Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the support and visits and kudos and reads! I've started cross posting this at a second fanfiction site as well. It's behind compared to here, but as promised, I got enough views so here's a chapter full of family fluff!
Chapter 25 - Slumber Party
Toya looked out the window of the car curiously. He was wearing a long black hoodie with jeans, his forearms and neck bandaged from the recent training. And his medical stuff was in his overnight bag that was sitting at his feet. Keigo seemed excited by the way his wings would not hold still and was talking to Guen like they were on very familiar terms. Toya had expected Keigo to live in a more expensive part of the city given his amazing quirk, a well known lawyer as a father, and being a Commission asset. But this was the slums of Fukuoka, and Toya was having a hard time wrapping his head around Keigo living here.
The car pulled up to an eight story apartment building with chain link fencing around the grounds. There were some stores and other equally tall buildings around, but there was a woman standing at the steps that stole Toya's breath. She had super short blue hair and bright purple eyes. Wearing nursing scrubs and a large brown sweater, she had an easy smile and waved when the car stopped. Keigo didn't wait for Guen as he ran out of the car and flew up the steps to hug the woman. Guen held the door for Toya and the 9 year old stepped out watching them. Keigo glanced back and waved to Guen with a loud "Thanks Guen!" before he took the woman's hand.
"Mom, this is Toya. Toya, this is my mom, Azumi Nakamura." Toya bowed respectfully as Azumi smiled warmly and offered an arm to give him a hug. "Oh, you're such a handsome young man. Your eyes. Hello Toya." He blushed as she gave him a warm hug, and he saw scars on her forehead and temple which was curious. He didn't remember Keigo telling him his mom had any sort of brain injury or surgery. Keigo gripped her hand as Toya carried his duffle and followed them inside. They went to the elevator and Keigo was rambling about his week to Azumi who was looking between the two.
"Jin is still coming over, right Mom?" Azumi nodded and pressed the 4th floor button. "Yes, he'll be over by dinner. Soji and I decided to try our hand at pizza since you're having two friends over tonight." Toya tilted his head, a pang of familiarity in his chest. This reminded him of his own mom and younger siblings before his dad…. He shook his head a bit and stepped off the elevator with them, Keigo now grabbing Toya's hand and letting Azumi lead. "You like pizza, right Toya?" He blinked and grinned at his friend. "Who doesn't?"
Azumi held the door for them and shoes were taken off at the door, Toya looking around the apartment. He saw family pictures and books, a large L shaped sofa and TV on the far wall. Keigo grabbed both their bags and motioned for Toya to follow him to his room. "My room is this way." Soji peeked out of the kitchen and Toya blinked, confused. Neither of Keigo's parents looked anything like Keigo. Now that he glanced around again, there were no baby pictures or toddler pictures of Keigo. Toya always liked to think he was too observant for his own good, but suddenly a few of Keigo's mannerisms and the nightmares made way more sense. These weren't Keigo's birth parents.
Soji walked up to Toya with a towel in hand, as if he had just washed his hands. "Hello, you must be Toya. I'm Soji Nakamura." He offered a hand and Toya took it, shaking hands before he saw Keigo was back from putting their bags in his room. Soji smiled at Keigo and grabbed him in a hug. "How was it this week?" Keigo made a happy chirping noise as he started repeating what he told Azumi as he was carried into the kitchen. Azumi walked up to Toya. "If you need anything while you're here, just say so. We're very glad to have you, Toya." Keigo suddenly ran out of the kitchen and grabbed Toya's hand.
"Come on! I have to show you my room before Jin gets here and hogs all the comics."
/
Toya and Keigo were well into a comic arch when Jin showed up. Azumi gave him a hug before knocking and opening Keigo's bedroom door to let him in. "Dinner in ten minutes boys." Jin ran at Keigo and tackled him right as Keigo stood up causing feathers to explode around the room. Toya batted a few away as he read the page to the end. Then he glanced up at the new arrival to see the two wrestling. Jin had Keigo well pinned, despite Keigo's wings and flexible quirk, Jin seemed to know just how to pin him down as Keigo thrashed underneath. "Toya! Help!"
Toya grinned with a maniacal look in his turquoise eyes that made them look like they were glowing. "I don't want to get in the way of your two's fun." Jin scrambled around on top of Keigo causing the younger boy to squawk as Jin sat on him and offered a hand. "I'm Jin." Toya took his clawed and winged hand, shaking it with a smile. "I'm Toya. Heard a lot about you." Jin grinned with a row of fanged teeth. "I'm famouth!" He sat harder on Keigo caisong feathers to puff up as if he blew up a pillow. Keigo suddenly used a leg to grab Jin's arm and in a wrestling maneuver. Tried to roll him off onto the floor. Jin screeched and started smacking Keigo with his wings.
"Let go chicken butt!"
"You get go bat brain!"
"Here let me help you two."
Toya grabbed Jin by the scruff and Keigo by the shoulder and pulled them apart. His long arms and height let him have the reach to keep them from being able to grab each other, although both boys were laughing too hard to be upset. All of the loose feathers that had been floating around were now drifting back to Keigo's wings as Toya helped them both stand. Introductions and wrestling done, the boys started talking about the comics all over Keigo's reading corner. Jin and Toya had a lot in common. They liked the same heroes, the same ultimate moves. Toya was as fascinated with Jin's quirk as he was with Keigo's wings. Both Keigo and Jin stared in awe at the three round balls of blue flame rolling around in Toya's left hand.
"Wow. I've never theen blue flameth before. That'th tho cool. Can you melt tungthtun?" Keigo was staring at the flames as he correct Jin. "Tungsten." Jin smacked Keigo's arm. "That'th what I thaid!" Toya smiled at them both and closed his hand. "I can turn a log or body to ashes in seconds. I don't know about metals, they never gave me the reports on that." Jin looked confused as he adjusted his glasses. "I would have thought the Hero Comitthon would let you know that. The way Keigo dethcribeth your training, they thould let you know if you can melt chainth and handcuffth." Toya got a cocky look on his face. "We are ready for anything."
Azumi was leaning on the doorframe and spoke up. "How about dinner. Are you ready for that?" They all looked at each other before cheering and following her to the kitchen where three pizzas were waiting on the table. Soji and Azumi got the boys settled with sodas and pizza, Toya watching the interaction between the two as if curious. For homemade pizza it was delicious. Keigo chirped happily as he watched Jin and Toya ask questions back and forth. He was glad they were getting along, and even more glad that Toya seemed to be enjoying himself. Keigo could tell in the relaxed way Toya dat, held his pizza, even the way he glanced at Keigo with a fond smile between bites.
After dinner, Azumi said she would clean up as Soji offered to order a movie for the boys if they got into pajamas. It was too dark to let them play outside, so the three boys went to change and dragged all of Keigo's bedding into the living room
They piled onto the sofa, shoving and giggling as they got comfortable on the sofa to watch the movie. Keigo was planted in the middle corner of the sofa while Jin was curled up on the short part so he could sit next to his friend. Toya stretched out on the long part, a happy smile on his face as he put his hands behind his head and watched the movies scroll by.
This felt more like home to Toya already than his own home. Here, Keigo was relaxed, happy, playful. His mom was kind and soft spoken, his dad wasn't a force to be feared in the household. It felt like a home should, and somehow that made him miss his own home. Even if his father was a woman beating flaming bastard who hit his mom. His siblings all hid from him as he walked down the halls of the too perfect traditional japanese house. He felt a warmth brush his shoulders and looked over to see Keigo had draped one of his wings around Toya as if wanting to keep him close. His eyes were watching Toya with a silent question in his eyes.
Toya grinned at his friend and brushed his wing with a hand, warming it up and grinning wider when Keigo let out a coo uncontrollably. Jin glanced over and blinks. "What wath that?" Keigo started turning red as Toya put on an innocent expression. "No idea." Keigo grumbled as his feathers shuddered. "I hate you." And suddenly they all were locked on the tv pointing in excitement. "That one! That movie! Please?" Soji laughed and hit order, setting the remote down as he dimmed the lights. Kung Fu Panda began to play on the screen as Soji walked into the kitchen to help his wife with dinner.
/
The boys had watched Kung Fu Panda 1, 2 and 3 by the time Jin fell asleep. Azumi had brought out popcorn, potato chips and hot chocolate between movies 1 and 2, returning to collect the cups and bowls before the third movie. She gave each boy a kiss on the forehead and ran her fingers through their hair before saying goodnight and walking with Soji to their bedroom. Jin moved to curl up at Toya's feet before the third movie and was now snoring softly as Toya rested his feet over Jin's back and blanket. He was radiating heat and with boys were snuggled close for it. The clock read 1am as the credits for the third movie rolled up the screen and Keigo spoke quietly.
"Thanks for coming for the weekend, Toya. Jin likes you, and I know tomorrow and Sunday are gonna be just as much fun." Toya glanced over at Keigo and saw he was looking down at his hands. His eyes glowing from the TV light. "Your family is nice. Your mom is sweet, your dad is really cool. It's nice here. How long have you been with them?" Keigo blinked over at the redhead surprised as Toya motioned around the living room. "There's no pictures of you as a baby. Nothing from more than a couple years back, plus you don't look like either of them. I know your dad is a lawyer and has a mental based quirk. Your mom I'm assuming has the same, which means you should have one too, but you have an animal quirk."
"You sure know a lot about quirk genetics." Keigo said slowly. "I started living with Azumi two years ago. Her and Soji got married last year before her operation in case something bad happened. They loved each other before they got married though. He even asked my permission to marry Azumi." Toya nodded and looked at the previews for movie options playing on the tv. "You're lucky. My dad married my mom for her quirk. It was only for her quirk, not for love at all. She makes ice and can freeze things, while my dad has a flame quirk called hellfire." Keigo blinked as Toya looked at his left hand. "Then my dad started knocking out kids hoping to get one with a perfect blend."
He closed his hand into a fist and then opened it to show a small blue flame dancing in his palm. "I have fire hotter than my dad's, but my body is resistant to ice not flames, so I burn myself up when I use my quirk. It doesn't seem to affect my hands at all though. My younger brother is quirkless and my sister can make snow. I have another little brother but he won't manifest his quirk for a while." Keigo listened as he watched the flames dance in Toya's hand. He never knew much about Toya's family, he kept to himself about it. Keigo never told him about his own family so he never asked about the redhead's.
"I've never asked, but this kind of explains it. This is all why you burned that kid in the gym when we first met? You looked at me like I was someone familiar." Toya nodded and smirked. "I felt like he was being my dad and you were one of my siblings and unlike at home, I could do something about it." Keigo nodded and smiled at his friend. "I'm glad you're my friend Toya." The redhead grinned at him before snuffing the small blue flames. Me too Keigo. Hey, I've been meaning to a-"
"Shhh!" Keigo slapped a hand gently over Toya's mouth as he looked behind him, peering over the top of the sofa. He crouched down a bit and whispered. "My mom is awake." Toya furrowed his brow, not hearing anything and pulled away from Keigo's hand. He was about to say something when he heard a shuffling noise and both boys looked up to see Azumi standing behind the sofa looking down at all three of them. She looked tired, her hair every which way and Toya saw a round locket around her neck with her tank top. "Hey sweetie. Are you all ok?" Keigo nodded watching her as he spoke quietly to not wake up Jin. "We're fine mom. Just talking." She leaned over to kiss the top of Keigo's head and gently rested a hand on Toya's head.
"Try to get some sleep you two. You have all weekend. I'll wake you up for breakfast." Keigo nodded. "Ok mom." Azumi smiled at Toya. "We're very glad you are here. You're welcome any time." Toya swallowed. His heart thundering in his chest at the invitation. "Thank you Mrs. Azumi." She nodded and turned to head back to bed as Keigo took the remote and turned the TV off. They both waited silently before Keigo nodded a little. "I think she was worried." Toya blinked and turned to rest his head on a pillow as he asked. "What happened to your mom?" Keigo stretched and rested his head back for sleep as well, cuddled next to Toya for the heat.
"She got hurt and needed a brain operation. She was having blackouts and headaches before. Now, she has tiny headaches but they're really rare. Mom has a bit of trouble gripping with her left hand and can't feel anything in her left foot. Plus dad said since I started staying at the dorms, she's been wondering around to check on me the first night I'm back or when I'm not here she gets a bit confused. But that's all." Toya was quiet before whispering. "I was meaning to ask about your mom's scars on her head but that explains that." Kaigo made a 'hmm' noise as he was starting to fall asleep. Toya closed his own eyes and smiled a little, relaxing for the first time in a long time as he let sleep overtake him.
/
Toya was the first to wake up as he smelled something sweet with the smell of bacon and saw the sun streaming through the bamboo blinds on the back glass door. He sat up and saw that Jin had moved back to Keigo's right side on the sofa, hugging his friend's arm while Keigo had a wing over Jin, the other was draped lazily over Toya. The redhead carefully moved the wing back to Keigo, receiving a soft bird like coo as he did and grinned. He loved the bird noises Keigo made when they were in the dorms, and was glad to see it wasn't just a product of being away from home. He stretched and stood up to head to Keigo's room where his bag was. He needed to replace his bandages and wanted to get that out of the way before Keigo woke up.
He walked past the kitchen doorway and saw Azumi at the counter working on something, her head turned and she smiled brightly to him speaking quietly. "Good morning Toya, are they both still asleep?" He nodded and motioned to himself. "I have to replace my um, wraps. I wanted to do it before they woke up." Azumi frowned, noticing the bandages now. "I'm so sorry I didn't notice those earlier. Do you want help? I am a nurse." Toya blinked. He missed that despite seeing her in scrubs the day before. "I didn't know that. Yeah, that would be awesome." She nodded and motioned towards Keigo's room. "If you have supplies bring them out here and I'll do it while the sweet rolls are in the oven."
Toya went to get his kit and sat at the table as Azumi put a sheet pan in the oven with rolls on it, another sheet pan full of bacon already in the oven and a pot was boiling something on the stove. She moved to wash her hands before grabbing a set of thin gloves from under the sink and gently began removing the bandages around his neck. "These look painful but they're healing." He nodded as she got a washcloth and gently washed the wound causing him to sigh. It felt good on his skin. She applied the burn salve and gently re wrapped his neck before moving to his right arm. "What happened?" Toya watched her work with a gentle but professional touch that put the medics at the Commission to shame. If they were all this gentle and skilled the kids probably wouldn't mind going to medical if they were hurt.
A shuffling drew both their attention to the doorway as Keigo and Jin stood there half asleep. "Morning Mama." Keigo yawned as Jin put his glasses on seeing Toya and Azumi. "Morning Mith Thumi. Ouch, that lookth like it hurtth." Toya shook his head. "My nerves are dead in my arms so I don't feel it." Jin peered at the left arm Azumi was wrapping. "Ith that from your quirk?" Toya watched Azumi work as he answered. "Yeah. If I over use it or try to use anything but my hands I burn myself from the inside. Just the way my quirk and body work." Jin shuddered as Azumi finished and smiled brightly. "All done! You boys should get dressed, breakfast is almost done." They headed to Keigo's room to get ready for the day, coming back to settle at the breakfast table with eggs, bacon and sweet sticky rolls.
Soji came in halfway through breakfast in a suit with his tie undone, going for a sticky roll as Azumi tsk'd and tried to do his tie. "You're going to be late for your meeting and you'll covered in sticky sugar if you aren't careful." Azumi scolded as she adjusted the neat tie. Soji grinned playfully at her and took a big messy bite before giving her a kiss and causing her to squeel from the glaze getting all over her chin and lips. Jin started laughing as Toya and Keigo hid their snickering behind a hand, watching Azumi grab a towel and start swatting at him for getting it all over her face. Soji beat a fast retreat out of the kitchen yelling back.
"I'll be back around lunchtime! Keigo take care of your mother!" Soji tried to get it out before they heard Azumi swatting him with the towel laughing and he stole another quick kiss before running out the door. She came back flush in the face and an amused look in her eyes as she gor a wet paper towel to wash her face. Toya looked at Keigo and grinned. "Yeah, I like it here."
Jin's father came to pick him up shortly after breakfast, and Keigo and Toya spent rhe rest of their weekend helping Azumi around the house, reading comics and playing boardgames like regular kids. Jin came back Sunday morning to play outside and they all got a chance to learn about each other's quirks. By the time both boys were waiting for Guen to pick the up, Toya had a much better grasp on Keigo's family life.
"You're really lucky Keigo. Your family is nice and you should want to protect that with everything you've got." Keigo nodded as he adjusted his backpack. "I do. That's why I want to be a hero. Jin and I were going to do it together but he's moving soon. So I have to make sure I'm the best so whenhI get my own agency, he'll be ready to join." Toya grinned and looked at the black Commission car pulling up. "Thanks for having me over. It's been awhile since I've been able to really relax around anyone." Keigo rubbed rhe back of his neck. "You-you could come next week if you wanted. It's my turn to spend the night at Jin's but I don't think Sion would mind." Toya smiled gently as he looked down at his friend.
"I'd like that a lot. Thanks."