"Ai-sama"
A small finger gently prodded at his arm.
"Ai-sama Cobra Bubbles is coming."
Aizawa shifted before sitting up to stare down at the small boy next to the couch.
Cobra... "The social worker?"
Izuku nodded and pointed at the clock that read 10 minutes to 4 "You said she's coming at 4."
Running a hand through his hair, Aizawa sighed before getting up "Yeah she is, and her name is Goda Ryoko, not Cobra Bubbles kid, but call her Goda-san, got it?"
After another, more energetic, nod from Izuku, Aizawa glanced around the apartment. It wasn't a mess, despite having another person living in it and two others constantly visiting for the past month.
The only major difference was that there were some drawings here and there. The psychologist they visited recommended that Izuku draw when he felt upset or anxious, or as Izuku put it, icky.
There was some drawings on the fridge, a few sheets of paper on the coffee table, but most of them were in Izuku's room.
One drawing of All Might on the kitchen floor that Aizawa had yet to remove from when Izuku was so lost in thought after another nightmare he didn't realise he had went off the paper.
Yamada had been asleep and Izuku, being the darling child he was, had decided that it would be easier not to bother him and to try calming himself down. It ended with Aizawa coming back to his apartment to find Yamada desperately trying to calm a sobbing Izuku and soapy kitchen floor.
After that, Aizawa had made sure Izuku understood that it was okay to bother one of them, even if they were asleep. Then the 3 of them had ended up watching Disney Movies until Izuku calmed down. Aizawa didn't remember most of them, dozing off half way through Lilo and Stitch.
A month of staying with Aizawa and Izuku was improving, he talked more, jumped around, slept and ate more, but there were still some problems. Izuku was terrified of strangers, scared of the dark, and sometimes would stare off into space for long periods of time.
The teachers at the daycare had told him that while Izuku was shy, his new aversion to strangers was beyond that. Considering the circumstances, it wasn't surprising.
Tying his hair up in a bun, Aizawa stacked some of the papers on the coffee table while Izuku ran back into his room, mumbling something about Hizashi-ji-san.
The doorbell ringing stopped him from asking Izuku to speak up. Right, Social Worker.
Aizawa opened the door to a smiling Ryoko, who nodded before stepping inside.
"It's nice to see you again Aizawa-san, everything been going well?" Ryoko's eyes roamed around the room until they landed on Izuku peering out from behind his door. "Hey Izukun! It's nice to see you again, you remember me don't you?"
Izuku smiled slightly before running out to Aizawa's side humming out a yes. He had a black rabbit onesie on, one that Nemuri had insisted they get when Aizawa went out with her to get Izuku new clothes, and two All Might dolls. One from Yamada, the other one from before.
"Izuku's been doing better, haven't you kid." Aizawa patted him on the head while Izuku mumbled out a yes against his leg before holding out the All Might doll Yamada had given him.
"Hizashi-ji-san got me this!"
Smiling, Ryoko reached forward and took the doll from him, eyes twinkling as she examined it.
"That was nice of him! My daughter has one just like this, and I'm guessing Hizashi is..?"
"One of the friends who watches Izuku while I work, yes." Aizawa nodded.
"oh okay good," handing the doll back to Izuku Ryoko pulled a notepad out from her bag, "I'll probably need his contact information? Just as a reference, if that's alright?"
Aizawa was cut off when he heard his phone right from inside his room, he was about to apologise to Ryoko when he felt Izuku tugging on his sleeve. His wide eyes practically begging Aizawa.
Oh, alright then. At least he could speak with Ryoko in private if needed.
"You can answer it if it's Yamada or Nemuri, but anyone else ask me first, alright?"
One hand rested on Izuku's shoulder as he nodded vigorously before he ran off to answer the phone, followed by a long 'okay'.
"Say 'okay" Izuku, don't draw out words."
Another, shorter, okay came from Izuku before Aizawa turned back to Ryoko who looked like she was trying not to laugh.
Pushing his bangs behind his ear, Aizawa sighed and moved to go into the kitchen "Sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone to call, I'll get you a drink, is there anything you prefer?"
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, I don't think this will take long, I just have to ask you a few questions and check up on Izuku to make sure he, and you for that matter, are adjusting..."
Concerned Aizawa turned away from the fridge to see why Ryoko had drifted off, following her gaze to the drawing on the floor.
"You have a drawing of All Might on the floor."
"Yes, he seems to be Izuku's favourite hero, is water okay?'
They're meeting continued after Ryoko finally stopped laughing at Aizawa's deadpan way of addressing the drawing, discussing how both he and Izuku were adjusting, Izuku's good and bad days. Overall things went well. Izuku came back part way through to tell him Nemuri had called to say she'd be coming early.
After Ryoko left at about 5:30, Aizawa made dinner at about 6 and Nemuri came to watch Izuku at 8 before he began his shift at 9. Nothing too serious that night, a couple petty thefts which wear easy enough stop.
Opening the door to his apartment, Aizawa saw Nemuri sitting at the counter staring at her laptop. Mumbling a hello, he set his gear down next to her before taking out his eye drops. "How was he?"
"A darling," leaning back, Nemuri stretched and cracked her neck before going back to her laptop, " He woke up once and had a little bit of a hard time going back to sleep but I just threw your sleeping bag on him and he was fine. Last time I checked he was still asleep"
Nodding, Aizawa dragged a hand over his face. Izuku was definitely getting more sleep, something he was glad for, he wasn't expecting him to get better in an instant, it had only been a month after all. But he still felt that-
"Shouta stop."
Raising his head, Aizawa met Nemuri's gaze "Stop what?"
"You may have that whole 'I'm tired deadpan' look but you can't fool your big sister- I know I'm not your big sister, shut up for a second and let me finish-" taking a breath, Nemuri placed her hand on his arm before continuing "That kid adores you, you're a grump but he does. You're trying your best so stop making yourself feel guilty."
Silence passed between them before Aizawa pulled away "I don't feel guilty, I'm just worried."
"Sweety, darling, you little shit don't tell me you don't feel guilty, I can see it and you know what? I already have Yamada calling me and asking if he should get this for Izuku or he should get that for Izuku. Both of feel guilty. Both of you are trying to make up for something that wasn't your fault. So stop, you don't need to, Izuku is a wonderful little kid who I'm pretty sure loves you, both of you, and me, to be honest."
Pushing forward,Nemuri put her whole weight on him and jabbed a finger into his chest "Okay?"
"...I told Yamada to stop doing that."
"Oh you know him." she laughed, it was as good of an 'okay' as she was going to get "He loves doing everything to the extreme."
Pushing her off, Aizawa walked into the kitchen to start making breakfast, "I'm making eggs over rice, do you want any?"
"Mmm, nah, I'm alright, I'll get something on the way," packing up her things, she winked at him before going to door "besides, Izuku told me that you said you'd watch a movie with him when you got back."
"Yeah, something about one of the first heros"
"Awww, not All Might?"
"No." he snorted
Gasping, Nemuri smirked "Aizawa Shouta"
"What?"
"That was a smile, I saw it, it existed and you think Izukun's adoration for All Might is adorable" She had almost missed it, but she saw the small smile on his face.
"Weren't you leaving?"
"You're not denying it, but fine, be a grump, I'll see you later." Nemrui pushed the door open right as she saw Izuku coming out, dragging Aizawa's sleeping bag behind him and rubbing his eyes.
Giving him a little wave she shut the door behind her.
Izuku stared after her until his eyes focused and Aizawa caught his attention.
"I'm making breakfast kid, we can eat it when we watch the movie, sound good?"
Letting out a squeal of delight Izuku ran forward and gave Aizawa a hug, completely ignoring Aizawa telling him not to bring the sleeping bag into the kitchen. "Can we make a blanket fort too?"
"Yeah, we can make a blanket fort too." Aizawa huffed as Izuku took off, throwing the sleeping bag onto the couch before running to get more blankets and pillows.
Letting a small smile grace his face, Aizawa turned back to cooking.
He'd be an idiot to deny that Izuku was cute.
