(A/N: Warning for mentioned past child abuse of a sort related to muzzles. I don't go into much detail on that though but a warning just in case. )
...
The following morning Hitoshi and Izuku were woken up by the gentle shaking of their shoulders by their English teacher. Yamada greeted them with a kind smile and bid them to get ready before joining them for breakfast. A much nicer way to wake up compared to Aizawa's choice of banging pans together. The teens sleepily nodded and started getting up as the loud man left them to it.
The boys were quick to change into their uniforms and took turns to do whatever business they needed to in the bathroom. Once they were mostly ready, the pair joined their teachers in the kitchen and found a casually dressed Yamada cooking while Aizawa was drinking coffee beside him in his usual uniform. Hitoshi beelined it for the half full coffee pot and accepted the mug already being handed to him by the fellow coffee drinker. A habit that Izuku just could not understand.
"Blegh, how can you drink that stuff?" the greenet asked as he went for some juice instead.
"With a latte practice," Hitoshi quipped between sips.
The twitch of the tired man's brow at the pun did not go unnoticed by the pair of punsters. The teens shared a brief conspiring glance seeing an opportunity to mess with their teacher.
"So, you're saying you didn't pro-caffeinate learning to drink coffee?" Izuku asked with a smirk.
The pun awarded them a tired sigh from the Underground Hero as well as a chuckle from the blonde by the stove.
"Yep," the brainwasher replied. "Coffee and I go way back. We've bean together a long time."
"Part of your daily grind?" the greenet shot back.
"Yes, and our relationship is brew-tiful," Hitoshi answered before taking a big gulp.
Aizawa let out another sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "It's too early for this pun crap."
"But we're only trying to espresso ourselves," Izuku jokingly defended as he turned up his innocent look.
"I swear if you say one more pun I'll…" the tired man said with a sneer.
"You'll what?" the Quirkless teen questioned cheekily with green eyes full of mischief. "Ground me?"
The Erasure Hero glared at him as he growled, "Get out."
"Can't," Izuku replied with an impish smile. "I'm essentially your son for the week."
That comment earned him a strange reaction from Hitoshi. The purple haired teen flinched ever so slightly as he was drinking his coffee, but it did not go unnoticed. Yamada was distracted by cooking but Aizawa and Izuku saw it raising silent questions as to why. Both having their own guesses and questions they wanted to ask the brainwasher in regards to his homelife. Neither knowing that the teacher and student both decided that tonight before the internships officially ended would be a good time to get some answers.
"Breakfast is ready!" Yamada chimed in breaking the tense moment.
The four worked together to set the table before settling down to eat. Sharing a simple breakfast of tamagoyaki with finely chopped green onion and white rice topped with furikake. They ate mostly in silence due to the early hour with only sparing domestic small talk. Such as Yamada mentioning he would be busy that evening with his weekly radio show so wouldn't be home until late. Or Aizawa bringing up the various groceries they would need to pick up after a week of housing two teenagers.
Once they finished breakfast, Aizawa and the teens left for UA while Yamada stayed behind to run some errands before work. Thankfully they took the car so they didn't have to deal with public transportation. Or in Izuku's case, the public in general. He knew that he would have to eventually after once again making the papers. But for now, he would enjoy the lack of public attention for as long as he could. Upon arriving at UA, instead of going to the changing rooms right away as they had at the beginning of the week, they went to 1-A instead.
"Alright, problem children, let's talk about the plan for today," Aizawa said as he gestured for the teens to sit at the front desks. "This is the last day of the internship. We're going to keep it relatively light considering everything that happened on Wednesday. I will have you two practice with Binding Cloth style in the afternoon. As for this morning, I have two things I would like to teach you that will be helpful especially as an Underground Hero."
The boys were intrigued both wanting to become Underground Heroes. Though that might be more of a challenge for Izuku at this point. Becoming the first Quirkless Hero student had already put him in the spotlight. That light was now even brighter after he had been given sole credit of capturing Stain. On one hand the attention was good because it could serve as motivation for those who were in a similar situation as Izuku had been. Those in need of a role model to follow. But on the other it clashed with his dislike of being the center of attention though he figured it was going to be something he'd have to get used to.
"First, I'm going to teach you how to pick locks," Aizawa said as he took out two small packages from his scarf. "There are times when you might find yourself in a situation that calls for this skill. Whether a locked door or even locked restraints. It's a skill that takes time to learn but is one you can easily practice in your free time."
The teacher offered the teens the packages which turned out to be lock picking tools. The man then took out three more objects from his capture weapon that were clear plastic padlocks that showed the mechanics inside. He also took his own personal set of lock picks from his belt as he dragged a chair to sit in front of his students.
Aizawa walked them through what all the different tools were and explained the parts of the lock. He then demonstrated and talked through the process showing them each step. The teacher then had his students try it out on their own. It was immediately clear to the teens that this was a task of finesse. One you had to learn through practice how it felt to manipulate each tumbler and pin. Sort of like a puzzle in a very tight space.
It took them both a while to figure out the feel of the process. How to hold the tension tool and lock in one hand while manipulating the pins with the picks with the other. Trying to lift them all to the correct height in order to get the cylinder to turn and unlock it. When they both managed to unlock their own padlocks, Izuku smiled brightly while Hitoshi gave a pleased grin.
The teacher then bid them to try out the different picks to see which one worked for them the best. Each had their own uses as well as strengths and weaknesses depending on the type of lock. They worked on picking their first lock with the different tools for a while until Aizawa gave them a new challenge.
Bobby pins.
"When you're in a pinch and you don't have your tools," Aizawa said as he showed them how to turn two bobby pins into crude picking tools. "These will serve as an alternative. They're small, inconspicuous, and easily hidden."
The tired man showed them the various places they could hide them. Shoes, pockets, clipped to different areas of clothing. But also, their hair.
"That's not something they usually teach in school," the Erasure Hero said as he revealed some hidden bobby pins in his own hair. "But it's a habit that I picked up over the years. Just in case I get into a situation that needs lock picking but I don't have my gear. Sometimes even something as simple as a bobby pin can help you get free."
"Wow, I never thought of using my hair to hide things in," Izuku said with a tone of intrigue.
"Seriously? I thought you already hid things in that mess," Hitoshi snarked next to him earning a questioning look. "Isn't your hair like that because it's full of secrets?"
"Well, what about yours?" the green haired teen retorted. "Your genes' desperate attempt to make you taller or just an impression of a troll doll."
"Who knows?" the brainwasher shrugged. "It does its own thing."
Aizawa merely rolled his eyes at their teasing and instructed them to practice with their own bobby pins. Checking how they formed them into makeshift pins before having them try picking their locks with them. The crude picks worked pretty well and the teens were each given a pack of bobby pins to practice with outside of school.
The teacher informed his students he would provide different locks for them to practice on intermittently to give them new challenges. He then went on to the second thing he wanted to teach his charges. Sign language. Not specifically Japanese Sign Language, but a version many used in the Underground for stealthy communicate.
For Hitoshi this was an entirely new subject while Izuku already had some experience speaking in sign. The greenet had taught his best friend some things though they were mostly jokes. Like comparing the insomniac to a cat for example. He had used it to address Hitoshi one time in class and Kouda giggled before signing it was a good name. Turning a joke into a sign name of the gesture for cat with the one for 'shi'.
But even though he had experience with JSL, this form of sign language was different. Focused on communicating information with the least number of gestures. Being quick and concise to maintain contact when verbal communication was not ideal. The Hero taught the teens the basics and gave them worksheets with pictures to help them practice.
...
The trio worked on communicating in sign until lunch. Rather than leave the classroom for the cafeteria, Shouta gave the boys bentos made by his husband. The blonde had gone a little overboard with leftover tamagoyaki alongside fried salmon, pickled vegetables, and little sausages cut into octopuses all on a bed of rice.
But the tired man couldn't blame him. He knew Hizashi had always wanted his own 'little listener' to dote on and spoil. In fact, they had been certified as potential foster parents for a while now beyond the usual temporary guardianship allowed them as teachers and Pro Heroes. They had been looking for a while but they hadn't really found the right fit yet.
The men knew that they would need to find a kid who was a bit older so they could be more independent due to their own schedules and just general preference. Hizashi may be fine with screaming babies but Shouta very much was not. Teenagers were bad enough. There was also the fact that they were two Pro Heroes that played a factor. If anyone learned they had a child, that would put their life in danger. So having someone older who they could teach to defend themselves was more ideal than a younger child.
But again, they hadn't found the right fit yet. Because it wasn't just their opinions that mattered. The kid would have to want to stay with them too. Most found Hizashi a bit over the top or Shouta off putting or a combination of the two. There were also the ones who tried to play up their Quirks too much boasting how strong it was much like the students the 1-A homeroom teacher typically expelled. If he couldn't deal with someone else's kid acting that way, he would have no tolerance from his own.
Hizashi also kept talking about what he called the 'click'. A sort of gut feeling that the connection was just right. One he compared to when he realized his feelings for Shouta. Feeling that they were meant to be together. Being a romantic and a believer of some sort of fate when it came to their future child. But for now, Hizashi had been able to focus some of those parental urges towards the two teens who had shared their home for a week. Unfortunately, he would be busy for their last night but Shouta was certain his husband would leave them with a good meal to end the week on while he was on the radio.
...
After lunch, they packed up the empty bentos before Aizawa instructed Hitoshi and Izuku to change. They made quick work of getting out of their uniforms and into their workout clothes. The trio then stopped by the Support Studio to gather their individual capture weapons. Maijima was there and informed them that their Hero suits were being repaired and cleaned. Sure to be ready for their Hero Studies class next week.
The three then moved to one of the gyms. Aizawa had them go through stretches and a few laps to warm up their bodies. He didn't have them spar this time and rather focused more on practicing with the capture weapons. The Hero commended his students on their effective use of them in Hosu. While he had been focusing on the Noumu, Eraserhead had still kept an eye on his problem children and took note of their efforts. There was also the green one's take down of Stain that was being broadcasted all over Japan.
They had the basics down of throwing the weapon out and using it to wrap their targets in the metal alloy infused carbon fiber cloth. But there were many other elements of Binding Cloth style and it would take time to teach the teens them all. For today, he had them focus on using their own capture weapons as a way to scale to a higher location. So that next time they wouldn't have to rely on a fire escape as they had in Hosu.
It was tough work trying to figure out how to use their gear as a sort of grappling device. Shooting the cloth out and managing to get a good grip on the other end. Secure enough to use as an anchor to pull themselves up. Keeping firm control over the Support Item while having to pull their own body weight up into the air. It was exhausting but the boys knew it would be a good skill to have in the future.
As the afternoon grew late, the teacher called it a day. The teens changed back into their uniforms, returned their Support gear to the studio, and the three left campus to spend their last night together in the EraserMic household. Yamada was already gone when they got back but he left a note to tell them of the dinner he had made for them as Aizawa had predicted. The blonde also bid them good night in the note and that he would see them off in the morning.
The teens took turns showering before they ate dinner. The trio then spent the rest of the evening in the living room with some show playing in the background as they worked on their own projects. Aizawa was on the couch typing away on his laptop to finish up some paperwork with Esp by his side. It was clear that he was the white cat's favorite.
Hitoshi was sitting on a cushion on the floor practicing the sign language they had learned that day. While DJ was in his lap playfully swatting at his hands as he signed. The brainwasher would switch between signing and petting the attention seeking orange cat. Izuku was on the couch beside him practicing with the lock picks internally quizzing himself on the signs Hitoshi was making.
The calm atmosphere was nice. Very domestic. Izuku knew that Shouto's conspiracy driven mind would have a field day finding more 'evidence' that his theory was correct. Seeing them as father and sons relaxing after a long day let alone week. A lot had happened and created many memories and stories. Not all of them they could share outside of their little group. But they would know and would be there to support each other if needed.
The tranquility apparently was enough to draw out the shadow cat. Aizawa was the first to notice Sashimi and nudged the green one next to him to let him know. Izuku found the black cat staring at them and smiled. He tapped Hitoshi on the shoulder before pointing the third cat out. Purple eyes widened at the appearance of the elusive feline as their mentor beckoned her over.
Sashimi cautiously approached them but instead of crawling into Aizawa's lap, she went for Izuku's instead. The greenet beamed as the shy cat settled in his lap and offered his hand for her to sniff before petting her soft black fur. He introduced Sashimi to Hitoshi and told him about Midnight having a cat named Sushi. But he didn't go into the back story involving his teacher's high school friend because it wasn't his story to tell. If Aizawa wanted to elaborate, he would.
The rest of the evening was spent with each of them paired with a cat. Hitoshi had found a cat toy under the couch and was playing with the energetic DJ. Esp was chilling next to Aizawa enjoying the intermittent pets and scratches. While Izuku put aside his lock picking to instead soak up his time petting the purring Sashimi in his lap. He would be going back to his pet-less home the next day after all. Hitoshi was too for all he knew about his homelife. For now at least because Izuku was hoping to learn more tonight when they were alone.
Finally, the hour grew late and the teacher called it time for bed as he closed his laptop. Izuku sadly removed Sashimi from his lap as he stood up and placed her where he had been sitting. While Hitoshi stood up with DJ playfully batting at his socked feet. The teens bid their teacher good night and left for their room to change into their pajamas and get ready for bed before settling into their futons.
Izuku laid there in the dark listening to the sounds of his teacher also settling for the night. Waiting to be sure they wouldn't be interrupted by him so the Quirkless teen could finally ask his friend about his weird behavior since the end of the Sports Festival. About why he had such strange reactions when it came to mentions of family and home. Because Izuku was worried about his friend and wanted him to be safe and happy.
The noises from the other room died down and was replaced by quiet. Moon light was shining through the curtained window giving a subtle glow to the room. Izuku laid there staring at the ceiling mentally preparing himself for this talk. Hoping his friend would talk to him but would respect his choice not to.
Well, here goes nothing.
"Hey, Hitoshi-kun," Izuku called out quietly. "Are you awake?"
There was some shuffling beside him and green eyes turned to meet purple from their respective futons.
"Yeah, what's up?" Hitoshi replied just as quietly.
"There's, uh, been something I've been meaning to ask," Izuku said looking back up to the ceiling. "About something I've noticed since the Sports Festival."
Green eyes glanced at his friend as Hitoshi said, "Shoot."
Izuku gulped and cleared his throat unsure how else to ask but to be blunt. Like ripping off a bandage.
"Why do you seem sad whenever we talk about family?"
...
Purple eyes widened in surprise at the sudden question as Hitoshi stared at the concerned face of his friend. Internally cursing that he hadn't been able to hold back his reactions whenever the topic came up. He was still bitter even after two weeks of being dumped by his previous foster family. The sleepover had helped though and this week with their teachers had been nice. But they were only temporary.
Hitoshi thought about asking Izuku to drop it like he had with his second-place medal. The greenet had respected his wishes and hadn't brought it up until now. Dutifully kept his medal for him for unknown reasons. Very much acting as the good friend that he is. But a good friend also will worry about you even if you don't want them to.
But this time the brainwasher felt that he couldn't brush it off. Not after the reveal of such a big secret that Izuku had kept from everyone including him. Who would have thought he would know Stain? Finding inspiration in his words of encouragement that no one else had given before. A Villain pushing someone to be a Hero was a strange concept, but somehow Izuku made it work.
Hitoshi had spoken true that this hidden connection wouldn't make him stop being his friend. There had been some mixed feelings upon learning Izuku had essentially befriended a Villain. Bringing up negative thoughts that the other boy had befriended him while still thinking him a Villain because of his Quirk. But they were quickly dismissed because Izuku was the first one to say his Quirk didn't make him a Villain. That his Quirk didn't define him and instead how he used it did.
When it came to Stain, Izuku hadn't gotten to know him as a Villain but as a man. A fellow human on this giant rock spinning in space. Pushing no Villainous acts on the teen and only talking. About what exactly he didn't know but figured it wasn't anything bad. Izuku was a Hero through and through. Hitoshi couldn't imagine him doing anything criminal out of malice. Even up against the Hero Killer he had fought on the Hero side against the man who was the first to believe in him. Not allowing their connection to lead him astray.
It was a big secret that Hitoshi was sure Izuku hadn't wanted to reveal. But it was out in the open now between those who were involved in the fight. It was because of this that the brainwasher felt one secret deserved another. Being a foster kid was something he's never directly told anyone before. Not outside of the various homes he had been to or the other foster kids he met. It was big and very personal but this was Izuku. His brother in all but blood. He deserved to know.
Hitoshi took a moment to brace himself before saying, "Because I don't have one."
Purple eyes watched as green grew wide at the reveal. He could see the concern clear as day in them as typical tears started budding in their corners.
"W-what?" Izuku asked in an emotionally cracked voice.
"I don't have a family, Izuku. At least technically," Hitoshi replied with a sigh as he picked at a stray thread on his pillow. "My birth parents are still alive but…when my Quirk developed, they said they didn't want a kid with a Villainous Quirk like mine and gave me up. I've been in the foster system ever since."
Izuku's brows furrowed at that. It pissed him off that his birth parents had done that. Judged him for his Quirk like the others had. Labeling him a Villain because of it with no regard to what he would become in the future. It was a terrible and discriminating reason to give up a child. Hitoshi grimaced as well not liking to talk about them. The first of many to call him Villain before he could prove otherwise.
"They abandoned you?" Izuku asked. "Just because of your Quirk? That's messed up."
"That's just how it was growing up for me," Hitoshi responded with a shrug. "Ever since my Quirk developed, everyone called it Villainous and wouldn't talk to me in fear I would brainwash them. That went for school and the different homes I've stayed at. Some even…going so far as to make me wear a muzzle."
Hitoshi paused and studied his friend for his reaction to that part of his past. It wasn't something he had intended to share at all, but it was a part of how he grew up. With how much he knew about Izuku's childhood, it only seemed fair.
At first, the greenet stared at him in shock. He knew that Hitoshi had a hard time growing up. Of people judging him for his Quirk and just assuming he would use it in a villainous way. It was enough of a shock that his own birth parents had done so and had gone so far as to give him up. But with the knowledge that some would go so far as to fucking muzzle him, his expression morphed into one of anger as well as concern.
"That is fucked up," Izuku declared. Then his eyes widened in worry as he connected a tangent dot of muzzles and masks. "Wait, does that mean the mask Mei-chan and I made for you is triggering? Do we need to redesign it? Maybe something less restricting? Or maybe…"
"It's fine, Izuku," Hitoshi interjected with a sort of forced smile. "The muzzles were restricting but they never let them get too…uncomfortable."
He didn't bring up them wanting to hide their actions because he didn't think it was relevant to their conversation.
"I basically got used to it along with the way the others treated me," Hitoshi said instead with a shrug. Then purple eyes turned to look into green. "That is…until I met you. You were the first person to ever tell me my Quirk could be Heroic."
Green eyes looked at him in shock. Not realizing that he had a similar impact on Hitoshi as Chizome had on him.
"Honestly, I was about to give up on being a Hero after failing the practical," the brainwasher said as he focused on that stray thread. "But what you said that day we met pushed me to keep trying. That as long as I wanted to use my Quirk to be a Hero, it would never be Villainous."
Purple looked earnestly into green. Trying to will all the gratitude he felt toward his friend. The first he had had in a long time. Pulled him up out of the hopeless hole he had been in and brought him to a world filled with it.
"You gave me hope again, Izuku," Hitoshi said with a rare warm smile. "You saved me that day. And every day since. You're my Hero."
With that the dam broke and the signature Midoriya tears fell down freckled cheeks. Izuku sobbed as Hitoshi shuffled closer to bring his friend into a hug. The greenet buried his head into his friend's chest and clung to him for support. Remorseful that Hitoshi had been abandoned just because of his Quirk being judged and mistreated for it ever since until they had met. A chance meeting caused by his clumsiness that led him to one of his best friends. Thank the gods that he was so distracted and then brave enough to try and befriend the other boy that day.
"Shh, it's okay, Izuku," Hitoshi said as he held his friend close and carded fingers through his green hair. "I'm alright. The reason why I started acting weird after the festival was because my foster family at the time had just given me back to the center. They had kept me for about a year but couldn't keep me anymore because of a job opportunity."
"They did?" Izuku muttered into his chest and sounding offended for him. "Just because of a job?"
"Yeah, but it's fine," Hitoshi replied with a sigh. "I'm used to it after all these years. There's always some excuse or reason to send me back. I've heard them all and honestly with some of the homes I stayed at I was happy to leave. But this last couple were among the nicer places I've stayed at. It wasn't really a surprise but it still sucked."
The greenet nodded against him before asking, "So, that's why you wanted me to keep your medal at my house?"
"Yes, it's because I'm staying at a foster center right now," the purple haired teen answered as he idly played with green curls. "Didn't want to chance it getting swiped. Kind of worried about the things Yamada gave us too though."
"I could take them home with me," Izuku offered as he pulled away a bit to look his friend in the eye. "Keep them with your medal until you want them back."
Hitoshi shouldn't be surprised by his friend's generosity by now but it still came as a shock every time. Izuku was just so caring and willing to help anyone in any way he could.
"Thanks, Izuku," Hitoshi replied with a grateful smile.
"You're still safe, right?" Izuku asked, green eyes filled with determined concern. It warmed the brainwasher's heart as he nodded. "Good. If you ever need a place to stay, you are always welcome at my house. You know my mom would insist too."
"Yeah, auntie sure would," the purple haired teen huffed in fond amusement. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Izuku."
"Of course, Hitoshi-kun," the greenet responded with a smile.
"You can just call me Hitoshi, you know?" the taller teen said. "I consider you as sort of my brother at this point."
"…you do?" Izuku asked with a dusting of pink on his cheeks.
A subtle blush of Hitoshi's own grew on his face as he answered, "Yeah, I may not have an official family, but I like to think of you, Mei, and Inko as my found family. Oh and Shouto too though he's more like a family pet."
Izuku snickered before he said, "I'd like to think that too…Hitoshi."
He found it a bit difficult to not use the honorific, but then again, he didn't use them with Bakugou anymore and Hitoshi was much more of a friend than him. Bakugou's case was more because they had known each other for so long. But in this one it was one of his best friends. One who had just revealed a big secret about his life and was trusting Izuku with it. Who saw him as a brother and his own personal Hero.
The greenet smiled at the other before pulling him into a brief hug. As he pulled back, he said, "I'm glad you feel that way about us. Though I have to say, I didn't think you would say something so sappy."
"Says the one who is constantly mushy around Shouto," Hitoshi teased, earning a flustered nudge to the shoulder. "What? It's true."
That just got him another push which he dramatized the fall for the effect as well as to move back to his own futon. Izuku giggled at his antics and hit him with his pillow before retreating to his own. He allowed Hitoshi a retaliatory hit before they both settled down to finally sleep. Hitoshi didn't swear Izuku to secrecy but they both knew he would keep it anyway. It was up to Hitoshi to tell people about his life. His choice and his alone.
The two brothers in all but blood quickly fell asleep next to their found family member. Unsure about how the future would unfold in regards to Hitoshi's situation, but knowing that for now he is safe. Perhaps Inko would have an idea of what to do. Izuku would have to ask Hitoshi in the morning if he could tell her. But for now, he would sleep.
Unbeknownst to either of the teens though, a tired cat loving hobo man stood silently outside their room absorbing what he had just overheard.
...
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Notes extension: post/667401539553476608/part-2-chapter-38-last-day-of-internships