Izuku and Hayden sat opposite to each other by the office table. Hayden had gotten the boy a chair and a couple pillows to help him reach the table, giving him a chance to see what she was doing.

The room was quiet apart from the whirr of the old computer and the clicking of the keys. A bird sang outside and a car honked its horn. People were talking in the hallway, probably nurses or a family. A child screamed, happy, probably from the playmat in the hallway. The psychology ward wasn't usually too busy but the hallways were hardly empty either.

There was a lingering smell of Chinese takeout alongside the room's usual smell of modeling clay, paint and the hospital's disinfectant.

Izuku watched as the psychologist wrote something on the computer. Kicking his legs, his eyes roamed the small room. It was closer to a closet, Hayden had joked last time. Izuku disagreed. The room was big on his standards.

The room hadn't changed from last time. The many piles of papers on the desk had grown in height though, despite the lone occupant's best efforts to go through them. It seemed that Hayden had been busy these past days. She had black bags under her eyes which the makeup didn't quite cover. She had tried her best anyways.

The shelves of books were messy. Some books were put in upside down and some were just lying on the top of the shelf. One or two were on the floor. The woman clearly hadn't had the time to clean up lately. It was also intentional to a certain level. A pristine room would often bother the patients to the point they just sat still and mute. Sometimes for the whole meeting. If they saw a little mess, they would be much more likely to begin playing and then talking.

To be honest, Hayden had just planned to do paperwork today and not see any patients. She often did that once every two or three weeks. Cleaning of the room would happen later the day. But today, after hearing about the situation going on at the intensive care unit she had offered her help right away. She hadn't even thought about it, just told the doctor that she could see Izuku.

Izuku watched the table already set for them on the floor. There were brand new colors on the table, still in their large package. There were also new pictures to color. Izuku could see a hero-themed one there among the many animals, dolls and cars. His hands were itching to get to work already.

"Thank you for waiting Izuku. Sorry about that. I'm just drowning in these papers", Hayden smiled. She had also had to update Izuku's situation to his file with the new information at hand.

Izuku nodded, smiling back. He followed the psychologist to the table and took the box of pencils when offered. He sat down on the pillows on the floor.

"I thought you'd like this. Here", Hayden told him as she sat down as well, "Open it. I want to hear what you think."

Izuku did as told and carefully peeled the tape off. He poured the pencils out onto the table and spread them out. Looking at the large selection of colors, he smiled wide.

"You like them? The ones I previously had were getting so short. We really needed new ones", the explained, "I bought them just yesterday. No one else has used them yet."

Izuku nodded. These ones were much easier to hold. They were really pretty too. All shiny and new.

"I printed out some new pictures too", Hayden watched Izuku, who had already picked one out of the pile. It was the hero one. She had picked that one with Izuku in mind.

"Go ahead. You can color it", she coaxed the boy.

Izuku rolled the pencils around on the table. They made a nice sound as they hit each other. Finally, Izuku picked a color and made the first line. Of course, the color was red. His absolute favorite.

While Izuku colored, Hayden wrote down notes. She would let the boy speak first. It would let Izuku know that they were working on his conditions. Hayden wasn't here to interrogate him. They were here to talk and solve his problems. One by one. No matter how long it would take.

"Do you know what happened to father?" Izuku finally asked. He had colored about half of the picture, deciding to have a small break in the middle.

"Do you want to know what happened to him?" Hayden asked. She didn't have the details yet. She knew that there had been a fight but that was pretty much it. She didn't even know what injuries the man had or how serious it was. The man had needed intensive care and surgery. She knew nothing more.

Izuku nodded, "He looked bad."

"How bad?"

"I didn't see any blood", the boy mumbled, "But he was all wrapped up. His face looked bad."

"What do you think happened?"

"I don't know. He-He could've fought with someone", Izuku averted his eyes, focusing his attention back to coloring the picture. The topic was clearly delicate. Hayden would need to be careful.

"Did he fight often?"

A nod, "But he always won."

"Always?"

A firm nod.

Hayden let Izuku color for some while. She would continue coaxing out answers later. He needed some time to cool down before they could continue. They would move slow today. The day had already been hard enough for both of them. There was no reason to make it more so. They could both do with some peace and quiet.

"Who will you give this one to?" Hayden asked, noticing that Izuku was almost done with the coloring. He had been very careful. There was almost no color outside the lines and the colors he had used had been chosen carefully. Izuku apparently had an eye for things like this. He was like a little artist.

Izuku thought for a bit, "Can I hang it over the bed?"

"You want to give it to your father then?"

"Hm", Izuku nodded, "Can I?"

"You'll have to ask the nurses but I'm sure you can. I have some tape you can use", Hayden told him, "Do you think your father will like it?"

"I don't know", Izuku really didn't know what his father would think. He had seemed nice when the two had talked for a bit. Maybe the medicine had done that and the man was still as angry as ever with Izuku. Izuku also didn't know if he'd like the picture itself. It was a hero, after all.

"Well, I would surely like it if someone gave me a present like that", the psychologist told him with a gentle smile, trying to reassure him, "Did you two talk?"

"He asked me how I was doing. He didn't sound upset with me", Izuku mumbled. He was going through the pictures again, looking for a second one to color. Finally, he decided that he'd be doing an original piece this time. He took a blank paper from a pile and a black pencil.

"Why would he be upset? Does he have some reason to be upset with you?" the notes were taken out yet again. Hayden felt like they were getting somewhere again.

"I don't know", Izuku closed his eyes. His small frame shook a bit.

Hayden could tell that the boy was getting nervous. The topic was clearly very hard for him to talk about. Whether it was because of the trauma from when he had lived with his father or because the boy simply couldn't think of a logical answer, was unclear. A young boy like Izuku really shouldn't have to think about things like this. He should've been thinking about playing with his friends or the last evening's cartoons. Too bad life didn't always work that way. It was rather unfair.

"Did you do something bad?" Hayden coaxed. Izuku would have to go through this. He would have to come in terms with his feelings and thoughts or he could never move forward. Saying things aloud also often helped. You'd feel so much better afterwards.

"I-I don't think so", Izuku closed his eyes and tried to remember, "I've tried to be really good to Mr. Aizawa and Mr. Yagi. They haven't shouted or hit me."

"Let me tell you a little secret. Come a little closer", Hayden waited until Izuku had leaned in before she continued, "Those two wouldn't hit you. Never. Even if you'd be a little naughty."

"Really? Not even a little slap?"

"I promise. Not even a little slap to the cheek", Hayden brought her hand onto Izuku's cheek and smiled kindly, "The two have been nice to you, right?"

"Really good. I have a room. It's super big", Izuku explained, using his hands to try and show the size, "I have a fluffy bed and a lot of clothes. Some of them are weird but I like them all a lot. They're soft and warm."

"That's great to hear", Hayden nodded, "I don't think you've done anything wrong."

But Izuku continued with his thinking, "Maybe I've bothered them. They can't go to work when I'm there. Don't you need to work to get money?"

"Yes. You work to earn money", she nodded, "But it's not that simple. It's not as simple as that."

Hayden earned a confused head tilt from the boy.

"Have you heard of the saying 'Money doesn't bring happiness'? What do you think that saying means?"

"That-That you can't buy happiness?"

"I wonder. Is it really as simple as that?"

"You can buy good food with money. Then you eat it and become happy", Izuku nodded.

Hayden smiled. Izuku really was a smart boy. His example was simple yet sad. He would surely be happy if he got a nice meal every once in a while. Unlike some other greedy people who couldn't appreciate such simple things in life.

"But is that really happiness? I don't think that would last for a long time. Wouldn't you be unhappy again when the food was gone?"

Izuku nodded. You'd get hungry again and need more food.

It was amazing to see how well the boy understood these things. He was like a little philosopher, thinking through every question he was given before carefully answering.

Hayden would make sure that he was put in a class that would match his skills as well as his mental problems. Izuku was still an abuse victim. It was easy to forget that at times.

"Do I have to go back with father when he gets better?" Izuku asked.

"You don't want to?" Hayden replied with a question

Izuku twisted his fingers nervously. He slowly shrugged his shoulders as in 'I don't know'.

"Your father will go back to jail when he is better. You won't go with him. A prison is no place for a sweet child like you."

"Really? I'll get to stay with Yagi and Aizawa? They won't take me away?"

"Of course! Haven't they talked about it? The two are looking for a daycare for you."

"I get to go to a school?"

"Yes. In a couple years. But you need to go to daycare first."

"I want to learn how to write!" Izuku jumped up and down, "And-and read better!"

The idea of going to school seemed to excite the boy. It was good. Some children were the complete opposite of that. Seeing Izuku's past situation made education that much more important. It would all be an important part of the healing progress as well.

"You know how to read?" Hayden asked.

"Mm-m! Just a bit but I don't know the difficult characters yet."

"Don't worry. Not many adults know all of them either", she laughed a bit. Hayden had never been good with kanji and even now would often make mistakes writing and reading them. It was obvious Izuku wouldn't know them. He hadn't had the chance to learn.

"Really?"

"Really. I wouldn't lie to you. So, how do you feel about going to daycare? You haven't been in one before, right?"

"No. Father didn't want me to go. He said that he'd teach me if I needed to know something", the boy nodded, "He said that life would teach me the things he didn't."

The father clearly hadn't thought it necessary to teach his son that much. It was unclear what he thought were the necessary skills needed in life. The ability to lie? The skills of robbery and scamming? Hayden really had no idea. Izuku did have manners and his spoken language was good although not great. Had his father taught him those or had it been the others who had taken care of the boy? She suspected the latter.

"But how do you feel about it? Don't you want to learn new things and meet new friends?" Hayden asked. She didn't want to hear what the man thought. She wanted to hear Izuku's opinion on the topic.

"I-I want to go. But isn't school expensive?"

"Izuku. It isn't a matter of expensive or cheap. If you want to go, you go. It's as simple as that. We cannot deny you education", Hayden explained, "It's your human right."

"Human right?"

"Yes. There are some things everyone should have. Education is one of them."

"I can go to daycare?"

"Yes. You can go."

Izuku's face lit up, "Do you think they have books? Those that you write in."

"School books? I'm sure they have a few."

"I want one", Izuku said. He seemed serious.

"Aren't you eager. What do you want to learn the most?"

"Math!", Izuku beamed, "And to write."

"That's good to hear. Many people don't like math."

"Why? It's useful."

"Because they think it's boring and difficult."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think so? Is math boring?"

"Hmm. I remember I didn't like it that much when I was younger. Now that I think about it, I think all our teachers up until then had been terrible. They just didn't know how to make the learning fun. Then I learned that I needed math if I wanted to do this job. I hit the books and it changed my mind completely. My new teacher also helped a lot."

Izuku listened closely. He sucked in every word leaving the psychologist's mouth. When Izuku asked her to, Hayden told him tales of when she had been in school many years ago. All the way from daycare to university.

"Do you have any books like that in here?" Izuku asked, taking a bite out of the sandwich Hayden had offered him. They were sharing the psychologist's packed lunch. It consisted of two sandwiches. Very simple but apparently delicious all the same, seeing how happily Izuku ate his.

There were many books on the room's several bookshelves. Hayden had collected them all throughout her many years doing the job. She had bought some herself from flea markets as well as received as gifts from friends and family. The rest came as a part of the job. There was everything from classic children's story books to books full of easy exercises. They notebooks were a hit with the children. Knowing they could do something and do it correctly, usually got them to relax and talk.

"Math books? Let me see. I'm sure I had some right here", Hayden crawled on her knees to the nearest shelf. She pulled out a couple books, flipping through them before putting them back. She finally pulled out a slim notebook with a colorful cover.

"Here it is", she cheered as she returned to the table and placed the book in front of Izuku, "Go ahead and see if you can do some of them."

The boy nodded eagerly and opened the first page. He stared at the colorful pictures on the cover first before he flipped the page open.

The book was meant for small children younger than Izuku but it would be perfect for them today. The exercises were very simple, like counting apples or birds.

"I can do these!" Izuku told the psychologist.

"You can? Let me see how you do them then", Hayden gave Izuku a pencil, "Here. This is for you. You can have it."

Izuku looked at the pencil. It was a simple lead pencil. Something you'd find in every office. But Izuku caressed the pencil, feeling its every groove as well as the smooth finish of the paint. It was his very own pencil.

"I can have it? It's mine?" he asked.

"Of course. Everyone who does math like this needs a pencil", Hayden told him. She smiled at the boy's innocence. It was amazing how happy receiving a pencil could make someone. This was a milestone. Izuku would now begin learning. He would pack his backpack and go to daycare. He would make a ton of friends and learn all the basic social skills he would need later in life.

Izuku nodded. He had decided to begin from the first page.

The characters on the instruction were deliberately easy to read and Izuku could read them all. He seemed pleased to notice that.

"How many birds are on the fence?" Izuku read the text over the picture of a flock of birds.

"You write your answer there", Hayden pointed to an empty line. She wouldn't help the boy if he didn't ask for it. She wanted to see how Izuku would do on his own and how he'd handle any possible mistakes.

"They're blue", Izuku pointed out, "Look. One flew away."

"I see. How many are left?"

"Hmm", Izuku counted the birds, pointing at each one as he counted, "One, two and three. Three birds."

"Yes. Three birds. Can you write the answer down?"

Izuku nodded. He was smiling. Happy that he had gotten it correct. It had been his first one and he had gotten it right.

He then slowly begun drawing the number. The curve of the number was perfect. The only problem was that it was backwards. Like how children often wrote letters wrong.

"Here. Let me show you. You write it like this", Hayden drew the number on the edge of her notes and showed it to him, "See? It was almost correct. You did really well."

Izuku looked at the number carefully before he copied it next to the incorrect one, "There! Now it's correct!"

Hayden clapped her hands, "Good job! Should we put a sticker there?"

"Why?"

"Because you got it correct, of course", Hayden took out her large sticker case. All kids loved stickers, despite their situation or age. They were colorful, fun and an easy way to reward them. Hayden placed the case open on the table in front of Izuku.

"Here. Choose any one you like."

"Any one?"

"Any one."

Izuku chose a bird sticker. Hayden removed it for him and let Izuku stick it onto the page.

"Now there are four birds!" Izuku smiled.

"You're right", Hayden smiled. She helped the boy write that number as well.

The two worked through the notebook for the rest of their time together. They completed the first three pages. Izuku even managed to do division with a little coaxing. It was hard when the boy was so eager to share from what was his.

Hayden had had to explain some of the written exercises when Izuku didn't fully understand the meaning behind them. But other than that, Izuku understood most of them and did them correctly as well. He was smart, although a little behind for his age. Hayden wrote a note reminding her to schedule an IQ test for the boy. That would help them all in the future.

"I want to show these to everyone!" Izuku exclaimed. He was jumping on his seat, the previous anxiety and sadness long forgotten.

"I bet they'll be very proud of you", Hayden nodded, "It's okay. You can take the book with you. I'll give it to you."

"Really? I can have it?"

"Of course! It's all yours. I want you to treat it well."

"Thank you! I will!" Izuku hugged her tight. It was yet another milestone. Izuku had touched her voluntarily. Lovingly even. He hadn't done that before. Of course, there had been the occasional brush of hands and such but no hugs like that. Hayden had hugged him once or twice herself before.

"Do you want to go show them right away?"

"Yeah!"

"Then let's go", Hayden let Izuku take her hand. The boy would get lost otherwise. He didn't know this part of the hospital so well.

"Can I come see you again?" Izuku asked as they walked towards the older Midoriya's room.

"Of course. I'd love to see you again soon."

"Then I can show you how much work I've done", Izuku waved the notebook he held in his other hand.

"I'll look forward to it."

Both smiled.