A story I made based on the Team Only Left a Note idea on Pocketrambr's tumblr. I tried to stuff as much as I could from that into this story. Enjoy!

Tomie wandered through the streets, looking for a safe place to sleep. She wore an old backpack patched with duct tape on its back and side. The backpack carried a tarp, sleeping bag, the few clothes she had, and whatever other supplies she could fit. The evacuations had left many empty places for people like her. However, villains freely prowled the streets making them much more dangerous.

She'd been living like this ever since she ran away after failing her son. Again. Now that she thought about it, the only good thing she ever did for Keigo was buying him that Endeavor toy. Which she did mainly to shut up him up.

"Please, don't leave."

She always said that to Takami. No matter how much he yelled, no matter how much he cursed, no matter how much he hurt Keigo. She guessed she was just scared of caring for her son alone. Well fair was fair. She never paid attention to Keigo, now he never had to pay attention to her.

In a way, returning to this lifestyle was easier. It felt more natural existing out here than in the house paid for after she practically sold her son to the Hero Commission so they could mold him into a hero at their beck and call..

Wow, even when giving her son the opportunity to be a successful and well-loved hero she still managed to be a terrible mother. Honestly, she should be impressed at this point…

She walked into an area that wasn't fully evacuated yet. Stragglers made their way past her on their slow exodus from danger. A few kind souls offered her directions, but she told them she knew where she was going. A lie, but it kept them from trying to help her any more. She didn't need nor deserve it.

There was a loud noise. People started running and shouting. Tomie had been on the streets long enough to know that when everyone starts to run, you run too because you do not want to meet what they were running from.

As she ran he glanced back and saw a twelve-foot villain with a ram's head tearing the place apart.

A piece of rubble hit her in the back. She fell to the ground and looked up to see the villain about to trample her underfoot. This was it. She closed her eyes and braced for the pain.

None came. Tomie heard a loud crash and felt wind buffeting her face. She opened her eyes to see the villain lying on his back several meters away. Between Tomie and the villain was a hero clad in a tattered red and green suit, wearing a yellow cape.

She was several feet away and lying on the ground, so she might not be the best judge, but…he looked awfully small for a hero.

The hero got into a fighting stance as the ram headed villain began to up. "I know, I'll be careful. Thanks for the tip," he said, obviously communicating with other heroes over the radio.

"Who the hell are you supposed to be?!" asked the villain.

"I am…a hero!" said the figure in green. Tomie wasn't sure but he sounded almost like a child trying to make his voice sound deep. "Tell me, why are you causing this destruction?"

"Because screw you that's why!" the villain said, throwing a block of concrete at the hero. Lightening crackled around the hero as he shot backward, picked up Tomie and leapt out of the concrete's path. Ok, now Tomie was sure that he was suspiciously small for a hero. (Then again that Rumi girl Keigo was friends with was small too)

The hero set her down then charged at the villain. The villain tried throwing more rubble at him, but the hero dodged them before getting behind the villain and sweeping out his legs. The villain tried to grab him, but the green hero easily overpowered him. Noticing Tomie, the villain picked up a piece of concrete and threw it at her.

The hero let go of the villain and ran toward her. The hero reached out with his hand and shot out a black tendril that grabbed the rock before swinging around and throwing it into the fleeing villain's back. He wrapped the tendril around the villain, lifted him overhead, and swung him into the ground.

Didn't he have a strength quirk before?

The villain lay in the middle of the street unconscious. The hero grabbed a downed street pole and wrapped it around the ram villain. Then he turned to her. "Are you ok ma'am?" he said hurrying over and checking her for injuries.

Tomie nodded. "Yes, I'm not hurt. Thank you."

"Your welcome," the hero said. "Can you do me a favor and call the police to report this?"

"I'm afraid I can't," said Tomie. "I…I don't have a phone. Didn't you use a radio to talk to the other heroes?"

"Oh um, right. My radio… died," the hero said, scratching the back of his head. "Anyway, don't worry! I'll get someone else to do it! Glad you're ok!" He began running off, "You should get to a shelter! The next one is about a kilometer that way!" he said pointing. He hurried away in a flash of green lightening.

Tomie stared after him for several second. What a strange hero…

As she made her way into the evacuated area Tomie used her quirk to spy around corners and watch her back. She scrounged some food from a restaurant dumpster, and also found some coins beneath a vending machine.

She began looking for a place to sleep. She had seen a few homeless people like her, but no tent camps. In times like these there was safety in numbers. Maybe she should try one of the abandoned apartment buildings' hallways? She was pulled out of her thoughts by a nearby voice.

"I know it's hard but it's the best way to protect them. That's not true, I have you guys! I'll have you know I have thought this through! Ok, maybeI don't have some details worked out, but I am completely fine!"

The voice sounded high pitched, young. A teenager? He was arguing with someone but Tomie couldn't hear anyone else. Tomie rounded the corner and found the same hero who'd saved her.

The hero jumped, turning to watch her nervously with a pair of big, round, green eyes. His hood was down, letting Tomie get a good look at the green curls of his hair and at his round face dotted with freckles.

He looked…young. Next to him was a worn yellow backpack, packed to the brim.

"Uh hi?" the boy said.

"Hi…" said Tomie. 1. How old was he? 2. What was he doing out here? 3. Why was he carrying a backpack like a runaway?

"Do you uh, need anything?" the boy said.

"I'm fine," she said. "What are you doing here?"

"I uh, was chasing villains and just taking a rest, I'll be up in five minutes you don't have to worry about me did you want this spot?" he said, nervously chuckling

Tomie cocked her head. "Um first of all, this spot is right next to a storm drain," she said pointing. "You'll be soaked if it rains."

"Oh," he said glancing at said drain.

"Second you're pretty obviously a runaway."

"Whaaat? I'm not a runaway, whoever said anything about running away? That would be reckless and stupid and I wouldn't do something like that!" he said, looking up and avoiding eye contact at all costs.

This boy was a truly terrible liar. Tomie gave him a deadpan stare.

"Ok maybe I kind of am one!" said the boy. "And a hero school drop-out. But I have very good reasons for both!"

Tomie raised an eyebrow.

"I do! It turns out that one of the most dangerous villains on the planet is hunting me and if I stayed at UA he'd break in and hurt my friends!"

"And you?"

"Yeah that too. Which would mean I can't stop him, meaning my friends will be hurt and everyone will be doomed! So, I ran out here so I can train and stop villains far away from them! I'm fine don't worry!"

Tomie was worrying. Tomie was absolutely worrying. This kid was out on the streets with no idea how to survive there and fighting villains while being hunted by the most dangerous villain alive?! She knew teenagers could be dumb but seriously…

"Kid, you should just go home to your parents or your hero school. You'll be safer there."

"But they can't stop All for One and if he comes after me! They'll get hurt!" said the boy.

"But you have no idea what you're doing! If you do this you'll get hurt! I was a neglectful mother but even I have a problem letting that happen!"

"I'll be fine! I know what I'm doing! Really!"

He wasn't going back was he? Tomie sighed. Dumb kid. "Get your bag on and follow me," she said, turning toward the end of the alley

"Huh? Why?" the boy said.

"Look kid, you're fourteen-"

"Sixteen!" the boy said indignant. Tomie stared at him for a long moment. He didn't seem to be lying. Wow he looked younger than he was.

"Fine. You're sixteen and this place has been evacuated, so you have no way of getting an apartment. You'd best stick with me."

"You have an apartment?"

"No but I've lived homeless a lot longer than you so I know my stuff. Now come on," Tomie said, motioning him to follow her.

The boy frantically waved his hands. "Look I wasn't gonna tell you, but I already told everyone else in my life anyway. My quirk was given to me and its previous owners can talk to me and are helping me so I really have seven and half adults with me at all times and that's the most adult supervision I've had in my whole life so I'm fine!"

"Ok, I'm definitely not leaving you alone now," said Tomie, "Are you feverish?"

"I'm not crazy! I just have crazy things happening to me!"

"Well then having a homeless lady with a laundry list of issues temporarily adopting you won't be that extreme, will it?" said Tomie.

"But-"

"If you're not going to go back to your home and school then can't you just shut up and let me help you and get some redemption for being a terrible mother to my own son?" Tomie snapped.

The boy stood still for a long moment. Then he lifted a finger and said, "I don't like accepting help or trust adults and am perfectly fine on my own. But you said me staying with you would help save you and I am incapable of not saving everyone I possibly can. So I will allow you to take care of me until that's accomplished." He got on his backpack and stood ready to follow her.

Seriously?! That's what worked?

They began walking down the abandoned streets, the boy following Tomie. "By the way kid, what's your name? I'm Tomie."

"I'm Izuku. Nice to meet you Tomie." He pulled out a notebook. "Can I ask you some questions about your quirk?"

Izuku did not want to do this. If he was with someone else they'd be in danger! He did not need or want help! His decision to leave UA with his hero gear without telling anyone was a perfectly well thought and rational decision, no matter how much Nana said otherwise!

"Okay so when we're finding a place to sleep, here's what we look for for a good one. Not out in the open, but not trapping ourselves where it'd be harder to run. A covered parking lot is a good option. What else do we look for?" said Tomie.

"Shinomori giving me a thumbs up and not screaming about Danger Sense telling him this will lead to dying a second and final time to All for One or something else?" said Izuku.

"Who?"

"Shinomori. He's one of the previous bearers of my quirk who talks to me and lets me use his quirk to use his quirk danger sense to detect threats"

Tomie tilted her head. "You can use…multiple quirks?"

"Yep!" said Izuku, floating off the ground while activating Blackwhip and Smokescreen. "Cool right?"

Tomie stared at him, then said "Sure. Let's just keep going." She turned and carried on, Izuku following her.

"Awww, I thought she'd think it was cool," Izuku said.

"She did just learn about multiple quirks and One for All from your anxiety fueled rant earlier," said En. "It's a lot to take in."

"Yeah, but still."

"Aww, are you trying to impress your temporary mother already? It's cute," said Nana.

"What? No! I'm just showing someone cool quirks!" Izuku muttered. "I'm staying with her to help her redeem herself nothing more. I don't need someone helping me."

"Surrree…"

She wasn't going to stop was she?

They came upon an abandoned mall. Holes had been blown through the wall in several spots, while cracks spider webbed across the building's edifice. Villains had clearly wreaked havoc on this building. Still, a mall would be a good place to scrounge some emergency supplies while they could.

As they were about to walk into the mall, Izuku felt a pulsing ache in his head as Shinomori said, "This place will certainly kill us all and leave the world helpless before All for One! Doom on us all! DOOM!"

"I think we should leave." Izuku said to Tomie.

"Are you sure?" she said.

"Shinomori doesn't like it."

"Is he sure?"

Izuku looked thoughtfully at the building, then kicked one of the cracked areas with 10% of One for All.

Danger Sense stabbed through his head. Izuku grabbed Tomie and leaped away as cracks spread from the spot he'd kicked, until a massive portion of the building collapsed with a loud crash.

He and Tomie stared. Tomie slowly turned to him.

"It was already cracked!" Izuku said.

"And now you sound like Toshi when he broke my vase."

"Let's get out of here before someone blames us for that," Tomie said. They hurried away.

They found a covered parking lot to sleep in. Tomie began setting up camp while Izuku went out to find some villains and save people before dinner, training, and sleep. The two huddled together for warmth. Izuku did not need any comfort. But the warmth felt nice.

Tomie woke up. It was still dark so they didn't have to get up yet. Still she could tell she wasn't going back to sleep any time soon. She looked at Izuku. His face was tense as he twitched in his sleep. Tomie took her hands out of her sleeping bag and held him close. His face began to calm, and he seemed to snuggle closer to her. She stroked his curly hair with a soft smile. The first she'd had in a long time.

Keigo, I wish I could have been like this for you. I hope one day you can forgive me. But even if we never see each other again, maybe I can at give him what I can no longer give you. Maybe that will be enough...

Tomie and Izuku were walking to find another good spot to set up camp. Izuku had already taken three detours to stop villains this morning alone. Not that she wasn't proud of him, but she worried it was dangerous. He reassured her he knew what he was doing and had help. Said help being those ghosts only he could hear. In his head. That he was arguing with right now.

Maybe she should ask about that and make sure he wasn't off his medication.

"How are the voices in your head?" said Tomie.

"They're fine."

"And what sort of things do they tell you?" said Tomie, trying to keep an even tone and not call he temporary son ward crazy.

"They tell me how to save people!" Izuku said.

"That's good," said Tomie. "Most people I've met who hear voices are told very different things…" she murmured. "By the way did you need to take any medication while at UA? Allergies, pain," antipsychotics "anything like that?"

"No, but I wear a compression sleeve!"

Tomie nodded. "Ok. How do these voices tell you to save people?"

"By telling me things like how I should shouldn't stop someone who's falling too fast to prevent whiplash, that I should be careful not to make too big a smokescreen that it works against me, how to handle the pain of danger sense, or the need to smile!"

"The need to smile?"

"Yeah! Because," he started talking like he was repeating someone else, "When you smile you save their hearts as well as their lives. And it'll make me popular with the ladi- NANA!" His face erupted in a fierce blush.

Tomie giggled at his embarrassment.

"It's true. Also be warned, you're probably gonna get some looks when you swim at public pools given the shape Toshi got you into."

"Please stop…" said Izuku, hiding his face in his hood.

"Hey, it happened to Toshi," Nana said. "And Sorahiko." Izuku cringed at that mental image.

"What? He didn't always look like an old troll. He was once actually quite handsome. En would use him as a distraction," said Nana.

"Eventually Sorahiko just brought Nana with him so everyone would assume they were a couple and leave them alone," said En.

"You're not gonna stop are you Nana?"

"Well" Nana said, "if you want to know how to snark back you could go back to UA and see Sorahiko-"

Izuku sighed. She wasn't gonna stop.

"Posture Izuku. That's a heavy pack."

Izuku straightened his back while groaning. This was going to be a long day…

Afterward Tomie and Izuku found a decent place to sleep in an evacuated apartment building. They'd encountered a tent encampment earlier, but a quick inspection by Tomie found that it was the wrong kind. While some camps were just a bunch of struggling people gathered together, others were dens of drugs and violence. It wouldn't matter if it was just her, but she wasn't taking a sixteen-year-old into a place like that!

Within a few days a routine emerged. They'd wake up, eat, Izuku would train, they'd pack up, wander to find supplies and shelter with Izuku either taking care of villains on the way or going out and fighting them when they found a place for Tomie to wait. She suspected it wasn't good parenting to let him do that, but he was already stubborn enough to run away from adults more responsible than her to do it, so she let it slide.

One day he came home with an injury on his side. He insisted on patching it up himself, telling her it was a just tiny cut. The next day he went out again. He came back with the same wound even bigger now and, when Tomie patched it up herself, she learned it was not a "tiny cut".

"You're grounded," Tomie said, her arms folded as she gave Izuku the "mom look." Izuku wilted under her intense gaze.

Nana said, "Serves you right for lying to her like that." Despite not seeing her, he could feel her "mom look" too.

"B-but Tomie-"

"No buts! You and I are not leaving this spot more than we have to until you are healed. And in the meantime, no hero work!"

"That's not fair!"

"It is completely fair!" said Tomie.

"But-"

"I'm the responsible adult in your life and I say you're staying put and healing!" Tomie snapped

"But just yesterday you said you were a hot mess!"

"Well what does it say about your problems when that's what qualifies for a responsible adult?"

Izuku sighed. "Yes Tomie." Izuku sat down, and prepared for a very long couple of days.

First said, "While it wasn't the best decision, it did show his selfless heroi-" He was cut off by sounds that suspiciously resembled those of a man being dogpiled.

"What he meant to say was, that was a stupid thing to do even by your standards," said Nana. Now shut up and let yourself heal. We'll keep you company and tell you about our quirks if you do."

"Yes Nana."

The day dragged on. Several times Izuku heard crashing and tried to get up, but every time Tomie put her hand on him and firmly pushed him back down. He was able to get up and walk around when he wasn't obviously trying to go do hero work.

He walked over to a tree and got into a fighting stance. Maybe training would-

"Don't even think about it young man," said Nana.

Never mind.

Eventually night came and Izuku and Tomie went into their sleeping bags. After a little time Izuku got up and began sneaking away. Now he could-

"Ahem."

Izuku's eyes widened with fear as he turned to see Tomie glaring at him with her arms folded. How had she- Out of the corner of his eye he saw a small floating eyeball. Tomie's quirk! The ultimate surveillance tool (aside from Jiro's earphone jacks)!

"I literally have eyes in the back of my head," said Tomie. "Don't even think about it."

Dejected, Izuku got back into his sleeping bag and tried to go to sleep.

It would have been a lot easier without Nana's laughter.

After another day of trying to keep Izuku from hero work (seriously were teenagers supposed to be more difficult than five year olds?) Tomie and him were sitting in front of a warm fire, enjoying the silence together.

"Tomie," Izuku said. "You said you failed your son once. What did you mean by that?"

Tomie looked down as old memories began to stir.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. You don't have to-"

"It's fine," she said. She told him of how she'd been used as a lookout by a petty thief who'd murdered a man. How they'd had a son who she neglected. That she even came to resent Keigo and his wings after his father was arrested. And finally, how she practically sold him to the Hero Commission to escape poverty so they could mold him into a hero.

"After that I lived in a nice house they bought me. I rarely left. I don't think I was very happy there. My son became a great hero. I didn't deserve him. Recently a group of men came and threatened me unless I told them about his father. And I did." Tears came to Tomie's eyes. "I betrayed him one last time. After that, I wrote a note explaining what I did and that I was proud of him, then left so I couldn't cause him trouble anymore. I didn't bring the key so I couldn't go back even if I wanted to."

She dared to glance at Izuku, who was staring at her. She looked down again. "If you don't want to stay with me anymore, you don't have to. I just bring trouble to those I'm supposed to protect. You're better off leaving me behind."

"N-no it's not that! I mean, don't get me wrong, you weren't a good mother, but you also sound like you were someone who needed help. Someone should have helped you. I said I wanted to save you, so that's what I'm going to do!" Izuku said with a stubborn fire in his eye.

Tomie felt tears in her eyes. She reached for him, but stopped and brushed a strand of hair from his eye. "Thank you. I…I really don't deserve a kid like you."

"Maybe, but I'm here now," said Izuku. "And unless you want me to go I'll stay."

"Thank you," said Tomie.

"Also Nana wants you to know that if it makes you feel any better, she feels guilty about failing as a parent too because she gave up her son to protect him and it led to her grandson being a mass murdering serial killer."

Tomie blinked several times. "Oh uh, sorry to hear that?"

After an awkward silence Tomie decided to ask the question that had been bugging her for a while. "Why are you in the streets? You were in a hero school, with teachers, friends and loved ones. Why leave all that behind?"

Izuku looked down. "Well…It's a long story…" And with that he began a story of a war between two brothers, of a quirk passed from hero to hero. And how that quirk had come to him, the war soon following.

"A-are you sure you should be telling me this?" asked Tomie. "It sounds like a big secret…"

"Don't worry. I already explained it to my classmates via note, so they all know."

UA High School:

"I can't believe Todoroki was right about Midoriya being All Might's secret lovechild!" Kaminari said as he strummed a guitar on the common room couch. "I bet fifteen hundred yen against that…"

Next to Kaminari, Jiro said, "A fool and his money are soon parted." She resumed practicing on her own guitar while across the room Todoroki was telling Iida that Shishida had confirmed Midoriya wasn't hiding with the Sasquatches.

"Come on Jiro! Can't I have even a little sympathy?" said Kaminari.

"Nope."

"Anyway, I wrote a note explaining everything to them and left so they wouldn't be put in any danger. As long as I was near them I was a threat and-"

"You are a child!" said Tomie. "It's the adult's jobs to protect you!"

"Maybe but how useless would I be if one of my friends got hurt because of me?" Izuku said.

"Useless?" Tomie said.

"My duty as a hero is to protect people. And a friend is supposed to help their friends! I can't do either if I'm bringing villains down on them!"

"So you just ran away and hoped the villains don't ambush you on the streets?"

"At least that way nobody gets hurt but me!"

Tomie stared at him in shock before an uncomfortable thought occurred. "Izuku, I know self-sacrifice is important to heroes but…is it even a sacrifice to you?"

Izuku stopped. "What do you mean?"

"Does it actually matter to you if you get hurt?" Tomie said, fearing the answer.

"Of course it does! If I get too hurt I'll need everyone else to take care of me and can't save anyone else!"

Tomie's sense of dread grew with each of Izuku's words. "Is…is that all? The only reason why you care?"

"W-What do you mean?" said Izuku, as if her question was beyond his comprehension.

"Don't you think you shouldn't want to be hurt because getting hurt is a bad thing in of itself? Don't you matter to yourself?"

Izuku stared at her for a long moment, not saying a word. Then he buried his head in his arms and said, "Saving people was all I ever wanted to do. Even since I was five. Even when everyone told me I was useless, chasing a hopeless dream. It was all I had. It's all I want. Nothing else that happens to me matters."

Tomie's dread broke into a wave of horror as she stared at this teenager who seemed to have no sense of worth outside his dream. What could she even say?

"I think you matter." She put a hand on his cheek. He gripped her wrist and held it there, tears starting to fall down his cheeks. "I care about you. I'm sure the people you left behind did too. If you won't look after yourself for your own sake, please, do it for us.

Izuku felt Tomie's hand on his cheek, even as he felt Nana's phantom arms wrapped around him. "She's right you know. We don't just care about you because you're our successor. Never think otherwise."

A few days later Izuku was finally allowed to return to hero work again. That day he brought down three different giant villains, and two big name ones. This was just his luck and not at all him from him being stir crazy, no matter what Nana said!

After that they mostly got into routine again, though Izuku was a little more careful not to get hurt this time. The Vestiges usually gave him tips on using his quirk, though Nana and En would still tease him. Worse still, sometimes Nana would mother him.

"You should comb your hair like this!" Nana pulled him into One for All to show him a photo of a painfully dated haircut.

"My hair's fine Nana!"

"It's getting too long. Just look in the mirror and try it! Plenty of boys wore their hair like that when I was in High School!"

"Nana you're literally old enough to be his grandmother," said En.

"Are you calling me old?!"

Izuku rolled his eyes.

"What did they say now?" said Tomie.

"She wants me to fix my hair a certain way that would look dumb," said Izuku.

"Hey!"

"TRY HARDER NANA!"

"Shut up Banjo!"

Tomie looked at him. "I don't think so. I like it curly. It fits you more."

"Ha! See Nana?" said Izuku.

"But you might need a haircut."

"What?"

Tomie as it turned out was actually pretty decent at cutting hair on her own. At least enough that Izuku didn't see anything wrong with his hair. Then again, it was always messy so that probably helped.

"I still think it'd look better my way."

"You're just saying that because you don't want to admit your idea was terrible."

"Screw you En!"

Izuku snickered. Seeing Tomie's curious expression he said, "Nana's mad her way was terrible."

"Traitor."

Tomie put her hand over her mouth to hide her smile. She'd been smiling more often. He was glad about that. She was good at it. Of course, Izuku still needed to stay with her to help her redemption. Definitely not because liked living with her. (Though he did)

Though her mothering him could become an obstacle…

"I think you should stay in today," said Tomie.

"I'm fi-i-ACHOO!" said Izuku.

Tomie put a hand to his forehead. It felt warm. "You have a fever. You're resting for the rest of the day. If it gets any worse we might have to go to one of the refugee centers for care."

Izuku waved his hand, "No really, I'm fine. There's no need to-"

Tomie folded her arms. "Sit."

"But I-"

"Now Izuku."

Izuku sat begrudgingly. "I don't need to stay here!" he said. "I'm fine! Can't I just go out for a little while? Please?" He gave her his strongest puppy eyes he had. Fortunately he sneezed, breaking the effect.

"You can do hero work after you're better."

Izuku pouted.

Something clicked. "Wait, you're not that kid who broke all his bones in the Sports Festival are you?" said Tomie.

Izuku fidgeted with his hands, "Todoroki thought he could be number one without using his quirk to spite his father. I had to show him he was wrong."

Tomie facepalmed. "That makes too much sense…"

"But it did help him!" said Izuku. "Besides, the Vestiges broke one of my fingers to help me beat Shinso so they did it first!"

Tomie gave a very ugly glare toward that she hoped Izuku understood was aimed at the Vestiges.

"Izuku!" Nana said from inside One for All, "How could you snitch on us to your temporary mom like that?"

Izuku smirked. Serves her right.

Tomie sighed. "Luckily Izuku, I found this in one of the looted stores yesterday." She pulled an object out of her bag.

Izuku's eyes went wide as a big grin came to his face, bringing a smile to Tomie's own. "The Gang Orca and Godzillo edition of Battleship!"

She loved when his eyes lit up like that….

Later that night Izuku was lying awake in his sleeping bag. It was time to make his escape! He'd be back by morning, after getting in some light hero work. Tomie wouldn't even know he'd left!

Tomie usually had her eyes on guard, but luckily Izuku had studied them enough to know exactly where they'd be, and how to avoid them. He got up and began tip toeing away, ignoring Nana's scolding as he went. He managed to avoid Tomie's patrolling eye when he heard, "And just where do you think you're going?"

He turned around, fear filling his body.

How did she-

"I figured you'd try to sneak out, so I changed my second eye's flight path to catch you." Without getting up Tomie pointed into the trees where Izuku saw her floating eye watching him.

"Now back to bed."

Izuku sighed and made his way back.

"I swear," Tomie muttered as he walked over, "Are teenagers just bigger dumber five year olds?"

"As someone who took care of both: YES." said Nana. "At least five year olds can plead ignorance."

"Don't take her side!" Izuku said.

"What did she say?"

Izuku groaned, told Tomie what Nana had said, leading to Tomie giggling. Izuku got into his sleeping bag.

Tomie ruffled his hair. "Good night Izuku."

After a few moments Izuku said. "Tomie?"

"Yes?"

"I wanted to say thank you. For taking me in." His eyes began to water. "I liked not being alone."

Tomie pulled Izuku into a hug and kissed his forehead. "Thank you for letting me Izuku." He returned it the hug until blissful sleep took him.

The next day Izuku was feeling a little better, but still had a fever. So Tomie still wouldn't let him leave. He did try meditating to enter One for All, since at least there he could spar with the others. Though Nana would take the time to either tease him or act like his mom.

He came out of One for All to find a pleasant smell tickling his nostrils.

"I made you soup," said Tomie, holding out a bowl.

Izuku took in a big whiff of the soup. "It smells delicious," he said. He brought a spoonful to his mouth and let its pleasant taste rest on his tongue.

I don't know if this stuff is actually good or if life on the streets destroyed my sense of taste, either way I really like this. Izuku thought.

"It's definitely better than some of the places I've eaten at…" said En.

"Didn't you say that about that alley we stayed in yesterday?"

"That alley was cleaner than some of the fast food places I ate at."

Izuku decided he didn't need to know where En ate…

He looked up at Tomie, who was watching him closely, waiting for his reaction. "It's delicious!" he said. Tomie grinned like she'd just gotten a metal from All Might himself.

A few days later the two walked into an area that still had a few people left, though it was clearly well on its way to being evacuated. Every few minutes they'd pass a straggler or two making their way to the shelter.

The front of a convenience store exploded as a villain leaped out onto the street. He was a hulking mass of muscle and sinew covered by a paper-thin layer of skin wearing shorts and a black tank top. The ski mask he wore did nothing to hide his grin as he held up a bag full of cash proclaiming, "We got the whole register!"

Two other villains ran past him, one in a long trench coat and the other in a purple leather jacket. Both carried stolen goods in their hands.

The gust of wind next to Tomie signaled Izuku leaping in to stop them. The muscular villain was sent flying down the street as his partners looked on in shock. The villain got up and tried to punch a charging Izuku but only hit empty asphalt. Izuku got behind the villain and kicked him in the back of the head.

The villain in leather held out his arms, causing the metal objects around him to glow purple. He raised his hands, making them rise into the air. He swung his hands down, sending a rain of metal toward Izuku. Izuku dodged the projectiles as what seemed to be a cloud of dust covered the area. Tomie recognized what it truly was, En's smoke screen.

Out of the smoke the muscular villain came flying forward, colliding with the purple one and knocking him to the ground. Izuku rocketed out of the smoke cloud and slammed into them, unleashing a barrage of attacks.

While Izuku dealt with his friends, the third villain turned to watch. As he turned Tomie got a good look at his face, and at the red feathers coming from his sleeve. Takami.

Takami's quirk allowed him to shoot razor sharp feathers from his body, an ability Keigo had inherited. While he couldn't control them once they left his body like Keigo, they were still lethal. Takami pointed his arms toward Izuku.

Without thinking, Tomie felt for the nearest hard object, grasping a piece of concrete from some recent villain attack. Keep. Takami took aim. Away. Tomie swung her arm forward. From. The piece of concrete flew forward and collided with her former husband. My IZUKU! It didn't hit the head like she intended, but it still hit Takami's back and sent him to the ground.

He got to his feet, but his slip up was all the time Izuku needed to introduce his red shoes to Takami's face.

Izuku tied up the villains with some zip ties, then leaped onto the rooftops and hurrying away from the bystanders' view.

Tomie followed and met him in an alley a few blocks down. She wrapped him in a warm hug, feeling a weight having lifted from her chest.

Takami struggled against his bonds. His two partners were still unconscious but with a little luck and the right angle of his feathers he should-

The ziptie snapped. Perfect. Now he just needed to-

"Well, well. What have we here?"

A shadow loomed over the three. Takami looked up and gasped as he saw exactly who had found them…

After they found camp Izuku changed out of his hero costume, and helped Tomie prepare dinner.

Then, in one of her eyes, Tomie saw him.

Tomie began walking around a street corner, "I'll be right back. Wait here Izuku."

"Tomie?" he said.

She gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." She stepped around the corner and looked their visitor dead in the eye. The person she most wanted to see and most feared to see. She took a deep breath.

"Hello Keigo."

"Mom?"

Hawks stared. He'd finished his patrol and was looking for any last villains or civilians left behind before returning to base. Seeing a homeless mother and child cooking dinner, he landed on a nearby street to approach them without startling them. Instead around the corner came his mother.

He admitted a part of him was glad when she'd left. Not because he hated her, but because he was free of any baggage their former relationship had. He'd severed their bond when he gave up the Takami name all those years ago. Her leaving just broke the last vestiges of the illusion. After reading her letter he'd thought she was out of his hair for good and they'd both move on and live their own lives.

Instead she was here. Right in front of him.

She averted her eyes. "How have you been? I haven't heard much news since I left home," she said, rubbing her arm.

"Fine. My father's name was released by the villains, but that didn't do too much damage. Frankly a video of me during the raid was more of a blow to my reputation."

"Oh. I hope it wasn't too bad. You're an amazing hero," she said. "I'm still sorry I gave your father's name to them. I should have been stronger."

"They were villains who were threatening you. I'm sure you were too scared to think straight," Keigo said as if she were any other civilian.

"I'm your mother. I should have done better…" Hawks cocked his head. "I'm sure you're busy right now. Sorry for bothering you," she said quickly.

"It's fine," said Keigo, giving her his trademark (literally) hero smile. "I was just finishing up my patrol anyway. It's refreshing after healing from those burn wounds I got."

"Burn wounds?!" said his mother. "Are you ok? Are you sure you should be working?!"

"I'm fine," said Hawks. Was she acting…doting towards him? Weird. "Anyway there was a mother and child sitting just past here so I'll go deal with that and let you carry on."

"Oh, I think that was me and Izuku!"

Hawks tilted his head. "Izuku?"

"Yes, he's a boy I found on the streets and am taking care of. I wanted to help him and try to redeem myself… Anyway he's over here and I'm sure he'd love to meet you!" She started to move before turning back to Hawks. "That is if you're okay with it?"

"Sure…" said Hawks, not knowing what else to say.

His mother walked around the corner and said, "Izuku! My son is here. You can meet him if you want.

Keigo walked around the corner and…

"Hawks?!"

"Bone-breaking kid?!"

Standing in front of him was Izuku Midoriya. The UA student notorious for breaking his bones in the sports festival and, according to his homeroom teacher, attracting villains. Hawks thought he'd gone to hide in a bunker or something. Not…this. (Guess Eraserhead was right. He did go vigilante. Or would have if UA hadn't blatantly cheated to keep him on the student rolls).

"Keigo!" His mother said in a scolding tone?! "You can't call him that! He's your honorary little brother!" When had she started talking like…well…an actual mom?!

"Your son is Hawks?!" Midoriya said, his jaw hanging loose. Hawks could relate.

"Yes," said Tomie. "Did I not mention that?"

Midoriya slowly shook his head.

"Oh," said his mom. "Anyway Keigo, you can eat dinner with us if you'd like? We were preparing it now."

Hawks nodded, deciding to just go with the crazy. "Sure. Got nothing better to do."

Dinner was…not as bad as expected. Hawks politely ate the small share he'd taken, but it kind of tasted terrible to someone who'd been eating real food. He also gave Midoriya some of his energy bars. He didn't say much, only speaking when spoken too. Which was usually Midoriya, sorry Izuku (His mom insisted they be on a first name basis), asking about his quirk. Hawks wondered where he'd gotten that notebook from, but decided it was better not to ask.

Keigo was surprised by how…motherly his mom was to the kid. Izuku would tell Hawks about all the ways she'd been caring for him, and how hard she was trying to be a decent mom. It was nothing like Keigo's time with her.

After they finished, Izuku took care of cleaning their dishes and putting away the garbage, leaving Keigo alone with his mom.

"I'm sorry I wasn't a better parent," Mom said, not looking him the eye. "It's fine if you still don't forgive me. Either way I'm proud of how you."

Keigo nervously laughed. "Don't worry about it! It all turned out fine anyway and -" He was cut off by his mother crashing into him for a hug. "I love you Keigo."

Keigo's eyes widened at her statement. He turned to see Izuku watching him with pleading eyes. He slowly raised his hands to return her hug. This...this was fine.

After they separated he noticed Izuku watching them with a smile. Keigo walked up to the kid his mom had taken in. The one who she'd been more of a mother to in one month than she was to Hawks in in his whole life.

This… he thought.

This is…

He got out a pen. A chance to beat Dabi at being a big brother! "Hey kid, I heard you're a hero fan! How'd you like an autograph in that notebook of yours?"

He smirked at his new baby brother's starry eyed grin. This was going next to "failing to kill people weak to fire" on his list of things to rub in that patchwork asshole's face…

Hope you enjoyed! Favs and reviews bring a grin to my face!