(A/N: I'm going camping this week starting tomorrow so you're getting an early update! :D Enjoy!)
...
It didn't take long for the two Midoriyas and Hitoshi to make it back to the apartment. After grabbing his bag from the back, Hitoshi fell in step with his friend as the mother led the way up to their home. With Inko in the front, neither of the boys got to see the content smile on her face as Izuku and he traded friendly conversation as they walked. She was just so happy that her son had actual friends like Hitoshi after so many years of not having any at all. It warmed the mother's heart to know her son had friends who cared and supported him now. After many o' stairs and Inko unlocking the door, they all entered the apartment and took off their shoes.
"Why don't you put your bag in Izuku's room, Hitoshi?" Inko suggested. "Then you two can change out of your uniforms while I work on lunch."
"Sounds like a plan, mom," Izuku said with a smile.
"Thanks for having me over," Hitoshi said with a small nod of his head.
"You're always welcome here, Hitoshi," the mother assured with a soft motherly smile and a comforting hand on his arm.
A slight blush dusted on the brainwasher's cheeks at her words and her touch. Inko did this from time to time. Offering motherly affection to him with ease. Being as kind and as caring as his friend. It was clear where Izuku got it from. It was moments like this that made Hitoshi forget for a moment that he was a foster kid with no real family. Because he had a damn good found one right here.
"Thank you…auntie," Hitoshi said, smiling shyly as that was the first time he had ever called her that.
The mother smiled brightly at the affectionate term and gave his arm one more pat before letting go. Inko gave Izuku a kiss on the cheek and then left for the kitchen while the boys went to Izuku's room. Upon entering, Hitoshi whistled as he always did to tease his fanboy friend about the sheer amount of Hero merch cluttering his room. A vast majority of it being All Might related. Izuku, in turn, flicked his friend's arm in protest.
Hitoshi plopped his bag on the bed and started to take out his change of clothes while Izuku moved to his dresser to do the same. Being used to changing around each other for training, the pair simply turned their back to one another to change out of their uniforms into comfier clothes befitting a sleepover. Hitoshi opting for plain black sweatpants and a loose light purple t-shirt with a picture of the grumpiest cat paired with the words 'I'm Sleeping, Hiss Off'. While Izuku, he saw upon turning around, had on dark green pajama pants and a homemade Hero merch shirt featuring the word 'Fat-tastic!' above the BMI Hero Fat Gum happily eating takoyaki.
"I'll let Mei-chan and Shouto-kun know that they're good to come over at any time," Izuku said, typing away on his phone for a few minutes before putting it in his pocket. "There we go. Shouldn't be too long for Mei-chan to come and once Shouto-kun gets here we can get this sleepover started!"
"You're more excited than usual, Izuku," Hitoshi said with a teasing tone. "Wouldn't happen to be because a certain someone is joining us this time, eh?"
The greenette blushed at that and then swatted at his friend who dodged it with ease.
"Don't try to deny it, Izuku," the brainwasher pressed with a smirk. "You've got the hots for Todoroki."
"So what if I do?!" the greenette blurted out only to quickly clap a hand over his mouth with a squeak and flushed even more red.
"Finally, he admits it," Hitoshi said with an exaggerated huff. He reached forward and ruffled his friend's green hair then quickly withdrew his hand to avoid getting smacked. "Nothing wrong with liking someone."
"I-I don't know if it's 'like' really just yet," Izuku confessed, tapping his index fingers together nervously. "But I will admit there's something there."
"Duh. Of course, there is," Hitoshi insisted with a friendly shove to his flustered friend's shoulder. "What with the secret hand holding, hugging apparently, and whatever else you two do when others aren't around."
The greenette was looking more and more like a strawberry as he somehow got even redder. The reaction raised suspicion that there was something more between the two somehow-not-boyfriends-yet friends. The purple haired teen raised an eyebrow in question.
"W-we, um, may have sort of ended up cuddling in the nurse's office after our fight?" the blushing boy answered with a timid tone as green eyes peeked up into purple.
The brainwasher stared at the shorter boy with a stunned look before he broke into a laughing fit. He clenched his stomach as he doubled over in laughter. Izuku, taking offense at his friend's reaction, shoved him back and the taller teen fell back onto the bed cackling. The greenette huffed in exasperation and turned his back to the other as he crossed his arms in protest. It took a few minutes for Hitoshi to calm down but when he did, he stood back up and walked over to his friend giving him a conceding pat on the shoulder.
"Well, whatever it is between the two of you," Hitoshi said as the shorter boy turned to look at him. "I'm happy for you."
"Thanks, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku said as he smiled up at him. Then a flash of realization crossed his face. "Oh! I found something of yours in my backpack yesterday."
The greenette walked over to his desk and picked up the silver medal he had laid there next to his gold one. He then turned back to his friend and held out the medal to him expecting him to take it. But the other boy didn't. Even took a step back away from it. The reaction filled Izuku with worry.
"Why don't you want to take your medal, Hitoshi-kun?" Izuku asked, his concern clear on his face as he lowered his hand slightly. "Why didn't you bring it home with you?"
Hitoshi took in the sight of his friend. His first friend and now one of his best. The one who had been the very first person to say that he, Hitoshi, wasn't a Villain because of his Quirk. That he was the one to choose what he was and would become. Which was a Hero, not a Villain. A goal he shared with the Quirkless boy in front of him.
He could tell him. He could tell Izuku that he was an orphan. Abandoned by parents who hadn't wanted anything to do with him after his Villainous Quirk came in. Too afraid of his Brainwashing and the evil things he could potentially do with it even though he never would have or ever wanted to. He could tell him about how he had been carted back and forth between the foster center and various foster homes since he was little. That he was once again without a house to call home and living in the center with other children with no place to go same as him. Some of which would steal the medal in his friend's hand either out of greed, jealousy, or even simply spite. All he had to do was say the words.
No, I won't bother him with this, Hitoshi mentally declared. It's my burden to bear and he's already done so much for me already. I've made it this far on my own. I can handle a few years more.
"Because I want you to keep it here for me," Hitoshi replied, avoiding the real explanation as he placed his hand on top of his friend's that held his medal.
"But why…?" Izuku questioned before being cut off.
"Just drop it, Izuku," the brainwasher said with a hint of sternness as he pushed the medal towards the other. "Keep it here. Please."
There was a moment of tense and somewhat awkward silence between the two before the shorter teen spoke.
"Ok…I-I will, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku said, turning slightly to put the silver medal back on his desk.
Hitoshi let out a sigh and said, "Thanks, Izuku."
"Of course…" the greenette said, pausing a moment and then added. "At least tell me this. Are you safe?"
Purple eyes took in the concerned look on his friend's face. Knowing that the other knew there was more to his situation but didn't want to press more than he was comfortable with. Knowing that if he did tell him what was up that his friend would do all he could to help him. Both thoughts were comforting that the greenette respected his boundaries but would also offer him all he could at the drop of a hat. It brought a warm feeling to the insomniac's weary heart.
"Yeah," Hitoshi answered, doing his best to confer what he said was true to his friend. "I'm safe."
Green eyes studied him for a moment as if checking his sincerity before giving an accepting nod. Izuku then pulled his unsuspecting friend into a hug. Hitoshi was surprised at the action but then melted into the comforting embrace as he wrapped his arms around the shorter boy.
"If you ever don't feel safe," Izuku said into his chest. "You are more than welcome here. At any time. Day or night."
"I know," Hitoshi muttered into mess of green curls. He gave one last squeeze before pulling away. "But don't worry about me. I'm fine, Izuku."
"Of course, I'm going to worry about you," Izuku retorted with a friendly nudge to the taller teen's shoulder. "You're my best friend, you idiot."
"And you're mine, Green Bean~," Hitoshi lilted with a smirk.
...
At the utterance of the embarrassing nickname, Izuku swatted at Hitoshi again who like before dodged the attack. The two friends started to playfully spar when Inko called them to lunch from the kitchen. Izuku gave Hitoshi one last shove before sprinting towards the kitchen with the other not far behind hoping to get one more hit in before they were in the mother's sight. He didn't and Izuku gave him a cheeky grin which Hitoshi returned with a threatening smirk promising retribution later.
Lunch was served at the table and Inko proved her skills in the kitchen once again. They enjoyed a delicious meal of udon soup served with chicken, green onions, bean sprouts, and fish cakes. As they ate and chatted, Hitoshi noticed the pile of news article clippings on the table.
"Ah, auntie is making another addition to the gallery," the purple haired teen commented.
"Of course, how could I not?" Inko said, reaching over to pinch her son's cheek. "I'm just so proud of my baby."
"Mom!" Izuku squeaked, swatting her hand away.
The mother simply laughed while Hitoshi cackled beside him. Izuku sent him a dirty look which only made his traitorous best friend laugh even more at his embarrassment. The greenette let out a huff of annoyance and turned back to his udon. Out of the corner of his eye, he looked at the news clippings and noticed that rather than two piles there had been in the morning, there was now only one. The positive reaction pile.
Huh. Wonder where the other one went.
After lunch, the two boys helped the mother clean up and Inko then reminded them of the paperwork they had to fill out for the next school day. So, Hitoshi and Izuku went back to his room to grab the forms for their Hero costumes and their pen cases before returning to the table. The teens worked diligently on drawing out their designs and trading notes and suggestions on each other's work. While Inko joined them and continued her personal project of cutting out news articles adding new ones to the existing pile and making a new stack for the not so positive ones.
Time passed as they worked and little over an hour later, Mei arrived at the Midoriya apartment with her usual amount of grease stains and an overnight bag. One that most likely held a few of her babies along with her other belongings. A fact that was confirmed when Izuku helped her put her bag in his room and she immediately pulled out one of her babies she had smuggled out along with her portable tool kit. It held similar supplies as the Inventor's Special belt she had loaned Izuku back when he had gone to USJ with the Hero Course students but was a box rather than a belt.
The greenette and the pinkette joined the other two at the table. Inko cleared off a space for Mei and placed some spare sheets of newspaper down so the inventor wouldn't stain the table. Mei greeted the mother with her usual amount of enthusiasm before getting to work on her baby with her usual amount of hyper focus. Inko and Izuku smiled fondly at her antics while Hitoshi rolled his eyes with a smirk.
The four worked on their own little projects as they waited for the last of their party to arrive. Inko on her articles, Mei on her baby, and the two newest Hero Course students on their Hero costume designs. Izuku found himself smiling at the domestic family like feeling he got from the scene. All that was missing was…
The sound of a knock came from the front door.
Shouto-kun!
"I'll get it!" Izuku chirped as he stood up.
"Yeah, go let your boyfriend in," Hitoshi jeered with a teasing grin.
"Boyfriend?" Inko asked, getting up from the table at the news of that possible development.
"He's not my boyfriend!" Izuku insisted as he escaped down the hall away from his friend's teasing.
The son made it to the door as his mother entered the hallway. Izuku opened the door and smiled at the sight of Shouto standing in casual clothes with a bag slung over his shoulder in the doorway of the Midoriya apartment.
"Hi, Shouto-kun!" Izuku greeted with delight that his friend was finally there. "Come on in!"
Shouto gave a nod as he walked in to take off his shoes. There was something off about the way he was walking though. Izuku glanced at his mother who shot him a worried look. Meaning that she had noticed it too. Shouto may be trying to hide it but they could see that he was hurt in some way. Enough to give him a slight limp. Most may not have noticed but with Izuku's observational skills and Inko's motherly instincts, the pair of Midoriyas sure did. After the bi-color teen removed his shoes and stepped further into the apartment, the mother introduced herself.
"Hello, I'm Izuku's mother, Midoriya Inko," she said with a warm smile but her concern still showed in her eyes. "Please call me Inko or auntie. Welcome to our home and it's nice to meet you."
"It is nice to meet you as well, Inko," Shouto responded, sounding formal with his introduction. "My name is Todoroki Shouto. Thank you for having me."
"Is it alright if I call you Shouto?" the mother asked, receiving a hesitant but agreeing nod. "Why don't we go put your bag in Izuku's room?"
The three made their way into Izuku's room and filed in one by one. Izuku directed Shouto to place his bag on the bed while Inko closed the door before turning to the injured teen. Her son glanced at her with worry in his eyes same as hers. Two pairs of green eyes then looked into heterochromatic ones that flicked between the two in confusion.
...
"What?" Shouto questioned.
"Are you ok, Shouto-kun?" Izuku asked, taking a hesitant step forward.
What?
"What do you mean?" Shouto asked, feigning ignorance.
"You were limping, dear," the mother said, getting a shocked and subtly apprehensive look from the teen. "A mother knows when a child is hurt."
That's like what mother said.
'I'm your mother, Shouto. I know it's been a long time but I know when one of my children is hurt. You can't hide anything from me.'
"I…" the injured teen started but stopped feeling anxious at being seen through so easily.
Then again, this is Izuku who has seen through my everything since the first time we met. Seems his mother is no different.
Grey and blue eyes flickered between the two pairs of green. One he knew he could trust in and the other showing the same genuine concern as in her son's eyes. Making Shouto feel that if he could trust Izuku, then he should be able to trust Inko as well. Like son like mother. Though he still found himself hesitating.
'I think you should tell your friend. However, the choice is yours. Choose whatever you are most comfortable with.'
That's right. Mother said he should trust him. And subsequently his friend's mother as well he would guess. But Shouto didn't want to burden with his own problems. Not anymore than he already had with Izuku. However…perhaps he could talk about something. The parts he was most comfortable with as mother had said.
"…I had a rough training session yesterday," he ended up admitting, but not wanting to go into any more detail than that.
A scowl grew on Izuku's face at that, knowing there was definitely more to that than he was saying. As for Inko, a look of concerned confusion was on her face.
"Training?" the mother asked with concern. "Even after the Sports Festival?"
"Shouto-kun's father is…" Izuku started to say, only to pause to find the right word as it was Shouto's business to tell what was actually happening. "…'passionate' about his training to be a Hero."
His friend's green eyes peeked up at him with a silent question asking if that was ok. Shouto gave a small nod to show that it was before turning back to the mother.
"My father is the Number Two Hero, Endeavor," Shouto explained somewhat further. Inko's green eyes widened slightly in surprise at that reveal. "He has high expectations for me becoming a Hero and demands only the best from me."
And considering I lost and placed in only third, I expected as much. Though, even if I had won first, I'm sure the old man would have found something to complain about to use as an excuse to train.
...
Demands? Inko thought, looking at the injured teen in front of her in worry. Going so far in training for this child to be hurt?
The implications, no matter how vague, did not sit well with the mother. Having a child, the Hero's own child, train 'roughly' after a full day of fighting seemed a bit extreme. And concerning to her. Along with the fact that the boy tried to down play his injuries much how Izuku had done when he was still getting physically bullied. Her motherly instincts were sounding warning bells in her mind.
"I see," Inko said simply before stepping carefully forward.
Grey and blue eyes watched her slow actions as she raised a cautious hand. The mother reached out to place her hand on the boy's arm but waited and looked into his eyes silently asking permission to touch him. After staring into her eyes for a few moments, he gave a subtly nod and she gently placed her hand on his arm.
"Shouto, I know that we just met," Inko said, her tone filled with motherly affection. "But if you ever need a safe place to stay, you will always be welcome here. At any time. Day or night. Okay?"
...
Huh. That's like what I said to Hitoshi-kun earlier, Izuku thought as he watched his mother trying to comfort his friend.
Shouto stared at his mother with his usual neutral look with only his slightly widened eyes portraying his surprise at her offer. She didn't even know any of the details but Izuku knew that his mom's strong motherly instincts told her enough that made the offer warranted. He was glad she did and even if she hadn't, he would have himself.
"…thank you, Inko," Shouto said after a few tense silent moments. "I will keep that in mind."
The mother smiled at that, gave his arm a pat, and then let go to ruffle her son's hair before excusing herself from the room. As soon as she closed the door behind her, Izuku turned to his friend and found himself in a sudden hug surrounded by arms of cool and warm. He instantly melted into the hug wrapping his own arms around the other and soaked in the comfort.
"Does she know?" Shouto asked into his green curls.
"No, I didn't tell her anything about that," Izuku answered into his chest. Being tucked under the other's chin was nice. "I mean, I've mentioned that you refused to use your fire before back when we first started working on your Support Item. But I never told her anything about you or Endeavor. She's just…intuitive when it comes to seeing someone is hurt."
"Ah," Shouto uttered simply.
They both stood there for a moment enjoying the hug. Neither paid any attention to the fluttering feelings in their gut. Izuku because he just wanted to enjoy the moment for what it was. Shouto because he didn't really know what it was and decided he needed to do some research. A task that would start as soon as he found the titles his mother had suggested to him. The greenette gave one last squeeze to end the hug as they had been too long away from the others. He expected one in return but instead received a grunt of pain.
Izuku pulled away suddenly though keeping his hands on the other's waist and asked, "Are you alright, Shouto-kun?"
"I am fine, Izuku," Shouto assured, though his eyes were downcast while his hands rested on the shorter one's shoulders. "My sister already helped treat my injuries. You don't have to worry."
What is it with my friends telling me not to worry about them?
"Of course, I'm going to worry," Izuku insisted, green eyes full of determination. "You are my friend and you're obviously hurt. Doesn't matter that your injuries have been treated. You shouldn't have been hurt in the first place."
The bi-color teen stared at him for a moment before sighing and saying, "Alright. But I am fine. This isn't the first time training became rough and it won't be the last. I'm used to it. Besides, I only have a few years more until I can move out of that house."
"But you shouldn't have to deal with this, Shouto-kun," Izuku said, green eyes looking up at him intently under concerned furrowed brows. "You shouldn't be used to treatment like this. It isn't right."
"I know, but there's nothing I can do to stop him," Shouto replied with a sad sigh. "No one will believe that the Number Two Hero acts like that with his own family. The Hero Commission wouldn't allow for such bad publicity with one of the top-ranking Heroes. They would mostly likely cover it up if it did get out."
I'd like to see them try now that Chizome-san is looking into it.
The fact that Izuku had set the Hero Killer on the Number Two Hero still have him feeling conflicted. On one hand, he felt guilty about setting a murderer of Heroes after another human being. But on the other hand, that particular human being was a flaming trash pile of a person who treated his own family like the same garbage he fought on the streets. It wasn't right which was why his anger at the man overrode his guilt.
"Well, at least one person knows how he really is," Izuku said, implying himself while wondering if Chizome had started to look into the matter yet. "I still don't like it, but like my mom said, if you ever need a safe place to go to, you are always welcome here. And you can always text or call me if you need to talk, okay?"
Shouto's neutral expression changed to a softer fonder one before pulling the other back into a hug.
"Thank you, Izuku," the taller teen breathed into his green curls.
They stood in the hug for a few moments more before giving each other one more squeeze. Izuku made sure to be more careful this time so as not to aggravate his friend's hidden injuries before letting go. As they separated, a picture on the wall caught the taller boy's eye.
"Who's that?" Shouto asked, staring at the picture.
It featured a group of three. A woman of long straight green hair that resembled Inko though the one in the picture appeared younger and had a slimmer form. Beside her was a man who was black of hair that was short and somewhat wavy and had standard male features. Between them was a bright smiling young boy with messy green curls who could only be his friend beside him.
"Oh, that's a picture of my mom, dad, and me when I was about…five or six?" Izuku answered after he turned to see what Shouto was referring too.
"Your…dad?" the bi-color teen questioned with a confused look on his face.
"Uh, yeah?" the greenette answered, equally confused.
"But that's not Aizawa-sensei," Shouto bluntly said, earning a wide-eyed stare of bewilderment from the other.
"…what?" Izuku gasped, cheeks turning red.
"Aren't you Aizawa-sensei's secret love child?" Shouto asked, turning to look at his friend with a quirked brow.
"EH?!" the greenette exclaimed, green eyes growing wider and cheeks redder at the question. He sputtered noncoherent sounds for a hot second before he was able to get out actual words again. "Why on earth would you think that, Shouto-kun?!"
"I saw him acting close to you and ruffled your hair," Shouto answered, his flat tone noting he was dead serious. "That's a dad thing, isn't it? You were acting familiar with him too and he seemed to know you based on his commentary. Not to mention you both have dark curly hair. Plus, he erases Quirks and you don't have one."
"Ok, first, I act familiar with him because he started training Hitoshi-kun and me since before the Sports Festival," Izuku explained, trying to will his blush away as he counted off on his fingers. "Second, I get my curly hair from my dad, Midoriya Hisashi." He pointed at the picture with the same counting fingers before continuing. "…who is working overseas and who you can see in several pictures around my house. Third, just because Aizawa-sensei's Quirk erases other Quirks doesn't automatically mean any child of his wouldn't have one."
The bi-color teen stood there for a moment absorbing his arguments against his theory. Clearly not liking he had been wrong but Izuku would not stand for his friend to think wrongly of him. Again. Having Shouto think he was being paid by his bastard of a father to be his friend was bad enough. Though arguably having his friend think he was his mentor's child wasn't so bad, it was still very very weird.
After thinking it over, Shouto asked, "Well, supposing you aren't Aizawa-sensei's illegitimate child…"
Supposing? Ugh, he's going to keep thinking I am, isn't he?
"…what about Shinsou?"
"Eh?" Izuku let out in surprise at the sudden implication.
"They have similar personalities," Shouto offered as evidence to his theory. "Both are always tired and have dark circles under their eyes. Similar builds to their body and both have mental type Quirks."
"Nope!" Izuku declared, spinning around towards the door to escape the conspiracy theorist. "You can stop right there. There's no real evidence."
He opened his bedroom door and walked out into the empty hall with Shouto not far behind.
"Have you met his parents ever?" Shouto pressed.
The sudden question made the greenette pause. Because the answer was 'no'. The same answer to where Hitoshi lived or what his home life was like too. The only thing he knew was that Hitoshi believed he was safe.
"Well…I…um…no?" Izuku answered as he turned to face the other.
"Then it's still possible…" Shouto replied, the conspiracy theory cogs clearly turning in his heterochromatic eyes.
...
Those same eyes then got distracted by yet another picture on the wall. Shouto walked towards it and saw it was a framed news article about the beach that had been cleaned months ago. Paired with it was a picture of his friend smiling a tired but still bright smile giving a peace sign with the clean beach behind him.
"Izuku…" Shouto uttered as he studied the news clipping. "…do you know who cleaned the beach?"
"Oh, um, yeah," Izuku said, walking up to stand beside him.
From down the hall came a sudden third voice which the pair turned to see was Hitoshi who had probably come to see what was taking them so long.
"I'll give you three hints who," Hitoshi said cheekily and counting off his fingers with each hint. "They go to UA."
So, a student. Or a teacher.
"Their environmental actions aren't the only green things about them."
Green, huh? That certainly narrows it down. Perhaps either Tsuyu or…
"And they're standing right next to you."
…Izuku.
"You did that?" Shouto asked, staring at his warm friend in awe.
"Well, I, uh, yes?" Izuku replied, blushing slightly as he started to fiddle with his hands nervously. "Took about ten months because it was mostly me with some help from Mei-chan at the end. But it was good for the community and I was able to prepare for UA at the same time and now a lot of people are enjoying the beach…"
"Izuku," Shouto interjected to break his mumbling spiral. The shorter boy peeked up at his with pinker freckled cheeks. "You're amazing."
...
The pink turned red as Izuku went to try to hide his flustered face behind his hands. All while Hitoshi stood there cackling at him and his embarrassment. Shouto simply stood there watching his friend with wonder in his heterochromatic eyes. Eventually, Izuku was able to calm down and swat at the purple haired teen who was still chuckling. Hitoshi ran before he could get another hit in. Izuku let out a huff before turning back to Shouto and inviting him further into the apartment.
Mei was still working away on her baby at the table and Inko was cutting out another clipping. The mother smiled at them as they entered the dining area while Mei paid them no mind. Hitoshi had moved over to the couch to keep his distance from his easily flustered friend. Izuku sent him a playful glare at him and got a smirk in return. He stuck his tongue before turning away to see Inko stand up from the table and walk over to her son.
"Seeing as everyone's here, I'll be heading out, sweetie," the mother said, a number of news clippings in her hand. "Let me know if you need anything and I'll be back later, alright?"
She's probably going back to UA for that meeting with Bakugou, Izuku thought as he nodded to his mother. Though why is she bringing the news articles?
Inko smiled warmly at her son before giving a quick peck to his cheek and heading out grabbing her purse on the way out the door. The motherly action was observed with interest by the bi-color teen. Though whether it was because of the action of a mother loving her son or of the boy receiving a kiss in general Shouto didn't know. But he would keep it in the back of his mind for now until he figured it out.
Izuku gestured for Shouto to make himself at home on the couch with Hitoshi. Then the greenette was able to coax Mei, or rather steal her baby to get her to follow him, over to the couch as well. He placed down more newspaper on the coffee table and Mei promptly plopped on the floor between Hitoshi and Shouto to continue working on her baby once he placed it in front of her. The greenette smiled and shook his head fondly at his dedicated baby making friend as he sat on the couch beside Shouto.
"Well, here we are," Hitoshi spoke from his spot on the couch leaning lazily against the arm rest. "The three Freakateers together again."
"Ugh," Izuku said with a roll of his eyes from the other side of the couch. "You're bringing that up again? I thought that had died out."
"Freakateers?" Shouto asked sitting in the middle.
"Yeah, you know like the three Musketeers but made from the 'freaks' of society," Hitoshi explained. "A quote unquote 'Villain'…"
He pointed at himself.
"…a Quirkless person who just gave a big 'fuck you' to society by winning yesterday…"
Izuku blushed but smiled at his words as the purple haired teen pointed at him.
"…and Mei."
He gestured towards the pinkette sitting on the floor who turned and shot a glare at the brainwasher.
"Hey!" she exclaimed before pausing as if to think about it then conceded. "Actually, he's right."
The greenette and purple haired teens chuckled as she went back to working on her baby. While the bi-color teen sat there looking slightly confused.
"But there are four of us here?" Shouto inquired with a quirked brow.
"You can be d'Artagnan," Hitoshi offered with a shrug and a dismissive gesture. "You're still new to the group after all just like him."
Not to mention Shouto-kun is strong and a good leader but still inexperienced in some things. Plus, he is the youngest of our group. He can also be hot headed at times and may sometimes literally be now that he's going to start using his fire.
"What would that make the rest of us?" Izuku asked with an amused smile.
"Hmm, let's see…Athos," Hitoshi replied, pointing at Izuku. "Due to your protectiveness of our d'Artagnon."
I guess that could work. I may not be the oldest which is actually Mei-chan followed by Hitoshi-kun and then myself. I don't really consider myself taciturn and melancholy, but I did get picked on growing up so there's that. The whole mysterious past with a Villain checks out though in a way what with my meetings with Chizome-san. Not that Hitoshi-kun knows or will ever know about that.
"Porthos," the brainwasher said pointing to Mei. "For her extreme dedication to her babies."
Very true, Izuku thought as the pinkette let out a satisfied hum at his reasoning while never taking her eyes off her baby. Not to mention her blunt honesty when talking about them with no consideration of her lack of tact. As well as definitely being an extrovert albeit a socially awkward one at times.
"And Aramis, I guess," He finished as he gestured to himself with a shrug. "Since that's the only one left."
"I'd say more because you're ambitious, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku offered as a better reason, earning a surprised look from his friend. "Also, you're loyal to your friends and would never do anything to hurt them."
The purple haired teen stared at the greenette in awe with a dust of pink on his pale cheeks. Izuku simply smiled back at him and kept eye contact to show that he meant it. Mei continued to work where she sat while Shouto looked between the two boys on either side of him curiously.
"Damn, Izuku," Hitoshi said after a short while chuckling slightly. "How do you always end up saying things like that? All sincere and shit."
"I just tell it like it is," Izuku replied with a shrug.
"Heh, yeah sure," Hitoshi said with a huff. "Or you're just too stubborn and kind to let someone think lowly of themselves."
It was true now that he thought about it. Encouraging Kirishima in that park with his own words before UA. Insisting that Hitoshi wasn't a Villain because of his Quirk after the entrance exam. Convincing Shouto that he was his own person and that his Quirk was not his father's or his mother's but his and his alone.
"Or hurt themselves," Shouto added, turning his attention on the greenette whose cheeks flushed pink.
Also true. Izuku refused to let Shouto hurt himself by only using his right side. So determined to make the ice user realize he was holding himself back from his full potential allowing his feelings towards his father control him. Not to mention all the observations and suggestions the greenette had for how to help the Hero students as well as a few for the Heroes too. Like Aizawa and his goggles.
"Guess your protectiveness extends past our d'Artagnon, eh, Athos?" Hitoshi jeered with a smirk.
"It seems so, Aramis," Izuku conceded and stuck his tongue out at his friend. Then he clapped his hands together. "Alright. Let's get this sleepover started!"
This was Shouto-kun's first and Izuku wanted it to be perfect. More so than his first one was which technically was a result of Izuku having gone over to Mei's lab and the two had ended up falling asleep while working. To say Inko had been worried sick when he didn't come home was an understatement. The bear hug the son had gotten from his mother was one for the history books.
After that, more 'sleepovers' happened accidentally a few more times during those ten months. While his back protested from falling asleep in odd positions, Izuku did enjoy hanging out with a friend until they both passed out. Though the Quirkless boy was too nervous to actually hold a real one as the fact he had an actually friend was still sinking in.
It wasn't until Inko took matters into her own hands and invited Mei for an actually sleepover that a real one actually happened. With the two friends at the time, and then Hitoshi once he was added to the group, camped out in the living room watching movies, playing games, and whatever else they ended up doing. Like karaoke, charades, truth or dare, etc. Many times looking up on the internet typical sleepover activities as none of them had much experience before becoming friends with each other. Thus forming the Freakateers consisting of a 'Villain', a Quirkless, and Mei as Hitoshi had put it.
Now Shouto was included into their friend group and was joining them for their sleepover shenanigans. Not a 'freak' of society as they were but he had his own level of oddity in his life. Son of the Number Two Hero who turned out to be more of an asshole than he came off as in the media. A person with heterochromia to go along with his bipartisan Quirk that was literally split down the middle of his body. Marked by the divide in his hair color with white on the right side and crimson on the left. One who came off as cold and aloof but really just didn't have the social experience as well as self-trained defense mechanisms built over years of living in the Todoroki household.
Hopefully Shouto-kun won't have to stay there much longer. And he can always come here to get away from the bastard.
Taking control of the situation, Izuku asked Hitoshi to get the gaming system up and running for the traditional Mario Kart battle. With some practice rounds for Shouto to get acquainted to the game as Izuku was sure this would be his first time playing. The brainwasher gave a jesting salute before getting up to do as ordered. The greenette rolled his eyes and then turned to Shouto to tell him to just relax. Then he moved onto the most stubborn of his friends.
"And as for you, Mei-chan," Izuku said, snatching the baby out of her hands. "That's enough tinkering for now."
Mei tried to steal it back but the greenette expertly launched and flipped himself over the back of the couch. A move he would never do if his mother had been there. But she wasn't so he did. The pinkette chased after him and they ran around the couch and table as Hitoshi cackled at their antics while Shouto watched with his own look of amusement. Mei tackled Izuku at one point in hopes of rescuing her baby from the greenette kidnapper. But the Quirkless boy used his training to turn the tables and pin her down to the ground with the baby held up in the air out of her reach.
"Do you give?" Izuku asked as he panted slightly.
The pinkette under him struggled to see if she could break free. But upon realizing he had her pinned well, she relented and said, "I give."
The greenette smiled and nodded triumphantly before letting her go.
"You can work on your babies later," Izuku said, dodging the pinkette's swipe for her gadget and held the device behind his back. "You already gave, Mei-chan. Now go wash your hands."
"Aw, come on, Izuku," Mei said with a pout as she held up her hands. "They're only a little greasy."
Little did not even begin to describe the dirty state of her hands. Grease and grime paired with whatever gunk was under her fingernails. How she considered that 'only a little greasy' was beyond him.
"Nope," Izuku retorted. "I'm not letting you touch my controllers with greasy hands."
"Fine, mom," Mei shot back with a huff and a playful glare. "But what if I was a cyborg and needed the grease to live?"
"Ugh, just go," the greenette sighed with a pointed look.
As the pinkette left to go wash up, Hitoshi said, "You know, if she did turn out to be even part cyborg, I would not be surprised."
"Hitoshi-kun, no," Izuku pressed.
"Hmm…" Shouto hummed from his spot on the couch with the conspiratorial gears already turning in his mind. "…could she be?"
"Shouto-kun, no!"
...
(A/N: I made a drawing of the Midoriya apartment because my extra brain demanded it. XD You can find it on the tumblr.)
Tumblr blog name: ja0-s-blank-canvas-fic
Notes extension: post/648309955938713600/part-2-chapter-3-our-home-is-your-home
Midoriya apartment layout: post/648309631565889536/midoriya-apartment