t go to the doctor because they won’t treat you, and she didn’t know you needed them for a stab wound, did she?”

“Nope! Just said I wasn’t feeling good and thought it was an infection.”

“And we can’t go to General’s because they won’t let you shop there?”

“Ha ha, yup. And Kacchan got himself banned because of it, so…”

“…I really need a list of every store and clinic in your area…”

Shouta walked back into the living room after his own phone call just in time to hear Hizashi’s threat.

“No, you don’t.” Shouta’s voice called out sternly as he headed past them to the front door. “I am not paying for the property damage. Nao’s here, he said he has some news.”

Chapter Text

Shouta led the detective inside, where he nodded to the rest of the family before turning his attention to the green-haired boy. “Hello again, Izuku. I have some information for you regarding the investigation, and then I’m going to need one more statement on the record, okay?”

Izuku nodded and Shouta watched as Hitoshi scooted down the couch, pressing up against him. Izuku pressed right back, gripping Hitoshi’s arm like a lifeline.

“Okay, so the information first. As you thought, your father is in America. He signed away his parental rights to your mother before he left, so he will not be able to come back to Japan and start any trouble for you.” When Izuku nodded again, Naomasa sighed. “Your mother is… a bit more complicated. First and foremost, because of what I’m about to tell you, her parental rights are also being legally dissolved. Even if she tries to come back, she won’t be allowed to have custody of you.”

Izuku slumped slightly against Hitoshi’s side, looking relieved. “Th-that’s… I mean, not good exactly, but… it kinda is?”

Naomasa chuckled and nodded. “True. And yes, the circumstance of any parent abandoning their child isn’t good, but in this scenario, I think it’s best case. Your mother fled the country about four years ago, and she did so intentionally, in a way that’s going to make it close to impossible to find her. I’m telling you this because we’re going to keep looking for her, and she’s going to have several warrants out for her arrest should she return to Japan, but as of right now, we won’t be able to prosecute her for the neglect or abandonment. If, for whatever reason, she manages to contact you or you see her, you tell Shouta and Hizashi, or call me directly. It’s not likely after this long with no contact, but we’ve seen stranger.”

Izuku waved his free hand a bit, nodding his head. “I can do that. I don’t think she’ll bother, but I don’t.. Mm. It seems weird to say, maybe? But I don’t really care about her getting in trouble. As long as she can’t fu- umm, mess up my life anymore, it doesn’t matter if she’s in jail or on another continent, ya know?”

Shouta smirked. “We get it, problem child. Out of sight, out of mind unless she turns up again or causes trouble. What all of this means for now, for you specifically, is that you officially have no permanent guardian.”

Naomasa set the recorder on the coffee table. “Normally, this would be when we would call social services, get you a caseworker, and start looking into foster placement.” He held up a hand when Izuku tensed up all over again. “I said in normal circumstances. Yours are far from normal. For one, you’ve been taking care of yourself for over four years. While that can’t continue, you have earned the right to have a say in where you go. You also have the temporary guardianship already on the record. And Shouta and Hizashi have Nezu to help cut through red tape. He’s already contacted the same caseworker that we used with Hitoshi, just so everything is above board and legal. What I need from you is a statement. A truthful statement.” He gave the kid a playfully stern look, and Shouta was relieved to see the little smile playing on Izuku’s lips.

“I’m going to ask you some questions, just like we did last night. You’re going to give me answers, and with any luck, we’ll be able to close your case before the end of the week. Are you okay with that?”

Izuku took a trembling breath and nodded, tucking a little further into Hitoshi. The purple-haired boy pulled his arm away, but just long enough to wrap it around Izuku’s shoulders, letting him burrow into his side. Shouta shared a fond look with Hizashi before turning his attention back to the conversation. They were both glad they’d had time to prepare Hitoshi to Izuku’s arrival, and the fact that both boys seemed comfortable with each other was a blessing.

Pressing the record button, Naomasa started, “This is Detective Tsukauchi of the Musutafu police department, conducting a secondary interview with minor Izuku Midoriya regarding abandonment and neglect charges filed against Inko Midoriya. Present are temporary guardians Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada, as well as their minor son, Hitoshi Yamazawa. Can you state your name and age for the record?”

“Izuku Midoriya, age 12.”

“True, thank you. It has been discovered that Inko Midoriya has left the country. Do you have any idea of where she might have fled to?”

“No. Possibly America because that’s where my father is, but that’s my only idea.”

“True. Investigation still pending into Inko Midoriya’s location. Mr. Midoriya, do you have any issues with your current placement with Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yamada?”

“No, not at all. They’ve made me feel very welcomed and safe.” Izuku straightened a little, like he suddenly understood the point of the questions. Shouta gave him a small smile over the detective’s head.

“True. Are there any other relatives that could take you in at this time?”

“Not that I’m aware of. My grandparents on both sides are dead, and as far as I know, my parents were both only children.”

“True. Let the record show that no other living relatives have come up during the investigation either. Do you want to stay with Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yamada?”

“Yes, very much, if I’m allowed to.” Izuku was vibrating a little, trying to keep calm but the brightness in his eyes easily betrayed his happiness and hope.

“True. Thank you, Mr. Midoriya. It is the recommendation of the Musutafu police department that Izuku Midoriya remains in the custody of Shouta Aizawa and Hizashi Yamada until such time as he’s legally of age.” He leaned forward and clicked the recorder off just as Izuku wrapped his arms around Hitoshi, hugging him and hiding his face.

“I’ll make sure Nezu gets a copy of this.” He stood up as Hizashi dove onto the couch, wrapping his arms around both boys. Shouta nodded, shaking Naomasa’s hand.

“Thank you, Nao.”

“Not a problem at all. I’ll let you get back to your day. If anything else comes up, I’ll let you know.”

After walking the detective out, Shouta returned to look over his little family. Tears were prevalent, with Izuku and Hizashi both sniffling, but the smiles that adorned all three faces were far more important. He walked over and ruffled Hitoshi and Izuku’s hair, giving them his own smile.

“With Nezu already on the caseworker and legal files, all that’s left to do to make this permanent is some signatures that we’ll deal with over the next couple days. For now, we’re going to focus on getting your belongings, and then we’ll go to the mall… the one Hizashi doesn’t want to level… to get essentials and things for your room.” Shouta allowed himself a deep breath, blinking a bit as the familiar burn but lack of real tears stung behind his eyes. He’d managed to not only find the problem child, but got him off the streets and safe.

It was a huge win, and Hizashi’s beaming smile up at him showed the blond was on the same page.

It took them a bit to calm down, but Izuku was able to text Katsuki about 45 minutes later to meet them at the beach. He was a little nervous, honestly… everything was about to come out and he knew his best friend was going to lose his shit. As they got into the car, he glanced around, then sighed softly.

“Okay, so… Kacchan’s gonna be pissed when he finds out. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to head to the beach…”

“Problem child, you said this kid was your friend.” Shouta sounded annoyed, like he was rethinking their side trip to pick him up.

Izuku’s hands went up, waving in front of his face. “He is! It’s just…” He bit his lip for a second before taking a deep breath and squaring his shoulders. Katsuki always defended him physically, and Izuku did his absolute best to protect his best friend’s reputation when people didn’t understand him. “Look, Kacchan sweats nitroglycerin. It makes his heart rate slow down if he doesn’t keep it up all the time. So, he’s kind of an asshole who seems angry a lot, but it’s mostly just like… keeping himself alive? And…” God, explaining their relationship was a lot harder than he thought it would be. Everyone else in their lives just knew they were a set and were forced to deal with it. “He has to let off explosions once in a while to get rid of the excess sweat. And sometimes, that’s paired with his angry asshole act, but he’s never, ever hurt me, or anyone else. He blows up things when he’s really mad, so… ya know… Dump. Trash. Boom. Just… don’t hold it against him.”

Hitoshi blinked, lifting his hands for a second before letting them drop. His voice was much quieter and Izuku gave him a little smile, knowing he was nervous about the new person. “So… you weren’t kidding when you said match his energy and it’ll be fine?”

“Heh, not at all. He’s an asshole, but he cares about the people that matter to him. So… yeah. If he blows some shit up, it’s just… this is gonna be a lot, okay?”

Shouta sighed softly. “Ya know, unauthorized public quirk use is-”

“Well it’s not unauthorized, so,” Izuku stuck his tongue out at the older man, making Hizashi laugh and Shouta’s eyes widen. He was pretty proud of helping Katsuki get his permit, and he couldn’t help the glimmer of amusement at the adults’ reactions to his sass. “He’s got a permit to let off small explosions because he could literally die otherwise.”

Shouta chuckled and shook his head. “Fine, problem child. As long as he keeps his explosions to inanimate objects, we’ll deal.”

As they pulled into the parking lot, Izuku could already see blond spikes and was opening his door before the car even turned off. He heard Shouta groan something about another loud blond, but he was already flying across the little parking lot. “Kacchan!!”

“You green piece of shit!” Kacchan turned and caught him as he flew into his arms, spinning them around for a second to stay upright before shoving him off. “You don’t get to just fuck off and not tell me anything, fucker! We got you a phone to keep in touch. Use it, you dumb shit!”

Izuku giggled a little, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly for a second before his fingers caught the bump and he hissed. “I’m sorry, Kacchan, it all happened really late and- Kacchan!”

The blond had grabbed his shoulders, turning him around to start (gently) digging around in his hair. “What the fuck, Zuk, did you break your stupid skull again? You dumbass, have you even had anyone look at this?”

Izuku spun, smiling widely as he caught those explosive hands. “Kacchan, I’m fine. Actually fine. A very minor concussion, no stitches, just a couple bruises.”

Katsuki caught his shirt and pulled him closer, tilting his head to look at the bruising around his neck. “Are you fucking sure, idiot?”

“Yes, I promise. I even got treated by real doctors!”

“Tch, how the fuck did you manage that? Lie to the docs?” As he continued to look him over, the rest of the car emptied out and Shouta walked up to the two.

“You… must be the best friend we’ve heard about?” Shouta wasn’t exactly sure what to expect from his new foster son’s friend. Izuku was such a strange collection of moods that he wasn’t sure what kind of child would be able to not only put up with it, but stick around as long as Izuku claimed his friend had. He had almost called the brat back when he flew out of the car before it was even off, but he kept his mouth shut and just watched them as he got out himself.

Izuku had said he was ‘an asshole’, and honestly, Shouta could see it. He could hear the blond berating the other boy clearly and grumbled about loud blonds, making Hizashi swat his chest. He watched the little reunion and decided that the apparent living bomb could stick around. He was loud and his language was incredibly crude, especially for a twelve year old, but it was easy to see his concern. He definitely could see where Izuku had picked up his cursing habit from.

“Hah?! Who the fuck are…” He stopped, looking Shouta over before turning his attention to the rest of the group. “Zukkun… how in the holy fuck did your dumbass manage to find Eraserhead and Present Mic?!” He turned back to the green-haired boy, shaking him by the shoulders. “Okay, fucking spill, because you said long fucking story, but this is… what the hell, Zuk?!”

He released him suddenly, dropping his hands to his sides to let off the pops that were threatening. Izuku, used to this behavior, just chuckled and turned toward the beach. He didn’t notice the adults moving closer, worried looks on their faces, but he did notice the way his Kacchan stepped over, pressing their shoulders together even as his hands continued to pop. “I’m sorry, Kacchan. It’s been a long 24 hours, and I’m gonna explain, I promise.”

“You fuckin’ better,” the blond muttered, calming down a bit. “And you better do it now, you shitnerd.”

“Yeah, yeah, just a sec. Uh, Aizawa, this is Katsuki Bakugou, my best friend. Kacchan, meet Shouta Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, and the kid hanging back is Hitoshi Yamazawa, their son.”

“Nice to meet ya or whatever.” Katsuki looked over the three, eyes narrowed slightly as he stepped between them and Izuku. “You might be heroes or whatever, but if you fuck with the nerd, you fuck with me, got it?!” He emphasized his point with little pops from his hands, not quite a threat but Izuku knew it was his way of being protective.

When yet another child recognized both him and his husband, Shouta accepted defeat. Apparently, he was going to surround himself with overly observant, intelligent kids. And obviously protective, as Katsuki planted himself between Izuku and the people he didn’t know, actually daring to threaten a couple of pros.

Izuku chuckled, glancing back at his… guardians? Foster parents? “We’ll be right back. I’m gonna… yeah.” He motioned towards the beach, wrapping a hand around his best friend’s wrist to drag him with him.

“So… we’re going to, um… get my stuff. Kacchan, I’ve…”

“Your dumbass has been homeless for a while.” His rough voice was quiet as they maneuvered through the trash heaps. “I found your stupid fucking shelter a while ago, but… you didn’t say anything, and I figured you just didn’t want to live with me…”

“Kacchan, no! It’s not… it wasn’t you. If your parents knew, they’d have to tell someone. And they can’t get foster licenses cuz they leave the country for work. So… I didn’t want to put them in an uncomfortable position, and I didn’t… want to worry you more than necessary.”

“You’re a fucking dumbass. You think I wasn’t already worried? Inko was being a piece of shit and you weren’t sleeping and you kept getting hurt like a moron and wouldn’t let me help! And then when you did let me help, it was because your dumbass was bleedin’ all over my floor!”

“I know. I’m sorry. It just… I didn’t want to get dumped somewhere far away, ya know? I lost everything else. I couldn’t…” He wiped a hand over his eyes, shaking his head a little. “I couldn’t lose Kacchan too.”

“You ain’t gonna lose me, shithead. So what’s the deal with those guys, huh?”

“Uh… I’m… they’re… they’re uh, fostering me.” He lowered his voice, grinning wildly. “Kacchan…. Eraserhead is married to Present Mic! And they have a kid! I told you they were at least dating!”

“Shut the fuck up, whatever, you were right. I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that you somehow managed to find two heroes last night. And somehow didn’t get arrested.”

“Actually, Eraserhead found me.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head as he ducked behind a pile and led the way to his stuff. “I wasn’t even doing anything this time! I was walking home and I got attacked. Eraserhead saved me. Then he took me to the hospital and-” He sighed softly, stopping in front of his tiny set up. “Apparently, Inko fucked off to some other country. So… they’re taking me in. It’s… I dunno. I don’t know, Kacchan. I’m worried. What if…”

The blond stepped up next to him, thumping their shoulders together lightly. “What if nothing, nerd. Stop shitting on things before you get to enjoy them. They’re still in the area, apparently want to keep your stupid ass, and you don’t have to live in a fucking trash heap. And you’re apparently still allowed to talk to me, right?”

Izuku sighed and leaned his head on his friend’s shoulder. “Yeah, they actually told me to call you so we could all meet. We’re going to the mall to buy like, clothes and furniture and stuff?? I’m… I’m overwhelmed, Kacchan.”

With an annoyed sigh, Katsuki wrapped an arm around his shoulders, careful of his neck and head. “I get that. That big fuckin’ head of yours is full of stupid thoughts, all the time. But I’ll go with you, okay? My folks are gonna try to meet us wherever your guardians or whatever want to meet, since we have to go to High Ridge, but the Hag has to see if she can reschedule a meeting.” He turned, making Izuku face him with hands on his shoulders. “Okay, I want you to be totally fucking straight with me here,” he started, and Izuku giggled.

“I can’t be straight with you, Kacchan, you know that.”

“Not like that, you little shit!” He shook him gently, but his lips were twitching with the effort not to laugh. “Be fucking serious. Do they know? About you being quirkless, and the whole vigilante shit? I need to know what I can and can’t say.”

Izuku giggled again, a little manically, leaning forward to wrap his arms around his best friend’s waist, tucking his head under his chin. “They do. They didn’t know about the quirkless thing until last night, but… Kacchan… Apparently Eraserhead has been trying to find me since I started! Like… I didn’t have any of my gear with me because I was going home to get it and he knew who I was and so did the detective! They wanted to help me, Kacchan!”

The tension slipped from Katsuki’s shoulders and he hugged Izuku back, resting his chin on the top of his head for a minute before pushing him away. “Okay. Okay, that’s good. I’m still gonna be fuckin’ watchin’ ‘em, Zuk, but… okay.” He turned and opened the footlocker, pulling a couple trashbags out of his deep back pockets to start filling. “C’mon, let’s get this shit outta here so we can go.”

It was a little nerve-wracking for Izuku to be out of Shouta's line of sight, and Hizashi had to stop him from pacing or following them a couple times. The last time, Hitoshi just wrapped an arm around his waist and rested his head against his shoulder. “Don’t make me brainwash you, Dad. I know you’re worried about him running off, but I think it’ll be fine.”

Shouta glanced down at his son, surprised that he was still at least semi-verbal. He finally sighed and wrapped the boy up in a quick hug before nodding. “I know. It’s illogical to be so worried, but after looking for so long, it’s hard not to be.” He shook Hitoshi playfully before stepping away. “I was all paranoid your first day of school too. People suck.”

Hizashi chuckled and nodded, tugging Shouta’s hair gently. “Yes, they do, but you didn’t hear their phone conversation. That kiddo was super worried about our listener, and how many kids do you know will stand up to adults to protect their friends? They’re fine, Shou. Give them a bit and then you can interrogate him all you want while we’re heading to the mall.”

It didn’t take Izuku and Katsuki long to gather his stuff since he really couldn’t keep much with him. He grabbed his clothes and bedding, making sure his coffee can full of cash was tucked inside where it couldn’t get lost. Katsuki insisted on carrying the stove and light, since they were the heaviest and still usable. They decided to just leave the food and dishes there. It was a dump after all. They walked up to the trunk and dropped their bags carefully with a huff before looking over at the adults. “Okay, this is everything.”

As Shouta and Hizashi started putting stuff in the trunk, Izuku motioned Hitoshi off to the side, dragging his blond friend with him.

“Okay, Kacchan, this is Hitoshi Yamazawa. He uses JSL, so we can practice conversations with other people! Oh! And Yam… Hiz…”

Hitoshi smirked, lifting his hands. *You can call him Hizashi. Or loud bird.* He grinned as he gave Hizashi’s sign name and Izuku clapped a hand over his mouth as he giggled.

The purple-haired boy turned his attention to Katsuki, and the two eyed each other up like contenders at a prize fight. *Hi. I’m green bunny’s foster brother.*

“Green bunny? Yeah… I can fuckin’ see it. Leaf-ass looking bastard.” Katsuki ruffled Izuku’s hair roughly, making him yelp and swat at him. “Katsuki Bakugou, I’m the nerd’s original brother. Have you learned the worst thing about the little shit, or is he still pretending to be normal?”

“Kacchan! Shut up, I’m not pretending anything!”

*I know some things… like his weird definition of ‘fine’. What’s his worst thing?* Hitoshi’s signed words made Izuku yelp and try to dart forward to stop him, but Katsuki wrapped an arm around his waist and lifted him up by his hip, keeping him from ending the conversation.

“The nerd is a fuckin’ gremlin. He’s too god damned smart for his own good, or for ours. I dunno what your fuckin’ quirk is, but he didn’t say you were like him, so I’m assuming you got one. Let him get a hold of it. But do not let the little shit go for too long without sleeping. He literally becomes a hellspawn and cannot be contained. Trust me, I fuckin’ tried.”

“Kacchan! Put me down, dammit! I’m not a hellspawn! I slept last night!” Izuku flailed a bit before digging his fingers into the blond’s ribs, making him yelp and jump away, dropping Izuku to the ground. “Ow… rude.”

“Don’t fuckin’ tickle me, shitnerd!”

Izuku glanced over at Hitoshi as he heard his quiet laugh, smiling brightly at the purple-haired boy. “He’s not… completely wrong. About the quirk thing, anyway, I like to study them. I was the one who told Auntie about Kacchan’s heart thing.”

Katsuki nodded, hauling Izuku back to his feet as Hizashi called them back over. “The fuckin’ doctors just said I had attitude problems and to get me anger management shit. Absolute bullshit. Nerd probably saved my life.”

Once they were all piled back into the car, Shouta turned around again. “Okay, we’re gonna stop at home to drop your stuff off. Katsuki, will your parents be meeting us somewhere?”

After pulling his phone out to check, Katsuki shook his head quickly. “Nah, the hag had a last minute meeting for her show that’s coming up. Bitchin’ in my fuckin’ texts about ‘not being able to reschedule’ and ‘little ‘zuku’ better be okay’, but whatever. She wants me to get phone numbers so they can schedule something for another day.”

Shouta nodded easily. “We need to give Izuku our phone numbers anyway. We both have off for a couple days, so our schedules are pretty open for whenever they’re available.”

“Yo, we could just have them to the house! We’ll make it a dinner party so they can see where the green bean is staying!” Hizashi was practically vibrating in his seat, and Shouta rolled his eyes, but noticed that Izuku was also apparently vibrating.

“Jesus, fine, we’ll do dinner at our place.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever, I’ll let her know. What’re you doing about the nerd and school?” Katsuki’s arms crossed over his chest and he gave Shouta a glare, ignoring Izuku’s squeak as he tried to make him stop. “The little shit didn’t even miss school for a fuckin’ stab wound, so… what’s goin’ on?”

Shouta sighed deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked over at Izuku, but it was obvious that his eyes were amused. “Are you sure about him? I mean… we don’t really need another loud blond, do we? That’ll be three, and really, that’s three too many.”

“Sh-shouta!” The fact that he said it with the same squeak of exasperation as he normally said, “Kacchan!” made Hitoshi snort. “Be-besides, it’ll actually be four. Auntie is a loud blond too.”

The dark-haired hero groaned. “Fine, he can stay. As for school, we don’t know yet. He’s going to have a couple days off while we figure it out. If you want, you can bring him whatever work he misses so he doesn’t fall behind.”

“Fuckin’ fine. School’s shit anyway, we’re ahead in our curriculum. What about training? We train almost every day, and we can’t get into UA if you let the little shit slack off.”

“Kacchan, stop! We haven’t even discussed-”

“He said you’re both applying to UA, correct?”

“Yeah. It’s the only high school in 100 miles that’ll accept the nerd, and it’s the best hero school in the country. We’re getting in, old man.”

Shouta nodded easily. “I was going to mention this with your parents, but we’re already training Hitoshi, and planned on training Izuku as well. If you’re insistent on being a set, I guess we could take you on too, but only if you take it seriously.”

Izuku bounced in his seat, eyes sparkling. “Kacchan takes his health and training super seriously! We’ve been doing stuff since we were four! Obviously, it’s all evolved since then, but we train five days a week. Kacchan’s gonna be the number one hero!”

“Damn straight I am. And you’re gonna be right there with me, nerd.”

“Pfff, you mean damn bent, Kacchan.”

“Shut the fuck up, asshole!”

Hitoshi laughed again, shaking his head. *Oh good, we’re all a little queer here. I wouldn’t mind you guys joining in on training…* He paused, looking a little uncertain, but Izuku put his hand on his wrist gently.

“Don’t worry, Tosh, Kacchan will think it’s just as cool as I do. Take your time.”

“Pfft, you think everything’s cool, shithead. But whatever, troll doll, if you’re serious about training, I’m down to work with you.”

Shouta snorted and flopped back into his seat as they pulled into the driveway. “Fine, we’ll train the loud one too. Zashi and I will take your stuff inside, problem child. You three try to avoid destroying the car before we get back out here.”

Once the adults were out of the car, Hitoshi peered between Izuku and Katsuki, taking a deep breath. Izuku gave him an encouraging nod and he found himself holding his foster brother’s hand before looking directly at the blond. “M-my quirk is… uh… I’ve gotten my ass kicked for it before.”

Katsuki huffed, thumbing over at Izuku. “So’s he. Well, for the lack of it, but whatever. People are assholes and kids are fuckin’ cruel. You wanna tell me, do it. You wanna keep your mouth shut… fuckin’ do that then. Zuk trusts you, and he doesn’t trust fuckin’ anyone but me and my folks, so…”

Hitoshi nodded, running his free hand through his hair. “It’s called Brainwashing. I can, uh… control someone if they ask a question.”

There was a couple of beats of tension in the car before Katsuki looked at Izuku. “You already have a billion ideas about it, don’t you?”

Izuku nodded, smiling brightly. “It’s such a cool quirk! I can’t wait to see it in action, but think about like, hostage situations! Or monologuing villains; they’re the worst and he could just make them stop! Or! What about civilians who need to moved but are too scared!! Or-”

“Okay okay, fuck, we get it, asshole. Do you train with it?”

“S-sometimes. It’s… hard to train with anyone but Dad and Pops, but I do train with a couple friends from school. It’s just… ”

“Cuz you’ve gotten your ass kicked before and you don’t know how shitty people are going to respond. I get it. Zuk’ll let you practice on him and… you can use it on me too. When we’re training. It’d be… I dunno, kinda fuckin’ cool or whatever to see how it works.”

With that, the three of them were off with plans and ideas. Hitoshi alternated between speaking quietly and signing, but his voice was getting stronger and he was stuttering less the more they discussed what kind of training might benefit them with actual teachers.

Chapter Text

Hizashi spoke up once they were out of earshot of the car, hefting two of the bags through the door. He was obviously amused as he noted, “So… the best friend is certainly a character.”

“And loud. We really should have set house rules before we agreed to this…”

“Oh, stop, you love your loud blond.”

Shouta stepped up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his forehead against his back. “I do, but I’m used to your loudness. This is new loudness. That’s probably going to be here pretty often.” He sighed, stepping back. “And yes, before you ask, I was already gonna see if he wanted to stay the night. I’m sure the gremlin would like a little stability after all the changes.”

Hizashi nodded, turning to kiss him sweetly. “He’s definitely protective, which I like. I just hope he doesn’t stress Toshi out too much. It’s one thing to get a new sibling; it’s an entirely different thing for that new sibling to bring someone else. I also wanna talk to the listener about his school… if we can’t even go to the closest mall because of prejudiced bullshit, I can’t think his school is much better.”

“I was thinking about sending him with Tosh, but this does throw a bit of a wrench into those plans. Maybe we’ll hold off until we can talk to his parents. See what they think of the situation, since they’ve obviously known him longer.”

They made their way back to the car, stopping short and just watching for a few minutes when they realized that Hitoshi was actually speaking. “Guess we don’t have to worry about the brats getting along or stressing Hitoshi out. Let’s get this mall trip over with.”

The trip to the mall wasn’t terrible, as the kids were all chatting back and forth out loud and in JSL about laws and training schedules. High Ridge was a nice mall, only a few minutes out of the way. It was still infuriating that Izuku had to travel to shop properly, but if it meant a stress-free trip, Shouta would take it.

Watching the boys shop was… entertaining. At first, Izuku was reluctant to get anything at all, but Bakugou quickly fixed that by telling him if he didn’t find some ‘shit that fit’, he’d be calling ‘the hag’ and making her fit him out with an entire new wardrobe. Hitoshi helped by grabbing the absolute ugliest shirts and pants he could find, asking Izuku if those were his style. The combined effort had Izuku finally picking out some things, ducking his head in embarrassment as he dropped clothes into the cart Hizashi was pushing.

It took them a couple hours to find clothes, bedding, and an extra bookcase when Katsuki pointed out that one wouldn’t be enough for all of Izuku’s notebooks.

“What notebooks?” Hizashi asked, head tilted as he wrote down the item number for the bookcase Katsuki had decided on.

Izuku flushed, ducking his head. “I, uh… I analyze quirks and people. I like to write down observations and stuff…”

The blond explosion snorted. “And stuff, he says. Fuckin’ nerd has about fifty or sixty of the damned things and they’re all full. Heroes, villains, classmates, people on the fuckin’ street. There’s probably ten just about me and what he wants me to try out when we get to facilities that can actually handle my shit.”

“Fifteen,” Izuku muttered, huffing slightly. “But some of them are like, health based stuff, like what we need to do for your drawbacks and ways to circumvent them once we can get proper support gear.”

“That’s… impressive, kiddo. Where are they?”

“Takin’ up all my god damned space, that’s where they are. Told me Inko didn’t want ‘em around, but I bet that’s about when she took off, isn’t it?”

Izuku nodded sheepishly and Katsuki swatted his shoulder. “Asshole.” He looked over at Shouta and Hizashi, giving them a feral smirk. “Ask the little shit how many sketchbooks he’s got. Stole ‘em all from my hag. Tricked her into teachin’ him how to sew and make clothes too. Still looks like a bum, but ya can’t fix stupid.”

“Fuck you, Kacchan! I didn’t steal them, she told me where they were and that I could use them whenever I wanted! And I was a bum, thank you very much.”

Katsuki’s loud bark of laughter drew the attention of a few shoppers, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Tch, your situation didn’t make your fashion sense bad, it was bad to start!”

Hitoshi’s laughter joined Katsuki’s as Izuku spluttered and swatted at him. Shouta shared a glance with Hizashi, both of them sporting smiles as well. After a few minutes, Hizashi got them back on track and they finished up shopping for the basics amongst friendly teasing and playful jibes. If the blond could get the skittish boy to calm down and open up a bit more, Shouta would only grumble a little about him being loud.

Once they had the basics, they headed to the food court to find dinner. His new gremlin almost naturally took up the role of translator for Hitoshi, ordering his food for him without making a big deal about it. It was impressive and sweet, and Hizashi took way too many pictures from the table where they were waiting. The boys returned and Shouta reeled back at the bright red broth and nose-assaulting scent coming from the ramen that Izuku and Katsuki brought back.

“Holy shit, what is that?”

Katsuki blinked at him like he was stupid, while Izuku just shrugged. “Spicy tofu ramen? It’s not really that spicy, but it’s the best the mall can do.” Shouta watched in fascinating horror as the two ate it like it wasn’t burning his nose just from smelling it.

“Definitely a demon,” Hitoshi sing-songed quietly, smirking when both Katsuki and Izuku flipped him off in sync. At least the purple-haired boy had chosen a sensible pork ramen.

“Questionable diet choices aside,” Shouta started, waving a hand to get everyone’s attention. “Once we’re done eating, you three are going to go look for decorations and… I dunno. Homey shit. Things to personalize your room, problem child. Hizashi and I are going to go look at a couple other things. Tosh, you have your card, yes?”

His adopted son nodded and patted his back pocket over his wallet. “Okay, good. Put whatever on that. We’ll text you when we’re done. Katsuki, if you’d like to stay over and help Izuku put his room together, you’re welcome to. We can drive you to school in the morning, because I need to change his records and log his time off anyway.”

After the blond nodded, the kids finished eating and ran off… well, Hitoshi and Katsuki ran, dragging Izuku by his wrists. It was funny, and he was glad to see Hizashi had his phone out again, taking another picture. “C’mon, Zash, we’re gonna go find a custom print store, and then an electronics store. The kid needs something other than just a phone.”

Hizashi nodded, tidying up their table. “We should talk to the Bakugous about moving his phone plan over too. I don’t wanna seem like we’re pushing them out, but…”

“But they don’t need to pay that anymore if they don’t want to. I guess we’ll leave it up to them and him… they might want to keep him on theirs so we can’t cut him off. I can’t see them trusting us immediately, and I wouldn’t if the situations were reversed, ya know?”

By the time they left the mall, barely before closing, they had a delivery scheduled for the extra furniture and all five of them were laden down with bags stuffed full of things Izuku claimed he didn’t need. Somehow, they all managed to get home and get the car unloaded with a minimum of complaints, and Shouta stopped them before they could bring everything to Izuku’s room.

He handed him the bag from the electronics store with a little smile. “These are yours. We got you some things I’ve been told every teenager needs.”

“Also,” he turned, rifling through another bag. “These are for the three of you.” He handed them each two shirts, watching as they opened them up.

Izuku and Hitoshi both received their black ‘shitty parents club’ t-shirts, completely identical except for the lettering colors; venomous green for Izuku and light lavender for Hitoshi. Katsuki’s was similar, except his had ‘honorary member of the’ over the ‘shitty parents club’ writing, in bright orange.

His gremlins laughed at the shirts, and Izuku quickly promised to explain it to Katsuki before they looked at their second shirt.

The shirts this time were different colors, with Izuku’s being green camo that said ‘Spite-fueled chaos gremlin.’ Hitoshi got a dark purple shirt that said ‘Runs on Caffeine and Spite.’ Bakugou’s was a burnt umber color, with a splash of text reading ‘Fuck Around and Find Out’. All three kids grinned wickedly.

“Ha, these are fuckin’ amazing. The hag’s gonna bust a gut.”

“Just so you know, Katsuki, the fabric is fire-resistant. So as long as you don’t direct your quirk directly at them, they won’t get damaged by any stray sparks or explosions. And Hitoshi, we grabbed two for Tenya and Denki as well.” He held up a deep blue one with lighter blue lettering that said ‘Stops at Crosswalks, Ignores Red Lights’, and a bright yellow shirt with black lettering spelling out ‘Caution: Electrified Wires’. Hitoshi laughed brightly and pulled out his phone to text his friends, while Katsuki badgered him about them.

Izuku’s eyes danced and he darted forward, hugging Shouta, then Hizashi quickly. “These are awesome, thank you so much! You didn’t need to, but… thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah, go get your room set up, gremlin. Don’t forget to let your folks know if you’re staying here, Katsuki.”

“Already told the hag. She said it was fine and they can come over tomorrow if that’s cool with you.”

Shouta nodded, glancing at his husband who also nodded. “Tomorrow is fine. Now all of you, get outta my face. I need quiet time.”

Izuku led the boys back to his room (and it was still so weird to think that he had a room) in silence, still stunned by the generosity he’d received. He was grateful for the electronics; it looked like a new laptop, headphones and a Switch from what he’d seen. It was the shirts that had him floored, though. They were funny, of course, but they felt like more than that to him… They felt like acceptance, like the heroes weren’t just tolerating him because it was the ‘right thing to do’, but actually enjoyed his sense of humor and wanted to share it with him. And the fact that they’d included Katsuki and Hitoshi’s friends as well was just…

It was really nice.

Setting up his room didn’t take too long, despite Katsuki reminding him he’d still have to sort out and put up his notebooks and sketchpads later, but the trash bags that held his old clothes felt ominous. At least they were clean, but as he started pulling them out, Hitoshi frowned and Katsuki shook his head.

“You can keep a couple favorites, nerd, but the rest of it gets trashed. Almost none of that shit fits you anymore, and the stuff that does has been repaired to death.”

“Kacchan, I can’t just…”

“You can, and you will,” Hitoshi’s surprisingly firm voice cut him off. He had picked up Izuku’s uniform and wrinkled his nose. “I’m gonna go tell Pops you need a new uniform and you’re gonna put most of that back in the bags so we can get rid of it. It’s not even worth donating, Izuku. And you know it.”

With a soft sigh, Izuku dropped to the bed and dropped his head into his hands. His mental and physical exhaustion had him shaking slightly and he had to bite back a soft whimper when warmth settled on either side of him.

“They’re not going anywhere, Izuku, and they’re not gonna make you go anywhere either. When and if you decide to leave, all of this stuff will be going with you. It’s yours now. The clothes, the accessories, the room, the house, the family. It’s all yours.”

“You deserve to have normal things, shitnerd. You deserve all of this. Stop fuckin’ overthinking. Let someone else take care of you for once, dumbass.” Katsuki’s rough voice wrapped around him next, just as soothing as Hitoshi’s soft reassurance for different reasons. Katsuki didn’t lie or bullshit. He never sugarcoated the truth; Izuku wasn’t sure he knew how.

“You’re right. I know you’re both right, and I know I’m… fuck, it’s just… a lot. It’s so much, so fast and it all seems… I dunno, too good to be true? Like I’m gonna wake up in that sh-shitty fucking dump and none of this will have been real.”

He really should have expected it, but he yelped and jerked away when Katsuki pinched his arm, hard. “Kacchan!”

“There. Not asleep. It’s real. So, is there anything in there you want to keep?”

Rubbing his arm, Izuku shook his head. “No… I, uh… I think it can all go.”

Hitoshi nodded and stood up, grabbing the two bags. “Then it goes. I’ll talk to Pops quick. You guys want a snack or a drink?”

“Coffee?” Izuku perked up a bit.

“Water or tea, you fuckin’ caffeine addict. We gotta get to sleep at some point tonight and I’m not dealing with your ass bouncing off the fucking walls.” Katsuki glared at him and Izuku deflated with a pout.

“Fine, water’s good, Toshi.”

The next day dawned far too early for anyone in the house, but it didn’t take long for everyone to eat, get dressed, and be ready to head out for the day. The heroes made sure Izuku and Katsuki had both of their cellphone numbers, and Hitoshi easily handed his over as well. Once Shouta and Izuku returned from changing his information at the school, they flopped into the living room with Hizashi.

“Okay, problem child, we have a couple things we need to talk about. First, I’ve already contacted Recovery Girl. We’re going over to see her after lunch to get you a full physical. The second thing is your phone. We’re going to leave it up to you and the Bakugous, but you are more than welcome to transfer yourself onto our plan. It’s an open offer, so if you wanna wait a bit before doing it, that’s also fine.”

Izuku nodded slowly. He wasn’t exactly thrilled with another doctor visit, but Recovery Girl was an amazing hero and he knew he should have had at least a couple checkups over the years. “Okay… that’s fine, I guess. I’ll let Auntie and Uncle decide, since it’s their money.”

Shouta nodded. “The final thing we need to talk about is your schooling.”

Izuku sighed and flopped back on the couch. “Yeah, I figured. Aldera’s not… I dunno, it’s not a great school or anything, but they already know me there, and I know them. Ya know, who to avoid, who’s safe, whatever.”

“The fact that you have to do threat assessment at school is disturbing. Hitoshi’s school was chosen for him because it has a strict no bullying policy that’s actually enforced. We understand that you want to stay with Katsuki, and that your current school is familiar, but as your guardians, we can’t just turn a blind eye to you being unsafe at school.”

Izuku bit his lip, staring down at his hands. “It’s not that bad… Kacchan keeps the worst of the assholes away, and I’m pretty good at avoiding trouble at school.”

“How about this? We’ll talk to the Bakugous this evening. I want to get their take on the school. For now, you can keep attending Aldera, but depending on our conversation or if there are any incidents at the school, we’ll keep Hitoshi’s school as a backup plan. Is that okay?”

“Yeah… that’s fair.” It wasn’t ideal, but maybe he could convince Katsuki to change schools. He perked a bit as he recalled that Auntie had talked about moving her son before, but Katsuki had thrown a fit since Inko couldn’t or wouldn’t pay for Izuku to go to anything but a public school.

Maybe this could work.

Shouta claimed the rest of the morning for relaxation. He promised that they’d start training after Izuku was cleared by Recovery Girl. That at least had him eager for his visit with her, and true to his word, they packed up in the car right after they finished eating lunch to meet with the elderly heroine.

Izuku was given a mostly clean bill of health. He was a little malnourished, which wasn’t completely surprising, but it could have been a lot worse if he didn’t have his best friend looking out for him. She gave him a kiss to heal the lingering injuries after telling them that he could resume training whenever he was ready.

Shouta glanced at the print out with a meal plan to help build Izuku’s nutrients back up, and it was amusing to see that it was very similar to the meal plan that Katsuki had him on already. It would be easier for Shouta and Hizashi to make sure he stuck to it, but it was just another indication of the care that Izuku talked about when it came to the explosive blond. She also pointed out various older injuries quietly, ones that had healed but were still concerning for a twelve year old.

Once they got him home, Hizashi helped Izuku to his room because the kid was almost dead on his feet. They decided to just let him nap until the boys came home from school. Shuzenji’s quirk tended to knock Shouta out, so he didn’t see how Izuku would be any better, especially with the fact that he’d been stressed over all the changes. Shouta decided to forgo his normal afternoon nap, as he wanted a chance to talk to Hitoshi and Katsuki without Izuku there to vibrate out of his skin with anxiety.

A sharp knock on the door announced Katsuki’s presence before Hitoshi came home, which was a little odd. When Hizashi opened the door for him, he walked straight into the living room and pointed at Shouta. “We need to talk, old man.”

“Oh, do we?” Shouta’s eyebrow raised a little, though he was privately amused at the temerity and the way the kid just flopped into the sofa like he owned the place. Bastard chirped in irritation when he tried to swat at him but Katsuki deftly avoided him like he’d been living there for years.

“Yeah, we fuckin’ do. Where’s Zuk?”

“Asleep. We’d like him to stay that way for a bit, so please keep your voice and explosions down.”

Katsuki nodded and dug into a duffle bag he’d plopped next to him, pulling out a notebook. “Fine. There’s some shit you need to know, and I’m pretty damned sure you’ve got questions for me.”

Hizashi snorted, settling next to Shouta. “Okay, first question: Does the green bean gather smart people, or are you two just sharing a brain?”

Katsuki let out a bark of laughter, shrugging. “My folks think we share a brain. I dunno. We’ve always been on a similar wavelength, so maybe the nerd just has a hidden quirk or something.” Shouta noticed the way he puffed his chest a little; apparently pleased by being noticed for something other than his quirk or abrasiveness.

“You’re right, though, we do have questions and we’d like any information you can give us to make this easier for the problem child. He hasn’t even been here for a full 24 hours yet, so obviously we’re all a little…” The Erasure hero waffled a hand back and forth. “Playing it by ear, mostly.”

Katsuki nodded and drummed his fingers lightly on the cover of the notebook. “Okay. I’ll talk, then you can ask your fuckin’ questions. Maybe what I say will answer some.” Once they nodded, he took a breath and leaned back. “First things first, the nerd’s wicked fuckin’ smart. I’m no slouch and I’ve learned to keep up with his mumblings, but he’s been jabbering about anything and everything that’s caught his attention since he learned how to talk. Pretty sure he has too many thoughts for that big head of his and they all come spilling out of his mouth if he’s tired or excited.”

He frowned slightly, glancing away before looking back up at them. Shouta had to admit, he was impressed. This twelve year old kid was meeting his eyes almost defiantly to defend someone who, for the rest of society, would have been considered beneath him. “He’s mostly curbed the muttering, because it’s dangerous. Not just because of fuckin’ bullies or whatever, cuz I’ve sent most of those packin’ whenever I catch ‘em, but…” He huffed and tossed the notebook gently into Shouta’s lap.

“But he analyzes the shit out of everything, and I’ve never seen him be wrong. Not once. He was the one who told my old hag that I wasn’t just a pissed off kid with no filter when the docs all wrote me off. He also told me three fuckin’ years ago that Present Mic and Eraserhead were both married, and he was pretty sure they were married to each other because of a 20 second clip of you on the internet and a random comment the birdbrain made on one of his shows.”

Shouta blinked and opened the notebook as Hizashi squawked quietly. “What do you mean? I don’t even remember…”

“Somethin’ about logging off early cuz you had reservations or some shit. I don’t remember exactly what you said, but it stuck in his dumb leaf head.”

Shouta whistled softly as he read through the information in the notebook. “This is… I’d say impressive, but I’m leaning closer to terrifying. Are all of his notebooks like this?” He handed the notebook to his husband, open to Present Mic’s page.

“Yup. He writes about heroes and villains, mostly, but we also watch the UA Sports Festival every year and he analyzes everything he sees.” He sighed. “He also analyzes random people on the street, using their clothes and the way they walk and any outward signs of a quirk to make predictions about what they do and where they’ll go.” A soft huff of laughter and Katsuki was shaking his head. “We’ve gotten a few weird looks for followin’ people to office buildings and stores when he decided he had to know if he was right. And usually, he is. It’s impressive, but also scary as fuck.”

Hizashi’s face went pale as he slowly closed the notebook, staring at Katsuki. “All of those notebooks… that he kept out in the open?”

“Eh. They were hidden in his room while he was still with Au-Inko. And then they were locked up in my room. I brought them with me today so he could have them back, but he’s been as careful with them as he possibly could and he knows exactly how many he has and what’s in each book. My old man thinks he might have a photographic memory, but he’s never been tested. I made sure that was on the top, cuz otherwise I would have had to dig through the whole damned pile to find it.”

Shouta nodded, slumping back against the couch cushions. “Well, that’s terrifying, but it’s also not a bad thing. A brain will get you farther than all the muscles in the world.”

Katsuki shrugged. “Muscles don’t fuckin’ hurt, though. But that’s not important… Zuk’s strong as shit, between our training and his vigilante bullshit. We’ve been training ourselves, and we both did a lot of research for it.”

“That’s good. It’ll give us a good basis to see where you’re at when we start training. Anything else you want to tell us?”

The blond obviously gave it some thought before shaking his head. “I think that’s everything, but if I think of anything else, I’ll let ya know. The shitnerd needs all the help he can get.”

Hizashi chuckled, handing him back the notebook. “He’s twelve. You all need as much help as you can get.”

Shouta snorted and leaned forward. “All right, kid. Cards on the table, what is your school like?”

Katsuki made a derisive noise in the back of his throat. “It’s shit. Pure and simple. It’s a public school with a bunch of d-lister wannabes that can’t think for their fuckin’ selves. The teachers are as bad as the kids, but obviously Inko wasn’t gonna send the nerd anywhere else cuz it’s free and was close to their apartment.”

Shouta pinched the bridge of his nose, glancing up as Hitoshi came in. “Fuck. Heya, kiddo, come sit down for a few minutes.”

The purple-haired kid walked over, blinking at Katsuki before sitting on the floor and trying to coax Bastard out from under the couch. “Uh, hi?”

Hizashi leaned over and ran a hand through purple hair, giving him a smile. “Heya, baby. We’re talking about school stuff.”

“Ah.” He sat up, giving them his attention, which of course meant that their tortoiseshell cat slunk out from under the couch so he wouldn’t be ignored. Katsuki chuckled softly when the cat plopped on Hitoshi’s lap like it was a throne.

Shouta ran a hand through his own black hair and took a breath, turning his attention back to the blond boy. “Okay, that’s what I was worried about. That, and Izuku not actually telling us how bad it was.”

Katsuki snorted, shaking his head. “Again, no fuckin’ self-preservation. If it ain’t killin’ him, it’s ‘fine’. If it is killing him, it’s ‘not that bad’. He’s a god damned menace and his bullshit is gonna kill me faster than my fuckin’ quirk.”

Shouta snorted out a laugh, shaking his head. “That shouldn’t be funny. Dammit. Anyway. We can’t let him stay in that school, but he’s adamant about staying with you. Do you think your parents would be willing to transfer you? Would you be willing to transfer?”

A hand was flapped at him almost lazily. “My folks have wanted to move me for years, but if I left the little asshole, he’d have gotten himself killed there. The Hag was even considering paying for him to go with me, but we’d have needed that bitch’s permission and we couldn’t ever get a hold of her. It’ll be a pain in the ass to move for just two damned years, but better than dealing with those assholes if we can get out of it.”

Hizashi smiled brightly and nodded eagerly. “Definitely. We’ll talk to your parents when they come over tonight. Hitoshi, are you okay with Izuku going to your school? If not, we’ll sort something else out. I know you’ve been pretty cool with everything going on, but you gotta voice in this too, ya dig?”

Hitoshi chuckled a little, shifting to lean against Katsuki’s chair. “Yeah, pops, I ‘dig’. I’m fine with it. I haven’t had any major issues at Somei and I think Zuks would be cool there. And I think we’ve all figured out that he’s a set with Hothead, so I don’t mind. Besides, I’m still waiting for him and Tenya to meet.” He nudged Katsuki’s ankle, grinning up at him. “One of you will give the other an aneurysm and I’m gonna get it on video.”

Katsuki pushed at Hitoshi’s head with a grumble, but they were both smirking at each other, so Shouta let it go. He got their attention before they could devolve into bickering. “Okay, we’ll go with that unless your parents want something different.” He sighed and closed his eyes for a minute before looking at Hizashi. “As much as I don’t want to do this, we should probably introduce the kid to Nezu… he needs to be tested, and if he’s as smart as Katsuki thinks he is, the rat’s gonna want to help too.”

Hizashi nodded and glanced at his watch. “Yeah, most likely. We’ll just have to make sure to be on both of their good sides if they decide to go for world domination. I gotta get dinner started if we’re gonna eat some time tonight. Do your folks eat really spicy food too, or are you two just aberrations?”

Katsuki chuckled, pushing Hitoshi out of the way to stand up. “Ma eats it spicy. My old man doesn’t like it quite as hot, but he’s gotten used to some spice.” He looked Hizashi over and shook his head. “You’re better off not bothering with spice. You probably won’t do it right, and it’s worse to fuck it up than to just make something that doesn’t need it.”

Hizashi chuckled and nodded. “Beef stew with rice it is. While I’m thinking about, does the green bean have a favorite meal?”

“Katsudon. Nerd goes nuts for fried pork. It’s not exactly on our approved meal plans, but I make it for him for special occasions, like birthdays and shit.”

Hizashi nodded and gave him a thumbs up before heading into the kitchen. Katsuki dragged Hitoshi up, much to his adopted son’s complaints. “Let’s go, eyebags, we need to go get the nerd up and get our homework done. Your days of slacking off are over.”

Izuku had crashed as soon as he’d gotten home, and woke up in his own bed, a little confused, when Katsuki came in to wake him up. “Kacchan?”

“C’mon, ya lazy shit. We’ve got homework to do before the Hag and my old man show up for dinner. How’s your head?”

“It’s fine. I saw Recovery Girl, Kacchan! She said I’m good to train, and Sh-shouta said we can talk about it at dinner and start training soon! I can’t wait. It’ll be so different to have actual heroes training us!”

“Oi, calm the fuck down before you vibrate outta the bed, nerd.” Despite his words, it was easy for Izuku to see the excitement in his best friend’s red eyes, just as eager to get a feel for what real hero training would be like. He thumped the duffle bag on the bed, patting it lightly. “Brought your nerd shit over so you can get them put away properly.

Izuku reached for the bag, starting to open it until Hitoshi poked his head in after a quick knock. He motioned for them to follow him down the hall. “Pops said we could work on homework in my room, since I have more actual stuff in there right now. Your desk and stuff will be here tomorrow.”

Homework went by quickly; Izuku and Katsuki hadn’t been kidding when they said they were ahead, and Katsuki even helped Hitoshi when he got stuck while Izuku started scribbling in a new notebook. He didn’t notice the silent JSL conversation between his foster brother and his best friend, not looking up until the blond threw a pencil that hit him in the forehead.

“Ah-cchan, why?!”

“Stop writing your nerd shit until you actually see his quirk, you fucking gremlin. We’ve finished and Troll Doll says there are snacks.”

“Fine, Kacchan, whatever you say, Kacchan, you’re an actual black hole, Kacchan,” Izuku grumbled playfully, setting his notebook aside and standing up.

Once snacks were obtained, the boys disappeared back into Hitoshi’s room to discuss training and what Izuku and Katsuki had been doing. They stayed there, eagerly chatting and teasing each other until Hizashi’s voice called out down the hall.

“Boys! The Bakugous are here and dinner is almost ready!”

“Auntie, Uncle!!” Izuku darted from the room before Katsuki or Hitoshi could even get up, flying into Mitsuki’s arms and hugging her tightly. She cursed, catching him and spinning him around before setting him on his feet and looking him over in a way that was remarkably similar to Katsuki’s. “Zukkun, you little shit! Are you okay? Why the hell am I just hearing about Inko fucking off now? Why didn’t you say anything?!”

Uncle Masaru put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back gently to give Izuku his own hug. “We’re glad you’re all right now, Izuku, but you really should have told us. We would have helped more, we hope you know that.”

Izuku nodded, hugging him back before stepping slightly away so he could look at both of them. “I know you would have. You have both been… absolutely amazing, honestly. But I didn’t want you getting in trouble, and I was… well, you know how things are. I didn’t want to…”

“The stupid nerd didn’t wanna get taken away from us,” Katsuki’s gravelly voice came from behind him and he draped a heavy arm over Izuku’s shoulders. “I knew about Inko being a piece of shit, but didn’t know she’d actually fucked off to some other country.”

“Language, brat,” Mitsuki snarked, earning a snarl from her son.

“Japanese, hag,” he huffed back, and Masaru shook his head at them.

“If you two could mind the feral cat behaviors while we’re in someone else’s home, that would be lovely,” he muttered, glancing up at Shouta and Hizashi, who were watching them all quietly.

“Nah, they’re cool. Got the shithead looked at by actual professionals, and clothes that fit him.” Katsuki didn’t move his arm, just turned Izuku with him slightly so the other adults were included in the conversation.

“Shouta Aizawa, Hizashi Yamada, these are my folks. The Hag is Mitsuki and my old man is Masaru.” He ducked as Mitsuki smacked the back of his head lightly, grumbling about being a brat.

Masaru smiled warmly and held out a hand. “It’s a pleasure. Thank you for looking after Izuku. As I’m sure you’ve realized, our boys can be a bit of a handful.”

“Uncle!”

“Oi, what the hell, old man!”

Shouta smirked, shaking his hand and nodding. “Yes… we’ve noticed. Since we are fostering Izuku, we may as well be comfortable with each other. It will save time when they inevitably cause trouble with our other gremlin.” He motioned Hitoshi forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “This is Hitoshi Yamazawa, our other son.”

Mitsuki smirked, getting her own round of handshakes. “We don’t stand on much ceremony as it is, so first names it is. It’ll make it easier anyway, especially if my brat is gonna be hanging around your brats as much as we all know they will.”

Hizashi smiled, nodding eagerly. “First names work for me. Last names don’t work amongst friends and family. Come on in, sit down. Dinner is ready.”

The conversation at dinner stayed light, led by Hizashi who was insistent on getting embarrassing stories about Izuku and Katsuki from when they were younger. They were all amused and a little impressed by their ‘training plan’ that Katsuki had created at four, which consisted mostly of a lot of running and climbing on playground equipment to ‘build breathing shit and muscles’. Mitsuki made sure they knew that Izuku had immediately corrected ‘breathing shit’ to ‘stamina, Kacchan’, which had prompted a living room wrestling match that had broken one table, two lamps and a picture frame. The two boys huffed and blushed through the meal, while Hitoshi smirked at them as the adults continued to talk and tease.

After dinner, the mood settled into a more somber tone. They sat in the living room, warning their guests about the deadly murder paws under the couch, and Izuku sat between Katsuki and Hitoshi on the floor. He really didn’t want to have this conversation, but there was no avoiding it.

Shouta took control, giving them a quick overview of what they had learned and explaining that Izuku was going to be living with them going forward. He also extended the offer for Katsuki to train with him, revealing that they’d be using the UA facilities. Once the excitement about that had died down, they sent the boys to Izuku’s room so they could talk.

Izuku hovered by the door for a few minutes before Katsuki grabbed his wrist and dragged him over to sit on the floor with them. “Chill, nerd. They’re just talking about the school shit.”

“How do you know that, Kacchan?”

Hitoshi spoke up, giving him a little smile. “Because they talked to us while you were napping. The plan at this point is for both of you to come to Somei. They’ll talk to you about it later, obviously, but they wanted to make sure Hothead and I were on board with it before they brought it up to you. And probably getting interrogated if I’ve figured out his family at all.”

Katsuki snorted, letting Izuku lean against him with little more than an eyeroll. “You’re damned right. My folks are pissed about not noticing, so they’re gonna make sure the little shithead is safe now that they do know.”

Once the boys had disappeared down the hallway, Shouta brought the conversation back to the schooling. He barely had to bring it up before both Mitsuki and Masaru were eagerly agreeing to the plan, revealing that Katsuki had been correct in them wanting to move him but had been unwilling to separate the two boys. They were more than happy to drop their son off in the morning so all three boys could travel together, and a tentative after school training schedule was set up.

A minor snag was met when Shouta suggested moving Izuku’s cell number to their plan; Masaru was apologetic about it, but Mitsuki was adamantly and loudly against the idea of taking Izuku off their plan. While she was thrilled that he’d been taken in by people who genuinely seemed to want to take care of him, Izuku had already been let down by one set of parents and she was going to make sure that it didn’t happen again.

Hizashi settled the little disagreement with an easy grin, offering to revisit the idea in six months, which would give Izuku time to settle in, and for the Bakugous to see that they were sincere. He also made sure to remind them that they all had each other’s contact information, so if they had any concerns about any of the boys, they were welcome to call or text to discuss it.

By the time they were calling Katsuki out to head home, Shouta was exhausted but pleased with how the evening had gone. The Bakugous would be enrolling Katsuki in Somei over the weekend, which gave Izuku time to settle in to their home before having to go back to school. It would also give Nezu time to evaluate the kids’ intelligence, while Shouta and Hizashi evaluated their physical skill level. He also wanted at least Izuku to have a talk with Hound Dog to see if they should look into therapy sources. It would be a long week, but if the end result was his sons happy, healthy, and headed towards their dreams of the hero course, he’d be more than happy to see it through.

It did help that he didn’t have to worry about work or patrols, though, honestly. He shuddered to think of how tired he’d be otherwise.

Chapter Text

The third full day of living with Shouta and Hizashi started out simple. Hizashi took him to Somei, and got him registered to start the following Monday, and fitted for uniforms. He actually had three, and a proper gym uniform, for the first time in his life. Hitoshi had been kept at home, and Hizashi had dropped off his excuse of therapy and family bonding with his new foster brother. At around lunchtime, they picked up both Shouta and Hitoshi from the house, then went to Aldera to grab Katsuki. Mitsuki had given him a half-day permission for ‘school scouting’. Nezu had asked to meet the two boys, and Shouta wanted to see where they were at physically so he could could look over their training and meal plans to see if any changes needed to be made. Their first steps into UA had both Izuku and Katsuki gawking, though the blond was a little better at hiding his awe. Shouta and Hizashi had planned their arrival to coincide with class times, so they were able to make their way unimpeded up to the principal’s office.

The meeting with Nezu was fun in a way Izuku hadn’t been allowed to have in years. The tests were hard, but they made him think and it was more than just basic school curriculum knowledge. Scenarios and essays and even analysis of quirks and people. Of course, his best friend grumbled and complained and accidentally singed his paper slightly when Izuku finished first, but Nezu (the Nezu, smartest mammal on the planet, principal and administrative final say for the best hero school in Japan, and one of the best in the world, Nezu!) wasn’t even phased by him, just smiling and telling him to keep working because it wasn’t a race.

While they waited for their tests to be scored, Shouta and Hizashi took them down to one of the many training areas on UA’s campus. Hitoshi met with them there after his session with Hound Dog, and the Erasure Hero explained that they would be running a series of physical assessment tests to see where they excelled and where they needed work in their training. Katsuki, of course, was incredibly excited, letting off small explosions, while Hitoshi groaned dramatically. Izuku however, didn’t bother with any of that. His eyes were darting around the room and quickly figuring out what the tests were going to be and challenging himself on ones he didn’t think he’d score as well on.

Even without getting their scores right away, it was obvious that Katsuki was the strongest physically of the three of them, while Hitoshi was definitely the most flexible. Izuku fell in the middle of the two, but he excelled in stamina and his ability to jump long distances and land safely. Shouta rounded them up when the tests were complete and told them to go get some food with Hizashi while he wrote out their scores and assessments.

An hour later, they were sitting back with Nezu, Hizashi, and Shouta in Nezu’s office, awaiting their results.

“Well, this has certainly been an enlightening, entertaining day!” The principal’s squeaky voice chirped from on top of his desk as he handed papers to Katsuki, Izuku and Shouta. “Katsuki-kun, you have an IQ score of about 135. This is considered very high. You also have a very good grasp of situational awareness and strategy. You do have a few weaknesses that I’ve outlined, but the main issue that needs to be worked on is your independence. While it is good to know your own abilities and rely on yourself, you also need to be able to work with others, who may not always be Izuku-kun, if you plan on being a hero. You have a great deal of potential, Katsuki-kun and it will be a pleasure to teach you when you come to UA officially.”

Katsuki looked like he wanted to argue for a second, then glanced at Izuku and deflated with a huff. “Ain’t had no one else to work with… buncha losers at our school who think that kissin’ ass equals being friends, but don’t take nothin’ seriously.”

Nezu nodded easily, still smiling. “During your training here with Shouta-kun and Hizashi-kun, we will find students willing to help you train. Training with Hitoshi-kun will also be advantageous, as physically you would consider him weaker, but you have already started building a friendship. Just remember, Katsuki-kun, no man is an island.”

The blond nodded and Nezu turned to the adults, motioning to Shouta. The dark-haired hero stepped forward a little, handing his own paper over to Katsuki. “In terms of physical training, your strength and maneuverability are your best assets. I think if they were paired with your quirk, which you’re not supposed to be using with training yet,” he ignored Izuku’s giggle and Katsuki’s smirk, “you have the potential to be a great frontline hero. However, your flexibility is abysmal and you have no subtlety. I’d like to work with you on that in addition to your regular training. The plans that you came up with for your own training and meals are well thought out, so the only changes I’d like to make is that you train every other day, including weekends rather than all week with weekends off, and of course, the additions of flexibility and stealth.”

Katsuki nodded, puffing up a little at the praise, and Shouta turned to Hitoshi, handing him a paper. “You were already assessed by Nezu a couple years ago, so you know where you stand mentally, especially with your quirk. Physically, you are very flexible and fast, which is good for getting ahead of others to utilize your quirk. However, if you are in a physical fight, you’re still not quite up to par with fighting techniques or strengths. You’ll be working with Katsuki to create a strength training plan, and with Izuku to work on your quirk. This will also help your general mistrust of other people, as will training with older UA students like Katsuki. You have done exceptionally well since you started training with Zashi and I, and I think you can only get better from here. Got it, kiddo?”

Hitoshi scoffed playfully but nodded. “Got it, the blond bombshell gets to beat me up and the green chaos demon gets to pick my brain.”

Shouta chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Exactly that, brat. And if you play nice, I’ll start working with you on your own capture scarf now that we’re getting out of the basics.” He caught Hitoshi as the boy dove into his chest and looked back over at Nezu, who was giving Izuku a maniacal grin. It was a little terrifying and Izuku had to stiffen his shoulders to keep from flinching backwards.

“Izuku-kun.” Nezu’s squeaky voice was proud, and a little devious. “You have one of the highest IQ scores I’ve ever seen in this school. You ranked a 148 on your IQ test, which is well above even some intelligence quirked individuals. Your gift for analysis and on-the-fly strategies is very impressive as well. It seems, however, that that intelligence is also a hindrance for you. While you are in the middle of a situation, or when you can only give one response, you are quick to come to an efficient solution. However, I noticed that you struggled when you were asked to give multiple scenarios, and even though you finished first, I could tell you were second-guessing some of your answers. You are also too willing to jump to a sacrifice play if you think that will end in the least injuries, ignoring your own. While, as heroes, it is sometimes necessary to… take one for the team, as it were, that should not be your go-to response. In that same vein, if you were to sit in on a planning meeting for a raid, you would struggle with what the correct path should be if given more than one possibility.”

He settled on his haunches on the top of his desk, steepling his fingers (paws? digits?) together. “With that assessment, I would like to give you weekly homework, delivered by Shouta-kun and graded by me. They will be multiple scenario problems that I want you to work on, so that you can deliver the same results when forced to think as you can when presented with a direct threat. On top of your physical training, I would also like to see you work with some of our students here who are struggling with their quirks. Obtaining a quirk specialist license by the time you graduate high school will be of great benefit to you as a hero, and will also allow you to speak up for quirk accidents.”

Izuku blinked at him, taking a deep breath as he felt the familiar sting of tears in his eyes. Not only did Nezu believe that he was above genius level, but he actually wanted him to work on his ‘creepy stalker notes’? With a shuddery breath and Katsuki’s hand on his shoulder, he nodded eagerly. “I’d actually like that a lot, sir!”

Shouta chuckled and stepped forward as Nezu clapped his hands in glee. “All right, problem child, time to get out of your brain for a minute. Physically, you’re pretty strong, especially for your age and build. Honestly, however, you’re mid-level at best for anything but stamina and your parkour technique. I think the strength training you’re doing is fine, because you’re not built like Katsuki, but I’d like to work with you on your flexibility. Also… the bat’s fine, but I think we can come up with something better in the way of support gear. We’ll talk to Higari and see what we can come up with. Mitsuki told me about some of the sketches you two have made and I think we can work with those to create simulated support gear for you two to practice with.”

Izuku nodded eagerly, wiping his eyes quickly. “I’d love to work with an actual support here. Power Loader is the best in his field and getting to have his input on my ideas w-would be incredible!” He was vibrating again and Katsuki cursed softly as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders to keep him from literally buzzing off the chair.

“Oi, nerd, chill the fuck out. They’ve obviously got more to tell us and you’re about to vibrate outta your damned skin.” He shook him lightly, getting him to settle after a couple seconds.

“Thank you, Katsuki-kun.” Nezu chuckled, taking them all in. “In addition to training here at UA, I would also like to offer the services of Hound Dog, Ryo Inui. He is the main counselor here at the school and can offer not only mental health assistance, but also plans for classes and extracurriculars that could assist you as students. With your situations, I think it would be beneficial to have a third, unbiased party to speak with.”

Katsuki huffed, pulling his hand back to cross his arms over his chest. “I don’t need no fuckin’ shrink. Already told the docs that.”

It was Izuku’s turn to put a hand on his arm, turning to him completely. “Kacchan, that’s not what he’s talking about.” When angry red eyes turned to him, he smiled, albeit a bit sadly. “Kacchan, our lives have been…” He hummed and tilted his head. “Heh, they’ve been pretty fucked, ya know? My own problems are obvious, but…” His lip trembled a little, hating what he’d dragged his best friend into. “But you’ve literally been caring about me and carrying my baggage like it was yours for years, Kacchan. And you’ve taken such good care of me and protected me, but you haven’t been able to talk to anyone about it, because we couldn’t tell Auntie and Uncle.”

Katsuki softened slightly, arms still crossed but not as tense as he’d been. He looped a finger over one of Izuku’s, sighing. “I don’t care about any of that, shithead. You’re my best fuckin’ friend, of course I’m gonna take care of you.”

“And you’ve been the best at it, Kacchan. But you deserve someone to be able to listen to you too, cuz I know I’ve scared you, but you don’t like telling me that. Pretty sure you think I’ll hide shit from you if you did, so…”

“You would, asshole. You’d get stuck in that stupid nerd brain of yours and I wouldn’t be able to help you at all.”

Hitoshi’s quiet voice broke over them as he walked over and leaned against Izuku’s chair. “If it helps, I’ve been talking to Inui-san for a couple years now. He’s not super pushy or anything, but I hated the idea of going to him at first. And… he offers like, group stuff too. Like if you two wanted to go together. I was gonna ask Zuks if he wanted to go with me once or twice too, cuz I know he’s overwhelmed as hell.”

Izuku lost his battle against his tears, which wasn’t exactly a surprise, and Katsuki growled and ruffled his hair harshly. “Fine, you manipulative little shit. I’ll talk to him, but if I hate it, I’m out, got it?”

Nezu chuckled, passing over a box of tissues with a nod. “That’s understandable and completely fine, Katsuki-kun. We just ask that you give it a try, even if you just use him as a resource for classes to pick at Somei to prepare you for your curriculum here.”

Despite the serious topics, they left in high spirits and Katsuki took some pamphlets about Somei’s programs with him when they dropped him off at his house. Izuku blew a kiss to Mitsuki who was waiting at the door and she grinned and swatted it out of the air, making him laugh.

At dinner that night, Hitoshi held up his phone. “Denki and Tenya want to meet Izuku before he starts at the school next week. Did you have anything planned for tomorrow?”

Shouta considered for a second before shaking his head. “We just have the furniture delivery, but we should be done with that before you’re done with school.”

“Okay, then I’ll send you the address to the cat cafe we go to after school. You and the bombshell can meet us there?”

Izuku nodded excitedly, eager to meet people that didn’t judge Hitoshi. He just hoped that they were just as comfortable with him. He paused, tilting his head slightly. “Umm… do they know. About me, I mean. The uh… the quirklessness.”

Hitoshi shook his head. “They know you’re my foster brother and that you’re coming out of a shitty situation, and I told them you had a best friend, but I didn’t think anything else was my place to say. If you want me to give them a heads up before we arrive, I can do that.”

Izuku scrunched his nose before shaking his head. “No… no, I should tell them. They’re your friends, so I don’t think they’ll be rude or anything. Just…”

“It’s nerve-wracking,” Hitoshi agreed, bumping their shoulders together lightly. “But they’re cool. And I really think you’re gonna like them.” His grin turned wicked, eyes dancing with amusement. “And I really, really wanna introduce your walking explosion to Ten. It’s gonna be funny as hell.”

Chapter Text

As they got themselves up and moving the next day, boxes were delivered to their front door. Hitoshi left for school and the three people still at home hauled boxes and started working on building a desk and bookcase. It was helpful for keeping Izuku’s mind off of meeting new people later, especially because Shouta started sounding a lot like Katsuki as he wrestled with tiny pieces and unclear instructions.

“This is it, Zash… if we find another kid, we’re getting precrafted shit. I’m never putting together another desk or drawer again. We can pay someone else to do it.”

Izuku giggled as he worked on separating and putting his notebooks and sketchbooks up on the bookcases. It was… weird, to have them just out in the open, not having to worry about them getting destroyed or thrown away. He was happily sorting his notebooks out by heroes, villains, classmates and strangers when Hizashi gave a little squawking noise. Izuku looked over to find the blond flipping through one of his more recent sketchbooks.

“Ah! Uh, don’t… that’s…” He could feel his face flushing, but the smile on Hizashi’s face wasn’t mocking, so he took a couple steps forward but didn’t immediately reach for the sketchbook like he normally would.

“Green bean, these are amazing! Are these Katsuki’s hero costume ideas?” He patted the bed next to him and Izuku sighed and sat down with a little nod.

“Y-yeah. The actual design is his, and the support gear is mine. We wanted, uh… well, something that could store his sweat when he’s just like, patrolling and stuff? So he has extra when he has to fight.” He ducked his head, but pointed out the small bracers at the wrist. “We started with these huge bomb looking things, but Auntie helped us make prototypes out of cardboard and we figured out they’d be too big to wield comfortably. So we reduced the size and hollowed them out a bit so they could store more for maximum impact.” As he talked, he got more animated, excited about the suits they had designed. “We also added extra armor and support around his shoulders and arms, because if his arms or hands get disabled somehow, he won’t be able to use his quirk as effectively.”

He flipped a couple pages and pointed to another sketch. “Part of us being a team is that some of his stored sweat is gonna go into glass grenades so he can have a long distance projectile and I can use it too. I’ve also been working on a mask for me that doubles as a voice changer, cuz, ya know… vigilante…” He ducked his head sheepishly when Shouta snorted from where he was putting drawers in the desk. “But it’s also going to mimic Voice too… A sonic blast that won’t be as strong as yours, but will be enough to knock someone back or disorient them. I’ve been trying to figure out how to hover or fly, but I’m not sure how to make that work. I know Kacchan can… At least, I’m pretty sure. We haven’t been able to test it, obviously, because there’s nowhere safe for us to practice with his quirk like that, but his explosions have a concussive force behind them that I’m sure he could use for limited flight and maneuverability. He says I’d blow my legs off if I tried to use the nitroglycerin to fly, so we’ve tabled that for now.”

Hizashi blinked a little, then chuckled softly and ruffled Izuku’s hair. “The way you talk about him, Zuks… I wish you’d talk about yourself that highly. The fact that you came up with a way to mimic not just his quirk, but others is super rockin’.”

Izuku flushed all over again, ducking his head and touching the picture with his own hero suit ideas fleshed out. “I’ll try. It’s easy with him, ya know? He’s just always been… amazing.”

The blond leaned over for a quick hug. “You’re pretty amazing too, green bean.”

By the time Katsuki knocked on the door to pick him up after he finished school, Izuku was nervously pacing and mumbling softly to himself. He knew the area the cat cafe was in, and there was plenty of places to escape if he needed to. He’d never been able to afford the cafe itself, but the owner was nice and would give him a coffee and sometimes she’d give him a small bag of pastries that she was going to throw away if he was in the area when she closed up. She said it was because she hated seeing food go to waste, but it always felt like an adult just… looking out for him.

So he wasn’t worried about the area, or the cafe itself, but new people rarely went well for him, the last couple days notwithstanding. He was hoping that Hitoshi’s friends would be accepting, since they accepted his foster brother’s supposedly villainous quirk, but there was literally a world of difference between having a quirk, any quirk, and not having one at all. He’d have Katsuki with him, of course, but he didn’t want to screw up Hitoshi’s relationships, or start off at a new school (which was already terrifying, no matter what he told Shouta and Hizashi) having already made enemies.

Katsuki took one look at him when he opened the door and growled low in his throat. “Calm the fuck down, shithead. If the troll doll thinks they’ll be cool, they probably will. If they aren’t, I’ll just kick their asses and we’ll do something else.”

Izuku whined a little, clinging to his best friend’s arm when he grabbed his wrist to haul him out the door. “But Kacchan, what if they decide to hate Hitoshi because of me? They go to his school, and you know how the assholes at Aldera acted when you wouldn’t stop being friends with me…”

“Then they ain’t worth the time and I’ll kick their asses twice as hard. Or you can. Fuck ‘em, Zuk. If they’re cool, then we’ll chill with them for a bit. If they’re not, we’re no worse off than we were before and we talk to our old people about… I dunno, online school or some shit.” He stopped on the sidewalk, turning to grab one of Izuku’s cheeks and pinch it until he whined again. “You’ll still have me, you leafy-lookin’ bastard, so don’t worry about it if some extras are fuckin’ stupid. Or… and I know this is a fuckin’ stretch for your stupid nerd brain, but you could try to think positively for once in your god damned life.”

Izuku swatted his hand away before going back to clinging to his arm. His steps were a little less reluctant as they started walking again. “Mean, Kacchan… it’s just easier to plan for worst case scenarios than good ones, ya know?”

“Tch, I ain’t supposed to be positive one here, Zuk. Quit your bitchin’ and remember that you can definitely take on a bunch of snotty brats from a private school. If they got a problem, we’ll beat ‘em with the sticks up their asses.”

Izuku giggled, shaking his head. “That’s so… that’s gross, Kacchan.” But he had to admit, at least to himself, that his best friend’s weird brand of optimism worked for him and while he still hung onto his arm, he was able to straighten and stop trying to hide behind him before they even got to the cafe.

When Hitoshi had asked Tenya and Denki to join him at the cafe, he had told them that he had a new foster sibling and that he’d be joining them at Somei with his best friend. Explaining the duo was proving a little harder than he’d anticipated, though.

“So what’s your foster brother like, Toshi?” Denki’s voice was cheerful and curious, head tilted as they walked from the school to the cafe. “I mean… I know that it can be a bit of a grab bag who gets placed in a home, so like… is he cool?”

Denki was ostensibly living with his older sister, as his parents were both heroes in their own right and lived in Tokyo. Ostensibly, because as long as he was home by curfew and showed up for his quirk counseling session with her, she basically let him do whatever he wanted. Thankfully for his grades, Tenya was a stickler for them getting their homework done during their last period, because while he wasn’t stupid, he was incredibly easy to distract.

“Denki-kun! You cannot just ask things like that. I’m sure Hitoshi-kun would not have invited him out with us if he was not a good person!” Tenya’s arms chopped the air as he scolded the blond, but neither Hitoshi nor Denki were phased by his loudness.

“He’s… interesting. Definitely nice, but also really sarcastic. And smart too.” Hitoshi smiled slightly as he thought of his foster brother. “But… Tenya. I know it’s a habit, but… the hand motions. You gotta chill with those while Izuku is around. He’s… I mean, he’s a foster kid, so obviously he hasn’t had the best life, but he’s a little skittish, especially around new people.”

Tenya held up his hand again before stopping and dropping them to his sides. “My apologies. Please point it out if I do it again. I do not want to make your new housemate uncomfortable.”

Denki grinned and latched onto Tenya’s arm for a second, giving him a quick hug. “It’s okay, Ten! We can just let him know right away so that you don’t have to be uncomfortable either!”

Hitoshi chuckled and nodded. “Once we tell him, it’ll be fine, but like, when you guys first meet, just… chill a little. Also, he’s bringing that friend I told you about, so you can get to know them both before they start next week. His friend is… loud. Really loud. And he can be a little, ummm… rude? But he’s super protective of Izuku and actually really funny.” He paused and bit his lip for a second before shrugging. “I like him. Threatened my folks when he first met them to take care of Izuku or he’d fight them, so…”

Tenya sputtered in horror while Denki cackled at his side. “That is most unbecoming for a child to talk back to their elders like that! I don’t understand how you can say that you like him!”

Hitoshi held up a hand, halting Tenya’s rant. “Because Izuku hasn’t exactly had a lot of positive adult figures until now, and he’s only been with us a couple days. Kats was kinda badass for just outright telling them he wouldn’t deal with their bullshit if they were mean or abusive or anything. The foster system is absolute shit most of the time, Tenya, it’s understandable that he’d be a little over protective. They’ve known each other since like… diapers or something.”

Denki bounced over to latch onto Hitoshi’s arm, hugging it against his chest. “They sound super neat, Toshi! But… maybe we should wait for them outside? If they’re gonna be a little…” He tilted his head, trying to find the right word. “Ummm, standoffish? And maybe loud? We should probably introduce ourselves away from the cats, right?”

Hitoshi nodded, tugging his phone out with his free arm. He was used to the excitable blond just attaching himself at random. When he’d talked to his parents about it after they first became friends, they said he might be a bit touch-starved because of his quirk, so he and to a slightly lesser degree, Tenya, had just allowed him to cling once they understood that he wasn’t being pushy or rude with it.

He sent a quick text to Katsuki, because he knew that Izuku was going to be too nervous about meeting new people to check his phone. Once he got the confirmation back, he nudged them all along to find a bench near the cafe to wait.

Thankfully, the two were easy to spot as they came up the street and Hitoshi stood up to wave, getting their attention. As soon as Izuku saw them, he tucked himself behind Katsuki a little, making Hitoshi frown slightly. He didn’t want his new brother to be scared of his friends, even if he understood the impulse all too well.

“Oi, Eyebags, this is a hell of a trek for some coffee. The cats better be worth it.” Katsuki’s low growl had both Hitoshi and Izuku smiling slightly and Hitoshi nodded.

“They are, Hothead. There’s one in there that might even match your attitude.”

Tenya was gaping at their exchange, but Denki bounced up next to Hitoshi, bumping their shoulders together. “Heya! I’m Denki Kaminari! You must be the best friend! Which means the cutie behind you is the new bro, right?”

Katsuki blinked at the sudden interruption, narrowing his eyes for a second before puffing his chest out. “Katsuki Bakugou and you’d better not forget it. This broccoli-lookin’ bastard is Izuku Midoriya.”

Denki stuck his hand out immediately for a handshake, grinning brightly. Katsuki eyed him again, but sighed and shook his hand. “Nice to meet ya! Tenya, come say hi!”

The taller boy stood slowly, trying to reconcile the rude boy in front of him with his quiet, albeit sarcastic friend. “I… am Tenya Iida. It is…” The words seemed a little pained, but really, it wasn’t exactly nice to meet the uncouth person. “Nice to meet you?”

Katsuki ‘tch’ed quietly and shook his head. He opened his mouth to reply, but Izuku’s quiet voice came from behind him.

“I-iida? Like… the Turbo Hero? T-tensei Iida, who has always said that the c-coolest heroes are th-the ones who save people quickly be-because no one wants to be st-stuck in a situation too long?” Izuku was peeking out from behind Katsuki now, eyeing the boys standing with Hitoshi. “His quirk is based around his elbows, while yours seems to be in your legs, which most likely gives you more speed, but less maneuverability than Ingenium. Do you also require grapefruit juice or do you need something else for your quirk? Do you also plan on being a hero? Will you need to install something in your suit like Ingenium has airbags? Will-“

“Zuk, shut the fuck up,” Katsuki grumbled, slapping a hand over his mouth. “He can’t answer your questions if you don’t stop askin’ ‘em, asshole.”

“Eep! S-sorry…” Izuku ducked his head, so he didn’t see Tenya’s stunned expression, but Hitoshi and Denki did.

Denki took one look at Tenya’s wide eyes and open mouth and started cackling. “Tenten, your face! Oh my god, you look like the time you slammed into the wall when we were gonna be late to school! Hoo, boy, that was so cool! You know a lot of stuff! Do you know stuff like that about everybody?”

Hitoshi tried to grab Denki, but the blond was too quick, darting around Katsuki to sidle up next to Izuku. He thankfully didn’t try to touch, but he did lean down to peer up into his face. “You’re really neat. It was Izuku, right? We should be friends. If you like Hitoshi, you’ll like us! Tenya’s super smart and disciplined and Tosh is our sarcastic cactus! Your friend seems pretty cool too, kinda like an asshole but like… a neat one! Oh, man, your face is really red, are you-?” He only stopped talking because Hitoshi grabbed him by the back of his shirt and physically hauled him away.

Katsuki covered his face with his hand and growled loudly. “No. No no, nope, not doin’ this shit again. I cannot deal with another fuckin’ chatterbox, Zuk’s bad enough, what the fuck did I get myself into?”

All sound stopped when Izuku giggled from behind Katsuki, resting his forehead against his best friend’s shoulder. “K-kacchan! You can’t decide that after two minutes. It’s rude, you ass!” He straightened up, swatting Katsuki’s shoulder lightly before turning to the rest of the group. “I-I’m sorry. I’m usually, uh… better? About not spewing everything in my head. I apologize if I was invasive, Iida-kun.”

Tenya finally seemed to reboot, chopping his hands once before shoving them stiffly to his sides. “It is quite all right, Midoriya-kun. The Turbo Hero: Ingenium is my older brother and I am quite proud of him. I do intend to be a hero to follow in his footsteps. As to your other questions… I will admit that I do not remember them all, but if you ask me again, I will endeavor to answer them as truthfully as possible.”

“Eew, Endeavor. Never try to be like him, he’s an asshole.” Izuku’s eyes went wide as he was gaped at again, waving his hands in front of his face and shaking his head. “Sorry, ignore me, but you don’t need to answer anything. I just like to study heroes and when I heard the name, I just thought of all the things I’ve seen about him. He’s a really good hero!”

Denki finally escaped from Hitoshi’s clutches, darting around Katsuki and making him shout before he hid behind Izuku. “Heh, we’re a lot alike, Izuku! I can call you Izuku, right? Do you mind? You can totally call me Denki! I ask a lot of questions too but I never expect anyone to know the answers, ya know? But now I wanna know about the new thing. You don’t like Endeavor? I mean, I know he’s kinda not the nicest guy, but like… he’s number two! He had to get there somehow, right?”

Katsuki groaned and slammed his head into Hitoshi’s shoulder, letting off a couple of pops from his hands away from the purple-haired boy. “What the actual fuck did you get us into, Eyebags?”

Tenya spluttered again, hand chopping as he pointed at the explosions. “Public quirk use is-!”

Izuku broke away from Denki for a second, holding up two fingers. “One, I’ll get back to you about Endeavor in just a sec, D-denki. Two, Kacchan is allowed to use his quirk in public as long as he’s not damaging property or using it on anyone. He has a license.” The timid boy from a second ago was gone as Izuku put himself between Tenya and Katsuki, staring the taller boy down. “You shouldn’t make assumptions without knowing the facts and if you know Hitoshi, you know his parents wouldn’t allow him to hang out with someone who just breaks the law.”

Hitoshi snorted softly as Katsuki wrapped an arm around Izuku’s waist and pulled him back. “Relax, nerd, they don’t know. Why don’t we go the fuck inside and get some god damned caffeine before we continue this bullshit?”

Hitoshi nodded eagerly, gently herding his friends toward the cafe doors as Izuku and Katsuki followed. Again, Denki avoided the purple-haired boy’s hands and slipped back in next to Izuku.

“So… Endeavor?”

With a groan, Katsuki stalked forward, grabbing the door and walking in, done with everyone for a couple minutes. Izuku just chuckled at him and turned back to Denki. “Ende-whore. He’s got a powerful quirk, but he has the personality of a dumpster fire and causes more civilian injuries and property damage than most A and B Class villains. He’s rude to reporters, dismissive of police, and will actively work against most heroes, especially All Might, which is… weird and annoying. And he absolutely shits on any hero that isn’t a limelighter, calling underground heroics a ‘coward’s path’ when in reality, most underground heroes deal with some really shitty, terrible situations.”

Denki gaped at him, then grinned widely. “Okay okay, you sound like you have stats to back that up, but I wanna know something else now!”

Izuku chuckled and nodded, following the group. When both Hitoshi and Izuku got large black dark roast coffees, Tenya and Katsuki both huffed in annoyance, then looked at each other appraisingly. They each grabbed a green tea, and Denki got the most sugar filled concoction he could order, again making the two larger boys shake their heads and then glance at each other. Once they’d all paid for their hour and drinks, they sat down and almost immediately were swarmed by cats.

Izuku glanced at Denki, who had basically used the booth seating to press himself up against his side, sipping his drink through his straw. “Y-you said you wanted to know something? What did you want to know?”

The small blond paused for a second, straw against his lips before perking up. “Oh! Have you ever heard of the Livewire Duo?”

“You mean the electricity based heroes in Tokyo that once used their quirks together to power half the city when a villain group cut off access to three towers in the power grid? They saved over 400 civilians with that, because two hospitals had been cut off and if they had delayed at all, life-support machinery would have started to fail. And that’s not mentioning how fast they are, or the fact that they donate a lot of their income to charities that help schools and work on curriculum that helps kids with learning disabilities! They should really be higher on the charts, but as a married duo, they get a lot of backlash from the Hero Commission, which is ridiculous because their quirks work so well together that they’re considered one of the most efficient hero duos in Tokyo on most popularity charts.”

Denki’s eyes were sparkling and he grabbed Izuku’s wrist, apologizing when the boy yelped from the static shock. “Shit, sorry! My bad, I’m usually better at controlling it. Are you okay?”

Izuku was looking at his wrist with concentration, then back at Denki. “Holy shit, are you related?” He stared at Denki’s face for a second, then grabbed his wrist instead. “Are you their son?! And you just let me ramble like that?! It was bad enough with Iida-kun, I didn’t mean to…”

“Woah, chill, bro! After hearing you rant about Endeavor, I just wanted to know what you thought about them. Most people don’t think to talk about their charity work, but like… I’m kinda the reason for it.” Denki shuffled his feet under the table and Izuku gently squeezed his wrist, offering him a bright smile.

“That’s so cool that they’re invested in your education like that, though! And seriously, more schools need to work on curriculum for people who don’t learn traditionally. Our old school is just… it’s not good. For anyone, but especially for anyone who doesn’t learn in a standardized way.”

Denki nodded, leaning into his shoulder slightly. “Yeah, my old school was kinda trash too. My folks didn’t really like any of the schools in Tokyo, so my sister offered to take me in. She’s a quirk counselor and they were hoping she could help me with my quirk’s drawback, but I think I’m just a lost cause.”

That made Izuku frown, and Katsuki huffed and lightly kicked Hitoshi in the ankle. Once he caught his attention, he quickly started signing. *Nerd’s about to go off, you might want to grab your other friend before he gets offended.*

Tenya actually smirked, signing back quickly, *No need to worry about me, but I appreciate the warning. Your friend seems to quite passionate about things.*

Katsuki smirked back and nodded, tilting his head at Izuku, who suddenly slapped the table. “No one is a lost cause, Denki-kun! Every quirk drawback can be worked around if you have the time and resources to figure it out. I figured out Kacchan’s in like, two weeks. You obviously have some form of electricity or lightning, so what’s the drawback you’re having a problem with?”

Katsuki leaned back, draping an arm over Izuku’s shoulders to nudge Denki’s shoulder. “Tell him, Sparks. Trust me, the shitty nerd is an actual certified genius. He’s figured out shit docs and quirk counselors didn’t know about me.”

Hitoshi nodded encouragingly. “He was literally tested by Nezu yesterday. Certified genius. Even if he can’t give you an answer today, he’ll come up with something.”

Denki shrugged, shoulders slumping slightly. “I guess it can’t hurt… it’s mostly just annoying. And kinda shitty for a hero, but Sis says I just have to make sure I work with a partner, which… seems like a lot to put on someone.” He glanced up quickly before turning his attention to the cat on his lap. “My quirk makes me stupid. Like, I’m already not brilliant or anything, school’s a pain, but I have some decent social awareness. But my quirk makes me go into this… I call it ‘whey mode’ because I literally cannot function. There’s been some,” he paused, flushing hotly and pulling away from Izuku, setting the cat aside quickly. Sparks flickered in the air around him before he got himself under control. “Videos. From old classmates. I guess I make stupid faces and noises and people find it funny or whatever.”

Izuku startled them all with his low curse. “Fuckers. Motherfuckers.” He clenched a fist and stared over at Denki with determination. “One, I’m gonna figure out why that happens and how to fix it. Promise. And two…” He glanced at Hitoshi and Katsuki, both of whom looked just as angry. Tenya’s face was filled with concern as he eyed their normally cheerful friend. “I’m gonna talk to Nezu-sensei. I’ve always wanted to learn computer stuff and now I can.”

Katsuki groaned softly and dropped his head into his hands. “Now you’ve fuckin’ done it. Shitty nerd’s claimed ya, Pichu. We have a serious issue with bullies and asshole extras.”

“Yeah, we, Kacchan. Don’t forget who got kicked out of Generals…”

“I’m not gonna let quirkist pieces of shit fuck with my best friend, Zuk.”

Izuku gave him a sunny smile, but it froze on his face when Tenya tilted his head. “Quirkist? Do you have a quirk like Hitoshi-kun’s, Midoriya-kun?”

“Fuck.” Katsuki scrubbed a hand over his face before taking Izuku’s hand. “Might as well tell ‘em.”

Izuku shrank into himself a bit, clinging to Katsuki’s hand and looking at Hitoshi apologetically. He’d been having a good time getting to know them, and had actually forgotten for a second that they didn’t know. He was going to ruin everything…

“I-I um… I….” He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. “Idon’thaveone…”

Denki blinked, staring at him for a second as he parsed out the muttered words. Once he understood what was said, he took his free hand gently. The motion startled Izuku, but he held tight when the boy flinched. “Dude, if your school is as bad you say it is… that must have sucked.”

Tenya continued to stare for a few minutes until Hitoshi kicked his ankle. He snapped his mouth shut and shook his head. “I… apologize, Midoriya-kun. I didn’t realize it was a sensitive topic. I thought you must be like Hitoshi-kun, with a quirk that most people didn’t see the value in, or saw the wrong value in.” His voice was tight with barely concealed anger, making Katsuki look him over for a second before giving him a brief nod. Tenya nodded back, an agreement formed. It was easy to see, between the two of them, that their ‘perfect’ quirks made them the obvious barrier against bullies for the other three. It was good to have allies, even if, fundamentally, they were completely different people.

“N-no… it’s okay. Y-you didn’t know. I just…” He offered a tremulous smile, squeezing Katsuki and Denki’s hands. “I can handle myself. I was more worried about Hitoshi…”

“Me?” Hitoshi blinked and then slapped his forehead. “Jesus, Zuks, were you really worried about my friends leaving?”

“It’s hap-happened before. Kacchan’s lost friends because he stayed with me. And Auntie and Uncle had to cut some people from contracts because they found out about me…” He bit his lip for a second before taking a deep breath. Locking eyes with Katsuki’s red ones, he got a little nod of support and turned back to the group. “T-to be fair… I’m staying with Hitoshi because of it, so…”

“Tch, you’re staying with the troll doll and his folks because your sperm donor’s a fuckin’ pussy and Inko’s a bitch. That ain’t on you, asshole, that’s on them for being pieces of shit. My folks didn’t even think about fucking off on ya, and Eyebags’ dads were literally looking all over for you, so stop blaming yourself for shit that ain’t your fault.”

Izuku huffed a little, but shrugged. “Okay, fine, it’s the excuse they used. Happy?”

“No, but when am I ever?” Katsuki smirked and Izuku thumped their shoulders together.

“When you’re training. Or beating me up. Or cooking.”

“Fuck you,” Katsuki grumbled, but it was tinged with laughter. “They’re gonna look real fuckin’ stupid when we’re toppin’ the hero charts and they can’t even pull out a ‘we knew him when’ card.”

Izuku chuckled and nodded, then looked up as Tenya shifted slightly. “You’re planning on being a hero?” While it could have sounded condescending, Izuku was used to the tone and was able to recognize the honest curiosity in the taller boy’s voice.

Hitoshi nodded sharply. “We all are. UA Hero Course. Zuks and Kats are already ahead of us with all the extra training they do. Even with the training I’ve gotten from my dads, they put me to shame.”

Tenya looked stunned again, but not in a bad way. It was pretty obvious that he’d never met an actually quirkless person before, at least not one that wasn’t elderly. He nodded after a moment, giving them a small smile. “I have trained with my brother as well. Denki-kun did some training with his parents, but his sister thought he should stop until he got control of his quirk. It will be good to have others to work with.”

Izuku blinked and stared at Denki. “Oh my god, is she stupid? No, sorry, that was rude, but seriously, is she stupid? How are you supposed to get control if you aren’t training?”

Hitoshi snorted loudly, but Denki just shrugged. “I mean, she’s a quirk counselor. She has me do these meditation things, and we go to her facility so I can max out how much electricity I can handle.”

Izuku finally released their hands to run his fingers through his own green mop, tugging at it lightly. “I hate quirk counselors. I swear, they just let anyone slap that moniker on themselves. That’s dumb as fuck. So to stop you from overloading your brain, she makes you overload? That’s… oh my god. And you said your folks support kids with disabilities, which with your quirk, most likely ADHD or something like it…. So she makes the kid who literally cannot focus meditate… Is she stupid?” He grabbed his cellphone as everyone at the table either laughed or stared at him, pulling up Hizashi’s contact information.

“Hey, Hi-hizashi. I need you to get approval for Hitoshi’s friends to join us at UA for training. Tenya’s probably fine, but extra doesn’t hurt. Denki is… he needs some serious fuckin’ help, and I can’t just not help him.”

Tenya leaned over to Hitoshi, murmuring quietly, “You can tell he’s been friends with Bakugou-kun for a long time when he gets angry, yes?”

“You have no idea. They fight like cats and dogs, but also have like, one brain between them, and it’s stupidly smart. I’d like to say I can’t believe he called Denks’ sister stupid to his face, but… hell, he’d probably call her that to her face given half an opportunity.”

Katsuki smirked across the table and nodded, lifting his hands. *We can either never let them meet, or make sure we have popcorn when they do. Nerd’s fucking terrifying when he’s pissed, or when he has a project.*

“Yup, got it. I’ll see if they’re free for dinner. I didn’t want to wake Shouta. Thanks.” He hung up and actually booped Denki’s nose, making the whole table laugh. “Hizashi said to bring them over for dinner so we can talk about schedules.”

The rest of their visit went by mostly pleasantly. It was obvious that Tenya and Katsuki were complete opposites, but Hitoshi easily snarked at both of them, and Denki and Izuku eased tensions when they started getting too high.

By the time they were headed back to the Yamazawa residence, all five boys were on a mostly first-name basis and Katsuki and Tenya had started sniping sarcasm at each other rather than actual hostility. What Izuku and Denki didn’t see as they darted ahead was the signed conversation between the two, explaining a few instances of bullying or abuse that they’d stepped in on, and confirming the silent agreement they’d made earlier to step in as necessary for their more targeted friends

Izuku and Denki were chatting animatedly about literally everything they saw, and Hitoshi was more than happy to watch the two groups merge, occasionally dragged into the sarcasm war, or adding his opinion to the various topics Denki and Izuku were bouncing around. It just felt right, honestly, and Hitoshi made a mental note to ask his dad if he felt a chill at all that afternoon. He was absolutely certain that the five of them were going to be societal menaces and he couldn’t wait.

Chapter Text

Hizashi hung up his phone, chuckling softly. He nudged Shouta awake on the couch, kissing his cheek. “We’re having company for dinner, Kitten. Izuku wants to bring the boys over so we can talk.”

“Noooo…” Shouta groaned and flopped his head back. “God dammit, now all the problem children are in one group. We’ll never know peace again.”

Hizashi outright laughed at him, shaking his head. “I take full responsibility for finding Hitoshi, but Izuku is your stray, so you only have yourself to blame. Maybe Tenya will keep them out of too much trouble?”

Shouta snorted and swatted at him before pushing himself up. “Yeah, yeah, wasn’t a mistake, wouldn’t change it, blah blah blah. And if you’re trusting Tenya ‘I’ll ‘accidentally’ chop you in the face because you were rude to Denki’ Iida to keep them out of trouble, we’re all doomed. I’ll order us some pizza. I don’t feel like cooking.”

“Sounds good. The green bean wants to get permission for Hitoshi’s friends to join in their training at UA. He specifically mentioned Denki and sounded pissed about something, so I’m assuming whatever this is has something to do with him. He didn’t go into details though.”

Shouta considered this for a minute, then huffed. “Hitoshi’s mentioned a couple times that Denki has some quirk issues he’s been working on. You can deal with calling the rat, I’m just gonna order the pizza.”

An hour later, the five boys showed up among a cacophony of noise. Izuku and Denki were chattering at each other animatedly, while Katsuki was yelling at them to shut up. Tenya was berating Katsuki for being louder than they were, and Hitoshi slipped in silently, smirking.

Shouta looked up from the couch, eyes red and hair floating. “All of you shut the fuck up.”

The two chatterboxes ‘eep’ed and ducked behind Katsuki and Tenya, who stopped bickering and stared at Shouta. Hitoshi chuckled and walked into the living room, flopping on the recliner. “So… the cafe went well.”

Hizashi laughed and waved the other four in. “So we can see. And hear. The green bean sounded pissed on the phone, though, so I’m assuming something happened?”

Denki flushed and stared down at his hands, playing with his fingers. Izuku just wrapped an arm around his shoulders, flashing a smile better suited to his vigilante persona at the adults. “Denki has a nasty quirk drawback and an idiot of a quirk counselor… but honestly, most of them are, so like, no offense, I guess? To your sister or whatever. But seriously, we learned with Kacchan that they only have the most basic of ideas and just apply them universally.”

Shouta snorted but nodded. “I have noticed that with incoming students as well, especially students who were pushed towards the hero course young. There are huge differences between quirk counselors and quirk specialists, and not just in the price range.”

“Yeah, well, this one is trying to get an ADHD kid to meditate and then maxing out his quirk to ‘build his tolerance’ instead of trying to figure out why he overloads in the first place. The fact that he hasn’t completely damaged his brain already is a fuckin’ miracle, frankly.”

Tenya startled, again, at the curse before shaking his head. “While I do not necessarily agree with the wording, it is true that Denki-kun’s quirk, and his attention span, have not been improving as they should be. I would not say his sister is neglectful, as she knows where he is and has taken… steps… to assist him, even if Izuku-kun does not believe they’re the correct ones. But I do believe he needs different assistance.”

Katsuki snorted softly. “You’re gonna have to pull that stick outta your ass eventually, Glasses, but yeah. Nerd’s gotta new fuckin’ project so maybe he’ll stop trying to see if I can use my god damned foot sweat to fly.”

“Kacchan! I think you could if you worked on heating up different parts of your body! I know it’s centered in your hands, but a lot of people have figured out how to expand their range.” He waved a hand dismissively. “That’s not the point. The point is that I need a safe training place for Denki so I can study his quirk and figure out what’s going on, so do you think Nezu-sensei would let me?”

Hizashi nodded easily. “I already asked. He said, and I quote, ‘Tell Izuku-kun that I would be happy to make this his first assignment, as this seems more important than helping older students for the moment.’ He’s going to send over a packet tomorrow, but it’s basically a report on what you researched, how you tested things with Denki’s quirk, and what your findings are. He’s not giving you a time limit, because this is more than just a fun little experiment, but said he’ll send other assignments over as well to see how you do with splitting your attentions.”

Shouta huffed softly, but his eyes were warm with amusement. “Kiddo, you do realize you’re going to end up with twice as much homework as the average middle schooler, right?”

Izuku’s eyes danced with excitement, making the tired hero shake his head in exasperation. “I can’t wait! I also need to ask him about some computer stuff too!”

Katsuki groaned and shoved Izuku over, making him yelp when claws slashed at his hair. “You’re gonna mumble my fuckin’ ears off talking about Pichu, aren’t ya?”

Denki shrank away a little bit, frowning. “This seems like a lot of work, Izuku… you’re gonna have a lot to do with school and everything…”

Izuku sat back up and gave him a quick hug. “One, Kacchan and I are way ahead in curriculum stuff, so it won’t take us long to get things sorted with a new school. Honestly, I’m way more worried about the people there than I am about the classwork. And two, it sounds like work to you guys, but like… this is a fun hobby for me. It’s…” He tilted his head, considering it, before snapping his fingers. “It’s like training for Kacchan, or video games or reading for other people. It’s what I do to relax. I totally wanna see the difference between Ingenium and Tenya too, and I can’t wait to see Toshi’s quirk in action!” He was practically vibrating, fingers moving on his knee like he was writing already.

The lightning user leaned into the hug a little, sighing. “I don’t mind the help, honestly. My folks think the ADHD is a symptom of my quirk rather than an actual diagnosis, but either way, the meds don’t work on me, so I can’t do anything about it but figure out different learning styles.”

Izuku nodded easily, quite content to be snuggled against. It was so nice to have people who were actually willing to touch him without hurting him. “We can help with that too! Kacchan’s gonna complain, but we like to bounce ideas off each other and he may see something I don’t.”

Tenya held up a hand, getting their attention. “While I am relieved to know that our friend will be looked after, and will hopefully be able to get some assistance, I do have some concerns about things that you’ve said, Izuku-kun.”

The green-haired boy gave him a wide eyed look, head tilting like a confused puppy. “What things, Tenya? I don’t think I’ve said anything that bad…”

“Izuku,” Tenya sighed softly, a hand chop displaying his frustration. “You have mentioned multiple times today that you are, in essence, scared of people. Maybe not in so many words, but you worried that we would leave or bully Hitoshi, you mentioned your…” His upper lip curled slightly in distaste. “…parents, if such a word can be used to describe them…”

“Genetic material providers!” Denki burst into the conversation, giggling. “DNA donors! A waste of anything but a sperm and an egg!”

Katsuki snorted. “Quirkest, abusive pieces of shit,” he grumbled, popping off a couple tiny explosions.

“Yes… all of that, I suppose. And just now, you mentioned being more worried about the people in our school rather than the schoolwork. And not just the students, which would be more typical of someone who’d dealt with other school bullies, but the people in general. I have also noticed that you have a similar habit as Denki-kun, where you cling to people you have deemed safe.” He held up a hand before Izuku could protest or get too upset, giving him a small smile. “None of us mind that, by the way. We’re quite used to it with Denki-kun, it is just distressing as a friend to see yet another person so scared and touch-starved. I would like to understand, and help if possible.”

Izuku sighed and nodded. “In my experience, most people with a few rare exceptions, hear quirkless and think one of two things. Fragile, weak and unable to protect themselves or do the simplest tasks without guidance, or worthy of being beaten up. Our old school… the teachers would either dock my grades because there was no way an ‘unevolved’ or ‘null’ could get perfect scores, or they would use me as examples. ‘Izuku stutters because his brain isn’t as good at processing things as a modern person’, ‘It doesn’t even feel pain the way we do’, that sort of thing. One elementary teacher made me sit in the corner away from the other kids so they couldn’t ‘catch my disease’. Kacchan mostly kept the bullies away, but the teachers… there wasn’t much he could do about them that wouldn’t get him expelled, which would mean he couldn’t go to UA.”

Tenya’s face looked thunderous and Denki was scowling angrily. The fact that both Izuku and Katsuki didn’t even seem phased by what they had experienced made the whole thing that much worse. “That… that is completely unacceptable! No learning establishment should have teachers that act so abysmally! It is their job as educators to protect the students while they are in their care!! Why didn’t anyone stop it? Not even the principal?”

Izuku just shrugged. “The principal called me a null to my face. And it’s not like it was just at school. Kacchan wasn’t kidding when he said we can’t go to Generals Mall. There are a lot of places that are local to my old apartment that refused me service, or charged me more. Doctors won’t treat me without some sort of intervention, because I’m an insurance liability. Apparently, the fact that most quirkless youth either commit suicide or are killed in hate crimes lowers our life expectancy and they don’t like to waste resources on us.”

Denki shoved himself away from everyone, electricity flickering over his skin. “That’s disgusting! How… I can’t…”

Shouta’s eyes flared red, erasing Denki’s quirk as the small blond tried and failed to come up with words or control it himself. Izuku immediately dove at him, hugging him tightly. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you! It’s not a big deal, really! And I’m okay now!”

Hizashi cursed and stormed into the kitchen, while Hitoshi rested a hand on Tenya’s shoulder and Katsuki, mindful to stay out of Shouta’s line of sight, made his way over to the two hugging and crouched down behind them, running rough hands through their hair.

“Zukkun, you sayin’ that only fuckin’ makes it worse. It absolutely is a big fuckin’ deal, and yeah, you’re in a better place now, but that doesn’t erase twelve years of fuckin’ bullshit. Pichu, take a deep breath, yeah? Both of you breathe with me, nice and slow.” He followed his words by taking slow, exaggerated breaths, well-used to dealing with Izuku’s panic attacks. Once they both settled a bit, wiping at tear streaked cheeks, he nodded up at Shouta, who dropped his quirk.

Tenya let out a shuddering breath himself, leaning slightly into Hitoshi. “That is absolutely horrible, Izuku-kun. To treat anyone like that is terrible, I cannot imagine having to deal with it your whole life. Are any of these establishments facing punishment? Your school or the doctors or anything? That can’t be legal!”

“Eh.” Izuku waffled a hand, his other arm resting around Denki’s shoulders. Katsuki sat nearby, keeping an eye on Denki mostly, because the electric blond seemed to be taking it a lot harder than anyone else. “I dunno about the school, but with the doctors… it’s a loophole. The law specifically states, ‘No quirked person shall be denied medical care regardless of payment’. The problem is that the laws were written back when quirks were new, because the opposite issue was happening; people who had these new quirks were considered freaks or dangerous, so the law had to find a way to protect them. Now, when only about 20% of the population worldwide is quirkless, and more than two thirds of that 20% are elderly people, the laws are used to deny services to younger people who don’t have a quirk.

He paused and tilted his head. “It’s not bad everywhere, places like Switzerland and the United States have more protections in place for minorities, but here in Japan, most of those laws haven’t been touched since they were written. And not everyone knows or cares about the loopholes, there are plenty of good people around. But honestly, I think it’s bad in this general area because we’re close to UA. There’s a lot of competition to get in, and it’s the only high school in Japan that will accept quirkless kids for any course, not just gen ed. It’s also one of only five schools in the entire country that will accept them at all. So people who live around here are used to the hero course at UA being for the best of the best, and a smart, capable quirkless kid disrupts the natural order of things.”

Tenya nodded a little, straightening as Izuku gave him facts to digest rather than just emotions. “I suppose that makes some sense, but it is still abominable. You do understand that, correct? That the way you were treated was not normal, nor was it acceptable?”

“I mean, sure, but it’s literally been my entire life, Tenya. At what point does it stop being trauma and just become normalized?”

Shouta huffed softly, relaxing a bit now that Denki seemed to be calming down. He made a mental note to talk to Katsuki later about his quick response to the two teens working themselves up. “It is always trauma, problem child. Just because it occurs every day does not mean that it doesn’t affect you. It’s only one of the reasons why we want you to meet with Hound Dog before you start at Somei. Sadly, though, I think you’re right about why prejudice is so rampant here, especially in lower income districts like Aldera. It’s also why many of UA’s teachers patrol the area; we’re not just out looking for criminals. Nezu likes to keep an eye on the up-and-coming students applying for the school, especially our prestigious courses like the hero and support departments. If we see kids acting like assholes, we take note of their names. Getting caught being a brat won’t necessarily get you blacklisted, but if we notice a pattern, Nezu will push a name to gen ed, or completely out of the school, depending on the severity.” He glanced at the kitchen with a little sigh, pushing himself up. “I’m going to check on Zashi. Try not to traumatize your new friends any further, brat.”

Izuku ducked his head sheepishly as Katsuki and Hitoshi snorted. “I… I’ll try?”

Getting to his feet, Katsuki pulled Izuku up by his arm, making him yelp. He reached down a little more gently to help Denki up. “C’mon. Let’s go show them what you mean by a hobby, nerd. A little less traumatizing than the rest of your life. Still terrifying, but at least this is in a good way.”

The lack of cursing had Tenya tilting his head, before offering a tiny smile as he also stood. With Katsuki’s back turned, he quickly signed to Hitoshi, *It is truly interesting to see how they act like complete opposites most of the time, but will turn into versions of each other depending on the circumstances.*

Hitoshi nodded back, smirking. *Yeah, hothead has some stuff with his quirk that makes him act like that, but they definitely grew up together and rubbed off on each other.* He met Tenya’s eyes, determination mirrored between lavender and navy eyes. *Izuku doesn’t need our protection, but he’s gonna get it anyway, right?*

Tenya simply nodded and followed the other three boys to Izuku’s room.

Katsuki swept an arm out towards the bookcases. “Those are the shitty nerd’s stalker books. He wasn’t jokin’ about studying quirks and shit for fun. Don’t touch ‘em unless he gives you permission, but every one of those is hand-written and filled with way more info than any one person should be able to get.” He walked over to the notebooks and ran his finger along the spines for a second before pulling one out. “Here. This is one of his earlier ones about me, where he was figurin’ my quirk out.” He glanced at Izuku, who gave him a nod. “Pichu. This one is right after the shitty docs and quirk counselor told my folks that my anger issues weren’t a problem and I just needed fuckin’ anger management bullshit. Zuk took two weeks, fixed the diagnosis, figured out a way to help, and got my folks to not only get me to a proper specialist, but probably saved my god damned life.” He handed the book over, making Denki stare at it in awe before looking to Izuku for permission.

“Go ahead, Denki. It’s old, so it’s not very good… Kacchan got his quirk at four, and started really having issues with it when he was about seven, so… ya know, eight year old writing, by the time I finally got it all researched and written out.” He was blushing a little, but even if it was old, it was still something he was proud of.

Denki flipped it open, shifting to put it between him and Tenya when the taller boy sat down to see. They flipped through the pages, eyes getting a little wider with each new bit of information. The writing itself wasn’t super technical, and it was obvious that Izuku rambled even on paper in places, and used a lot of little words instead of bigger words that he’d use as his vocabulary grew, but it was still impressive. “You researched all of this at seven?”

“Around there, yeah, though closer to eight. Kacchan was getting more and more belligerent, yelling at everyone, even his dad, and popping off explosions all the time. The teachers said it was because he was ‘destined to be a hero’ and ignored it, and Auntie and Uncle were just trying to get him to calm down a bit, because he’s always had a temper, but it was starting to get unmanageable and they couldn’t figure out why. They were also worried he was going to get into trouble for unauthorized quirk use, but he either couldn’t or wouldn’t stop using his quirk, so they tried a quirk counselor and their doctor first.”

“But I knew that nitroglycerin was used in pills or strips under the tongue to stop heart attacks… it literally slows your heart down. So then I started researching side effects and nitroglycerin poisoning and realized that Kacchan physically had to release explosions to get rid of the excess sweat, or it just got reabsorbed into his skin. The yelling and belligerence were an unconscious way to raise his heart rate up to normal, because his body knew something was wrong and worked to fix it. So I took all my information to Auntie and Uncle, showed them how to get a medically necessary quirk use license, and how to neutralize the nitroglycerin temporarily if he couldn’t get rid of it.”

Denki was wide-eyed, practically sparkling with excitement as he realized that this meant Izuku might actually be able to help him.

Hitoshi tilted his head, tapping his chin. “Okay, so… I know that most of this was to convince Denks that you can help, which is awesome. But I’d like to know what would help Kats too, in case you’re not around.” He paused, then shrugged a little. “Honestly, I think we should all share a couple ways to help each other, because I know Tenya and Denki have some issues and so do I, so…”

Tenya nodded sharply, his hands chopping up and down in emphasis. “I think that is an exemplary idea! As training partners and comrades in arms, we should ende-“ He stopped, chuckled and shook his head. “Mmm, do our best to support each other.”

Izuku smiled brightly and nodded. “That sounds like a great idea. Kacchan?”

“Yeah, what the fuck ever. Acetone soaked gloves, by the way. We each have a pair and carry a bottle of acetone on us in case I need to use them. I haven’t in a while, because I’m better at regulating, but it’s always good to have them just in case.”

Tenya nodded. “If I overuse my quirk or do not get enough orange juice, my leg muscles will lock up painfully. If that happens, I need cool on my engines and some sort of warmth wrapped around my legs, usually towels soaked in water or heating pads and ice packs if they’re available.”

Denki nodded a little. “I can actually charge and power things, so maybe we can get like, portable heaters? The little ones that like, athletes use! Then we can use them even if we’re away from electricity.”

Izuku stared at him for a second, then broke out into a bright grin. “Wait, you can use little bits of electricity at a time on purpose? Not just like, you lost control for a second like earlier, but intentionally?”

Looking surprised, Denki nodded again. “Mmhmm. I never have to worry about remembering to charge my phone. Which is good, because I have enough stuff I have to try to remember at bedtime.”

Izuku grabbed a notebook, and Katsuki tossed him a pen. “Oi, nerd… focus for a sec. Pichu, what do you need for your drawback shit? Like, what helps or what can we do?” Izuku gave him a sheepish smile, but obediently wrote out Katsuki and Tenya’s needs before looking at the electric blond expectantly.

“Ummm… I honestly don’t know much. Maybe just keep people away from me and give me something to anchor onto. I know Ten and Tosh don’t mind being around me when I’m zapped out, so like…” He ducked his head, muttering quietly, “Just… hold my hand or something? I hate not knowing who’s around me or where I am…”

Izuku frowned and reached out immediately, gripping slender fingers. “Denki, you never have to worry about that again, okay? Kacchan and I will be there too. We’ll always help. I promise. We’re gonna figure out what makes that happen, one way or another.” When Denki nodded, still awkward, but gripping Izuku’s fingers like a lifeline, the green-haired boy looked to his foster brother.

“Okay, Tosh, you’re up. I’m assuming you have some sort of migraine issues, because those are pretty common with mental-based quirks…”

Hitoshi smirked wryly and nodded. “Yeah, and paired with my chronic insomnia, they can get pretty bad. Caffeine, dark, and quiet are generally what I need. I also… I mean, I know JSL because I’ve got selective mutism, so sometimes, I just… can’t talk. It’s stupid and frustrating, but…”

“But trauma responses don’t always make fuckin’ sense, Eyebags. The nerd gets panic attacks when there are too many unknown people, like crowded malls and shit if he thinks he’s alone. S’long as he can see someone familiar, he’s fine, but he’ll tend to latch onto clothes and shit if he thinks his familiar person is getting too far away or if he’s gettin’ touched too much.” Katsuki glared at his best friend, who opened his mouth to protest. “Shut the fuck up, asshole. He also has them fuckin’ silently, so you won’t notice anything is wrong until you actually look at him. And yeah, he should tell us himself, but he’s a self-sacrificing piece of shit, so I’m sayin’ it. If we have to go on like, public transportation or to school events and shit, make sure he stays with us. If he isn’t havin’ a panic attack, then some other bullshit is happening and he’ll be right in the fuckin’ middle of it. Stupid broccoli-lookin’ danger magnet.”

“Kacchan!”

Denki squeezed his fingers again, getting Izuku’s attention. “Hey, no worries, dude! One, we all have our own issues, so it only makes sense for us to help you with yours since you’re helping us too. And two, I don’t care for big crowds of strangers either. So we can hang with Tosh and let the beefy bodyguard types keep people away from us.” He motioned at Katsuki and Tenya, grinning impishly when they blinked at him. “Don’t even pretend that you two aren’t the most muscular out of the five of us. Zuks and Tosh have some definite definition going on, but you two are just… big. I’m a noodle, but I’m a zappy noodle, so it’s fine.”

Izuku giggled, then caught sight of Katsuki’s face and started outright laughing. The blond bomb looked torn between being offended and proud, like he couldn’t decide if he should protest being a bodyguard or be proud of his physique. Tenya bowing and thanking Denki with a flushed face just made Izuku laugh harder, and soon Denki was joining in.

Once the two had gotten over their giggle fit, Denki flopped over with his head in Izuku’s lap. “O-okay… whoo. Now that we know, I say we go to the mall the day after tomorrow. I have some stuff to do with my sister tomorrow, but the day after it won’t be super busy even if we go after school, and we can get some stuff to carry with us for potential issues. Sound good?”

Izuku narrowed his eyes at the boy on his lap and shook his head sharply. “Nope. You’re going to cancel your ‘quirk training’ tomorrow. I’m gonna talk to Nezu-sensei and have either him or Shouta call your folks to get you out of it. Hitoshi’s gonna bring you to UA after school lets out so Kacchan can figure out a training program that works with Tenya’s current training, and we can start testing some stuff. But the mall the next day sounds good. I don’t wanna end up hurting you, so our quirk stuff is gonna be like… every other day, tentatively until I see what works.”

He grabbed his notebook again, scribbling down Hitoshi’s needs and with a little sigh, his own. “I’ll make copies of this so we all have them. Toshi, can I ask a question?”

“I dunno, can you?” The sarcastic comeback made Izuku stick his tongue out at him.

“Fuck you, I’m capable of asking one question at a time. Sometimes. Once in a while. Shut up.” He playfully pouted as the group laughed at him, but perked back up easily when Hitoshi made a ‘go ahead’ motion with his hand. “Okay, are you willing to use your quirk on someone tomorrow so I can see it in action?”

Hitoshi hummed a little, head tilting. “If someone volunteers, sure. I don’t really like using it on my friends and family unless they know it’s happening and agree…”

Izuku nodded easily. “Because it’s been used against you one too many times. ‘The brainwasher made me be friends with him!’ ‘I stole that thing because the brainwasher made me!’.”

The stunned expression on Hitoshi’s face made Katsuki rest a hand on his shoulder. “Zuk’s been through it too. ‘We were just tryin’ to help him up!’ as he’s standin’ there with a bloody nose, or ‘The null stole our lunch money!’ when he’s got his own food that either he or I paid for. We get it, Eyebags. I gotta feelin’ Pichu over there does too.”

Tenya nodded firmly, frowning. “I have heard various variations of ‘he’s too stupid to have gotten a good grade’ and ‘don’t let him touch you or he’ll make you stupid too’ when we have gone out in his neighborhood. It usually ends when I let him grab my arm, or…” He flushed a bit, but his voice was still firm. “Ruffle his hair.”

Katsuki leaned over and held out a fist to Tenya, who looked at him strangely. “Oh for fucks’ sake. It’s a fist bump, you nerd. Make a fuckin’ fist.” When Tenya balled his hand into a fist, Katsuki knocked their knuckles together lightly. “Props for sticking up for the lightning bug. There are a lot of shitty fuckin’ people out there, and more than one that’ll act like a friend until something happens, then they’ll suddenly vanish. Fuckin’ cowards.”

Izuku hummed his agreement. “Guess you two really are our bodyguards, huh?”

“Shut the fuck up, you leafy piece of shit!”

By the time the three boys had to head to their own homes, numbers had been exchanged, a group chat that Katsuki promptly complained about had been created, and Izuku had cajoled Hizashi into calling Denki’s parents, since he actually knew the Livewire Duo in passing due to his hero work. He explained that they were trying a new specialist from UA since he was Hitoshi’s friend. Of course, the blond hero didn’t bother telling them that the specialist was a twelve year old kid, just that he and Shouta thought it might help. After explaining what the ‘specialist’ said, Denki’s parents were more than happy to allow him to switch, telling Hizashi that they’d call their daughter to explain.

Izuku went to bed that night, but spent several hours scribbling down ideas for working with Denki’s quirk. An hour after Shouta and Hizashi went to bed, Hitoshi snuck back into his room and they quietly bounced ideas off each other until they both ended up falling asleep sprawled across notebooks on Izuku’s bed.

Chapter Text

Izuku’s first solo trip into UA was a bit nerve-wracking. He stuck close to Shouta, one hand finding the end of his capture scarf as they made their way through the halls while classes were in session. They went to Nezu’s office first, and it was only after they were through the door and it closed behind them that Izuku managed to step away.

“Izuku-kun! Welcome back. I’m delighted to hear that you’ve picked up a project all on your own. And very pleased that Ryo-kun was able to free up some space today so that we can all talk.” Nezu came around his desk, carrying a tea tray. “Please, both of you, sit down and relax. While we wait for our esteemed counselor, why don’t you tell me your ideas so far for Hitoshi-kun’s friend?”

Izuku nodded, pulling out one of the notebooks he’d brought with him as he sat down. He thanked Nezu for the tea before opening it up. “Okay, so I actually learned a lot just by talking to him, so I have a couple things I want to test. First and most importantly, I know that if he’s badly startled, like something hurts him or someone hits him with metal, he’ll lose control of his quirk and short-circuit. He calls it ‘going dumb’ or ‘whey mode’, which just… no. I’m gonna work on him calling it something else. But anyway, his ‘quirk counselor’ has been making him overload his quirk to try to build up a tolerance.” Izuku’s lip curled into a sneer, and his agitation was mirrored by Nezu’s tail twitching in annoyance.

“It’s stupid as hell… you know he overloads, so why make him do it over and over again? She never even tried to like, get a brain scan? Just told him that she ‘knows’ the equipment won’t work because he’ll just fry it. Which is stupid, because we have the capability of testing wires and batteries at several times higher than what she’s been reporting. So either she’s making shit up on the fly, or she knows damned well that he’s shorting out at a much higher capacity. Either way, the fact that he hasn’t completely burned his poor brain out by now is just a miracle. I’m currently chalking it up to a natural defense that he’s burning through, because normal electricity, like from electrical sockets and tasers don’t bother him at all.”

Nezu nodded, sipping his tea. “And what does this information tell us?”

Izuku flipped a page quickly. “I think he’s having mild seizures. They’re not full-body but he talks about a loss of awareness, he can’t control his face or the sounds he makes, and his arms pull up to his chest. I’m leaning towards a mix of myoclonic and focal seizures, but I’m not a medical professional, so that’s just my best guess. I also think that because both of his parents have strong electricity quirks, their DNA mixed into a quirk that’s much stronger than either of them have dealt with. I don’t know what his sister’s quirk is, but I have a feeling it either isn’t very strong or doesn’t have much to do with actual electricity or lightning, since she’s been using a very outdated and frankly damaging method to try and ‘fix’ his issues.”

Shouta shuddered slightly at the feral grin on the principal’s face. “These are all very interesting and complete theories, Izuku-kun. But you said that was just the first thing.”

Nodding again, Izuku took a sip of his tea. “The second thing is that he can intentionally use smaller amounts of electricity and can focus them on delicate things. For example, he can charge electronic devices with just his quirk, and unless something happens to startle him, he doesn’t surge them or destroy them. He apparently charges his phone on his way to school in the morning and it takes only a few minutes, whereas a normal charger plugged into a wall or battery pack can take up to an hour. He’s also admitted to using it against a bully at his old school who was picking on a younger student… he channeled just enough to make the kid piss himself but not enough to cause him any lasting harm. He didn’t even singe his uniform or leave a mark on his skin. I think he’s trying to spread his electricity out too much, personally. Since electricity dissipates if it doesn’t have a proper conductor, he’s trying to use too much to reach targets that are too far away.”

Izuku tapped his lip, grabbing his pen and starting to write again as he rambled his thoughts. “Personally, I think he’d be far more effective in close combat, as long as he had proper gear to keep him safe since he’s not built like Tenya or Kacchan. Possibly a weapon… gloves, a staff or baton, maybe a whip or some sort of long distance grapple device… anything that would allow him to stay connected to his target. He could also be an effective rescue hero or underground hero if he had support items that he could power like a generator and had the proper stealth and first aid training.”

“I also think he’s like Kacchan and we should look into getting him a public quirk use license. I think part of his ADHD is due to having too much electricity, especially in a school environment where there are cellphones and computers and PA systems and lights that continue to spill electricity into him. That could be wrong, if he produces his own, but I have a feeling it’s a combination because the LiveWire Duo have two different electricity quirks… his father uses the electricity around him and is the most powerful during lightning storms or in areas with electrical towers, while his mother produces her own electricity and can only see electricity in wires and batteries. It’s what makes them an effective hero duo, and also why I think he got a mix of both of their quirks and is having so many problems with it.”

Shouta smirked at Nezu, who looked back at him with delight. “These are excellent observations and ideas so far! I have put in a reservation for Ground Gamma for this afternoon, which will give you a large area to test your theories while giving Katsuki-kun, Hitoshi-kun, and the young Iida plenty of room to make training plans as well.” He looked up as a knock sounded at his door, and Hound Dog walked in.

“Ah, but it seems our theorizing will have to wait for a bit. For now, I’d like to introduce you to Ryo Inui, UA’s head counselor. I know that you wanted to meet with him in an official capacity with Katsuki-kun, but I thought it might be nice for you two to get to know each other with Shouta-kun and myself present to make things a little easier.”

Izuku stood shakily, holding out a hand. Ryo’s paw wrapped around it and he smiled through his muzzle. “I-it’s a pleasure to meet you, sir…”

The low voice of the hero was more of a soft growl or purr. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. May I call you Izuku?”

“I’d prefer it, hon-honestly. Umm… sorry…”

Shouta gently tugged him back down, giving him the end of his scarf again. “Relax, problem child. We’re just meeting a friend of mine.”

Ryo nodded and settled across from them, taking the tea that Nezu offered with a quiet word of thanks. “Indeed, Izuku. I’ve been told you have some trauma from before you came into Aizawa’s care, and that you’d prefer to wait until your friend can join us to get into it. That’s perfectly fine. I’d like to tell you a bit about myself, if you’d like. I’m aware that you’re a bit of a quirk and hero enthusiast, so Nezu-san and Aizawa thought it might be nice for you to get any questions out of the way before we do any sessions.”

Izuku flushed and ducked his head, but there was a smile playing on his lips. “I mean, it would probably annoy Kacchan less if I got all my ‘stupid nerd shit’ out of the way before we grouped up. Not that he isn’t gonna just ask me for all the details anyway, but… it’s Kacchan.”

Ryo chuckled, a sound reminiscent of a dog woofing softly, and nodded. “Ask away. There’s not a lot of people who are all that interested in me.” He paused and grinned through his muzzle. “Actually, Aizawa, you should take him to meet Lunch Rush at some point.”

Izuku nodded rapidly, looking excited. “One of the biggest bonuses of coming to UA, aside from the whole… ya know, quirkless thing, is that all of the staff are heroes in their own right! And all of them, all of you, are so different, but you all help people and it’s amazing!” He squeaked a little, then cleared his throat. “Sorry… I’m just really excited to be able to actually be here, even if I don’t get into the school. Being here like this is a lot more than I ever expected.”

Ryo woofed softly. “From what Aizawa and Yamada have said, I don’t think you’ll have any issues, pup. What questions do you have for me?”

Taking out a different notebook and poising his pen over it, Izuku tilted his head as he considered. “Okay, so I know that you have canine features and instincts. You’ve also headed several search and rescue operations, using your advanced senses to find lost civilians as needed. But you don’t do a lot of interviews, and have actually been known to growl at reporters, so first, if I ask a question you don’t want to answer, you don’t have to. I know I can be a little invasive sometimes. My first question is about your muzzle, actually.”

Ryo smiled gently at him, touching the black leather on his face. “That is what many people ask about. I don’t answer reporters because of two reasons. One, they are often pushy and can be very rude. Two, I know that I look scary to some, and don’t want the public to have any reason to be afraid of me. It can affect my ability to rescue civilians if they’ve heard something scary about me and won’t listen because of it.”

Izuku nodded, already scribbling in his book. “That makes sense, honestly. I’m sure even just trying to rescue someone who has a fear of dogs in general would be difficult.”

“Exactly so, pup. I wear the muzzle when I’m out in the public because instincts, while useful, can also be a bit of a hindrance. For example, I’m sure you have an instinctive urge to avoid being touched by strangers, because of the way you grew up. You either duck away or flinch backwards. My instinct is to bite, especially if they smell ‘wrong’ somehow, like a heavy use of alcohol or they smell unwashed.”

Shouta snorted. “Don’t let the stuttering fool you, Inui… the brat’s instincts probably lean towards biting too.” He only grinned at Izuku’s affronted noise.

“Excuse you, I don’t bite! You don’t know where some people have been, and I don’t have enhanced sense to help. I hit. With metal.”

Shouta chuckled and ruffled his hair. “He does.”

Ryo gave that woofing laughter again, nodding. “Fair enough. Sometimes the instinct is hurt them before they hurt you, hmm?”

“Fight, flight, or freeze. I don’t freeze, but flight only happens if I have time to assess a situation. Can I blame Kacchan for my habit of hitting first?” Izuku batted his eyes at Shouta innocently, but stopped when the older man just huffed and shook his head.

“Not a chance, problem child. Katsuki keeps his hands to himself mostly. You’re the troublemaker.”

Izuku just snorted and turned his attention back to Hound Dog. “So you muzzle yourself for the safety of stupid people?”

“A very… simplistic explanation, but yes. When I was younger, just starting out as a sidekick, I often found myself in disciplinary reviews for biting criminals, reporters and even other heroes. Children don’t bother me, which is why I took Nezu-san up on his offer of becoming a school counselor many years ago.”

“Okay, your senses… is it just smell and hearing? And do you see in normal colors, or are your eyes more canine-shaped as well? Do you have a mostly carnivorous diet like a wild canine, a leaning towards a few vegetables like domesticated canines, or is your diet mostly human? Do you enjoy some canine habits, like chewing on things to work your jaw muscles or being in warmer environments?”

Ryo laughed again, settling back into his seat more comfortably. “Nezu-san was right, you do ask some interesting questions, but you somehow manage to be far less offensive than most reporters. My enhanced senses are similar to a canine. Both my sense of smell and hearing are more advanced than a normal humans, and I do have the ability to smell sickness and disease. My eyes are not the best, though I can see in color. Things are a little more… hmmm… flat, I suppose would be the best way to describe it. As such, I don’t tend to enjoy watching tv or movies, though I have an appreciation of music and I read rather voraciously.” He paused to let Izuku write, considering his other questions.

“As for my diet, I prefer meat, but unlike canines, I can process and actually quite enjoy most vegetables. As a joke, I started making dog biscuit shaped cookies when I was younger… it was entertaining to watch the horror of my fellow staff members as I munched on them. I am, however, allergic to chocolate, and I avoid caffeine, as it doesn’t sit well with me. That is an issue with many animal trait quirks, so I don’t honestly know if the caffeine thing is just because I have an animal quirk, or if it’s because it’s specifically canine-based. The chocolate thing is definitely canine, though. As to your last question, yes, I do actually enjoy chewing on things and have several rubber stim toy chewers that I will absently use when doing paperwork or reading. I actually prefer cooler temperatures, but I have been known to chase balls as a form of exercise when I can find someone strong enough to launch them. I can run on two legs or drop to all fours, and part of my duties here are patrolling the grounds at night because I have a lot of stamina and don’t require a full eight hours of sleep.” He winked playfully at Izuku, making the boy grin. “My boss does give me permission to take naps in my office during the day.”

Nezu chuckled softly. “Well, it would be rather hypocritical of me to deny a good nap to anyone, much less someone who is so very similar to myself. Shouta-kun is also fond of my napping policy.”

“Amen to that,” the dark-haired hero muttered. “Zash and I sleep whenever we can. He’s just more likely to do it at home because he’s actually social.”

Izuku giggled again, leaning lightly into Shouta’s side. “There’s been more than one study that says that a 15 minute power nap, or a 90 minute crash, is more effective than a full eight hours.”

“That’s for adults, you little shit, and also only for a short time. It doesn’t mean you can forgo sleeping entirely and survive on naps.” Shouta bapped Izuku’s nose lightly, getting another laugh. “Trust me, I’ve tried. It doesn’t work.”

They all laughed at that and Ryo glanced at the clock on Nezu’s wall before finishing his tea and standing up. “If you think of any more questions, you can ask them at the end of your first session with me. Would you prefer a morning or afternoon appointment?”

Izuku considered it, pinching his lip with his fingers before looking up. “I think a morning would be better. Kacchan is a little more settled in the morning before he’s had a chance to get worked up during the day, and it would allow us time to train in the afternoon if we need to… settle emotions, I guess?”

“That is completely understandable and logical. Will Saturday morning work for you, Aizawa? I’d like to have both pups in at least once before they start at a new school, and don’t want to pull anyone out of classes to do it. From what I’ve heard, Izuku’s friend would not be happy with that.”

“We’ll make Saturday work, Inui, thank you. 10 would probably be best, so that we can actually be awake but still have time for training after.”

“Then I will mark it down. Izuku, it was a true pleasure to meet you and I look forward to talking to you again.” When Izuku nodded with a little smile, Ryo nodded to both Shouta and Nezu before walking out.

“Now that that’s settled, Izuku-kun, Shouta-kun is going to give you a proper tour. I believe Miss Kayama is in the teacher’s lounge at the moment.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. She’s been blowin’ up our phones. We’ll start there. The rest of the gremlins will be here after their school’s let out. Hitoshi has a pass, so just have someone direct them to Gamma when they show up. I’m gonna take him to see Power Loader too, since he’ll most likely have or know of the equipment that we’ll need for Denki’s testing.”

“Indeed. Have a pleasant day, Izuku-kun. Check your email this evening; I look forward to your initial findings.”

The trip to the teachers’ lounge was mostly quiet, with Shouta pointing out certain things but not maintaining a conversation. Izuku just took it all in, ducking in close when students ran by but otherwise being absolutely fascinated by the size of the school. As they stepped inside, he noticed Snipe apparently sleeping on a couch near the back and Midnight in full costume, perched on the arm of another couch and staring at the door.

“Nem,” Shouta muttered, gently pushing Izuku further into the room. “This is our newest brat. Izuku Midoriya, meet Nemuri Kayama, also known as-“

“Midnight!” He was cut off as Izuku darted forward, bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet. “The R-Rated Hero who’s first costume was a blatant stab at typical sexism around hero work and the over-sexualization of both male and female heroes that’s prevalent in society! You’ve been an avid spokewoman about human rights and proper education about sex, gender, and identity, and have inspired many female heroes both before and after your debut. They say your quirk works better on people who are attracted to you, but you’ve never confirmed or denied that in interviews, always winking and diverting attention. Can you store your gas in a container to use as a sleep bomb? Do your pores react to sweat differently? Is your whip an actual support item like your fans, or is it more of a prop and something to startle people with?”

His ramble attack was stopped when Nemuri squealed and scooped him into a hug, shaking him back and forth. “Oh my god, Shou! You didn’t say my new nephew was so cute!! I could just eat him up!!”

Izuku squeaked and flailed a little, unsure where to put his hands. After a moment, he returned the hug briefly and then he was being plucked away and set back on his feet by his foster father. “Nem! You know better than that. You okay, gremlin?” His fingers found Izuku’s hair, ruffling it gently.

“Y-yeah… I’m fine. It’s okay, Mid-mm-Kayama-san!”

“None of that now. You’re part of Shou’s family, which means it’s Nemuri, Nem, or Aunt Nem. Can I call you Izuku? And do you have preferred pronouns?”

He nodded eagerly, bouncing on his feet again now that his shock had faded. “I’d like that. And male pronouns are fine. You use female pronouns?” He paused a second, tilting his head. “But.. umm, why aunt?”

She waved a hand, smiling brightly. It was much different that the deviant smirk she usually gave in costume and had Izuku itching for his notebooks again. “Yes, cutie, I use female pronouns. And like I said, you’re part of Shou and Zashi’s family. They’re basically my little brothers at this point, so Hitoshi calls me Aunt Nem. I actually prefer that, but totally understand if you’re not comfortable with it yet. Little Tenya also calls me Aunt Nemuri, because we’ve been friends with Tensei just as long.”

Izuku’s eyes were sparkling as he considered the implications. “So… would that make Hitoshi and Tenya like… honorary cousins?”

Shouta snorted. “Technically, yes, but they do tend to act more like brothers. We introduced them shortly after Hitoshi came to live with us, especially because we wanted to send Tosh to Somei, and they latched onto each other after an hour of weird, silent staring. It’s been both a blessing and a curse, because Tenya used to be a respectable, behaved brat. The exact opposite of his older brother. But now, especially with Denki getting added to the group, he’s become almost as unhinged as the rest of you.”

Nemuri scoffed softly. “Please, he’s still respectable and far better behaved than any of the rest of us. He’s just loosened up a little bit, and grown a bit of a spine. He’s definitely the most protective out of the group, though.”

Shouta chuckled and shook his head. “Not anymore. This one brought a literal human explosion with him, and I think they’re about equal in the protective department. I just hope Tenya doesn’t pick up Katsuki’s mouth.”

Izuku laughed and shook his head. “Kacchan doesn’t bother hiding who he is for anyone. I don’t think he’ll emulate him, but Tenya seems to appreciate that he doesn’t pretend to be something he isn’t.” He paused, tilting his head. “Honestly, I think Tenya has some social blindness… he doesn’t seem to immediately grasp things like sarcasm unless they come from Hitoshi. He doesn’t quite know what to make of me yet, except that Toshi and Denks both like me so he’s willing to try to figure me out.”

Nemuri nodded. “That sounds a lot like Tenya, honestly. He’s a studier. Despite his quirk, he’s not one to jump into things unless someone is being hurt. He prefers to watch and observe before he forms an opinion, especially on things that he doesn’t understand immediately.”

She turned back to Izuku with a cheerful smile. “But! You had questions. I caught some of them, but let’s sit down for a few minutes so you can ask me properly, hmm?” When he nodded, glancing at Shouta, she led them both over to the couch she’d been perched on, flopping comfortably and patting the seat beside her.

Izuku sat down gingerly, but there was an excited vibration around him even as he leaned a little into Shouta. “You sure you don’t mind my questions? I never really expect them to be answered…”

Shouta nudged him lightly. “Kiddo, no one here has had any issues answering. Remember, if they don’t want to answer something, they’ll just say that. Go ahead and ask, but slowly.”

Izuku nodded, looking back at Nemuri. “Okay.” He took a deep breath, physically slowing himself down. “Have you ever contained your gas in something to use as projectile weapon?”

Nemuri tapped her lip a little, giving him a little wink. “I can technically store the gas, but any container that is air-tight enough to keep it inside for more than an hour is too thick to break properly for a projectile weapon. The sound also gives enemies a warning and they can either cover their faces or run easier than if I can get in close before they notice me. While Higari and I are still collaborating to try to find something, we haven’t been super successful so far.”

Izuku nodded, his notebook in his hands again as he wrote her answers down. “That makes sense. I wonder if…” He waved a hand at himself, shaking his head. “Nevermind. Umm, next question. Do you actually sweat, or are your pores different because you emit gas? I’ve noticed on interviews that even after fights, when other heroes are covered in sweat, your costume is still apparently dry and you don’t have to wipe at your face or anything.”

“You’re observant, cutie, I like that! Now normally, I’d say it’s not polite to ask a lady about her sweat, but I don’t mind answering this one. I do sweat, but less than a normal person, and my perspiration can contain traces of my gas, so I have to be a little careful of where it lands. My hero suit is actually made specifically to wick my sweat in a fight, so that it’s still contained. After a couple weeks of use, I need to replace the inner lining because the concentration of gas between my regular quirk use and my sweat becomes dangerous. My mask is the same way, which is why you never see me wiping at my face on interviews.”

Another thought obviously hit the green-haired boy and he grabbed a completely different notebook, scribbling quickly in it. “What happens to your old lining when you have to replace it?”

Nemuri looked surprised by the question, but shrugged. “Higari takes them and I believe he destroys them, but I’ve never asked. Why do you want to know?”

Izuku grinned at Shouta. “Wouldn’t it be cool to use those pieces like chloroform cloths?? Sneak up behind a villain or criminal and knock them out before they even knew I was there! Depending on the concentration, they could also be fanned at panicking civilians to calm them down a bit without knocking them out so they could be moved away from danger!”

Nemuri’s eyes went wide and she shared a startled look with Shouta. “I’ve never thought about that.”

Izuku waved her off slightly. “It’s not surprising. You know how to work your quirk to perfection, you don’t need any additions or help aside from what you already use. But I’m always looking for ways to use quirks without actually having them. Kacchan and I have come up with tiny glass grenades that I can fill with his sweat to create my own explosions, and I’ve been thinking about lightning or electric based weapons I could use since I met Denki. Shoes with wheels and mini rockets could replicate Tenya, but I’m not completely sure how safe, or quiet that would be, so I’m still workshopping that. I also have plans for a voice modulator and projector to mimic Voice.”

“Holy shit,” came mumbled from the couch at the back of the room. Snipe pushed himself up, pushing his hat off his face and sauntering over. “Damn, child, you’ve got a whole lotta ideas goin’ on. This your new sprout, Shouta?”

The Erasure Hero nodded easily. “Izuku, meet Snipe. Snipe, Izuku Midoriya, my foster son.”

“Pleasure, youngin’. Not too many people these days thinkin’ outside the box for weapons and things…”

Shouta put a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “The problem child is quirkless, and planning on being a hero.” He squeezed gently, soothing Izuku’s initial startle at being ‘outed’ so easily.

“Hoo, boy, that sounds like a bad time, kiddo. If ya wanna learn how to shoot, ya come see me, ya hear? My quirk may be all about sharpshootin’, but anyone can learn ta handle a gun if they got a good head on their shoulders. It’d be a real riot to help out the first quirkless hero, ain’t gonna lie. This the kid Nezu’s got his eye on?”

Shouta nodded easily, relaxing as Izuku relaxed. “Certified genius. The rat’s mentoring him, but wants him to get to know the staff, probably for the same reason. I’ve seen what the brat can do with a piece of pipe, so I’m a little worried about letting him have firearms, but honestly, it can’t hurt.”

Snipe shot fingerguns at them and Izuku could practically feel him grinning. “Sure can’t, s’long as he’s trained up right. You bring ‘em to me when y’all think he’s ready. He can ask his questions while I show ‘im the ropes.”

Izuku nodded frantically, eyes wide with excitement. “I’d really like that! Anything I can add to my arsenal can only be a good thing, even if I don’t use everything all the time, ya know?”

Nemuri chuckled and nodded. “That’s the dream, honestly. While it’s usually from a quirk standpoint, we try our best to make sure that every hero has a well-rounded idea of what they can and can’t do, as well as what they might bring to specific situations versus what they’d carry with them all the time before they leave the school.”

Shouta sighed, shaking his head fondly. “You’re gonna be an even bigger problem child. And Zashi’s gonna kill me when I tell him I’m gonna give you knife training too… Maybe we’ll save that info and the gun thing for a bit, hmm?”

Grinning sheepishly, Izuku ducked his head. “I’ll… try?”

“Ugh. C’mon, brat, why don’t we walk with Nem down to the Support Labs. There’s enough time for you to get lost in Higari’s space for a bit and we need to figure out what we’re having sent to Ground Gamma before the rest of the gremlin group shows up to rain chaos on us. We’ll talk about training a little later, Snipe.”

“Ya know where ta find me.”

As they walked the halls, Izuku was flanked by Nemuri and Shouta, giving him the safety to look around a bit more freely. He chatted amiably with them, only growing quiet when older students walked by, especially as they seemed to gather a bit of attention. Thankfully, a glare from Shouta was enough to send them packing, and by the time they made it to Power Loader’s domain, Izuku had learned that Nemuri’s whip was made of similar materials and for similar reasons to Shouta’s scarf, and that her fans were actually metal hidden inside the fluffy pink material, making them good not only for spreading her quirk over a larger area, but also a hidden close combat weapon.

He couldn’t wait to start actually working on his own support gear.

Chapter Text

Katsuki Bakugou was a worrier. He knew that about himself, but really, with a best friend like Izuku, who could blame him? The leaf-haired little bastard was literally always getting himself into some kind of trouble, and his typical, ‘I can deal with it, I don’t wanna bother anyone’ bullshit was literally going to kill Katsuki before his own quirk could.

Case in point, a couple days ago, the little shit had just gone completely off the radar. No ‘I’m safe’ text, and he doesn’t even bother showing up to school? He hadn’t even missed school for a stab wound, or the subsequent infection, so who the hell did he think he was disappearing without a trace? Katsuki was pretty sure he didn’t catch a single bit of the lessons from class that day, too busy staring at his phone behind a book and willing his idiotic best friend to contact him… and praying that he wouldn’t hear from his parents instead about how Izuku’s body had been found somewhere.

When the asshole finally messaged him, halfway through school, he’d almost blown up his phone. Thankfully, he was at lunch and outside, so he was quickly able to let off a couple of pops before replying. And somehow, some way… the constant thorn in his side known as Izuku Midoriya had not only been saved by Eraserhead the night before, but apparently the hero wanted to take him in?

This, of course, was a good thing. Izuku was accepting help from someone who wasn’t Katsuki, and it was being offered by two of their favorite heroes, nonetheless. However, that wasn’t going to stop the blond from laying down some ground rules. He’d had more than enough of people being shitty, especially adults, and he damned well wasn’t going to let these new adults fuck his brother up even more.

It was a pleasant surprise when they not only agreed with his terms, but matched his energy, and the purple troll doll of a foster brother was just the right kind of sarcastic asshole. Finally, Katsuki felt like he could relax his vigilance, just a little bit, because someone other than him knew Izuku’s whole story and was actively trying to help him.

It wasn’t until they dropped him off at Aldera after their sleepover that he realized he’d have to go the next couple days without Izuku at school with him. It was a good thing… Zuk could make split-second decisions when he needed to, but big changes took him a bit to get used to, and this was a complete 180 from what they were both used to. And it’s not like Katsuki needed the broccoli bastard at his side 24/7, or even all the way through the school day.

It was just weird to not hear him mumbling, okay?

That weirdness turned into rage when Katsuki got to class the day after meeting the troll doll’s friends. Izuku’s desk was covered in spider lilies, fake condolence cards and swathes of black fabric. It seemed like the whole god damned class had coordinated their attack, and if Zuk had been there to see it, he would have shut down for the rest of the day. As it was, it took all of Katsuki’s willpower to take a picture without being noticed, capturing the whole class laughing and pointing at the ‘decorations’ as well as the display itself. He even managed to capture the teacher adding her own damned flower to the mix. Swapping to video mode, he tucked his phone away, letting it record what his classmates and teacher were saying as he banged through the door.

“The fuck is this bullshit?”

“Ah, Bakugou, please don’t slam doors!”

“Fuck that, what the hell is all over Izuku’s desk?!”

One of his classmates, who Katsuki couldn’t remember the name of and didn’t care to, smirked as he waved at the mess all over the desk like he was presenting a prize. “Neh, Bakugou, can’t you see we’re mourning the null? It’s been three days; obviously he realized he was a waste of space and decided to save the air for the rest of us!”

Another kid, Batwings or some shit, spoke up. “Nah, I bet someone finally took ‘im out. Probably got caught stealing or something. You know the quirkless are always stealing things.”

Everyone laughed, the teacher hiding it behind her hand ‘politely’, but still snickering nonetheless. “Please take your seat, Bakugou, class is about to start.”

A low growl erupted from his throat as he stalked forward, slamming his hands on Izuku’s desk and blowing the whole god damned thing up. “Fuck you. Fuck all of you! That little bastard has more integrity and fucking intelligence in his god damned pinky toe than any of you chucklefucks have in your whole body!”

The teacher screamed and pointed to the door. “Principal’s office, now!” It would have been more effective if she wasn’t practically hiding behind her desk, but Katsuki didn’t care about her, or any of the other assholes in this classroom or this school.

“Fuck that shit. The principal can suck a dick for all I care, and so can the rest of you pieces of shit.” He stormed back out of the classroom, angry sparks popping from his hands as he stalked down the halls and right back out the front door. He was done with that place.

By the time he got home, he was swiping furious tears from his eyes and his hands ached a little from the constant explosions that he couldn’t get under control. He knew, okay? He knew that the school was full of assholes who literally thought it was funny to bully and hurt his best friend. He knew that the administration didn’t care, at all, and even encouraged it. But the difference between knowing it, and actually hearing people celebrating Izuku’s supposed death made him sick. The only thing that kept him from saying screw it to their plans and blowing up every single one of those bastards was the thought that Izuku was still alive and actually seemed to be thriving.

That didn’t stop his need to see him. Right away. He slammed his front door open, whipping his school bag into the entry way without care. “Ma!”

Mitsuki hollered back from somewhere in the house. “What the fuck are you doing home?” Despite the harsh, loud words, she sounded concerned, probably because he was home so early and almost never called her mom or ma.

Following the sound of her voice, he found her in the kitchen, standing next to the table where she’d obviously just left a cup of coffee when she heard him come in. “I’m done with that fucking shithole. Transfer me out, I’ll start on Monday with Zuk, but I ain’t goin’ back there. Do you have time to take me to UA?”

Mitsuki blinked once, then motioned for him to sit down. Once he’d flopped into a chair, she sat next to him, her voice calmer than before as she noticed the tear tracks on his face and the way his hands were still sparking slightly. “Talk to me, brat. What happened?” She held up a hand quickly. “I have no problem taking you out of there today because something obviously happened, but I need to know what, Kats.”

It took a few deep breaths before Katsuki could finally get his quirk to stop acting up and Mitsuki pushed her coffee to him once he’d gotten himself a little more settled. A couple of sips later, he pushed it back and pulled out his phone. “They’ve been talkin’ shit since Zukkun missed school a couple days ago, but today…” He opened up the photo he took and Mitsuki’s hand flew to her mouth in shock. Once she’d taken in the whole thing, including the teacher, he turned on the recording. The video was black, since it had been in his pocket, but the conversation could clearly be heard, including Katsuki’s explosion and the way he left.

“Oh, Kats…” It wasn’t a common occurrence for hugs to be doled out in the Bakugou household, but Mitsuki swooped in, wrapping her son into a tight embrace for a moment. She didn’t cling, but he raised his arms and buried his face in her shoulder for a second before they both parted at the same time. “Okay, here’s what’s gonna happen. You’re gonna go get changed and I’m going to call Shouta so he knows you’re coming early. I’ll drop you off wherever they’re at and then I’ll go deal with that…. That place. Go on, brat, wash your face and hands too.”

Katsuki nodded and trudged up to his room, suddenly exhausted. He heard his mom on the phone and perched on the edge of his bed for a few minutes, practicing his deep breathing exercises. Once he’d settled the shaking in his hands, he pushed himself up off the bed to change and wash up like he’d been told. He just really needed to see Izuku, to remind himself that the little shit hadn’t actually gotten hurt. It made no sense, but he didn’t try to analyze it too much. It was easier to just let himself autopilot through his room and then the bathroom.

Mitsuki knocked on his door after a bit with a plastic bag in her hands. “Throw both of your uniforms in here so I can return them to the school. Your dad and I will be coming to dinner later tonight once we’ve gotten everything sorted out, but you have the rest of the week off. I don’t give a shit what they fuckin’ say. Let’s get moving.”

They drove straight to UA, where Nezu was waiting by the open gate with a piece of plastic and a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Thank you, Bakugou-san. I will take young Katsuki-kun to see his friend. If you have any… issues, with that,” he coughed into his paw delicately, “learning establishment, such as it is, please let Shouta-kun know and I will handle it.”

Mitsuki nodded, a snarl on her lips. “I don’t think I’ll have any problems with them, but I’ll be letting Shouta know what happened anyway. Thank you for letting my brat crash here so early.”

“It’s not a problem at all.” He waved her away and she ruffled Katsuki’s hair before stalking back to the car. Nezu turned to the blond teen, holding out the piece of plastic. “This is a visitor badge for the gates. I’ve had them made for your whole group so you can train here whenever free time allows. Izuku-kun is down in the Support labs.” He turned and started walking, and Katsuki fell into step with him.

“Shouta-kun informed me that you have pictures and video from the altercation today?”

Katsuki nodded, hands stuffed in his pockets. “Yeah, I got the picture from the doorway before they noticed me and then decided to get audio… I was pissed and guess I wanted to get evidence so they couldn’t say I acted out for no fuckin’ reason.”

“That was very smart, especially with as angry and upset as you must have been. Please send them to Shouta-kun so that I can add them to the file.” It only registered then, but Nezu’s tail was lashing behind him, and the fur above his collared shirt was ruffled angrily. “I was already planning on investigation after some of the things I’ve heard from Izuku-kun, but this, I believe, will be the final nail in their coffin.”

Katsuki snarled, nodding firmly. “Fuckin’ good. Quirkest pieces of shit. I expect stupid shit outta the kids, ya know? They’re all morons. But…” He paused, swallowing as the rage and disgust filled his throat for a second. “She did it too. Nakahara-sensei put a fuckin’ flower on his god damned desk and laughed about it.”

A small paw touched Katsuki’s wrist gently. “That school will not be able to bother anyone else, ever again. I promise, Katsuki-kun.”

They traveled in silence until the large metal doors of Power Loader’s classroom came into view. “Izuku-kun is through there, and they’re already expecting you. Please make sure you take advantage of Lunch Rush’s meals while you are here, they are quite the mood booster.” Giving his wrist one final pat, Nezu walked off, pulling his phone out as he went and humming to himself.

Katsuki watched him go and shook his head before turning back to walk into the lab. Two minutes later, he had his arms full of his best friend and he tucked his face into that green curly hair and let himself just sag against him for a few minutes.

Chapter Text

They barely had time for Izuku to be introduced to Higari Maijima, the Excavation Hero. He was still in mid-ramble about the hero’s work and how good his quirk was when Shouta’s phone rang. Shouta excused himself and stepped away, but it was easy for the other three to still hear him, and as soon as Izuku heard Mitsuki’s name, he held up a hand and moved a little closer.

“Mitsuki?”

“What? Fuck. How is he?”

“Yeah, that’s no problem. He got it on camera? Good kid.”

“Izuku must have told him last night, but we’re down in Support. I’ll let Nezu know. Yup, someone will be waiting at the gate for him.”

“Come to dinner tonight and we can talk. The kid can spend the night again, I don’t mind. Don’t worry, Mitsuki, he’s more than welcome to stay with us during the day until they start school. Trust me, Zashi won’t mind either. Just bring him here.”

“Okay, see you tonight.”

Once he hung up the call, he held a hand up to Izuku to stop the flow of questions he could already see forming, sending a long text to his boss. Once he got confirmation back, he turned to his foster son.

“First, Kats is fine. Shaken up and pissed off, but physically, he’s fine.”

Izuku breathed out a small sigh of relief, then straightened again. “Then what happened, because Auntie wouldn’t have called you if something didn’t happen.”

“Apparently there was an incident at your school. Kats got it on camera, but he basically told Mitsuki that he wasn’t going back there. She’s bringing him here, and they’re coming to dinner to talk once they both get done at work.”

Izuku was practically vibrating, anger and worry rolling off of him. Katsuki didn’t just leave school, he took exactly as many sick days as Izuku did, which was basically none. And the blond had a far thicker skin than he did, so whatever happened must have been serious. “Can you tell me anything?”

Shouta shook his head. “I don’t have all the details. Just that there was an incident involving your old classmates and your teacher, Katsuki may or may not have caused some property damage, and Mitsuki is going down to raise hell at Aldera before heading into work a little late. The only things that I know for certain are that the bomb gremlin will be here in about ten minutes and that he’s upset.”

Izuku nodded, chewing on his lip. “Kacchan doesn’t cause property damage. Not on accident. And if Auntie is condoning his actions instead of scolding him, it was bad.” He turned to Power Loader and Midnight, bowing slightly. “Please forgive my interruption. I am still very interested in learning from you today, but I need to deal with this first.”

Higari waved him off, a gentle smile seen through his helmet. “You don’t need to apologize, young one. Why don’t you give me a list of things you’ll need for your electric friend and I can start putting them together while we wait, hmm?”

Izuku nodded, pulling out his notebook. His eyes flicked to the large doors repeatedly as he rattled off the various meters and testers he thought he’d need for Denki’s testing. Higari scribbled as fast as he talked, while Shouta and Nemuri spoke quietly in the corner. “Anything else you might be able to think of that can test both high and low wattage and volts would obviously be welcome too… Also… I don’t know if you have one, or can get one, but if you have anything that can do simple brain scans, it would be helpful.”

Higari nodded, tapping a finger against his helmet. “I don’t have anything down here, but I can contact Shuzenji. I know she has a portable scanner for emergencies and has used it a couple times down here when someone’s gotten a little too overzealous with wires and charging ports. You need this by the end of the school day?”

Izuku nodded absently, still studying the door now that he’d put his notebook aside. “Yes, if possible. Anything that will at least help me start studying Denki’s quirk today. This is going to be a bit of a process, so it’s okay if you don’t have something on hand right away, though.”

Higari smiled again. “I have most of what you need, and I’ll have Shuzenji meet us at Gym Gamma after classes let out. She’ll probably want to give him a look over anyway if she deems your concerns valid.”

The doors opened and Izuku’s attention was completely on the slumped blond in the doorway. As soon as he stepped inside, Izuku ran into his arms, holding him tightly. He could feel the way his best friend was trembling slightly, the tremors just a bit worse in his arms, which meant that he’d been using his quirk a lot, possibly unconsciously. When Katsuki’s face hid in his hair, Izuku just held him tighter, rubbing his back gently for a few minutes.

He let the blond break their hold and step back when he was ready. Once he did, Izuku gently grabbed his wrist and led him to a stool before digging around in his own bag for a minute. He produced a tube of cream and stood next to his best friend, pushing the short sleeve of his t-shirt up. “Do you wanna talk about it now, Kacchan, or do you wanna be distracted?”

Shouta watched the display with interest, noticing Nemuri’s cocked eyebrow as well. While Katsuki struck him as someone who was normally aware of his surroundings, it seemed that he hadn’t even noticed anyone else in the room. It was also endearing to watch his foster son be just as protective of the loud blond, in different ways.

“Don’t really wanna talk about it, but you should know.” Katsuki hissed softly as the coolness of the cream spread over his sore arms before letting himself slump again as Izuku expertly worked the pain out of his muscles. “Fuckers at Aldera put up some bullshit ‘memorial’ on your desk, because if you weren’t there, you must be dead. They were…” He balled his fists up, but Izuku quickly smoothed them back out again, giving his wrists a squeeze before continuing to work on his arms. “They were fuckin’ celebrating, Zukkun. Laughing about you being dead. Nakahara even…”

“Fuckers.” Izuku spat the curse and wrapped his arms gently around Katsuki’s shoulders, hugging him again. “Dunno why they decided to be so open about it with you around… they’re normally better at hiding that shit.”

Katsuki stiffened again, and Shouta took a step forward. “The fuck you mean, ‘normally’. What the actual fuck is normal about being suicide baited? What the actual fuck, Zukkun?!” His voice was raising, but Izuku just grabbed his wrists again, keeping him from popping his quirk off with gentle pressure.

“Kacchan… it didn’t matter. Not to me. They were just words. I had you and Auntie and Uncle. I wasn’t going to listen to them. Never even considered it. I just threw away the stupid flowers and notes. Tried reporting them to the principal once, cuz I figured he couldn’t just ignore that, but…” He shrugged. “Asshole told me that ‘popular opinion usually won out’ and that he couldn’t stop people from having opinions, so I just ignored them. I’m sorry you had to see it, though.”

“You’re sorry? Why the hell are you sorry?! God dammit, you stupid leaf-headed piece of absolute shit, why the fuck are you apologizing for being told to fucking die?!” The pops couldn’t be stopped this time and Shouta moved over to the two, erasing Katsuki’s quirk.

“Izuku. We will be talking about this. Kats, you need to breathe and stop using your quirk. You’re hurting yourself.” The hero rested a gentle hand on Katsuki’s shoulder, squeezing lightly to keep his attention. “Just breathe. You’re both out of there, and Izuku’s safe. Follow my breathing, okay?”

Izuku pushed himself under Katsuki’s arm, hugging his waist and tucking his face in his neck. He grabbed one his friend’s hands, pressing it against his own chest so he could follow his heartbeat. Once the blond settled a little, he murmured quietly, “I’m not apologizing for being told to die, Kacchan. I’m apologizing that you had to see it. And I’m apologizing for hiding it. I knew it would upset you, and you already do so much to keep people from hurting me physically. You can’t fight words, Kacchan, and I didn’t want you to get in trouble for trying.”

Lifting his hand from his chest, Katsuki gripped Izuku’s cheek tightly and shook his head around, making him whine a little. “You are a stupid piece of shit. I get it, but I’m so fuckin’ pissed at you right now. If someone says that shit to you again, you are to tell someone. I don’t care if it’s me, or Eyebags, or one of our parents, but you fuckin’ say somethin’. You hear me, asshole?”

“Yesh, Kasshan, I hear ‘ou!” He finally pulled his face free, rubbing his sore cheek. Then what Katsuki had actually said hit him and he squeaked. “K-kacchan! Y-you can’t just-! They aren’t!”

“We are, problem child.” Shouta ran a quick hand through Katsuki’s hair, checking him over quickly to make sure the worst of the panic had settled. “And the bomb gremlin is correct. If someone, anyone, adult, kid, teacher, stranger on the street, anyone, says something like that to you again, you tell someone.”

Izuku nodded, flushing brightly as he tucked himself against his best friend again. “Fine, I get it. I just… it’s that stupid saying, ya know? ‘Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me’. Words…”

“Can be just as damaging, sweetheart.” Nemuri’s voice floated over and she stepped forward. “I’m the R-Rated hero. It’s my whole schtick. You think it doesn’t bother me when I hear things like ‘slut’ and ‘whore’ spit at me by ignorant assholes? Words hurt, even if you don’t think they do in the moment. Even if you’re good at ignoring them and not reacting.”

Shouta nodded, so Izuku just sighed. Katsuki draped an arm over his shoulder, only wincing a little as Izuku’s muscle cream did it’s job of easing the tension. “You ain’t gotta hide anymore, asshole.”

“I can promise to try. Habits, ya know?”

Shouta nodded easily. “We’ll take that. And you don’t have to immediately run to an adult either. I know that that’s going to be your biggest hurdle. Taking your issues specifically to an adult isn’t something you’re used to being able to do. You’d move heaven and hell for your friends, but… well, it’s a good thing you’ve had Kats. But tell him, or Toshi, or even Tenya or Denki. They can all bring the concern up to one of us.”

Katsuki took a deep, shuddery breath, squeezing Izuku’s shoulders before finally pushing him away. “All right, enough emotional bullshit. I’m… good. For now. The Hag’s handling shit with the school. So… when’d you meet Midnight and Power Loader, asshole?”

Izuku giggled, easily letting the conversation shift. He was used to Katsuki’s general avoidance of deep feelings when they got overwhelming. “I met N-nemuri… ummm.. A-aunt Nem? About a half hour ago, and I’d just been introduced to Maijima-san right before Auntie called Shouta, so like, fifteen minutes ago.” He paused, then bounced a bit on his heels, grinning. “Oh!!I also met Snipe! He said he’d teach me how to use a gun!!”

“For fuck’s sake…” Katsuki wiped a hand over his face, groaning softly. “Aren’t you dangerous enough?”

“I mean… maybe, but Shouta said he’d teach me how to use knives too, so… Oh!”

Katsuki continued to curse under his breath, but Izuku ignored him, turning shining eyes on Power Loader. “Maijima-san, what do you do with Midnight’s costume linings when they have to be replaced?”

The support hero blinked a bit at the apparently random topic change, glancing at Nemuri and getting a nod before answering. “Generally I burn them in the incinerator, since it has a ventilation shaft that keeps any gas from getting into the air inside. But until I get around to that, I keep them in airtight bags.”

Izuku nodded, fingers scrawling over his thigh like he was writing again. Katsuki sighed and walked over to his discarded bag, pulling out the notebook Izuku kept notes about himself in. He handed it over with a pen, getting a sunny smile from the green-haired boy. “Would it be possible to keep one? I have some theories I want to test, but they won’t work if they’re being incinerated.”

Higari looked at Nemuri, getting another nod. “Well, I currently have two, since I tend to wait until I have a large load of things before running the incinerator. Saves electricity and all that. Can I ask what your theories are?”

“I think they could be used similarly to chloroform cloths for stealthy takedowns, and fanned at civilians to calm them down without putting them to sleep so they could be moved away from danger more easily.”

Higari’s eyes went wide and he stared for a minute before nodding slowly. “With the concentration of gas embedded in the cloth, that is very possible. I’m not sure about using them on civilians, because I’m not sure how you’d fan them effectively to get enough out to calm people in any kind of radius, but they could definitely be used to take out single targets for underground work.”

Nemuri rested a hand on Izuku’s shoulder, giving Higari a vicious grin. “If the little hellion can make them work, he’s welcome to take the linings we trade out. He’s got a lot of deliciously wicked ideas for support gear, Higari. I think you’ll like some of them.”

Katsuki draped his arms over Izuku’s shoulders, mindful to not mess up his writing as he dropped his chin into fluffy green hair. Izuku just melted into the warmth of his best friend, knowing that he was only being this physically affectionate because he was still a little shaken up. “Nerd’s been coming up with ways to mimic quirks since we were four. Some of them weren’t all that viable, but he’s got a pretty fuckin’ solid basis now.”

Izuku giggled. “Yeah, the flying boots propelled by your sweat wasn’t exactly a safe option, but you gotta admit it would have been cool if I could have pulled it off.”

“All right, kid, hit me with some of your more solid ideas. I’m guessing the lining idea is just recent.”

“It is. Once I started being more realistic, I realized that Kacchan could store his sweat in glass grenades. We have bracers for him that will store up excess sweat, pulling it away from his skin until he needs it so he doesn’t have to worry about neutralizing it or popping off too much while he’s out patrolling, but can still use it during a fight. If he doesn’t have to use it, we can take the excess and put them into the grenades, so he has a projectile and I can use a modified version of Explosion. I considered bracers for myself, but I don’t have the shoulder strength, or the resistance to heat and explosions that he has naturally, so it’s safer for me to throw them than use them near my body. I also have an item to mimic Voice; Present Mic was the second quirk I realized that I could use. I want it to have a voice modulator and dampener in it too, so that if I start to mutter without realizing it, I don’t give my position away to enemies before I’m ready. The kid we’re gonna be studying today has an electricity quirk and it’s given me some ideas for close-combat weapons, and I’ve revamped the nitro boots to maybe boots with wheels and tiny rockets in them, but…”

“Holy shit, Zuk, absolutely not. 90% of your fighting style is you bouncin’ offa shit, you do not need rockets. You’ll turn into a god damned pancake!”

“Kacchan!” Izuku was laughing, tilting his head back to rest it on Katsuki’s shoulder. “You’re not wrong, but you didn’t have to say it! It’s a workshop idea. I don’t know if I’ll actually be able to pull it off with any reliability, so I’m not too worried about it right now. Besides, I’ve got a lot to work on with other stuff. I’ve been trying to figure out how Shouta’s capture scarf and A-aunt Nem’s whip work too, but I don’t wanna steal Hitoshi’s weapon of choice. That just seems rude.”

Higari chuckled and held a hand out. “May I see your ideas so far? Have you worked on any blueprints or just jotted down ideas?”

Izuku handed over the notebook, a little nervously. “The grenades, gauntlets, and Voice mimicker are all drawn out with a general idea of what we’ll need and the specs… I was mostly working off internet information, so I know they’ll need actual professional help, but I know exactly how I want them to look and what I want them to do. The other stuff is just rough sketches, and I don’t have anything for the cloths yet, just the idea.”

Higari flipped through the pages, nodding slightly at what he saw. “Shouta, you said he was going to get training in guns and knives as well?”

Shouta grunted agreement softly. “My goal is to give him a well-rounded weapons set. He’s already pretty good with bludgeoning weapons.” The sharp note in his voice made Izuku ‘eep’ quietly and burrow a little closer to Katsuki. “The little shit was dealing with criminals in the Lower Musutafu slums with a bat wrapped in cloth and duct tape. Knew exactly how much force to apply to disable without permanent damage. I think giving him some other things to play will only help him going forward.”

“Indeed. These are all solid ideas, young man. We could actually use a similar design to Hizashi’s speakers, more compact for your smaller frame, but with slightly different components to project a version of Voice and give you the modulator in a mask. The glass grenades are very easy to make; the biggest issue there will be storage. You’ll want something thick enough that they won’t break against your skin while you’re fighting, but easy to access when you need them.”

Izuku and Katsuki both nodded. Katsuki spoke up, grinning a little. “I was thinking a bandolier for me, something to go over my chest to make them easy to grab and would fit in with my costume design.”

Higari hummed, then nodded after flipping to another page. “Ah, I see. Yes, I think that would work nicely. I like the size of these bracers too. The schematics need a little work, but you are already aware of that. Are you both interested in designing support gear?”

“Hell nah. Zuk is the support gear creator. I do the costume designs.”

“Kacchan’s parents are pretty famous fashion designers. Auntie helped a lot with our early ideas, and has helped a bit with our more recent stuff, making them a bit more realistic, but Kacchan has a great eye himself.”

“You’re both very talented. I would be more than happy to help you work up proper schematics when you submit your hero costume requests in. Those will be before the beginning of your first year at UA; the forms come with your acceptance letters. You also have opportunities throughout the school year to submit changes and new ideas, but the first iteration of your costumes are done by professional support companies, while future upgrades are done by support course students.” He glanced at Izuku, helmet shifting slightly as he considered something.

“If you’re both interested in support gear or costume design, we do have options for students outside the support department, though they are dependent on your grades and attendance in your main courses to maintain.”

Shouta gave a little smile, tucked behind his capture weapon. “Actually, Higari, they’re going to be coming here after school for the next two years for training. It may be possible if you agree and Nezu gives it the okay for them to join in some of those options early, since they happen on alternating days after the school day ends. Dependent, of course, on their attendance and grades in their current school.”

Higari hummed softly, then nodded. “I would want to see them in action and give them a basic crash course in lab safety, and of course, Nezu would have to approve it since they’re technically underage. But I would be more than happy to teach them things a little early, even if it’s just a more advanced design course and how to do field repairs on their gear.” The bell went off and Higari glanced up at the clock.

“That being said, I have a class to teach coming in, and with the first years cleared out, it’ll be a good time to sneak in between lunches and get these two some food. I’ll speak with Nezu before the end of the day about your ideas and joining our after school class, so I can let you know what he says when we meet up at the gym this evening.”

Shouta nodded and herded the boys out in front of them after making sure that Izuku had all his notebooks contained again. Higari promised to bring one of Midnight’s linings with him in addition to all the testing equipment Izuku had asked for, so he could start looking into things with it.

Chapter Text

“So…” Katsuki immediately started in on him as they made their way up towards the cafeteria. “You can call Midnight ‘Aunt Nem’ but freak out when I call Shouta and Hizashi your parents?”

“Kacchan…” Izuku buried his face in his hands, trusting the blond to steer him for a moment. “Why would you ask me that in front of them? I just… whhyyyy?”

“Quit yer fuckin’ whining, drama queen.” Katsuki did steer him, to both Shouta and Nemuri’s amusement. They stepped ahead a bit, giving them a semblance of privacy while still leading the way through the massive school. “I’m just sayin’, if you can call her aunt already, why the hell are you still hesitating over the two heroes you’ve literally been worshipin’ since we figured out there were others besides All Might? Ya know, the ones who’ve apparently been lookin’ for your dumb ass for like, two years, who prepared their already adopted son to know about you so there wouldn’t be any fuckin’ tension?”

Izuku whined again, dropping his hands but pushing himself into Katsuki’s side. “It’s different. I mean, I call your parents aunt and uncle too and it’s never bothered me, but…”

“But you’re freakin’ out because your genetic donors were absolute piles of shit and you don’t wanna risk a repeat?”

Izuku stopped moving, forcing Katsuki to stop as well. “Is that… am I doing that? It’s only been a couple days. I know they’ve been looking for me for a long time… but…”

“But you’re not used to relying on adults at all, you’ve barely relied on my folks for anything even though you know damned well they’d go to war for ya. And I think it started when your piece of shit father left. And seriously, Zukkun, no adult other than my folks have ever given you a reason to think they’d be any different. But dammit, you’re not a fuckin’ burden or a task to be dealt with. I know how they made you think, Zuk. Trust me, I get it. I saw it. I basically lived it with you. You’re my god damned brother, and I’m not gonna let you fuck up your chances now that you’re actually gettin’ ‘em. You got that?”

“Yeah… yeah, Kacchan, I got that. And I’ll try, I promise I will. It’s still…” He paused, realizing that Shouta and Nemuri had stopped about fifteen feet away to give them a minute. “Saying aunt or uncle is… easy. I kinda…” He wrinkled his nose, frustrated with his inability to find words when they usually came so easy to him. “I wanna talk to Toshi about it. Not for like, permission, but to get his take on it?”

“Makes sense. I ain’t had to deal with it, aside from bein’ by your side, so he’ll have a different perspective on it. Not tryin’ to rush you, nerd. Just tryin’ to understand where your green fucking broccoli lookin’ head is at.”

Izuku took his wrist, mindful that his hands were probably sore from his outburst at Aldera and dragged him over to Shouta and Nemuri, who looked slightly amused, but also a little concerned. Once they caught up, Shouta dropped his hand into Izuku’s hair, ruffling it gently. “We’ll talk later tonight, problem child. I’d like to have Zashi involved, and frankly, I think you both need a couple hours of downtime before we deal with any more heavy stuff, huh?”

Izuku sighed deeply, relieved that Shouta understood. “Definitely.” He paused and blinked, obviously thinking back. “Oh my god, I pulled a you!”

Shouta stared at him, not comprehending what had just occurred to him. “Say what now?”

Izuku looked up at Nemuri, blushing a little. “I’m sorry. Nemuri Kayama, this is my best friend, Katsuki Bakugou. Kacchan, this is Nemuri Kayama, but I think she prefers to go by her first name.”

Shouta snorted loudly, shaking his head. “God dammit, problem child, I was trying to forget that…”

Nemuri nodded easily, eyes darting between Izuku and Shouta for a second before turning her attention to the blond. “First names are for family, and Shou and Zashi are basically my siblings. So Nemuri, Nem, Aunt Nem… whatever you’re comfortable with, cutie. You have a preference for names or pronouns?”

He shrugged slightly. “Katsuki’s fine. Don’t call me that stupid nickname, I’ve given up getting the shitty nerd to stop, but it ain’t for anyone else. Shouta and my old people call me Kats too, which isn’t terrible from uh… from fuckin’ family or whatever. And I’m a guy, male pronouns are fine.”

She smiled easily and nodded. “Katsuki or Kats it is. Shouta tells me that you’ve both been training for hero work since you were really young?”

His chest puffed out a bit and Izuku squeezed his wrist gently, grinning. “Hell yeah, we have. Physical training after school for at least an hour every day, three every other day, and then weekends are for recuperation. Strength, stamina, and agility, with a bit of quirk practice in the dump where no one could get hurt and no one really cared about loud explosions or things blowing up once in a while.”

Izuku nodded. “We made sure he had a public quirk use license, so even if someone did give us grief about it, we could flash that. It’s medically necessary, but the wording is vague enough that no one bugged us more than once or twice.” He tilted his head, considering. “We’re probably gonna have to change up our schedule now, Kacchan. With more people to train and the ability to focus more on your quirk use, you’re going to need more downtime to make sure you don’t accidentally injure something. And I think Denki is gonna want more social time too…”

“Fuckin’ Pichu better not be a slacker, or I’ll kick his ass into gear. You’re probably right, though. Just what I did today made me really sore, but that also might be because I was tense as fuck and accidentally setting it off…”

“Probably. Your shoulders were really tight when you came in. I think you should focus on Tenya and Hitoshi today, seeing where they need work and getting a plan in place for them. Light training only for you and no quirk use for a day or two so you can rest.”

Shouta hummed in agreement, pushing open the doors to the cafeteria. “That’s smart. And very impressive that no one had to tell you that, or force you into resting. A lot of hero hopefuls go one extreme or the other… they either coast on their quirk and assume they don’t need training, or they over-train and end up injuring themselves, sometimes at the cost of becoming a hero at all if they’re stubborn about it. Higari will oversee your work with Denki tonight, so I’ll be available to help with training plans if you’d like some extra input, firecracker.”

Nemuri giggled and nodded excitedly. “I’d love to watch, if you guys don’t mind! I’d love to see what your minds come up with, and Hitoshi is always a trip and a half, especially if he’s being ‘forced to work’.”

Izuku perked up, bouncing on the balls of his feet. “You can watch, on one condition.” He held up a finger imperiously, staring Nemuri down.

“Ooh, a challenge! Lay it on me, cutie-pie.”

“You let Hitoshi use his quirk on you so I can see it in action.”

Nemuri paused, lips pursed for a second. “This feels like a trap. Why me specifically, and do I get a safeword?”

“Nem!” Shouta growled exasperatedly, but Izuku just laughed.

“Sure, you can have a safeword if you think we’ll do something risky, but it’s because I want to observe how his quirk works from the outside, and I wanna know if he can make you activate your quirk. I don’t want him using it on Tenya, Denki, or Kacchan because it might not be safe, and I need Shouta to be able to erase your quirk if it works so that we don’t all end up taking a nap.”

“Holy shit. That’s… damn, kid, all right. That makes complete sense and it’s really smart too. If he’s okay with it, I’m totally down to help out. Just no making me do anything inappropriate or trying to get it on film.”

“Oh. My. God.” Shouta snarled, slapping a hand over Nemuri’s mouth. “Stop. Now. They’re fucking twelve, not your typical third years, you ass.”

Katsuki wrapped an entire arm around Izuku’s head, covering his mouth with his elbow. “You need to stop before you give your old man a fuckin’ heart attack, Zuk. We’re in UA, not out with one of your fuckin’ contacts.”

Izuku pushed him away with a little laugh. “Fine, fine, I’m do- Oh my god, Lunch Rush!! It’s so nice to meet you!! Is it true that you made food all by yourself for three days during that landslide disaster or was that reporter bias? Does your quirk really make your food more nutritious? Are your tastebuds more sensitive to flavors because of your quirk, or are you just that good at cooking?” As he rambled, his hands were rapidly signing the same questions in JSL, making the Cook Hero perk up.

*Great questions. No, I did not work completely by myself, but I did make sure that every injured family and every hero that came out to help was given food that I personally had a hand in. Yes, my quirk is the ability to add extra nutrients to my food and make it very fast, though most people only know about the speed. I make different dishes each day depending on what people need, including strength, stamina, focus, calm, and happy. I add extra things in sometimes, depending on what’s going on in the school and out in the world, but those are my staples. My taste buds are actually affected by my quirk, but it doesn’t make me more sensitive.* He paused, considering for a second. *For example, I love spicy food and I don’t have an issue eating it, but I can also tell exactly what kind of spice was used, and I have gotten very good at being able to tell by looking how spicy or sweet a person will prefer their food.*

Katsuki tilted his head. “Prove it. What do you think the nerd here eats?”

Lunch Rush looked him over, tapping his mask for a moment. *While he doesn’t mind comfort food, his spice level is very high, probably at least habanero, but more like ghost peppers, or a mix of the two.* He turned his attention to Katsuki for a moment. *And you are an avid fan of the same thing, as spicy as you can get it, but you also have a sweet tooth.*

Izuku’s eyes were wide and he was vibrating next to Katsuki. “That’s exactly right! Kacchan likes spicy tofu… I mean, spicy anything, really, but he prefers tofu to most other kinds of protein. So cool!”

Lunch Rush gave them a thumbs up and signed for them to wait a moment. He very quickly prepared them both meals, while also working on making food for Shouta and Nemuri. Sliding the bowls onto trays, he handed them over, then explained in sign that he made katsudon for Izuku that would boost his focus, and spicy mapo tofu for Katsuki that would give him a bit of a healing boost.

Izuku thanked him profusely before being led to a table. Shouta pointed at him as soon as he sat down. “Eat first, then write. After lunch, you’re going with Zashi for a bit until the others get out of school. We’ll all meet up in Gym Gamma.”

Once Hizashi was made aware of what happened and why Katsuki was spending the day with them, he took the two of them out for ice cream. While they sat and ate, he leaned against the table, smiling at Katsuki. “Okay, so, Shouta gave me the rundown, and holy shit, you have had a bad morning. But your mom went down and literally raised hell with the school. Nezu sent Nao to meet her, and after some back and forth, and her calling the school board in front of the principal, he and Nakahara were both arrested. Nezu also got the names of your entire class from the school rosters, and he and Shouta are in the process of figuring out which kids took part in the fiasco. They’ll be blacklisted from UA specifically, which severely lowers their chances of getting into any good high school without intervention. There won’t be charges on the kids unless Nezu finds video proof of them actively hurting people, but they’ve ruined their chances at having anywhere near a decent life.”

He took a breath and hummed softly, sending that calming noise over the boys as they tensed up and giving them a moment to relax before continuing. Izuku’s eyes sparkled a little, and he held up a hand to prevent any questions. “That being said, Mitsuki sent your dad to talk to Somei while she was busy and he’s got you enrolled there too. We both requested that you be put in with Hitoshi’s class, and they didn’t have a problem with it, especially with the test scores from Nezu, so in the mornings, they’ll be dropping you off at our place and then you’ll both head in with Tosh. Once we’re done here, we’re gonna swing back to your place, Kats, so that you can grab clothes for a couple days. That photo shoot got pushed up to this week, so Mitsuki asked if we’d house you for a couple days and we said that as long as you don’t have an issue with it, you can just stay with us until Monday.”

Izuku vibrated a little next to Katsuki, excited at the idea of spending so much time with him and the blond just nodded, leaning into his side slightly. He was tired now, too much had happened all at once and he was honestly glad that his best friend had demanded light training for today. “S’whatever, they gotta go to Tokyo for this stupid thing and they’ve been tryin’ to figure out what to do with me anyway since I couldn’t miss school. Good timing for some bullshit, I guess.”

Hizashi gave him a sad little smile and Izuku draped an arm over the back of the booth, playing in Katsuki’s spiky hair slightly. “Definitely not a rockin’ day at all, but we take our silver linings. Your folks won’t be home when we get there, but they’ll be coming over for dinner tonight. I’m gonna leave it up to you two and Hitoshi if you guys want to have Tenya and Denki over or not. I know it’s been a heavy day, and sometimes it’s good to have support, and sometimes you just want your family around ya. Nothing wrong with either one.”

Izuku nodded easily as Katsuki shrugged aimlessly. “We’ll see how everyone’s feeling after training tonight.” He glanced at the time on his phone and huffed. “If we leave now, we can get Kacchan’s stuff and have time for a quick nap before we have to get back to UA to meet the others.”

Standing and clearing their table, Hizashi nodded. “C’mon then, you two. Kats, if you have any issues with your hands, lemme know. Shuzenji sent over some creams that are supposed to help with strain and they’re a little stronger than typical over the counter stuff.”

“Might ask for them after training. The stuff Zuk used is already helping a lot. I might pull the fuckin’ gloves out if it starts hurting to use my quirk, cuz I’m tired as shit already and don’t have the energy to deal with my quirk acting up.”

Izuku hummed softly, considering. “You could use them while we nap and then we can grab some sort of caffeine on our way to the school? I’m sure Tosh and Shouta would appreciate it too. And I’m sure, if you give Denki five minutes, you’ll have no problems yelling at him if you need to build your heart rate back up.” He grinned impishly as Katsuki swatted at him.

“Fuck you, asshole! I’ll only need 30 fuckin’ seconds of your bullshit, don’t need the damned Pichu at all. Leaf-headed piece of fuckin’ shit.”

Izuku giggled, linking their arms together and surreptitiously massaging his muscles. “Yes, Kacchan, I’m a terrible person, Kacchan, you’re already getting gray hairs, Kacchan, I’ll kill you before your quirk will, Kacchan.”

Hizashi chuckled and shook his head as Katsuki growled tiredly, herding them to the car. “Let’s go get your threads so you can get your nap.”

Chapter Text

The nap did Katsuki a world of good, especially with Izuku tucked into his side and snoring softly where he was safe. By the time they got back to UA, he was mostly back to normal, though still a little more clingy than usual. He didn’t try to shove Izuku off when he attached himself to his arm, sipping at his coffee while Hizashi carried in drinks for the rest of their group.

They were the last three to arrive, and Higari was already setting things up and talking quietly to Shuzenji as Tenya and Denki played a game of tag and Hitoshi flopped next to Shouta and Nemuri, eyes closed as the adults talked to each other. It felt a lot like a family to Izuku, and when he glanced at Katsuki, the blond nodded at him fondly.

“Zuku!! Suki!!” Denki ran up to them and glomped Izuku, making him drop his hold on Katsuki so he didn’t spill his coffee. “We missed you! I can’t wait for you to come to Somei, cuz not seeing you during the day sucks!”

Katsuki snarled at him, though his tone was far less biting than normal. “Don’t fuckin’ call me that, Pichu. And you’ve literally known us for a fuckin’ day. You can’t have missed us that much.”

Denki stuck his tongue out at him, but swiped a hand down his arm at the same time. “I can too, and I did, so there, Sparky! You’re part of our group now… or we’re part of yours. Whichever. We’re one group and I missed you and you can’t stop me.”

Izuku giggled softly as Katsuki barked out a laugh. “Fine, you little shit. Ya missed us. Whatever. I didn’t miss your god damned yapping, that’s for sure.”

Everyone noticed that he didn’t protest the new nickname and Denki beamed at him for a minute before turning back to Izuku. “So what’s the plan, oh benevolent overlord? Shouta said we had to wait for you for an explanation, but Nem keeps snickering, so I’m scared!”

Izuku chuckled as the groups finally came together and Hizashi handed out drinks to everyone in the room. “I dunno about overlord, but the plan today is pretty simple. I wanna see Hitoshi’s quirk first, so I can start working on some stuff later, and then Kacchan is going to take him and Tenya with Shouta to a bit farther out in the gym to see where you guys need training help and come up with a plan. He’s not allowed to use his quirk for training today and I’d prefer if he just observed, but he’s Kacchan, so…”

“Fuck you, asshole. I’ll behave if you will.”

Izuku held out his hand and Katsuki shook on it. “Fair deal. While they’re doing that, we’re going to have Recovery Girl do a quick brain scan on you, Denki, then Power Loader and I are going to run some tests with you using different amounts of your quirk. There are two major stipulations to this before we start though.”

“Oookay…” Denki looked worried, while Tenya and Hitoshi looked curious.

“One, if Recovery Girl says there’s damage or an issue with your brain, we’re not going to do any testing today and she’s going to take us up to get you a full, proper work-up. If she gives the okay, the second stipulation is that you are absolutely not to intentionally go beyond your limits. I don’t wanna see your ‘whey mode’ today, which, by the way, we’re totally going to call it something else, because minimizing a problem just makes you more likely to ignore it. I wanna test a couple different things, but none of them should put you anywhere near your maximum limit, got it?”

Both Tenya and Hitoshi nodded approvingly, and Denki actually looked a little relieved, despite the rant that Izuku had gone on about his sister the day before. “Sounds good to me! But… do you think there might be something wrong with my brain?”

Katsuki guffawed and Izuku flipped him off absently. “Not really, because except for the attention span and what happens when you overload, you don’t seem to have any cognitive or physical issues, but better safe than sorry. I don’t want to do anything that will hurt you, ya know?”

He was getting used to Denki attacking him with hugs at this point and just happily hugged him back. “Okay, so first things first, A-aunt Nem? Do you have a safeword?”

Shouta growled and covered his face while Nemuri cackled. “I’ll use ‘Aizawa’, green bean. Hitoshi, would you be okay using your quirk on me? Izuku wants to test some things and made good points about me being the safe option.”

The purple-haired boy glanced at his foster brother, getting an encouraging nod before sighing and standing up, helping Nemuri up as well. “Sure, what the hell. Are you ready?”

“Go for it,” was all she got out before her eyes glazed over. Izuku stepped forward, studying her expression and then looking Hitoshi over for signs of strain.

Once he had a notebook in hand, Izuku tilted his head. “Okay, first things first, can you ask her questions and make her answer truthfully?”

“What is your favorite color?”

Nemuri’s voice was flat, an odd sound from the normally vibrant woman. “Purple and black,” she responded, and Izuku quickly noted that he could, and that there was a bit of strain on his face from it.

“Can someone else ask her a question and you make her answer?”

Hizashi piped up, “Who is your best friend?” His tone was teasing, but everyone was watching in fascination.

Hitoshi’s head tilted slightly and Nemuri responded again. “Shouta, Hizashi, and Tensei.”

“Awww,” Hizashi’s voice was fond when he realized she couldn’t pick one, but Izuku waved him off quickly. Obviously, getting her to answer questions was harder on Hitoshi than he’d expected.

“Something easier, make her jump in place a couple times.”

“Jump,” Hitoshi muttered and Nemuri complied quickly. Izuku noted how it seemed to be easier to make physical demands than mental ones.

“Last test for today, can you make her activate her quirk?”

“Use your quirk.”

A brief wisp of violet mist emanated from her hands before Shouta canceled out both quirks, and Izuku was right next to Hitoshi to catch him when he stumbled slightly. After a minute, Hitoshi stood upright again and Izuku gave him a brilliant smile before turning to Nemuri and bowing with a flourish.

“And a deep thanks and round of applause for our lovely assistant, who was not, in fact, asked to do anything naughty or embarrassing and didn’t have to safeword.” Everyone laughed and Nemuri pulled him into a quick hug, ruffling his hair before doing the same to Hitoshi.

“Things we know. Hitoshi can have someone use their quirks. Physical requests are a lot easier than mental ones, and this will require further testing, but I believe Brainwashing someone with a weak will is far easier, especially for mental requests like interrogation, than someone who is strong-willed. I’ll have some training and tests worked up soon, Toshi, but seriously, thank you for trusting me like that. Your quirk is even cooler and way more useful than I thought it was.” He quickly hugged his brother before stepping back.

“They’re all yours, Kacchan. I would suggest testing Tenya first to give Tosh a bit to recover.” Once Katsuki had his group rounded up and they were moving away, he turned to Denki. “Your turn. Recovery Girl, if you don’t mind?”

“Not at all, dear. Sit down, Kaminari, please. This won’t hurt at all, you won’t even feel it. It’s just to make sure there’s no lasting damage on your brain. I do agree with young Midoriya’s assessment that it should be fine, but it’s good to take these things seriously, after all.”

Denki sat down and Izuku immediately settled next to him, taking his hand. Shuzenji attached a probe to his forehead and the back of his neck, and Izuku’s thumb swept over the back of his hand soothingly as she started checking results. After a few minutes, she stepped back with a nod.

“All done.” She removed the nodes and looked down at them. “First, you are cleared for testing today and using your quirk, but you should definitely try to avoid over-extending it. There is no lasting damage, and it looks like you have a natural resistance to even your own abilities, but you were quite right, son. He’s definitely having instances of both focal and myoclonic seizures. While they don’t seem to be creating any lasting harm, they will leave him defenseless and if they start occurring more often, they could become a medical issue. Good catch.”

Izuku nodded, frowning a little despite the praise as he scribbled the information into his notebook. “My concern is more for when we get into UA and start training with quirks more regularly. If we don’t find a way other than ‘don’t do it’ to make it stop, it could lead to actual damage.”

“Quite correct, young man. I can do a bit of my own research, and once you’ve tested what you want to test, my office is open if you’d like a full medical work-up.”

“I think that’d be for the best. Since we have Power Loader and his equipment here today, we’ll work on that. We’ll be back here the day after tomorrow, and Saturday, so we can choose one of those days if you’re available?”

“I will make sure that I am. Please have Shouta-kun or Hizashi-kun contact me with the day and time you’d like to do it and I will clear my schedule. For now, I’ll let you get to it.”

“Thank you, Recovery Girl.”

As the elderly heroine walked off, Izuku looked at Denki, squeezing his hand again. “You good, Denks? You’ve been quiet.”

“Seizures sound… scary. I mean…”

“They can be. Thankfully, there’s been no physical harm done so far, and we’re going to work together to make sure it stays that way, all right? Like I said, there’s always a way to work around or fix quirk drawbacks, and I’m going to find yours.”

Denki flopped forward onto his shoulder, and Izuku gave him a tight hug. “Kay. I trust you. You’re kinda scary, but in a good way, so… what else do we have for today?”

By the time they were done, Izuku had tested volts, wattages, minimum outputs and pushed Denki to just before his limit, mindful to watch his thresholds and pull him back before he went too far. He also tested distance that his lightning could travel without assistance, and how strong he could make it with a proper conductor. Katsuki had a basis for training plans for both Hitoshi and Tenya, making his way over just as Izuku was helping Higari pack up.

With the way Denki was attached to Izuku despite his movements, it was an easy decision for them all to head over to the Yamazawa home together. Tenya and Hitoshi were both watching the smaller blond with concern, as he’d completely latched onto Izuku, to the point that the green-haired boy had simply shifted him around to carry him on his back. Katsuki had Izuku’s bag slung over his shoulder and he walked a little closer to Hitoshi than he normally would.

“We’re gonna walk back, Shouta. Kacchan needs a bit more caffeine, and I think Denks could use a bit of a sugar boost too. We’ll meet you at home?”

Shouta looked a little surprised, but looked over the boys with a critical eye. “Tenya, Toshi, are you both okay with walking? I know you did more physical stuff than anyone else.”

The boys looked at each other and nodded quickly. “We’ll be fine. And we’re not gonna stop anywhere for long, just grab some treats and head straight home,” Hitoshi responded.

“Sounds good then. Call me if you decide you want a ride. Homemade burgers for dinner tonight?”

When they all nodded, Hizashi took their bags and gave them a wave, taking Shouta’s hand and heading to the car.

Once they were out of earshot, Izuku hiked Denki up a little higher and started towards the front gate of the campus. “Kacchan and I need to talk to you guys before we get home. Some… shit happened earlier today and I wanted to tell you before we met up with Auntie and Uncle.”

Katsuki groaned softly, but Izuku shook his head at him. “You know that Auntie Mitsuki is still gonna be pissed as hell, Kacchan. They should know what they’re walking in on.”

“Fuckin’ fine. But I don’t wanna talk about it.”

“I got it.”

Tenya frowned deeply, resting a hand on Katsuki’s shoulder for a second. “You’re worrying us.”

“So, first, it’s been mostly dealt with. But it was a bad scene and it was the reason Kacchan wasn’t allowed to use his quirk today. Apparently, my entire class decided that since I haven’t been there in a couple days, I must be dead. They set up a fake memorial on my desk and were…” He huffed softly, still far more annoyed that Katsuki had seen it than actually upset. “They were celebrating it. And I mean the entire class, including our teacher. Kacchan was understandably pissed, recorded everything, blew it up, and then transferred to Somei today. He’ll be starting with me, and he’ll be staying with us for a couple days cuz Auntie and Uncle have to go out of town for a photo shoot and don’t want him to be alone, especially right now.”

Tenya gasped, hands jerking sharply. “They celebrated your supposed death?!”

Izuku nodded with a little shrug, as Denki tightened his grip around him and buried his face in his neck. Hitoshi and Katsuki both clenched their fists and Katsuki refused to meet any of their gazes. “Yeah. So you’re gonna hear some… well, frankly, some not good shit tonight and if you’re willing and your guardians don’t mind, I’d like for you two to stick around too, because Kacchan and Shouta don’t think I’m reacting properly and Auntie is gonna be on a warpath. Apparently, a couple people got arrested today. I’m just glad she wasn’t one of them.”

Hitoshi sighed softly, reaching out to unball Katsuki’s fists when he realized that his knuckles had gone white. “How many times, Zuks?” His voice was flat, and it caused both Tenya and Katsuki to whip their eyes up to stare at him.

“More times than I care to remember. They were careful not to let Kacchan see, and I made sure he didn’t know, but… I dunno. It was a lot.”

“Fuck.” Hitoshi wrapped an arm around Katsuki’s shoulders and Tenya moved to walk next to Izuku, suddenly mindful of anyone and anything on the street around them. “Was it just the kids?”

“Nah. There were a couple of teachers who didn’t say anything, and the school secretary was always upset about it, but… the teachers were just as bad as the kids in pretty much everything. They were a little more subtle, obviously, but apparently Nakahara wasn’t very subtle this morning.”

“Stupid bitch,” Katsuki grumbled, letting off very small explosions, mindful of how close Hitoshi was. He leaned into the arm over his shoulder, though and Izuku gave him a pained smile.

“But apparently, I’m not appropriately upset about it. I’m way more pissed that they upset Kacchan. They’ll probably want me to talk to Hound Dog about it on Saturday.” He paused. “Oh, by the way, we have an appointment with him on Saturday, Kacchan.”

“Fuckin’ great. Fantastic. Maybe he can get it through your stupid, stubborn ass head that being told to fuckin’ die should make you way more fuckin’ upset than me seein’ it. Leaf-headed self-sacrificing piece of fuckin’ shit…”

Izuku sighed heavily, but a soft whimper from Denki made him pause. The small blond on his back was shaking slightly and Izuku clutched his legs a little tighter to get his attention. “Denks?”

“He’s right, Zuku.” There was a tremulous note in Denki’s voice, like he was fighting back tears and Izuku looked startled, but Tenya’s head shake kept him from saying anything. “You should be upset by it. You should be angry, or sad, or… or screaming or something.”

Hitoshi shook his head slightly and sighed. “You guys don’t… you don’t get it. We do get angry. And we cry.” He stared down at the sidewalk and suddenly, his position was reversed, tucked up under Katsuki’s arm with the blond keeping a tight grip on him. “But what’s the point in letting anyone know? When…” He took a deep breath before continuing. “It’s different now. Obviously. But when you’re dealing with something like that every day, or almost every day, and it’s coming from all directions? When you know that the adults that could do something about it either don’t care or actively help? The only thing you can do to fight back is not let it get to you. Not give them the satisfaction of seeing you upset or gods forbid, actually taking their ‘advice’. After a while, you just… you convince yourself that it doesn’t matter. That it doesn’t hurt.” He gave them a smile, but there was no humor or warmth to it. “I’ve had about two years of therapy and I’ve only been okay to even talk about it for about a year. And that’s literally only because of Dad and Pops, and the support I’ve gotten from Ten and Denks, even though they didn’t know what they were giving me support for. Just the fact that I had people in my corner, that were my age, that would willingly tell people to fuck off if they tried anything… it helped a lot.”

Izuku stopped walking and set Denki down, turning around to wrap his arms around him as he felt his neck getting damp with tears. He didn’t know how to handle people being upset for him, so he just hugged him tightly, looking at Hitoshi with a bit of panic in his eyes.

Tenya actually let out a growl, dropping a hand to Izuku’s shoulder and squeezing gently. “We would have liked to know, Hitoshi. But I’m glad that we were able to help, and I hope that you both know that we will gladly help, in any way we can, if something like this ever happens again.”

“The hobo told him to tell us if it does, because the nerd doesn’t quite trust adults yet, and he won’t ever tell my old people if something’s bothering him. So… same deal, Eyebags. And you too, Pichu. If any of you end up in a situation where someone’s fuckin’ with you because of who or what you are, you come to one of us. We’ll deal with it as a fuckin’ group, and we’ll get the adults involved for you. Glasses and I will keep each other out of jail. But we can’t fix it if we don’t fuckin’ know about it.”

Izuku sighed softly, nosing at Denki’s hair as the lightning user slowly got himself under control. “I can only say the same thing I told you before, Kacchan. I’ll try. I don’t… I don’t wanna disappoint you if I just… can’t make myself do it at first. I understand what you’re saying, and I get it, but…”

Tenya drew them both into a brief hug. “But you are used to handling your problems on your own. As Hitoshi said, it will take time. And most likely therapy. But in that case, you cannot be upset with us if we keep watch, as it were. As I’m sure that you keep watch over us. It is only fair.”

Izuku leaned into Tenya’s chest for a minute before straightening and gently pushing Denki just far enough away to wipe the tears from his cheeks. “I get it. Just… work with me if I start getting flighty. Kacchan usually sits on me when he thinks I’m hiding shit.”

“And it fuckin’ works. Can we be done with the fuckin’ emotions for now? You promised me a god damned coffee and I’m sick of this shit now.”

Izuku chuckled as Hitoshi stepped away from Katsuki, giving him a brief hug before moving out of his personal space. Denki opted to cling to Izuku’s arm again instead of getting carried and Tenya straightened, pushing his glasses up. “Yeah, we’re done with emotions for a bit. Let’s hurry, though. I have a feeling Shouta and Hizashi will send out search parties if we take too much longer.”

Katsuki smirked, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Oi, Eyebags. Speaking of your folks, tell the shitty nerd he can call them his parents.”

“Kacchan!!”

Hitoshi blinked and snorted, moving up to walk next to Izuku. Tenya and Katsuki took the outside of the group as they finally made their way to the cat cafe, since it was on the way home. “I mean, that’s literally what they are. They’re your foster parents right now, but if you don’t think they’re going to adopt your ass as soon as they can get around to discussing it with you, you’re dead wrong.”

“They don’t… I mean, they’ve already done a lot, they don’t…” Izuku flustered, pulling Denki a little closer like he needed something to cling to now too.

“Of course they don’t need to. It’s not a need thing. You’ve already been told you’re staying until you’re legally an adult, Zuks. You’re not going anywhere, even if they just fostered you. But I know Dad’s been wanting to adopt you since he first started looking for you. He’d make all sorts of complaints about what kinda shitty guardians you had to have since you were out all the time. Pretty sure they already have the papers signed and ready to go. But it’s only been a couple days and they don’t wanna freak you out.”

“Wait… why was he out all the time, and why would Shouta know about it to be looking for him?” Denki perked up a little, curiosity cutting through his sadness at what his friends had been dealing with.

Katsuki snorted. “That’s an at home conversation, Pichu. We’ll tell you as soon as we have some time by ourselves. The hag would lose her shit if she knew about all of it and my old man would give Zukkun that disappointed look. The hobo and the cockatoo know about it, so telling you is fine, just not here.”

Denki gave a disappointed huff, but nodded as Hitoshi started to make his way towards the door of the cafe. Tenya stopped him with a stern look, pointing back to the rest of the group. “Hitoshi-kun, if you go in there by yourself, you will not come back out for an hour. I will go obtain our drinks and snacks, you will stay out here with everyone else.”

It made the group laugh, especially as Hitoshi turned back, obviously pouting. It was a release they needed after their heavy conversation, and they probably laughed a bit too much; even Tenya’s lips were twitching as he made his way inside. A few minutes later, he was back out with a large bag and a cup carrier. Drinks and snacks were distributed quickly and by the time they got home, they had all perked back up.

Chapter Text

The trip home was spent talking about lighter subjects and letting the caffeine and sugar do their job. Izuku was relieved to see that the Bakugou’s car wasn’t there yet, so he was able to drag his friends in without being mauled by the overprotective woman. “We, uh, we’re home.”

Shouta nodded from the couch, motioning for them to come in and join him and Hizashi. “How are you all feeling?”

“A bit better. There’s some stuff we still need to talk about, but I told them about why Kacchan was upset and benched today, so they know how Auntie and Uncle are gonna be when they get here.” He glanced at Hitoshi, who nodded. “And Toshi told us he’s dealt with similar… issues, so… we’re all basically on the same page, minus a couple things. They’re spending the night tonight as long as that’s okay with everyone’s adults.”

“We’re fine with it. We already talked to Tensei, and other than being annoyed that Nem got to meet our rockin’ green bean before him, he’s cool with you staying. Denki, if you want us to give your sister a call, we’re happy to do it for ya.” Hizashi gave the small blond a smile, and got a shaky one back.

“I’d actually appreciate that. She was pretty annoyed with our parents canceling our sessions, but I think it was more because she thought they were saying she couldn’t handle taking care of me? I explained it a little better last night once I got home and she seemed chill, but having an adult tell her I’m staying out tonight would be best.”

“You got it, lightning bug! Give us a few minutes to talk to Izuku and I’ll happily make that phone call!” Hizashi gave him a thumbs up and a grin before turning to Izuku. “You. Shou tells me you’re having some doubts about us?”

“That’s not exactly what I said, Zash.” Shouta sighed and pushed his shoulder lightly before looking at Izuku. “I said you were unsure about us keeping you, or being called your parents.”

Izuku sighed a little, playing with his fingers until Denki took his hand. “I mean, I’m sure you heard everything, but… Kacchan thinks it’s because my own parents-”

“DNA derivatives,” Tenya interrupted, giving him a smirk when both Izuku and Denki giggled.

“Yeah, that. Because they abandoned me and other than people who I literally see as an aunt and uncle, specifically not parents, that I’m…”

“Shootin’ yourself in the fuckin’ foot before you even get onto the range, you shitty asshole,” Katsuki grumbled, rolling his eyes even though he did get where Izuku was coming from.

Izuku pointed at him, then glanced up at Shouta and Hizashi with a sheepish wince.

“That makes total sense, green bean! And it’s gonna take time for you to be completely comfortable, and we totally get that. You’ve only been here for a couple days and a lot has happened all the time. So we decided to give you all the deets and then you can decide what pace you’re good to work with, ya dig?”

Izuku tilted his head curiously. “Okay…”

“We knew your living situation had to be bad because of the reports Nao was getting,” Shouta picked up the conversation. “So after a bit, I spoke to both Zashi and Tosh, explaining that I was going to be bringing you home. Even if, by some absolute miracle, you had loving but completely ignorant parents, I wanted to train you, but I knew the chances of that were very slim and that I’d most likely be bringing you home. That conversation actually led to us officially adopting Hitoshi, a couple months early. We were planning on doing a thing during the holidays, but I wanted to make sure that he knew that he wasn’t being replaced, because he’d only joined our home recently at that point as well.”

Hizashi nodded. “We had papers drawn up for both of you at that point, though we didn’t have a proper name or identification for yours… just a sticky note with ‘Shou’s problem child’ stuck to the forms. When you’re ready, we have the paperwork filled out for you to officially and legally join our family.”

Izuku’s eyes welled up and he hid his face in Denki’s shoulder, making the blond croon at him quietly. Katsuki looked smug as hell, smirking at Hitoshi with a nod, who just nodded back with a knowing grin. After a few minutes, the purple-haired boy flopped next to Izuku, hugging his back. “A bonus point to all this, Zuks? The name change.”

A soft gasp came from Denki’s shoulder and Izuku peered up, wiping his face as he looked at Shouta and Hizashi. “R-really?”

Hitoshi responded from behind him. “Really really. My old name was Shinsou. As soon as I was adopted, they gave me the option; keep it, change it to either Aizawa or Yamada, or have a mix of the two as a completely new name. I’d be more than happy for you to use Yamazawa too if you wanted to drop the genetic grafts’ name.”

Tenya laughed a little, still amused by the way they had all absolutely refused to refer to Izuku’s previous family as his parents. “It would also probably be nice at school too, to not have to hear their name, and the name that was used to hurt you in your old school.”

Izuku nodded a bit, taking a deep breath. “Okay. My pace. Can we… can we discuss it after I talk to Hound Dog? I’d like to, umm…” Another deep breath. “I’d like to see if Kacchan and I could see him a little sooner since we have free time now, and maybe keep the Saturday appointment for Hitoshi and I? I know that, umm, two sessions won’t fix anything, but… Toshi says it helped him a lot, so…”

Shouta gave him a small smile and Hizashi nodded eagerly. “We can definitely do that! And things will be a lot more relaxed here for the next couple of days too, because other than talking to Mitsuki and Masaru tonight, we don’t have anything pressing to deal with aside from your training, so while the other three are in school, you two will have plenty of downtime to just breathe.”

Izuku nodded sharply, decision made. “That works. All right. We’re going to take Tenya and Denki to my room, cuz we need to explain the whole situation to them about what I was doing that made you look for me. And I really don’t want to deal with Hurricane Auntie as soon as she comes in, because I know that’s gonna be a disaster and… and I think it would be better for the, uh… the parents to talk?”

Shouta gave him an easy nod and a slightly bigger smile. “That works for us, problem child. Take your friends and relax, and we’ll call you down when dinner is ready.”

As soon as the boys got into Izuku’s room, Denki was dragging them over as a group to pile onto his bed. He was still a little shaken from everything that afternoon, and he had a feeling that Katsuki would appreciate the closeness even if he wouldn’t say it with the way he’d been acting earlier. Once everyone was settled, with Izuku in the middle, Denki and Katsuki pressed up against either side of him, and Hitoshi and Tenya taking the edges of their little cuddle pile, he poked Izuku’s side.

“Okay, I demand explanations. And details.”

Izuku chuckled, a bit sheepishly, and nodded. “Fine. So… we all know the basic story. I was abandoned, Kacchan and his parents helped out when they could and apparently Hitoshi knew about me because Shouta was looking for me.” When everyone nodded a bit, he continued. “So, the parts you don’t know. I wasn’t just abandoned, I was homeless. Lived at the trash dump on that beach near Lower Musutafu. For what it was worth, it was a pretty decent set up, but obviously not sustainable. I lived like that for four years. Kacchan apparently found out at some point while we were training there, but kept his mouth shut because he didn’t know why I wasn’t telling him, or anyone else. But he started bringing extra food, making me take half his allowance, and convinced his folks to get me a cellphone on their plan because Inko ‘couldn’t afford it’.”

Katsuki nodded with a little grumble. “I thought he just didn’t wanna live with me and the hag bitching at each other, but he was scared of the foster system, of getting moved away from us, and knew my folks would have to fuckin’ tell someone if they found out or they’d get in trouble. So until he was ready to tell me, I just fuckin’ helped where I could. I mean, we were fuckin’ ten when I found out, and the bitch had fucked off when we were eight, so… I did what I could.”

“And you were amazing, Kacchan. I would have starved or frozen to death if you didn’t bring me food or demand sleepovers when it started getting colder. I didn’t even realize that you knew about the dump… I knew you hated Inko and that you were aware she wasn’t around, but… I appreciate everything you did for me. Especially the next parts.”

Katsuki snorted softly and Denki picked his head up a bit, eyes eager and curious. “What happened?!”

“So, obviously I needed money, but I wasn’t desperate enough to steal or… ya know, do other things. So I started doing odd jobs in the slummier areas. Some of it wasn’t too bad, there were a couple of elderly housing apartments and they’d pay me to bring up groceries or shovel snow or do other odd jobs that they couldn’t do. I accidentally started a courier service that I’m 98% sure was illegal when some guy offered me $50 to bring an unmarked brown package to another guy a couple blocks away. At that point, it was the most dangerous thing I did, because obviously if I didn’t complete the drop off, not only wouldn’t I get paid, but they’d have probably hurt me. But I was small and fast and training with Kacchan meant that even if they tried, I could generally get away, and it made me a lot of money.”

Tenya shook his head slightly. “I should not condone such activities, but I understand the need to do something to survive. I am just glad that you weren’t hurt.”

“Yeeeeah… well, one night after I’d done a drop off, I was heading home, but it was like, two in the morning. Super late and I was tired and in a really bad part of town. I heard some woman getting attacked and just… threw a brick at the asshole who was hurting her. Knocked him out, dragged her to safety and made her call the cops from a 24 hour coffee shop nearby. But… it gave me a really dumb idea that turned out to be the best thing that could have happened to me.”

“It was a really fuckin’ stupid idea, and you got god damned lucky, you stupid leaf-brained fuckwit. Don’t act like the idea itself was good.”

“Kacchan! I wasn’t. It was stupid, but it gave me something to do and made me a little extra money besides. And if I didn’t have the stupid idea, the detective and Shouta never would have known about me.”

Katsuki just growled and pinched his side, but Denki hushed him quickly. “What idea?”

“I, uh… decided to become a vigilante? At like, ten? Which… ya know, in hindsight was a terrible idea, but at the time, I… I needed a reason to keep believing I could make it. I was tired and angry and scared and literally just trying to survive long enough to even try for the UA Entrance Exam, but I wasn’t even sure I could pass it, so… I guess it sounds dumb, but I was just looking for a bit of hope, and this woman, who desperately needed help, was so grateful and called me her hero and I just… I clung to that.”

Denki nodded, cuddling a little closer and putting his head on his shoulder. “I get that. The whole trying to find any reason to just, get through another day, right?”

“Yep. I made gear from shit I found at the dump and Auntie’s sewing lessons, found an old bat and cut a bunch of cords off old appliances and just… started patrolling. Kacchan definitely noticed that something had changed, because he was suddenly bringing me extra coffee and trying to get me to take more breaks during training. Then one night…”

“Tch. One night, the stupid shit shows up at my window at like, three in the god damned morning, bleeding from his side and asking me to help patch him up as he bleeds on my bedroom floor cuz he’d gotten fuckin’ stabbed. And it’s not like I could just take him to the doctor or call anyone, cuz I knew his dumbass was homeless at that point, so I ruined a perfectly good belt by letting him bite into it and stitched my stupid ass best friend’s side closed so he wouldn’t bleed out on my fuckin’ floor.”

Izuku grabbed Katsuki’s hand, twining their fingers together. “After that, I obviously had to tell him everything. He was smart enough not to try to get involved in the actual vigilante stuff, but he made sure I called or texted him every night to make sure I was okay, and he always had stuff on hand to bandage me up if I needed it. The stab wound was definitely the worst, but I’ve had concussions and broken fingers and sprains and stuff. Nothing super major, but definitely concerning since I couldn’t get any real medical attention. Auntie even helped out once by getting me antibiotics because the stab wound got infected, but she didn’t uh, she didn’t know it was a stab wound. Just said I had a fever and she contacted one of her contracted model doctors to send over a prescription for me.”

“Gods sakes…” Tenya breathed quietly, reaching across Denki to lightly touch Izuku’s shoulder. “It’s a miracle you survived.”

“Yeah, probably. But apparently I was drawing attention to myself because I made sure that the victims I came across called the cops. And I’m sure some of the people I took out bitched about money being missing, but ya know… if you break the law, you really shouldn’t expect to keep all your cash.”

Katsuki snorted softly. “I’m not sure if I’m more pissed off that you decided to become a god damned vigilante or amused because you also turned into a little fuckin’ thief. But it was around that time that Shouta was apparently brought in, and it turned into something like a two year long chase until he finally caught the shitnerd getting attacked outside of his vigilante bullshit. And here we are.”

Denki cursed softly and nuzzled closer. “You’re nuts. You know that, right? Possibly certifiable. And you didn’t get into any trouble?”

“Technically, I can’t. I’m sure they’d try to find a way to loop it if someone who cared about it caught me, but vigilantism is defined as the use of a quirk to fight and detain criminals without a license. So like… no quirk. But Tsukauchi and Shouta, and… apparently the entire Lower Musutafu police station?? They were all more interested in just getting me off the street and safe, rather than putting me behind bars. So… yeah, really stupid idea and honestly, the fact that I didn’t end up dead or worse is a miracle, but it was probably the best thing to happen to me since I met Kacchan.”

The group stayed quiet for a few minutes, processing the story and what their friends had gone through. They had all heard the front door slam open a bit ago, followed by Mitsuki’s strident tones, but no one had come to get them yet, so they just curled up together for a bit longer. After a few minutes, Tenya let out a sigh.

“As much as I dislike what you have had to deal with, all of this makes far more sense to your personality and habits now, Izuku-kun. When we first met, you were very obviously afraid of us, but when I scolded Katsuki-kun for using his quirk, it was like a switch had flipped. You literally got into the face of the largest person in the group without a bit of hesitation to come to the defense of a person that very obviously did not need it. And you have done so repeatedly, where you go from quiet and stuttering to angry and swearing when you think that one of us, specifically, is being treated unfairly. I appreciate the context, as you have been… vexing, to try to understand.”

Izuku giggled softly and Katsuki snorted. “Even when you get him figured out, Glasses, he’s still ‘vexing’. I’d like to blame it on the fuckin’ vigilante shit, but Zukkun’s always been like that. He’s absolutely fuckin’ terrified of being a bother or a burden, and will literally walk around on a broken fuckin’ foot rather than let someone know there’s a problem, but let someone talk shit about someone he cares about and he will absolutely turn into a feral god damned raccoon. He also has a ridiculous pain tolerance, so like… remember what I said about the panic attacks?”

When they all nodded, looking concerned, Katsuki nodded back. “Yeah, that, but also with broken bones, sprains, cuts that either don’t need stitches or that he can stitch himself… The only god damned reason he came to me was because he couldn’t reach the fucking gaping hole in his side. Otherwise, he woulda hid it even longer.”

Izuku ducked his head but didn’t argue, making Denki zap him lightly in the ribs. When he squeaked and squirmed away a bit, the smaller blond glared up at him. “That needs to stop. We don’t expect you to bring us every little boo boo, but… you have a medical professional that will help you. So if you expect me to get help from her, you damned well better too.”

Katsuki exchanged a fist bump with him and nodded. “Damn straight, Zuk. You’d better listen to Pichu.”

“Damn bent, Kacchan…”

“Fuck your stupid pansexual jokes, you broccoli shithead!”

Izuku giggled and Hitoshi laughed too. “I think the only one of us here who can be damn straight is Tenya, Hothead. And that’s mostly because he doesn’t have a preference yet, so he’s not putting a name to anything.”

Tenya nodded slightly and Katsuki threw his hands up, getting laughter and complaints as he jostled their pile. “I hate all of you, get the fuck off me, I’m going to live in the woods.”

“The dump is better, Kacchan, you even know where the cave is.”

“Aargh!” Katsuki tackled Izuku into the mattress, tickling his ribs until the green-haired boy squealed and writhed, trying to get away but being held down by Denki’s weight. “I hate you most of all, you worrisome piece of absolute shit! I’m going to have to buy fuckin’ hair dye because of your bullshit!”

When he finally relented, Izuku curled into his side, panting softly. “Your hair is light enough that the grays won’t show for a bit, Kacchan. Be more worried about Tenya… he’s gonna have to deal with me, Denki, and you.”

“And I am already dreading the chaos, Izuku-kun, trust me.” Tenya pushed his glasses up, looking down at the group imperiously. The look was ruined by the twitching of his lips, and it made everyone else chuckle.

Hizashi’s voice from the hallway made them all settle and look towards the door. “Dinnertime, boys. Come get it while it’s hot.”

As they all stood and straightened their clothes, Izuku turned serious. “Please remember, Auntie and Uncle don’t know about the illegal stuff. They know I was homeless, but only found that out recently. So please don’t mention it.”

When everyone agreed, they all headed out, Izuku and Katsuki looking vaguely similar to prisoners being led to their executions.

Chapter Text

Mitsuki had gotten most of her anger out at the school, and had ranted to Hizashi and Shouta as soon as she’d arrived, so when the boys came out of the bedrooms, she was able to pull both Katsuki and Izuku into a hug without yelling. She was still furious, of course, but her son’s earlier breakdown and Izuku’s habit of being upset if he thought he was being a bother helped curb her tongue a bit. “Are you two all right?”

Izuku nodded, hugging her tightly before stepping back. “We’re okay, Auntie. Thank you for dealing with it.” He started to say something else, stopped himself with a glance at Katsuki and took a breath before continuing. “I don’t like that you guys had to deal with it at all, but I appreciate it, and you letting Kacchan stay with me for a couple days.”

Katsuki bumped his shoulder into Izuku’s, offering him a proud little smile. “You didn’t apologize. Good job, asshole.” He looked at his parents and sighed. “And yeah, thanks. I woulda told you about it a long time ago if I knew it was that bad, but at least it’s being dealt with now. Did Nezu contact you again?”

Mitsuki nodded, heading back to the table and letting everyone get seated. “He did. Texted me a couple of times today. Apparently Detective Tsukauchi is going to be throwing the entire library at the school, rather than just a fuckin’ book, with his help. The school board shut the school down immediately, and all of the students are being bused to other public schools in the area while they sort out the mess. A lot more staff have been arrested throughout the day as they went over video surveillance, and it wasn’t all related to Zukkun, either. If the entire fuckin’ building catches fire, I won’t cry about it, and I’ll be glad to have the alibi of being out of town for the week.”

Hizashi laughed and shook his head as he motioned for everyone to start eating. “Suggest it to Nezu… he’ll make sure it burns legally, somehow. But the long and short of it is that the school is no longer going to be an issue, and Izuku and Katsuki are officially registered to start on Monday at Somei. They have both been placed in Hitoshi’s class, and their teacher is an absolutely lovely older man who has no problems removing students if they’re discriminatory or bullies.”

Tenya nodded slightly. “The reason we have the space in our class is because he removed a couple of students early in the year because they were caught making comments to Hitoshi-kun. He also removed some a couple of months ago because of rumors they were spreading about Denki-kun and I, but also others. The school is very diligent about taking reports of bullying seriously, especially since it is a private school with a high tuition cost, which means they can be picky about who they allow to attend.”

“Good. I don’t wanna have a fuckin’ repeat of Aldera. What’re the kids like?”

Denki swallowed a bite of his burger before tilting his head a little. “Mixed bag? Obviously there are a lot of students from families like the Iidas, with a lot of money and prestige. They can be a bit uptight, but mostly they’re focused on their grades and not disappointing their family, so they stay in their own lane. Some of them are actually pretty cool, like Tenya, but for the most part, they don’t bother anyone. There are a decent number of kids like me and Toshi, kids with hero parents who want a safe place for them to be. Tenya kinda falls into both groups and can interact with both, and there are others that are like that too, but in general, the legacy kids are pretty chill. The issues come from politicians’ kids, mostly, but with the school policies and the school board actually enforcing them, they only rarely cause problems. Mostly just a holier-than-thou attitude that no one puts up with.”

Izuku nodded a little, fingers moving like he was writing again. “So, mostly just avoid the politician kids? What about the teachers? I know you said yours is good, but…”

“The teachers are honestly pretty great. A lot better than at my old school. They listen if you have a problem, have actual office hours so you can get extra help, and don’t have any issues giving out extra learning tools. There are a couple of kids with like…” He paused, scrunching his nose for a second. “Uh, Tenya, help. The reading thing with the different colored papers…”

“Oh. Yes. Students with dyslexia or dyscalculia are given alternate paper colors because it is easier for them to read. They also allow recording devices, and most of the staff is trained on alternate means of communication, including sign language and audio devices. The curriculum itself is challenging, as is typical of private schools but other than a few students that have been removed, we have not had issues while there.”

Katsuki snorted, elbowing Izuku lightly. “Wonder what it’ll fuckin’ be like to actually be able to pay attention in class and not worry about walkin’ to lunch and shit.”

“A novelty for sure,” he agreed, chuckling quietly.

The rest of dinner was calm, with teasing and occasional bouts of laughter soothing the boys’ frazzled nerves. As Mitsuki and Masaru put their coats on to leave, they called over Katsuki and Izuku. Masaru gave them each a quick hug and his gentle smile. “I’m proud of both of you boys. Kats, we gave Shouta and Hizashi some money to cover your food expenses for the rest of the week, but they mentioned that you were planning a mall trip tomorrow?”

He nodded slightly. “Yeah, Pichu wants to pick some shit up to help everyone out… like my gloves. Stuff like that.”

“He’s a good friend. You’ve found yourself a very strong group, son.” He pulled his wallet out, handing each of the boys a small wad of cash. When Izuku started to protest, Mitsuki shut him up with a flick on the forehead.

“That’s for your mall trip and anything else you wanna get while we’re gone. Call it a reward for helping get that horrible place shut down. And that,” she pointed at the money that Izuku was holding, still extended like he could give it back, “is for being brave enough to accept help and giving this a chance. You’ve both been through a fuckin’ lot that Masa and I wish we could have helped more with. We know now, and we’ll do what we can, but you should both know that we are incredibly proud of both of you and the young men you’re becoming.” She gave them a smile, warm and not nearly as vicious as she normally showed. “Be safe while we’re gone, brat. We should be home Sunday night, but if plans change, we’ll let ya know.”

Emotionally exhausted, all five boys collapsed back into Izuku’s room after the Bakugous left. Sleep borrowed sleep clothes were put on and Hizashi came in quickly to collect uniforms to wash and hang up for the next day. Denki pressed himself tight against Izuku’s side on the bed after he left, making the green-haired boy give a worried glance to the rest of the group before rolling himself over and curling around him. “Denks? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head, but sighed after a minute. “I’m… worried? It doesn’t make sense, and I know I’m being dumb, but…”

“First of all, you’re not dumb. At all. Sometimes feelings don’t make sense, but that doesn’t make you dumb.” Izuku shook him slightly before settling around him again. “Talk. What has you worried?”

As Hitoshi, Katsuki, and Tenya settled on the floor near the bed, Denki took a deep breath. “A lot of things. The whole seizure thing is scary as hell and makes me worried about using my quirk at all. I’m worried that you’re gonna like… disappear? Like… I dunno, it doesn’t make sense. But you’re the first person who’s ever looked at me, at my quirk and the problems it causes, and made any actual effort to fix it. Aside from my folks, but like… they’re not quirk counselors or specialists or anything. They know how to work their own quirks, but have no idea how to fix mine. And my sister tried, as much as it annoys you. She maybe went about it wrong, but ya know. Anyway, I wanna just… keep you close in case something happens?”

“Makes sense, Pichu. Especially since you’ve already said you lose fuckin’ time and don’t know where you are sometimes, it’s easy to feel like you’re going to let go and he’ll be gone.” Katsuki rested a hand on his ankle, giving him a little smirk. “Even worse when you know the kinda shit he does… I’m constantly worried the little asshole is gonna get himself disappeared somehow and I won’t know where he is or how to get him back.”

Denki nodded slightly. “Exactly. I’m also worried about all of you. Like, it’s always in the back of my head, ya know? Toshi’s migraines and selective mutism could end up with him hurt or lost somewhere, Tenten being pulled from school because his parents decide to send him somewhere else, now I’m worried about Sparky getting stuck in a situation where he can’t use his quirk and Zuku… just… dying or something stupid.”

Izuku huffed softly, pulling him closer. He hated that he craved touch so much, but Denki never seemed to mind and sought it out just as much as he did, so he decided to just ignore it for the moment and enjoy the feeling. “I’m not doing the vigilante stuff anymore. So you don’t need to worry about me. And if you’re worried about what we talked about earlier… I can’t speak for Hitoshi, but I have never, ever considered it. Not once. I considered what would happen if I didn’t have a choice, like someone attacked me or something, but Kacchan and I worked really hard to make sure that wasn’t going to be an issue. I have never been suicidal, have never considered listening to any of those assholes, and aside from a random act of god, or Kacchan actually following through with his threats of murdering me-”

“That would be an act of god, fucker. Me.”

It made everyone laugh, easing the tension a little. “Kacchan’s ego is the main reason I couldn’t stay with them. They need that guest room just to hold it.”

Again, laughter swelled, almost covering Katsuki’s little explosions and the curses he threw Izuku’s way. “Anyway… I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me, with all of us. We’re not alone anymore, lightning bug. None of us. If Hitoshi gets lost, he can just open up the group chat and we’ll all go find him. If Tenya has to move, we’ll still have contact with him.”

“And as an aside, my parents cannot simply decide to move me. My brother has custody of me, and intentionally put me in a place where I would be close to my uncles and aunt. If I move, all of you would come with me, and I’d petition my brother to get custody of you as well so we could bring you with us.”

Denki gave a wet giggle and nodded slightly. “Kacchan is really good at managing his quirk and the drawbacks, and we’ve been attached like barnacles since kids, so if he started having an issue, I’d be sending messages so fast your phone would vibrate out of your hand. And you will never, ever be alone again, especially not if you short circuit. We’ll be right there and we’ll keep you safe. If it makes you feel better, Kacchan and I have been doing nightly check-ins for years. We can just move them to the group chat, so we can all touch base and make sure we’re safe, okay?”

“Would… would that be okay? Like… it wouldn’t bother anyone?”

“Absolutely not!” Hitoshi ducked to avoid Tenya’s swinging hand. “I think it would be highly beneficial for all of us to know the others are safe when we are unable to be together.” He paused, flushing slightly and shoving his glasses up. “And… I’d like to have conversations before bed like that. As friends. None of you treat me like I’m… strange for the way I act and I have greatly enjoyed the additions of Izuku-kun and Katsuki-kun to our group.”

Hitoshi shrugged. “S’long as you don’t mind memes and late night messages, I’m down.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. It don’t make a difference to me where we check in at, s’long as I know you fuckers are safe.”

Izuku hugged Denki, smiling at him. “Feeling a little better?”

“A lot, actually. I kinda got stuck in my own head about the seizure and brain damage thing and it all just…”

“Spiraled into absolute death and doom?”

“Exactly!”

Izuku giggled softly. “Yeah, I get that. It happens to me a lot too. Too many thoughts and you can’t stop them from coming and getting worse and worse.” He glanced at the rest of the group. “We should figure out what we’re getting tomorrow. Gloves and acetone for Kacchan, dark sunglasses, noise canceling headphones and caffeine strips, though those are for both Kacchan and Hitoshi…”

“Electric heater things and ice packs for Tenten, umm…”

Katsuki snorted. “Some form of comfort fidget for the twitchy nerds on the bed.” He grinned at Izuku’s scandalized squeak. “No, but seriously… something weighted they can hold onto for overloads or panic attacks.”

Hitoshi nodded. “And I think we should all carry some form of hard candy or gum or sweet portable thing. Denks usually comes back quicker when he has sugar, and I know my own panic attacks can be calmed down if I have something sweet or salty in my mouth.”

Izuku blinked, lifted his head to stare at Hitoshi, and then started cackling. Hitoshi’s face flushed brightly and he flapped a hand. “Oh my god, not like that! Shut the fuck up, Zuks!!”

Denki giggled and shook his head. “That’s a kink we didn’t need to know about, Tosh…”

Tenya and Katsuki looked at each other and shook their heads while Izuku snickered. “I mean, if you need something salty, Toshi…”

“I hate all of you. Friendships revoked, I’m gonna go become a hermit on a mountain somewhere.”

“Dump’s better!” Both Izuku and Katsuki shouted at the same time, then looked at each other and started wheeze-laughing. It sent Denki off into giggles all over again while Tenya chuckled even as he was still shaking his head at them all. Hitoshi tried to maintain his angry face, but it was a lost cause when Katsuki actually fell over, clutching his stomach and he started chuckling too.

“All right, all right, I still hate you all, but the point stands. Candy. Fuck you.”

Their riotous laughter summoned Shouta and Hizashi, who stood in the doorway for a few minutes and watched them before Hizashi whistled to get their attention. Shouta smirked slightly. “All right, problem children, it’s getting late and three of you have school in the morning. Zashi and I grabbed the extra futons and blankets, but it’s time for you to settle and get some sleep.”

Still giggling and snickering, the five boys rearranged themselves, with Tenya and Hitoshi taking the futons and Izuku quite happily snuggled in between Katsuki and Denki on the bed. It was just… nice, and he listened to the sounds of his friends’ soft snores and gentle breaths as he finally dozed off, looking forward to the next day instead of dreading it like he was used to.

Chapter Text

The next morning was pure chaos. With three pre-teens all needing showers and food before they had to leave on time, it was a scramble to get everyone ready to go. They all realized right before breakfast that none of them had charged their phones the night before, causing a flurry of panic until Denki simply snatched them up, adding two extra cords to the one already in his mouth and charging them all up in the few extra minutes it took for the coffee maker to beep.

Izuku frowned at the display, head tilted slightly. “Do you do that at school?” He waited until Denki handed back the phones and Tenya took the cords to dry them quickly.

“Once in a while. Not often, but sometimes Tenya or Toshi will have forgotten.”

“Don’t.”

Denki blinked and the rest of the kitchen went quiet at Izuku’s firm tone. “Wh-what?”

“At least don’t do it where people can see you. I know we wouldn’t do it, but…”

The confusion in Denki’s eyes cleared up and he gave him a warm smile. “Others will take advantage of it, and suddenly I’ll be just walking around being everyone’s portable phone charger. Happened at my other school, which is why I only do it in an emergency and only when we’re alone.”

Hitoshi and Tenya both nodded slightly, understanding dawning on their faces. “That’s why you always take us to a bathroom or wait until we’re outside,” Hitoshi murmured, and Denki nodded slightly.

“Good. Obviously, it’s good to help your friends and all, but not everyone who wants the help will actually be a friend.” Denki gave him a quick hug and Izuku happily returned it before moving to the coffee pot to start pouring out the liquid life that everyone but Tenya required in the morning. When he retrieved the creamer from the fridge, he also grabbed a large glass and the orange juice, making sure everyone had their sacred elixirs. When he said it out loud, the whole table laughed, lifting their drinks in a mock-toast before quickly settling in to eat.

As the three boys were putting their shoes on, Izuku leaned against the wall near the door. “Do you wanna meet back here, or should Kacchan and I meet you by the school? We’ll have to take the train to get to the mall, since there’s too many of us for the car.”

“We should meet at the train station by the school. If it would not be a problem, we could text you just before last period and you could pick up drinks for the trip?”

“Not a problem at all. Text us your drink orders and we’ll meet you there.”

Once they left, Hizashi called them back into the kitchen where he was quickly doing dishes. “Okay, the plans for the day is other than the mall trip, we don’t have any. Shou and I are gonna go do some grocery shopping, but you boys have the day to just rock out at home until you have to leave. If we’re not home by then, just make sure you lock up.” He snapped wet hands and called out for Shouta, who ambled back in with Duck perched on his shoulder.

“Hey, Kitten, can you grab the keys we made for the boys?”

Shouta nodded as Katsuki blinked in surprise. “You didn’t have to do that…”

“Sure we did, firecracker! Izuku has a key to your house; it’s only right for you to have one here. It’ll also make it easier if there’s some sort of emergency like your parents needing you to come here last minute or something happened and our place is closer.”

Shouta walked in and handed each of them a key. “Our home is your home as much as your home is the problem child’s, gremlin.”

Katsuki nodded, a little stunned, but a small, pleased smile played on his lips. Just before both boys turned to walk away, Hizashi spoke up again. “By the way, Inui can fit you both in tomorrow around 11. We agreed it would be best to maintain the same appointment logic as the original, so morning and you’ll have time and space set aside to train after. I gave him a quick rundown of what happened and why you wanted the change, and he agreed to keep the Saturday appointment as well for you and Hitoshi.”

Izuku nodded easily, still dreading the appointments but feeling better that they had a plan in place.

Shouta motioned them out of the kitchen and followed along leisurely. “Since neither of you have schoolwork or training today, Nezu would like you to get started on your assignments. Kats, you have the workout and meal plans for Tenya and Toshi. Nezu wants a rough draft emailed to him before nine tonight. Izuku, you’re to write out initial findings, theories, and possible plans of action for Denki’s quirk, also submitted before nine. Additionally, he wants you to start writing theories and ideas for Tenya and Hitoshi, but that won’t be due until next Friday, as he wants your main focus to be on Denki currently. Any questions?”

Izuku lit up at the idea of not only working with Denki’s quirk, but actually being assigned to analyze Hitoshi and Tenya’s as well. It honestly sounded like the most relaxing way to spend his day. He nodded quickly and grabbed Katsuki’s wrist, pulling him back to his room. The next several hours were spent with quiet scribbling, scrolling through phones and laptops, and frequent conversation as they bounced ideas and suggestions off each other. By the time their group chat buzzed to let them know the school day was almost over, they both had solid plans of action and there was a nervous glee about hitting send on their respective emails, especially since they finished everything so early.

A few blocks away, Nezu replied to tell them he’d received their reports and then proceeded to cackle maniacally as he started looking through everything.

The two boys continued their training thinktank as they headed to the cafe and then the train station. They met up with the other three, handing out drinks and making their way to the train that stopped closest to the mall. Once they’d found a car that would fit all five of them comfortably, Izuku and Katsuki took the time to explain their reports and to give them an idea of what was coming. Tenya looked excited, while Hitoshi grumbled about torture methods and the Geneva Convention. Denki had tucked himself against Izuku’s side, who had a handful of Katsuki’s shirt, as they murmured quietly about ideas for his quirk.

The mall was chaotic fun. As long as they had eyes or a hand on one of their friends, Izuku and Denki were chattering a mile a minute, discussing everything from why they were there to the color of a patch of sunlight coming in from one of the mall’s ceiling windows. Hitoshi was quiet, but he and Katsuki were signing back and forth, complaining to each other about how loud their two excitable friends were being, sarcastic remarks about the people in the mall, and at one point, they had devolved into increasingly terrible puns, all accompanied with soft huffs of amusement. Tenya had deemed himself the chaos wrangler, pulling Denki and Izuku back when they tried to run off to see whatever had caught their fleeting attention and pulling Katsuki and Hitoshi up with the group whenever they slowed down.

After about an hour, and a collection of about half of the stuff they needed, Tenya forced the group back together for probably the hundredth time and chopped an arm down, getting their attention. “All right, I believe we have made enough progress to grab ourselves some dinner. I do not want to take these two into a candy store before they have eaten, or we may exhaust our funds on candy and not have enough to get everything else we need.”

Izuku giggled and nodded. “That’s fair. And sitting down would be good.. I’m sure Tenya’s arms are getting tired from chasing us.”

Katsuki snorted. “Our first stop after dinner should be to get you two some fuckin’ leashes. What the fuck were you even trying to look at?”

“Uh, which time?” Izuku batted his eyes innocently, making Denki giggle.

“It was a jewelry store, Sparky! Shiny things!”

Hitoshi slapped a hand over his face, looking so much like a done Shouta that Izuku and Denki devolved into more giggles, only moving forward because Tenya actually grabbed their collars and forced them ahead of him.

“Food. Now. And you two were not much better. I may not have had to chase you down, but you insisted on stopping every time someone’s clothing or hair needed ‘critiquing’. I do not understand how any of you get anything done in a timely manner.” His words were scolding, but his tone showed his amusement at his friends’ antics.

Denki tilted his head back to give him a sunny grin. “That’s half the fun of mall trips, Tenten. There’s a reason there’s no clocks in here. You’re not supposed to get things done ‘in a timely manner’.” He actually used air quotes, making Izuku wheeze with laughter and Katsuki curse from behind them. “Half the experience is finding all the neat stuff, and spending way too much money on something that is wildly impractical.”

*It’s why Dad hates going so much. I think we get him in a mall maybe twice a year. He much prefers online shopping for anything that isn’t groceries.* Hitoshi signed quickly, and Katsuki repeated what he said out loud for the two who weren’t looking at him.

Izuku nodded, steering Tenya with the hand the blue-haired boy still had on his shirt toward the food court. “That makes sense. Too loud, too many colors, and too many distractions. He can handle like, two of those at a time, but three is too many.” He was bouncing a little as they walked, swinging Denki’s hand in his. “I get that way sometimes too, but it isn’t too busy today and I don’t feel like I have to watch my back as much, which is…” He turned his cheerful smile on the rest of the group, and Denki giggled as their resident grumps practically melted. “It’s really nice!”

Once they got to the food court, Tenya gave them all a pointed look. “Do you think, maybe, you can all order food and bring it back to a single table without getting lost or distracted?”

Izuku shrugged easily. “Who knows? We can solemnly swear to try!”

Tenya sighed heavily, pushing his glasses up his nose and stepping next to Hitoshi. “I suppose that will have to do. I will go with Hitoshi-kun, Katsuki-kun, I am assuming you will travel with Izuku-kun and Denki-kun?”

“Yeah, I’ll take the fuckin’ nerds over to the ramen place. Maybe a good meal will settle them the hell down for a bit.”

Once everyone was seated and eating, Tenya and Denki making horrified looks at the ramen Izuku and Katsuki were scarfing down, Izuku pulled out a smaller notebook. “Okay, so we have the gloves, the electric warmers, the headphones and the bottles to put acetone in for all of us. The drug store will have the single use ice packs, the eye masks and the caffeine pills. I’m not sure where to go for the weighted toys. And I think we should all get a bag of some kind to keep the stuff in, so we don’t have to go digging for things in an emergency.”

Denki tilted his head. “There’s a retro store near the drugstore that I wanted to check out anyway. They usually have all sorts of candy and little toys and stuff.”

Tenya nodded slightly. “Then we will go to the drugstore, then check out the retro store for candy. If we need to, there is also a toy store on the other end of the mall.” He glanced at Katsuki, lips twitching. “Do you think the drugstore will also have a small pet section?”

Katsuki barked out a laugh. “If they don’t, we can get that gauze shit that comes in rolls… tie it to their fucking waists. God damned menaces.”

Izuku and Denki faked offense, but the table dissolved into laughter when Hitoshi suggested tape or super glue instead.

Apparently, the retro store was a perfect suggestion. Not only did they have a wide variety of hard candies and gummies, but they had an entire section of small plush toys, including ones that had beads that could be rolled around and added weight, making them perfect for Izuku and Denki. They each picked two for their personal bags, and Denki and Izuku got a couple extra to keep on them or in their rooms. They also had a decent selection of bags and purses, allowing each of the boys to find something they could keep their supplies in. And if Denki and Izuku found stickers, pins, and shirts that they added to their orders, well… at least they stayed in the same store, right?

On the train heading home, the boys divvied up their supplies and Izuku showed them how to pack everything in so that it was easy to grab in an emergency. He promised to bring the acetone to training the next day, along with a couple extra tubes of the muscle cream he used for Katsuki’s arms so they could fill their bottles. Everyone seemed to feel a lot better now that they had prepared emergency kits, and it made the green-haired boy smile. With any luck, they wouldn’t use them often, but Izuku knew better than to count on luck.

They parted ways at the train station, with Tenya promising to make sure Denki got home safely and Denki demanding promises of their nightly check-in once everyone was home.

As texts started to vibrate on his phone, leaning against Katsuki’s shoulder as they watched a movie in preparation for bed, Izuku considered the day and smiled, nuzzling into his best friend slightly. With all the excitement and changes from the last couple days, the relaxing downtime was exactly what he’d needed to deal with the rest of the week.

Chapter Text

The rest of the week before they started at Somei was a lot more calm and structured. The meetings with Hound Dog were not comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, but having Katsuki and then Hitoshi with him made the whole thing a little easier. After meeting with him, both Izuku and Katsuki agreed to more sessions, with Izuku going in once a week, Katsuki going twice a month, and both of them going together once a month. Hitoshi and Izuku decided to play group sessions by ear after their Saturday session, because they had already talked over the whole family and adoption thing, so they’d just use them if there were issues in the house that they needed a mediator to deal with.

Izuku still wasn’t completely sure how he felt about the whole adoption thing. On one hand, Hitoshi assured him that he was fine with it, was actually looking forward to them being brothers legally, and that Shouta and Hizashi actually meant it when they said they wanted him. On the other, he’d already been let down so many times, he wasn’t completely sure he would survive if it happened again, especially since he’d gotten so attached to them so quickly. He’d spent a couple hours Sunday holed up in his room, writing down all the thoughts that were swirling around in his head, and probably half a dozen different pros and cons lists. He’d come up with a compromise for himself… he’d start calling them ‘Dad’ and ‘Pops’ in his head. Get a feel for it and see how he felt after he got used to the new routine at Somei. They had said no hurry, so… maybe taking the time to actually allow himself to feel would be a good thing.

Training was starting out strong as well. Izuku handled Denki’s physical training as well as his work with his quirk, while Katsuki focused on Tenya and Hitoshi. They quickly found a routine that they could carry into the rest of the school year, despite Hitoshi’s grumblings about all the physical work. While the others were still attending school, Katsuki and Izuku spent some time with Power Loader in the support labs. Katsuki was working on designing hero costumes for Hitoshi and Denki, while also attempting to streamline Tenya’s proposed armor a bit. Meanwhile, Izuku was bouncing between support items for himself and the others, and coming up with ideas for Denki to test. He was also working on plans for Hitoshi’s quirk training and frequently had several notebooks going at any one time, open and in front of him as he bounced from idea to idea.

The days passed quickly with the new routines and suddenly they were waking up Monday morning, putting on new uniforms and packing their bags to attend a new school for the first time since they had started kindergarten together. Izuku was fluttering around nervously, checking and rechecking his bag and adjusting his uniform until Katsuki bodily dragged him down the hallway into the kitchen and shoved him into a seat.

“Sit the fuck down, eat your fuckin’ breakfast, and stop obsessing, you leaf-brained piece of shit. You’re makin’ me nervous with your shit.”

Izuku squeaked and ducked his head, but obediently grabbed his coffee. “Sorry, Kacchan. I’m just…”

“Worried?” Hizashi smiled warmly, pushing a plate with an egg sandwich across the table to him. When Izuku nodded, Hizashi nodded back. “It’s understandable. But remember, you’ll have Hitoshi, Denki, Tenya, and Katsuki with you. You’ll also have your phone, so if something happens, you can call or text us. And your emergency kits are packed and ready, so all that’s left is to rock on up there and show them what an awesome person you are!”

Izuku took a deep breath and then drained his cup, batting his eyes at Katsuki until the blond refilled it with a low growl. Once he had the fresh cup in his hands, he took another slow breath, released it, and then gave his best friend a sunny smile. “Okay. I’m… not great, but better?” It came out a little stilted; Inui-san said the word ‘fine’ was a trigger for Katsuki’s anxiety, so he was trying not to say it as much. He was pretty sure it was just a lighthearted manipulation to get him to be a little more honest, but if he could twist it as helping his Kacchan, he’d manipulate himself too.

“Good. Did you pack that battery thing for Pichu?”

Izuku smiled at Hitoshi as he came in, getting a hair ruffle from his foster brother. “Yep!”

“How is that supposed to work, by the way?” Hitoshi had his own coffee in one hand, his sandwich in the other, and Katsuki sneered as he talked through his mouthful. “I know you said it’s a battery thing, but like… isn’t Denks already a battery technically?”

“Eh, technically, but this is specifically for him to charge during the day. Maijima-sensei and I built what is basically a super battery. We’re working on a final product that can be used to power other things, but the prototype is just supposed to suck up the extra electricity around Denki… the stuff that he can’t just let off and the reason he sparks sometimes when he’s startled a little but not actually scared? It’s just a theory right now, but I think part of his concentration problems are because of an overload of electronics around him at school. If I’m right, having this with him will keep him from spacing out in class too much.”

“What if he doesn’t remember to fuckin’ use the thing, Zuk? If he can’t concentrate…”

Izuku grinned, holding up a finger and finishing his sandwich in three bites, much to Hizashi’s shocked displeasure. As the blond muttered about choking hazards, Izuku sipped at his second cup of coffee. “I thought of that! This is just temporary, obviously, but there’s a sticky node that will attach to his skin for now. Once I’m sure it works, I’ll come up with something more permanent, but testing phases, ya know? This way, instead of sparking out, it’ll immediately get redirected to the battery. I noticed when we were working together, he constantly felt a little buzzy. Like touching him makes my arm hair stand up, but it’s not enough to hurt, or even affect my actual hair.”

Katsuki snorted. “Zuk, the only fuckin’ reason you don’t have brain damage is because of that lettuce-lookin’ mop. It’d take more than a little static to make it move.”

“Kacchan! That’s not true!”

“Isn’t it? How many fuckin’ brushes, shithead? How many have you broken?”

Hitoshi laughed as Izuku flushed and ducked his head. “That’s not the point…”

Hizashi snorted softly, tugging gently at Izuku’s curls. “I knew we forgot something. Gonna get you some proper hair care stuff today while I’m out.”

Izuku whined and waved a hand slightly. “That is so not the point here. The point is that Denki is constantly giving off a faint electric field and the battery should pull the excess in, which should help his concentration if my theory is correct. Sheesh.”

They all chuckled and Hizashi glanced at the clock, eyes widening a bit. “All right, get yourselves out the door or you’re gonna be late.”

There was a controlled scramble to the door to grab bags and shoes and then they were on their way. The closer they got, the quieter Izuku became, latching his hand around the strap of Katsuki’s bag. The walk to the train station near the school was nearly silent as Izuku desperately tried not to spiral into worst case scenarios.

He was yanked from his spiraling as Denki ran up to them as soon as they were in sight, wrapping him in a tight hug. “Zuku!! Good morning!” He turned a bright smile to Hitoshi and Katsuki, greeting them warmly while keeping Izuku trapped in a hug. “I’m so glad you guys are coming with us! This is gonna be awesome!!”

Tenya sighed softly as he met up with the group, handing out coffee and tea. “He arrived at the cafe before I did, and I’m pretty sure he got something caffeinated. He did, however, order everyone else’s drinks, so…” A little shrug and he pushed his glasses up, sipping his own green tea.

Katsuki eyed his drink suspiciously, taking a sip before brightening a bit. “Good job, Pichu. The fuck is it, though, cuz it’s spicy?”

Denki grinned. “I got you and Zuku their cinnamon chili blend. Milk and sugar for you, black with an extra espresso shot for Zuku, and Toshi got a black dark roast with an espresso shot. Tenten got green tea with a splash of honey. And I had a hot chocolate, thank you very much, Ten! I’m just really excited that we all get to be together now!”

Izuku chuckled softly, sliding his bag off his shoulder and pulling the battery out. “I think this might help. Remember I said I had something for you today?”

Denki nodded eagerly, rocking on his feet. “Whatcha got?”

“This is to absorb the extra electricity around you instead of you taking it in yourself. I’ll help you put it on once we get to the school. I think the easiest place for the sticky part to go will be the middle of your back or your shoulder.” When the small blond nodded, Izuku tucked the battery away again and took a sip of his drink, humming happily.

Tenya started herding them towards the school, eyeing the coffee that Izuku was drinking. He tapped Katsuki’s arm to get his attention, letting Denki start pulling Izuku and Hitoshi ahead. “Do I want to know how many that is for today?”

Katsuki huffed and shook his head. “Three that I’m aware of. He’s been fuckin’ fidgety all morning. Dunno if the caffeine’ll help or not, but he didn’t sleep well last night, so…” He shrugged a little. “I’mma give him a pass today, but if you all get coffee every morning, he’s getting a fuckin’ limit at home.”

Tenya gave him an odd look. “How do you plan on enforcing that rule if you aren’t living there?”

Katsuki thumbed towards Hitoshi. “We’ll tell their fuckin’ old people. The cockatoo will be all over his ass if I make a big deal out of it.”

Tenya chuckled softly and nodded. “Fair enough. We shall keep an eye on him today. I feel like this will be a lot more stressful for him than he is going to admit.”

“You’re not wrong,” Katsuki grumbled, sighing as Izuku turned to look for him. “We just gotta keep the extras from swarming him for a day or two. He’s adaptable. Probably too god damned adaptable, but he’ll be fine if we don’t let him get overwhelmed.”

Tenya gave a sharp nod and offered a tentative fist bump. Katsuki scoffed, but bumped their knuckles together. “You’re gettin’ there, Glasses.” Lifting his voice, he flipped Izuku off. “Yeah yeah, stop givin’ me the fuckin’ puppy eyes, we’re comin’.”

It only took a couple minutes for Denki to get hooked up once they got to the school bathroom, with Tenya and Katsuki guarding the door and Hitoshi poking lightly at Denki’s ribs and teasing his noodle frame. Denki glared at the taller boy and zapped his finger lightly when he poked him again.

“Zappy noodle. Don’t forget the zappy part,” he smugly reminded him when Hitoshi yelped and pulled his hand back. “Bzzt bzzt, baby!”

Izuku had him move around a bit, making sure the wires were secure and the node on his shoulder wouldn’t hinder his writing or movement before letting him put his shirt and blazer back on. “Okay, when we get to UA tonight, we’ll take that off you and see what the results are. Lemme know if it starts bothering you at all. Like, it’s uncomfortable or you start getting sleepy or you get shocked at all. It’s just a prototype, so we have a lot of room for improvement, but I wanna see if this helps at all before we work on a permanent idea.”

The first half of the school day went fairly quickly. They were introduced and either through pure luck or intervention by their parents, Katsuki was sat directly in front of Izuku again. The blond had shown their new teacher his license and the paperwork from his parents about being allowed to set off small explosions. Their teacher, who’d introduced himself as Rito-sensei, had taken the paperwork and nodded, requesting that he try to avoid setting them off during class, especially during quiet periods. What he didn’t do, which was a nice change of pace, was make them announce their quirks (or lack thereof) to the entire class. They gave their names, were pointed to their seats, and Rito-sensei had given Izuku a kind nod and a smile as he slipped by.

They were given books and workbooks and were pleased to discover that while they were no longer ahead, the curriculum was very similar to Aldera’s, so they weren’t behind the rest of their class at all. The only issue was that Izuku could feel the curious stares of his classmates throughout the morning and it was making his skin crawl. He did his best to just focus on their teacher, keeping his head down as much as possible, but by the time the bell rang for lunch, he was twitching and forcing himself not to startle at almost every sudden noise.

As soon as the bell rang, several students turned toward them, making noises like they were going to come over, but Katsuki let off a few explosions, distracting them while Hitoshi and Denki helped him pack up. Tenya’s loud, authoritative voice rang out, telling everyone to get to lunch before they lost their time to eat and Izuku looked up to see him standing next to Katsuki, both using their general bulk to shield him from view.

Denki linked his arm with Izuku’s, pulling him behind the other two boys, while Hitoshi walked behind them, looking bored despite the way his eyes darted around. “C’mon! We’ll get food and go out on the quad to eat.” He linked his other arm with Tenya’s and Hitoshi fell into step with Katsuki. The lunchroom was loud and busy, with people calling out to Hitoshi, Tenya and especially Denki. All three acknowledged the calls with waves, but kept moving, getting their food and leaving the building as quickly as they could.

Once they were outside, Izuku took in an unsteady breath and stepped away from the group a little bit, giving them a slight smile. “Sorry…”

“Don’t start that shit again, you were doin’ fuckin’ good before. Get outta that stupid big brain of yours.” Katsuki swatted him gently on the back of the head, making Izuku ‘eep’ and duck away.

“Okay, okay. There’s just… a lot of eyes.”

Hitoshi nodded, settling onto the ground near a tree. “Yeah. Tenya did the same thing for me the first couple days.” His voice was much softer than at home, but at least he was talking, which Izuku took as a positive sign; he still wasn’t close to most of the class, but he was comfortable enough to at least talk in the open. Izuku didn’t need more friends, he just needed to not have enemies, and it seemed like Hitoshi felt the same way.

Tenya nodded, folding himself neatly next to the purple-haired boy. “Indeed. Our classmates are curious, which is understandable, but they do not seem to grasp the concept of personal space or privacy very well unless it is pointed out to them. They will calm down in a few days.”

“They better, or I’ll give ‘em somethin’ to stare at,” Katsuki grumbled before shoving food into his mouth.

Denki shook his head, turning to Izuku with a cheerful smile. “So, this battery thingie? It’s… a little weird.”

Izuku’s attention was immediately off his surroundings and on the lightning user, head tilted. “What do you mean, weird? Is it uncomfortable?”

“No, not like, wearing it or anything. But like…” He wrinkled his nose, considering his words. “Everything feels a little muted. I can still see and hear and whatever, but like… normally sounds and movements would bother me, but I’m not noticing them today.”

Izuku bounced slightly, eyes wide. “Electric field! That’s great! It’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to.”

Denki looked confused, so Izuku grinned, pulling out his notebook. Katsuki growled and shoved some food into the green-haired boy’s mouth, making him giggle softly before he chewed quickly and swallowed. “Neh, Kacchan, I’ll eat, promise! But it’s working exactly how I thought it would, and that means your quirk does what I thought it does.”

Hitoshi huffed softly. “Eat. Quirk shit is for after school. Scribble a quick note, and explain it to us later.”

Izuku pouted a little, but obediently wrote a couple short notes to himself for later, grabbing another bite of his food to alleviate the glaring he was getting from both of his brothers before turning back to Denki. “Later then, but it’s working the way I wanted it to. You’re not muted, you’re just not picking up every electrical signal in your vicinity. If it’s too distracting, we can take it off before we finish lunch?”

“No… it’s fine. Just weird.”

Izuku nodded and motioned to the blond’s tray. “Eat, or else they’re gonna start glaring at you too.” He turned a mock-glare on Katsuki and Hitoshi, who both just flashed him similar, terrifying smirks.

As the two chatterboxes started up yet another conversation, sometimes remembering to eat between rapid sentences, Hitoshi eyed them and sighed, shaking his head. “We’re going to have to like… keep them separated during lunchtime until they eat, aren’t we?”

Both boys looked up, offended, but Tenya smirked slightly with a nod. “It appears so… I believe we should consider a portable partition when we purchase the leashes. What do you think, Katsuki-kun?”

Katsuki barked out a laugh, nodding. “Damn straight we should. Maybe some of them horse blinder things too.”

“Kacchan! Tenya! Mean!” Izuku pouted at them, causing all three boys to laugh as Denki hid his face, and smile, in Izuku’s shoulder.

“I’ll fuckin’ show you mean if you keep getting distracted, you spazzy piece of shit. Eat your fuckin’ food, Zuk, or I’ll tell the hag.”

“Oh my god, I’m eating!” To prove the point, Izuku shoved a huge bite of food into his mouth, cheeks puffing out like an angry kitten as he chewed. A few minutes later, both of their trays were emptied and the group made their way back inside to drop them off in the cafeteria before heading back to class. Denki pulled a chair to Izuku’s desk, asking for help on the math they’d worked on that morning, and Katsuki turned around in his seat to offer a few pointers as well.

Of course, most of his pointers were emphasized by light swats on Denki’s head with a rolled up notebook, but he did help, and every swat made Izuku and Hitoshi laugh. Five minutes before the bell, Tenya got their attention.

“We have a study period in our last 45 minutes. If you are still confused, Denki-kun, we can help you in the library…” He paused, eyeing Katsuki for a minute. “Hmmm, perhaps in the quad would be better, but either way, we can offer further assistance then. I suggest we all take our seats.”

The afternoon classes went a little smoother. Izuku could still feel the curious eyes, but they didn’t bother him as much, since he was still thinking about the battery’s success. He worked on his schoolwork and Denki’s notebook simultaneously. He couldn’t quite stop the instinctive hunch over his notebooks when students shifted a bit too loudly, but all things considered, he thought he was doing pretty well.

As Rito-sensei told them to work quietly or go to the library for the last class, the five boys packed up and started to head out. Tenya informed their teacher they’d be going to the quad to study and he nodded easily, reminding them to report back for the last ten minutes so final attendance could be taken. It didn’t take them long to get set up, with Denki leaning slightly against Katsuki’s side as the blond went back over the math. Tenya put himself next to Izuku, asking if he understood the English conjugations. Hitoshi worked quietly on his own homework, turning to one of the other four for the few question he had. It only took them about twenty minutes of working together to get everything done. Katsuki had figured out that if he let Denki play with one of the weighted plushies to keep his hands busy, he had an easier time understanding and retaining information and got less distracted.

Ten minutes before the bell, a group of three students from their class walked over to them. The girl leading them offered a quick bow and a smile. “Bakugou-san, Midoriya-san. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Her voice was quiet and formal, most likely one of the wealthy kids that Tenya and Denki had mentioned. “I am class president, Hana Eito. While Iida-san is a wonderful vice, I would like to offer my assistance as well if you need anything while we are classmates.”

Katsuki gave a quick nod, and Izuku bowed his head slightly. “Th-thank you, Ei-eito-san. That’s very, um, very kind of you.” He flushed and went quiet, ducking a little behind Tenya as Katsuki scoffed.

“Yeah, thanks or whatever. We’re fine right now, but we’ll keep ya in mind, I guess.” He let off a couple explosions, small ones just above the grass, making the group step back with wide eyes.

“Bakugou-san, while you may have permission to use your quirk, you should not be using it to threaten classmates.”

Katsuki sneered, opening his mouth, but Izuku once again came to his defense, making Tenya smile slightly. “Kacchan has a license to use his quirk, and while you may be class president, you have no right to discipline or censure him. That wasn’t a threat, just a natural reaction to sitting outside on a warm day. If you have concerns, you can bring them up with Rito-sensei.” His green eyes, which had been wide with mild panic when they were first approached, hardened into determined jade.

Eito blinked a little, head tilting. “I apologize. My words were not meant as censure, only a warning to avoid anyone getting in trouble. I suppose it would not have made sense for that to be a threat except that they were loud and startled us. I should not have assumed.”

Izuku stared at her for a couple of seconds before giving her a bright, sunny smile. He was so used to being ignored at best, abused at worst, that her calm and thoughtful reaction startled him. The rest of their group shared private smiles behind him as they saw Eito and the others with her practically melt. Izuku’s smiles were dangerous to everyone, it seemed.

“Th-thank you, Eito-san. That’s, um… yeah, if Kacchan th-threatens someone, they’ll be aware th-they’re being threatened.” He giggled slightly when the blond huffed and shoved his shoulder gently.

“Tch. Teach did mention somethin’ about not setting ‘em off in class too much, but we were a little fu- mm, early, this morning. Not a threat or anythin’. I don’t usually use ‘em as a threat anyway. Can’t be a hero if I’m goin’ around threatening people over stupid sh-stuff.” Katsuki cleared his throat slightly, remembering at the last minute that they were still on school property, and at a school that would probably care about his colorful language if he wasn’t careful.

“Oh! Yes, I do remember him speaking with you about it now, but I was not paying that much attention. I had been planning on introducing myself at lunch, but it seemed that Iida-san was keeping you both from getting swarmed, which… honestly was probably a good idea, considering how curious some of our classmates can be.” She bowed again, giving them a small, but welcoming smile. “As I told Yamazawa-san two years ago, I have grown up with most of the people in our class and they are all decent people. I cannot account for the rest of the school, but in our classroom, it will be easy to make friends. However, study period is almost over, so we should all be getting back.”

Hitoshi gave her a little smile and a nod, waiting until the little group had walked off before turning to the group. “Honestly, she’s not wrong. I haven’t had any issues with the people in our class at all since Rito-sensei expelled the shitty ones. So… obviously take your time, but they’re okay.”

Izuku considered this, chewing on his lip as they packed up and made their way back to their classroom for final announcements and attendance. As they all filed out after last bell, he found himself giving a shy smile to the rest of his classmates, though he stayed behind Katsuki as he did.

One step at a time.

Chapter Text

Denki Kaminari was not stupid. No matter what his test scores said. No matter what the teachers claimed about his habit of rambling, his inability to sit still, his lack of quirk control in formal environments.

He wasn’t stupid.

And because he wasn’t stupid, he knew something was just wrong with him. There were plenty of videos from his supposed ‘friends’ in elementary school showing exactly what was wrong with him, actually. He’d seen them all. Multiple times. Especially late at night, clinging to his pillow as tears slid down his cheeks, because while he knew he wasn’t stupid, there was a lot of evidence to the contrary.

His parents tried to help. They moved him to three different schools. They contacted quirk counselors in Tokyo. They’d spoken to several behavioral specialists. When none of them had an answer, they contacted his older sister, Lita. She had gotten her quirk counselor license two years before, had a steady job and an apartment big enough for both of them. And she could invest some time into hopefully helping him with his quirk. She had agreed easily enough; she had always been his protector and the one who insisted that he wasn’t dumb. She’d even said the reason she decided to pursue quirk counseling was because she was hoping to find an answer for him.

But Lita hadn’t found an answer. He’d been living with her for two years, and they were both frustrated. Not that they ever took that out on each other; his big sister was honestly pretty awesome except for the counseling sessions. She’d help him with homework, work with him to find workarounds for his ADHD and for the most part, let him do his own thing when he didn’t have any responsibilities. But the counseling sessions were the worst. She was sure if he just tried hard enough and got used to it, he’d be able to meditate, to slow his mind down and stop jumping from one topic to another so rapidly. He tried to explain to her that he just couldn’t… His mind didn’t do the blank thing, and any time he tried to latch on to one thing to focus on, his thoughts would branch out in never-ending spirals.

His quirk training was worse. Lita insisted that using his quirk during the day was just encouraging his ‘whey mode’, because he was constantly lighting his brain up or something. So she told him he was only allowed to use his quirk with her, to not use it at all if possible when they weren’t ‘training’ and she kept trying to get him to produce more and more electricity without shorting out. Of course, she’d always sit with her arm around him when he did inevitably fry his brain, and he was grateful that her quirk was a complete immunity to any kind of external electricity, because she could keep her arm around him while he was zapping the air without getting hurt.

But it wasn’t helping. And they both knew it. She was scared of the expense of him blowing out an MRI machine, so they couldn’t get a brain scan. So, while Denki wasn’t stupid, and he was determined to do his best to become a hero, especially for kids like him who had problems and needed a bit of hope, he was pretty sure he was going to crash and burn before he ever got a license.

At least he had friends now. Real ones. He’d noticed the two quiet kids who mostly kept to themselves and each other as soon as he’d transferred to Somei. He’d been told to stay away from them… Iida was rule-strict and unsocial, while Yamazawa literally didn’t talk to anyone. They were always together, and were always moving their hands at each other and Denki was fascinated.

So he introduced himself. And true to himself, he immediately asked what the hand-waving was about. When Iida had explained it was JSL, Denki found a new thing to fixate on. He left them alone for a bit, but a week later, he bounced back over to their little social bubble, chattering animatedly and signing in slightly clumsy, but understandable sign language. It wasn’t long before they were all on a first name basis, staying mostly to themselves. Denki’s social nature slowly pulled them a little closer to the class, and after a couple of months, Hitoshi was at least able to speak up when a teacher called on him, or when classmates asked him questions.

And then Hitoshi suddenly had a foster brother. He had mentioned that his family was looking for someone, but either hadn’t had, or hadn’t wanted to share any additional details. But then he was at school, talking about this new kid that was super shy but really smart and Denki honestly couldn’t wait to meet someone that Hitoshi of all people was raving about.

Izuku and Katsuki were a trip and a half. They were both really smart, able to keep up with Denki’s rambling and bouncing thoughts even though Katsuki complained about it… but to be fair, he complained about the same things about Izuku and they were like siblings! And then Izuku had gotten so upset on his behalf and had said he could fix him, but…

But they were the same age! How could someone who was the same age as Denki fix something that his parents, his sister, and several other professionals couldn’t fix?

But Izuku was determined, and Nezu and Shouta were both convinced he could do it. There were tests and readings and scary words like seizures thrown around and while he didn’t want to get his hopes up, the fact that Izuku, who had survived some really scary stuff, was still absolutely certain he could help, made him cling to his new green-haired friend even more than he clung to Tenten or Toshi.

The first day of them all being at the same school, Izuku had brought a battery pack thing? Something with him that he said would help. Even though Denki could see that he was terrified of being in a new school and that even Katsuki was nervous, he still remembered his promise. It was all he could do not to start crying in the bathroom while Izuku hooked him up, but he managed to control himself because Izuku and Katsuki needed him to be the cheerful one for their first couple days.

When the school day was finally finished and they were walking to UA, Denki bounced up to Izuku and caught his arm. “Okay, day’s over, the wardens can’t complain! What’s up with the battery thing?! I need to knoooooooww!”

Izuku’s laughter was warm and comforting as he took his arm back and slung it around Denki’s shoulders, tucking him into his side. It was sometimes annoying to be so much smaller than most of his friends, but the way Izuku urged him to curl into his side, cuddled him like the small electric zaps he couldn’t always control didn’t even phase him… it was kind of amazing.

“Right! So, electric field. You have a constant low-grade electric field around you all the time. It amps up and zaps people sometimes when you’re excited or upset or scared or whatever but the battery is designed to relocate any excess electricity so that it doesn’t interact with your environment as much.”

Hitoshi’s sigh was deep and playfully exaggerated. “Explain slower, Zuks… you’re only making sense to yourself, and maybe Hothead right now.”

As Katsuki nodded, Izuku glanced at the rest of the group and chuckled. “Right, sorry! So, like I said before, I think your quirk is a mix of your parents, which isn’t abnormal in this day and age, so you both produce your own and also, you attract the electricity from the air around you. I think that’s why you short circuit, because you’re not just using your own electricity, but from everywhere around you too! Which is awesome and powerful, but you don’t quite have enough natural protection for both, so when you use it all up…” He gave a vague motion. “The battery is supposed to store the energy that you’re gathering from the air around you, leaving you with just your own electricity. The movements and noises that were distracting you was probably you unconsciously noticing electric fields from either living things or the electronics in the room. I’m not sure which, but it’s not important right now. We can run a couple tests when we get to UA. The idea is that you can use the battery to help your focus for day to day stuff, and then eventually use the energy from it to power support gear. We could possibly fill a second one for me, but again, not important right now, the important thing is that this may help your ADHD and hopefully, your short circuiting. It won’t cure either, but at least they won’t be exacerbated by the electrical fields around you.”

Katsuki huffed softly. “You gotta make the actual battery part work first, nerd.”

“I know, I know.” Izuku flapped his free hand like it didn’t matter. “First I wanna make a more permanent form of battery. This one can hold a lot, but I have a feeling we’ll have to replace the node frequently, and the sticky part could become irritating on his skin.” He grinned at Denki brightly, obviously thrilled by his success so far. “I’m thinking something you can actively wear, like bracelets or a necklace or something. I’m gonna talk to Nezu about getting you a quirk use license too, because I think the other part of the problem is that you’re restricting yourself to avoid using your quirk at all, so the energy just builds and builds. It’s not life-threatening like Kacchan’s, but it is dangerous for you and for anyone who might get close if it gets overwhelming. I dunno if he can do that himself or if he has to contact your family, honestly; but I’ll let him figure that out.” He tapped his lip lightly, muttering so quietly and rapidly that even Denki, pressed right against him and used to following rapid conversation, couldn’t understand a word he said.

After a few minutes of him apparently lost in his own world, Katsuki swatted him on the back of the head, making him yelp and Hitoshi and Denki both laugh. “Fuckin’ muttering bullshit again. Speak up, asshole. We’re all interested in what Pichu can do.”

And didn’t that feel good? They weren’t interested in how to protect themselves, or how to make him stop being him; they were interested in what he could do and how to help him. He quickly tucked his face into Izuku’s shoulder, trying to blink away the tears that threatened.

But of course, not much ever seemed to slip past Izuku’s eagle eyes and he was squeezing Denki’s shoulders gently, shaking him out of his hiding spot. “Neh, Denks? What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong? I’m sorry…”

Katsuki grumbled about his apology, but Denki was already shaking his head, wiping his face a bit. “N-no, nothing wrong! You didn’t do anything wrong at all, Zuku! This is just…” He took a deep, shaky breath, before turning a bright smile on the group. “All of you… just… I’ve… Dammit.” He shook his head, trying to gather his thoughts. The group stopped walking and Izuku ran a hand through his blond hair, mussing up the lightning bolt he’d been born with before smoothing it back down.

“Take your fuckin’ time, Pichu. Just breathe a minute.”

After another breath, Denki nodded, finally figuring out what he wanted to say. “Thank you.” It seemed so inadequate after what they’d all done for him, but at least it was a start. He turned his amber gaze to Hitoshi and Tenya, smiling warmly at them. “Thank you for not telling me to fuck off when I first approached you. You two were the first… the first real friends I’ve ever had. You didn’t make fun of me, or make me feel stupid. You just accepted me as I was and supported me.” He looked to Katsuki and then Izuku, smile getting even brighter. “And thank you. Not just for the quirk stuff, which like, I owe you my entire life for. Just all the stuff that you’ve both been working on is more than I could ever repay. But also… you didn’t look at me like I’m stupid.” He waved a hand at Katsuki, his smile turning into a bit of a playful grin.

“I mean, I know Sparky thinks everyone’s stupid, but like… you could have seen me with Toshi and Tenten and assumed I was just… the group idiot, ya know? But you actually talked to me and…” He squeezed an arm around Izuku’s waist, half a hug and half a point to be made. “Not one of you shies away from touching, from pushing me around or steering me or anything that normal people do, but anyone but my family always avoided with me.”

Hitoshi looked away, flushing brightly and Katsuki grumbled about not being afraid to beat some sense into him, but the warm smiles on Izuku and Tenya’s faces made the emotionally stunted grumblings from the other two just feel fond and welcoming.

“Denki-kun, you learned enough JSL in a week to communicate with Hitoshi-kun on his level. You have never once made a disparaging comment about the way I speak or move, despite what others have said about me. You accepted us, so we could do nothing more or less than accept you. While some of your thoughts and actions may be a bit… questionable… you are our best friend.” Tenya rested a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently.

Izuku giggled softly, like he couldn’t quite keep his emotions in check. “Denks, you’re an amazing person and a great friend! I know we haven’t known each other long, but honestly, there’s not a lot of people that can tolerate me and Kacchan, separately or together. And you just… bounced over and made yourself at home with us. I don’t trust people. I mean, I think I have a good reason, ya know?”

Katsuki’s snort of amusement made them all chuckle. “‘We’, nerd. We don’t fuckin’ trust easy at all because people are real fuckin’ quick to show what kind of pieces of shit they are. Either they’re up in my face about my damned ‘attitude problem’ or they’re attacking Zuk. Either way… trust ain’t comin’ easy from either of us.”

“But! You’re a huge exception. Just knowing that you had no problem with Toshi and accepted him made me willing to meet you guys, and I’m so so so glad I did! I absolutely love the fact that Tenya is just as protective as Kacchan, and considers us worth protecting. And you are like… you’re sunshine, Denki. You smile and the whole day brightens up. You keep us from being too serious, from getting too caught up in dark things. You’re our sunshine.” He wrapped both arms around him and Denki literally melted into the warm hug, tucking his face into Izuku’s neck with a shuddery little breath. He wasn’t quite crying, but it was only through force of will.

Hitoshi grumbled softly, stepped forward to give them both a quick hug before shoving them gently. “Can we please be done with the emotional puking and get moving? I think I’m actually looking forward to Hothead’s torture session… uh, I mean, training, rather than dealing with you two sobbing on the sidewalk.”

Denki giggled, pulling away and wiping his eyes. He was a little gratified to see Izuku wiping his too… it was nice to not be the only emotional one in the group. “Fine, fine, we’re done puking on you now.”

Tenya had pulled his bag around and handed a hard candy to Izuku and then Denki. “Both of you get a little sugar into you while we walk, because I am not allowing Izuku-kun to have another coffee today. If we do not hurry, we are going to be late.”

“Shit!” Izuku’s squeaked curse made Denki burst out into laughter, especially as the green-haired boy grabbed his wrist and started running, dragging him along behind and making their larger friends start running to catch up.

He wasn’t ‘fixed’ by any stretch, and Denki had a feeling he’d be subjected to a lot more of Izuku’s tests before they were done, but as he glanced around at the group around him, he finally felt like had a chance to succeed. And if he couldn’t wipe the grin off his face until long after he was supposed to be asleep in his bed, well… he didn’t really mind it that much.

Chapter Text

Once they settled into a routine, the days seemed to fly by. Every other day, the five boys made their way to the UA facilities, training hard to prepare themselves for when they could finally take the Entrance Exam. Izuku also used that time to test new theories with Denki, eventually coming up with an actual battery that could not only be filled, but also used to charge other things. He did actually come up with a prototype of the rocket skates, but after one smashed face in the concrete, he conceded that they were not going to be practical for him.

He did, however, take the rockets off and figured out how to use the retractable wheels to boost his mobility. When he used them to dodge not only Tenya’s speed but also Katsuki’s blasts, the blond agreed that he could add them to his costume as long as he promised to never add rockets made from anything again.

Denki and Hitoshi were both getting really good with hand to hand combat, and Izuku added metal knuckles to both of their costume designs with Katsuki, making Hitoshi’s heavier to deal stronger blows, while Denki’s were made of copper threaded through his gloves to utilize his quirk. Tenya wasn’t quite able to turn on a dime yet, but he was working on his maneuverability and had developed a terrifying kick style that had accidentally broken Izuku’s arm. Recovery Girl wasn’t thrilled, but when it was explained that it was totally an accident and not overzealous hero hopefuls being stupid, she just tutted and healed him up, scolding Shouta for not having more training dummies for them to practice with.

When they were on off days for their physical training, Izuku was taking Hitoshi aside twice a week to test and expand his quirk. He had quickly made it up to being able to control three people at a time, but with the migraines he got when trying to add a fourth, Izuku had backed off of that and started testing other things, like longer or more descriptive interrogations and the difference between weak versus strong willed people. While Hitoshi complained, profusely, it was obvious that he was just as invested as the rest of them, pushing himself to be more comfortable with his quirk.

Denki forced them all outside and away from training at least once a week, dragging them to the mall, local arcades, the cat cafe, and anything else that caught his attention. He was devious about it at first, enlisting the aid of Shouta, Katsuki and Tenya by saying he wanted to get Hitoshi and Izuku used to larger groups of people. While it worked, neither boy was stupid and knew they were being manipulated. They also knew that Denki craved socialization and needed the training for larger groups of people himself, so they let it go and most of the time ended up having more fun than they thought they would. On one infamous occasion, the lightning user had learned of a paintball facility that could be rented.

That was the day they learned that Izuku and Katsuki should never be allowed to team up together, and that they were absolutely terrifying with firearms. They also learned that Tenya couldn’t be trusted with a gun of any kind.

Tensei had finally come over once their routines were a bit more settled, wanting to get to know the kid that Shouta and Hizashi had talked about, but also wanting to get to know his little brother’s new friends. Izuku embarrassed himself at first, rapid fire questions spilling over themselves until Katsuki had literally shoved his hand over his face, but the elder Iida was easy-going and fun to be around and Izuku found it just as easy to call him ‘uncle’ as he did calling Nemuri ‘aunt’ after only one meeting.

For Katsuki’s thirteenth birthday, the five boys went to a go-kart track, where the blond spent most of his time trying to force the others off the track instead of racing. They found the spiciest noodle shop in Musutafu, and when they finally got back to the Bakugou’s home for a massive sleepover, he was met with presents from everyone and a large cake that Masaru and Hizashi had made from scratch.

Denki’s thirteenth birthday was spent at an arcade and it was slightly tense at first, because his sister Lita, and both of his parents attended. No one was quite sure how things would go when his family discovered the genius quirk specialist who’d been helping him was a kid a month younger than him, and Katsuki and Hitoshi were trying to come up with ways to curb Izuku’s tongue without being obvious. The tension was all for nothing, however. Denki’s family had of course been monitoring his progress, and while they were shocked at Izuku’s age, the gratitude helped alleviate the surprise. Lita admitted that she was still new to quirk counseling and didn’t have a lot of extra funds for equipment and Izuku apologized for taking over and the deception, but outright refused to apologize for helping one of his best friends.

With the air cleared, the competitive natures of the boys quickly took over and they spent the rest of the day trying to destroy each others’ high scores and collecting enough tickets that by the time they were heading out to dinner, Denki was carrying a Pikachu plush that was almost as big as he was.

As summer break loomed closer, the little family was suddenly hit with the realization that July was apparently birthday month, with Hitoshi and Hizashi’s being the first week of July and Izuku’s only two weeks later. Right after Denki’s birthday, Izuku started another group chat with the five boys, called ‘Hizashi’s Bday Plans’. He asked Katsuki to make dinner, and Tenya and Denki offered to pick up his favorite strawberry cake from the local bakery. He caught Shouta alone during one of Hizashi’s radio shifts, asking him to take him out of the house for a couple of hours on his birthday.

Hitoshi requested a quiet birthday at the cat cafe, so Shouta and Hizashi took all five boys there. The little candle on the strawberry cream birthday cake almost caused a fire hazard when a long-haired Persian mix got curious, but disaster was averted, and Hitoshi ended up living for the rest of the night in the cat hoodie that Izuku and Katsuki got him. They had a sleepover that night, watching scary movies until late into the night.

July seventh was a bright, sunny day and Izuku was very thankful for his plans that it fell on a Sunday. Shouta took him out for lunch and the five boys converged on the house, setting up decorations while Katsuki breaded chicken and prepared sides. Tensei and Nemuri were meeting Shouta and Hizashi at the restaurant to help keep him distracted long enough for the boys to get everything done. Presents were piled on the coffee table, and after a bit of helping with decorating, Hitoshi plopped himself on the couch, declaring that he was ‘protecting’ the gifts from the cats.

By the time the four adults were walking through the door, Katsuki was plating up fried chicken with American sides of mashed potatoes and cole slaw, and Shouta’s eyes immediately glowed red when the Voice Hero opened his mouth to scream in excitement. No windows were broken, thankfully, but all five boys were hugged tightly as Hizashi kept up a rambling, grateful commentary that was much more suited to Izuku.

After dinner, and the lavish praise Katsuki deserved for preparing it, they moved to the living room to open presents. Katsuki and his parents had gotten him a nice leather jacket for casual days out, Denki and Tenya had gone in together for a weekend spa retreat for two, telling Hizashi that he needed to relax more and there were more than enough people willing to take in Hitoshi and Izuku for two days for them to do just that. Nemuri had gotten him an expensive bottle of rum, and Tensei had gone for what he called the ‘practical’ route, getting a high-quality set of highball glasses because he knew Nem’s gift giving habits.

Hitoshi and Izuku stood together, handing over a flat box. Izuku smiled nervously, while Hitoshi had a cheshire grin on his face as Hizashi opened the box to find a manila envelope inside. When he took out the paperwork to look it over, the purple-haired boy spoke up. “Happy birthday, I got you a second son.”

It took a moment for the words to register and then the blond hero was flying up off the couch, tossing the papers onto Shouta’s lap to wrap his arms around both boys.

Shouta’s lips twitched into a grin when he saw the replica of Izuku’s adoption paperwork, and he nodded slightly. When Hizashi finally calmed down, he pulled both boys to the couch with him and pointed at the paperwork. “How?”

Izuku shrugged sheepishly. “Nezu-sensei. He showed me what the papers looked like and Hitoshi already knew where you kept our files, so I just… took them and finished filling them out? Since everything had already been done except for my birth name and the name change, I just kinda, um… asked him to file them for me? I was considering waiting for D-dad’s birthday, but I didn’t want to um…” He twisted his fingers together, trying to find the words.

Katsuki’s low growl cut through, helping him out. “The nerd didn’t want to make you wait that long. He’d been trying for two fuckin’ months to figure out how to tell you, and then we hit ‘birthday season’ as Pichu calls it and decided to jump on the fuckin’ opportunity. The three of us went to the mutt to make sure the shitty nerd was actually okay with all of it and not just doin’ it cuz he felt like he had to, and then we started planning.”

Hitoshi nodded. “For the record, Nezu chittering in excitement is terrifying, 0 out of 10, do not recommend, but he got all the paperwork filed last week. As of yesterday, Izuku is now Izuku Yamazawa, officially adopted by the two of you.”

Hizashi started crying all over again, wrapping his arms around Izuku and rocking him back and forth, apparently speechless. Shouta was still stunned, wide-eyed at the fact that Izuku had called him ‘dad’ out loud for the first time, until Tensei cuffed him upside the head.

“Go hug your son, you bonehead! Sheesh…”

The mental reset had him moving, wrapping Izuku and Hizashi up and pulling Hitoshi in as well. Tenya quietly stood and started shooing everyone back into the kitchen, ostensibly to get the cake ready, but really just to give the now-official family a few minutes alone.

Once they were alone, Izuku rested his head on Shouta’s shoulder, looking at Hizashi. “You uh… you don’t mind, do you P-pops? That I just… filed them myself?”

“Mind?! Are you crazy?! Green bean, this is the best present ever! I have both my boys, legally and officially! This is the most rockin’ day ever and I’m thrilled!!” He squished Izuku into another hug before turning slightly to hug Hitoshi just as hard. “Best birthday ever, top of the charts, never gonna be any better.”

Shouta chuckled softly at his enthusiasm, blinking away the burning in his own eyes. “I’m actually really glad you didn’t wait. I’m so proud of you, kiddo. Both of you.”

Both boys flushed, tears slipping down Izuku’s cheeks as he wiped his face futilely. “Ka-kacchan and Toshi were b-both so sure that… that this would be a good thing and I’ve… I’ve been freaking out for months because I wa-wanted it, but…”

“But you were scared.” Shouta’s voice was soft, and he ran a gentle hand through Izuku’s hair. “That’s totally understandable, problem child. That’s why I’m so proud of you. You could have taken that fear and hidden behind it and no one would have blamed you.”

Hizashi nodded, still cuddling Hitoshi to his side. “The both of you. You’ve come so, so far since we found you. Your dad and I are all too aware how easy it is to just lock that door and never wanna open it again. With as young as you are, and as many terrible things as you’ve had to deal with… neither of you locked that door. We love you, babies. So so much.”

Izuku giggled and nodded slightly, taking a shaky breath. “Thank Kacchan and Toshi, honestly. If I didn’t have Kacchan, I… I don’t know where I’d be, but I don’t think it would be here. And Toshi wasn’t just pushing the idea of being a family and my brother. He just… he showed how good it was. Gave me visual examples just by existing with the two of you. I know you keep saying thank you, but… honestly, it’s me that should be, and is, grateful that you took a chance on me.”

“On us,” Hitoshi muttered softly, smiling. “You coulda just thrown us back into the system, or set us up with UA’s foster program. Those would have been the easy options. But you didn’t. You held out a hand and you kept holding it out until we were strong enough to reach back.”

“And we always will,” Shouta murmured, reaching out to squeeze Hitoshi’s wrist. “But I think we’ve done enough sappy emotional shit for the moment. There’s cake in the kitchen and I’m about 90% certain that at least Tensei and Nem are pressed against the door, but…”

He grinned evilly, motioning for Hitoshi to hand him his scarf. Once he had it, he whipped it out and opened the kitchen door, watching all five of them tumble to the floor.

Hizashi laughed brightly, wiping his face quickly. “You are all terrible at stealth. And subtlety. And apparently reflexes.”

Shouta smirked, standing up and pulling Izuku up with him. The other two followed quickly, and everyone noticed how Hizashi’s hand found Shouta’s immediately. “Seems like every one of you could use some extra training…”

The rest of the night flew by in laughter and teases, shouts and playful curses until everyone crashed in heaps around the apartment.

The rest of the school year followed the same comforting schedule and summer brought more opportunities for Denki and Izuku to cause mischief, Izuku and Katsuki to torture their friends in the name of training, and time for the family of four to bond more closely. By the time their final year of secondary school came around, Izuku felt ready to handle anything with his closest friends by his side and his family at his back.

It was amazing the change a year could make, and he couldn’t help but smile whenever he thought of the abandoned orphan just trying to survive compared to the loved and wanted kid he’d become.

Chapter Text

Despite the new and harder curriculum, Izuku was actually thriving in his final year of secondary school. His class had found out about his quirklessness in the beginning of the year, when they were discussing future plans and what high schools they were planning on applying for. While there were some insensitive questions when Katsuki had announced that the five of them were applying to UA, arrogant smirk in place, for the most part, it had been discussed mildly and then ignored, with Eito-san pointing out that Izuku trained with the other four after school and that it would be up to the school who they allowed in.

The only dark spot was a new transfer that had started in their class at the beginning of the year. Minoru Mineta was a dark stain on a mostly good year, but he was a politician’s kid; Izuku was pretty sure one of his parents was some mid-level suit for the Hero Commission, but he didn’t have confirmation of that and frankly avoided him whenever possible. Even the other political kids didn’t seem to interact with him much, but Izuku had heard enough lewd comments about his classmates and rude comments about closer friends that he just asked Rito-sensei to not be paired with him for group work. He knew that his teacher was collecting complaints and actually filing them, but so far, apparently nothing Mineta had said or done was quite enough to warrant removal from the class or school, so avoidance was the best he and his friends could do.

So, other than one little blight, the year was starting out pretty well. Training had ramped up, with Hitoshi flying through the air above them as often as Katsuki was. Nezu and Shouta had handpicked several first and second years for them to work with and Izuku was just as busy with quirk assessments and suggestions as he was with homework and training. Denki still insisted they go out, but most of their hangouts were more lowkey and calm, giving them some much-needed downtime amongst the chaos of homework, tests, training, and the stress of preparing for the Entrance Exams.

The thing Izuku was most excited for were his lessons with Snipe and Power Loader. The cowboy had been taking him aside once a week for two hours of his training, teaching him everything he knew about firearms and shooting. Izuku had a keen eye and the uncommon ability to shoot on the run, as he’d proven at paintball a couple times, so Snipe was excited to hone that ability. With his logged practice hours and the pro hero’s endorsement, Snipe predicted that he could apply for a gun license before the end of the year, though it might get deferred to the beginning of his first year at UA because of his age. Nezu-sensei was already setting up the paperwork for him, which would allow him to take a small variety of things into the Entrance Exam. Hitoshi had already worked with their dad to get an allowance for his own capture weapon and both boys were extremely excited at having a legitimate chance among the flashier quirks that were likely to be there.

The lessons with Power Loader were completely different. They’d been allowed to start in the extra support gear club their final year at Somei, and were obviously the youngest kids in the class. Most of the other students were from the business course and gen ed at UA, but a couple of support course students were there for either extra credit as tutors, or because they wanted extra time to work on projects that weren’t necessarily homework related.

One thing that Izuku and Katsuki had learned early in the club was that, in general, support course students were nuts. Some of their ideas put Izuku’s rockets and nitro boots to shame, but they were always willing and eager to help others and receive critique on their own ideas. The whole club learned quickly not to pester Katsuki about his quirk; Izuku had very firmly shut them down when they’d tried to get samples of his sweat to use on their projects.

“Kacchan is my partner and he’s not a cow. You all have access to whatever chemicals Power Loader-sensei gave us. If you can’t make something with those, then you shouldn’t be wasting everyone’s time.”

Power Loader had snorted softly, but nodded. “Yamazawa is correct. Collaboration is perfectly acceptable, but just I would not allow you to badger a classmate during school hours, I will not allow it here. Bakugou has said no; the answer is no. Get back to work or I will remove you from the club. Please remember that this is an extracurricular, and none of you are required to stay here.”

When he wasn’t being a ‘violent fuckin’ gremlin’, according to Katsuki, Izuku was often sought out for ‘reality checks’ on gear that was being designed. While he could be just as imaginative and crazy as some of the support course students, Izuku had a unique perspective on making things actually usable for up and coming heroes. He made actual friends amongst the club students, even though most of his time was spent next to Katsuki, working on sketches for their group’s costumes and creating actual support item prototypes.
The club brought about the creation of a voice changer for Hitoshi. Izuku modified it from his own idea, giving Hitoshi the option to throw his voice out farther, while also changing pitches and tones. Izuku added options for Hitoshi to sound like specific people with voice samplers, pitching the idea to Power Loader that they could use recordings of villains or criminals to give him a better chance of being responded to. The issue that Izuku spent literal weeks on was that there was no way his brother would be able to handle anything actually covering his face. He could tolerate the capture scarf, but anything resembling a muzzle was a no-go.

He tossed ideas back and forth with Katsuki and Maijima, unwilling to include his clubmates in his brother’s deeply personal trauma. They’d finally struck on something when Izuku was sketching out Denki’s new necklace for his battery pack. Maijima had blinked and tilted his head, pointing to it.

“What is this for? It’s seems superfluous for Kaminari’s hero costume…”

“It’s not. It’s actually pretty essential. This will connect down his back to his battery with those super-tensile metals we figured out for his hero costume. It’s also going to be lined with monitors that will connect to his glasses, so that he can keep track of his own output and keep himself from short circuiting.”

Maijima nodded, looking over the blueprints for the glasses. He tapped a finger on the table, the deeper ‘click click’ of his gloves cutting through the normal chatter and metalworking noises of their club. “This will sit across Kaminari’s throat, yes?”

Izuku nodded, pointing at the slightly higher point. “Support gear wise, it doesn’t really have to sit in any particular spot, since it just has to be close enough to his glasses to give the AI there proper readings. But Kacchan says with how slender he is, higher up will look nicer, and it will give him some unique concepts for merch after he debuts.”

“That is very smart, but we could do something similar for Hitoshi. If the necklace hung down here…” He took an extra piece of paper and a pencil, well aware how possessive Izuku was of his notes, and sketched a semblance of Hitoshi’s neck and shoulders, with a small bauble dangling right at his clavicle. “For changing his voice or projecting it, he could simply press the node against his throat, which would keep him from covering his face, but also allow him to choose when he wanted to use it. We could set it up with different small functions or buttons.”

Izuku’s face brightened and he quickly pulled the sketch closer, looking it over. “Oh my god. This is perfect. Especially… Kacchan!”

The blond looked up, scowling a little at being disturbed, but Izuku was already talking over his annoyance. “Remember when I said I was thinking of a subtle cat theme for Tosh and you said you weren’t sure how to work it in without it looking stupid?”

“Still stands, nerd. I’m not givin’ him fucking cat ears or anything.”

“No! C’mere.” When Katsuki grumbled and ambled over, Izuku put the sketch between them. “What if we added noise canceling toe beans to his gloves and boots, and then turned this into a small cat face or paw? Each ear or toe could be a button to cycle through abilities, and if he pressed the center, it would project the new setting through his voice box?”

Katsuki tilted his head, considering. “We could also add a subtle ear thing like the hobo has, but give it a bit of a point at the tip to replicate the cat thing. If he positioned the edge of his scarf to flow behind him a bit, it would give the illusion of a tail… The underground merch groups would go nuts for that shit.”

Izuku nodded rapidly, grinning. He started to draw the idea out in his own sketchbook before grinning at Maijima. “Power Loader-sensei, would you autograph your sketch for me? It would be so cool to have an actual starter drawing from the best support hero in the business autographed…”

Maijima’s face flushed under his helmet, but he chuckled and nodded, grabbing a marker and autographing the simple sketch. “Do I want to know how many other teachers you’ve already gotten signatures from?”

“Mm, Nezu-sensei signed my first assignment for Denki, I made Dad and Pops autograph the imitation adoption papers for me. Aunt Nem autographed my prototype container for her lining pieces, and Uncle Tensei signed my failed rocket boots. He laughed a lot when I asked him, but we were both laughing when I put up the video still with me faceplanting into the wall right next to them.” He giggled softly. “He called it an art piece that should be called ‘The Need for Speed and Safety Bumpers’.” Tapping his lip, he considered carefully. “The LiveWire Duo sent me some signed merch, which was super nice, and once I have a final sketch for my ammo holster, I’m gonna have Snipe-sensei sign the original for me. I’m still trying to figure out the most efficient way to carry different kinds of ammo as well as the grenades, so it’s taking me a bit.”

Kacchan grumbled about him being a ‘fuckin’ creepy stalker’, fondly ruffling his hair before returning to his own work. Maijima just chuckled and handed back the sketch. “I’ll send over some material ideas for the ‘toe beans’ so you can choose and add them to Hitoshi’s costume. Once you have a finalized plan for costumes, please bring them to me, along with the specs and measurements, so I can help all of you fill out your costume request forms.”

“If we get in, Maijima-sensei.”

“Izuku, there is no if. We’ve all seen what you boys can do. Don’t doubt yourself now, you’re too close to the finish line.” When the green-haired boy nodded sheepishly, he gave him a firm nod and returned to his desk.

A couple weeks later, the boys had worked with Power Loader and Mitsuki to create mock-ups of the costume designs they’d been working on. Since they weren’t the ones who’d have to wear most of them, they set up mannequins to show them off after training that evening.

Izuku took the floor first, bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement. Katsuki grinned proudly beside him. “Okay, so Kacchan and I have been working on costume designs and support gear for when we get into UA.” After Maijima’s gentle scolding, he’d been forcing himself to actively listen to the adults around him, and had started picking up the fact that they kept saying ‘when’, not ‘if’. After a conversation with Hound Dog, he’d been actively using it more himself too in an effort to stop minimizing his own efforts and the efforts of his best friends.

“Nerd’s been doing all the support gear work, while I’ve been bustin’ my fuckin’ ass on making you shitheads not look like total D-listers out there. You’d better fuckin’ appreciate our hard work.”

“Kacchan! Of course they will. But, if there’s anything you aren’t sure about or want to change, let us know. We’d like to have everything finalized before the Entrance Exam, so that we can all send in our forms right away. Toshi! You’re up first.”

When Hitoshi stepped forward hesitantly, Izuku grinned. “Okay, so first is the obvious. Since Kacchan went with a purple and dark gray color scheme for your costume, we’d like to commission a mottled purple and lavender capture weapon for you. You need a little more stealth than Dad, so where his white scarf and yellow goggles are meant to startle and scare opponents, your whole thing will be sneaking up on them and the mottling of the scarf will make it harder to see at night.”

“It’ll also match the patterns on your costume, just with a lavender instead of gray,” Katsuki spoke up. “We played a bit with your aesthetic, to make it more marketable for underground merch shit or whatever. Instead of dressing like a fuckin’ hobo lookin’ for a hot dog, we’ve got you in tighter clothes that won’t fuck up your mobility.”

Izuku nodded excitedly. “So, on top of the scarf, you’re going to have a low choker with a charm that dangles next to your larynx.” He stepped forward, tapping Hitoshi’s neck lightly. “The charm will actually be a voice manipulator, with different buttons and settings. Obviously you’ll have to memorize where things are, but that’s what training with support gear is for once we get into the Hero Course. It’ll be a voice changer and amplifier. It’ll be loaded with an AI chip that will get voice samplings, so like… video clips or even stakeouts when you can get the sounds of one or two people talking will let others think you’re them when you ask a question for you to use your quirk easier. The amplifier will help you be heard for crowd control, but I don’t want you using that until we’ve expanded your quirk a bit farther. You can practice it without your quirk, obviously, but yeah… you get it.”

Hitoshi nodded slightly, giving him a little smile. “Got it, Zuks.”

“So, the charm is the lead up to the rest of the costume.” He stepped back a bit to show off the actual outfit. “The charm will be in a cat shape… either a head or a paw, depending on how many functions and buttons Power Loader and I add to it. Easy to feel, especially once you get used to it.”

“The fuckin’ cat thing follows through with the boots and gloves.” Katsuki lifted one of each, showing off the toe bean padding. “It’s noise canceling and shock absorbing. Literally works the same fuckin’ way Duck’s paws do when he’s tryin’ to sneak treats, the little shit.” He paused, playing with the glove for a second. “Wanted to ask how you felt about adding claws? Nerd’s already got the weighted knuckles in here, so try it on. Thinkin’ about retractable claws for when you have to get close to fight or need to climb some shit…”

Hitoshi blinked, flushing brightly as he slipped the glove on and flexed his hand. The padding easily molded into his fist and he rolled his fingers around, feeling the weights on his knuckles and the softness of the leather. “I’m not sure how they’d work, but if you could manage it, even if they’re just small enough to give me a bit of a grip, I’m down to give them a try.”

Izuku bounced again, rapidly writing in his notebook. “I have an idea, so we’ll see what we can do. We can definitely add them to the boots. It’ll be the gloves that we’ll have to workshop, but I think we can.”

“Don’t forget the last thing, asshole.”

“Oh, right! So, Dad’s got his ear piece hidden behind his goggles. We were thinking of giving you something similar, but with slightly pointed pieces at the top to resemble cat ears. That, with the boots and gloves, and if you position your capture weapon end to flow behind you a bit, would pull together the whole cat aesthetic without being overwhelming or silly looking, and would give you a good basis for merch ideas later on.”

Hitoshi nodded, tapping his lip. “I think I can make that work. Don’t think there’s anything I’d change right now, but obviously I’d have to try the whole thing on and see how it all works.”

“Yes, but that comes in the first week of UA,” came Shouta’s voice from behind them. “You have an idea of what you want, and then most of the time, you realize that it’s completely impractical and make changes. I don’t think we’ll see much of that from the five of you, but that’s generally what happens.”

Hitoshi nodded again, going to sit back down when Izuku pointed at Tenya. “Okay, Tenya, your costume idea is pretty firm, and I get it. Legacy kid with a long background, you gotta uphold traditions. However!”

He stepped to the side, showing off pieces of armor instead of a whole suit. “So, Kacchan didn’t mess with your aesthetic too much. What he did do was talk to Power Loader about making it more durable and providing more protection.”

Katsuki nodded sharply. “I get the whole wind resistance bullshit, but they make fuckin’ motorcycle helmets light as shit that still protect your brain from bouncing off the pavement doin’ 60. So, composite armor instead of focusing only on wind resistance.” He tossed a gauntlet to the tall boy, who looked surprised at the durability. “The shitty nerd thinks you’ll be able to achieve short flights, like I do, but ya can’t do that if you’re worried about crackin’ your legs or your armor when ya land.”

Izuku grinned. “On top of that, we’ve added more advanced cooling technology to the areas around your engines, as well as a shield that you can engage over your engines if you have to like, run in sand or fight against someone using a lot of small debris. It’ll keep your engines from getting clogged and seizing up.”

Tenya nodded solemnly. “It is quite painful when that happens, so that is a very welcome addition.”

“The only other things we added were a communication and ear piece in your mask and helmet, and better shock absorbers on your soles. Honestly, we took a page out of Dad and Pop’s books and made sure that communications would be easily accessible for everyone, because having to touch your wrist or dig out a communicator is time you sometimes don’t have. The seconds you can save by just touching your ear or neck could be the difference between life and death.”

Shouta nodded solemnly. “It’s true, and I’m glad to see the additions.”

Tenya gave them a warm smile. “The additions are most appreciated. It will be nice to not have to worry about damaging my suit if I take a turn incorrectly.”

Katsuki snorted and nodded. “All right, Pichu, you’re up. And you’re the biggest pain in the ass.”

“Kacchan! So mean! You are not, Denks, ignore him. We kept your suit lightweight, because ya know… zappy noodle.” Izuku giggled at Denki’s finger guns before continuing. “Same concept as Tenya, lightweight composite that won’t react to your lightning but will keep you safe in close combat.” He paused, glancing at Hitoshi. “Totally forgot to mention the extra armor in yours, but yeah, same deal. We all avoided metal in our main armors because we’re gonna be working with Denki, so the less that we can accidentally catch a stray shock, the better.”

“Not that the dumbass accidentally shocks people much anymore, but the point stands… combat is too fast-paced to predict every fuckin’ eventuality, so early precautions are best. We kept the leather jacket and jeans combo your old people use, just upgraded with proper armor. The support shit is the real star here, though.”

Izuku clenched his fists, eyes dancing as he wriggled in place before getting himself under control. “Honestly, this was almost as much fun as designing Kacchan’s gear. Since we were basically working from scratch, there was a lot of trial and error to it! We had to-”

“Fuckin’ hell, nerd, shut the fuck up about the process and explain the shit. You can geek out later.”

“Eep! Right, sorry. Okay, so the most important thing. I needed to find a placement for the battery pack and the absorbing node so they wouldn’t interfere with your movements and we wouldn’t have to stick it on you all the time. Kacchan created an insulated pocket inside your shirt for your battery to sit, and it’s connected to this choker here. The choker is made of the same tech as the capture weapons, so it can’t be ripped off. The choker serves as the conduit for the battery, but it also has medical tech in it, to monitor your output levels and make sure you’re not putting yourself too close to a short circuit. Your glasses have an AI screen in the corner that will give you information about yourself, so you don’t have to worry about someone else watching over you in the middle of a fight.”

He motioned to the belt around the mannequin’s waist. “In addition to the main battery, you will have several smaller, lightweight batteries that either you or your costume case can charge up. I gave you two main weapons, not counting the gloves we already talked about before. Escrima sticks and a grappling hook. They’re both electrified, and you can either charge them yourself, or if you’re starting to get close to your limit, you can switch them to battery power. The extra batteries are basically like extra clips for Snipe… quick reloads in the middle of combat.”

Denki stared with wide eyes before darting forward to hug Izuku, and then Katsuki. “This is so cool! It looks amazing, and it sounds so useful!!”

Katsuki pushed him off gently, huffing a little. “One thing I added was a set of jacks. Zuks made them so you can call them back or whatever, but they’ll let your lightning conduct farther, so if you have to shoot at a distance or hit more than one person, you can throw ‘em out and fuck shit up that way. Be fuckin’ careful to watch your brain shit when you use ‘em, though.”

Izuku smiled brightly. “And obviously we didn’t need to go over it with Tenya, but the glasses and choker are good starts for merch ideas. Hair clips and jackets might also work too, but keeping in mind how to represent yourself for merch deals is a good thing to start thinking about.”

Hitoshi crossed his arms, giving them both a sharp look. “Okay, brainiacs, what about your own stuff? You can’t give away all our costume ideas and not let us know about yours.”

Katsuki snarled playfully. “I don’t have to tell you shit, Eyebags.”

“Kacchan, be nice,” Izuku huffed, shoving his shoulder. “We’ve already told you most of Kacchan’s stuff. The biggest change has been that we’ve come up with a proper bandolier for his grenades, and we added a communication piece into his hair explosions. We also came up with a better support system for his arms and shoulders to protect them from damage and support his quirk use.”

Katsuki shoved him back. “Tell ‘em about your shit, Zuk. You’re fuckin’ terrifying and they should know it.”

Izuku rolled his eyes. “Yes, Kacchan. I did too much, Kacchan. No one needs this much shit, Kacchan.”

As the blond laughed, Izuku moved to his own costume. “Mine is kind of a mix of Dad and Pops. Leather looking clothes with spikes, but greens and blacks. Kacchan added some orange to mine, and a bit of green to his, which I really liked. Kinda shows where we came from, ya know?” He gave his oldest friend a bright smile, and got a baring of teeth in return. “Anyway, same composite armor, similar to Toshi’s so that it’s only in kill zone areas to maximize maneuverability. I have two slightly different head pieces, depending on if I’m doing limelight or underground work, but similar enough that I won’t have to memorize two different setups. My limelight mask is much more kid-friendly than my underground one, but they both have the voice amplifier and mute features, and obviously the communication ear piece. Gloves with metal knuckles, and boots that are a little thinner for better parkour jumping, but also have the shock absorption for silence, plus wheels I can extend if I need a bit of a boost.”

“Uh huh… now get to the fuckin’ scary part, ya leaf-headed shit.”

“It’s not scary! I’m just prepared.” Izuku swatted Katsuki with his notebook before running a sheepish hand through the back of his own hair. “So, you know I’m trying to mimic quirks. And as Dad has pointed out, no hero is a one-trick pony. So, I have mimicked Voice, Somnambulist, Explosion and Electrification, specifically. Voice amplifier in my masks, I carry some of Aunt Nem’s suit linings, cut up into squares, obviously Kacchan’s grenades, and much to Dad’s annoyance, I stuck with my bat, but gave it zaps. I also have two guns with a variety of ammo, including stun shots and tranquilizers. Those are contingent on me getting my firearms license, but Snipe seems pretty confident that I’ll either get it before I start UA or in my first year, so…” He shrugged a little. “It’s not really all that scary, right?”

His face fell a little as he looked at the stunned expressions around him. “Is… is it too much?”

Hitoshi was the first to move, shaking his head sharply. “No. No, it’s not too much at all, Zuks. It is a lot but it’s smart.”

Tenya nodded, looking pensive. “My main concern is going to be storage and carrying it. Will it not be heavy to take all of that with you all the time?”

Izuku shook his head. “It sounds like it would be heavy, but the guns and the bat are really the only things that weigh more than a few ounces. The grenades will be carried on the same belt as the ammo, and I have pockets on my legs for the swatches and an extra battery. I already did a weight test with Power Loader, because he was worried about the same thing.”

“Then it seems to me that it will be just enough. I would caution to restrict yourself in the future, however. You can be… easily excited and inspired by new quirks, and our classmates will most likely have things that will be intriguing and seem useful. Do not get too carried away and do not get so attached to something now that you are unwilling to drop something you currently use if something better occurs to you.”

Hitoshi and Denki both nodded and Katsuki slung an arm around Izuku’s shoulders. “That’s what I was talking about, nerd. You were scary at nine with nothin’ but a fuckin’ bat and a dream. You’re terrifyin’ now. Don’t get bogged down in what extras can do when ya don’t need it.”

Izuku rested his head on Katsuki’s shoulder, smiling brightly at the family he’d found. “All right, that’s fair.” He raised his right hand impishly. “I solemnly swear to bring ideas to the Council before adding them to my hero costume.”

They all laughed and started cleaning up, but every one of them silently swore to hold their impulsive friend to his promise.

Chapter Text

With the school year in full swing, everything seemed to be going well. Too well, in Hitoshi’s opinion. He’d gotten held after class for career counseling, which wasn’t a big deal; every student was being held back for a one-on-one with Rito-sensei and the school counselor. It was basically a reminder that there were other options beside hero work if their plans fell through. Hitoshi wasn’t honestly sure how Izuku was going to handle it, because with everything they’d looked into, there literally wasn’t any line of work that he could safely and realistically pursue because of discrimination. He’d spoken to their parents about it, but since it was a requirement of their final year, there wasn’t much that could be done about it but to keep an eye on him.

The rest of the their friend group was waiting by the front gates, but Hitoshi needed to make a quick bathroom stop before he headed out. He was in the process of texting the group chat, letting them know that he was done and would be out in a few minutes when there was a sharp tug on his school bag. He glanced around, then down when purple balls caught his eye.

“Hey, you’re that brainwashin’ kid, right? The one with the quirk that can make anyone… any laaady do whatever you want?” Mineta’s whiny tone made him shudder and he stepped away, shaking his head slightly. He wanted to tell him to get away from him, but his throat was closing up at the disgusting leer from the smaller boy.

When he tried to walk around him, tried to get away as quickly as possible, he found himself stuck to the wall. Struggling seemed to make it worse, so he stopped and settled for glaring at the obnoxious little shit.

“Nah, see, I asked around. And I think we could definitely help each other out.”

Hitoshi shook his head sharply, shoving his hand in his pocket to text an sos to the group chat that was thankfully still open. His thumb brushed over the call button so they knew what was happening.

“Aww, don’t be like that. Villains like you need all the help you can get, and trust me, I get something out of it too. We’d start small, ya know? A coupla first years who won’t say nothing to nobody. Have some fun?” Mineta gave a crude hand gesture, making Hitoshi flinch. The lisp made everything seem surreal, honestly, that someone who sounded and looked like that was being so incredibly cruel and suggestive.

Hitoshi was trembling slightly, but the buzzing of his phone in his pocket let him know he wasn’t alone, and that help was coming. He again shook his head, sharply, sneering down at the little pervert.

“Oh, c’mon. You help me out and my dad’ll put in a good word for you… he’s gonna get me into UA and I can make sure you come with… not like you’re gonna make it otherwise, right? Big scary quirk, but it can be oh so useful…”

He was cut off with a choking noise as Izuku’s fist plowed into the side of his head. Denki darted around the scuffle, putting himself between the the fight and Hitoshi. Katsuki was standing back and watching with a smirk, but as he looked over at Hitoshi, he glowered deeply, stalking over and dragging Mineta up to dangle him out of Izuku’s violent hands, straight into the air.

“You fuckin’ piece of shit, did you use your fuckin’ quirk on him?!”

Hitoshi glanced back slightly and realized that his blazer was stuck to the wall with a small purple ball. He shuddered and Denki immediately turned away from the rest of them, pulling him into a quick hug before helping him get his blazer off so he could move away. “Tenya’s getting the principal and Rito-sensei. We split up at the door so he should be here any minute.”

Hitoshi nodded, hiding his face in Denki’s hair as the blond stroked his back gently. It had been years since he’d felt this… useless, disgusting. He couldn’t stop shaking, and he was so pissed at himself for not being able to fight back.

Izuku, meanwhile, was absolutely furious. It looked like the only thing keeping his brother from causing more damage was Katsuki’s hand held out between them, keeping him back. Mineta was already bleeding from a cut on his forehead and a busted nose, but the way Izuku’s hands kept clenching into fists showed how close he was to losing his shit.

It was bittersweet, honestly. Hitoshi could defend himself. He could. He didn’t know why he froze like that, why his throat just closed up and he couldn’t even think enough to just take his jacket off and leave. He was so appreciative of the fact that they’d come running, though. If he could just get enough air, he might be able to tell them that….

Denki cursed and dragged Hitoshi down gently, grabbing his hand and putting it against his chest. The slow, deep breaths from his blond friend helped a little. “Just breathe, Tosh, you’re okay. We’ve got you.”

Somehow, the absolute silence coming from Katsuki was the scariest. Izuku’s violence, while startling, wasn’t exactly unexpected when it came to defending his people, and Denki being the one to immediately tend to Hitoshi also made sense… he couldn’t use his quirk without getting into trouble, so he’d leave it to the people who could handle things. But Katsuki wasn’t growling, he wasn’t swearing, he wasn’t even setting off explosions to alleviate tension. He just held Mineta in the air easily, ignoring his flailing and whining, glaring up at him as he kept Izuku at bay.

Tenya’s words broke through the mess in the hallway. “They are this way.” His strident tone carried easily over the mess of Denki trying to talk him down from a panic attack and Izuku’s angry curses and threats. The click of the principal’s heels hurrying behind Tenya was the next thing he heard and he managed to lift his head a little to watch.

The principal gasped at the sight of the blood, looking like she was going to start scolding them all, but Denki’s clear voice cut through the tension like a knife. “Principal Iyo, Mineta used his quirk on Hitoshi and then said some really disgusting things to him. Izuku defended his brother, and Katsuki kept them apart when he showed up.” There was a slight shake to his voice, but he kept the report concise, just like Dad had taught them.

Rito-sensei sighed heavily, gripping Mineta’s collar tightly. “Bakugou, please release him. Yamazawa, please refrain from attacking him again.”

Tenya had moved up next to Izuku, grabbing his arm in a firm grip. It was obvious that none of them quite trusted his brother to not hit him again, and Hitoshi was thankful for the precautions… all of this was bad enough without Izuku getting into more trouble.

“If it helps, Principal, I recorded the entire thing on my phone when Hitoshi-kun called our group chat.” With his free hand, Tenya pulled his own phone from his pocket, ending the recording in front of them. “You will be able to clearly hear Mineta verbally attacking our friend, and our reactions to it.”

The principal took his phone, playing back the recording. Denki tucked Hitoshi’s face back into his neck, covering his ears, and honestly, Hitoshi was grateful to not have to hear it all again. He lifted his head when he heard Katsuki’s heavy steps, watching him move about ten feet down the hallway to let off the explosions he’d kept contained before. Izuku looked more like Katsuki at the moment, glaring down at Mineta in their teacher’s grip with a terrifying snarl.

“This is a very serious altercation, boys. While I understand that you wanted to protect your friend, you should not have responded with violence.” The principal’s voice was carefully neutral, and Hitoshi wondered absently if she was afraid of Izuku’s reaction.

Maybe she should be.

“All due respect, Iyo-san, my brother was being attacked and called a villain in your school.” Despite the angry glare he was using on Mineta, somehow Izuku’s voice was calm, almost ice cold. Hitoshi had heard it once or twice in the last year, and he wondered if that’s what he sounded like when he was doing vigilante things. “He used his quirk on Hitoshi, trapping him, which is illegal without proper license that I’m sure he does not have. As you heard, he was trying to coerce my brother into using his quirk illegally, against first years specifically who would be too scared to speak up. This is already noted in Hitoshi’s file as triggering for him, so I will accept whatever punishment you want to give out, but I am not sorry for defending my family. Cameras and the recording prove that the only person who used a quirk was Mineta, and the only one who got physical was me.”

Tenya sighed softly and pulled him back. “Please calm down, Izuku-kun. I’m sure the principal of such a respected school for legacy children and the wealthy elite will make proper decisions in this situation.” It sounded like he was trying to settle Izuku, but Hitoshi could easily hear the ice in his tone, and the threat if the principal tried to spin the altercation incorrectly.

He didn’t have a lot of hope that he or Izuku wouldn’t be punished for this, but it settled something deep in his chest that his brother and best friends were willingly defending him like that.

The principal sighed and looked at their teacher, who was giving her a look that was almost as cold as Tenya’s. While it wasn’t surprising that Rito-sensei would go to bat for his students, that look was almost scary on his lined face. “I believe that it would be prudent to call their parents and the authorities, ma’am. We have video and audio proof of Mr. Mineta’s actions, along with several documented reports of his behavior. If you will call security to take him down to your office, I will make the phone calls.”

With a sharp nod, the principal pulled her phone out and stalked down the hallway after handing Tenya back his phone. He saved the recording quickly and sent it to all of them before looking down at Izuku. “Are you calm enough to tend to your brothers, Izuku-kun?”

With a deep breath, Izuku nodded, and as soon as he was released, he was crouched in front of Hitoshi, pulling him into a hug. “Tenya’s already texting Dad and Pops. We’ve got you, Tosh.” He hugged him again, giving Denki a smile. “Keep him calm, Denks, I gotta go get Kacchan.”

They both nodded, and Hitoshi melted into Denki’s warmth again, giving a shaky sigh when Tenya came to sit beside them. Down the hall, he could hear the angry murmurs from Izuku and Katsuki, but it was only a few minutes before the blond was crouched in front of him too, gripping his chin gently to check for injuries.

“You good, Eyebags?” The fond insult brought the tears that Hitoshi had been fighting back to the surface and Katsuki cursed before pulling him to his feet and into a hug. “Don’t pull the waterworks, shitbag. You’re safe, and between my hag and your dads, that piece of shit will be lucky to avoid handcuffs. Zuk won’t get in any shit either. Teach was fuckin’ pissed; he’ll handle it.”

Hitoshi nodded against his shoulder, taking a deep breath before stepping back and wiping his face. He opened his mouth, but the tightness in his throat made him snap it shut again with a frustrated huff.

“We’ll translate for you, Tosh, don’t worry.” As Izuku’s hands signed the words, Hitoshi let out a soft gasp. Katsuki huffed and grabbed the green-haired gremlin’s wrist, keeping him from moving them.

“C’mon, assholes. The sooner we get to the office, the sooner we can get the fuck outta here.”

Sitting in the principal’s office, waiting on their parents’ arrival, Hitoshi started shaking again. He was going to get expelled, Izuku was going to get expelled, and all their hard work was going to mean nothing. He never fought back, ever, and this was exactly why. Denki wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding him tight against his side. On the couch beside them, Katsuki was doing the same thing to Izuku, but it was hard to tell if it was to keep the smaller boy from launching himself at Mineta again, or because Izuku was having the same spiraling panic. Tenya stood behind them, a silent sentinel whose glower was almost a direct copy of Katsuki’s, and was firmly planted on Mineta’s squirming form. Hitoshi wasn’t sure if it was that, or the security guard behind him that was keeping the little pervert’s mouth shut, but either way, he was grateful for it.

The principal sat behind her desk quietly writing up forms until Rito-sensei walked in, putting his phone into his pocket. Their teacher walked over and put a gentle hand on Hitoshi’s shoulder and honestly, he was a little surprised. It felt like the older man was showing an alliance and Hitoshi could hardly believe that any teacher, even one as nice and fair as Rito-sensei, would stand by the villain kid. “The Bakugous and Yamazawas will be here in a few moments. Mr. Iida and Ms. Kaminari have transferred their guardianship in this situation to the Yamazawas as they could not get out of prior engagements. You should be receiving emails to that effect shortly. Mr. Mineta has requested a video conference as he’s currently out of town but wants to be part of the proceedings.”

Principal Iyo nodded with a small huff. She set the video call up, but didn’t connect it until after the Bakugous and Hitoshi’s parents arrived, which Hitoshi was deeply grateful for. He didn’t want to face this anymore at all, honestly, but he definitely didn’t want to face an angry parent without his own present. There was a brief knock on the door, and then the tornado that was Mitsuki Bakugou stormed in, nearly bouncing the door off the wall if Masaru hadn’t caught it.

“What the hell is going on here? Why have our brats been detained like this?” She stormed over to Izuku and Katsuki, looking them over and ignoring the rest of the room as she checked Hitoshi’s brother’s knuckles before making her way over to Hitoshi. Crouching in front of him, she looked over Denki quickly before gently gripping Hitoshi’s chin and looking him over. In a much quieter voice, almost soft like Katsuki’s got sometimes, she murmured, “You okay, gremlin?”

Hitoshi shrugged slightly, lifting shaking hands. *Not really, but I’m not physically hurt.*

“That makes sense. Don’t you worry, kiddo, we all got the video. We’ve got your back, got it?”

When he nodded slightly, she straightened and turned back to the principal with Dad by her side. Pops wrapped Hitoshi up in a hug, while Denki stood and walked back to stand beside Tenya, another silent sentinel. “Well? You’ve got the video footage, so what’s the damned issue here?”

Principal Iyo gaped at the scene until Mitsuki demanded answers, then held up a hand. “If you’ll give me a moment to connect Mr. Mineta, we can all discuss this.” Hitoshi heard Katsuki snort derisively, but Izuku gave a soft, almost inaudible whimper. Masaru immediately sat on his other side, combing fingers through his green hair. The screen flickered and then a tiny man with a receding purple hairline came onto the screen, face already an angry red. Hitoshi flinched back into Hizashi as poisonous purple eyes glared at everyone in the room through the screen.

“Fine, I’m here. And I don’t see the police. So why the hell are those hooligans allowed to beat up my kid, get coddled by their obvious delinquent parents, and no one is charging them with anything yet?”

The principal sighed heavily and Hitoshi felt a small pang of sympathy for her, caught between Mitsuki and this angry man. “Mr. Mineta, we have video and audio proof that your son used his quirk on another student. That was the beginning of the altercation. The police are on their way, of course, but if you want to press charges, the young man’s family will also press charges against your son.”

“Damn straight we will,” Mitsuki snarled, staring at the screen. “We’ll also be going to the school board to have your brat expelled, no matter what you decide. Were you sent the video?”

“Yeah, I got the damned thing. So what? Kids talk all the time. You can’t expel him for talking. Which one of your hoodlums busted up my son’s face?”

With more courage than Hitoshi felt he could show, Izuku glared at the screen. “I did. Your son cornered my brother, used his quirk illegally, and then made several references to harming younger students. So I punched him in the face.” Izuku actually snarled, lip curled at both of the Minetas. “And since I was defending a family member, I can’t actually be charged.”

“So what, he used his quirk, so you got to use yours?”

Izuku barked out a humorless laugh. “Not in the least. The only person who used their quirk was your son. I just got him away from my brother. And before we did, another friend ran to get the teachers so it wouldn’t get out of hand.”

Mineta whined from across the room. “You didn’t have to hit me! I wasn’t doin’ anything wrong, just talkin’ to the villain!”

Hizashi’s head snapped up so fast, Hitoshi heard his neck crack. “What did you just call my son?”

“He’s a villain! Everyone knows it. And the null shouldn’t even be here! They should both be expelled!” His whiny lisp was made worse by the broken nose, giving it a nasally, wet quality.

When Izuku flinched, Denki stepped forward, head tilted almost arrogantly. It was like a thundercloud passed through the room as he stopped between the two couches. “Ya know, the reason people choose this school is because of the anti-discrimination and anti-bullying protocols in place. So not only do we have the video from Tenya’s phone, and the video and audio from the hallway cameras, but now, we have you spewing hate speech in front of several witnesses, including a teacher, the principal, a school security guard and two pro heroes. Not only that, but we have proof of you intending on using your father to get you into UA. Do you really wanna keep digging your hole deeper?”

A polite knock on the door interrupted the argument, and Detective Tsukauchi walked in with the cat-headed lieutenant that Hitoshi actually really enjoyed being around, Sansa. They surveyed the room with professional eyes before looking at the principal. “You called for a school altercation?”

“Yes.” She started to continue, but Mr. Mineta started on another tirade about pressing charges. With a huff, she muted his microphone, letting him rant to himself. “As you can see, we’ve had a serious altercation here, and some very serious charges have been leveled against both students involved.”

Sansa pulled out a notepad, and Tsukauchi motioned for her to stop a moment. “Just for everyone’s information, my quirk is called Lie Detector. I will know if you’re lying to me. Please continue.”

She gave him a small smile and nodded. “We do have video and audio of what happened, which we will share. But from what we have gathered, Mr. Mineta cornered the older Mr. Yamazawa outside the bathrooms after school hours. He was trying to get Mr. Yamazawa to use his quirk in… unsavory and illegal ways. We’re not completely sure how he managed to get the call out, but Mr. Yamazawa called his brother and friends, who were waiting for him outside. When they received the call and realized what was going on, Mr. Iida started recording the call on his phone and came to fetch their teacher, while the younger Mr. Yamazawa took it upon himself to attack Mr. Mineta. By the time we arrived, Mr. Bakugou had separated the two, while Mr. Kaminari helped the victim of the bullying.” She took a breath and gave Hitoshi a small smile.

“I want to point out, young man, that you are not, in any way, in trouble here. I should have said that from the start, so I apologize for my lack of transparency. You were the victim in all of this, and the rest of your friends are only here as witnesses.” She turned back to the officers. “Our issue here is that one, Mr. Mineta did use his quirk on another student, which not only goes against our policies, but is also illegal. We also have documentation of harassment that the superintendent did not feel warranted expulsion at the time, but does prove a pattern. Two, Mr. Yamazawa physically attacked him, causing him actual damage rather than just pulling him away and separating them until authorities could get there.”

Dad sighed softly, and Hitoshi winced, tucking a little tighter against Hizashi. Izuku was trembling now, his earlier defiance gone as he clung to Katsuki’s hand. Hitoshi wanted to go over, to comfort him and give him support, but he wasn’t sure his legs would hold him, and he didn’t think any of the adults would let him. “I am going to put this quite plainly, and Mr. Mineta,” he glanced at the silent screen, “I do hope you’re listening. You are more than welcome to attempt to press charges. It will not end well for you. It is not illegal to defend yourself or others, and your son already proved that he was willing to use his quirk on others. Izuku merely stopped him from doing so. As it stands, I am more than happy to let this go with nothing more than what the police will decide about the illegal quirk use, and your son’s removal from this school. If you choose to escalate beyond that, then I will quite happily take you and your son to court for illegal use of his quirk against my child, as well as defamation and emotional damage.”

The principal turned the speakers back on when Mr. Mineta glowered at Dad. “Your hoodlum brat should be expelled too! Why does he get off with nothing for attacking my kid?”

Principal Iyo huffed softly. “We have not determined Mr. Yamazawa’s punishment as of yet, but seeing as this is a first offense for him, and a repeated offense of bullying or predatory behavior from your son, and according to the policies that you read and signed off on when you enrolled your son here, obviously we will not be expelling Mr. Yamazawa.”

The detective stepped forward, putting himself in the camera’s view. “As of right now, this is the first offense for your son using his quirk illegally. I would suggest, as a man of the law, that you take the offer given to you, and find a new school for your child. If you continue to pursue legal action, the school and the children’s parents could very well choose to press charges, and I will be taking your son in handcuffs.”

Hitoshi couldn’t believe what was happening, even though he knew his family had his back. The principal apologized to him and didn’t blame him for anything? Izuku might not get in trouble? His head was spinning and he couldn’t quite get enough breath again, but he was still present enough to understand what was being said around him.

Mr. Mineta snarled angrily, but finally nodded. “Fine, whatever. I’ll have a driver pick my son up and you can email me any paperwork. But this better not end up in any media outlets, or I’ll be the one suing for defamation.” He ended the call abruptly and the security guard gently pushed Mineta out of his seat.

“I’ll take him to the nurse and then the detention room until his ride arrives, ma’am.”

The principal nodded and breathed a soft sigh when the door closed behind them. The officers both took their leave right after, with Tsukauchi shooting Hitoshi a subtle wink on his way out. Once the room was cleared of outsiders, she ran a hand down her face. “I do hope you understand that your son does need to be punished for physically attacking another student.”

Dad nodded. “I’m aware. If I remember the paperwork, a first offense is a two-day suspension?”

She nodded back. “Yes. I am willing to keep it off his permanent record, seeing as both of your sons have it noted that they have some PTSD from before they came to you. He may return to school on Monday.”

She shifted to look at Izuku, who was now shaking hard enough that Hitoshi could see Katsuki shaking with him. “Young man, I understand what happened, and why. Can I ask why you attacked him instead of simply holding him back, like Mr. Bakugou did?”

Izuku shuddered and bit his lip hard enough to draw blood before he answered. “T-two reasons, really…” His voice was so small, and both Hitoshi and Denki whimpered softly at it. “O-one, I kn-knew what his, umm, his quirk could do. So if I… if I didn’t do something to, um, to stun him a bit, he c-could have gotten away, o-or hurt To… Hitoshi.” When she nodded encouragingly, he continued. “T-two, the punches were… l-less damaging. I, uh, I train. A lot. I-if I had thr-thrown him away, o-or grabbed his cl-clothes, I c-could have hurt him b-badly. A br-broken nose is b-better than a concu- mm, a concussion o-or a broken l-limb.”

She looked over at Dad, who nodded sharply. “All five boys are training to be heroes. Part of that is threat assessment and another part is self-control. Izuku is very strong, especially for his size, and Mineta is much smaller, so a concern of a more serious injury was definitely valid.”

She sorted out some of the forms she’d been filling out, passing them over to Dad. “I appreciate the explanation. I would recommend that both boys speak to their therapist, and if Hitoshi is not comfortable attending school while his brother is suspended, I will allow the excused absence.”

Tenya stepped forward, face stern and shocking Hitoshi with his words. “Quite frankly, ma’am, and again, with all due respect, I believe none of us will be ‘comfortable’ attending school in Izuku-kun’s absence. While I understand the rules and policies that must be followed, I will not be in school until Monday as well, as I do not think it is fair for someone to be punished when Mineta’s actions have been reported several times. I know for a fact that Rito-sensei sent the reports to the office, as I am the class vice president and carried some of them myself. So I suppose you can consider this a protest against a policy that would allow him to bully and terrorize other students, while punishing someone who did something about it.”

“T-tenya, n-no! It’s… it’s fine, you d-don’t need to…”

“Shut the fuck up, Zuk.” Katsuki’s voice was audible for the first time since he’d picked Hitoshi up from the hallway floor. “Tenya’s right. School’s tryin’ to give third years extra chances since we gotta get into high school next year, and I get it, whatever, but that doesn’t excuse ignorin’ complaints. I won’t be here either.”

Denki snorted. “If you think I’m showing up after this shitshow, you’re wrong.” He turned a bright smile on their teacher, tilting his head. “Rito-sensei, would you be willing to email us our homework? As I’m sure you’re aware, we’ve all come down with a terrible cough.” He even faked a cough into his elbow, which made Mitsuki bark out a laugh and their teacher chuckle.

“I have no problem sending you your schoolwork during your affliction, Kaminari-kun.” He looked up defiantly at the principal. “I did warn you, ma’am, that this would become a problem. I remove students according to the policies that the school board sets. The fact that I was not allowed to remove him from my class months ago is what led to this altercation.”

She dropped her head in her hands for a minute and nodded, sighing. “You’re right, of course. And I did try to convince the superintendent of that, but apparently the Minetas are friends or something with him, so my hands were tied aside from documentation. I am sorry that it came to this, and that I have to uphold the policies. All of you are excused from classes as long as you complete the work you miss. I expect you all to be here on Monday.”

Hitoshi couldn’t quite wrap his head around what had happened. Somehow, he wasn’t in trouble at all? Somehow, Izuku didn’t get expelled or worse? Somehow, the authority figures in a school hadn’t immediately blamed the easy suspects, but had listened? As they walked out, his breath caught in his throat again, tears blurring his vision as Pops and Tenya held onto his arms, helping him out into the sunlight. Once they were in the parking lot, the parents stepped aside to speak quietly while Izuku, Katsuki and Denki surrounded him. Izuku was also crying, leaning into Katsuki’s side and still shaking.

He still didn’t think it was quite real either, so he didn’t exactly blame his brother.

Tenya’s face was thunderous, while Denki kept shifting back and forth, brushing hands over both Izuku and Hitoshi like he wanted to comfort them both and couldn’t find a way to do it. Katsuki’s face was carefully blank as he watched Hitoshi lean onto Tenya’s arm.

“Okay, so… that sucked. A lot.” Denki’s normally cheerful voice was solemn, and he finally settled for grabbing both of their hands. “Are you two gonna be okay?”

Hitoshi shrugged, tongue still stuck like glue in his mouth, but Izuku nodded slightly, looking uncertain. “I… I think so? Dunno. T-tryin’ not to have a f-full fu-fuckin’ panic attack at the moment… ch-check in later.”

The group chuckled at the dark humor and Tenya pulled his bag around with his free hand, rifling inside for a second before pulling out the weighted plushies. He pressed one into Izuku’s hand and then gently forced one into Hitoshi’s arms as well. The parents walked over and Mitsuki ruffled Izuku and Katsuki’s hair. “All right, brats, here’s what’s gonna happen. We can’t fit all of you shits in one car, so Masa and I are gonna take Denki and Tenya. You other three are gonna go with Shouta and Hizashi. We’re all gonna meet up at your place to talk. Get your asses moving.”

Chapter Text

Izuki piled into the car with Katsuki, but shifted to put Hitoshi between them. Neither of them could seem to stop shaking, and he could tell Katsuki was worried about them, but he didn’t have the capability of reassuring himself at the moment, much less his best friend or his brother. He could feel the pull of his mind wanting to hide away and he tried to remember the lessons and skills that he’d been working on in therapy, but it felt a little like his mind was under water.

He’d actually attacked a student. At a new school. He’d almost been brought up on charges and honestly, would his dads even want to keep him if that happened? How had he fucked up so bad??

Shouta’s voice came from the front seat, firm but he didn’t sound angry. “Boys. I need to hear something from you. I don’t care if it’s just tapping or muttering or whatever. But I can practically feel all three of you spiraling. Someone speak up. Tosh, if you can just tap for yes and no, that’s perfectly fine.” He turned to look at them, ignoring his seatbelt as Hizashi drove. “I’m going to ask you some questions. Yes and no, super simple. Is that okay?”

Hitoshi wavered for a second before tapping yes, so Izuku nodded a little reluctantly. “Y-yeah, I guess.” Shouta didn’t continue until Katsuki had grunted out an affirmative, tiny pops coming from his hands.

“Good. Other than Izuku’s hands, are any of you physically injured?”

Izuku was so relieved to hear Hitoshi’s negative tap that he almost forgot to answer until Katsuki got his attention. “Oi, nerd. Ya gotta fuckin’ answer… we’re not hurt. Are you?”

“N-no. Just my knuckles. S-sorry…”

“That’s okay, problem child, you’re fine. Just stay with us, okay? Do any of you want to speak with Inui during your break?”

Surprisingly, Katsuki was the first to respond. It was shocking enough that Izuku actually looked at him instead of staring blankly out the front window. “Yeah, I fuckin’ do. I managed not to hurt the little fucker, but I’m f-fuckin’ furious right now.”

Hizashi glanced in the mirror and nodded. “So are we, Kats, so are we. Trust me. You did amazing, honestly. The fact that you didn’t escalate the problem, just held everything off until help could get there was really impressive.”

Hitoshi gasped a little, and Katsuki immediately put a hand on his arm. If Izuku was in a better place, he’d be super excited to see the protective gleam in his eyes. As it was, though, the only thing spiraling through his mind was that he’d made things worse for his brother, and the guilt was eating away at him. He almost missed Hitoshi tapping yes, but when he lifted shaking heads, Izuku forced himself to pay attention. *I hate that I froze like that. I’ve been doing so much better, but I just-* He dropped his hands, gripping the toy Tenya had given him.

“It happens to the best of us, kiddo. That’s the shitty part of PTSD. You learn to push through it eventually, but even when you do, you fall apart when you get home. If you’re lucky, you have someone to fall apart on. If you’re not, it can consume you. Asking for help, from your family or your therapist, is not a sign of weakness, and neither is still being affected by the things that hurt you.” When Hitoshi finally gave a little nod, Shouta turned his attention to Izuku.

“What about you?”

“I… I don’t know. I’m not… I…”

“Nerd. Chill the fuck out, take a fuckin’ breath. Nice and slow, okay?” At first, Izuku thought that Katsuki reached out to grab him, but then he realized the fingers were too thin, and shaky and he covered Hitoshi’s hand with his, clinging a little bit. “You’re okay, asshole. No one’s pissed at you. Just fuckin’ breathe for a minute and think about what you want.” With his best friend’s voice coaxing him to breathe and his brother’s hand clinging just as tightly as he was, Izuku closed his eyes for a second and then nodded.

“Y-yeah. Yeah, I probably should…”

“Good.” Shouta reached back, squeezing his knee lightly. “I need you to know, before we get home, that we are all proud of you. Shit happens. You did the absolute best you could have done in that situation. None of this is your fault, any of you, and none of you are in trouble or grounded or anything like that.” He gave a soft chuckle, shaking his head. “I can’t believe Tenya, of all of you gremlins, was the one who decided to stage a protest, but I don’t disagree with him.”

Katsuki snorted softly. “Glasses has a diamond set on him when it comes to protecting his friends, that’s for damned sure.”

Hizashi chuckled and even Hitoshi gave a soft huff of amusement. Izuku just sighed and put his head on Hitoshi’s shoulder, using his warmth to help him stay present. “I-I’m just… N-nezu-sensei is gonna… I’m… Fuck!” He buried his face in Hitoshi’s shoulder for a second before trying again. “Sus-suspended is…”

Shouta shook his head. “We’ll talk about that when we get home. But Izuku, nothing is going on your permanent record, and Nezu already knows. No one is angry with you. So just keep breathing.”

Hizashi pulled into the driveway, followed only a few minutes later by Mitsuki’s car. When they four of them stepped out, Denki was holding plastic bags over his head. “We got ice cream! We need ice cream. We deserve ice cream. C’mon!”

Tenya chuckled and moved to their car, helping Izuku out with an arm around his waist. “Denki-kun has decided that our conversation requires sugar. I cannot help but think he might be correct.”

Izuku didn’t respond, just curled into his taller friend and let himself be led inside. Once they were all sitting down with pints of their favorite flavors and spoons, he poked at the sweet treat absently as conversation moved around him. It took him longer than it should have to realize that people had gone quiet, and then Katsuki was in his face, taking his ice cream and gripping his shoulders tightly.

“God dammit, you broccoli-brained piece of absolute shit. Fuckin’ focus. No floatin’.” Izuku gasped softly when he was shaken, but his eyes cleared up and he stared into his best friend’s irate red gaze.

“S-sorry, Kacchan…”

“Don’t be fuckin’ sorry. Nothin’ to apologize for, dipshit. Just…” He grumbled for a second before shifting around, literally picking Izuku up to put him between his legs, so Izuku’s back was pressed against his chest. The warmth surrounding him made him gasp. When he looked around the room, he noticed that Hitoshi was in a similar position, pressed against Tenya’s chest nearby, and Denki was crouched in front of them.

“Woot! Much better!” The blond cheerfully grabbed up all of their ice creams, handing Tenya and Katsuki theirs before digging a spoon into Izuku’s. He gleefully fed both him and Hitoshi, taking bites of his own in between.

The absolute ridiculousness of his sweet blond friend, plus the adrenaline crash, gave Izuku a case of the shaky giggles. When Denki started giggling too, Hitoshi started in, a soft chuckle that wove through the silence of the living room. Soon, all five of them were laughing, and Mitsuki’s harsh laughter got the adults in on it.

After a bit of laughter, Denki tilted his head at them. “Okay, I think we all needed that, huh?” He stuck their spoons in their mouths again before handing their ice cream back so he could focus on his own. “Now… we literally have the next four days off school. Which under normal circumstances would be super awesome! But… obviously not as much right now. Are you three gonna talk to Hound Dog?”

Izuku nodded slightly, taking a shuddery breath. “Yeah, we already um, decided in the car. But I don’t, um… I don’t want you guys getting in trouble or… or missing class…”

Tenya shook his head sharply. “While I consider our education to be of the utmost importance, the one thing that is more important is my friendship with you. All of you. We have received emails from both Rito-sensei and the principal already, Izuku-kun. Our classwork for the next couple days, and a commendation from our teacher for standing by our principles. And Principal Iyo has already scheduled a meeting with the superintendent, in front of the school board. It does not look good for them that three legacy children, as well as the child of famous fashion designers, have all chosen to leave the school to protest the suspension of another legacy child over their inaction.”

Shouta spoke up, smirking slightly. “Apparently, she’s already been in contact with UA as well. According to the rat, she wanted to make sure that this wouldn’t reflect badly on any of you, specifically you, Izuku.”

He gaped at his dad, eyes wide and stunned. “Wha-? She d-didn’t have to…”

Masaru shook his head gently. “No, she didn’t. But you need to understand, Zukun, that no one, including her, was upset with you. You boys did exactly what you were supposed to do in that situation. It was the adults in charge that failed here, and she was well aware of what their restrictions on her did to cause this.” He looked over both Hitoshi and Izuku, giving them his warm smile that always felt like a hug to Izuku.

“I know that it’s hard to believe sometimes, specifically for the two of you, but some adults will do exactly what they’re supposed to do. They will listen, they will believe you, and they will fight for you. And when you five have become adults in your own right, having experienced both sides of people, we are all certain that you will fight for kids that are just like you are right now.”

Izuku sniffled and nodded, Hitoshi giving a sharp nod as well. Denki grinned, bouncing slightly. “Okay, so the serious stuff is outta the way! Time for the good news!”

*There’s good news?* It hurt them all to see that Hitoshi was still non-verbal, but at least his shaking had settled enough for him to sign properly.

“There is! I texted my sister, and Tenten texted his brother. Tensei will be here in a bit, probably for dinner, but Sis is doin’ an overnight thing, so she won’t be in town until tomorrow, buuuuut…”

Tenya shook his head with a soft huff. “But we have both been given permission, as well as Katsuki-kun, to stay here for the duration of your suspension. Mr. and Mrs. Bakugou…”

“Mitsuki and Masaru, ya little shit,” grumbled the blond, making Tenya duck his head slightly.

“Mm. Apologies. Mitsuki-san and Masaru-san have also offered their home if your parents need to leave, but we all thought the two of you would be more comfortable here for the most part.”

Izuku shrugged slightly, taking a breath. “For me, either is good, obviously, but yeah, Toshi would probably prefer to be here unless Dad and Pops need to go out.” When his brother nodded, Izuku finally managed a real smile that wasn’t tinged with manic giggles. “Okay… so, um… two things.”

Katsuki poked his ribs lightly. “Spit it out, asshole.”

“Kacchan! I’m trying! Okay, one, thank you. For not being mad at me. Two, my knuckles fuckin’ hurt now and the cold ice cream isn’t helping.”

They all laughed again and Hizashi got up to grab the first aid kit. Everyone shifted and readjusted as Denki took the ice creams to put back in the freezer for later. Izuku cuddled up to Hitoshi’s side, letting the taller boy drape an arm around his shoulders. They weren’t perfect, and there would be plenty of conversations with their parents and Hound Dog about everything that had happened, but Izuku wouldn’t change any of it. They had all fallen back on their training and proved to each other and themselves that they were, at their hearts, heroes. And he couldn’t be too upset about that.

Chapter Text

After the drama that happened, school settled into a new, calmer normal. Apparently the rumor mill had been running wild when they were gone, and all five boys got flowers and chocolates from every girl in their class the Monday they returned. Everyone was relieved that the pervert finally got removed, and the insular little group got a little larger, at least at school. While they didn’t really hang out with anyone after class, being too busy with their training, they were greeted warmly when people saw them and often invited to join their classmates at lunch, which was actually very nice and gave Hitoshi and Izuku both a boost in confidence that things were going to be better going forward.

With their new normal, the rest of their final year of secondary school flew by. As the Entrance Exam approached, the boys doubled down on their training, but the last week of January, Shouta pulled the boys aside after their evening training, telling them all to sit down.

“All right, hellspawn, we have some information for you. It has come to our attention that several staff members have all been vying for the opportunity to recommend you for UA. That means that instead of the regular Entrance Exam, you’ll have the option to take the Recommendation Exam in a week. The Recommendation Exam is a little different to the regular Entrance Exam. There’s a written portion, an obstacle course, and an interview. If you don’t pass the Recommendation Exam, you’ll have two weeks to prepare for the regular exam.”

Izuku tilted his head slightly. “Who wants to recommend us? I know that you and Pops can’t, cuz you’re our parents so it’s not allowed.”

“Correct. However, Zashi wants to recommend Denki, which is completely legal.” The small blond bounced a little in excitement as the rest of the group looked interested. “I will recommend Tenya. Tensei wants to recommend the ‘blond firecracker’,” he actually did air quotes, making them all snicker, “Nem has claimed Hitoshi, and both Higari and Snipe are fighting over who gets to recommend you, problem child. The rat is about ready to just let them both do it, just to avoid the prank war they’ve had going for the last two months. So, there’s that.”

Tenya blinked a little, surprised at the announcement. “My parents wanted me to go through the regular Entrance Exam…”

“That’s still an option, kiddo. You don’t have to take the recommendation, but frankly, we’ve all been watching your work and your progress. This isn’t a pity recommendation or a family favor. I would not recommend someone who I didn’t think had already put in the time, or that I thought wouldn’t continue to put in the time once they got in.”

Tenya nodded, adjusting his glasses as he considered. “I will speak with my brother about this. No matter what I decide, I’m grateful for your faith in my abilities, Uncle Shouta.”

Shouta gave him a little smile and a nod. “Just let me know what you decide in the next couple days. I’m putting in the recommendation, so I can let the rat know if you choose to take it or not.” He turned to the rest of the group. “If you have any questions, you can of course ask me or Zashi, or you can contact the hero, or heroes, that are recommending you. Nezu and Inui are also available, as these are career decisions, for you to speak to if you’d like a neutral party. That’s it, get this place and yourselves cleaned up and go home.” He waved them off and they all stood up to start cleaning.

“So, what’re you plannin’ on doin’, nerd? I’ll do either, but I won’t do ‘em without you. S’what fuckin’ partners do or whatever.” Katsuki helped Izuku roll up the mats as Denki wiped down the training dummies nearby.

Izuku chewed on his lip as he thought, until Katsuki tugged it out from between his teeth with an annoyed grunt. Finally, he sighed. “As much as I like the idea of take the Entrance Exam, I think doing the Recommendation Exam would be better for me. I don’t know which would be better for you, because it really depends on who they have doing the interviews, and those are always kept just as secret as the Entrance Exam requirements. I’m personally thinking we do the Recs first, and then if you get an unfavorable interview, or I bomb, we still have the regular exam to fall back on.”

Denki nodded slightly from nearby. “That’s kinda what I was thinking too. Honestly, I think that’s what we should all do. If we can get in on recs, it’ll mean more for opportunities later, because we’d have someone tied to our names on paper. That can open doors in any career, especially Heroics.”

“True.” Hitoshi’s quiet voice spoke from where he was cleaning. “It’s why you can’t be recommended by a family member. The hero that recommends you has to have spent time watching you train, or training with you, so even if they’re a family friend, they can confirm that you’ve actually put time and effort into getting into UA. You also can’t be recommended if you have like, bad grades or attendance, stuff like that. There has to be provable dedication.”

“What do you think, Kacchan?”

The blond shrugged slightly. “I think we all proved our fuckin’ dedication, so I’m down for takin’ the recommendations. Think your folks are gonna throw a fit, Glasses?”

Tenya pushed his glasses up and sighed. “It is possible. But because of their current work, and the fact that my brother is the leader of Idaten since my father’s retirement, they passed their guardianship of me onto him as well. He will have the final say, they could just make things a little… uncomfortable if they do not approve. However, I believe their initial disapproval was in the fact that they do not believe in purchasing recommendations, and did not want to put family friends on the spot by asking them. I know that has been done to them, and my brother, a few times and they are not comfortable with it.”

“Makes sense,” Izuku murmured. “A lot of the limelighter pro families will just trade recommendations around and sign off on paperwork without actually doing the work. Which is why the rate of acceptance for recommended students is usually low. And honestly, there’s no way all five of us would pass…” He pinched his lip with his fingers, muttering to himself too fast and quiet for any of them, even Katsuki, to make it out. After a moment, he looked up.

“Obviously it’s up to you guys what you want to do. But I think Kacchan and I should go for the regular Entrance Exam. I was already prepared to go the gen ed route to get into the Hero Course like Dad did. Toshi should do the Recommendation Exam for sure, because we haven’t worked as much with crowd control as we have with interrogation yet, so I think you’d do better with a smaller group. Ten and Denks can decide which to do, and they can always do the regular exam if someone else gets picked.”

“You sure, nerd? I don’t care either way, but if you have that chance…”

“I’m sure. This is the only way we can guarantee that everyone gets in and honestly, with everything we’ve been doing, I think I have a really good chance at passing. If I don’t, the Sports Festival is only a couple weeks after the start of school, and you guys can keep me up to date with what you’re doing until I get in that way.” He turned to the group with a determined grin. “One way or another, we’re all getting in, and we’re all gonna be heroes!”

With their spirits high and decisions made, the boys went their separate ways. They were all going to make it in, and they were all going to be heroes together. None of them even considered any other possibility.

Chapter Text

The morning of the UA Entrance Exam dawned bright and clear, and Izuku took it as a good omen. He was dressed and ready, double-checking the support gear he’d been allowed. Nezu had explained that he was only allowed to bring in gear he had created himself, so his electrified bat was strapped to his back, his wheeled boots were attached to his feet, and he’d sat with Katsuki during their club time to update his old vigilante gear into something a little more formal. Glass grenades were tucked into reinforced side pockets on his cargo jeans; useful, yes, but also something of a good luck charm to carry his oldest friend’s protection with him even if he didn’t end up using them. He wasn’t able to bring any guns because he’d only gotten his firearm license a week before the exam, which didn’t give him time to submit paperwork for them. He also left his voice amplifier and the linings he’d been playfully calling ‘Aunt Nem’s night night sniffs’ at home.

When he’d spoken to Snipe and Power Loader, he’d thanked them both for their recommendations, but explained that he had been planning on getting in through the Entrance Exam with Katsuki all their lives, and he wanted to give people like his brother and Denki a better shot at getting in with their own recommendations since the spaces were so limited. Snipe had simply agreed, giving him a hair ruffle and the promise to get his firearm license before the exam so he could have it when he got in. Higari, however, had involved Izuku’s overactive tear ducts when he offered to change his recommendation to the Support Course, which didn’t involve any kind of exam. All he had to do was submit the blueprints to three functioning pieces of support gear, and it would guarantee him a place in his class if he somehow didn’t make the limited Entrance Exam positions. In the teacher’s words, Izuku was too damned smart and talented to waste in gen ed while he waited for a position in the Hero Course to become available.

With plans in place, Katsuki and Izuku waited for Denki and Tenya, who hadn’t quite gotten the scores they needed for the recommendations, at the front gate.

“All right, nerd, we’re gonna go in there and blow the rest of these d-lister extras outta the fuckin’ water, you got that?” Katsuki’s eyes gleamed in the morning sun with the thrill of competition. His hands were sparking slightly already, giving him an almost manic look.

Izuku gave him a firm nod, his own eyes filled with determination. They’d been training for this literally their whole lives. He refused to lose when everything he’d fought, bled, and cried for was within reach.

“Though I do not approve of calling our potential peers extras, Katsuki-kun, I completely concur.” Tenya’s formal but warm tone made both boys turn to look, seeing him and Denki cresting the stairs behind them.

“Yeah, we got this!” Denki’s smile was bright, like the sunshine Izuku often accused him of being, and he bounced over to attach himself to the green-haired boy’s arm. “Tenten made sure I had my fidget cube for the test. Do you have all your gear?”

Izuku nodded, shifting them slightly to take his hand. “Yep! Kacchan and I double-checked it this morning, and then he checked it again right before we left the house.”

“We should make haste to get to the exam rooms.” Tenya gently began herding them forward. “I would prefer we stay together as much as possible today, so it is important to find our seats early.”

The written part of the exam flew by. They had been allotted 90 minutes to complete the test, but it took Izuku only about half that. When he handed the paper to Ectoplasm, he’d been given a polite nod and told to find the auditorium on his pamphlet. He knew his way around the school, and quickly texted the group chat that he’d found seats and was saving them. Twenty minutes later, the other three were quickly sitting around him, looking over their cards. Katsuki cursed quietly.

“Shit… our practicals are all on different fields.” The others checked and Izuku hummed grumpily.

“Dammit… they probably want to avoid any team-ups, or students who know each other’s quirks to coast on someone else’s merit.” He tapped his lip with his finger for a minute, before his face lit up into a gremlin grin. “Kacchan, this only means one thing.”

Katsuki’s face contorted into a similar grin, making Tenya and Denki both groan painfully. “Let’s see who can get the best score, nerd.”

Izuku thrust his hand out and nodded. “Loser buys the winner a piece of merch of their choice?”

“Deal,” Katsuki growled, shaking his hand firmly.

Tenya sighed heavily. “While I understand that this is a competition, don’t you think competing against each other defeats the purpose?”

“Hell nah. The shitty nerd and I are partners, yeah, but that don’t mean I won’t kick his ass at any given time.”

“Someone has to keep Kacchan’s ego in check, and the best way to do that is with a good old-fashioned ass whooping.” Izuku grinned at his best friend and bumped their knuckles together, while Denki just shook his head and laughed.

“Give it up, Ten… we been knew they were nuts, this isn’t anything new.”

As the auditorium filled up, the lights went down and Hizashi stood at the front of the auditorium. He went over the rules quickly and Tenya frowned, pointing at his information pamphlet. “He’s not even mentioning this fourth one…”

Izuku put a hand on his wrist gently, quietly murmuring, “Give him a minute, Ten. You know that UA, and especially Pops, doesn’t make mistakes.”

Once they were released to head to their buses for the practical, all four boys stood together for a minute. “We meet up at the teachers lounge when we’re done. Toshi’s waiting for us there, and we’re all going to the cat cafe after to celebrate getting through the exam. Text the group when you finish.” Izuku’s words were firm, but his voice had a bit of a tremble, excitement and nerves hitting him.

“Don’t forget you’re gonna fuckin’ owe me a new piece of merch when we’re done, asshole.” Katsuki smirked at him.

“Tch, you’ll owe me, Kacchan. Let’s get moving!” Katsuki’s needling has shifted his nerves into determination and competition, and he was pretty damned sure the blond knew it too. They separated at the buses, tossing each other a final wave, or in Katsuki’s case, a middle finger flipped over his shoulder before they boarded.

While the group at his testing site milled around and chatted, Izuku stood off to the side near the gates. He was intentionally distracting himself with a last minute inventory check, because he knew if he looked up, he’d start focusing on all the new quirks. He needed to get through the exam first, then he could study his new classmates. He tapped the heels of his shoes quietly, engaging the wheels. His best chance for beating out the competition here was getting ahead of the pack so he could find his own path through the mock city, so he’d take all the speed he could get.

When Hizashi’s quirk-enhanced voice yelled “Go!”, Izuku was already ducking under the slowly opening gates and speeding through the city. He heard the rest of the applicants getting scolded, but didn’t let himself grin or get cocky just yet. Ducking into an alley, he launched himself up onto a fire escape ladder and quickly scaled to the roof to get an idea of where he needed to be.

A couple of two-pointers were milling around in the street just beyond the building he was on, so he took a running jump and dropped one of his grenades between them, blowing them backwards and into the sides of nearby buildings. “4,” he muttered to himself, rolling into a crouch on the next roof and taking off.

Between his bat and his grenades, he was able to gather quite a few points, but he lost count a while ago. Apparently, none of the people in his testing grounds had ever heard of restraint, or the concept of situational awareness. He spent as much time pulling people out of the way of falling debris and flying quirks as he did taking out robots.

He did have one specific ally with that. A dark-haired, lanky boy with enlarged elbows would often pull other kids or even Izuku himself out of the way of things, and after the first couple times, they just grinned at each other and started moving together. The tape the boy was using was apparently strong enough to yank robots together, and Izuku was hoping that he’d be able to ask about it once they were done. They worked side by side nearly seamlessly as they both understood that being up as high as possible gave them the best vantages. He would cheer loudly every time Izuku dropped another glass grenade, and his cackling laughter was infectious when he would tape up a robot for Izuku to zap with his bat.

As the time counted down, more hero wannabes grew desperate and sloppy, and they exchanged annoyed looks as a lot of their remaining time was spent keeping each other and others out of danger instead of gathering their own points.

Izuku had moved away slightly, hearing an ominous creaking sound that rumbled above the cacophony of teenagers using their quirks at will. A building nearby had been weakened and was starting to topple. As he yanked yet another hero-hopeful away from beneath it, he heard a sharp, “Look out, bro!” from behind him. A tight band wrapped around his chest, and he barely had the presence of mind to keep a grip on the boy he’d saved before he was being yanked backwards sharply.

As he looked back, the lanky boy was cutting the tape loose. Izuku pulled the extra from his shirt, absently testing its stickiness. “You guys okay?”

Izuku glanced back at the stunned but uninjured kid, then turned back with a nod. “Yeah, we’re good! Thanks for that!”

“No problem! I can’t believe how stupid some of these people are being!”

Izuku nodded and gave him a tight, annoyed smile, just as the announcement for the final minute sounded. Izuku glanced around frantically, having completely lost count of his points, but a booming rumble rolled through the air, making the smaller debris around them dance like an earthquake. Green eyes met black, both slightly panicked. “I think we should start running…”

The boy nodded and they both turned to start making their way towards the exit, hoping to find a couple more bots before their time ended. A short scream made Izuku stop, and he instinctively grabbed the taller teen’s arm, halting him as well. It had come from behind them and one street over, and Izuku could see the zero-point monstrosity towering over the buildings in the same area.

“Shit! C’mon, I think I heard something!”

The dark haired boy didn’t argue, even though the kid they’d saved together called them both nuts and took off running in the opposite direction. The two swiftly launched themselves up onto a roof and kept pace with each other, trying to pick out what Izuku had heard. He quickly pointed out a brunette with her leg stuck under some rubble, directly in the path of the zero-pointer who was showing no signs of slowing down.

Izuku glanced around, then nodded. “Okay, do you think you can handle the rocks on her? I’ll deal with that.”

The boy nodded sharply. “You got it, dude! Be careful!” With a firm glance between them, the two split up. While the black-haired boy swooped down and started wrapping tape around the rubble that was trapping the girl’s leg, Izuku got a running start and leaped from the roof to land on the robot’s arm. It took him an extra minute to get all the way to its head, since he wasn’t exactly used to climbing moving objects, but once he was there, he pulled his bat out and slammed it into the mechanisms behind the neck. Activating the electricity while standing on a metal robot may not have been his smartest idea, but the robot stopped moving and slumped over. Izuku, stunned by his own electricity and the sudden downward movement, fell from the top of the robot. As he fell, he had time to think that Katsuki was going to kill him.

That same tightness from earlier wrapped around his chest and he stopped with a slight jerk, gasping a little as the air was knocked out of him. When he glanced around, he realized that his new ally had used his tape and a nearby lightpost to stop his freefall. He drooped in his temporary bindings, catching his breath until he was carefully lowered to the ground.

“Ow…”

“Bro, are you okay?! Like, good on ya for stopping that thing, but then you were falling and I couldn’t think of anything else. I didn’t break anything, did I?”

Izuku waved him off, peeling tape off his shirt once again. “No harm done, which is a hell of a lot better than if I’d hit the sidewalk.” His heart was fluttering in his chest, but he wasn’t completely sure if that was from being electrocuted or adrenaline. Shaking his head a little to clear it, he straightened. “I’m… good. Mobile, at least. Are you two okay?”

“I’m fine, but, ummm…” The dark haired boy turned to look at the girl as he helped her balance, both of them noticing she was favoring her ankle. “Sorry, didn’t have time to catch names…”

“Ochako Uraraka.” She gave them a tremulous smile, trying and failing to stay upright without help. “I overused my quirk, or I would have been able to get that rock off myself. Thanks for the save, seriously. I was so scared!!” She tested her ankle again, then shook her head. “I think it’s sprained, but other than that, I’m okay.”

“Hanta Sero, at your service.” Sero saluted jauntily with two fingers before gently taking her arm again so she could lean on him. Izuku tapped the robot quickly before stepping up to her other side, not wanting to shock either of them with any residual electricity. He gently grabbed her arm and put it over his shoulders so they could get her off the field and to the medic tent.

“Izuku Yamazawa. I’m just glad no one was hurt any worse.”

The three made their way slowly to where Recovery Girl was stationed, and Izuku gave her a little wave. “Sorry, Granny, we have a sprained or broken ankle here.”

She tutted softly, but came over to assess them. “Only sprained, from the looks of it.” She gave Uraraka a kiss on the forehead and pushed a small bag of gummies into her hand as the bruising faded. “What about you two?”

Sero shrugged a little. “I think I’m fine, maybe just some bruises and scrapes but no major issues. My elbows and arms a little sore from the quirk use. Yamazawa got zapped and fell, but I caught him… he might have some bruising to his stomach or ribs.”

“Tattletale,” Izuku grumbled without heat, giving Shuzenji a sheepish smile. “I don’t think I’m too bad, but my heart’s doing weird things. Dunno if that’s electricity or adrenaline though.”

The Youthful Heroine just shook her head and kissed both of their foreheads, pulling away from Izuku with a little head tilt as she handed them both gummies. “A bit of both, young man. You need to insulate better if you’re going to be playing with electric weapons in the future.”

“I was using it fine earlier, but I think it was being on the metal robot that did it.”

She nodded and tapped his head with her cane roughly. “Don’t be so foolish next time then. The exam is over, all of you get out of here.”

Uraraka gave them both a bright smile and a wave. “I have some things to do, so I’ll see you later! Thank you again and hopefully we’ll end up in classes together!!” She darted away before either boy could respond, making Izuku shrug slightly.

“Girls are weird.” He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text, getting confirmation that everyone was waiting on him. “You got somewhere to be, Sero? My friends and I are headed to a cat cafe after this…”

Sero grinned widely, nodding. “That’d be awesome, actually. A cat cafe sounds like the perfect way to calm down, and we should get to know future classmates, right?”

Izuku huffed an agreement. “C’mon, we’re meeting at the teachers lounge. It looks like everyone else is just waiting on me.”

“The teachers lounge? Like, the one here? That’s a weird meeting place…”

Izuku shook his head slightly with a wry grin. “Nah, my brother stayed there while we took our tests. He got in on recommendations. Two of my other friends tried the recommendation route first, but weren’t able to beat out some of the other applicants, so they joined me and my best friend today.”

“If your brother got a recommendation, why didn’t you?” Sero’s head tilted, curiosity and a bit of concern coloring his tone, making Izuku give him a sunny smile.

“I did! Actually, we all did, but Toshi… uh, Hitoshi, sorry, has a non-combative quirk and since the spots for the recommendation students are really, really restricted, Kacchan and I chose to just do the regular exam, since we’ve always been planning and training for it anyway.”

“Dude… that’s kinda awesome that you’d step aside for your brother like that.”

Izuku waved his hand dismissively. “It’s just logical, honestly. That way all five of us stood our best chance to get in since UA is so competitive.”

Chapter Text

Izuku opened the door to the teachers lounge a few minutes later, leading Sero in and immediately getting assaulted by Katsuki’s ire. “You stupid fuckin’ broccoli-headed piece of shit, what the hell took you so long!? The exam’s been over for almost fifteen god damned minutes! And we just get a fuckin’ text five minutes ago?!”

“Neh, Kacchan, I’m fi-, mmm, I am perfectly healthy. Sero and I had to help an injured girl get to Recovery Girl. Granny gave both of us a kiss and a clean bill of health, it just took a bit to get there because the girl had a sprained ankle.”

Denki giggled at the wording change, but Katsuki was not deterred. “And who the fuck is Elbows and why’s he hangin’ around?”

“Kacchan! Be nice, you dick!” Izuku huffed, shaking his head at the blond. “We actually teamed up during the exam, because holy shit do people not know how to look out…” He waved a hand dismissively. “Anyway, Hanta Sero, meet Katsuki Bakugou, Tenya Iida, Denki Kaminari, and my brother, Hitoshi Yamazawa.” He pointed to each in turn quickly and Sero gave them a quick wave.

“Heya, nice to meet everyone.”

“For ease of reference, you can just use first names for all of us. We’re not big on formalities in this group, as long as you’re okay with that.”

“Works for me. You can call me Hanta then. I actually prefer it anyway. Half my family is Hispanic, so we’re pretty informal ourselves.”

“All right, we should all get moving before the teachers become annoyed at us invading their space,” Tenya ordered, herding them out the door. “I am already concerned about what will happen when Uncle Shouta realizes Hitoshi-kun drank all the coffee.”

*Shut the fuck up, I made a fresh pot. If you’re that worried about it, get him one of the cinnamon rolls from the cafe before we leave.*

Hanta’s head tilted slightly and he nudged Izuku gently. “JSL?,” he inquired softly, making the green-haired boy nod as they started down the hall towards the front doors.

“Yeah, Tosh has selective mutism. We all understand it, so we can translate if you-”

“Nah, no need. My little sister has the same issue. Can’t handle being around people she doesn’t know, so she just… clams up.” He blinked when he realized that the group was all staring at him. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

Izuku shook his head firmly. “Nope, absolutely not. We’re just… aware of why someone ends up selectively mute, and a little worried about your sister?”

Hanta chuckled, but the sound was a little bitter. “She’s nine, and doesn’t have a quirk. She’s super sweet and creative, but the kids at her school can be… kinda cruel. Our mom is putting her into an online school for next year, which sucks, but she has friends in a couple of her after school art programs, so hopefully it won’t be too isolating.”

Izuku was gaping at him and Hitoshi nudged his side to make him shut his mouth. After a second, he rebooted and bounced a little bit. “Oh my god, that’s… not awesome, but…”

Katsuki shook his head. “Shitty fuckin’ nerd is quirkless too. Plannin’ being the first quirkless hero. We ain’t heard of another quirkless kid in the area, so he’s havin’ a bit of a spaz. Give him a minute.”

“Kacchan! I am not! Just… it’s nice to know that your family is looking out for her.”

Hanta nodded, staring at Izuku for a second before blinking. “Trust me, my folks have been told all sorts of cruel stuff.”

Izuku scoffed softly. “People are assholes. But I’m glad to know she’s got your family! And if she wants someone talk to who’s been through it…”

Hanta gave him a bright smile. “Dude, she’d probably love that. Seriously. I’ll tell her when I get home tonight!”

Denki bounced between them, wrapping an arm around each of their shoulders. “Okay, as Sparky would say, enough emotional bullshit! We’ve got cats and caffeine, and I wanna hear about how everyone’s practicals went!”

The cat cafe was the exact kind of quiet downtime they all needed after the adrenaline of the Entrance Exam. On the way there, they learned that Hanta spoke both Japanese and Spanish fluently, as well as JSL, but tended to use the Spanish mostly for at home or cursing people out. They also found out that he could change the strength and stickiness of his tape, and he regaled them with a story from shortly after he’d gotten his quirk, when his mom had to buzz his head because he’d gotten himself tangled in it. Tenya and Denki were quick to share their own disastrous stories, while Izuku, Hitoshi, and Katsuki simply listened with varying degrees of interest.

Once they were seated and the cats had decided the new person was an acceptable perch, Izuku looked over at Katsuki. “So… I either need to add extra insulation to my gloves, or to the bat. I accidentally defibrillated myself a bit when I was dealing with the zero-pointer. If I go up against something that’s made of metal or can draw it to themselves, I’ll be in trouble.”

“You fuckin’ what?! God dammit, you shitty nerd, that’s the kinda thing I meant when I asked if you were fuckin’ okay earlier!!” Katsuki moved his hand away from the cat on his lap, popping off a couple irritated explosions and wincing when he did.

“Kacchan! Did you overuse your quirk?”

“That is so not the god damned point, asshole.”

“It’s a learning curve, Kacchan. Recovery Girl took care of any lasting issues. It’s just something to put in my notes for my gear, that’s all.”

“That’s all, he says,” grumbled the blond, shaking his head. “Oi, Elbows, how injured was the stupid nerd actually?”

Hanta pointed at himself as Katsuki’s attention turned to him, head tilting slightly. “Uh, what? I mean, he really wasn’t. I thought I might have bruised his ribs when I caught him, but Recovery Girl said he was okay.” He paused a second. “Do you just give out nicknames to everyone?”

Denki spoke up, shaking his head a little. “Yes, yes he does. If you’re ever confused, Zuku generally knows who he’s talking about, but I’m Pichu, Tenten is Glasses, and Toshi waffles between Eyebags and Troll Doll.” He paused, tilting his head. “To be fair, I call him Sparky, Tosh calls him Hothead, and I’m sure you’ve heard Zuku calling him Kacchan.”

Izuku shook his head. “Not everyone, Denks. Anyone he doesn’t know is an extra, if he doesn’t like you, he just won’t acknowledge you, period. Friends and family get nicknames… he calls Auntie ‘Hag’ to her face, after all. Actual names are for if he’s really mad, or really worried.”

Katsuki growled, gripping Izuku’s cheek and pulling punitively. “Shut your fuck up, shitty nerd.”

As Izuku giggled, Tenya shook his head and turned to Hanta. “It is good to hear that he was mostly uninjured, and we appreciate you catching him. As a warning if you intend to stick around, if Izuku-kun says he is fine, we do not believe him. Other words of assurance are usually acceptable, but ‘it’s fine’ or ‘it’s not that bad’ are usually indicative of serious injury.”

“Tenya!” Izuku yelped, making the table laugh.

“Okay, okay, so, I gotta ask. It’s been bugging me since you said you were like my sister.” Hanta leaned forward, one hand scratching a small calico behind her ears. “It looked like you were using a quirk, dude. Or like, multiple quirks? I thought it was the speed thing at first, but then you blew up those robots and you had the bat, so like… what?”

“The power of creativity and too much time on my hands,” Izuku chirped, stopping his playful assault on both Katsuki and Tenya.

“Nerd’s a fuckin’ stalker. Loves quirks and studies the shit outta them.”

“Yup! And then he takes inspiration from them and turns them into support gear!” Denki bounced a little in his seat, still excited that Izuku had found a way to be inspired by him. “Tenten is the speed, Sparky is the booms, and I’m the zapzaps!”

Hitoshi shook his head and sighed heavily, putting a heavy hand on Denki’s head to keep him from shaking the entire table. He opened his mouth, closed it again, then opened it with a deep breath one more time. His voice was quiet, but the four boys who’d grown close to him all shared quick, proud smiles. “He started out with Hothead’s nitroglycerin. Turned them into bombs. Then Tenya’s speed became wheels in his shoes, and he electrified his bat because of Denks’ quirk.”

“I have a couple other things too, based on our Pops and our aunt, but sadly, I can’t use Dad or Toshi’s… at least I haven’t figured out a way to yet…”

Katsuki growled. “How? How the fuck are you gonna create gear for Erasure or Brainwashing, you shitty fuck?”

“I don’t know! I’m working on it! Realistically, I probably won’t be able to. I could make the eyes on my mask light up red, but I think that’s the best I’d be able to do, unfortunately.”

“Which one is yours?” Hanta looked at Hitoshi, an easy smile on his face. “Cuz they both sound badass.”

Hitoshi shrank back a bit, but nodded when Denki glanced at him. “Tosh has Brainwashing. He’s gotten a lot of flack for it, thus the JSL.”

Hanta nodded. “Like I said, sounds badass.”

“It really is!” Izuku grinned excitedly. “We’ve figured out that he can make people answer honestly for interrogations and he can make someone activate or deactivate their quirk. Just the deescalation possibilities alone are amazing. But he can also make someone remember things, so he can affect emotional states, and we’re working on crowd control to calm civilians! It’s seriously one the of the coolest quirks I’ve ever seen. But unfortunately, there’s no way I can copy it.” He pouted playfully at his brother, who shot him a small smile.

“That does sound super useful as a hero. I can’t think of a way it would cause any collateral damage either except maybe making some giant like Mt. Lady accidentally step on a building.”

Izuku giggled and nodded. “Yeah, way safer than the rest of these boneheads, that’s for sure.”

“Izuku-kun!” Tenya’s scolding voice sent both Izuku and Denki into a fit of giggles, and made Hanta snicker a little. “Who here thought adding rockets or nitroglycerin to roller skates would be a good idea, hmm? I believe you are at least as ‘boneheaded’ as the rest of us.”

“It was a valid test! I had to at least try it! And I took them off!”

“Yes, after you turned yourself into a pancake against a brick wall.”

“Yes, well, theory proven; rocket skates are dangerous if you don’t have practice. You of all people should appreciate the scientific method, Ten. Maybe if I tried them again…”

“Abso-fuckin’-lutely not, you dumb shit. Work with what you got.” Katsuki’s snarl made Izuku laugh, but he nodded easily.

“Fine, fine. Oh, but Tosh! You and Hanta could train together. He uses his tape like you use your capture weapon! Obviously it’s a little different, but like… mobility and grabbing things and you two could race and practice accuracy and stuff!!”

Hanta gave Hitoshi a considering look before nodding slightly. Hitoshi nodded back. “I’d be down for that if I get into UA.”

“When,” Denki and Izuku chimed in together, looking at each other with manic grins. “We don’t say ‘if’ here,” Denki continued. “We’re all getting in. Tosh already is, but there’s no way we won’t get in, and since you were helping Zuku, you made it too!”

Tenya sighed, shaking his head. “As much as I would like to reprimand him on his enthusiasm, which can sometimes be misplaced, he is not incorrect. Izuku-kun is an excellent strategist, so if you were with him and actively helping, you will have the same chance of getting in.”

Hanta frowned slightly. “I wasn’t trying to like, ride on someone else’s coattails or anything…”

“No no no!” Izuku waved his hands in front of his face, eyes wide. “That’s not what they’re saying. They’re saying because we worked together, you took the same path I did, and most likely, we ended up sharing a lot of points. I did a lot of research about the Entrance Exam, and when we found out they weren’t letting schoolmates in the same exam groups, it just makes sense that one of the things you’d get noticed for was being able to work with other candidates, since a lot of hero work is teaming up and you don’t always get to pick who you’re with.”

“Oh.” Hanta actually looked relieved, sitting back in his seat. “Okay. That makes a lot of sense.”

“And besides, even if they don’t score on that criteria, we were working together, not just out stealing each other’s points or anything.”

“Nerd woulda blasted you if he thought that’s what you were doin’. He’s usually too nice, the little shit, but he doesn’t put up with anyone’s bullshit either. And he definitely wouldn’t have invited you out with us.”

“Fair enough,” Hanta nodded, finishing his drink. “Okay, so this has actually been a lot of fun, but I gotta catch a train if I’m gonna be home before midnight. You guys wanna exchange numbers?”

Once numbers were exchanged, they all got up to leave, heading in separate directions to get home and collapse after the exhausting day.

Chapter Text

The next week somehow managed to both fly by and crawl. Their group chat was never quiet, with Hanta and Denki getting into meme wars at 2:30 in the morning, and Hitoshi tossing his own collection of cat and raccoon related memes into the mix when his insomnia acted up. Izuku offered a place with them to train after verifying it with his dads, and Hanta was soon just as terrified of the green menace and his blond best friend as everyone else.

Izuku cornered Hanta during one of their training sessions, asking about his ideas for his hero costume. When the boy admitted that he hadn’t given it much thought aside from having a helmet to keep bugs and debris out of his face and armor for his elbows, Katsuki and Izuku had spent two days designing him a proper suit from scratch. They kept it to a simple white, yellow and black design for the most part, but added in the extra armor and communication pieces that they’d put in everyone else’s, along with shock absorbing boots and gloves for when he had to catch himself.

Despite Tenya’s warnings, Izuku was already playing with a new support idea for himself, trying to figure out how to make a retractable grappling hook work with his already planned costume. He did promise not to add it to the initial design, because he wouldn’t have time to create and test it before the first day at UA.

The day the letters from UA came, Katsuki was banging on the Yamazawa door before noon until he remembered he had a key. He let himself in and hollered for Izuku, who came running out with his phone in hand, grinning widely as Katsuki shook his own envelope. Hitoshi came out grumbling, but was soon sitting on the couch with them. A laptop sat in front of them on the table, a video call showing Tenya, Denki, and Hanta all holding their own envelopes and grinning with excitement and nerves. Shouta and Hizashi sat just out of frame, and Hizashi was holding his phone up to record the reactions, just like they’d done when Hitoshi had gotten his recommendation acceptance letter.

“Okay okay, everyone. Kacchan and I are gonna go last, because we have a bet to settle. We’ll go by birthdays since that’s easiest. So, Denks, you’re up first.”

Everyone held their breath as he opened the letter and a small disc tumbled out. It took him a second to find the button, pointing it out to everyone on the call before pressing it. Present Mic, in full costume, shot holographic finger guns at him. ~Yo, little listener, you did absolutely rockin’ on the UA Entrance Exam! You blasted through our written exam and absolutely lit up the stage of our practicals! With 38 villain points and 25 rescue points, you got a total score of 63 on our practical. Denki Kaminari, UA is happy to accept you in our Hero Course! Congratulations!~

The whole group cheered, with Hizashi popping onto the screen for a second to shoot Denki more fingerguns. Once they’d calmed down, and praised Denki for not shorting out his computer in his excitement, Izuku spoke up. “Okay, Hanta, your turn.”

Hanta looked at his envelope nervously, but finally swallowed and opened it to reveal a similar disk. He pressed the button, pulling his hand back immediately like it might bite him. Nemuri’s face filled the holographic image for a second with a feral grin before she pulled back and winked at him. ~Oooh, the Entrance Exam always brings out the vigor and excitement of youth! Hanta Sero, you did well on the written exam, but you truly brought your A-game to the practicals! Swooping in and out of danger like a pro, you only got 13 villain points, but your rescue game was incredible. 48 rescue points, which is just amazing! With a total of 61 points, you are officially a member of UA’s Hero Course!~

After another round of cheers and congratulations, along with an ‘I told you so,’ from Denki, Izuku pointed at Tenya’s screen. “Let’s go, Ten, you’re up!”

It took Tenya longer to open the envelope, because he didn’t like to just tear things, and everyone was teasing him about his methodical nature lightly. He actually grinned at them, setting the disk just so and hovering his finger over the button until Denki threw popcorn at his screen. “C’mon, Tenten, stop torturing us!!”

With a soft huff of laughter, he hit the button. When Shouta’s form emerged from the hologram, he glanced up at the Yamazawa’s screen like he could see the dark-haired man before turning his attention back to the recorded message. ~Hey, gremlin. You did good work on the written portion, but you already knew that. As for the practical… Not bad. 52 villain points, but only 7 rescue points, which gives you a total of 59. We’ll work on that. Welcome to UA, nephew. Don’t think things will get easier from here.~

A scandalized “Shou!” reverberated through everyone’s screens as Izuku and Katsuki laughed and Hitoshi just shook his head. Shouta’s voice came through just as clear, like he’d moved a little closer. “Am I wrong? He did good. They all did. It’s illogical to say anything more.” His monotone, serious words were completely disproved as he walked behind the couch to shoot Tenya a quick wink on his way to refill his coffee cup.

Everyone laughed easily, cheering for Tenya and playfully mocking the seriousness of his recording while they waited for Shouta to return. Once he did, Izuku pointed at Katsuki.

“Your turn, Kacchan.” His knee was bouncing in anticipation, leaning almost as close as Katsuki was as they finally found out if all their hard work had been worth it.

Katsuki shook his head. “We open them together. I’ll play mine first.” With a quick nod of agreement, both boys opened their envelopes, and Izuku’s soft sigh of relief when his disk was revealed didn’t go unnoticed by anyone else watching. Hitoshi put a hand on his shoulder as Katsuki reached forward to press his own button.

Tenya’s little gasp of “Big brother?” was the only noise heard for a second as Tensei appeared in the projection. ~Yo, firecracker! I’m proud of you for turning down the recommendation, so I went to Nezu myself to ask if I could give you your results! You were just as amazing as I thought you’d be, kiddo! You did well on the written, but I was told to tell you that you could have done better, so I guess the Rat God has his eye on you or something. Buuuut, the important part! You had 67 villain points, which is the highest for this year! Congrats on really letting those robots have it! And you pulled in 10 rescue points too! With a total of 77 points, you’re officially a UA Hero Course student!! Knock ‘em dead, Kats, you earned it!!~

“Kacchan!!! 77 points!! That’s amazing!” Izuku tackled the blond in a hug, getting a firm squeeze back before he was shoved off.

“All right, shitty nerd, it’s your fuckin’ turn.” They all watched Izuku take a deep breath, gripping Katsuki’s hand tightly as he pressed the button on his own disk. Hitoshi quickly took his other hand as he felt his brother start shaking slightly. It only got a little better when Snipe appeared in the hologram.

~Hoo boy, youngin’, you sure do like to stir things up, doncha? There were a lotta eyes on ya during your exam, but I’m just gonna get right into it with the results. You got the highest score on the written exam, which definitely set some cowboys right back on their spurs, but we knew ya had it in ya! As for the practical, you only managed to score 24 villain points, which I’m sure ya get ain’t quite enough ta get ya in. But! Before ya start up them waterworks, you gotta see this clip!~

A slightly pixelated video of the girl Hanta had helped him save came into view as she quickly approached Hizashi. Izuku’s mouth fell open and Hanta choked on his own spit as they heard her ask to give them some of her points and then frowning a little when he nicely informed her that wasn’t possible, but that he didn’t think she’d need to worry about.

Snipe’s mask took over the screen again. ~Now, I’m sure y’all have figured out the rescue points by now, but if not, you should know that we don’t just go lookin’ for people who can destroy things… we’re wear the badge, we gotta keep it shiny. Rescue points are awarded to the candidates who don’t just take the easy road… blowin’ things up is all well and good, but ya gotta be willin’ to make the sacrifices if ya wanna be a real hero. Green bean, you got a total of 53 rescue points, which is one of the highest in UA’s history, and definitely at the top of the record books for this year! That gives ya a total of 77 points, and that means you are gunnin’ for UA’s Hero Course! Congratulations, Izuku Yamazawa!~

A soft sob broke through the cheers as Izuku covered his face with his hands. Katsuki immediately pulled him against his chest, hugging him tightly. His voice was thick as well, though he managed to stay dry-eyed. “Fuckin’ told ya, Zukun. We made it…”

Izuku nodded rapidly, taking a few minutes to get his emotions under control. Surprisingly, the blond didn’t push him away, just tugged at his curls gently as he settled. After a few minutes, he pulled away with a blindingly bright smile focused on Katsuki, wiping his face. “Kacchan… oh my god.” He started giggling, waving a hand between them. “N-no one won… w-we tied, Kacchan!”

The blond’s eyes went wide and grabbed his disk, speeding through the message to get to his score. “What the fuck. What the actual fuck!? How did we tie? That’s bullshit!” He was laughing too, despite the angry words as he shoved Izuku’s shoulder.

“We actually have the top ten places if you six are interested.” Hizashi leaned over the couch to hug both boys as Shouta spoke, and a chorus of cheers and affirmative calls made him laugh.

“Fine.” He texted the list to Hitoshi, who quickly sent it to their group chat. Izuku gaped at the words for a few minutes in absolute shock.

#1-Katsuki Bakugou & Izuku Yamazawa
#3-Eijirou Kirishima
#4-Ochako Uraraka
#5-Ibara Shiozaki
#6-Itsuka Kendo
#7-Denki Kaminari
#8-Hanta Sero
#9-Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu
#10-Tenya Iida

Katsuki smirked, flipping the rest of the group off. “Get better, nerds. Zuk and I kicked your asses.”

“Kacchan! Be nice. There were literally thousands of people there first thing in the morning, and probably half as many that actually made it through the written portion to take the practicals. And there’s only 40 seats total for the course!”

Hizashi spoke up, nodding. “And only 34 available for the regular entrance exam this year. Depending on the showing for recommendations, Nezu will take between two to six seats for recommendation students. This year it was six.”

“So out of all of those people, and the 34 who were actually ranked, we all made it into the top ten! That’s amazing.” He paused, eyes dancing slightly. “Though, we did beat them, and honestly, with as much training as we’ve been doing, I definitely expected Denki and Tenya to do better…”

“Izuku-kun!”

“Zuku!! So mean!!”

“Tch, quit yer bitchin’. Elbows has only been around for a week and managed to keep up. I think this just means we’ve got a lot more work to do, don’t you?”

Izuku nodded determinedly, making Hitoshi and Denki groan, while Hanta laughed and Tenya sputtered, not sure if he should welcome the extra training or be offended on his own behalf.

Hizashi shook his head, gently pushing Katsuki and Izuku’s heads down as he straightened. “You can torture them later. You three get your butts here, we’ve got celebrating to do! And this weekend, the Bakugous are hosting a party at their place and your families are invited. Hanta, we know you have a longer commute, so feel free to pack a bag to stay overnight. Tenya and Denki will most likely be sticking around anyway, and I’d rather not deal with a time limit.”

Chapter Text

Surprisingly, the party at the Bakugous was a lot of fun. Mitsuki immediately hit it off with Hanta’s loud family, and their raucous laughter rolled through the backyard as Hizashi and Nemuri kept making off-color and inappropriate jokes. Hanta’s grandmother scandalized Mr. Sero when she met bawdy joke with bawdy joke, gaining more laughter and Nem declaring that the elderly woman was ‘goals’. Izuku got to meet Hanta’s little sister, Ami, and Katsuki teased him later, out of her earshot, about the hero worship that shone in her eyes when she realized that not only was he quirkless, but he had beaten quirked applicants and made it into UA. Izuku had also quietly given the Seros some information about safe places and groups that he had researched, but without an adult with him, had been unable to take advantage of himself.

After they had celebrated their acceptances, Katsuki and Izuku insisted that life go back to normal until they started at UA. They spent the month training just as hard, finalizing a meal and training plan for Hanta, and filling out forms for their new, official hero costumes. Higari had pulled Izuku and Katsuki out of training one evening to hand them other forms, officially inviting them as UA students to his after school club, as well as offering them the option to take support classes if they had room for electives in their second semester. They had also added extra ice packs and over the counter painkillers to their emergency bags, along with cream from Recovery Girl, after Hanta overused his quirk during training and explained that his elbows got incredibly tight and sore, with ice being the only thing that helped soothe the ache.

Before they knew it, a month had flown by. The Monday they started was bright and sunny, and they found themselves waiting at the huge UA gates once again, but this time, they were all in proper uniforms, passing time as they waited for Hanta to show up. Denki was bouncing slightly as he and Izuku chatted, sipping at their drinks; iced black coffee for Izuku and a weird pink and blue swirled frozen thing that Denki absolutely had to have when he saw it at the cafe. Katsuki and Hitoshi were blinking blearily in the morning sun, while Tenya was fluttering about, fixing ties and hair and admonishing Katsuki for his ‘slovenly appearance’. The tired blond didn’t even bother to curse at him, just flipped him off with a yawn. As Hanta finally jogged up to meet them, Denki launched himself at him to give him a hug, making Izuku chirp out a laugh.

“Good morning, amigos! Are we ready to start the day?!”

Hitoshi groaned and hid his face in Katsuki’s shoulder, who turned from flipping off Tenya again to raise his finger at Hanta instead. “Get that morning person attitude the fuck outta here, Elbows. Ain’t got the energy to deal with your shit too.”

Izuku shook his head, handing Hanta an iced tea with a sweet smile. “Don’t mind them. Toshi is barely a person in the middle of the day, much less in the mornings, and Kacchan didn’t sleep well last night.”

“And why the fuck is that, you leaf-headed piece of shit? Because someone spent all fuckin’ night mutterin’ and fidgetin’ and screwin’ around on his phone. ‘Oh, Kats, would you spend the night tonight? I think it would help Izuku’s anxiety.’ Yeah, fuckin’ right…” His mimicry of Hizashi’s voice was both absolutely terrible and hysterical, sending Denki, Izuku, and Hanta into bright laughter.

Tenya’s arm chopped down authoritatively. “Now that Hanta-kun has arrived, we should make haste to our classroom. It would not reflect well on any of us to be late for our first day.”

Hanta draped an arm over Denki’s shoulders as they started following the blue-haired teen. “He does know we have like, 35 minutes before class starts, right?”

Izuku nodded from Denki’s other side. “He does. But if you’re not 30 minutes early to any given appointment, you’re late according to Tenya Iida’s personal clock. I’m honestly not sure how Denks hasn’t given him an aneurysm yet.”

Denki chuckled softly. “Because despite my inability to tell time, I also have an inability to disappoint people, so after the first time I got scolded, I started writing down all our meetup times for an hour earlier than they were supposed to be. Workin’ that ADHD system, ya know?”

The three laughed, but it was cut short when they got to the door of 1-A. It was massive, and Izuku immediately started muttering to himself, wondering what kind of quirk would require that big of a door. He ran the gamut of gigantification, morphing, flying and as he devolved into mutations, a hand slapped over his mouth. “Nerd. Shut. The. Fuck. Up. Get into the god damned room already.” Everyone laughed again as Izuku was shoved through the door, though Tenya looked torn between his laughter and scolding Katsuki for his language.

The board had their seat listings and they set their bags by their chairs before they converged on the brothers and Katsuki who all had seats directly behind each other in the far row by the windows. Hitoshi and Katsuki both woke up a bit more as they talked and soon their conversation was a lively back and forth that felt more like their training days than sitting in a new school and a new classroom.

Denki was the first to notice Izuku go silent about fifteen minutes later, and he peered around to figure out what happened. He realized that more students were starting to trickle in, so he nudged Tenya lightly with a head nod in their direction. The blue-haired teen straightened and moved closer to the door, loudly greeting the newcomers and redirecting their attention to the board so they could find their seats. It had been a distraction technique they’d used for Hitoshi, and Izuku shot them a grateful smile as he settled into his seat.

Katsuki attempted to keep people away as well, his harsh personality and loud tone usually enough to ward off newcomers. It didn’t seem to work on a large redhead, however, which made Izuku watch him warily, trying to figure out why he didn’t seem bothered.

“Yo, bomb bro! We got in the same class! That’s so cool!” He slammed his knuckles together and Izuku’s eyes widened as the skin rippled and hardened before smoothing back out again. “You totally have to tell me your name now!”

“I don’t have to tell you shit, Rocks for Brains.” Katsuki’s sneer was audible in his voice, but Izuku could tell that he wasn’t nearly as annoyed as he was acting. Interesting…

“Bro, not manly! You said you’d tell me ‘if I managed to even set foot in the school, shitty hair!’.” His impression of Katsuki wasn’t actually terrible, and Izuku found his lips twitching slightly. There weren’t a lot of people who were not only brave enough to approach his blond friend, but to actively tease him? Until a few minutes ago, of their age group, he could literally count them on one hand.

“Shut the fuck up, asshole,” Katsuki growled, but his head whipped around when Izuku couldn’t quite bite back a soft giggle. “What the fuck are you laughing at, you broccoli-lookin’ piece of shit?”

Izuku giggled again, because he could see the corners of Katsuki’s lips twitching slightly. Unfortunately, the redhead couldn’t and he quickly moved between them, like he was protecting Izuku. “Hey, man, relax. We’re all in the same class for the same reasons, right?”

Izuku’s eyes went wide as he looked around the new guy to stare at his best friend. He literally could not remember a time, if it ever happened, that someone had not only stood up to Katsuki, but had stepped between Izuku and a threat outside of their small group. And frankly, half the time when they did it, it was to keep Izuku from escalating the situation, not to defend him. Katsuki blinked back at him before giving him a slight nod, so Izuku timidly touched the redhead’s arm to get his attention.

“Uh, you, uh, you d-don’t need to do that.” His voice was quiet, and lost amongst the rest of the chatter of his new classmates, but the other boy obviously heard, turning to look at him and open his mouth. Izuku just shook his head slightly. “Kacchan is my best friend. It’s j-just the way we talk sometimes. But, uh… I appreciate you stepping in, since you d-didn’t know.”

The redhead’s eyes, a slightly lighter shade of red than Katsuki’s, widened slightly and he stepped back, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. “Aw, man, my bad then. I know UA’s policies on bullying and didn’t want my bomb bro to get in trouble, or some new guy to get hurt…”

“Tch, what the fuck ever, shitty hair, we’re here to be heroes, not fuckin’ bullies. Katsuki Bakugou if it’s so damned important to ya.”

The way the redhead’s face lit up reminded Izuku of a puppy being told walkies, and he covered his face to muffle his giggle. “Dude, nice to meet ya properly then! I’m Eijirou Kirishima!” His knuckles slammed together again, and Izuku wondered absently if it was a habit, especially with the way his quirk seemed to ripple across his skin, or just an excited tic. “And you?”

“O-oh! Um, Izuku Y-yamazawa. Nice to meet you, K-kirishima-kun.” He gave him a bright smile, but noticed that Katsuki was giving him a worried glance. He opened his mouth to say something, but Izuku held up a hand when he noticed something by the classroom doors. “Um, you should probably get to your seat… class will be starting soon…”

Once Kirishima turned away, Izuku pointed discretely. Katsuki stiffened slightly and nodded, while Hitoshi tapped his back. A quick sign to Denki had him pushing Hanta and Tenya into their seats quickly. No one else seemed to notice as Shouta slithered his way into the room, though it looked like Kirishima had at least listened to Izuku’s warning. He made it all the way to the podium, juice pouch dangling from his lips and still, everyone else was still up and chatting away. Izuku winced slightly, knowing this wouldn’t end well for the thirteen other kids who hadn’t even bothered to look up.

He was proven correct rather quickly, as Shouta let the yellow sleeping bag slide to the floor and took a loud slurp of his juice pouch. One of the girls, the brunette that Hanta and Izuku had helped, looked behind her and shrieked, making the rest of the class go quiet. “It took most of you eight seconds to notice me. If you’re just here to waste time, then leave.” There was a mad scramble as students quickly found their seats, but it didn’t quite stifle the choking sounds coming from in front of him and behind him. Glancing at Katsuki’s shoulders, he realized the blond was trying not to laugh, and it sounded like Hitoshi was having a similar issue. Izuku bit down on his lip, glancing at Denki and then away when he realized the lightning user was in the same boat.

“Welcome to class 1-A. I am your teacher, Aizawa Shouta.” He produced gym uniforms from somewhere, and now Izuku was imagining them buried in his sleeping bag. He could feel his face heating from the effort to not laugh out loud, staring down at his desk instead. “Each of you take one of these and get changed. Meet me at the main gym. Go.” With that, he swept out of the room. Izuku was the first one up with Hitoshi right behind him; habits always had them leaving the room either first or last in public settings, especially at school. As they grabbed their uniforms and headed into the hall, they could hear the rest of their group following, while the rest of the class was stuck in shock.

Izuku and Hitoshi quickly led the way to the changing rooms closest to the regular gym. As soon as they got inside, the two boys were laughing hysterically, holding onto each other. Katsuki barked out his own laugh, while Denki and Hanta giggled. Tenya just sighed and shook his head at them.

“H-holy shit… Did he… does he do that ev-every year?” Izuku was still stuttering, but this time it was from the giggles he couldn’t control.

Katsuki snorted. “The fuckin’ juice pouch killed me.”

Hanta cackled, imitating the slurping sound he’d made, which set everyone off again.

They settled slightly and Izuku ducked into one of the stalls instead of changing out in the open. No sense in traumatizing his new classmates, and frankly, he didn’t want to deal with the questions and stares. While he wasn’t ashamed of his scars, he also did not feel like discussing them on the first day. He stepped out just as Denki finished pulling his shirt on, always the slowest to change because he had to swap his battery to different outfits. The choker looked really nice on his neck, and Izuku frowned a little at the thought… it’s not like he didn’t wear the thing every single day.

Shaking his head like he could shake away the thought, he glanced around to make sure everyone was ready and then led the way out into the gym. As they were leaving, they could hear the rest of the class stumbling in and they all smirked at each other, even Tenya. Shouta was going to kick their asses. They all got onto the field and flopped into the grass to wait. When he saw them, Shouta sighed and ambled over, keeping his eyes on the door to the locker rooms.

“Please tell me that they’re at least changing…”

Izuku shrugged. “I guess so. They had just found the doors as we were leaving, so…”

“And not one of you problem children thought to help them?”

Katsuki snorted. “Hell nah. They’ve had the maps to the school and an entire month. If they didn’t bother taking the time to figure out where at least the basics were, that’s on them.”

Shouta smirked slightly, accepting it with a nod. “Fair enough.” He glanced at his sons, noticing that Izuku was playing with his fingers despite the forced ease in his tone, and the way Hitoshi was watching the locker room doors. “Are we still handling this like we discussed?”

After the excitement of being accepted had settled, Shouta had pointed out that Nezu had put all six boys in his class. They had discussed what to tell the other students as a group; while they weren’t ashamed of their family in any way, Shouta was an underground hero and that generally meant keeping most of his personal life secret. Add on the fact that Hizashi would be their English teacher, they had to have a plan in place before they started.

Izuku and Hitoshi had conferred quietly with the other four boys and then turned wicked smirks on their parents. “We fuck with them,” they’d said in unison, making Shouta smirk and Hizashi tilt his head slightly.

“Explain.”

“We’re all pretty comfortable with each other, but obviously Tosh and I have the same last name, but it’s different than yours and Pops. So they’ll know we’re brothers. But we won’t outright confirm anything except the fact that we’re brothers. So I say we act normally about everything except calling you Dad and Pops at school. The nicknames, the conversations, the way that the six of us act around each other… it’ll all stay completely the same. Let’s see how long it takes for the rumors to start, and it’ll let you see if anyone has exceptional observation skills.”

Shouta’s smirk grew devious and Hizashi sighed heavily. “I like it. It would also be amusing if you called Nem ‘Aunt’ where classmates could hear… and maybe some of you other gremlins could ‘slip up’ with familial names.”

The group had all discussed it a bit more, and Denki had even offered to take one for the team by ‘accidentally’ calling Shouta by his first name. They all felt a little better with a solid plan in place, even if that plan was based on chaos and mischief.

Izuku nodded up at him from the grass. “Definitely, Da- Aizawa-sensei.” His eyes danced with amusement as Shouta smirked at him.

“Good. Let me know if it gets to be too much, problem children. That goes for all of you.”

“We got it, caterpillar-sensei,” Katsuki huffed, which set them all off into laughter again as they were reminded of the sleeping bag.

Chapter Text

Shouta was obviously annoyed by the time the rest of the class made it out. The fact that they all came out chattering and laughing only seemed to annoy him more, making Katsuki and Izuku smirk at each other slightly. Their group had all stood up when they heard the doors start opening, and Denki had grinned and hopped onto Izuku’s back almost immediately.

“It took most of you far too much time to get ready. You are training to be heroes, and time wasted in the real world is often the difference between life and death. Today, you will be taking a series of physical assessment tests. I’m sure you’re familiar with them. This time, however, you will be allowed to use your quirks so I can see what you need to work on.”

The bubbly brunette spoke up, head tilted slightly. “What about orientation?”

Denki muffled his giggles in Izuku’s neck when Shouta sighed heavily. “We do not have time to waste on useless formalities. All of the information you need was sent to you with your acceptance packet. If you’re just here to waste time, then Gen Ed still has some openings.” There were murmurs and grumbles that swept through the class, but Shouta just continued. “As a teacher at UA, I can teach my classes however I see fit.” He shot a red-eyed glare around the class before landing on Katsuki.

“Bakugou, what was your long distance throw record?”

Katsuki stepped forward, a cocky grin on his face. “71 meters.”

Shouta nodded and tossed him a ball. “Stand in this circle and throw this. Use your quirk.”

With a smirk, Katsuki stepped up, glancing back at Izuku with a wink. “Better cover your ears, hobo-sensei.” The sounds of shock and disbelief from the class were drowned out by his explosion. Shouta didn’t even react, simply watched the recorder in his hand and finally nodded. He turned it around to show the reading, 708.2 meters. As Katsuki rejoined the group, Shouta spoke again.

“It is illogical to try to train something without a baseline. These tests will be the baseline of where you’re at physically, with and without your quirks. You may use any tools at your disposal to pass these tests.”

A cheerful voice piped up from somewhere near the back of the class, making Izuku peer around to try and find it. “This is gonna be fun!”

“Uh oh,” murmured Hanta from next to them, making Izuku bite his lips to keep from giggling.

“Fun?” Shouta huffed softly. “Fine. Whoever comes in last place today will be determined to have no potential and will be expelled. Still think this is fun?”

Izuku clenched Denki’s legs. He wasn’t bad, he knew that, but all these quirks would outstrip him in a one on one test. Logically, he knew his dad wouldn’t expel him on the first day, but logic wasn’t making a huge dent in the subconscious belief that he didn’t belong. Inui called it ‘imposter syndrome’. They were working on it. The blond on his back nuzzled into his neck, settling some of his nerves as the complaints from the class swelled.

“That’s not fair! It’s only our first day and we all got accepted!”

“What’s fair about natural disasters? About villain attacks? Life isn’t fair. As heroes, you are meant to balance out the unfairness of life. If you can’t handle it, get out.” He turned and motioned for the now subdued class to follow him. His eyes rested on Izuku and Hitoshi for a brief second, flashing them a quick, hidden smile before stopping at a running track. “First up, 50-meter dash. You will be called up in pairs and your time will be recorded.”

“S-sensei?” Izuku cursed his stuttering silently, but stood straight, even with Denki still on his back.

“Yes?”

“You said any tools at our disposal, correct?”

“Yes, Yamazawa.”

Izuku nodded silently, stepping back.

“Now then, Tenya Iida and Hanta Sero. Begin.”

As the class went up one by one, Izuku started grinning. When Denki hopped off his back for his turn, the green-haired teen beckoned Hanta over quickly. A quiet conversation between the two had them both chuckling softly and then Izuku went to stand beside Katsuki, resting a hand on his back lightly. They were the only two left, most likely to give Katsuki a minute to build up the sweat he’d need.

“Katsuki Bakugou and Izuku Yamazawa.”

Izuku made sure to keep pace with his best friend, crouching next to him.

“You’re gonna eat my fuckin’ dust, shitty nerd.”

“Mmhmm. Probably, Kacchan.” Izuku’s chirpy reply made Katsuki narrow his eyes, but then Shouta called go and the blond took off. Everyone gasped as Izuku clung to his back, directly between his explosions.

“Bakugou, 4.13 seconds. Yamazawa, 4.14 seconds.”

“You piece of leaf-headed shit!” Katsuki whirled on his best friend, just now noticing the piece of tape he was pulling off his hand. “What the actual fuck?”

Izuku grinned cheekily, bouncing backwards. “Just following the rules, Kacchan.” He darted away, putting Shouta between them who just shook his head.

“Let’s continue.”

The training they’d all been doing paid off as they flew through the repeated side steps, the sit-ups, and the flexibility test. Izuku bounced between his friends for the tests, getting bits of assistance when he needed to while trying to be subtle about it. For the most part, however, he was on par with most of the class even without a quirk or assistance, a fact that he found surprising, to say the least. He wasn’t sure if it was just because they hadn’t thought of ways to utilize their quirks, or if they were that out of shape, but his only real competition was in the five boys he’d been training with.

The long distance run, however, is where he really shone. They were all told to run together and they would be recorded where they had to stop. Izuku was pretty sure it was just an excuse for Shouta to get in a brief nap though he had to admit it was a little disappointing when some of his classmates could barely handle two laps before giving up. He knew he wouldn’t win, not with Tenya just kind of coasting on his quirk, and then when a girl with long dark hair literally made herself a motorized scooter, but he was able to run until Shouta finally called them all over, marking the three of them as infinite in the records.

Katsuki was panting heavily, glaring at Izuku. He’d made it the farthest out of the rest of their friends, but his competitive nature had pushed him to go farther than he should have, and he’d spent the rest of the test cursing at Izuku every time he’d passed his collapsed form. “A-asshole… what the… fuck are your lungs… even made of?”

Izuku chuckled breathlessly, shrugging. “Spite, mostly.”

It made everyone else in their group chuckle as Shouta set the ball throw back up. “All right, hellions, last test. As a reminder, when I call you up, you stand in the circle and throw the ball as far as you can. Anything goes.”

To Izuku, the reminder seemed pointed, and he shared a glance and a nod with Hitoshi. This would be the point, nice and early, where they’d figure out friend from foe. They had decided together that they wouldn’t hide who or what they were, and their friends had already agreed to keep an eye and ear out for any comments that might become inflammatory. They had also done extensive, exhaustive training with Hitoshi on speaking around strangers, and he’d upped his therapy sessions with Inui to prepare so he could avoid being hit with his mutism in class as much as possible. They both knew that hoping for the best while planning for the worst was the only sensible solution.

They watched a few others go, Katsuki standing close by now that he’d caught his breath. As their friends finished, they walked back over, surrounding Izuku and Hitoshi loosely like sentinels. Izuku was muttering softly, signing to Hitoshi about the quirks and how useful they’d be. When they watched Uraraka’s turn, both of their eyes lit up and they gave each other a quick nod.

“Hitoshi Yamazawa.”

Hitoshi stepped into the circle and smirked slightly. “Uraraka?”

“Yes-”

He grinned a bit. “Come here and use your quirk on this.”

She walked over and touched the ball and Hitoshi tossed it up, letting it float to the same infinite number the brunette had gotten before releasing her. She blinked rapidly for a second, then gave him a sunny smile.

“Was that your quirk?”

“Mmhmm.” He offered her a small smile back. “Thanks for helping…” His voice got smaller and Izuku frowned, unaware that he was muttering threats if everything went bad. Katsuki elbowed him lightly in the ribs to make him chill, as Uraraka put her fingers together to release her quirk and gently pulled Hitoshi from the circle.

“That was so cool! I felt like I was floating, but without the nausea!” She giggled at his reddening face, giving him a quick arm squeeze with her pinky raised.

Their group breathed a sigh of relief, but a voice from the rest of the class made them stiffen again. “Okay, wait, that’s cheating! He didn’t use his quirk on the ball!”

Shouta snorted. “I never said he had to. I said he had to use anything at his disposal. In the case of a non-physical quirk like his, he utilized it perfectly.”

As the discontent mutterings swelled slightly, Izuku growled and stalked forward. “My turn, sensei?”

“Yes, let’s get this over with.”

Izuku nodded sharply, catching the ball that was tossed to him with a sharp motion. He turned to glare at the class, spine straight and eyes hard and determined. “By the way, not everyone has quirks that are good in every situation, or even good for actual combat at all. There are plenty of heroes like that, so shut the fuck up.” He turned and looked over at his best friend. “Kacchan, c’mere.”

The blond ambled over, baring his teeth as the class continued to mutter. “What’s up, nerd?”

“Throw this for me?”

“Sure, what the fuck ever. If I beat my score, I’mma beat your ass, got it?”

“Uh huh, whatever you say, Kacchan.” The blond reared his arm back again and launched the ball with his quirk, smirking a little when Shouta announced, “706.8 meters.”

Another voice, with an accent that it took Izuku a second to place as French, spoke up. “That is definitely not fair! He did not use a quirk at all, simply asked another student to throw it. How could that score count?”

Izuku did his best not to shrink back, borrowing a bit of Katsuki’s cocky energy. “We were told to use anything at our disposal. Kacchan is my best friend and we’ve been working together since we were kids. Why wouldn’t I ask for help?”

Another voice piped up, a little closer, and Izuku recognized Kirishima, but his tone was much darker than it had been in the classroom. “Seriously, all of you are being unmanly as hell. If they had done something wrong, Teach woulda said something. You’re just mad you didn’t think of it.” He shifted closer to Izuku’s group, and Izuku watched as a pink-skinned girl with yellow horns slipped up behind him, eyeing the rest of the class warily.

Shouta finally spoke up, eyes red to get their attention. “Kirishima is correct. I told all of you that anything goes at the beginning of your assessments. Don’t blame others for thinking outside the box when you didn’t bother to. I’m too tired to waste time going over each score, so here are your rankings.”

Despite knowing that Shouta wouldn’t have expelled him right away, Izuku breathed a soft sigh of relief when he wasn’t in last place. He’d finished firmly in the middle of the pack, with Hitoshi right after him. That same French voice spoke up again, annoyed and slightly nasally.

“There is no way those two did better than me. My Naval Laser is amazing and the green one didn’t use a quirk once!”

Izuku couldn’t help the way he shrank back, hiding behind Tenya’s larger frame. Another voice rang out, and it took him a second to register that it was feminine and angry, but not aimed at Izuku or Hitoshi.

“Dude, seriously, I think it says waaaaay more about your abilities if you couldn’t even keep up with someone not using a quirk. Like, think about that. You’re all butt hurt about not measuring up, but that seems to be a skill issue, babe.” It was the pink girl that had followed Kirishima, and she made her way over to lightly drape her arms over Izuku and Hitoshi’s shoulders, making them both flinch slightly. Her eyes were set on the blond in the middle of their class, and the look was downright venomous. “If I did as bad as you, I’d be more interested in making friends with the ones who were smart enough to beat me, ya know?”

“Darkness obviously clouds your vision,” murmured a soft voice and the boy with the raven head and the sentient quirk (which was so freakin’ cool and Izuku really wanted to find out how it worked) gently pushed his way through the rest of the class. “It does not suit well to sling insults when you find your own character lacking.”

His quirk swirled out of his back and stuck its tongue out at the blond. “Sticks and stones, yadda yadda, but Fumi and I’ll hurt ya if ya keep it up!”

“Dark Shadow!” It was an odd thing to notice, but the raven-headed boy (Fumi?) sounded very similar to Izuku when he was scolding Katsuki. Weirdly, it made him feel a little better.

“Enough.” Shouta stepped forward, motioning for the raven boy to step aside. He also moved closer to the group, and a number of their other classmates stepped away from the antagonistic blond, leaving him to face Shouta alone. “Aoyama, you do know UA’s policies on discrimination and bullying, correct?” When he nodded, Shouta huffed. “Then I will give you your first, and only, warning. As this is the first day, and I assume some of you have never dealt with non-combative quirks.”

He flared his eyes again, and everyone he looked at shuddered slightly as he cut them off from their quirk for a second, hair and capture scarf hovering. “As you should know, every staff member at UA is a Pro Hero. It is a requirement for working here. My quirk is simply the ability to temporarily remove quirks. It has been pointed out, thrown in my face more than once actually, that I just level the playing field, and against mutation quirks, I may as well be quirkless. And yet, I am still a successful, alive hero. Hagakure.”

A voice squeaked softly, and Izuku noticed sleeves swaying. Ah, the invisible girl. No wonder she didn’t do better… “Y-yes, sensei?”

“You came in last.” A small sob broke through the sudden silence, but Shouta held up a hand. “However, that does not mean you have zero potential. I could see your efforts. Izuku?”

Taking a deep breath, Izuku stepped away from the pink-skinned girl and around his friends. “Sensei?”

“I’d like you to work with Hagakure, specifically on strength and stealth.” He glanced at his son. “I will let Nezu know I’ve given an assignment.”

Izuku gave her a quick smile and a nod. “Sure. Umm… we’ll talk after class?”

She agreed quickly, thanking them both before slipping back into the background of the group. Izuku frowned slightly; they’d have to work on her confidence too. He had noticed her in the classroom, greeting everyone, but as soon as the attention was off her, she seemed way too used to just… disappearing, even without her quirk.

“The threat of expulsion was a logical ruse to make sure you all did your best. That being said, if I hear of any more instances of quirk discrimination or bullying, it won’t simply be a threat. There are packets for your parents or guardians on your desks. Get changed and get out of here.” Shouta dismissed them all, but Izuku darted forward and gently touched the sleeve of Hagakure’s gym shirt.

“Wait here a sec, okay? We can talk.”

She gave a chirpy little, “Okay!” and he motioned for her to follow him back to the group.

Once the main part of the class had disappeared into the locker rooms, Shouta covered his face with his hand for a minute, sighing. “You six. If you wanna get an early start on your training, you’re welcome to use Gym Gamma again, it’s free for the afternoon. I’m going to take a nap.”

Denki grinned, bouncing slightly now that the tension had eased. “Kay, Shouta! See ya after training!”

With a low groan, Shouta swept out of the gym amid laughter from the rest of the group and confusion from the three… nope, four people who stuck around. Izuku gave a quick wave to the raven-headed boy, who nodded back solemnly.

“O-okay.” Taking a deep breath, Izuku looked back at his group, then to the newcomers. “Options. The six of us train every other day here. We’re working out timings now that school’s started back up, so… if you’re interested in that, then we can work in your availability?” He peeked around at his original friend group, who were mostly nodding, but Katsuki, of course, was scowling. “Kacchan?”

“Hmm? Nothin’, nerd. Just thinkin’ about the assholes we’re stuck in a class with. Shitty hair, I know you ain’t turnin’ down extra training. What about you three?”

Tenya sighed heavily and shook his head. “One second, Katsuki-kun, Izuku-kun. I think it would be better if we all moved to Gym Gamma first, and then discussed. Proper introductions would also be appropriate. If you plan to stick around, stay in your gym uniform. If you need to leave, get changed and we will wait for you.”

After a moment, everyone agreed to leave their gym uniforms on until they could figure out what this training was, so Izuku led them to Gym Gamma.

Chapter Text

The walk to their training spot was quiet. Izuku and Hitoshi were talking in JSL, trying to figure out how much to tell the rest of the group. Denki had wrapped an arm through Izuku’s, and Tenya and Katsuki were walking behind their newest additions, keeping an eye on them. Hanta had shaken his head and struck up a quiet conversation with Kirishima, which put him right in the middle of the new kids.

Once they got inside, Izuku led them to a grassy area and flopped onto the ground, waiting until everyone else got comfortable, with Denki flopping over to put his head in Izuku’s lap before speaking. “Okay, so… introductions first, right, Tenya?”

“That would probably be for the best.”

“Cool. Cuz I didn’t catch almost anyone’s names today. I’m Izuku Yamazawa. This is my brother, Hitoshi Yamazawa. To make things easier, you can just call us by our first names.” When Hitoshi nodded, he continued, pointing at each boy in turn. “Denki Kaminari, Katsuki Bakugou, Tenya Iida, and Hanta Sero. Han’s pretty new to our chaos, but the rest of us have been together for at least two years.”

Denki grinned from where Izuku was absently petting him. “That’s your cue, guys. Someone introduce yourself.”

“Ha ha, right! Eijirou Kirishima!” He thumbed over at the pink-skinned girl, who tossed up a two-finger salute. “This is Mina Ashido. We’ve been friends since middle school.”

Hagakure spoke up, still standing towards the back of the group. “Toru Hagakure. I don’t know anyone yet.”

The raven-headed boy spoke, his voice low and calming. “Fumikage Tokoyami. And my quirk is sentient, and goes by either Shadow or Dark Shadow. She also prefers the use of feminine pronouns, but will answer to anything but ‘it’.” The swirling blackness extended from behind him again and the quirk waved, giggling impishly.

“Fumi wants to be friends! Me too! Are we?”

Izuku giggled softly, waving at the quirk. “I’d like to be as well, Dark Shadow. Hagakure, come sit down please. We want you here, promise.”

There was a shiver through the floating clothes, and then she moved forward slowly, sitting near Izuku. “Sorry. I’m still a little shocked that I wasn’t expelled, and now you apparently have more homework?”

Katsuki snorted, shaking his head. “Tell you the same fuckin’ thing I told Pichu, Casper. It ain’t homework for the shitty nerd. It’s a fun fuckin’ hobby that makes me wanna pull my hair out sometimes.”

“Kacchan! Be nice! She’s new.” Izuku huffed and shook his head. “Ignoring Kacchan’s nicknames, he’s not wrong. I actually love studying quirks and making training plans and stuff for them. D-Aizawa-sensei just noticed that you needed a bit of help early, but honestly, I’ll probably be bothering everyone… well, everyone that lets me, anyway.”

Denki nodded. “They’re totally not kidding. He took like, two months to completely revamp the way I use my quirk. It was amazing to not hurt myself with it anymore.”

Kirishima leaned forward slightly. “You guys keep talking about training plans, but… you’re all super different body types. Do you all specialize or something?”

“Hell yeah we do, Rocks for Brains. The nerd and I work ‘em up together, and then I usually deal with the physical shit while he deals with the quirk and brain shit. Eyebags over there gets tortured twice cuz I ain’t dealin’ with his noodle arms when I know he can do better. Pichu also gets the two-for-one, because Zuk is still working on perfectin’ his quirk shit. At this point, Glasses and I are 90% physical, with the shitty nerd popping in and makin’ us try shit once in a while. Elbows is about 75% physical, because he’s new, but already knows most of his quirk shit on his own. The nerd is all physical, but he does a lot of mental shit for the rat.” He eyed the group critically. “Beaks and Casper will be with the nerd mostly, cuz he’s about ten fuckin’ seconds from geekin’ out over a sentient quirk, and Raccoon Eyes will probably be on Elbows’ level. You’d train with Glasses and I for the most part.”

Izuku nodded eagerly, making Denki giggle at his excitement. “That actually sounds about right, though I’d like to do my own tests with you, Hagakure, and Tokoyami, you look like you’d actually be good with physical training too, just… I’m sorry, Dark Shadow is so coooool, I’ve heard of sentient quirks but they’re super rare and they aren’t always willing to listen and I really want to know everything but that’s probably invasive, so I’m sorry about that, but holy cra-” He was cut off by Hitoshi’s hand over his mouth, eeping through his fingers.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Zuks. So, I’m gonna be the blunt one, because Hothead is too excited to train new people and you’re practically vibrating at new quirks to play with.” He looked over the new people, taking a deep breath. “You guys didn’t have to step in for us. Why did you?”

“Toshi!” Izuku squeaked, pushing his hand away.

Ashido shrugged easily. “A couple reasons, at least for me. One, Eiji stepped in, and where he goes, I go. Two, I hate discrimination and rude people. Three, I wasn’t lying about sticking with the people who were smart enough to think outside the box. I’m a quick thinker, but not a deep one. So, I may not know how to build a training schedule or take apart a quirk, but I’m smart enough to get on the good side of the people who can.”

Hitoshi blinked at her honesty, then chuckled. “That’s… fair, I suppose. As long as it’s not gonna be a ‘use us for answers and pretend we don’t exist otherwise’ kinda thing.”

Tenya huffed softly. “Good luck with that if it is. Izuku-kun is a spite-fueled chaos gremlin, and has the shirt to prove it. He will smile sweetly and give you all the wrong answers without batting an eye.”

Ashido laughed, shaking her head. “Nah, I don’t play those games. If we’re friends, we’re friends. Inside school, outside school, whatever.” She paused, tilting her head. “Wait, hold up… ‘has the shirt to prove it’?”

Izuku giggled as Denki dug his phone out, flipping through pictures. He turned it to show a selfie, with him in his bright yellow ‘Caution: Electrified Wires’ shirt and Izuku wearing his ‘Spite-Fueled Chaos Gremlin’ shirt. They were both grinning and flashing peace signs at the camera, and it made Ashido laugh.

“You two are fuckin’ adorable, holy hell. How did you get mixed up with the grouch and the grump?”

Izuku snickered. “The grouch came with me. We’ve been best friends since we were in diapers, basically. Auntie’s got some really silly pictures of us, that you are never going to see before you even ask.”

Denki grinned, continuing. “The grump is me and Tenten’s. Ten attached himself first, and then I got transferred to their school and was like, these are mine now!”

Katsuki snorted, shaking his head. “It’s that whole fuckin’ theory about introverts getting adopted. Some shitty fuckin’ extrovert finds ‘em and they never know peace again. The nerd and the pokemon wannabe are our extroverts.”

Tokoyami spoke up, amusement lacing his low voice. “I was quite literally born with my extrovert. Hagakure, are you… hmmm, ‘up for adoption’ as well?”

Hagakure squeaked and giggled, but Izuku shook his head. “Nah, it’s never up to the introvert. Besides, I don’t think she’s actually much of an introvert, I think she’s just nervous.” He looked at her with a grin. “I noticed that you were trying to get to know everyone before Sensei came in.”

“I mean, yeah… it just makes sense for people to know the invisible girl is there, ya know? Less chances of getting stepped on or accidentally groped.”

Katsuki straightened, face going serious. He pointed at her sternly. “Anyone pulls that shit on purpose, you let us know. Nerd’s gonna make you terrifyin;, but you ain’t gotta put up with that shit.” He glanced at the rest of the group, and then at Tenya, who nodded firmly. “Goes for all you fuckers. We don’t tolerate bullies or perverts.”

Izuku smiled as Hagakure sat a little straighter and Ashido leaned against Kirishima’s side. “Okay, so now that we’ve got the preliminaries out of the way… Quick rundown. We train every other day. Off days are yours unless we make plans and you decide to join us, but no heavy training or quirk use on off days. We’ll give you a meal plan too, and that can be adjusted depending on budget and dietary restrictions, but should be followed as close as possible once we finalize it. Ummm..” He tapped his finger against his lips and Katsuki snorted.

“Costumes, shitnerd.”

“Right! There’s not much that can be done until we get our first costumes now, but we’ll be going over what you have and updating them, especially as I figure out your quirks. Am I missing anything?”

Denki spoke up, flopping back into Izuku’s lap with a huff. “We do get-togethers and have group chats. If you’re interested in something and it’s posted in the group chat, obviously you’re invited. No pressure, and sometimes we’ll just hang out separately or whatever, but I require social stimulation, so… hang outs. Oh! First names.” He peered up at Izuku with wide amber eyes, and the green haired boy just laughed and covered his face.

“Don’t give me the puppy dog eyes, I already told them to call me and Tosh by our first names. If you plan on training and hanging out with us, we’re all pretty informal, so… Kacchan will just give you nicknames, so you’ll have to deal with that, but if he calls you something you really don’t like, just tell him and he’ll switch it up. If you’re not comfortable with us using your first name, just let us know.”

Kirishima shrugged, speaking up for the first time as he absorbed all the new information. “I don’t care. Mina prefers her first name, and I’m not super picky either way, as long as you don’t call me late for dinner.”

The whole group groaned at the terrible joke, making him grin. “Training sounds good; that’s actually pretty similar to my schedule anyway, so I can move stuff around to work with you. Mina’s got dance classes twice a week…”

“Shit, that’s right! I almost forgot.”

Izuku nodded. “That’s fine. You seem to prefer flexibility, so we can work that into your training schedule.” He looked at the invisible girl with a soft smile. “What about you, Hagakure?”

“Oh… uh, Toru is fine. It’ll be a little weird to hear it from boys… I’ve only ever really had female friends until now. But I don’t mind.”

Izuku nodded and looked to Tokoyami, who tilted his head a little. “I do not have issue with the use of my first name, or simply ‘Fumi’ if it is too long… Dark Shadow uses it all the time and I am accustomed to it. I would request that our training either take place during the day, or that I have an option for being transported home… She can be quite… rambunctious in the dark and we are not always in accord when that happens.”

Izuku frowned slightly, fingers dancing over Denki’s chest like he was writing and Hitoshi and Katsuki sighed at the same time.

“Now you’ve done it. Nerd’s gonna do his nerd shit.”

Hitoshi just reached over and swatted Izuku’s head lightly, pulling him out of his thoughts. “We haven’t discussed the elephant in the room, Zuks. Geek out afterwards, okay?”

“Fuck.” The newcomers all looked startled at the sudden curse from the mostly cheerful boy. “I was gonna say something before we had our sit down. Umm, okay. So…” He bit his lip as his breath caught. It had been so easy to decide just to tell everyone when they’d talked about it at home, but now that he was actually preparing to do it, he could feel himself spiraling into worst-case scenarios. His eyes flicked to the exits, and he shifted, trying to find a way to get out if he needed to without hurting Denki.

The blond caught his shifting and instead of sitting up, he nuzzling deeper into his lap, throwing an arm over his leg. “Zuku, breathe. We’re here. You’re not alone.”

As the newer members of the group looked on in concern, Tenya crouched next to the two and place a hand on Izuku’s shoulder. “Izuku-kun. We are all here, and we agreed this would be best. You’re strong.”

“Ugh… I’m being st-stupid… Sorry…”

“No apologizin’, nerd. Just spit it out. We’ll deal with whatever happens.” The low growl and soft pops of his best friend’s quirk, the steadying hand on his shoulder, and the way Denki let small, almost ticklish zaps out along his leg finally settled him a bit. He took a deep breath, glancing at the group.

“Right. Shit, that was… okay.” He shook his head sharply. “I’m, um, I’m all physical training becauseI’mquirkless.” It came out in one sharp breath and he couldn’t quite meet everyone’s eyes, staring down at his hand in Denki’s hair.

There was silence for a couple seconds as everyone took in his words, then Mina lurched forward on her knees, gasping excitedly. “That’s why you weren’t using a quirk! Holy crap, Izuku, that means you placed in the middle of a class full of quirks without ever even having one to use!” She paused, tilting her head and clenching her fist. “That just makes me wanna melt Frenchy’s face off even more for being a jerk!”

Izuku looked up at her sharply, eyes wide. “Woah, no no no, you don’t need to! It was handled! Please don’t get yourself in trouble over it!!”

Eijirou snorted. “Wouldn’t be the first time she’s gone rogue. We really don’t like bullies, and Mina’s vicious.” His words were scolding, but his tone was all fond pride. “She actually has a vigilante charge on her rap sheet.”

Denki sat up suddenly, staring at her for a second, before looking back at Izuku. “Oh, okay, nope, nuh uh. Sparky, we can’t let them be friends. Y’all just barely got him to stop!!”

“Denks!” Izuku covered his mouth, eyes wide. “Shut up!”

Katsuki barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “Another fuckin’ one. Fantastic. We got a real strict ‘No More Vigilante Shit’ policy in this group, Raccoon Eyes. Shitty nerd is in like… rehab or whatever.”

“Kacchan! I am not! I haven’t done anything in almost two years!” He was pouting now, though his lips twitched a little. He wasn’t exactly ashamed of his vigilante work… but he did hate that he’d worried people with it.

Fumikage blinked, head tilting. “You… are the same age as we are, yes?”

“Uh, yeah? I mean, I’m fourteen?”

Eijirou was obviously doing the same math, and frowning at what he came up with. “Yo, Izubro… are you legit saying you got a vigilante charge at twelve?”

Hitoshi snickered while Tenya shook his head. “Here come the technicalities and justifications…”

“Hush, you two. And technically… god dammit, Ten.” Izuku huffed a little laugh. “Fine, whatever, technically I was never charged. Can’t actually be charged with illegal quirk use if you don’t got one.” He threw up jazz hands, grinning impishly. “But, uh… I stopped at twelve, actually. Long backstory that you don’t get to unlock until friendship level two, so uh… just know I don’t do it anymore?”

Hitoshi sighed. “Level two apparently requires training together and at least one trip to a cafe or food court. So… ya know, goals, I guess.”

“Speakin’ of training, we’re all just sittin’ the fuck around and hobo-sensei is gonna be pissed if we don’t get some actual work done, assholes. So how do you wanna do this, nerd?”

Izuku slapped his hands on his thighs and stood up. “Right! Training first. I’ll take Toru with me and Denks. Hanta, you’ve got your choice; we can do some quirk work or you can go train with Toshi and Kacchan.”

Katsuki shook his head. “Nope. Pick someone else if you want, but Pichu is with me today. His physical showing during the tests was fuckin’ pathetic. And you need a couple runs through the obstacle course yourself, nerd, don’t forget.”

“I know, Kacchan. I guess we’ll do a mostly a physical day today then? I wanna get a base work-up of Toru’s quirk first, then we can both run the course and we can see where she stands with that too.”

Hanta waved a hand easily. “I’ll go with the physical group. Easier for you to focus. I need to figure out how to make Hitoshi’s wrist flick work with my elbows anyway.”

As the rest of the group walked off, Izuku flopped back onto the grass and pulled a notebook out. He tried to calm the way his hands were shaking, silently practicing the counting techniques Hound Dog had taught him. He startled slightly when Toru’s warm hand touched his.

“Izuku? You… are you okay?”

He gave her a little smile and a shrug. “Sort of? Mostly.”

She shifted, sitting in front of him. “Mmm, partial lie.” She let out a giggle, warm and friendly and so very different from the mocking laughter that he was used to getting when people found out about him before that it was a little jarring. “Being invisible does have its uses. I’m really, really good at people watching, because they don’t know I’m looking at them. Except you and Hitoshi. You’re both used to being observed, but always in a bad way, I’m guessing.”

He snorted, nodding as he flipped to a clean page in his notebook. “Yeah, you could say that. It’s gotten… better. But new people are always a little touch and go.”

“Makes sense. Even in a class full of hero hopefuls, you still had to deal with some ignorant comments. I can only imagine some of what you’ve been told, or heard about yourself.”

He looked up at the general area of her face, offering her a warm, if timid, smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard some shit yourself, honestly. Especially if people were too stupid or ignorant to realize you were there.”

“Oh yeah.” A sleeve waved like she was flapping a hand. “So much stupid crap. But honestly, it just pushed me to prove them wrong.” The grin was obvious in her tone. “I’m guessing that’s why you and your brother are here, too.”

“Spite and caffeine are our lifeblood, yes.” They both laughed and then she bounced up, tugging him to his feet. “Wh-what?”

“We can talk about my quirk later. It’s not going anywhere, and we have all year to discuss it, though I’m assuming that Sensei wants it sorted a little sooner than that. But right now… I wanna see the obstacle course, and I think you need to move. You’ve got some nervous energy to work off.”

“T-toru! We should really…”

“Nope!” She grabbed his wrist and dragged him behind her, calling out a loud, “Katsuki!” so the blond would know she was there.

“Oi, what the fuck?! I know the nerd ain’t done with you yet.”

“Nope, I changed our plans! Izuku needs to move, so we’re gonna work on physical tests now and quirk stuff a little later.”

Katsuki looked surprised for a moment, then shrugged easily. “Works for me. We’re runnin’ the obstacle course, so get movin’.” He paused and grabbed her shoulder gently. “Don’t hurt yourself, Casper. We can’t see if you’re gettin’ fuckin’ tired or whatever, and we’re not looking to push our limits today. Just wanna see what you bastards can do so we can make a proper plan. You hear me?”

“Got it! Do my best but don’t overdo it! Need me to call out part finishes?”

Izuku shook his head. “Nope, Kacchan will handle it as long as he can see your clothes. Let’s go!”

Chapter Text

Aside from Toru, who couldn’t help her quirk use, Katsuki had demanded several quirkless runs through the obstacle course. By the time they were all done, they were sweaty and panting, collapsed on the grass with breathless giggles and smack talk. Katsuki and Izuku spoke quietly off to the side, and Mina stared at them for a minute before leaning over to Denki.

“Okay, so important question… are they human?”

The question made the blond giggle softly as he let Hitoshi lean heavily against his back. “Believe it or not, yes. They are, however, incredibly stubborn and competitive, especially with each other.”

Tenya nodded, massaging his calves around his engines. “Indeed. They have also been training longer than all of us combined, even though I have been training with my family for years. They quite literally have actual training plans written up from when they were four. Discipline is not a skill they lack, though I fear self-preservation may be.”

“Oi, Glasses, shut the fuck up! I have plenty of self-preservation. It’s the fuckin’ nerd that has that problem.” Katsuki stomped over huffily, dropping down on the grass nearby and completely ignoring the way that Izuku flopped directly next to him and leaned against his shoulder. “All right, listen up, fuckers. We’ve got a preliminary concept for weaknesses, and training plans.”

Izuku nodded and opened his notebook so they could both read from his notes. “First, Eijirou. You’ve got a solid grasp on your physical training. Things to work on are bulking and stamina. You’re a tank, or a wall, so you’re gonna want muscle and padding, and you’re gonna want to be able to hold the line as long as possible. Also, I noticed that even when you’re not supposed to be using your quirk, it happens on instinct. You’re gonna need to work on that, especially in rescue situations. You left a few scratches around the training room, and if you’re holding onto a victim or reaching for one when you harden instinctively, you’re going to hurt them.”

Eijirou frowned, but nodded. “That’s fair. I don’t even think about it most of the time.”

“You’re gonna fuckin’ start. It’s not a bad instinct, and just like closin’ your eyes when somethings flying at ya, it’s automatic, but we’ll work on it.”

Hanta nodded slightly. “Like a sports player… the instinct is to avoid or block the ball flying at you, but you can’t do that and still catch it.”

Izuku pointed at him with a grin. “Literally exactly like that. Otherwise, you’re in pretty good shape. Your biggest thing is gonna be a new meal plan, and we’ll probably have that ready by tomorrow.” He flipped a page and Katsuki pointed at the words.

“Raccoon Eyes! You’ve got a ton of stamina and flexibility, but your physical strength is trash. Bare fuckin’ minimum, you should be able to lift your body weight easily. Preferably more, for rescue work and carrying civilians or whatever.”

Izuku spoke up. “We’re gonna do some light weight training with you, but I actually want to speak with Aizawa-sensei and see about getting you some gymnastics training to go with the dance. Bar work like chin-ups and uneven bars will help with that. You don’t need bulk, but with the way you move, you definitely need a bit more upper body strength. I’d like you to bring a copy of your meal plan for dance, and your schedule, tomorrow if you can, next day at the latest?”

“I can do that. I have some gymnastics training, but mostly tumbling and launches. I’ve never had the chance to work with bars or rings or anything, but I’m down to try! I also do a bit of weight lifting with Eiji, so I can bring that info too?”

“Perfect,” Izuku chirped, giving her a sunshine smile. “We’re obviously gonna work around your dance schedule, but do keep in mind that UA has an intense schedule itself, so you’re gonna have to get some discipline situated for homework and stuff. Tenya will be able to help with that… he’s been the one keeping Denks on a decent schedule.”

Tenya nodded agreeably and Izuku turned to Fumikage. “Fumi, you’re a bit of an enigma, and I’d like to see your work with Dark Shadow before we make you a definite plan. For the interim, we’re gonna set you up with a weight lifting schedule, because you definitely have the body type for it, and a meal plan. Before we head out tonight, probably after dinner, we’re gonna get a list of everyone’s food restrictions. These can be ‘can’t eat’, ‘won’t eat’, or ‘can’t afford’. No judgment, but if we give you a plan that you can’t follow, we’re wasting everyone’s time.”

“That bein’ said, don’t hit me with fuckin’ junk food. If you can’t cook, the nerd and I’ll set you up with lessons. Shit’s okay once in a while, but you ain’t eatin’ like fuckin’ Pichu was before we got a hold of him.”

“Heh, guilty. But I’m better now!”

“Yeah, now that I beat it into your head, zapwit.”

Everyone chuckled, and Katsuki turned to Toru. “Casper, you got some serious muscle on you. You could put Shitty Hair to shame given half an opportunity. But your stamina is in the fuckin’ trash heap and if you ain’t dodgin’ specific shit, your flexibility’s pretty ass too. We’re gonna work on that. Maybe Raccoon Eyes can help with flexibility, cuz frankly, I’m used to how guys move and don’t wanna fuckin’ hurt someone cuz I’m pushin’ too much.”

Izuku chuckled, shaking his head. “That sounds so sexist, Kacchan. What he means is that girls are flexible in different ways than guys are, and we’ve never trained with girls before. Sensei could probably help too, especially since he’s the one who assigned you to me. Everyone okay with what we talked about?”

As the group nodded, Izuku grinned and stood up. “Okay then. Everyone hit the showers and we’ll head out. We’re going to dinner if anyone wants to join us?”

Fumikage sighed a little, glancing at the time. “Dark Shadow and I would love to accompany you, but I fear it will be dark before we finish…”

Izuku and Katsuki exchanged a look and a nod. “You’re worried about the commute home, right?”

“Indeed. As I said, she can be… rambunctious at times, and meeting new people always makes her a little hyper.”

“Don’t fuckin’ worry about it, Feathers. I’ll text the hag when we’re done with dinner and she or my old man can drive you home tonight when they take Elbows. Won’t be able to do it all the time, but they’re free tonight and won’t care.”

Izuku nodded. “Auntie and Uncle have already offered rides to Hanta before because he lives a bit farther than the rest of us and they don’t like him taking the train home if we run late. Honestly, all of our guardian figures have offered to give rides when we need them, so you don’t have to worry!”

The bird-headed boy considered this and then nodded slightly. “If it would not be an imposition, we would gladly take you up on that.”

“Yay! More time with new friends! And apples, Fumi?”

Fumikage closed his eyes in exasperation as the rest of the group laughed. Izuku smiled sweetly at the excited quirk. “Do you just eat apples, or do you like apple-flavored things?”

“Anything! Apples are the best!! Anything apple, Zuzu!!”

Another round of giggles hit the group as they made their way to the locker room. “Then we have the perfect place for you, Shadow!,” Denki chirped, bouncing almost as much as the quirk was. “Let’s hurry up and get outta here, cuz I’m starving now!”

It didn’t take them long to get showered and changed, and as they headed to the train station, Izuku found Mina’s hand buried in his hair. He squeaked, forcing himself not to duck away even though the flinch from the sudden motion was obvious to everyone. “Uh… M-mina?”

“Your hair is atrocious, Zu. It looked super good this morning, but… what the hell did you do in the locker?”

Katsuki snickered at Izuku’s bright red blush, shaking his head. “He doesn’t bring his hair shit to school. His old man bought him some good masks and shit, but we’re still weening his stupid ass off 3-in-1 bullshit, especially at school.”

“Kacchan! It’s fine! My hair just does that.”

“So. Many. Brushes. Shitty nerd. Can you get a brush through it right now?”

Mina’s eyes widened in horror, and Eijirou pulled Denki and Hanta back slightly. “Oh, boy… You don’t mess with Mina when curly hair is involved…”

“A brush?!” Her voice hit banshee pitches, making everyone wince slightly. “Please, for the love of curly hair everywhere, tell me you’re not brushing it after you wash it…”

“Uh… yeah? It gets tangled otherwise?” Izuku turned perplexed eyes on Hitoshi, who just shrugged.

“Don’t look at me, I’m not getting involved.”

“Toshi…” Izuku whined as Mina gripped his curls, shaking his head slightly.

“Okay, so, you’re doin’ our training plans and that’s cool, but I’m totally setting you up with a hair care plan, because just… no. Absolutely not. You shouldn’t be breaking brushes, and you definitely shouldn’t have curls that feel like straw after one wash.” She paused for a moment, eyes going wide again. “Izuku-kun…” The sweet tone sounded like a trap, and Izuku winced, ducking away from her finally.

“Wh-what?”

“How often are you washing your hair?”

Izuku blinked a little, looking offended. “I shower every day, thank you very much! Twice if I’ve been training.”

Mina covered her face with her hands, crouching right there on the sidewalk with an inhuman shriek. Denki elbowed Hanta slightly, grinning. “Anyone else want popcorn, or am I just hungry?”

Toru giggled quietly from behind them. “Mina-chan seems to be super into hair care… I didn’t realize curly hair was such a point of contention.”

Hanta and Eijirou laughed as Izuku reached out to touch her shoulder gently. “M-mina? Are you, uh… are you okay?”

Mina jumped up so fast that Izuku jumped back, arms out to defend against an attack. Katsuki caught his collar to keep him on his feet as she stalked up to his face. “No. Absolutely not. I cannot let this continue. You can’t wash curly hair every day. It just becomes a frizzy, tangled mess no matter what products you use. Oh my god, I finally found what’s wrong with you. I was wondering how you could come off so perfect…”

Tenya choked on his spit before letting out one of the loudest laughs anyone in their group had heard. The sound had Denki dissolving into giggles, while Hitoshi smirked and pulled out his phone. Katsuki barked out his own laughter. “Mina-chan, if you truly thought he was perfect, you have been most heinously deceived. He is a… ahem.” He cleared his throat imperiously, dropping to Katsuki’s growl in a decent mimicry. “‘God damned self-sacrificing dumpster raccoon with no sense of boundaries or restraint’.” He cleared his throat again as their group howled with laughter, Izuku’s face somehow getting redder. “If you’ll forgive the vernacular, he’s chaos incarnate and his hair, while obviously distressing to you, is the least of his bad qualities.”

“Tenya! Shut the fuck up!! I’m not that bad!” Izuku’s voice squeaked almost as high as Mina’s, which only set Katsuki, Hanta, and Denki off again. Hitoshi, obviously recording, nodded sagely.

“You definitely are, little brother.”

“Little!? What the hell is this, attack Izuku day?! You’re literally two weeks older than me, asshole!” Izuku actually stomped his foot, and Denki’s knees hit the ground as he wheezed with laughter. “Don’t ‘little brother’ me.”

“And yet, still younger, thus, little brother. Not to mention shorter, Zuks…”

Izuku took a deep breath, gently gripping Mina’s shoulders and pushing her to the side. He crouched slightly, eyes narrowing as he released her. “Tosh?”

The purple-haired boy’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t stop recording. “Don’t you dare, Zu…”

“Run.”

It was the only warning any of them got as Hitoshi took off down the street, still recording over his shoulder. Izuku flew after him, curses that were much better suited to Katsuki flying out of his mouth as he chased his brother down. Hanta shook his head, helping Denki to his feet as Katsuki and Tenya sighed heavily.

“And they’re off… they’ll at least wait at the train station for us, right?” Hanta glanced at the group. The new people were nodding uncertainly, but Katsuki snorted.

“Yeah, they’ll fuckin’ wait for us, but if the shitty nerd gets a hold of Eyebags, we may have to make a pit stop at their place to change clothes before we’ll be allowed at the restaurant.” He shared a significant look with Tenya, who just shook his head.

“We should make haste. Hanta-kun, while I don’t normally condone illegal quirk use, you may need to be prepared to separate them from a distance.”

Hanta slapped one of his elbows with a smirk. “Got it, Ten! Let’s go.”

As one, the group took off after them, still laughing. By the time they found the two boys, they were sitting on a bench, cackling together. Their clothes were a little mussed, but thankfully it looked like nothing was torn or ruined. As they surrounded the laughing brothers, Izuku looked up with a bright smile. “Tosh sent it in the family chat. Somehow, you could literally feel Dad’s soul leaving his body through keysmashes, and Pops wants to see the hair care routine Mina comes up with. Aunt Nem and Uncle Tensei are just sending memes back and forth now.”

Katsuki snorted and pulled them both up. “If you two are done bein’ gremlins, I’m fuckin’ starvin’ now.”

“Yes, Kacchan. I live to annoy you, Kacchan. One of these days you’re gonna put me out of your misery, Kacchan,” Izuku mocked cheekily, leaning on his best friend until he was shoved away.

“Shut your fuck up and let’s go, asshole.”

Denki took advantage of Izuku’s distraction, jumping onto his back. The group newbies gaped a little as Izuku didn’t flinch or stumble, just hiked him up a little higher and gripped his legs automatically. “Foooooood,” he whined, and Izuku giggled and nodded, heading into the station.

“Dinner’s on Tosh and I tonight, Pops already okayed it. And Uncle Tensei will actually play chauffeur, because he has to be down near Hanta’s place tomorrow anyway, so he offered to drive Fumi and Han home. Does anyone else have a long commute?”

No one responded until they got onto the train and settled, with Denki cheekily perched in Izuku’s lap ‘to save room’ even though there was no one else in the car. Eijirou and Mina looked at each other, then shrugged. “Not super long, no. A short train ride from the school and then just a couple blocks for each of us.”

Izuku looked at Toru, who shrugged a little. “I walk to school, so I don’t think it’ll be that long if we end up back at that train station.”

He nodded. “When we split up, we’ll figure out who can walk home with you.” He saw her lift a hand, so he lifted his first. “We’re not letting anyone walk home alone tonight. Generally, Kacchan’s the only one who does, but that’s because of where he and I grew up. Lower Musutafu kinda gave us an edge when it comes to street smarts.”

Toru straightened, slightly tense. “Woah, wait, you two grew up in Lower Musutafu?”

“Ayup. Kacchan’s family lives right on the edges of it, where the slums hit the nicer district, but I had an apartment in the middle of the red light district.” He glanced at Katsuki, smirking. “Total trash heap, honestly…”

Katsuki snorted, shaking his head. “Fuckin’ idiot. You know the area, Casper?”

“Uh… yeah. Um… I actually live around there myself, but…” She fiddled with her hands, arms tense. “Okay, I’m just gonna ask, because I’m suuuuper curious…” She lowered her voice despite the car being empty. “You said you were a vigilante?” Katsuki and Izuku exchanged wide-eyed glances before Izuku nodded uncertainly. “Small, green eyes, and a sassy mouth, holy shit!”

Izuku was taken aback when she darted forward, wrapping her arms around his neck in a quick hug. “Uh, what?”

“Dude, you totally saved my sister!! She was a waitress at the 24 hour diner for a couple years and got harassed all the time. Two guys took it too far one night and she said ‘some kid with a bat and a mouth’ saved her bacon! She even got to meet Eraserhead, who… holy shit, he’s totally our teacher, isn’t he? Oh my god, I can’t wait to tell her!!”

Izuku squeaked, hugging her back awkwardly around Denki. “N-no, umm… shit…” He glanced at the other three students who barely knew him, shaking a little as she sat back and Denki cuddled into his chest.

Katsuki huffed and swatted the back of his head. “Relax, nerd, you knew you had a fuckin’ reputation. We’ll walk your ass home tonight, Casper. As for the rest of you shitheads…”

Tenya took over quickly, motioning for Katsuki to help settle Izuku. “We will explain everything a little later. This is… part of that ‘level two friendship’ that Izuku-kun mentioned, but it is not safe to discuss out in the open.” He glanced at Hitoshi, who nodded slightly. “We can either meet up tomorrow after school, or discuss it before training Wednesday.”

Fumikage waved a hand slightly, while Dark Shadow curled around the small pile surrounding Izuku. “Do not trouble yourselves at our expense. So long as we know that light will be shed upon the darkness of our confusion, we are content to wait.” He glanced at Mina and Eijirou, who both took a second to understand his poetic speech before nodding.

“Totally understand, Tenbro! Tell us where and when, and we’ll be there, but we get the whole sensitive topic thing! Besides, Mina’s not technically allowed to talk about hers either, so we can totally break the rules together.”

Mina slapped his shoulder with a soft laugh, but nodded. “Yep! Us curly-haired lawbreakers gotta stick together, after all!” She paused, then leaned forward so Izuku could see her face. “I wonder if it’s the curly hair that makes us troublemakers…”

Izuku’s shaking had settled as his friends took over, and he was able to peer at Mina with narrowed eyes for a second before tilting his head. “Ya know… it might be. All these goody two shoes with straight hair…”

She giggled softly and nodded as Denki took his hand to play with his fingers. “Definitely. They don’t know the secrets we can hide.”

The rest of the short train ride was spent in laughter, and by the time they arrived at the steakhouse that Izuku knew sold apple desserts, he had calmed enough to joke and tease with the rest of them. Getting recognized was oddly terrifying, and even more so by a classmate, but Toru’s gratitude made it a little easier, and seeing his friends rally around him again, reminding him that he wasn’t alone, was a balm to his frazzled nerves.

Chapter Text

Once they were all seated at the restaurant, conversation flowed freely. Izuku told them to order whatever they wanted, pointing out that it was the brothers’ treat, and wanting to get an idea of allergies and flavor palates for their meal plans.

Mina was obviously a well-rounded eater, though she did mention that unlike most dancers, she absolutely hated anything with cottage cheese. Toru said she’d eat just about anything, and when pressed about what ‘just about’ meant, she sheepishly admitted to hating brussel sprouts and asparagus. Fumikage was as omnivorous as his avian mutation suggested, but said that he, like Dark Shadow, had a preference for apples and apple based dishes. He proved it by ordering an apple braised pork dish, with extra apples on the side for Dark Shadow to nibble on.

Eijirou’s order created the most controversy. When he literally ordered three different kinds of meat and no sides at all, Katsuki’s eye twitched. “Oi, Shitty Hair, not a single vegetable?”

Eijirou flushed slightly, but shrugged. “What can I say, man? Meat’s the best.”

Izuku snickered softly. “So… what you’re saying is that you really like the taste of meat?”

Mina and Denki looked at each other and started laughing as Eijirou nodded eagerly. “Hell yeah! Meat tastes great!”

Taking a breath to maintain a straight face, Izuku looked him over. “Yeah… you look like the type to stuff meat in your mouth as often as possible.”

Katsuki facepalmed while Hitoshi barked out a short laugh. “See, I’m not the only one who likes a bit of salt in my mouth.”

Tenya’s hand chopped down. “This is not an appropriate conversation for the dinner table…”

Hanta smirked, leaning in a bit. “So… do you have a preference? Like, thick enough that you can’t fit it all, or do you prefer a… hmmm, a smaller mouthful?”

It took Eijirou a couple seconds to catch on, and when he did, his mouth dropped open and his face flushed almost the same shade as his hair. “Woah, woah, woah, that isn’t… I mean, I’m…” With a huff and narrowed eyes, he pointed at Hanta. “If you must know, the thicker and juicier the better, but I’m really good at biting.” He snapped his sharp teeth together pointedly, making the other boy wince playfully.

Mina and Denki were still cackling, but Mina controlled herself enough to slap Eijirou’s shoulder. “Way to go, ‘bro’. Comin’ out of the closet over a steak dinner… might be a new low.”

Izuku giggled and draped an arm over Denki’s shoulders as the blond tried to get himself under control. “It’s all good, honestly. I’m the most useful tool in the kitchen.”

Eijirou and Mina tilted their heads in confusion, but Toru snorted out a laugh. “A pan… you’re a pan.” As she said it out loud, the rest of the table got it and everyone started laughing again.

Izuku grinned at his own terrible joke, but waved a hand. “As Toshi once pointed out, the only straight one in our group might be Ten, and that’s just from a lack of current preference.”

Mina pointed at herself. “I’m like that old pre-quirk band. Bi bi bi!”

Toru giggled a little. “Well, you’ve got another token straight; sorry, Mina. But at least we can all check out guys together, right?”

Hanta reached over to give her a high five, then pointed at Mina. “Bis unite, but we can definitely start a guy watching group.”

Dark Shadow poked her head over the table edge. “Fumi doesn’t care either way.” The raven-headed boy nodded slightly. “I can find any gender aesthetically pleasing, but I am not interested in pursuing any kind of relationship at the moment.”

Tenya pointed at him with a stiff hand. “That! I can see the attractiveness of people, but I do not find myself interested in pursuing any of the people that I have seen.”

Izuku tapped his lip with his finger, considering. “That could be a couple things, actually, but at the moment, it sounds kinda like demi to me. You’re not close enough to anyone that you find… aesthetically pleasing, to form any kind of romantic or physical attraction.” He shrugged. “It could also just be that you’re focused on other things and just aren’t interested in relationships at all at the moment too. We’re fourteen; it’s not like we need to know these things about ourselves right now anyway. I personally like the idea of having someone or a couple someones for myself, and will probably pursue people I’m interested in at some point, but it’s not a priority or anything.”

Katsuki nodded. “Relationships are dumb right now anyway. We have way too much shit to focus on and lovey dovey bullshit will just be a distraction.”

Izuku nodded. “But anyway, we got sidetracked. Eijirou, do you ever eat vegetables?”

The redhead nodded, but waffled a hand a bit. “I do, but usually in smoothies with fruit, milk or yogurt, and protein powder. My teeth are…” He blushed again, ducking his head slightly until Mina whacked his shoulder. “Heh, right. I have a hard time chewing vegetable. Meat just tears, so…”

Izuku perked up, nodding in sudden understanding. “That makes sense. You have sharp teeth like a carnivore, and it doesn’t look like you have typical grinding teeth like molars.” He paused, head tilted. “Do you have to do something to keep them sharp, or from growing?”

Eijirou shook his head. “Nah, but my dentist was real freaked out when he realized that my quirk affects them too, and makes them sharper. Mostly because he accidentally sliced his glove open on one, but yeah. If I harden my face, my teeth get sharper.”

Katsuki clamped a hand onto Izuku’s shoulder tightly. “Don’t even think about it, nerd. You know the rules. No notebooks at dinner and everyone has to agree before you add more shit to your costume.”

Izuku whined petulantly. “I wasn’t gonna, Kacchan! But it’s fascinating, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, sure, whatever, but you ain’t got the teeth, so don’t even think about fuckin’ bitin’ people any more than you already do, you shitty fuckin’ gremlin.”

“I don’t bite!”

Denki perked up a bit, eyes going wide and delighted. “But do you stab?”

Izuku snickered softly. “…. I don’t bite.”

Tenya and Katsuki rolled their eyes, and Hitoshi groaned. Fumikage looked slightly puzzled, while Hanta, Mina, Eijirou, and Toru all started cackling. Through his laughter, Eijirou pointed at Izuku.

“Man, get yo dog!”

Hanta straightened, looking offended. “He don’t bite!”

“Yes he do!” They all dissolved into laughter again, Izuku included this time as he snapped his teeth playfully at Denki.

Tenya sighed softly as the waitress brought their food. “Katsuki-kun, I feel we have made a mistake.”

Katsuki nodded slightly, glancing at Fumikage. “At least Feathers has some decorum. The rest of these assholes were obviously raised in a fuckin’ barn.”

Izuku turned to narrow his eyes at Katsuki. “Excuse you, I would have loved to have a barn!”

With a low growl, Katsuki pointed at him. “Don’t you fuckin’ start with me, you broccoli-headed piece of shit, or I’ll put ya back where you belong!”

Hitoshi shook his head, patting Tenya on the shoulder and giving Fumikage an apologetic (and totally sarcastic) smile. “We’ve lost our receipts, Ten. Fumi, you may want to run…”

Fumikage shook his head slightly, but Dark Shadow swooped up and wrapped around Izuku and Denki. “No! No leave! New friends! Fun friends!” She grinned as her amorphous head settled on Izuku’s curls. “I bite!”

That sent everyone off into laughter again and Izuku reached up to pet her gently. “They’re kidding, Shadow, don’t worry. No biting at the dinner table, except for apples.” He motioned with his other hand to the little bowl of extra apples and the quirk trilled excitedly, sliding back over to her master and swiping one to nibble.

“No bites, except apples. After dinner… maybe bites.”

Everyone giggled a little more, settling in to eat finally. Conversation was kept light, though Mina did demand that Izuku send her a picture that night of all of his hair care products so she could ‘fix the mess on his head’. On the train back, they exchanged phone numbers and Denki immediately set up a new group chat simply called ‘Chaos’ with all of them in it. Izuku requested that everyone send one good night text once they were all home safe, which had Mina and Toru cooing at him, while Eijirou deemed him a ‘manly protector’. To help keep her calm, Izuku let Dark Shadow nibble at his fingers, much to Fumikage’s embarrassment and the quirk’s delight.

“It’s fine, Fumi. She’s being gentle. I know it might seem degrading, but since Hound Dog uses them, have you considered getting her chew toys to keep her calm when she gets hyper?” Izuku’s other hand was twined with Denki’s, who was lazing half-asleep on his shoulder after the excitement of new people, training, and the filling meal.

Fumikage tilted his head slightly, then shook it. “I have not. I have always wanted to treat her like a person, and while she frequently acts more like a toddler, that is not her fault.”

“No, it isn’t, but keep in mind that toddlers are often giving chew toys as well for mental stimulation, not just for their teeth. Again, this is just based on preliminary observation, but she may be more willing to listen if she isn’t bored.”

Fumikage nodded easily. “I will consider this. If you have any suggestions that would not be demeaning, I’d take those into consideration as well. As she’s not a pet, I would not be okay with just walking into a pet store and buying a rubber bone.”

“That’s completely fair! I can look some stuff up tonight, because there are plenty of sites with adult chewies that aren’t pet toys. Maybe…” He sighed heavily, even as Denki vibrated excitedly next to him. “Maybe on one of our off days, we can go to the mall and see what we can find there too.”

“Yessss, mall trip.” Denki warbled, grinning. He stuck his tongue out at Hitoshi, who groaned.

As they left the station, Tensei waved them down. “Woah, you weren’t kidding about doubling your group! Sup, guys, I’m Tensei Iida. Who’s traveling with me?”

Izuku smiled and gave him a quick hug, beating Tenya’s hug by a couple seconds. “You’re taking Hanta like normal, but also Fumikage Tokoyami.” He motioned the boys forward and Fumikage bowed slightly. “As a warning, Fumi has a sentient quirk that gets more active at night, so just be aware of that while you’re driving, Uncle.”

“Not a problem, as long as nothing obstructs my vision. I’ll be home tomorrow evening, little bro, and I’ll wanna hear about your first day. We got permission for you to stay with your uncles, or stay with the Kaminaris if you don’t want to be home alone. Just lemme know where you end up, got it?”

“Of course, big brother. Please text me when you arrive safely as well.”

Tensei nodded and motioned to the street. “All right, midgets, lets get this show on the road! Ain’t got all night!”

As the three waved and walked off, Eijirou turned to the remaining group. “So, a good night message in the group chat once we’re safe inside?”

“Yup! It’s mostly to keep Denks and I from going out of our minds worrying about anyone. It can also be used as an SOS if shit hits the fan. 90 percent of it will just be random memes and chatting, but a little extra precaution never hurt anyone.”

“Makes sense. I expect those pictures, Zu-kun, so don’t make me ask for them.” Mina pointed at him imperiously while he nodded frantically.

“I got it! Honestly, Pops bought me a bunch of stuff, but his hair is stick straight and Dad’s is like, wavy at best? So I don’t even know how to use most of it, and haven’t gotten around to researching anything because I’ve had way too many other things to focus on.”

Mina huffed, but conceded with a nod. “That’s fair. Show me what you’ve got and I’ll help you figure it out.”

The groups separated in three different directions, with Toru latching onto Izuku’s arm as Hitoshi and Katsuki started leading the way towards Lower Musutafu.

“All right, Casper, I know you’ve got questions, so fuckin’ spill. But keep your voice down, got it?”

Izuku felt her nod against his shoulder. “Okay, so… obviously I know that Izuku was a vigilante, and he was apparently the Ghost that kept popping in around here. My sister had been talking about him for months… uh, you, for months, saying that she felt a lot safer walking home because most heroes avoid our district. We didn’t know you were a vigilante at that point, honestly… most people just thought you were a really short unknown underground, because no one put a lot of stock into the rumors of you sounding young from the eyewitnesses.” She took a breath, vibrating against his side.

“But Izuku… you’re my age. And you were active for like, four years! And no one’s seen you in two, so like… a lot of us thought you ended up injured or dead…”

Izuku gave her a sad smile, shaking his head. “Honestly, I don’t know how I didn’t. End up dead, I mean. My home life was… ummm…”

Katsuki snorted derisively. “Non-fuckin’-existent, since you didn’t fuckin’ have one, nerd. He was livin’ on the street to avoid going into the foster system quirkless, helped some chick one night, and then decided that giving me a heart attack would be fun. Made some shitty fuckin’ gear from the beach dump and started dealin’ with minor criminals so the few heroes that patrolled around the district could deal with more serious shit, I guess.”

Izuku shrugged a little. “Honestly, it wasn’t even that deep. That makes it sound all noble and stuff, but really, I just wanted to help people. No one but Kacchan’s family had ever helped me, so I wanted to make sure that someone was out helping others, ya know? Of course, I also didn’t know that the entire Lower Musutafu Police Department was out looking for me…” He glanced at Hitoshi, who smirked.

“There were a couple heroes looking for him too, including Eraserhead. Luckily for him, and Hothead’s blood pressure, he got found by the good guys, but he had to give up the vigilante thing two years ago if he wanted to be allowed to apply at UA. So now he’s doing it by the books instead of against the law.”

Toru looked between them, her head tilted enough that it brushed Izuku’s shoulder. After a moment, she covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh. Oh holy shit.”

Katsuki huffed. “Now what?”

“You’re adopted siblings, right?”

Izuku huffed slightly, but nodded. “Yeah.”

She stopped walking, forcing Izuku to stop when she refused to let go of his arm. The other two boys surrounded them as she bounced up and down. “Oh my god. Holy shit, you assholes. You’re totally adopted by Eraserhead, aren’t you!? You’re actually our homeroom teacher’s sons!”

Katsuki slapped a hand over her mouth as Hitoshi gaped at her. Izuku blinked for a couple seconds, then burst into bright laughter. “Girl, we are so training you for espionage! Your observational skills are off the charts. How did you know?”

She laughed behind Katsuki’s hand, gently pushing him away after a minute. “You slipped like, twice. Started to say something that started with a d, before changing it to sensei or Aizawa-sensei. And at dinner, you and Hitoshi spoke about your parents, but it was ‘Pops’ and ‘Dad’. Obviously two different people, your parents are gay, whatever, but you both used the same names to talk about them, and you already said you’re brothers and have the same last name. But you look absolutely nothing alike, which I thought was a little odd, but not super conclusive in this day and age, not to mention that adoption exists. But my sister said that Eraserhead was like, super interested in you, and Hitoshi said you got found by the good guys. Also, you guys knew exactly where to go at the school and have a standing training room schedule there, even though none of you are openly related to any of the staff.”

“Jesus fuckin’ Christ…” Katsuki facepalmed and sighed heavily. “Surprise gifts must be a bitch with you around.”

She giggled and nodded a bit. “It can be, yeah. But on the flipside, I’m really good at gift giving, so… it evens out.”

Izuku chuckled and nodded, getting them moving again. “Okay, so you understand that we don’t want this spread around, right?”

“Che, no problem. Gossip is my life, but mostly just to collect it. I like knowing things, not spreading things around. Are you gonna try and keep it secret from everyone until you graduate?”

“Nah, we’re just having some fun with the class. Seeing if anyone else is observant. You figured it out a lot quicker than we were expecting, but that just means you get to help us divert attention now.” Izuku’s grin was feral and Toru squeezed his arm in excitement.

“Yes! Misdirection is my jam! Are you gonna tell the other three who trained with us today?”

Hitoshi considered, chewing his lip for a second. “Not right away. We’ll give them a couple days first. We need to have the vigilante talk somewhere private, but…”

“But Nezu-sensei can set us up in a soundproof room if we don’t wanna give away our secrets by taking them home. I’d say we could go to Kacchan’s, but his parents don’t know about it, and I’d reeeeeally like to keep it that way for as long as humanly possible.”

“Tch, the hag’ll beat your ass when she finds out, nerd. And probably mine too, so yeah… keeping it from them is in our best interest.”

“That’s fair. I won’t work as hard to keep things hidden from the group then, but I can misdirect the hell out of the rest of our class.” She bounced on a step, giggling. “What do you think Aizawa-sensei would do if we called him Dadzawa?”

Hitoshi and Izuku looked at each other with wide eyes and Katsuki started cackling. “Oh, holy shit, do that! That would be fuckin’ amazing, Casper! Pichu would be all about it, and fuckin’ Glasses would probably pop a god damned blood vessel!!”

Izuku nodded, Katsuki’s laughter contagious as he started giggling too. “Oh man, Tenya would be mortified.”

She giggled with them as Hitoshi just shook his head. “Then it’s a plan. I’ll message Denki with the idea tonight after the group check-in.” She motioned to a small house. “This is me.” She paused a second and tilted her head. “Wait… you guys are gonna walk Katsuki home, right?”

“Yep! We’ll drop him off, probably say hi to Auntie and Uncle quick, and then Toshi and I’ll walk home together. No one’s going alone tonight, promise!”

“Okay, good. I’m sure you can all handle yourselves, but…”

Hitoshi nodded. “But we just met and it feels better knowing that no one is alone. Denks has a similar issue. It was a lot worse when we all first started hanging out. We’re not offended.”

Katsuki snorted softly. “Speak for yourself, Eyebags.” He glanced up at Toru standing on the small porch and shook his head. “But we get it. And if you need a place to go for whatever fuckin’ reason, even if it’s just because it’s closer than yours, my old people have already said y’all are welcome.” He sighed like it was deeply annoying, but his eyes were warmer than usual. “We should probably pin our fuckin’ addresses to the group chats until everyone knows where the fuck we all live.”

“Mmm, probably. Okay, we should get going. Good night, Toru! Don’t forget to message the chat, and we’ll see you in class tomorrow!” Izuku waved cheerfully and got a wave back before her clothes slipped into her front door.

“All right, let’s get Kacchan home so we can crash. Maybe we can convince Uncle to just drive us home?”

“Probably. Him or the hag will do it if ya bat your ugly ass green eyes at them, shitty nerd.”

By the time the brothers got home, everyone else had already checked in. They both sent their messages, waved to their parents and disappeared into their rooms to collapse in bed. On the way home, Izuku had persuaded Hitoshi to not tell their dad about Toru knowing, deciding to mess with him a bit too. He created another group chat with Denki, Toru, Katsuki, and Hitoshi to discuss it. While they threw out ideas, he marveled at the fact that he actually had phone numbers, and multiple group chats. He had actual friends and had made more at UA.

If he went to sleep with a smile on his face, only Duck saw it.

Chapter Text

The second day actually attending classes at UA definitely started smoother than the first. Izuku and Hitoshi, already used to a morning school routine, got themselves up and ready, while Hizashi made breakfast and Shouta grumbled about dealing with students in actual lessons. And dealing with people in general. And dealing with tripping over Duck and Bastard on his way out the shower.

Izuku very quickly made more coffee and shoved a mug under his nose. The grumbling subsided.

While they were getting ready, their group chats were exploding, which was a completely new experience and kept distracting Izuku from getting ready, but they were running on Tenya’s clock and the fact that both their parents needed to be in early. He didn’t feel too bad about answering.

Chaos

Pretty in Pink: were goin shoping 2day
BoomBitch: Holy shit, learn to fucking spell. And why?
Pretty in Pink: bc zus hair stuff is baaaaaad also fuk u
Rocky Horror Gun Show: Mins, stop typing like a spaz. Or get your coffee. I don’t mind shopping, I need to check out some new ankle weights anyway.
GottaGoFast: Who changed my name this time? Also, you should all be getting ready for school so as to not be late.
Pi-Pichu!: Ha guilty!
Spoodermanz: Denks, did you stay up stupidly late changing nicknames again?
Pi-Pichu!: Nooooooo. Lies and slander.
Mean Green Sunshine Machine: Did you get up very early this morning to change nicknames, lightning bug? Also relax, Ten, Dad and Pops aren’t even dressed yet, we have plenty of time.
Pi-Pichu!: Maaaaayyyybbbeeeee.
GottaGoFast: I suppose as long as everyone is actually in the process of getting ready. Have we heard from Toru or Fumikage yet?
Hide&Seek Champeen: I’m here. Sort of. Have coffee. Am dressed. Best ur getting from me rn. But yes shopping.
YinYang: Apologies for not speaking up, I was meditating.
YinYang: What is my name?
Pi-Pichu!: Bc ur all stoic and srs and Dark Shadow is a sweet ball of violent giggles! Balance
YinYang: You are terrifying. I do not understand morning people.
BoomBitch: Fucking THANK YOU! Someone other than Eyebags gets it. You’re all fucking loud and obnoxious in the morning. Where are we meeting?
Catffiend: By the gates, and Denks, make your peace. Wtf is my name?
Mean Green Sunshine Machine: Don’t be a bitch, Tosh. You are a cat and caffeine fiend. It’s creative.

Hitoshi glared at Izuku over the table. “Don’t call me a bitch, bitch.”

Izuku smirked slightly. “Then don’t be a bitch, bitch.”

“Both of you shut the hell up until I’ve finished my second cup. If you’re not riding with us, get your shit and get out already.”

“Yes, Dad,” they both responded, but the differences made them look at each other and laugh. Hitoshi’s response was monotone and sarcastic, while Izuku chirped the words cheerfully. Grabbing their bags and shoes, they headed out the door towards the cafe.

Family Chaos

Broccoli Bitch: Toshi and I are headed to the cafe, place your orders. We’ll meet there and then wait for everyone else at the gates.
BoomBoi: Green mango tea with honey, hot.
LightningBug: That frozen cotton candy thing I had yesterday! Plz and ty!!
Zoomies: A gunpowder green tea, no sweetener, iced, if you do not mind.
Bondage Maybe?: Large iced coffee with an espresso shot. Our coffee maker was busted this morning. >:(
StringPuller: Black?
Bondage Maybe?: Like my soul.
Broccoli Bitch: Milk and sugar, got it.
Bondage Maybe?: Fuck you.
Bondage Maybe?: But yes.
LightningBug: Ha, he clocked you! B there in like, 5 to help carry!
Zoomies: What he means is that we will be there in less than five minutes, and I will be the one to help carry. He’s… excitable this morning.
LightningBug: TEEEEEEN
BoomBoi: Shut up and just get there. Ten mins for me.
Bondage Maybe?: Same, train’s running a little ahead which is nice.

Izuku and Hitoshi stood outside the cafe, drinks in carriers and a plastic bag slung over one of Izuku’s wrists. The green-haired boy had decided to play a little analyst game and picked up drinks for the rest of the group without asking. They heard Denki’s excited shout before they saw him, but Izuku smiled brightly as Tenya and Denki walked up. It was a little disappointing to not get one of the sunshine blond’s excited hugs, but with the food and drinks he was holding, it was understandable.

“Morning, guys! Toshi has your cup, Tenya. This one’s yours, lightning bug.” Izuku motioned to one of the drinks while Hitoshi handed over Tenya’s iced tea. Denki blinked at the massive amount of drinks, head tilting.

“Uh, Zuzu… I know you’re usually good at math…”

“Yeah?”

“That’s way more than six drinks.”

“It is. I thought I’d see how accurate my predictions are and give everyone a bit of a morning boost.”

“You’re terrifying.” Denki laughed and leaned against his arm, jostling him slightly when he waved at Katsuki coming up the street. After a second, he blinked and grinned. “Seems our walking explosion found a ghost.”

Izuku looked over and smiled brightly. “Morning, Kacchan! Morning, Toru!”

Katsuki groaned and flipped him off before making grabby hands. “Gimme my drink. Throat feels like fuckin’ shit this morning.”

Hitoshi handed it to him with a little frown and Izuku handed his drink to Denki for a second so he could press the back of his hand to Katsuki’s forehead. “You’re not getting sick, are you? You never get sick, Kacchan. Are you okay?”

With a little grumble, Katsuki swatted him away. “’M not sick, asshole, just forgot to turn my fuckin’ fan off last night. Dried my sinuses out.” He took a sip of his tea and sighed softly. “Found Casper on the way here, figured we’d walk together.”

Izuku nodded slightly, relieved. He glanced at the rest of the group before handing Toru the iced caramel coffee he’d gotten for her and taking his own drink back from Denki. The blond was making a bit of a face, making Izuku chuckle and admonish him for trying his coffee. “Kacchan gets dehydrated because of his quirk. He usually just cracks a window at night instead of leaving the fan on.”

“What is this?” Toru’s head was tilted, easy to see today because of the sparkly hair clips she wore.

“Iced caramel coffee, extra cream, no sugar.” She nodded and took a sip, humming out a pleased noise.

“I’m not complaining at all. But why no sugar? Most people think I like things super sweet.”

Izuku shrugged a bit. “Mostly because you intentionally give off that bubbly attitude. You like sweet stuff, but too sweet makes you sick. I thought that was a nice balance.” He grinned, shifting slightly so Denki could rest against his back. “Denks is similar, but his taste buds are a little less sensitive because of his quirk. That, and I think he likes seeing how frustrated Kacchan and Ten get with his sugar intake.”

The nod of confirmation from behind him made Toru giggle. “Well I appreciate it, thanks. I usually just have a cup of black coffee in the morning, so this is a nice treat.”

“We stop here every fuckin’ morning, Casper. Standing invitation to give your drink order.”

“Indeed. This may be Hitoshi-kun’s favorite place in the world aside from his own bed.” Tenya smirked at his purple-haired friend, who flipped him off.

“I’ll have you know that this is definitely my favorite place. My bed and I are in the midst of a tumultuous on-again, off-again relationship.”

Everyone laughed as Izuku looked up the street expectantly. A minute later, Hanta ambled around the corner, backpack slung over one shoulder and a lazy smile on his face. He waved a hand in greeting as Toru leaned forward to peer up into Izuku’s face.

“Wh-what? Uh… hi?”

“How’d you know? You picked out my coffee order perfectly, and then you seemed to know exactly when Hanta was coming down the street, even though the train station is around the corner.”

“Oh, ha ha. Well, the coffee thing I explained. I just wanted to see if I was right. But Han is like clockwork. If he has an appointment or schedule, he follows it to the minute. He’d texted that the train was running a little early today, so it would normally take him three more minutes to get here, but since it only varies by a couple of minutes either way unless there’s a problem on the tracks, I knew he’d be here, well… now.”

Tenya chuckled softly, nodding as Hitoshi handed over Hanta’s drink. “It is true. It has been a blessing to have someone else as cognizant of time as I am. Katsuki-kun is also a strict scheduler, but he is more tolerant of running a few minutes behind schedule.”

Katsuki thumbed over at Izuku. “Have to be with this shithead around. Bastard gets distracted by everything, and he already does enough shit to give me an aneurysm… I ain’t sweatin’ a few minute delay.”

“But Kacchan is always sweating.”

“Shut the fuck up, asshole.”

Hanta laughed easily after taking a long sip of his coffee. “Ah, sweet life nectar. But yeah, if you’ve got something scheduled with me, I’m there at the time you say. If there’s no actual schedule, or a ‘show up whenever’… well, whenever means a lot of things, including ‘didn’t feel like leaving my bed, sorry’. So… 50/50 unless you give me a time and place.”

Toru giggled and nodded. “That’s fair. I was just trying to figure out if Izuku was psychic or something.”

“Nope! No special abilities here except the innate ability to annoy the absolute shit out of Kacchan at any given moment. Sometimes just by breathing; I’ve gotten really good at annoying him.”

“Tch, pretty sure that’s your actual fuckin’ quirk, shitty nerd. Annoying me, specifically, but you’ve been working on your range so it hits Glasses and the hobo too.”

Izuku snickered softly. “What can I say, I’m just naturally gifted at being a pain in everyone’s ass. Let’s get moving.”

By the time they got to the gates, they could see the bright colors of Mina and Eijirou’s hair. The biggest giveaway to their waiting friends, however, was Dark Shadow chirping out a loud, “Friends!” and divebombing towards the group, dragging Fumikage a couple of steps.

“Good morning, Dark Shadow. I brought you a treat.” Izuku dug into the bag, pulling out an apple for the quirk, who trilled excitedly and nuzzled his curls before curling into the air above Fumikage’s head to start munching. He turned to the other three and handed over drinks. “Apple cinnamon tea for the dark prince, a pink goddess freeze for our lovely acid goddess, and our boulder gets a spinach and raspberry smoothie with peanut butter and a scoop of vanilla protein powder.”

Mina took a sip and hummed happily. “Oh, wow, this is so good! You didn’t need to do this!”

Izuku flapped a hand at her, now that all he was holding was the bag on his wrist and his own drink. “Of course I didn’t. I wanted to. For future reference, we all meet up at the cat cafe near the train station, so you’re welcome to put in drink or food orders for us to grab.”

Eijirou grinned around his straw with a nod. “For sure, man! That’s super nice. And this is delicious. I usually just throw in a banana, but the raspberries are amazing.”

Toru chuckled softly. “I’m still not convinced you’re not psychic, Izuku. But what else is in the bag?”

“Treats for when we get into the classroom. An apple for teacher only works if you don’t have a sneaky quirk,” He tossed a grin at Dark Shadow, who trilled around her treat, “so I brought Aizawa-sensei a cinnamon roll instead. I got a bunch of pastries for us to share too, and a sausage sandwich for Eijirou.”

Carmine eyes sparkled brightly as Eijirou threw an arm around his shoulders and hugged him tightly. “So manly! Thanks, Izubro!!”

They were the first people in class again, so Izuku set the warm cinnamon bun on Shouta’s desk before snapping his fingers. “Shit, I’ll be right back. Save me a strawberry danish!” He grabbed a second cinnamon roll out of the bag and darted out of the room before anyone could stop him. When confused eyes were turned on his original group, Denki just shrugged. “We don’t ask what the Zuzu does when the Zuzu does things. We just nod and agree, or we end up like Sparky.”

Katsuki snorted, pulling a lemon danish out and taking the strawberry one to put on Izuku’s desk. “Don’t be like me. There can only be one of me, and fuckin’ Glasses is toeing the line right now.”

“It is true. I believed my biggest headache would be making sure Denki-kun passed our math classes. I have since been disabused of that gentle fantasy.” Everyone laughed, settling in to munch on their morning treats.

Izuku came back a few minutes later, shaking his head. “Mission accomplished, but he wasn’t alone and I’m never touching a teacher’s desk ever again.”

Hitoshi turned to him with wide eyes. “They weren’t…”

“They were, and it was gross. Clothes on, but still.”

“Eeeeww. Not enough caffeine in the world.”

Izuku giggled and nodded. “Amen to that.”

The group continued to relax and socialize, even as other students came in. Hitoshi and Izuku both tensed a little, but with effort that was obvious to their closest friends, they forced themselves to relax again. The outbursts from the day before were still on everyone’s minds. Conversation stopped, however, as Aoyama made his way over, looking contrite.

“Mes amis, may I speak with you?”

“Long as you’re not gonna spew more bullshit…” Katsuki stood next to Izuku’s desk, crossing his arms.

“Kacchan, be nice. It was Aoyama, correct?” Izuku’s words were admonishing, but his tone was less than friendly, bordering on suspicious.

“Oui. I wish to apologize for my… rudeness yesterday. It is not a defense, but I will say that I was… incredibly nervous and stressed, and I allowed my mouth to run away from me without thinking.”

Eijirou huffed slightly. “I mean, we were all pretty stressed and nervous yesterday. Not exactly a good excuse.”

“It is not an excuse, no. Simply an explanation of my… hmm, stupidity? I am mortified by the things I said, as I do not believe them at all. You both did exceptionally well, and Miss Ashido was quite correct that I was simply angry with my own failings and took it out on the wrong people.”

Izuku tilted his head, considering Aoyama for a moment before turning to Hitoshi. At his brother’s nod, he turned back. “That’s fair. I think it falls under the ‘shit happens’ umbrella. But Aoyama, you go after my brother again, and I won’t be nice.”

Katsuki snorted, flopping back down into his seat. “You go after any of these assholes again, and you’ll answer to all of us.”

“That is completely fair. I do not expect forgiveness, but I did want to apologize.”

Izuku waved a hand in the air. “Water under the bridge. We’re here to be heroes, and I’d prefer we do that as friends. You messed up, you realized it and apologized, we’re cool as long as it doesn’t happen again.” He gave the French student a bright, sunshine smile, and received a dazzling one back.

“Friends it is then. May I ask a question? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”

“You can ask.” Izuku shrugged, pushing the last bite of his danish into his mouth.

“Why did Aizawa-sensei single you out for the lovely Hagakure?” Aoyama smiled at her slightly, including her in the conversation. “He said it was an assignment?”

Izuku chuckled a little. “Because I study quirks and he saw potential in her, so he wanted to see if I could help. The assignment thing is so that Nezu-sensei is aware, since I get other assignments from him from time to time. Honestly, I’ll probably be giving everyone notes on stuff if they’re interested in them.”

“If they’re not, they’re stupid,” Hanta spoke up, grinning. “Izuku’s quirk studies are the stuff of legends.”

Aoyama nodded slightly, pensively looking at the desk. “Would… What Miss Ashido said was correct, that if I am not happy with the way I performed, I should speak to the people who did better. So… would you be willing to give me notes as well?”

“I’d love to! It might take a couple weeks, but I’d be happy to give you a write up on things.” While Izuku appreciated the apology, he wasn’t quite willing to trust the blond in his group yet… maybe ever. But he’d never deny someone help when they asked for it.

“Merci. I will leave you to your conversation now.”

Izuku glanced at the rest of his group as the blond walked away, eyes a little wild. “That… went better than expected. Which… should be a good thing, right?”

“It should,” Hitoshi muttered, eyes narrowed as he surveyed the rest of the students who were filing in and chatting. A few gave them odd looks, especially since their group had basically doubled in size, but no one seemed outright hostile. “Not sure why I feel so uneasy, though.”

“Me either. Maybe just residual anxiety from yesterday, but…”

Katsuki tugged green curls gently. “But we’ll keep a fuckin’ eye out. Hobo-sensei should be here soon.”

With a quick shuffle, everyone settled into their seats just before the bell. They’d definitely keep an eye out, but so far, so good.

Chapter Text

Shouta walked in right as the bell rang, surveying the class as he sipped a travel mug of coffee. After a moment, he nodded. “Better. You can learn.” He walked to his desk and glanced at the box sitting there, hiding a smile under his scarf.

“A few announcements before we get started today. The papers you were given yesterday include a permission slip for a field trip on Friday. They have to be signed and brought back by Thursday, or you aren’t going. No excuses. If you have them already, feel free to leave them on my desk. As a reminder from yesterday, UA has a zero tolerance policy on discrimination and bullying. We expect you to act as heroes and will handle issues accordingly.”

He sighed and flopped into his chair with the grace of a cat. “That being said, today is your first day of Foundational Heroics, which you would know if you bothered to read your schedule. As such, your teacher is-,”

“I AM HERE, WALKING THROUGH THE DOOR LIKE A NORMAL PERSON!” As the legendary number one hero, All Might, ducked to get through the door and then flexed. Shouta sighed again, heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“So loud…”

“TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIVES IN HEROICS, CHILDREN!” Everyone cheered, Izuku and Katsuki exchanging excited glances. While they had both branched out to add other pros to their lists of favorites, All Might had always held a special place in both of their hearts. That didn’t stop Izuku from noticing Hitoshi’s low groan from behind him, and a similar mutter of, “Too loud,” that sounded way too much like their dad.

All Might lowered his arms, and his voice, holding a remote controller in his hand. “As hero-hopefuls, it is important to look the part!” He pressed a button and a wall slid open, revealing numbers. “Your costume submissions were turned into actual, working costumes. They are by…” He glanced at Shouta for a second. “Seat number, correct?”

“Yes, All Might. They are marked by seat number.” Man, Dad sounded completely done already. It was kinda funny…

“HA HA, EXACTLY AS I THOUGHT!” All Might threw his head back and laughed, then pointed imperiously at the wall. “Everyone! Grab your cases and then meet me at Ground Beta!” He paused again and Shouta heaved a sigh that seemed to come from his toes.

“There’s lockers next to the training grounds. Get changed first,” he grumbled in a monotone voice.

There was a mad dash for the lockers, but apparently Hanta was ready for it. With a couple of fluid movements, he’d grabbed the cases for Izuku, Hitoshi, and Denki while grabbing his own, all from his desk. Dark Shadow had swooped out and quickly grabbed Fumikage’s and Toru’s, chittering and playfully snapping her teeth at other students when they tried to crowd. A few shrieked, but the brunette, Uraraka, just laughed at her and snapped her own teeth while floating her case over everyone’s heads.

The rest of the group waited for the crowd to die down before Tenya, Katsuki, Eijirou and Mina went up to get theirs. They milled around a bit until everyone else had left the classroom before Izuku and Hitoshi gripped their cases and grinned at their friends. “Wanna see a shortcut?”

At everyone’s eager nods, the two led the way out the door and in the opposite direction of the rest of the class. A couple turns later, and they were standing in front of the locker rooms. “Okay, hurry up and change so I can look everyone over before class.” Izuku bounced on his heels and hurried inside, followed by the guys as Mina and Toru darted into the girls’ locker.

Once again, Izuku was in a stall to get changed, rather than standing out in the locker room like the rest of the boys. Eijirou frowned as he realized that Izuku was out of sight, head tilted. “Uh, Kats… can I ask a question?”

“I’m sure ya can, Shitty Hair, but that don’t mean I’ll answer,” the blond grumbled, stripping quickly.

“Heh, yeah, okay, but like… Is Izubro okay? This is the second day he’s hiding…”

Katsuki glanced up, then over at the stall with a little sigh. “He’s fuckin’ fine. This is part of the shit we’ll talk to everyone later about, but he’s got some scars. Probably just avoidin’ everyone else’s stupid questions.”

Denki nodded, putting a hand on Eijirou’s shoulder as he opened his mouth to protest. “Not our questions, Ei… just the rest of the class. We’ll explain later, just… hush about it for now.”

Eijirou huffed, shooting another worried glance at the stall before nodding. “Yeah, okay, as long as he’s okay.”

Izuku came out a minute later with the undersuit of his costume covering him, posting up next to Katsuki to start adding the rest of it. “I’m perfectly fine, Ei!” He paused, glancing at Katsuki who was watching him with narrowed eyes and giggled. “Okay, okay, not ‘fine’. I’m not upset or insecure or anything. Just don’t feel like giving people more things to stare at. We’ll explain everything tonight.”

“Fair enough, bro! As long as you’re not hiding from us!”

“Nope!” He turned to Katsuki with a grin. “How’s the bandolier feel? And the bracers? Nothing too heavy?”

A snap and click answered him, along with Katsuki’s feral grin. “Fuckin’ amazin’, nerd. I can still move and my palms actually feel a little drier, which is gonna take some time to get used to, but…”

“But it means they’re doing exactly what they’re supposed to do!” Izuku’s trill echoed a little in the locker room, making everyone laugh. As the doors opened to admit the rest of their male classmates, Izuku started strapping his support gear into their appropriate clips and pockets. The boy with the tail had taken up a place nearby and glanced down at Izuku’s case as he pulled something out.

“Umm… night night sniffs?” His tail pointed at the label on the case, making Izuku giggle softly.

“They’re, um, based on Midnight’s quirk? Basically used to sneak up on someone and put them to sleep before they see me.” He exchanged a glance with Katsuki, who was testing the heft of his bat, both of them smirking. No one else needed to know, at least not yet, that they were actually pieces of her costume.

“That’s…” The boy trailed off for a second, head tilted. “You have a lot more stuff in your case than I do… so does your friend. Did I do something wrong?”

Izuku looked up at him, then down at his case. There was literally nothing in it aside from a karate gi and different boots. “Umm, not wrong, no. It’s your first iteration of your hero suit, so like, part of what we’re gonna learn is how to make them better?” He paused and looked up at the blond boy again. “Sorry, I didn’t catch your name…”

“Oh, I’m dumb. Sorry. Mashirao Ojiro. And you’re… Izuku Yamazawa, right?”

“Yup!” Izuku gave him a sunny smile. “Anyway, we’ll be learning what works and what needs updating and stuff, but if you want, I can give you some ideas after I’ve seen your quirk?”

Ojiro blinked a little, swaying his tail. “I mean… you’ve seen it. My quirk is literally Tail. I use it with martial arts. Not very flashy or fancy, but I think it gives me a good perspective on like, normal people and civilians, right?”

Izuku’s eyes sparkled and he grinned wildly. “That’s actually really cool! You have a really good view on your quirk and working it into such a rigid, formal fighting style like martial arts had to be so hard! That’s really impressive, Ojiro!”

Katsuki grabbed Izuku’s collar, pulling him back slightly. “Relax, nerd. You actually good in a fight, Tails?”

Ojiro wrinkled his nose slightly. “Please don’t call me that.” His voice didn’t hold much hope that he’d be listened to, but Katsuki obviously surprised him by nodding easily.

“Sure thing, Po, but my question still fuckin’ stands.”

“Po? You mean…” Ojiro chuckled, hand going to the back of his neck sheepishly. “Kung Fu Panda. That’s… terrible.” His tail swished in amusement, though and Izuku grinned at him. “I’m actually a black belt in karate, and I’m in advanced levels of both taekwondo and hapkido.”

Katsuki whistled softly and nodded. “Not bad. Nerd’ll be able to help you work some extra shit into your costume if you want. We ain’t got formal training like that, but we ain’t slouches if ya wanna work together sometime.”

Ojiro brightened and nodded eagerly. “That would actually be awesome… class training is good and all, but a lot of it is… predictable? I was hoping to find some new sparring partners.”

Eijirou slammed his fists together from behind them, grinning widely. “Hell yeah, bro, we’re all down for some extra training!”

Izuku hooked his bat to his back before glancing at Denki. “You good with your suit, Denks?”

“Yup! Everything’s all hooked up and ready to go!” He flickered a little lightning across his knuckles with a grin. “I dunno how Tenya puts all that on so quickly, but I think we’re all ready to head out.”

Izuku glanced around and nodded, then turned back to Ojiro. “Hurry up and you can walk out with us. I can take a look at your stuff while we wait for the others.”

Only a few minutes later, they were out on the field, but both Izuku and Eijirou were frowning when they realized that Mina and Toru hadn’t come out yet. A minute later, the pink-skinned girl burst from the lockers, looking a little panicked. Her eyes lit on Izuku and she darted over. “Zu, we need help!”

The whole group stiffened, and even Ojiro’s tail puffed a little as they tried to find the threat. “What’s wrong, Mina?”

“It’s Toru. I dunno what the fuck they were thinking, but… It’s bad. Her case literally just had gloves and boots in it. Nothing else.”

“What?!” Everyone stepped back from the green-haired boy except Katsuki as the temperature around him seemed to drop. “Okay. Tell her to put her gym uniform on and bring me her case. I’ll talk to Da-fuck, Sensei about it.”

“Got it! That’s what I thought, but… well, I wasn’t sure.”

“Go on, Mina.” His voice was gentle, but that threatening aura still surrounded him as he stared at the ground, muttering darkly to himself.

“Oi, nerd, out loud.” Katsuki put a hand on his shoulder and turned them both back to the rest of the group.

“Power Loader said that they send our first iterations out to a professional company. So, some professional looked at Toru’s quirk, and her costume ideas, and decided, what the hell, make the fourteen year old girl naked. Oh, but we should toss in gloves and shoes so it looks like we did something?” Izuku was fuming and his ire was quickly spreading to the rest of his friend group.

Ojiro took a step forward, hands out like he was warding off an attack. “So we just tell Aizawa-sensei, right? Or All Might-sensei? They can fix it, can’t they?”

“They can, but I’m taking it to Maijima-sensei and Nezu-sensei too. Holy shit. How fucking ignorant can you be? At a professional company? It’s either pure god damned laziness, which gets people killed, or it’s intentional sexualization of a teenage girl, which is gonna get that person killed if I find out who it is.”

Denki wrapped himself around Izuku, hugging him tightly. “Hey, no murders. Here come the girls now, chill a bit, okay? We’ll deal with it.”

Izuku hugged him back, almost absently before taking a deep breath and nodding. He turned to see Mina with her arm wrapped around Toru’s shoulders, and the other girls following behind, looking horrified and furious. He only got angrier when he saw their costumes, shaking his head.

“Definitely fucking dead,” he muttered, before stepping forward to take Toru’s hands. “Hey, don’t worry about it. We’ll fix it, okay? Trust me?”

She nodded, burying his face in his shoulder. He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her, looking up at the rest of the girls. “I want Aizawa-sensei to see your costumes, and then almost all of you are going to change. Mina, are you just wearing a leotard and jacket? What…” He forced another deep breath as Hitoshi’s voice came from behind him.

“I already texted, Zu. This is a mess.”

“Thanks, Tosh. C’mon, let’s go find All Might.” He kept Toru tucked against his side, and Denki quickly took his other side, gripping his hand to keep him from flying off the handle. Mina and Eijirou paced on Toru’s other side like bodyguards.

All Might looked up from cards in his hands as the class came into the clear area of the training field, smiling brightly. “Don’t you all look amazing!! Truly, the costume makes the hero!”

Toru’s sob had Izuku snarling, completely ignoring the fact that All Might had been one of his idols for his entire life. He gently pushed the invisible girl into Mina’s arms and stalked forward, glaring up at the number one hero. “Really? They look amazing to you? These costumes seem like good ideas to you!?”

All Might faltered, staring down at him. “Young Yamazawa, these are the first-,”

“The first iterations, yeah, I know. And that’s great and all, but seriously. These are a mess, especially the girls’ costumes.”

“I do not see anything wrong, young man. Perhaps you will feel differently after our training…”

“You’re-” Izuku stopped himself, straightening up and taking a deep breath. “You are not going to allow anyone to train in this mess. I am not going to allow anyone to train in costume until Maijima-sensei has seen these. Uraraka is going to break an ankle with a single misstep. Creation girl is half falling out of her costume. Toru is wearing a gym uniform, which you somehow seemed to have missed. Aoyama is wearing a literal suit of armor that probably weighs as much as he does!”

“Young Yamazawa! This is part of the training here at UA. Heroes must learn to work within their abilities-,” All Might was getting irritated, but Izuku was so far beyond angry that he didn’t care.

“Actually, All Might, we’re supposed to be learning to surpass our abilities, and part of that is the gear that supports us. This is not support, this is blatant sexualization and lazy design, and that has nothing to do with my classmates abilities!”

“What, exactly, would you know about your classmates abilites, young man? We have all been made aware of your… affliction, and I hardly believe that you should be speaking to the capabilities of quirked students while you lack one of your own.”

Izuku reeled back like he’d been slapped and the rest of the class gasped. Tenya’s sharp shout, Katsuki’s pops of angry explosions, and Denki’s lightning all came through what sounded like water. It took him a second, though it felt more like hours, to push through all that. “Affliction?” Izuku’s voice was like ice, and he took back the step he’d lost, then another, getting right into the hero’s personal space. “I am not afflicted, All Might. I am here, the same as the rest, having earned my fucking place in this class. I don’t know what box of cereal you got your teaching certification out of, but don’t you dare act like I don’t know what I’m talking about when the only people in this class that have decent costumes are the ones that I helped design.”

“Enough.” Shouta’s voice broke through as he stepped into view, using his scarf to push Izuku back a bit.

“Ah, Young Aizawa. This young man is being incredibly disrespectful to-,”

“Shut up.” All Might’s mouth snapped shut at the soft but direct order. “Izuku, go join your classmates. Take them farther into the city and get me some ideas to take to Power Loader. Now.”

As Izuku turned to obey, All Might spluttered behind him. “You can’t just let the boy walk away without punishment! He was rude and antagonistic!”

Izuku’s hands clenched into fists, but he kept the steady pace back to the class, even as Shouta’s voice raised slightly. “He was protecting other students from being injured because of a mistake made by our support company. You are the one who escalated. Now shut up for a few minutes.”

By the time he got to the group, Izuku was shaking; fine tremors that felt like little earthquakes no matter how much he tried to hide them. He motioned silently for everyone to follow him, and his own group immediately started walking. It took a couple of seconds and quick looks, but Ojiro nodded sharply and followed as well, soon joined by Aoyama and Uraraka. As they started walking, the rest of the class followed behind, whether to actually do what they were told or just to avoid the wrath of their teacher.

No one, not even Katsuki, tried to touch Izuku and he was grateful for it. He couldn’t afford to lose his shit anymore than he already had. He had a job to do. The mental breakdown could come later, when he was alone.

He hoped.

Chapter Text

Once they had gotten to another small square in the city, Izuku took a deep breath and turned to the rest of the class. “Okay. We should be far enough out now.”

Uraraka stepped forward with a kind smile and a head tilt. “Are you okay, Yamazawa-kun?”

“No. But I will be. Don’t worry about me.” He waved her off with a small smile, looking over the rest of the students. “If anyone isn’t okay with me or Kacchan looking over your gear, tell me now. I’m going to do what Aizawa-sensei said, but I don’t want anyone to feel uncomfortable.”

Uraraka grinned slightly. “I’m okay with it. You’re not wrong… I was half expecting to break my ankle just walking out to meet everyone. It’s probably my own fault; I wasn’t very specific…”

Izuku shook his head slightly. “No, you’re not the support company. It’s your job to give them an idea, and their job to make it into something useful. You did your job. Their fuck-ups are not on you.”

Katsuki stepped up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. His low growl was comforting, letting the tension leak from Izuku’s back a little. “Ease up, nerd.” After getting a nod, he stepped back, but stayed close; Izuku was too close to losing it for him to feel completely comfortable yet.

“Okay, so… flat boots for you, definitely. Probably with some shock absorption… can you make yourself float or just other things?”

Uraraka winced. “I can make myself float, but it’s harder and makes me nauseous a lot quicker than using my quirk on other things.”

“Understandable. We can probably work something into your gloves for pressure points to help with that. I’m just going by base looks right now, once I know your quirks better-,”

“Why should we listen to you?” A monotone voice cut through the quiet chatter, making Izuku look at the taller boy that spoke. It was the Todoroki kid, who looked like he couldn’t care less about any of what happened, and somehow also like he was deeply annoyed. “For one, you’re a student like we are, and for two, if All Might is to be believed, you are quirkless. I am not sure how a Null would understand what we would need.”

Half of the students gasped, while Izuku’s group tightened ranks around and behind him. Katsuki started to snarl out expletives, but Izuku held up a hand. He was so damned tired of this fight. So tired of dealing with ignorance and rude comments.

“Frankly, I don’t give a damn if you listen to me or not. You look absolutely ridiculous, by the way, but hey, there’s a hero out there who literally wears a washing machine, so whatever. I’m trying to keep my classmates from getting hurt, or in some cases, having no costume at all. But your quirk or my lack thereof has absolutely no bearing on my mental abilities.”

He took a step forward, motioning to his original group. “Look at their gear compared to the rest of the class. Ask them questions if you want. I designed all the support pieces. Kacchan designed all the aesthetics. So if you can’t see the difference between our stuff and yours, that’s on you. And if anyone is upset at a Null working on their gear, then you can have a completely different conversation with Aizawa-sensei.” He shrugged, staring them down. “So, if you’ve got an issue, go. Get changed and head back to the classroom. If you’re interested in gear that actually works, no matter who’s helping you, stick around and we’ll see what we can do.”

Todoroki blinked a little, head tilted like a confused puppy. “I… do not understand. You seem to be offended.”

Katsuki snarled as he stepped forward, fists clenched. “Who the fuck wouldn’t be offended, HalfnHalf?! You literally just whipped out a fuckin’ slur and what, expected him to thank you?!”

The boy’s shock was shown by a slight widening of his eyes, but that seemed to be it. “A… slur? I am confused. Is that not what those with very weak or no quirks are called?”

The tall girl with the ponytail and way too much skin showing put a hand on Todoroki’s shoulder. “No, Shoto. Absolutely not. While I’m not sure if there is a more appropriate term, ‘null’ is a vulgar slur that should never be used. Where did you even hear that?”

Todoroki frowned a little. “That is what my father calls my older brother. It is just… what he says? When he speaks of my brother’s schooling especially, he usually something like ‘at least the Null is doing something useful.’ It never seems to bother my brother, but I don’t spend much time with him, either.”

Izuku snorted rudely, putting a hand on Katsuki’s shoulder to pull him back. “Dude, not sure if you’re aware, but your old man’s a dick. Is your older brother quirkless, or does he just have like, a super weak quirk?”

“I am actually aware of that, thank you. I live with him. My brother has the minor ability to be unaffected by temperature. He has never been burned, or lost feeling in his extremities from cold. He chose to go into medicine, though I’m not completely certain as to his reasons.”

“Which, to Ende-whore, is as good as being quirkless. Fucker. Doesn’t matter, calling him a null to his face is basically like calling Midnight a whore, or Nezu-sensei an animal. It’s just rude.”

Heterochromatic eyes blinked slowly, taking the information in. “I deeply apologize. I was simply inquiring on how you would know how quirks work, with your age and lack of one, not trying to be rude or vulgar.”

Izuku nodded slightly. “Apology accepted, just erase that word from your vocabulary. As to your actual question, I’ve been studying quirks since I was four, and I am working on becoming a quirk specialist under Nezu-sensei’s mentorship. Like I said, I designed all the gear that Kacchan, Hitoshi, Hanta, and Denki are wearing, as well as my own.”

Tenya nodded firmly. “He also adapted my own gear to work better for me, while still allowing me to use my family’s design.”

Todoroki again seemed to be processing, before turning to look directly at Katsuki. “You seem to be the strongest… or at least loudest, of the mentioned students. You believe that his designs have aided your quirk use?”

“Fuckin’ nerd knows my quirk better than I do.”

Denki’s cheerful voice piped up from where he’d been wrapped around Hitoshi, keeping him calm. “Why don’t we all watch him walk through someone’s gear? Someone he hasn’t met yet. Then you can make an informed decision.” His cheerful smile dropped, eyes going almost as hard as Katsuki’s. “But if any of you wanna make a big deal about him being quirkless, I suggest you leave now.”

When no one moved, Izuku nodded slightly. “Does, um, does anyone want to volunteer?”

Aoyama huffed, like the whole situation was beneath him and sashayed forward. “You said something about my fabulous armor, mon ami. I would like to hear your thoughts.”

With a shrug, Izuku circled him quickly, looking it over. “Okay, so right off the bat, that looks like it’s made of metal. Is it?”

“Oui, something to shine as brightly as I do, though I do not know what kind.”

“Which means it’s heavy as hell, and you’re built far more like Denki than Tenya. I would suggest a blend like we used for Tenya’s suit, and then it can be decorated, which would make it lighter. Kacchan can suggest materials for decorations that will endure through battles and still be… bright? What does the belt around your waist do? I know you said you had Naval Laser as your quirk?”

Aoyama nodded, touching the jeweled belt. “This allows me to focus my blasts. They make me quite ill, so being accurate with shorter shots means I can actually be effective.”

“Makes sense. I’d need to see you use your quirk, and see what Maijima-sensei says about it, but again, I’d suggest moving the focusing portion to a lighter material belt. It will help you move quicker, which will also help keep your blasts more accurate even with the shorter interval bursts. Right now, I don’t see you being able to run properly in all of that for more than a couple seconds.”

Aoyama drooped a little, nodding. “You are not incorrect, mon ami. I was hoping to build some… mmm, stamina? With both my quirk and my suit.”

“For builds and quirks like yours, lighter is better as long as it’s still protecting you. Tenya, can I see your helmet for a minute?”

“Of course.” The taller boy handed it over and Izuku held it out to Aoyama.

“Feel the difference?”

“Oui, this is very light. It is protective?”

“Made of the same fuckin’ material as motorcycle helmets, Craft Herpes.” Katsuki spoke up, still keeping an eye on the rest of the class.

Izuku smirked a little at the nickname, shaking his head. “Anyway… yes. It’s a very strong material that will give you a lot more maneuverability.”

Aoyama nodded and handed it back. Once Izuku returned the helmet to Tenya, he looked at the rest of the class. “Would anyone else like to volunteer?”

After a moment, the tall girl stepped forward, patting Todoroki’s shoulder as she went by. “Momo Yaoyorozu. I’m not sure what can be changed, honestly, as my quirk requires access to my skin.”

“So does Midnight’s, and yet she stays fully clothed.” Izuku shrugged. “You and Toru have similar issues, and there’s plenty of materials that will help, but they’re expensive, which is probably why the support company didn’t bother. Materials made with your dna will allow your quirk to phase through, and if I’m correct, it will allow Toru to turn the material on and off. I have to talk to Power Loader, but there is no reason either of you should have to be naked or nearly there to use your quirks. It’s lazy at best, but most likely there’s just a pervert working there.”

He paused, tapping his lip. “What are the books for?”

“I can create anything non-organic as long as I know the chemical compounds for it. These are the most common ones I use.”

Izuku wiped a hand down his face in exasperation. “Did you choose books or did they?”

“I asked for something that I could check…”

With a huff, Izuku pulled his phone out of a hidden pocket. “Oh look, something you could check without adding 20 pounds and extra things to get caught as you’re trying to fight.” When she giggled, he gave her a wry smile. “We can get you a wrist communicator that will also serve as a database. It’ll make things a lot lighter, and a lot easier to look up.”

After Yaoyorozu stepped back, everyone else seemed interested and took turns with Izuku. After he’d gone through everyone else, Todoroki moved forward.

“I feel the need to apologize again…”

Izuku waved a hand. “Ignorance of a thing can be forgiven if you make efforts to correct it once you’re informed. I’ve dealt with both, so I’m willing to just let it go as long as it doesn’t happen again.”

“That is… far more generous than I feel I would be in your situation.”

Katsuki snorted from nearby. He hadn’t stepped more than a few feet away from Izuku since they settled in the city square, watching him warily. “He’s stupid like that. Go ahead and call me or Eyebags a fuckin’ villain and watch how quick that switch flips.” He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at the dual-haired boy. “I ain’t the fuckin’ nerd. I’ll be watchin’. You pull that shit again, I’ll blow your ass up and not feel even a little fuckin’ bad for it. You got that, HalfnHalf?”

Todoroki nodded slightly. “That seems fair, and far more appropriate, honestly. It… bothers me that I have been referring to my brother as such, now that I know.” He shook his head slightly before straightening. “You said that I ‘looked ridiculous’.”

“You do.” Izuku shrugged. “I dunno what you’re working with quirk-wise, but honestly, all that ice aesthetic? You’re just weighing yourself down. It doesn’t even look like it provides anything but looks, and the looks are just…”

“Fuckin’ godawful,” Katsuki grumbled.

“Mm. Would you be offended if I did not wish to disclose my quirk just yet? I would like to know what you would change just from the information that it is an emitter that is based around my hands, though I can use it from my whole body as needed.”

“Not offended. Extremely curious, especially since I know what an absolute dumpster fire your dad is, and your brother’s quirk, but I can work with it. Does your quirk destroy your clothes?”

“It can, yes.”

“Then personally, I’d drop the whole ice thing, go with an armored bodysuit if you want to keep that aesthetic, and line it with material that can resist your quirk. Denks, c’mere a sec.”

The blond bounced over, latching himself onto Izuku’s arm with a smile. “What’s up?”

Izuku gave him a quick hug, then pulled his arm away. “This is an example of what I’m talking about with armor. Denki’s costume looks like regular street clothes, but it’s all reinforced with the same material as Tenya’s, giving him protection from attacks and his own quirk while still allowing him the look he wanted.”

“Yeah, it does!” Denki pulled his jacket off, handing it to Todoroki. “That has the most armor in it to protect my back and some of my support gear, but it’s also the heaviest piece I own. I’m not built like the muscle heads, so I keep myself light and mobile!”

Todoroki took the time to look the jacket over, checking the pockets and the armor, before handing it back. “That is a very good design.” He looked at Izuku. “However, you have spoken in depth about our designs, but have not mentioned your own.”

Izuku looked startled for a second before shrugging. “I mostly went with a dark aesthetic. Easier to hide and sneak up on my opponents. My gear is expressly made for silence and speed, so my armor is mostly in the ‘kill zones’. Spine, chest, neck, and upper thighs. I created all of my own support gear, with Kacchan helping with the design, and Power Loader weighing in on things that I was having trouble with.”

“That is… impressive. Honestly, my biggest concern was the fact that you were the same age as the rest of us, so it did not seem practical or believable that you would have better knowledge than we would.”

Izuku nodded slightly. “So what you’re saying is that if a quirkless teacher had come in to talk about costume design, you wouldn’t have spoken up?”

“No. I may have had a similar question as to how they would know our quirks, but… I perhaps would have let them explain a little more before speaking.”

“Honestly, that’s fair. We can just… start over, if you want?”

When Todoroki tilted his head in confusion again, Izuku grinned and held his hand out. “Hi, my name is Izuku Yamazawa. I’m a quirkless hero hopeful with a talent for support gear design. You can call me Izuku.”

Todoroki blinked, and the corners of his lips twitched as he took Izuku’s hand. “Hello. I am Shoto Todoroki. I am also a hero hopeful and would prefer to be called Shoto.”

“Nice to meet you!” Izuku giggled as they shook. “Okay, it’s been a while… we should probably get changed and head back to the classroom? Or at least head back to see if Aizawa-sensei is still there?”

Everyone else nodded. When they made their way back to the front of the training field, no one was there. They milled around for a minute until Izuku’s phone beeped. He checked it and chuckled.

“Everyone, we’ve been told to change and head to the classroom. Apparently, Yamada-sensei will meet us there, because Aizawa-sensei is, um, educating? All Might? Currently. So… yeah. Can everyone find their way back, or do we want to go together?”

“Let’s go together. If we’re in a big group, we will not be as likely to be stopped in the halls by another teacher.” Yaoyorozu stepped forward, gathering the girls together. Izuku nodded and fell into step behind Tenya, who led the way to the boys’ locker.

Immediately, conversations started up around them. Izuku carefully removed all of his gear, unaware that he was being watched until Shoji spoke up quietly. “You seem to have a lot more support gear than the rest of us, Izuku.”

He nodded easily. “I do. I don’t have a quirk, so I compensate for that with gear that can help. Weapons, armor, and things that make me faster or quieter are all ways I can combat quirked villains.”

“Would you be willing to show us some?”

Izuku tapped his case for a minute before shaking his head. “Not today. I’ll gladly explain them out on the field when we train.”

Shoji simply nodded and went back to changing, but Katsuki moved over, pressing his shoulder into his best friend’s. “Zukkun? You good?”

Izuku gave another, sharper, head shake. The tremors were back and he was desperately trying to keep them hidden now that he wasn’t focusing on his classmates. “Is it the extras, or fuckin’ All Might?”

Izuku held up two fingers before curling his hand into a fist and pulling it against his chest. “Fuckin’ All Might, then.” When Izuku nodded slightly, Katsuki gently pushed him to a stall. “Go get changed and take a breath, nerd. We’ll wait for ya. And don’t worry about what that asshole said. Hobo-sensei will set him straight.”

Another small nod was all Izuku could manage. He changed as quickly as he could with his hands shaking, putting his costume away carefully before dropping to the floor and leaning against the wall. He had known his classmates might make comments or be mean. He’d known it was a possibility. But he’d gotten so comfortable with the heroes at UA, and the staff at Somei, that somehow, he’d forgotten that other adults existed.

The fact that it was All Might, who’d said in several interviews that anyone could be a hero, who Izuku and Katsuki had idolized since they knew what heroes were… that hurt a completely different part of him. He buried his face in his arms, desperately trying to muffle the sobs as his sense of reality was thrown by the wayside again. UA had been safe. It had been a place he’d been accepted, been given tools to succeed and actually encouraged.

It felt tainted now. Like his past had somehow leeched into the air.

He knew it wasn’t fair. One bad experience shouldn’t destroy his entire sense of safety. But what was the phrase? One bad apple… Would he have to deal with that the whole time? Would other teachers, or students, listen to what the number one hero said? Why wouldn’t they? He was famous, he was the most impressive hero in fifty years and Izuku was just… nobody. A quirkless nobody who literally came from a trash dump.

He didn’t notice the door open, but the heavy arm around his shoulders made him look up. Katsuki sat beside him, pulling him into a hug. “Could practically hear you gettin’ lost in your own fuckin’ thoughts, asshole. We’re all waitin’ on you.”

“I… I don’t know if I can, Kacchan… I’m…”

“Fuck that shit. You survived fuckin’ Aldera, you survived the streets, you survived bein’ a god damned vigilante.” Katsuki kept his voice low, pressing the words into his ear like he could tattoo them into his brain. “You destroyed the Entrance Exam. We took first place. Together. You and I are gonna be fuckin’ hero partners. You think I’m lettin’ you sit in here alone? Or walk out there alone? Fuck that shit. Together, shitty nerd. You and me.”

A soft sob slipped from the green-haired boy, but he nodded finally, wiping his eyes. “T-together. B-but I’m not… I’m not okay, Kacchan.”

“And fuckin’ no one is expecting you to be, dumbass. But you’re gonna walk the fuck outta here with your head up, and you’re gonna look every shitty extra that ever doubted you square in the eye and tell ‘em to fuck off when you and I are at the top of the charts. And that includes that fuckin’ Ass Might. You hear me?”

“I… I hear you, Kacchan.”

“Good. Let’s go.” The blond pushed himself up and grabbed Izuku’s hand, pulling him up too. As they walked out of the stall, Denki launched himself from across the room into Izuku’s arms, vibrating with anger and worry. The rest his chosen family, Tenya, Hitoshi, and Hanta, all stood by the door, a mixture of anger and concern written across their features.

“You’re not alone, Zuzu. Remember? None of us are.”

Izuku nodded, tucking his nose into straight blond locks for a minute before straightening. “Okay. Let’s, umm, let’s go.”

Tenya nodded and opened the door, ushering their group out. Honestly, Izuku was surprised to see the rest of the class, but Mina gave him a bright smile before he could even open his mouth. “We all walk back together, remember?”

With a little nod and a tremulous smile, ignoring the tear tracks and red eyes he knew he couldn’t hide, Izuku lifted his head like Katsuki told him to, straightening his shoulders and leading the way back to the classroom.

Chapter Text

Hizashi was waiting there by the time they all came back, greeting them and telling them to take their seats. He frowned when he saw Izuku’s face, but the green-haired boy just shook his head slightly. “All right, listeners, I’ve been told some seriously uncool things went down today. So first, I wanna apologize for that, because we can’t very well tell ya not to do something a teacher does, right? Zero tolerance means zero tolerance. Your homeroom teach and our rockin’ principal will get it all sorted, so don’t you worry about that.”

Eijirou stood by his desk, looking at Izuku, then back at Hizashi. “Sorry if this is rude, Present Mic-sensei, but I don’t feel comfortable being taught by someone like that. Mina and I got enough sh… stuff said about us because of the way we look or our quirks. If he’s gonna call out Izuku’s quirklessness like it’s a bad thing, where does it end?”

A few other classmates nodded in agreement, while Jirou, the headphone girl, slapped her hand on her desk. “I know that some of us were kinda dicks about Izuku and Hitoshi on the first day, but like, that’s just because we were being jealous, honestly. The worst one already apologized. I don’t want anyone thinking we’re hypocrites by being upset with this, but Kirishima is right. That was…”

“Completely inappropriate, I agree.” Hizashi held up a hand with a small smile. “I hear all of ya, and we will be handling it. While I can’t guarantee any staffing changes, I can guarantee that you will not be alone with All Might as a sole educator going forward. I gotta say I’m proud of the fact that you not only saw your own uncool behavior, but aren’t afraid to call out someone else’s, even an adult. That being said, is there any way I can help ya right now while we wait for Aizawa to get back?”

The class looked at each other, all of them noticing that Izuku was just staring at his desk, hands clenched tight in his lap. Tsuyu frowned, then pushed herself up a bit. “Sensei, Izuku-kun was talking about speaking with Power Loader about our costumes.”

Hizashi chuckled and nodded slightly. “Yeah, that tracks with the listener’s interests.”

Izuku had perked up slightly when he heard his name, and the class took it as a good sign. “Well, would it be possible for him to come here, kero? I think we’d all be interested in hearing his takes on Izuku-kun’s ideas.”

Hizashi tilted his head for a minute, then shrugged. “I can ask. I’m pretty sure he’s got a free period right now. Can you give me a minute?”

When everyone nodded, Hizashi pushed himself up off the desk. “Izuku, come with me please.”

It was silent as the green-haired boy followed Hizashi out into the hall. As soon as the door closed, sound exploded. Everyone was talking over each other until Katsuki let off an explosion to get their attention. “Oi, shut the fuck up. One at a god damned time!”

Eijirou’s fist hit his desk, leaving a slight dent. “That was unmanly as hell! Izubro didn’t deserve that!”

Everyone agreed loudly, and Shoji lifted an arm, forming one of his hands into a mouth. “While I believe we should see what’s decided, I think it would be fair if we simply… pretended All Might did not exist?” He paused. “I mean, actively, not ignore the problem, but quite literally ignore everything and anything he says.”

Another round of agreements filled the room as Uraraka stood up. “Okay, two things. One, yes to Shoji’s idea… we’re supposed to be learning how to be heroes, and that means standing up for our own. And two… umm, Hitoshi, are you okay? I know we’ve all been checking in on Izuku, but that can’t have been easy for you either, having your brother attacked like that…”

Hitoshi blinked at being addressed before slumping back into his seat. It took him a couple seconds to open his mouth and make sound come out, but he finally managed it. “If I said yes, I’d be lying. I’m pissed as hell, quite frankly. And I’m… I know Eijirou already mentioned it, but if he acts like that with Zuks, what the fuck would he say about me? Does he look at D-Aizawa-sensei and think he shouldn’t be a hero either? I’m…”

“Scared.” Fumikage nodded to him, as Dark Shadow curled around the purple-haired teen. “When one has frequently had the darkness in them pointed out, it is hard to believe that anyone will see the light that shines as well.”

Everyone nodded a little. Denki, though, stood up and shook his head. “So we stop being scared.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Shoji’s question wasn’t angry, simply curious.

“By fighting back. By proving to Ass Might and all the other people who say we’re too scary, too dumb, too ‘useless’ to be heroes that they’re dead wrong. Shoji’s gotta good start. Ignoring whatever Ass Might says is good. But I think, as a class, we can do better.” He grinned evilly and Katsuki barked out a laugh, pointing at him.

“Hell yeah we can, Pichu. You two and Eyebags are absolute fuckin’ chaos gremlins and I can think of a bunch of shit we can do. If that dickbag is gonna stick around, we’ll make him regret every god damned minute of it!”

Hizashi had spent a couple minutes just hugging Izuku, reminding him quietly that he belonged and that they’d keep All Might away from him as much as possible. But the loud voices from the classroom had caught their attention. The explosion had Hizashi two steps away from bursting back in, but then they actually heard what was being said. After a couple of minutes of pure eavesdropping, Izuku giggled quietly.

“They want to run a prank war. On the number one hero…”

Hizashi snorted. “The number one zero, ya mean. And honestly? I’m rocking with the idea. I know Higari is free, so I’m going to head down to get him. You guys start plotting.”

“Pops! You shouldn’t condone this…”

“The hell I shouldn’t, green bean. He fucked with my kiddo. I’m not just condoning it, I’m getting us some help. Don’t forget the prank war Snipe and Higari got into when they were both trying to recommend you. Go on.” He pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “Be as awesome and chaotic as I know you are, Izuku.” With a jaunty wave and cheerful whistle, Hizashi headed down the hall as Izuku quietly slid the door open to walk back in.

“You guys are not quiet…”

“Oh shit!” Denki squeaked, falling into his desk before scrambling around it to hug Izuku. “I thought you guys went farther away!”

“It’s fine. It… helped. I’m not good, by any stretch, but seriously… thank you.” Everyone nodded and cheered, then sobered a bit.

“Uh, does this mean the chaos war is already over?” Eijirou actually looked upset by the idea, making Izuku giggle again.

“No, oddly. It actually means that some of the teachers are apparently gonna get involved. Yamada-sensei is pissed and apparently, so is Aizawa-sensei. So, umm…” He looked at Hitoshi and then locked eyes with Katsuki. “Let’s fuck shit up?”

Resounding cheers echoed in the classroom, and Tenya moved to the whiteboard. “All right, fellow conspirators. We have a couple decisions to make. First, knowing that we have teachers on our side, do we care if the pranking is obvious?”

Uraraka tilted her head. “What do you mean? They’re pranks, right?”

Tenya nodded. “Indeed, but as I have learned through… personal experience… Izuku-kun and Hitoshi-kun have two very different styles of pranking. Izuku-kun is a bit more discrete… things like replacing coffee for decaf, or leaving out what look like chocolate chip cookies to discover they are in fact filled with raisins. Hitoshi-kun is more direct, and does not care if his prank lands, so long as the person being pranked knows that they have done something to offend him. He has replaced the water in the coffee pot with lemon juice and has put tape at eye level and then watched as you walked into it.”

Hitoshi snorted with a nod. “You’re just mad because you somehow missed the tape and had to spend the rest of the day with a spare pair of glasses. And because you hate raisins.”

“You are not incorrect, but you are still… well, you.” Tenya huffed playfully at him. “That being said, in this class, Izuku-kun’s methods would be something like Toru-chan spraying something smelly when Ass Might could not see her, while Hitoshi-kun’s methods would be someone like Uraraka floating all of his possessions to the ceiling and then having it taped there by Hanta-kun. Both effective, but one may end us up in trouble.”

Katsuki chuckled at the fact that ‘Ass Might’ was sticking with even Tenya getting involved, leaning back in his chair. “Why not both? It’s gonna be pretty fuckin’ obvious that as a class, we’re pissed when we ignore him, but we can make the fucker think there are ‘safe’ options.”

Tenya wrote all three possibilities on the board, simply marked as ‘Izuku’, ‘Hitoshi’ or ‘Both’. He tapped the pen against the board for a second and turned back around. “A second thing that must be decided is who will take part. Anyone who is not comfortable with more elaborate pranking should speak up.”

Izuku nodded. “Honestly, just the idea that you’re willing to do it is enough. No one should feel forced into doing something they’re not comfortable with, especially for someone you met yesterday.”

Koda held up his hands, signing a quick, *Does anyone speak JSL?*

Izuku nodded. “Me, Kacchan, Denki, Tenya, Toshi, and Hanta all understand and can use sign, Koda.” A few other hands went up, making Koda smile.

The large, rocky looking student nodded back. *Then first, I’m gonna say that we’re not just doing it for you. If he’s discriminatory about one thing, odds are he’s discriminatory about other things. But second, rats, mice, and squirrels are very easy to convince with a little bit of food, and birds, especially crows and ravens, actively look for targets that have angered them. I may have used them before against bullies at my old school…* He grinned sheepishly, but Izuku was absolutely beaming.

“That’s brilliant and devious and we’ll be comparing notes later. But yeah, anyone who doesn’t want to, let us know.”

Everyone glanced around, but no one else spoke up. Shoto gave a small smile. “If we pull this off, it will give me ideas for things to do to my father. I am happy to help.”

“Looks like everyone’s in, Glasses. So, subtle, blatant, or both?” Katsuki sat on the edge of his desk, looking around.

Uraraka grinned wickedly, glancing at Tsuyu who nodded firmly. “Both. Not because of getting in trouble, because I don’t care, but because of the psychological damage we could inflict.”

Everyone laughed and nodded, but stopped when Jirou held up a hand. “Teach is on his way back, erase that. I think we’d do better planning off school grounds, or in a group chat.”

Tenya quickly wiped the board clean and headed back to his seat, grabbing a piece of paper on the way. “We should all write our numbers down and give it to one person, who can make the group chat.”

Izuku held up a hand. “If you all are okay with it, I can take the paper and get things started. Denki would be faster, but sometimes mixes numbers up.” Everyone agreed, and when Hizashi and Higari walked in, they were passing around the paper.

“Yo, I found Maijima and also found out that he didn’t have time to check over the cases before he handed them out this year. We haven’t had any issues before, so…”

Power Loader bowed slightly. “It was an oversight that I assumed would be fine… any issues would be caught early and could be corrected. I did not expect this level of issues, however. I also expected Aizawa’s typical costume critique on the second day, with Vlad’s on the third.”

Izuku huffed. “Yeah, I can’t think you’d keep the same contract year after year if they consistently fucked up like this. Toru doesn’t have a costume at all, Sensei. Like, they literally sent her case with just gloves and boots.”

Maijima took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment. “You have got to be kidding me.” He shook his head and looked over the group. “Okay. New plan. I’m going to contact a sub and have them cover my classes. I want the immediate, dangerous problems first, then we can go over what ideas Izuku has for the rest of you. Then I’m going to go over to Vlad’s class and have them check their cases before their Foundational Heroics class, and pray that it’s not as bad there.” He quickly took out his phone, sent a message, and nodded when it vibrated once. “Hit me, tiny one.”

“Toru, Hagakure first. She needs something with her DNA so she can turn her costume on and off. Obviously, she’s in the most danger currently. Yaoyorozu and Uraraka next.” As he spoke, Izuku pointed at each of the named students. “Yaoyorozu’s costume is almost non-existent, even though she could have something like Midnight’s with either panels that open, or DNA infused fabric. Uraraka needs proper boots, I don’t know why they thought three inch heels was a good idea, but just. No. She also might need something with her gloves, but that’s not dangerous, just a thing I thought of.” He glanced around the room. “Mina needs armor. She’s wearing a skin-tight leotard, and while I didn’t get to test it, with all the other screw ups, I doubt it’s acid resistant. For dangerous or life-threatening issues, I think that’s it, but I noticed a serious lack of any kind of reinforcement or armor on anyone except Aoyama, and his armor is so heavy that it’s almost unusable.”

Maijima was quickly writing on a tablet, nodding along. “Okay, so we need full revamps for Hagakure, Yaoyorozu, Ashido and Aoyama, with an immediate update for Uraraka. Anyone else?”

Izuku shook his head. “Nothing dangerous. But we do need some work. Most of the stuff can wait until after we’ve had a chance to check quirk usage and mobility, but there are a couple things.”

“I’m all ears.” He looked out over the class. “If each of you could stand up when Izuku calls your name, it will make it easier for me to place names with faces and costume requirements.” When everyone nodded, Izuku smiled slightly. The shaking hadn’t gone away, and there was still that lingering temptation to just shut down and let the world move on without him for a while, but the combination of focusing on his classmates’ costumes and Denki’s gentle zaps against his arms as the blond cuddled him helped a lot.

Maijima took diligent notes, nodding in places and asked questions until the door opened to reveal Shouta. Everyone got quiet, but Izuku just continued with the last couple recommendations. Maijima promised to get with everyone by the end of the week and left as Hizashi leaned next to Shouta against the desk.

“All right, hellions, listen up. We came to some decisions and agreements. First of all, your field trip is being postponed until next week. I want to give Maijima time to meet with you all, so we’re swapping with the third years. They should be prepared enough to go early; if they’re not, that’s a them problem at this point. I will be giving out new permission forms with the corrected date tomorrow. For those of you who already turned it in, I’ll contact your parents or guardians to explain the issue. Second, and unfortunately, All Might will continue to teach here. However, he will be focused mostly on the third years, and if he does have to do a class for any of the first year students, he will not be alone.”

There was some grumbling, but Izuku just tilted his head, considering Shouta’s words. ‘Unfortunately’ meant that someone other than Nezu was pulling strings, because there was no way the principal would allow him to continue just for clout.

“That being said, until the Rat lines up a new Heroics teacher, Vlad and I will be teaching Foundational Heroics for the first years. That has been my job for several years now, so I don’t mind taking it back, even if it cuts into my nap time.” He smirked slightly, which made Izuku chuckle. At the soft sound, everyone relaxed a bit. “Does anyone have any questions or anything they’d like to add?”

No one spoke up, so he nodded. “Good. If you think of anything, you can come to me or Yamada immediately. This is a very… strange set of circumstances for UA, and should not have happened. Now, Izuku.”

The green haired boy ‘eep’ed softly where he was typing in phone numbers on his phone. “Y-yes, sensei?”

“I would like the list of numbers when you’re done, and I want to be added to that group chat.”

A few groans were heard, but Izuku’s sinister smirk made most of the class pause. “Of course, sensei. Yamada-sensei?”

“Me too, listener!”

Oh. This was going to be fun.

Chapter Text

The class spent the rest of their school day that should have been spent in Foundational Heroics making plans. Some of them were ridiculous and over-the-top; Denki really wanted to electrify anything metal that All Might would touch throughout the day, giving him a sharp shock whenever he tried to grab anything. Thankfully, Tenya had pointed out that they couldn’t guarantee other teachers or even students wouldn’t touch those same things first, so it had been tabled. Some of them were more playful and devious; Mina knew a website that would send anonymous penises of various sizes and edible materials, making them look like gifts. Katsuki had enthusiastically agreed when he’d seen the giant dark chocolate one, snickering about ‘eating a huge dick’, while Hanta had pointed out the mini-gummies, asking if Ass Might would get penis envy.

And some were downright evil, which was what Izuku and Hitoshi had gravitated towards. They had both liked the idea of floating all of his possessions at the school onto the ceiling and taping them there, but Koda had once again sparked Izuku’s interest. The quiet boy with the animal whisper quirk was shy with humans, but almost as demented as Izuku when it came to getting revenge. Apparently, he had a line on a small surfeit of skunks that would be happy to help with a bit of a food bribe. While everyone else tossed out ideas, Izuku promised to bring fruit and vegetables the next day for them.

By the time school ended, they had a solid plan for the next couple of days. The obvious was absolutely ignoring the number one’s existence. Just a pure blank on anything that he said or did. Shouta had approved it and even added to it, saying he’d pass it around so that the only staff who would actively engage with All Might from the heroics or support courses would be himself and Nezu. Hizashi had grinned evilly and pulled out his hearing aids with a wink, making the class laugh and nod eagerly. Mina and Katsuki planned on anonymously mailing him the chocolate dick and the mini gummies, set to arrive at different times. Aoyama had added to that, finding a few different cards that all looked like they’d been sent by fans but would explode with glitter whenever he opened them. And Midnight, Power Loader, and Snipe had already been added to the group chat by Hizashi, offering their own unhinged suggestions that wouldn’t be put into play at all unless All Might really escalated.

If the number one hero hadn’t apologized, properly, by the end of the week, they would intensify, but they were hoping the combination of pranks, ignoring, and Nezu’s reprimands would knock some sense into him. Izuku and Koda were prepared if he didn’t, however. If they needed to escalate, the animal whisperer would bring his skunks to school, leaving them outside. They would follow the number one hero, or zero as Hizashi insisted on referring to him, around campus and spray anything on him they could hit in hidden or out of the way places.

Shoto had asked about the skunks in regards to his father, but Izuku had negated that. He pointed out that Endeavor would most likely harm the poor things if he caught them, which had made the dual-haired boy frown, but nod. Koda offered to send some birds after him instead, since they could ‘attack’ from a much greater distance and with more accuracy. Shouta had heard, and shaken his head, but Izuku’s phone lit up with a text about a website that sold stink spray.

Apparently, pranking Endeavor was next on the list, and honestly, Izuku was definitely here for it.

By the time the final bell had rung, their class was literally hanging on each other’s desks, laughing and planning mischief with a glee that would be moderately terrifying to Shouta and Hizashi if they didn’t live with Izuku and Hitoshi. Denki reminded everyone about the group chat and told them to put any suggestions they thought of in there as everyone packed up and got ready to leave.

When just the ten students who were planning on going shopping were left, Izuku deflated in his seat, heaving out a huge, shaky sigh. “Okay, so… that sucked. I mean, working with the class was cool, but…”

Eijirou huffed a little. “But you weren’t planning on being outed like that, by a teacher nonetheless, and that could have gone a lot worse?”

Izuku nodded slightly. “Yeah.” He blinked a little before running a hand down his face. “Shit… I totally sounded like Kacchan, didn’t I?”

The blond in question snorted and nodded a little. “Hell yeah, ya did. Not just when you were cussing out Ass Might either… pretty sure you dropped a couple f-bombs in front of Power Loader too.”

“Fuuuuuuck, I didn’t even notice. I was so…”

Denki nuzzled into his shoulder. “Fucked up, angry, scared, and sad?”

“Mmhmm. All of that.”

Shouta spoke up from his desk where he’d been checking some paperwork. “It was more than justified, problem child. As long as you’re respectful on a normal day, no one will care.” He eyed Katsuki, then smirked. “Same for you, firecracker. You’re in high school. No one cares what words you use, as long as you’re respectful. I sure as hell don’t watch my mouth, especially when you little shits annoy me.”

Izuku giggled softly. “That’s fair. Two days in and we’re already causing issues.”

Shouta shook his head sharply. “No. Don’t do that.” He pointed sternly at Izuku, making the green-haired boy blink. “Nothing that has happened in the last two days has been any of your fault. Yesterday was jealousy and ignorance and was fixed this morning. Today was all on that blond moron. You kids will drive me crazy before the end of your time here, and I’ll most likely threaten to expel each of you at least three times… possibly before the end of the semester. But absolutely nothing so far has been your fault, or in your control. Do you understand me, Izuku?”

Izuku’s eyes welled up and he bit his lip, but nodded. After a moment, he found his voice, raspy with emotion. “G-got it. You’re right. A-and I know it, I’m just…”

Katsuki huffed. “All sorts of fucked up right now. Why don’t we get to the damned mall and forget this shitty fuckin’ day already?”

“Yes, please, get the hell out. I have things to do and at least two missed naps to catch up on.”

Everyone laughed, gathering up their bags and waving at Shouta as they walked out. Izuku noticed that Mina was staring between him and Hitoshi, then glancing back at their classroom. He hummed softly and nudged Toru, motioning to Mina silently. She gave him a quick nod, falling back a little so she could jump on Mina’s back, distracting her.

“Mins! What’re we getting for Zukkun?”

Denki laughed and launched himself onto Izuku’s back, yelling, “Piggy back rides!” while Izuku stumbled a single step before hiking him up higher. The girls started chatting back and forth as Eijirou watched Katsuki watching Izuku and Denki.

“Yo, bro, I gotta back too! C’mon!”

“I will end your entire family line, Shitty Hair. I don’t need a fuckin’ piggy back ride, dumbass.” Explosions accentuated his angry rant, but it just made Eijirou laugh.

“Fine, fine, if you’re gonna be a grump. C’mon, Hitoshi! You can take a nap while we walk!”

“….. I hate that that’s actually tempting me.” Hitoshi huffed a chuckle and when Eijirou crouched in front of him, he just shrugged and climbed on, draping his arms over the larger boy’s shoulder. “Don’t wake me up until we get to the mall, or Zuks gets into a fight with someone.”

“Ha ha, you got it, bro!”

Tenya chopped his arm down, a rant about proper school decorum starting before he stopped with a gasp. Hanta, grin impish, had latched a piece of tape to his back and used it to launch onto the taller teen. “Hell yeah, we all got horses now!”

Dark Shadow trilled as she flew out from behind Fumikage, perching on his back with a quick gnash of her teeth. “Yes, good, horsies! Gid’ap, Fumi!”

“This is highly inappropriate! We are still on campus!”

Katsuki rolled his eyes, still watching Izuku and Denki. “Can it, Glasses. School’s out and they’re not hurting anythin’ but their own dignity.” He fell back to keep pace with Tenya, lowering his voice. “Besides, the nerd’s laughin’ and Eyebags is actually relaxed. Let ‘em have this.”

Hanta nodded against Tenya’s back, making the blue-haired boy huff quietly. “Fine. I suppose this once it would not hurt anything. I do not understand, however, why I have been… volunteered.”

Hanta snickered. “Broad shoulders equals free real estate, hermano. Besides, if you’re gonna pick a horse, you go with the fastest one, right?”

Katsuki barked a laugh as Tenya shook his head. “You could at least not use your quirk, Hanta-kun.”

“Where’s the fun in that? We’re allowed to use them here. It’s not like I stuck ya on the street.”

Tenya threw his hands up, trying and failing not to laugh. “I give up. You are all heathens and I cannot control you.”

“Finally!” Denki’s arms flew up; the only thing keeping him on Izuku’s back was the green-haired boy’s grip on his thighs. “We finally broke Tenten! Now we gotta work on Sparky!”

“Fuck you, Pichu, I ain’t gonna break cuz of some shitty shenanigans. I’ve been dealin’ with the fuckin’ nerd too long for that shit.”

Amid laughter and teasing, the mall trip was exactly the relaxation that Izuku needed. The betrayal of his oldest idol stung deep, and he was honestly afraid to hear what Katsuki had to say about it. But the way his new classmates had not only stood by him, but planned an entire revenge plot? The way the other teachers had not only put a stop to it, but also volunteered to help? It reminded Izuku that he was in a better place all around. It gave him hope for the future, and allowed him to just relax with his closest friends and newest cohorts.

After they had all separated for the night, the group chats that had been created sprang to life. It was still such an odd concept to have so many people on his phone that he had several conversations going at once, but he actually enjoyed it a lot.

Class 1-Avengers

Yamazawa I has added 21 people to this chat.
Yamada H has added 2 people to this chat.
Kaminari D has changed their name to ZapMaster.
Zapmaster has changed 23 names.

ChaosCrusader Sorry, guys, I don’t know how to restrict his access. But you can change your names if you don’t like something.
ZapMaster: Noooooo, leave them! They fit!
BringtheBoom: Pichu, you’re a dumbass.
GossipGoddess: dicks r ordered! Minis b thr by tmrw, BBD b thr thurs morn
BringtheBoom: Type like a fucking human being, Raccoon Eyes!!
GossipGoddess: no
RockyRoad: Give it up, bro, she’s a menace
DiamondDus:t Glitter bombs are en route!
ChaosWhisperer: I spoke with two separate murders. One will be at the school. The other would like to know Endeavor’s general patrol routes for the next couple days.
EndewhoreHater: fatherscheduleavoid.pdf
EndewhoreHater: I outlined his normal route on the map.
ChaosCrusader: That was so fast, holy shit!
EndewhoreHater: I have been working on it since I arrived home.
ZapMaster: We love the dedication.
EndewhoreHater: I am very dedicated to ruining my father’s day.
VocalStim: Everything okay, listener?
EndewhoreHater: It is fine. This is appropriate retribution for teaching me slurs to use on my family and classmates.
CaterpillarSensei: We’ll talk tomorrow.
OfficeMax: Anyone else smelling a parental smackdown coming?
ChaosCrusader: Kacchan, we should totally tell Auntie about his schedule…
BringtheBoom: Thought we were pranking, not committing murder, shitnerd. Besides, the first person I’m setting the hag on is Ass Might.
ChaosWrangler: I believe that is a week two escalation, Katsuki-kun. I also believe your father would be better to send after Endeavor anyway. He would be far more frightening to such an explosive personality.
CatsnCoffee: Yeah, Aunt Mits might get into an actual physical fight with him, and then your dad would turn into Zuks 2.0. No one needs that.
ChaosCrusader: Rude. 1, I’m not that bad. 2, Uncle has way more self-control and is way scarier than I am. Especially if you mess with Auntie.
EndewhoreHater: I do not want anyone to get hurt.
ZapMaster: If Ms. Mitsuki goes after him, no promises. If it’s Mr. Masaru, the only thing getting hurt will be Ende-whore’s feelings. And reputation. Papa Bakugou does not fuck around.
ChaosCrusader: It’s true.
Frogalicious: I usually speak my mind, so I hope you don’t mind, but how long have you all known each other?
ChaosCrusader: Kacchan and I have been friends since before we could walk.
BringtheBoom: Fucking nerd has been following me around and babbling at me since before he knew words. Can’t get rid of him.
ChaosCrusader: Yes, Kacchan. I never leave you alone, Kacchan. One day you’ll get rid of me for good, Kacchan.
BringtheBoom: Shut the fuck up, asshole.
ZapMaster: Hitoshi and Tenya met in school, and I transferred into their school later that same year.
OfficeMax: I met Izuku at the Entrance Exam. Gotta say, Kats isn’t wrong in his assessment… once the green bean grabs ya, he doesn’t let go.
ChaosCrusader: This from the guy with tape in his elbows?
OfficeMax: Makes me an expert on clinging, doesn’t it?
ChaosCrusader: Fuck you.

Izuku giggled, sending Hanta a bunch of hearts privately and getting them back.

Family Chaos

Broccoli Bitch: Good distraction, Han.
Bondage Maybe?: I live to serve.
LightningBug: Mina is getting suspicious, btw. She was asking Toru a bunch of questions.
StringPuller: Yeah, she was definitely giving us some looks today.

Class 1-Avenger

Frogalicious: Again, apologies if I’m being invasive, but I don’t believe this was discussed earlier. The Yamazawas are adopted, correct?
ChaosCrusader: You’re totally fine, Tsuyu. If you ask something we don’t want to answer, we’ll just say so. And yes, Hitoshi and I are adopted siblings, and yes, because I think I know your next question, we just kinda merged our friend groups together. Hanta and I worked together really well at the Entrance Exam, so I kinda brought him with and he fits with the rest of us really well.
Frogalicious: Call me Tsu, please. That was going to be my next question. You all have such… different personalities. To be honest, it’s a little strange to think of you and Bakugou as friends for so long because you seem to be complete opposites.
BringtheBoom: The fuck are you sayin’, frog legs?
Frogalicious: I think I was very clear. You have an explosive, loud personality and way of speaking. While Izuku seems to be much quieter.
ChaosWrangler: From an outside perspective, as someone who has only known them a couple of days, I can see where you might get that impression, Tsu-kun. However, I fear they are far more alike than many people realize.
ZapMaster: Yeah, it’s shit like what happened today that made Zuzu so quiet, but you should definitely know two things. 1: Toshi is definitely holding Zu’s phone hostage right now or he’d be showing you exactly how similar they are, and 2: Once he gets more comfortable, Zuzu is a complete chaos gremlin and drags the rest of us along, most of us willingly.
CatsnCoffee: Can confirm, had to sit on him for a few minutes. Word of warning, even minor insults or rude remarks at any of our group will bring out the gremlin. To be fair, other than Hothead’s fond complaints and insults, no one is allowed to start shit with Zuk either, because we all tend to be a bit protective.
Frogalicious: I apologize. I was not trying to be rude, or offensive. I was simply speaking to the differences in volume level. It is simply a very different energy level.
BringtheBoom: It’s fine, Frogger. You’re not even wrong, and the shitty nerd would get that if he’d stop being a psycho for ten fucking seconds.
ChaosCrusader: Kacchan! I’m not a psycho. I just don’t appreciate people taking you at face value. But I do get what you’re saying, Tsu, and I apologize that Toshi had to sit on me. It hasn’t exactly been the best day and I’m little
ChaosCrusader: Touchy, I guess.
Frogalicious: Understandable, and apology unnecessary. I sometimes let my curiosity overtake my common sense. That was perhaps not the best way to ask after the day we’ve all had, especially you.
WatchingYou: I think a subject change is in order. What do we think about the field trip and the plan to push it back?

As the chat devolved into new, safer topics, Hitoshi flopped next to Izuku on his bed, looking over at him. “You gonna be okay?”

Izuku shrugged a little, setting his phone down and sighing. “Dunno yet. I think tonight is gonna suck, so if you get hit with insomnia, feel free to come hang out. I feel… guilty? Which doesn’t make sense, but All Might was such a big part of both me and Kacchan’s childhood that this all feels… Like I betrayed Kacchan, if that makes sense.”

“Nope. Not even a little.” Hitoshi turned onto his side, watching Izuku intently. “I would get if you felt betrayed by Ass Might; that’s obvious and understandable. But I don’t get how this is your fault in any fashion.”

Izuku huffed, rolling over to face him. “Because if I wasn’t… ya know… me, it wouldn’t have happened. Kacchan could have kept his childhood idol and the class would still be taught by the number one hero, and…”

“And nothing, Zuks. Seriously, if he’s discriminatory, he would have found someone else to go after. If he just made a stupid comment because he’s old and ignorant, he’ll learn. But do you really think that it would be my fault if he had said that I didn’t know what I was talking about because I have a villain’s quirk?”

“No! You don’t, and anyone who thinks so is stupid, Tosh!”

Hitoshi gripped Izuku’s shoulder and shook him slightly. “Exactly. Listen to what you just said. You know more about quirks and quirk applications than any quirked person I’ve ever met. It’s not your fault that someone was an ignorant bag of dicks and the only person who can be blamed for failing you, or Hothead, is All Might. He’s the one who made stupid comments, and he’s the one who fucked up. Not you.”

Izuku huffed a little, rolling forward slightly to put his head on Hitoshi’s shoulder. “Logically, that makes sense. Guess I’m not feeling too logical right now.”

“And I get that. And I’ll even give you tonight to wallow and freak out, cuz believe me, I get the need. But if you’re still stuck in stupidity tomorrow, I’m telling the bomb and you can deal with him.”

“Toshi! Don’t do that!” Izuku’s whine was muffled slightly by his shoulder, but it still made Hitoshi chuckle.

“Don’t try me, little brother. It’s either the walking explosion or the lightning rod. One will bitch, the other will give you puppy eyes. Pick your poison.”

“Two damned weeks, Tosh. You’re not that much older.” He paused slightly, eyes widening. “You can’t tell Denki! Seriously, I’d rather deal with one of Ten’s lectures. You know he’d blame himself!”

“DING DING DING. Ya know, like you’re doing right now. Sucks when the boot’s on the other foot, doesn’t it?”

“I do not appreciate you using logic on me right now. Haven’t I suffered enough today?”

Hitoshi’s deep chuckle was incredibly soothing, honestly. If after everything, his brother could laugh and tease him, somehow things would be okay. At least, that’s what Izuku was willing to tell himself. Nothing was really fixed, but at least there were plans in place, and a class full of surprise allies he hadn’t been expecting.

Not the best start to his UA career, but honestly… it could have been a lot worse and he found, despite everything, that he had a lot of hope for the future.

Chapter Text

When Hitoshi had texted him about Hagakure’s costume, Shouta had immediately headed down to the training field to help out where he could. He got there just in time to hear Izuku absolutely destroy the number one hero verbally, but it was very easy to see that his son was starting to dissociate even as he went off. A quick glance showed Hitoshi shaking with Denki wrapped around him, while Katsuki and Tenya were already moving forward like they were going to attack the older man. The only thing Shouta could think to do was separate Yagi from the kids and hope that his sons would accept comfort from their friends.

While he was wary of leaving the kids alone with their new classmates, he knew that Nezu had cameras all over the training grounds, and he didn’t have time to get back up. His priority was getting All Might away from his son before blood was shed, so he just hoped everything would turn out okay.

Hizashi’s report proved that it was better than okay. While obviously, none of the students were thrilled with what happened, they hadn’t turned on Izuku. As a matter of fact, despite the outcries from the first day, they had rallied around both of his kids and even took it upon themselves to demand that Yagi not teach them anymore. While it was worrying that so many of his new students had either been victims of, or were witnesses to so many different forms of discrimination and bullying, he had to admit that it was also funny that they immediately went for a revenge plot instead of stewing in their anger and upset.

Wednesday proved interesting early, with the staff chat blowing up as soon as homeroom had finished. It was honestly a little funny watching Yagi descend into frustrated stewing.

UA Staff

Please inform Shuzenji immediately of all injuries. Aizawa, this means you.

Yagi: I believe I have fixed the teaching plan for the first year Heroics course. Could someone check it for me?
Nezu: Have you completed the teaching modules I assigned you?
Yagi: Well, no, but this seemed more important.
Aizawa: How about the mandated sensitivity training that you were supposed to finish before the school year started?
Yagi: You have to understand that I’m a busy man, Aizawa.
Kan: So do we want to trade off for each Heroics lesson, Shouta, or are we just going to manage our own kids and then do joint lessons?
Yagi: Kan, would you please review my teaching plan?
Aizawa: I’m thinking we’ll just manage our own classes. Joint training at least twice a month so the brats get used to working with each other.
Maijima: I didn’t find any major issues in Sekijiro’s class costumes, Shouta, so I’ll be able to get with my support company to fix the ones in yours this week. Would Izuku be willing to pop into 1-B and take a look at what they’re working with?
Yagi: Why in the world would you send that child into another class? Surely you’re perfectly capable of handling some minor costume adjustments.
Kan: Does he need to meet with them, or would a dossier of each kid and their quirk work for him? I don’t want to take him out of classes.
Nezu: Toshinori-kun, you should be working on one of the teaching modules or the sensitivity training. I will remind you that first year students are no longer your concern. Sekijiro-kun, it would be best for him to meet with your class, as he likes to discuss the reasons behind choices before making any changes.
Kan: Fair enough, but when would be a good time?
Yamada: It’s early enough in the year, and Shou and I can help him if he needs it, so Ecto, you cool with the listener skipping out of math today? Then he can take that period and homeroom to discuss costume designs.
Ectoplasm: No problems here as long as he makes up any work he misses, but this week is mostly review anyway. Speaking of reviews, I noticed that Monoma has some attention issues in math. Not sure about his other classes, and obviously I haven’t met with 1-A yet, so I’m not sure of any problems there, but thought you should be aware.
Kan: I’ve actually noticed that in homeroom too… like he’s constantly on alert. I made a note in his file to check his home life, but it may settle after he gets used to a new school.
Aizawa: Zashi, no.
Yamada: Shoooooou!
Kurose: I feel scared. Should I be scared? I’m a little scared rn
Aizawa: That’s the copy kid, right?
Kan: Yep. Doesn’t seem like a bad kid, just… a little odd. Like, trying to beat people to the punch. We both know the type, Shouta.
Aizawa: Fuck.
Kan: Yup.
Aizawa: Fine. Ecto, Bakugou is also going to miss whatever class Izuku leaves. He helped do the design work for all of Izuku’s costumes, so having him there would be helpful. And I am not putting that kid through another situation too soon, and the firecracker will be a good deterrent until the gremlin can get through to 1-B and probably Monoma.
Kan: The explosion kid?
Yamada: Yup! He’s another one that’s on constant alert, but for different reasons. Frankly, I’m not cool with Zu wandering about without some kind of protection until after the entire first year Heroics course knows about him.
Yagi: Why are we giving one child special privileges like that? If he’s supposed to be training as a hero, shouldn’t he be able to handle himself?
Aizawa: Sensitivity module. Now. Or go the fuck home. I’m done dealing with you today.
Yagi: What have I done wrong now?!Young Kayama completely ignored me when I asked her a question, Snipe literally took all of the mugs out of the cabinet and put them in the sink when I went for a cup of tea, and now you’re cursing at me. I don’t understand.
Nezu: And that is exactly why Shouta-kun is telling you to do the module, Toshinori-kun. I will explain it one more time, in writing, so that you can go back to it when needed.
Nezu: 1: We do not refer to individuals with weak or no quirk as ‘afflicted’. They do not have a disease.
Nezu: 2: The safety of our students and staff is my utmost priority. This is done in a variety of ways, at the recommendations of their homeroom teachers, who are trained to take advice of students who have noticed dangerous situations. These include bullying, discriminatory remarks, unsafe quirk use in and out of training, and yes, hero costumes.
Nezu: 3: I hold my staff to very high standards. It is not, generally, enough just to be a Pro Hero, or a licensed teacher. My staff is trained, every single year, on statistics and patterns of students in unsafe conditions, which includes what actions can be taken and what actions should never be taken.
Aizawa: So to answer your question, you have no teaching license or training, even though you were told to get both before you started this year. You ignored a student’s very valid concern about the safety of his peers. And you used a derogatory term (Affliction, in case you don’t remember), outing said student to his class without his direct permission. You literally did all of that within the first ten minutes of meeting the kid.
Yagi: ……..
Yagi: Would… that be why I just received a rather nice package, with a note that says, ‘Don’t be jealous’ and filled with… umm, phallic gummies?
Aizawa: No idea, but ya know… if the dick fits…
Kurose: Definitely scared now. Hizashi-senpai fell off the couch laughing. On a good note, Nezu-san, the shatter proof windows have done their job, and I was the only one in the teacher’s lounge…
Yamada: soryr! srory! im godo holy stih!!!
Snipe: Y’all, I dunno what ur feedin’ these sprouts, but the emo bird one just stared at me and said ‘retribution has begun’…
Kurose: Correction, and apologies, Nezu-san. The glass is shatter resistant, not shatter proof.
Nezu: It is quite all right, Anan-chan. Thank you for informing me. I will speak with the installation company. Hizashi-kun, any repairs will be your responsibility. Toshinori-kun, I would like to see the sensitivity module completed and on my desk by end of day.
Yamada: *thumbs up*
Aizawa: I’ll send the problem children to your class tomorrow, Sekijiro.
Kan: That’s fine. I’ll plan time in Heroics for the end of the day for them, we’ll meet in Gym Gamma.

Shouta wouldn’t lie, he was quite pleased with how well the prank war was going. The day was filled with minor inconveniences for the number one hero, that were quite painfully obvious. Higari had fitted little poppers to his chair right before lunch, practically sending the blond through the roof of his office. His bellow was audible even through the soundproofing, which had forced Shouta to hide a grin in his scarf as he filled his own travel mug with coffee. Every pen he picked up was dead, and every pencil’s point was dull and cracked as soon as he tried to use it. While he couldn’t prove anything, he had to admit that he was rather proud of Anan’s pinpoint precision with her quirk… or her dedication in finding or creating dead pens after the staff was informed yesterday.

Hizashi, not to be left out and ‘feeling sorry for him’, left him with one pen to take notes with. It was bright yellow, and had a dunce cap on the top of it. When Yagi just sighed softly and accepted it, Shouta nodded slightly. He certainly wasn’t willing let him off the hook yet, but he hoped that accepting his punishment meant that maybe Yagi was understanding how bad he’d fucked up. Hopefully.

The biggest concern at the moment was that Izuku hadn’t slept more than a couple hours in three days. Their entire family group was well aware that the green-haired boy got more than a little unhinged when he was sleep-deprived. He had messaged Katsuki privately to give him a word of warning, getting back a promise to keep an eye on him with several expletives back. With Izuku under Katsuki’s watchful eye, Shouta could pay more attention to the rest of his class and keeping the number one hero away from his kids. If he took a couple pictures of the various pranks and how they landed and sent them in the prank group chat, well… it was only fair that the brats get to see their handiwork.

Thankfully, their third day was as normal as a day at UA got. Shouta watched from a small alcove in the hallway as All Might attempted to speak to some of the class as they headed back from lunch. He couldn’t make out exactly what was said, but Yagi didn’t look contrite. His spiteful hellions actually looked directly through the number one. Even Tenya, who frequently struggled with going against authority figures, loudly talked over whatever Yagi was saying, turned away from him as he spoke with Eijirou. It was an impressively petty display and he didn’t bother to hide his smirk as Yagi’s shoulders slumped.

When the day ended as normally as it had begun, Shouta allowed himself a sigh of relief. They needed a normal day. He ended up curling up in his sleeping bag in a corner of Gym Gamma, still wary of leaving Izuku and Hitoshi alone for too long, while the kids trained that afternoon. With Izuku in his element studying Hagakure and Tokoyami, and Katsuki barking out orders like a drill instructor for the other kids, he closed his eyes and let himself nap.

Chapter Text

Izuku wasn’t completely sure he’d slept at all when he got up Wednesday morning. He knew he spent several hours in his notebooks, on his phone, and tossing and turning, but he might have dozed here and there. What he did know was that he needed about a gallon of coffee and a normal, stress-free day.

At least he could get the coffee.

He grumbled his way through his shower, pulling up his chat with Mina to make sure he was using each product she’d made him buy correctly. Apparently, his hair masks were fine, but were to be used at different times and in a specific order, but his shampoo and conditioner were abysmal and he needed to use some leave-in product that was sticky on his fingers, but left his hair super soft once it dried? Whatever. Mina was a little scary, and frankly he was too tired to argue with her about it this morning, so he worked his way through everything methodically before trudging out to the kitchen. He was still buttoning his shirt, tie wrapped loosely around his neck as he beelined for the coffee with a huge yawn.

“Morning, problem child.” Shouta’s voice made him startle a little, but he kept his grip on the glass carafe, only sloshing a bit of the life juice over the edge of his mug. With a grunt, he downed the first cup in a couple gulps, poured a second cup, and then flopped at the kitchen table.

“Mornin’.”

“Did you sleep at all?”

“Mmm… dunno. Did you?”

Shouta smirked at the sleepy sass, sipping his own cup. “One, yes. Two, I’m an adult. Three, your shirt is buttoned wrong.”

“One, fuck you. Two, congrats on being old. Three… god fucking dammit.” Izuku’s mutterings took on a darker edge as he set his mug down with a light thud and checked his buttons. Once he’d gotten them fixed, he huffed. “Can morning start at like… noon? For like… a week?”

“I wish.” Shouta chuckled and ran a hand through Izuku’s hair gently. “We can attempt to nap through homeroom this morning if you want.”

“Tch, have you met my friends? Or the rest of the class? The only one who might be willing to let either of us do that is Tosh, and that’s because he’d be napping too.”

“What did I do now?” Hitoshi’s voice cut through the quiet conversation as he headed for his own cup of coffee.

“You’d let us sleep through homeroom.” Shouta smirked slightly, offering a nod to his older son.

“Hell yeah, I would. If everyone else would shut up for five minutes… maybe you can make them play the quiet game.”

Izuku giggled softly, polishing off the rest of his coffee and eyeing the pot like he was considering a third. After a second, he blinked. “Wait… where’s Pops?”

“He had to run out early this morning. He said something about the radio show, but the coffee wasn’t done yet, so I don’t remember exactly what. I was instructed to make sure you boys eat, so… juice pack or cash for cafe?”

Hitoshi chuckled softly. “Cafe. We’ve been getting everyone else’s orders all morning, along with some worried texts about Zuks, so we’ll just grab food there. You want something?”

“Grab me a breakfast sandwich, and you should probably grab something for Zashi too. He rags on us, but I doubt the birdbrain remembered to grab himself anything this morning.”

“You got it.” Izuku stared at the pot for a minute longer before pushing himself up and washing his mug out. “I’m gonna grab my bag and then we can get going, Tosh…”

“Tie your tie, problem child. And no fighting before school.” Shouta smirked at him when Izuku stuck out his tongue.

“No promises, old man! I might get into a fight now just to spite you.” He pretended to square up with Hitoshi, who just slurped his coffee loudly. “Toshi, fight me!”

“Not a chance. I’m not listening to Tenya lecture me about my messy uniform.”

“You’re no fun. Kacchan will fight me.” Izuku swept out of the kitchen with his nose in the air, and Hitoshi immediately pulled out his phone.

Chaos

Catffiend: Yo, Hothead, no fighting Zuks today. At least not until training.
BoomBitch: Why is he banned from fighting?
Catffiend: He hasn’t slept and Dad banned him from fighting before school.
BoomBitch: Ha, get fucking wrecked, nerd.
Mean Green Sunshine Machine: Toshi, you god damned snitch!
Tenya: You should not be fighting before school anyway.
Denki: Bad night, Zuzu?
Izuku: Just couldn’t sleep.
Denki: I can offer hugs instead of punches?
Mina: omg i cnt handl ur cute. smne say smth unhinged
Eiji: Why can you manage to spell unhinged, but everything else is an indecipherable code?
Hanta: Eiji pullin’ out the dictionary.
Kats: Fucking Raccoon Eyes needs to be slapped with the god damned dictionary.
Izuku: I’ll slap you with my dicktionary, Kacchan.
Fumi: Ah, this is what is setting off my phone. Good morning to everyone except Izuku.
Toru: Ya know, there’s a joke about throwing shade in here somewhere, but feels too easy…
Izuku: You feel too easy.
Toru: Square up, broccoli boy!
Izuku: Bet!
Toshi: I’ll tell Dad.
Izuku: i’Ll tElL dAD

Hitoshi cackled and shook his head. “Today’s gonna be… interesting. Just a warning.”

“Fantastic. Is he gonna fight Kats?”

“Nope. Apparently Toru. So like… yeah, I ain’t getting in the middle of that shit.” Hitoshi was still snickering when Shouta’s head hit the table.

“Try to keep them from actually fighting. Maybe remind them about training tonight, or the pranks? Or something? Why is he gonna fight her?”

“Because she’s a bitch.” Izuku grinned from the doorway to the kitchen. “And we probably won’t fight. Maybe. Possibly.” He hitched his bag a little higher, tie a mangled mess around his neck. “C’mon Tosh. We’re either gonna go get coffee, or commit a felony!”

“Great.” Hitoshi’s voice was as dead as their dad’s as he pushed himself away from the table. “Just know I was an unwillingly accomplice, Dad. Plead my case with Pops when we get arrested.”

“Not a chance.” Shouta’s grumble was met with laughter from Izuku as he walked out the door. Hitoshi paused for a second, looking back. “I’ll tell Hothead to stall Toru a bit so Denks gets to him first. He’ll probably settle down with the blond leech attached to him.”

Shouta chuckled softly and nodded. “Just… keep an eye on him. We may have to do a sleepover tonight or tomorrow so Kats can sit on him and make him sleep.”

Hitoshi tossed him a quick two-finger salute and ambled out the door after his brother, who was impatiently waiting on the sidewalk. Slinging an arm over Izuku’s shoulders, he pulled his phone back out, texting Katsuki about delaying the invisible girl a few extra minutes. “If you don’t tell Dad or Pops, we can grab an extra coffee before everyone gets there.”

Izuku perked up a bit, nodding. “Yeah, sounds good. Can’t tell Kacchan or Ten either, though. I can’t deal with the lecture this morning. I’m already fighting Toru, can’t fight them too.”

“Save the fighting for training. You two can beat each other up while you analyze her quirk.”

“No promises,” Izuku sing-songed, grinning wildly.

By the time Denki and Tenya arrived at the cafe, Izuku and Hitoshi had already downed one coffee and were each working on a second, sitting on the bench nearby with the drinks for everyone else sitting next to them. Izuku had grabbed everyone breakfast again, mindful of his diet plan and getting an actual breakfast sandwich for himself instead of just a danish. Denki immediately flopped down next to him, cuddling against his side when Izuku lifted his arm to make room.

“Morning!”

“G’morning, lightning bug. Morning, Tenten.”

“Good morning, Izuku-kun, Hitoshi-kun. Are you feeling a little less violent now?”

“Not in the slightest, why? You wanna fight?” Izuku grinned impishly at him, making Tenya shake his head and push his glasses up.

“No. Not even a little bit. What in the world did you do to your tie? It looks like you already got into a fight with it…”

“I did. Still not sure who won. The fucker.”

Hitoshi shook his head as Denki giggled. Tenya was obviously considering the threat of bodily harm if he tried to fix it, but the option was taken out of his hands when the small blond turned slightly and quickly fixed it himself.

“There, now we don’t have to worry about Ten’s aneurysm.” Denki grinned and dropped his head back onto Izuku’s shoulder, chewing on the straw of his drink a bit. Izuku sighed and shook his head, but wrapped his arm back around the blond’s shoulders as he sipped his fourth coffee of the day.

“Thank you, Denki-kun. I appreciate the consideration of my blood pressure.” The mocking lilt to Tenya’s formal tone made them all chuckle. Hitoshi glanced up and gave a quick wave, getting Katsuki’s attention as he and Toru walked into view.

“Have you calmed the fuck down yet, shithead?” Katsuki’s greeting was gruff, but he was eyeing Izuku like a demolition expert looked at a bomb… careful and ready for it to go off at any minute.

“For the moment. Tosh says I can’t fight Toru until after school, so…”

“And I’ll wreck ya, green bean!” Toru chirped at him, leaning in to give him and Denki quick hugs. “Kats says I can take you.”

Katsuki nodded firmly, taking his drink and Toru’s to hand to her. “Damn straight. If you can get a hold of him. Pure muscle, I’m pretty sure she’s got ya beat, nerd. But if ya draw it out, or can get around her, she’ll get fuckin’ destroyed. So… 50/50 bet.”

Izuku chuckled and nodded. “We’ll test it out this afternoon. Mina’s got dance at 7, so we’ll have her for training but she won’t be able to stick around for food after if we go out. I’m gonna talk to Lunch Rush and see if he’d be willing to make us something for dinner quick so we can talk about… ya know, stuff before everyone heads out.”

Katsuki nodded back. “Makes sense. We’ll talk to your hobo dad and see if we can use one of the smaller gyms that can lock, or maybe go back to the classroom when we’re done? Somewhere fuckin’ private.”

Izuku gave him a little smile and stood up, pulling Denki up with him. “C’mon. Everyone will be at the gate soon.”

As soon as they met up with the rest of their group, Mina’s hands were in Izuku’s hair, ignoring Eijirou grabbing her drink for her. “Much better! Did you bring the dry shampoo for after training?”

“Fuck. I knew I forgot something…”

She smiled and waved a hand dismissively, finally taking her drink. “No worries, I brought mine. I’ll help ya spray it out and show you how to use it properly.”

Izuku gave her a smile and a quick hug, nodding. “Sounds good. You gotta leave by 6, right?”

“Ayup!” She popped the p, along with her hip like a model. “I shifted my one night to Saturday so that I’m mostly free during the week, but couldn’t move my Wednesday class.”

“Not a problem. Tonight’s gonna be some quirk training so I can see what everyone does, nice and light. Might let Kacchan throw a few explosions at Eijirou.”

The redhead’s eyes widened for a second before he gave a toothy grin. “Hell yeah, bro, let’s do it!”

“Tch. ‘Let,’ he says, like I ain’t gonna fuckin’ do it for fun…”

For the most part, the school day was calm. Shouta pulled Izuku aside right before lunch to tell him about the trip to 1-B, passing him a couple fresh notebooks in the process. When he caught up with his friends, he immediately latched onto Katsuki’s arm, shaking him slightly.

“We’re skipping math today, Kacchan. Apparently, Maijima-sensei wants us to check on 1-B’s costumes, since he’s busy with the reworks he has to do for our class.” He was practically vibrating, and Katsuki huffed and slammed a hand into the top of his head to hold him still.

“One, why the fuck do we have to miss math for that? And two, you are not this excited about costume checks, so what the fuck is up with you? Other than the ridiculous amount of caffeine you’ve consumed today.”

“Kacchan… Kacchan, there’s a kid with a copy quirk in 1-B! And another kid with a quirk like Eiji’s! Just… can you imagine the possibilities?! For like, team-ups and stuff!! We’re gonna have to work with them throughout the year! It’d be so cool to get to work with someone who can literally double your firepower, or Han’s tape, or-!” The rambling was stopped by Hanta’s hand over his mouth, black eyes dancing with amusement.

“Oi, Izu, breathe, dude.” Once Izuku took a deep breath in through his nose, glaring playfully at the other boy, Hanta grinned. “Now, I’mma give you something else to think about. You ready?”

Izuku tilted his head, pushing Hanta’s hand away but obviously curious. The rest of the table was amused, but also watching in interest.

“Sports Festival is soon.” There was silence after he dropped the bomb, until suddenly Izuku’s eyes lit up like someone was shining a flashlight through them.

“Holy shit…” His voice dropped to an eager whisper, gripping Katsuki’s arm hard enough that the blond cursed and tried to pull away. “Kacchan… we can totally get all the info for the Sports Festival… oh my god, we’d be so prepared…”

“Tch, like I need to know about shitty extras to beat them anyway,” Katsuki grumbled, but everyone could see the competitive gleam to his eyes. “Fine, nerd, I’ll come with you to help with costumes and check out if there’s any actual competition. We bein’ subtle?”

“Mmhmm.” Izuku nodded sharply. “Today is about helping them, and more importantly, helping Maijima-sensei.” His grin turned vicious, practically a mirror of Katsuki’s. “This weekend, we make some plans.” They bumped their knuckles together and Denki whined playfully.

“Aw, man, they’re being terrifying again. Toru, hide me…”

“I fully cannot, my guy. I’ve got a glove you can cover your face with?”

Everyone laughed and lunch conversation fell to their various classes and how they would keep up with schoolwork while still being able to train. Izuku did point out that they might have to work their schedules around Heroics days. It wasn’t good for them to train that hard every single day, and he didn’t want someone getting injured from overworking. Eijirou pointed out that they could play it by ear and if they needed a break, they could do basic weight and cardio training instead of pushing themselves. Izuku and Katsuki agreed, taking a few minutes with one of Izuku’s notebooks to scribble some ideas down.

On their way back to the classroom after lunch, everyone was chatting and laughing until All Might stepped up to them. As a group, they surrounded Izuku, Hitoshi, and Toru, walking by him without so much as a glance. Tenya started talking loudly to Eijirou about the exceptional quality of most of the UA faculty and the red-head quickly got the idea, speaking about his hopes that someone like Aizawa-sensei would teach Foundational Heroics since ‘the last guy was such an unmanly dud’. From the corner of his eye, Izuku watching All Might open his mouth like he was going to speak, but no one left him an opportunity, quickly making their way out of his sight.

They burst back into the classroom in a group, laughing brightly at All Might’s dumbfounded face. The rest of the day went by smoothly, and when Ectoplasm came in to start math, the cloning hero told them to head to Ground Beta to meet with Vlad and 1-B.

As they made their way down, Izuku chewed on his lip for a minute before taking a breath. “I’m just going to tell them, I think.”

Katsuki blinked. “What do you mean, nerd?”

“I don’t wanna give anyone a chance to out me again. I’m just going to tell them up front that I’m…” He took another, steadier breath, nodding his head firmly. “That I’m quirkless. I’m kinda… I’m honestly kinda done trying to avoid disasters like yesterday.”

Katsuki nodded, ruffling green curls. “Makes sense. And I’m here if anyone decides to be shitty about it.”

Izuku gave him a bright smile, leaning into the hair ruffle. “I know you are, Kacchan. But you were right. I survived. I made it through all that bullshit to get here. Now that I’m here… I’m done hiding. Or at least… I want to be.” He huffed, bumping their shoulders together lightly. “I know I’m gonna backslide and stuff… but that’s what I got you for, right?”

“Damn bent, fuckin’ nerd. We do it together and we rub it in the faces of every fucker that told us you couldn’t do it.” They shared a feral smile and a fist bump before walking into the mock city for the second time in two days.

Chapter Text

As they stepped into the city, they could hear the loud conversation and a few sounds like quirks going off. Izuku sighed, then straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. He shared a brief nod with Katsuki before stepping out into the open, forcing himself not to shrink back when eyes started turning towards them.

“Hello, Vlad-sensei. W-we’re here like Maijima-sensei requested?” He cursed the slight stutter and quiver in his voice. He had been so certain and even a little excited when he walked in, but all those eyes on him were unnerving.

“Yes, good, c’mon in. Class 1-B! This is Izuku Yamazawa and Katsuki Bakugou. They are students from 1-A and also under Power Loader’s mentorship. Some issues were discovered yesterday with 1-A’s hero costumes, so they’re here to check over yours for safety.”

An orange-haired girl with a bouncy ponytail smiled warmly. “Welcome! We haven’t noticed any problems, but we’ve only had these on for an hour or so.”

Izuku nodded slightly, noting that Katsuki stayed at his back as he moved forward. “That’s fair, but I’m already seeing a c-couple of issues… we’re not sure who was working on our costumes from the support company, but they seem to have…” He tilted his head, pinching his lip with his fingers for a second. “Issues? Especially with the female costumes. One of our classmate’s was given a case that held nothing but a pair of gloves and boots.” His voice became firmer as he thought about Toru’s lack of costume and how upset the girl had been. It was still pissing him off, and he didn’t think that would change anytime soon.

The girl looked scandalized and Izuku gave a firm nod. “Exactly. While I get that she’s invisible, still not appropriate at all. Umm, okay. Vlad-sensei, do you mind?”

“Not at all. If Yamazawa asks a question, answer to the best of your ability. If you have any questions, feel free to ask as well.” Vlad King gave a stern look to his students. “Be polite.”

Izuku chuckled, waving a hand. “I have Kacchan with me; I’m not expecting politeness. If I ask a question you don’t want to answer, just tell me.” He motioned to the girl with the orange hair, taking a deep breath as he fell into analysis rather than worrying about who was watching him. “Name?”

“Oh, sorry. Itsuka Kendo, nice to meet ya!” She extended a hand and Izuku shook it briefly.

“Same. Okay, so I’m gonna be asking about quirks. If you’re not comfortable answering, just telling me whether it’s an emitter, tranformation, or mutant quirk, and if it originates from a particular spot. So… what is your quirk, Kendo-san?”

She giggled and waved the hand he’d shaken, expanding its size. “My quirk is literally called Big Fist. I make them big, I punch people.”

Katsuki snorted behind him, nodding. “Seems pretty cut and dry, nerd.”

Izuku chuckled. “Yeah. So you don’t need any skin showing or anything, so, umm… did you ask for the qipao and boots, or was that given to you?”

“I requested it. I’ve found that it’s easier to move in, though the boots are a little… odd.”

Izuku started writing, tongue poking out slightly as Katsuki moved up to study her outfit. “Looks good from a design point, but not much protection.”

The green-haired boy nodded with a little hum. “I think that can be fixed with some basic armor like I wear, especially in the corset. Leggings underneath would still look nice, but also afford more protection, and the boots should be tighter so they don’t snag on anything. I’m assuming enhanced strength, Kendo-san?”

She blinked, head tilting slightly. “Umm, yes, actually. I’m also fairly fast, which makes surprising people easier.”

“That’s good. Okay. So honestly, your costume looks good, just needs a few minor tweaks. You’d probably have realized that before the end of the semester, but we’re trying to hit on this early since we had such issues with our class.”

“Ponytail’s costume was a fuckin’ mess…”

“Mmhmm. Practically falling out of it. Midnight wears more, which is just ridiculous for a 14 year old. At least in my opinion.”

Kendo’s hand covered her mouth for a minute, glancing back at her class. “Oh. Oh my, that’s…”

Izuku smiled sweetly at her. “Ayup. But unless you’ve noticed any other issues, we can move on to the next student. Kacchan and I will draw up the changes and you’ll be able to review them before Maijima-sensei does any modifications.” He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. “I don’t want anyone to think we’re just changing things all willy nilly with no input from you guys… these are your costumes, after all, and choices can be very personal.”

Kendo waved him away with a kind smile. “We appreciate the consideration, Yamazawa-san.”

“Tch, maybe you do. Some of us are quite happy with the way our costumes are, thank you very much.” The haughty voice was connected to an ash blond boy that looked like he was ready for a Hero Gala instead of a fight. “I get that you were told to come here, but I don’t see why we should take anything you say into any kind of consideration.”

Izuku tilted his head, looking him over. “Name?”

“Neito Monoma, and don’t you forget it.”

Izuku gave him a sunny smile, but his eyes were hard. “Don’t worry, I never do. What’s your quirk, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Monoma smirked, darting forward to touch his arm. He blinked a little, his display thrown off when there was nothing to grab. “Wait…”

“Oh, are you the copy kid? That’s so cool! Sorry, nothing there for you to grab, but if you’d like to try again, you’re welcome to copy someone else’s to show me.” Izuku’s voice was cheerful and excited, eyes wide as he bounced a little. An actual copy quirk was rare and fascinating, sue him.

Monoma stared at his hand, then peered at Izuku, eyes narrowed. “You’re a blank?”

Izuku tilted his head, eyes softening just slightly. “Well, that’s better than what I’m usually called. I’m quirkless, Monoma-san. Is your quirk all five fingers, or will any touch do?”

Katsuki had stepped up next to Izuku, one hand out to the side to pull him back if needed. “And do ya usually just walk around stealin’ people’s quirks without even askin’? Fuckin’ rude…”

Monoma took a single step back, straightening completely. “Actually, I don’t. But we are in a training area. You’re seriously quirkless, and in 1-A?”

“Ayup. And before it starts, no, I wasn’t the pity pick. Kacchan and I took first place in the Entrance Exam.” He straightened slightly, looking out at the rest of the class. They all seemed surprised, but he didn’t see any open hostility. Katsuki snorted beside him, motioning to Monoma.

“Answer the question, Copycat. You need all five fingers, just your fuckin’ hand, or will any touch do?”

“Are you always this rude and vulgar? Sheesh.” Monoma ran a hand through his own hair, finally seeming to get over his surprise. “Any touch will do. I simply need the DNA.”

Izuku gave him a small grimace. “That must have sucked as a kid, especially if you couldn’t control it. Your costume isn’t actually bad at all, but… do you have any kind of armor in it?”

Monoma looked stunned for a second, then shifted into a more relaxed stance. “Probably not as much as being quirkless, but it was close. And no… where would I put armor?”

Izuku just nodded slightly, already writing again. “Thin, lightweight armor either in, or underneath, the jacket. A bodysuit under your costume would work if you don’t want to mess with the fit. Does the DNA have to be living?”

“Uh… what?”

“Like, if you found some blood or a piece of hair with the follicle attached, could you copy a quirk from that?”

“I…” Monoma stopped, head tilted and eyes distant as he considered it. “I don’t know, actually. I’ve never wanted to try. I can’t do much with mutant quirks… I can copy them, but they hurt. And some people can’t be copied, so I don’t tend to mess around with unknown… samples.”

“Oh. That makes total sense, actually. You should find out. Hair in rings or in small patches on your belt could let you copy known quirks if you get separated. Time limit?”

“About five minutes.” He tapped one of the pocketwatches on his side. “I use these to keep track.”

Izuku nodded again, humming slightly as he wrote. “So, armor of some kind, and you should check the hair thing. Kacchan?”

Katsuki huffed a little. “Looks kinda pompous, but it’s not a bad design. I’d consider shortening the tails slightly, and maybe get some sort of weapon in case you get fucked outta using a quirk, but I don’t hate it.”

Izuku giggled. “High praise indeed. Anything you’ve noticed, Monoma-san?”

“I’ve noticed that you still haven’t exactly answered my original question, actually.”

Izuku tilted his head, smirking slightly. “You never asked a question. You said you didn’t get why you should listen to us about your costumes, but there wasn’t a question to answer.”

Monoma paused a second, then huffed, though a tiny smile played on his lips. He wasn’t used to actually being listened to, much less bested in verbal spars. “Then let me rephrase. Why should we listen to you?”

Katsuki chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Now you’ve done it…”

Izuku just shrugged, that smirk getting a little more feral. “You don’t have to. Other than wasting my time a bit, there’s literally no effect on me, or Kacchan, if you ignore us and do your own thing. But quirks and hero costumes are kinda my thing… enough so that Kacchan and I were invited into Power Loader’s after school club for support design before we even attended UA. I’ve designed all of my own gear, and Maijima-sensei has already given it all his seal of approval. I’ll be giving my recommendations to you and to him, and you can take or leave whatever you want.” He raised his voice slightly, just enough that everyone would be able to hear him. “That goes for everyone. Take it or leave it, but I am taking time out of my class to help you out, on Power Loader’s request. Do what you will with it.”

As he turned to start on a new student, Izuku looked back at Monoma. “By the way, I think your quirk is actually really awesome and versatile. I’d love to talk to you more about it, but only if you want to.”

Leaving the ash blond behind, Izuku worked his way through the rest of 1-B, getting Katsuki’s opinion on designs as he went. He geeked out a little at Tokage’s costume, impressed that she already used her own skin for armor. Tetsutetsu was almost exactly like Kirishima; friendly, loud and more than happy to take suggestions and advice. It left Izuku giggling softly when Katsuki muttered, “Rock for Brains 2.0,” in his ear, and he quickly corrected him to “Metal for Brains, Kacchan,” as they walked away.

It took them until the afternoon homeroom bell to finish, and Izuku bowed to Vlad as it rang. “I think I’ve got everything, sensei. I’ll get these worked up and sent to you to hand out, and to Power Loader-sensei.”

“Appreciate it, Izuku. I was scared to look into the cases when Higari told me what happened.”

“Yeah, it was very much so not good, but we’re fixing it. I’m still hoping Nezu-sensei will tell me who approved Toru and Yaoyorozu’s costumes. I just wanna talk…”

Katsuki huffed and grabbed the back of his shirt. “Let’s go, nerd. Hobo-sensei will probably want an update before final bell.”

As the two made their way back to their own class, they left a dumbfounded group of students staring after them. Neito glanced at Itsuka, head tilted slightly. “Did… that just happen?”

She nodded easily, a little smile on her lips. “It did. But you were pretty rude, Monoma-kun…”

Neito flipped a hand at her, feigning nonchalance that he knew she saw right through. “A quirkless kid in the hero course? Trust me, he’s heard worse. This is going to be a very interesting year.”

Chapter Text

When they got back to the classroom, Katsuki and Izuku were immediately attacked with questions, voices rising above each other in an unintelligible cacophony. Katsuki set off a few small explosions, getting everyone to back off and quiet down. “Shut the fuck up, holy shit! What the fuck is wrong with you people?”

Shouta huffed softly, standing behind his desk. “A very good question. Get in your seats, hellions, so I can go over announcements.”

Everyone scrambled to their seats as Izuku shot a grateful look at his dad before sliding into his own. As Shouta went through the few announcements he had, the green-haired boy started organizing his notes on their sister class. Hanta wasn’t wrong… the information Izuku had at his fingertips would be a huge advantage to his classmates if he decided to share it. He tapped a finger to his lips before shaking his head a little.

He would just ask his parents when he got home. He was far too used to underhanded means to get ahead; ethics was something he couldn’t really afford before, so he struggled a little with it now. Either way, his group would be getting the same information that he and Katsuki had access to. It was only fair, especially since Hanta was the one with the idea.

As the bell rang, Shouta waved them off. “All right, get outta here. See you tomorrow or whatever.”

Everyone else packed up and Izuku glanced at his group. “Okay, you lot head to Gamma. I’m gonna run down and talk to Lunch Rush-”

Shouta’s voice interrupted him. “I already spoke with Lunch Rush, problem child. We’ll bring dinner to the gym at 5, so we can enact the security protocols in it. That’ll give you brats about an hour for your talk, maybe an hour and a half if Ashido wants us to drive her to her class instead of taking the train.” He smirked at Izuku’s surprised face before motioning to Hitoshi.

Izuku turned to his brother, who just smirked as well, shaking his phone a little. “Texted him earlier about the plans because I figured you’d be too scatterbrained to do it. Glad I did after you got all bouncy at lunch.”

Izuku ducked his head sheepishly, chuckling. “There were new quirks, Tosh!” His whining only made everyone else chuckle. “That actually sounds great, D-den we should get moving so we have time to train. Let’s go!” He scrambled up as Hitoshi and Katsuki choked on snorts at his terrible deflection. He scurried out the door before anyone else could move, but heard them grabbing their stuff to follow almost immediately.

Once they were changed, and had gone through some basic warm-ups, Izuku tossed a notebook to Katsuki. “Okay, here’s the plan. I wanna spar against our four new people first. Two minute rounds or pin to win. Getting someone out of the circle is also a win. Kacchan, you take outside observation notes. Then we’ll switch things up. Quirks are allowed, cuz I wanna see how you fight with them. Any questions?”

Katsuki flopped down outside their sparring ring, grabbing a pen from his bag. “Not a question, but a command, asshole. Injuries are called out immediately. Minor scrapes or burns or whatever will get treated in between rounds, but anything more serious puts a fuckin’ stop to the spar. Glasses, you’re on ref. Elbows, Pichu, you’re on injury watch. Nerd won’t always call shit, and Rocks for Brains might not notice an injury to himself or others right away. Casper, you’re up first. Then Raccoon Eyes, Shitty Hair, and then Feathers at the end cuz Dark Shadow bites.”

Izuku nodded, smiling at this best friend. “Makes sense. When we’re done, we’ll take a ten so Kacchan and I can compare notes and figure out the switch ups.” He stepped into the ring, motioning for Toru. She bounced up and they squared off, waiting for Tenya’s countdown.

Twenty minutes later, with all five participants sporting new bandages and bruises, Katsuki and Izuku looked up from their muttered conversation, getting everyone’s attention. Izuku gave them a cheerful smile that tugged a little on the minor cut across his cheek. “Okay, everyone, now that we have a baseline for quirked sparring ready, we can start doing pair-offs.” He glanced at his phone before leaning back.

“We have about 45 minutes before dinner so I’m gonna list the pairs and each pair will take a spot in the gym. Kacchan and I will go around to each of you with pointers and ideas and then when we all meet up on Saturday, we’ll have a final training and meal plan set up for each of you. Got it?”

Everyone nodded easily and he began calling out names. “Toshi and Mina, Eiji and Ten, Denks and Fumi, and Hanta with Toru. Yes, we paired you up because of your weaknesses. Get moving.” Izuku and Katsuki spent the next 35 minutes walking among the four spars, calling out ideas and halting them at random to readjust or help with quirk ideas. By the time Katsuki called it done, the only real ‘winner’ had been Denki, who figured out that Dark Shadow did not like the brightness of his quirk and quickly used that to his advantage.

Just as everyone was settled on the ground, showered and changed from their training, Shouta and Hizashi filed in with a cart full of food. Izuku cheered, bouncing over to help them out and getting a hair ruffle from Hizashi as he did. “Heya, listeners, come grab some grub. Shou’s gonna set up the privacy features quick so y’all can jam.”

Shouta was already at the wall, typing in a code on a panel. Locks clicked into a place, and a soft whooshing sound echoed through the gym for a minute before he came back over to take his own tray. “Done. As a reminder, anything said in this room today does not get spread to anyone outside of it. Is that understood?”

The four newcomers all nodded, slightly wide-eyed, as Denki settled next to Izuku to start eating. Katsuki sat on the green-haired boy’s other side, bumping their shoulders together before looking at the rest of the group. “Sit down and eat, dumbasses. It’s nothing bad, just private.”

Once everyone was settled, Izuku huffed out a chuckle. “Okay, so this was a lot of freaky lead up to something that isn’t really… it’s not bad or anything. Mina, you said you have a vigilante charge?”

“Sure do! Honestly, it wasn’t anything super bad, but there was a guy who was bothering a bunch of people while I was out with my friends. I made him stop. Cops said I did a good job, but like, they still had to note it? Cuz I used my quirk in public, against a criminal.”

Eijirou nodded, poking at his beef bowl with a little frown. “She was manly as hell. Got right up in the guy’s face and told him she’d melt his balls off if he didn’t stop. Caused some property damage, which is probably the main reason she got in trouble…” He sighed. “It was also the reason I got into training and really started trying to become a hero. She inspired the hell out of me. I, uh… I was… I was scared. And didn’t even do anything…”

Katsuki huffed, kicking his ankle lightly. “Oi, Shitty Hair, you weren’t supposed to do anything. And bein’ scared ain’t always a bad thing. You’re here now, right?”

Eijirou nodded quickly. “Yeah… yeah, I am.”

“Then you turned your fuckin’ fear into a positive. So quit beatin’ yourself up about it.”

Mina nodded sharply, hugging Eijirou quickly. “Seriously! I was scared too, but I was definitely closer. You’re gonna be an amazing hero, Eiji!”

Hizashi leaned forward, giving them all a bright smile. “That’s just a typical refrain in the hero concert, listener! We’re all afraid. Ya never know if this one villain, or group of villains, are gonna be the ones to put a stop to your career, sometimes permanently, but the show must go on! And every time you stand up to someone who’s hurtin’ other people, you show the world that good is possible. So use that fear, and that determination!”

Eijirou smiled sheepishly, nodding. “That… yeah, okay! Thanks, guys.”

Izuku waved a hand lightly. “Don’t thank us, Ei. You’re going to be an amazing hero, just like Mina said. You’re already a pretty amazing friend.”

Blushing, the redhead waved them off, but he was still smiling. “This wasn’t about me, though, so…”

Denki laughed. “Sure it is. It’s about all of us. The six of us have all seen some shit, but we made it through because we had people. We’re your people now, so we’re gonna do our best to see you through your shit, and we hope you’re gonna be willing to see us through ours! That’s what friends do.”

Fumi nodded slightly. “It is more pleasant to sit in the light of companionship than wallow in the shadow of solitude.”

“Emo bitch,” Katsuki teased, making Dark Shadow pop out to stick her tongue out at him. “Your fuckin’ turn, nerd. We got limited time, so we should make the most of it.”

“Fine, fine. Honestly, talking about being quirkless is easier than everything else…” Izuku huffed, finishing his food quickly and pushing the tray away. “Okay, so Toru actually knows some of this, but long story short; my umm… genetic material donors abandoned me pretty much right after they found out I was quirkless. Sperm donor left when I was about five, and the egg donor basically ignored me until I was eight, then fucked off for another country without telling anyone. Usually, parents at least have the decency to surrender their quirkless kids to police or social services or something if they don’t have the balls to take care of them, but mine were… well, special, I guess. Lucky me.” He smiled at Hanta. “Kinda why I was so excited to meet your family, Han.”

The black-haired teen nodded easily. “Understandable.”

“So yeah, homeless at eight. Not exactly a great thing, especially since school was basically hell on its own, but I had Kacchan and his parents, so even though I couldn’t exactly tell them, I wasn’t alone, ya know?” He bumped shoulders with his best friend, giving him a warm smile.

“Fucker knew if my old people found out, they’d have to report it or they’d get in trouble, so he just… decided not to ‘burden’ anyone. I found out on my own but since he didn’t say nothing, neither did I. Just made sure the asshole had food and a place to go when it was cold or wet or whatever. I dunno, it was a fucked up situation and we were all just tryin’ to do our best.”

Shouta spoke up quietly. “And you did. Under the circumstances, you two gremlins did the best you could do.”

They both nodded and Izuku picked up the story. “So, this is the part that Toru knows some of, cuz she lives in Lower Musutafu, but… basically after doing some odd, most likely illegal, jobs for a bit, I helped some girl out who was being attacked and got the brilliant idea that if I could do that with nothing but a brick and a whole lotta confidence, I could probably do more with some gear. I was literally living in a cave on Daigobah Beach, which has basically become a trash dump for the slums in that area. I grabbed some useful stuff, made armor and accidentally on purpose became a vigilante.” He chuckled a little. “I didn’t really think of it like that at first, ya know? I was just helping out because others couldn’t or wouldn’t, and I needed a… a reason, I guess, to just not give up on everything. I couldn’t get into UA if I didn’t finish middle school, but middle school was hell, so I gave myself a reason to keep going.”

Denki snuggled into his side, pushing his own empty tray away. “I still wanna zap the shit out of everyone in your past that wasn’t named ‘Bakugou’…”

“I know, lightning bug.” Wrapping an arm around the smaller blond, Izuku continued. “Kacchan found out cuz of a stab wound I couldn’t treat myself. It’s why I don’t like changing in front of people, Ei. I’ve got a lot of scars, especially on my chest and back, so I prefer avoiding questions, ya know?”

“Makes sense.”

“So, apparently while I was doing my vigilante shit, as Kacchan calls it, the local cops and a few heroes were looking for me. I actually saved Toru’s older sister, not that I knew that at the time. That’s why she freaked on the train.”

“Everyone in Lower Musutafu knew about the Ghost. This kid who’d pop up when you needed him, take out the problem, and then vanish before the cops could show up.” Her normally bubbly voice was somber. “Thing is, no one knew he was so young. A couple of eyewitnesses mentioned it, but who’d expect a kid our age to be out fighting crime, ya know?”

Izuku shrugged. “I didn’t know I had a name, honestly. That’s kinda funny. But yeah. A mix of desperation, boredom, and probably a sprinkling of a death wish mixed together. I won’t say it was smart, or healthy, but honestly, it was probably one of my better decisions up until that point. Because Eraserhead was the main hero who was looking for me. And when he found me, completely by accident and not out doing vigilante work for once, life started looking up.”

Hitoshi leaned forward slightly. “Right about the time that Zuk got abandoned and ended up homeless, I was also out on the streets, but I didn’t end up having to live there. Present Mic found me a couple hours after I’d run away. He got me cleaned up, took me to the hospital, and then brought me home.” He glanced over at his parents, who both gave him a quick nod. “I found out that he was married to Eraserhead, and they both decided to foster me. They adopted me a couple months later when Dad told us he wanted to bring the vigilante kid home too.”

Shouta nodded. “That was all when Hitoshi was about ten. It took almost two god damned years to finally find the brat. But we did, met the firecracker, and finally got to adopt him about a year ago. Problem child.”

Mina tilted her head, obviously doing the math. “Okay. Okay. So… you became a vigilante at like, ten and stopped when you were twelve?”

“Yup.” Izuku pulled Denki into his lap, using him as a plushie, Little sparks ran up and down his arms, relaxing the tension as he told his story again. “But Kacchan and I had been training for hero work literally since we were like, four and he got his quirk, so it’s not like I was out there with no plan or training.”

“Still fuckin’ stupid. Coulda died, dumbass, and then where would I be?” Katsuki swatted the back of his head lightly. “You got fuckin’ lucky, pure and simple.”

Izuku nodded agreeably. “You’re not wrong. I also got lucky that Tosh could understand where I was coming from and vice versa, and that he had made some awesome friends of his own before I showed up. Once we all met and kinda… joined together? Ten and Kacchan became our defacto bodyguards until Tosh, Denks and I could fight our own battles with our peers.” He huffed, playfully grumpy. “It was way easier fighting adult criminals than dealing with classmates.”

“Especially at fuckin’ Aldera. Piece of shit school with even shittier staff.” Katsuki snarled, hands popping until Izuku reached out and took them gently.

“We’re out, and the school’s closed, Kacchan.”

“Don’t make me hate ‘em any fuckin’ less, Zuks.” He calmed himself with a few deep breaths, squeezing Izuku’s hand before waving at the rest of the group. “Whatever, don’t matter, any questions or shit you wanna know?”

Mina grinned. “Okay, yes, actually. So, Zu and Toshi are adopted by Eraserhead and Present Mic, right?” When they both nodded, she giggled, pointing at the green-haired boy. “You almost said ‘Dad’ before coming down here today, didn’t you?”

Izuku flushed and buried his face in Denki’s shoulder. “Shuuuut uuuup, I was stressed and tired!” The whining only made the rest of the group laugh at him.

“And you’ve done it before. So… like, why are you hiding it from everyone else?”

With a soft huff, Shouta stood and started gathering trays. “A couple of reasons. One, I’m underground and we don’t advertise our families. It’s why no one knows Zashi’s married either. Two, in case you missed it, they’re both gremlins who live to confuse and annoy people.”

Hitoshi snorted. “Dad, shut the fuck up. You’re just as bad, and were just as willing to fuck with them as we were.”

Zashi laughed as he helped stack their dishes up. “Honestly, the main driving thing behind the whole family, that includes Tenya, Denki, and Kats, is that we’re all up for messing with people whenever possible. That being said, obviously the whole vigilante/homeless thing needs to stay in this room, but we’re totally down for you guys adding to the confusion of your classmates when it comes to Toshi and Zuku’s family life.”

Mina glanced at her phone and nodded quickly. “I’m totally down. Toru, I will be getting you back for messing with me earlier when I asked, but unless there’s something else to discuss that can’t go in the group chat, I gotta run.”

When a quick glance around and shaken heads were all the response she got, Eijirou pushed himself up off the ground and pulled her up with him. “Then we’ll head out now. We’ll hit the group chat when we’re home safe and see everyone tomorrow!” As they left, the other eight teens all got up and quickly cleaned up the gym before heading out to their own homes.

Chapter Text

Thursday started out normal enough, but it quickly spiraled into chaos. Eijirou texted the group chat as they were leaving the cafe that there were reporters swarming the gates, yelling questions at any passing students they saw. The three had avoided them because they were able to see them from a distance and decided to wait further away for the rest of their group to catch up. Izuku had cursed and texted Shouta about it, getting permission to take everyone in through the teachers’ entrance.

Toru had other ideas. With an impish giggle, she told them she would meet them inside and slipped away, leaving her drink with Tenya to bring to the classroom. Izuku narrowed his eyes as he watched her run off, shaking his head.

“Hundred bucks says she’s going to cause chaos…” He opened a different chat as they started walking, typing up a message to Nezu to get copies of the security feeds from the front gate.

“I ain’t takin’ a losin’ bet, nerd. The real question is what kind of fuckin’ chaos?”

Izuku grinned at his phone when Nezu easily agreed, slipping it back into his pocket. “It could go one of two ways, really. The first is crying. Putting herself in just the right position that someone steps on her or bumps into her and then freaking out, playing up histrionics to make them feel bad. It would also cause a distraction so other students could sneak in without being bothered. The second, and the one I’m more sure of, but less thrilled by, is playing poltergeist.”

“Why is that one worse than the first one?” Denki’s head was tilted, obviously confused.

Hitoshi blinked for a second, then facepalmed. “You don’t actually think she’d strip just to cause a bit of trouble, do you?”

Izuku raised an eyebrow. “Do you think she’s never done it before? C’mon, if I was invisible, and literally could not turn it off? I’d be pulling off as many pranks as humanly possible because I’d want some kind of stress relief. It must be absolutely exhausting to have to be as physically expressive as possible just so people remember you’re there and know what you’re doing.”

Tenya huffed in annoyance, shaking his head. “While I cannot say that I don’t understand the concept, it is not only highly inappropriate, but it is also dangerous. Not only could she be hurt, but if she does get caught, she could be in a lot of trouble.”

Izuku shrugged a little. “Dangerous, yes. Inappropriate? Definitely. Still funny as shit if she can pull it off? 110%. But I’m hoping she’s gonna go for the first option.”

Toru didn’t get to the classroom until ten minutes after the rest of the group did, laughing gleefully as she plopped down next to Mina to accept her drink back and a pastry. “That was fun!”

“The fuck did you do, Casper?”

“Well, first I noticed a bunch of other kids trying to get through, but the reporters kept blocking them, yelling questions about how it was to be taught by Ass Might. So I slipped up behind the group and brushed against one of the grosser looking reporters… seriously, dude had to be in his 50s and it looked like he lived in seedy motels. Ya know the type. So anyway, I snuck up behind him and brushed against him, then started screaming about how he was groping high school kids. Obviously everyone turned around to look, the kids zoomed in, and I just kinda followed behind them. No witness or actual complaint made, all it did was get him some side eyes and uncomfortable questions, but the other students were able to get in. Then I stripped behind a tree and snuck back out.”

Izuku groaned softly, head thunking onto his desk. “I told you…”

As everyone chuckled, Toru waved her hands. “Told them what?”

“That you’d pull some poltergeist shit as a prank.”

Toru leaned forward, the tilt of her head obvious because of her hair bow. “Are you surey sure you’re not psychic?”

“Tch, shitty nerd’s not psychic, you’re just a fuckin’ predictable gremlin. What did you do?”

Toru giggled, leaning back again. “Unclipped a few camera bags, unscrewed a couple tripods, untied some shoes… then I climbed a tree and started yelling about seeing All Might at a nearby convenience store. It was funny as hell watching them trip over themselves and their belongings trying to move. At least some of the kids got in without being harassed.” She sounded so smug that even Izuku was smiling, shaking his head.

“Bet your proud of yourself, aren’t you?” He grinned at her and she nodded vigorously.

“I am, thank you very much. And I managed to get dressed and up here before my coffee went cold.” She lifted her cup in a mock toast, and Hitoshi tapped the edge of his cup against hers, muttering a ‘here here.’

“I get that it was funny, and let’s be honest, if I was invisible, I’d be doing it too. But can we put a moratorium on you streaking through school property, Toru? One, it’s dangerous, and two, I put a lot of effort into designing you gear that would make it so you didn’t have to be naked.”

“Bah. Spoilsport. But fine. No more pranking naked.”

Izuku narrowed his eyes, pointing a finger at her. “No more anything naked in public. Don’t play word games with me.”

She huffed, folding her arms over her chest. “Fiiiine. You’re still a spoilsport. But I get it.”

They continued to tease and laugh until the rest of the class started filing in, some looking a little worse for wear. Apparently, once the reporters realized that All Might was, in fact, not at the convenience store, they came back en masse to continue their harassment. Uraraka was fuming, flouncing into the classroom with only a few minutes before the bell, grumbling loudly about launching rude people into the stratosphere. Hitoshi had chuckled and waved her over to share a fist bump.

Shouta came in a few minutes later, also muttering under his breath. He swept up to the front of the room. “Gym Gamma. Put on your gym uniforms. I’ll meet you down there.” With a single glance at his sons, he was sweeping back out the door and everyone was quick to follow, not wanting to get on the bad side of their already annoyed teacher.

The first half of their day was sparring, which Izuku quite enjoyed. It was fun to go up against so many different, new fighting styles. By the time the bell rang for lunch, several of his classmates were sporting bruises and light electrical burns from his bat, and he was limping a bit from when he’d tried to kick Ojiro and got blocked by that heavy tail. His bum ankle wasn’t stopping his mouth from running, discussing training options and ideas and randomly bursting into mutter-rants about the way his class used their quirks and how he could either fight against them, or how they could improve. While the rest of the class looked a little shell-shocked at the speed of his words, only catching one or two in his excited ramblings, the four who’d gotten used to it nodded or added things here and there.

They managed to get through most of lunch peacefully, after Katsuki had popped an explosion next to Izuku’s head to get him to stop muttering and start eating. The green-haired boy had been sheepish, but obediently started shoveling food into his mouth as the rest of the class chatted around them. A perfectly normal high school lunch experience.

Until it wasn’t.

About 15 minutes before the bell rang, a different, klaxon sounding alarm started going off. Everyone in the cafeteria freaked out, abandoning bags and lunches to run to the doors. Izuku grabbed onto Denki, keeping him close as the crowd pushed and shoved around them. He finally managed to get to the windows and huffed in annoyance, trying to both soothe Denki and calm his own shaking. Tenya was yelling for people to stop shoving, and Katsuki had cleared a bit of space as they surrounded Toru and Hitoshi, while Mina had climbed onto Eijirou’s back to avoid being pushed away.

A sharp whistle from Izuku got their attention, and Izuku lifted his arms, signing instead of trying to shout over the chaos. *Get Ten to the ceiling. It’s just the press again.*

With a sharp nod from his friends, Izuku turned back to the windows, trying to see what set the alarms off. He gasped a little when he realized the side gate wasn’t just opened… it was completely gone. His dads were both out there now, forcing the press to back up and off school property. Tenya’s sharp, authoritative voice cut over the yelling students, his height at the top of the doorway easily grabbing attention.

“Attention! It is only the press! It is being handled! This behavior is unbecoming of UA students! Calm down, see to anyone injured in the crowd!”

It took a minute for his words to actually register among the panicked population, but soon everyone was slowing down and helping people up. Izuku watched as Hanta shot a couple pieces of tape at Tenya, pulling him closer to the floor before Uraraka pressed her fingers together, letting him land safely. With an approving nod and an arm around Denki’s shoulders to keep him close, he gently pushed his way through the students now milling around to get back to his class.

“Good job, everyone! We should probably get back to class, but I’m not sure when Aizawa-sensei will join us… he was out by the press getting them off the grounds.” Izuku could admit to himself that he was relieved when his entire class simply nodded, following Tenya back to their classroom. Toru had latched onto Izuku’s other arm, so he gripped her hand gently, keeping her almost as close as Denki was.

“You okay, Toru?”

“Yeah… just not good with mobs, ya know?”

Denki peered around him, head tilting a little. “Us either. You didn’t get hurt, did you?”

She shrugged slightly, making Izuku frown. “Toru… are you injured?”

His firm tone made her squeak softly, tucking her face against his arm. “Not… badly. Probably a few extra bruises, but one guy stepped on my foot and it’s a little sore.”

Izuku cursed under his breath and stopped, making Denki, Katsuki, and Eijirou stop too, as the other two had apparently appointed themselves bodyguards. “Okay, Recovery Girl it is. Eiji, can you text the group chat? Kacchan, do you mind?”

The blond shook his head and crouched in front of their invisible friend. “Get on, Casper.” When she hesitated, he huffed. “C’mon already. We can’t see how fuckin’ bad it is, so Granny’s the best way to deal with it. If it’s nothing, she’ll be able to tell. Let’s go.”

Finally, she sighed and climbed carefully onto his back, squeaking again when he stood up easily. “Rocks for Brains, you go with the others. I’ll take these three and we’ll be back after we see the old lady.”

Eijirou gave them a thumbs up and patted Toru’s back gently before catching up to the rest of their class. It was a little funny to see him take up position behind them, shoulders straightening like a man on a mission. Izuku just shook his head, turning down a different hallway.

“Hopefully we’ll be able to get in before she gets flooded. This is actually a shortcut that I don’t think many of the first years know about.”

Toru huffed from Katsuki’s shoulder. “How many shortcuts do you know, Izu?”

“Mmm, a lot. Not all of them, cuz I’m sure Nezu-sensei has a bunch of hidey-holes and secret places, but Kacchan and I memorized the maps after the first time we came here. We liked to see if we could beat Dad places when he told us to meet him somewhere.”

They made their way up to Recovery Girl’s office quickly and Izuku was glad to see there wasn’t a crowd outside of it. They walked in and the elderly heroine looked up from some paperwork. “Izuku? Are you hurt?”

“No ma’am, not this time. Our friend, Toru, got a little trampled in the cafeteria. It’ll probably get busy up here soon, but we can’t see her foot to make sure she’s okay.” Izuku’s voice had gone from gremlin to perfectly polite, making Toru giggle softly against Katsuki’s back. He hefted her up a bit, smirking himself.

“Oh my. Set her down here, Katsuki. What happened in the cafeteria?”

“I’m sure you heard the alarm?” When Shuzenji nodded perfunctorily, already gently pulling Toru’s shoe and sock off when she indicated the injury, Izuku continued. “Apparently, that meant that every first year moron in our school needed to panic. Screaming and running and trampling over people. Tenya got them to calm down after a few minutes, but there were definitely some injuries. We took one of the shortcuts up here.”

The older woman smiled slightly as she moved Toru’s foot, nodding as the girl hissed a bit. “Not too bad, but the bruise and swelling would be painful to train on.” She straightened and motioned for her to lean down, kissing her forehead. “Young man, I would appreciate it if you’d find something new to bring me… this is the second foot-related injury you’ve brought me in succession. An arm would be nice.”

Izuku chuckled and kissed her cheek as Toru put her shoe and sock back on and Katsuki helped her off the bed. “You might wanna rephrase that, Granny, cuz you know I’d be just as likely to come in with the injury.”

Shuzenji swatted at him with her cane, chuckling. “Scamp. How about we try for no injuries at all, hmm?” She motioned for them to wait, writing up a slip quickly and handing it to Izuku. “A note for your teacher in case she gets drowsy in class. It wasn’t a major injury, but I’m never completely sure how my healing will affect someone until it does. Now get going before it gets busy in here.”

By the time they got back to the classroom, Shouta had arrived, looking deeply irritated. Toru squeaked against Katsuki’s back, but Izuku had just squeezed her shoulder gently and walked up to him with a commiserating smile. “Sorry we’re late, Aizawa-sensei. We had to take Toru to Recovery Girl.”

Shouta nodded, taking the note for a second before handing it back. “Kirishima told me. Thank you for letting me know. Hagakure, if you do get tired, just let me know. You can either go lay in the infirmary or close your eyes here… with everything today it might be quieter here. Take your seat, problem child.”

Once the four of them had found their seats, Shouta grabbed his sleeping bag. “Okay, gremlins, you have the rest of the day to pick class representatives. I don’t care how you do it, but don’t wake me up.” With that, he flopped in the corner behind his desk, closing his eyes.

Chapter Text

Most of the class gaped as Shouta apparently fell asleep instantly, but Tenya was already standing and making his way to the board, scooping up a marker. Izuku just watched him with a small smirk, knowing how much his taller friend valued order and calm.

“First, we should decide how to pick. A voting system would be simplest…”

Uraraka spoke up, head tilted cutely. “But wouldn’t everyone just vote for themselves?”

Hitoshi snorted. “Hell nah. Some of us are more than content to watch the chaos rather than lead it.”

Izuku chuckled a little, shaking his head. “Why don’t we do a nominations system, then vote? This way we don’t have to worry about an honor system with votes or almost everyone voting for themselves.” He gave a nod to his brother, who gave a cheshire-like grin.

Tenya nodded firmly. “That would likely be most fair. Is anyone against that idea?” When no one disagreed, he turned back to the board, writing ‘Candidates’ in his neat handwriting. “All right, does anyone have any nominations to put forward?”

Denki hopped up immediately, grinning brightly. “Zuzu!”

“Ugh, Denks, why?” Izuku wrinkled his nose playfully.

“I dunno, cuz you’re smart, strategic, and you’ve already helped a bunch of people here!”

Ojirou shrugged and nodded, tail swaying slightly. “I second it, Izuku’s been super nice to everyone and he’s cool but fierce under pressure.”

Katsuki barked out a laugh, shaking his head. “You got a fuckin’ reputation, shitty nerd.”

Tenya nodded and wrote Izuku’s name on the board. “Fair enough. Any other nominations?”

With a huff, Izuku raised his hand. “You, Tenten. You’re the calm and methodical one. I’d vote Kacchan just for the chaos, but honestly, you’d be a great rep!”

Uraraka nodded vigorously. “Definitely! You kept your cool during the chaos in the cafeteria and helped everyone else calm down. You also take charge for things like this, and the prank war!”

Tenya blushed slightly, but a pleased smile curled his lips as he wrote his own name down. “I appreciate the votes of confidence and will do my best to live up to your expectations.”

“Nerd,” Katsuki jeered playfully, causing Tenya to glance at Shouta before actually flipping the blond off. Everyone laughed, even Katsuki’s barking amusement echoing through the room.

“Ahem. Anyway. Anyone else?”

Jirou raised one of her jacks. “I’d say Yaoyorozu. She’s very intelligent and got all the girls to calm down when we first changed into our costumes.”

Mina nodded. “Seconded! She’s super sweet and I think she’d make a great rep!”

Tenya wrote her name down, giving Yaoyorozu a warm smile as he turned back around. “Any other nominations?”

The students all looked at each other, then shook their heads. Tenya nodded, grabbing papers off of Shouta’s desk to pass out. “Then these are who you’re voting for. Whoever gets the most votes will be president, second most votes will be vice president.”

Izuku spoke up, tapping a finger to his chin. “Since there’s only three, I think the last place should be our class representative. They can bring things to the pres and vice pres and help mediate conflicts and stuff.”

Yaoyorozu nodded slightly. “That seems fair. With the other responsibilities that the president and vice president have, it would be advantageous to have someone act as a go-between. That is good thinking, Izuku-kun.”

“Very well, that does seem fair. Everyone, please place your votes and put your papers on the podium when done so they can be counted.” There was mostly silence aside from the scratches of writing on paper as everyone wrote down their preferences and stepped up to put things on the podium. Once everyone was done, Tenya stood again.

“All right. Izuku-kun, Yaoyorozu, please come stand at the front.” He handed the stack to them and stood back at the whiteboard. “Call out a name, I’ll put a tally underneath it, and then we’ll count them at the end.”

The two took turns calling out names while Tenya marked tallies until there was 21 marks on the board. They all blinked a little, then looked out over the class. Tenya pursed his lips slightly, looking very much like a disappointed father. “Who voted twice?”

Everyone looked at each other, than Dark Shadow sheepishly waved from behind Fumi. “I wanted to vote too…”

The class giggled and Eijirou slammed his fists together. “Let it stay, guys! She’s as much a part of the class as anyone else! And she managed to sneak around everyone but Fumi, so… it’s only fair.”

Finally, Tenya just shook his head and chuckled, waving a hand. “Fine, her vote can stay. But next time, we’ll remember to just include you, Shadow. I apologize.”

The quirk trilled brightly, making everyone laugh again. “All right, everyone calm down. With nine votes, Izuku is our class president. At seven votes, I am vice president, and Yaoyorozu has been chosen as class representative with five votes. Is everyone in agreement with that?”

When everyone nodded and cheered, Tenya gave a firm nod. Shouta stood up from his sleeping bag, glancing at the board. “Fantastic. Iida, it will be your job to control the problem gremlin’s more chaotic tendencies. All three of you see me after school today.”

Tenya snorted slightly. “How exactly is that any different from normal, sensei?”

Shouta smirked, eyes glinting slightly. “Because now it will be in a more professional setting, brat. Get back to your seats.”

Once everyone was seated, Shouta passed out new permission slips. “This is the new form for the field trip next week. It must be in by next Thursday at the absolute latest. As I said before, I already called the parents of the students who turned their slips in already, so they know you’re bringing a new form and the changed date. You have an hour until the final bell rings. So, dealer’s choice. You can either go utilize the weight room or speak with Izuku about your quirks or costumes. I will be in the weight room if anyone needs me, and Yaoyorozu will be with Izuku so you can speak with her if you’re going to be with him. Any questions?”

Izuku stood up and stretched a little. “I’ll set up in Gamma, Aizawa-sensei. That way we’re close enough if there’s any problems. Yaoyorozu, if you want to use the weights or just check the gym out, let me know and we’ll snag someone else as a go-between.”

She smiled warmly, shaking her head. “I will take a peek at the room, but I do have my own setup at home, and would actually like to speak with you anyway, so it is fine.”

“Fair enough. Let’s go, Chaos Class.” Izuku grabbed his bag and headed out, followed quickly by the rest of the class. Katsuki held back, stopping next to Shouta.

“He’s gettin’ better…”

Shouta nodded slightly, grabbing his sleeping bag. “He is. You all are, honestly. I’m proud of you brats, firecracker.”

The blond huffed, arms folding over his chest. “Does he need a fuckin’ sleep intervention? He’s been pretty good today, but he’s a god damned statue sometimes. The lunch bullshit wigged him out some.”

Shouta shrugged, motioning for Katsuki to follow him. “I’m honestly not sure. He didn’t seem to be too bad this morning, but those bags are starting to look Gucci.”

A snort turned into a chuckle from the explosive teen. “Almost as bad as Eyebags’ Prada collection. We give him tonight. If he still seems fuckin’ off tomorrow, we’ll invite the whole crew over? Maybe at my place instead since we got more room. I’ll talk to the hag tonight.”

Shouta nodded. “That sounds acceptable. Why don’t you spend the night tonight? Then you can do the sleepover tomorrow with everyone and your parents’ house might survive.”

Katsuki considered it, head tilted slightly as he tapped a finger on his arm. “Fine. I’ll babysit the little shit tonight.”

Thankfully for both Izuku and Hitoshi, and the collective protective nerves of the rest of their group, the rest of the week and weekend was peaceful. After school Friday, the entire group of ten made their way to the Bakugou house where Mitsuki absolutely spoiled them, especially the girls, with homemade food by Masaru and various clothing designs. She was thrilled to have a challenge with Toru, and Mina’s needs for flexibility as well as her love of bright colors and patterns gave her new fabric concepts to work with.

While she stole the girls away for a couple hours, Izuku made neater copies of his notes for his friends so they could see what they were working against in Class B. He had noted strengths and weaknesses, and asked them if he should share his insights with the rest of their class. He still wasn’t quite sure of the ethical vs moral dilemma, which made Katsuki laugh in his face.

“Nerd, you really fuckin’ think that if anyone from that class had information on us, they wouldn’t use it to their advantage? C’mon. We’re supposed to be showcasin’ our talents and shit, and one of your fuckin’ talents is quirk analysis. Another talent is cooperation.”

Tenya nodded slowly, looking over the papers. “Indeed. One of the things that my brother always looks for in second and third year students especially is teamwork and the ability to personalize group-thinking. I think the impression our class would leave by working together would be far more impactful than any ethical issues with sharing information.”

Hitoshi chuckled. “If the resident rule book says it’s cool, it’s cool, Zuk. On Monday, we can give people a couple options. They can take the information, and either use it for themselves, work with us, or throw it away. Completely up to them, and whoever chooses to work with us, we can add into whatever gremlin-ass plans you’ve already got brewing in that head of yours.”

Izuku finally nodded, huffing out a soft sigh. “Is it bad to say it was easier when our class hated me and I didn’t have to think about this?”

Denki giggled, dropping his head to Izuku’s shoulder. “Not bad. Just honest. You only had to worry about you and Sparky, so obviously it was easier to dismiss everyone else’s feelings. I’d say it was even easier when we were all in the same school, since most of our classmates were just surface nice. Like, we don’t know, or care, where most of them went or what they’re doing. But now you have an entire crew to care about, and our class is actually interested in the same things we are, and are working towards the same goals. So you have to actually put thought into more than just a couple people at a time.”

Izuku wrinkled his nose, resting his head against Denki’s. “Yeah… whose bright idea was it to make friends, anyway?”

Hitoshi pointed at him immediately. “Yours, dumbass. I was more than content to stick with what we had, but you had to drag Sticky Boy over.”

Hanta huffed and threw a chip at him. “Hey, screw you! I’m a delight!”

The group laughed and Izuku quickly scooped up the chip and popped it into his mouth. “Actually, I think I blame Dad and the stupid QAT thing. One extra person, not terrible. But then we technically got four more, counting Dark Shadow, because our classmates were buttheads on the first day. So like… I think we can pin this one on Dad.”

Hitoshi considered it and then nodded. “Yup. Definitely Dad’s fault. And we can tell him when he gets home, and watch him despair as Pops laughs at him for ‘encouraging socialization with loud hellions’.” His voice dropped to an almost exact replica of Shouta’s, which made everyone laugh again.

“Oi, Eyebags, you’re gettin’ good enough at that that you won’t need that fuckin’ modulater the nerd made soon.” Katsuki gave him a narrow-eyed stare, but it was easy for most of their group to see the pride in those red eyes. “You been practicin’ or something?”

“Honestly? Yeah. I can do everyone in our group except Denks at this point… his voice is a bit higher than my natural register, so it takes a little more effort. Dad’s easy and Pops isn’t too hard either. Zuk is a bit harder… I can only do certain versions of him.”

Izuku blinked, lifting his head to look at his brother. “Wait, versions? I have versions?”

“Yeah ya fuckin’ do, shitnerd. There’s like… four or five of you rattling around in that damned brain of yours.”

He blinked in confusion, looking to the rest of the group. Obviously, Katsuki had known him longest, so he didn’t think he was lying, but… exaggerating, maybe?

Denki giggled again, patting his hand. “You totally do, Zuzu. I think your two main ones are normal and gremlin, but like… yeah, you definitely have a couple different… modes. And you can usually tell which mode it is because your voice changes a bit.”

Hitoshi nodded. “I can only do gremlin and sleep-deprived. I can’t get the inflection right for angry, and normal is too high-pitched for me.”

“The other one that has an obvious fuckin’ change is ‘vigilante’, which…” Katsuki flipped a hand. “I guess we should prob’ly call it ‘hero’ now, but what the fuck ever. You’re a god damned menace no matter which one you’re usin’ anyway.”

Tenya pushed his glasses up, giving Izuku a kind smile. “You are overthinking, Izuku-kun. None of us are saying it’s a bad thing, or a problem. It is simply a different inflection, and sometimes tone of your voice that changes depending on your mood. You are still you, but it has helped us figure out where your head is at during times when you cannot articulate it yourself.”

With a slight pout, Izuku sat back against the bed, pulling Denki with him. The blond laughed about not being a support plushie, but Izuku just squeezed him a little tighter against his side. “I didn’t realize it…”

“Why would ya, dumbass? It’s just your normal way of speakin’. We notice, because we gotta survive your bullshit. You’ve been doin’ this shit since we were kids, so it ain’t nothin’ new. Just is what it is.”

“Kacchan…” Izuku huffed a little, slowly relaxing. “Fine… just… I guess tell me if it sounds like it’s turning into some weird mental problem?”

Eijirou chuckled, daring to flop over and put his head in Izuku’s lap. He gave him a toothy smile when Izuku’s hand immediately started carding through red hair. “I don’t think that’s what they’re saying at all, bro. You don’t change. Like… okay, example! When we were changing into our new costumes that first day, you were in a good mood. So you were answering questions and talking and you were a little nervous, so you stuttered slightly, but there wasn’t anything wrong, ya know? Normal. Then we get out onto the field and you found out about the girls’ costumes. Hero mode activated, you got super serious and stern. No stutter heard, just comfort and a plan. Still the same Izubro, just serious and focused.”

Fumi bowed his head slightly, continuing the comparison. “And then we were besieged by Ass Might’s inept opinions. You transformed from hero to angry warrior. Deeper, colder voice, again with no stutter, but a much blunter way of speaking. I believe angry you channels our bright explosion, which makes sense as his protective side channels hero you. Again, however, you are not a different person. You simply chameleon into what you need to be for a given situation. I believe it will be a boon upon completion of our lessons, as it allows you to connect and communicate with a variety of people.”

Eijirou nodded. “Exactly that. You and Kats are like, yin and yang or something, man! You each gotta piece of the other that you carry with you and it’s honestly super inspiring and manly!”

“Shut the fuck up, Shitty Hair, I do not have a ‘piece’ of the nerd! That’s…”

Izuku giggled a little. “It’s not completely inaccurate, Kacchan… we’ve spent so much time together it’s hard not to have rubbed off on each other a little…”

Hitoshi gagged playfully. “Eeeew, that’s your ‘brother’, Zuk. What’re you doing rubbing off on him? So gross!!”

“Toshi!” Everyone cracked up at Izuku’s scandalized squeak, which only made him laugh too. “Dammit… guess that’s only fair. But you’re all still jerks. Friendships canceled with everyone but Tenten and the lightning bug. The rest of you are dead to me.”