I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter, but this is being cross-posted from my Archive of Our Own account under the same name, YagiToshinoriFanGirl. There are currently 6 chapters complete as of this upload and a drabble series that includes both canon and au snippets, all of which will eventually be transferred here. Carry You Home will eventually contain nsfw content that will be censored here. To get the full experience of this story, I highly recommend following me on AO3 instead.

Thank you for your time and I hope that you enjoy the story.

Chapter Summary:

Two years quickly pass after that fateful day.

Izuku is buzzing with anticipation, more than ready for his quirk to manifest.
Elsewhere, a certain hero helps the small family of two from the shadows, keeping a promise he made to himself and to a memory.

Deku

"These voices
Inside my head like poison
Trying to steal my hope
Silencing my soul
But my story
Is only now beginning"

Nichole Nordeman - Sound Of Surviving

It took Toshinori nearly three weeks to finally complete everything needed to put his plan into motion. Tsukauchi wasn't able to give him their address directly due to protocol, but he let slip the information needed for the hero to find it on his own. Midoriya Inko was a resident of Musutafu. A bit of online digging and a payment later, he had her address on hand. To be honest, he didn't feel right doing this, but every time he thought of stopping, memories of Hisashi resurfaced and he pushed past his uneasiness.

Using the pseudonym Shimura Toshi, he put together an official-looking document and sent it out a few days ago. The missive was to inform her of the fund that would cover any and all tuition costs for her son as well as provide money for clothes, food, or anything else in-between. One of the perks of being All Might was that he could afford this venture. All he could do now was hope that she accepted his offer of assistance.

After another long day in the office, a weary Inko drove over to the Bakugo residence to retrieve her son after sending a text to let them know that she was on the way. Mitsuki had the day off, so the two arranged for their children to have a play date. They hadn't been able to have one lately due to conflicting schedules, so today Mitsuki planned a little party for them. Inko was able to attend the first hour of it before she had to snag a piece of cake and be on her way.

What she didn't expect upon arriving was the apologetic frown on Mitsuki's face, a tearful embrace from Izuku, who seemed to have some bruises forming, and a grumpy Katsuki. "What happened? Are you okay, sweetheart?" The first question was directed at her friend, the second towards her son as she picked him up to comfort him and get a closer look at his injuries.

"We had some of the other kids over and one of them said something that set Katsuki off. Izuku stepped in and stood up for the kid and my brat of a son attacked him. I was inside at the time and didn't get to the scene until after another kid came in to let me know. I'm sorry, Inko. I shouldn't have left them alone, I know. Katsuki, apologize now." Mitsuki shot a glare at the petulant boy, who turned away with a huff.

When the demand went unanswered, she reached down and grabbed him by the ear, not painfully, but enough to get his attention. Katsuki let out a startled yelp and stared angrily at her. The glaring contest went on for a few moments before he backed down. Crimson eyes dropped to the ground as he finally spoke, his voice bearing an obviously insincere tone. "I'm sorry."

Izuku, with his head buried in his mother's shoulder, gave a muffled reply. "It's okay, Kacchan..."

The grip on Katsuki's ear loosened and he took the chance to push it away and run off to his room. Mitsuki growled in frustration and was about to offer another apology, but Inko waved it off with a forced smile before speaking. "I think that...it may be best to postpone any future play dates for now. At least until things settle down." Having nothing else she could say, Mitsuki merely nodded her head.

The two parted ways shortly after with promises of talking again soon and then the mother and son duo were on the road. Inko would occasionally glance in the rear-view mirror to check on Izuku, but he never spoke. The tears he had shed were nothing more than dried tracks, but his listless gaze was enough to know that he was still upset despite accepting Katsuki's apology. It broke her heart to see him like that, so Inko made the decision to let him watch his favorite video on the computer for as long as he wanted.

This night was one of the many incidents that would send the bond between the two boys into a downward spiral.

It was a little after midnight when Inko finally tucked her sleeping child into bed. Her plan had worked like a charm and his mood was significantly brightened to see his hero in action again. Enthralled was the best word she could think of to describe him each time he sat at the desk. It lifted her own spirits to see him like that. Inko placed a kiss on his forehead and left the room. Now that she had a moment to herself, she decided to finally get to the stack of mail that sat neglected on the dining room table.

Rent notice, utility bill, junk, another bill, anoth-wait, what is this?

An unfamiliar name accompanied with "Might Tower" caused a tremor of shock to race down her spine like a bolt of lightning. Flipping it over, she wasted no time ripping into the seal and extracting the documents contained within. Each sentence she read had her feeling jittery as she perused the letter. A nervous sort of excitement welled up within the pit of her stomach as she read it twice then a third time just to make sure that her eyes didn't deceive her.

The letter, from one Shimura Toshi, was sent from All Might's own agency. Within it contained an open invitation to use a trust fund that had been set up just for them. Another person may have held their suspicions over such a thing, but something quelled that response in her. There, slipped between the main letter and the paper containing her new card and account information, was a handwritten note with a business card attached. The writing and signature could only be from one person.

Please accept my humblest apologies for not stopping the villain before he could cause harm. I hope that this finds you both in good health. As my assistant stated, the fund may be used for school and other costs as you need it. If you have any questions, please contact the phone number provided on the card below. I wish you both well. - ALL MIGHT

Exuberant as ever, even in letter form. Inko couldn't restrain the undignified snort of laughter and flushed red at the sound despite being the only person to hear it. The moment passed and left her with a smile as she finally moved on to the paper with the credit card. There was no limit set nor restrictions listed, merely account information and the instructions on how to activate the card and set a pin.

Inko decided to contact this Shimura fellow in the morning before making any final decisions. With that plan in place, she stood and flicked off the lights on her way to her bedroom. She set her alarm and flopped onto the mattress where sleep was quick to claim her.

A phone call is here! A phone call is here! A pho-

A call on his secondary personal phone had Toshinori diving for the device, fumbling for a moment before answering. "G-good morning. Shimura speaking."

"Good morning to you as well, Shimura-san. This is Midoriya Inko and I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about the fund, if that's okay with you."

Her voice is softer than I remember. Maybe she had a cold back then. That or my memory isn't that great.

Shaking off the thought, he continued the conversation. "Yes, ask anything. I'll answer to the best of my ability."

The conversation went on from there. Inko was polite with all of her questions and seemed thrilled at the thought of being able to stay home with her son instead of having to leave him in daycare while she worked. If her voice became tearful as she spoke, he didn't point it out. All that mattered to him was that she had accepted the offer and profusely thanked him for his time and requested for him to leave a message of thanks for All Might himself. The call ended with Toshinori feeling content at being able to help them out.

Reaching out towards the bottom of his office desk, he opened the last drawer and pulled out a small chest, its colors faded by age. Opening it, he withdrew a picture from the stack contained within, resolutely ignoring the small black box tucked into the corner of the chest. In the photo, two smiling boys held up their new hero licenses.

One had blonde, wavy hair and equally wavy bangs framing his face, ending just above his collar bone. The other had short, curly green hair and a freckled face. A scar cut down the center of his right eyebrow, cleaving it in two, and another below the eye of the same side. He had been fortunate that his eye had been missed, but he was left with the reminder. Another scar, this one much larger, could be seen on his right hand. A finger reached out of its own accord and gently traced the frame of the second boy, a wistful smile curling his lips as memories flickered through his mind.

I did it, Hisashi. Your family won't have to worry anymore and Inko can be home with young Midoriya.

A drop of moisture splashed down across the protective sleeve of the photo before he realized that he was crying. After a careful swipe with the edge of his shirt, Toshinori tucked the now dry photo back into the chest, his hand lingering for a moment before closing it and the desk drawer again. He stood, back popping as he stretched before exiting the den. The light was turned off with a flick and plunged the room into darkness once more.

The conversation had gone much better than anticipated and left the young mother feeling full of happiness and hope for the future. Izuku now had his tuition costs covered and Inko was able to quit the job that she admittedly detested. It had been necessary for their survival, but with All Might's generous offer, she could be home and give her son the love and care that one his age needs instead of being stuck in a building of strangers. Just in case though, she tested the card to buy him some new clothing online and it worked with no issues.

At the moment, Izuku was once again situated in front of the monitor. Breakfast had already passed and now Inko was in the process of gathering her purse and keys for a quick trip. On the kitchen counter rested a carefully written letter of resignation, effective immediately. Why wait when freedom was at hand?

Suddenly feeling giddy at the thought, she giggled on her way to the room Izuku was in. Inko waited just inside the door frame for the video to come to and end before going to his side. He was as bouncy as ever as he mimicked the infamous laugh of his hero. A content sigh passed through her parted lips before she smiled and combed his tangle-free hair with her fingers.

Izuku turned to her, a wide grin puffing up his chubby little cheeks and Inko had to refrain from squealing over the cuteness. Instead, she picked him up and placed a big kiss on his cheek. "Ready to go to work with me? Your 'kaa-san is going to be home with you more often starting today."

"That mean we can play hero more?" Wide, innocent eyes looked up at her and she smiled again. "Yes, we can. Whenever you want, sweetheart." Izuku's delighted laughter filled her with confidence in this decision. She walked forward and shut down the computer before returning to the counter to pick up the letter. It was quickly tucked into her purse as she went to the door. Once there, she slipped into her shoes and put some on Izuku before they were out the door. Taking in a deep breath, Inko relaxed as she released it.

Today was the start of something new, and she wasn't going to let it pass them by.

Two Years Later

"Kacchan, wait for me!" Curly hair bounced in the air as the child ran after his friend. The two were outside at the park that was just a block away from his apartment. It was a place that they frequented together after returning from preschool. Today, Kacchan was especially irritable but the meek child still wanted to spend the afternoon with him.

Glaring over his shoulder, Katsuki yelled at him instead, smoke and flames spewing from his hands. "Go away, Deku! I don't want to see your stupid face right now!" With that, he charged away as Izuku slowed to a stop, the hand that had been reaching out dropping to his side in defeat.

Deku...it was always Deku now. The one who can't do anything. Useless...

Watery emerald eyes looked at the ground as his small, trembling hands clutched the area above his heart. "I'm...I'm not useless, Kacchan." Even if the words had been more than a broken whisper on the wind, the other child would've never heard since he was long gone.

Deciding it would be best to just go home, he scrubbed the gathering tears away and set off down the path leading home. Things like this seemed to be common place now. Sure, there were days where Kacchan was still nice to him, but those were few and far between. Cruelty was his new specialty, to him and other children. Despite this, Izuku never gave up on their friendship. Hope still burned in his heart that one day his bond with Katsuki would be that of true friends.

It wasn't long before he was standing outside the front door giving the handle a tentative test to see if his mother left it unlocked for him. It was, so he entered the apartment and locked the door behind himself. He toed his shoes off one after the other and set them aside before heading towards the kitchen, drawn there by the smell of food. "I'm home, 'kaa-san."

Inko, having heard the door open a few moments prior, smiled over her shoulder before speaking. "Welcome home, Izuku. Did you have fun with Katsuki?" There was no response so she turned around only to find him fiddling with the edge of his shirt, a look of sorrow marring his face. "Izuku?"

He tried to be strong, really he did, but the look of honest concern being directed his way had him launching onto her as he cried. Inko didn't say a word as she picked him up and began to rub soothing circles across his quivering back. This wasn't the first time that he came home upset after an afternoon with the other boy, but they were getting more frequent. Mitsuki would be getting a call later, that's for sure.

Multitasking was a cinch for her by now. One arm held Izuku as the other was used to finish dinner. It took more time than usual, but she soon had food dished up and ready to eat at the table. Izuku's crying had stopped some time ago, but the comforting embrace of his mother kept him from asking to be put down sooner. When he finally did, Inko gingerly set him down in a chair before taking her place in the adjacent one.

They both clapped their hands together in front of themselves and spoke in unison. "Itadakimasu."

No matter how strong a person's will is, there is a breaking point. For little Izuku, that moment came today.
He sat at the computer, the video of All Might on repeat as words echoed in his head.

How can you be a hero if you don't even have a quirk, Deku!? You can't even protect yourself. What a loser. Quirkless!

Katsuki's harsh words wouldn't leave his mind. Phantom pain in his body accompanied it, a lingering feeling of the beating he'd taken to stand up for another kid getting bullied. To suffer at the hands of one who was supposed to be his friend. To be attacked both verbally and physically just for being born without a quirk.

At this point, developing a quirk is highly unlikely. You should focus on something else, kid. It's not going to happen.

The doctor's words followed, an even crueler blow to his fragile hope, one that shattered it into pieces. He knew his mother was lingering in the door, anxious and worried over his behavior. A small fragment of hope remained as he pointed to the screen with a shaky hand and turned his head to look at her, eyes filled to the brim with tears.

"Do you think I could be a hero, too?"

Inko rushed forward and dropped to the ground beside him. Sobs echoed around them as she apologized. "I'm so sorry, Izuku." Silently that last shard of hope fell along with the tears.

That's not what I wanted to hear...

It felt like eons had passed by the time he was tucked into bed that night. His mother had been walking on eggshells around him ever since and he couldn't muster up enough strength to even pretend to be okay. No, his world had flipped upside down. No friends, no quirk. There was support, but not the kind that he wanted. He wanted someone who understands, someone who wouldn't judge him, who would accept him as he is and still find him worth something.

I wish that I could find someone who will want me for me. I want a true friend...

Sleep mercifully claimed him and his eyes drifted closed.

Only to open again a moment later to find another child looking at him with curiosity swirling in his blue eyes.